Southern California

(*This series contains some mature language and subject matter -- reader discretion advised.) When your dang list Keeps getting in the way-- --The one with the people who shouldn't be walking around anymore-- You move to Manhattan Beach, to try to relax. So that's what Chris does. But who's he kidding? *** *Author’s Note: The books in the Chris Seely series are intended to be read in order. That said, there's a Background Synopsis at the start of this book.

20 short stories from the Cheap Seats

A sunny murder mystery set in a Southern California beach town. Chelsea and Ella are two coffee shop workers just trying to prosper in a coastal community. Unfortunately, bodies start to drop on their bit of beach. The two start to pick apart the local secrets in their newfound and sometimes hilarious approach to sleuthing. But their findings are so serious that the police worry for their safety. Can our baristas find the killer without getting burned? Expanded from the previously published Beach Reaper (Episodes 1-20) on Kindle Vella.

As described in Readers’ Favorite Review by Vincent Dublado… “James H. Morgan magnificently captures the nostalgia of the 1960s. There is power in the recollection of ordinary people chronicling their experience in specific times in history because it gives a powerful illustration of how ordinary citizens lived and witnessed history… The beauty of The Reject Bench is that Morgan skillfully blends both the mundane and colorful episodes in his life and how they are shaped by the events of the times. How he views the looming war in Vietnam captures the sentiments of a considerable ...

The most powerful legislators in the world are ripe targets for hostile foreign intelligence services and domestic subversive organizations. Do you want to know why members of Congress have embraced radical left policies that damage America and empower her enemies? Did you know that U.S. Congressmembers need no background checks to do their jobs? You would need a security clearance to work for the CIA or FBI, but not to chair the House Intelligence Committee. You would be strictly vetted to work for the Department of Homeland Security, but would require zero scrutiny to chair the House ...

It’s Christmastime in the quiet Los Angeles County city of Vista Beach, home of computer programmer and tole-painting enthusiast Aurora (Rory) Anderson. The magic of the season fills the air as residents enjoy school concerts, a pier lighting ceremony and the annual sand-snowman contest. During the weeks leading up to Christmas, Rory plans on painting ornaments to sell at the local craft fair and joining in on the holiday fun. But she finds the season anything but jolly after the house across the street is torn down, revealing a decades old crime. Past meets present when her father is ...

“You float through life like a piece of driftwood. Aimless. You have nothing to strive for.” Wellington Estates heiress Danielle Riley has everything her heart desires. But for the first time, she wants something she cannot have: Mike, the poor, proud, talented athlete, whose mother is working class, whose family is beneath hers. Mike Melgoza works hard for a living and bears a terrible secret, a secret that clouds his decisions, that pollutes his relationships. He mistakes Danielle’s generosity for pity, spurning her love and everything she represents. Brokenhearted, Danielle embarks...

The letter the FBI Chief signed gives Alex federal authority to work the plan, and he won’t run afoul of state laws. He’ll be acting within the limits of the medical marijuana statutes. “It’ll be fun. It’ll give me something extra to do for the next few months, and help you kick-start the investigation, okay?” With that, the third in the Alex Wright Mysteries begins… Alex, a real estate appraiser in Laguna Beach, California, creates a pot farm to benefit his pal, Zack Potrero, police detective for the Newport Beach Police Department. The excitement and compelling action build ...

A significant weekend in Alex Wright’s life begins with the public viewing of his warehouse renovation and ends with a cry for help from an 83-year-old woman being foreclosed and thrown out of her home. Two murders and an encounter with a ruthless Russian oligarch lead our hero into a search through Baja California for the man with the answers.

In this moving collection of short stories and essays, Gordon Lee Johnson (Cupeño/Cahuilla) cements his voice not only as a wry commentator on American Indian reservation life but also as a master of fiction writing. In Johnson’s stories, all of which are set on the fictional San Ignacio reservation in Southern California, we meet unforgettable characters like Plato Pena, the Stanford-bound geek who reads Kahlil Gibran during intertribal softball games; hardboiled investigator Roddy Foo; and Etta, whose motto is “early to bed, early to rise, work like hell, and advertise”.

Introducing the ultimate guide to your one-stop shop for all things vintage: the Long Beach Antique Market! Whether you're a seasoned collector or a vintage enthusiast, this eBook has got you covered. Discover the rich history of this iconic market, from its humble beginnings over 30 years ago to the bustling hub of antique hunters it is today. Learn how to navigate the sea of vendors, find the best bargains, and identify valuable antiques with ease. But the Long Beach Antique Market isn't just about the treasures you'll find - it's about the people and culture too. Meet long-time vendors, ...

In the dangerous world of outlaw motorcycle clubs, one woman's quest for the truth could cost her everything--including the man she never knew she needed. Ginger "Shy" Jones thought she knew the rules of the game. Raised in the shadow of the Red Vipers MC, she's no stranger to the gritty underbelly of biker culture. But when she wakes up battered and bleeding on a country road with no memory of how she got there, she realizes she's in way over her head. As she struggles to piece together the events of that night, she finds herself caught between her volatile boyfriend and Viking, her ...

It’s never good when you get a phone call in the middle of the night. For Vasily Korsokovach, it’s particularly problematic when the caller happens to be his estranged mother seeking a favor for a family friend. Vasily’s inclination to hang up on her is overridden by his shock that Emelina Korsokovach would even make the attempt to reach out in the first place, so he reluctantly agrees to drive halfway across Orange County on what he’s certain is a wild goose chase. Everything goes right out the proverbial window when Vasily’s off-the-books wellness check gets upgraded to a full-...

Most familiar with the Wild West know Wyatt Earp, Virgil Earp, and Morgan Earp for the famous shootout on the streets of Tombstone, Arizona. But few know the later years of the close-knit Earp family, which revolved around patriarch Nicholas Earp, and their last push at a major monetary coup in Los Angeles.

Are you excited about planning your next trip? Do you want an edible experience? Would you like some culinary guidance from a local? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this Eat Like a Local audiobook is for you. Eat like a Local - Northern California Redwoods and the Southern Oregon Coast by Jordan Blansit offers the inside scoop on food, drink, and a little bit of hiking in the greatest place on Earth (her personal opinion, but also possibly a fact). Culinary tourism is an important aspect of any travel experience.

Working with Seoul’s premiere matchmaker, Jisu’s traditional South Korean parents are determined to ensure her success in life and love by matching her with the right boyfriend. After one too many slip-ups at school, Jisu finds herself shipped off to San Francisco to focus on her academics and approved dates, leaving her little space to figure out her own dreams. As her newly realized passion for photography lights her on fire, Jisu wonders...does she even want to find "The One"?

Raised with limited peer interaction, Ernestine St Bennett has difficulty interpreting social cues. At twenty-five she's become a loner; a shy nerd immersed in her scientific studies, whose best friend is her pet fish, Waldo. Then Ernestine meets Simon Prime, who's obviously a nerd, too! Sympathizing with his social dysfunction, Ernie decides to help poor Simon increase his self-esteem and thus enhance his social standing. Using principles learned in her fish studies, she'll simply turn Simon from meek to macho. What Ernestine doesn’t know (but Waldo suspects) is that Simon Prime is ...

We learn the theoretical framework of a language through textbooks. But the best way to actually learn to use a new language is through stories, as children and as adults! This is why short stories have become an increasingly popular way to learn a new language.

A true tale of individual triumph on the gridiron of the University of Southern California (USC) campus in the early 1900s-a story with as much heart as Notre Dame's beloved Rudy's.

He's definitely undomesticated...Julie Jones is proud of her dog training institute, but her latest client is jeopardizing its stellar rating. He growls. He snaps. He refuses to follow the simplest command without balking. But his dog is an absolute sweetie. All Puppy needs, Julie tells his surly master, is to bond. Luc Tagliano wants to correct the destructive behavior of the misbegotten mastiff his great-aunt left him—not bond with it! Although he wouldn’t mind some bonding with sexy little Julie. As for Puppy, the dog just needs to learn to behave, so Luc can place him in a good home...