John Green
author

FICTION & NON-FICTION

John is originally from Guilderland, NY, but moved to Arizona in 1999 and is a retired graphic designer, advertising art director, copywriter and illustrator.

He spends much time now at his 40 acre off the grid ranch in northern Arizona, occasionally joined by his lovely and forbearing wife Wendy. Many of his stories were written there during the quiet starry nights amid the howls of coyotes, hooting owls and things that go bump in the night.

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"Like many authors, I draw from personal experiences and relationships but have deployed them in a fictionalized way. I have also asked several authors if they have ever liked or fallen in love with their fictional characters as I have. They are sometimes as real to me as some of the characters who are based on real people. I must confess to having fallen in love with one of the totally fictional persons. Who knows, you may too."

To contact John
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SEE LINKS ON MY BLOG SPOT TO THREE COMPLETE AND FREE STORIES BELOW:

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BLOG SPOT AND FREE STORY-
THE LITTLEST SNOWMAN ON
ROUTE 66


When her family moves from Ash Fork to Flagstaff,
little Wendee Goldman has a hard time adjusting until she accidentally applies a little magic and finds a true friend.



click here

NEW BLOG FREE STORY -
MALBIHN

Avarice and adventurers are dangerous companions. Hired to seek out a fortune and a myth, a rough-cut, unsavory man finds more than he bargained for in the Arizona wilderness.

CLICK HERE

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THE TRAIN FROM TUCUMCARI

Max had been to Clayton, New Mexico many times by car and stayed at the Eklund hotel often. This time, perhaps his last, he came on the train from Tucumcari.

A FREE COMPLETE STORY
on my Blog space

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CHECK OUT A
NEW SERIES OF INFORMATIONAL BLOG PAGES:

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AN INCONVERNIENT TRUTH
please

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to go to page three,
A LOOK AT HISTORY

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to go to page four,
THE ESSENCE OF CREATIVITY

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to go to page five,
A LITTLE BIT OUT THERE

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to go to page five,
THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST

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to go to page six

YOUTH BASEBALL

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NEW BLOG POST:
THE HISTORY OF THE REVOLT IN TAOS 1680

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To contact John
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Most but not all, are available as Amazon Kindle. Don't have a Kindle? Download their FREE app and read on you phone, tablet or computer.

See links under books or just click the cover!

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Note that these are all 6" x 9" paperbacks. That makes page counts seem smaller than small trade paperbacks.

A NOTE ON WORD COUNT
I list word counts as reference for length because page count is meaningless because it depends on the type font size as well as page size.

As a general industry rule:

- Novels start at 40,000
-Short Stories up to 7,500
Novellas fall in between

For example:
H.G Wells, The Time Machine, Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men and Orwell's Animal Farm are novellas.

Length also depends on genre.
For example: epic science fiction fantasy books run often to 100,000 words or more.

See below notes for my
viewpoints on story-telling.


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John's best seller:

The one that started a series and included in the upgraded version

The Complete
Tommy Polito's Tavern.

See more about the inspiration
for this book at this web site:

A Baby Boomers History of Guilderland, NY

CLICK HERE

Written in
Ash Fork, Arizona

to the howls of coyotes
and hooting owls.
For young and
young at-heart-readers.

See the Ash Fork website:

CLICK HERE

AUTHORS NOTE -
to those who haven’t read my books or other stories, or even those who have. Most of my novels are not monster reads. Compact prose is my term for it. I like to get in hard giving readers something to think about while bringing them through plot twists and realistic characters often mixed with action, romance, and complicated relationships. Many characters are based on real people I've known. Locations often places I have been. Situations I have personally encountered. Making stuff up for the sake of doing so is not necessary unless I’m writing fantasy, Gothic Romance or sword and sorcery alternate world adventure. Since I don’t write those genres, it doesn’t matter much.

I rarely write for the purpose of entertainment alone nor do I think that every pimple on a character’s face, object or location needs diarrhea of the word processor to describe. Readers, including myself, enjoy adding imagination and visualization for themselves. Endless, convoluted sub-plots and characters won’t be found either.

As a writer, I am also a reader. I have waded through some books up to 1,400 pages, like Watership Down or The Stand and enjoyed them. I find that shorter books like Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, H.G. Wells The Time Machine or Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front carry as much message and emotional impact as huge volumes.

Lastly, since I self-publish, all books are set in slightly larger than normal type, to be easily read with tired eyes, in dim light or dark alleys while hiding from a villainous character.

SOME FRIENDS HAVE ASKED
why the hell, I write so many stories and why so damn late in life.

The answer is quite simple. When I was young, I didn’t know shit and lacked any real experience in the world. In the middle part of my life I was too busy working for a living while also collecting thoughts, experiences and observations  about the world we live in, societal foibles and the human condition. The good, the bad and sometimes the seriously ugly.

When I finally take the ‘dirt nap’ all of that will go away, so I write it down, albeit deployed in fictional and hopefully interesting way. Some of it ain’t fiction. Some of it is heartwarming and some rather frightening. Even in my more whimsical stories like ‘Lola, Sam & The Jackalope,’ the animal characters face the realities of life, human love and human cruelty. They also ponder the truth or fallacy of mythical beliefs, the meaning of life and life after death while going about various adventures.

Every novel, novella, or short story no matter what the subject or genre contains something to think about.

So, there you have it – the long and the short of it.

 

To see the author's ranch in northern Arizona where many of his stories are set, and in some cases written, click below:

 


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Copyright 2020
J. Franklin Green



www.jgreenbooks.com

 

J Franklin Green

 

 

 

EL HERMANO
by Carmen Baca

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A unique coming of age story set in the 1920's in a small rural village in northern New Mexico.
It paints a vivid and heart felt picture of not only the times and place but a culture now long gone.

Five boys aspire to become Hermanos, religious leaders and elders of the village.

See it on Facebook

See her new books, marvelous sequels to her best selling premier novel.

 

SEE MY AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT ON LULU PUBLISHING, MY MAIN PUBLISHER

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Below is the logo from the company that started my independent professional career in 1985 after a ten year stint at an advertising agency.
It transitioned into
Creative Colleagues
which I closed in 2017.

www.creativecolleagues.com

 

Original art by the author,
available as originals (if available)
or in digital format.

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SEE HIS HISTORIC
DIORAMAS
CLICK IMAGE BELOW

 

OLD GRINGO STUDIOS

 

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ADDITIONAL PHOTOS
OF THE AUTHOR -
A LONG TIME AGO
IN A GALAXY
FAR, FAR AWAY:

1953

1956

1960

1980

1987

2002

2011

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FICTION:
(SCROLL DOWN FOR NON-FICTION)

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Facebook goes bust and a new social media giant called Chat Junction takes its place. Much of the story takes place as dialog in the form of private messages back and forth between the major and minor characters as they deal with their various life issues. New relationships are formed as old ones also enter the fray along with some unsavory characters bent on mayhem both social and physical. The story is timely in the sense that it deals with contemporary social and governmental issues and the implications of both. The small insets on the cover speak of the action as people try to take control their lives, seeking alternate directions and in some cases delete people both virtually and physically.

Short Novel 164 pages - 43,623 words

Includes a BONUS
short story "Identity"
by Edward C. Hartshorn

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Is the house a portal to the past or portent of the future? Jason Graham and Martha Conklin, each bearing deep emotional scars from their past, embark on a fascinating and frightening journey.

Seeking closure to their memories, will they find a more important mission to pursue?

This is short novel spanning a very long time.
A time perhaps that never was and never will be again.

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THE normally comforting shapes
in the knotty pine paneling tormented eight-year old Jason, as he lay awake reliving the nightmarish day of rage and torment at the hands of his mother. Suddenly, he remembered the loose panel in the back of his closet. Sliding out of bed quietly, he slid open the door and reached in to feel for it -- but all he felt was a solid wall.

Short Novel 164 pages - 42,000 words

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ROADSIDE 66

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Following the premature death of his wife,
Earl Garnett, a professional writer, decides to drive across America. Along the way, he discovers the country, as he never imagined it.

Soon, cryptic writings appear on his laptop, often coinciding with roadside memorials that lead him into the darker sides of the road. Ultimately, he must decide whether or not to follow the prompting of these haunting passages and accept the consequences.

Novel 204 pages 52,000+ words

TO SEE HOW THIS STORY CAME ABOUT
See this web site:

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Available as an e-book on Amazon Kindle -
a long short story - only $1.99

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THE SOCIAL MEDIA JUNKIE 
Call me Ishmael - Just like that fellow in Melville’s famous novel, Moby Dick.  Better yet, just call me Bob, because that’s my name, or at least what my friends call me. I have many friends because I am a social media junkie. 

One day I stumbled onto unfathomable power, available at my fingertips on a keyboard. Dark people pursue me wanting that power not even knowing how to use it, nor if to use it. 

This is my story. It is a bit odd, but then, my friends tend to believe I am a bit odd. Now that I think about it, they might be right.

Available as an e-book on Amazon Kindle -
a long short story - only 99 cents!

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He looked down at his stained, age-spotted and wrinkled hands, covered with scars, reminders of old accidents and wondered how much time had passed and how much he had left.

He had always been proud of his hands. They had been dexterous and talented, supple and sensitive. Now they were relics of times gone by.

As the nicotine took hold, he remembered his
purpose for the day.
He had to kill J.D. Bekins.

OVERREACH

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While each short long story or long short story features different settings and the struggles of the main characters, all touch upon government overreach, corruption and power. 

THE SOCIAL MEDIA JUNKIE 
Call me Ishmael - Just like that fellow in Melville’s famous novel, Moby Dick.  Better yet, just call me Bob, because that’s my name, or at least what my friends call me. I have many friends because I am a social media junkie. 

One day I stumbled onto unfathomable power, available at my fingertips on a keyboard. Dark people pursue me wanting that power not even knowing how to use it, nor if to use it. 

This is my story. It is a bit odd, but then, my friends tend to believe I am a bit odd. Now that I think about it, they might be right.

THE TIME TRAVELER’S NEPHEW
In 1895, H. G. Wells wrote a story called ‘The Time Machine.’ It soon became a classic of science fiction, but was it really fiction

ASSASSINATION GUARANTEED 
Assassination doesn’t always involve killing but often does. No matter what the method, the best way is-- Guaranteed.  The road to world peace -  paved by a grieving grandmother. 

194 PAGES - 59,465 WORDS

GHOST WRITER

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Memoirs of an anonymous author, recounting encounters with ghosts garnered over a lifetime. They span many time-periods and travel across much of America. It includes some famous, infamous and not so famous people and places. 
Photo illustrated in many cases from the archives of the author.

If you believe in ghosts, you might think that by the twenty-first century, billions of ghosts should be roaming the world by now. There are not. The vast majority of humans simply die, spending eternity taking the proverbial dirt nap. However, like all things in the universe, there are exceptions. I should know. Having worked with quite a few, I can also tell you that they pay quite well and some have made me fabulously wealthy.

110 pages - novella

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Adam Barthold is a deeply flawed man haunted by the mysterious Arahm Tuit. He travels from upstate New York to the hills of Ash Fork, Arizona where he hopes to start a new life but instead finds love, danger and watches the world come tumbling down in red ruin, little knowing he has an important part to play in the future of human kind.

Although this is an apocalyptic story, you will find NO zombies, alien invaders, government conspiracies, universal plagues or any other such nonsense. It addresses what is a more imminent threat to humankind. Further, it is told from a very limited point of view as experienced by the principal character, Adam Barthold.

Unlike some such story lines, the book focuses more on the characters, their flaws, fortitude and family-like relationships. It is both a love story and a story of deep friendships often crossing over racial, age and cultural boundaries. The action scenes are not stereotypic hollywood hyped depictions either.

276 pages -86,000 words
Rated R - for mature audiences.

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THE TIME TRAVELER’S NEPHEW
and other stories.
In 1895, H. G. Wells wrote a story called
 ‘The Time Machine.’ It soon became a classic of
science fiction, but was it really fiction?
----------------------------------------
THE TIMEOUT CHAIR
Time travel has captured the imagination
of humanity for years. Many are the stories and many
methods. Only one actually worked.

BACK TO THE 1890’s
A Chicago advertising man engages the services of
a medium to travel back in time to find the
truth about a notorious ancestor.

SERGEANT BACHMAN
When traditional methods fail, a man searching
for information about the father, he never knew turns to other means and embarks on a frightening journey back in time.

163 PAGES - 48,645 WORDS

BEYOND THE ELEPHANT

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The 21st century world went tumbling down in red ruin as foretold by the mysterious Arahm Tuit. Survivors gathered and forged new civilizations. Centuries later, led by a clan chief and a scout named Oneonta, that fragile civilization faces a grave threat to their very existence from peoples that did not learn from the root causes of the fall of human kind.  One man, believing that a small glass elephant is the key to power and dominance seeks to take possession of it.

Is it - or simply a glass elephant?

Rip-roaring action and adventure in the
best traditions of Edgar Rice Burroughs,
Andre Norton and Robert E. Howard.

 

SHORT NOVEL - 130 PAGES - 40,000 words

AIELLA

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AIELLA - A sensuous Utopian life in an alien world goes into chaos for reasons beyond understanding or control. Also a compelling love story beyond two planes of existence. Action, battles and conflicts with scientific morality. A short dive into a deeper dilemma.

DREAMSPLACES - Transylvania pays a visit to two brothers, each as different in character as night and day.

THE TIME OUT CHAIR - Time travel has captured the imagination of humanity for years. Many are the stories and many the methods. Only one actually worked.

REQUIEM FOR A PLANET - A cosmic error is rectified on a tiny planet in a small galaxy. The planet some call Earth. *

A Novella (short novel) and three other stories with a different take and view of science fiction.

* Originally published as 'And the Meek Shall Inherit'


104 PAGES
For mature audiences

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TRUE, SEMI-TRUE & TRUE LIES
                           
Lies can hurt. Lies can kill. The most dangerous often the ones we tell ourselves. Four tales of addiction about fictional and not-so-fictional people and places.

THE TRAIN FROM TUCUMCARI
Max had been to Clayton, New Mexico many times by car and stayed at the Eklund hotel often. This time, perhaps his last, he came on the train from Tucumcari.

BOOZE & BETRAYAL
Two love affairs and two betrayals. The story of a man with two consuming loves. The one pushed him further down a dark road and altered the course of his life, and the other, his one true love that almost destroyed him.

KAYLEE NIGHTBIRD
A young Native American girl - a victim of drugs, alcohol and sexual abuse, finds her own way out.

THE TAVERN
They say you can never go back, and maybe you shouldn’t. Twelve years after he left his hometown a man returns to visit his dying father. One afternoon he takes a trip down memory lane and perhaps finds a date with destiny.

ANTHOLOGY - 6" x 9"- 150 Pages

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THE COMPLETE STORY OF
2035 THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM

Includes the original novel (see above)
plus the sequel, 'Beyond the Elephant'

A deeply flawed man finds his greatest love in the remote hills of Northern Arizona. Together, they face mortal dangers and struggle to survive as they watch the world they know fall into red ruin. Much later, he must decide if he can accept another type of love as a culture in a different form evolves.
 

Two centuries later his descendant finds an unlikely love amidst enemies who have come to destroy the fragile society that remains.

An apocalyptic story laced with love, and deep friendships often crossing cultural and racial lines.  Adventure, action and touch of mysticism, round out a sweeping epic. 

Novel 344 pages - 111,400 words


TRILOGY

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TERROR, TRAVESTY, TIME TRAVEL,
TRIUMPH & TECHNOLOGY

PM me
Facebook goes bust and a new social media giant called Chat Junction takes its place. Much of the story takes place as dialog in the form of private messages between the major and minor characters as they deal with their various life issues. New relationships are formed as old ones also enter the fray along with some unsavory characters bent on mayhem both social
and physical.

THE HOUSE IN THE CLOSET
Is the house a portal to the past or portent of the future? Jason Graham and Martha Conklin, each bearing deep emotional scars from their past, embark on a fascinating and frightening journey. Seeking closure to their memories, will they find a more important mission to pursue?

2035 – THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
A deeply flawed man haunted by the mysterious Arahm Tuit. He travels from upstate New York to the hills of Ash Fork, Arizona where he hopes to start a new life but instead finds love, danger and watches the world come tumbling down in red ruin, little knowing he has an important part to play in the future of human kind.

Three of my best novels at a bargain price.

169,000 words
450 pages.

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DARK

Three dark stories.
Not recommended reading for the
Dark of night or the faint of heart.

ROADSIDE 66
Following the premature death of his wife, Earl Garnett, a professional writer, decides to drive across America. Along the way, he discovers the country, as he never imagined it. Soon, cryptic writings appear on his laptop, often coinciding with roadside memorials that lead him into the darker sides of the road. Ultimately, he must decide whether or not to follow the prompting of these haunting passages and accept the consequences.

ASSASSINATION GUARANTEED
Assassination doesn’t always involve killing.
Often it does and there are many ways to do it.
The best way is guaranteed.

DREAMSPLACES
Karma can sometimes be quite dark,
quite dark indeed
.

 

246 PAGES

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Baseball FUNdamentals

When he was a kid, Ray loved baseball
and like most young boys, dreamed of making it to the major leagues. The only drawback was that he
sucked at it.

Billionaire Raymond Farnsworth and his new Franchise, The Las Vegas Lightnings turn the professional baseball world on its ear as they return to what they call “Baseball FUNdamentals” – They mix old-time nostalgia and values, crazy hijinx,
pranks, public relations stunts,  Las Vegas style entertainment, and make a fortune while doing it.

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In addition to the main story,
this includes photos and a brief history of some of the famous players mentioned in it.

Plus excerpts about youth baseball from the author’s book:
Everything I Needed to Know about Life, I Learned
on a Baseball field (well, almost)


Also included are film synopsis’ of some of the
baseball films noted in the story

*NOTE The Kindle book only includes the main story.

104 pages - Photo illustrated

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THE IMMORTAL
SERGEANT BACHMAN

From Germany to Okinawa 1946-1953

When traditional methods fail, a man searching for information about the father he never knew and listed as K.I.A. by the US Army in Korea turns to other means and embarks on a fascinating but frightening journey.

A slightly fictionalized story based on true stories from the journal of an American service man 1945-1953

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The Appendix also offers the history
of the Constabulary in Germany and the revolt
at Geoji (Koji) Island during the Korean war.

Although this is partially a work of fiction, the historical references are accurate and many of the events and details are based on true stories and memoirs, found in a detailed journal that I inherited from my late father John L. Green Jr. upon his death in 2011. Of course, the opening and ending framing device is also fictitious as are the names of the main characters. In this journal, my father never disclosed the true nature of the mission to Manchuria, if he even knew it nor did he ever speak of it to either my brother or me, a testament to his ability to uphold his reputation as “a man who can keep his mouth shut.” Likewise, the shooting on the Czech border was something he spoke about only in general terms and only to my brother when he was very old. The one love scene regarding him and my mother is also entirely fictitious - I think.  His views on the military, sometimes very cynical, and especially regarding the officers and men I heard many times as a boy.

112 pages
Novella size

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True, Semi True & True Lies

HISTORIC FICTION & NON-FICTION:
An eclectic collection of short stories and novellas
plus the history behind the stories.

Seven remarkable stories inserting fictional and not-so-fictional characters into true western history and locations. They take place from 1680 to the 1800s and through to present day including myths, legends, greed, gold, life, love and glory.  The author, who has lived in Arizona for over two decades, has been to all of the locations, often multiple times and studied the history in depth.

The appendix gives brief overviews of the true history of the times and places. 

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
GOLDFIELD
GUNFIGHT AT THE ESCALANTE
REVOLT AT THE TAOS PUEBLO
THE LAST CAMEL IN NEW MEXICO
SELIGMAN STOWAWAY
KWI-KA-KIKINEE
BACK TO THE 1890’s

APPENDIX
(history and notes- not anatomy)
The Taos uprising in 1680
The Other Town too Tough to Die –
Ash Fork, Arizona

INTRODUCTION
The great American southwest has wealth of history well before the coming of Europeans in the 16th century. Unfortunately, first hand stories of those times are rare, usually only in verbal form. From that time forward, stories, legends and myths abound. Seekers of gold and silver, trappers, explorers, wild-west gunfights, cowboys, saloons, ghost towns, lost gold mines, wars, frontier towns, stagecoaches, railroads, early automobiles, Indian spirits, ghost dancers and Jackalopes are only a handful.   

Many of the stories contained in this anthology are from times before statehood. Some are what are termed ‘Historic Fiction’ based on true events and places. Some are fiction and in the appendix, you will find articles that are truly history. They were times of adventure, conflict, countless hardships, toil, tragedy and perseverance. The stories contained here reflect on all those realities.

198 pages 6" x 9" - illustrated

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LOLA, SAM AND THE JACKALOPE

Heartwarming tales of adventure, deep friendships and courage. For young and young-at-heart readers.
(AGES 11-12 AND UP)

Two dogs, one from the city, the other from the wilds of Northern Arizona, become best friends and share countless adventures.

After helping a mother jackrabbit they face grave danger and have an unexpected meeting with the mythical Jackalope.

As told from the dog Lola's point of view - Illustrated with real-life photos. Also contains a brief history of Ash Fork Arizona - "The other town too tough to die."

Expanded to Novella (short novel size) from the short story version contained in The Wind in the Junipers.

90 pages - ILLUSTRATED - Novella

Only available on Amazon Kindle
and for only $2.99

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Assassination doesn’t always involve killing.

Often it does and there are many ways to do it.
Grandmother found that no matter what the method, the best way was: GUARANTEED. This is her story.

Also included is the short story:
Kaylee Nightbird. A chilling story of abuse, retribution and a price too high to pay.

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Two love affairs and two betrayals. The story of a man with two consuming loves. The one pushed him further down a dark road and altered the course of his life, and the other, his one true love that almost destroyed him. 

105 Pages - Novella

Three Science Fiction Stories to make you wonder.
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AND THE MEEK SHALL INHERIT
A cosmic error is rectified on an infinitesimal planet in a tiny solar system on the fringe of a small galaxy. Some call it Earth.
Note: this story is available as A COSMIC ERROR RECTIFIED only in Amazon Kindle format
.

MALBIHN
Avarice and adventurers are dangerous companions. Hired to seek out a fortune and a myth, a rough-cut, unsavory man finds more than he bargained for in the Arizona wilderness.

4035
Rip roaring action and adventure in the best traditions of Edgar Rice Burroughs and Andre Norton two thousand years after the fall of civilization in the sequel to 2035: The Elephant in the Room.

152 pages - three short stories.

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SHORTS & BRIEFS

SHORT STORY ANTHOLOGY
Seven of my favorite short stories


-------------------------------

SERGEANT BACHMAN
When traditional methods fail, a man searching for information about the father he never knew and listed as K.I.A. by the US Army turns to other means and embarks on a fascinating but frightening journey.

ALIEN HEREDITY
An erotically utopian life in an alien world goes into chaos for reasons beyond understanding or control with a heaping spoonful of Karma thrown in.

THE TAVERN
They say you can never go back and maybe you shouldn’t. Thirty-two years after he left his hometown, Jonathan Moran returns to visit his dying father and spends a long afternoon driving down “memory lane” only to find a portal to the past and maybe a date with destiny.

AND THE MEEK SHALL INHERIT
A cosmic error is rectified on an infinitesimal planet in a tiny solar system on the fringe of a small galaxy. Some call it Earth.

MALBIHN
Avarice and adventurers are dangerous companions. Hired to seek out a fortune and a myth, a rough-cut, unsavory man finds more than he bargained for in the Arizona wilderness.

THE LITTLEST SNOWMAN ON ROUTE 66
When her family moves from Ash Fork to Flagstaff,
little Wendee Goldman has a hard time adjusting until she accidentally applies a little magic and finds a true friend.

STOWAWAY SUZI
Jonnie Halloran, a widower raising his 12 year old son Luke gets a big surprise when he returns to their ranch in Ash Fork.


266 pages - short stories and novellas


THE WIND IN THE JUNIPERS

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CONTENTS

THE BEARAZONA BEARS
A family of bears learns what giving is really all about.

THE LAST GUNFIGHT IN ASH FORK
Young Jordie Conboy learns from his grandfather that legends and heroes are seldom what they seem.

FEETIE PAJAMAS IN OLD ARIZONA
A little boy’s love for his sister reaps an unusual reward with consequences that are unforeseen.

THE LITTLEST SNOWMAN ON ROUTE 66
When her family moves from Ash Fork to Flagstaff,
little Wendee Goldman has a hard time adjusting until she accidentally applies a little magic and finds a true friend.

STOWAWAY SUZI FROM SELIGMAN
Jonnie Halloran, a widower raising his 12 year old son Luke gets a big surprise when he returns to their ranch in Ash Fork.
 
LOLA, SAM AND THE JACKALOPE
Two dogs who are best friends help a mother jackrabbit and have an unexpected meeting with the mythical Jackalope.

APPENDIX
A brief history of Ash Fork
Notes on story telling.

178 pages/illustrated

 

On Facebook:
Ash Fork - Seligman, Arizona
CLICK HERE

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CO-WRITTEN AND ANTHOLOGIES
WITH OTHER AUTHORS

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FICTION OR PREDICTION?
An unsettling view of America as it could become as seen through the eyes of many ordinary people including a reporter, three old friends with widely different backgrounds and a sweet, but smart librarian in the tiny town of Ash Fork, Arizona. A short novel about big issues.

Co-Authored by
John Green
Edward C. Hartshorn
Joseph Carpenter

114 pages 6" x 9"

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An eclectic collection of short stories set in the Southwestern United States.The stories in this anthology take place in many eras from the times of the ‘old west’to the present day. None are stereotype shoot-em up slapping leather, punching cows wild west stories. Written by several well-known authors,they run a gamut from literary fiction, to science fiction and beyond.

----------------------------

THE TRAIN FROM TUCUMCARI
John Green
Max had been to Clayton, New Mexico by car many times and stayed at the Eklund hotel often. This time,  perhaps the last, he came on the train from Tucumcari.

THE STRANGERS
James Pyles
In 1887 Cedar City, Utah a visiting reporter from San Francisco sees an amazing event in the sky. With a group of people from the town, including the Sheriff, a Judge, and a doctor, they discover an amazing accident that will change not only themselves, but their descendants for decades.

KADEE ROSE
P.A. O’Neil
Few words conjure up images of the Southwest more than ‘Rodeo.’ A contemporary tale of a rodeo family.

SHADOWS OF THE ANASAZI
Gabriella Balcom
Trying to help a friend, Ronnie travels to Colorado. She learns about the Anasazi, ancient pueblo-dwellers, and hopes to find a missing woman. What she discovers is beyond her wildest dreams.

THE VOICE IN THE WIND
Jay Crowley
In Jacks Valley, outside of Carson City, Nevada, the Voice in the Wind saw and communicated with many spirits and helped many souls.   

GRANDMOTHER OF THE DESERT
Edward C. Hartshorn
They were prepared for the hardships and dangers of the Sonoran Desert. Then they met Grandmother.

ANTHOLOGY - 6" x 9" - 176 Pages

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TWO AUTHORS, John Green and Eddie Hartshorn
team up with four tales of murder – or are they really? There's more than one way to die and more than one way to kill. A grieving grandmother forms an unlikely coalition. A homicide detective faces wrenching choices. An author deals with the death of his identity and a young Native American girl dies once but murders three times. When is murder murder? Sometimes it's difficult to decide.

Two novellas (short novels) and two short stories that will push you to ponder the answer.

144 pages

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TAOS UPRISING
AND OTHER STORIES OF THE WEST

------------------

John Franklin Green and Edward C. Hartshorn

TAOS UPRISING
Set amidst the true story of the revolt in Taos, New Mexico in 1680, a young man of the Pueblo, counseled by his grandfather,
Eah Walla must decide what a man should do.
***
THE LAST GUNFIGHT IN ASH FORK
Young Jordie Conboy learns that legends and heroes
are seldom what they seem.
***
THE STRANGER
In the end, everyone left Angel Rock - one way or another. None would ever forget how the first death came - swift and without warning on the first night a stranger rode into town.

APPENDIX
Includes a detailed history of the New Mexico revolt
and a brief history of Ash Fork, Arizona

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NON FICTION AND COMPILATIONS

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NAPOLEON & LEE
Great Captains of Military History
or just Lucky Bastards?

This concise book does not cover every battle or campaign they participated in but instead focuses on those where the dice were tossed -- sometimes recklessly or desperately and what the result was or could have been. Most military historians as well as the public in general consider both Lee and Napoleon to be great commanders. This book examines whether or not that is true.

Written also to appeal to readers who have only a general interest in history as well as those who have read extensively.  

Copiously illustrated with custom maps, photos and vintage illustrations.

Size: 6” x 9” - 76 pages – 14,000 words.  

 

AVAILABLE
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OBSERVATIONS

Observations on the Passing Scene was  a popular newspaper column by Thomas Sowell that I read almost daily. The late Andy Rooney was also a favorite of mine. (See the appendix for some of their quotes and others). Some observations contained here came from family and friends. Most have come from experiences and memories by the author of this book collected over the past sixty some-odd years.
Many reach back in time as far as antiquity, but most written about things that have happened in the last few decades.

The observations take many forms and articles included extracted from my books published over the past several years. Other missives here written, in various forms and venues, as recently as a few days before this book published. This book is a sequel to “A Little Out There” published a few years ago although with a slightly less humorous tone.

The purpose is not to preach, but instead to give you something to think about and ultimately decide what your own observational truths are. Perhaps this might also encourage you to record some of your own observations to ponder or pass on.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

STARTING OUT AS A CHILD

POLITICS AND OTHER FORMS OF INSANITY

HISTORY – THE FORGOTTEN SUBJECT

THE ESSENCE OF CREATIVITY

THE REAL INCONVENIENT TRUTH

SOCIAL MEDIA

POPULAR CULTURE

PARENTAL WISDOM

APPENDIX
(I STILL HAVE MINE BUT IT
HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS)

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THE COMPLETE
TOMMY POLITO’S TAVERN

This is a story of a town the way it was and never will be again. It was a tavern, like thousands of others across America that shaped many a memory and many a life.

It is also the story of a man, long gone but never forgotten.

Parts of this book originally published
in the novella Tommy Polito’s Tavern and
A Baby Boomers History of Guilderland, NY
- Volumes One and Two.

114 pages

Including many vintage photographs.
This book also includes the original
novella Tommy Polito's Tavern -
Published in 2016.

Fiction and non-fiction

THE ONE THAT STARTED IT ALL - STILL AVAILABLE FOR A LIMITED TIME

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THEY SAY that you can never go back, and maybe you should't. Twelve years after he left his hometown of Guilderland, NY. he returns to visit his dying father. One afternoon along the way he takes a trip down memory lane and perhaps finds a date with destiny.

 

HE PULLED HIS 2011 Chevy Cruz rental car into the large and very empty dirt lot on the corner of US route 20 and state route 146 and killed the ignition. Opening the door, he slid out and lit a cigarette. As he slowly walked toward the center of the lot, his snakeskin boots kicked up dust and his Stetson hat shielded his eyes from the late afternoon sun.  Passing cars and the few pedestrians hurrying along their way paid no attention to him despite his attire that was way out of place.

--------------------------------------------------------

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THE REAL INCONVENIENT TRUTH

POLLUTION, GLOBAL WARMING, DISEASE, WAR, FAMINE, CORRUPTION, GENETIC DEFECTS, DECAYING URBAN AREAS, AND RELIGIOUS ZEALOTRY.


These are only a few problems facing humanity
today but are they the largest or most terrifying?
Most were predicted and the cause identified over a half century ago by a man long dead.

Long before computers, the internet, social media and the technological explosion of the 21st century he cataloged, graphed, spoke and wrote about it.

62 PAGES

Heavily illustrated with charts and graphs

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Faded photographs, covered now with lines and creases, tickets torn in half, memories of times and places…

INTRODUCTION

The town of Guilderland has a long, rich history dating even before its incorporation in 1803. This well documented. For those interested, Images of America – Guilderland, NY by Alice Begley and Mary Ellen Johnson is a good read. 

For the baby boomer generation however, the town holds a different history, not covered in any textbook. We did not consider it history at the time because we were living in it. Places we lived, loved, learned, worked and played, taken for granted, as though nothing would ever change. Those days from the 1950’s to 1980’s, were times of great change, not only in the culture of America, but also as reflected in the town.

The town of Guilderland, a mostly rural suburb coupled with the hamlet of Guilderland Center and the village of Altamont, nestled quietly between Albany and Schenectady. McKownville,  Westmere, and the eastern part of the hamlet of Guilderland proper, closest to Albany saw the first rise in housing developments. Altamont was a self-contained village. The town was just beginning to move into full suburban mode. Crowing roosters, farmer’s fields, road stands and empty fields, streams and woods, replaced by ice cream shops, diners, bowling alleys bars, burger joints, housing developments and schools. To coin a phrase, it might have been be called – “burbrural.”

Like much of history, it didn’t last long. Pictorial evidence is scarce. What little there is resides in old photo albums or shoe boxes. And in this book. The day of digital images from cameras, phones or tablets was decades away. Who gave any thought to snapping a photo of Carvel, Frosty, The Penguin or Dutcher’s ice cream? We ate, drank and caroused at Fonda’s, Hopper’s, Tommy Polito’s, Dell’s, The Late ‘n’ Lazy or the Village Drummer. Take photos? – no way.

Few pictures taken, because little thought was put into these and many other places that filled our lives and memories. If photos are scarce, memories, stories and anecdotes remain. The photos and stories garnered from many sources. Some from the author’s personal archives, others from the Facebook page – You know you’re from Guilderland when… Many are from people, like the author, who grew up in town and in some cases still reside there or nearby. Photos may fade but memories remain intact - for the most part.

Please enjoy the walk…

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION
GUILDERLAND
WESTMERE
FORT HUNTER
McKOWNVILLE
GUILDERLAND CENTER
ALTAMONT
--------------------
APPENDIX
ACKNOWLEGEMENTS

122 pages 6" x 9" with many photographs and maps

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This book is the requested sequel to the well-received original volume: "A Baby Boomers History of Guilderland" published in 2017. New stories and new photographs. In contrast to the first book, this one focuses more on personal memories than geography and landmarks. The first volume had 34 contributors of stories and graphics. The one has over 60!

Places we lived, loved, learned, worked and played, taken for granted, as though nothing would ever change. Those days from the 1950’s to 1980’s, were times of great change, not only in the culture of America, but also as reflected in the town. Like much of history, it didn’t last long.

In addition, it has a lengthy chapter about The Guilderland Players at Guilderland Central High School.

154 pages 6" x 9" with many photographs and maps

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This book is the last sequel to the well-received books, A Baby Boomers History of Guilderland, and A Baby Boomers History of Guilderland Part II published in 2017 and early 2018. Unlike the first two volumes, this isn’t organized by sections of town because much of that was covered previously. People who contributed stories, anecdotes and photos (see appendix) are in individual sub-chapters. I have found or been given much new material covering the way it was, the way it is now, the way we were and where we are now.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION
THE WAY IT WAS
AROUND TOWN
THE WAY WE WERE
SCHOOL DAZE
WHERE WE ARE NOW
--------------------
APPENDIX
ACKNOWLEGEMENTS
NOTES

136 pages - loaded with photos.

--------------------------------------------------------

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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
I STARTED OUT AS A CHILD
MONASTIC COLLEGE
ALCOHOL IS MY LIFE
BEING MARRIED, MARRIED & MARRIED
ON HAVING KIDS – OR NOT
CANINE COMPANIONS
BATHROOMS OF AMERICA
HUMOR IN UNIFORM
MEET THE NEIGHBORS
POLITICS AND OTHER FORMS OF INSANITY
COMMUNICATION IS THE PROBLEM TO THE ANSWER
GETTING OLDER SUCKS
RANDOM EVENTS

APPENDIX
(I STILL HAVE MINE BUT IT
HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS
)

INTRODUCTION

THE TITLE of this book originated from a conversation I had with my eldest son a few years back. A widower late in life, I remarried and my two young adult sons acquired a stepmother. Soon I noticed that when they called home, they most often called my wife instead of me. When I asked my oldest son why that was, he responded, “No offense dad, but you can be a little out there.” He went on to say his stepmother, Wendy, was more down to earth and more able to answer his more practical and straightforward questions without drifting off topic or launching into a story he had heard countless times before. Thinking about this, I realized he was right.

My father, in his older years, had been much the same way. He had a story for every conversation and every call I made to him invariably went back in time, ending often with the mention of his favorite car – a 1949 Dodge with fluid drive. Dad would then pontificate on the reasons the auto industry perfidiously buried that particular transmission design. He too, was a little out there and even though he couldn’t remember what he had for breakfast, stories from thirty or forty years ago flowed freely. A ten-minute trip to the supermarket for three items took him at least an hour. He was a gregarious sort whose motto as eventually put on his grave in 2011 was, “Who’d you meet along the way.”

Two months before the end of his life, his body and mind failing, I had the opportunity during one of his lucid moments to tell him face-to-face what a great dad he was and rattled off a long list of things we had done together. His response was, “How do you remember all that shit?”

The apple didn’t roll too far from the tree.

112 pages

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DESCENDANTS OF CONRAD KRESGE
THE STORY OF A SMALL TWIG

This is the story of two families. One founded an empire that at one time was the second largest retail store chain in North America. The other, a very small twig of that family tree, “scattered like a hand grenade,” all over America. The first family became obscenely rich. The other has a few nickels to rub together but is rich in experiences and travels.

We are all descendants of Conrad Kresge who came to America in the 1740’s. His great-great grandson, Sebastian Sperle Kresge, founded the S.S. Kresge Company in 1897 in Memphis Tennessee. His stores proliferated throughout the 20th century, eventually becoming Kmart, in 1962. Its rise and fall told from that time, until its predicted demise in 2018. 

Their story parallels a unique time in American history starting near the beginning of the 20th century. Inventions like the automobile, telephone, airplane, phonograph, radio and motion pictures that would shape the coming century were in their infancy. Great industrial giants like, General Electric and the American Locomotive Company were coming into being following in the footsteps and eventually eclipsing the likes of the Rockefellers, Carnegies and Astor’s. America itself was growing and transforming from a mostly rural country to one of urban and suburban epicenters of new business empires. The people of America, both old stock and immigrants were changing and adapting to the new order of things – and perhaps things to come.

120 pages
many photos

------------------------------------------------------------


CONFESSIONS OF A GRAPHIC DESIGNER

CLICK HERE


Surviving and thriving in the graphic design, illustration and advertising world 1975-2016

Memoirs and a guide for those who are in the business, about to enter the business and those even thinking about entering the business.

This book also contains practical tips and advice from a professional creative director, art director, designer, illustrator and business owner for over forty years.

CONTENTS

Introduction
Technology

Advertising

The one-two-three Method
Typography
Outdoor advertising
Direct response advertising
Directory Advertising

Graphic design

Collateral
Package Design
Illustration
Web design

Career choices
Employee or self-employed
Business topics

Appendix and notes

 

This book dedicated to the memory
of the late Donald J. Moore Sr.
my first employer at D.J. Moore Advertising in NY
and from whom I learned so much.
He was a great professional,
a true gentleman and my mentor.


c. 1972 in his office.

-------------------------
See other books by this author at:
www.jgreenbooks.com

PLEASE NOTE:
All of the examples in this book reproduced
 in black and white because of the budget constrictions of
“print on demand” paperback books.

If you want to see color, renditions
and much more please visit:
www.creativecolleagues.com

 

154 PAGES heavily illustrated

--------------------------------

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In its time Tombstone, Arizona was indeed a tough place, rowdy and lawless for the most part until the Earp brothers, Wyatt, Morgan and Virgil came to town.  Whether they cleaned up the town or simply cleaned up financially, has been the subject of countless books, articles and essays. Regardless of those controversies, the Earp’s along with Wyatt’s friend Doc Holiday, a disreputable character in his own right, did take part in the famous “Gunfight at the OK Corral.” Many considered it more of an ambush or murder, but that is outside the scope of this book. It lasted eighteen minutes. Since then, the event and the participants (dead or alive) have been the subject of countless movies, television dramas, and books. Today, it is now reenacted, almost daily and businesses throughout town are devoted to the legend.

If that single event warrants the nickname “too tough to die,” so be it. However, there are other definitions of tough. Hard work, grit, sweat, perseverance, determination, adaptability and survival also define that word.  

If so, Ash Fork deserves the name tough, for it has been exactly that for far longer. It was, and still is, tough because of all of the hardships, economic booms, busts and catastrophic fires in 1893, 1905, 1977 and 1987 it has endured. And that in an area of geography that is just plain tough to live on. Good times always followed by downright hard times, but the people have carried on to this day.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION
EARLY HISTORY
THE GREAT WESTERN ROAD
THE RAILROADS
THE ESCALANTE
THE RANCHERS
THE MOTHER ROAD ROUTE 66
THE TOWN TODAY – TOUGH AS EVER
NEW RESIDENTS & OFF-GRID LIVING

90 pages
with many illustrations and photographs

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Everything I needed to know about life
I learned on a baseball field…

(well, almost)

Life lessons generously mixed with humor,
 dust, tears, grass stains and the smell of leather.

74 pages

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h

 

READER REVIEWS:

PM me

This book was difficult to put down, and I don't think I would have had I started reading it in the morning.  I read through Chapter Thirteen the first evening, and finished it the next day.  The characters were well developed, in a logical and chronological path.  The plot had several twists and turns causing an almost anxious desire to look ahead to see how things turned out.  I found myself wishing I could drive to Ash Fork partly to observe the areas described in the book, but perhaps mainly to spend some time with Aaron (MASON PERRY22).  I highly recommend this book!  It's a fantastic read.

4/26/20 - Alice Ruby - SC

 

 

THE HOUSE IN THE CLOSET

My favorite J. Franklin Green book yet! This story is about an ordinary guy that has an extra-ordinary experience. Family abuse suffered as a child prompts an escape from reality jumping to different places and different time periods, some even into the apocalyptic future. All the places and time periods seem to link to each other or back to the main character's life or even the storyteller. There were stories within the stories just like a house in a closet. Throughout the story there were strong, thought-provoking statements about our society and the direction it may be heading. I love the fact that I kept wondering if the story is true the whole time. Thoughts of familiar stories popped into my mind throughout reading including "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", "Somewhere in Time" and "Chronicles of Narnia" which all fall within my favorites. I really think this one could be made into a movie!

Laurel Whitney Jan 8, 2019

----------------------------------

I liked it so much I read it twice! I felt like I was time traveling myself. Especially liked the Schenectady stop in it's heyday! So may things in this book touched me deeply... Great job!

-- Chip Carpenter 12/19

------------------------------------


The House in the Closet grips the reader from the first episode depicting the little boy’s family life and his memories as an adult reliving the past. The one safe place the boy takes with him into adulthood is the house he finds in a closet where he escapes his harsh reality.

Serendipity intervenes years later when he visits the house and closet again. Two worlds merge as one in this book, memories and present day converge to explain the past and the present, and sometimes, even the future. This is the story of a man who finds a woman much like himself; they both deserve to find peace and purpose in the house which becomes a safe haven in a changing world.

It’s also the story of Man and what we might do to ourselves if we keep ignoring the elephant in the room. The author interweaves elements from his own life with Easter eggs which make his loyal readers think of other books he’s written—so effectively are the eggs hidden in the narrative. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, so much so that when I started, I didn’t stop till I‘d finished.

Carmen Baca - 2/20

 

TRUE, SEMI-TRUE
& TRUE LIES

A pleasure to read such a believable collection of stories about addiction. Having worked in this field and met quite a few people on the trails of life, I can say knowing a subject from studying it, is quite different from the real thing most of the time. This book is the real deal. A must read for those who want to know what it can really be like. This writer is a keen observer of people, their lies, their truths. Words are one of my favorite things. This book shows why. Kathleen Grace Woolley of the never forgotten Ash Fork, Arizona. A gift for your library.

By Kathleen Grace Woolley
Oct 9, 2019

ROADSIDE 66

This book had many twist and turns and captivated the reader. It was hard to put down , you just had to know what was going to happen next! John has a way of keeping you guessing , I have many times been able to guess what was going to happen next in many books that I have read . But NOT this one ! I know that the book is mixed with many realities and fiction , and I couldn't always figure out which was which ! I also liked the settings in the book. great job.

Joseph Carpenter Dec 11, 2018

-----------------------------------

As an avid non-fiction reader, this book was a nice change of pace for me. This story starts out to be a later-in-life coming of age road trip after a devastating loss, yet turns into something so much more. Due the historical detail and vivid descriptions and photos of real stops on a cross-county trip, it satisfied my fact-based needs while adding a twinge of fantasy. It was reminiscent of two of my favorite TV series "Twilight Zone" and "Tales of the Unexpected" with its twists and turns some of which were expected and some completely unexpected. This is the element that made me unable to put it down. I read it over the course of two days and was completely immersed in it, even thinking about it when I didn't have the book in my hand. If I was not obliged for family activities, I would have read it straight through! Pick this one up and you won't put it down until your jaw drops as you read the last page. MUST READ.

Laurel Whitney Sep 20, 2018

-------------------------------

I think this is one of the best mysteries I've ever read. From the first cryptic text which appears on Earl's laptop to the last, author John Green, builds the suspense until a reader almost bursts with anticipation of what comes next.
This is one of those "can't put down" stories that makes one want to ignore daily tasks just to keep reading to the end. The descriptions of all the towns, cities, and countryside's along the famous Route 66 paint a picture of the country which a reader can easily visualize and identify with, especially because of the many excellent photos Mr. Green inserts periodically, giving us the exact locations of the events as they occur. This is one of those frame stories—many stories framed within Earl's cross country travels—which endears the characters to the reader and makes him care about their lives.

Mr. Green's conclusion to Earl's dilemma doesn't disappoint either
with his trademark twist that pierces the heart of the reader in the last scene and leaves him wanting a sequel. This is one of those books I'm sure I'll read again. Highly recommended!

LULU review 7/21/17 - Carmen Baca

This book is a page-turner. I have it, and once I started on the journey with Earl, I was in it for the long haul. And to know it was based on real characters and locations, wow! Great job. -

Eddie Hartshorn, author - 8/18

----------------------------

THE IMMORTAL SERGEANT BACHMAN

Mar 28, 2017
The Immortal Sergeant becomes an endearing character in J. Franklin Green's account of military fiction based on fact. As a student of history, I found the dialogue and interactions between officers and non coms true to life (my husband, a former Marine, concurs). The love story interwoven between the military one brings Bachman to life as a real human being finding love in an unexpected place while questioning his role as a military pawn. The combat scenes offer a personal look into how these men interacted with one another in times of great peril and stress.

Overall, I found the book engaging, one I'll probably re-read as I do with my favorite books.

The historical photos combined with the appendix also make this an excellent addition to my collection of military literature.


Carmen Baca,
author of El Hermano

------------------------------

I have to admit I approached this book with some skepticism. Military novels by people who have not served in the military have generally disappointed me. They lack reality that only us veterans can feel. Not this one!! This one grabbed my attention from the first page.
I could not stop reading it and consumed it, finishing it in less than 24 hours.

This was my first J. Franklin Green book and I loved it. This book is highly recommended. Proudly Served - Berlin Brigade.

Edward Fasset Jr. -
August 28. 2017

-----------------------------------

I bought this book for my dad. He likes autobiographies and true stories. Especially ones about Germany and WWII. He gobbled this one up in a few nights. He said to me, "Tell your writer friend that I like it. ALOT." For my dad that is a great review. 5 of 5 stars I'd say!

Bianca Pardue - August 17, 2017

------------------------------------

2035 THE ELEPHANT
IN THE ROOM

The reviewer is a client of mine and we frequently butt heads professionally, so this was especially heart felt.--- JG

Aug 16, 2019

I love John Green's simple style of writing. It flows and doesn't require a high level of concentration to get through. As in most of Green's books, this one is grounded in reality with a wisp of fantasy. This story is about long journey (very, very long) of a strong man with many demons who went from an 'average Joe' to a great leader of many generations.

This story was unique in its plot, relationships between the characters as well as its character development. I developed such an attachment to Barth, the main character, that I had to put the book down for a few weeks as it was actually becoming difficult for me to read the multiple hardships he suffered. This is a rare occurrence for me since I am not an emotional person, so that level of attachment is a true testament to the skill of this author. With that said, I see enough real-life suffering in the world that I prefer my free time reading to serve as an escape from that, rather than more of it. My missing star is not a reflection of quality or content, it's a matter of taste due to the dark nature of the book. I was wondering the whole book why he didn't give his "magic drops" to Suzi...now I know.

Laurel Whitney

------------------------------------

Baseball FUN damentals

“I am not that much into
baseball but this book kept my attention until the very end. The characters were very entertaining and I could not put this book down.” - Amazon reader

“Very easy read. Good insight as to what the real world of professional sports should be. I enjoyed the book and recommend you should read it”
--Art Greenberg -
ex-sports announcer

“Great story! Even if you’re not a fan of baseball, the humor in this story will crack you up. The action kept me turning the page! I highly recommend this book!”
--E. Hartshorn

-----------------------------------

BOOZE & BETRAYAL

WOW - What a read! ...I am often irritated by authors who hop around in time with their fiction.
You do it seamlessly.
Nice going.

Jordan Conboy

-------------------------

A riveting account of one man’s struggle against the addiction to alcohol while struggling to maintain a sense of normalcy. His reliance on booze to escape reality is the story of every one who suffers from additions, whether from alcohol, drugs, sex, etc. The realism John F. Green creates in his portrayal of how his main character attempts to “cope” while pretending he doesn’t have a problem is spot on. Nighttime clubbing turns into a luncheon cocktail and worse as he uses liquor to escape his reality, reminding us that his character is representative of every one of us who allows temptation to lead us down the road to addiction.

By Carmen Baca

Jan 16, 2018

----------------------------------

AND THE MEEK
SHALL INHERIT

3/17- I thoroughly enjoyed this short story, especially the way you divided it between introducing people in diverse areas of the planet before the event and then going back for their reactions and of course the end, their different ends of life. I also visualized the episodes due to your descriptions.

You created a different way of making the apocalypse unlike those I've already either read or watched as a movie.

The art you created to go with this story is also creepy enough to make it believable. -- Carmen Baca

 

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TAOS UPRISING

Last night I finished Taos Uprising, a collaboration by our John Green and Eddie Hartshorn. Though stories of the old west, these aren't your stereotypical shoot-em-up cowboy stories. The first story “Taos Uprising” is a fictionalized account of the revolt of Pueblo Indians against the Spanish in the late 17th century and is rich in detail and filled with plenty of family and community drama. The attack itself is well-written and fun to read (if you like this sort of thing). The middle story, “The Last Gunfight in Ash Fork” by John Green is the passing on of that story from one generation to the next and told with such deftness it's like hearing the story being told. The final story “The Stranger” by Eddie Hartshorn is novella-length and draws a picture of a western town visited by a stranger who is never named, but by the end of this morality tale he learns as much about himself as we do about life in the old west. What makes this book also worthy of being placed in the reference section of your book shelves, is that it contains an appendix with a history of the Pueblo revolt and a history of Ash Fork, Arizona. There are pictures and drawings included on some of the pages that helps bring the stories to life.

-- Steve Carr

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2037

As most people know Orwell wrote 1984 in 1949 as a cautionary tale. John Green wrote 2037 for the same reason. If we keep going down the road we are now on, this could be very likely. Set in rural northern Arizona, this is a fun read with interesting characters woven through it. I highly recommend it no matter your politics.

By Bob Scheldt

Nov 22, 2019

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TALES OF THE SOUTHWEST

When I was growing up in the Southwest, I would often read my father’s cowboy novelas, of stereotypical machos and indios-yes, the representations were racist and sexist. The stories in this anthology, Tales of the Southwest, went far beyond traditional stories that I was expecting. They still captured the essence of the Southwest, but each author told a compelling tale, from the historic to the modern. They were all excellent, but two stories stood out for me and frankly surprised me in terms of their social commentary and political depth, Gabriella Balcolm’s “Shadows of the Anasazi” and Edward C. Hartshorn’s “Grandmother of the Dessert”. The first tale did a wonderful job of addressing Native American history and culture and had a touch of magical realism. That was my favorite bit. Plus, the ending took a turn I was not expecting. The second story by Harthshorn captured the struggles of undocumented youth crossing the border. I loved the character development in that piece and relished in the dialogue, especially the use of Spanish. If you enjoy westerns, you will love the variety in this collection.

By Maria J. EstradaNov 16, 2019

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TOMMY POLITO'S TAVERN

My sister, Kathy Collen, bought me this book as an early birthday present and I read it cover to cover the day I received it!
Neither one of us could believe a book was written about Tommy Polito's Tavern!!
Like the author, I was a graduate of Guilderland High School (class of '72) and spent many a night at Tommy's during my junior and senior years. Looking back, that time seemed to represent a "right of passage" into adulthood when most of us ventured into Politio's (well under 18 yrs) ...or as my Dad called it the "bar and grille".

John's book brought back
vivid memories
of red checkered tablecloths, the aroma of freshly cooked pizza, the smell of stale beer, and Tommy (in apron) behind the bar (barely fit) sporting that Italian smile that was all his! Having grown up in Westmere, so many of the "old haunts" in your book are now vivid again. John, thank-you for a really fun read and for a great trip down "memory lane"!

Rick Donnellan

John's book is a great nostalgic trip back to a time where many of us from Guilderland grew up and hung out with friends , tip a few beers and laugh a lot . Some like my brother Chris met his future wife there ,they have been married for 43 years ! Another classmate and friend ( Len C ) met his wife there . They were together till her death a few years ago . So I guess to sum it up , Tommy's was a GREAT place to meet friends and make future relationships. Thanks for the memories.

Joseph Carpenter Dec 11, 2018


This book was a nostalgic trip back to the Guilderland I grew up in and the places my friends and I enjoyed going to back in the day. Interspersed with photos on from that time period (early 70s through the late 80s). At first I couldn t relate to the Twilight Zone type ending, then on reflection I realized it was based on the authors past and it kind of grew on me. We ended up buying several of the books for friends and family from the area including a friend from Germany who spent time in Guilderland during that period.

Jay Mohr Dec 12, 2017

THE COMPLETE
TOMMY POLITO'S TAVERN

More great stores about the place we all went to . I have been fortunate enough to be a contributor to the book and enjoyed reading all of the articles. We sure did some crazy things back then !

Joseph Carpenter
December 11, 2018

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NON-FICTION REVIEWS:

A BABY BOOMERS HISTORY OF GUILDERLAND, NY

I must say that I am immensely enjoying the baby boomers history of Guilderland. You included my great grandfather and great grandmother (Pop Carpenter whom we referred to as Bomboo), my grand father (Ralph Carpenter) and even my best friend and his mother (Billy Wright and Gerda). Even my kinder garden teacher was mentioned. Most of my friends and family have or are getting copies to keep for themselves. Nice job!

Chip Carpenter

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THE STORY OF
A SMALL TWIG

Great read for the business and/or history buff alike. The rise and fall of one of the greatest retail chains is detailed beautifully here. It answers a lot of the "what ever happened to..." questions regarding many of the brick and mortar stores we grew up with. It also delves into the elaborate family history ("Twig" from the family tree") and evolution of the stores with plenty of personal anecdotes and some old print ads which I loved. I purchased a second copy for a colleague with long family history in retail knowing he would enjoy it as much as I did.

By Laurel Whitney

Nov 5, 2018

CONFESSIONS OF A GRAPHIC DESIGNER

As a new author, I want to learn all I can about graphic art and how I can implement designs, fonts., etc. to make good-looking covers. This book gave me an adequate and easy-to-understand explanation of several techniques I can employ while giving me a great and often humorous narrative to enjoy.

Carmen Baca

Nov 4, 2018

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THE OTHER TOWN TOO TOUGH TO DIE

I sat down last night and read "The Other Town Too Tough to Die" and really enjoyed it. It now rests in my library with my other Arizona collection of books. I rarely get behind the mic without telling at least one story about Ash Fork. It had more characters than Damon Runyon could conceive. I hope our paths cross again.

Marshall Trimble

Arizona State historian (retired) author, entertainer.


NAPOLEON & LEE

I reviewed this concise but well written book yesterday, it is very good, does not have to go into details that historians are used too (I am a German military historian), but is to the point to raise some great issues that run contradiction to mainstream thoughts. That in itself make it a good book. It makes you think. This is called critical thinking. John Green is also a well published author of a great array of books, and an avid wargamer.

Donald Vandergriff
Mar 1, 2020