Cry Out for Israel... Novel by Steven D. Greenberg Stunning!

Enfold Me’ takes place in a post-Israel Middle East.
The author worked with a professional
cartographer to create the above map,
which illustrates this fictitious geopolitical reality.

Enfold Me:
A Novel of Post-Israel


By Steven D. Greenberg


..Devastating..
...Stunning...
....Unforgettable....


"Israel is no more"...

"What? Impossible!"

I can imagine talking to Judith Stitzel or Enid Portnoy on the WVU campus...both professors and my friends. What could I say to them? I realize nothing--but I could hug them...and hold them as we cried...

So I would have also if I had met Daniel Blum, the main character. He, too, was an American, but he had relocated to Israel when he married. He was there during The Fall...

By the time you read this novel, and I hope that you do, you will not be able to tell whether the destruction you will read about was done by the earthquake, or by the military actions that immediately took place... by neighboring countries of what was once called...Israel...

Daniel Blum knew only that he could be thankful that his home still stood, even though there were no working utilities. Daniel was the type of guy that had puttered around at home and he had installed solar panels from which earlier he had even sold electricity he did not use. Now, he used it secretly, at odd times, so that they would not realize that he had access to his computer. He had finally gotten email back up to go out at least, so he spent time writing to his children and his wife who had gone to America until they could come back--if they ever could.

He had been on his own for about a year now, but was helping with the resistance, routinely providing reports after watching...

[Let me stop here a minute to share that I read the ebook version of this novel. Sometimes this makes it harder to fully  pick up on what is happening, since there is usually no blurb of the contents provided. And since you can not easily go back and find a certain part to better understand...So I will say that I had a little confusion when flashbacks started...I beg you to work to pick up what is somehow diluted when ebook formats limit effective, easy exploration of a novel.]

It was a familiar face, therefore, that appeared at Daniel's door one day. Nobody had knocked since before...The Fall...

George Farrah and Daniel Blum had been involved in a horrible event on the college campus where they both attended.George was a man of action, of controlling a situation. Daniel cared, but was not quite as prepared... During a race-related incident, a young girl had been killed. George had been involved in calming the situation but Daniel had also--George had accused Daniel of causing the death...

Now he was here, explaining to Daniel that he represented the group who would make all arrangements to get him to the United States. Daniel was having a hard time even trusting George, and certainly didn't want to travel with him!

Readers should be prepared to experience the devastation, the fear, the anger of war, especially when those who have invaded act brutal, having no limits in what they are willing to do. Even the gangs which had been active in Israel, now were leaders in acting freely and openly to rob and kill their former neighbors--all with the help of the Egyptian government representatives who had claimed they had come into the country to help... of course, expecting to be paid for their efforts.

Witness those who come to claim the materials brought by UN workers and must fight each other in order to keep from starving...

Now George wanted Daniel to come with him, through all the dangers of escaping without being killed or captured. But, Daniel kept questioning, not completely trusting anybody...

The stunning ending will show why...

This complex life story must be absorbed in toto. Daniel had experienced much early in his life that led to his eventual PTSD-like nightmares and other symptoms. Flashbacks to the harsh realities of dealing with white supremacists had never left him. When it extends beyond into something far worse, then is when you will finally come to know Daniel Blum. The psychological suspense is slow and prodding, so be prepared to meet Daniel on his terms, in his life, as he understood it...

An amazing story, if you dare read it...


GABixlerReviews

"The silence on Ibn Gabirol was broken by a convoy of white trucks bearing UN license plates, which snorted and lumbered down the street, kicking up elephantine clouds of dust despite their snail-like pace. A small but growing group of grey-clad figures was falling in behind the convoy, quietly yet with obvious intensity. Tightening the kerchief around my face and noting grimly that we all looked like bad caricatures of trail-hardened cowboys, I fell in step next to a thin man holding an even thinner child by the hand. I noticed that his clothes weren’t actually grey, but rather dust-covered. I also noticed the unhealed gash across the child’s face, the gauntness of his cheekbones, the haunted look in his eyes, and the plastic bags clutched in his free hand. He looked at me briefly with bovine serenity, and looked away.

“What’s the story with the trucks?” I asked the man with as much conviviality as the Poe-esque backdrop allowed. He didn’t answer, nor even turn to look in my direction. I tried again, adding an edge of gentleness to my voice, “Is this the food distribution? I just got into town.” Still the man was silent, his jaw set in grim determination, the boy beside him skipping to keep up with his long paces. We walked past the intersection with Jabotinsky Street, more figures joining the impromptu grey parade.

I turned to the other side and addressed the same question to a 30-something, stocky woman. She was wearing a formerly red shirt, jeans that may once have been blue, a motorcycle helmet, and what appeared to be ice hockey  goalie pads over her torso. She carried a baseball bat loosely in one hand, and a water jug in the other. A ragged daypack hung loosely from one broad shoulder. Her posture spoke of grim determination, and she answered me curtly, in a voice muffled by the full-face helmet, “New in town? Well, you’re headed to food and water distribution from our friends at the UN. Same time every day, same place. But if you were planning on getting any, you may be disappointed.”

She saw me stare at her regalia, and lowered her eyes as if embarrassed, or at least momentarily conscious of what she must look like to an outsider. Then she brushed her hands fruitlessly against the padding on her chest, trying unsuccessfully to clean off some of the white dust coating them. She offered me a calloused hand, which I took. Her grip was tight, warm but suspicious, pleading in its sincerity but wary. “Where are my manners? Welcome to the new White City,” she half-laughed, as the chalky dust from her hand stuck to mine. “Get it, white – like the dust?” I could hear the smile in her voice under the helmet, sincere yet transient. When she next spoke, it was in a tone that tacitly sought approval yet preemptively defied judgment. “I got three kids at home, OK? This,” she indicated the helmet, pads and bat, “is how I make sure they have something to eat and drink. Good luck to you.” She added a small burst of speed to her stride, and moved away from me...

~~~

About this author

Born in 1967, I am a professional writer and an Israeli. I am also a full-time cook, cleaner, chauffeur, and work-at-home Dad for three amazing young children, and the lucky husband of a loving and very supportive wife.

Born in Texas and raised in Fort Wayne, Indiana, I emigrated to Israel only months before the first Gulf War, following my graduation from Indiana University in 1990. In 1996, I was drafted into the Israel Defense Forces, where I served for 12 years as a Reserve Combat Medic. Since 2002, I’ve worked as an independent marketing writer, copywriter and consultant.

Review During Blog Tour - Russell Brooks! Pandora's Succession!

Pandora’s Succession



By Russell Brooks

Russell Brooks has created a first novel that is just waiting to be turned into an action movie! I’m wondering if he even might be looking to play the main character, Ridley Fox! Pandora’s Succession moves quickly into non-stop action that pulls you in to an exciting tale you will totally enjoy!

Russ Brooks as Ridley Fox???

Ridley Fox was a former JTF2 member (equivalent to SEALs) who had planned on getting out when he married Jessica. That had been two years ago, before the same group that now had captured him—the Arms of Ares, had killed her. He wasn’t sure whether he had been tricked or not—he was supposed to be there in Chechnya to help a scientist working for Ares and his wife to defect. In return Gregor Stechine would help put this group out of business! And Ridley wanted that more than anything else!

But something had happened and now his wife was here, to help him for he had been captured and imprisoned. She was also claiming that she had been the one who had contacted him, not her husband!
Both Gregor and Sveta were microbiologists who had been used to create weapons of terrorism to be sold by the criminal organization Ares. Her husband was now dead and Sveta had been afraid to contact regular agencies since she knew Ares members had infiltrated them. But now, they had created a microbe called Pandora so powerful that small amounts of it introduced into an area would cause as much damage as a nuclear bomb, except it would only kill the people! She claimed there was no defense against Pandora!

And it would be very dangerous to use normal methods to escape since Pandora was nearby...

For some the desire for money is all that is needed to choose sides. Valerik had been a former KGB operative and had no conscience about doing anything that was necessary to complete his job. And the “white-haired man” who had become his superior was no different than the rest as they discussed what needed to be done now that Ridley Fox had escaped and might have some knowledge of what was happening in the Groznyy, Chechnya lab. But for others, even money is not the absolute for choosing to go against the world. His mole in the CIA would have to be contacted by the white-haired man to find out what was happening! He had to know more...for The Promise!

Ridley worked alone most of the time but found that at least one CIA operative had been placed where it was most important, but neither Ridley nor Nita Parris knew about the other. Other than the heroic efforts of Ridley and Nita and their exciting endeavors to prevent Pandora's use, I found most intriguing the activities of the three villains who, though working together, had such diverse goals that, in the end, that diversity was part of their downfall!

Pandora’s Succession is so jam-packed with edge-of-seat action and adventure that the reader won’t even have time to slow down to take a drink of that tea cooling on your nearby table. Seriously, this is one of the best action books that I’ve read in a long time...and, like I said, would highly nominate it to be made into a movie—it has what it takes! Terrorism, traitors, killers with “causes,” biological warfare, top-thriller action for the hero to win, and peril to the world! Thankfully, it’s fiction!
Readers, not only do I highly recommend it...but if you’re an action fan like I am...don’t you dare miss this one!

Book Received Via
Facebook’s Reviewers Roundup Group

G. A. Bixler

Don't  miss book announcement and author interview posted immediately before this review!

Review: Mindless Bureaucracy in Medicine and Legal Fields Fuels New Drama!

Image via Wikipedia

The Price of Life

By Greg McCarthy





The Price of Life started slow and needed more definition of the very first case in this legal thriller by Greg McCarthy. In doing that, there would have been more options for the reader if they were reading it as a whodunit...Still, I kept the losers of that case, whoever they were, in the back of my mind as I started to read.

However, for me, the realism, the building frustration of bureaucratic nonsense, bottom-line decision-making and the smugness of involved characters, all drew my interest as a father and mother tried to deal with two tragedies at the same time.

First, a child is NOT diagnosed in a timely fashion by the doctor. As in the case of reality these days, nobody is willing to admit anything wrong is done. However, the lawyer, Grant Mercer believes in the truth of the matter, especially when he is able to pull together medical specialists who are willing to support the defense case.

Grant Mercer is a medical malpractice lawyer who is fighting to save his career in the legislative changes made to cap the payment for loss of life to $250,000. I can really see both sides, since there are indeed frivolous law suits by some people. But, surely, we have got to stop the mindless bureaucracy that sets a rule/regular/procedure that is then administered by clerical staff, and do nothing to look at the individual case events that could influence a more professional and less bottom-line evaluation to be made.


The fact is that the first specialist was indeed at fault...

Julie and Ed Haller are the parents of Jennifer. At the same time that the medical activities began for Jennifer, Ed Haller was still overseas, facing his fourth tour, well beyond what he was supposed to, and is injured, losing one leg as well as other injuries. He himself is being helped by a nonprofit group that has been formed to compensate wounded soldiers and families when regular insurance does not take care of all that needs to be done.

Captain Haller has much personal guilt for not being there for both his daughter and wife...

However, both are intelligent people and are willing to work with Mercer to seek legal help in their loss. They are immediately told their child's life was not worth more than $250,000--and that includes paying their own legal fees.

More and more writers are using fiction to speak out for the injustices in today's world. Personally I applaud them. These books might not fit the mold for a great mystery or readers may be able to figure out who is doing the "bad deeds" but if the concerns of that writer are effectively written into a powerful, gripping story, then I applaud that author for speaking out and sharing!

You got it, the murder of a senator was first, followed by a lobbyist and then another... Captain Haller had begun to sit in on the depositions of various involved individuals. I enjoyed opposing counsel and other involved individuals beginning to sweat under the glare of this father. Why should we not force those just out for money to face the ethical side, the caring side during such cases?!

Nothing surprised me in The Price of Life by Greg McCarthy. I was of course guessing who was killing the victims, but I was more caught up in the lives of a family totally ruined by...the illness and subsequent death of a young child. Maybe if big business became more humane, writers will be writing more fantasy and scifi. Myself, I found this life drama well worth reading and am happy to recommend it!



Book Provided By
Kelley and Hall Book Publicity



G. A. Bixler

Pat Bertram Surprises and Delights, Setting A Spark Under Readers!

Image by supercraigtalbert via Flickr

,A Spark of Heavenly Fire

By Pat Bertram






This is an absolutely amazing book!

I was blown away with her first book that I read, Daughter Am I, but thought I now knew a little about this writer...not so! A Spark of Heavenly Fire...surprising, exciting, realistic, scary, and wonderful all at the same time...

OK, here's the basic storyline...

Kate Cummings works at a clinic, where she is the first to talk to patients, finding out why they are there and gathering information from them. On a personal level, she has lost a loved one and finding that she is still very much depressed over the loss. One of her methods of getting back on track is jogging. But this day two things happen: a man falls dead in front of her and she meets another interesting man to whom she is attracted.

Unfortunately the man who died gushed blood all over Kate, which turns out to be dangerous to Kate since he is only one of the thousands that are dying from what is soon being called the red death! And before very long, the entire state of Colorado is quarantined!

Greg Pullman was a reporter for the Denver News and he was also the other jogger on that fateful morning. We soon find that he is practically engaged to be married, but when Greg is supposed to meet her to formally propose, she has left with an actor who has been working in the state.
And at that time, two paths are there in the middle of the story... Which one would you take?

Jeremy King and Pippi O'Brien, as new lovers, went on the run, trying to escape Colorado. Through their story you will see where some residents had been imprisoned, how those at the stateline would not allow anybody to leave the state, how food was scarce and thieves were on every road, waiting to steal, and kill, if they had to...

Kate was older than Greg, knew she couldn't even begin to compete with Pippi in looks, but nevertheless was willing to enjoy Greg's company, especially since both were interested and determined to find out exactly what kind of virus was causing the deaths. As Greg made as many contacts as he could, and conducted research to determine where the virus had begun and who was working with research of this kind, Kate found herself in an entirely different situation.

Appalled by the "preparedness" of the government to take over, control the food, and control the people by killing those who were presumed to be causing riots, but were oftentimes just a group of friends having a little bit of fun, she watched as food became scarce, only one restaurant remained open, and the homeless were totally cut off.

And then it was determined that it was a chimera, a man-made virus, probably created for biological warfare that was causing the deaths. Just who and how many knew exactly what was happening in Colorado?

But another discovery was made--practically all of the regular customers at the one open restaurant had not become ill. And through the "spark of heavenly fire" people started working together to help each other based upon what they had learned...

Parts of this book are realistically scary, because readers know that the fear, the lawlessness, the greed and danger of a major epidemic would be very like what the author portrays. In the sad commentary of today's world, where terrorism, biological warfare, and hostage situations are handled by strict interpretation of governmental officials' orders or, worse, ignoring them, what happens when good people are confronted in the midst of such chaos... I loved this book!

May more and more Americans find that spark! A must-read recommendation from this reviewer!

Book received via
Facebook's Reviewers Roundup


G. A. Bixler