Review of "Rogue" Has My Hair Standing on End

They say that war is hell and perhaps its demons thrive there more than any other place. The thriving of demons in “Rogue” by P. A. Minyard certainly brings that idea to the front as Major Daniel Parker struggles with the demon who has overtaken him. Having died by the hand of the demon Benedict in the battle at Antietam, Daniel is called upon by “the Father” to be one of the beloved who fight in a different realm between heaven and hell. As his guardian, Bernard, begins to guide him through his new task as a “Beloved,” Daniel is unwittingly possessed by the very same demon who killed him. Daniel’s struggle suddenly goes beyond the battlefield between heaven and hell to a battle that rages inside his own mind and his own spirit. His only deliverance is to be found in the courage and strength of his brother Jonathan. As Jonathan pursues his rogue brother in order to turn him back toward his noble task, Jonathan must resist the same temptations as Daniel, but does he have the strength to resist the viciousness of the enemy? As the battles of the Civil War rage on in reality, the battle between heaven and hell rages on behind the scenes; a battle which has raged on between demons and the Beloved since the beginning of time.



What goes on behind the scenes of reality has always been a fascinating concept. “Rogue” by P. A. Minyard brings that fascination to life in such a way that the reader won’t be able to keep from turning pages to discover which force will ultimately victorious. The depth of development of both character and plot make this a thrilling and suspenseful read. Intriguing, suspenseful and captivating; “Rogue” will put you on the threshold between heaven and hell where the action will take you by the throat and make you uncertain whether the hero will prevail.

Review of "Hello Again" Has Left a Lump In My Throat

When Shannon finally admitted that she was in love with the graduate teaching assistant of her favorite professor’s archaeology class, Nate, it was forever. There were plenty of heartbreaking years attached to their love, as well as a son. “Hello Again” by Karen Truesdell Riehl is the story of a true deep love, which was simply never given a moment to breathe. Having made a promise to his dying benefactor, Walter, to take care of his mentally ill, alcohol and drug addicted daughter, Nate had every intention of honoring his commitment to the woman he loved, but also to the man who had given him and his mother so much. As Nate tries to break his engagement with Tally, Walter’s daughter, she threatens to kill herself and nearly succeeds. As he continues to take care of her, Shannon gives birth to their son Daniel and commits to raising him alone, telling him that his father is dead. Fate brings Nate and Shannon back to each other more than twenty years later, but there is still a great deal of pain to be endured as the truth is revealed. Will their deep love ever be able to overcome all of the pain and allow them to be happy together?

Mixing love with tragedy is not new, but the gentle way which Karen Truesdell Riehl does it in “Hello Again” will make your heart ache in a new way which is almost a little bit too real. The deep emotions that Karen leads you through in this novel will grasp hold of you and hold you with a deathlike grip. Real, profound and tragic; “Hello Again” is one of the most quietly intense love stories ever written.

Synergy Spanish is the Very Best Method for Learning Spanish

Have you struggled to learn a language because you are caught up in the grammar? Do you need a quick and easy method to train not only your tongue, but also your ear for Spanish conversation?
I had the exact same problem and see the exact same problem on a daily basis as I work with students who are trying to learn English. We learn our own language from practical application first as babies and our language grows with our experience and growth. The problem that most Language programs have is that they focus entirely too much on grammar and the student doesn't actually learn to listen and speak properly.
Synergy Spanish is different. After having two years of Spanish in High School and two more semesters in college, I still wasn't speaking Spanish. When it came time for my first visit to Colombia, I found Synergy Spanish and used it on my MP3 player. It worked wonders for getting me on track to actually speak Spanish.
For Synergy Spanish, Click Here!

"Once I discovered what's really important for communication, (you'll be amazed at how much of what is normally taught actually gets in the way of communication) and how to best use the mind for rapid learning, I became fluent in Spanish and very successful at teaching, too! I am now a very successful language teacher - one of the most respected and highest paid in Latin America. But the main reason I have a lot to offer you as a Spanish teacher is simply this: I have been where you are now. If you have ever had a tough time learning a language, Synergy Spanish can help - and I'm here for you, too!(Marcus Santamaria, founder of Synergy Spanish)"
Marcus and I had a similar problem, not only for learning Spanish, but when teaching English. The most important part is to hit the ground running. In the world of learning languages, that means "hit the ground speaking". Check out some of the other testimonials and the free offer that Marcus has available to get you started today. For Synergy Spanish, Click Here!

Christian Novel "The Key" is a Page-turner

Having spilled coffee on her trainer on her first day as a Texas DPS Trooper, CJ David hadn’t started things off very well with her new partner David Harper in “The Key (Peacemakers Series Book 1)” by Bruce Hammack. The brown haired Christian, CJ had wanted to be a Trooper since she was a child on the farm in East Texas. David had been a decorated soldier in Afghanistan. As they come together as working partners, CJ not only reveals a special set of God given skills, but she reveals a joyful faith full of singing and prayer. David portrays a rough, thick exterior that isn’t open to anything that has to do with Christianity. When CJ makes some hard decisions about her life and purpose, David is subject to some trials and experiences of his own and is dumbfounded by the things that she is willing to give up. Having several strong Christian friends and colleagues in their corner, they begin a journey together in which the lover learns to become a fighter and the fighter learns to become a lover. Only the hand of God can intervene in an intricate pattern of purpose to guide them through their quest.

In “The Key (Peacemakers Series Book 1),” Bruce Hammack has created an intriguing and suspenseful novel which gives all of the glory to God and demonstrates how His loving and guiding hand, often times through the use of His people, guides and directs a person’s life. As CJ and David navigate through their lives as Trooper partners, a very real divine plan, the key, is revealed to them in a way that gives testimony to God’s glory and sovereignty. Suspenseful, encouraging and realistic; “The Key (Peacemaker Series Book 1)” is more than just a novel; it’s a testimony to how God uses the faithful to bring about his purposes.

Extraordinary Art Made from a Fire Ant Mound

This is absolutely amazing. Each one is completely unique. You must see it to believe it.

BLT Sandwich with a Twist

Everybody loves a good BLT… Right?

Well, here is a BLT with a little twist to it that I discovered while rummaging for something to eat for lunch. You can certainly add your own ideas to it, but what I came up with was pretty tasty.

Put butter on one side of two slices of sour dough bread and grill it with the butter side down. Then turn the ungrilled sides up on your plate and add the spread.

The spread that I created for this is a mixture of Salsa Ajo and Mayonnaise. Salsa Ajo is basically the Colombia version of picante sauce. Just find your favorite or make your own. You could also substitute pico de gallo in place of salsa if you like.

To one of the two slices where I added the spread, I placed slices of tomatoes and lettuce and then I got the meat ready.

I used a thin sliced pork chop which I rubbed with salt, garlic and triguisar…(a mix of cumin, pepper, saffron and color) Triguisar (which is made in the city right down off the hill from San Antonio de Prado called Itagui), won’t be in the McCormick section, it will be with the Mexican foods section… If it isn’t there, look for Sazon Goya con Azafran which is more likely to be there. It’s not exactly the same, but close enough. If you can’t find either than make a mix of the ingredients above. Just to let you know that in Colombia, any cook worth her salt will have this spice mix on her shelf.

Once you’ve applied the rub grill the pork chop in the pan where you just grilled the bread. When finished, place the pork chop on top of the lettuce and tomatoes.

On top of the pork chop place fresh cilantro. Don’t worry about chopping it, simply rinse it and place several sprigs on the meat. The stems are actually the most savory part of the plant.

Place the other slice of bread on top and enjoy.

BUT WAIT!!! Where’s the BACON. You could add that I guess, but a pork chop is less fatty and still has some of that baconee flavor. Okay fine… Add bacon if you like. You could add cheese if so desired, but it is excellent just as it is.

Aprovecha!!!

 

 

Are You Up For A Sicilian Adventure?

World War II had all but destroyed Sicily and Domenico's family needed to get out. His father promised the family that things would be better for them in America. It is that hope which set Domenico and his family on an irrevocable course in "Finding Family: A Mystery Novella" by Giacomo Giammatteo, the first in "The Blood Flows South" series. With his father drinking up most of the money that the four of them worked so hard to raise in order book passage to New York, Domenico turns to a dishonest means of obtaining money. Once in New York, things are no better. His father is still a drunk and his mother falls ill and Domenico is forced to take care of his younger brother Guisappe "Zappe." In the racial strife of Hell's Kitchen where Irish, Italians and Puerto Ricans are all trying to coexist, taking care of Zappe isn't an easy task. Domenico won't survive alone. Another Sicilian family might be his only option; an option from which he can never turn back.


Giacomo Giammatteo has written a vivid tale of life in the streets for a Sicilian immigrant in New York in the 1960s. "Finding Family: A Mystery Novella" is a page turner with plenty of action, but plenty of deep feeling as well. Giacomo expertly captures the devotion to family and especially Domenico's devotion to Zappe, which his mother has passed on to him. Thrilling, heartbreaking and realistic; "Finding Family: A Mystery Novella" is starts off the "Blood Flows South" series like a shot from a pistol.

Tongue in Cheek Children's Book That I Can't Pass Up

Kids and adults alike often take a ribbing for the way that their name sounds or the nicknames that can be formed from the use of their names. At times, those added names can be mean, however, “What’s In a Name?” written by Terri Kelley and illustrated by David Stanley, takes a look at the lighter side of funny names in a way that can’t help but make the reader smile, if not chuckle a little bit. Names like Hamilton (Ham) Burger who runs that snack bar at the bowling alley or the lady at the place where Major Payne’s parents keep their money whose name just happens to be Robin, yes of course, her last name is Banks. The list of names is not the only highlight to this tongue in cheek book, but the illustrations that accompany these names even fit their owners. With a lighthearted presentation like this, the reader can’t help realizing that having a unique name isn’t all bad.


The humorous presentation of “What’s In a Name?” written by Terri Kelley and illustrated by David Stanley is a very well written and illustrated children’s book that can’t help but make the reader smile, chuckle or, in some cases, even roll on the floor with laughter when reading the names and matching occupations of the owner’s of those names, however, it is the quality of the illustrations that make names like “Chip Munk” come alive. Colorful, humorous and enjoyable; “What’s In a Name?” is not only enjoyable for children, but will even make those of us who have been children for decades chuckle.

Zipaquirá Trailer

Review of The Gray Season: Summer of Salvation

“The Gray Season: The Summer of Salvation” by Dianna Donnely is not only a story about how the death of two family members only a few weeks apart caught two families completely off guard, but it records the wonderful guidance and nurturing that took place within the lives of those closest to them. Lily Eastbrook Rhodes' story shows how at each turn there was another “God Thing” or “Open Door” that led from one seemingly impossible event to another and how each of those things added up to not only healing for the family, but healing for individuals as well. Though the healing improves the lives of the individuals and of Lily in particular, there is an ultimate healing; a healing for the emptiness inside that has plagued Lily since she was a child.

“We will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands (2 Corinthians 5:1, New Living Translation).” As the story of Lily Eastbrook Rhodes unravels in this inspired story of her family, “The Gray Season: The Summer of Salvation” by Dianna Donnely, the reader will come to realize that the things that we see falling into place as we go through open doors are those things which God has been building for us in His Kingdom. Honest, compelling and inspiring; “The Gray Season: The Summer of Salvation” is a marvelously written chronicle of how those things which seem to be the end of our happiness, turn out to be our deliverance.

A personal note: This story reminded me very much of my family and the way that our lives were changed and blessed as we served and cared for my father in his last days. This should be at the top of your reading list, especially if you have recently experienced a loss very close to you.

Review of an Incredibly Written and Inspiring Memoir

Rose Wallace didn’t need IV antibiotics for her sewer stomach, wormy belly and a poisoned head, what she needed was good old fashioned honesty and the empowerment of a fully confident woman in order to make sense of the craziness that plagued her youth. In spite of the difficulties she experienced as a child and teen Rose Ania Wallace was able to navigate her way through it all and chronicles it brilliantly in her memoir “Rising from Quicksand: How I Rose Above Madness & Illness to Reclaim My Life.” Her strength was evident from childhood as she stubbornly pursued the kinds of things that a young lady hadn’t ought to, like desiring to play baseball with the boys instead of softball with the girls, climbing the plum tree and eating all of the plums she could gather, or learning to ride her bicycle in a day, however, having been perfectly trained in the practice of denial by the adults in her life, she allowed herself to at first be a victim to the circumstances surrounding her mother’s illness. As she began to discover her independence, highlighted by starting her own law firm straight out of law school, she also began to the discover the power of mining for the gold nuggets of truth which are often the most difficult, thought the most valuable to find. The result of her new discoveries transforms her life, as well as those around her.

“Rising from Quicksand: How I Rose Above Madness & Illness to Reclaim My Life” is a brilliantly written memoir by Rose Ania Wallace which reads like a fictional novel. The emotion and honesty with which she describes her transformation are inspiring and the way in which she weaves the details of her story make it a page turner that I had trouble putting down. Real, honest and emotional; “Rising from Quicksand: How I Rose Above Madness & Illness to Reclaim My Life” is a must read for those who are searching for a way to be free of their own madness or simply to be inspired and encouraged to step out and do the impossible.

The Texas Rangers Ride Again in "Attack on Orbital 454"

Muslim extremists continue to use terror to disrupt life on the new Utopian planet of Medina in this 26th century based Sci Fi thriller “Attack on Orbital 454” by XX. After an explosion destroys a major portion of Orbital 454, killing 250,000 people and most of the law enforcement force, four Federal Marshals remain however and those four are extracts from the 1800s and famous for their valor and initiative from the Texas Rangers and the old west. Through the assistance of “time slipping” by an AI form, they discover that the group of extremists is made up of a portion of the group of sixteen terrorists who were involved in the attacks on 9-11. With a master hacker at the helm, his plan is to extract them over and over again in order perpetuate terror. The four marshals, led by one of the most renowned Texas Rangers of all time, have to find that master hacker and prevent him from doing any further damage. “Attack on Orbital 454”, by XX is an incredibly creative story. Mixing events and characters from the past in a future serious of events allows the reader to imagine how a Texas Ranger and old west lawmen would have dealt with the Al Qaeda terrorists. The concept is intriguing and the characters are certainly a unique mixture which brings the story to life and adds a touch of reality. Intriguing, imaginative and ingenious; “Attack on Orbital 454” is certain to stir the imagination of the reader in a way that brings on a satisfying smile as the Texas Rangers ride again.