Believe No One

A. D. Garrett

Believe No One

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Einstein

 Nick Fennimore stared at the new mail in his inbox and his mouth dried. The subject line: ‘Is this your daughter?’

His hand jerked involuntarily. He slowed his breathing, forcing himself to look closely at the email, to think like a scientist, and not a father. There was an attachment. He’d had messages like this before – usually from sick, sadistic men for whom causing others pain was a release. Those messages had been posted on the Facebook page he’d created in his daughter’s name, but this was the first he’d had direct to his academic account. The sender was ‘anon67912’ – a hotmail account.

Fennimore ran the email and its attachment through his virus checker: no Trojans, spyware or viruses. He clicked to open the message envelope. There was no message – just the subject header, and the attachment. He wiped cold sweat from his upper lip and double-clicked to view the attachment.

It was a girl. Just a girl. She was slim, serious-looking; she walked alongside a man. He seemed older – mid-thirties at a guess. Suited, stocky. Dark hair, full lips, otherwise unexceptional. His eye was drawn again to the girl. Could this be Suzie?

He loaded an image file he had created: his daughter aged-up from aged ten to fifteen. It was already out of date – soon, Suzie would be sixteen years old. If she lived. The statistics said not: the statistics said that Suzie died five years ago, shortly before or after her mother was murdered, but on this matter, Fennimore had never been able to think like a scientist, only as a father.

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Interview with S.M. Albalooshi, author of The Cyclamenton Teacup Poisoner

Today, we’re talking with S.M. Albalooshi, about their new book, The Cyclamenton Teacup Poisoner.

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Tell us something unexpected about yourself!

I'm a neurodivergent Slytherin, a big Poirot enthusiast and loooove coffee so much. I'm an Arab writer living on a tiny island. Literally don't understand people that manage on one cup a day. Also, I love and hate books so much and I can talk about them forever and ever. Unapologetically a Percy Weasley stan and will die for him.

Why do you write?

I originally started writing fanfiction. It's kind of an escape. Sometimes, you just want to find your people and you have so much to say and you want people to hear you out. I love those soul-crushing books that make an impact on you and change the way that you see things. Or clever books that make you wanna go mental and keep you up at night. I don't know how, but books are special and they make you feel special. It's a journey and an experience. Sometimes it's tasting your favourite ice cream and some books are so painfully awful they're like labour. But seeing someone that you want written happen just feels so good. Seeing words put into sentences that make you feel things is kind of magical. That's kind of why I wanted to write.

Where did you get the inspiration for your current book?

I kind of had the idea of the ending in my mind for a long time and worked my way backwards. The characters, when I developed the personalities, kind of wrote my book for me so I didn't even know where it was going. I love that about writing. You don't even know where it goes sometimes, and I think that's beautiful. Wish I can say the same thing about my art though…

What do you enjoy the most about your genre?

I didn't even know I had a genre until I wrote this book. I've never read a dark fantasy book and I'm not a horror reader. But I love the tropes that comes with fantasy and horror. I love the images of vampires and werewolves you get in your mind. I love the tropes of being in a haunted house or being left alone and travelling down a dark forest. I love writing dark and twisty stories, or even thinking about a regular story in a twisted sort of way. I like the feeling of giddiness that brings you. I don't know what that feeling is, but it's great.

How would you describe your writing process?

Chaotic 2am energy with some poetic ramblings.

What do you think authors have to gain from participating in social media?

Probably a lot, but I'm too much of a recluse. I've tried so much and gotten nowhere at all. I wished sometimes I could be a Tiktok legend, but that's not me. I'm more of an I'm bad at talking to people but want people to know my thoughts? kind of person.

What advice would you have for other writers?

Write the stuff that you like, and don't be ashamed about it. Write something that makes you kind of happy and kind of angry and kind of makes you go through stages of healing. If you're honest about what you're writing, you're going to find someone that resonates with you. If you're honest about what you love, you find out who you are too. And that's kind of a hard thing to know about yourself.

How do you select your books’ titles and covers?

Through frustration, cursing and Lush products.

What's your next step?

Genuinely wish I knew, mate. I'm just trying to get through life day in and day out.

What book do you wish you had written?

I'm not sure haha. Maybe a question for a therapist to unpack. I think no matter what I write, I want it to be about mental illness, death and torture, but like a little dark humour in there because that's what we all need. A bit of a laugh (but not too much, I'm not great at that).

How do you react to seeing a new review for your book?

I don't know. Maybe when I get a review, I'll know haha. I actually paid for my two reviews that are on my current books, but I've asked for honest reviews. But I've paid for them to read and review my book. I'm not great at like building a presence. I believe that my book has an audience, but I don't know how to find it? I'm bad at directions, to be honest. But fanfic reviews make my life literally have meaning, but I know writing a book isn't like writing fanfiction so… that's just about all I can say really. And I heard you're not supposed to read your own reviews, but I'm going to. That's the awful thing about it, but I know that my book isn't for everyone and that's fine. I just hope I can find the people that it's for.

FIND S.M. ALBALOOSHI'S BOOK ON AMAZON

Freedom Essay by Norman Brewer

When bedrock freedoms of democracy are on the line, I am a conservative. No. Correction: I am a staunch conservative.

 

Being a conservative of any stripe is not consistent with my full embrace of the progressive agenda that, over the past century, has been woven into America’s social fabric, immeasurably enhancing our well-being.

 

Our most vulnerable fellow citizens rest more comfortably in the safety nets of Medicaid and Medicare and Social Security. Many of the most oppressed have found relief in civil rights protections. Wages are higher and workplaces safer. We all breathe cleaner air and drink cleaner water, thanks to environmental laws.

 

That progress has been sporadic, reflecting the ebb and flow of Congress being open to compromise (until recent years). Largely above the political fray have been our basic freedoms – speech, assembly, right to a fair trial and more. Regrettably, Jim Crow, sundry demagogues and, yes, our own government have denied or chipped away those freedoms at times. But they have not faced a broadside attack. Until now.

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On the campaign stump is a former president determined to return to the scene of his crimes, shamelessly headlined by his avowed “love” for the insurrectionists who stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Donald Trump continues to reject 2020 election results, and vows to suspend the Constitution in his pursuit of suspected election fraud. He threatens to “weaponize” the Department of Justice to prosecute perceived enemies and to investigate the press for treason. “Either the deep state destroys America or we destroy the deep state,” he told a campaign rally in Texas last year. He admits he would be a dictator, though only on “day one,” to impose immigration, energy and other policies precious to his base.

 

Those authoritarian threats come from Trump’s own mouth. If he is elected and carries out his promises, count on him to be the first to boastfully declare, “I told you so.”

 

Conservatives – before Trump became president in 2017 – were the avowed champions of individual freedom. Now, they casually dismiss threats to those very liberties. Sadly, when Trump acolytes are asked about his dictatorial rhetoric, their frequent response is, “Oh, that’s just Donald.” How will that answer go over when our children ask how their freedoms were lost?

 

No wonder the fact-checkers can’t keep up with Trump’s lies, a torrential downpour of deceit not even requiring a reason. Ask him what time it is and you’ll miss a meeting.

 

But many voters still subscribe to the old-fashioned notion that public servants (too many politicians forget that’s what they are) should be taken at their word. Take seriously what they say until it rings false, then hold the bastards accountable.

 

But don’t treat what Trump says about bedrock freedoms as just more lies. Those threats are consistent with his autocratic record. No one should be surprised when he follows through.

 

When he says he’s going to trample my freedoms – tossing out my vote if he squints and finds election fraud – I’m going to believe him. When he says he’s going to rip up the Constitution – brushing aside judges and election officials nobly doing their duty – so he can chase shadowy wisps of election fraud, I’m going to believe him. When he says he’ll prosecute the “vermin” who dare to challenge him, their rights be damned, I’m going to believe him.

 

The risk of losing our freedom is too great to do otherwise. Believing him is what a staunch conservative must do.

About Norman

IMG 3238Norman Brewer is an award-winning reporter and editor who worked for The Des Moines Register and Tribune and for Gannett News Service in Washington, D.C. As a reporter, he covered Congress, the White House and federal agencies, and pursued investigative projects that earned recognition, including from the National Press Club. He was also Director of Employee Communications at the U.S. Transportation Security Administration.

 

His experience has given him a powerful perspective regarding the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol, domestic terrorism and the political landscape. Exposure to terrorism issues helped shape January 6: A Novel as well as two earlier novels, Blending In: A Tale of Homegrown Terrorism, and Killer Politics: A Satirical Tale of Homegrown Terrorism.

 

READ NORMAN’S BOOK ON AMAZON HERE

Interview with Madison Cavanaugh, author of The One-Minute Cure

This week, we’re talking with Madison Cavanaugh, about her book The One-Minute Cure: The Secret to Healing Virtually All Diseases   

71Rmwrv4TXL. SL1350Tell us something unexpected about yourself!

Before I became a health journalist and author of health and wellness books and articles, I was first a songwriter and lyricist. I wrote the first-ever novel (titled Midwinter Turns to Spring) that comes with its own music soundtrack of songs, which I wrote the music and lyrics to.

Why do you write?

I write because I believe that words have the power to transform lives. Through my writing, I aim to inspire and empower readers to take control of their health and well-being, and to live their best lives. Writing is not just a profession for me, it is a calling, a way to make a positive impact on the world and leave a lasting legacy. I write to share my knowledge, my experiences, and my insights, and to connect with readers on a deep and meaningful level. Ultimately, I write because I believe that everyone has the potential to live a life of purpose, passion, and fulfillment, and I want to do my part to help them achieve that.

Where did you get the inspiration for your current book?

The inspiration for the book came on the 4th of July 2008. I had spent that holiday weekend with my sister Rebecca's family in Northern California. After the holiday picnic and fireworks were done, Rebecca confessed to me that she was about to lose her house to foreclosure because she and her husband, George — both real estate agents with practically no income in 2008 — have been unable to pay their mortgage in several months. The only bills they were paying monthly were utility bills — just to keep the lights on and water running for the family members who lived in their house, including an adult son, an adult daughter, a son-in-law (all of whom had lost their jobs that year) and 3 grandchildren under the age of 7. Rebecca and George could hardly earn enough money to put food on the table for the eight members of their household. The 3 of us cried over their dire financial straits and the looming prospect that by Christmas that year, their family would be homeless and would have no place to live.
When I returned home to Los Angeles after that holiday weekend, I pondered various ways of preventing Beckie's family from losing their house and becoming destitute, homeless and hungry. Within a few days, I experienced an epiphany of sorts, which prompted me to write a book about a natural healing therapy that I had heard about in January 2008. I was hoping that writing the book and marketing it online could potentially generate enough money to at least feed my sister's family. I prayed that sales of the book would produce a modest profit of $1,000 a month, just enough to at least feed my sister's household and maybe even pay for a portion of their utilities. Within 5 weeks of the book idea first dawning on me, I had finished writing a 113-page book, which I titled “The One-Minute Cure: The Secret to Healing Virtually All Diseases.” The book generated modest profits of $600 on the first month, $2,000 on the second month, and an astounding $13,000 on the third month — more than enough for my sister to feed her family and pay for her monthly mortgage for the first time in months. What happened in the next few months can only be described as spectacularly miraculous: On the 9th month (April 2009), The One-Minute Cure became the No. 1 Amazon bestseller in the Health, Body and Mind category for the first of 15 times, and it hit the milestone of generating cumulative sales of $1 million by July 2009. Today, 13 years after it was first published, the book (now on its Second Edition) still continues its winning sales streak. And it all started because I was inspired to write a book that would help my sister's family in their time of need.

What do you enjoy the most about your genre?

What I enjoy most about the health and wellness genre is the opportunity to empower and inspire readers to take control of their own health and well-being — and doing the same for myself in the process. You've probably heard the saying, “If you want to become a subject matter expert, write a book about the subject matter.” And this is what I set out to do. To date, I've authored 11 health and wellness books simply because I dared to become a subject matter expert. And as a result, I've ended up providing practical advice, actionable steps, and evidence-based information in my books that can help readers make positive changes in their lives and achieve their health goals. It's incredibly rewarding to know that my work can make a real difference in people's lives and help them live happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives.

How would you describe your writing process?

My writing process is a journey of self-discovery and exploration. I start by immersing myself in the subject matter, researching and reading extensively to gain a deep understanding of the topic. Then, I allow my intuition to guide me as I write, trusting that the words will flow naturally and organically. I believe that writing is a form of meditation, a way to tap into the collective consciousness and channel insights and wisdom that can inspire and transform readers.

What do you think authors have to gain from participating in social media?

Authors have a lot to gain from participating in social media. Social media platforms provide a unique opportunity for authors to connect with their readers, build a community around their work, and promote their books to a wider audience. By engaging with readers on social media, authors can gain valuable feedback, insights, and ideas that can help them improve their writing and better understand their audience. Additionally, social media can help authors establish their brand, increase their visibility, and ultimately sell more books. In today's digital age, social media is an essential tool for any author looking to succeed in the competitive world of publishing.

What advice would you have for other writers?

My advice for other writers is to write from the heart, be authentic, and don't try to be someone else or write what you think people want to read. You don't always need to “Write what you know” as Mark Twain once wrote. There's power in writing about topics that you are unfamiliar with — never underestimate the rewards of your thorough research. More importantly, write on topics you are passionate about — or what you stand for or believe in. Writing is a journey of self-discovery, and the more you explore and experiment, the more you will grow as a writer.

How do you select your books’ titles and covers?

I believe that the title and cover should be a reflection of the book's essence and message. The title should be catchy, memorable, and convey the book's core idea. More importantly, the title should highlight the main benefit(s) that the reader will experience upon reading the book. Case in Point: The title of my book, “The One-Minute Cure: The Secret to Healing Virtually All Diseases” says it it all. It incites curiosity and entices the reader to pick up the book and delve into its pages. The cover should be visually appealing, have colors, images, fonts and typefaces that stand out from the rest of the books in the same genre — and should also be relevant to the book's content.

What's your next step?

My next step as an author is to continue to explore and write about the intersection of self-development and health and wellness. I believe that true health and wellness is not just about physical health, but also about mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. My goal is to elevate my readers' consciousness to what's possible in the frontier of health, longevity, self-realization and our quest to connect to our higher self.

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What book do you wish you had written?

If I had to choose one book that I wish I had written, it would be “The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle. This book has had a profound impact on millions of people around the world, including myself. It offers a simple yet powerful message about the importance of living in the present moment and letting go of the past and future. The book's teachings have the potential to transform people's lives and bring them a sense of peace and fulfillment. I admire Tolle's ability to convey complex spiritual concepts in a clear and accessible way, and I believe that his work will continue to inspire and enlighten people for generations to come.

How do you react to seeing a new review for your book?

As an author, seeing a new review for my book is always a humbling experience that fills me with awe and gratitude. I'm grateful because I've been given the opportunity through my work to make a meaningful difference in people's lives. Because my books are in the health and wellness genre, I'm grateful for the opportunity to transform the health of my readers, change their lives for the better, and in many cases, even save their life or the life of their loved one. It reminds me that my work is not just a product, but also my contribution to the world. Whether the review is positive or negative, it is an opportunity for growth and reflection, and a chance to connect with readers on a deeper level.

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Interview with Fern Ronay, the author of Better Believe It

This week, we’re talking with Fern Ronay about her book Better Believe It

 

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Tell us something unexpected about yourself!

My grandfather sends me pennies as a sign. He passed in 2001.

(This might not be so unexpected to people who follow me and my podcast #SignsFromTheOtherSide.)

 

Why do you write?

To tell stories I would like to read.

 

Where did you get the inspiration for your current book?

The protagonist of Better Believe It was a subordinate character in my first book and she has issues I couldn't wait to explore.

 

What do you enjoy the most about your genre?

Relatable characters

Author Image Fern

 

How would you describe your writing process?

Get it all out, and then sculpt it later.

 

What advice would you have for other writers?

Write at least one sentence a day.

It usually leads to more but one sentence is enough, and then, before you know it, you have written your next book.

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What do you think authors have to gain from participating in social media?

Connecting with people who are interested in the same weird stuff you're interested in. No better way to find your tribe.

 

How do you select your books’ titles and covers?

My publisher does that but I've been lucky. They have good taste and great ideas.

 

What's your next step?

A third book!

 

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How do you react to seeing a new review for your book?

Excited!

 

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