• Author
  • Book
  • Story behind the book
  • Media Links
  • Reviews
Darren Shell

Darren Shell

About

 

Darren Shell started writing in the spring of 2005. His first effort was a simple story about Dale Hollow Lake for his daughter, who was then ten years old. “It was crude and simple, but heart-felt and tender,” Shell says. “It was a ghost tale about the making of Dale Hollow Lake and how they had to dig up old graveyards during the construction.”

 

Several people ended up reading this first effort, and many more began asking for copies. Because this first story was so well received, Shell wrote a prequel to accompany it. The reception for this writing was as popular as the first. Building on that success, Shell wrote six additional short stories that all fit into the first. These were eventually combined into a comb-bound book he printed himself and then sold. This book was also published in perfect-bound form, but is now out of print. “To this day, I still get requests for that book,” Shell says. “I’ve sold more than 500 copies, and occasionally I still find the need to print one from my computer for a friend or family member.”

 

After this success, Shell broadened his scope by writing a series of historical stories for local newspapers. This collection was then published in book form titled Stories From Dale Hollow, and sold close to one thousand copies. These stories prompted Shell to start his company, Gravedigger Tours. Each season, he gives guided “ghost” tours of the park in the center of Dale Hollow. “It’s a historical tour,” Shell says, “and my character, one of the lake’s old gravediggers from 1942 when the lake was made, tells all the tales. It’s a crowd favorite and has earned me the nickname ‘Gravedigger.’” In the fall, a full-fledged set of tours are set up and tourists and friends come from miles around to hear the Gravedigger’s storytelling.

 

This is also a great time for Shell to sell copies of his books. Shell’s latest work, The Big Ones—The World Record Smallmouth Bass of Dale Hollow Lake, deals with a different type of lake history. The book tells of the controversy surrounding the number-one world record smallmouth bass, profiles the number two and three record holders, gives the reader a glimpse of the men behind the those catches and includes several fishing experts’ top 10 tips for catching smallmouth bass. Shell has also set aside 50 signed copies of the book for charity. Dubbed “Fishing For Charity,” Shell’s goal is to donate a total of $5,000 in charitable funds to charities chosen by the people buying the special books. Darren Shell lives and works at his family-run marina on Dale Hollow Lake in middle Tennessee.

The Kurdish Connection

The Kurdish Connection

0.0
0 ratings

Description

<p><strong>KURDISH SCAVENGERS UNCOVER A CACHE OF NERVE GAS IN IRAQ AND OFFER THEM TO KURDISH FIGHTERS IN TURKEY. THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS BEDLAM ALPHA TEAM MUST SECURE THE WEAPONS BEFORE THEY CAN BE USED.</strong></p><p>&quot;<strong>You must swear by Allah never to say a word of what I'm going to tell you. </strong><strong>This is the most important secret. Ever!&quot;</strong></p><p><em>In their daily struggle for survival, Iraqi Kurdish scavengers uncover a cache of chemical weapons. They offer the weapons to fellow Kurdish rebels in Turkey and Syria to assist in their quest to free an imprisoned leader and create a unified homeland. After receiving a tip from an unlikely source, the newly formed Special Operations Bedlam team is called to arms! </em></p><p><em>Travel with Craig Cameron and his international team on their covert operation as they weave their way through war-torn regions seeking to locate and recover the weapons before they can be used to cause irreparable harm and instigate a world crisis. </em></p><p><em>The odds are stacked against them. Can they manage to keep their operation hidden and prevent further clashes before it's too late?</em></p><p>&quot;The Kurdish Connection--a compelling read. A story of friendship, danger and intrigue.&quot;--<em>Ann Everett, Amazon Best Selling Author.</em></p><p>..&quot;. Randall's authentic voice adds a powerful push to keep a reader turning the pages.&quot; --<em>Janet Taylor-Perry, author of The</em><em> Raiford</em><em> Chronicles, The Legend of</em><em> Draconis</em><em> Saga, and April Chastain Intrigues.</em></p><p>&quot;Topical - Engaging - Intriguing - Powerful ... A real page turner.&quot;--<em>Rikon Gaites</em><em>, author of Mummy's Little Soldier and Darius</em><em> Odenkirk</em><em>.</em></p><p>..&quot;. Randall Krzak brings his wealth of experience living in this troubled part of the world and his military knowledge to bear in this exciting story...&quot;--<em>John L.</em><em> DeBoer</em><em>, author of When the Reaper Comes.</em></p><p>..&quot;. a journey full of history, suspense, intrigue, and action...a MUST READ for all!&quot;--<em>Les Stahl, Retired</em> NSA Executive.</p><p>..&quot;. Readers need to fasten their seatbelts for a fast-paced tale made believable by a writer who knows what he's writing about.&quot;--<em>Preston</em><em> Holtry</em><em>, author of the Morgan</em><em> Westphal</em><em> mystery series and the</em><em> Arrius</em><em> trilogy (forthcoming).</em></p><p>&quot;A behind the scenes story, ripped from today's headlines deepening the reader's understanding of an ancient strife ... filled with the sights and smells of the market place and secret meetings, the reader is admitted to the secret heart, the desperate longings of those that must fight and win, or see continued subjugation by their masters...&quot;<em>--Oliver F. Chase, author of Camelot Games, </em>Levant Mirage, Blind Marsh, and Marsh Island.</p>

Story Behind The Book

“I don’t care what size my last fish will be …I just want it to be a smallmouth.”~Tony Bean Tony Bean, one of America’s most renowned smallmouth bass fishermen, is back fishing and teaching anglers the sport he loves. The Last Smallmouth provides step-by-step techniques for catching the elusive smallmouth as well as showing anglers good fishing practices. Entertaining stories illustrate Tony’s teachings and give further insight into the art of smallmouth bass fishing. New fishermen and seasoned anglers alike will come to love his words of wisdom. Packed with illustrations and fun photos, this book is the ultimate smallmouth bass fishing resource.

Media Links

Reviews

<p>If you are an avid smallmouth fisherman (like myself) then you need to read this book. I was in the book for five minutes and already had visions in my head of a place I fish that holds big smallies, it was almost like Mr. Bean was in my boat and writing about that one spot. I love this book and it has all the info you ever care to know in a style or should I say Lifestyle of fishing for and catching smallmouth bass. Tony knew his stuff on fishing and helping others understand and catch those small jaws. Mr. Bean was one of the best and I am glad he and Darren Shell crossed paths for such a book. - <span class="gry" style="font-family:Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;color:rgb(102,102,102);">By</span> <a class="noTextDecoration" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A2SOK9ABETCP4J/ref=cm_cr_dp_pdp" style="color:rgb(0,75,145);font-family:Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;">H2OHunter</a> on Amazon.com</p>