Turning the Tide...: March 2014

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

America's Artist, Jon McNaughton's Angel of Liberty

The Vision of George Washington is not so well known by most Americans, but it is worth consideration as our country stands in peril of loosing everything we hold dear. At a time when our financial solvency and our national security are more vulnerable than we have ever been, what will save us from the doom that lurks at our doorstep? I chose to paint this vision at the triumphant moment when the Angel of Liberty bursts upon the scene. Whether or not the vision is authentic, is debatable, but the message it contains is timeless.

Jon McNaughton's painting of George Washington's Vision. Learn more at Jon's website.

Friday, March 21, 2014

We Must Not Fail, America

I love America and everything about her. From her inception, she was born of the minds of men and women who craved freedom and liberty. She was not perfect, but the birth of this nation provided a foundation of freedom that was built deep and strong. Throughout the years of our young nation, we formed and molded a people who thrived on self-responsibility, working hard, and helping their neighbors. We grew into a super power and began defending freedom all over the world, much to the dismay of the despots of the world. In the 80's and early 90's we had an economic boom in America unmatched by any point in our history. People worked for the American Dream and found it.

Now we face trouble. Our republic is no longer with the advent of Obamacare. Our federal government is out of control. Corruptions reigns from the White House to the House of Representatives and every administrative department in between. We have another election coming up, and in order for any candidate to win they must win by a margin large enough to overcome the corruption that is a cancer eating away at the bedrock of America, the right to vote freely. America must unite if we are to restore the republic and give the generation following us a brighter future. But most of all, we must strengthen the family unit, for if the family is strong, so too is the nation. Father, mother and children must work to keep their families strong, and we must, as a nation, turn to God for forgiveness and protection.

Remember who you are, both as children of a loving God and as Americans. We are that last bastion of freedom to the world, and it is crumbling under the machinations of evil men and women. Stand strong, America. We shall prevail. We must not fail.

Remember that Harold B. Lee said,

"Men may fail in this country, earthquakes may come, seas may heave beyond their bounds, there may be great drought, disaster, and hardship, but this nation, founded on principles laid down by men whom God raised up, will never fail. This is the cradle of humanity, where life on this earth began in the Garden of Eden. This is the place of the new Jerusalem. This is the place that the Lord said is favored above all other nations in all the world. This is the place where the Savior will come to His temple. This is the favored land in all the world. Yes, I repeat, men may fail, but this nation won't fail. I have faith in America; you and I must have faith in America, if we understand the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are living in a day when we must pay heed to these challenges.

"I plead with you not to preach pessimism. Preach that this is the greatest country in all the world. This is the favored land. This is the land of our forefathers. It is the nation that will stand despite whatever trials or crises it may yet have to pass through. (Ye Are the Light of the World, Harold B. Lee, p350-51)

Monday, March 3, 2014

Book Review: River Road by Jayne Ann Krentz

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River Road

by Jayne Ann Krentz

Romantic Suspense

Jayne Ann Krentz is one of my favorite authors, bar none. I have been reading her books since she wrote serial romances back in the 80's, but loved her writing even more when she made the jump to romantic suspense and the broader market. She never disappoints, ever.

River Road is a departure from her paranormal series that she has focused on for the past few years. A teenager, a hyper responsible young adult, and a serial rapist/killer create the nucleus of this story. The backliner of River Road reads like this:

It’s been thirteen years since Lucy Sheridan was in Summer River. The last time she visited her aunt Sara there, as a teenager, she’d been sent home suddenly after being dragged out of a wild party—by the guy she had a crush on, just to make it more embarrassing. Obviously Mason Fletcher—only a few years older but somehow a lot more of a grown-up—was the overprotective type who thought he had to come to her rescue.

Now, returning after her aunt’s fatal car accident, Lucy is learning there was more to the story than she realized at the time. Mason had saved her from a very nasty crime that night—and soon afterward, Tristan, the cold-blooded rich kid who’d targeted her, disappeared mysteriously, his body never found.

A lot has changed in thirteen years. Lucy now works for a private investigation firm as a forensic genealogist, while Mason has quit the police force to run a successful security firm with his brother—though he still knows his way around a wrench when he fills in at his uncle’s local hardware store. Even Summer River has changed, from a sleepy farm town into a trendy upscale spot in California’s wine country. But Mason is still a protector at heart, a serious (and seriously attractive) man. And when he and Lucy make a shocking discovery inside Sara’s house, and some of Tristan’s old friends start acting suspicious, Mason’s quietly fierce instincts kick into gear. He saved Lucy once, and he’ll save her again. But this time, she insists on playing a role in her own rescue.

As always, Krentz's writing is crisp and the twists and turns in her stories keeps the pages turning. we have her standard alpha male, which I always admire, and the plucky heroine who is convinced she can take care of herself. Sometimes I think that type of character needs her head examined because she rarely wants to accept help, even when she needs it. Nonetheless, Jayne has delivered characters I invested in and a story that kept me up until 2:00 a.m. until I turned the last page.

Set in California's wine country, we have a glimpse into winemaking, running a hardware store, and forensic genealogy. Fun little asides are Jayne's trademark.

I loved River Road, and will continue to buy Jayne's books for both my bookshelf and my Kindle. I absolutely love having the same books on my Kindle, travel is so much easier now!

River Road Hardcover
River Road Kindle

Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Putnam Adult; First Edition first Printing edition (January 7, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0399165126
ISBN-13: 978-0399165122
Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.4 inches
Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (210 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,645 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Saturday, March 1, 2014

Newtimber: Fractured by Karen E. Hoover

Introducing Newtimber: Fractured, an exciting YA urban fantasy novel by Karen E. Hoover, author of The Wolfchild Saga and others.

There was absolutely no way a black dragon hovered outside of Newtimber. Sianna rubbed her eyes, but the dragon was still there, clutching a round object that looked like a spotted egg. And then the egg fell, hitting the ground like an atomic bomb, sending out waves of a slow-moving fog that distorted everything it touched.

The citizens of Newtimber change. The old man down the street stretches into a screaming tree. Sianna’s skateboarding friend, Matt, transforms into a giant green dragon. Pegasus. Sirens. Griffins. Vampires. Zombies. Creatures from the myths of every culture come to life through the people.

Even Sianna changes, her skin becoming stone hard, and she gains the ability to travel from the human realm into the dimension of the fae, using it to free her father from prison and enlist his aid in battling the evil bent on taking over the world.

One person to heal a family, a town, and save the world. It seems an impossible task, but with the help of her new friends, it could happen.

Right?

Newtimber: Fractured will be released early summer 2014 by Trifecta Books. Visit www.trifectabooks.com for exciting updates about this great new series!