Samuel DenHartog's Blog: The Road to 1,440, page 6

The Cheese Is Only the Beginning in “Nighty Night Mouse Tales”

It all started with a single mouse and a love of cheese. Then came a tower of flowerpots, a cursed bramble garden, and a ghost with no name holding an acorn lantern. Soon, a whole cast of mice arrived, each with their own hopes, fears, and wildly unexpected journeys. Together, they bring to life a story collection brimming with whimsy, mystery, and delight woven together by tiny paws and big imaginations.

This book is about creating a world where young readers can visit secret tunnels, race up clock towers, or dive into books that pull them right inside. Some tales sparkle with laughter and mischief. Others hold a quiet stillness, the kind that only appears when a mouse waits at a window or lights a lantern for someone lost. There’s a bit of fairy tale magic, a pinch of mischief, and just enough shadow to make the glow of hope feel warm and earned.

The stories are varied enough to keep every night feeling new. One chapter might introduce a library-loving mouse who rides a flying carpet, while the next shares a quiet moment between a mouse and a weasel who both know what it means to get stuck. These tales don’t talk down to young readers—they invite them in, offering a seat in a teacup boat or a dance at the fairy feast and trusting their imaginations to do the rest.

Whether you're reading aloud with a snuggly blanket or watching your little one page through adventures all on their own, there's something truly special about "Nighty Night Mouse Tales." It's a book meant to be loved, remembered, and passed down—whisker by whisker, tale by tale.

Discover Cozy Mischief and Clever Heroes in “Nighty Night Fox Tales”

Every child deserves a bedtime filled with curiosity, giggles, and just the right dash of wonder. That’s exactly what this collection of fox-themed stories delivers—tales that sparkle with imagination and warm-hearted mischief. Here, foxes are more than just clever tricksters; they’re dancers, builders, mystery-solvers, and occasional fibbers trying to do better. The characters may have fluffy tails, but their adventures feel wonderfully human.

What makes these stories stand out is the surprising blend of humor, emotion, and unexpected twists. One minute a fox is juggling hamsters to fix a magical hat, the next they’re offering a piece of firewood to a cold badger family. Each tale balances playfulness with heart, often sneaking in a small truth about friendship, courage, or creativity without ever feeling like a lesson. These are stories that invite participation—young readers will want to guess riddles, imagine their own forest parties, and maybe even invent a few fables of their own.

The book doesn’t ask its readers to sit still and listen. It invites them to lean in. Whether it’s a top hat that grows when someone lies or a tree that swaps memories, the ideas are rich with possibilities for bedtime conversations. The stories are short enough for one night but deep enough to be remembered the next day, encouraging kids to look at the world—and maybe even each other—with a little more imagination.

Dive into the Bedtime Magic of “Nighty Night Turtle Tales”

There’s something special about the quiet moment before bedtime—the soft light, the cozy blanket, and the familiar rhythm of a good story. It’s a time when children’s imaginations open wide, ready to welcome talking animals, glowing treasures, and magical mischief. That’s where this collection of turtle tales comes in. Each story is short enough for a sleepy listener, yet rich with whimsy, laughter, and the kinds of gentle adventures that stick with a child long after the lights go out.

The stories in Nighty Night Turtle Tales follow turtles who build sandcastles, take tea with giants, and even hop aboard story-powered boats. These are tiny journeys filled with wonder and delight. Some are peaceful and calming, like moonlit strolls or perfect sunbathing spots. Others are full of energy and imagination, like karate showdowns, underwater hair salons, or compost pile treasure hunts. Every tale is unique, and every turtle brings something a little different to the page.

What makes this book so enjoyable is how it speaks to a child’s sense of play without ever talking down to them. The language is simple but vivid, the plots are silly but satisfying, and the tone strikes that perfect balance between funny and gentle. Whether read by a grown-up or explored independently by early readers, these stories are a doorway to a world where anything is possible—especially if you believe in turtles who like to throw tea parties or race down rivers on homemade rafts.

At its heart, the book is about friendship, curiosity, and the joy of small things. It celebrates quiet courage and imaginative thinking, offering children a world that’s cozy, kind, and always a little surprising. For families looking to add something truly delightful to their storytime routine, Nighty Night Turtle Tales is the perfect shell to slip into.

Celebrate The Magic of Farm Life in "Nighty Night Pig Tales"

There’s something magical about the world of Nighty Night Pig Tales, where ordinary farm days turn into wild adventures, cozy moments, and delightful surprises. This collection of 25 whimsical stories follows a cast of clever, curious pigs who are always ready for something unexpected—like discovering a singing root that leads to sleepy beetles or finding out your barn has grown legs and joined a marching band. These are no ordinary pigs, and this is no ordinary farm.

Take Penny, for example, who dives into a mud puddle and ends up on a squishy underground journey with frogs and otters. Or Bacon, whose big race at the county fair is full of hay bale hurdles, mud pits, and the kind of determination that makes you cheer. Meanwhile, Oink soars above it all in a runaway hot air balloon, and Snort stays up late to wish on stars during a meteor shower. Even quieter moments, like Truffles discovering a hidden garden or Trotter building the perfect treehouse, are filled with charm and heart.

Some stories head right off the map—like Lula’s sneezy magic wand or Jella’s coat that opens doors to museums of snowflakes and libraries run by parrots. Whether it’s a pirate adventure across a pond, a chocolate treasure guarded by a goose, or a flower parade led by Petunia, these tales sparkle with imagination. Nighty Night Pig Tales is full of laughter, wonder, and just the right amount of mischief—perfect for bedtime, storytime, or any time you need a little pig-powered magic.

Chase Legends and Cross Mountains in "Quest for the Incan Treasure"

At its heart, this book is about pursuit—of truth, of meaning, of something buried deep beneath centuries of silence and stone. "Quest for the Incan Treasure" follows Della Montrose, a resourceful and determined Englishwoman who finds herself swept into the dangerous shadows of Peru’s highlands. What begins as a practical decision to seek a new future becomes a relentless search through jungle paths, forgotten ruins, and layers of betrayal. Della isn’t chasing adventure for its own sake—she’s chasing answers, and along the way, the questions only grow more personal.

Peru is more than a setting here—it’s a living presence, shaping every risk Della takes. The Andes rise like ancient sentinels, and the remnants of the Inca Empire press in from all sides, whispering secrets in every crumbled wall and sacred site. The line between legend and history blurs as Della and her companions piece together clues pointing to a treasure hidden during the Spanish conquest—something worth killing for, and worth dying to protect. But the deeper they go, the more the journey tests their loyalties, forcing them to decide what they value more: gold or each other.

Della herself was a joy to write—calm under pressure, fiercely intelligent, and quietly brave. She doesn’t seek the spotlight, but she also won’t be pushed aside. She makes hard decisions and carries their weight without complaint. Her journey isn’t just a physical one across dangerous terrain—it’s an internal one as well, as she uncovers what drives her, what she’s willing to sacrifice, and what kind of legacy she wants to leave behind.

This story is full of narrow escapes, shifting alliances, and the lure of a past that refuses to stay buried. But more than anything, it’s about the cost of discovery and the courage it takes to walk into the unknown. If you love stories where ancient mysteries come alive and characters must earn every step forward, I think you’ll enjoy walking beside Della through "Quest for the Incan Treasure."

Honoring Courage and Reimagining Tradition in "The Ideal Knight"

When I first read the original story, “Winning His Spurs: A Tale of the Crusades by G. A. Henty,” that inspired me to write this book, I was struck by the power of the setting and the spirit of adventure—but I kept wondering what the tale would feel like if the central figure were someone the world never expected to see in armor. That simple shift, from a traditional squire to a young woman born into the same code of chivalry, opened the door to a deeper exploration of identity, conviction, and the meaning of honor. The time period didn’t change. The battles didn’t soften. What changed was who stood in the middle of it all, shaping the story through her presence.

The heroine at the center of this retelling, Gweneth de Lance, doesn’t wear a disguise or pretend to be anything other than who she is. That felt important to me. Too often, historical stories force women to prove themselves by denying themselves, but Gweneth simply is—a knight, a warrior, a person of conscience in a brutal and uncertain time. Writing her journey meant balancing ferocity with introspection, loyalty with doubt, and always pushing her forward in a world that accepted her role without question but still demanded everything of her.

I didn’t want this to be a story about rebellion or exception. I wanted it to be about legacy, about living fully within a tradition and reshaping it not through resistance, but by embodying its truest form. The Crusades were a time of great conflict, but also of profound cultural encounters and moral complexity. That context gave me room to tell a story that respects the gravity of history while centering a character whose presence brings new resonance to old themes.

This book became a way for me to ask, “What does it really mean to be a knight?” and then follow that question into battlefields, desert marches, and the quiet moments in between. Whether you come for the swords and sieges or the character and conviction, I hope you find something that stays with you long after the final page of "The Ideal Knight".

Walk Along the Nile of Ancient Egypt in "Killing A Sacred Cat"

This story began as a retelling, but quickly became something more personal—a reimagined journey through ancient Egypt that gave voice to characters who have stayed with me long after the final chapter. It’s a story of faith, fear, loyalty, and what happens when personal conviction collides with sacred tradition.

At the heart of the narrative are three unlikely companions: a foreign-born prince-turned-slave, the son of a powerful Egyptian priest, and a fierce protector who refuses to let danger define her limits. What starts as a quiet life in a priest’s household takes a sudden, irreversible turn when the accidental death of a sacred animal sets off a chain of events none of them could have foreseen. In a society where religious law governs all, the consequences of one mistake are swift and unforgiving.

Writing this book gave me the opportunity to explore how individuals make sense of justice when justice seems bound to a system they can’t control. I was especially interested in how friendships form across boundaries—cultural, social, even spiritual—and how those bonds are tested when survival depends on trust. Semira’s role, in particular, grew into something that surprised me. Her strength, insight, and presence shaped the journey in ways I didn’t expect at the start.

“Killing A Sacred Cat” is ultimately a story about finding courage—not the kind that shouts, but the kind that endures. If you’ve ever wondered how far you’d go to protect a friend, or how deeply belief can bind or break a society, I think you’ll find something meaningful in these pages. Thanks for reading—and if you do pick it up, I’d love to hear what parts linger with you.

Feel the Fear and Fog in "The Big Grey Man"

Long before hikers brought their cameras and climbers charted safe routes through the Cairngorms, stories whispered of something far older than the stones underfoot. The Big Grey Man of Ben MacDhui has haunted Scotland’s highest slopes with a presence that defies explanation—seen by few, sensed by many, and feared by all who linger too long in the mist. It’s this chilling blend of myth, psychology, and raw wilderness that inspired the newest addition to my cryptid series.

Told entirely from the creature’s point of view, this story dives deep into the lonely soul of something that is not quite man, not quite ghost. Part relic hominid, part force of nature, the narrator is a being shaped as much by fear as by flesh. It remembers when the world was quiet, when the mountains kept their secrets, and it watches as people begin to forget how dangerous silence can be. Its transformation—from flesh and blood to something more shadow than skin—is as slow and inevitable as snowfall over stone.

I wanted the story to feel intimate but vast, rooted in the terrain yet untethered from time. The creature doesn’t simply lurk in the fog—it becomes the fog, the wind, the presence that makes the air too still. Readers step into the mind of a being that was never meant to be understood, only felt. And through its voice, the mountain speaks.

If you’ve ever stood alone on a ridge and felt the hair on your neck rise without reason, this book was written for you. The line between fear and awe is thin up there, and no legend embodies that tension more than "The Big Grey Man."

The Last Observer Watches from Afar in "Solitude on the Moon"

The world burned, and he chose to leave. Not to save himself, but to bear witness. "Solitude on the Moon" follows a billionaire who sees the end coming and builds a refuge above the chaos. From the safety of his lunar biosphere, he listens to the voices of four survivors across the globe, documenting the slow unraveling of civilization as a nuclear war reshapes the planet forever.

Each call brings him closer to the inevitable—scarcity turning to desperation, order collapsing into chaos, and finally, silence. He speaks with a scientist in the United States, an engineer in China, a financial analyst in India, and a journalist in France, all clinging to life in the aftermath. They believe in survival, but he knows better. As the years pass, one by one, their signals fade, leaving him alone in the vast emptiness of space.

With no voices left to answer, he turns to his instruments, scanning the Earth below. What remains is a graveyard—cities in ruins, rivers turned to dust, monuments collapsing into forgotten history. He was meant to be the last historian, but the burden of remembering weighs heavier than he imagined. If there is no one left to hear the story, does it even matter that he tells it?

This book is a meditation on isolation, destruction, and what it means to exist when everything else is gone. It explores the cost of survival and the unbearable weight of witnessing the end. The billionaire may have escaped the fate of humanity, but in doing so, he has also outlived its meaning.

Step Into the Saddle and Choose Your Destiny in "Wild West Adventure"

The untamed frontier is wide open, and the choices are endless. Step into the boots of a pioneer, a lawman, an outlaw, or even a treasure hunter as you explore the vast landscapes of the Wild West. Each decision leads down a different path—some filled with honor, others with danger, and a few that might just make you the most wanted figure west of the Mississippi.

Every chapter presents a turning point, forcing you to weigh risk against reward. Will you defend a struggling town against ruthless bandits, or will you be the one leading the ambush? Perhaps you'll chase silver in the treacherous mountains, where fortune and peril go hand in hand. No two journeys are the same, and with over 50 possible outcomes, the Old West has never felt more alive.

"Wild West Adventure" captures the grit, excitement, and unpredictability of the frontier in a way that puts you at the heart of the action. Each decision shapes your story, leading to glory, ruin, or something in between. The path you take is yours alone—until the next time you open the book and try a new fate. So saddle up, forge your path, and see where the dust settles. Just remember, the Wild West doesn't take kindly to hesitation.