The Books
Genre: Western Historical
About Gold:
In the year 1850 Marcus Gale must get out of New York due to some unfortunate gambling debts. He takes passage on a sidewheel steamer headed for the California gold rush. He's signed on as stoker, without knowing what that is. In the three month voyage to the new land, he works his way to assistant engineer, is nearly killed, foils a kidnapping, and brings gold to California, among other adventures.Source: Info in the About Gold was from the press kit from the publicity team.
Buy Link(s):
Excerpt:
Marcus shoveled. He wondered if it would be all right to take his shirt off. Mr. Lewis had been wearing his, but Marcus found the room hot after living for weeks out in the New York winter. He compromised by opening his buttons.
He thought he could handle shoveling coal, though he quickly began to wish for a pair of gloves. Already he was getting a blister. But he didn’t have to shovel constantly. There were three furnaces, but only one was being used, as yet. He watched the needle on the pressure gauge. When it began to rise, he stopped shoveling awhile and studied his surroundings with some fear. There were a great many valves, levers, and wheels. He had never been this close to an engine before, at least not one this big. The boiler was all polished brass; he could see his own face in it, distorted and demonic. Steam leaked steadily from some of the pipes, turning the space into something like a Turkish bath. He had an uneasy feeling that any moment now the great machine would begin to run by itself, having a mind of its own, and there would be no way to stop it. He thought wistfully about his idea of joining a wagon train west. But it was too late for that. He was already in Hell.
He thought he could handle shoveling coal, though he quickly began to wish for a pair of gloves. Already he was getting a blister. But he didn’t have to shovel constantly. There were three furnaces, but only one was being used, as yet. He watched the needle on the pressure gauge. When it began to rise, he stopped shoveling awhile and studied his surroundings with some fear. There were a great many valves, levers, and wheels. He had never been this close to an engine before, at least not one this big. The boiler was all polished brass; he could see his own face in it, distorted and demonic. Steam leaked steadily from some of the pipes, turning the space into something like a Turkish bath. He had an uneasy feeling that any moment now the great machine would begin to run by itself, having a mind of its own, and there would be no way to stop it. He thought wistfully about his idea of joining a wagon train west. But it was too late for that. He was already in Hell.
Genre: Historical Fiction/ War Fiction
About The Special:
A call from a stranger leads me on a journey I could never have imagined. The caller said he had my uncle’s car. How could this be? My uncle died in WW II when his plane was shot down over the Bay of Biscay off the coast of England. After some questioning I realized I had the opportunity of a lifetime. An opportunity to learn a bit about the uncle I had heard about my entire life, an uncle who died 3 years before I was born, an uncle I had always wanted to know more about. I also was being given the gift of a car that had been built by this uncle’s own hands and the hands of those he had been close to in his final years. The real treasure was the bond I formed with a man and the incredible story he told. The story of my uncle, the building of the car, and the people they both loved.Source: Info in the About The Special was from the press kit from the publicity team.
The Special is a fact based novel; the story of family, love and trust in the face of worldwide catastrophe. In 1941 Billy Pendleton hitch-hiked to California to seek his fortune not knowing what the future held. After encouragement from his new found friend and landlord he is soon building an automobile to set speed records and rubbing elbows with some true legends of motor racing history. Into this heady world walked the woman that would change his life forever. As the car is built romance blooms and the world slips into a war that will touch every person on the planet.
Buy Link(s):
Excerpt:
I walked in to hear my least favorite words, “hold on, he just walked in” my wife was saying. After forty years at the phone company I knew any call for me was trouble. What I didn’t realize was that my life was about to change forever.
After a fifteen minute conversation with a total stranger I hung up the phone and without another word headed to the bar; I needed a drink.
“What was that all about?” Nancy asked.
“You won’t believe me if I tell you,” I said, as I poured a pair of drinks.
“Try me.” She said.
“That was a guy from California and he claims to have a car my uncle Billy built.”
“But your uncle Billy died in World War II.”
“I know, 1944 to be exact.”
“But this guy is in California? How could he have anything that belonged to your uncle?”
“I know Billy hitchhiked to San Diego after he graduated from high school to work for Consolidated Aircraft.”
“Did he “build” a car, what does that mean?”
“I don’t know, but what I do know is I have to get to San Diego as quickly as I can.” I emptied my glass and poured another.
I couldn’t sleep that night. My mind raced with the possibilities from Bob Mercer’s call, I was excited and anxious to call his father, Frank. I waited as long as I could stand it and called at 11 AM Central time, reasoning to myself that surely anyone in a rest home was up and around by 9 AM.
The phone rang twice and then was answered by a strong male voice. I asked if this was Frank Mercer and the voice replied it was. I introduced myself and told him about Bob’s call the night before.
“Yes, Bob has already called me. I was expecting your call,” he said.
“Mr. Mercer,” I replied, “I’m calling to find out about my Uncle Billy’s car.”
“Your Uncle Billy and my dad, they built that car together. Your uncle, he was one of the best mechanics I ever knew, and I’ve known a few. They were partners in the car, you know. I’m old and I don’t know how much longer I’ll be around. I made a promise to myself that I would keep my dad’s word to your uncle that the car would be there when he came back. And besides all that, Sally wanted it that way. It was the least I could do for all the people that had a hand in building the Special, it’s like a member of my family that car. Bob, my son, hell he just wants it gone so he can sell the land. Money in his pocket is all he gives a shit about.”
“You knew my uncle then?”
“Hell yes I knew him, knew him well, he was the closest thing to a big brother I ever had. He lived in my dad’s house with us you know.”
After a fifteen minute conversation with a total stranger I hung up the phone and without another word headed to the bar; I needed a drink.
“What was that all about?” Nancy asked.
“You won’t believe me if I tell you,” I said, as I poured a pair of drinks.
“Try me.” She said.
“That was a guy from California and he claims to have a car my uncle Billy built.”
“But your uncle Billy died in World War II.”
“I know, 1944 to be exact.”
“But this guy is in California? How could he have anything that belonged to your uncle?”
“I know Billy hitchhiked to San Diego after he graduated from high school to work for Consolidated Aircraft.”
“Did he “build” a car, what does that mean?”
“I don’t know, but what I do know is I have to get to San Diego as quickly as I can.” I emptied my glass and poured another.
I couldn’t sleep that night. My mind raced with the possibilities from Bob Mercer’s call, I was excited and anxious to call his father, Frank. I waited as long as I could stand it and called at 11 AM Central time, reasoning to myself that surely anyone in a rest home was up and around by 9 AM.
The phone rang twice and then was answered by a strong male voice. I asked if this was Frank Mercer and the voice replied it was. I introduced myself and told him about Bob’s call the night before.
“Yes, Bob has already called me. I was expecting your call,” he said.
“Mr. Mercer,” I replied, “I’m calling to find out about my Uncle Billy’s car.”
“Your Uncle Billy and my dad, they built that car together. Your uncle, he was one of the best mechanics I ever knew, and I’ve known a few. They were partners in the car, you know. I’m old and I don’t know how much longer I’ll be around. I made a promise to myself that I would keep my dad’s word to your uncle that the car would be there when he came back. And besides all that, Sally wanted it that way. It was the least I could do for all the people that had a hand in building the Special, it’s like a member of my family that car. Bob, my son, hell he just wants it gone so he can sell the land. Money in his pocket is all he gives a shit about.”
“You knew my uncle then?”
“Hell yes I knew him, knew him well, he was the closest thing to a big brother I ever had. He lived in my dad’s house with us you know.”
Book 1 in The Eighth Air Force Series
Genre: Historical Fiction
About The Children’s Crusade:
This is the first in a series of 7 books on the B-17 bomber crews in World War II England. All the “action sequences” are based on the actual experiences of men who flew with the 8th in the war, and were personally interviewed by the author. The story begins:Source: Info in the About The Children’s Crusade was from the press kit from the publicity team.
It was February 1942 when two future B-17 pilots began their training from Primary to Advanced Flight School where they become best friends. Join Captain Jack Harrington (age 22), the pilot, a Nebraska farm boy; Lieutenant Matt Moore (age 21), the copilot who is half Cheyenne Indian; Lieutenant Dale Kennedy (22), the navigator, a high school teacher; Lieutenant Kenny Donnelly (21), the bombardier, the son of a multimillionaire; and gunners that include Sergeant Keith McNeil (24), a career Army man; Sergeant Greg Cerminaro (19), a college student until the war intervened; Sergeant Al Schulze (19), a bottle capper from a Wisconsin brewery; Sergeant Joe Angelino (21), a longshoreman; Sergeant Jim Robinson (20), a truck driver, and Sergeant Tad Furmanski (18), a Polish national who survived the horrors of the Auschwitz death camp, as they move to England and become members of the 324th Squadron of the 91st Bombardment Group (heavy), stationed at United States Army Air Force Station #121. Fly with the rookies through their first mission to bomb German airfields at Romilly-Sur-Seine, France, on December 20, 1942. Listen to their reactions to the shock of combat and relate what it is actually like to fly dangerous daylight precision bombing missions.
Buy Link(s):
Excerpt:
Dale finished dressing. He went to his footlocker and took out a letter he had written to Susan the night they arrived at the base. They had not been there long when he heard that on any given day, a bomber had a one in three chance of returning from a mission. He promptly sat down and wrote the letter. In it, he told her how he felt about what he was doing, and what he was about to do. He told her how he felt about her, how deeply he loved her and always would. He wrote things he knew he would never have been able to speak in words, but could only articulate by writing. They were things he wanted Susan to know in case he never saw her again. Once he finished, he sealed it in an envelope and addressed it. He studied the letter a long moment while he held it in his hand, then placed it on the top of his footlocker.
All crew members left letters. It was a silently acknowledged fact among the crews that if a man did not return, whoever did would mail the letter. None of the letters were ever opened except by the recipient. It was unthinkable for any survivor to even consider opening a letter left by someone who had been lost. The thoughts and words in the letter were between the crewman and his loved ones and no one else. The privacy of the letters was respected. It was sacred.
At that moment, all over the base, other crewmen were doing the same. Those that were married wrote to their wives and parents. The single men wrote to parents, girlfriends, fiancés, sisters and brothers. All over Bassingbourn, letters were being left on bunks, footlockers, shelves and tables. They all wrote because they knew that before the day was over, some of them would be dead. Death had become an undeniable fact of life.
All crew members left letters. It was a silently acknowledged fact among the crews that if a man did not return, whoever did would mail the letter. None of the letters were ever opened except by the recipient. It was unthinkable for any survivor to even consider opening a letter left by someone who had been lost. The thoughts and words in the letter were between the crewman and his loved ones and no one else. The privacy of the letters was respected. It was sacred.
At that moment, all over the base, other crewmen were doing the same. Those that were married wrote to their wives and parents. The single men wrote to parents, girlfriends, fiancés, sisters and brothers. All over Bassingbourn, letters were being left on bunks, footlockers, shelves and tables. They all wrote because they knew that before the day was over, some of them would be dead. Death had become an undeniable fact of life.
Books In The Eighth Air Force Series:
Meet The Authors
The author was born a long time ago. He spent three years in the US Army where he learned a lot of vital skills, such as how to use a soldering iron and screwdriver, as well as how to make the bed, mop the floor, and wash dishes. He grew up and spent most of his life in San Francisco. After obtaining a useless liberal arts degree, he became a social worker and did more than 20 years in the mean streets of New York City, San Francisco, and rural California. He is now devoted to writing books, which he should have been doing in the first place. He has written some science fiction and fantasy, but is now mainly interested in tales of the Old West. In this case, The Old West means California, Nevada, and especially Old San Francisco. Steve has currently eight novels in print, with a ninth, “The Inventor,” due for publication by September 1. Two others are completed and in the pipeline.
J. E. (Jim) Pendleton was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas. He has had an interest in automobiles and history for most of his life. He spent several years as an SCCA road racer and a lifetime involved with hotrods. It wasn’t until after he retired from a long career in the telecommunications industry that Jim decided to pursue another of his dreams and write his first book.
His first novel, The Special, was born from his love of family, hotrods and history. These are topics that are sure to be the center of future works. He is currently working on a series of novels where a young China Marine watches regional conflict explode into what becomes World War II. Jim has long considered World War II the single most important historical event of the twentieth century. His father fought in the Pacific and his uncle, Billy Pendleton is the main character in The Special and was lost in the Battle of the Atlantic.
A native of New York Mills, New York, Cheryl Pula is a retired Reference Librarian. She is a Regents graduate of New York Mills Jr.-Sr. High School, with a concentrate in science and mathematics. Cheryl attended Mohawk Valley Community College in Utica, New York, where she received an Associate Degree in Liberal Arts, then went to SUNY Oswego, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in the Russian Language with a minor in German. She was on the Dean’s List at both schools. After substitute teaching in the New York Mills Union Free School District for five years for both foreign language and special education classes, she went back to school and received a Master’s in Library and Information Science from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where she is a lifetime member of the University of Michigan Alumni Association. Her first library position was as the supervisor of the Lending Department at the Mid-York Library System in Utica, where she performed all the reference work for the system’s 43 member libraries. After almost ten years, she became the Head of the Adult Services Department at the Utica Public Library in Utica, then in 1987, the Reference Librarian at the Dunham Public Library in Whitesboro. Though officially retired in August 2011, she now works part-time at the New York Mills Public Library in New York Mills, NY.
In 1988, she was awarded the New York Library Association’s Intellectual Freedom Award. She served on the Board of Trustees of the New York Mills Public Library. Cheryl also teaches for the Mohawk Valley Institute for Learning in Retirement at SUNYIT in Marcy, New York, teaching a variety of historical subjects to retirees who are interested continuing their education. She has taught courses on unsolved historical mysteries; the American Civil War; World War II; The Titanic and several other topics.
Cheryl was a founding member of the New York Mills Historical Society, and served as its first president in the late 1970’s. She is currently the village historian of New York Mills and President of The History Club, which she founded in Whitesboro in 1995. She is the club’s newsletter editor. She is also the founder, current secretary and newsletter editor of the General Daniel Butterfield Civil War Round Table in Whitesboro. She is a member of the American Legion Auxiliary of the Arthur Moran Post #66 in Camden, New York, as well as an honorary member of the Memphis Belle Memorial Association of Memphis, Tennessee. She is known around the central New York area for presenting a number of historical lectures (89 to be exact!) on topics from the Titanic to the first moon landing in July 1969. Cheryl was elected “Historian of the Year” by the Oneida County Historian’s Association in 2006. In 2010, she was listed in Who’s Who In America.
She is an author, having written on Irish immigrants to the Utica area in a book entitled Ethnic Utica, published in 1994 by Utica College. With her brother, she is co-author and co-editor of a book on the Civil War regiments from Oneida County, which was published by the Eugene Nassar Ethnic Studies Department of Utica College in November 2010 entitled, With Courage and Honor: Oneida County’s Role in the Civil War. She is a contributing author, co-editor and served as proofreader for The Polish-American Encyclopedia, published by McFarlane Publishers in January 2011. For her work on the Encyclopedia, she has just been awarded the Polish-American Historical Society’s Distinguished Achievement Award. She is author of a novel, the first in a proposed series about Eighth Air Force bomber crews in World War II England, titled The Children’s Crusade, was published in October 2011 by Whitehall Publishing. At this point, six more have been published: The Ragged Irregulars (April 2012); The Rookie (July 2012); A Wing and a Prayer (January 2013); Maximum Effort (July 2013); The Dogs of War (January 2014) and Above and Beyond (July 2014). The eighth in the series, Some Gave All is currently in the writing stage.
Follow The Tour
September 14 - Introduction at VBT Café Blog
September 15 - Spotlight at 3 Partners In Shopping - Nana, Mommy & Sissy Too!
Spotlight at Coffee, Books & Art
September 16 - Spotlight at Cherry Mischievous
September 17 - Guest Blogging at Mythical Books (Steve Bartholomew)
September 18 - Guest Blogging at Mythical Books (J.E. Pendleton)
September 19 - Guest Blogging at Mythical Books (Cheryl Palu)
September 19 - Guest Blogging at Lori's Reading Corner
Spotlight at Deal Sharing Aunt
September 20 - Guest Blog & Review at My Life, Loves and Passions
September 15 - Spotlight at 3 Partners In Shopping - Nana, Mommy & Sissy Too!
Spotlight at Coffee, Books & Art
September 16 - Spotlight at Cherry Mischievous
September 17 - Guest Blogging at Mythical Books (Steve Bartholomew)
September 18 - Guest Blogging at Mythical Books (J.E. Pendleton)
September 19 - Guest Blogging at Mythical Books (Cheryl Palu)
September 19 - Guest Blogging at Lori's Reading Corner
Spotlight at Deal Sharing Aunt
September 20 - Guest Blog & Review at My Life, Loves and Passions
Giveaway
Open to legal residents of US/Canada Only for Paperback, Ebooks International, who are 18 years or older.
