A Land Remembered - Book Review

A Land Remembered is a fictional story that captures the true spirit of Florida's early settlers. 

Award-winning author, Patrick D. Smith brings to life  a story of dirt-poor Florida farmers in early pioneer days. Theirs is a tale of determination, hard work, and sacrifice, fraught with peril and danger.

Modern-day Florida is filled with luxury hotels, beach-front resorts, tourists, orange groves, and a collection of residents that usually come from other places. Few realize the raw nature of its existence before the railroad brought commerce to the area.

Rampant with alligators, snakes, marshy swamps, and mosquitoes, this land, in its original state, was home to the Seminole Indians. With razor-sharp saw-grass, devastating hurricanes, and treacherous flooding coupled with sudden crop-killing freezes, early settlers had a full-time job trying to stay alive.

During his research for this novel, Patrick D. Smith ran a trading post to learn about the lives of the native people of Florida. He describes the evolution of the state from its roots as a swamp and prairie to its explosive growth in population and major industry in a fictional story that captures the true spirit of early settlers.

Image from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [Public domain]

Most people have little idea of what it was like scratching out an existence living on roots, berries and raccoon stew. In his novel, A Land Remembered, Smith gives the reader plenty to think about.

Hardships after the Civil War included a serious shortage of even the most basic supplies. Groceries like flour, sugar, fabric for clothing, shoes, ammunition for hunting and cookware needed to prepare meals were hard to come by.

He tells of the "Cow Cavalry," a group commissioned by the state's governor to round up stray cattle. Their job was to drive the cows to Georgia to feed the remaining Federal troops. Along the way, they also collected and conscripted male settlers to run the cattle, whether willing or not, to travel through the harsh land with its collection of predators and diseases like malaria and dysentery. Federal troops were known to raid villages, taking "everything they could get their hands on" leaving settlers without their horses, mules and cows with no recourse. Buzzards would collect those who objected.

Confederate deserters, hiding out in the swamps to evade arrest, preyed on the families of isolated settlers, killing and devouring even their work animals.

Native Seminole Indians, that were also hunted and pursued, moved deeper into the swamps of the Everglades to avoid those who wished them harm.

Schooners traveled down the rivers carrying supplies for the local trading posts where settlers would bring animal furs to trade for their basic needs. There, they could occasionally get items they couldn't make or grow like coffee and flour.

Legal tender following the war was limited to Spanish gold doubloons carted around in wagons pulled by oxen. With the peril of extreme storms like hurricanes came the ever-present swamp creatures hungry and waiting to pounce on the unsuspecting.

As early cowhands pushed their herds towards the nearest marketplace, they crossed treacherous prairies and uncleared land filled with quick sand and hordes of mosquitoes. Often those dangers were enhanced by cutthroat cattle rustlers ready to kill for a profit and personal gain.

The story opens with a narrative by the elder Sol MacIvey who is at the end of his life. He has decided to defy his doctor's orders and return to his old home on the prairie of Southern Florida.

His earliest memories come flooding back as he reconnects with his Native American friend, Toby Cypress, who formed a lifetime bond with Sol's father through mutual need and respect. Sol's ancestors struggle to grow crops on their homestead while trying to keep their work oxen safe from deadly creatures that lurk in nearby woods.

They flourished despite the odds by capturing, branding and driving herds of cattle across the state to market.

A Seminole family of Cypress Tiger at their camp near Kendall, Florida in 1916. Photographer: Botanist John Kunkel Small, 1869-1938 - Image Public Domain

The text weaves its way past a series of events through three generations of MacIvey's trying to establish a homestead. The author introduces their hired hand, Frog, whose dedication and respect for the family convinces him to stick around for a lifetime. Others join the small establishment in the scrubs to become an integral part of the family and its endeavors.

A mixture of "Bonanza" with its Ponderosa, and an impoverished post-Civil War “Gone With the Wind” existence, this tale keeps the reader engaged as they grow to care for and understand the characters portrayed.

The story provides insight into the erosion of the hard work ethic that prompted patriarch Tobias MacIvey to leave his roots and seek out a new existence in the developing south as life becomes easier with the passage of time.

Coming out of Georgia in 1858 with a horse-drawn wagon, his wife and their small baby crossed into Florida with "a sack of corn and a sack of sweet potatoes," and the tools to clear the land and build a house.

His forty-acre farm in Georgia's red clay soil had failed. Seeking more nourishing soil and a new start, he sold the land in exchange for the goods to stock the wagon - "a few packets of seeds, a shotgun and a few shells, a frying pan and a cast-iron pot" which would have to serve the family for years to come.

He traded the wagon horses for a pair of oxen they named Tuck and Buck. As part of the trade, they got a guinea cow, a strangely diminutive animal which would provide milk for all of them.

Photo Attribution - University of Washington, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Their journey through the wilderness, finding and establishing their first isolated homestead, losing it to disaster, then moving farther south to again, seek out richer soil leads them into a whole new world of experiences and eventual enrichment as their family grows and adds members.

With each generation, existence grows easier with successful crops, acres of producing orange groves and ready-made housing for the offspring that come along. When they found a way to earn bushels of money, they finally had it made.

This story has all the appeal of a grandfather's tale, mixing pioneer adventure with a slice of history told by a seasoned storyteller.

This is a saga that will stay in your mind as a keen reminder of what the frontier held for our ancestors. It tells of hard work, sacrifice and reward that comes, but not without its share of loss and grief.

Patrick D. Smith Talks About the Book in this YouTube video

The Pub: A Murd*r Mystery by Peggy Cole © Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The manager of a fancy restaurant suddenly disappears. When paychecks start bouncing, the new bookkeeper falls under suspicion. Her new manager creates havoc in an already unstable workplace as Joe battles to save her job.

Joe watched dawn break over the channel. On the dock, a fisherman readied his boat for the day's work. She longed to spend the day on the water with the wind in her hair. It had been weeks since her boss, The Pub's owner, took her out on his boat. She wondered how things could have turned around so quickly.

There were only two cars in the parking lot. "Leftovers," she mumbled. These belonged to customers who'd found a ride home with someone they met at the lounge. She'd learned the hard way not to leave her car there overnight.

Once in the door, she was engulfed in an odor of stale beer and cigarette smoke. She followed the stains on the carpet to the service kiosk and made a pot of coffee. In the kitchen, she caught an image of herself in the door of the walk-in cooler. Sunken eyes, messy hair, wrinkled outfit, she looked far different than she had a few months ago.

"Home sweet home," she said and tossed her purse into a drawer. It was the late seventies. There were no computers to calculate balances. She'd learned to use an old Pegboard System with carbon copies of checks for records. She studied the entries on the bank register until her eyes blurred and her thoughts drifted.

Why did I take this job in the first place?

It had been fun at first. She loved counting stacks of cash and balancing the registers. Another benefit was the free daily meal. Eating at a fancy restaurant wasn't something she could do on her salary from the bank.

Her new boss, Dick, one of the owners liked to say, "There's no such thing as a free lunch."  He'd said it again yesterday.

"Yeah, I know." She rolled her eyes.

Another thing, he often said. "Always have a Plan B." Right now she was wishing for a "Plan B."

The job had become nothing but trouble. Paychecks were bouncing and she was being blamed.

When she'd first started the job, she and Dick would drive up the coast to check out the competition. At least, that was what he said. He wrote it off as a business expense. The truth was, he liked to be seen with pretty women who would drive him home while he nodded off in a stupor.

Joe knew that other girls on staff shared the same favors. Joe didn't mind. It was her best chance to drive a fast, fancy sports car.

He'd tell her to let him out a couple of blocks away from his house.

"The night is perfect for a walk," he'd say. But Joe knew the real reason. He wanted to stay out of site of the condo he shared with his wife and his mother-in-law.

"Just take the car home with you," he'd say. "You can drive it to work in the morning." She only fell for that one time. Repercussion came the next morning at work.

"Looks like somebody got lucky last night," the early-shift bartender cooed when she walked in. "Saw your car in the lot." He snickered.

"What?" she sputtered. "No! I drove Dick's car to my house." Words spilled out before she could stop them. Shut up. You're making it worse. She turned her back and drew a soda from the fountain trying to hide her bright red face.

"Guess that makes you someone's pet then, doesn't it?"

Joe had spent the morning sulking in her office, thinking about her old job at the bank.

Working at the brand new bank hadn't been all that bad. It was furnished with huge oak desks, marble counters and decorative lighting. Sadly, the fancy furnishings didn't spill over into the employees' salaries. Despite that, there was a waiting list to work there. Eight-to-five jobs were hard to find in the small town.

The day she realized she was going nowhere there was the day they promoted the security guard to head teller. He had no teller experience. He was just a man and the owner liked to favor men employees. She griped about it like the others but she was the only one that looked for a way out.

Scouring the want ads on her break she read, One weekend off a month? Hours 5 pm until midnight? They've got to be kidding. Most of the ads were for hotels, bars or restaurants. In the tourist driven town, hospitality workers seemed to drift in and out like the tide. Joe wasn't like that. She wanted a job with stability.

She thought she'd found that at The Pub.

Snapping back to reality, she ran the numbers again trying to explain the overdraft. She needed to prove herself; remove any doubt about her bookkeeping abilities.

Trying to raise some funds, she started making calls to customers with past-due house accounts. Not something she liked doing. She wondered why the management let people run up tabs into the thousands of dollars. Even Dick's tab was overdue. She put his file aside and moved to the next one. Maybe she could bring in enough to cover the payroll this week and hopefully, next week's liquor order.

She searched the office again trying to find the old bank statements. They weren't there despite her constant reminders to Bob, the general manager.

"I need those," she'd told him two days earlier. He'd blown her off. She pushed harder. "What if Ervin shows up? The last time he was here that's the first thing he wanted to see." Bringing up the CPA from hell turned Bob's face into a dark angry mask.

"If he shows up, tell him to ask me," he shouted, spit flying. Tomato juice and vodka sloshed out of his glass as he teetered under the low ceiling.

"Like I said, I balanced them myself while you were wasting time on some other worthless crap."

That was a new one, even for the master of insults.

"You don't need them to do your job," he screamed, storming out of the office. Through the closed door he yelled, "I need that staff schedule I told you to get done. Work on something useful for a change."

That was the last time she'd seen Bob.

She wondered if Bob's infatuation with Doreen had anything to do with the state of the books. Flings among the staff were common as hangovers and as quickly forgotten. This one was different. Bob fell hard for Doreen and she took advantage of it. The waitstaff grumbled that she got the choice shifts and better table assignments, although, no one dared mention it to him. That subject was strictly off limits.

Lately, Joe sensed trouble between Bob and Doreen. That would explain his foul mood over the past few weeks when he’d show up barking orders and scowling more than usual.

Two hours flew by as she poured over the books. She ran the numbers again and came up with the same balance. She heard the clatter of pans and dishes in the kitchen just beyond her door. Staff was showing up for work. Her eyes were bleary when the office door opened and Dick stood in the doorway. She could tell from his expression that something was up. He never came in this early.

“Bob’s gone,” he said eyeing the tangle of adding machine tapes snaking across the desk. Joe took the pencil stub she was chewing out of her mouth. It left a black smear on her lip.

“What do you mean gone?” 

“He’s disappeared.” He formed his hands like a bird in flight.

“How do you figure?” She smirked, thinking he was trying out one of his corny accounting jokes. She waited for the punch line, but his expression remained grim. He stepped inside and lowered his bulk to the bench across from her.

“I drove by Bob's place on my way to breakfast. He always parks in the same spot but his car’s not there. When he didn’t answer the door, I peeked in. The place looked empty. Nothing but furniture. You know his place looks like a train wreck - clothes draped over chairs, dirty dishes everywhere, even during staff meetings.”

Once a month, the employees met at Bob’s for a breakfast meeting. It was usually on a Sunday when they didn't serve lunch. Then everyone went for an outing on Dick’s boat.

“The room looks like it did before he moved in," he went on, "and the car not in its usual spot. Looks like he split."

Bob rarely drove his own car to the restaurant. That gave him an excuse to drive Dick’s fancy car to the bank for the daily deposit. He liked to brag that walking kept him in peak shape. Joe had to admit, for a man in his fifties, he was lean and muscular not paunchy like some. She looked at Dick's bulging belly.

“Maybe he’s with Doreen,” Joe said, instantly regretting it. Everyone knew about Bob’s obsession with Doreen. Maybe not everyone. She doubted that Dick knew. He was oblivious to most of the drama at The Pub.

His eyes lingered on her pencil-stained lips. She knew his affection for her ran deeper than he cared to admit. But she could tell. She always could tell that about men. For as long as she could remember. The way he stared at her with a dreamily when he thought she wasn’t looking. It was nothing new. She turned heads. Over the years, she’d become used to getting double takes from strangers. Beauty was a mixed blessing with its own set of hazards.

They sat quietly in the wake of news about Bob. Joe knew she’d get a new boss. Even worse, Ervin, the other partner, would be flying in to scrutinize the books and Joe in particular. His knack for making people miserable was clear during his last visit.

Beyond his tactless interrogation of the staff, he tended to stare at Joe with such intensity that it made her queasy. She never knew which of his cold, black eyes to look at.

"In a thriving restaurant with packed lounges, how is it impossible we're losing money?" he screamed at Dick. "This is a black hole where my money disappears!”

Ervin had the financial means to keep the Pub open. That gave him a sizeable amount of power. But with the current state of the books, she wasn’t sure if either partner would put more money into the restaurant. If not, The Pub would fold and put everyone's job on the line.

Dick broke the silence.

“I’ve asked Chip to take on the management duties until we can hire someone.”

“Oh?” She was unable to hide her disappointment. The assistant manager wouldn’t be her first choice when it came to replacing Bob. Although he acted friendly, something dark lurked beneath the surface of the muscle-bound bouncer. She knew if Dick already talked to Chip, the rest of the staff probably knew about Bob, too. Getting the news second-hand stung worse than Chip as Bob’s replacement.

Dick reached across the table and patted her shoulder, then, shuffled out. The gloom of the space closed in around her. Muffled voices filtered in through the thin walls. She could hear Dick telling the day cook to spread the word about a staff meeting before lunch. Reactions varied. One loud voice said, “That’s just great,” then, the grumbling went quiet.

“Staff meeting at eleven,” Denny announced in the dining room where two waitresses folded cloth napkins. They stopped and glared as he moved down the hall. Doreen slammed silverware onto a linen triangle and rolled up the edges. Her companion glanced at her across the table.

“They probably just came up with some more rules,” she said, “as if we need any more.” Doreen nodded and they resumed their task.

Denny’s voice carried as he moved into the lounge. He told servers with their pitchers of iced tea and condiments about the meeting.

At precisely eleven, a restless crowd shuffled around in the breakroom. Typical of a small town, rumors spread at the speed of sound in the restaurant. By the time Dick came in, many already knew what was coming. The room drew silent as they waited for him to make the official announcement.

“Bob is no longer with us,” he began. For a few of the late comers, the news took them by surprise. Doreen’s reaction was the most surprising.

“Why that scoundrel!” she said loud enough for anyone nearby to overhear. Heads swiveled toward the back of the room and there was muffled laughter. She stood a few feet away from Chewy who glanced at her with compassion mixed with a glimmer of hope. Months earlier, he’d tried to win her heart with boxed chocolates and bouquets of flowers he’d sent to her home address. With the stage set, he’d finally dredged up the courage to ask her out.

“How about a movie?” he’d asked.

“You and me?” Her eyebrows shot up toward her hairline.

“Sure,” he told her. “Death Wish is on at the drive in. It’s got Charles Bronson.”

“Not in this lifetime,” she’d answered with disdain walking away her nose in the air. Her rejections weren’t just for Chewy. Her cold indifference applied to every male who’d shown interest. That was, until Bob came along with his distinguished good looks and trim physique.

“Looks like the Ice Queen has finally melted,” one of the bus boys had said when news about the manager and the waitress spread.

While Dick droned on about Chip being in charge for the moment and his plans to advertise for a new manager, Chewy used the time to focus on Doreen.

Bob may have won her over for a while, but now, she’ll warm up to me. With Bob out of the picture, I have a better chance. He decided to make her jealous using Joe as bait. Chewy smiled at the thought. Jealousy will tip the scales in my favor.

Doreen seethed in a quiet rage. She knew more about Bob’s absence than anyone. He’s no different from the rest, she brooded, a scowl pasted on her face. He used me! The words screamed in her head blocking out Dick's voice. All she could think about was her new plan of action.

She frowned thinking about Bob's betrayal. While the others listened to Dick's ramblings, she worked on the details of her revenge.

They’ll be sorry they messed with me. They’ll all be sorry.

By that point, her anger overflowed one single target. It grew to include her coworkers. Suddenly her scowl changed to a smile.

“That’ll do it for now,” Dick said drawing the meeting to a close. Any questions or opinions about missing managers and missing cash went unanswered while they got ready for the waiting lunch crowd.

But those who'd survived other recent management changes knew uncertainty was headed their way.

Available on Amazon The Pub: A Murder Mystery

© Peggy Cole 2012

All rights are reserved. No part of this story may be copied or transmitted in any form without written permission from the author.

This story is fiction. Names, characters, businesses, and locations are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to persons, events or locales is coincidental.

The Host, by Stephenie Meyer - Book Review

What if an alien invasion is the reason for the political and social unrest? Author Stephenie Meyer provides a scenario of possibilities that may reveal the current media trend of disinformation.

The story, written by the best-selling author of the Twilight series, begins with the transformation of a female professor who begins to question her existence and her occupational choice.

She's inexplicably drawn to the desert in search of something she can't quite explain. Against the rules of the new societal norms, she takes off on a quest to explain the strange images that flood  into her dreams. When the images invade her mind during her wakened state, she can't resist the urge to explore their roots.

In the new norm, television has changed dramatically, along with sports, the news, and human interactions. Cooperation is the norm, with helping others being the primary objective. Football has lost its competitive edge with players finishing the game with hugs and handshakes for their opponents. Both teams receive a trophy. Violence is replaced with kindness and complacency. The news contains only feel-good stories of people, world leaders, and celebrities acting charitably. Murder and crime is at an all-time low.

These changes would seem ideal if it weren't the results of an alien invasion.

Everything You Do - Bryan Adams

Look into their eyes, and it's easy to tell. One quick beam of a flashlight will reveal them. The transformation of humans from their natural state of combat readiness—fight or flight responsiveness—has morphed into dormant, non-violent, docile and helpful citizens ready to assist their brothers and sisters with any need.

What's wrong with this picture? The reason for the abrupt changes in the way things have always been can be explained by an alien invasion. These tiny creatures who take over the mind of their host are a peaceful lot.

In this case, the alien beings are tiny enough to live within their victim's body undetected. There is one easy giveaway to their existence: Around the inner iris of their captive's eyes, a shining iridescent presence can be detected, along with a scar at the point of insertion at the back of the neck. The invaders use skilled surgeons who operate under the influence of implanted beings to conduct the procedure, placing the worm-like alien creature along the spine. Once there, it extends thousands of microscopic tentacles into the bodies of their host to control all aspects of their subject.

Attempts to remove the beings result in the unfortunate death of its captive host, although experiments to remove the invaders are ongoing. One such surgeon, a member of the resistance, suffers the emotional consequences of these questionable operations which challenge his Hippocratic oath and his own conscience. He struggles with the pressure to rid the population of this invader, yet, is torn by the results he experiences by doing so.

The main character, an alien known as Wanda, short for wanderer, is a complex being who has hosted on at least nine planets during her lengthy lifetime. Living out the lives of the species who reside in each of these worlds, she has taken their memories along for the long journey to Earth. Traveling in a cyber freezer while en route to the next ill-fated planet, her kind will occupy the homes and the minds of their inhabitants. She is among those destined to set up the new world for total invasion.

The trouble starts when the lingering memories of the human in which she is implanted begins to invade her own consciousness. The love her host body, formerly known as Melanie, continues to feel for not only her brother but also for her former mate and lover, Jared, drives Wanda into the desert on a journey from which she will not return.

Out in the middle of nowhere, a colony of humans has escaped detection and have begun a commune of cooperative efforts within a series of caves. With incredible ingenuity, they have created underground gardens, a kitchen with ovens heated by the natural elements, sleeping quarters and even hot baths for their residents.

Wanda is forced to join their community, first as a prisoner, and later as a contributing member who teaches classes about her species, captivating the youthful audience with her stories of life on other planets. As her inner voice grows louder, she is convinced that her human occupant of the body where she now resides, is still actively hanging on to her former life.

The character, Wanda, is befriended by some of the cave-dwellers and suffers abuse at the hand of others. Her persistence and optimism under pressure is as admirable as her submissive and passive behavior at the hands of her captors is degrading and offensive.

Those who are not fond of Wanda resent her acceptance by the founder of the safe place where they live. One heavy-handed abuser catches the woman alone in the hot springs and tries to drown her in the pool. Her response to his attack draws varied reactions from the collective who hold a trial to determine the outcome of the incident.

A complicated psychological thriller, this story evokes emotions of the reader who can compare the alien invasion situation to present-day prejudice, oppression, and fear of those who are unlike us. It draws the reader into a web of entanglement between both humans and aliens, demonstrating a familiar pattern of violence and resistance to change.

Along with the introspective, the story presents a realm of medical issues concerning right to life and modern medicine practices. The innovative nature of the alien race brings with it a variety of cures, medicines, and practices that, on the surface, pulls one in favor of their presence. Their restrictive and lackluster lives, on the other hand, makes one pull for the tenacity and resilience of their conquered hosts.

A captivating read, Ms. Meyer's book takes us into a world of what-ifs. It explores the depth of human interaction and the residual effects of love for others, whether borne of passion or familial ties. It demonstrates the differences in families and siblings, husbands, wives, lovers, and the ever-present curiosity of children whose acceptance of the unexplained is inspiring.

Love, hate, passion, survival, revolution, innovation, and a story that draws the reader in from the beginning is the basis for the success of this book, which has since been made into a movie. This book is one I've read more than once and turn to for tawdry escapism and entertainment.

Though she's the author of the Twilight series, a blockbuster story about vampires, this venture into the science fiction realm is by far Stephenie Meyer's best work.

Don't Know Jack - by Diane Capri - A Book Review

Don't Know Jack is the first book in the Hunt For Jack Reacher Series by Diane Capri. Its corollary book by Lee Child, Killing Floor, was made into a TV Series starring Alan Ritchson.

This fun read is a find for Reacher's die-hard fans who yearn to keep the Reacher story going. Diane Capri's novels give fans exactly they're hoping for, reuniting the reader with familiar characters and introducing new, memorable ones.

In this story, Kim Otto, Special Agent with the FBI, is assigned is to track down a trained killer, Retired Army Major Jack Reacher who's suspected in the murder of multiple people in Georgia.

Otto is a tightly-wound, overachiever. The daughter of a Vietnam veteran and a Vietnamese woman, Kim Otto is ninety-eight pounds of dynamite in a ten-pound package.

As the senior agent on the Special Personnel Task Force, she's paired up with Agent Carlos Gaspar, a 44-year-old with four kids. He's recovering from an on-the-job injury that keeps him in constant pain. Otto at times questions his suitability when she catches him limping and popping pain killers.

Gaspar hopes to put in his remaining twenty years and retire to Florida with the family. His calm demeanor both agitates and calms his new partner as he eats and sleeps his way along passing out deadpan remarks like candy.

The pairing of this odd couple adds a light-hearted element as they weave in and out of tricky situations and grow more efficient at guessing one another’s strategies.

Kim Otto finds no track record of Reacher in any of the alphabet agencies. No one seems to know where Reacher is and, more than likely, he doesn't want to be found. He has no footprint on social media, no known address, no phone, and no financial ties. He was last seen 15 years earlier in Margrave, Georgia after a crime syndicate was busted and a bunch of criminals were left dead, likely Reacher’s doing.

“Reacher had investigated, arrested, subdued, and otherwise dealt with some of the most highly trained soldiers on earth, all of them capable of extreme violence. He had done it by matching their violence with his own. He was a killer.”

Flying white-knuckled aboard a pre-dawn flight from Detroit to Atlanta, Agent Otto uses the time to review the case files sent encrypted by her boss. She's been instructed to keep the assignment completely off-the-books and under the radar. There will be no official acknowledgement of her duties which makes her job more difficult. 

The more she studies the scant files the less comfortable she becomes with the case. She knows if she messes up her career is in jeopardy.

Before she left home, street-smart and business-savvy Kim Otto had copied the documents into a separate file on a non-shared device. Too many people had access to the general FBI files and too many careers had been destroyed by loose lips.

She’d learned to CYA when it came to assignments.

Otto and Gaspar begin their search by conducting interviews of Reacher’s last known associates starting with Chief Roscoe of the Margrave Police, one of the few remaining officers that were on staff at the time.

To cover their real mission, Otto explains that the FBI Specialized Personnel Task Force is conducting a thorough background investigation of retired major, Jack Reacher. Having been in direct contact with Reacher in the past, Roscoe's was one of the case files sent from the boss.

The secrecy and urgency of the assignment worries Otto as too much information is missing. Having reviewed Reacher’s military file, she knew her task would not be easy. He would be like no candidate she’d investigated before.

“Reacher had investigated, arrested, subdued, and otherwise dealt with some of the most highly trained soldiers on earth, all of them capable of extreme violence. He had done it by matching their violence with his own. He was a killer.”

There had been one strongly-emphasized point in the 3-minute pre-dawn telephone call from Otto’s boss. They were to arrive at the interview location of the first subject no later than 11:30 am. Gaspar and Otto arrived at the Margrave police station by 11:15 am, giving them fifteen minutes to chat up the local Chief of Police before the deadline.

The timing of their arrival proved to be a key factor of the entire operation, putting them in position to investigate a local murder alongside of local law enforcement.

At precisely eleven-thirty a call came into the Chief of Police’s office. Someone’s been murdered and Otto and Gaspar’s interview is interrupted. They convince the Chief to let them tag along to the crime scene. While still in pursuit of their main target, clues took them down a  new path that revealed a stash of hidden cash, a treacherous wife and the murder of another police officer.

After taking some photos and making their own private observations, they drive back toward Atlanta to rest and regroup. As they’re checking into their hotel, Otto’s phone rings. It’s her boss. She feels certain he’s planted a GPS tracking device since he always seems to know where she is. Sleep deprived, rain soaked, and hungry, she’s ordered to submit a complete report by ten pm. By ten-thirty, they’re to be on a plane headed for Kennedy Airport in NY.

Their second target interview also has precise timing built into their two am arrival. As time ticks away and their plans falter. Elegant, immaculately dressed, politically well-connected, Finlay shows up late with cryptic bits of knowledge that he keeps close at hand. In a short twenty minutes, the agents realize this assignment goes far deeper than expected and their hopes for a swift conclusion to the assignment are dashed.

Weaving in and out of tricky situations, twists and turns keep the reader turning pages as the agents grow closer to their ultimate target, Jack Reacher.

This fun read meets the needs of Reacher's die-hard fans who want to keep the Reacher story going. A fast-paced crime thriller Diane Capri's novels give fans exactly they're hoping to find when searching for Jack Reacher.

Everyone Has A Story - The Tough Part is Getting It Out

 

Memoirs & Other Tall Tales, Peggy Cole

Coming soon to Amazon on eBook and in Paperback

It's been a long, hot summer and my muse has been mostly on vacation until this week. My recent desire to work on my latest book is a welcome change to previous neglect. I find that posting about my progress (or lack of it) makes me work harder either out of guilt or shame. Who knows?

I've passed the halfway point of putting together this collection of stories, some old, some new, some familiar to those who know me from other writing sites. I hope that these stories have been improved by all the time I've spent editing stuff that's already written. That has to be the worst part of writing a book, but a necessary part. 

Years of gathering information from family members, friends, even adversaries, indicates that everybody has a story to tell. The hard part is making the effort to write it down. And then, properly changing the names of the guilty (fictional characters) before publishing.

So I'm off to my battered keyboard which bears signs of my abuse. My ballpein-hammer style of typing is a gift learned during the old manual typewriter days of my youth.

This prototype cover, designed and created by Michael Friedman, is printed out and tacked to the wall in clear view of my laptop in hopes it will inspire or guilt me into working on my story. Over and out for this post and back to work. 

Happy writing to all aspiring and actual writers. All hands on deck, fellow authors!

Thursday's word count: 38,047 at 207 pages 8/25/2022

Saturday's word count: 42,056 at 225 pages 8/27/2022

Tuesday's word count: 48,020 at 240 pages 8/30/2022 

Friday's word count: 50,957 9/8/2022

An Ax To Grind by Frank Atanacio, A Book Review

In this fantasy fiction Novel by Frank Atanacio, Nick P.T. Barnum, a crime solving private detective works his magic to solve a case about murder, revenge and copy-cat killers.

This story features courtroom drama and reveals loopholes that criminals use to exploit the system with the aid of legal counsel.

No one likes it when a crook is set free because of a legal technicality, except for the criminal. 

"Even the best, most respected lawyers will defend someone as sick and twisted as Willie the Greek for the right price."

The author expertly sets a scene where drug dealers are waiting to secure their supply source when a dispute breaks out and a stray bullet hits an unintended victim. The aftermath of that unintentional murder is the basis for this murder mystery featuring the quirky and likable detective, Nick P.T. Barnum.

For those unfamiliar with the idiom, "An Ax to Grind," the UK definition suggests that it refers to a person that holds a grudge or a beef against someone with a private end to serve. The phrase likely comes from the act of sharpening an ax with the intention of using it to take revenge. Quora defines it as "To have a grievance with someone, especially where one feels the need to seek damaging retribution."

Revenge is the motive for a string of murders perpetrated by the primary suspect, Gary Manda, in the case after his young child is slain. Gary is the son of virtuous, well-respected, and God fearing matriarch, Mable Manda, who is torn between her desire for retribution of her grandchild's murder and her strong Biblical beliefs.

Private detective, Nick Barnum, walks a thin line between sympathy for his friend, Mable's loss, and the compelling desire to hunt down and find a serial murderer.

Atanacio is well equipped to serve up portions of suspense, humor, camaraderie, justice and reality in this fast-paced fiction story where many of the characters are familiar from his previous novels. Between Willie the Greek and his Bridgeport Police Department companions, the author spins a web of intrigue and mystery that puts P.T. Barnum to task in solving the case. The detective's sense of humor and self deprecatory nature is endearing often revealed in his "boy bashing" meals shared with other agents of the law.

The author mixes playful, flirtatious banter into the interactions between police officers, office staff, and restaurant servers inviting the reader into the scene with the natural flow of colorful characters.

Set in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the story takes the reader on an adventure that incorporates elements of the legal system, the criminal mind, a hint of romance for a not-so-perfect aging detective and realistic portrayals of characters in their station of life.

Barnum's office assistant is a sassy, young, adept and impressionable character whose full story is not revealed, leaving the reader to form certain conclusions as to her true nature and desires. She holds her own against the detective who can dish it out as well as take it on the chin. Their playful banter and casual working relationship is an enjoyable sideline to the story.

Frank's use of the common vernacular of the different characters is authentic and believable, leading the reader to assume the author knows these characters in person. He doesn't shy away from uncomfortable or politically incorrect slang that makes the dialogue flow smoothly as if spoken on the street.

He can effectively capture the stirrings of young love and the angst of a young man who has feelings for his first crush. The author's mastery of the characters brings them to life allowing the reader to empathize or despise as necessary based on their actions.

As the pivotal scene occurs in the playground, the narrative inches the story into the next dimension between life and death.

"He knew something was happening, but he could not tell what it was. The commotion was simply not registering in his head. . .Suddenly, he saw a bright light pass before him. It was almost blinding as he tried to adjust his eyes to it."

From that moment, everything in the story takes a new turn.

For readers hooked on murder mysteries like Lee Child's Jack Reacher series, Live PD, Snapped, The Homicide Hunter, Dateline, First 48, I Almost Got Away With It, and other reality TV drama, this story was a compelling and enjoyable read written by one of the best.

The Carriage Driver by Michael Friedman - Book Review

The Carriage Driver

Versatile author, Michael Friedman, writes from the heart about things that matter. In his book, The Carriage Driver, a collection of stories about the afterlife, he captures the hearts those who believe as well as those who only hope there is life after death.

His tales identify possible choices for each of us as we pass through the veil of darkness and our bodies outlive their usefulness. He presents options where we pick our new lives as we move out of this physical realm and into the after world. His tales provide possible answers to the eternal question: What if?

This gathering of stories incorporates individuals from all walks of life carrying on their hopes and dreams and moving them to the next level. Some arrive at The Castle for a sumptuous dinner; others conduct a symphony, perform an original musical masterpiece, paint a work of art or ride off into the sunset of our dreams. 

As the author explains in his Preface, “This work presents the instances where a person's life has led to a promised land.”

This book is one that the reader will turn to time and again with the passing of time as we long for the comfort of a future for ourselves and our loved ones. The closer one gets to our ultimate demise, we ache for a place, as promised in the Christian ministry and other religions, of "many mansions" where we might choose a resting place on our continuous journey. 

These beautifully written and uplifting stories provide insight into what might await us as we cross over into the unknown and pass through eternity. Peppered with wisps of poetry and driven by our favorite steed, Nuelle, we ride together into the storm as we face the future.

Harry Truman, Plain Speaking - by Merle Miller

President Harry Truman

The book, Plain Speaking, An Oral Biography, is a collection of observations by Merle Miller who invested hundreds of hours in one-on-one interviews not only with the former President, but with his staff, family members, former teachers, and a variety of every-day people who knew him before 1935 when he first went off to Washington. They spoke of his honesty, integrity, ethics and the kind of man who was held in high esteem.

Former President Harry S. Truman was a voracious reader. “I always had my nose stuck in a book,” he said, “a history book mostly. Of course, the main reason you read a book is to get a better insight into the people you're talking to. There were about three thousand books in the library downtown, and I guess I read them all, including the encyclopedias. I'm embarrassed to say that I remembered what I read, too.”

He was a student of history, a man with an intense desire to preserve the records of history. Mr. Truman said, in talking about libraries, “The worst thing in the world is when records are destroyed. The destruction of the Alexandrian Library and also the destruction of the great libraries in Rome…Those were terrible things, and one was done by the Moslems and the other by the Christians, but there’s no difference between them when they’re working for propaganda purposes.” He believed “The only thing new in the world is the history you don’t know.”

He also was concerned about the influence of money and donors. “I was always very particular about where my money came from. Very few people are going to give you large sums of money if they don’t expect to get something from it, and you’ve got to keep that in mind.” He was aware of the power and corruption money brings when he said, “No man can get rich in politics unless he's a crook.”

The 33^rd President of the United States, Harry S. Truman was born on May 8, 1884, and served from April 12, 1945 to January 20, 1953. He was the son of a rural farmer and mule trader in Lamar, Missouri. He served as Vice President for 82 days before the sudden death of Franklin Delano Roosevelt catapulted him into the Oval Office at the culmination of the Second World War.

He was outspoken and downright humorous in his memoirs of those with whom he came into contact. His forthright nature was apparent in summary of many in the political limelight, including Adlai Stevenson of whom he said, “a man who could never make up his mind whether he had to go to the bathroom or not.” Speaking of Henry Wallace, an opponent when Truman ran for reelection, Truman said, “What he said he wasn’t going to do was exactly what I knew he was going to do. I don’t know in Henry’s case if you’d say he was a liar as much as that he didn’t know the difference between the truth and a lie.” He says that Wallace accused him of trying to get this country into war with Russia, which he says, “was the opposite of what I was doing.” Sound familiar?

Despite his share of “frustration, of failure, of disappointment, of poverty, of mortgage foreclosures, of heartbreak” and bankruptcy in his haberdashery business, he remained cheerfully optimistic and “never wore his heart on his sleeve.”

About heritage, he would add, “I wouldn’t think much of a man that tried to deny the people and the town where he grew up. I’ve told you. You must always keep in mind who you are and where you came from. A man who can’t do that at all times is in trouble where I’m concerned. I wouldn’t have anything to do with him.”

His early life reflected the challenges of a studious and somewhat frail child, who preferred reading and learning to the outdoor games and activities of his peers.

The book captures the essence of his personality, philosophy and ethics in his own words. He makes viable recommendations on books that every citizen should read, he speaks on how to regard those seeking office and cautions the same. “You see the thing you have to remember. When you get to be President, there are all those things, the honors, the twenty-one gun salutes, all those things, you have to remember it isn’t for you. It’s for the Presidency and you’ve got to keep yourself separate from that in your mind.”

He believed that you have to appeal to people’s best instincts rather than their worst which might win you the election, but will do a lot of harm to the country.

Mr. Truman’s home-spun and self-enlightened wisdom rings true in today’s world, just as he described the plots and campaigns of the Roman Empire as no different than the modern strategies. Through his forthright appeal to the masses telling the truth about what was going on, he won the bid for reelection, in his own words, “by a statement of fact of what had happened in the past and what would happen in the future if the fella that was running against me was elected.”

Other quotes from the former President of the United States:

On the differences between mules and machines – “There’s some danger that you may get kicked in the head by a mule and end up believing everything you read in the papers.”

“Sometimes I was advised to hold my fire on this and that because they said telling the truth would offend people. But whenever I took such advice I never thought much of myself. If you keep your mouth shut about things you think are important, hell, I don’t see how you can expect the democratic system to work at all.”

Entertaining, funny, witty, and filled with insight about the nature of men and politics, this book is highly recommended as demonstrating that history repeats itself whether it’s dirty campaign tactics or political game playing in Congress.

Braids - Angel's Field, by Mike Friedman

The unlikely three companions who set out on a journey down the mountain have no idea of the dangers which await them on the road. Cyrus, a wizened woodsman and elder who tends the orchard, and Angel, who gathers and sows her colorful seeds, start off together on their quest in pursuit of the thief who has removed a tree from the orchard. Loss of the tree prevents a young girl from crossing over from this side of the realm to the next life. Her future remains in jeopardy without the guardian who resides within the tree. When they stop for rest and refreshment at a way station for boys, Carpenter, a young man captivated by Angel’s violet eyes, joins them from The Swing Zone where a lively game of baseball is in play.

Along their journey down the mountain, the trio encounters strange and deadly beasts, language barriers, an old world silk production enterprise, strong river currents, hunger, fatigue and determination. Spreading their talents and treasures with those along the trail, the trip requires ingenuity and perseverance on the part of all three who seek this missing tree.

The thief, a wily peddler named Seede, is ruthless in his treatment of those along his path, leaving behind, a trail of anguish, deception and loss. His eventual destination, to the Castel Mansion, is littered with remorseless acts for which he is well-known. His solicitor, Captain Castel, is willing to go to any means to cure his terminally ill daughter, including that of employing a hardened criminal to bring him what is required.

The story, an allegory of life, with its perils and pitfalls, moves along with a descriptive charm likened to fairy tales of old. There are strange inventions, tree houses, antique carvings, and games for children who await their final destination across the river on the other side.

Mike Friedman, beloved author of The Carriage Driver and the Emerald Wells Café series, along with a vast collection of short stories, weaves a web of intrigue, suspense and satisfaction within these too few pages of Braids – Angel’s Field.  His charming illustrations and imagination made me wish for more tales of adventure by this trio and other memorable characters peppered throughout the story.