The Art of War Plus The Art of Politics: Strategy for Campaigns: Special 10th Anniversary Edition by Shawn R. Frost, Sun Tzu, Gary Gagliardi (translator)

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Author's Synopsis

A winning playbook ten years in the making!

Why did we write this book? After avoiding political involvement for decades, I got frustrated and had an axe to grind and needed a practical guide to winning in politics for non-political-science-majors. That book didn’t exist, so we wrote it.

We first published much of this book in 2014 before Shawn's SUCCESSFUL run for School Board. He defeated a two-term incumbent, named Disney, who was the President of the State School Board Association. When Frost beat Disney by almost 10 points, local journalist Russ Lemmon referred to it as a "Shocking" victory and spent several column inches of front page real estate speculating on how a first time candidate beat a powerhouse named Disney. We knew it boiled down to two words: Better Strategy.

Reasons to buy this book: You want to WIN

"All of Politics is Local, but the science of strategy (winning) is universal and timeless."- Political Sun Tzu™

You want to sharpen the most powerful weapon in any contest, the human mind.

If your opponent reads this book, and you don't, it's over for your campaign

You want to follow in the path of a consultant with an almost 94% win rate over 5 cycles

Here’s what’s different about this book: This builds on The Art of War plus the Art of Politics: Strategy for Campaigns by Gagliardi and Frost (2014) by adding an epilogue by Frost "10 years on the front lines of politics and the culture wars", Political Sun Tzu Key Concepts throughout, and End of Chapter Summaries to highlight key points from the past 10 years on the political battlefield and hard-won lessons.

This book is two books in one: on the left hand page is Gary Gagliardi's award winning translation of Sun Tzu's Bing Fa (Chinese) as The Art of War (English) and the facing page is the political interpretation. Much of this book was first published as “Sun Tzu’s Art of War plus the Art of Politics: Strategy for Campaigns” Feb 10, 2014, ISBN: 9781929194728

Does this book even work? Yes, it absolutely does. When we wrote this book, I hadn’t even been a candidate, let alone an award-winning political consultant and campaign educator and it delivered massive wins for me and our clients. This is the guidebook used to help shape the political landscape in Florida since 2014. The primary author, Shawn R. Frost, has used this book to get bills passed, candidates elected, and help launch political committees and movements.

The updates in this Special 10th Anniversary Edition add to that winning formula.

Frost's former clients, friends and colleagues regularly appear on FoxNews, NewsMax, OANN, Daily Wire, CNN, MSNBC, and in print everywhere. He considers himself to be a slightly smarter version of Forrest Gump in that he has had a front row seat to history. All because he mastered the mindset and skills contained in this book, and the courses at Science of Strategy Institute and he practiced and refined them at his consulting firm, MVP Strategy and Policy LLC.

That's the thing about good strategy, it is universal in its effectiveness and timeless in its influence.

We can’t promise you will win 93% of the time like Frost did, but reading this book moves you in the right direction. You will know how to win your campaign, see a loss coming sooner, or win eventually by advancing your strategic position through a winning or losing campaign over time.

Read this book again and again, to sharpen your mind like a sword, until winning becomes an instinct.

NOTE: A nearly identical version of this book was also published as "Political Art of War: Winning Strategy for Local Campaigns" ISBN:979-8883734686 and ASIN: B0CXCCMNMH on Kindle. Readers are advised that these are essentially the same books with minor layout and design variations

Format(s) for review: Paper Only

Review Genre: Nonfiction—How to/Business

Number of Pages: 237

Word Count: 46,194

Crow Wisdom: A Seasonal Journey by Jasmine Tritten & Wanda Jerome

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Author's Synopsis

Crows have symbolic meanings in many cultures. Incredibly smart, these birds carve a unique place between the natural and spiritual worlds. They fly into our lives and communicate important insights as harbingers of change to come. In homage to the family of corvids – especially crows – we compiled this collection of uplifting poetry, photography and artwork to shed light on their unique contributions to our human experience here on earth. We hope you enjoy this book and crows find their way to you when you need them.

Genre(s): Religious/Spiritual, Poetry Book, Picture Book

Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

WWII Letters and Records of Ellsworth A. Westgate by Frank Westgate

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Author's Synopsis

WWII Letters that where written and sent home to Ellsworth Grandparents Some our more readable that others. I took Dads Letters page by page in order and tried to type out in an alternate letter as close as possible to the original. Both will be attached in order.

Genre(s): Memoir

Format(s): Soft cover

Warrior Dogs by LTC (ret) Richard A. Vargus

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Author's Synopsis

The unvarnished story of military working dogs. The hero handlers and their dogs throughout history, especially their impact in Iraq and Afghanistan during Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. Bringing to the forefront the challenges and tunnel vision by Pentagon bureaucrats in projecting the MWD platform. It's the true story of the author's experiences during his years at US Central Command, and the Pentagon as the Army and DoD MWD Program Manager.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 202

Word Count: 102,614

The Secrets of St. Edmond's Terrace by John Wyle

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Author's Synopsis

This story takes place in and around St. Edmond’s Terrace, an independent living facility for seniors. Unbeknownst to the residents, Atlanta’s notorious madam, disguised and using an alias, is also a new resident hiding in their midst. The “madam”, frequently reported in the local news, becomes the best friend of her next-door neighbor, a retired architect and recent widower. Meanwhile, the Republican governor, up for re-election and anxious to avoid an “October surprise,” along with the Democrats, are each desperately wanting to acquire the madam’s “little black book.” When the architect’s daughter announces her engagement to the son of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the architect’s new lady friend volunteers to help plan the wedding, only to discover the guest list will also include the President and First Lady of the United States. The groom, having served as the, then, Vice President’s aide-de-camp, is now a personal friend of the newly elected President and a regular on the White House basketball court.

This madcap tale of life at the Terrace—with gossip spreading rumors among the ladies, the men’s club buzzing with talk of sports at one end and politics at the other, and many of its residents serving on the “Wedding Brigade”— moves from one adventure to another as the Director of Security works to solve the mystery of who the new lady resident might actually be. Finally, all hell breaks loose at the wedding reception, only to end with the secrets of St. Edmond’s Terrace revealed.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Other—Humor

Number of Pages: 234

Word Count: 60,852

Cobalt: The Rise and Fall of the Great Reset by Travis Davis

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Author's Synopsis

After China’s discovery of a rare form of Cobalt located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, all the pieces and players are now in place for the Great Reset. The United States must be brought to its knees at all costs. The only thing standing in their vision of a perfect world order is a determined CIA agent, Mary, and Team Texarkana, comprised of Tex, Will, Kim, and Lucy. If they fail, the world will never recover. There is no turning back. Civilization is at stake; The Great Reset must be stopped before it’s too late.

Format(s) for review: Kindle or Paper

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller/Crime

Number of Pages: 294

Word Count: 88,000

Rosie's Sweat Box by David Rozzell

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Author's Synopsis

Grady Rozzell at age 19 was a B-17 pilot in the 401st Bomb Group operating out of Deenethorpe Army Air Base. On Friday, May 30, 1944, Grady and his crew made their first combat mission. Their target was an airplane factory in Oschersleben, Germany. Highlights from his diary tell this story.

This is his first diary entry:

10:26 . . . Over to the left front, a patch of sky is literally filled with black crust; that’s flack, my first sight of the dreaded flack I’ve heard so much about. 11:30 . . . We’ve just been attacked by enemy fighters. Those babies came within a few hundred feet of our plane and not one of my gunners shot at the fighters. Too excited to do anything but gape—and gape they did. The fighters got the ship directly behind me. I looked back in time to see the big bird go into a vertical climb and spin-off on one wing. I saw two chutes pop and stretch out their lazy canopies. There’s eight more men in that plane. Off to the left and lower is a crippled B-17 trying to fight its way home. . . . There’s about five fighters making swift passes at the ship, trying to knock it down. They look like vultures gathering around, ready for the kill.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 249

Word Count:

After Lisa by Joe Pace

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Author's Synopsis

When Andy Chester loses his thirtysomething wife Lisa to breast cancer, it doesn’t take long for his world to fall apart. His business teeters on the edge of financial ruin. His overbearing father-in-law is convinced Andy is unfit to raise his young son and daughter alone. Adrift in a world he struggles to navigate without his beloved Lisa, Andy begins a grief journey with no certain destination.

Even as he spirals into despair, Andy’s eclectic network of support tries to help. Buddy Cormier, a French Canadian-Mik’Maq womanizer from the Maine backwoods and Andy’s best friend. The Narwhal, a legendary comic-book and tabletop role-playing game personality from whom Andy inherited his Olympia hobby shop. Andy’s alcoholic sister Nan, a San Francisco art dealer and adoptive lesbian mother.

Despite their efforts, Andy confronts the possibility that whether or not there’s life after death, there may be no life After Lisa.

Format(s) for review: Paper or Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Literary Fiction

Number of Pages: 252

Word Count: 90,000

Unaccounted by Michael McDonald-Low

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Author's Synopsis

The Vietnam War was an ugly, brutal conflict that ended lives and tortured its survivors. Nobody knows that better than the infantry grunts who served in northern I Corp - Que Son Valley area of operations. More U.S. Army infantrymen and Marines died there than at any other location in Vietnam. More medals for heroism were awarded in this region than in any other single combat location. On 5 May 1968, the downing of two helicopters in the Que Son Valley marked the beginning of the North Vietnamese Army’s second Tet offensive and their goal of destroying all U.S. forces. At 1728 hours, Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 20th Infantry conducted a combat air assault to join Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry at the helicopters fatally downed location. During the next six days, their experiences would set the stage for a three-month-long battle that lasted only hours for some. In the end, there would be more than 2,300 dead and wounded, and one American soldier missing in action. It will take over 44 years to find his location. UNACCOUNTED is his story.

Genre(s): Nonfiction

Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

ISBN/ASIN:B092XFBQNM, B092WTK254

Pearl Harbor: Remembering How We Served and Survived by MS2 Shannon R. Cooper, USNR (Ret.)

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Author's Synopsis

This book is a collection of personal Pearl Harbor stories from actual survivors of Pearl Harbor to stories from the families of those who were at Pearl Harbor during the attack. It contains an accurate account of events as they took place on the fateful day of December 7, 1941.

Included in the book is a minute by minute account of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. There is information gathered from individual interviews of survivors and their families. These interviews give the readers a personal connection with the survivors and their families.

In reading the book, the readers will gather a true account and connection with those who survived. It will also give a better understanding of what truly took place on December 7, 1941, in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 179

Word Count: 38322

The Quietude of Calvary, Second Edition by Jamison Whiteman

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Author's Synopsis

Murray Edgeton, the most brilliant physicist in at least three generations believes in nothing but quantifiable and provable science. His life's work is to expand upon Einstein's theory of relativity and in doing so he unlocks the secrets of the space-time continuum. Demonstrating that access to wormholes and space-time curves is possible, he sends a select team of U.S. Military Special Operators from the present time to First Century Judea. Their mission, based upon a closely held secret that Murray has been harboring his entire life, is to prove that Jesus of Nazareth was simply an itinerant preacher from the backwaters of Galilee and did not in fact rise from the dead on the third day. The time travel team makes a shocking discovery of their own on the hill of Calvary and return home to present their findings to an unbelieving world.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Horror/Fantasy/Sci Fi

Number of Pages: 196

Word Count: 66,720

Congratulations, Your Daughter is Engaged. Now What? A Father's Emotional Survival Guide by Kenneth Andrus

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Author's Synopsis

Congratulations, Dad. You just learned your daughter is engaged. Another innocent is going down the aisle. But what you likely don't understand, it's not just your daughter who is about to proceed on the perilous journey, it's you. In A Fathers Emotional Survival Guide, the author explores the complex interplay of a father's emotions as he escorts his daughter down the aisle and offers advice on how to transition to a new chapter in his life.

Number of Pages: 84

From CO to CEO: A Practical Guide for Transitioning from Military to Industry Leadership by William Toti by

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Author's Synopsis

In From CO to CEO: A Practical Guide for Transitioning from Military to Industry Leadership, William J. Toti, former CO of the nuclear submarine USS Indianapolis and former CEO of Sparton Corporation, offers a seminal manual for service members transitioning to civilian careers and navigating their rise up the corporate ladder.

Genre(s): Nonfiction, Reference

Format(s): Hard cover, Kindle, ePub/iBook, Audiobook

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-63763-063-1, 978-1-63763-064-8x

Number of Pages: 272

These Fought in Any Case: A Collection of Poems and Short Stories by Veterans

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Author's Synopsis

The Military Writers Society of America and The Cuddy Family Foundation for Veterans are honored to present a collection of original poems and short stories from veterans of the armed forces. Hundreds of submissions were received for a contest to send one veteran to the MWSA's Annual Convention set for August 2022 in New Orleans and the finalists are featured in this book. It is our pleasure to publish the creative efforts of the following veterans: Scott Mulvaney (Marine Corps), Kari Sobisky (Marine Corps), Melanie Costa (Marine Corps & Army), Jim Greenwald (Navy), Eric Leja (Marine Corps), Philip Julian (CO Army National Guard), Reed Bonadonna (Marine Corps), Marc Levy (Army), Theresa Ann Boquist (Navy), Mark Voelker (Marine Corps), Michael Lund (Navy), John Cathcart (Air Force), Tanya R. Whitney (Army), Michael Mullane (Navy), Eric Wasileski (Army & Navy), Thomas Mangan (Air Force), Donald Purdy (Navy), Jim Tritten (Navy), Richard K. Cartwright (Air Force), Jon M. Nelson (Army), Jessi Atherton (Army National Guard), George J. Bryjak (Marine Corps), Steven Wade Veatch (Navy), J. Scott Price (VA Army National Guard), Tim Weaver (Air Force), Ken Harbert (Navy & Coast Guard), Everett Cox (Army), R.G. Roberts (Navy), Briana M. Carr (Army), Jennifer K. Yancey (Army), Alexis Casiday (Navy), Robert W. Poirier (Navy), and Elvis Aaron Leighton (MN Army National Guard). This anthology was compiled by G.A. Cuddy and edited by April Leavenworth and I.Z. Fallon. The poem "Spring Thaw" by J. Scott Price of Faber (VA) was selected as the top selection.

Proceeds from the sale of this book will be split evenly between The Military Writers Society of America (mwsadispatches.com) and The Cuddy Family Foundation for Veterans (tcfffv.org). Note: the inspiration for the title of this collection stems from Ezra Pound's "Hugh Selwyn Mauberley," his 1920 poetry book that included a stirring elegy dedicated to those who served, and fought in any case, during The Great War.

The Hidden Lives of Dick & Mary: Two Novellas of Supernatural Suspense by Xavier Poe Kane

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Author's Synopsis: From debut author Xavier Poe Kane comes a paranormal pair of tales surrounding the unusual lives and acquaintances of Dick Fischer and Mary Deacon.

Dick Fisher is a medium, and he and his rookie reality show team of ghost hunters find themselves entrenched in the military history of Jefferson Barracks. "Haunted Houses: Gateway to the West and the Beyond" follows the team in St. Louis, Missouri, as they discover spirits both friend and foe and learn what exactly it took to terrify the soldiers who claimed they weren't afraid of anything.

Mary just wants someone to listen to her and not go running like they've just seen a ghost. In "The Tale of Mary Deacon", a young girl who wishes to go to space begins to get more than she bargained for. As she gets older and the abductions more invasive, she must learn who to trust and how.

Both haunting and emotional, The Hidden Lives of Dick and Mary explores what can happen if you open your mind to the existence of things--and people--that go bump in the night.

Genre(s): Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy/Sci-Fi

Format(s): Softcover

ISBN/ASIN: 9781087945149

Our Longest Year in Iraq by Douglas Satterfield

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Author's Synopsis

Army Engineers were among the first Soldiers on the Iraq battlefield; some of the last to leave. This book tells the story of those who stood alongside our warfighters in combat. For those who want a glimpse of modern warfare and read about Soldiers in combat, this book is written in an easy-to-read form for a general audience.
The 1st Cavalry Division entered the Iraq War in early 2004 to provide security for Iraqi citizens. What happened was a resurgence of violence and death. Army Engineers were thrown into the battle to build bases, roads, airfields, hunt IEDs, and install barriers to protect and house the warfighters. From Fallujah to Sadr City, the fight was on, and Engineers on the battlefield did their part honorably and courageously.
For those who have the spirit, read about the Soldiers who fought in Iraq. Brigadier General Satterfield, U.S. Army (retired), tells the story of the 353rd Engineer Group (1st Cav) as it led the greatest engineer effort in decades. He discusses how courage and honor overcame that fear. And, he shows us how Engineers played a vital role in winning over the hearts and minds of Iraqi citizens. This is a personal journey from Fort Sill, Oklahoma to Baghdad, Iraq and back.
The 1st Cav motto, "Be Courteous, Be Professional, Be Prepared to Kill," reflected their orders on the battlefield and how they overcame a profound evil perpetuated by enemy Iraqi insurgents and International terrorists. This is a true story from March 2004 through February 2005, one of the most dangerous times of the war.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

Formats: Softcover, Kindle

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-7379155-1-5, 978-1-7379155-0-8

Tard by Del Staecker

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Author's Synopsis

A multi-genre, multi-format fantasy/crime story that will lead you through and beyond cognitive dissonance and confirmation bias into a place where dreams come true.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Literary Fiction

Number of Pages: 355

America's Amazing Airports by Penny Rafferty Hamilton

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Author's Synopsis: America’s Amazing Airports is easy-to-read for all ages. Packed with unique photographs about the “magic” at our airports outside and inside. A great introduction to aviation careers and a nationwide look at community airports. An easy to understand explanation of airport funding is included. Praise from aviation leaders. “Our home at one of the most recognized airports in the world – Oshkosh – shows the community and possibilities that local airports create. Any opportunity to share the story of legendary airports, such as in this book, is a pathway to engaging more people in the wonderful world of flight.” Jack J. Pelton, CEO/Chairman, Experimental Aircraft Association-EAA. “Airports, like airplanes, have personalities. Some are larger than life, others diminutive. But each precious airport is distinct. America's Amazing Airport gives us a look at what makes airports – a vital asset of this country – so unique and inspiring.” Ben Sclair, Publisher, General Aviation News.

Genre(s): Nonfiction, History, Young Adult

Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

ISBN/ASIN: 978169923756

Short Season by DJ Scott

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Author's Synopsis: He watched his unit die for their country. Now he may have to do it again. Navy medical officer Mike McGregor hates the human cost of war. After barely surviving a top-secret mission in Iraq, the loss of his team leaves him bitter and wary of authority. But when a Yemeni warlord steals six Russian nukes, McGregor doesn't hesitate to head back into combat.

Thrown together with an aggressive female Marine determined to prove her worth, McGregor worries this assignment will end like the last. And when things go sideways behind enemy lines, his loyalty is torn between duty and the lives of his people.

Can McGregor prevent nuclear disaster and bring his crew out unscathed?

Short Season is a gripping military fiction novel. If you like gritty heroes, action-packed operations, and tough moral dilemmas, then you'll love DJ Scott's compelling tale.

Genre(s): Fiction, Mystery/Thriller

Format(s): Softcover, Kindle

ASIN: B07W6JP1D2, ISBN 10: ‎ 1943290695

Super Grandma and Super Grandpa, The Unknown Superheroes, Book 1 by Christine J. Gilbert

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Author's Synopsis: In the suburbs of the city lived a Super Grandma, Jeanne Classyca, who had two grandchildren. Super Grandma was a special agent, and she had super magical powers. She was a classy lady and believed in eating the right foods and exercising. Not far away downtown in the city lived a Super Grandpa, Patrizio Wannabee, who had three grandchildren. He was a special agent and had super magical powers. He didn't believe in eating healthy or exercising. One would describe him as a bit chunky until Agent Classyca encouraged him to eat healthily and work out. Super Grandma and Super Grandpa were unknown superheroes and worked together on cases involving saving children in danger by using their super magical powers. They each owned a safety training school that taught safety and martial arts to children to make them aware of stranger danger, stop drop and roll, cyberbullying, and more. While they were working on a case, evidence was found in a wooden box, and they discovered their students and grandchildren were in danger. It was up to Super Grandma and Super Grandpa to catch the criminals by using their super magical powers. While they were trying to catch the criminals, something unexpected happened, and their super magical powers may have been handed down to their grandchildren. (Chapter reading ages 7-12)

Genre(s): Fiction, Fantasy/Sci Fi

Format(s): Hardcover, Softcover

ASIN: B0794T2SDW

ISBN: 978-15049-3463-3, ISBN:978-1524639044