The year: 1815. The place: Hampshire, England. The wars with France have ended, but these are still troubled times. Land is being enclosed. Former soldiers and sailors are suddenly seeking work. The financial system is in turmoil.

And yet, a modestly successful authoress who publishes anonymously decides to celebrate her birthday. She will host a ball. She sends to London for a renowned dancing master to assist her in planning the proceedings.

A splendid event is in the works. But trouble from the outside world intrudes.

Fans of Miss Jane Austen know that, in addition to being a writer, she was also quite an accomplished musician. In Murder & Miss Austen’s Ball her musical talent shines, her wit sparkles and her determination sees her through harrowing circumstances.

Get out your Jane Austen action figures and prepare for mystery, suspense and fun.

Now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop.org.

An Inspirational Story about Money and Wealth
Re-Imagined and Updated for Today’s Economy

If you think the modern American financial system is complicated and maybe rigged, just a bit, in favor of financial service firms and wealthy people in general, The Richest Man may be just the book for you. The book was inspired by work with men who were incarcerated. It tells the story of a young man who faces huge financial challenges and overcomes them. He meets the right people. He learns The Rules.

Timeless principles are presented in a contemporary parable. Bonus material covers a few additional areas of concern today like credit scores; banks vs. credit unions; taking on debt for education; and the ins and outs of 401(k) plans.

Any profits from sales of The Richest Man will be used to encourage its use in penal institutions and re-entry programs.

Available at Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and Elsewhere.

A Brief Compendium of Recommendations, Tips and Techniques for Sound System Operators at Live Music Performances that Use Sound Reinforcement

Three words that are important and true when it comes to “doing sound” for traditional dances, coffeehouses and other volunteer-run music venues.

Keep it simple.

This slim volume covers all the basics; setting up a system, accommodating it to musicians, and dialing in the right settings. Additionally, it offers dozens of helpful suggestions about how to set up a portable sound system. For example, does the order in which you lay out microphone cables, speaker cables, and monitor cables matter? Yes, it does. This little book tells you why.

What about communication? Talking to the band? Yeah – that matters, too. Maybe that’s the most important step a sound operator can take.

This book focuses exclusively on “analog” sound systems – the ones with dials and sliders – not touch screens and tablets; the humble technology, tired and true, that most small venues staffed by volunteer operators still use.

Available at Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and Elsewhere.