from Florida and Virginia

Possessed Mentalities is designated as both Editor’s Choice and Reader’s Choice by the publisher. The author has been given a Top Performance award by the publisher. Kleier has signed books with great success in many different sites within five states and Washington, D.C.
Please see www.maxenekleier.com for more information and to read some media articles about Possessed Mentalities
Possessed Mentalities, bottom line, was written for everyone wishing to read about joyfully surviving traumas and making intelligent decisions. Possessed Mentalities, because of the inclusion of some extremely heart-wrenching events, was very difficult for the author to write.
One major reason for writing Possessed Mentalities was because of requests made by many people that believed the experiences of the author uniquely qualified her to speak credibly to many current issues of concern. Therefore, the book’s scope is not limited to mental health issues as might be suspected from its title.
The book was written to conversationally ask each individual reader,” If you are fortunate enough to own your mentality, how do you use this fortunate personal possession?”

              from Head Waters, Virginia

After many years as a writer/producer of educational and informational films and television programs, I began writing fiction full-time a few years ago.  "ccidents of Time and Place is my first novel.  The setting is Washington, D.C., where I lived and worked from the time I was at American University until I retired from the film business in 1992.  The book is a Library of Virginia Award nominee for this year, and has been well received by a wide range of audiences.  I have just finished a second novel, about fathers and sons and daughters, and am currently doing what I hope will be the last major re-write before finding a publisher.

     
              from Pasadena, California

Join Tomi Krugel as he shares his adventures of working as a law enforcement cadaver dog for the New York Fire Department and the Los Angeles PoliceDepartment in his new book, The K-9 Chronicles: Book Two – the journey…the pack heroics continue (published by AuthorHouse).

This book is the second in a series of six fictional books inspired by real-life K-9s and events in their lives. Each book focuses on the story of a different law enforcement K-9 that is scheduled to be euthanized, but then saved by Jake, a former LAPD cop with a mysterious and troubled past.

In Book Two, Tomi and his sister Maggie, Rhodesian-German Shepherd-Akita mixes, are left on the steps of a firehouse in the South Bronx one cold,snowy night. The firefighters take both puppies in and they soon become part of the firehouse family. Tomi and a firefighter named Kate grow particularly close. When Kate takes Tomi and Maggie to Lackland AFB to be trained as Cadaver K-9s, Tomi and Kate pair off for training and Maggie is placed with another trainer. After awhile, Tomi loses track of his sister and begins to make Kate the main focus of his life.
While Maggie remains at Lackland, Kate and Tomi return to the firehouse as a team. Tomi eventually moves in with Kate and her boyfriend, Mac, and the three of them enjoy running together each morning. Then, one morning, the unthinkable happens: during their run, they look up and witness a plane being flown directly into one of the World Trade Center buildings. There is chaos all around as Kate, Mac and Tomi rush to the horrific scene.

The hideousness of 9/11 seems to blanket everything around Tomi. He has lost Kate and with her his sense of purpose. He is reunited with Maggie, but she too falls victim to tragedy that day, and Tomi decides to return to the South Tower to die with Kate. On his way, a human attempts to grab him and Tomi nearly makes a fatal mistake – while escaping the human’s grasp, he bites him.
Tomi is captured and taken to a vet hospital where he hears some of the humans discussing his fate and learns that he is to be put down. However, one of the attendants has befriended Tomi and arranges for him to be saved and sent to Los Angeles to be rehabilitated by “The Man Who Walks with Dogs.”

Although he has experienced enough adventure to last a lifetime, Los Angeles is only the beginning of Tomi’s amazing journey through life.

Follow Tomi as he shares his story in his own words, introducing readers to the challenges of a life dedicated to serving others at all costs and a unique perspective of 9/11 and beyond that will inspire humans to see dogs as much more than just an animal.

“Dogs mirror image us – they do think, talk, reason and have feelings just as we do,” writes Alan Krugel, the human who wrote down Tomi’s story. “We have become partners in life. Dogs, however, always have to walk with one paw in their own dog world and one in our human world.”

               from Browntown, Virginia

Tom Lacombe, author of Light Ruck: Vietnam 1969, grew up in and around D.C. He was drafted in 1968, and served as an infantryman with the Fourth Infantry Division. Tom and his wife, Jean, moved to the rural mountain village of Browntown, Virginia in 1978. Jean died of breastr cancer in 2007. Tom continues to run their historic country store, which has served Browntown since 1884. Tom also raises Christmas trees and steers on their small farm. Their daughter is a dispatcher for George Mason University. Their son and daughter-in-law are school teachers in Front Royal, Va., and have a three-year-old and a one year old daughter.

Light Ruck: Vietnam 1969, tells the story of Tom’s one year tour in Southeast Asia. In the years following our pullout, not many people were interested in hearing about Vietnam, so Tom took up a new hobby, writing. Tom spent years writing his story so as to have a record of his experiences, and so that some day interested parties could know what his war was like. The image of Vietnam Vets was tarnished to many.  Through Light Ruck Tom hopes to open the eyes of some to the honorable service that he saw while serving his country.

Tom is honored to have been a featured author at the WV Book Faire in 2006 & 2007, and for Light Ruck having been chosen as a Virginia Festival of the Book Selection in 2005.

Monique Lamont was born and raised in San Diego, CA and now currently resides in Virginia with her loving husband and two wonderful children. She loves to travel, read and write. She holds degrees in both education and counseling. She has always enjoyed working with people. Currently, she is pursing her M.A. in Teaching English and Professional Writing. An active member of Chesapeake Romance Writers, as well as Romance Vets. Monique has been published since 2001 and with her second book won the publishers award for favorite book.

Learn more about her and her books by visiting her at: http://moniquelamont.blogspot.com

                 from Staunton, Virginia
 

Albert Leichter has been writing since 1973, and operates ClockTower Publications (CTP), which publishes his works as well as that of other writers. ClockTower Publications has published ten books, mostly in the music field and local Augusta County history. Recent CTP publications include: Staunton Treasures – Past & Present: Connect-The-Dot; Augusta County, Staunton, & Waynesboro Find-A-Word Puzzles; and Houses of Worship Augusta County, Staunton, & Waynesboro, Virginia Find-A-Word Puzzles books.

                from Staunton, Virginia
 

Nikki Leigh is an award winning fiction and non fiction author. She has over fifteen years of promotional experience. This background has been helpful with her book promotion and with her new promotional venture, Promo 101 Virtual Blog Tours. Her new book -Book Promo 101 lets her share many of the things she's learned. It gives information about many types of promotion. For details about Book Promo 101 and your other promotional options, visit www.nikkileigh.com/book_promo_101.htm. For detailed promotional and virtual blog tour information, visit - http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/

Nikki Leigh won an award for the cover design for Widow’s Walk. She has won several awards for her business books published as Shri Henkel. A USA Best Book Award for Non Commercial Food Service Manager’s Handbook, a 2007 Independent Publisher award for How to Run a Pizza Shop, and an Eric Hoffer Notable Mention for 365 Foolish Mistakes. Book Promo 101 has been entered in the USA Best Book awards for 2008. 365 Foolish Mistakes was a finalist in the Foreward Magazine Book of the Year awards. 365 Foolish Mistakes and How to Run a Successful Pizza Shop are consistent bestsellers on Amazon.

                 from Staunton, Virginia

My new book, Because the Cat Purrs, looks at the human relationship to other species and discusses why it matters.  The essays deal with perfectly ordinary species:  cats (of course), mice, turtles, groundhogs, morning glories, chickens, house wrens, and many others.

As for From Grass to Gardens, anyone interested in growing something other than grass— vegetables, flowers, herbs—will find the book full of topics ranging from botanical lore to recipes.

The Quality of Life deals with end-of-life issues and can serve as a guide for staying in charge—that is, taking action while we are still rational about things like a durable health care power of attorney and paying for a funeral.

                from Powhatan, Virginia
                      New York Times
                   Best-Selling Author &
                   USA Today Top Fifty

   
                   from Strasburg, Virginia

Marcy McCann writes in various forms including an online column Adventures along Route 11, a collection of observations about her travels along Virginia’s historic corridor. Currently the Fair Manager of the Shenandoah County Fair in Woodstock, Virginia, Marcy spends her spare time restoring a 200 year old brick Federal home in neighboring Strasburg. The first in her series of children’s books geared to bridging gaps in families undergoing change highlights the positive side of belonging to a stepfamily. 

Chelsea’s Tree features a tree planting adventure, activities, maps, stickers and photo album to aid in fostering a healthier understanding of how a child fits into their particular stepfamily.  Chelsea’s Tree comes with a soft handle and photo album section so a child feels ownership of his or her family photos.  The non-custodial, extended family and those living at a distance now take on a clearer place within the family structure. She is  committed to developing this series of resources for families undergoing change.

Lionel Bryan, M.D., Psychiatrist,

"It is very important that children achieve a sense of self and relatedness. This book does this in a caring manner."

http://www.amazon.com/Chelsea-s-Tree-Marcy-McCann/dp/0970045603

          from Williamsburg, Virginia

Marliss Melton enjoyed an exotic childhood growing up overseas where entertainment meant riding on elephants in Laos, Sunday visits to museums in Paris, and tracking tigers in northern Thailand. With the world her home, Marliss excelled in language, music, and story-telling. She has taught various aspects of language in local high schools and colleges, including the College of William and Mary, her alma mater. A Golden Heart and RITA finalist, she has written nine books since becoming published in 2002. Wife of a retired Navy veteran, Marliss finds writing military romantic suspense to be a perfect fit. She lives with her husband and many children near Virginia Beach, where she is inspired by real-life stories of Navy SEALs’ sacrifices and their struggles to combat terrorism.   

              from Suffolk, Virginia                     

Nancy O’Berry loves a good story.  She has been writing for her own enjoyment since 1968. With encouragement from friends, she decided to try publishing. 

Enchanted is her first published work for Midnight Showcase. She is currently working on several full length novels and short stories which she hopes will soon find a home.

When not writing in her own little world, Nancy lives in Southeast Virginia with her husband and family.  Nancy is actively teaching writing to her class in elementary school. She serves as president of the local Romance Writers of America chapter which meets at Russell Memorial Library, behind Chesapeake Square mall, the first Saturday in each month.

You may reach Mrs. O’Berry at peanutgallery14@charter.net