Monday, June 30, 2014
Friday, June 27, 2014
Book Spotlight: GUARDIANS INC.: THE CYPHER by Julian Rosado-Machain
The other is the story of Thomas Byrne, a young man thrust into secrets he shouldn’t be aware of and dangers he shouldn’t face but, that he ultimately will, for he is a Cypher. The only one who can steer humanity’s future.
The ultimate conspiracy theory is that Magic is real. Kept in check by technology but, every five hundred years the balance can shift and, if it does, technology will fail and those creatures we’ve driven into myth will come back with a vengeance.
To protect the present, Guardians Incorporated needs to know the future, and to unlock the future they need a Cypher.
This is the first book of the Guardians Inc Series.
First Chapter:
Vice Principal Killjoy
Thomas fiddled with his thumbs waiting for his grandfather to emerge from his meeting with Vice Principal “Killjoy” Khanna.
He hadn’t come up with that nickname; it was something he had heard since his first day at Oceanic High School, in Carlsbad, California. It was whispered along the corridors and classrooms with dread, like a monster under the bed. If you did something wrong, Killjoy would get you.
Even the adults knew about her infamy. Morning drop-offs at school were always a chaotic cutthroat race until Killjoy took command of the school’s entrance. Holding a metal notepad in one hand and a large coffee mug in the other, Killjoy gained control of the drop-off zone. As parents cautiously drove through the parking lot, a mere frown stopped those who wanted to cut in line. A wave of the metal notepad dissuaded those who wanted to drive into the teacher’s parking lot. Her system was very simple: students wouldn’t be admitted to school that day if their parents tried to cut in line. Simple as that.
Killjoy always wore a long overcoat over a buttoned knitted sweater, even in the summer. Her haters compared her to a barrel with legs, but many of the girls were jealous of the wavy black hair that reached her lower back and her thin manicured hands. Nobody had seen her eyes — she always wore huge sunglasses that covered half her face — but it was rumored that her eyes were the blackest black.
She was shorter than the average sophomore girl, so it was easy for her to walk among students undetected during recess, and she was silent too, like a tiger stalking prey. Someone had found out that her shoe size was around 12 or 13, but Killjoy wore rubber-soled shoes and walked in a short step gait.
In those first two weeks, Thomas had been startled three times by her sudden appearance. Only the first time had she acknowledged his presence by nodding her head at him, her chin embedding itself deeply into her large double chin.
That simple nod was enough for an introduction.
There was a story about how Killjoy stopped a speeding SUV by standing in front of it and putting her hand on the grill of the car. The incident happened before Thomas even entered school, and he knew it must have been an exaggeration, but the story went that two days later, the family who was driving the SUV moved from the county.
Or so it was rumored.
Parents avoided her, teachers respected her, and students were completely terrified of her. In a nutshell, the school was completely under Killjoy’s iron grip. The principal seemed happy to be just a figurehead, the school ran like clockwork, and there were no problems between him and Killjoy since Killjoy was always right.
Everyone told Thomas to avoid her, but he was now on her radar.
Thomas shifted in his seat, swinging his legs back and forth. He stared at Killjoy’s closed door. He shivered. This was his first visit to her office, and since he had just transferred from Ohio, the Killjoy legend hadn’t really sunk in. A boy from his class had called him a “farm boy” in front of a group of girls, and although he had let that one slip by, he couldn’t ignore “hick,” “redneck,” and all the other names that followed. He dropped his backpack and immediately a ring of onlookers gathered.
The other boy, Roger Hill, was large and strong, with blond hair and blue eyes. He was three inches taller than Thomas, and his shoulders were many inches wider. Roger was a linebacker on the school’s football team.
Thomas was the complete opposite – always on the skinny side, with black hair and brown eyes. But three years in Tae Kwon Do earned him a red belt and third place in Ohio’s junior open. Of course, nobody knew that, and Roger found out the hard way.
Thomas didn’t throw the first punch; he tried to talk first, but when the punches came he made sure to throw the last kick, and then the next one, and the next one, as Roger’s teammates jumped in to help their linebacker. Thomas was in a trance – fighting – and zooming in on one of Roger’s friends when the circle of onlookers opened and Killjoy entered the arena.
With a wave of her notepad, Killjoy dissolved the spectators and assessed the situation. Everyone was silent. Thomas tried to catch his breath.
“You three,” she said in a thick Hindu accent, “to the principal.” Then she turned to Thomas and pointed with her coffee mug. “You, follow me.”
Thomas picked up his backpack and followed the short, plump woman through the school hallways. All the kids looked at him with pity; some even waved goodbye.
With a little kick, Killjoy opened her office door and led Thomas inside. She pointed to a chair across from her desk and waited for him to sit down before plopping in her chair. She intertwined her fingers and leaned over her desk, staring at Thomas.
Thomas tried to keep his cool and held her gaze while he counted in silence. He’d never been prone to get into trouble. He was never singled out for anything other than for his prowess in Tae Kwon Do in Ohio.
In Fulton, a town of roughly eleven thousand people, and a high school with a total two hundred students, everyone was familiar with each other. They’d actually grown up together. His old principal, Mr. Blair, had been to barbecues at his home many times. When someone got into trouble, not only did the parents know about it, within hours, the whole town heard of the news. And, like it or not, your reputation grew up with you -- screwing up as a kid, you’d be branded a “bad apple,” and your reputation would follow you forever.
The switch to Carlsbad, a proper city between San Diego and L.A., and a school with about three thousand students, had been difficult. It was harsh and disorienting. It seemed that everyone was trying to be individuals, trying to do something that would set them apart from each other. Clothing, attitude, friends, sports. It was all about who was who. Who did what? And, who was with whom? Thomas had tried to keep a low profile, but once again, his prowess in Tae Kwon Do had singled him out.
And now he was sitting in front of Killjoy.
When he had counted to twenty Mississippi, Killjoy finally spoke.
“Did you throw the first punch?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Did you entice the fight in any way?”
“Entice?”
“E-N-T-I-C-E. Entice,” she spelled. “To bait, to attract. Did you lure Roger to fight with you?”
“No. They started it.”
“They?”
“Roger and his friends.”
“So you know him?”
“He’s in one of my classes.”
“And you don’t like him.”
“I don’t really know him.”
“You wanted to fight him?”
“No.”
“You wanted to show off in front of the school? Build a little reputation? Show everyone who’s boss.”
“No.”
“No to which question.”
“No to all of them.”
“Show me your hands.”
Thomas paused, and then extended his knuckles.
“Palms up,” Killjoy said leaning forward. He opened his hands and turned up his palms.
Killjoy leaned even closer and lifted her sunglasses. Her eyes weren’t black but light brown, so clear that they were almost yellowish and perfectly delineated with a dark line. If she wasn’t wearing the sunglasses all the time, the girls would surely have another thing to envy. As she stared at his palms, Thomas began to feel a tingling sensation. He pulled his hands away.
She leaned back in her chair drawing in a deep breath. “Are you afraid of me?” she asked as she reached for her coffee, her nails screeching as she ran them across the mug.
“Should I be?” Thomas asked the way he had answered all of her other questions, immediately, without thinking.
Yes, she was scary, and she ruled the school with an iron grip, but in all the stories he’d heard, she was portrayed like a righteous but level-headed person. He really wanted to believe that he would get a fair interview with her.
Killjoy smirked. “I ask the same question to every student that sits in that chair. Ninety-nine percent say ‘yes.’ The other one percent, the bold or stupid, depending on how you want to look at it, say ‘no.’ You are the first to ask if you should be afraid.”
She turned her computer screen toward him. “This is your student record. Because of your fight I can suspend you. I can also try to expel you. I can have all the teachers keep tabs on you and let me know when you do something that’ll bring you back to this chair. I could recommend counseling, maybe even a psych evaluation. I could go out of my way and write some college recommendation letters, the kind that hint that maybe you wouldn’t be the best candidate for that school. I could do all that, maybe even a little more. And you know what?”
She stood and filled her coffee mug with a fresh batch from a machine she kept behind her desk. “It wouldn’t matter. This…” she pointed at the screen, “is your record, but it isn’t you. It isn’t what you are or what you can become. No matter what I or anyone else does to help you or bring you down, only you can decide your future. Success or failure is in your hands. You understand all of this?”
Thomas nodded.
“Good,” she said sitting down. “Because most people your age don’t. That said, the answer is no, you shouldn’t be afraid of me, but you will respect me while you’re in this school. Are we clear?”
“Very clear.”
“Now get out of my chair and I’ll call your grandfather. You’ll wait outside and study.” She took a sip of coffee and turned to the computer screen.
Thomas didn’t know if he needed to apologize, thank her, or ask her what was going to happen next. He stood up and walked toward the door.
He’d imagined a completely different outcome from the stories he’d heard. He had actually liked his little chat with Killjoy except, of course, that she was calling in his grandpa.
Now that was a conversation he began to dread.
“By the way,” Killjoy said, “for a red belt, you’re twisting your back leg too much on your Dwi sa gi.”
“Excuse me?”
“Your back stance,” Killjoy said without looking at him. “If Roger had known a little Tae Kwon Do, or any other martial art, he would have blocked your side kick and you’d have ended up on the floor. You need to work on your side-raising kick too.”
It was almost word-for-word what his Master in Ohio had told him to work on before he left for California.
“Thanks,” he said. “I will.” And she waved him away with the mug.
Thomas sat down outside of her office to study, but all he could think about was his chat with Killjoy. How did she know that he practiced Tae Kwon Do, and how could she have guessed that he was a red belt?
It took Thomas’s grandfather four hours before he arrived. The school was almost empty when Morgan Byrne entered through the office doors. Thomas felt the full intensity of his grandfather’s glare, even behind his thick, coke-bottle glasses. As his grandfather walked toward him, Thomas felt his body shrink. He had seen that glare before. He closed his notepad and got ready for the lecture that was sure to come. His grandfather’s limp was more noticeable when he walked at a brisker pace, and the way he nodded was an even worse sign of things to come.
Morgan Byrne had big hands, and at seventy-two he was an imposing man. He still had a full head of hair, although it had gone completely white. The diabetes and mild arthritis had only begun to dent his stamina, but he still exercised every morning and tried to get Thomas to exercise with him as much as he could.
“Tom.” His grandfather lifted a finger from his clenched fist, but before he could say another word, Killjoy opened the door to her office.
“Mr. Byrne,” she said extending a hand. “I’m Vice Principal Khanna. Before you take Thomas home I need to speak with you.”
Morgan shook Killjoy’s hand, flashed Thomas a final glare, and disappeared into the office.
Thomas’s guts twisted into a knot, and he locked his hands in between his knees. He involuntarily began to rock back and forth. A chat session between Killjoy and Grandpa could very well mean a whole new level of grounding. He tried to listen to the conversation through the door, but he only heard muffled voices.
Grandpa raised his voice, then Killjoy, then Grandpa again, followed by a long stream of words from Killjoy. Then a long silence, then… laughter?
Were they really laughing in there?
The door flung open. His grandfather walked out of Killjoy’s office with a smile. He turned and waved at Killjoy. Thomas stopped rocking and drew in a long breath. His grandfather didn’t seem as angry as he thought.
But, Thomas’s relief was short-lived as Grandpa’s smile slowly turned into a grimace.
“To the car, Tom,” his grandfather snapped. Not another word was spoken until they reached the parking lot.
“I tried to talk it out first,” Thomas began when they reached the car.
“Inside.” Morgan opened the door and closed it very gently. The car was his most prized possession: a black 1959 Chevrolet Impala that had been in and out of his garage only a couple of times since he’d bought it.
Thomas had heard all the car stories more than once. It was his grandfather’s pride and joy, his first car, bought with the labor of his teenage years and his first check from the Marines. The car that wooed his grandmother; the car his dad first learned to drive; the car Thomas’s parents used on their first date.
The car had been as special for his parents as it was for Grandpa and, had they not disappeared, it would already be theirs.
“I was furious with you, Tom.” Morgan buckled his seatbelt. “You got into a fight two weeks after I finally became your legal guardian. Really? Don’t you remember how difficult it was? All the hurdles and hoops? What would those people at the board say if they knew about this fight?”
“I tried to talk first, Gramps, I’m sorry.”
“Well,” his grandfather pursed his lips and turned on the ignition. “You should be. Let’s go.”
As they drove away, Thomas saw Killjoy leaving the school and, for a second, he thought she smiled at him.
“So,” Thomas asked once they pulled out from the school driveway. “We’re good? You’re not mad?”
“Oh no, I said I was furious.” Grandpa turned on the radio to one of his sixties stations. Bob Dylan was asking once again how it felt to be a rolling stone. Grandpa immediately joined in with the rhythm, tapping on the wheel with his hand.
“Until Miss Khanna told me that you beat up three kids today and…” he slapped the wheel and mouthed the words of the last chorus.
“And?” Thomas asked. He swallowed a lump in his throat.
“And I told her that three against one wasn’t my idea of a fair fight, especially since they are older than you. Aren’t they?”
“Well, yeah. But just by a year. They’re juniors.”
“Do you go beating up freshmen?”
“No.”
“Well, there you go. You didn’t start the fight, did you?”
Thomas lifted up his hands. “No, I swear I didn’t.”
“But you did finish it and I can’t get mad at you because you defended yourself. I told Miss Khanna that only cowards gang up on someone and that I expected the parents of those kids to give us a call to apologize.”
“Really?” Thomas was sure that if Killjoy called the parents of Roger and company, his social life at school was over before it even got started. “And what did she say?”
“That you’re suspended for a week without it going on your permanent record. To keep appearances.” Grandpa turned the radio dial; The Rolling Stones were playing Sympathy for the devil. “Those boys belong to the school’s football team, one is the running back. He had a big game this weekend that he’s not going to play, and if they lose and she doesn’t punish you somehow, well, I’m sure you know just how popular you would have become. Nice going champ. Good way to make friends.”
“But is she calling their parents or not?” It was great that Killjoy wouldn’t put the fight on his record, but she could still destroy his social life with that call.
“Of course she will.” Grandpa parked inside of their garage. “But, to tell their parents that they beat you up, and that they have extra duties at the school for a month.” He looked at Thomas and winked. “She also has her Killjoy reputation to keep, you know?”
Vice Principal Killjoy
Thomas fiddled with his thumbs waiting for his grandfather to emerge from his meeting with Vice Principal “Killjoy” Khanna.
He hadn’t come up with that nickname; it was something he had heard since his first day at Oceanic High School, in Carlsbad, California. It was whispered along the corridors and classrooms with dread, like a monster under the bed. If you did something wrong, Killjoy would get you.
Even the adults knew about her infamy. Morning drop-offs at school were always a chaotic cutthroat race until Killjoy took command of the school’s entrance. Holding a metal notepad in one hand and a large coffee mug in the other, Killjoy gained control of the drop-off zone. As parents cautiously drove through the parking lot, a mere frown stopped those who wanted to cut in line. A wave of the metal notepad dissuaded those who wanted to drive into the teacher’s parking lot. Her system was very simple: students wouldn’t be admitted to school that day if their parents tried to cut in line. Simple as that.
Killjoy always wore a long overcoat over a buttoned knitted sweater, even in the summer. Her haters compared her to a barrel with legs, but many of the girls were jealous of the wavy black hair that reached her lower back and her thin manicured hands. Nobody had seen her eyes — she always wore huge sunglasses that covered half her face — but it was rumored that her eyes were the blackest black.
She was shorter than the average sophomore girl, so it was easy for her to walk among students undetected during recess, and she was silent too, like a tiger stalking prey. Someone had found out that her shoe size was around 12 or 13, but Killjoy wore rubber-soled shoes and walked in a short step gait.
In those first two weeks, Thomas had been startled three times by her sudden appearance. Only the first time had she acknowledged his presence by nodding her head at him, her chin embedding itself deeply into her large double chin.
That simple nod was enough for an introduction.
There was a story about how Killjoy stopped a speeding SUV by standing in front of it and putting her hand on the grill of the car. The incident happened before Thomas even entered school, and he knew it must have been an exaggeration, but the story went that two days later, the family who was driving the SUV moved from the county.
Or so it was rumored.
Parents avoided her, teachers respected her, and students were completely terrified of her. In a nutshell, the school was completely under Killjoy’s iron grip. The principal seemed happy to be just a figurehead, the school ran like clockwork, and there were no problems between him and Killjoy since Killjoy was always right.
Everyone told Thomas to avoid her, but he was now on her radar.
Thomas shifted in his seat, swinging his legs back and forth. He stared at Killjoy’s closed door. He shivered. This was his first visit to her office, and since he had just transferred from Ohio, the Killjoy legend hadn’t really sunk in. A boy from his class had called him a “farm boy” in front of a group of girls, and although he had let that one slip by, he couldn’t ignore “hick,” “redneck,” and all the other names that followed. He dropped his backpack and immediately a ring of onlookers gathered.
The other boy, Roger Hill, was large and strong, with blond hair and blue eyes. He was three inches taller than Thomas, and his shoulders were many inches wider. Roger was a linebacker on the school’s football team.
Thomas was the complete opposite – always on the skinny side, with black hair and brown eyes. But three years in Tae Kwon Do earned him a red belt and third place in Ohio’s junior open. Of course, nobody knew that, and Roger found out the hard way.
Thomas didn’t throw the first punch; he tried to talk first, but when the punches came he made sure to throw the last kick, and then the next one, and the next one, as Roger’s teammates jumped in to help their linebacker. Thomas was in a trance – fighting – and zooming in on one of Roger’s friends when the circle of onlookers opened and Killjoy entered the arena.
With a wave of her notepad, Killjoy dissolved the spectators and assessed the situation. Everyone was silent. Thomas tried to catch his breath.
“You three,” she said in a thick Hindu accent, “to the principal.” Then she turned to Thomas and pointed with her coffee mug. “You, follow me.”
Thomas picked up his backpack and followed the short, plump woman through the school hallways. All the kids looked at him with pity; some even waved goodbye.
With a little kick, Killjoy opened her office door and led Thomas inside. She pointed to a chair across from her desk and waited for him to sit down before plopping in her chair. She intertwined her fingers and leaned over her desk, staring at Thomas.
Thomas tried to keep his cool and held her gaze while he counted in silence. He’d never been prone to get into trouble. He was never singled out for anything other than for his prowess in Tae Kwon Do in Ohio.
In Fulton, a town of roughly eleven thousand people, and a high school with a total two hundred students, everyone was familiar with each other. They’d actually grown up together. His old principal, Mr. Blair, had been to barbecues at his home many times. When someone got into trouble, not only did the parents know about it, within hours, the whole town heard of the news. And, like it or not, your reputation grew up with you -- screwing up as a kid, you’d be branded a “bad apple,” and your reputation would follow you forever.
The switch to Carlsbad, a proper city between San Diego and L.A., and a school with about three thousand students, had been difficult. It was harsh and disorienting. It seemed that everyone was trying to be individuals, trying to do something that would set them apart from each other. Clothing, attitude, friends, sports. It was all about who was who. Who did what? And, who was with whom? Thomas had tried to keep a low profile, but once again, his prowess in Tae Kwon Do had singled him out.
And now he was sitting in front of Killjoy.
When he had counted to twenty Mississippi, Killjoy finally spoke.
“Did you throw the first punch?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Did you entice the fight in any way?”
“Entice?”
“E-N-T-I-C-E. Entice,” she spelled. “To bait, to attract. Did you lure Roger to fight with you?”
“No. They started it.”
“They?”
“Roger and his friends.”
“So you know him?”
“He’s in one of my classes.”
“And you don’t like him.”
“I don’t really know him.”
“You wanted to fight him?”
“No.”
“You wanted to show off in front of the school? Build a little reputation? Show everyone who’s boss.”
“No.”
“No to which question.”
“No to all of them.”
“Show me your hands.”
Thomas paused, and then extended his knuckles.
“Palms up,” Killjoy said leaning forward. He opened his hands and turned up his palms.
Killjoy leaned even closer and lifted her sunglasses. Her eyes weren’t black but light brown, so clear that they were almost yellowish and perfectly delineated with a dark line. If she wasn’t wearing the sunglasses all the time, the girls would surely have another thing to envy. As she stared at his palms, Thomas began to feel a tingling sensation. He pulled his hands away.
She leaned back in her chair drawing in a deep breath. “Are you afraid of me?” she asked as she reached for her coffee, her nails screeching as she ran them across the mug.
“Should I be?” Thomas asked the way he had answered all of her other questions, immediately, without thinking.
Yes, she was scary, and she ruled the school with an iron grip, but in all the stories he’d heard, she was portrayed like a righteous but level-headed person. He really wanted to believe that he would get a fair interview with her.
Killjoy smirked. “I ask the same question to every student that sits in that chair. Ninety-nine percent say ‘yes.’ The other one percent, the bold or stupid, depending on how you want to look at it, say ‘no.’ You are the first to ask if you should be afraid.”
She turned her computer screen toward him. “This is your student record. Because of your fight I can suspend you. I can also try to expel you. I can have all the teachers keep tabs on you and let me know when you do something that’ll bring you back to this chair. I could recommend counseling, maybe even a psych evaluation. I could go out of my way and write some college recommendation letters, the kind that hint that maybe you wouldn’t be the best candidate for that school. I could do all that, maybe even a little more. And you know what?”
She stood and filled her coffee mug with a fresh batch from a machine she kept behind her desk. “It wouldn’t matter. This…” she pointed at the screen, “is your record, but it isn’t you. It isn’t what you are or what you can become. No matter what I or anyone else does to help you or bring you down, only you can decide your future. Success or failure is in your hands. You understand all of this?”
Thomas nodded.
“Good,” she said sitting down. “Because most people your age don’t. That said, the answer is no, you shouldn’t be afraid of me, but you will respect me while you’re in this school. Are we clear?”
“Very clear.”
“Now get out of my chair and I’ll call your grandfather. You’ll wait outside and study.” She took a sip of coffee and turned to the computer screen.
Thomas didn’t know if he needed to apologize, thank her, or ask her what was going to happen next. He stood up and walked toward the door.
He’d imagined a completely different outcome from the stories he’d heard. He had actually liked his little chat with Killjoy except, of course, that she was calling in his grandpa.
Now that was a conversation he began to dread.
“By the way,” Killjoy said, “for a red belt, you’re twisting your back leg too much on your Dwi sa gi.”
“Excuse me?”
“Your back stance,” Killjoy said without looking at him. “If Roger had known a little Tae Kwon Do, or any other martial art, he would have blocked your side kick and you’d have ended up on the floor. You need to work on your side-raising kick too.”
It was almost word-for-word what his Master in Ohio had told him to work on before he left for California.
“Thanks,” he said. “I will.” And she waved him away with the mug.
Thomas sat down outside of her office to study, but all he could think about was his chat with Killjoy. How did she know that he practiced Tae Kwon Do, and how could she have guessed that he was a red belt?
It took Thomas’s grandfather four hours before he arrived. The school was almost empty when Morgan Byrne entered through the office doors. Thomas felt the full intensity of his grandfather’s glare, even behind his thick, coke-bottle glasses. As his grandfather walked toward him, Thomas felt his body shrink. He had seen that glare before. He closed his notepad and got ready for the lecture that was sure to come. His grandfather’s limp was more noticeable when he walked at a brisker pace, and the way he nodded was an even worse sign of things to come.
Morgan Byrne had big hands, and at seventy-two he was an imposing man. He still had a full head of hair, although it had gone completely white. The diabetes and mild arthritis had only begun to dent his stamina, but he still exercised every morning and tried to get Thomas to exercise with him as much as he could.
“Tom.” His grandfather lifted a finger from his clenched fist, but before he could say another word, Killjoy opened the door to her office.
“Mr. Byrne,” she said extending a hand. “I’m Vice Principal Khanna. Before you take Thomas home I need to speak with you.”
Morgan shook Killjoy’s hand, flashed Thomas a final glare, and disappeared into the office.
Thomas’s guts twisted into a knot, and he locked his hands in between his knees. He involuntarily began to rock back and forth. A chat session between Killjoy and Grandpa could very well mean a whole new level of grounding. He tried to listen to the conversation through the door, but he only heard muffled voices.
Grandpa raised his voice, then Killjoy, then Grandpa again, followed by a long stream of words from Killjoy. Then a long silence, then… laughter?
Were they really laughing in there?
The door flung open. His grandfather walked out of Killjoy’s office with a smile. He turned and waved at Killjoy. Thomas stopped rocking and drew in a long breath. His grandfather didn’t seem as angry as he thought.
But, Thomas’s relief was short-lived as Grandpa’s smile slowly turned into a grimace.
“To the car, Tom,” his grandfather snapped. Not another word was spoken until they reached the parking lot.
“I tried to talk it out first,” Thomas began when they reached the car.
“Inside.” Morgan opened the door and closed it very gently. The car was his most prized possession: a black 1959 Chevrolet Impala that had been in and out of his garage only a couple of times since he’d bought it.
Thomas had heard all the car stories more than once. It was his grandfather’s pride and joy, his first car, bought with the labor of his teenage years and his first check from the Marines. The car that wooed his grandmother; the car his dad first learned to drive; the car Thomas’s parents used on their first date.
The car had been as special for his parents as it was for Grandpa and, had they not disappeared, it would already be theirs.
“I was furious with you, Tom.” Morgan buckled his seatbelt. “You got into a fight two weeks after I finally became your legal guardian. Really? Don’t you remember how difficult it was? All the hurdles and hoops? What would those people at the board say if they knew about this fight?”
“I tried to talk first, Gramps, I’m sorry.”
“Well,” his grandfather pursed his lips and turned on the ignition. “You should be. Let’s go.”
As they drove away, Thomas saw Killjoy leaving the school and, for a second, he thought she smiled at him.
“So,” Thomas asked once they pulled out from the school driveway. “We’re good? You’re not mad?”
“Oh no, I said I was furious.” Grandpa turned on the radio to one of his sixties stations. Bob Dylan was asking once again how it felt to be a rolling stone. Grandpa immediately joined in with the rhythm, tapping on the wheel with his hand.
“Until Miss Khanna told me that you beat up three kids today and…” he slapped the wheel and mouthed the words of the last chorus.
“And?” Thomas asked. He swallowed a lump in his throat.
“And I told her that three against one wasn’t my idea of a fair fight, especially since they are older than you. Aren’t they?”
“Well, yeah. But just by a year. They’re juniors.”
“Do you go beating up freshmen?”
“No.”
“Well, there you go. You didn’t start the fight, did you?”
Thomas lifted up his hands. “No, I swear I didn’t.”
“But you did finish it and I can’t get mad at you because you defended yourself. I told Miss Khanna that only cowards gang up on someone and that I expected the parents of those kids to give us a call to apologize.”
“Really?” Thomas was sure that if Killjoy called the parents of Roger and company, his social life at school was over before it even got started. “And what did she say?”
“That you’re suspended for a week without it going on your permanent record. To keep appearances.” Grandpa turned the radio dial; The Rolling Stones were playing Sympathy for the devil. “Those boys belong to the school’s football team, one is the running back. He had a big game this weekend that he’s not going to play, and if they lose and she doesn’t punish you somehow, well, I’m sure you know just how popular you would have become. Nice going champ. Good way to make friends.”
“But is she calling their parents or not?” It was great that Killjoy wouldn’t put the fight on his record, but she could still destroy his social life with that call.
“Of course she will.” Grandpa parked inside of their garage. “But, to tell their parents that they beat you up, and that they have extra duties at the school for a month.” He looked at Thomas and winked. “She also has her Killjoy reputation to keep, you know?”
Julian Rosado-Machain has enjoyed pizza in three continents, worked in graphic design, armored vehicles, built computers, handcrafted alebrijes and swears that he has seen at least one ghost.
He lives in San Diego, California. And enjoys the sun with his wife, three children and cat.
His latest book is the YA fantasy adventure, Guardians Inc.: The Cypher.
For More Information
• Visit Julian Rosado-Machain’s website.
• Connect with Julian on Facebook and Goodreads.
• More books by Julian Rosado-Machain.
• Contact the author here.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Book Review: Tactics, Trends, & Traits of the Enemy by Jermaine Gadson
Pastor Gadson hopes to help people identify the tactics the enemy is using on a daily basis that they might not even realize are demonic attacks. From temptation to fear to lies and deception, and more, Satan is at work every day. Tactics, Trends, & Traits of the Enemy will help prepare you for this battle.
The book starts off with a discussion on knowing your enemy: the origin of Satan, the outcome of Satan, and names of the devil throughout the Bible. It then quickly moves into a chapter on the strategy of temptation that Satan uses. The second chapter ends with three Biblical ways to respond to temptation before moving on to the next topic.
Have you ever considered setbacks in everyday life as a way for the Devil to sabotage your faith? Gadson spends time talking about how the enemy attempts to hinder the answers to our prayers and can use people around us to "quench the fire of our faith." The enemy attacks your fellowship with God and your fellowship with other believers. Exhaustion and fatigue, loneliness and isolation, fear and intimidation, depression and anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and more are a direct result of Satan's handiwork. And if Satan is so successful doing this to believers, just imagine what he has in store for unbelievers (you'll learn about this too).
There is so much to learn from Tactics, Trends, & Traits of the Enemy and it will get you to thinking about how we truly are members of God's Army preparing for battle against the forces of darkness. Gadson speaks from a position of strength and solid knowledge, but remains humble and encouraging throughout the book. Also incorporated are several appendices that include a study guide, the spiritual arsenal God provides for our fight against the enemy, and how not to give a foothold to the devil.
A superb book to be read together as a congregation or for a study group, Tactics, Trends, & Traits of the Enemy will help you identify the devil's work and inspire you to keep your eyes focused on the Lord. As Gadson reminds the reader in his conclusion, the devil is no match for the person who has surrendered his or her life to Jesus Christ.
Paperback: 190 pages
Publisher: CrossBooks (June 4, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1462736351
ISBN-13: 978-1462736355
I received a digital version of this book from the author's publicist. I have been paid to promote this book with a virtual book tour through Pump Up Your Book. This fee did not include any type of review. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.
In the News: Smart Homes
Christopher Mims, Tech Columnist for the Wall Street Journal, wrote an article on smart homes in the June 22, 2014 edition. He visited with SmartThings CEO Alex Hawkinson, who has turned his home into a smart home with the help of smart devices and apps. A device on his wrist registers movement when he wakes up and communicates this wirelessly to his iPhone, which passes the signal to home-controlling software in the cloud. Lights come on. The coffee maker starts brewing. The thermostat adjusts the temperature and the security system shuts off.
Mims isn't convinced this is all worth doing. He says, "...other than people who have very specific reasons to add automation to their homes, I have no idea why anyone would do it, even if the equipment were free. As countless reviewers have noted...even when smart-home technology works as advertised, the complexity it adds to everyday life outweighs any convenience it might provide." Mims did, however, find some compelling aspects of this technology in Hawkinson's home and has high hopes for the future. You can read his entire article at http://online.wsj.com/articles/why-im-not-in-a-hurry-for-a-smart-home-1403479741
What do you think about smart homes? Would you ever add such technology to your home?
This Day in History: Berlin Airlift Begins
On this day in 1948, U.S. and British pilots begin delivering food and supplies by airplane to Berlin when Josef Stalin's Soviet government attempted to consolidate control of the city by cutting off all land and sea routes to West Berlin to pressure the Allies into evacuating. The western section of Berlin and its 2 million people were deprived of food, heating fuel and other crucial supplies.
President Harry S. Truman feared an aggressive response would trigger another world war, so instead he authorized a massive airlift operation under the control of General Lucius D. Clay, the American-appointed military governor of Germany. The first planes took off from England and western Germany on June 26, loaded with food, clothing, water, medicine and fuel.
During the Berlin airlift, pilot Gail S. "Hal" Halvorsen ran an operation known as "Operation Little Vittles." Shortly before landing at the Berlin Tempelhof Airport in the American sector of Berlin, Halvorsen would drop candy attached to parachutes to the children below. Other crews followed suit and were given the name candy bombers. The program gained widespread attention that led to an outpouring of public support and donations. My home town of Chicopee, MA was crucial to this operation, as Westover Air
Force base in Chicopee was the stateside headquarters of "Operation Little Vittles." The motto of the Operation was "For the children, by the children, and of the children." Each of the 22 Chicopee schools spent time sewing handkerchiefs into tiny parachutes and a local businessman even donated whistles and balloons as Christmas gifts for the German children.
To read more about the Berlin airlift, visit http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-begins-berlin-airlift You can read about Chicopee's involvement in "Operation Little Vittles" at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/airlift/sfeature/candy.html There are links to several historical articles.
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Kindle Freebie: Choices of the Heart by Kelsey MacBride
Choices of the Heart is the first Christian Romance book in the Bradley Sisters series and begins the story of each sister’s search for a Godly man worthy of their heart. Each story highlights a sister’s hopes, her struggles, and her achievements as she trusts God to bring her the perfect soul mate.
Lauren Bradley wants to find true love and goes about experimenting with online dating and attending church singles groups to find the perfect Godly man. But her efforts are met with disaster and her frustration grows as she becomes impatient waiting for God to bring the right man into her life. She decides to become an entrepreneur and purchase Emilia’s, an Italian restaurant. But her goals of buying the restaurant are thwarted by Andrew, a handsome man who also wants the restaurant for himself. Lauren is attracted to Andrew, but becomes involved with her boss, knowing he may not be the man God intended for her.
Andrew has had a passion for cooking since childhood, spending lots of time in the kitchen with his mother. Now he wants to switch from being a teacher, to fulfilling his lifelong dream of owning a restaurant. But there’s one problem, he’s attracted to Lauren and has to fight her for Emilia’s. Will he fulfill his lifelong dream at the expense of driving Lauren away? Or will he sacrifice his dream and compete with her boss for the chance at true love?
Other titles in the Christian romance series by Kelsey MacBride:
-Desires of the Heart: Megan's story (Available now!)
-Passions of the Heart: Tiffany's story (June 30, 2014)
-Redemption of the Heart: Katie's story (July 2014)
Don't miss out on these inspirational love stories of faith, family and romance.
File Size: 631 KB
Print Length: 118 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: New Prosperity Publishing, Inc. (June 9, 2014)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00KWEXNN0
PURCHASE HERE!
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
PBS DISTRIBUTION to Release PBS KIDS "PEEP AND THE BIG WIDE WORLD: PEEP DISCOVERS" This July!
From PBS DISTRIBUTION - Lovable characters, charming plotlines, humor, and science all come together in the fun and engaging program PEEP and the Big Wide World. From learning about mud, to exploring the many uses of a drinking straw – blowing bubbles, breathing underwater, spying on Quack – “PEEP DISCOVERS” features our favorite chicken uncovering more and more about the Big Wide World! In the adventure Fair Shares, Peep and his friends encounter a problem – two crackers, divided by three birds, equals one big headache. In Marble Mover, Peep discovers that if you ever need help getting a marble up a hill, all you need to do is “Ask a Duck.” In addition to featuring eight fun-filled learning adventures, this DVD includes printable activities and coloring pages. All the stories on this DVD are available in English and Spanish!
PEEP and the Big Wide World gives wings to the innovative idea of teaching science to preschoolers. Set in and around a pond, a bush, and a tin can, the show follows a newly hatched chicken named Peep, and his friends Chirp and Quack (a robin and a duck), on their adventures. Surrounding them is a large urban park – a place of great wonder and mystery, a place they are forever eager to explore, a place they call “the big wide world.” The program is narrated by Joan Cusack (“Toy Story 3”).
Runtime: Approximately 100 minutes.
Advice for First Time Authors by April L. Minger, Author of Altars of the Heart
Do events from your past continue to play over and over in your mind? Do you feel like your relationship with God is not where it should be? Are you looking for a deeper worship experience?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then I have some good news for you. The answer may seem far away, but it's actually much closer than you think.
Altars of the Heart will take you on a journey to rediscover who you are and give you authentic tools to help you connect back to walking hand-in-hand with God through deeper worship.
The knowledge and insight that you will gain from reading this book will take you to a life of newfound liberation from insecurities, fear, doubt, shame, and un-forgiveness.
You will be encouraged to do an internal "heart" examination, to re-evaluate how you interact with others, make choices and worship the Lord.
The Word of God specifically states in the book of Hosea 4:6, that my people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge. I issue a challenge to you to open this book, and allow your life to experience freedom from bondage and finally discover your path to deeper worship.
Open this book, and let’s have a heart to heart conversation!
Advice for First Time Authors by April L. Minger
First of all, I would start by telling them to commit to finishing the process, which means you have to determine beforehand that you are not going to give in and quit. Then decide for yourself what success will look like for you; what will make all the hard work worth it for you? Will it be having the printed book delivered to your doorstep and seeing it and holding it in your hands for the first time? Will it be getting great reviews from other authors? Will it be receiving award winning recognition? Whatever success is for you commit to achieving it and let that be your driving force and motivate you when face opposition.
An author should understand the process and structure of writing and I would encourage first time authors to insure they put time into developing their skill set. That could include investing in a writing coach and seeking the advice of others to help you improve your writing skills. Don’t miss out on networking opportunities, reach out and be willing to learn from people who have already walked the path you are about to travel as a first time author.
First time authors should take some time to research and understand the publishing industry. Writing a book is only the beginning steps on the pathway to authorship. You may have written the book by yourself, but I would encourage you to start to build a team to finish your work and bring the book to fruition. You should find a great, not good, but great editor, someone who is respected in the industry and comes highly recommended. A great editor will be more expensive, but it’s an investment in your vision. As a first time author you most likely don’t have a lot of experience with the business of publishing and promoting, so I encourage you to invest in an author coach. An author coach is someone who can help you navigate through the entire process from publishing your first book to marketing and promoting it; the experience that you can gain from working along someone who has already been where your tiring to go is priceless.
Lastly, I encourage you to enjoy the journey. There may be days that you are struggling and feeling the pressure of the business of writing, but don’t lose sight of why you started writing. Keep what inspired you to start the journey at the front of your thoughts and use it to keep you moving forward toward your goals.
April Minger was born and raised in Springfield, Ohio. After graduating from high school, April joined the United States Air Force. April works in the Insurance and Health Care fields, and also has a Master’s degree in Business, graduating with honors, and is a member of the Alpha Beta Kappa Chapter of The National Honor Society. She currently resides in Fort Drum, New York, where her husband serves on active duty as a member of the United States Army. April and her husband of eighteen years have two children.
Social Links:
Email: aminger@yahoo.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AprilMinger
Buy Links:
Amazon ebook: http://amzn.to/1nuDgXj
Amazon paperback: http://amzn.to/1rgS11J
Barnes & Nobles ebook: http://bit.ly/1tPHLeJ
Tour Hosted by Write Now Literary www.wnlbooktours.com
Monday, June 23, 2014
Book Spotlight: Time and Forever by Susan B. James
When Sherry's best friend, Lorena, promises her a virtual reality adventure for her sixty-third birthday, neither of them expect a trip back in time. But when Sherry bumps into the handsome stranger she’d once kissed on a London train in the summer of ‘69, she knows it couldn't be anything else.
And this time she doesn't want to run.
File Size: 3651 KB
Print Length: 210 pages
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing (January 27, 2014)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00I3PFF40
Purchase for Kindle at http://www.amazon.com/Time-And-Forever-Susan-James-ebook/dp/B00I3PFF40
Enter to win one of seven free copies at Cheryl's Yeko's blog: http://www.cherylyeko.com/2014/06/please-give-warm-welcome-to-susan-berger.html
Susan B. James has been a bookaholic since the age of eight. In between books she graduated high school at the Overseas School of Rome, took a BFA in Speech and Drama at the University of Georgia and received a MA in theatre at the University of Hawaii.
While not devouring another delicious book from the New York City Public Library, she pursued her acting career, keeping herself financially afloat with temp work.
She met and married her true love and got to sing in a Broadway musical. They moved to California where they could pursue TV and Film acting and where Susan could devour another library.
Two children and two grandchildren later, Susan is still a bookaholic and absolutely believes in magic and Happily Ever After. She is grateful to all the writers who enriched her lives with their stories.
Time and Forever is her debut romance novel. She writes children's books as Susan J. Berger
CFBA: Rival Hearts by Tara Randel
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Through Tampa Area Romance Authors, Tara learned all about the business of publishing, starting with the craft of writing to behind the scenes of publishing. She served as contest coordinator for four years and served as President for one year, enjoying the organization and the lasting friendships made there.
When not writing, Tara owns a business with her husband and stays busy with her two daughters. She lives on the West Coast of Florida, where gorgeous sunsets inspire the creation of heartwarming stories, filled with love, laughter and the occasional mystery. Enjoy!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Can girly-girl Molly survive the outdoor adventures that Ben has planned? Can Ben navigate the perils of the social dynamics of quilting events without destroying a valuable quilt in one short month? More importantly, in this he-said, she-said situation, will Molly and Ben give in to their attraction and fall in love, no matter who wins?
If you would like to read the first chapter of Rival Hearts, go HERE.
Saturday, June 21, 2014
Product Review: Litter Genie® Cat Litter Disposal System
Through Crowdtap, I had a chance to try out the Litter Genie® Cat Litter Disposal System. My sample package included the Litter Genie with a refill of bags. The unit was easy to put together. Just open the unit, snap the scoop holder into place, pull the tab on the bag refill and pull down about a foot of film (bag). Tie a knot at the bottom of the bag and sit the refill on the unit. Close the funnel (top part of unit) and put Litter Genie next to your litter boxes.
Scoop used cat litter up with the scoop provided and toss it into the unit. Once you're done, close the lid and pull the handle. This will drop the used litter into the bottom of the unit (into the bag). Push the handle back in and used litter and odors are trapped inside.
Once the bag is full (about 14 days), open the unit in the middle and slide the film into the cutter. Tie a knot at the top of the bag and dispose of full bag. Pull down on the film in the Litter Genie and a tie a knot at the end so that it is ready to use again. You can see this process in the video below.
What I like about the Litter Genie is that it makes controlling cat litter odors a breeze. It is easy to set up and small enough to be tucked into a corner. Part of me wonders why I never purchased one before. In the past, I would toss used litter into a small garbage bag and haul it upstairs to toss it out in an old diaper pail in the garage. The Litter Genie definitely takes less time.
The things I didn't care for are the small size of the cat litter scoop and its smooth edge, the lack of stability for the scoop holder, and the bit of mess it makes when emptying multiple cat boxes. We have three cats and three litter boxes. Over the years, we've found a cat litter scoop with rake like tips makes scooping used litter from the bottom of the boxes easier. I can't use my larger litter scoop with the rake like tips to pour into the unit without making a mess, so I am stuck with the smaller smooth edged one provided with the unit. In addition, when the Litter Genie is open at the middle, the scoop holder tends to fall off. We placed the unit to the right of our three litter boxes. There's no way to avoid a bit of mess while emptying the boxes unless I want to pick the Litter Genie up and move it as I empty each box. Not a big deal, but something that would be good for anyone with multiple cats to consider.
I just bought a 2-pack of refills for our Litter Genie, so you can bet we'll be using this unit regularly.
This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.
Friday, June 20, 2014
At Home Again by Lynn Steward, Author of A Very Good Life
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Title: A Very Good Life
Genre: Literary Fiction
Author: Lynn Steward
Website: www.averygoodlife.com
Publisher: CreateSpace
Purchase link: http://www.amazon.com/Very-Good-Life-1/dp/0991500776
Although Lynn Steward’s debut novel, A Very Good Life, takes place in 1970s New York City. it has a timelessness to it. Dana McGarry is an "it" girl, living a privileged lifestyle of a well-heeled junior executive at B. Altman, a high end department store. With a storybook husband and a fairytale life, change comes swiftly and unexpectedly. Cracks begin to appear in the perfect facade. Challenged at work by unethical demands, and the growing awareness that her relationship with her distant husband is strained, Dana must deal with the unwanted changes in her life. Can she find her place in the new world where women can have a voice, or will she allow herself to be manipulated into doing things that go against her growing self-confidence?
A Very Good Life chronicles the perils and rewards of Dana’s journey, alongside some of the most legendary women of the twentieth century. From parties at Café des Artistes to the annual Rockefeller Center holiday tree lighting ceremony, from meetings with business icons like Estée Lauder to cocktail receptions with celebrity guests like legendary Vogue editor Diana Vreeland. Steward’s intimate knowledge of the period creates the perfect backdrop for this riveting story about a woman’s quest for self-fulfillment.
At Home Again by Lynn Steward
About five years ago, I labeled a personal file as “Act Three,” and filled it with creative ideas for a new work-interest. I first enjoyed an exciting career in New York’s fashion industry, then later, via a circuitous route on the way to opening my own boutique Shop for Pappagallo, I established a successful real estate business in Chicago. But I always enjoyed business-related writing and thought a non-fiction self-help book, with life-lessons I learned along the way, was something to explore during this next phase.
But, as often happens when you put yourself out there, I discovered another path and took it: I developed a TV pilot about New York in the seventies because, as they say “Write what you know” and I know New York. I’m a native of Long Island, and between attending school and working, I spent twenty-two years in Manhattan. I was so overwhelmed with ideas, I created a TV series designed to run for five seasons. Appropriately placed in the New York City of 1975, which was International Women’s Year, the plots in the series intermingled fashion legends, business icons, real events, and untold stories, providing a behind-the-scenes look at inspirational women in the worlds of art, fashion, and business.
After meeting with professionals in the entertainment industry, I realized that the main character needed more drama and the plots had to be developed, and I felt the best way to do that was to write a novel, incorporating the TV stories. While I still hope to see the characters alive on the big screen, I tremendously enjoy daily researching and writing historical fiction. My favorite time to write is early in the morning, preferably around 5:30 a.m., when my mind is clear, it is peaceful, and there are no interruptions. For at least three hours a day, I am again at home in New York City in the 1970s, creating a life for thirty-year-old Dana, her family and friends: attending parties at Café des Artistes with celebrity guests like legendary Vogue editor Diana Vreeland, the tree lighting at Rockefeller Center, a business meeting with Estée Lauder, an art lectures at the Met.. At the same time, raising important questions that are relevant at every age, then and now: how does one find balance and meaning in the daily routines of life? How does one stop counting the candles, a single year or event, and instead, value the tapestry of life? This quest for self-fulfillment is a universal theme everyone can identify.
Lynn Steward is a successful business woman who spent many years in New York City’s fashion industry in marketing and merchandising, including the development of the first women’s department at a famous men’s clothing store. Through extensive research, and an intimate knowledge of the period, Steward created the characters and stories for a series of five authentic and heartwarming novels about New York in the seventies. A Very Good Life is the first in the series featuring Dana McGarry.
Product Review: Poise® Sampling Program
Through Crowdtap I had a chance to participate in the Poise® Sampling Program. Childbirth was not kind to my body, and as a result I've dealt with light incontinence for close to 30 years. Now that my uterus has fallen, the occasions are more frequent, and I don't feel right leaving the house without protection.
For this sampling, I received a plastic wallet filled with two Poise Microliners, a Poise Liner, and a Poise Ultra Thin Pad. I was most excited about trying the Microliner because I long ago abandoned maxi-pads for my periods and moved to tampons, so I certainly didn't want to go back to anything bulky.
I've tried the Poise Ultra Thin Pad in the past and felt it was close to as comfortable as I was going to get for daily protection, but these new Microliners are so thin they are almost like wearing nothing. I felt fully protected and confident leaving the house. Overall these are a great addition to the Poise line, but like most very thin pads, they can tend to crinkle a bit if not firmly pressed into place or after several hours of use. I'm an active person, so someone who is not constantly on the go might not experience this issue.
I shared the other pads with friends and they thought this was a nice change from using a period pad for light incontinence. I know I'll be purchasing the Poise Microliners again.
This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.
The Friday 56 - Week 183
Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
*Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post to the Linky at Freda's Voice. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple.
This is a short story collection inspired by real cases. I won it in a giveaway last year.
This is from page 156:
"And what about the seven grave sites found by authorities?" Hess asked. "What does the number seven mean in this case?"
Book Spotlight and Giveaway: Tactics, Trends, and Traits of the Enemy by Jermaine Gadson
Tactics, Trends, and Traits of the Enemy by author Jermaine Gadson is a must have resource for believers who want to be well equipped to be victorious against the strategies of the devil. The devil is cunning and deceptive, and he will stop at nothing to keep God's people from reaching their potential in Christ. In this book, Pastor Gadson discusses how the enemy uses temptation, seduction, fear, isolation, guilt, shame, and other such things in order to steal and destroy a person's life. Satan works tirelessly through various means and mechanisms to keep sinners from hearing and being receptive of the Word of God, in order to prevent them from being saved. If you have family or friends who are not born-again, this resource will help you to identify schemes that the enemy may be using to keep your loved ones from being saved. This book is intended to equip the Body of Christ to wage a good warfare against the strategies of the enemy. It is not God's will for His people to be taken advantage of by the enemy because of ignorance. This book exposes who the enemy is, what he has done, what he is doing, and what he will try to do in the future, as an enemy of God's people. This book is written for the everyday believer to be able to understand and use. However, it is also a helpful tool for Christian leaders to be able to identify specific ways in which the enemy desires to attack them in order to steal their influence, kill their destiny, and destroy their reputation and ministries. In this regard, it is an encouragement to the Body of Christ to guard and protect their spiritual leaders.
Excerpt:
Know Your Enemy
Before engaging in battle of any kind, it is very important to be familiar with the opposition. The more you know about your enemy, the greater you will be equipped to fight against them and be victorious. Knowing your enemy includes being knowledgeable of their strengths, weaknesses, habits, origin, and the like. When you are knowledgeable about your adversary, you become empowered to develop a plan of action or strategy to adequately defend against their opposition, overcome their threats and defensive mechanisms, and ultimately defeat them.
Athletes and those who follow sports are familiar and acquainted with this principle. Coaches and players spend hours upon hours viewing video recordings of not only their own team, but of their upcoming opponents as well. They view recordings to evaluate their own strengths and weaknesses as revealed by previous games, and they do the same to identify strengths and weaknesses of the next team they have to face.
This principle is certainly pertinent in the area of the military as well. No military general, or top ranking official who has authority over military personnel will in their right mind authorize the use of military force without adequate information concerning the enemy to be attacked. Right decisions require right information. This is especially true if you want to come out victorious and on top.
Now that we can see the importance of this principle from a natural standpoint, it makes sense that this would also apply spiritually in relation to how we are to do battle with our spiritual enemy. As you read this book, I hope that you will be able to see the importance of this material in helping you towards this very end. The reason this book is so important is because the person reading it is like a ballplayer looking at tape of his or her opponent or a military general gathering intelligence on a terrorist organization.
When you know where your enemy came from, what your enemy has done in the past, and what your enemy is presently capable of, you are more readily prepared to wage a good warfare and defeat him in any present or future encounters you may have.
Jermaine Gadson is the Senior Pastor of Faith Ministries, Inc., a non-traditional church located in
Birmingham, AL. Prior to starting Faith Ministries, he served as an associate minister, youth minister, and pastor for local churches and ministries in the greater Birmingham area. While, growing up in the Baptist church, he gave his life to Christ at an early age, and is a third generation minister of the Gospel.
He holds a B.A. in Religion with a Concentration in Congregational Studies and a Minor in Classics from Samford University, and a Master of Divinity from Beeson Divinity School of Samford University. He is currently a Doctor of Ministry student at Beeson Divinity School.
Gadson enjoys reading, writing, sports, outdoors, movies, and spending time with his family. He is happily married to his wife Kristy and they have one beautiful daughter, Khloe.
Visit Pastor Gadson online at www.JermaineGadson.com.
Enter for your chance to win a paperback copy of Tactics, Trends, and Traits of the Enemy by Jermaine Gadson. See Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!
Terms and Conditions:
By entering, you confirm you are 18 years of age or older.
One winner will be selected randomly by Rafflecopter.
Winner must reside in the United States and have a valid mailing address.
Contest ends at 12:00 AM EST on June 28, 2014.
Winner will be notified by email and have 72 hours to claim the prize.
Prize will be shipped directly to the winner by the author or his representative.
Jermaine Gadson and Cheryl's Christian Book Connection are not responsible for items lost or damaged in shipment.
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a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thursday, June 19, 2014
This Day in History - Flood Causes Train Wreck in Montana
On June 19, 1938, a train walker checked the rail lines near Custer Creek in Terry, Montana and reported no problems. A few hours later, a sudden downpour created a flash flood that wiped out the bridge. The Chicago, Milwaukee, & St. Paul railroad's Olympian plummeted without warning into the raging waters. Two sleeper cars were buried in the mud, and the overcast night hampered rescue efforts. More than 40 people were killed and more than 60 were injured.
You can read more at http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/montana-flood-causes-train-wreck You can also find a newspaper article about the wreck, including historical photographs, at http://www.rarenewspapers.com/view/572118
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
CFBA: Yankee in Atlanta by Jocelyn Green
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
ABOUT THE BOOK
Trained as a teacher, she accepts a job as a governess to the daughter of Noah Becker, a German immigrant lawyer, who is about to enlist with the Rebel army. Then in the spring of 1864, Sherman's troops edge closer to Atlanta. Caitlin tries to escape north with the girl, but is arrested on charges of being a spy. Will honor dictate that Caitlin follow the rules, or love demand that she break them?
Id you would like to read the first chapter of Yankee in Atlanta, go HERE.
Moms--The First Line of Defense Against the Enemy By Jermaine Gadson
Moms--The First Line of Defense Against the Enemy
by Jermaine Gadson
Moms are literally the center of the home. They keep everyone else in the family together, in line, and focused. If mom isn’t happy, no one is. If mom is hurting, everyone is. If mom is on her A-game, everyone benefits. This is why it is so important for mothers to understand the importance of their spiritual role in the home.
The mother is the first line of defense for her family against the strategies and attacks of the enemy. Countless men and women can attest to the fact that they were rescued from danger because of the prayers of their mother, or that they were led to Christ through the faithful example, patience, and endurance of a loving mother who prayed for them, encouraged them, loved them, and taught them. For these reasons, and others, the Enemy desires to attack moms personally or discourage them through attacking their children.
As a mother, you must understand that the struggles that you go through are oftentimes not about you, but about your family. The Enemy knows that if he can get to you, he will have the ability to get to the other members of the home. For example, when the Enemy wanted to tempt humanity into sinning against God in the Garden of Eden, he did not come to Adam, but to Eve. He knew the influence of a woman upon her family.
For the well-being of the entire family it is important for mom to be strong, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. This book will help you to be spiritually and internally strong, so that you can be externally strong and available to your family, and be able to fulfill the many responsibilities that you have on your plate. Are you struggling with fear, guilt, shame, low self-esteem? This book will help you to overcome these feelings that prevent you from living at your best. Are you dealing with worldly temptations, pride, selfishness, greed? This book will help you to see how these things and others can be traps waiting to bring you down. Is your faith being tested? Are you going through a trial that is pushing you to the limit? Are you questioning God or yourself because it seems like your prayers are not being answered? These issues and more are addressed in the book, and will help you to persevere and be the winner that God has called you to be.
We also talk about strategies that the enemy uses to keep people from hearing or receiving the gospel. This can help mothers, grandmothers, and other women of influence in the family to pray, intercede, and address specific issues that may be keeping their children from walking in spiritual, mental, emotional freedom. No matter where you come from or what your background is, if you are a mother, you need to be aware of the tremendous spiritual influence you have been given over your family, and be equipped to effectively live it out. You can have victory today in every area of your life; but it begins by knowing who you are, and the authority you have in Jesus Christ to overcome every situation that comes your way.
Jermaine Gadson is the founding pastor of Faith Ministries, Inc. in Birmingham, AL. He earned a B.A. in Religion with a concentration in Congregational Studies and a minor in Classics from Samford University in Birmingham, AL., and a Master of Divinity degree from Samford University’s Beeson Divinity School. He is a native of Birmingham, AL. He is married to Kristy, and they have a two year old daughter, Khloe. He enjoys reading, writing, being outdoors, sports, and movies. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree and hosts a local weekly television broadcast called Interceding for the City. He blogs on church leadership, Christian living, and spiritual warfare at www.JermaineGadson.com. Connect with Jermaine on Twitter at https://twitter.com/AuthorJGadson and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/authorjermainegadson
View the trailer for this book at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNfV81_SD0s
Monday, June 16, 2014
Mailbox Monday - June 16
Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles, and humongous wish lists.
Lots going on here. Year end events last week, and this week includes soccer tryouts, the Lil' Princess' final orchestra concert, and dance recital. My training went well last week and continues for at least the next two weeks, so blogging might be spotty.
Only one book arrived by mail this past week--thank goodness. I'm trying not to overwhelm my summer. This is for a review I'll be doing in July at The Book Connection.
What does it mean to be One Nation Under God? Our Founding Fathers believed it was more than a political slogan. Have we strayed from their vision? A Nation Under Judgment focuses on issues currently facing our nation including hunger, poverty, the environment and marriage. These and other issues are reviewed from both a Scriptural point of view and a social policy point of view. Readers are empowered to consider whether our nation is moving away from being One Nation Under God.
This is one I downloaded for my Kindle so that I could review it today at The Children's and Teens' Connection.
Book of Dreams sees Baby Raccoon’s parents use clouds to share their dreams of a better future. In the story, Mama and Papa use clouds to share their dreams about a healthy planet and vibrant future for Baby Ringtail. In the book, Baby Ringtail asks Mama and Papa, “Why is every cloud a different shape?” “Clouds are pictures in the sky that help us dream,” Mama Ringtail replies.
What arrived in your mailbox last week?
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Bargain Kindle Book: For I Have Sinned by Kathleen Irene Paterka
Cursed or Blessed? A Man of God Must Make a Choice…
Father Greg, a Catholic priest and recovering alcoholic, took a vow of obedience at his ordination—but thirty years later, that Roman collar chafes his neck. His love for God is not in doubt, but the same can’t be said for his faith in the church. After a young interracial couple joins his parish in the small exclusive resort community of James Bay, Michigan, Father Greg finds himself waging a fierce battle fighting parishioners’ prejudices. When an attractive widow from the parish joins hands with him to befriend the young couple, the problems only escalate—and so do the rumors about a romance. Caught up in a war with church leaders and his own guilty conscience, Father Greg is trapped. He’s good at standing up for others, but now he needs to learn how to stand up for himself. It’s the only way he’ll become the man he was always meant to be—with or without the Roman collar.
File Size: 488 KB
Print Length: 300 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0985512180
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Kathleen Irene Paterka (December 11, 2013)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00BBC4ASO
Purchase here for only 99 cents!
Friday, June 13, 2014
Kindle Freebie: City of Angels by Traci Peterson and James Scott Bell
The courtrooms of 1903 Los Angeles are a man's world--until Kit Shannon arrives
With shoulders squared and dreams set high, Kit Shannon arrives in Los Angeles feeling a special calling to the law. Yet under the care of her socialite aunt, Kit quickly comes to realize that few understand her burning desire to seek justice and practice a profession known only to men. When her aunt adamantly refuses to support her unconventional career aspirations, Kit questions whether she is truly following God's will. And when her growing love for a man pledged to another threatens scandal, Kit knows her days might be numbered in Los Angeles.
A chance meeting with Earl Rogers, the city's most prominent criminal lawyer, garners Kit an apprentice position. And work on a notorious murder case. Someone has been killing prostitutes in Los Angeles, but Kit is certain it is not Rogers' client. Determined to find the truth, Kit runs full on into forces that want to stop her, forces that stretch all the way to the citadels of power in the City of Angels.
"...a great story, historical fiction plus legal thriller in the style of John Grisham." - WorldHistoricalFiction.com
"The plot is compelling, the characters are real, and Kit's faith is genuine. Highly recommended." - Church Libraries
File Size: 430 KB
Print Length: 388 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0764224182
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Compendium Press (March 21, 2012)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B007N9QEWY
PURCHASE HERE!
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