Monday 27 February 2023

#BlogTour - The Yanks are Starving: A Novel of the Bonus Army by Glen Craney @glencraney @cathiedunn

 


The Yanks are Starving:
A Novel of the Bonus Army
By Glen Craney




Two armies. One flag. No honor.

The most shocking day in American history.

Former political journalist Glen Craney brings to life the little-known story of the Bonus March of 1932, which culminates in a bloody clash between homeless World War I veterans and U.S. Army regulars on the streets of Washington, D.C.

Mired in the Great Depression and on the brink of revolution, the nation holds its collective breath as a rail-riding hobo named Walter Waters leads 40,000 destitute men and their families to the steps of the U.S. Capitol on a desperate quest for economic justice.

This timely epic evokes the historical novels of Jeff Sharra as it sweeps across three decades following eight Americans who survive the fighting in France and come together fourteen years later to determine the fate of a country threatened by communism and fascism.

From the Boxer Rebellion in China to the Plain of West Point, from the persecution of conscientious objectors to the horrors of the Marne, from the Hoovervilles of the heartland to the pitiful Anacostia encampment, here is an unforgettable portrayal of the political intrigue and government betrayal that ignited the only violent conflict between two American armies.

Awards:

Foreword Magazine Book-of-the-Year Finalist
Chaucer Award Book-of-the-Year Finalist
indieBRAG Medallion Honoree

Praise for The Yanks are Starving:

"[A] wonderful source of historical fact wrapped in a compelling novel."
~ Historical Novel Society Reviews

"[A] vivid picture of not only men being deprived of their veterans' rights, but of their human rights as well.…Craney performs a valuable service by chronicling it in this admirable book."
~ Military Writers Society of America



Glen Craney


GLEN CRANEY is an author, screenwriter, journalist, and lawyer. 

A graduate of Indiana University Law School and Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, he is the recipient of the Nicholl Fellowship Prize from the Academy of Motion Pictures and the Chaucer and Laramie First-Place Awards for historical fiction. 

He is also a four-time indieBRAG Medallion winner, a Military Writers Society of America Gold Medalist, a four-time Foreword Magazine Book-of-the-Year Award Finalist, and an Historical Novel Society Reviews Editor's Choice honoree. 

He lives in Malibu and has served as the president of the Southern California Chapter of the HNS.

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Sunday 22 January 2023

#BlogTour - The Flame Tree (The Hong Kong Collection) by Siobhan Daiko @siobhandaiko @cathiedunn


The Flame Tree
(The Hong Kong Collection)
By Siobhan Daiko



In the spring of 1939, dashing young William Burton and the beautiful Constance Han set sail from London on the same ocean liner to Hong Kong.

Romance blossoms while they enjoy games of deck quoits and spend sultry tropical evenings dancing under the stars. Connie is intrigued by Will’s talent for writing poetry, and she offers to give him Cantonese lessons to help him with his new job—a cadet in the colonial service.

But once in Hong Kong, Connie is constrained by filial duty towards her Eurasian parents, and their wish for her to marry someone from her own background. She can't forget Will however and arranges to meet him in secret under the magnificent canopy of a flame of the forest tree—where she fulfils her promise to teach him to speak Chinese.

Before too long, trouble looms as Japanese forces gather on the border between Hong Kong and mainland China. Will joins a commando group tasked with operating behind enemy lines, and Connie becomes involved in the fight against local fifth columnists.

When war breaks out, they find themselves drawn into a wider conflict than their battle against prejudice. Can they survive and achieve a future together? Or do forces beyond their control keep them forever apart?

Based on a little-known true story, The Flame Tree is a tale of love and survival against all the odds.

PRAISE FOR SIOBHAN DAIKO

"Siobhan Daiko will tug at your heartstrings, and leave you desperate for more..." 
Ellie Yarde, The Coffee Pot Book Club

"Daiko is an author you’ll want to add to your historical fiction favourites." 
Netgalley Reviewer



Siobhan Daiko


Siobhan Daiko is a British historical fiction author. A lover of all things Italian, she lives in the Veneto region of northern Italy with her husband, a Havanese dog and a rescued cat. 

Siobhan was born of English parents in Hong Kong, attended boarding school in Australia, and then moved to the UK—where she taught modern foreign languages in a Welsh comprehensive school. She now spends her time writing page-turners and enjoying her life near Venice. 

Her novels are compelling, poignant, and deeply moving, with strong characters and evocative settings, but always with romance at their heart. You can find more about her books on her website www.siobhandaiko.org.

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Sunday 15 January 2023

Blog Tour - Caledon by Virginia Crow @DaysDyingGlory @CrowvusLit @cathiedunn

 


Caledon 
By Virginia Crow

Publication Date: January 22nd, 2019
Publisher: Crowvus
Pages: 293 Pages
Genre: Historical Fantasy

"Go out and tell all those you meet, Caledon has risen. Caledon will be protected and defended. And to you who would cause her harm, be prepared. A new fight has come."

After the destruction of the Jacobite forces at Culloden, Scotland is divided, vulnerable and leaderless, with survivors from both sides seeking to make sense of the battles they have fought against their fellow Scots.

James Og flees Drumossie, seeking the protection of his uncle's house in Sutherland. It is here that James learns that the Northern Highlands hold a secret power only he can wield: Caledon. When Ensign John Mackay begins hunting Og's family, James realises he must harness this power to defeat the enemies of Scotland.

But, as the ageless Caledon awakes, so too does an ancient evil. When it allies with Mackay, the small Clan of Caledon faces enemies at every turn, discovering that even those closest to them may seek to destroy them.

Excerpt

After the battle at Drumossie, James had not believed he could feel greater shame. But as the sky began to pale, he realised he had been wrong. All night, all the while he had been running, skidding, crawling up and down the sides of the hills towards Golspie, he had been followed by the shrieking scream of his sweetheart while he had watched in disbelief as John Mackay shot dead the wounded man. And then the repetitive wailing of his name as Mary's voice had faded. Mackay had been right in his assessment of the outlaw; he was indeed a coward. He had not always been this way. He had marched proudly under the royal banner of Prince Charles Stuart but following the sheer madness and the annihilation of so many men at Drumossie he had come to realise how rampant death was, and he was afraid to the point of terror regarding his own.
He clutched his arm and recalled, too, the skill of the shooter who had caught him with a bullet in the engulfing night. He thanked heaven that he had been more fortunate in its placing than his uncle, Robert Mackenzie, but with this thought he was reminded once more of those terrible events and he felt bowed down with shame. He missed his footing and fell, slithering down the wooded hillside until he crashed onto the rocks at the bottom. His senses felt numbed as he lifted his hand up to his head and felt the sticky blood which rushed from it. What a foolish death he would die here, but how fitting it should be an act of shame which killed him.
Somewhere, only a short distance from him, the sound of a waterfall could be heard, both heavy and gentle in a manner which made his head throb even more. It was the hard work and efforts of these falls which had carved out the ravine where he lay. The trees which had broken his fall on his way down, clung to the sheer sides and gave the April sky a peculiar criss-cross with their branches which, though budding, had not yet come into full leaf. He realised it was no longer raining. The ground around him was dry save for the spray from the waterfall which he noticed, with interest, was coming into view. He lifted his head up and, though it spun when he moved, he was surprised to find he was able to rise. At first, he felt his eyes were betraying him, and he screwed them closed before opening them once more, but the peculiar form of the waterfall was indeed beginning to take shape. Two hands with long watery fingers reached away from the rock and rolling from side to side on wide though fragile shoulders an ever-changing head appeared. It was queer, the manner in which this form looked so alive in its monochrome appearance, and James Og gave a slight cry as two large eye sockets appeared.
He would have liked to run, to have turned away and promised himself he had only imagined the whole apparition, but he could not take his eyes from it. It had no mouth, yet as it looked at him, he could hear its liquid voice, as though a peculiar form of telepathy existed between them.
"Jamie Og," it began, its soothing voice neither male nor female in tone. "Your coming here was far from misfortune."
James looked afraid as it addressed those thoughts he had held in private counsel. "What are you?"
"More than you can comprehend," came the mystical reply. "But you must rise, Jamie Og, you have work to do."
"No," he murmured. "No man ever survived such a fall as this."
"And yet you shall." There was almost no inflection to the voice and its statements were clearly non-negotiable. "You were guided here for a purpose, Jamie Og. You are no longer the person you were when you fell into this ravine. You have purpose, and a role which has been assigned to you."
"You do not know me," James sighed and would have shaken his head if he had been given the strength to. "I’ve fled from all those who needed me."
"But you shall no longer. Caledon needs you now and it is for her, and her alone, that you have been saved. Already you are feeling the healing power of the spring, are you not? You are given this purpose for you have a strength, a strength that even you cannot see. But you shall not have to do this alone, Jamie Og. Men from the scattered lands of Caledon shall help you, those of both Jacobean and Hanoverian calling. Do not seek them, Caledon shall bring them to you."
"How shall I know who to trust?"
"You will not know, you must discover. Take a little of this water, Jamie Og, for it has healing qualities. But be warned, you can use it only once, use it with care and on one you could not bear to lose, for its power is not only in recovery and healing but also protection, as you shall find."
He watched both relieved and horrified as the waterfall began, once again, to become a waterfall. "Wait!" he called out, so loud that his ears rang, and his head pounded. "How do I know what my task is?"
"To begin with, Jamie Og, you must journey westward. Your task shall find you."
There could be no further talking, for the waterfall was only that. He looked around and tried to ease his aching body, but it was too much for him and he felt the weariness of fear, disbelief and pain, pour down on him. He slipped from consciousness into a dark state where neither dreams nor rest await.




Virginia Crow


Virginia grew up in Orkney, using the breath-taking scenery to fuel her imagination and the writing fire within her. Her favourite genres to write are fantasy and historical fiction, sometimes mixing the two together. She enjoys swashbuckling stories such as The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas and is still waiting for a screen adaption that lives up to the book!

When she's not writing, Virginia is usually to be found teaching music. She believes wholeheartedly in the power of music, especially as a tool of inspiration. She also helps out with the John o' Groats Book Festival which is celebrating its 4th year.

She now lives in the far-flung corner of Scotland. A doting spaniel-owner to Orlando and Jess, Virginia soaks up in inspiration from the landscape as she ventures out with her canine companions.

She loves cheese, music, and films, but hates mushrooms.


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Monday 5 December 2022

#BlogTour - Her Castilian Heart by Anna Belfrage @maryanneyarde @abelfrageauthor

 


Her Castilian Heart
By Anna Belfrage

Publication Date: 27 Sept 2022 
Publisher: Timelight Press
Page Length: 380 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romantic Historical Fiction, Historical Romance

Blood is not always thicker than water…
At times a common bloodline is something of a curse—or so Robert FitzStephan discovers when he realises his half-brother, Eustace de Lamont, wants to kill him.   
A murderous and greedy brother isn’t Robert’s only challenge.  He and his wife, Noor, also have to handle their infected relationship with a mightily displeased Queen Eleanor—all because of their mysterious little foundling whom they refuse to abandon or allow the queen to lock away. 
Eustace is persistent. When Robert’s life hangs in the balance, it falls to Noor to do whatever it takes to rip them free from the toothy jaws of fate. Noor may be a woman, but weak she is not, and in her chest beats a heart as brave and ferocious as that of a lioness. But will her courage be enough to see them safe? 

Trigger warnings:
There is some sexual (consensual) content, and some violence 

#KindleUnlimited 


Anna Belfrage

Had Anna been allowed to choose, she’d have become a time-traveller. As this was impossible, she became a financial professional with two absorbing interests: history and writing. Anna has authored the acclaimed time travelling series The Graham Saga, set in 17th century Scotland and Maryland, as well as the equally acclaimed medieval series The King’s Greatest Enemy which is set in 14th century England.  

Anna has also published The Wanderer, a fast-paced contemporary romantic suspense trilogy with paranormal and time-slip ingredients. 

Her Castilian Heart is the third in her “Castilian” series, a stand-alone sequel to her September 2020 release, His Castilian Hawk. Set against the complications of Edward I’s invasion of Wales, His Castilian Hawk is a story of loyalty, integrity—and love. In the second instalment, The Castilian Pomegranate, we travel with the protagonists to the complex political world of medieval Spain. This latest release finds our protagonists back in England—not necessarily any safer than the wilds of Spain!

Anna has also authored The Whirlpools of Time in which she returns to the world of time travel. Join Duncan and the somewhat reluctant time-traveller Erin on their adventures through the Scottish Highlands just as the first Jacobite rebellion is about to explode! 

All of Anna’s books have been awarded the IndieBRAG Medallion, she has several Historical Novel Society Editor’s Choices, and one of her books won the HNS Indie Award in 2015. She is also the proud recipient of various Reader’s Favorite medals as well as having won various Gold, Silver and Bronze Coffee Pot Book Club awards.

Find out more about Anna, her books and enjoy her eclectic historical blog on her website, www.annabelfrage.com  

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Sunday 4 December 2022

Blog Tour - The Founding (Across the Great Divide, Book #3) by Michael L. Ross #HistoricalRomance #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @hollybushbooks @cathiedunn

 


The Founding
(Across the Great Divide, Book #3)
By Michael L. Ross

Two men, two dreams, two new towns on the plains, and a railroad that will determine whether the towns—one black, one white—live or die. 

Will Crump has survived the Civil War, Red Cloud’s War, and the loss of his love, but the search for peace and belonging still eludes him. From Colorado, famed Texas Ranger Charlie Goodnight lures Will to Texas, where he finds new love, but can a Civil War sharpshooter and a Quaker find a compromise to let their love survive? When Will has a chance to join in the founding of a new town, he risks everything—his savings, his family, and his life—but it will all be for nothing if the new railroad passes them by.

Luther has escaped slavery in Kentucky through Albinia, Will’s sister, only to find prejudice rearing its ugly head in Indiana. When the Black Codes are passed, he’s forced to leave and begin a new odyssey. Where can he and his family go to be truly free? Can they start a town owned by blacks, run by blacks, with no one to answer to? But their success will be dependent on the almighty railroad and overcoming bigotry to prove their town deserves the chance to thrive.

Will’s eldest sister, Julia, and her husband, Hiram, are watching the demise of their steamboat business and jump into railroads, but there’s a long black shadow in the form of Jay Gould, the robber baron who ruthlessly swallows any business he considers competition. Can Julia fight the rules against women in business, dodge Gould, and hold her marriage together?

The Founding tells the little-known story of the Exodusters and Nicodemus, the black town on the plains of Kansas, and the parallel story of Will’s founding of Lubbock, Texas, against the background of railroad expansion in America. A family reunited, new love discovered, the quest for freedom, the rise of two towns. In the end, can they reach Across the Great Divide? The Founding is the exciting conclusion to the series.


Praise 

“Michael is an excellent storyteller and has done a wonderful job depicting Luther, and the other black characters in this book.  He has done his homework and depicts many historical facts about Nicodemus in a most enlightening and creative way.  It has been a pleasure working with someone who has made a concerted effort to get things right.  
 
~ Angela Bates
Nicodemus Descendant/Historian
Executive Director
The Nicodemus Historical Society and Museum

Excerpt

When the dance finished, Will took both her hands and gazed into her eyes. “I’ve been thinking so much about you, about how I wanted tonight to be. I wish we could float away together.”
“Perhaps after the dance,” whispered Mary as the band struck up a lively polka. Mary picked up her skirt with one hand and placed her other on Will’s shoulder as they whirled about the floor. They were laughing and out of breath. When the polka finished, the musicians took a short break and then played a waltz. It was a new one, "The Blue Danube.” Will and Mary watched at first, but he offered her a hand, and they began. She was graceful, knew how to pirouette, and Will took his queues from the other men, even doing a lift here and there. His heart beat rapidly with the exercise and the feel of her. It was only a few minutes, but it seemed frozen in time. 
Another young man attempted to cut in on a later dance, but Mary claimed to be indisposed and went to find the privy. When she returned, she went to her father, whispered something to him, pointing at her maid, Miranda, in the corner, and then came back to Will. They’d been dancing for two hours according to the large clock at the head of the hall. 
“Will, I spoke to Father. What do you say to a buggy ride? He said you could drive ours. Miranda can ride in the back.”
“I would love that! I’m out of breath, and it’s a full moon tonight. It should be easy to see. As long as we stay on the east side, we should be safe.”
Once outside, the livery man brought the Kings’ buggy and helped the ladies get in. The moon looked like a huge yellow ball peeking above the horizon, so close it seemed to Will that he could simply step from the earth onto its surface. They drove at a slow walk along Broadway, with Will looking at Mary and the river. Miranda was in the back seat. Will thought she was pretending to be invisible.
“Wasn’t that a fun dance? I can’t remember when I’ve enjoyed one so much!” said Mary.
“You’re a very good dancer! I’m rather out of practice.”
“You did quite well for a cowpoke soldier. I hope we can do it again.”
“I’d like to do it over and over, forever. You’re the most beautiful woman. Dancing with you is like being in a dream.”
“It is exciting dancing with you. I enjoy getting all prettied up, like any girl. But I also enjoy less formal times, getting away from it all,” she said as they turned the corner to the right down Cochran Street. “I like fishing and long walks.”
Will pulled the buggy over by a tree. They were both quiet a moment, then Will asked, “Would you care to walk now? We could go down toward the river.”
“That would be delightful,” said Mary.
“Oh dear,” said Miranda. “I’m afraid I haven’t brought the right shoes for it. Would it be acceptable if I stay at the top of the path—not too far back, mind?” Miranda gave a conspiratorial wink.
Mary smiled. “Why yes, I think that would work.”
Will helped the ladies down, set the brake, and tied the buggy to the tree. He showed Mary a narrow path that led toward the water. Miranda stayed at the top of the path. About ten yards down, the land sloped more steeply toward the river, and Will offered his arm for balance, which Mary accepted. 
“I love the quiet of the night,” she said. “I know some are afraid of the dark, but to me, it speaks of hidden possibilities, magical times to come. And looking at the stars never fails to show me the wonder of God.”
“It makes you feel special, like God took the trouble to design all that just for us to look at.”
She stumbled a little, her head dropping to his shoulder. He caught her, turning her toward him. Miranda was out of sight, though not out of earshot. Her head tilted back, and he lightly held her arms a moment, looking at the moonlight on her hair and into her eyes. He moved closer and bent to kiss her, first lightly and then, when she responded, with more urgency. He let go of her arms and embraced her. Her arms encircled his neck. He kissed her quick and light several times and then returned to a deep kiss until they were breathless. He released her, and her head dipped, but she still kept her hands on his shoulders. 
“I suppose we should get back,” Will said, “or Miranda will think we’ve fallen in.”
Mary chuckled. “No need to worry. She won’t tell anyone. We have an understanding. But we do have Father’s buggy, and he can’t go home until we return.”
“When can I see you again? Your father mentioned going to see the land after church. Could you come? Maybe we could ride around the property together.”
“I’ll ask Father, but I can’t imagine he would refuse. If he agrees, I could bring a picnic lunch—and challenge you to a race!”
“A race? That wouldn’t be fair. Dusty has never been beaten. And besides, what would your father say?”
“Father suffers from the disease of many fathers: underestimating their daughters.”
 


Michael L. Ross



Michael Ross is a lover of history and great stories.

He’s a retired software engineer turned author, with three children, and five grandchildren, living in Newton, Kansas with his wife of 39 years. Michael graduated from Rice University and Portland State University with degrees in German and software engineering. He was part of an MBA program at Boston University. 

Michael was born in Lubbock, Texas, and still loves Texas. He’s written short stories and technical articles in the past, as well as articles for the Texas Historical Society. 

Across the Great Divide now has three novels in the series, "The Clouds of War", and "The Search", and the conclusion, "The Founding".  "The Clouds of War" was an honorable mention for Coffee Pot Book of the Year in 2019, and an Amazon #1 best seller in three categories, along with making the Amazon top 100 paid, reviewed in Publisher's Weekly. "The Search" won Coffee Pot Cover of the Year in 2020, and Coffee Pot Silver Medal for Book of the Year in 2020, as well as short listed for the Chanticleer International Book Laramie Award. 

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Wednesday 30 November 2022

Cover Reveal - The Captain’s Woman by Holly Bush #HistoricalRomance #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @hollybushbooks @cathiedunn

 


The Captain’s Woman 
By Holly Bush


Meet the Thompsons of Locust Street, an unconventional family taking Philadelphia high society by storm…
 
1870 ~ Muireall Thompson has taken her duties seriously since her parents died on the family’s crossing from Scotland to America in 1854. As the eldest sibling, their death made her responsible for her family and left little time for a life of her own. But now her brothers and sisters are adults; even the youngest is nearly ready to face the world on his own. What will she do when she is alone, other than care for an elderly aunt and volunteer at the Sisters of Charity orphanage? Has the chance for a husband and children of her own passed her by?
 
Widower Anthony Marcus, formerly a captain in the Union Army, is a man scraping the bottom of his dignity and hanging on to his honor by the barest thread. Reduced to doing odd jobs to keep a roof over his dear daughter Ann’s head, he often leaves her with the Sisters of Charity while he is out seeking steady work with a decent salary that will allow him to move from their single-room living quarters.
 
After an initial meeting that finds Muireall and Anthony at odds, a tentative friendship forms as they bond over their mutual affection for Ann. As friendship leads to passion, can a wealthy spinster and a poor soldier overcome their differences in station to forge a future together? Just as Muireall finds the courage to reach for her own happiness, Anthony’s past rises up between them and an old enemy reemerges to bring the Thompson family down once and for all. Will the divide between them be insurmountable, or can they put aside pride and doubt for a love worth fighting for?

If you would like to read this novel click here to access your favourite online bookstore.

Holly Bush

Holly Bush writes historical romance set in the U.S.in the late 1800’s, in Victorian England, and an occasional Women’s Fiction title. Her books are described as emotional, with heartfelt, sexy romance. She makes her home with her husband in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  

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Thursday 24 November 2022

BOOK EXCERPT - Liopleurodon: The Master of the Deep by M. B. Zucker #HistoricalFantasy #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub @MBZuckerBooks @MichaelZucker1 @cathiedunn



Liopleurodon:
The Master of the Deep
By M. B. Zucker

From M. B. Zucker, award-winning author of
"The Eisenhower Chronicles"

Liopleurodon ferox was the deadliest sea predator of all time, the king of the Jurassic ocean. This whale-sized reptile's return to the early twentieth century triggers a geopolitical crisis in this new historical science fiction thriller. Former President Theodore Roosevelt foresees the threat the Liopleurodon would pose if it falls into the wrong hands. The race is on as Roosevelt leads the American effort to destroy it before the Kaiser’s Germany can turn it into a weapon.


Fans of Jurassic Park and Steve Alten’s Meg series will not want to miss this adventure filled with action, political intrigue, and characters that readers will remember long after finishing this novel.


Advance Praise for Liopleurodon: The Master of the Deep

"The storyline itself was superb ---- A Jaws/Jurassic Park thriller and a bit of a spy novel all in one - and compelling."
~ The Historical Fiction Company



Excerpt

Luke reflects while waiting for the Liopleurodon to arrive for the monster's first battle with the protagonists.

Luke watched the sunrise on the Sea Otter’s deck as the sky became an evolving painting, shifting from black to pink to orange to blue. Nature’s beauty was a lifelong source of excitement. He should get up early every morning—with Kelsey beside him. It was free entertainment, as captivating as any work of art ever crafted by man because this was crafted by God. The sky’s progression was only the beginning. Beyond it waited the universe, infinite in scale, majesty, and power. Who knew what was out there, what marvels existed to be adored? Stars, planets, other species, all going through their own cycles of life and death. He resented being stuck on Earth. Though the Earth had its own untapped universe to explore, one that was closer and more meaningful. Luke glanced at the ocean’s surface. Beneath was another world, virtually none of which man had yet seen. Incredible creatures—predator and prey, monster and magnificent—all part of the same planet, from the same hand as the colors drawn across the sky. That included the ancient monster—evolution’s most dangerous creation—that Luke knew was on its way.

Anxiety bubbled below the surface of Luke’s mind. He sought to impose calm, but his consciousness struggled to put its pants on as his subconscious darted ahead. Panic surged every few moments, not derived from thoughts, but from his intuition of what was coming and what was at stake if the Navy failed. What if too many poisoned bullets and harpoons missed? What if the Liopleurodon killed everyone on the patrol boats? What if the Germans captured it? What would they do with it? Could it affect the outcome of a future war? Would the Kaiser rule the world? Luke tried taking his mind off his fear. He thought of Kelsey. Her blonde hair. Her embrace. Yes. Think of that. Another surge. Kelsey’s image faded. Tainted. Next he thought of his father. A legacy redeemed. If only he’d known. He didn’t have to die. Didn’t have to leave Luke and his mother. Another surge. Damnit. Think of the sea, where he was more comfortable than he was on land. Of being a great fish. A being of power and grace. No issues of status or love to think of. Just swimming. And eating. And reproduction. And not being killed by sharks. Or the Liopleurodon. Another surge.

Luke shook his head and snorted. He looked at the others. Maybe getting out of his musings would distract him. Professor Harris was nearby. Like Luke, Harris wore a float vest and a belt that clipped to a canister full of putrescine. Harris looked away from the water, staring blankly, focusing on his breathing to stay calm. Luke looked at Colonel Roosevelt and General Wood, sitting together on the other side of the deck, facing opposite the Paulding and the concoction zone. Roosevelt’s forearms rested on his knees, his hands dangling between his stretched legs. He wore khaki trousers and a blue flannel shirt with yellow suspenders. Atop his head sat a brown felt hat with a blue and white bandanna tied around it. It was the same outfit he’d worn when he rode up Kettle Hill.

Roosevelt noticed Luke staring at him.


If you would like to read this novel then you can find your copy at the following bookstores: Amazon UKAmazon USAmazon CAAmazon AU,




M. B. Zucker has been interested in storytelling for as long as he can remember. He discovered his love of history at fifteen and studied Dwight Eisenhower for over ten years. 

Mr. Zucker earned his B.A. at Occidental College and his J.D. at Case Western Reserve University School of Law. He lives in Virginia with his wife.

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#BlogTour - The Yanks are Starving: A Novel of the Bonus Army by Glen Craney @glencraney @cathiedunn

  The Yanks are Starving: A Novel of the Bonus Army By Glen Craney Two armies. One flag. No honor. The most shocking day in American history...