Tag Archives: memoir

Black Flag Journals: One Soldier’s Experience in America’s Longest War

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Today it is my pleasure to welcome author Dennis Woods and his memoir Black Flag Journals: One Soldier’s Experience in America’s Longest War.

Author’s description

The story of America’s longest war is complicated and difficult to convey, unless you were there. Dennis Woods was there. By following his stories in Iraq and Afghanistan, we can sense the enormity of his combat experiences. Originally written for his daughter, Black Flag Journals is taken from the author’s nine battle book journals. It covers his time from the fall of the Twin Towers through his last combat tour.

Black Flag Journals contains not just stories from the first war of the new century, but a day-by-day record of events that other veterans may use to relate their own experiences. All who enjoy real life stories, and followers of history will connect with this first person account of America’s longest war.

About the Author

CSM Woods combat tours include;
Operation Urgent Fury, Grenada, 82d Airborne Division.
Operation Desert Shield / Desert Storm, Saudi Arabia – Iraq, 82d Airborne Division.
Operation Desert Fox 1998, Qatar, 5th Group Special Forces.
OEF 2 Afghanistan, 82d Airborne Division.
OIF 1 Iraq, First Armored Division.
OIF 6 Iraq, First Armored Division.
OEF X Afghanistan, 173D Airborne Brigade Combat Team.
OEF XIII Afghanistan, 191st Infantry Brigade

CSM Woods civilian education includes a Master of Education, (training & leadership) from North Central University, Prescott AZ, and a Bachelor of Science from Excelsior, Albany, New York.
Military education includes the United States Sergeants Majors Academy class # 58, Army force management course, Jump Master, Drill Sergeant, US Army Recruiter, Infantry Small Arms Master Gunner, Artillery Master Gunner, Amphibious Warfare leaders’ course (USMC), Anti-Armor Leaders course, Machine Gun Leaders course, Artillery Mechanics repair course, Small Arms repair course, Nuclear Biological Chemical defense, and all levels of air load planning and hazmat certification USAF.

CSM Woods awards include; one Distinguished Service medal, one Legion Of Merit,( 5) Bronze Star Medals, 5 Meritorious Service Medals, 4 ARCOM, 4 AAM, 1 Humanitarian service medal, 2 Armed Forces Expeditionary medals,  Afghanistan and Iraq service medals. German Jump Master Wings, Qatar Jump wings as part of 5th Group, Netherlands Jumpmaster wings.  Other awards include; Department of Defense “Inventor of the year” (2003) with 45 separate inventions. CSM Woods saved the United States Government over one Billion Dollars through cost avoidance.  He is also the first recipient of the GRUBER award for an outstanding field artillery professional.

CSM Woods is credited by the US Army Smart Ideas program as the inventor of;

  • The 105mm Howitzer night direct fire sight system M913 GELON.
  • The 155mm towed Howitzer night sight system.
  • The dual use day/ night direct fire sight reticule.
  • The Dual optic MILES Laser trainer.
  • The Urban Assault kit (PALADIN) improved crew protection, 155mm system.

On his most recent tour to Afghanistan, CSM Woods pioneered the first use of artillery training rounds in combat as a form of scalable fire support designed to limit civilian death and collateral damage.  He is the author of, ‘Black Flag Journals One Soldiers Experience in America’s Longest War’, and numerous magazine, newspaper articles, including training pamphlets concerning Artillery, night vision, and combat operations.

Find the Author

Twitter: @djwoodswrites
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Dennis-John-Woods/e/B01KU91GFI%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15660793.Dennis_John_Woods

Buy the Book

Amazon Buy Link:  https://www.amazon.com/Black-Flag-Journals-Soldiers-Experience-ebook/dp/B01L0LW7US/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0
BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/black-flag-journals-dennis-john-woods/1124419537
Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Black-Flag-Journals-Audiobook/B08MBHSQQ9
Koehler Book: https://www.koehlerbooks.com/book/black-flag-journals/

Yes, there is a giveaway

The author will be awarding a $50 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Enter here to win.

This post is part of a tour sponsored by Goddess Fish. Check out all the other tour stops. If you drop by each of these and comment, you will greatly increase your chances of winning.

My Favorite Excerpt

The flight we were on this morning was an ordinary, run-of-the-mill resupply operation. Its purpose was to service Afghanistan’s numerous small camps and bases. What it carried, though, was not ordinary or run-of-the-mill. What we were delivering was an unusual allotment of artillery ammunition and GELON mounts. Part of my mission on this trip was about to be completed. However, once in the air, I was given a new defensive challenge to solve.

Thank you!

Dennis Woods — we appreciate your sharing Black Flag Journals: One Soldier’s Experience in America’s Longest War with us! Best of luck with sales, and with all of your future endeavors.

Against the Wind: Hope Sees The Invisible

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Today it is my pleasure to welcome author Tony F. Powell and his biography/autobiography Against the Wind: Hope Sees The Invisible

Author’s description

Tony Powell was born on March 16, 1955 in Charlottetown, Labrador, NL, on the Northeast Coast of Canada, son of the late Benjamin and Effie Powell. Together they had nine children – seven boys and two girls. Six boys become bush pilots. Tony is married to Ida Powell, and they have one child, Ramsey, who is a medical doctor.

 

Tony will take you on his life’s journey. His stories are captivating, inspiring, and heart-wrenching. He never faltered in achieving his dreams and aspirations.

 

Tony has a great love for family and history. His greatest qualities are his positive attitude and calm nature, never allowing negative thinking to weaken his strengths and defeat his goals.

 

Tony’s early years took him to the rich fishing ground off the shores of Labrador. At the tender age of seven he would accompany his dad and the crew to haul the cod traps in an ol’ 10-metre motorboat. At age fourteen he was fishing as a share-man on his dad’s longliner in the furry seas of Northern Labrador.

 

At age seventeen Tony was guiding sports fishermen from all over the world, fishing for trout and Atlantic salmon in our rich Labrador rivers and streams. Their excitement became his enjoyment.

 

Tony begin his career as a commercial pilot at the age of twenty. His love of flight included seven years with Labrador Airways, coupled with three years flying the mission plane out of North West River, Labrador.

 

Tony’s dream was to have his own flying service. Pursuing his dream, he became owner/Chief Pilot of Labrador Travel Air, an aircraft charter company. With the newly constructed Trans Labrador Highway along our shores, Labrador Travel Air became history.

 

He has 45 years of flying experience and 27,000 hours of flight time on over 30 different types of single-and multi-engine aircraft on wheels, skis and floats, including a commercial helicopter licence, often logging 1500 hours in a single year. In Tony’s years of flight thus far he is very proud to have a proven record of never having any injuries to his passengers or himself.

 

Tony continues to fly seasonally on a legendary Beaver seaplane for Portland Creek Aviation, and has his own PA-18 Super Cub C-GTFP.

 

I invite you to come experience first hand Captain Tony Powell behind the controls of the legendary de Havilland pistonpowered Beaver during the seventies without heaters in -50°C temperatures. Watch him perform many lifesaving mercy flights while battling some of nature’s most severe weather conditions anywhere on the planet. His described flights will surely capture the attention of the most avid flyer as we witness him survive engine failures and even a crash landing amongst the huge trees in Labrador.

 

Come live out in real time his heroic shipwreck. Sit on his modified Mach Z Ski-Doo and feel the adrenaline flow through your veins as you race for dear life up the big mountain in the Race on the Rock at Marble Mountain, NL.

 

At age forty-eight, Tony was diagnosed with fourth and final stage cancer. Learn of his prognosis, and his courageous determination to survive. Experience his fight to beat the odds.

 

Throughout Tony’s recollections you will travel by air, water and land, experiencing historic events and fatal airplane crash scenes in Labrador, including the story of his Grandfather Powell sailing onboard the Dorothy Duff while delivering a load of salt cod fish to the Mediterranean Sea during WWI. It will surely chill you to your core.

 

Tony will welcome you to his childhood family home where you will find pure love overcoming many of life’s obstacles. Find out the true meaning of perseverance, courage and strength.

 

Tony has shown us what life’s struggles are all about and how he survived them.

 

This book is a true reflection of living our lives one day at a time. Each day we all journey Against the Wind and survive the storms of life.

About the Author

Tony Powell was born and raised at Charlottetown, Labrador, Newfoundland Labrador, a proud member of NunatuKavut, Southern Inuit of Labrador. He is mixed blood Inuit and European decent, the son of the late Author Benjamin W. Powell of Charlottetown, Labrador, NL. His mom was the late Effie Mary Campbell Powell, born at George’s Cove, ten miles south of Square Islands on the southeast coast of Labrador. Married to Ida Powell of Conche, on the great Northern Peninsula of NL, they have a son, Ramsey Powell, who is a medical Doctor.

When Tony was a boy the main mode of transportation along the Labrador Coast was by a Team of husky dogs or snowshoes.

A travelling doctor and nurse visited our community once during the winter by dog team, and once during the summer by boat. The first scheduled Aircraft passenger service was Labrador Airways by single engine Otter in 1970 winter time only.

Find the Author

CONNECT WITH Tony F. Powell at his website — http://tonyfpowell.com/

Buy the Book

PURCHASE LINKS AGAINST THE WIND: HOPE SEES THE INVISIBLE

AMAZON.COM — https://amazon.com/dp/0228836832
AMAZON.CA — https://amazon.ca/dp/0228836832
KINDLE — https://amazon.com/dp/B08QDT9P2J
BOOKSHOP — https://bookshop.org/books/against-the-wind-hope-sees-the-invisible-9780228836841/9780228836834
INDIGO CHAPTERS — https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/against-the-wind-hope-sees/9780228836834-item.html
BARNES & NOBLE — https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/against-the-wind-tony-f-powell/1138466935
BOOK DEPOSITORY — https://www.bookdepository.com/Against-the-Wind-Tony-F-Powell/9780228836834
RAKUTEN KOBO — https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/against-the-wind-50
SMASHWORDS  — https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1058587
APPLE BOOKS — https://books.apple.com/us/book/against-the-wind-hope-sees-the-invisible/id1544817905

Yes, there is a giveaway

The author will be awarding a $20Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Enter here to win.

This post is part of a tour sponsored by Goddess Fish. Check out all the other tour stops. If you drop by each of these and comment, you will greatly increase your chances of winning.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Historic Aircraft Tragedy 1939 continued…

He said he made it outside then fainted for the only time in his life. After he came around he ran back to tell his father something very bad happened in the old house: there were three dead men inside. His father and brother Rupert went inside and had a good look around, finding papers and writings. They left and came upon the downed airplane about two miles away. They had to go and report their findings. The nearest wireless telegraph office was at Hopedale. After spending the night in their tent, they left early in the morning and they met up with old William Able and his son Joey, who lived with their families in the next bay. Joey got ready right away and went with his father to Hopedale so they could report the sad findings. Leonard and Rupert would go south to find the Newfoundland ranger but because they were tired they decided it would be best to go back home to Island Harbour for the night. Early the next morning they left for Makkovik. They were told the ranger was gone south as far as Cape Harrison. The next day Bill Andersen took Leonard south to meet Ranger Bragg at Seal Cove, at Uncle Charley Broomfield’s place. It was the ranger and Billy Winter’s dog team driver that would head back. The ranger was a little upset when they told him his father had gone to Hopedale to report the findings, saying, “You shouldn’t’ have done that, my report should have gone out first.”

The bodies were taken to Hopedale. The ranger put Harold, Stephen and Leonard McNeil up to the lake to watch over the airplane for the next fifteen days until an airplane, CF-ABX, arrived with fuel and another pilot and mechanic. He told me the aircraft was from Dominion Skyways in Quebec.

The floats were removed from CF-BND and skis installed. Fueled, it started up perfect first try. Then the pilot offered him a ride to Hopedale, in either of the airplanes. Even though his dad told him not to go up in any airplane he couldn’t turn down this opportunity; he was nervous but anxious to go. He chose CF-ABX, thinking the other plane had been there for a long time and it could have trouble. Sitting next to the pilot, shortly after going airborne the pilot asked him if he knew the land. Young Leonard told him yes, he did, and pointed towards Hopedale, straight ahead. They landed fifteen minutes later with the other airplane landing behind them. His father and Bob Stevenson came out to meet the plane, and his dad was surprised to see him getting out, saying, “You took a chance to come in an airplane! I told you not to do that!”

He replied, “I’m here now, Dad.”

Sometime later both aircrafts loaded up and left to fly back to where they came from somewhere In Quebec with a fuel stop in Northwest River, Labrador. The floats were shipped back on the coastal steamer in the summer. Mr. McNeil told me he really enjoyed that first airplane ride, even though the circumstances were sad.

As I think back to that terrible tragedy, I am grateful that those three men were flown back to their loving families and now have a final resting place

Thank you!

Tony F. Powell — we appreciate your sharing your book Against the Wind: Hope Sees The Invisible with us! Best of luck with sales, and with all of your future writing.

Mom & Dad’s Martinis

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Today it is my pleasure to welcome Jacelyn Cane and her memoir, Mom & Dad’s Martinis.

Author’s description

Jacelyn Cane’s mom and dad liked their martinis dry: straight gin on the rocks with a dab of vermouth and a hint of water – and they liked them often. They also liked to party; they danced, socialized, and drank – they were good at all three. Sometimes this behaviour led to humorous situations – antics in the pool, at the club, the cottage or in the car, for example. Other times, however, the experiences were not so funny – family fights and times of neglect, trauma, and abuse. By weaving together a series of episodes that take the reader to light and dark places, author Jacelyn Cane tells a poignant cautionary tale for anyone affected by alcoholism and/or family struggles. The author is using a pseudonym and most of the names in the book have been changed to protect people’s identities. “Mom and Dad’s Martinis: A Memoir” is a great read for anyone who has experienced a childhood mixed with joy as well as sorrow. It is a story of love, acceptance, forgiveness, and hope.

About the Author

Jacelyn Cane was born and raised in Toronto. She lives with her husband, and near her three children and step-daughter. She is a retired elementary school teacher who also worked in social justice education with the United Church of Canada. She has worked in theatre and as a reporter. She was educated in Toronto, earning a B.A. in Political Science and an M.A. in Canadian History from York University. Later, she earned a B. Ed. at the University of Toronto. She is passionately involved in numerous social justice issues such as climate crisis concerns and Indigenous rights. She loves meditating, writing, reading, music, laughing, and being around nature. She is motivated by a deep sense of spirituality. Her number one love, however, is being with family and friends.

Find the Author

Website: http://jacelyncane.com

Buy the Book

Amazon — https://amazon.com/dp/0228805104
Amazon –https://amazon.ca/dp/0228805104
Amazon –https://amazon.com/dp/B07T7Z818H
Indigo — https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/mom-and-dads-martinis-a/9780228805106
BN — https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mom-and-dads-martinis-jacelyn-cane/1132123904
Kobo — https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/mom-and-dad-s-martinis
Smashwords — https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/944724
Apple — https://books.apple.com/us/book/mom-and-dads-martinis-a-memoir/id1469160761

Yes, there is a giveaway

The author will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Enter here to win.

This post is part of a tour sponsored by Goddess Fish. Check out all the other tour stops. If you drop by each of these and comment, you will greatly increase your chances of winning.

An Exclusive Excerpt Just For Us

My mom grew up on Tarlton Road in Forest Hill, Toronto. For many years, she lived a charmed childhood. Every day, my mother swallowed her molasses and cod liver oil and strolled to school with her neighbours and lifelong best friends, Mary and Sue. Off they went, down Tarlton West, onto Chaplin Crescent, through the park, over the railroad tracks and on to Forest Hill Jr. School. It was a long walk for little girls – and they came home for lunch every day.

In the evenings, after supper, Mom would bounce outside to play with the neighbourhood kids – hide and seek, cowboys and Indians, and red rover. Along with her girlfriends, my mother tried to master “double Dutch” skipping and threw a rubber ball against the house singing “Ordinary Moving”. On the lawn, the girls muddled through cartwheels, back bends, somersaults, and even some Russian dancing.

On rainy days, Mom and her girlfriends gathered in her basement to dress up in outrageous costumes – hats, high heels, and jewellery. Thanks to my grandmother, everything was packed in an old trunk and a dress up closet. One Sunday night, together in their dresses and high heels, my mother and her girlfriends paraded around to music played on a wind-up Victrola – “String of Pearls,” “Perfidia,” and more. And while they played, smells of my grandmother’s roast beef wafted to the basement.

“Dorothy,” my grandmother called down.

“Yes, Mommy.”

“It’s time for dinner. The girls need to go home now.”

“Already?”

“Yes, dear. You’ll see them after dinner.”

Every Sunday night, they had a scrumptious roast-beef dinner in the dining room with the family, including Aunt Geraldine, my grandmother’s sister.

“This plate is for you, Dorothy,” said Mom’s mother, as she scooped some roasted potatoes onto my mom’s plate. On Sunday nights, they always ate off Grandma Duncan’s good china – made in France with two exquisite blue and green birds sitting on branches. “Hold it carefully, dear.” Mom’s mother loved that china, and so my mom loved it too. They always had wonderful conversations in the dining room and Mom looked forward to those meals. Her mom was a great hostess and my mother became one too.

Soon, my mother and her closest girlfriends – Mary, Sue, and Helen – were labeled “the Tarlton Road Gang.” Eglinton Avenue was just beginning to be a place to hang out – and the soda fountain at Kresge’s discount store was a favourite destination.

“Let’s go to Kresge’s for a cherry Coke,” my mom said one afternoon.

“I’m gonna get a banana split,” Helen added, fixing the large bow in her curly hair. They’re the best in town.”

Thank you!

Jacelyn Cane — we appreciate your sharing your book Mom & Dad’s Martinis with us! Best of luck with sales, and with all of your future writing.