Clifford Beck

Throughout history, many cultures have developed written, as well as unwritten philosophies of what it means to be a warrior. This book has been research from both eastern and western perspectives, giving a broad, yet consistent approach to the warrior mentality. The interpretations reflected in this collection of commentary have been written for competition sports, but apply to any area of life.Clifford Beck received his B.A. at the University at Albany in New York, where he studied primarily the areas of Psychology, Philosophy and Sociology. He has also been a sport fencer with the Portland Fencing Club in Maine, under the guidance of Nancy Reynolds since 2006. Later, he received an Applied Sciences degree from Southern Maine Community College in New Media and designs the covers for all his books.

It is 2059 and Portland, Maine, like so much of the world, has become largely a war zone of crime and poverty. Resources are all but gone. And as the swan's song of civilization rapidly come to a close, the government develops a plan that officially does not exist. It is a plan designed to exploit the world's last remaining resource - the beginnings of which lay hidden in an underground facility in the woods near Jay, Maine. Now, Edward Drake, a banking analyst in Portland, will have his suspicions confirmed as his life is destroyed by a government that seems to have run out of options. He will be torn away from everything he has ever cared about. With his life stolen from him, all he wants is to go home - to return to his wife, Ajna; to resume his life. This is the story of a government's attempt at self-preservation, at any cost. And for Edward, there seems to be no way out.

Gordon Richards was only a few months into his practice as a psychiatrist when, after suggesting an unorthodox means of relieving stress, one of his patients commits suicide. In an attempt to find out why, Gordon chose to experience the same method. But something went wrong and his life changed forever. Now, with the ability to interact with the dead, he seeks for an answer, and finds himself in the company of a paranormal investigations team. Also entering his life is Donna, a member of the team. Almost immediately, they develop a strong bond with the potential to go far beyond a simple friendship. However, Gordon finds himself held back by the questions that have plagued him since the beginning. Now, as a member of the team, he has come to believe that his new-found ability can be used to help the deceased move on. Meanwhile, he and Donna find themselves being drawn closer together as Gordon struggles to maintain rational thinking in the face of the unknown. But, the gift that has been forced upon him is not without a price, and while investigating the remnants of Maine's Augusta Mental Health Institute, Gordon discovers the dark side of his need to help the departed. Once again, his life is transformed, taking him down the path of personal disaster. A journey from which he will never escape.

Taking place in Norway, Maine, Samantha is a typical high school loner. Although she prefers to be left alone, she finds herself as the object of admiration for Henry, an often harassed fellow student. Even though she tries to maintain a distance, they are brought together by the one thing they have in common, an interest in the paranormal. Together, they team up to investigate a notorious hot of ghostly activity, only to discover how dangerous the paranormal can be. At first, Samantha is the strong one, while Henry struggles to overcome his fear and prove himself as the person he believes Samantha wants. But their decision to explore a former ambulance station with a traumatic past acts as the catalyst for something that changes them both, and at the same time, brings tragedy to the town of Norway. This is the story of two teenagers caught up in the changes brought on by youth. At the same time, the two are dangerously consumed by their shared curiosity of all things unearthly, pushing them together, then driving them apart.

Tragedy befalls Maine's Carrabassett Valley as Catherine Thomaston, a theoretical physics professor with a brilliant career at Bowdoin College, takes ill after the sudden death of her father. Forced into retirement by this terrible illness, she has been living a quiet life of isolation just north of Farmington, Maine. But, her illness falls into a sudden downward spiral when she is faced with her worst fear. But through its course, her best friend, Nancy, has been there to support her at every step.Then, one night, a storm rages through, knocking power out for thousands. Now, in the dark, and out of touch with the rest of the world, Catherine finds herself truly isolated and is quickly confronted by her demons. Now, Nancy, the only person she has ever been able to count on, has accidentally stumbled into her world of terror, rage, and madness. But her compassion has closed any doors of escape as Catherine's terrifying flight continues to rage. By the time help arrives, the final act has played out, leaving the people of the Carrabassett Valley with the shocking memory of an unforgettable tragedy.