Apologies For My Tardiness!
Hello CK Westbrook readers,
I apologize for being seriously delinquent in my newsletter publication.
I have been focused on editing the next story in “The Impact Series.” I had hoped to have a publication date announcement by now, but not yet. Soon, hopefully soon!
I’ve also been focused on distracting myself from the daily drama and trauma caused by the Trump Administration, though I do not always succeed. For example, I glanced at an article about the One Big Beautiful Act that was passed in the House and saw this –
Rep. Andrew Clyde, a member of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, added language to the bill making it easier for people to buy gun silencers. Specifically, the bill eliminates a $200 firearm registration fee for silencers and removes a requirement that people register their silencers. The federal tax on gun silencers has been in place since 1934.
Just what America needs: easier access to commit (quiet) violent crimes. The bill will soon move to the Senate for a vote. Since it’s a budget reconciliation bill, it only requires 51 votes to pass. There are 53 Republican Senators.
Anyway, back to pleasant things, like science fiction, wildlife, nature, and travel!
On April 4th, I moderated a panel at Awesome Con about history and science in science fiction. It was a full house with 147 people attending the discussion. I saw many fellow authors and friends at Awesome Con, attended fun and informative panels, and briefly met Simon Pegg.
On April 27, I participated in the Authors Alley at the Make it Mt. Pleasant Spring Art Market. I had a blast talking to fellow authors, readers, and artists.
In May, I traveled to Monterey, California, to see friends and explore the area. It’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. From Big Sur to Point Lobos State Natural Reserve to whale watching and kayaking in Monterey Bay, I was blown away by the stunning wildlife. We saw huge Redwood trees, 16 Humpback whales, several rare Risso dolphins, hundreds of sea lions (including a mat of sea lions fishing), seals, sea otters, and exquisite wildflowers. For fun, we did a silly, creative re-enactment of a movie scene filmed at the Monterey Aquarium. The movie was Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, one of the best sci-fi movies ever made (in my opinion).
I included a few pictures below. I also posted fun reels from Awesome Con, Monterey, and the Monterey Aquarium movie scene on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Check them out:
https://www.instagram.com/ckwestbrook.author
https://www.facebook.com/WestbrookCK
https://www.tiktok.com/@ckwestbrook.author
BOOK REVIEW
Until I Come Back For You, by P.A. White.
I loved this story! White’s characters are intriguing, the dialogue beautifully written, the story fast-paced and suspenseful, and the end - wow! This story felt so real to me, as a child of the 70s myself, it was a (mostly) fun flashback. I highly recommend this book.
Blurb:
Trisha is a typical eight-year-old. The youngest of five, she has a pony, a BFF, sticky fingers, and a big secret. After she does her homework and chores, she sneaks off to visit a dead body in the woods.
Right where she left it.
UNTIL I COME BACK FOR YOU invites you to wallow in the comforting nostalgia of the 1970s, a simpler time when there were only three TV channels, two colas, and one phone in the house. Smell the honeysuckle of lazy summer days; listen to sisters sharing whispers in bunk beds before drifting to sleep. Just when you get comfortable, you’ll find yourself stranded in a tree, dragged across a field, held down on a cold examination table. Taste the blood in your mouth from a lost tooth. Feel the breath of a predator on your neck. Hear the death rattle of a lost soul.
Follow one family’s history woven into the tattered fabric of the Midwest and witness one girl tear at the seams of girlhood, suspended between the generations of women who reinvented womanhood.
The book is available everywhere books are sold, or request it at your local library.
Until next time my friends -
I can’t express my deep gratitude to my readers enough. Thank you for sharing this fantastic adventure with me!
CK
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Reviews
I need more book reviews!
Reviews on Amazon - Amazon.com: The Shooting (Impact): 9781644504970: Westbrook, Ck: Books
Amazon.com: The Collision (Impact): 9781644506226: Westbrook, Ck: Books
Amazon.com: The Judgment (Impact): 9781644507124: Westbrook, Ck: Books
Amazon.com: The Aftermath: 9798823203586: Westbrook, Ck: Books
Reviews on Goodreads - The Shooting (The Impact Series Book 1) by CK Westbrook | Goodreads
The Collision by CK Westbrook | Goodreads
The Judgment (The Impact Series Book 3) by CK Westbrook | Goodreads
The Aftermath (The Impact Series Book 4) by CK Westbrook | Goodreads
Contact Me
Feel free to email me with any comments or questions. I would love to hear from you! Ckwestbrook.author@gmail.com
Amazing book! From the story - “Our home has been broken into. Our lives are being endangered. The law allows for all necessary force against unlawful and imminent harm.”
Awesome Con panel with fellow authors J.R. Traas and Avrah C. Baren.
Full house at our Awesome Con panel!
Goonies at Awesome Con. The movie was released 40 years ago!
Fellowship at Awesome Con talking about The Lord of the Rings. Legolas, Samwise, Gimli, and Arwen discussed what it was like making the famous movies.
I asked real astronauts about space debris. They said it was a huge problem, there is no technology to destroy it, and that it is best to stop putting it into space.
Sigh. But they still create more every day. I know there will be a major collision soon.
My fellow local authors in the Author’s Alley in MTP, D.C.!
Monterey California, is teeming with wildlife and breathtaking beauty.
I’m a tree hugger and lover and Redwood trees are spectacular.
I highly recommend this book!
