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June 24, 2024

Right Thing, Right Now!



In Right Thing, Right Now, Ryan Holiday draws on fascinating stories of historical figures such as Marcus Aurelius, Florence Nightingale, Jimmy Carter, Gandhi, and Frederick Douglass, whose examples of kindness, honesty, integrity, and loyalty we can emulate as pillars of upright living. Through the lives of these role models, readers learn the transformational power of living by a moral code and, through the cautionary tales of unjust leaders, the consequences of an ill-formed conscience.

A question? What has happened to living by a moral code? What has happened to disciplining ourselves? What has happened to respecting others? Has kindness, integrity and upright living left the 21st century? There are many things in this book, that will make you think of what was, what is and what is to come? What will be our part?


Ryan Holliday said, "For the ancients, everything worth pursuing in life flowed from a strong sense of justice—or one’s commitment to doing the right thing, no matter how difficult. In order to be courageous, wise, and self-disciplined, one must begin with justice. The influence of the modern world often tells us that acting justly is optional. Holiday argues that that’s simply untrue—and the fact that so few people today have the strength to stand by their convictions explains much about why we’re so unhappy."

In his New York Times bestselling book, Discipline Is Destiny, Ryan Holiday made the Stoic case for a life of self-discipline. In this much-anticipated third installment in the Stoic Virtues series, he argues for the necessity of doing what’s right – even when it isn’t easy.

Holliday continues, "The Stoics never claimed that living justly was easy, only that it was necessary. And that the alternative—sacrificing our principles for something lesser—was considered only by cowards and fools. Right Thing, Right Now is a powerful antidote to the moral failures of our modern age, and a manual for living virtuously."

This is a definite read. Once you finish this book, you will want to read his Discipline is Destiny.


About the Author:

Ryan Holiday is one of the world's bestselling living philosophers. His books like The Obstacle Is the Way,Ego Is the Enemy,The Daily Stoic, and the #1 New York Times bestseller Stillness Is the Key appear in more than 40 languages and have sold more than 5 million copies. Together, they've spent over 300 weeks on the bestseller lists. He lives outside Austin with his wife and two boys...and a small herd of cows and donkeys and goats. His bookstore, The Painted Porch, sits on historic Main St in Bastrop, Texas.

June 10, 2024

For Love of Country

 


Tulsi Gabbard was the rising star of the Democrat Party. But the growing wokeness, fomenting racism, and intolerance were more than she could stomach, and she left. This is her story and a call to action to Americans who love our country and cherish peace and freedom.

Today’s Democrat Party is controlled by an elitist cabal of warmongers driven by woke ideology and racializing everything. They are a clear and present threat to the God‑given freedoms enshrined in the Constitution.

A soldier, former member of Congress, and a former presidential candidate, Tulsi loves her country: “I answered the call to serve and swore an oath, dedicating my life to supporting and defending the Constitution, both in uniform and in public office. I have always been an independent-minded person but became a Democrat when I first ran for office because I saw a party that stood up for the little guy, free speech, and civil liberties. That party is no more.”

Today that party is unrecognizable: undermining free speech, antagonistic to people of faith, hostile to the police and law and order, suspicious of law‑abiding Americans, supporting open borders, and using our national security apparatus to target political opponents.

Now an Independent, Tulsi calls on those who love America to stand up for peace, defend freedom, and protect our democratic republic from those seeking to undermine it at every turn. It’s time to leave the Democrat Party behind.




4-Term Congresswoman and 2020 presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard is a veteran with three deployments to war zones in the Middle East and Africa. She has served in uniform more than 21 years, is currently a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve commanding the 440th Civil Affairs Battalion, and leads her non-profit organization “We Must Protect.”

Tulsi first served in elected office in the Hawaii State House of Representatives when she was 21 years old. Due to the attacks on 9/11, she enlisted in the Army National Guard. In 2004, she gave up an easy re-election campaign and volunteered to deploy to Iraq with the 29th Brigade Combat Team where she served in a medical unit.

After returning home in 2006, Tulsi worked in the U.S. Senate as a legislative aide to the late Senator Danny Akaka, who was Chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. She then volunteered for a second Middle East deployment as a Platoon Leader.

June 7, 2024

Gather & Grill ~The McLemore Boys


Foreword by Steve Doocy

Turn up the heat and crack open a cold one with this smokin’ hot, flavor-packed cookbook from Fox News’ favorite father-son duo, packed with more than 100 mouthwatering barbecue recipes for families to gather, grill, and enjoy together.


Working in the grilling and smoking industry for a half century, John McLemore is a master of barbecuing and developing simple, delicious recipes. Now, for the first time, the bestselling cookbook author and nationally known personality teams up with his son, John II, to create this sensational cookbook that brings their homespun comfort food to the great American outdoors.

In Gather and Grill, the McLemore Boys provide kickbutt, budget-friendly recipes for smoking, grilling, and frying, as well as tips on all your family’s cookout needs. Here are more than 100 classic barbecue recipes using rubs and seasonings that will have every member of the family licking their fingers in delight. Combining Southern charm and bold flavors, this father-son duo serves up DADGUM GOOD irresistible deliciousness with recipes such as:
  • Reverse Seared Tomahawk Steaks
  • 3-Step Smoked Brisket
  • Fox & Friends Traditional Smoked Ribs
  • Good Ole Boy Chicken ThighsGrilled Pork Tenderloin Sliders
  • Smoked Jalapeno Bacon Mac’n’Cheese
  • Johnboy’s Smoked Bourbon Glazed Salmon
  • Honey Glazed/Brown Sugar Ribs
  • Red, White, and Blue Chicken Wings
In addition to a wide variety of barbecue staples, the McLemore Boys offer healthy options, price-saving techniques, leftover masterpieces, and more to add spice to any cookout or gathering. Whether you’re a seasoned barbequer or just got your first grill, this cookbook offers straightforward recipes and helpful techniques everyone will find useful—after all, the McLemore Boys designed the grills and smokers, and will show you how to get the best out of them!

Head outside, start the fire, and get ready for some of the tastiest finger-licking food you’ll ever make!

By: John Darin McLemore and John Darin McLemore II

June 5, 2024

The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health

 


A bold new vision for optimizing our health now and in the future!

What if depression, anxiety, infertility, insomnia, heart disease, erectile dysfunction, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, dementia, cancer and many other health conditions that torture and shorten our lives actually have the same root cause?

Our ability to prevent and reverse these conditions - and feel incredible today - is under our control and simpler than we think. The key is our metabolic function - the most important and least understood factor in our overall health. As Dr. Casey Means explains in this groundbreaking book, nearly every health problem we face can be explained by how well the cells in our body create and use energy. To live free from frustrating symptoms and life-threatening disease, we need our cells to be optimally powered so that they can create “good energy,” the essential fuel that impacts every aspect of our physical and mental wellbeing.

If you are battling minor signals of “bad energy” inside your body, it is often a warning sign that more life-threatening illness may emerge later in life. But here’s the good news: for the first time ever, we can monitor our metabolic health in great detail and learn how to improve it ourselves.

Weaving together cutting-edge research and personal stories, as well as groundbreaking data from the health technology company Dr. Means founded, Good Energy offers an essential four-week plan and explains:

  • The five biomarkers that determine your risk for a deadly disease.
  • How to use inexpensive tools and technology to “see inside your body” and take action.
  • Why dietary philosophies are designed to confuse us, and six lifelong food principles you can implement whether you’re carnivore or vegan.
  • The crucial links between sleep, circadian rhythm, and metabolism.
  • A new framework for exercise focused on building simple movement into everyday activities.
  • How cold and heat exposure helps build our body’s resilience.
  • Steps to navigate the medical system to get what you need for optimal health.

Good Energy offers a new, cutting-edge understanding of the true cause of illness that until now has remained hidden. It will help you optimize your ability to live well and stay well at every age.


I am a medical doctor, writer, tech entrepreneur, aspiring regenerative gardener, and outdoor enthusiast who lives in a state of awe for the miracle and mystery of existence and consciousness.

During my training as a surgeon, I saw how broken and exploitative the healthcare system is and left to focus on how to keep people out of the operating room.

I am passionate about working towards a healthier and happier planet by empowering people to understand their health and the limitless potential within them.

  • BA, Stanford Undergraduate, with Honors
  • MD, Stanford Medical School
  • AFMCP, Institute for Functional Medicine
  • Research positions at NIH, Stanford, NYU, OHSU
  • Co-founder, Levels
For more information on Casey Dean M.D.   https://www.caseymeans.com/

June 3, 2024

Leo Daughtry Creates A New Drama

Leo Daughtry's debut novel, "Talmadge Farm," transports readers to the tobacco fields of 1950s North Carolina. "Talmadge Farm" (Story Merchant Books, June 4, 2024) reflects on the dreams and struggles of the American South, made more poignant by the author's personal experiences growing up among the tobacco fields of Sampson County, North Carolina, during periods of turbulent societal change.


It's 1957, and tobacco is king. Wealthy landowner Gordon Talmadge enjoys the lavish lifestyle he inherited but doesn't like getting his hands dirty; he leaves that to the two sharecroppers - one white, one Black - who farm his tobacco but have bigger dreams for their own children. While Gordon takes no interest in the lives of his tenant farmers, a brutal attack between his son and the sharecropper children sets off a chain of events that leaves no one unscathed. Over the span of a decade, Gordon struggles to hold on to his family's legacy as the old order makes way for a New South.




TALMADGE FARM is a sweeping drama that follows three unforgettable families navigating the changing culture of North Carolina at a pivotal moment in history. A love letter to the American South, the
 novel is a story of resilience, hope, and family - both lost and found.


Leo Daughtry is a life-long resident of North Carolina. He grew up among the tobacco fields of Sampson County which served as inspiration for his debut novel, “Talmadge Farm.” After graduating from Wake Forest University and its School of Law, he established a private law practice in Smithfield, N.C. He was a member of the N.C. House and Senate for 28 years, including serving as House Majority Leader and House Minority Leader. When not practicing law, Leo enjoys spending time in Atlantic Beach with his wife and daughters.



The Value of Details


When a body drops from a balcony at Ford’s Theatre, rumors begin to fly. Did she jump? Was she pushed? Was it intentional or an accident? To find the truth, Charlotte and Ruth Dupree have to go back decades to a mystery at the oldest girls school in Washington DC. A school that they both attended. A school with a tragic secret from their past. From the majestic setting of Ford’s Theater to the hallowed halls of the Library of Congress, join the Dupree Sisters as they employ their usual charm and wit to untangle the mystery around A Fall at Ford’s Theatre.


I have been writing fiction for more than twenty years. I’ve been quite lucky to find so much success and have such a broad readership. When I write a story, I try to think about what kind of story I would like to read. Fortunately, this perspective has helped me write my books.

One thing I’ve always enjoyed as a reader is being able to learn something when I read. Maybe it’s because I’m a retired teacher, but when I pick up a book, I like a good story, but I also like to learn a few interesting facts along the way. For the readers of my Dupree Sisters Mystery Series, I can sense we have this in common.

Set in Washington DC, my Dupree Sisters Mystery Series centers on two of Washington’s oldest socialites, Charlotte and Ruth Dupree. They have never been married, live in the home they were raised in and circulate through Washington’s social circles. In each book in the series, they use their social connections to solve mysteries.

In addition to enjoying a good mystery, readers of this series have told me more than once that they enjoy learning interesting facts about Washington DC when they read these books. As a writer, I find it helpful to know what this particular readership expects from this series, which is a good mystery and has interesting facts.

The fourth book in this series, A Fall at Ford’s Theatre, was just released. It took me a year to write. In addition to the plot and characters, there was a good deal of online research I did to provide readers with facts about Washington DC. Going to websites to read articles. Watching videos that provided tours of buildings. Pictures of interiors of buildings. Needless to say, it was tedious work, but that was only half of the process. The other half of this process was how to incorporate facts into the story.

One way I used the facts I found was to enhance a setting for readers. For example, when I began this book, I had an image in my head of a body falling from a balcony at Ford’s Theatre. All I knew about Ford’s theater was that it was where President Lincoln was shot. When I did some research, I was fascinated to learn how the theater had actually been shut down after Lincoln’s assassination. When it reopened in 1932, it was turned into a museum. Eventually, the theater opened in 1968. Gerald Ford would become the first president to attend a show there since Lincoln. All good facts that I was able to use in the opening chapters.

Along with Ford’s Theatre, I also did similar research into the Library of Congress. The facts I found allowed me to write in great detail about the appearance of the inside of the building. These facts helped to immerse the reader in the setting. This was especially true for the Great Hall and the Main Reading Room, two of the massive chambers in the Library of Congress. I think details of a setting really enhance the experience for the reader.

In addition to Ford’s Theatre and the Library of Congress, I also dug up some historical facts about Georgetown Preparatory Visitation School, the oldest girl’s school in Washington DC. I was able to incorporate facts about the history of the school into dialogue during a scene between one of the Dupree sisters and her goddaughter. Using facts this way not only educates the reader, but it allows the characters to share their perspective on something.

In addition to doing research on well-known places, I also did research on a few restaurants where scenes take place. The Monocle is known in Washington as a restaurant where Republican and Democratic legislatures come to dine. The establishment is close to the House of Representatives and the Senate. Inside The Monocle there is a wall filled with framed photos of famous senators, judges and representatives who were patrons from years gone by. Another nice touch, famous political quotes painted on the exposed beams of the dining areas. These details are shared with readers through dialogue when the main characters go to The Monocle for lunch.

Another location I researched was The City Tavern Club. This place is best known as the tavern where John Adams stayed when he would visit Washington DC to check on its construction. I have a scene with the Dupree Sisters attending a fundraiser at this location. While I didn’t do a lot with the details of it, the history again gave my characters some interesting dialogue to share these facts.

While setting and description are one way of establishing a scene, factual details can raise the level of writing for readers. Whether they are used in dialogue, or used to enhance a setting, or used to add dimension to a character, interesting facts will give readers an added level of pleasure. My wife loves to read and often says she loves to come home from work and “get lost” in a good book. Taking the time to research a place or an event, and to find some interesting facts, is the best way to help a reader get lost in a story.


Allen B. Boyer lives near Hershey, Pa with his wife and three children. He also lives near a retirement home that he visits with his children and his dog, Buster. If you enjoyed Gumshoe Granny Investigates, please check out Bess in the other books in the series, as well as his Dupree Sisters Mystery series and his August Summerfield Series.



Check out Mr. Boyer's blog at: allenboyer.weebly.com/blog/allen-boyer-an-authors-blog