Now available from Fiery Seas Publishing is the romantic novel Where On Earth? An Alaska Adventure by David H. Minton.




When did you become interested in storytelling?

My mother was a librarian and she always brought home interesting books from the library. So as far back as I can remember, I’ve always been interested in stories, both fiction and non-fiction. My father liked Robert W. Service and Rudyard Kipling, and through those writers, I became interested in poetry—especially descriptive poetry.

What was your first book/story published?

My first book was a non-fiction book about the history of the Boeing 737. It was published by McGraw Hill in the Aero series. I’ve always been interested in planes and writing about an airliner seemed natural to me.

What inspired you to write Where on Earth? An Adventure in Alaska ?

For some years I’ve had an idea of a novel with a male and a female protagonist on opposite sides of the environmental/climate debate. I plan for more of these books with the same characters, including the French-speaking dog, in other locations in the world. Over the last several years I’ve worked on outlines of these various stories. I don’t know why Alaska floated to the top first.

What character in Where on Earth? An Adventure in Alaska is the most/least like you, and in what ways?

Dan Richardson, the male protagonist and I share have a lot of common experiences, war veterans, helicopters, survey work, and environmental impact statements. I think he is most like me in that he is very solution oriented, much more interested in solving problems than being stymied or frustrated by them. I think it is pretty common among writers in that you write best about which you know best, like yourself.

What is your favorite part in Where on Earth? An Adventure in Alaska ?

After nearly a month, I finally finished reading Into The Water by Paula Hawkins, which I was extremely disappointed with it. Read my review here!

I had planned on returning the book to the library on Saturday, but it was closed due to weather damage. There was a horrible thunderstorm with 60+mp winds on Friday night & early Saturday morning and the part of the library's roof was torn off. There was also water damage to the inside, mostly on the office side of the building.

Anyhow, the book drop was reopened, so I returned the book today. Repairs to the library are currently underway. Visit the library's Facebook page for their most recent update.

As for my current read, I'm reading Alien Covenant: The Official Novelization by Alan Dean Foster.

If you're in your 30's, like I am, then you mostly likely grew up watching cartoons every Saturday morning. You know, back way before the Federal Communications Commission mandate, which required networks to air at least 3 hours of educational program per week - aka, killing Saturday Morning Cartoons forever.

Yes, you can still find plenty of new cartoons on cable channels; some even have 24 hours of animated programs, but it just doesn't feel the same as it did in the late 1980s and the early 1990s. Thankfully, many of our cartoon favorites are now available on DVD, so we can watch them anytime we like. We can even have a Saturday Morning Cartoons Marathon, if like.

14 hours 20 minutes: $19.98; Mill Creek Ent.

Now available from Mill Creek Entertainment are 'the complete series' sets of Where On Earth is Carmen Sandiego? and Archie's Weird Mysteries.

Where On Earth is Carmen Sandiego? is based on a series of computer games. It aired on the now defunct Fox Kids block from 1994 to 1999, lasting for only 40 episodes. The series won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Animated Program in 1995.

The series centers on the ACME agents Ivy and Zack, whom happens to be brother and sister. In each episode, the duo tries to track down Carmen Sandiego, the leader the organization V.I.L.E, who is always stealing a historical artifact. With the help of the Player (a live-action kid who is playing  a computer game), Ivy and Zack follows the clues left behind by Carmen to solve the mystery and retrieve the missing artifact.

The DVD set has 4 discs (10 episodes per disc). There are no special features or extras, though there is a bonus episode from the short-lived series Liberty's Kids.

14 hours 52 minutes; $19.98; Mill Creek Ent.

Way before Archie and his pals were rebooted in the hit CW series Riverdale, there was a short-lived 1999 series, titled Archie's Weird Mysteries, that aired on PAX (now known as Ion Television).

Lasting for only 40 episodes, the series centered on Archie (now a school reporter) and his friends, as they investigate strange occurrences around Riverdale. The episodes were basically spoofs of low-budget B-movies from the 1950s, involving encounters with Frankenstein's monster, werewolves, mad scientists, UFOs, zombies, and vampires.

The DVD set has 4 discs (10 episodes per discs). There are no special features or extras, though there are bonus episodes fro Sabrina: The Animated Series, Sabrina's Secret Life, and Mona the Vampire. It comes with an instant digital access code that be redeemed at www.millcreekent.com/redeem.

Riverhead Books; 400 pages; Amazon

If you've been following this blog for the last few weeks, then you would know I've been reading the new novel Into The Water by Paula Hawkins, the author of The Girl On The Train. I had checked out the book from the library and it has taken me over three weeks to finish it.

From just looking at the cover art, you can clearly tell the novel is a murder mystery, and that's exactly what it is, well, sorta. The plot centers on the mysterious death of a woman, Danielle Abbott, who was found at the bottom of the river, otherwise known as the Drowning Pool to the locals.

Over the years, many people have died in the Drowning Pool, so it was no shock to anyone that Danielle died there. However, she isn't the most recent death there, as the body of a teenage girl was found in the Drowning Pool earlier in the summer. Are the two deaths connected?

Now available on for Digital Download from HBO Home Entertainment is The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks. Written & directed by George C. Wolfe, the film stars Oprah Winfrey, Rose Byrne, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Courtney B. Vance, Reg E. Cathey, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, and Leslie Uggams.

Based on the book of the same name by Rebecca Skloot, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks follows writer Rebecca Skloot (played by Rose Byrne), who seeks out to learn the history of Henrietta Lacks, an African American whose cancer cells were the source of the HeLa, the first immortalized cell line. Rebecca seeks out Henrietta's children in the hope of letting her write about their mother.

Upon meeting Henrietta's emotionally-drained daughter, Deborah Lacks (played by Oprah Winfrey), Rebecca learns the Lack family never authorized the harvesting of Henrietta's cancer cells back in 1951. Over the years, scientists have used the cancerous cells in medical research and for commercial purposes.

Together, Deborah and Rebecca chronicles Henrietta's life, leading them to understand the meaning beyond her death.

Universal Pictures; PG-13; 98 minutes

Now available to own on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is the fantasy-adventure Dragonheart: Battle for the Heartfire.

Directed by Patrick Syversen, the film stars Tom Rhys, Jessamine-Bliss Bell, Andre Eriksen, Richard Cordery, Martin Hutson, Turlough Covery, Delroy Brown, Lewis Mackinnon, Marte Germaine Christensen, Orjan Tormod Gamst, Daniel Berge Halvorsen, Stig Frode Henriksen, Tamzin Merchant, and Patrick Stewart as the voice of Dargo.

The original Dragonheart was released to theaters in 1996. It received positive reviews from critics and was mild success at the box-office. A direct-to-video sequel Dragonheart: A New Beginning was released in 2000, but was shunned by critics and fans, mostly due to the bad CGI effects and silly storyline. The franchise seemed to be dead until a direct-to-video prequel, Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer's Curse, was released in 2015. Despite the prequel's low budget, the CGI effects for the dragon were impressive.

The second prequel, Dragonheart: Battle For The Heartfire, picks up many years after the ending of the third film. King Gareth and Queen Rhonu (and the dragon she was connected to) are both dead. The dragon Drago (now voiced by Patrick Stewart) shared a heart with the king, but somehow survived after the King's death. The King's only son had left the kingdom years ago and since then had died, but he left behind twins - a boy named Edric and a girl named Meghan.

The twins were born with a connection to Drago, who had only noticed their existence after the King had died. Due to their connection with the dragon, the twins have supernatural powers. Edric has superhuman strength and Meghan can control fire.

With Drago's help, the kingdom locates Edric and crowns him the new king. Unfortunately, Edric has no time to enjoy his new life, as his sister has sided with an army of vikings. She's determined to take the kingdom for herself by stealing the power of the heartfire that lies within Drago.

Bonus Features on the Blu-ray are:

• The Making of Dragonheart: Battle for the Heartfire

• The Magic Behind Drago

• Inside the Castle

Revell; 383 pages; $14.99; Amazon

Now available from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, is Naomi's Hope, book 3 in the Journey To Pleasant Prairie series, by Jan Drexler.

Set in LaGrange County, Indiana, in 1846, the novel centers Naomi Schrock, a single Amish woman who had taken in a young boy Davey after his family had been killed. Getting married is not an option for her, because she believes no man would be interested in a woman with an adopted kid. Well, her thoughts begin to change after Cap Stoltzfus moves into the area and starts a friendship with Davey.

Cap comes with emotional scars, as he had loss his family back in Ohio. Despite his heartache, he journeyed to Indiana to start anew. The last thing he was looking for was love, but he that changes once he meets Naomi.

Cap's and Naomi's future is tested when Preacher Shem Fischer moves to the county and causes a whole set problems.