Tag: Books

Swamped

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Excerpt

Eteo dialed Susan’s number.
“Hello sweet Susan.”
“A sweet hello to you too, Eteo,” she replied.
“Want to hook up for lunch?”
“Sure. Are you very hungry?”
“Extremely. And you?” he asked, teasing her.
“I am.”
“Hungry for what, though, sweet Susan?”
She laughed into his ear. “And for that.”
“I’ll make sure you’re fed, my love,” Eteo promised.
It was the first time Susan had heard him call her that. She felt
her cheeks redden, and a sweeter feeling ran down her spine and over
her whole body.
“What time is your lunch break today?” Eteo asked.
“In twenty minutes. Can you wait for me?”
“Twenty minutes, yes, but not a single minute more. You’ll come
down here?”
Susan assured him she would be there on time
“See you in twenty, baby,” Eteo said, putting down the phone.
A quick check of Platinum Properties showed it trading at 55c
with his orders lower than the market. He called Logan into his office.
“Raise these two orders a little higher. From 49 and 51 cents to
53 and 54. We’ve been sitting too low. I don’t see us getting any shares
otherwise.”
Logan quickly changed the prices of the buying slips and went
to the trading desk to instruct the traders. By the time he got back to
his father’s office, they were first in the line of purchasers and within
a few seconds they had secured almost twenty thousand shares in a
couple of transactions. Eteo smiled.
“Stay at this position until the end of the day. John might decide
to take some of his profit and walk.”
Logan agreed, seeing what was happening in the market as another
seven thousand shares came to them at the same price. Almost
as soon as Logan had gone back to his desk, Susan arrived. Eteo got
up at once, took her by the arm and walked her out. Susan was still
flushed and warmed up from his earlier words today.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08WP3LMPX

Arrows

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Excerpt

I managed to push him off and he sauntered away,
seemingly satisfied he had not only taught Tamanoa a lesson, but
me as well.
I looked at Tamanoa’s mutilated face. He was choking on his
blood. turned and threw the nose at my feet, then disappeared into
the night, whistling. I helped Tamanoa up and tried to guide him by
the shoulders, hoping perhaps to take him to see Pedro Montes, but
he shook me off and refused to speak to me as he walked towards
the river. And who could blame him? I was a Spaniard after all. It
was for me to prove that Spaniards were not all the same.
I found where Josefa had been sleeping. Gregorio had found her,
too. They were seated near one another, but not talking. Gregorio
drew shapes in the dirt with a long stick and glanced furtively at her
and me. I wanted to tell them both what Pánfilo had done, but I
knew it would not make any difference if they knew. Nobody cared
about the half-breeds.
It was dusk and pleasantly cool in the mountains. Wesat around a
fire. Josefa’s eyes were puffy and red-rimmed, a sign of the depth of
her weariness. The experienced conquistadors had ignored Josefa,
but now that she was widowed, Losada came by to offer his
sympathy and put himself at her disposal to arrange her return to El
Tocuyo once it was safe to do so, if that was her wish.
Infante followed, bowing deeply and kissing her hands. He
expressed his concern about her delicate situation and asked her
permission to inquire after her welfare, so that he might be at her
service in the future.
Gabriel de Ávila, Camacho and others, although modestly, also
showed interest in her that night. Josefa received them graciously,
while Gregorio watched in sullen annoyance. I hoped she might find
a husband among all these men.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0981073522

Still Waters

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Excerpt

Tyne wondered if she should show them her gift, but decided
against it. She knew Aunt Millie would admire it, but her mother
might appear less than pleased. She hoped to spare Morley, and herself,
that embarrassment. Today, of all days, people should be joyful
and of one accord.
Tyne picked up her handbag, and smiled at the two older women
who stood watching them. “Bye for now. I’ll see you both later. I’ll be
home in time to help with dinner.”
Tyne hoped, but did not expect, that her mother would invite
Morley for lunch. She saw Aunt Millie glance expectantly at her sister-
in-law, but Emily did not take the bait. Tyne kicked off her slippers
in the entrance way and pulled on her fur boots. Then they let
themselves out into the crisp winter morning. 
Morley’s parents were already seated when the young couple
walked into Emblem Evangelical Church. The usher, a man Tyne recognized
as an employee of one of the three grain elevators in town,
greeted them warmly and led them to the pew where the Cresswells
waited. Mr. Cresswell, a stocky man slightly shorter than his son,
stood and shook hands with Tyne. Mrs. Cresswell also stood to welcome
her. She, too, was stocky and short, and Tyne had to bend from
the shoulders to return her hug.
She turned towards Morley’s father. “I’m pleased to see you looking
well again, Mr. Cresswell.”
He nodded and smiled. “The Lord is faithful,” he said simply.
“We’re so happy you could come, Tyne,” Mrs. Creswell said quietly.
“Come, sit beside me, dear, and Morley can sit on your other side.”
The warmth of Morley’s parents, and their obvious pleasure at her
presence in their church filled Tyne with ambivalent feelings. How
different their attitude towards her than her parents’ attitude towards
Morley. Their acceptance pleased her, yet at the same time made her
heart ache for the rejection Morley must feel from her parents. She
hoped that Aunt Millie’s acceptance – and Jeremy’s as well – made up
somewhat for her parents’ lack of grace.
As soon as the service began, Tyne became caught up in the joy
of the congregation. They sang the beautiful Christmas carols with
passion and enthusiasm.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1926763068

He Rode Tall

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Excerpt

stands that were crowded with all kinds of people visiting and
catching-up with each other since the last show. At the canteen,
Joel ordered a large coffee and then found an empty table at the
edge of the eating area to sit at and ponder his dilemma. He sure
didn’t want to sell to that no-good Buck Smith, but maybe that’s
what it would have to come down to. Joel thought that he should
have talked to Tanya sooner about the money problems, but it was
his pride that held it tight inside him. It wasn’t fair to her the way
she found out. She had done an exceptional job training the pretty
little palomino and he knew that she had high hopes for the filly.
There had to be something he could do to fix the situation.
“Joel.” It was Tanya, and her tears had been replaced with a
fresh smile. “I want you to meet my friends Morgan, Jesse, and
Sue Ellen. We are going to head into town and catch a movie or
something. Want to come along?”
Joel was relieved to see that Tanya had recovered so quickly.
She was obviously pleased to have connected with old friends
from the rodeo circuit.
“Well, do you want to come?” Tanya repeated.
“Oh no, you kids go. I want to hang around and make sure that
the horses are all bedded down for the night. But hey, have fun.”
Tanya and her friends hurried out of the arena. Joel couldn’t
help but think what a special person Tanya has become. His feelings
were nothing romantic—now, don’t get silly. She was just a
real good friend who happened to be female and nineteen years
old. Oh yeah, she was one heck of a horsewoman.
They had only been friends for a couple months, but now,
their first meeting seemed so long ago. He still remembered
when she had asked him on her first visit to the ranch, “Are these
horses just pretty, or do they ride too?” He was sure he would
never forget that. Harry and he had been proud of the good
schooling they were giving the three-year-olds, but that afternoon
when he first saw Tanya ride one, then another, and finally a
third horse, he recognized that she was taking them beyond
where he could even dream of, into another dimension.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0980897955

Ken Kirkby, A Painter’s Quest for Canada

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Excerpt

never been a connection between those people and the Inuit and yet here was
an original seminal idea being spoken by a woman in a completely different
time and space and place. All these things were like jolts hitting me. Here I
was living with an ancient people that were speaking to me directly. This was
not something being told to me by a teacher or a relative. I was getting the
original story and it affected me very profoundly.
When the old woman finished her story, silence enveloped the igloo like
a down blanket. Quietly, Ken stood and walked outside. The sky was filled
with as many stars as Ken’s mind was filled with thoughts. In one instant,
his life had changed. Knowingly or not, the old women had answered his
question about his role in this place, and in the lives of the Inuit.
She joined him, and he linked his arm through hers. Together they
stood gazing at the sky. Icy crystals of thought invaded his heart, while an
avalanche of ideas roared through his mind.
This was that crystal moment when everything that had happened before
made sense. I now had a clear purpose. I had gone to the Arctic because of
the stories that had been told to me in that cave in Portugal, but now, I felt
an urgency to gather as much information as possible – and to disseminate
it. It was clear to me how brilliantly I had been prepared. From this moment
on, I was no longer pursuing childhood dreams. I had a white-hot fire burning
inside me.
One day, the sun reappeared over the horizon and Ken felt as though
he was awakening from a dream. For a seemingly endless amount of time,
he had lived in darkness, listening to stories and legends, and the line between
waking and dreaming had blurred. And now the sun – a cause for
celebration – a reason for feasting!
Feasting also served to remind them of their great good fortune. They
had food, warmth, and clothing. Even more important, others had been
helped and they were grateful to have been able to help them. The young
man who had amputated his toes had survived, and that was even further
cause for thanksgiving.
As the days grew longer, the polar bears came out of hibernation. One
had been spotted nearby and men quickly prepared for the hunt. Once
again, grandmother prevailed upon the hunters to include Ken. When
the dogs picked up the scent they were released from their traces, and the
men followed their high-pitched howling.
When the dogs found their quarry they surrounded it, darting in close,
and then running back, staying out of reach of its lethal claws. Finally,
overheated and exhausted, the bear collapsed. The hunters fired at the
downed body until it lay still in a pool of blood, and then they began the
enormous task of skinning and butchering it. The oldest hunter stood
back. “In my day, that’s not how we hunted bears,” he said. “When we
hunted, it was one man with a spear and one bear with his claws.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0981073573

The Circle

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Excerpt

HAKIM ISONHISWAY to the Sheraton Hotel to meet his uncle so they can go
together to the medical center. He’s worried about what they will find out, but he
doesn’t want this to show. He wants to be courageous and strong for his uncle.
They arrive by limousine and a specialist meets them in a consultation room.
He confirms what’s already known about the tumor in Ibrahim’s liver. He
indicates it’s a very small-sized malignancy. At this stage, it’s unclear what type of
cancer it is, but he confirms that the tumor is a new type they don’t know very
much about. Therefore, it would be inappropriate for him to tell Ibrahim with any
certainty that it will respond positively to the new chemotherapy. For that reason,
he’ll start Ibrahim on a light dose. The specialist has arranged for Ibrahim to be
admitted to a private clinic where the medication is to be administered, and he’ll
be monitored twenty-four hours a day.
The specialist stops briefly, but continues to look at Ibrahim and Hakim to
ensure that, so far, everything is understood. Then he carries on.
“If we see that the drug doesn’t produce any adverse effects, the second dose,
and the third and fourth, can be given orally in the form of a pill that you can take
on your own, in the comfort of your own home. However, the first time the drug
is administered, we would like to monitor you very closely at the clinic. I’ll leave
you alone for a few minutes to absorb what I’ve told you. Then I’ll return with
further instructions.”
He gets up and the other two follow him out of the consultation room.
Hakim turns and gazes him. Ibrahim is pale and shaken. This is the first time
Hakim sees his uncle with fear in his eyes. The pride and gracefulness that he
possessed are gone. A layer of fear has taken over like a black shroud covering the
old man’s eyes.
“I wouldn’t worry they do miracles with medicine these days.” Hakim says
trying to relieve his uncle’s gloom.
“I guess so,” his uncle nods in agreement. “But, it means I cannot go home yet.”
“When were you planning to go home?”
“As soon as I’m done with these guys dear boy; Mara is most anxious for me
to get home; however, now she has to wait for a few more days.”
“You have to be here for only one or two more days so they can see …

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0978186524

Arrows

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Excerpt

“Leave me alone, will you?” he scowled.
But I wanted to make peace with him.
“I mean it, Gregorio. You need a bleeding to drain all those bad
humours and grudges. Hombre! I saw you in battle; if I hadn’t been
so busy running, I would have stayed put to watch you. What
shooting and fighting! You are a born conquistador. From now on, it
will be quite comforting to have you around.”
I uncorked a flask of marigold oil. Gregorio chortled at last. He
took a gulp from the mug he was holding.
“I saw you, too,” he said, “running like a hare.”
“Little wonder! I have never been so frightened in my life!”
Gregorio and Benjamin laughed. Perhaps I was more useful to
them as feckless character, someone to jeer at.
“Why, you don’t want to go to heaven, Friar?” Benjamin taunted.
“I know I am but a sinner,” I smiled. “But I could use a bit more
time before God blows out my candle. I’m hoping to find some way
to skip purgatory.”
“Trying to become a saint, are you?” Gregorio said. “Become a
martyr, then. That will do, won’t it?”
“That would be an improvement, no doubt. I’ve been thinking
about it. Perhaps one of these days someone will favour my
aspirations.”
Gregorio swatted at a hornet that came too close. “We’re going to
make it, I think,” Gregorio said. “Losada knows what he is doing.
You can see it in his face. I’m convinced he knows how the bastards
think. He has lots of experience. But, if you ask me, Francisco Infante
is the better of the two.”
Losada struck me as a man of principle whereas Francisco Infante
impressed me as a schemer, someone who would rather run things
for himself, so I decided not to respond to the bait. It was odd for me
to sometimes feel so close to Gregorio and Benjamin, and yet at the
same time I sensed their camaraderie was fickle, transitory. For
them, the New World was strictly a land of opportunity, and the
state of their souls was a distant second.
Were they ever my friends? Or did they even want to be?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0981073522

He Rode Tall

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Excerpt

was down to his last seventy-five dollars. And if they were going to
be able to buy gas to get back home, he had to be very careful with
the little bit of cash that he did have.
Joel and Tanya had just finished tidying up their supplies
adjacent to the stalls and were giving the horses one last look
when an attractive, middle-aged woman dressed in fancy western
wear approached them. From her looks, Joel guessed that
she had never cleaned a stall in her life. He only wished that he
could say the same for himself—in the last few months he had
done enough stall cleaning to last a lifetime. Helping Harry
change the bedding in the stalls was more of a workout than
what city people would get at high-priced health clubs. “That’s
it,” Joel thought. With a chuckle he told himself that if the
horse business didn’t work out he could always convert the
Circle H into a health and fitness center. One thing was certain,
Joel was in the best physical condition that he had been in
for years.
“You the owner?” the lady asked.
“I am,” Joel replied.
“Mary Lou Schwartz. Is the palomino for sale?”
Joel looked at Tanya and, as he saw the word “No” forming on
her lips, stepped up and replied, “Well now, I guess everything is
really for sale at the right price isn’t it?”
The shock showed on Tanya’s face. As she started to protest,
Joel continued, “What did you have in mind?”
“I was looking for a young reining horse that could eventually
join our broodmare band. This little girl might fit the bill. She’s
nicely put together and seems real sweet and gentle. How does
5,000 dollars sound?”
“Too low” is what Joel thought, but he bit his tongue, knowing
that the offer was just a starting point. He asked, “Would you like
to see her papers?”
“Sure. You are probably going to tell me that she is some kind
of a great-great granddaughter of a Doc Bar or something like
that, aren’t you?”

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0980897955

Ken Kirkby, A Painter’s Quest for Canada

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Excerpt

One day the dogs heralded the arrival of a new family. They staggered
into camp with barely enough dogs to pull the sleighs. The animals’ ribs
stood out through their fur, and they lay down exhausted, their eyes
glazed. The people had to be helped from their sleds. Inside the big igloo,
they explained that they had come from far away and had left most of
their people behind. They had not found caribou this season and had run
out of food. They had no seal oil for heat. They were dying.
One young man’s toes were badly frostbitten. The elders determined
that they would have to be removed to prevent gangrene, a common condition
in the North where blood circulation to the extremities slowed.
There was no hospital – not even a doctor. The old woman said she
would select the person to perform the operation, but the young man
said he would do it himself.
The old woman stopped Ken as he turned to leave. “No,” she said.
“Kabluna wants to go everywhere and experience everything. This is part
of everything.”
The young man honed a knife and with immense concentration and
deliberation, selected the correct place to amputate the toes. One by one,
he sawed through flesh, sinew, and bone. He did not complain, cry, or
moan, taking the same impassive, measured care that he would if he had
been skinning an animal.
It shocked me. How can someone do that in that way and not fall into
paroxysms of agony? And I knew I had something to learn. I had to investigate
what pain was and how it was dealt with. I knew these people were not
superhuman but their understanding of humanness was very different from
mine and it probably came from eons of living in that environment.
These things set me on a very different track in my own head. They led me
to deal with our concepts of possible/impossible, difficult/not difficult and
so on. Nature is neither good nor bad. Nature is neither kind nor unkind.
Nature simply is. Possible and impossible are things of the imagination –
just as the pain is in our imagination. And seeing as we don’t know enough
to make these judgments, we shouldn’t even consider worrying about them.
If there is something in you to be done that is powerful then you set about
doing it and you take out all the imaginings of the dark monsters you might
meet on the road ahead. They may, in fact, never materialize. These concepts
were the golden door through which I walked toward a completely different
understanding, an understanding that has made it much more difficult for
me to live in our culture.
A council was held to decide the fate of those who had been left behind
to starve to death. Four dog sleighs were loaded with food, blankets, and
other necessities, and when it seemed that Ken was to be left behind…

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0981073573

Swamped

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Excerpt

That was something the clients wouldn’t understand.
He could only try to convince them using the excuse of averaging
down but he couldn’t risk pushing them, and he couldn’t blame
them for refusing. The shares hadn’t done much for them. Why
would they want to invest even more.
He called Logan back into his office.
“Who can we approach to promote this a little? Who do you have
who might be interested? We can base our argument on the prospect
of new brokers coming in.”
“I don’t know, Dad. We could burn a few people with this. You
know that.”
“Give it some thought. Perhaps we could offer an incentive.”
“It would still be a hard sell. When they look at this market,
they’ll see weakness. Who would go into that, incentive or not? And
incentive from whom? From us? I wouldn’t risk it for someone like
Richard.”
Logan sounded disappointed by his father’s willingness to support
Richard Walden when the older man knew very well that this
company wasn’t likely to go up any time soon.
“What have we done with the disposal of some of the real estate
company’s stock? Have you talked to anyone?” Eteo asked, changing
the subject to one they were both more comfortable with.
“Yes, and we got a few approvals. I already have some orders filled
and some still in the market. I’m bidding for some new shares already
for the clients I’ve already sold.”
“Very good. Let’s focus on that for today and tomorrow.”
Logan went back to his desk, and Eteo turned his armchair toward
the window. He gazed at the blue sky and leaned his chair back
a little, closing his eyes and traveling back to a place where the sun
was bright and hot most of the year and where he used to go swimming
as early as April. He would go to visit his brother soon. He
would spend a month or more over there. Logan could look after the
clients.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08WP3LMPX