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War Under the Mango Tree, a military satire

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“Loaded with plenty of whiskey-tango-foxtrot moments, War Under the Mango Tree is a thoroughly entertaining lampoon of the US military machine via a fictionalized mission in an equally fictional Central African country… Not since Catch 22 has a novel this brilliant come along. Five cheeky stars!” —David Edlund, USA Today bestselling author of “Guarding Savage” 

“. . . a brilliant satire of the hypocrisy, bureaucracy, banality, and ineptitude of the military. . .scathingly funny and often feels absurd—yet other times, all too real.” —David Aretha, editor of multiple award-winning military books

At a remote military camp in Africa a small detachment of American soldiers and their local allies wage a high-tech manhunt to neutralize the notorious warlord Daniel Odoki and defeat his rebel army. As the quixotic campaign unfolds, a cast of glory seeking generals, rapacious mercenaries and corrupt government officials are determined to finish off Odoki, though each for different reasons. Meanwhile, a hapless band of compatriots, pawns in a mysterious shadow war, race to discover the truth about Odoki before it’s too late.

In the tradition of writers such as Joseph Heller, Kurt Vonnegut and Evelyn Waugh, War Under the Mango Tree exposes the absurdities of modern warfare as it intersects with media culture, technology, politics and big business. The result is a darkly painted satire of war, money and corruption on the far flung reaches of Pax Americana. [Read more…] about War Under the Mango Tree, a military satire

When the World Grows Cold, Book 4 The Peaks Saga

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When the World Grows Cold, A Peaks Saga, Book 4 by MF ErlerWhen the World Grows Cold (The Peaks Saga, Book 4)

[UPDATED AND REVISED 2018]

Thirty Years Later… Ginna and Dany have been back from their time travels with Jon, Jale, and Martina for almost thirty years. Danny has settled into a normal twenty-first century life. But Ginna, nothing has been ‘normal’ since her return — for she discovered she was pregnant, with no idea who could be the father of her child. Then Celestia, daughter of Jon and Martina, appears from the GAP, to take Ginna, and her daughter, Annemarie, to the future, hopting to help them find answers to their many questions.

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“…a page turner!” —Judith Seidel

“I remember fondly reading The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe when I was in middle school. The Peaks at the Edge of the World has a similar mix of fantasy and adventure with a moral tale at its center. This is a book that’s appropriate for a younger audience than most sci fi/fantasy novels. Enjoy the read!” —Kathy Dunhoff, Zola Award-winning Women’s Fiction Writer

“…start with a religious/fantasy base, then adds a dollop of ‘A Wrinkle in Time’, mixed in a sprinkling of ‘Narnia’ and spice it up with a little romance.”

“M.F. Erler is an intriguing story-teller. The Peaks at the Edge of the World was hard to put down. I had many sleepless nights because I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next!”

The Luckiest Guerrilla, A Tale of Love, War and the Army

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The Luckiest Guerrilla by Patricia Murphy MinchThe Luckiest Guerrilla tells the remarkable, enchanting story of Philippines survivor Colonel Arthur Philip Murphy. Relying extensively on letters from Arthur and his wife Lillian, their daughter Patricia has penned an engrossing World War II narrative that is both a historical treasure chest and captivating on a personal level.

Only ten hours after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, they also bombed Luzon, Philippines. Ten days later enemy troops swarmed ashore, bent on swiftly annihilating General MacArthur’s ill-prepared defenses, commandeering the country’s natural resources, and subjugating its people.

By pure happenstance, Murphy avoided the pitiful surrender to the Japanese of 70,000-plus Fil-American troops there in April 1942, and he avoided the infamous Bataan Death March that resulted in the deaths of thousands. Instead, he opted to defy the surrender order and, with three companions, take his chances in the Igorot mountain country.

An obstinate, outspoken rebel, incurable romantic, amateur philosopher, and stoic executioner, Murphy was never captured, never wounded. He not only survived for three years behind enemy lines, he helped create a 22,000-man guerrilla army that harassed the Japanese, provided invaluable intelligence to MacArthur’s island-hopping army, and played a significant role in the battles fought during the waning months of the war, all while cultivating and maintaining, by whatever means necessary, continued support and loyalty among the Igorot headhunters of North Luzon.

Race Day Blues, Book 1, Hawaiian Critter Heritage Collection

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Race Day Blues by Mandie SchraderRace Day Blues
Book 1, Hawaiian Heritage Critter Collection Book
by Mandie Schrader

Steve is a centipede who loves to run. He takes pride in his trophies and outrageous speed, but his feet have been so sore he doesn’t feel like participating in the Big Race.

Can his sister Sarah help him get his groove back?

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Mel Smith, Author

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Mel Smith, AuthorREAD A SAMPLE | SHARE | BUY

Mel Smith was born August 15, 1948 in Helena, Montana. He grew up in a blue-collar neighborhood very similar to the one described in “NAM, The Story of a Generation”, on the edge of town, with dirt streets, no sewer service, and one street light on the corner.

He joined the Naval Reserves in the fall of 1966 and started his active duty in July, 1968. He was assigned to the destroyer U.S.S. Taylor out of Pearl Harbor, just after it was deployed on a six month West Pacific tour. On his tour with the Taylor, he was a member of the deck force, the tough ship maintenance division. He transferred to the U.S.S. DeHaven out of Long Beach, California, which left two months later on its own West Pacific tour. On the DeHaven he had the position of Postal Clerk and took over the ship’s post office, the best enlisted duty on the ship. Like all servicemen, he was given an early out in April of 1970, as Nixon was winding down Vietnam.

He returned to Montana State University and completed a B.S. in Film and Television, graduating in June 1973.

Mel Smith currently lives in Arizona with his wife, Alane. He has three children and three grandchildren. He runs his own advertising company, AdSmith and writes in his free time. [Read more…] about Mel Smith, Author