Joseph Demakis's Blog, page 8

Quotation of the Day

You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,Love like you'll never be hurt,Sing like there's nobody listening,And live like it's heaven on earth.
- William W. Purkey -

Quotation of the Day

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.- Bernard M. Baruch -

Maine Author - MARY LAWRENCE

Mary Lawrence is the author of the Bianca Goddard Mysteries. Set in Tudor London in the final years of Henry VIII's reign, Book I, THE ALCHEMIST'S DAUGHTER, released in April, 2015 and was followed by Book 2, DEATH of an ALCHEMIST in 2016. Book 3, DEATH AT ST. VEDAST releases in January, 2017.

Mary grew up in Indiana and moved to Maine after completing a degree in cytotechnology. She has worked in hospitals and labs and written indexes for several small publishers. Recently she started a berry farm in southern Maine with her husband. She is an avid reader of historical fiction and nonfiction and concentrates on Tudor/Elizabethan history. Her articles have appeared in several publications most notably, The Daily Beast.



The Alchemist's Daughter “A realistic evocation of 16th century London’s underside. The various strands of the plot are so skillfully plaited together.” —Fiona BuckleyIn the year 1543 of King Henry VIII’s turbulent reign, the daughter of a notorious alchemist finds herself suspected of cold-blooded murder…Bianca Goddard employs her knowledge of herbs and medicinal plants to concoct remedies for the disease-riddled poor in London’s squalid Southwark slum. But when her friend Jolyn comes to her complaining of severe stomach pains, Bianca’s prescription seems to kill her on the spot. Recovering from her shock, Bianca suspects Jolyn may have been poisoned before coming to her—but the local constable is not so easily convinced.To clear her name and keep her neck free of the gallows, Bianca must apply her knowledge of the healing arts to deduce exactly how her friend was murdered and by whom—before she herself falls victim to a similar fate…“Unique characters, a twisty plot and a bold, bright heroine add up to a great debut for Mary Lawrence’s The Alchemist’s Daughter. Mystery and Tudor fans alike will raise a glass to this new series.”
—Karen Harper, author of The Poyson Garden




Death of an Alchemist  In the mid sixteenth century, Henry VIII sits on the throne, and Bianca Goddard tends to the sick and suffering in London’s slums, where disease can take a life as quickly as murder…
 
For years, alchemist Ferris Stannum has devoted himself to developing the Elixir of Life, the reputed serum of immortality. Having tested his remedy successfully on an animal, Stannum intends to send his alchemy journal to a colleague in Cairo for confirmation. But the next day his body is found and the journal is gone. 
 
Bianca, the daughter of an alchemist, is well acquainted with the mystical healing arts. When her husband John falls ill with the sweating sickness, she dares to hope Stannum’s journal could contain the secret to his recovery. But first she must solve the alchemist’s murder. As she ventures into a world of treachery and deceit, Stannum’s death is only the first in a series of murders—and Bianca’s quest becomes a matter of life and death, not only for her husband, but for herself…
 
Praise for The Alchemist’s Daughter
 
 “A realistic evocation of 16th century London’s underside. The various strands of the plot are so skillfully plaited together.”
—Fiona Buckley
 
“Mystery and Tudor fans alike will raise a glass to this new series.”
—Karen Harper

Death at St. Vedast  During the tempestuous reign of Henry VIII, London alchemist Bianca Goddard has seen up close what keeps a man alive—and what can kill him. A good thing, for she will need all her knowledge to keep a friend away from the gallows . . .
 
Bianca and her husband John are delighted to share in the glad fortune of their friend, Boisvert, the silversmith, who is to wed Odile, the wealthy widow of a goldsmith. But a pall is cast over the upcoming nuptials when the body of a pregnant woman is found beneath the bell tower of St. Vedast, the very church where the betrothed are to be married.
 
Tragedy strikes again at the couple’s reception, when Odile suddenly drops dead in the middle of the wedding feast. The constable suspects Boisvert poisoned his new bride for her money, but there’s not a trace of poison in her food or wine. Could the two deaths be connected? To prove their friend’s innocence, Bianca will need to employ her knowledge of alchemy—for if she can determine how the bride was killed, she may find the person responsible for her murder—before another victim is added to the death toll . . .

Quotation of the Day

Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.- Albert Einstein -

Quotation of the Day

"I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best."- Marilyn Monroe -

Quotation of the Day

"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."- Oscar Wilde -

Maine Author - Brian Daniels

Brian Daniels is an avid outdoorsman, a newspaper columnist, blogger, novelist, musician and songwriter. His first novel, Luke’s Dream, was released in January, 2011. His humorous commentary, “Thoughts of an Average Joe by Joe Wright” (“Thoughts of an Average Brian” just doesn’t have the same ring), has been featured in such publications as The Huffington Post and The Bangor Daily News. His second book, Thoughts of an Average Joe, was published by Islandport Press in April, 2014. Brian was born and raised in Vermont’s “Northeast Kingdom." His childhood hometown, Lyndonville, serves as inspiration for Average Joe’s “Smalltown." Brian is a retired U.S. Naval officer. From 1984 to 2014, he practiced optometry in Brunswick, Maine where he lives with his wife, Laurene.




Thoughts of an Average Joe A collection of humorous commentaries from New England’s Joe Wright, an ordinary, middle-aged man struggling to understand and cope with life in the twenty-first century and embrace the ways of the modern world.
In 2009, author Brian Daniels created Joe Wright—a clueless, middle-aged, thick-around-the-middle man hopelessly stuck in the twentieth century. Thoughts of an Average Joe is the hilarious rambling of a man whose commentaries voice the confusion and angst of a simple, old dude trying to make sense of life in the modern world. In this book, Joe offers his thoughts about the many issues that confuse or annoy him: “I’m Not Ready for the Wireless World,” “Poachers Are Not Hunters,” and “I’m Comfortable in My Old Skin,” are just a few examples. He, like many men, struggles to understand his “little woman” and others of her gender in several essays, including “I’m Afraid of the Little Woman,” and “I’ve Noticed That Women Are Not Like Men." You’ll meet Joe, Smalltown (his beloved northern New England hometown), his fascinating friends and family members, Dan’s Market, Small-Mart, Blake’s Esso Station, and the Small Town News. He hopes his stories will bring a smile to your face and warm your heart. Maybe you’ll even agree with most of his Thoughts. If not, he’ll be quick to tell you . . . well . . . you are just wrong.


Luke's Dream  Luke Coffin is a hardworking, easy going, Maine lobsterman who asks little more from life than to earn his living on the ocean aboard his boat, Luke’s Dream, and on Friday nights, to drink a few beers with his comical buddy, “Munsey” Munson.
Luke’s life changes when, in the early 1980s, he meets and falls deeply for Emily Goodwin, a student at prestigious Bowdoin College, whose laughter fills his heart and whose tragic death shatters his world. Luke, overwhelmed by his loss and hell-bent on justice, plots to commit the perfect crime . . . to avenge Emily’s murder. 
Brian Daniels writes with compelling intensity of the bittersweet complexities of human emotion that accompany life, love and loss. With its eclectic and fascinating cast of classic Maine characters, Luke’s Dream is, at once, a story of tender romance and a riveting suspense thriller.

Quotation of the Day

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."
- Dr. Seuss -

Author Spotlight - Dan Sheehan

Dan Sheehan spent twelve years flying attack helicopters in the Marine Corps. Following two combat deployments to Iraq, Dan returned to civilian life. He flew as a civilian overseas contractor for several years before pulling a 180 and becoming the stay at home parent for his two young children. There are times when he longs for the relative peace and quiet of combat.

When he's not writing, breaking-up sibling fights, cleaning up "experiments", or extracting Matchbox Cars from toilets, Dan can usually be found free-diving, surfing, or otherwise playing in the ocean. His two non-fiction books have each won multiple awards and he is currently working on his first novel. Dan lives in Southern California with his wife, two kids, and two pitbull mutts, Teddy and Kitty.




After Action: The True Story of a Cobra Pilot's Journey Gold Medal Winner: 2014 Independent Publisher Book Awards
Not all wounds are visible. Dan Sheehan is a third-generation naval aviator. He was eager to test his skills as a Cobra gunship pilot in the theatre of combat - and then he got his chance, first, in East Timor, then during two tours of duty in Iraq.The scenes in After Action crackle with tension and excitement as we follow his path into battle. Bullets pierce their Cobras as Dan and his comrades struggle to separate enemy fighters from civilians - ultimately deciding who lives and dies. Through blinding sandstorms, the smoke of battle and chaos of low-altitude firefights at night, Dan puts us in the front seat of the Cobra - where we white-knuckle our way through barrages of enemy fire - and into his head as he makes split-second decisions that carry lasting consequences.But there is far more to Sheehan's story than this - an important reason why he wants us to understand what military men and women experience on the front lines of war. And what they bring home.
After the adrenaline rush of combat, something inside Dan would not turn off. He was a warrior, willing and proud to serve his country and he was fortunate to come out of battle whole, time and again. But he had not escaped Iraq untouched.The subtle agitation he felt continued to grow into - restlessness - wariness - the hyper-vigilant sense that he needed to be always on guard. Even as he struggled to ignore it, the edginess grew, trailing him long after the action was over. Eventually, it began to intrude into his personal life, his intimate relationships, and threatened to hurt those he loved the most.What Dan Sheehan learned, and what he exposes so bravely and frankly in his writing, sheds light on the invisible marks left on the soul of many warriors. As he shows us, admitting those marks are there is the next step in a veteran's journey after action.If you are a warrior ...or know one... you will want to read this brave and moving memoir.

Starred Review, Publishers Weekly Select: "In this sensitive and intensely presented memoir, Sheehan addresses his tours of duty during the Iraq War and the burdens he grappled with as a result. His vivid prose conveys the turmoil and danger of piloting a combat helicopter and the special psychology of fighting, but his real story lies in dealing with the return to "normal" life. Sheehan presents with brutal clarity the illusory assumption that veterans can easily resume their prewar identities, and the impediments that the culture of wartime present to those needing assistance in adjusting to civilian life. Sheehan convincingly argues that other cultures are more attuned to the need for warriors to bear what he calls the "burden of peace." His recognition that his initial sense of being unique in feeling maladjusted was wrong supports his claim that hiding the psychic wounds of combat is common. It is hard to quarrel with his view that the attention given to the extreme cases detracts from the more frequent, if less dramatic, woes of the average veteran. Sheehan's writing and recommendations deserve the attention of anyone interested in this important issue, which is as topical as tomorrow's headlines."
Starred Review, Publishers Weekly Select, 6 July 2013: pg 51


Continuing Actions: A Warrior’s Guide To Coming Home Gold Medal Winner: 2015 Nautilus Awards, "Personal Growth" category
Bronze Medal Winner:  2016 IPPY Awards (Independent Publisher Book Awards) "Psychology" category
Modern warriors are extremely well prepared to go into battle.  But we don't know anything about how to come home.The challenges of coming home after combat have always been part of a warrior's journey.  Unfortunately, the modern warrior's preparation for combat does not include any information about how to overcome them--or even that they exist at all.This gap in our preparation leaves us open to predictable, and avoidable, injuries when we return home that can be just as lethal as actual combat.  Closing this gap is what Continuing Actions is all about.
Drawing on the works of mental health professionals, scholars, and other veterans, Continuing Actions shows that warriors have always had to face challenges when coming home, explains how these challenges impact us on multiple levels, and how our training and preparation have left us, and our families, exposed to needless suffering.  It goes farther than just identifying the problem, however, and offers pragmatic solutions for how each individual veteran can overcome this gap in their training on their own.With a Foreword by Dr. Jonathan Shay, bestselling author and esteemed leader in PTSD research and treatment, Continuing Actions is a guidebook for veterans and active duty alike.  It is a reconnaissance into the most misunderstood aspect of the modern warrior's experience: the challenges of coming home. 

Quotation of the Day

Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value. 
- Albert Einstein -