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In late 1944 a failed German actor, Max Kaspar, is forced to join an absurdly desperate secret mission in which he must impersonate an enemy American officer. So Max cooks up his own fanatical plan — he’ll use his false identity to escape tyranny and war and flee to the America he’d once abandoned.
Max the performer is hardly a soldier let alone a double-crossing commando, yet in the deadly Battle of the Bulge he has to fool battle-shocked American GIs as well as dodge discovery by his reckless German comrades. Belgium’s Ardennes forest becomes a snowbound hell and the magical America he’d loved is lost to him, replaced by a somber invading juggernaut. In the end, Max’s gambles will lead him to a grim but honest payoff.
Part WWII espionage thriller, part expatriate noir, The Losing Role is based on an actual German false flag operation that’s been made infamous in legend but in reality was a doomed farce. In all the tragic details and with some dark humor, this is the story of an aspiring talent who got in over his head and tried to break free.
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181 pages
(2 votes, average: 10.00 out of 10)
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Valentina Maltseva is the head of the Arts and Literature Section of a Communist Youth Newspaper in the old Soviet Union. When her boss and lover showed her a KGB directory of agents she had no idea her view of it would cause her to be blackmailed into a KGB project in Argentina by none other than Yuri Andropov himself.
Nothing seems to go right and Valentina’s curiosity plunges her deeper into the sordid and dangerous world of espionage and murder.
As the body count mounts and spies from 3 agencies chase her, Valentina wonders if she will survive.
A best seller (600,000 copies) in Russia and Israel! Made into a popular 4-part mini series!
Translated into colloquial English from the original Russian.
Rated PG
(1 votes, average: 10.00 out of 10)
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David Thompson is a former Vietnam War conscientious objector in Paris on a quest to find himself in the early days of 1977. When he befriends an Iranian and an Afghan and is invited to return with them to their countries, his quest slowly becomes a descent into his own private hell.
On the road from Europe to the East, he encounters Kurdish bandits in the eastern mountains of Turkey, becomes involved with an underground group opposed to the Shah in Iran, escapes to Afghanistan, passes through Pakistan during the uprising against the Bhutto regime, and suffers extreme sickness on the streets of Delhi and Calcutta. Although continually searching for the happiness and identity he could not find in the U.S., he cannot easily shed his American past. Throughout the journey, he is hounded by the demons of memory, particularly that of his father, a World War II hero who disowned David and died while David was still in prison. The journey itself becomes a physical manifestation of his struggle to achieve reconciliation with his own conscience.
“Although published prior to the events of 9/11, it is impossible to pick up Norris’s novel without a heightened interest in its vividly depicted locales in a part of the world where our attentions are now so intensely focused…. Written with a novelist’s eye for characterization and a reporter’s skill for observation, Looking for the Summer is the kind of small press gem that is often overlooked but is well worth seeking out. — Bob Wake, CultureVulture.net
“Norris is a masterful writer and storyteller, and he uses his craft to elevate this tale above mere ‘compelling’ or ‘interesting’ to the realm of uplifting and insightful. He deftly paints a portrait of his locations using a visual poetry that is neither self-conscious nor affected…a fascinating novel, told in spellbinding English. I can’t recommend it enough.” — Alternative Approaches Magazine
“Looking for the Summer brings to light the turmoil going through the mind of a conscientious objector to the Vietnam War…a powerfully written novel…. Highly important in its message about standing up for what one believes and about the personal growth one experiences while on a soul-searching journey as a result of taking such action…certain to have a profound impact on the reader. It is a must-read, unforgettable novel.” — Knowbetter.com
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It is the summer of 1381, London, a complex time of crisis brought on by an oppressive poll tax, the warring of two rival claimants to the Papacy, and the preaching of Friar Ball and John Wyclif. Richard II is only fourteen, and threatened by his uncle, the unpopular Duke John. Caught in this political and spiritual turmoil are Mary Oldfield, who shoulders family responsibilities beyond her years, and Paul Angus, a searching young musical genius.
The exiting and romantic sequel to The Man of Signs by the master story-teller, Jim Dameron.
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An ancient cedar chest from the hands of the master carpenter, Jesus. A time of violence in the warring fifth-century kingdoms of Dalriada and Cruithne (ancient Ireland and Scotland). Brother Brude, a product of both cultures and guardian of the precious chest, must survive and search out the will of God from amid the demands of men.
(2 votes, average: 9.50 out of 10)
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Charlotte Rowe has been cast in the role of medium from childhood, and studied under a clever fraud. But does she have a real vision?
Divination from the spirit world. Con artistry. Cats and mirrors. The implications of Freudian psychology. Death. Life. Birth. Murder.
And ice cream.
“If you like intelligent, complex stories of paranormal horror and disturbed psyches, you might want to take on Ice Cream Memories. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Web Fiction Guide
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One of the most haunting mysteries in American history — The Lost Colony of Roanoke — comes roaring back to life in White Seed.
From Publishers Weekly: White Seed…hews closely to the record of Sir Walter Raleigh’s second doomed attempt to plant the British flag in Virginia… The depiction of the colony’s physical and moral disintegration between 1587 and 1590 — as drunken, cannibalistic soldiers mutiny and brutalize the settlers they were meant to protect, and as colonists confront disease, starvation and madness — evokes a harrowing sense of human fallibility. Readers…will find this saga, which…soon achieves page-turner velocity, to be both a dandy diversion and an entertaining education.
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In 19th Century New Zealand, there are few choices for a farm girl like Amy. Her life seems mapped out for her by the time she is twelve. Amy dreams of an exciting life in the world beyond her narrow boundaries. But it is the two people who come to the farm from outside the valley who change her life forever, and Amy learns the high cost of making the wrong choice.
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Piet Van Mechelen was obsessed with capturing Antwerp in pictures. His journey of discovery, through streets and alleys of the changing Flemish city, took place at a time when new discoveries, theories and inventions were shaking society. His aim was admirable, but the elements of his occupation brought about his downfall. This story is modelled on actual events that took place in 1877. A novella based on the history of photography in Belgium
(1 votes, average: 9.00 out of 10)
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A fall into the mud changes everything forever…
A damp day on the wild Co. Mayo coast in late Summer, 1911. A bored Irish shepherd falls into a terrifying, pasture sink-hole. As his father finally pulls him to safety, he finds an ancient artifact has come up in his muddy sleeve. That artifact and subsequent discovery unleashes a growing threat and reveals an archaic promise that changes them and everything in their simple lives forever. What will become of their home and its hidden legacy? What will become of their sheep?
One tragedy can be the start of everything. “The Red Gate” chronicles the lives of an Irish family after the death of one of their own. This one tragedy unravels everything for them, and their simple traditional life will never be the same again. “The Red Gate” is an intriguing read of Irish life, highly recommended.
– Midwest Book Review, Amazon.com
The Red Gate is hard to lay down. A thoroughly intriguing story and character line. Richard Sutton’s unique personal style introducing different characters and situations, smoothly ties in the various threads and guides the story to unexpected conclusions. Whether from close research and study or from personal observation, Mr. Sutton has captured the Irish weather and the experience of muddy rutted roads in a skillful and authentic manner. His descriptions of the people and places are complete and accurate without being overdone. There is a subtle romantic thread running through the book; so understated in fact that the reader is unsure whether to take it seriously. Did they get together or not? . . . I’m not telling. A very enjoyable read. I am looking forward to the sequel.
– Jarrel R. Jackson, Amazon.com
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John Kennedy was President when five young men, one of them white, sat in at a downtown New Orleans lunch counter. The same five sat in at the Tulane University cafeteria three months later. The University didn’t change its “whites only” policy, nor did Woolworth’s, but in May 1961, the Parish School Board announced they would open the Orleans public school system “a grade at a time” to children of all races.
Wood came to New Orleans on his motorcycle looking for adventure. The first night, he crashed a hotel wedding reception, hustled a Bourbon Street strip joint, was swept up in a police raid, got a part-time job as an animal caretaker, and met the women of his dreams–all three of them.
For a quarter of a century, Professor Mason lived in New Orleans hiding from life. All he wanted was to protect his daughters, though he didn’t know how to begin. For Mason as well as Wood, the integration movement is an intrusion, at best scenery glimpsed from a passing train. For Barcus, a long-time political operative, the sit-ins represent opportunity, a chance to serve as a well-paid “consultant” and to bestow patronage. His friendship with Leonard Zellner, the white boy who sat in among the blacks, was an explainable embarrassment. His pursuit of Little Hamilton, a biological imperative. But when Leonard’s life is threatened and Little Hamilton thrown in jail, Barcus has to choose. Projected on the proscenium of this novel of character development are a sit-in at a five and dime, a meeting of the Congress on Racial Equality, students lounging about the Tulane Cafeteria, Leander Perez lecturing at the Civic Auditorium, a Citizen’s Council fund raiser in the Garden District, and Wood and Maggie in the back seat of a borrowed car.
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Echoes of Silence juxtaposes the innocence of childhood against the bigotry and prejudice prevalent during World War II. It provides a unique perspective into the lives of three families who endured those years and who were shaped by the events of this period in United States history.
This novel also illustrates the complex choices we all make without considering the effect on future generations. The choices, made years earlier by the adult characters of this story, create echoes that reverberate forward into the lives of their children, which change and shape all of them in unexpected ways.
When an American-born Japanese family and a native-born German family become friends, prejudice surrounds them both. The indignities of forced detention and the horrors of war are hard to escape. This is the basis for a thought-provoking exploration of a small Oregon farming community in the 1940s. Well-researched, this novel will touch your heart.
–Paula Zsiray, Past President, Utah Educational Library Media Association
Set during World War II, Echoes of Silence by Nadene R. Carter is an impressively written historical novel that follows three people, all of whom are a kind of ‘prisoner of war’ in one manner or another. One is enslaved by his own past; a teenaged Japanese girl is interned along with thousands of other Japanese-Americans who have committed no crime; and yet another is held fast by his own hatred. A profound and sweeping tale of human strengths and failings, offering unique perspectives into their individual plights when Japanese-Americans were held captive by their own nation—throughout the years both during and after the war.
– Midwest Review, Oregon, WI
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Miles Prestwich is in love. The object of his desire is Lady Guinevere Northwicke who is, unfortunately, the daughter of a powerful duke-who also happens to be a very loving and protective father. Believing his suit to be unworthy, he tries to forget and limits his interaction with her. Then his twin brother arrives in Town. Darius is everything that Miles is not. He drinks too much, gambles too much, fights too much, and doesn’t care a rap for Society or its strictures. When the lovely Lady Genevieve Northwicke catches his eye, he ignores the warnings fired at him from all corners, resulting in the death of that lady’s reputation. Rather than facing the consequences of his actions, he flees. Miles must resolve the situation the only way he knows how: offer marriage to the sister of his beloved to rescue her from scandal. But will his action actually solve the problem? Or cause more misery than anyone could possibly imagine?
Redemption is a beautifully entwined story crafted by none other than the gifted Jaimey Grant. Like all her stories, this, too, is set in regency England with the rules and scandals of the time. Here, two people meet, fall in love, employ the scandal of the year, and allow their pride to nearly ruin their love.
This book made me smile one minute and put me near tears the next. The pain and heartache the characters put themselves through was so real I couldn’t help but endure it with them. Ms. Grant has masterfully woven a story of real, everyday occurrences, into a setting where such occurrences could ruin one’s very life.
Of course, with a title such as Redemption, one must know that there is hope. Hope that love will conquer pride. And so, Ms. Grant has cleverly displayed her talents in a heart warming, enthralling adventure of pride, heartache, and love – a love that all women hope for. A love beyond time.
– Rachel Rager “simplyrager”, Amazon.com
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A year ago, Diana decided to return home, get a teaching credential, and work with kids as mixed up as herself. Going through the boxes in the garage, the stuff her family had been lugging around for as long as she could remember, she found a record of another dropout from another generation. Her father’s Berkeley Barb articles were in those boxes, along with some short-story attempts, and the responses to Aimai Cristen’s ad in the Barb’s personal column. She wanted to discuss them. Her professor father was reluctant, afraid where their discussions might lead.
” Young attractive girl, 24, searching for love, compassion, joy from a man who can provide financial security. Write Aimai Cristen, Barb Box 3689, Barb Office, 1234 University Ave, Berkeley CA 94709.”
An odyssey through the late 1960′s from L.A.’s Shrine Auditorium to Berkeley and Altamont, this novel describes a daughter’s search today for her father and herself.
(2 votes, average: 4.00 out of 10)
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A legacy from the setting sun of an empire doomed by its own greed. Its secret location lost, already buried with many souls Continue reading… Victims of the last great War A new breed of justice born out of a world without frontiers Yamashta’s Gold one of the greatest hoards of treasure ever assembled. The Syndicate wants it Alex Scott must stand in their way.
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After reading the first paragraph of this novel, you’ll probably conclude that this is a book about pirates. This is not a book about pirates. Okay, there are a few pirates in the book. (Okay, there are quite a few pirates in the book.) But this is not a book that is just about pirates. There are many other types of characters cast in this story, including slaves, former slaves, slavers, merchants, colonists, American Indians, seamen and harlots, and–of course–the child who journeys to womanhood while living among them, Annalea. The cast, and the variation of character types, grows in proportion to the adventures presented in this novel. No, this is not a book about pirates.
If, for you, the pleasure of reading a novel comes from intimate familiarity with strong characters and a sense of sharing in their lives and adventures, then you will thoroughly enjoy reading the saga of Annalea.
Nemusmar?
“If you have ever seen an orchid, put that flower in your mind. And in the heart of that orchid is where you be. And all around you–streaming towards you and away–are exotic colours: vibrant, yet somehow soft and soothing. And when the mist-laden petals of night fall about, you are wrapped up, safely hidden in a beautiful cocoon. Aye, that was Nemusmar!”
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