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Mercedes Rochelle

Mercedes Rochelle

About

I write Historical Fiction about 11th Century Britain. Come witness the tumultuous events surrounding the Viking Invasion with Canute the Great and his heirs. Visit late Anglo-Saxon England with Earl Godwine, Harold Godwineson, and King Edward the Confessor; see Macbeth's and Malcolm III's Scotland, and watch events unfold leading to the Battle of Hastings and the Norman Conquest..

Learning to Breathe Fire: The Rise of CrossFit and the Primal Future of Fitness

Learning to Breathe Fire: The Rise of CrossFit and the Primal Future of Fitness

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Description

<p><b>The absorbing, definitive account of CrossFit's origins, its explosive grassroots growth, and its emergence as a global phenomenon.</b><br /> <br />One of the most illuminating books ever on a sports subculture, <i>Learning to Breathe Fire </i>combines vivid sports writing with a thoughtful meditation on what it means to be human. In the book, veteran journalist J.C. Herz explains the science of maximum effort, why the modern gym fails an obese society, and the psychic rewards of ending up on the floor feeling as though you're about to die. <br /> <br />The story traces CrossFit’s rise, from a single underground gym in Santa Cruz to its adoption as the workout of choice for elite special forces, firefighters and cops, to its popularity as the go-to fitness routine for regular Joes and Janes. Especially riveting is Herz’s description of The CrossFit Games, which begin as an informal throw-down on a California ranch and evolve into a televised global proving ground for the fittest men and women on Earth, as well as hundreds of thousands of lesser mortals. <br /> <br />In her portrayal of the sport's star athletes, its passionate coaches and its “chief armorer,” Rogue Fitness, Herz powerfully evokes the uniqueness of a fitness culture that  cultivates primal fierceness in average people. And in the shared ordeal of an all-consuming workout, she unearths the ritual intensity that's been with us since humans invented sports, showing us how, on a deep level, we're all tribal hunters and first responders, waiting for the signal to go all-out. </p>

Story Behind The Book

If you’re a fan of Shakespeare’s play about Richard II—like I was—you might be surprised to discover that his tragic ending was the culmination of 20+ years of struggle between the young king and his nobles—especially his own family. Richard did not have an easy time of it from the very beginning. Crowned at age 10, he faced the horrific Peasants’ Revolt at only 14, and still managed to save the day when his elders failed to support him. Throughout his minority he was at odds with his uncles—first John of Gaunt, and then almost fatally with Thomas of Woodstock, the Duke of Gloucester, who persuaded Parliament to execute and outlaw Richard’s friends and advisors. Henry of Bolingbroke, who deposed him at the end of the play, was Richard’s first cousin. With a family like that, who needs enemies? A KING UNDER SIEGE is volume one of “The Plantagenet Legacy” and takes us through the king’s minority which lasted until he was twenty-two, setting the stage for the king’s retribution and final downfall.

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Reviews

<p><span style="color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;">What a great talent author Mercedes Rochelle has! She has taken some dusty, old bits of history and created a wonderful story! I was on the edge of my seat. Such a pleasure to read.</span><br style="color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;" /><span style="color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;">&quot;A King Under Siege&quot; reads just like a modern-day, political thriller. Plots and scheming abound in the castle and in many other centers of power. Intrusions by foreign governments and secret military actions occur frequently.</span><br style="color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;" /><span style="color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Exquisite scene-setting, intricate plotting, wonderful dialogue and realistic characters at so many levels. The extensive research Mercedes has done makes this story come alive!</span><br style="color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;" /><span style="color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;">I give A King Under Siege a score of 4.9 stars!<br /> - <em>Mark Schultz, Amazon</em></span></p>