Author’s Showcase: The Talent Also Rises

We at Venture Galleries wholeheartedly recommend the works of two of the most talented and entertaining author’s in today’s marketplace: Bert Carson and R. S. Guthrie.

Don’t take our word for it.

Listen to what reviewers have to say.

The Book: Fourth and Forever

The Author: Bert Carson

The Review: Joyce Faulkner, President, Military Writers Society of America, wrote: Fourth and Forever has sports in it – and Vietnam. But it’s not about sports or Vietnam. It’s an inspirational foray into resilience. It’s an expose on human relationships and courage and vitality.

It’s all about getting up, dusting one’s self off, and getting on with the business of life. Sure, the author uses the cultural construct of a small college campus, young football players eager to make their mark on the history of their school and “wins,” and the misty imagery of choppers swooping in to recover shot-up soldiers emerging from the jungles of Southeast Asia. However, you don’t have to be a Vietnam Vet or a football player or a widower to relate to this book. The underlying messages are engaging for any audience.

Josh is a Vietnam Vet who retires from the Army intending to spend time with his long-suffering, supportive wife Kathy and their high school-aged son Bobby. Like many fathers, Josh enjoys tossing a football around with his boy. They share a vague goal of helping Bobby make his high school varsity team, but it’s really about parent-child bonding. Bobby gets to play. Josh and Kathy are happy for Bobby’s success and the family is looking forward to his graduation. Happily ever after is in the wind when Kathy dies in her sleep.

The real story of Josh and Bobby begins at that point. Knowing that all their shared hopes and plans died with Kathy, Josh rethinks his life and starts down a path that few would even consider at age 44. The execution of his decision is breathtaking in its simplicity. Josh will go to college. Okay, maybe that’s not so surprising – lots of vets get university degrees after retirement. Josh and Bobby pick out a school and go together. Okay, so maybe some people do go to the same school their kids are attending. The real twist here is that Josh and Bobby end up playing college ball together – on the same team. Josh becomes the team’s special leader – a place kicker and back-up quarterback named “Daddy.”

In a beautiful dénouement, Daddy changes not only who these young men are, but who they will become by reaching back into his own past. Simple, easy-to-read, Fourth and Forever makes the reader think while still managing to entertain.”

And Christina Carson wrote: “Fourth and Forever is many things, but foremost it is the depiction of a father-son relationship that most males dream of. After a tragedy that touches both Josh and his son, Bobby, they make a most unusual decision and, in a credible series of events, they end up playing football on the same college team.

For sports buffs, the story starts there as Carson masterfully takes the reader through the trials and setbacks of a team fighting to be champions. But the story gets richer and deeper as father, Josh Edwards, by his very existence on the team, begins to gather the team players into a community of young men much like a family.

And in the safety of that unit, the boys approach veteran Edwards on a topic that troubles them all: What happened to their fathers in Vietnam that made them so distant and absent in their sons’ lives? This is the jewel hidden in this story, one that has unique and penetrating insights for all who’ve been touched by war. No one has ever looked deeper into this issue than Carson, and through the insights of Josh Edwards, the reader hears what impacts soldiers even more deeply than the obvious horrors.

Carson is a fine storyteller, and he doesn’t shy away from characters doing the right thing or relationships that speak to the selfless side of love. Yet he does it all in the context of a rousing story of football, while leaving you with much to ponder.”

The Book: Black Beast

The Author: R. S. Guthrie

The Review: Rebecca Scarberry of Kindle Book Review wrote: “Robert Macaulay (Bobby Mac) and his partner are taken down a very dark path in their search for answers regarding a heinous double-homicide in Denver, Colorado.

“It won’t take you long to discover Bobby Mac is a multi-dimensional character. The discoveries he makes regarding his heroic family roots and the evil are fascinating.

“This novel always kept me guessing and with Guthrie’s uncanny ability to keep the prose tight and the action flowing, this was a total pleasure to read. The description of the crime scene is believable and from what many in law enforcement have said, very accurate as well.

“It takes an author with heart and soul to write a section as he did that will tug at your heartstrings.

“I am really looking forward to the second book in this series by this very talented author. I highly recommend you treat yourself to this wild ride through forces of dark and evil.”

Another reviewer pointed out: “I’ve been a very avid reader since I was about 16 years old, and I’ve read thousands of books, short and long. And as I get older, my appetite for a “better book” gets stronger every day. My hunger has been sated, at least for now.

“Black Beast (A Clan of MacAulay Novel) is a fun, fast-paced read. It reminds me of a roller coaster ride I rode many years ago called The Screaming Eagle (Six Flags). Get in, sit down, shut up and hang on!! Wow, what a ride it is! A book that starts out mysteriously but ties together nicely later on.

“The main character is not what you would expect, a one-legged cop, “Bobby Mac”. I won’t say anything to give the story away, but let’s say he is a lot more than what the eye see’s or your imagination allows for. A very three-dimensional character, growing from first page to the last.

“There is police work involved, espionage, fantasy, religion, military twists, drama, things to make you angry, laugh and even shed a tear or two. I could see readers from 16 years old to well beyond my age enjoying this book. It’s well written, a fairly clear path from beginning to end, with many, many leaps that make me say “wow, I didn’t see that coming!! I guarantee you will close your eyes and imagine what Bobby Mac is seeing, doing and hearing. I did.

“I haven’t been to Denver in many years, since Bush II won his first election. But after reading this novel, I think I need to find my way west again. You can tell the author lives in Denver, his love for his city is transparent, makes me want to see the city again soon.

“I’ll wrap this up by saying thank you to the author. I read your book “in two days, staying up past 2 a.m. to finish it. I even had to be up at 6 a.m. for work, well worth being tired. I had fun, you entertained me and made me want more.  Black Beast is what I would call a “better book.” Plenty of quotes that made me think and want to see even more.

“I can always tell when an author puts out his or her first novel. I can actually feel their life’s essence in the book. You’ve put it all out there, and I cannot wait ‘til your next book hits my Kindle. Again, thank you Mr. Guthrie! This novel definitely has the makings of a fantastic series!”