The Gemstone Chronicles Book One: The Carnelian

Bill Stuart has written, The Gemstone Chronicles Book One: The Carnelian.

The book, a Middle grades/YA fantasy adventure, is Bill's first. It was published Aug. 12, 2012. It seems Bill, a ten-year veteran of the US Navy Submarine Force who now works in the animal health field, has fun with this adventure.

When Aidan and Maggie find a fairy cross while rock-hunting with their grandfather, it's just an oddity. But when they discover there is an elf imprisoned in the stone and set him free, they and their grandparents, Nana and Beebop, are attacked by some other elves and have to flee to the magical world of Celahir.

In Celahir, Findecano - the elf the children freed from the fairy cross - leads them on a quest to recover gemstones stolen from the Elven Bow by the Dark Elves. Without the restoration of the gemstones to the Elven Bow, the balance between good and evil in Celahir - and the human world - could tip toward evil.

The book is available in Kindle ebook, .epub and .pdf. Cost of the book is $2.99. You can get the book on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/William-Stuart/e/B008XB7K74/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1) or on Smashwords (http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ugak9s911).

Find out more about the book here: http://www.facebook.com/TheGemstoneChronicles?ref=hl

Find out more about Bill at his blog here: http://www.williamlstuart.com and on Goodreads here: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6473734.William_L_Stuart

My debut book is a go!

It all started with this little boy who had a big imagination. He would sometimes turn his imaginative thoughts into words on paper. A poem or a short story would flow from his mind to his fingers to pieces of paper. Well, that's when he was behaving. When he was misbehaving, those imaginative thoughts would turn into burned army men or broken toys. It's a wonder I didn't burn the house down. My poor, poor Mom.

I still have a rather active imagination. I try to use it for good and not evil these days. I'm now being constructive, putting those thoughts into stories. (I haven't burned an army man or broken any toys in a least two months now!)

Ever since I can remember, I have enjoyed writing. That writing helped me land some jobs. I have been a sports writer for over 20 years.

For a long time, I thought about writing a book. After moving to St. Louis to join my incredibly beautiful wife, Allison, I finally found the time and, most importantly, the gumption to write my first book, Home Run from Heaven. The support I have received, from my lovely wife to my mom to my family and friends, has been incredible. While it may not be the next great American novel, I'm happy with it and proud of it.

I grew up in Hudson, Ohio and graduated from Hudson High School (Go Explorers! Go Class of 1983!). After attending college at Bowling Green State University (where I had way too much fun and spenty way too many years), I earned my first job as a reporter at the Bellevue Gazette in Bellevue, Ohio. While not the biggest city, it provided me with wonderful opportunities and wonderful memories. I fell in love with the city and, most importantly, fell in love with the people and their passion for their beloved Bellevue Redmen.

After a decade in Bellevue, I moved to North Carolina. I fell in love with the beaches there, along with several schools and their athletic programs. I also decided to get my first dog while in North Carolina, not exactly doing much research before doing so. I just knew that I wanted a Golden Retriever. I went with a friend, Brittany, and she helped me pick out Thor, a crazy puppy who hasn't grown up much in nearly 3 years.

Hudson, Bellevue, North Carolina and my crazy puppy play a big part in my debut book. So, too, does family and faith. I have always thought that without family, you don't have much. I loved my dad with all my heart. He died of cancer in 1987. I still miss him to this day, and I know I always will. I dedicated Home Run from Heaven to him.

While the book centers around a high school freshman baseball star, I think anybody from 10 to 90 could enjoy the book. It's a heartwarming tale of a boy who grows as a baseball player, and as a young man, thanks to his crazy puppy, a loving family, a sweet girlfriend and, most of all, his faith.

The book is available on Amazon in Kindle format: http://www.amazon.com/Home-Run-from-Heaven-ebook/dp/B009R9SH0U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350579512&sr=8-1&keywords=home+run+from+heaven

It is also available in paperbacker: https://www.createspace.com/4025736

I hope the book helps you smile, laugh and reflect. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

HOME RUN FROM HEAVEN

 

After a lot of blood, sweat and tears….well, I should say, after a lot of writing, editing, whining, replacing a laptop, cursing and praying, my book, “Home Run from Heaven,” SHOULD be available to readers via Amazon/Kindle beginning late Monday night or, most likely, sometime on Tuesday. It is my first venture into book writing.

I’ve always enjoyed writing. I’ve also always enjoyed eating potato chips. But there really isn’t as much satisfaction getting to the end of a bag of chips as there is finishing a project like a book. At least, that’s what I’m telling myself. Because I REALLY like chips. A lot.

Here is what “Home Run from Heaven” is all about: Dylan Bell, a freshman in high school, grew up idolizing his father, who played ten years of Major League Baseball.  When his father passed away because of cancer, Dylan was heartbroken.  But thanks to a loving family, a supportive girlfriend, a close bond with teammates, a crazy puppy, and a strong faith, Dylan grows as a baseball player and as a young man.  With a little bit of help, and a lot of faith, Dylan just may be able to lead the Hudson Redmen to a place they have never been before in school history.

I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Here is the beginning of Chapter 1 to give you a sneak peak:

 

CHAPTER 1

       THE HAIRS ON THE BACK OF MY stand up.  A big smile forms on my face.  I know he is right here with me.  He is always there for me.  Right when I need him.  You will know what I mean by the end of this story.

        Lying in the lush, green grass near my dad’s grave, using my baseball glove as a pillow, I gaze into the clouds above me.  The sun beats down on my face.  Sweat beads up on my forehead.  The sweet smell of springtime is in the air.  A gentle breeze rustles the leaves.  Squirrels are scurrying about in the distance.

        My trusty bat, the “Golden Hammer,” is perched against a nearby tree.  The bat, named in part because of my dog, Thor, an energetic Golden Retriever, is rarely far away from me.  Thor, the God of Thunder, was known for his mighty hammer.  Combining that with my Golden Retriever, I came up with “Golden Hammer.”  I know it’s kind of corny, but I like it.

        The bat and Thor have proven to be really good to me.  My mom often jokes that I probably sleep next to my bat in bed.  She’s close.  It’s always right by my bed, always within reach.  Just like Thor.

        About an hour earlier, I left the ballpark after helping to lead the Hudson Redmen to our twelfth straight victory.  I’m a freshman and I’m already playing on the varsity team.  When I first made the team, some people in town said that the only reason I made it was because my dad, Don, used to play Major League Baseball.  He was never a star, but he had some memorable games with the Cleveland Indians and the St. Louis Cardinals.  My dad is gone now.  I really miss him.  I’ll tell you a little bit about my dad − my hero − in a little while.

        Just one week into my first season, some of the skeptics who didn’t think a freshman should be playing on the varsity team changed their minds.  I had three hits in my first game, including a home run in my very first at bat.  My home run ball smashed the windshield of my math teacher’s car in the parking lot.  I sort of felt bad about that, but it was a doozy!

        We are having one of the best seasons in school history.  The Redmen are 21-2 and we’ve been playing solid ball.  I’ve done pretty well, hitting .427 with fifteen home runs.  I’ve already set a school record for most home runs hit by a freshman in a season.  I hit two in today’s game, one right-handed and one left-handed, but to be honest, I think the wind helped push them out of the park.  We have a huge game against Stow coming up, and we want to enter the playoffs with lots of momentum.

        I’m thinking about the game, resting my head on my baseball glove-pillow, while looking at the clouds that are dancing above me.  Some people say they can see bunny rabbits or eagles or bears in the clouds.  Me?  I see baseball players’ faces, like Albert Pujols or Derek Jeter or Josh Hamilton.  I know.  I’m strange like that.  I’m trying to make out the face in the cloud directly above me when Thor, my hyperactive puppy, snaps me out of it.

        Thor, never afraid to explore, comes barreling out of the woods, almost as if he’s chasing a dozen cats.  Galloping toward me, a huge, goofy grin plastered on his face and a huge branch clenched in his jaws, Thor doesn’t stop until he pounces on top of me, all seventy pounds of him.

         “Oomph,” I utter.  All the wind gets knocked out me.

        Not much more than a year old, Thor is big for his age.  Enormous, actually.  His paws are gigantic.  I sometimes think we bought a part-horse, part-dog when we got Thor.

THE HUDSON YEARS. CLASS OF 1983 (Part 2)

It seems like just yesterday...well, maybe it seems like close to 30 years...that we donned the blue caps and gowns and strode across the stage to accept our high school diplomas. I'm sure you all remember me. I was the dashingly handsome, somewhat quiet, rugged, masculine, 110-pound guy who drew quite a round of applause. This was me then.

As many of you see the picture, I sense you saying, "Ohhh yeah, now I remember that guy. Yeah, he was kind of nerdy." While others are saying, "Mmm mmm mmm. I remember I should have gone harder for that guy. He was a stud muffin and a half. He may not have been the most muscular guy, or the smartest guy, or the most popular guy, or...what was I saying again?..."

I do remember going across the stage, and a band began to play in my honor.

No. Wait. I take that back. These young fellas jammed out during a Talent Show. My talent? I sat in the audience and daydreamed about which lucky lady would get to go to homecoming and prom with me.

On a sidenote. We had Tom Petty in our school. Tom FREAKING Petty. How come we didn't get HIM to perform at any of the dances??

Back to homecoming and prom. I was asked by many, by the likes of these pretty ladies who so desperately wanted to be seen walking arm-in-arm with yours truly....

Jackie Young. So nice and pretty, seen here daydreaming about me. Well, probably not.

 

Wendy Wolff. Crazy pretty and nice. No wonder she was Homecoming Queen. Here she is staring at me as I walk into history class. Well, probably not.

Here Wendy is, with Sam Anderson, who was crowned Homecoming King. I took runner-up. Or something like that.

Becky Spooner. So pretty and nice. Seen here talking to her friends about me. Well, probably not.

Kim Shaw and Denise Plascik went out of their way to get my attention. Well, probably not.

As did Janet Lasher. So pretty. Wait, this was for Halloween. Yeah, she didn't do this for me. Hmm, now I feel a bit silly. But the girls, oh how the girls did try to woo me.

The beautiful Sarah Wilson tried to use a chart, and science from some classmates, to figure out a way to get me to go out with her. Poor thing never solved the equation and ended up settling for John Oberlin... the buff, blond, blue-eyed Hudson Explorer star.

Oh, homecoming and prom were so fun. I really cut a rug. I remember the ladies just staring at me with wide-eyed fascination.

 Heidi Rubin and Lisa Bottke were so darned excited to see me walk through the door. Wait. Maybe it wasn't me after all.

There I am at homecoming doing a jig. Wait. Is that me? Did I have blond hair back then? Was I tall? Huh.

Oh, but me and Kendra Schaffer boogied the night away. Let me tell you! Hold on. Hold on. This is awkward. That's not me. That's not me at all.

I couldn't dance with just one lucky gal. I had to spread myself around, like I did with Cary Stauffacher and Meg Riley. Don't they look gorgeous? And don't I look handsome? Wait. That's not me. I don't know who that is. Scratch that whole thing. Where the heck was I?

Probably doing something athletic, like playing basketball and beating my brother, Scott, one-on-one.

Nice, "fro," Kevin. Now I know some of you are thinking, "Oh yeah, the kid with the wild hair. Yeah, he was nice. But kind of odd."

I was athletic, after all. I'm sure you remember that. I was quite the basketball player.

Oh yeah, I just watched from the stands. Remember Donkey Basketball? Good times. Good times.

However, I did get on the football field once.

Of course, it was as a cheerleader for Powder Puff football. I'm on the top row kneeling over, to the right. Billy Cuthbertson is topping the pyramid.

But anyway, where the heck was I during homecoming? Work? No. Game? No.

Hold up a second. I got it. I know where I was... wondering where the heck all of YOU were!

MULE TRAIN!! BoxCar Willie was nothing short of brilliant.

Anyway, I did actually go to prom. Only one lucky lady got to escort me to prom. Of course, she wasn't from Hudson. I will not release her name to protect her. But I think she wasn't exactly dazzled by the light blue tuxedo my mom suggested I wear. (Needless to say, I remained as pure as the driven snow that night. Ahem.)

Nice duds, Kevin. Nice duds.

I decided to pick one photo from each page of the Log to share with you.

This was my graduation photo...

And this is me now....

No. Wait. That's not me. Darn spitting image of me, though. But this is me now with my beautiful wife...

And here we are at our wedding, with my buddy, NFL player (Kansas City Chiefs) Terrance Copper.

PARTING SHOTS

 

 

 

A story came out today about the possibility of Jesus having a wife. A scrap of papyrus suggests that very idea.

Harvard professor finds evidence that suggests Jesus may have been married.


A Harvary scholar supposedly discovered a 4th century fragment of papyrus providing the first evidence that some early Christians believed that Jesus was married.

This Sept. 5, 2012 photo released by Harvard University shows a fourth century fragment of papyrus that divinity professor Karen L. King says is the only existing ancient text that quotes Jesus explicitly referring to having a wife. King, an expert in the history of Christianity, says the text contains a dialogue in which Jesus refers to "my wife," whom he identified as Mary. King says the fragment of Coptic script is a copy of a gospel, probably written in Greek in the second century. (AP Photo/Harvard University, Karen L. King)


Scholars are questioning the authenticity of the payrus.

During an international congress on Coptic studies in Rome, Karen King, a professor of early Christianity at Harvard Divinity School, announced the finding on Tuesday. The text on the papyrus, which is written in Coptic and likely translated from a 2nd century Greek text, suggests that Jesus refers to "my wife." Jesus identifies her as Mary.

Many scholars believe it's a fake, or a forgery.

I'm not near smart enough to figure it out. I found it to be a really interesting story.

Read more about it here: http://news.yahoo.com/harvard-claim-jesus-wife-papyrus-scrutinized-115436251.html

All I know is that I'm a firm believer in Jesus, and that I love the Lord.

FANTASY FOOTBALL UPDATE

I realize I'm really switching gears here, but it's what I do. My first week in Fantasy Football was a great one. I'm off to a 1-0 start, and my team scored the most points in Week 1, leaving me atop the standings.

My team, Awesome Allison, scored 130.12 points. The next closest team scored 116.90.

My backfield of Reggie Bush (31.70), C.J. Spiller (29.00) and quarterback Cam Newton (25.22) led the way. Of course, my defense, Green Bay with 19.00 points, also helped.

BOOK UPDATE

I'm in a holding pattern with my book, "Home Run from Heaven," at the moment.

My wonderful Mumsy is diligently editing my book. A buddy, Darryl Marsh, has been working on a cover for me.

I'm hoping to have it published sometime this month, or early next month.


SHOUTOUT OF THE DAY

Today's Shoutout goes to my sister-in-law, Louise D. She's an awesome lady, who will be running a half marathon with my beautiful wife in Octobor. (I've been training for my role as a supportive husband/brother-in-law by clapping my hands while sitting down. It's not easy, but I'm getting better at it.)

FLASHBACK OF THE DAY

A shot of the Bellevue Redmen cheerleaders from, ahem, a couple years ago. The group includes two of the sweetest, prettiest, coolest girls I know...Carolyn Wenner and Angie Bickhart.

Somebody who received plenty of cheers and applause as a Bellevue Redmen was Brad Bollinger, who was a superstar in high school. He was one of the most fun guys I had the chance to cover, a dynamic, explosive athlete and a great guy. Definitely one of the funniest guys I know.

A great golfer, and an ever greater girl, is Faith Hardison. She is super pretty, super funny, super sweet and super awesome. Faith, who went to Williamston High School in N.C., earned her way on to the ECU golf team.