Torn in Two: Valor of a U.S. Marine

An emotional ride through the eyes, heart and soul of one Afghan-American Marine’s journey in Afghanistan. Vengeance enticed by the world’s most infamous religious war fighters, the Taliban; one man turns to his extreme thoughts to conquer his own demons. During some of the most gruesome war times, he finds love deep within the shadows of war, only to come home and feel the true effects of post-traumatic stress disorder. An unimaginable roller coaster of a fast and risky life, he later yearns for the spy game. As we live in a time of terror, the unexpected is always around the corner.

Tony April in The Professor's Diary

On Sunday evening, February 15th, 1898, in Havana Harbor the 6,789-ton second class battleship USS Maine floated peacefully at anchor. One moment later a double explosion ripped her apart, sending her to the bottom along with 260 of her 355 men crew. Only 16 sailors escaped uninjured. Was it an act of war by Spain? Or a calculated “false flag” attack by the United States to provoke a war?

Fast forward to 1972. Private Investigator Tony April gets an enigmatic midnight call from wealthy and beautiful Barbara Anderson. Her explorer grandfather kept a diary that may hold the answer. Problem is, he’s buried along with his diary, on a remote jungle mountain in Ecuador. Now everyone wants in. The Rickover Investigation wants to publicize it. Barbara just wants to get her grandfather’s remains home. Sydney Street wants the Incan treasure map. And Tony suddenly wants to have a son. Can everyone get what they wish for?

The Things He Lost There

Vietnam. The word still resonates with powerful emotions: death, lost souls, devastation – both human and material – shattered men, and a country equally broken and horribly divided.

Into this turbulent backdrop steps Jack Houston, a graduate student at the University of North Carolina. Thrust into the heart of the conflict, Jack’s journey encapsulates the grim realities of the Vietnam War and the crucial role of the surface Navy. After fierce combat in places like Phu Quoc, Rach Gia, and Hue during the Tet Offensive, Jack’s ship, the highly-decorated Black River, faces a new challenge. A new commanding officer, Cork, takes over, driving – what the crew calls ‘corkscrewing’ – the ship into both operational and morale disasters.

This narrative explores the impact of Captain Cork’s leadership on Jack and the crew, filled with moments of profound sadness and unexpected hilarity. The climax comes with the Black River, now under Jack’s command, confronting six Chinese gunboats in the Taiwan Straits: a hopelessly mismatched battle, given the ship’s unsuitability for naval combat. The survival of Jack and his ship hangs in the balance as they navigate this deadly encounter.

Parallel to the war story is Jack’s poignant love affair with Melanie Lawton, a spirited graduate student back in Carolina. Through her perspective, we witness the defining events of 1968 and 1969: antiwar demonstrations, the chaotic 1968 Democratic Party Convention in Chicago, Woodstock, drug culture, and political assassinations. One devastating decision made in the midst of war shatters Jack and Melanie’s relationship, leaving Jack to question if he can ever reclaim what he lost in Vietnam – his love, his peace, his future.

The Story of Walks with Bear and Bro'Ken

Spanning two quests across generations, this tale begins in the 1700s with Kenthaki, a Shawnee youth later known as Walks-With-Bear, who embarks on a journey with his father’s obsidian knife, a pouch of medicinal herbs, and a staff to find his life’s purpose. His confrontation with a bear and the subsequent adoption of its cub, alongside the transformative relationship with a Christian captive, shapes his future. Years later, his grandson, Bro’Ken, undertakes his own quest to locate his missing father, leading to profound changes. Inspired by the 2003-2006 Lewis and Clark re-enactment, this narrative explores life-altering quests and the impact of cultural intersections.

The Speculatores: The Men Who Spied for Rome

Over recent decades, scholars of ancient Roman history have begun to peel back the veils on the realm of intelligence within the Roman State, exploring its integral role in shaping Rome’s defensive grand strategy. While the consensus posits a noticeable shift from indifference during the Republic era (509-27 BCE) to a more engaged stance in the imperial epoch post 27 BCE, it particularly highlights the Dominate period (284-476 CE) as the ‘Golden Age’ of Roman intelligence endeavors.

However, a veil of ambiguity still shrouds Rome’s engagement in external or foreign intelligence operations, notably espionage. Amidst this scholarly dissonance, The Speculatores: The Men Who Spied for Rome embarks on an exploratory voyage to unearth the roots of this disagreement. With a keen eye on the historical narrative and a robust analysis, this book endeavors to bridge the gap in understanding, delving into the very rationale that questions the existence and extent of Roman espionage activities

As you traverse through the pages, The Speculatores unveils the clandestine world of those who might have operated in the shadows for the glory of Rome, offering a fresh lens through which to understand the unseen sinews that perhaps bolstered the mighty Roman machinery of statecraft and defense.

The Pemberley Papers

Prepare yourself for dreadful revelations about Jane Austen's most beloved fictional great house, Pemberley in Derbyshire! When contemplating the storyline of Pride and Prejudice, have you ever wondered how Mr. Darcy progressed from contemptuous indifference to irrepressible passion toward Eliza Bennet? Whether Mr. Wickham was truly so wicked as he was depicted to be? Why old Mr. Darcy was so fond of his steward's son? Much is left untold in Pride and Prejudice. What cosmic influences brought Eliza Bennet and Mr. Darcy to their "final good understanding"?

In The Pemberley Papers, the lives of Georgiana and Fitzwilliam Darcy and the swirling underworld of servants are brought to light. We learn in this fanciful interpretation of Pride and Prejudice how military spies, émigré French priests, midwives, music instructors, and Darcy's dog contribute to the well-known happy ending for Austen's most charming couple. 

The Pagans Revenge

The year is 908, and the Island of Ireland is tearing itself apart. As the small nations within this island struggle for power, one king dreams of peace. 

The Pagan's Revenge centers around Finnan, a young man sworn to protect the King and Queen of Munster.  
A story of love, betrayal, and war that will keep you on the edge until the very last page. 

The Messengers

After numerous negotiations the Indigenous still remained scattered throughout the wilds of Northern Ontario, Canada. In spite of treacherously cold conditions, they remained steadfast to the land, refusing to give up their lifestyle while trying to survive from Mother Nature’s unpredictable temperament. Captain Jesse Burn’s illegitimate son was among them. Father and son, a pair of strong-willed rival enemies, co-existed in a strange and deadly kinship while getting caught up in a changing way of life that neither would accept.

It was during November 1898. when Jesse had received his orders as a dedicated, respected officer in the Armed Forces. He had a job to fulfill regardless of the number of lives lost during the process. After Colonel McEwan shook Jesse’s hand and walked out, Jesse stared at the closed door for a long time. He glanced at the document containing the list of names he was to apprehend, knowing that most of those men would rather die in battle than be taken alive. Jesse scanned further down the list and suddenly froze. He opened his desk drawer and pulled out a bottle of whiskey hidden near the back. After many swallows, he leaned back in his chair; his eyes were pools of liquid blue. His son’s name was on that list. 

The Magwitch Fortunes

This is the long-awaited brilliant sequel to Charles Dickens’ novel, Great Expectations, with the powerful activities of the convict hero, Abel Magwitch. Suffering under corporate skulduggery and a broken heart, Miss Havisham becomes a recluse raising the beautiful Estella who taunts her childhood friend, Pip Pirrip. Pip helps Magwitch on the frost-bitten Kentish moors prior to his transportation to Australia. Magwitch never forgets. Becoming seriously wealthy in Australia, Magwitch anonymously funds Pip and returns to Britain only to be recaptured as a felon.

Awaiting execution, Magwitch perishes in prison, leaving his heirs, Pip and Estella, to travel to Australia in search of the Magwitch fortune.

The Golden Scepter

In this gripping historical novel, follow the story of a mysterious woman whose true identity is shrouded in secrecy. Despite being just a woman, she faces the daunting task of challenging the most powerful men in the known world, with the fate of an entire people resting on her shoulders. As she grapples with the weight of her mission, memories of her humble beginnings in the slums of Susa haunt her, reminding her of the power of her faith in Yahweh.

Guided by the wisdom of her mentor Mordecai, she must navigate the treacherous politics of the Persian court, where danger lurks around every corner. Despite the odds stacked against her, she draws on her faith and courage to stand up for what is right, even if it means facing her death.

As the tension builds, the stakes become higher than ever before, and she must rely on her unwavering faith in Yahweh to see her through. Will she be able to turn the heart of the King, her husband, in her favor and save her people, or will she perish in her quest for justice? Find out in this thrilling tale of bravery and perseverance in the face of overwhelming odds.

The Devil Walks in Daylight

Trying to forget the trauma of the Great War, Dietrich Praeter hides in the small, sleepy town of Kaifeck. Here, he tries to escape his haunting past, a place where his ghosts will leave him alone and he may finally find the peace and happiness he so desperately seeks. This is not to be. On a cold spring day in the Bavarian countryside town of Kaifeck, in the year of 1922, a few concerned residents--among which, Dietrich now counts himself too--go to check on their neighbors. What they find is a grisly, bloody massacre that continues to haunt the region. In the midst of hiding from his own demons, Dietrich realizes that everyone lives haunted lives, and perhaps the devil's greatest trick is hiding in plain sight.

The Chaplin River Letters

In this gripping account, M. L. Jordan unveils the raw truths of the Civil War era. Beyond polished tales, dive into a world filled with desire, mystery, and chaos. Personal letters shed light on passionate love, deep betrayals, and unwavering faith. Experience America’s pivotal moment through the eyes of those on the battlegrounds and in whispered secrets. This isn't just history: it’s the heart and soul of a nation at war.