Even the Losers: A Saga from the Summer of 1980

 by Bryant Delafosse

After reading ‘Remember the Future,’ I couldn’t wait to download this latest book by this talented author. This excellent story is set in Texas where the author was born and raised. In it, Bryant Delafosse who holds a degree from the University of Texas at Austin and is a screenwriter, now living in Southern California, takes his readers on the coming-of-age journey of Neil Thibodeaux which takes place through

Neil lives with his short-tempered dad and bully of an older brother in Houston Texas, however, the day our adventure begins is Monday 5th May, memorable, not only because it is Neil’s 17th birthday, but also because it is the day he is being torn from his friends and everything he knows to move across state and live in Philton, in his words, the ‘butt-crack’ of the State of Texas.

At his new job (the cause for the move) Neil’s dad has found him work, however, Neil has other ideas and finds himself a job working in the local movie theatre, the Lone Star Six. He is interviewed by a jaw-dropping beauty Cecilia, or CC as she is known, and instantly Neil has a crush on her. However love seldom comes easy and is sometimes not reciprocated, so Neil can only look on and hope his time will come, whilst enjoying his new friends and work colleagues at the theatre.

And so the summer begins. At home, things have never been the same since the death of his mom. His father and the two brothers are both struggling to cope with the loss in their own ways. Jake is off the rails, angry and resentful, and sibling rivalry is strong, making life hard, and even more stressful for their hard-working dad.

However, this is the summer of 1980, a summer of great music like AC/DC’s Highway to Hell, and incredible films including the much anticipated new box office hit, which is now considered the best Star Wars movie of all time, The Empire Strikes Back. When it arrives in Philton it causes a stir and the theatre has record sales. Neil is loving his job and has been promoted to the projectionist, and the author uses his own memories of working as a movie projectionist to add special touches to Neil’s experiences in the story. I challenge anyone who was alive in 1980 not to be transported back in time by their own wonderful memories this story evokes.

Like any teenager, Neil dreams of driving, and owning his own car, getting a girl and having fun, however these things are not always easy or straightforward to achieve. Yet through the authors wonderfully descriptive writing, we join Neil on the rollercoaster of life lessons which he learns that summer. Whether it is harsh realities, loves found and lost, friendships, or dreams, we spend this summer with him having fun, laughing and crying with him as his future begins to unfold, and starts to reveal the opportunities to come…

A wonderfully nostalgic coming of age story, written sensitively and in a thought-provoking way by this talented author.

Available from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Even-Losers-Saga-Summer-1980-ebook/dp/B088SNBT7N/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=even+the+losers&qid=1593180653&sr=8-1

Griffins Perch

by Ian Conner

Griffin’s Perch is an epic fantasy which will transport you to another world, a world where anything is possible, and unimaginable creatures from mythology, and fantasy come alive before your very eyes.

The author in this incredible epic adventure transports his readers into an amazing fantasy world where the last two remaining members of the Silver Order Denrael of Gesthamin, and Aqua find themselves teaming up with Shala and Flinch two ferocious Delphen (a fox-like race, honorable and duty-bound) warriors in a frantic battle to save the world from the evil wizard Daniel and his fire breathing dragons.

Daniel is the opposite of calm and rational Denrael. He is the wizard of the Dark Wood, and it is his arrogance and vehement belief that he is better than Denrael that led him to commit a terrible deed, betraying the Silver Order of Wizards and transforming them into dragons.

Who can stop Daniel and his dragons, or will the world fall to them? To stand a chance of winning, the magical creatures discover that they must unite, putting aside old grievances, and only then with the help of the mighty Griffin Corps can they possibly stand a chance of winning this epic battle.

Lovers of the fantasy genre will find many of their favourite creatures in this world, each with their own stories and important parts to play in making this an outstanding fantasy adventure. There are nasty little gargoyles, and black fairies with lots of tiny teeth, trolls, elves and pixies. Yet one of the most dangerous are the Darksiders. These century-old beings take over the bodies of other creatures, and live their lives, aware yet dormant in their chosen shell, absorbing information, plotting and then striking when the time is right.

Full of unexpected twists and turns, this story is truly outstanding. Ian Conner with his incredibly descriptive writing emerges his readers into a truly magical fantasy world and, as the story evolves as a reader you find yourselves consumed by the battle of good versus evil. The characters and settings come alive and enable the sort of total escapism only seen before in the works of the immortal J. R. R. Tolkien. Highly recommended!

Available from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Griffins-Perch-Ian-Conner-ebook/dp/B088TC69HS/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=griffins+perch&qid=1593180699&sr=8-1

My Kind of Guy

by Paddy Bostock 

I love Paddy Bostock’s witty writing style and this new book is a classic example of a clever political novel with a great plot, excellent characters, and plenty of twists and turns. The author’s brilliantly descriptive writing enables him to treat his readers to wonderful scenes, and stage incredibly funny incidents, making this another unforgettable winning story.

Retired MI6 agent Mervyn Iain Vincent, has a lot on his mind, so much indeed that mundane household maintenance just doesn’t get done, after all as a fervent greenie his days are preoccupied with global politics, the extinction of the human race and the deceitful and misleading buffoons in critical power positions throughout the world.

However, in amongst the scamming and threatening telephone calls he receives, despite being ex-directory, an intriguing call from a Lizzie Leah. Not only does she call him by his (alias) name Doctor Vincent, a name he uses at the moment because of an old Oxford doctorate in forensic anthropology, but she has lost her ‘husband’ Leo Mc Guire, and wants him to use his ‘private eye’ skills in locating him.

Well, as it turns out, Mervyn actually remembers Leo or Leon Devin as he was known to MI6, as a rookie agent drummed out of the service for bad behaviour and endangering national security. Now he begins to understand how Leo could have really ‘poof’ disappeared from sight. Indeed the son of Svetlana, an ex-secretary in Gorbachev’s Kremlin, and Sir Montmorency Devine who fled to the UK and now lives a life of privilege is actually in America, on Fifth Avenue enjoying the hospitality of Hal Schornstein, a key player in the loony incumbent’s 2020 presidential re-election campaign and a linchpin for the continuance and growth of populist unrest throughout Europe. There Leon’s heavy involvement in these right-wing activities affords this gigolo with a dangerous and busy, if complicated life.

However, when his young sister Taya requests a meeting it soon becomes evident that this misguided young man needs to be reformed, but how will they do that? Well, you will have to read the book to discover the answer to that question.

Paddy Bostock who was born in Liverpool and now lives in London. He holds a BA in Modern Languages and History, a PGDip TESL, and a PhD in English Literature. His books embrace his own unique and totally irreverent take on life and the modern political scene. This entertaining work of political fiction is an excellent example of the wonderful penmanship of this talented author.

Available from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/My-Kind-Guy-Paddy-Bostock-ebook/dp/B087HMKLMV/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=my+kind+of+guy&qid=1593180767&sr=8-2

Bad Love Tigers (The Bad Love Series Book 2)

by Kevin L. Schewe MD

A mind-blowing, historically correct, time-travel adventure seeped in danger and laced with conspiracy, intrigue, and the origins of Area 51!

This book, like it’s prequel Bad Love Strikes, takes the phrase “getting into a book” to a whole new dimension as the author provides his readers with an excellent playlist to listen to, linked to the events in the book, wonderfully enhancing this exciting time travel adventure.

During the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the “White Hole Project” was conceived and built. This project is a time machine and it is housed in a top-secret deep underground bunker. Its location is adjacent to the K-25 project building, more commonly known as the Manhattan Project, the place where the world’s first nuclear bomb was built.

In Bad Love Strikes a teenage gang of the same name, discover the project and undergo a time travel mission to rescue Holocaust victims in 1944 Poland This story begins just after they have returned from their first adventure, and the gang is assembled at the White Hole Project to celebrate New Year’s Eve 1975. The music is playing, and none of them suspect that at the stroke of midnight the room would be plunged into darkness and they would be attacked by a Russian KGB agent intent on discovering the project’s secrets.

However, the agent is no match for the gang. But worryingly they realize that the incident raises the issue of possible infiltration into governmental secrets possibly going back as much as 30 years. So, they decide to go back in time to talk to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who conceived the White Hole Project, and they knew from their previous mission. When they arrive on April 12th, 1945 they receive a warm welcome from the president, at his cottage, the Little White House, adjacent to Warm Springs, Georgia.

At the meeting the gang give the president a little insight into future world events, but also discover that Russian, Chinese and Indian spies have infiltrated the project and he worries that the secrets are being stolen. President Roosevelt charges them with the task of defending the integrity and the future of not only the White Hole Project, but also top-secret Area 51 against all enemies both foreign and domestic, and gives them a new mission, code naming the undertaking the “Denver Project.”

To accomplish their mission, they must go back in time to June 1942, and deliver a note directly from the president to the trusted General Claire Chennault who commands the Flying Tigers in China. The president informs them that all the resources they need will be available to them, however, the

venture entails a dangerous road trip across 1945 WWII America to Area 51, and incredibly the opportunity for the four members of the newly formed Panda Bear Flying Tigers to pilot P-40 Warhawks and take part in a truly out of this world assignment.

In conclusion: This new adventure of the Bad Love Gang is mind-blowing, the talented author takes his readers on an incredible rollercoaster of an adventure which intermingles true historical facts and incredible moments in the past, with conspiracy theories and science fiction. Not forgetting of course that throughout there’s a sprinkling of romance, heaps of comradeship, and that all- important patriotic duty, all carried out whilst maintaining the gang’s motto “Live dangerously, have fun, don’t die!”

Available from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bad-Love-Tigers-Book-ebook/dp/B08B4TF5WR/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=bad+love+tiger&qid=1593180820&sr=8-1