Moments

I’ve written on this topic before, but I’ve had an experience recently that caused me to pause and consider the topic again. I’m at the age when the “check engine” light comes on and it better be heeded.

In the last week or so, I took one of the home testing kits that has been advertised. I’ve taken it before, approximately six years ago, and it came back negative. No problems, all is good. However, this go-round, it came back positive. The doctor’s office contacted me and said I needed to see a specialist because of the possibility of cancer.

Cancer.

Kim did some research and found that a “positive” doesn’t always mean cancer, but rather, the test “detects something” in the body. And, the test has its share of false positives. My worry was still present, but it lessened.

I made an appointment with the specialist, a procedure was done, and the doctor sent two specimens to pathology, but he also stated with a fair amount of certainty that nothing was abnormal and I’d be fine.

Still, I began thinking of the many moments in my life that meant something to me. My marriage to Kim. The birth of our first child, Hannah. The adoption of our son, Wil. The birth of our daughter, Emily. The first book I wrote and published. Going way back, taking a team to a state championship and winning. My first teaching and coaching position in Wyoming. Being asked to coach at the collegiate level. My first and second master’s degree. Being a counselor. An administrator.

Watching my daughter play in a collegiate soccer game, earning several awards along the way. Watching both daughters graduate and receive jobs. Walking Hannah down the aisle with Kim at Hannah’s and Alex’s wedding.

I thought about the events in my life that were tragic. The death of our son, Wil. The illness and death of my sisters, Donna, Betty, and Joanne. The death of my father and mother.  

And I thought about the things I still wanted to do. Hold my first (of many) grandchild. More vacations with Kim. Holiday celebrations with my family. Other book ideas I want to put in print.

Just so much more . . .

I wrote and completed a new book recently. Fan Mail drops in March 2023. In it, there is a conversation that takes place between Brian, a high school kid struggling with his family and discovering who he is, and his basketball coach, Tommy Harrison. The conversation is one of the deeper moments in the story. Harrison says:

“… but when it comes to living your own life, there is no wrong or right. We are given a life. We are given moments. We have to make the most of those moments in our lives.”

When I wrote this and subsequent passages in that book, I did not know my home test would give me a positive result and no idea the result would be false. Yet, that test brought me right back to this passage in the book I had written. How my life parallels the lives of the characters I create in my books! Not totally, of course. The characters aren’t me. Yet, they are me because they come from me.

Just this week, there were/are several huge moments in my life. The birthday of my son-in-law, Alex, was July 9^th. Today, July 11^th is Kim’s and my anniversary. Tomorrow, July 12^th, is the day our son, Wil, was shot and killed as he walked down a Chicago street. And there will be other moments to come, some I know about, others not until they happen.

There was a modern pope, and I forget which one, who on his deathbed stated, “I am ready. My bags are packed.” What a cool way to go out. When my time comes, I’d like to think that my bags will be packed, too. Right now, however, they aren’t. I have things scattered everywhere. There are things I still want to do. Necessary things? Probably not to others, but necessary to me. Yet, when the time comes, I want my bags to be packed. I want to be ready.

And like Harrison said in my book, Fan Mail, between now and then, I have a life to live and moments to embrace and cherish. I think all of us do, don’t we? Something to think about . . .

Live Your Life, and Make A Positive Difference! 

To My Readers:

My publisher, Black Rose Writing, has a special tomorrow only! You can purchase the Kindle version of my book, Stolen Lives, for only $0.99. Again, this is only for tomorrow. If you’d like to start at the beginning of my books, this would be a great way to begin. Stolen Lives is the first book of the Lives Trilogy and introduces you to all or most of the characters in my subsequent books. Tomorrow only- $0.99 on Kindle.

My ninth book, Fan Mail, has been accepted by my publisher, Black Rose Writing. The publication date is March 30, 2023. I am so pleased with this book. It differs from my other work in that it is a coming-of-age story embedded in a tight thriller. More to come on that- I promise!

While you wait for Fan Mail to hit, I hope you take the time to enjoy my other work. The last four books have won twelve awards, while my Lives Trilogy has won two awards.

And, if you have read one of my books, I would like to ask a favor. If you could go online and write a review or, at the least, give a rating on the book, it would be of great help. Both a review and a rating would be wonderful. The review could be one or two lines. It doesn’t have to be long. Just let others know you read it and hopefully, enjoyed it. Obviously, 4s and 5s are the best. Thanks for this consideration.

Connect with me on Social Media: 
Author Website: www.jrlewisauthor.blog/
Twitter at @jrlewisauthor
Facebook at: www.facebook.com/Joseph.Lewis.Author  
Amazon at: www.amazon.com/Joseph-Lewis/e/B01FWB9AOI /

Blaze In, Blaze Out: A Literary Titan Gold Book Award Winner! A Reader’s Ready Recommended Read! A BestThriller’s Editor’s Pick!

Eiselmann and O’Connor thought the conviction of Dmitry Andruko, the head of a Ukrainian crime family, meant the end. It was only the beginning. They forgot that revenge knows no boundaries, vindictiveness knows no restraints, and ruthlessness never worries about collateral damage. Andruko hired contract killers to go after and kill O’Connor and Eiselmann. The killers can be anyone and be anywhere. They can strike at any time. They care nothing of collateral damage. Andruko believes a target is a target, and in the end, the target must die. https://amzn.to/34lNllP

Betrayed: A PenCraft 1^st Place Winner for Thriller-Fiction! A Maxy Award Runner-Up for Mystery/Suspense! A Literary Titan Silver Book Award Winner! A Reader’s Ready Recommended Read Award Winner! A Reader’s Favorite Honorable Mention Award Winner for Fiction-Crime-Mystery!

Betrayed is Now Available in Audio Book, Kindle and Paperback! https://amzn.to/3AfUUpS

A late-night phone call, a missing kid, a murdered family, but no one is talking. A promise is made and kept, but it could mean the death of a fifteen-year-old boy. Greed can be all-consuming, and seeing is not believing. No one can be trusted, and the hunters become the hunted. https://amzn.to/2EKHudx

Spiral Into Darkness: Named a Recommended Read in the Author Shout Reader Awards!
He blends in. He is successful, intelligent, and methodical. So far, he has murdered eight people. There is no discernible pattern. There are no clues. There are no leads. The only thing the FBI and local police have to go on is the method of death: two bullets to the face- gruesome and meant to send a message. But it’s difficult to understand any message coming from a dark and damaged mind. Two adopted boys, struggling in their own world, do not know they are the next targets. Neither does their family. And neither does local law enforcement. https://amzn.to/2RBWvTm

Caught in a Web: A PenCraft Literary Award Winner! Named “One of the Best Thrillers of 2018!” by BestThrillers.com 

Caught in a Web is also available in Audio Book, Kindle and Paperback! http://bit.ly/2WO3kka

They found the bodies of high school and middle school kids dead from an overdose of heroin and fentanyl. A violent gang, MS-13, controls the drug trade along the I-94 and I-43 corridors. They send Ricardo Fuentes to find out who is cutting in on their business, shut it down and teach them a lesson. But he has an ulterior motive: find and kill a fifteen-year-old boy, George Tokay. Detectives Jamie Graff, Pat O’Connor and Paul Eiselmann race to find the source of the drugs, shut down the ring, and find Fuentes before he kills anyone else. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CKF7696  
 
The Lives Trilogy Prequel, Taking Lives:
FBI Agent Pete Kelliher and his partner search for the clues behind the bodies of six boys left in various and remote parts of the country. Even though they live in separate parts of the country, the lives of Kelliher, 11-year-old Brett McGovern, and 11-year-old George Tokay are separate pieces of a puzzle. The two boys become interwoven with the same thread Kelliher holds in his hand. The three of them are on a collision course and when that happens, their futures grow dark as each search for a way out. https://amzn.to/34nXBH5
 
Book One, Stolen Lives: Editor’s Pick by BestThrillers! Literary Titan Gold Book Award Winner! A Crime Thriller finalist in the 2021 Best Thriller Book Awards!
Two thirteen-year-old boys are abducted off a safe suburban street. Kelliher and his team of FBI agents have 24 hours to find them or they will end up like the other kids they found- dead! They have no leads, no clues, and nothing to go on. To make the investigation that much tougher, Kelliher suspects that one of his team members might be involved. https://amzn.to/3oMo4qZ  
 
Book Two of the Lives Trilogy, Shattered Lives:
The boys are home, but now they have to fit back in with their families and friends. Their parents and the FBI thought the boys were safe. They were until people began dying. Now the hunt is on for six dangerous and desperate men who vow revenge. With no leads and nothing to go on, the FBI can only sit back and wait. A dangerous game that threatens not only the boys, but their families. https://amzn.to/2RAYIk2 
 
Book Three of the Lives Trilogy, Splintered Lives:
Three dangerous men with nothing to lose offer a handsome reward to anyone willing to kill fourteen-year-old Brett McGovern. He does not know that he, his younger brother, and a friend are targets. More than anyone, these three men vow to kill George, whom they blame for forcing them to run and hide. A fun vacation turns into a nightmare and ends where it started, back on the Navajo Nation Reservation, high on a mesa held sacred by George and his grandfather. Outnumbered and outgunned, George will make the ultimate sacrifice to protect his adoptive father and his adoptive brothers- but can he? Without knowing who these men are? Or where they are? Without knowing whom to trust? Is he prepared for betrayal that leads to his heartbreak and death? http://bit.ly/SplinteredLives  

Photo of Unknown, most likely family.

Enemies

During the summer before we worked at odd jobs, as a kid growing up in the country by the river and not having much in terms of toys, my brothers and I could let our imaginations run wild. The big green apple tree in the backyard was everything from a WWII bomber to a pirate ship to a haunted house to a fort and more. We would climb as high as we could and play. The branches worn to something more comfortable. Hours upon hours. Went into the house for meals or a potty break and finally to bed. The routine would begin the next day.

One side was the good guys, while the other side was the bad guys. Whichever flavor of good and bad fit us at the moment. Cowboys over the Indians. The Union over the Confederates. The US over the Germans or Japanese. Remember, we were little, and it was the late fifties and early sixties, so political niceties were unknown to us. Now, even as I write the above, I cringe. This paragraph came close to not existing because I didn’t and don’t want to offend anyone.

As I grew older, I discovered not all were friends. Sometimes, for whatever reason, some didn’t like me. Generally, I stayed away from them and went about my business and they to their own. Mostly, it worked. I remember a fistfight or two, but even they were rare. 

Later came organized sports. Teams. Of course, the team we were on were the good guys, and the other team were the bad guys, the enemy. We had to beat them. The higher the margin, the better. Records were kept. Statistics written down, letting us know just how good we did. 

It carried on into my adult life as I became a coach. A state consolation championship, a state runner-up, and a state championship in my first three years of coaching. A 56 and 17 record earned in those three years. We were at or near the top and other teams and coaches gunned for us and me.

Later, as I coached another team, my record wasn’t so stellar. But it was fun, and we had our share of success. Some fond memories.

As a teacher, a coach, a counselor, and as an administrator, I developed my share of supporters and my share of detractors. Some loved everything I did, while others, not so much. As the old saying goes, “If everyone agrees with you, you’re probably doing something wrong.” and “Can’t please everyone.” I made some decisions I’d like to take back, while others I knew in my heart were for the best. Still, not everyone agreed with me.

In today’s world, especially in politics, you are friend or foe. If you carry one label, you can’t and you shouldn’t side with those carrying a different label. Unheard of. Impossible. We can’t agree with the other side, because then we will never keep or get the majority. In fact, we need to do all we can to make the other guys look stupid, look weak, and look ineffective. Such is the world of politics today.

When President Obama was elected, he requested a photograph of the living presidents all together. George W. Bush arranged for that to happen. In one candid shot, they were laughing at something and it seemed so genuine, so honest, so sincere. No labels. No winners or losers. Just a group of men enjoying each other’s company and enjoying a laugh. I remember George W. Bush handing a mint to Mrs. Obama at a solemn ceremony. Touching. They are friends still.

I’m on the backside of the mountain of life. A lot of miles on my tread. Missing some hair, and what hair I have is mostly gray. I’m thicker in the middle. I’ve shrunk at least an inch. (I’m afraid if I keep shrinking, I’ll be moved to someone’s flower bed with a pointy hat on my head and a garden tool in my hand and wearing bib overalls.) I don’t move so quickly anymore. Sometimes, it takes me a moment to remember things.

I remember the little, sometimes the big, hurts others caused me or members of my family. I remember the time and place and in some of those memories, I remember the circumstances and situations. However, what has left me was the anger I felt. Sometimes the hurt has lingered, but the anger, not so much. I think it’s better that way, don’t you?

We’re taught to forgive and forget. Sometimes, not the easiest thing to do. But I’ve come to realize that if I hold on to that hurt and anger, I’m weighed down. I’m burdened by it. Simply remembering it changes my mood and my day.

I think I’ve learned to forgive, but sometimes the forgetting is harder to do. But I’m older. Maybe not wiser, but I know I’m older. I’m not going to carry around that baggage any longer. Most all of it has been tossed to the side. Time and distance does that. Age does that. I find I’d rather enjoy the moment, the present, rather than the past. More meaningful that way.

Some memories I will always cherish. Others? Not so much. I think when you realize there isn’t as much time left as there once was, a lot of it becomes small and meaningless. I’d rather remember the good times, those memories that I’ve kept tucked away in my heart. I’d rather keep those. Maybe for you too? I hope so. Something to think about. . .

Live Your Life, and Make A Difference!

To My Readers:

My ninth book, Fan Mail, has been accepted by my publisher, Black Rose Writing. The publication date is March 30, 2023. I am so pleased with this book. It differs from my other work in that it is a coming-of-age story embedded in a tight thriller. More to come on that- I promise!

While you wait for Fan Mail to hit, I hope you take the time to enjoy my other work. The last four have won ten awards, while my Lives Trilogy has won two awards.

And, if you have read one of my books, I would like to ask a favor. If you could go online and write a review or, at the least, give a rating on the book, it would be of great help. Both a review and a rating would be wonderful. The review could be one or two lines. It doesn’t have to be long. Just let others know you read it and hopefully, enjoyed it. Obviously, 4s and 5s are the best. Thanks for this consideration.

Connect with me on Social Media: 
Author Website: www.jrlewisauthor.blog/
Twitter at @jrlewisauthor
Facebook at: www.facebook.com/Joseph.Lewis.Author  
Amazon at: www.amazon.com/Joseph-Lewis/e/B01FWB9AOI /

Blaze In, Blaze Out: A Literary Titan Gold Book Award Winner! A Reader’s Ready Recommended Read! A BestThriller’s Editor’s Pick!

Eiselmann and O’Connor thought the conviction of Dmitry Andruko, the head of a Ukrainian crime family, meant the end. It was only the beginning. They forgot that revenge knows no boundaries, vindictiveness knows no restraints, and ruthlessness never worries about collateral damage. Andruko hired contract killers to go after and kill O’Connor and Eiselmann. The killers can be anyone and be anywhere. They can strike at any time. They care nothing of collateral damage. Andruko believes a target is a target, and in the end, the target must die. https://amzn.to/34lNllP

Betrayed: A PenCraft 1^st Place Winner for Thriller-Fiction! A Maxy Award Runner-Up for Mystery/Suspense! A Literary Titan Silver Book Award Winner! A Reader’s Ready Recommended Read Award Winner! A Reader’s Favorite Honorable Mention Award Winner for Fiction-Crime-Mystery!

Betrayed is Now Available in Audio Book, Kindle and Paperback! https://amzn.to/3AfUUpS

A late-night phone call, a missing kid, a murdered family, but no one is talking. A promise is made and kept, but it could mean the death of a fifteen-year-old boy. Greed can be all-consuming, and seeing is not believing. No one can be trusted, and the hunters become the hunted. https://amzn.to/2EKHudx

Spiral Into Darkness: Named a Recommended Read in the Author Shout Reader Awards!
He blends in. He is successful, intelligent, and methodical. So far, he has murdered eight people. There is no discernible pattern. There are no clues. There are no leads. The only thing the FBI and local police have to go on is the method of death: two bullets to the face- gruesome and meant to send a message. But it’s difficult to understand any message coming from a dark and damaged mind. Two adopted boys, struggling in their own world, do not know they are the next targets. Neither does their family. And neither does local law enforcement. https://amzn.to/2RBWvTm

Caught in a Web: A PenCraft Literary Award Winner! Named “One of the Best Thrillers of 2018!” by BestThrillers.com 

Caught in a Web is also available in Audio Book, Kindle and Paperback! http://bit.ly/2WO3kka

They found the bodies of high school and middle school kids dead from an overdose of heroin and fentanyl. A violent gang, MS-13, controls the drug trade along the I-94 and I-43 corridors. They send Ricardo Fuentes to find out who is cutting in on their business, shut it down and teach them a lesson. But he has an ulterior motive: find and kill a fifteen-year-old boy, George Tokay. Detectives Jamie Graff, Pat O’Connor and Paul Eiselmann race to find the source of the drugs, shut down the ring, and find Fuentes before he kills anyone else. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CKF7696  
 
The Lives Trilogy Prequel, Taking Lives:
FBI Agent Pete Kelliher and his partner search for the clues behind the bodies of six boys left in various and remote parts of the country. Even though they live in separate parts of the country, the lives of Kelliher, 11-year-old Brett McGovern, and 11-year-old George Tokay are separate pieces of a puzzle. The two boys become interwoven with the same thread Kelliher holds in his hand. The three of them are on a collision course and when that happens, their futures grow dark as each search for a way out. https://amzn.to/34nXBH5
 
Book One, Stolen Lives: Editor’s Pick by BestThrillers! Literary Titan Gold Book Award Winner! A Crime Thriller finalist in the 2021 Best Thriller Book Awards!
Two thirteen-year-old boys are abducted off a safe suburban street. Kelliher and his team of FBI agents have 24 hours to find them or they will end up like the other kids they found- dead! They have no leads, no clues, and nothing to go on. To make the investigation that much tougher, Kelliher suspects that one of his team members might be involved. https://amzn.to/3oMo4qZ  
 
Book Two of the Lives Trilogy, Shattered Lives:
The boys are home, but now they have to fit back in with their families and friends. Their parents and the FBI thought the boys were safe. They were until people began dying. Now the hunt is on for six dangerous and desperate men who vow revenge. With no leads and nothing to go on, the FBI can only sit back and wait. A dangerous game that threatens not only the boys, but their families. https://amzn.to/2RAYIk2 
 
Book Three of the Lives Trilogy, Splintered Lives:
Three dangerous men with nothing to lose offer a handsome reward to anyone willing to kill fourteen-year-old Brett McGovern. He does not know that he, his younger brother, and a friend are targets. More than anyone, these three men vow to kill George, whom they blame for forcing them to run and hide. A fun vacation turns into a nightmare and ends where it started, back on the Navajo Nation Reservation, high on a mesa held sacred by George and his grandfather. Outnumbered and outgunned, George will make the ultimate sacrifice to protect his adoptive father and his adoptive brothers- but can he? Without knowing who these men are? Or where they are? Without knowing whom to trust? Is he prepared for betrayal that leads to his heartbreak and death? http://bit.ly/SplinteredLives  

Photo of GR Stocks and Unsplash.

 

 

     

Art and the Artist

Luke Combs is one of the newer country artists and is a singer/songwriter. This past Wednesday evening, he was recognized by the head of his record company for reaching a milestone.

Combs has co-written and sung nine number one hits! These nine songs were played on air thirty-seven million times. If each of these nine songs were played back-to-back-to-back thirty-seven million times, it would take 150 years for the songs to finish playing.

9 songs. Thirty-seven million air plays. 150 years to play them all if played continuously back-to-back-to-back.

It doesn’t matter if you like country music or not. This is an achievement! And consider the fact that Combs is one of the “newer” country artists.

Now to put that into perspective, Garth Brooks, who has been around for a long time, has 19 number one hits! Bee Gees has 9 number one hits! Beatles had 20 number one hits! The Supremes had 12 number one hits. And while Brooks is still recording and putting out new music, while the Bee Gees had two of the brothers die and no longer record as the Bee Gees, obviously; and while the Beatles have long since broken up; and while the Supremes no longer record together, who knows where Combs will end up on the list.

The painter, Pablo Picasso, is estimated to have completed 50,000 artworks during his lifetime, including paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture, and ceramics. Since 1976 (the year I graduated college), James Patterson has written more than 200 novels. He has had more than 114 New York Times bestselling novels, and holds The New York Times record for most #1 New York Times bestsellers by a single author, a total of 67, which is also a Guinness World Record. Stephen King has written more than 30 books that have been Best Sellers.

I’ve only been writing professionally since 2013. At age 60, my first book, Taking Lives, was published in 2014. When asked how long I take to write a book, I answer it is like giving birth. From idea conception to publication, it takes nine months to a year, depending upon the publisher’s timeline. For Patterson to have written 200 books in 46 years, and for King to have over 30 Best Sellers, wow! I have only one Best Seller (on Amazon in two categories), Betrayed. I guess I should have followed my dream a heck of a lot earlier.

I don’t consider myself in their category. I pale in comparison, any comparison to them. These folks I mentioned above are famous for what they do and give to us. They share or shared their creativity with us, their inspiration with us, and our lives are made more interesting because of their gift. Imagine if books, music, or art didn’t exist. Our world might be more gray, more bland, less colorful and less interesting.

Consider for a minute the number of books written, the number of songs written and recorded, the paintings and drawings and other works of art that are created. Some we don’t know, have never read, never heard, and never seen. Artists in various genres and mediums toiling with a smile on their face. Some with a frown because it might not be working out the way it was originally planned. They don’t quit. They don’t give up. They continue to produce because there is a feeling of “have to” in their heart and soul.

As always, there are some books, some songs, some works of art we don’t like or appreciate. Some we don’t even bother with. The names of the artists go unheard of. Yet, these folks keep at it. They don’t give up. It isn’t for the money. There is something innate, something within them that keeps them going. And we are so fortunate to have them. Each deserve an “atta boy,” an “atta girl.” Each deserve a kind word (a review, perhaps?), a pat on the back. We need them and their work. Someone does, at least. Something to think about . . .

Live Your Life, and Make A Difference!

To My Readers:

I finished the edits on my ninth book, Fan Mail. I will let you know the publication timeline of it as I find out. Meanwhile, below are my other books for your enjoyment.

If you have read one of my books, I would like to ask a favor. If you could go online and write a review or, at the least, give a rating on the book, it would be of great help. Both a review and a rating would be wonderful. The review could be one or two lines. It doesn’t have to be long. Just let others know you read it and hopefully, enjoyed it. Obviously, 4s and 5s are the best. Thanks for this consideration.

Connect with me on Social Media: 
Author Website: www.jrlewisauthor.blog/
Twitter at @jrlewisauthor
Facebook at: www.facebook.com/Joseph.Lewis.Author  
Amazon at: www.amazon.com/Joseph-Lewis/e/B01FWB9AOI /

Blaze In, Blaze Out: A Literary Titan Gold Book Award Winner! A Reader’s Ready Recommended Read! A BestThriller’s Editor’s Pick!

Eiselmann and O’Connor thought the conviction of Dmitry Andruko, the head of a Ukrainian crime family, meant the end. It was only the beginning. They forgot that revenge knows no boundaries, vindictiveness knows no restraints, and ruthlessness never worries about collateral damage. Andruko hired contract killers to go after and kill O’Connor and Eiselmann. The killers can be anyone and be anywhere. They can strike at any time. They care nothing of collateral damage. Andruko believes a target is a target, and in the end, the target must die. https://amzn.to/34lNllP

Betrayed: A PenCraft 1^st Place Winner for Thriller-Fiction! A Maxy Award Runner-Up for Mystery/Suspense! A Literary Titan Silver Book Award Winner! A Reader’s Ready Recommended Read Award Winner! A Reader’s Favorite Honorable Mention Award Winner for Fiction-Crime-Mystery!

Betrayed is Now Available in Audio Book, Kindle and Paperback! https://amzn.to/3AfUUpS

A late-night phone call, a missing kid, a murdered family, but no one is talking. A promise is made and kept, but it could mean the death of a fifteen-year-old boy. Greed can be all-consuming, and seeing is not believing. No one can be trusted, and the hunters become the hunted. https://amzn.to/2EKHudx

Spiral Into Darkness: Named a Recommended Read in the Author Shout Reader Awards!
He blends in. He is successful, intelligent, and methodical. So far, he has murdered eight people. There is no discernible pattern. There are no clues. There are no leads. The only thing the FBI and local police have to go on is the method of death: two bullets to the face- gruesome and meant to send a message. But it’s difficult to understand any message coming from a dark and damaged mind. Two adopted boys, struggling in their own world, do not know they are the next targets. Neither does their family. And neither does local law enforcement. https://amzn.to/2RBWvTm

Caught in a Web: A PenCraft Literary Award Winner! Named “One of the Best Thrillers of 2018!” by BestThrillers.com 

Caught in a Web is also available in Audio Book, Kindle and Paperback! http://bit.ly/2WO3kka

They found the bodies of high school and middle school kids dead from an overdose of heroin and fentanyl. A violent gang, MS-13, controls the drug trade along the I-94 and I-43 corridors. They send Ricardo Fuentes to find out who is cutting in on their business, shut it down and teach them a lesson. But he has an ulterior motive: find and kill a fifteen-year-old boy, George Tokay. Detectives Jamie Graff, Pat O’Connor and Paul Eiselmann race to find the source of the drugs, shut down the ring, and find Fuentes before he kills anyone else. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CKF7696  
 
The Lives Trilogy Prequel, Taking Lives:
FBI Agent Pete Kelliher and his partner search for the clues behind the bodies of six boys left in various and remote parts of the country. Even though they live in separate parts of the country, the lives of Kelliher, 11-year-old Brett McGovern, and 11-year-old George Tokay are separate pieces of a puzzle. The two boys become interwoven with the same thread Kelliher holds in his hand. The three of them are on a collision course and when that happens, their futures grow dark as each search for a way out. https://amzn.to/34nXBH5
 
Book One, Stolen Lives: Editor’s Pick by BestThrillers! Literary Titan Gold Book Award Winner! A Crime Thriller finalist in the 2021 Best Thriller Book Awards!
Two thirteen-year-old boys are abducted off a safe suburban street. Kelliher and his team of FBI agents have 24 hours to find them or they will end up like the other kids they found- dead! They have no leads, no clues, and nothing to go on. To make the investigation that much tougher, Kelliher suspects that one of his team members might be involved. https://amzn.to/3oMo4qZ  
 
Book Two of the Lives Trilogy, Shattered Lives:
The boys are home, but now they have to fit back in with their families and friends. Their parents and the FBI thought the boys were safe. They were until people began dying. Now the hunt is on for six dangerous and desperate men who vow revenge. With no leads and nothing to go on, the FBI can only sit back and wait. A dangerous game that threatens not only the boys, but their families. https://amzn.to/2RAYIk2 
 
Book Three of the Lives Trilogy, Splintered Lives:
Three dangerous men with nothing to lose offer a handsome reward to anyone willing to kill fourteen-year-old Brett McGovern. He does not know that he, his younger brother, and a friend are targets. More than anyone, these three men vow to kill George, whom they blame for forcing them to run and hide. A fun vacation turns into a nightmare and ends where it started, back on the Navajo Nation Reservation, high on a mesa held sacred by George and his grandfather. Outnumbered and outgunned, George will make the ultimate sacrifice to protect his adoptive father and his adoptive brothers- but can he? Without knowing who these men are? Or where they are? Without knowing whom to trust? Is he prepared for betrayal that leads to his heartbreak and death? http://bit.ly/SplinteredLives  

Photo of Luke Combs by Unknown.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time

When my dad was retired on disability and after they moved to Fond du Lac, WI to be closer to his doctor, he had a load of time on his hands. He worked feverishly for years as a designing engineer. Sure, there were brief vacations and weekends were off as were holidays, but with no real hobbies or work to do, he had time on his hands. 

Before he got really sick, he rode the bus exploring his new city. I think of that and I can’t help but feel sad. Mom didn’t ride it with him. He was by himself. He and mom were removed from their many friends in West Bend, the town they lived in for my childhood and early adulthood. They didn’t really know anyone. One of my brothers and one of my sisters lived in town, but they had their own lives. Dad didn’t really have anyone.

My brothers, Jack, Jim, and Jeff, are all retired. Jack spends his day with exercise, reading, playing games on his computer, and watching movies. Jim owns an RV park, and the maintenance keeps him busy, along with his wife, daughters, and grandkids. Not sure what Jeff does, as his retirement is more recent. I know there were some home repairs and such. I know his sons and step-daughter live nearby. My brothers seem happy and content. Satisfied. 

For the first time in the last twenty-four years, I am doing nothing this summer. No job to drive off to. No actual work to be done. Don’t have to set the alarm, though I try to get up by seven. 

Of course, I have my writing to do. I look forward to it, but I also don’t want to be too sedentary. I have reading, and I want to catch up on some movies I had wanted to watch. But again, I don’t want to be too sedentary. I want to get in better shape, keep my mind and body alert and active.

I went on a walk this morning for the first time since I had my knee scoped. Felt good, though the temp was hotter than I expected. I’ll have to get out earlier. Walking is something I want and need to do. There is a gym about a mile or two away. They have a deal on memberships, so I might drive over, take a tour and see if that is something I want to do. 

The thing about time . . . 

There is so much, and there is so little. On one hand, you look at the overall number of days in the summer and it seems like a lot. Yet, time is precious, and it cannot, should not, be wasted. Time, like wine or a good dessert, needs to be savored.

But for the first time in twenty-four years, I don’t have much to do. We have a wedding to go to. Traveling to Wisconsin is always fun, and seeing family and some friends again are always good things to do. We have a family vacation to the beach planned. But other than those two bookends, there is unaccounted for time. 

Time.

I’m not going to be like my dad and ride a bus all over the county. I might be a little slower these days, but I’m not disabled. I’m still active, though the pace might be slower. My mind is still sharp. At least I think it is. And again, I have my writing I want to do. Characters to explore and develop, throwing them into mayhem and having them chase down blind alleys. 

There will need to be a balance. I get that. But for the first time, I get to set my pace, my goals, my work, my boundaries. I have time. And time is both a wonderful thing, and a scary thing. It needs to be domesticated and become my friend. Not sure how to go about that, but I’m looking forward to the opportunity, even if I am a bit nervous. I’ll manage. I always seem to. I think. 

Something to think about . . . 

Live Your Life, and Make A Difference!

To My Readers:

I finished the edits on my ninth book, Fan Mail. I will let you know the publication timeline of it as I find out. Meanwhile, below are my other books for your enjoyment.

If you have read one of my books, I would like to ask a favor. If you could go online and write a review or, at the least, give a rating on the book, it would be of great help. Both a review and a rating would be wonderful. The review could be one or two lines. It doesn’t have to be long. Just let others know you read it and hopefully, enjoyed it. Obviously, 4s and 5s are the best. Thanks for this consideration.

Connect with me on Social Media: 
Author Website: www.jrlewisauthor.blog/
Twitter at @jrlewisauthor
Facebook at: www.facebook.com/Joseph.Lewis.Author  
Amazon at: www.amazon.com/Joseph-Lewis/e/B01FWB9AOI /

Blaze In, Blaze Out: A Literary Titan Gold Book Award Winner! A Reader’s Ready Recommended Read! A BestThriller’s Editor’s Pick!

Eiselmann and O’Connor thought the conviction of Dmitry Andruko, the head of a Ukrainian crime family, meant the end. It was only the beginning. They forgot that revenge knows no boundaries, vindictiveness knows no restraints, and ruthlessness never worries about collateral damage. Andruko hired contract killers to go after and kill O’Connor and Eiselmann. The killers can be anyone and be anywhere. They can strike at any time. They care nothing of collateral damage. Andruko believes a target is a target, and in the end, the target must die. https://amzn.to/34lNllP

Betrayed: A PenCraft 1^st Place Winner for Thriller-Fiction! A Maxy Award Runner-Up for Mystery/Suspense! A Literary Titan Silver Book Award Winner! A Reader’s Ready Recommended Read Award Winner! A Reader’s Favorite Honorable Mention Award Winner for Fiction-Crime-Mystery!

Betrayed is Now Available in Audio Book, Kindle and Paperback! https://amzn.to/3AfUUpS

A late-night phone call, a missing kid, a murdered family, but no one is talking. A promise is made and kept, but it could mean the death of a fifteen-year-old boy. Greed can be all-consuming, and seeing is not believing. No one can be trusted, and the hunters become the hunted. https://amzn.to/2EKHudx

Spiral Into Darkness: Named a Recommended Read in the Author Shout Reader Awards!
He blends in. He is successful, intelligent, and methodical. So far, he has murdered eight people. There is no discernible pattern. There are no clues. There are no leads. The only thing the FBI and local police have to go on is the method of death: two bullets to the face- gruesome and meant to send a message. But it’s difficult to understand any message coming from a dark and damaged mind. Two adopted boys, struggling in their own world, do not know they are the next targets. Neither does their family. And neither does local law enforcement. https://amzn.to/2RBWvTm

Caught in a Web: A PenCraft Literary Award Winner! Named “One of the Best Thrillers of 2018!” by BestThrillers.com 

Caught in a Web is also available in Audio Book, Kindle and Paperback! http://bit.ly/2WO3kka

They found the bodies of high school and middle school kids dead from an overdose of heroin and fentanyl. A violent gang, MS-13, controls the drug trade along the I-94 and I-43 corridors. They send Ricardo Fuentes to find out who is cutting in on their business, shut it down and teach them a lesson. But he has an ulterior motive: find and kill a fifteen-year-old boy, George Tokay. Detectives Jamie Graff, Pat O’Connor and Paul Eiselmann race to find the source of the drugs, shut down the ring, and find Fuentes before he kills anyone else. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CKF7696  
 
The Lives Trilogy Prequel, Taking Lives:
FBI Agent Pete Kelliher and his partner search for the clues behind the bodies of six boys left in various and remote parts of the country. Even though they live in separate parts of the country, the lives of Kelliher, 11-year-old Brett McGovern, and 11-year-old George Tokay are separate pieces of a puzzle. The two boys become interwoven with the same thread Kelliher holds in his hand. The three of them are on a collision course and when that happens, their futures grow dark as each search for a way out. https://amzn.to/34nXBH5
 
Book One, Stolen Lives: Editor’s Pick by BestThrillers! Literary Titan Gold Book Award Winner! A Crime Thriller finalist in the 2021 Best Thriller Book Awards!
Two thirteen-year-old boys are abducted off a safe suburban street. Kelliher and his team of FBI agents have 24 hours to find them or they will end up like the other kids they found- dead! They have no leads, no clues, and nothing to go on. To make the investigation that much tougher, Kelliher suspects that one of his team members might be involved. https://amzn.to/3oMo4qZ  
 
Book Two of the Lives Trilogy, Shattered Lives:
The boys are home, but now they have to fit back in with their families and friends. Their parents and the FBI thought the boys were safe. They were until people began dying. Now the hunt is on for six dangerous and desperate men who vow revenge. With no leads and nothing to go on, the FBI can only sit back and wait. A dangerous game that threatens not only the boys, but their families. https://amzn.to/2RAYIk2 
 
Book Three of the Lives Trilogy, Splintered Lives:
Three dangerous men with nothing to lose offer a handsome reward to anyone willing to kill fourteen-year-old Brett McGovern. He does not know that he, his younger brother, and a friend are targets. More than anyone, these three men vow to kill George, whom they blame for forcing them to run and hide. A fun vacation turns into a nightmare and ends where it started, back on the Navajo Nation Reservation, high on a mesa held sacred by George and his grandfather. Outnumbered and outgunned, George will make the ultimate sacrifice to protect his adoptive father and his adoptive brothers- but can he? Without knowing who these men are? Or where they are? Without knowing whom to trust? Is he prepared for betrayal that leads to his heartbreak and death? http://bit.ly/SplinteredLives  

Photo courtesy of Aron Visuals and Unsplash.