Guest Post by Brent Ayscough Author of "The Visitor"

In a former life, I was an attorney that handled many types of cases, some of which might seem as fighting impossible odds.  Those odds were often fighting a well-funded establishment. 

To begin with, for this fictional story, I asked myself, what is a seemingly impossible task that I might be able to accomplish?

The idea came to me to put the Dalai Lama back into his Tibet, overcoming the might of the Communist Chinese Government, and which task the civilized nations of the world have not been able to do. 

I came up with a solution.   Implementing it required intensive research in so many areas that it took several years to put together.   The story leaves out no relevant details.  

Tibet has only two races, the native Tibetan and now the Han Chinese moved there by the Communist Chinese Government to dilute the Tibetan population.   

My method is to create a race-specific Ebola that will only attack the Han Chinese race that occupy Tibet.

To do this, I found experts that assisted in putting together a workable method of how to do it.  The place to make it, the medical equipment, medical procedures, lab animals, needed samples, expendable test subjects and from where and how to get them, and the characters that could do it,  are all explained.  It is like a “how to do it” primer.

I also found a place where it could be done as it is dangerous.  The place exits in Kazakhstan.

Funding cannot come from a country, as that would be war.  So, I came up with a method of funding as well as the motivation.

Although having nothing to do with the Ebola, I added an alien anthropologist that comes to Earth incognito to observe and evaluate us as a species as to whether we should be allowed to come into space or be eradicated as a threat.  How she gets around is hopefully entertaining.  She intended to land her gliding shuttle in the middle of the US, in Kansas, as she learned English for the mission, but due to a military test over White Sands, New Mexico, she is detected and moves her shuttle over to Europe where she lands in rural Poland.  Homeland security tracked her and chases her as a threat, although unaware she is alien. 

In Poland, she meets an international arms merchant, a Baron, who becomes her host and guide while on Earth.  He is undertaking the task of creating the race-specific Ebola.  How he is hired, the funding, and his contacts make up the story.  There is also romance between the two as the alien is human like.

The reader might find him or herself looking at humans from an unbiased point of view as does the alien as to whether or not we should be contacted and invited to enjoy the wonders of the universe, or, should we be eradicated as a warring threat of a species that has no business in space.

In writing, I think research is half the fun.  Do you enjoy the research you’ve done for your writing?

Brent Ayscough or Ace, as he is known to friends, retired from the practice of law and lives in a house overlooking the sea in Southern California. He has always loved machines, from airplanes to motorcycles, structural design, and other interests. He has enjoyed the acquaintance of diverse and interesting people, and is widely traveled. Bits and pieces of characters he has known, places he has been, seasoned with the spice of his imagination, help him create unusual stories and characters. Extensive collaboration with experts and sources, hopefully, make his stories credible and interesting.

The Visitor by Brent Ayscough ISBN-13: 9781626942356, Black Opal Books , Trade paper/ebook February 2015  $12.99

http://www.amazon.com/Visitor-Brent-Ayscough-ebook/dp/B00T6S7VEU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442167201&sr=8-1&keywords=the+visitor+ayscough

The King of Average by Gary Schwartz

From Goodreads:

James isn’t the world’s greatest kid, but he’s not the worst, either: he’s average! When he decides to become the most average kid who ever lived, James is transported to another world where he meets Mayor Culpa, a well-dressed talking Scapegoat who recruits him to become the new King of Average.

He’s joined on his quest by a professional Optimist and his grouchy companion, an equally professional Pessimist. Together, they set out on a journey of self-discovery that leads them all the way from the Sea of Doubt to Mount Impossible, the highest peak in the Unattainable Mountains. When James stumbles into a Shangri-la called Epiphany, he uncovers the secret of who he really is.

Follow James on his hilarious, adventure-packed journey to find self-worth in this heartfelt middle grade novel The King of Average by debut author Gary Schwartz.

My Thoughts: 

From the moment I began reading this book I had several thoughts go through my head. The first was how

sorry I felt for James.  As a teacher I've actually heard parents tell their kids they hated them and wished they'd never been born. I've heard them blame the father's. This book immediately resonated with me as I am sure it will with so many of my students. The author has commented that his ideas came from several places, especially his favorite book, "The Phantom Tollbooth".  I can see how the worlds resemble each other.  I loved this world. It is a world I was very familiar with.  My students have a difficult time believing there was a time I didn't believe in myself. I considered myself no one special. I would try on occasion to better myself, only to have someone say something that made me feel like I was only average. James is whisked away to the land of Average where he is to be tested to see if he is to be their next king.  I thought it funny that he wanted to excel at being average because he thought that was the best he could hope for. His journey to find out what happened to the last king will change his life in ways he never saw coming.  I think this should be required reading in every class, in every school.  There are so many people out there like James who need the message in this book.  The funny thing is, at age 57, there were lessons I could still learn. Learning to step above seeing yourself as just average or not worth anything for some of us in some situations is an on-going process.  I will definitely recommend this book to my fellow teachers and readers, and parents.

A Curious Beginning – Deanna Raybourn

Genre: Adult, Mystery, Romance

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review

Let me start off by saying that I am picky about literature set in the Victorian period. Often it comes across as very stuffy. This is not the case with this book. Veronica Speedwell is the main character. After the death of her “aunt”,  her life is suddenly turned upside down. She is almost abducted. Baron Maximilian von Stauffenbach convinces her that she is in danger. He also tells her he knows who her mother was and promises to tell her all. He places her with a friend named Stoker. Unfortunately before he has the chance to give her any information he is murdered. Veronica and Stoker flee in an effort to find the truth. They are to stay ahead of those trying to find them by joining a traveling circus, friends of Stoker’s.

Veronica and Stoker have a very strange relationship. They seem to take pleasure in making digs at each other. Veronica is definitely able to stand up for herself. She is very confident. This isn’t something you often see in females in the Victorian era. I loved her sarcasm. I loved how flustered Stoker would get because Veronica was not like other women of the time period. She would actually speak her mind and expect Stoker to accept it. This is the beginning of a romance. I liked the fact the author deviated from the normal Victorian romance. There are secrets from Stoker’s past that aren’t resolved in this book. This leaves the reader anxiously waiting for the next book in this series.  This is a great start to this series.

Cold Feet - Amy Fitzhenry

Genre: Adult, Realistic Fiction
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Most people who know me will tell you I don't read chick lit. Out of all genres it is my least favorite. However, there are always exceptions and this book was one of them.

Planning for your "big day" is very stressful.  Emma Moon, a lawyer,  has doubled the stress by deciding to go on a trip of  discovery the week before the wedding. Some of the things Emma learns is very difficult for her.  You feel her pain. Trying to find answers to why her family turned out the way it did was something she felt she had to do. She began to have self doubts about her wedding. She didn't want her marriage to resemble her parent's marriage. I'm sure there are many people like myself who will find areas in this story they can relate to. I liked the way the author wrote Emma's character because she felt so real and flawed. That is what made this book so different from most chick lit stories. I know this is why I loved the book so much and definitely recommend it to those friends who love the chick lit genre.

Chasing Happy by Ann Lee Miller

Genre: Adult, Christian, Realistic Fiction
Source:  I received a copy to facilitate my review.

From Goodreads: 
After an epic fail in the hetero world, Ash Jackson heads cross country to Arizona to figure out his bisexuality and make peace with himself and God.

Nashville Star Samma Templeton’s music career bankrolls her future husband’s political campaigns. But she throws up before every concert and feels relegated to an item on the senator’s calendar.

When Ash moves into Samma’s apartment building their childhood friendship resurrects, and Samma must choose between promoting a political agenda that will benefit millions or following her heart. Ash must face his inner demons for the girl who was his past and feels like his future.

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this book.  Ash's father walked out on his family when Ash was in sixth grade. He had announced he was gay.  This was horrible for Ash. Later on in life he fears he is gay. Since he was a small child he has loved Samma.  Samma has loved him.  She is engaged to Storm. She has always felt she was supposed to support his campaign with the money she earned from her concerts.  What happens when you are no longer sure what God wants? 

This author is definitely not afraid of subject matter that most will not talk about. Learning not to be judgmental and let God do the judging is a lesson most Christians need to  learn. This book came at they right time for me. I have a good friend who recently ann0unced they were gay.  My first gut reaction was to pass judgment.  I worked hard, prayed a lot asking God to help me not judge and to be a friend. This book should be read by both Christians and nonChristians.  I am pleased to recommend this book.

Blaze by Ginger Lee Malacko

Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

From Goodreads:

Nathan and his wayward angel crew are back in this thrilling, action-stuffed, sequel to SPARK - and so is the king demon, Wrath, and his army of minions. When the entire county around Temple Hills is threatened by Wrath's smoke-spewing technology, the misfits of Section #71 finally get the promotion they've been working for. But life is hardly a slice of Heaven as Nathan is drawn ever deeper into the mystery of Lazarus' failing strength and the meaning of his own alarming premonitions of the future. 

With the help of a mortal who can see angels and an army of special agents, Nathan and his friends embark on their dream job only to discover it's not he exciting adventure they had hoped for. Perilous missions, dangerous secrets, and a possible traitor in their midst wreak havoc on the section as the angels of Mount Ember go to war. 

Nathan will need much more than courage and a good curve ball to halt Wrath's plans for world domination and restore the balance between good and evil.

My Thoughts:

Nathan and his crew are not the top of the list angels. As a matter of fact they are considered the misfits of the group. In a demonstration they show off what they as a group are able to do when it comes to battling demons. They are doing things they shouldn’t be able to do.  They have been working in secret honing their gifts, working for a promotion. The question is, when given the promotion are they really prepared? He has got to stop Wrath’s plan to not only stop him from taking over Temple Hill but the hold world. I thought it funny that after Nathan and his crew worked so hard to get recognized, he actually had second thoughts about whether they had gone too far trying to get a promotion. He knew he previously had issues and got into all kinds of trouble. He didn’t want go back to his former self. He had truly changed.  This showed his character growth. I think that is what makes these books so good. The author does a great job of not only keeping the pressure on so that you have to keep reading, but they also do an excellent job of making sure the characters are growing and changing.  This was another page turner. I definitely recommend this to anyone who loves middle grade reads and can’t wait to recommend it to my sixth graders this year.

Kitty Hawk and the Mystery of the Masterpieces by Iain Reading

Genre: Middle Grade, Mystery
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This is by far my favorite of all of the Kitty Hawk books. Kitty Hawk finds herself in Rome as she makes her way around the world in her De Havilland Beaver seaplane. She meets up with her friend Charlie and once again finds herself involved in a mystery.  This time she makes some new friends in Rome. While in their house she is admiring some paintings hanging on the wall in their father's house.  She recognizes one of the as being a painting that was stolen from a museum in Amsterdam. Mateo and Vega her new friends call their sister who brings an art expert. She declares that all of them are original pieces of art. One is a Van Gogh, one a Pissaro, and one a Monet.  None of them have any idea where their father could have possibly gotten them.  They call the police and spend a sleepless night waiting for the police to show up the next day.  When they return from dinner the next night Charlie hears a noise. As he proceeds down the hall a portion of the wall springs open and someone runs out, knocking everyone over. None of them knew of the secret room.  One mystery is solved when they hear the voice again and realize it is coming from a radio.  Growing up in the house Mateo often told of hearing a scary voice. Because of his great imagination no one believed him. The room and radio backed up to his bedroom.  That is the least of the mysteries.  This book will take them into multiple places in Germany.  Will they find the answers they are looking for to help Mateo and his sisters learn about their deceased father's part in all of this?  You will need to read this to find out.  I love mystery books and this one involved code breaking. For this, Kitty will call on her friend Richard who we met in the last book Kitty Hawk and the Tragedy of the RMS Titanic. He will help her break the code.  For me one of the fun things, even though she gives the answer in the book was working the code. I loved it.  There was even a musical code that was related to the people involved. I actually went to my computer and opened a virtual piano to play the codes so that I could hear the songs.  I had so much fun, and learned so much from this book.  That might be why this is one of my students' favorite series on my mystery shelf.  Pick up this series and travel the world and have a mysterious adventure with Kitty Hawk and her friends.  You won't regret it. This is the best mystery series out there that actually teaches history in a fun way.

Signs in Life: Finding Direction in Our Travels with God by Deanna Nowadnick

Genre: Christian, Inspirational
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

From Goodreads:

SIGNS IN LIFE begins with a late night encounter with law enforcement. In the harsh glare of a flashlight, author DEANNA NOWADNICK learns the consequences of speeding through a stop sign. Other incidents follow. All are linked to the divine signs she's encountered in that bigger journey through life.

Join Deanna as she shares humorous anecdotes and inspirational lessons from her travels with God. See the signs in life. She might be speeding through a stop sign--yet again!--while you're carefully navigating a busy street, but together we're all part of a bigger journey, a greater purpose. We're all part of God's great story.

My Thoughts:

What an inspirational book.  I found myself reading along thinking, Yeah, I’ve missed that sign.  Deanna’s look at her life direction through the use of signs she’s missed in her life will have anyone reading her book wondering what signs they have missed.  I found myself identifying with her situations in so many ways.  I often find myself asking God to help me, only to say to him, “here let me show you how.”  At the end of each chapter she has a set of simple questions to ask yourself.  I can guarantee you that if you read this book there is no way you will not be changed. If forces you to take a good hard look at your life  and to look at those sign we often speed through trying to do things our way.  This is a book that I think will benefit anyone and one I highly recommend.

THE BEST PENCIL SHARPENER YOU WILL EVER USE

 Recently I was on Pinterest looking at classroom supplies when I came across the strangest looking pencil sharpener.  Fascinated by its looks and curious as to why it looked that way I clicked on the link for Classroom Friendly Supplies.  I watched a video that showed how to use the pencil sharpener.  That video explained why the pencil sharpener looked so strange. The front pulls out. There are two knobs on the top. When you squeeze the knobs together you open the first hole where you stick the pencil through. The pencil then goes into the hole in the sharpener. The first hole has tiny teeth that hold the pencil in place.  Why is this important? Simply because that leaves the pencil holding hand free.  You can place your free hand on top of the pencil sharpener or you can use the small bar that allows you to attach it to the edge of any surface. The magic happens when you sharpen the pencil. One thing I've always hated about electric pencil sharpeners is that students often stand there shoving the pencil in, removing it, looking at it, then  repeating that step over and over again.  With this pencil sharpener you begin to sharpen the pencil and watch the part you had pulled out in the front, slowly move in as the pencil sharpened.  You can't over-sharpen the pencil. That is where the magic comes in. The hand crank will begin to turn super easy when the pencil is sharpened enough.

My husband hates when I sit down to write because I interrupt him, (his desk is opposite mine), by constantly sharpening  my pencils with our electric sharpener. I can't write if the pencils are not real sharp. I prefer writing with pencils over pens. I just love the feel of the graphite grabbing the paper. I feel I have more control.  So, it wasn't enough for me to use this wonderful tool. I needed to test it out with some kids.  My grandson Jacob and granddaughter Haylee spent the night with us and I had Haylee try it out. She's going into fourth grade and has her own desk in her room. I was thinking this would be an awesome gift for her. She cranked away and then got her pencils out of her writing portfolio she keeps at my house and sharpened every single one.  Jacob wanted to try it. He is almost 5.  So, I demonstrated it for him and then told him what to do step by step.  He sharpened the rest of my pencils. It was easy and he thought it was fun.  My son came the next weekend and I showed it to him.  As a former draftsman he knows the importance of sharp pencils. He had so much fun, he called his wife in to see this wonder. He kept breaking pencil leads so he could sharpen them. Then he broke two more and had his wife sharpen  them. You know it is a cool item when your grown children tell you they want them for their children for Christmas.  I plan on spending quite a bit of money buying several of them this year. I will definitely need one in my house to replace the electric pencil sharpener I will place in my husbands work shed. I think they will make great gifts to the 3 new teachers in my department this year.

You have got to go to www.classroomfriendlysupplies.com and check them out.
Read through her site.  This pencil sharpener was created by a teacher. Watch the videos she has. Part of every sale goes to several different charities. Please check out that page as well. I guarantee you that you won't find a better pencil sharpener for your classroom or office.

Weed and Water: Bringing the Resources of God to a Teenager by Ian Dexter Palmer

Genre: Adult, Young Adult, Christian, Inspirational

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

From Goodreads:

A mysterious stranger helps a teenage boy called Ethan rescue his mentor, an elderly father-figure, from drowning when their canoe capsizes in a flooding river. A star athlete, Ethan later gets involved in unsafe sex, which leads to drugs, and gets him blackballed by jealous and gossiping team-mates. The boy is going down, and at times hates himself for it and for hurting his mom who is a caring, loving, and beautiful woman.

After another disastrous episode, where Ethan might have died, the river-stranger turns up again to confront him about his life choices. However, even after rehab, the boy’s condition is marked by a yo-yo attitude which causes massive emotional heartache for his mom.

The river-stranger, after sharing his own amazing history, suggests taking the fight to another level which draws on the resources of God. This begins a new and fascinating sequence of events, including a tornado, which get Ethan’s attention.

The book is a captivating story, packed with adventure in the desert Southwest and in the rivers and lakes of the Midwest USA. But it is also a goldmine of spiritual wisdom for teenagers. The mystery that permeates the story is compelling, and the thrilling ending may call for a tissue or two.

My Thoughts:

This is a book I definitely want to put on my shelves at school.  This book is as real as it gets for a fiction book.  Ethan is a young high teenager who is headed down the wrong path in life.  Lucky for him, his single parent mother and a good friend of the family’s they call Popper are there to help him.  I absolutely loved the way the author took real life events, added stories from the Bible and lessons from life in general and put it all together in this one book.  About the time I thought Ethan was cracking and was finally on the right track, something else would happen to him. I became distressed because I saw him harden his heart each time.  I know that God won’t win them all because we have free choice.  I saw how hard Satan was fighting to draw Ethan away from God.  He was willing to take Ethan’s life if that was the only way he could keep Ethan.  But God is victorious.  I love that this book can be enjoyed by Christian and Non-Christian alike. I found the advice offered by the different characters in the book could be applied to so many teens today.  Anyone who reads this book will find themselves in this book somewhere along the line.  I’m not sure there are enough stars in the heaven to give to this book.

About the Author

Ian Palmer lives near the mountains in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He has a PhD in physics from Adelaide University, Australia. By profession, he is a petroleum engineer, who consults all over the world. As a Christian, Ian has always been fascinated by the interface between faith and science. Of special interest to him are the powerful concepts of grace, forgiveness, and insights from God. In his local church, he has taught Sunday school classes on a wide range of inspirational but practical topics.

Ian’s six grandchildren are a source of joy when he plays tennis or basketball or goes skiing or hiking with them. His hobbies include hiking, dancing, tennis, eating out, and stimulating conversation. After a dinner of cheese enchiladas with green chiles, Ian can sometimes be found two-stepping in the local country-and-western dancehall.