Author Archive: Andrew Barnes

Fugitivism by S. Charles Bolton

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Fugitivism: Escaping Slavery in the Lower Mississippi Valley, 1820-1860 By S. Charles Bolton
  • Estimated Length:  10.5 hours
  • Project Budget:  Royalty Share
  • Word Count:  98000
  • Language:  English
  • Distribution:  Exclusive
  • Territories:  World

Winner, 2020 Booker Worthen Literary Prize

During the antebellum years, over 750,000 enslaved people were taken to the Lower Mississippi Valley, where two-thirds of them were sold in the slave markets of New Orleans, Natchez, and Memphis. Those who ended up in Louisiana found themselves in an environment of swamplands, sugar plantations, French-speaking creoles, and the exotic metropolis of New Orleans. Those sold to planters in the newly-opened Mississippi Delta cleared land and cultivated cotton for owners who had moved west to get rich as quickly as possible, driving this labor force to harsh extremes.

Like enslaved people all over the South, those in the Lower Mississippi Valley left home at night for clandestine parties or religious meetings, sometimes “laying out” nearby for a few days or weeks. Some of them fled to New Orleans and other southern cities where they could find refuge in the subculture of slaves and free blacks living there, and a few attempted to live permanently free in the swamps and forests of the surrounding area. Fugitives also tried to return to eastern slave states to rejoin families from whom they had been separated. Some sought freedom on the northern side of the Ohio River; others fled to Mexico for the same purpose.

Fugitivism provides a wealth of new information taken from advertisements, newspaper accounts, and court records. It explains how escapees made use of steamboat transportation, how urban runaways differed from their rural counterparts, how enslaved people were victimized by slave stealers, how conflicts between black fugitives and the white people who tried to capture them encouraged a culture of violence in the South, and how runaway slaves from the Lower Mississippi Valley influenced the abolitionist movement in the North.

Readers will discover that along with an end to oppression, freedom-seeking slaves wanted the same opportunities afforded to most Americans.

New audiobook release coming November 2021!

BHM: PICKS OF THE WEEK

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BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Black History Month is finally here! Each year we have the opportunity to reflect on the honorable deeds, contributions, talents, and discoveries of trailblazers that inspired us along the way.

I have been fortunate to narrate the stories and learn about the lives of so many remarkable people, whose self-sacrifice and dedication made an impact that will never be forgotten.

“The cost of liberty is less than the price of repression.”

~ W.E.B. Du Bois, Author and Civil Rights Activist

I invite you to select an audiobook and jumpstart your discovery into the lives of venerated figures who were willing to improve our society in peaceful and profound ways.

The Book Break!

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What is this series all about?

Gavin Stoutheart’s father the baron is missing, along with Gavin’s brother the heir. He must step up to lead his people as they flee before an invading army.

His only hope is that a combination of prohibited animal magic and his knack for strategy will keep them safe as they make their way through a fractured kingdom with an army on their tail.

Melissa interviews John M. Olsen, an editor for the publisher Immortal Works, and a fantasy author, in this week’s episode of The Book Break.

John has written countless short stories, and a three-book fantasy series, “Riland Throne.” The three books are “Crystal King,” “Crystal Queen,” and “Crystal Empire.” John is also a member of The League of Utah Writers and regularly teaches at conferences.

*This interview was pre-recorded before the COVID-19 outbreak.

John M. Olsen | The Book Break | Season 3 Episode 22

THE FANTASY TRILOGY IS HERE!

AVAILABLE NOW!

RAVE REVIEWS: Crystal Empire!

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The Crystal Kingdom, now Empire

John M. Olsen maintains his world as he moves the characters forward. Through the other two books and Crystal Empire they all continue to grow and learn and change. He shows that through ingenuity, adverse circumstances can be faced and overcome with results that are helpful to all involved.

Crystal Empire brings more depth to the characters surrounding the king and queen. There are many more viewpoints as this part of the story unfolds. Many characters from the earlier volumes return to continue sharing from their perspectives. This brings more depth to them. New characters are introduced to add to the complexity of the story, as it should be during a time of war. The richness of this book comes from the variety of voices that tell their parts to bring the story to its climactic conclusion.

There is still more story of the Crystal Kingdoms, now Empire. Mr. Olsen has left us enough threads to see that the fabric of the story has not yet been completely unraveled. I do not know if he plans on continuing to tell stories in this setting. If he does they will be welcomed additions. If not, there is room for our personal imaginations to grab ahold of one of those threads and see where it leads us.

This is a wonderful conclusion that started with Crystal King when we are introduced to Garvin before he is even a baron, and his unpredictable rise (link to review). The story continued fluidly into Crystal Queen. In this book, we learn more about Lilia and what she had gone through in her life to be trained to be the heir apparent of the Graven kingdom (link to review).

The books are written for young adult readers. They are appropriate for any readers who may have concerns about the content of the story. There is enough intrigue to keep more experienced readers engaged and still be light enough to provide a relaxing read at the end of the day.
If you have enjoyed John M. Olsen’s other works or similar material from Immortal Works publishing you will enjoy this one.
Crystal Empire is published by Immortal Works.

About the Author (from the book)

JOHN M. OLSEN

Motivated by his lifelong love of reading, John M. Olsen writes about ordinary people doing extraordinary things and hopes to entertain and inspire others. His father’s library started him on this journey as a teenager, and he now owns and expands that library to pass his passion on to the next generation of avid readers.

He loves to create things, whether writing novels or short stories or working in his secret lab equipped with dangerous power tools. In all cases, he applies engineering principles and processes to the task at hand, often in unpredictable ways. He usually prefers “Renaissance Man” to “Mad Scientist” as a goal and aesthetic.

He lives in Utah with his lovely wife and a variable number of mostly grown children and a constantly changing subset of extended family.
You can join John’s musings at his blog: johnmolsen.blogspot.com.

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NEW RELEASE: Crystal Empire

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CRYSTAL EMPIRE

King Gavin Stoutheart and his council face war like the world hasn’t seen in ages. The enemy kings will soon lay waste to the countryside, and it is up to Gavin to fight with the tools given to him to avoid destruction. 

While gathering his forces for war, Gavin must also work through unexpected ambassadors, secrets among his closest allies, and hidden clues from the past within the Riland Capital to avoid repeating the mistakes of those who preceded him. 

While an abundance of crystals helps Gavin’s army to control more war animals and to speed training, nothing ever goes as planned while defending against the remaining four Crystal Kings. The enemy has surprises of their own as they seek to overwhelm and crush Gavin and his allies.

©2019 John M. Olsen (P)2020 Immortal Works

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NEW RELEASE: Living Loved

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“Ryan Bruss brings the truth of the Father’s love to us…“

~ John Arnott

Awakening Your Heart to The Father’s Love

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The Father’s Love is Real

God is not withholding His love from you! He loves you. He really, really loves you. He loves you with joyful, deep, and everlasting love. Here’s the problem: it’s one thing to talk about Father’s love, yet it’s an entirely different thing to live loved—to live daily feeling the sweet and strong embrace of Father God’s love.

Ryan Bruss

Most Christians will tell you that they believe that God loves them. However, when it gets down to it, they have trouble defining what His love looks and feels like. Father’s love is meant to be experienced and enjoyed. I want to help you know this love—the Father’s love. I want to help you live loved.

We are all on a journey to the center of the Father heart of God. And everyone has a divine opportunity to know His love. My prayer is that your heart awakens to the Father’s love so that you will live loved every single day!

This book was talked about on an international Christian television program called, It’s Supernatural with Sid Roth.

It’s My Birthday!

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Well Friends, it’s that time again… It’s my Birthday! I Thank God for another blessed year of His grace and favor. Also, I appreciate all the well wishes from LinkedIN and other social networking platforms. Your kind words do much to lift my spirits and make this day as special as it can be.

Celebrate Together!
Get a FREE audiobook at audible Today!!!

Please enjoy one free audio review copy of Zombie Avengers: Slay The Zombies or Fart Trying (Volume 1), now available on Audible. Redeem the one-time use code below at https://www.audible.com/acx-promo

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NEW RELEASE: The Seven-Fold Spirit of God

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Accessing the Untapped Dimensions of the Holy Spirit

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A fresh discovery of the Holy Spirit.

The Bible reveals that there are many dimensions to the Holy Spirit’s character, personality, and power. Unfortunately, most believers live in a tragically limited experience of the Spirit’s role. But there is more!

Keith Miller has operated in the Holy Spirit’s power for decades as a revivalist, revelatory teacher, and witness to the miraculous. But it was a revelation of the seven-fold Spirit of God that changed everything.

©2020 Keith Miller (P)2020 Destiny Image Audio

NEW RELEASE: Everything Happens for a Reason

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LISTEN
  • Everything Happens for a Reason
    by Keith Butler

In an attempt to give meaning to what appears to be inexplicable circumstances in life, many people say, “Well, everything happens for a reason, you know.” The truth of the matter is that everything does happen for a reason!

In this book, Bishop Butler explores the truths found in the Parable of the Sower, uncovering the secrets God has hidden for you, including the following:

  • What God does, how he does it, and why
  • What Satan does, how he does it, and why
  • What you should do and why

These truths will give you tools for avoiding self-inflicted wounds and strategies to use to deflect the five tools Satan uses – affliction, persecution, the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things – to try and keep the Word from becoming deeply planted in your life.

You can live a lifestyle that pleases God! The Word gives you an answer to overcoming every problem you face in life! You can live a life of victory!

©2015 Keith Butler (P)2020 Harrison House Audio

NEW RELEASE: Overcoming Gossip

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  1. Overcoming Gossip
  2. How Satan, the Accuser of the Brethren, Uses Gossip to Fragment the Body of Christ

Overcoming Gossip takes a serious look at how the “accuser of the brethren” works in partnership with people who gossip to bring down God’s children and keep a spirit of disrespect alive in families, churches, ministries, and communities.

Through true stories gathered from believers, Overcoming Gossip highlights the various types of gossip, as well as many of the common motivations – conscious or unconscious – for negative speech coming from Christians.

Balanced perfectly with God’s love, the author paints a positive picture of hope and discusses the importance of forgiveness. This book provides a comprehensive guide for Christians who want to stop accusing the brethren and learn to live a life of love and grace toward others.

Both inspirational and instructional, the powerful stories are filled with wisdom that is sure to change the way you think and talk.

©2011 Mark D. Michael (P)2020 Destiny Image Audio

“Gossip is like a person who has a picture of you doing something wrong, and each time you seek to move beyond it, they pull out the picture to remind you of your past, thus leaving you feeling inextricably bound to your mistakes.”

NEW RELEASE: Booker T. Washington: Builder of a Civilization

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  1. By: Lyman Beecher Stowe, Emmett J. Scott
  2. Narrated by: Andrew L. Barnes
  3. Length: 9 hrs and 14 mins
  4. Unabridged Audiobook
  5. Release date: 08-04-20
  6. Language: English
  7. Publisher: Legacy Audio Books

It is not hyperbole to say that Booker T. Washington was a great American. For 20 years before his death, he had been the most useful, as well as the most distinguished, member of his race in the world, and one of the most useful, as well as one of the most distinguished, of American citizens of any race.

Eminent though his services were to the people of his own color, the White men of our Republic were almost as much indebted to him, both directly and indirectly.

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They were indebted to him directly, because of the work he did on behalf of industrial education for the Negro, thus giving impetus to the work for the industrial education of the White man, which is, at least, as necessary; and, moreover, every successful effort to turn the thoughts of the natural leaders of the Negro race into the fields of business endeavor, of agricultural effort, of every species of success in private life, is not only to their advantage but to the advantage of the White man, as tending to remove the friction and trouble that inevitably come throughout the South at this time in any Negro district where the Negroes turn for their advancement primarily to political life


The indirect indebtedness of the White race to Booker T. Washington is due to the simple fact that here in America we are all, in the end, going up or down together; and therefore, in the long run, the man who makes a substantial contribution toward uplifting any part of the community has helped to uplift all of the community. Wherever in our land the Negro remains uneducated, and liable to criminal suggestion, it is absolutely certain that the Whites will themselves tend to tread the paths of barbarism; and wherever we find people of color as a whole engaged in successful work to better themselves, and respecting both themselves and others, there we shall also find the tone of the White community high.

Rave Reviews: The Christian Moral Life!

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A Great Study For Seekers of the Truth in Morality

Let’s start off with a bit of information. This book, and therefore I assume John Rziha, is based on Catholicism. For the average “non-denominational” Christian this might be perceived to be a problem. It should not be. I found very little to object about and nothing in the realm of the moral philosophy this book is presenting to its readers. To say it another way, The Christian Moral Life is for everyone looking to improve themselves, their relationships, and all aspects of life.

This book is not a “story” to listen to. Some authors use stories to get there message across. This is not one of those. This is a study and should be treated as such. This would be great companion audio to the written textbook. It is very well-spoken and presented in a format to keep your interest and to help you understand the topic. But you should be prepared to put some thought into the words you are hearing. On that basis, this is not a background to listen while you are doing other work. Pay attention. You just might learn something.

Mr. Barnes does an excellent job presenting the material for your ears. Pauses in all the right places let you feel like you can see the text and the breaks in the subject that are built into the written word. Many narrators could learn something from the presentation of this book.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

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