Biographies & Memoirs

Literatureby Guillermo Stitch

"Literature®: a speculative noir that wraps the razor wit of Raymond Chandler around the extraordinary vision of Philip K. Dick." NINEVEH EDITIONS

"Wonderfully written…a beautifully rendered story, mixing the cynicism and moral ambiguity of classic noir fiction with startling flashes of humour and disarmingly tender moments."
E.O.HIGGINS, CONVERSATIONS WITH SPIRITS, UNBOUND/PENGUIN

"A clever interweaving of speculative fiction, dystopian vision and classic noir, what's most striking about Literature® is the quality of the writing…lean and spare with moments of beauty fizzing through…it is also very funny."
KATHERINE GRAHAM, THEATRE RE

"A futuristic look into a land where book-burning ceremonies are embraced and those who rebel are punished. Protagonist Billy Stringer is both vulnerably lovable and irritatingly suffocating all at once in his mission to save his future. Brave New World meets 1984 in this Big Brother masterpiece."
KRISTI ELIZABETH, SAN FRANCISCO BOOK REVIEW

We don't know exactly when Literature® takes place and we don't know exactly where-all we know is that Philip Marlowe would fit right in.

And the odds are against him…

"Literature® speaks to the industrialization of art and also to the link between alienation and radicalization in consumerist societies. Mainly, though, it speaks to our need for great stories. By providing one. There is heart here, and heartache. And, crucially, a chase scene.

"For lovers of everything from Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, Aldous Huxley's Brave New World and George Orwell's 1984 to Raymond Chandler's The Long Goodbye, Philip K Dick's Ubik and beyond." NINEVEH EDITIONS
Praise for Literature®:

"To put it in its simplest terms, "Literature®" is one of the most entertaining books I've had the pleasure to read, anywhere, at any time."
WILLAM L. SPENCER, GOODREADS

"I was enraptured from the start. A beautifully balanced piece of writing. I love his style."
SIUN O'CONNOR, A RICH INHERITANCE, RTE

"This is satire in the grand tradition: Fahrenheit 451 but with better jokes."
JOHN PATRICK HIGGINS, EVERY DAY I WAKE UP HOPEFUL

"Here we have a classic treatise in the making."
MADELON WILSON, GOODREADS

More Ketchup than Salsa: Confessions of a Tenerife Barmanby Joe Cawley

Would you risk everything to start a new life overseas?

“If you buy one book this year… get this!”
“Brilliant book about living in Europe… very funny…”
“Probably the best book I have read this millenium!”

Childhood sweethearts, Joe and Joy are broke and bored. They’re also tired of smelling of fish.
When offered the chance to escape from the dreary market stalls of Bolton, England and buy a bar on Spain’s sub-tropical resort island of Tenerife, they recklessly jump at the opportunity, despite a spectacular lack of experience.

In Tenerife, dreams of a better life overseas are soon crushed by mini-mafias, West European prostitutes and biblical-grade cockroach infestations.

Their foreign fantasy turns into a nightmare as they find themselves trapped with a failing bar in a foreign land, pandering to a bar full of expat society misfits 24/7, while trying to stop their relationship crashing into the rocks.

Can they turn their business around, and save their relationship? Buy this comedy memoir now to find out!

“A book full of humor, laughter and tears.”
“Fantastic, hilarious, painful. Completely un-put-downable!”
“If you enjoy true stories and Bill Bryson type travel memoirs then you’ll also enjoy Joe Cawley’s books.”

Confessions of a Male Nurse (The Confessions Series)by Michael Alexander

From the people who brought you the bestselling Confessions of a GP.

From stampeding nudes to inebriated teenagers, young nurse Michael Alexander never really knew what he was getting himself into. But now, sixteen years since he was first launched into his nursing career – as the only man in a gynaecology ward – he’s pretty much dealt with everything: Body parts that come off in his hands; Teenagers with phantom pregnancies; Doctors unable to tell the difference between their left and right; Violent drunks; Singing relatives; Sexism; . . . and a whole lot of nudity.

Confessions of a Male Nurse is a touching, shocking and frequently hilarious account of one man’s life in nursing.

The Simple Faith of Mister Rogers: Spiritual Insights from the World’s Most Beloved Neighborby Amy Hollingsworth

Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood with an inside look on Mr. Rogers’ spiritual legacy. It shows us a man who, to paraphrase the words of St. Francis of Assisi, “preached the gospel at all times; when necessary he used words.”

Tom Brokaw of NBC Nightly News once said of the American icon Fred Rogers, “Mister Rogers was an ordained minister, but he never talked about God on his program. He didn’t need to.”

Eight years before his death, Fred Rogers met author, educator, and speaker Amy Hollingsworth. What started as a television interview turned into a wonderful friendship spanning dozens of letters detailing the driving force behind this gentle man of extraordinary influence. Educator? Philosopher? Psychologist? Minister? Here is an intimate portrait of the real Mister Rogers.

The Simple Faith of Mr. Rogers focuses on Mr. Rogers’ spiritual legacy, but it is much more than that. It shows us a man who, to paraphrase the words of St. Francis of Assisi, “preached the gospel at all times; when necessary he used words.”

Memoirs of a Time Traveler (Time Amazon Book 1)by Doug Molitor

“You couldn’t ask for a finer guide to the future — or the past — than Doug Molitor.” — Larry Gelbart (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, M*A*S*H, Tootsie)

In this fast-paced, thrilling journey through time, archaeologist David Preston comes into possession of a baseball supposedly signed by the legendary Ty Cobb in 1908, thanks to Ariyl Moro and her mysterious companion, Jon Ludlo. Except the ball tests out to be an impossible paradox. It was signed with a ballpoint pen (not invented until 1938) using ink that’s several centuries older. But then, Ariyl and Ludlo aren’t who they claim to be either.

Ariyl, a voluptuous 6-foot-3 beauty, turns out to be a tourist from a 22nd century paradise where time travel is the latest craze. Unbeknownst to her, however, her traveling companion, Ludlo, is a psychopath whose thefts are starting to alter history. In a world were even small changes in the timeline can cause catastrophic consequences, Ludlo’s actions may completely destroy the future.

To stop Ludlo, David and Ariyl must solve a mystery involving Bronze Age swordsmen, modern-day Nazis, a steampunk world, Albert Einstein, some highly skeptical Founding Fathers, and a Golden Age Hollywood where the murder of a beloved movie star will spell doom for civilization.

Sci-fi meets romantic comedy…with sword-swinging adventure!

Model Marine: A Novelby Sondra Sykes Meek

Molly Monroe had her future planned out for her. When she makes an impulsive decision to join the Marine Corps, her boyfriend breaks up with her, her brother bears the burden of guilt, and her mother feels betrayed. The people in Molly’s life have always tried to protect her, but she wants to protect herself.
As a Combat Camera Marine, Molly observes and records her environment from behind the lens, where image shapes day-to-day life. After she is wounded during a combat deployment, her dreams are frightening, and her memories are a kaleidoscope of scattered and chaotic scenes; a collision of past and present, real and unreal. Snapshots in time. Glimpses of war. Fragments of love: lost and found.
This story unfolds through multiple perspectives and as the negatives and positives develop, an image of the Model Marine is sharpened into focus.
*****
Sondra Sykes Meek has crafted a deeply compelling novel about a young woman who gives up the bright lights of modeling and pageants to join the Marine Corps. Using a camera and her journalistic skills, her grit and determination take the reader ‘outside the wire’ where she encounters the truths of the warrior lifestyle while simultaneously protecting a closely held secret. An engrossing read, Model Marine is a book I’m excited to recommend.
Stephanie Austin Edwards – Author of What We Set in Motion: A Novel
Model Marine by Sondra Sykes Meek will be a satisfying sprint down memory lane for all who’ve earned the eagle, globe, and anchor: the reactions of family members and friends to the decision to join; the bonds formed with fellow recruits or officer candidates; the professional and personal relationships that develop with each new assignment; and the growth that inevitably comes with military service, whether it’s a few years or a lengthy career.
… Molly Monroe can hardly be called a typical Marine… She and the other characters in Model Marine learn lessons essential to the Corps experience: everything is done for a reason, and actions have consequences. At Camp Leatherneck and outside the wire, they apply those lessons to create a realistic picture of combat. This coming-of-age story will engage readers of all ages while reinforcing the values of critical thinking and the courage of convictions.
Colonel Roxanne Waters Cheney, USMC, Retired
Emotional. Compelling. Intense. Brilliant. All words I would use to describe Model Marine by Sondra Sykes Meek. Classified as other fiction, I highly recommend this novel for anyone who enjoys a spellbinding read.
Molly Monroe enjoys acting on stage; her mother has had her in beauty pageants since she was a toddler. She and her best friend Beth are planning on attending the North Carolina School of the Arts together. Molly surprises everyone the summer after graduation, though, when she enters the Marine Corps.
Her mother is furious and refuses to talk to her. But life in the military is good for Molly. Stationed in Afghanistan as a Combat Camera Marine, she takes photographs and writes articles for publication. She only wishes that she would be allowed outside the wire once in a while.
Molly’s story is told in flashes much as the pictures she takes with her camera. The author skillfully weaves the plot together going backward and forward in time at will. Rather than be confusing, this adds a hint of mystery as the reader pieces together what has happened. I was so enthralled with the glimpses of information I was getting that I couldn’t stop reading until I assembled the whole picture. Ms. Meek does so well at letting the reader know who is speaking and giving clues about the time frame that at no point did I get lost…
There is no hesitation or uncertainty in my rating of this book. I rate Model Marine a solid 4 out of 4 stars. I honestly can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t enjoy this book other than perhaps those who suffer from PTSD (as it might bring back unpleasant memories.)
kandscreeley Onlinebookclub.org