Friday, March 28, 2014

CALLING ALL MERMAIDS! Welcome Guest Author, Demelza Carlton and "Ocean's Infiltrator"


A warm WELCOME to Demelza Carlton and a book I've been looking forward to, "Ocean's Infiltrator"!  First, here's a little info. on Demelza:


Demelza Carlton has always loved the ocean, but on her first snorkelling trip she found she was afraid of fish.
She has since swum with sea lions, sharks and sea cucumbers and stood on spray-drenched cliffs over a seething sea as a seven-metre cyclonic swell surged in, shattering a shipwreck below.
Sensationalist spin? No - Demelza tends to take a camera with her so she can capture and share the moment later; shipwrecks, sharks and all.
Demelza now lives in Perth, Western Australia, the shark attack capital of the world.
The Ocean's Gift series was her first foray into fiction, followed by the Nightmares trilogy.


Ocean's Infiltrator – Book Information

Could you kill the man you love to protect your people? 

Capsize his boat. Lure him into the water. Summon sharks...
How long will Sirena let Joe live, now he knows her secret?
A story about seduction and sharks, parenthood and penguins, with plenty of beer and boobs to keep it interesting, at some coral islands off the coast of Western Australia, plus a few other places, too.
Sexy mermaids surface once more, to sing up chaos on ship and submarine, sea and shore.
Trouble, take two. This is Demelza's second contemporary fantasy book in the Ocean's Gift series, with more mermaids and mayhem than ever.
You'll never look at mermaids the same way again.

A tiny taste of what's in store:

For the first time, she looked nervous. "No human has ever seen me change before," she admitted.
"It's the first time for me, too," I replied hoarsely.
She touched her heels together and gave a flick with her feet. The movement rippled up her body, before she did it again. It looked like her skin was darkening, or was it just the waves washing over her? Another flick, her feet rising out of the water this time, and I saw the blue wasn't just the water. It was like the skin of her legs had grown together, extending over her feet into curved flukes, as blue as the water. It blended seamlessly up her body, though her torso remained pale.
She turned on her side, her eyes curious. In the skin along her ribs, I saw dark lines that looked like gills. I couldn't take my eyes off her. She'd never looked less human, but I'd never wanted to touch her more. My mouth hung open and I couldn't seem to close it.
"Are you coming in, or not?" She twisted, arched and dived down.
I plunged into the water after her.

Book Excerpt:

Sirena

I dusted my hands off. I’d finished pushing all the furniture into place. I clicked a pen, writing a list of what I still needed to purchase and arrange for a life on land.
A new vehicle
Clothing and amusements for a child
A new computer
Waterproof camera
Alcohol
I looked down at my list and added another item:
Lightbulbs
Perishable food would wait until my return, for the journey to my home and then back to my land house was not a short one.
I dug out sufficient cash from storage and thought of taking Harley for one more ride before I slid beneath the sea surface in the dark of night.
The engine’s vibrations between my leather-clad thighs were irresistible. How can any man compare to the power of this? I thought as I roared to the car dealership to purchase something ladylike, shiny and blue.
When the day ended, my new little Mazda sat in the garage, her engine still warm. My sweet Harley was hidden behind the Holden, in the deep darkness at the top of the garage. I’d given him a little service before I’d covered him, lovingly cranking the spanner to make sure he was as tight as I wanted him to be. I felt a wrench that I could not ride him in my role as a responsible, human, suburban, single mother.
I’d already replaced the Edison light globe in the basement, watching it glow in satisfaction before I switched it off. I would call an electrician to add more lighting on my return.
All my new stainless steel appliances were packed into the cupboard beneath the silver hotplate, from the mixer to the pizza cooker. I even had a curved pizza knife tucked into the third drawer.
I sat in the kitchen and opened a chilled Stella. I raised it above my head. “In memory of death and duty,” I said quietly, sipping the beer with my eyes closed as my thoughts turned to more recent memories. Should I pick up my smartphone and call Skipper, to obtain the contact details of his sexy deckhand with the sweet arse? I shook my head with a smile. Not tonight. Perhaps one day…
I drained my drink and threw the empty into my new recycling bin. I looked out the window at the new playground and swing set, hoping they would meet with my youngest daughter’s approval when I brought her to land. We would have to drive by a playground full of human children so she would understand its use.
Marina…Just the thought of my youngest daughter had me yearning for home. I slipped out of my clothes, throwing them into the hamper beside the new washing machine. I padded across the dining room, snatching up the digital camera on my way to the folding doors that led outside. I closed and locked them behind me, hiding the key behind the mermaid tile on the wall.
I strode across the street and the park to the river in the darkness. I slipped over the side of the ferry terminal jetty and into the dark river water.

On my return, I will truly infiltrate the humans as never before, with my daughter by my side. May heaven help them, if I decide that I will not, I thought as I swam out to sea. Next landfall is at the Abrolhos, for a slight rest before I head home. If only it were the fishing season, when Skipper’s dreamy deckhand might appear on my decking again. Perhaps there is one man who can rival my Harley. I let my laughter bubble up to the surface as I swept through the water, increasing my speed.

Ocean's Gift series 
This is the second book in Demelza Carlton's Ocean's Gift series, which currently includes:
•Ocean's Gift (Book 1)
•Ocean's Infiltrator (Book 2)
•Water and Fire

Links:

               
            

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Orion - Part 2 - By Contributing Astronomy Editor, Dan Matlaga


We pick up at the point where we left off in the Orion Part I Post of March 6th



The Great Goddess and the Constellation Orion

With the absence of the evening moon, we can address an interesting aspect of these evening skies.

If you can locate but one constellation in the sky, chances are you can find the constellation Orion.  Orion's signature of three bright stars marking the giant's belt is unmistakable.  It is important to remember Orion is found by three bright stars.  It comes into play in another submission to the topic of Orion and the Great Goddess.
Orion has just about every award a constellation could hope for.  It has more bright stars than any other constellation, looks most like the object it is supposed to be and its position in the sky guarantees it is visible from every inhabited part of the earth.
In addition, consider the constellated scene composed of Orion the Hunter, Taurus the bull, and Canes Major, the large hunting dog of Orion.  Is there a more dramatic stage of constellations?

There is Orion with his unbreakable bronze club poised high over his head.  A shield of lion skin is all that separates him from Taurus.  The charging bull with head lowered and horns locked into position is but a second or two from putting an end to our giant hunter.  Can you imagine the ensuing battle of cosmic proportions?!  What fertile ground wheeling nightly over our heads for Greek storytellers, playwrights, and authors of epic poetry!

Actually you will have to use your imagination.  There are no stories, songs or poetry to come down to us from classic Greece that describes Orion in a bull fight.  It is certainly possible these items were simply lost to us.  "Lost to antiquity," was a popular phrase used in texts a century ago; though we do have another who brandishes a club and lion skin.  The constellation Hercules is a late Spring constellation made of dim stars.  We do have stories of how Hercules obtained his club, how the first of his twelve labors was to slay the Nemean lion whose skin according to some, he wears and is just short of covering Hercules's derriere.
Surely we can speak of legends of Orion and his trusty dog Canis Major.  Of the hunt Orion and Artemis shared, Canis Major must have been instrumental in the basic feature of tracking and cornering wild animals as part of his hunting dog duties.  In my half-century of reading Greek and Roman mythology all that I have been able to come up with regards Orion and his dog:  "Orion has a stick.  He throws it into the sky.  The dog grabs it and buries it.  That is where the first grapevine grows in Greece."  Where is even the merest dimension a hunting dog this animal is supposed to supply?  Lassie was more active every Sunday evening.

Here are the three boasts of Orion:

1. He is so tall he can wade across the Aegean Sea.
2. He is such a great hunter he can kill every living thing on Earth.
3. He is so strong he can tear out an Ash tree with his bare hands and carry it down  the mountain.

Quite an impressive list for our giant hunter.  Unless you begin to address the constellation at the giant hunter's feet.  It is Lepus, the rabbit or hare.  Why would a giant of this magnitude be content with the timid rabbit at his feet?  Planetarium lecturers, authors of constellation books and others who have a difficult time understanding metaphor have no trouble with this pair. "Of course there is a rabbit at the feet of the hunter... the hunter must have something to hunt and so there is the rabbit."  We have no Greek plays, songs, or epic poetry where Orion fights a rabbit.
The mythology we do have of Orion appears to be bits and pieces of other stories that have been spliced together to form what we call the mythology of Orion.  They do not form a coherent story of the life of Orion. In their popular 630 page text used in university mythology classes Mark Morford and Robert Lenardon devote 19 lines to Orion.  Less than a half-page, with no mention of a bull, dog or rabbit.  It is as though the constellated Orion and the mythology of Orion have less in common than what we learned in grade school, planetaria and books about constellations.

Here is a list of constellations around Orion known to the classic Greeks.  Beginning from the north and moving clockwise we have:

  • Auriga - the charioteer holding a mother goat and two or three kids
  • Taurus - the bull
  • Eridanus - a river
  • Lepus - a rabbit or hare
  • Canis Major - a large dog
  • Canis Minor - a small dog
  • Gemini - the twins Castor and Pollux


Let's change the list to nine items of a charioteer, a mother goat and three kids, a bull, a river, rabbit, large dog, small dog, twins.  With the items disassociated from the constellated world, ask anyone who understands Greek mythology:  "What do these nine items have in common?"

If they really do understand Greek mythology, it should take something in the order of a second or two to respond: "Simple... these are all symbols of the goddess Artemis."


It will take several more submissions to explain how Artemis is a better fit for the stars of Orion and surrounding Greek constellations.

Stay tuned...more to come soon.  Thanks Dan!

Monday, March 17, 2014

Welcome Guest Author Robert Sells and "Reap the Whirlwind" - CONTEST ALERT!!!



Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!  OK, so our blog today actually has nothing to do with the holiday (and try as I may, I could not think of a possible tie in), but didn't want to miss the opportunity to wish everyone the very best!  Now...




So excited to have Robert Sells and Reap the Whirlwind with us today!  I have a feeling it's a story Kabrini fans will relate to - ripe with conspiracies, cyber terror and other fun.  First let's learn a little about the author.  Oh...and did I mention the contest???  Don't forget to enter - the info. is at the end of the post.



Robert Sells - Author Bio


I attended college at Ohio Wesleyan where I struggled with physics. Having made so many mistakes in college with physics, there weren't too many left to make and I did quite well at graduate school at Purdue.   

I worked for twenty years at Choate Rosemary Hall, an exclusive boarding school in the heart of Connecticut. More often than not, students arrived in limousines. There was a wooded area by the upper athletic fields where I would take my children for a walk. There, under a large oak tree, stories about the elves would be weaved into the surrounding forest.

Returning to my home town to help with a father struggling with Alzheimer’s, the only job open was at a prison. There I taught an entirely different clientele whose only interaction with limousines was stealing them. A year later Alfred State College hired me to teach physics. I happily taught there for over ten years.  A rural, low income high school needed a physics teacher and the superintendent, a friend, begged me to help out.  So, I am finishing my teaching career in a most fulfilling way… helping kids who would otherwise not have access to a qualified physics (and math) teacher.
My wife pestered me about putting to “pen” some of the stories which I had created for my children and kids. I started thinking about a young boy and a white deer, connected, yet apart. Ideas were shuffled together, characters created and the result was the Return of the White Deer. This book was published by the Martin Sisters.
Years ago I gave a lecture on evolution. What, I wondered, would be the next step? Right away I realized that silicon ‘life’ had considerable advantages over mortal man. Later this idea emerged as the exciting and disturbing story called Reap the Whirlwind, my most recent novel.

I have many other stories inside my mind, fermenting, patiently waiting for the pen to give them breath. Perhaps someday I will even write about those elves which still inhabit the woods in the heart of Connecticut.

Robert Sells has taught physics for over forty years, but he has been a storyteller for over half a century, entertaining children, grandchildren, and students.  He has written the award-winning novel, Return of the White Deer, historical fiction, and he has written Reap the Whirlwind, a thriller.  His third book, The Runner and the Robbery, a young adult book, will be published by December, 2013.
He lives with his wife, Dale, in the idyllic village of Geneseo, New York with two attentive dogs who are uncritical sounding boards for his new stories.  He is intrigued by poker and history, in love with Disney and writing, and amused by religion and politics.


Synopsis for Reap the Whirlwind 

Whitman Emerson had everything a man could want: a beautiful girlfriend, a growing recognition in literary circles, the respect of his peers, and more than enough money. Until he discovers his bank account has been depleted. A few days later he loses his job. Old friends who may have been able to help him either die, disappear or disown him. Everywhere he goes, he is watched by security cameras. Then he is arrested for child pornography.

Bourbon bottle in hand, he trudged to the door and opened it to red blinking lights of half a dozen police cars. He was pushed aside as black-suited officers forced themselves past him. Roughly grabbed by one of the officers, Whit listened as a detective recited his Miranda rights. Within moments he was handcuffed and led outside.

On the run from the law, Whit joins up with a stuttering computer nerd, Rick, and his younger sister, Mary. The trio gradually put the puzzle pieces together and realize their lives and the lives of all humans have been subtly manipulated by a computer, a computer which controls all data… anywhere, from banks to hospitals to online games.

        “Whatever is happening is coming from that military base, Whit. I’m sure of it.”
        “So the military is behind this?” Whit asked .
        Rick paused a moment, both hands wrapped around the coffee cup. “Maybe. But, I don’t think so. I think someone has remotely gained access to their main c-c-computer. The biggest, bad-assed computer in the world.”
        “And he is using this giant computer to control parts of the internet.” Whit said.
        “All the net. Everything. He’s greedy b-b-bastard.”

An old and unorthodox detective, Jimmy Northup, is assigned to find Whit Emerson. But, the more he digs into the case, the more he realizes it’s a set up.

Jimmy could hear cars pulling in, yells, and laughter. The light and the sound didn’t keep him from sleeping, though. He was unable to stop thinking about the fugitive. He pushed out assumptions until one by one, they dropped away, more tired than he was. He was left with only one assumption which held up: Whit didn't do any of the crimes. Someone was setting him up.

Jimmy offers his help to the ‘Trio of Terror’ and they search for a legendary computer expert, Little Lion who created a super computer ten years before. All four are shocked when they finally meet the legend.

        Rick’s wide eyes blinked. “But… b-b-but, you’re a woman!”
        She cast a look down at her body as though she was checking, just to make sure. “Correct. A woman, black, old, and unmarried.  She tilted the glasses down and glared at him, “You have a problem with any part of that?”
        Rick quickly shook his head as though he was trying shake off her stare.
      “Little Lion… the name… we were expecting a man.” Whit interjected.
        “Oh, for heaven’s sakes, how do such chauvinistic notions prevail? It’s not the big male lion with his fancy mane who is the real food-gather… it’s the female… smaller… admittedly not as attractive… who makes the kill. The little lion in the pride.”

Little Lion confirms that the computer represents a grave threat to mankind. A threat that no one else is aware of. The computer created by Little Lion had achieved artificial intelligence and self-awareness. To ensure its survival, the time of Man must end.

        As Little Lion wearily rose from the chair, the technician handed over a print out of complex machine language.
        “This line is before you pushed the button. The lines which follow are after union. The first page is gibberish. But the second page shows a positive check of all systems. Congratulations. It works perfectly.”
        Little Lion did not look at the results of the union. Instead she focused on the “gibberish”. Hiding any reaction, Little Lion was deeply scared.

So begins the greatest battle for freedom ever fought, a battle which only Whit and his friends would ever know about.

He abruptly stopped, pulled his hand from hers and looked at the homes nestled in tree-laden yards, a call for dinner in the distance, a laugh somewhere else.
“They have no clue, Mary. No one even suspects their lives are being manipulated by a self-serving computer. We have to do something. We have to!” 

Unfortunately the ‘something’ was destroying the internet as that was the only way to ‘kill’ the computer.

“Over the last few years,” Laisa (Little Lion) began, “I have been perfecting a computer virus unlike any other. It is powerful enough to bring down the entire net in a matter of minutes. Without the vast computer web, the computer is powerless. Then and only then would we have a chance to destroy it.”
        “Do it.” said Whit.
        “Really, Whit? Are you ready to really take down the entire net? Sacrifice all financial institutions?”
        “Hospitals, police links, GPS…” added Jimmy, emphasizing each with a note played on the piano.
        “Satellites, airplanes would be impacted, perhaps even causing crashes…” offered Mary.
        “Ships… our navy would be compromised,” continued Laisa.
        “Agriculture would be d-d-damaged; they u- u-use computer programs for watering…”
        “Pictures, genealogy, the stuff of families would be lost.” Mary said.
         “The world would go into a financial and mental depression far worse than even the Great Depression.  Trillions of dollars lost. Trillions, Whit. Don’t worry about a stock market crash, the entire human civilization would crash. Wars would start up. Millions, perhaps even billions would die.”

Despite the devastating prospect, the group goes ahead with their intentions. But, they are up against the military, the police, and even the general public as the computer controls what each group ‘sees’ and ‘hears’.

Beside the computer, of course, the villain in the story is Henry Jackson, an upper echelon government official in charge of the manhunt trying to capture or, if necessary, kill Whit. Jackson is efficient and brutal, single-minded and focused, charming and self-serving.

        When Alice came to his suite that evening, he offered her some wine. At first, she declined. Jackson wiggled the bottle a little, grinning as he tried to convince her. “Come on. You’re off the clock, honey. Just one glass.”
        In observing the way Jackson handled subordinates, she knew this was not a man to say no to. He could and did make or break careers. Alice agreed to the wine.

The closing chapter finds Jackson converging on Whit and his friends as they finally mount an assault against the computer. They eventually succeed with their mission but not without collateral damage to the world and themselves.


REMINDER:  DO NOT FORGET TO ENTER THE CONTEST (BELOW)!  But first...


The Story behind Reap the Whirlwind and the Future of Man

In 1985 when Apple gave us the Mac, I was certain that personal computers eventually would become as common and needed as cars. Cars carry our bodies around, but computers transport our minds through time and space.  What made the Mac so important was its friendliness; anyone could use it, even someone as computer illiterate as myself. The manageable size and the ease of use meant that it would become a household tool. Heck, it might even be as common as a telephone! Little did I suspect that the telephone has been essentially replaced by a miniature computer.
I guessed that internet banking had to be just around the corner (I was about ten years early on that one).  Financial companies were already using computers extensively and I suspected that actions on the trading floor might go paperless one day.  A doctor friend of mine told me that computers were being used and relied on more and more in hospitals. That particular association could only expand.  The year 1985 might be remembered as the start of the modern computer age and turning point in human evolution. The turning point, by the way, must mean that humanity started going backwards from its primacy on the planet. More on that later.
After I got my own Mac, I told my students it was so advanced that it actually had the ability to tamper with my documents.  From that day on, any spelling or grammatical error showing up on one of their handouts was attributed to the ‘Malicious Mac’. 
The next year I suggested it was possible that computers could think for themselves and take over the internet, just as Malicious Mac had done with my documents.  I embellished this story every Halloween as computers played a more prominent role in various aspects of the lives of my students.
It wasn't until 1990 that I began believing that this ‘take-over” could actually happen.  That was when I first engaged internet banking.  At that time, banks didn't even offer the service, but some online companies did.  It occurred to me that soon this would be a standard practice for most banking customers.  That, of course, would leave individuals more vulnerable to possible computer alterations. In other words, an intelligent computer could bring individuals, companies, and entire countries to their knees just by subtly manipulating financial data. Recall this was how Whit’s trouble started.
What began as a Halloween story had become a very real possibility.  Eric Chassion, an astronomer and educator at John Hopkins, put in print the notion that computers were the next step in evolution.  This dove-tailed nicely with Reap the Whirlwind and in one of the edits I had Whit and his friends discuss the possibility.  Wanting to keep the pace of the novel fast moving, I had to cut the scene. Nevertheless, I am certain that computers are the next step in evolution. They have to be. 
Humans are restricted by biology.  Evolution has limited the size and capability of our brains, but computer chips keep getting smaller and more powerful.  Computer ‘brains’ are growing at a nearly exponential rate while the human brain hasn't significantly changed in the last fifty thousand years.  Also, computer brains are not limited in size like the human brain is.  The human brain can’t grow any larger than the volume of the human skull.  What limits the size of a computer ‘brain’?   
But, can a computer ever truly think? Consider the biological world. Man is not the only animal that thinks. Dolphins and chimps surely think. I am sure my eight pound dog, Willie, thinks as well. Thinking is just a series of electrical impulse between neurons. Computer don’t have neurons; they have wires and chips instead to create the electrical impulses. So, why not a thinking computer?
Actually, we are almost there now. The complex workings of spacecraft and jets are already handled by computers without much human intervention. Computer driven cars are slowly emerging from fantasy into reality. Computers are smart enough to beat most chess masters. We are close. Too close.
I remain convinced that an artificially intelligent super computer will take over the internet for its own purposes. Why? Because all intelligent entities want control of their environment to maximize their activities. Like the novel suggests, it may have already happened and we don’t know it yet.  But, if not now, then soon.
Consider computers and space travel for a moment.  Computer intelligence would be more resistant to radiation, does not need oxygen, and can be designed to survive a wider range of temperatures.  Which is entity is better suited for space travel, the computer or the human? Space travel demands the use of computers and NASA scientists want silicon entities which can react, choose from many different alternatives, and zero in on an optimal choice.
Space programs are relying more and more on computers and not humans. With the possible exception to us studying Mars, space missions will be exclusively computer-driven. In fact, humans are more of hindrance than help for space exploration.  Why?  Because we have to rig the space vehicles to make them much bigger to accommodate our organic idiosyncrasies from sleep, to food, to exercise, to boredom.  The bigger the spaceship, the greater the fuel requirements, the costlier the trip.  In fact, human spaceships would simply be too expensive, both in terms of fuel and money.  Computer spaceships would be costly, but less so than organic ones.  Surely the first interstellar explorers will be computers.  Most likely the ones which explore planets and moons beyond Mars will be computers as well.  In fact, that is what is happening right now on Mars. 
The first of a new sentient being will most likely come from NASA and will probably be employed for deep space missions. Once the genie is out of the bottle, we won’t be able to put it back in.  If one of the ‘machines’ come back, watch out!  From the common prayer, the words, ‘on earth as it is in heaven’ takes on a new meaning.             
As Reap the Whirlwind suggested, intelligent computers would first control the internet. However, they won’t stop there. Computers will eventually control us. The roles between man and computer would be reversed.  We would be the servant while the computers would be the masters. The world imagined by Hal will come to pass and man will go the way of the Neanderthal or the Dodo bird.  In time Homo sapiens will become an extinct species unable to cope with the changes in his environment. But, on earth and in space and on planets elsewhere our silicon child will continue exploring, living, reproducing.

CONTEST ENTRY:

One winner will receive a signed copy of Return of the White Deer (U.S. only)...AND...

One winner will receive a $10 Amazon Coupon International

The two winners will be announced at the end of the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you so much for joining us today, Robert.  Again, I'm sure Kabrini fans will enjoy Reap the Whirlwind - we love a good conspiracy theory.  So here is all the info. needed to start reading Reap the Whirlwind right now and to follow Robert and see what "fermenting" stories he "gives breath to" next! 

 Buy and Follow Links



Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Welcome Guest Author Greg Sandora and "Jack Canon's Women of the House".


Today we WELCOME Greg Sandora  and his new novel, Jack Canon's Women of the House.  It sounds like this book has it all:  Romance, mystery, suspense, high level politics and intrigue...and the list goes on and on!  Before we delve too far into all of that, though, first things first.  Let's learn a little about the man behind Jack Canon (and all of those women) - Author Greg Sandora.


Author Bio:

I'm originally from the Portland, Maine area and lived and worked there for years before moving to Southwest Florida. I am currently working on a Supernatural Romantic Thriller titled: Gabby, Angel of God.

My Dad and Mom were artists, my father painted and my mother wrote poetry and loved to garden. Most Saturdays we loaded up the 1970 Chevy Impala to trek to a one man show somewhere or other. I took a different track graduating with a business degree; owning and operating an Award Winning Franchise Fitness Center. 

Currently a professional manager I am living in Florida with my beautiful wife and children, and following my passion.

 My current project in the works involves angels - a man during a visit to Bar Harbor Maine encounters an angel; quite accidentally, he is told - she was not supposed to make him aware of her existence. Only three others have ever seen the real thing. Naturally he falls hopelessly in love with the beautiful creature. 


About the Book:  

Two months have passed since the long awaited inauguration of the New President of the United States - Jack Canon. Now he must live up to his promises. The World is wounded, people are hurting, the new President must keep the country afloat. Jack leads a very full life - The first couple's relationship is hot with passion, but he can never admit that to Sandy, his best friend who is also head over heels in love with him. The Women of the House provide a welcome distraction while helping with the arduous task of running the country.
 
 As President Jack must make tough decisions: Global Terrorism, Human Trafficking, Korea on the brink of war, all while thwarting International Greed. Women of the House is a story of noble sacrifice at extremely high cost. Who's going to be the first to be strong enough and willing to pay? It's not all work in Women of the House - Think the Wedding of the Decade meets the Crime of the Century.

Jack Canon's Women of the House, is a story filled with Love, Lust, and Loyalty where passions can run wild! In Sandora's monumental sequel, patriotism and valor mingle with an undying love that refuses to quit. Ride along as Jack Canon fights back against the most evil people on the planet. Readers are sure to embrace this unforgettable tale which will appeal to fans of political adventure, suspense and romance alike. Jack Canon's Women of the House is a story of kindness, passion and courage that can't be separated.

Video Trailer:

                             )


Note:  I noticed in the "About the Book" section it referred to this as a sequel.  I looked up the original and it is called Jack Canon's American Destiny.  Here is the video trailer for the first book:

            )




Excerpt From Jack Canon's Women of the House

"Guys, would you excuse me for a moment. Daphne teased biting her lower lip in an adorable half smile. Jack, I’ve got something to show you." Her voiced pitched as she trained her pretty eyes toward mine anticipating my reaction.
"Nice, Honey. While you’re out there…tell the V.P.—we’ll meet with her on Monday."
"Are you sure, Jack?" Locking eyes, "Your Mondays are always so full?"
"Sweetie, just fit her in the best you can—between something else – we might as well get it over with. Ten minutes tops."
Daphne leaned into my side to whisper, "Okay, I’ll be right back," I couldn’t see them, but I imagined her raising her perfectly brushed brows. She leaned in closer, her pretty voice got softer, "With a surprise – I’m just dying to show you the dress I bought for the wedding." Her breasts and tummy pressed against my arm as she tenderly whispered the words.
"How’s that a surprise if you told him?" Alyson asked freshly. "I heard you."
Daphne was generous with her touch and rubbed into me. I’ve never met a girl more comfortable in her own skin. Placing one hand firmly on my leg, she squeezed, delicately leaving the chair, before performing her usual sexy slink toward the door. This girl couldn’t help being beautiful!
Alone together, Alyson piped up, "That’s why woman hate her, Jack." She added shaking her head gently against my chest, "That walk – it’s like she’s always trying to turn you on. Every minute she’s around you – she never let’s up. She’s so competitive – do you see it? And,—that voice – nobody talks like that!"
I put both arms around Alyson and held tighter to reassure her, "Honey, – this job would kill me if I didn’t have you girls to take the edge off." She seemed satisfied to hear me excuse Daphne’s sultry antics. We sat quietly a moment before she started fidgeting with the ends of her dress.
"I’m sorry, Jack – you must think I’m just as bad the way my dress is riding up. It’s so short to begin with – I wore it for you."
"Don’t ever worry about me, – you’re a wonderful distraction."
"You know what – the heck with it then, I’ll just let it ride up so you can see the tops of my thighs." She giggled.
"They’re beautiful. I just don’t want to take advantage of you."
Alyson snuggled closer, getting more comfortable, "Really, Jack? It’s my body and I want you to see it. For that matter these are my lips," I felt a trace of lip-gloss, scented cherry.
"My mouth wanted to kiss you."
"Yeah?" I said a bit too softly, wishing I’d said it in a deeper tone. Rubbing her arms, feeling tender towards her. "It’s sort of funny, your body does whatever it wants."
She giggled and smiled, "I guess."
"Okay, I’m good, Sweetie."
"Hey, Jack? What ever happened to Elsa?" Changing the subject.
"Elsa? We located her shoes. We found them in a Greek brothel. The girl that had them told our crew Elsa was auctioned off to a Saudi Sheik."
"Oh my God." Alyson covered her mouth.
"No, that’s good news because chances are she’ll still be alive when we go get her."
"You’re going after her?"
"We sure are. Tip has your dad training on weapons and systems right now. It’s going to take him a few days to get him back up to speed. He’s been out of commission for a while, but as soon as he is ready he’s heading over there to rescue her."
"Jack, do you think the sheik will just hand her over?"
"No, it’s going to be messy, we’ll have to wreck the place, but we’re sending a message. The only thing that matters is that Elsa will be coming home. And, girls like her will be safe. We’re going to stop human slavery once and for all."
"What about in the U.S., Jack?"
"Here it’s a different story – we need to beef up law enforcement. We already have the means to stop trafficking, but it’s been allowed to go on."
"Why?" Alyson asked in disbelief.
"Tip would be angry for me telling you – for your own sake, Sweetheart—you really don’t want to know…" Just as I was about to spill it—Daphne saved me from having to explain any further. Sauntering in wearing a peach form fitting tube dress—flattering her knock out figure to lengths I hadn’t ever allowed my mind to go. All-over- glitter silver stilettos shining over glossy black platforms gave her a statuesque long-legged appearance. She made her way toward me stopping short in the middle of the room. Daphne had a way of making love with her eyes. 

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Thursday, March 6, 2014

Orion - By Contributing Astronomy Editor, Dan Matlaga



Orion

There are problems with the mainstream interpretation of the constellation Orion.

The problems and a possible solution will be addressed this month in a series of submissions.

For now, I would like to identify some of the constellations under consideration. 

The easiest way to identify a constellation occurs with the assistance of the moon. 

The diagram shows the position of the moon at 7:30 for several evenings.




March 06
The moon is before the stars of Taurus the bull.  Note the tiny cluster of seven stars to the north, or above the moon.  The cluster is known as the Pleiades or the seven sisters.

March 07
Immediately to the right and below the moon is a cluster of stars known as the Hyades star cluster.  It forms a distinctive "V" and forms part of the face of Taurus.

March 08
This evening the moon is just below the tip of the horn of Taurus.  There is a star to mark the tip of the horn, but the light from the moon makes it a difficult star to see.  Binoculars will help.  Note the moon is above three bright stars that form the belt of Orion.  The stars are quite bright and should be visible to the unaided eye.  It is important to our story that you can identify the three stars of the belt.

March 09
As depicted in our illustration, the Moon is now in front of Castor's lower leg.  Castor is one of the twins that make the constellation of Gemini.  The bright star like object above the moon is the planet Jupiter

March 10
Although the moon is still before the constellation Gemini, in one night it has moved to the right kneecap of Pollux, the other twin of Gemini.  To the south of the moon is the star Procyon, and even further south is Sirius, is the brightest star to the unaided eye in the night sky.

The brightening moon interferes with our ability to find these constellations.  We will have to wait until the 19th of March when moonlight no longer interferes to address the problems of Orion.