We just returned from a trip east for my mother's memorial service. Though she died in early February, and there was a brief graveside service at that time, this was the first opportunity for family from around the country to gather, and my first trip back since just before her death.
Our time in western Pennsylvania, where my mother lived all of her 91 years, was full of subtly powerful emotion. There was a strange, disconnected feeling about being in the place she lived her whole life without her presence. It occurred to me that there will be little reason to visit the area again, especially if my sister, who lives across the border in Ohio, retires and moves closer to her son, daughter-in-law, and grandchild in New York CIty. A place of memories has its power, but memories live in the mind without needing actual location. And it seemed this time that memories, without the presence of at least some of the people who inhabit the memories, can only hold us in a location for a few days. The heart attaches more powerfully to people than to location. And all the western Pennsylvania people we go home to see are gone.
So the entire visit had a "last time" aura about it, an "almost goodbye" feeling. And though the farmlands and wooded hills are so familiar and so beautiful with their subtle early spring colors, and though they still appeal, they are no longer home. I don't think western Pennsylvania will be a regular stop on our journey of life anymore. This trip felt more like leaving than arriving.
Seeing my mother's grave was a bit of a shock. I was imagining a finished grave, flat and grass covered. But because it had lain under snow and winter weather, it was still a raw mound of dirt, not yet settled, leveled and seeded. It made her death seem fresh, and her laying to rest unfinished. My daughters in particular had a hard time with the grave. Their grandmother was a powerful mentor and source of honest wisdom for them, and they did not have the benefit I had of witnessing how full of faith and eagerness she was as she approached dying.
Finally, her memorial service refreshed in people's minds the possibility of my death from brain cancer. I didn't notice this at first because I definitely am not thinking that way. But people I love were wondering how much time they have left with me.
So much for the experienced and anticipated loses.
There were also gains in this experience. The memorial service was a full expression of faith, as my mother's life had been. Retelling stories of her experiences with God, which began when she was a child and never stopped, we realized that we could conclude only one of two things about her. Either she was delusional about her relationship with God, or she lived her whole life close to God. And since she wasn't delusional about anything else in life, we favored the relationship with God explanation and realized what a gift it is to have lived with and learned from such a woman.
The family gathering was definitely a gain. We have a big family, but we kept the circle for the memorial service small. That allowed for some conversations we wouldn't have had in a bigger group. My brother, sister and I talked about our father's drinking years with more openness and courage than I can remember doing previously. Two cousins talked honestly about suffering and loss in their own families. Somehow the last of the older generation being gone safely into God's hands loosened our tongues to share things we had not shared before. Such conversation was a step forward in who we are together. It is hard to be close growing up in dysfunctional families. We began to know each other in new ways, and it brought us closer.
A third gain was the gift of being able to reflect not only on my mother's entire life, to see what she overcame and how she lived with honor and achievement; but also to be able to do that for her generation of our family. They are all gone now. But as my cousin noted, we can conjure them in our memories any time we want. And we can see them as people, almost as peers rather than parents, aunts and uncles. I found that to do so brings sympathy and understanding.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once wrote that "the thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts." I find my 60's to be a time of longer, deeper, wiser reflection than the thoughts of my youth. In my family, we are the older generation now. We are the ones with time and inclination to reflect, and with at least the opportunity to be wise. We are the ones who can have both the experience and compassion to guide the generations after us. We are the ones who have seen lives fully lived to their completion, and the outcomes of how those lives were lived.
I cherish this time in my life, this gift of reflection and understanding about what it means to be human with all its gains and losses. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed is the name of The Lord.
A brief health report: It is 10 weeks since I stopped taking chemotherapy. My April MRI showed a small and inactive tumor. I am feeling great. My next MRI will be in early June. Thank you for your continued prayers for many more years. It surprises me now when I find that someone is worrying about my imminent death. I am planning a different course, and hoping I am right.
Thank you Dale. Our Israel trip in February reminded me of God's perspective of our life journey. We so desperately want to change our path when it gets difficult and God is calling us to change our feet. My inclination is to find the first exit ramp possible while God is waiting for me to ask for the strength and grace to stay the course. Today I'm asking Him to change my feet not my path. Much love to you and Ginny.
Amen Dale! I am in agreement with your plan!


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Alexander Kay (1879 – 15 February 1917) was a Scottish professional football left back who played in the Scottish League for St Bernard's and Partick Thistle. He also played in the Football League for Sheffield United.

Personal life
A pre-war Royal Scot, Kay served as a rifleman in the Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) during the First World War and was killed on the Western Front on 15 February 1917. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

Career statistics

References

Scottish footballers
1917 deaths
British Army personnel of World War I
British military personnel killed in World War I
1879 births
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Scottish Football League players
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The grocery industry, through direct interaction in our stores and our employees, plays the critical front-line role in the shopping experience of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) customers.
For questions or more information regarding state legislation, please contact FMI's Director of State Government Relations Elizabeth Tansing.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly the food stamp program, has become the largest food assistance program in the United States, serving over 46 million Americans. SNAP benefits are administered jointly by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) and state welfare agencies.
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is another Federal program that ensures women and children in need have access to affordable, quality food and nutrition.
The FMI Government Relations Committee reviews, formulates and recommends to the Public Affairs Committee the programs and positions necessary to represent the interests of grocery retailers and wholesalers before the federal and state governments. The Committee recommends priorities and directions for the maximum utilization of FMI's resources and assists in influencing and implementing government relations programs at the national and state levels.


Quiet campsite near the sea, run by the same family since 1965.
Two star. Shady pitches. Pets are welcome.
Family atmosphere and greenery: perfect to relax!
Open from 25 April to 30 September, from 8am to Midnight.


Defab's growth has come from focusing on quality and efficiency as well as on anticipating and meeting customers needs and trends in an extremely price competitive global market.
Future prosperity depends on maintaining strong understanding of the global textiles market and on continuing to respond to customer needs with a pro-active, solutions orientation.
Defab is focussed on expanding its business globally and on achieving highly recognised branded fabrics.


Mint - In new or virtually new and undamaged condition.
Near Mint - Very minor restoration , very minor wear or discoloration confined to generally small areas. Overall impression and casual examination is of a "mint" condition piece but close and expert inspection reveals minor imperfections.
Excellent - Exhibiting more wear than near mint. May include minor professional restorations ; very slight fading / staining/ discoloration due to wear. The overall condition though is sturdy and stable with no major thin / worn areas. Appears "almost new" condition to casual observation but closer examination reveals slightly more wear than "near mint" examples. While brand new Navajo rugs have an expectation of being in mint condition, most of the best condition antique Navajo blankets and rugs (60-120+ years old) fall into this category.
Fair - Exhibits more wear than good condition weavings. Usually includes some unrestored damage or wear. May exhibit some fading, staining or overall thinness in areas. Is usually priced at a fraction of the cost of a similar example in excellent condition and may meet the specific needs of those seeking rugs for rustic cabins, game rooms and other areas where condition is of lesser importance and price is a greater concern.
Poor - Usually not posted to website, we occasionally have examples that are heavily damaged or worn but may be suitable as "museum-type" exhibit as in an early shoulder blanket. We also have some examples of rugs that may be "beyond restoration" but may have salvageable areas used for the making of sofa pillows , custom jackets, purses and the like.
Pre-1900 includes early shoulder blankets, Transitional weavings and Germantowns-- historic pieces best suited for wall display in most cases. Very collectible; great investment examples.
1900-1940 Early Navajo rug period. Versatile for floor use or wall display. Early hand spun Navajo sheep wool yarn, hand-carded gray and early hand-dying. All regional styles (Two Grey Hills, J B Moore /Crystal, Hubbell/ Ganado/ Klagatoh, Teec Nos Pos/Red Mesa Outline); also yeis and pictorials, etc.. Superior early wools; these are very popular as investment-quality collectibles as well as for decorating homes and offices utilizing traditional period items.
1940-2001 Modern period weavings for wall and/or floor display. We maintain an inventory covering most all regional styles in a variety of sizes from miniature to room-size.


text:
This M'sian Entrepreneur Shares 5 Valuable Lessons She Learnt From 'Failing' Her Startup
Joanna Pinto
Source: BFM
Nowadays, everyone wants to be their own boss and have a company they can call their own. It's a dream for many, but of course, building your own brand or business from scratch is no easy feat. In fact, it's a lot of hard work and being the CEO doesn't mean living a glam life; in most cases, it's pretty far off anyway, we're not just as exposed to the real-life BTS struggles they face every day. #StartupLife
Case in point? Take ash be nimble for example, a homegrown active wear label that launched in March 2014 with the aim of bringing affordable and stylish sweat-wicking threads to the #fitfam community in Malaysia, with their key USP being attire under RM100 each. Shut up and take my money!
Source: vulcanpost
They've been around for almost 4 years now and earlier this month, its Founder, Hui Mathews announced that the brand will be taking on a new direction starting 1st January 2018; the retail side of the business will be winding down as they begin creating inspiring health and fitness content come the new year. To give you a better idea, Hui sums it up:
"Think of us as 'your guide to sports, fitness and healthy living in Malaysia', a blog featuring everyday places, faces and races."
Source: pamper
Hui never imagined her brand to be where it is today, saying that her journey for the past 4 years has been "an exciting but tough period". To date, here are some of the highlights her label has achieved:
More than RM1.5 million worth of revenue
7,000 unique visitors monthly to their website
18,000 engagements on social media monthly (clicks, likes, comments, views)
9,000 Instagram followers
6,000 email subscriber base
Many unpaid inspiring media features of ash be nimble
Countless partnerships with fitness events, studios, individuals, corporates and brands
However, Hui also wanted to highlight the not-so-pretty parts of having and running your own startup company. As such, she decided to shed light on some of the dark moments she's experienced and 5 very valuable lessons she's learnt from going the extra mile with ash be nimble.
1. You need to depersonalise, but still be vulnerable and functional
Source: ash be nimble
This past week has been an intense, incredible emotional roller coaster ride. I was so focused on getting the hype up for our Christmas bazaar to ensure we could do a huge clearance sale, with a skeleton team left I was at the shop most days till 8pm or 9pm preparing. At the same time I was planning how to break the news to our top customers, partners, friends and family, and also start crafting the messaging of our new direction into content marketing, that I almost forgot to organise a farewell party for one of my team members, and pretty much forgot to plan how we were going to revamp the website. While all of this was happening, I had a race to do, a mission to trial a few playschools for Asha before the end of 2018, forgot my passport had ran out of pages and had to pay some penalties for that! It's so hard to process so many emotions in a week: sadness at having to close down your hard work, relief that I'd settled on a sensible new direction, excitement that people were already jumping on board to get us to do some digital branding & marketing for them, scared about a new contract role I was being offered by a large telco to grow their digital solutions.
It was when I started being less sentimental and emotional, and dared to think about closing the business as a real option, and became less afraid of talking to people about it, that's when I got more clarity, ideas and input of the new direction of where I wanted to take the brand!
(Some time off in Langkawi helped, where we went to set up a pop up store for Ironman!)
2. It is more important who you are becoming, and how you are leading & growing the people around you
In the middle of 2017, when I stopped to think about whom I'd become, I started disliking it. I was losing my joy, my cheer and hence the energy to lead my team properly and give them the emotional support, encouragement and inspiration they needed. There were a few very dark periods where I was overtaken by so much despair and anxiety that I could not sleep at night, which never happened to me before. With a young baby, I would usually jump at every chance to get some extra sleep. During my darkest moments, my girls stepped up and inspired and motivated me with little messages and word of encouragement, even shouldering some of the financial challenges of the company with shifting to more part time work arrangements. I don't know what I did to deserve them.
Every month I've made it a point to sit down with each of my team members, to ask them what they could add to their LinkedIn profile as a skill they have learnt. To make sure we are focused on learning new things and developing professionally. My team are also used to (and do get annoyed occasionally with) me asking them daily, 'what are your top 3 priority outcomes you want to achieve today?'.
People are the most important part, and people make all the difference.
I realised that despite the chaos and my ups and downs, I've been able to build amazing working relationships and friendships with my team. Even when they told me they had outside opportunities and I had to resist every urge to tear up, I realised that we had succeeded in building a great environment for them to learn as their new employer recognised their unique blend of skills and appreciated our outcome-driven environment. That they had gained so much life and technical experience and skills that made them more employable, which presented opportunities for them to earn even more and progress in their career. I realised in that instant that that was so much more valuable than just building a great product or brand. My concern when I made my first hire, was whether ash be nimble would give enough career development opportunities.
3. The biggest source of stress is having to pay your team every month, and yourself
Employment never prepares you for this, and you will never realise the sting of paying out of your own pocket, until you start your own business. The stress from cash flow challenges took away a lot of the joy and passion of doing what I love. I've learnt to appreciate paid employment so much more! The thought of not having to wonder if you will get paid, or have the ability to pay your team. I remember tearing up watching The Pursuit of Happyness, because he had USD22 left in his bank account.
At that point in time, I had about RM622 left. The reality hit hard when I wanted to send Asha to playschool in 2018 but realised I could not even pay for a term of fee upfront.
Before you start thinking I come from a rich family (everything is relative), my father is a lecturer at University Malaya, my mother a financial planner with AIA, and my husband is a lawyer (but law grads start at RM3,000 per month so you do the math!).
The stakes are always high when you take risks to pursue your passion. My husband and I have poured our savings into this. I'm 31 now. I don't want to be 35 and still not have a house of our own, and have to put groceries on my credit card. We've had to make sacrifices, no fancy meals (economy RM5 lunches most days!), mainly local holidays, XiaoMi phones will have to do. Even though it seems like a waste of our savings, I've learnt so much, and I'm telling myself it was like doing a super expensive MBA!
Because of this valuable experience building a brand from scratch and going through the pain of boot strapping and being creative about how we spend our time and money, there is a corporate that has come knocking on my door to do some contract work with them to help find digital solutions for other businesses. In a way it is a larger platform, a wider opportunity to help build so many other businesses looking to establish their brand online!
4. Don't ignore the elephant in the room
Everyone loves our brand and everyone says we've built something great. But we weren't able to attract more investors through a few more rounds of pitching, exploring crowd funding options and grants. One of the darkest moments in 2017 was when I got a disappointing phone call that an investor we had been going through due diligence for 4 months with, had decided that their portfolio strategy needed to shift and not include us anymore. I did everything to bite my lip to stop myself from crying over the phone as I politely answered to receive the news, said goodbye, walked calmly out of our open plan shop office, managed to close the door seconds before bursting into tears and hiding up the stairs for a good half hour.
There are really harsh moments you will have to deal with, alone.
It is a vulnerable experience about going to pitch, after pitch, after pitch, but not getting a single person indicating serious intent. And having the team eagerly await good news, only to have to give them disappointing and empty updates.
Let's be honest, even if this business took off, got some funding and I made millions, with its stellar performance, one million Malaysian Ringgit translates to about USD200,000. When I started the business, it was RM3.3 to USD1, and now it's RM4.3 to USD1, which means my production costs in China have gone up by 20 to 30 per cent at least! Coupled with an additional 6 per cent GST, rising petrol costs and reduction in consumer spending, there are market trends you CANNOT afford to ignore when you are in business.
I also realised I've been swept up in the startup hype in KL. When I started ash be nimble, I wanted it to be a 'lifestyle business' that was self-sustaining after a 3 to 4 years, could replicate 70 to 80 per cent of my corporate salary, and free up my schedule to have kids and run a lot more! Four years later, I'm earning 25 per cent of my last drawn salary, barely get time to run once a week, and sometimes am too stressed to give my baby the attention and love she needs. You need to ask yourself what kind of business you want to have!
5. My business model can fail, but that doesn't make me a failure. Don't be afraid of failure because it will teach you so much
We are so afraid of failure. Even when thinking of a title for this blog post, I thought of staying away from using the word failure because it seemed so final, so dark, so unpleasant.
Our age of picture-perfect, celebration-only, seeming-success at every turn Instagram and Facebook photos are evidence of our avoidance of talking about the uncomfortable, everyday, unglamorous struggles.
We only want to talk about failure in the context of that it led to success, or we mostly just shy away from it. I was inspired by Mike Horn, touted as one the greatest living explorers of our time. He works so hard, lives on a USD4,500/month salary, gets sponsorships to do the most amazing and brutal exploration trips, which sometimes have a high chance of failure. One of them was his failed attempt to climb K2, one of the most challenging mountains to climb in the Himalayas. He spent more than a month camped at a 7000-metre elevation, waiting for the avalanches to subside and for a window of opportunity to climb that never came. But he made the call to go home, to keep the crew safe, to live for another adventure, and said that "I often speak of failure as a big part of my life. Nothing I do is a sure thing, otherwise I would not be doing it. Not knowing… is the most exciting aspect of my life."
Of course I would love to have a success story of selling my business for millions that I could be proud of, that I could tell my kid in the future, that I could make my friends and family who invested in me rich, that I could show the naysayers, hey look I proved to you I could do it, and I did it my way. But if it were that easy and that quick, it probably wouldn't be something worth doing.
Yes I am sad that this chapter has come to an end, but it's like pulling off a band aid: either you do it quickly and excruciatingly, or slowly and painfully.
Roshan, one of my mentors, who was a judge at the Alliance Bank SME Innovation Challenge in 2015, told me: "Fail fast, and fail gloriously." I'm not sure if we've succeeded at failing gloriously and I don't know for sure that our new direction won't be a failure, but I know that I've become a tougher, better, wiser business person, mother and leader, more than what any other corporate job could have taught me, that's why I feel compelled to share my very honest, real and hopefully inspirational journey with you.
Stay nimble.
Read the original post here, and watch Hui's announcement in the video below:
PS: Don't miss the final two weeks of their moving out sale from 7 – 9 Dec and 14 – 16 Dec! Your last chance to grab their super-soft tees and cute skorts! 🙁
Address: ash be nimble (The Fox Den) @ 30A, Jalan SS 20/10, Damansara Kim, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Opening hours: 10am – 6pm
For more updates, stay tuned to ash be nimble's site.
Also read: How Quitting My Corporate Job for My Startup Dream F*cked Up My Life
Related Topics:activeactivewearash be nimblebrandbusinessceochallengeclothingcompanycontentdark momentsemployeefailurefitfamfitnesshealthhighlightshomegrowninspiringlabellessonslifemalaysiaonlineracesalarysportssportswearstartupstartup lifesuccesssweat wickingteamviral

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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← Infinity Inc: A Question of Trust, Chapter 1: Framed for Murder Infinity Inc: A Question of Trust →
Infinity Inc: A Question of Trust, Chapter 2: The Thinker's Daughter
by HarveyKent
Return to chapter list
"OK, Sly," Surge said. "You're the leader. So lead. What do we do now?"
"I still say we need to talk to the Keith woman," Patriot said.
"Talk to her?" Jade said incredulously. "I say we go in there and bust her! What more proof do you need?"
"We still don't know for certain she's involved," Patriot said. "Her company is, obviously, but we don't know for sure that she knows what's going on."
"But her name!" Jade insisted. "She's toying with us, daring us to figure it out! She's got to be the Thinker's daughter, or his protégée, or — or something!"
"And if her name were Briana Weaver, would you think she's the Brain Wave's daughter?" Patriot asked. Jade opened her mouth to reply, but Patriot held her off with a raised hand. "Jen, I admit the circumstantial evidence is overwhelming. But that's all it is right now, circumstantial. We'll send a team of four to interview her. If she is the mastermind, maybe she'll tip her hand."
"I should be on that team," Jesse Quick jumped in.
"I agree, Syl," Red Arrow said. "It was her super-fast vision that caught the subliminal trick. If Keith is the mastermind, she may have more such traps at her home. It'd be good to have advance warning of them."
"Good point," Patriot said. "All right, Jesse. Roy, how about you go, too? And Ray and Al. That's a good quorum."
"Check," Nuklon said, eagerly.
"What about the rest of us?" Aquaman asked. "What do we do?"
Patriot turned to the prince of the seas. "We tell the world what's going on," he said. "The JSA, Commissioner O'Hara, D.A. Sims, CNN, even the President and the Attorney General. We blow the whistle on this subliminal message scheme. That's what we do."
Aquaman smiled slightly, and nodded. "Good plan."
"Come on, gang, I'm driving," Nuklon said, heading out the door to the hangar where the Star-Rocket Racer was kept. "Next stop, Seattle."
The Star-Rocket Racer soared over the skies of the West Coast of the United States. Nuklon expertly piloted the vehicle toward Seattle and the home of ReNee Keith.
"Al?" Jade's voice chimed in as her face appeared on the comm-screen on the instrument panel. "I've done some computer background checking, and I have some news for you."
"Fire when ready, Jennie," Nuklon said.
"Well, I may have been wrong about Ms. Keith," Jade reluctantly admitted. "About her being the Thinker's daughter, anyway. I found birth records, school records, tax records, everything. I still think she's behind this, but she appears to have grown up independently of the Thinker."
"What about the Thinker himself?" asked Ray, who was copiloting. "Did you check on him?"
"I did," Jade said. "Nobody seems to know just where he is now. Even his parole officer hasn't heard from him since we fought the Thinker with the Injustice Society back in January. (*) And get this: he did have a daughter, Karla DeVoe, born about the same time as Ms. Keith. She dropped out of sight about the same time; nothing on her since then, either."
[(*) Editor's note: See Infinity Inc: Ancient Prophecies and Malcontents, Chapter 1: Body and Soul.]
"Born about the same time, eh?" Nuklon asked, provocatively.
"Al, there were millions of baby girls born twenty-six years ago," Jesse Quick said. "I mean, geez, I'm twenty-six!"
"Point taken," Nuklon said. "Whoops. Attention, passengers, we're making our final descent. Please fasten your seatbelts and return the stewardess to the upright position."
"I have got to take that copy of Truly Tasteless Jokes III away from him," Red Arrow muttered.
Nuklon expertly landed the Star-Rocket Racer on the grounds of the large house. It was built in the Victorian style and stood alone on a large hill. The grounds were immaculately kept; the lawn looked as trim and regular as a carpet. Ornate statuary lined the cobblestone walk to the house.
"So this is a super-villain headquarters, nowadays?" Red Arrow commented.
"I imagine a hollowed-out mountain in the shape of a skull is hard to find in this district," Jesse Quick replied.
"We don't know for sure that ReNee Keith is a super-villain yet," Nuklon advised. "Come on; let's see if she'll grant an interview."
"I understand she doesn't see anyone," Ray said. "Conducts all business and interviews by teleconference."
"Well, maybe she'll see us," Red Arrow said, hopefully.
The quartet of young heroes approached the front door. Nuklon reached out and touched the bell.
The floor of the front landing instantly fell away under them, plunging the four heroes into a dark shaft.
"Nice to know some things never go out of style," Red Arrow joked as they fell.
The pit the Infinitors fell into was not deep, but it was pitch dark. Some strange magnetic force held them fast to the floors and walls; they could not move beyond the merest twitches.
Suddenly, a video screen on one wall flared into brilliant life. The Infinitors saw a full figure view of ReNee Keith on the screen, standing smugly with her arms folded across her chest. She wore a conservative navy blue business suit that fitted her curvaceous form snugly; her long red hair flowed down her shoulders.
"I knew someone would figure me out sooner or later," she smirked. "I assumed it would be the JSA, not their youth auxiliary. But one can't expect everything."
"We only came to talk, Ms. Keith," Jesse Quick said. "But I guess you've answered our questions."
"I suppose I have," Keith said. "Now, let me indulge you. I know you long-underwear types aren't comfortable unless you're fighting someone with a Halloween costume and a silly name. As for the name, I guess you can call me Medulla. And the costume…" As the young heroes watched, the image on the screen morphed smoothly, and Medulla was wearing a form-fitting black costume, with yellow trim and a stylized M over the chest. "Video images are so easily manipulated," she commented. "Reality is a bit harder to manipulate. But I've proven it can be done."
"Jesse?" Red Arrow whispered. "Is it OK to look at that monitor?"
"I haven't seen any subliminal messages yet," Jesse Quick returned.
"And you won't, for a while anyway," Medulla promised. "I guess I've seen too many James Bond films; I feel like bragging about my success before I finish you off. Probably my father's influence."
"Your father?" Nuklon asked. "You mean — you are Karla DeVoe?"
"Of course," Medulla said, genuinely surprised. "I thought you'd figured that out."
"But — but Jade found evidence that Karla DeVoe and ReNee Keith are two separate people!" Ray declared.
Medulla giggled shrilly. "And you don't think someone who could mastermind the downfall of the JSA through subliminal computer images could falsify such records?"
The heroes were silent for a moment. Jesse Quick broke the silence.
"It seems, gentlemen, we're dealing with a true master of the computer age."
"Oh, indeed," Medulla agreed. "How do you think I got the money to start my company, not to mention build this house?"
Red Arrow shrugged as much as he could. "Secured the patent on a better trapdoor?"
"Not quite," Medulla said. "Bank statements are issued by computer these days. If your monthly bank statement came up five dollars short, do you think you'd even notice? If you did, would you bother to complain about such a small amount? Most people wouldn't. And there are millions of bank statements issued every month."
"Computer piracy," Nuklon whispered.
"On the grandest scale imaginable," Medulla said. "I stole more money than the Injustice Society ever dreamed of, without leaving my home."
"Your father must be proud," Jesse Quick said.
Medulla's expression turned to one of disgust. "Ask him yourself when you get where I sent him."
"I don't understand," Ray said. "Where did you send him?"
"For the Ray, you're not very bright," Medulla snorted. "I mean I killed my father!"
"But why?" Nuklon asked.
"Why?" Medulla demanded, her voice thick with rage. "For robbing me of my childhood! His only reason for having a child was to train his successor, his instrument of revenge against the JSA! Other children got to play, go to regular schools, have friends! But not I! My entire life was study and drudgery! I was learning computer programming while other girls were playing with Easy-Bake ovens! I never had friends, birthday parties, a boyfriend, none of it! I finally repaid my father for my wasted youth by killing him and dancing on his grave!"
"If that's the case," Jesse Quick asked, "why go after the JSA? Isn't that just what your father wanted you to do?"
"Yes," Medulla admitted. "But I have as much of a grudge against the JSA as I do against my father. If it hadn't been for them, their stupid costumes and outdated Galahadian notions of righting wrongs, my father would never have brought me up the way he did! I suppose the Thinker gets what he wanted after all; and much good may it do him, in Hell!"
"What about Senator Barclay?" Nuklon asked. "Is he in on it, too?"
Medulla giggled again. "Senator Barclay! He's an actor! I found him doing dinner theater in Wilmington, Delaware. You should see his Willy Lohman. Once I recruited him, I used my computers to give him a fake record as an attorney and professor of law at a tiny university nobody ever heard of. Then I ran him for senator and, of course, rigged the election results. He's my tool; once I'm done with him, I'll probably give him what my father got. We'll see how I feel, when the time comes."
"I have just one more question," Ray said. "What about the Scarecrow? How does he fit into your plans?"
"That idiot!" Medulla snorted. "Do you know, I went to five washed-up villains with my offer, and he was the only one dumb enough to bite? I told him I had a plan to take out the JSA members one by one. I gave him a special gun; I told him it fired a burst of compressed air that could knock any man off his feet. I suggested he lure Red Robin onto a rooftop and knock him off with it. Thankfully, he didn't have the know-how or the foresight to examine the gun. It fired a burst of compressed air, all right — from the back of the gun! When Scarecrow used it, it knocked him off the roof, not Red Robin! And the gun was rigged to completely disintegrate sixty seconds after firing, leaving no trace! I effectively framed Red Robin for the Scarecrow's death! Timed perfectly with my subliminal messages, and Barclay's stirring up of anti-hero feelings, it makes the perfect beginning of the end of the JSA!"
Nuklon turned his head as much as the magnetic force allowed, to look at the Ray. "Heard enough?"
Ray nodded. "I think so."
Suddenly, the Ray's body blazed forth with brilliant light, and he lifted himself off the wall, into the air.
"What?" Medulla gasped. "Impossible! How?"
"I guess your childhood of intense study skipped over sixth-grade science," Nuklon said, as the Ray bathed him in a golden glow. "Heat decays a magnetic field." Nuklon flexed his mighty muscles and was free. Ray and Nuklon then combined heat and strength to free Red Arrow and Jesse Quick.
"All right, that's one on me," Medulla admitted. "But you'll never leave this house alive!" And the image on the video screen blinked out to black.
The tiny chamber went dark, but just for a moment. The Ray lit up the chamber.
"Well, now what?" Nuklon asked.
Jesse Quick sped around the small room, tapping the walls with her fingers. She came to a spot on the wall opposite the video monitor. "I think there's empty space beyond this one, possibly a chamber."
"Say no more," Red Arrow said, notching a blast arrow. Nuklon shielded the Ray and Jesse with his dense body, and the arrow blew a hole into the chamber beyond.
The four young heroes stepped out into a darkened hallway. Red Arrow shot a plain arrow down the hallway; a lattice of laser-beams shot out as it passed. One beam struck the arrow, vaporizing it.
"Primitive," Jesse Quick snorted. She took off down the hallway and was at the other end before the lasers went off. She found a control switch on the wall and turned off the lasers.
Her three friends joined her. The hallway branched off in two directions there. Nuklon and the Ray took one direction, Jesse and Red Arrow the other.
"Looks like a turn up ahead," Red Arrow said, pointing.
"Yes; no way to go but left," Jesse Quick confirmed. The two young champions continued on their journey.
Just as they were coming to the bend in the hallway, Red Arrow heard Jesse gasp. The next thing he knew, he was around the bend and halfway down the connecting hall.
"What's up, Jess?" he asked. "Why'd you whisk us down so fast?"
In answer, Jesse pointed at the way they had come. A sprinkler head in the ceiling was dousing the bend in the hall with a corrosive liquid that caused the walls and floor to smoke and pit where it struck.
"My super-quick vision saw the first drops leaving the sprinkler head," Jesse explained. "I didn't know what it was, but I figured it wasn't Kool-Aid."
"Bend up ahead," Ray said, pointing. "No way to go but right."
"Let me scout ahead," Nuklon said. "Anything's going to happen, let it happen to me first."
"Whatever," Ray shrugged. He hovered in air as Nuklon pounded down the hallway.
As Nuklon reached the bend in the hall, Ray's keen ears heard a spring somewhere. He watched and saw something flash out of the wall at the bend, headed right for Nuklon. Quick as lightning, a bolt of heat-energy lanced from Ray's hand, striking the gleaming silver blade. Nuklon gasped as the molten metal struck the wall on either side of him.
"Nice save," Nuklon said.
"Guess all those video games improved my reaction time," Ray grinned.
Red Arrow and Jesse Quick turned the corner and soon came to a large steel door with a round knob.
"Probably locked," Jesse said, reaching for the knob. "But let's see."
"Wait!" Red Arrow snapped, grabbing Jesse's wrist. He lifted a blunt-headed arrow from his quiver; holding the arrow by the hard rubber head, he touched the end of the arrow to the knob. A sizzling crackle of electricity and a sharp tang of ozone filled the air.
"Nice trick," Red Arrow said. "Stand back, Jess, I'll blow the door." The youthful archer notched a blast arrow, drew, and fired. In a shattering explosion, the steel door caved in.
"Hope that's the last of these things, Jess. Jess? Where are you?"
"Right here," Jesse said, from behind Red Arrow. "Shall we go in?"
Nuklon and the Ray rounded the corner and came to a large steel door with a round knob.
"Probably booby-trapped," Ray said. "But let's see if it can stand up to a melting!"
The Ray summoned up his heat-energy and sent a golden bolt toward the shiny steel surface. Nuklon watched as the bolt struck the door and rocketed back at the Ray.
"Look out!" Nuklon cried, leaping. He grabbed the Ray by the legs and yanked him out of the way just in time; the steel-melting bolt sizzled over his head.
"What happened?" Ray asked.
"I dunno," Nuklon said. "The door reflected your bolt somehow! Hey, when the JSA first fought the Injustice Society, Brain Wave used a glass box that reflected any force used against it, even Green Lantern's power ring! Maybe he shared the technology with the Thinker, and his daughter incorporated it into this door!"
"Nice touch," Ray said. "Well, let's see how the doorframe holds up!"
It didn't hold up well at all. After a few seconds' bombardment, the solid door collapsed from the ruined frame, and the two youthful heroes entered.
It turned out both doors opened into the same room. But that was not the biggest surprise awaiting them within, not by a very long shot.
The four heroes entered the room simultaneously from the two entrances. The room was dimly lit; they saw a bank of computer consoles and video monitors along one wall. What caught their attention was the bed in the center of the room and the figure lying in it.
"I told you, video images are easily manipulated," she said. The woman in the bed was emaciated, probably not over eighty pounds. Her skin was waxy and yellowed. A few wisps of thin hair clung to her skull. She looked up at the Infinitors with undisguised hate. They merely stared at Medulla in shock.
"Do you understand now why I hated my father and the JSA so much?" she asked, in a thin reedy voice. "I have AIDS. I'm dying. I'm twenty-six years old, and I'm dying; and I have nothing to look back on but a life of toil and drudgery. I have no happy memories to take with me, no friends to be with me in my last days." She paused, letting that sink in. The Infinitors did not move, did not speak. "But at least now," Medulla continued, "I'll have company on my journey!"
Her thin arm moved beneath the sheet; the heroes could see the bones through the thin skin as it moved. When nothing happened, a perplexed look came over Medulla's face. She pulled her arm out from under the sheet to reveal a control device similar to a nurse's call-button; she stabbed it repeatedly with her thumb. "What's wrong?" she demanded. "Nothing's happening!"
"That's my doing," Jesse Quick admitted in low tones. "While Red Arrow was blasting the door, I searched the house at super-speed for more booby-traps."
Medulla looked up at the young woman, venom in her eyes. "And you found the explosives under the house and disconnected them." It was not a question. The hatred resolved itself into acceptance. "Oh, well, the bad guy is thwarted on the final page. I should have seen it coming."
There was silence for a moment; then Nuklon spoke. "You understand, we have to take you into custody now."
The woman called Medulla laughed shortly, a laugh that turned into a violent, hacking cough. When it was finished, she smirked at Nuklon. "Go ahead. What do I care? Look at me! A year would be a life sentence!" And she began laughing again.
The Infinitors looked at one another, then back at the dying woman on the bed. They did not speak, nor did they need to. They silently held the same thought. Winning didn't always feel like it was supposed to.
This entry was posted in Earth-2 on May 4, 2001 by 5earths.
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#Giveaway of Jenna Takes the Fall by A.R. Taylor
Jenna Takes the Fall
by A.R. Taylor
Expected publication: September 1st 2020
Twenty-four years old and newly employed in Manhattan, Jenna McCann agrees to place herself under the dead body of a wealthy, prominent New Yorker―her boss―to hide the identity of his real lover. But why?
Because she is half in love with him herself; because her only friend at Hull Industries asked her to; because she feared everyone around her; because she had no idea how this would spin out into her own, undeveloped life; because she had nothing and no one?
Or just because?
Deftly told and sharply observed, Jenna Takes the Fall is the story of someone who became infamous… before she became anybody at all.
AMAZON | B&N
Posted by Crystal @ RBtWBC at 8/31/2020 06:00:00 AM 3 comments:
🍷🍷🍷 #Review of Nowhere To Hide by Leslie A. Kelly
Title: Nowhere to Hide
Series: Hollywood Heat #2
Author: Leslie A. Kelly
Format: Paperback/eBook, 370 pages
Publication: Aug. 25th 2020 by Forever
ASIN: B0763L1YHP
Reviewer: Kimberly
Police officer Rowan Winchester wants nothing to do with his celebrity family's legacy. Working with the LAPD is his way of atoning for the Winchesters' dark and secretive past. And, right now, the last thing Rowan needs is true-crime novelist Evie Fleming nosing around the most notorious deaths in Los Angeles -- including the ones that haunt his own family. To make things worse, he's torn between wanting the wickedly smart writer out of his city . . . and just plain wanting her.
While researching her latest book, Evie suspects that a dangerous new killer is prowling the City of Angels. Now she just has to convince the devastatingly handsome cop that she's right. Soon Evie and Rowan are working together to try to find the killer, even as their attraction ignites. But when the killer hones in on Evie, she and Rowan realize they'll have to solve this case fast if they want to stay alive.
Kimberly's Thoughts:
Nowhere to Hide continues the Winchester brothers' story, this time following Rowan as he rescues Evie and becomes attracted and entwined in murder mysteries. If you haven't read the first in the series, Rowan's twin brother Reece's book (I'll Be Watching You) introduced readers to the Winchester family, brothers that grew up in Hollywood. Rowan is out of the acting business and is a detective now. The author does a good job rehashing important points, the brother's sister's death that impacted them all and learning a secret about their Hollywood agent, Harry Baker, and his murder. You could easily start here as Evie is a new character to the series and while the story continues some plot threads from the first, it also takes on new ground.
Posted by Crystal @ RBtWBC at 8/28/2020 08:00:00 AM No comments:
Read an #Excerpt from Ancient Enemy by Katie Reus
Ancient Enemy
(Ancients Rising #2)
by Katie Reus
Published August 25th 2020 by KR Press, LLC
She should be his mortal enemy.
Ancient dragon shifter Rhys awoke from his slumber hungry for revenge against the witch who killed his sister. When his hunt takes him to the rebuilding city of New Orleans, he finds a woman he can't keep his eyes off—but she's a witch. While Rhys wants to despise all of Dallas's kind, even he can't deny that she's beautiful, kind and…adorable. And her pet baby dragon only increases his fascination with the sexy woman. Protective instincts he never knew he had take over him as they hunt powerful monsters. He's forced to confront everything he thought he knew about witches as his life is turned upside down.
But he wants her anyway.
Dallas Kinley is used to being hated because of what she is. Witches have always been the pariahs of the supernatural community. Until now, when the world needs rebuilding. Even though she wants to keep her distance from Rhys, vampires and humans are dying in New Orleans, so she vows to help him hunt down those responsible. But finding the enemy comes at a heavy price, because Dallas is hiding a terrible secret. As they race against the clock to find the murderers, she can only hope his need for revenge won't rip them apart. Especially when he finds out what she's been hiding from him.
🍷🍷🍷.3 #Review of Say Yes to the Duke by Eloisa James
Title: Say Yes to the Duke
Series: The Wildes of Lindow Castle #5
Author: Eloisa James
Format: Paperback/eBook, 369pages
Publication: May 19, 2020 by Avon
ASIN: B07WZF8JYS
Source: Edelweiss
Miss Viola Astley is so painfully shy that she's horrified by the mere idea of dancing with a stranger; her upcoming London debut feels like a nightmare.
So she's overjoyed to meet handsome, quiet vicar with no interest in polite society — but just when she catches his attention, her reputation is compromised by a duke.
Devin Lucas Augustus Elstan, Duke of Wynter, will stop at nothing to marry Viola, including marrying a woman whom he believes to be in love with another man.
A vicar, no less.
Devin knows he's no saint, but he's used to conquest, and he's determined to win Viola's heart.
Viola has already said Yes to his proposal, but now he wants her unruly heart…and he won't accept No for an answer.
In the fifth Wildes of Lindow Castle series, Viola, who is the duke's stepdaughter is making her debut into society. She's the extremely shy one, who pukes when she gets nervous, and just rather become a wallflower. Viola's nervousness comes from feeling like she isn't a true Wilde, because of her 'step' status. I'm new to the series and found I had no problem jumping in here, in fact, I wish there had been more scenes with Viola and the Wilde family. She spends a lot of time with her sister, Joan who is also debuting but I wish we could have seen her with her mother and especially stepfather to get some heartfelt scenes where he explains that he feels she is his daughter, no 'step' to it.
#Spotlight on Highland Gladiator by Kathryn Le Veque + #Giveaway
Highland Gladiator
(Scots and Swords #1)
by Kathryn Le Veque
Published August 25th 2020 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Truth. Justice. Revenge. Behind these stands The Scotsman's Sword
Gladiator meets Fight Club in the Scottish Highlands in a new romance from USA Today bestselling author Kathryn Le Veque...
When Lor Careston's quiet Highland village was attacked and burned, he felt helpless against the raiders who destroyed his home. Seeking revenge, but lacking the fighting skills he needs to execute his mission, he sets out to find the Ludus Caledonia―a mysterious fight guild that turns men into warriors.
Lor trains hard, proves himself in the ring, and earns a place with the very clan that decimated his home, having decided to set his plan for revenge in motion from inside the clan. But his plan didn't include Isabail Keith, a fiery lass who prefers broadswords to embroidery and isn't afraid to stand with the warriors of her clan. Lor thought the Keiths were his enemies, but when Isabail is threatened, he'll have to decide what he's willing to risk for the woman who has captured his heart and the clan that has become his home.
#Spotlight on Once in a Blue Moon by Sharon Sala + #Giveaway
(Blessings, Georgia #10)
by Sharon Sala
Kindle Edition, 1st edition, 352 pages
Expected publication: August 25th 2020 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
ASINB082L5W3G8
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Sharon Sala continues the bestselling Blessings, Georgia series
Rancher Duke Talbot meets Cathy Terry in Blessings by chance. She's new to town, and so grateful to be there—Blessings feels like a safe haven. Cathy is at first hesitant to let anyone get too close, but as their relationship grows and Cathy sees Duke's feelings for her are real, she tells him what really brought her to town—an abusive ex-husband who isn't willing to let her go. When her past starts to catch up with her, she's tempted to keep running, but she's fallen in love with Blessings and with Duke. Having finally found a place to call home, the only place Cathy wants to run is straight into Duke's arms.
Posted by Crystal @ RBtWBC at 8/24/2020 06:00:00 AM 1 comment:
Read an #Excerpt from Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles
Where Dreams Descend
(Kingdom of Cards #1)
by Janella Angeles
Expected publication: August 25th 2020 by Wednesday Books
In a city covered in ice and ruin, a group of magicians face off in a daring game of magical feats to find the next headliner of the Conquering Circus, only to find themselves under the threat of an unseen danger striking behind the scenes.
As each act becomes more and more risky and the number of missing magicians piles up, three are forced to reckon with their secrets before the darkness comes for them next.
The Star: Kallia, a powerful showgirl out to prove she's the best no matter the cost
The Master: Jack, the enigmatic keeper of the club, and more than one lie told
The Magician: Demarco, the brooding judge with a dark past he can no longer hide
Where Dreams Descend is the startling and romantic first book in Janella Angeles' debut Kingdom of Cards fantasy duology where magic is both celebrated and feared, and no heart is left unscathed.
Posted by Crystal @ RBtWBC at 8/21/2020 09:00:00 PM No comments:
#Spotlight on Shifters Gone Wild: A Shifter Romance Collection by J.A. Belfield, Skye MacKinnon, Laura Greenwood, Arizona Tape, Liza Street, Keira Blackwood, Ophelia Bell, Felicity Heaton, Ann Gimpel, Kate Rudolph, Rebecca Rivard, Marie-and Claude Bourque, T.K. Eldridge
Shifters Gone Wild: A Shifter Romance Collection
by J.A. Belfield, Skye MacKinnon, Laura Greenwood, Arizona Tape, Liza Street, Keira Blackwood, Ophelia Bell, Felicity Heaton, Ann Gimpel, Kate Rudolph, Rebecca Rivard, Marie-and Claude Bourque, T.K. Eldridge
Published August 1st 2020 by Peryton Press
ASINB08CYBLDS9
Fall in love with this paw-some collection of 12 shifter romances.
From spell-binding romances to heart pounding adventures, there's something for everyone in this collection of paranormal and urban fantasy romances. Whether you want to challenge the alpha, fall for the bear, or fly with the dragon, you can find it all within these pages.
This set includes full-length books by:
New York Times Bestselling Author Felicity Heaton
USA Today Bestselling Authors Keira Blackwood & Liza Street
USA Today Bestselling Author Ann Gimpel
USA Today Bestselling Author Laura Greenwood
USA Today Bestselling Author Skye MacKinnon
USA Today Bestselling Author Rebecca Rivard
USA Today Bestselling Author Arizona Tape
J.A. Belfield
Marie-Claude Bourque
Kate Rudolph
Click today to take advantage of this limited time collection.
Read an #Excerpt from The Malone Brothers series by S.L. Sterling
Today we have the blog tour for S.L. Sterling's Malone Brothers' Series! Check it out and be
sure to grab your copy of book 1 & 2 at a special sale price!
A Kiss Beneath the Stars
(The Malone Brothers)
by S.L. Sterling
After a brutal loss and messy divorce, surf, sand, and sun in the tropics are just what Autumn Taylor needs. What she doesn't expect is Hunter, the devastatingly handsome man who doesn't take no for an answer.
Hunter Malone's only priority after separating from his crazy ex is to enjoy vacation with his brothers. Laying eyes on a stunning brunette named Autumn changes all that.
What begins as a whirlwind romance has the potential to be something more. But the past always seems to have a way of complicating things. As things get tough for Autumn, she starts pushing away the best thing that has happened to her. Will Hunter stay by her side when she needs him most? Or will he let her push him away?
#Spotlight on In Deep by Blue Saffire + #Giveaway
(The Blackhart Brothers #2)
by Blue Saffire
Published August 4th 2020 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
ASINB089QWQ1B2
I'll do anything to protect what's mine...
The last thing I needed was a call from my old precinct letting me know my knucklehead nephew had been picked up for skipping class. Still, I figured it would be an in-and-out visit. Quick. Simple. But the moment I heard her voice, I should've known it would be anything but easy.
I wasn't expecting the feelings that came roaring back the moment I laid eyes on the saucy detective with the gorgeous smile, but I probably should've seen it coming. Our history is one for the books, and it's a page-scorcher. And now here she is, standing in my way, and I can't seem to remember why I ever let her leave my side.
It looks like the sparks between me and Detective Danita Moralez are as intense as ever, but she's also more guarded than before. Two years ago, she walked out of my life because she wasn't willing to reveal the dangerous truth about her undercover work. This time, she's not going to get away so easily.
#Spotlight on Season of the Wolf by Maria Vale + #Giveaway
Season of the Wolf
(The Legend of All Wolves #4)
by Maria Vale
In a world of danger and uncertainty, the Alpha has enough to worry about without him...
For Alpha Evie Kitwanasdottir, things are never easy. The Great North Pack has just survived a deadly attack. Evie is determined to do whatever is necessary to keep her Pack safe, especially from the four Shifters who are their prisoners.
Constantine lost his parents and his humanity on the same devastating day. He has been a thoughtless killer ever since. When Constantine is moved to live under Evie's watchful eye, he discovers that taking directions and having a purpose are not the same thing.
Each moment spent together brings new revelations to Constantine, who begins to understand the loneliness of being Alpha. He finds strength and direction in helping Evie, but there is no room for a small love in the Pack, so Constantine must work harder than ever to prove to Evie he is capable of a love big enough for the Great North Pack itself.
Read an #Except from The Layover by Cassie Cross
(Love Is... #5)
by Cassie Cross
ASINB08DDDGH7H
Macy Monroe has spent two years living and working in Rome, dreaming about moving back home to Port City. That dream finally comes true when her assignment ends and she finds a new job and new apartment back in the States. As a last hurrah in Europe, she books a layover in Paris for a long weekend full of sightseeing and all the baguettes and cheese she can eat. But her plan hits a snag when a hotel snafu leaves her stranded by the Seine with nowhere to stay.
Fate steps in when she runs into Beckett McLane, her ex-boyfriend from college. He's in town working on his next novel and offers her a place to stay. Beckett's the kind of handsome that you never really forget, and Macy's heart is still a little broken from the breakup. Without any other options, she reluctantly takes him up on the offer.
Macy encourages work-obsessed Beckett to take a much-needed break from his laptop, and as he shows her around town, they get caught up in the romantic City of Light. When they're together, it's easy to forget that Macy's only on a layover and their time together is running out…
🍷🍷.7 #Review of A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby by Vanessa Riley
Title: A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby
Series: Rouges and Remarkable Women #1
Author: Vanessa Riley
Publication: Jun. 30, 2020 by Zebra
ASIN: B07W4MRQZ6
Source: Publisher Giveaway
Created by a shrewd countess, The Widow's Grace is a secret society with a mission: to help ill-treated widows regain their status, their families, and even find true love again—or perhaps for the very first time...
When headstrong West Indian heiress Patience Jordan questioned her English husband's mysterious suicide, she lost everything: her newborn son, Lionel, her fortune—and her freedom. Falsely imprisoned, she risks her life to be near her child—until The Widow's Grace gets her hired as her own son's nanny. But working for his unsuspecting new guardian, Busick Strathmore, Duke of Repington, has perils of its own. Especially when Patience discovers his military strictness belies an ex-rake of unswerving honor—and unexpected passion...
A wounded military hero, Busick is determined to resolve his dead cousin's dangerous financial dealings for Lionel's sake. But his investigation is a minor skirmish compared to dealing with the forthright, courageous, and alluring Patience. Somehow, she's breaking his rules, and sweeping past his defenses. Soon, between formidable enemies and obstacles, they form a fragile trust—but will it be enough to save the future they long to dare together?
Widowed Patience Jordan is fighting to gain control of her son and home after a nefariously opportunistic Uncle Markham sends her to Bedlam. On a night she is sneaking out of her former home, her late husband's cousin, Busick Strathmore, the Duke of Repington, storms the gates and takes his legal position of being Patience's son's guardian.
Busick is trying to heal and keep his own secrets after being injured at Badajoz and hiring a young beautiful nanny for his new ward doesn't seem like a good idea in a house now full of ex-soldiers. He knows all about Markham and his fiendish ways and is set on finding his cousin's widow.
Patience and Busick will have to learn to trust if they're going to find love again.
🍷🍷🍷 #Review of Heiress for Hire by Madeline Hunter
Title: Heiress For Hire
Series: Duke's Heiress #1
Author: Madeline Hunter
Publication: Apr. 28, 2020 by Zebra
ASIN: B07TT3YZR7
Source: First Reads GoodReads
Minerva Hepplewhite has learned the hard way how to take care of herself. When an intruder breaks into her home, she doesn't swoon or simper. Instead, she wallops the rogue over the head and ties him up—only to realize he is Chase Radnor, the man who nearly got her convicted of her late husband's murder. Now, he's insisting that Minerva has inherited a fortune from his uncle, a wealthy Duke. Only one thing could surprise her more: her sudden attraction to this exasperating man...
Chase can't decide whether Minerva is a wronged woman or a femme fatale. Either way, he's intrigued. Since the scandal surrounding her husband's death, she has set up a discreet detective business to rival Chase's own. She may be the perfect person to help him uncover the truth about his uncle's demise. But as proximity gives way to mutual seduction, Chase realizes he craves a much deeper alliance...
When the Duke of Hollingburgh dies suddenly, his will reveals that he has left the bulk of his money and business interests to three women, women the family has never heard of. One of the duke's nephews, Chase, is tasked with finding these three women and with investigating the duke's death. A former soldier who was cashed out under a cloud of suspicion, Chase will only go by the facts in a case and not let his emotions affect him ever again but dealing with family and one of the mysterious heiress, it's harder said than done.
🍷🍷🍷.3 #Review of Say Yes to the Duke by Eloisa ...
#Spotlight on Highland Gladiator by Kathryn Le Veq...
#Spotlight on Once in a Blue Moon by Sharon Sala +...
Read an #Excerpt from Where Dreams Descend by Jane...
#Spotlight on Shifters Gone Wild: A Shifter Romanc...
Read an #Excerpt from The Malone Brothers series ...
#Spotlight on Season of the Wolf by Maria Vale + #...
🍷🍷.7 #Review of A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby by ...
Long Summer at Home with Kat Martin of The Ultimat...
#CoverReveal of Sugar by Lydia Michaels
Happy #BookBirthday to Battle Born For You by Lay...
#Spotlight on The Trouble With Quarterbacks by R.S...
#Giveaway of All the Right Mistakes by Laura Jamison
#Spotlight Calistos by Felicity Heaton + #Giveaway
#Spotlight on The Cowboy Says I Do by Dylann Crush


Death Toll has been "revised down" to "about 253."
Got to love when the local game store comes through with a manual. While not expensive by any means they sent me a Shellshock manual to complete my Saturn copy. Only a couple more manuals to go before my entire Saturn collection are all completes.
Final Fight CD. Sadly the box is most likely long gone from the world. Also I found a spare Saturn 3D controller.
I really think these "evangelicals" need to read the damn bible. Or at least pick one up for more than a photo op.
I would kill for a new Armed and Dangerous game. iNinja was another that had that tongue in cheek feel (kind of sloppy game but had potential).
So he is going to send the Mueller Report to Siberia.
So what now he likes soldiers that get captured?
Who would have thought signing a one-dimensional player to a huge contract would results in some pretty wtf moments.