Tag Archives: thursdays-on-first

Reliance on Citizens Makes Us Great Book 3 – Heart of Humanity

by S. L. Wallace

HeartThe laws of Terene may have changed, but that doesn't mean the hearts and minds of its people have. Life in the peaceful and technologically advanced realm of Mediterra is all eleven year-old diabetic Noah can remember and all his sister, Nadine, has ever known. With a new President of Mediterra, however, the family is forced to leave. Scott Maddock has decided to move his family back to his homeland of Terene where life has supposedly changed for the better. Being dropped into the heart of a prejudiced society and becoming the target of the baddest bully at school, Noah isn't so sure. How far will they go to stand up for what is right? In book three of the Reliance on Citizens trilogy, S.L. Wallace takes a look at equality, bullying and prejudice, while seamlessly blending the genres of action, sci-fi and political suspense.

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About the Author

S.L. Wallace is a teacher and life long writer who is a descendant of the famous William Wallace. Like him, she believes in freedom and independence. Unlike him, she fights her battles with the pen.

Reliance on Citizens Makes Us Great Book 2 – Canvas Skies

by S. L. Wallace

CanvasGreed. Power. Class division. Resistance. While Guy and Keira navigate their way through a Terenian society that enforces the separation of classes, April is haunted by her past. Now known as Aimee LaFleur, she returns to Tkaron to open an art gallery. Everything seems to be going well, except for the nightmares. Will they be able to close the Divide and rid their society of a severely corrupt Gov? Will Aimee ever be free? And who can be trusted? In book two of the Reliance on Citizens trilogy, S.L. Wallace delves deeper into political intrigue as we examine the bonds that make us human, blending the genres of action, sci-fi, romance and political suspense.

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About the Author

S.L. Wallace is a teacher and life long writer who is a descendant of the famous William Wallace. Like him, she believes in freedom and independence. Unlike him, she fights her battles with the pen.

Justice in an Age of Metal and Men

by Anthony Eichenlaub

JusticeSmall town sheriff Jasper Davis Crow has an arm forged of Texas Army-issued black metal, chews snuff manufactured from real tobacco extract, and wields a six shooter made before neural implants were even a thing. In an age when Texan independence, neglect, and technology have ushered in a new age of lawlessness, J.D. holds strong the line of justice in the town of Dead Oak.

Longhorns trample a rancher in what appears to be a brutal accident. The new deputy from Austin is convinced that it's murder and J.D. is inclined to agree when their investigation uncovers a bizarre conspiracy. With a megastorm brewing and a mysterious stranger tracking their every move, they need to work fast before time runs out and the storm wipes everything clean.

Can J.D. unravel the conspiracy? Will he be able to bring a sense of closure to the rancher's wife and kids? Will there be Justice in an Age of Metal and Men?

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About the Author

Anthony W. Eichenlaub was born in Red Wing, Minnesota in 1975 and got his undergraduate degree in Computer Science from the faraway Iowa State. He since collected a Masters of Agriculture in Horticulture from the University of Minnesota. He spends the bulk of his free time brewing beer, painting models, running, and writing. For nearly a decade he has been writing on his blog, which was originally started to record his experiences as a new father. Ever since, he has written science fiction and fantasy as well as for freelance roleplaying game magazine Kobold Quarterly.

Upside Down Kingdom

by Jody Brown

UpsideAmy Ashe had arrived in Washington, D.C. straight from college in 2000, responsible, mild-mannered, and wry-humored. Two years later, she left her writing position at an influential lobby firm, and just walked out, mid-shift, on her trendy restaurant job in Dupont Circle.

During those two years, her ideals betrayed her. Strangers embraced her. And the city itself threatened to break her spirit even as it encouraged her to stretch her wings. These, all, have delivered her to this moment. This is the story of how she found the readiness to leave it all behind.

Publisher

Published by: Xlibris

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About the Author

Jody Brown has lived, written, and waited tables in South Carolina, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, and Minnesota. Along the way, she has written obituaries for a newspaper, edited trade publications for lobbyists, and added numbers for a financial planner, all while serving fine dining, catering, fast food, and every step in between. Her experiences “serving the masses” have culminated into this, her first published novel.

Jody Brown has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Fiction and Poetry Writing from the University of Pittsburgh. She currently lives in Rochester, Minnesota.

Snuffy and Vroom-Vroom

by Elizabeth Lavine
Illustrated by Sheila McGraw

SnuffySuitable for boys and girls, age 3-7, bedtime stories, reading aloud and beginner readers.

  • "Our daughters are 4 and 6 and this is one of their favorite books! Sure to be a classic. Love the illustrations by the master Sheila McGraw!" ~ Dad in Los Angeles
  • "I totally love this book. Such a sweet, fun story infused with profound lessons life lessons for kids and grown up kids alike." ~ Holly B. Reeves
  • "Really, really cute! A very special little book. This could become a children's classic. Your kids will love this!" ~ Sandy Jones

An adorable little vacuum cleaner's life is turned upside down when his beloved brother is purchased--and he's left behind at the store. Just when his heartbreak seems too much to bear, a magical friend arrives. She breaks the spell of sadness and sets in motion a chain of events that cause a surprising serendipity!

This book is beautifully illustrated with 16 full-color illustrations by award-winning artist, Sheila McGraw, illustrator of the children's classic Love You Forever.

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About the Author

Elizabeth Lavine was born in Minnesota and has lived a nomadic, well-traveled life of inquiry and adventure. She currently facilitates The Work of Byron Katie and Scott Kiloby's Living Inquiries and is working closely with Ellen Anderson on her next children's picture book, "The Happy Farm Woman," as well as several other projects in the works. She is blessed to share her life with a large extended family, 3 amazing grown children and 7 grandchildren. She loves reading and writing inspirational books and stories and watching transformational movies.

About the Illustrator

Sheila McGraw is an internationally recognized illustrator, painter, and author. She is the illustrator and/or author of fifteen children’s and how-to books including the children’s classic Love You Forever with more than twenty million copies in print; Paper Mache for Kids, winner of the Benjamin Franklin Award; and the bestseller I Promise I'll Find You. Sheila is an ex-pat Canadian living in Texas. She is the mother of three grown sons.

Mortimer: The Leader Within

The Leader Within

by Anthony Wilson

MortimerLess than 24 hours after being inaugurated President of the United States, James Patrick Martin learns a horrifying secret from our nation’s past.

Hidden in the shadows for almost a century, this event could have a drastic impact on the immediate future of the country, and the planet.

Burdened with guiding humanity through history’s most daunting threat, President Martin must face a gauntlet of challenges, both public and personal, that will test both his skill as a leader, and his mettle as a man.

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About the Author

Anthony Wilson traces the initial inspiration for Mortimer back to a high school senior class trip to Washington, D.C. in 1984. As a journalist in the late 1980s, Anthony was encouraged to resist the urge to write a novel. As a parent in the 1990s, he did not have time to write a novel. As a project manager in the early 2000s, he was not sane enough to write a novel. In 2007, Anthony rekindled the original spark and secretly started typing. What began as a study of leadership, morphed into a futuristic/sci-fi/fantasy with a thinly veiled message... you can handle whatever life throws at you as long as you trust in yourself, stay focused, and lean on your friends and loved ones. Anthony has a bachelor's degree in Communications from Missouri Southern State University (Joplin, MO) and a master's degree in Human Resource Development from Pittsburg (KS) State Univer-sity. He lives in Rochester, MN, with his wife, Linda.

Revenge of the Dust Bunnies

by Mike Kalmbach

RevengeBook 1 of the Spooky Snacks series. "Scary short stories with a silly twist!"

Best for 4th-6th grade students. Perfect bedtime read for fans of Goosebumps!

40 pages
Paperback: 5 B&W illustrations and 2 games
Ebook: 5 full-color illustrations

Don't clean your room!

Dust always seems to collect in strange places: on your dresser, behind the TV, and under your bed.

It's not random. There's something sinister going on. A hidden group is behind this.

And they have a plan.

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About the Author

Mike Kalmbach grew up in a forest near Lake Michigan. Spending his summers chasing wizards and fighting battles with evil ogres, Mike has always had a creative mind. He'll often share stories from his past, and some of them are even true.

After time dragged him from childhood, Mike moved into freelance editing, helping other authors improve dozens of stories. During the daylight hours, he writes software to help with genetics research. He leads the Rochester MN Writing group and often speaks on topics from writing and editing to engineering and robotics.

Luckily, Mike now has two sons, so he has plenty of excuses to set down the pen and play. He lives in Minnesota where he, his family, and a band of pirates can still be found battling ogres, dust bunnies, and even the occasional dragon.

Writing Advice for Teens: Creating Stories

Creating Stories

by Mike Kalmbach

WritingWhether you're preparing for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), teaching a class on writing, or looking for writing inspiration, this is a good resource for any new writer. Contains 21 exercises to expand your mind and inspire new story ideas!

Perfect for use in high school English or creative writing courses, homeschool creative writing or homeschool English courses, and writing seminars.

Back cover text:

When all you have is a blank page, it's often tough to begin writing.

Writing Advice for Teens: Creating Stories aims to help you overcome that initial hurdle by making it easy for you to write down simple, focused ideas and craft them into stories.

However, coming up with ideas is not enough. Writers need to understand basic story structure so they can avoid typical writing problems.

Filled with plenty of tips, advice, and examples to help any writer, the first book in the Writing Advice for Teens series focuses on getting ideas down quickly and pounding out that first draft. After following the advice and using the techniques outlined in this book, you should understand how to bring the stories locked in your mind to the surface.

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About the Author

Mike Kalmbach grew up in a forest near Lake Michigan. Spending his summers chasing wizards and fighting battles with evil ogres, Mike has always had a creative mind. He'll often share stories from his past, and some of them are even true.

After time dragged him from childhood, Mike moved into freelance editing, helping other authors improve dozens of stories. During the daylight hours, he writes software to help with genetics research. He leads the Rochester MN Writing group and often speaks on topics from writing and editing to engineering and robotics.

Luckily, Mike now has two sons, so he has plenty of excuses to set down the pen and play. He lives in Minnesota where he, his family, and a band of pirates can still be found battling ogres, dust bunnies, and even the occasional dragon.

The Caldarian Conflict

by Mike Kalmbach

TheWill appeal to fans of Brandon Sanderson, George RR Martin, and R A Salvatore.

A corrupt government. Enraged pirates.
One monk caught in the middle of The Caldarian Conflict.

Admiral Cain finds an elegant solution to Caldaria's piracy problem: lure pirate ships to decoy merchant vessels stuffed with explosives instead of treasure. The suicidal captains are military men with fatal illnesses. The unsuspecting crews are poor men enticed from the gutters of Caldaria with the promise of handsome wages and free meals. Cain considers it a dual service--after all, he's protecting the merchants and sweeping the streets clean of vagrants.

There are only two problems: if the peasants find out, they'll revolt. If the King finds out, he'll have Cain's head. Accordingly, anyone with too much knowledge must die.

Brother Mendell, a devout follower of Lord Justice, is caught in the crossfire when he seeks retribution for an unfairly executed prisoner. After discovering the first few layers of Admiral Cain's plan, Mendell realizes that even a monk must carefully navigate through these dangerous waters. Mendell soon finds himself pursued by Admiral Cain's merciless assistant, Krell, who suspects that the monk might ruin their ambitious plan and uncover their mysterious backer--and will gladly kill the monk to keep him silent.

Mendell must unravel the mystery before he, too, becomes a casualty of The Caldarian Conflict.

Awards

  • Special honor: Featured book in over 60 Dunn Bros Coffee stores for the summer and fall of 2013
  • Award: Reviewer's choice, Digital Book Today

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About the Author

Mike Kalmbach grew up in a forest near Lake Michigan. Spending his summers chasing wizards and fighting battles with evil ogres, Mike has always had a creative mind. He'll often share stories from his past, and some of them are even true.

After time dragged him from childhood, Mike moved into freelance editing, helping other authors improve dozens of stories. During the daylight hours, he writes software to help with genetics research. He leads the Rochester MN Writing group and often speaks on topics from writing and editing to engineering and robotics.

Luckily, Mike now has two sons, so he has plenty of excuses to set down the pen and play. He lives in Minnesota where he, his family, and a band of pirates can still be found battling ogres, dust bunnies, and even the occasional dragon.