In the action-packed narrative "The World of T.E.F.L.O.N.," readers are plunged into a high-stakes drama where Marcus Jacobson, a former boxer turned hero, dons a powerful suit of armor to protect his city from the menacing creations of a villainous billionaire. With the armor's origins traced to lunar rocks and a suit named after its robotic capabilities, Marcus's journey is one of redemption, courage, and the relentless pursuit of justice. This gripping tale of transformation, both liter...

On May 22, 1863, after two failed attempts to take the city of Vicksburg by assault, Major General Ulysses S. Grant declared in a letter to the commander of the Union fleet on the Mississippi River that “the nature of the ground about Vicksburg is such that it can only be taken by a siege.” The 47-day siege of Vicksburg orchestrated by Grant resulted in the eventual surrender of the city and fulfilled a major strategic goal for the Union: command of the Mississippi River for the remainder ...

Mississippi State University was founded in 1878 and opened its doors in 1880 as a land-grant school de-signed for teaching agriculture and mechanical arts. Building upon the work of John K. Bettersworth, Michael B. Ballard traces the evolution of this institution. From the beginning, first president Stephen D. Lee wanted to expand the university\'s vi-sion beyond agriculture and engineering. While admit-ting that these should be the focal points, the school gra-dually introduced studies i...

On April 10, 2001, Sandra Baker, a recently separated, forty-five-year-old mother of two, went for a facelift-and a new lease on life. But the nurse anesthetist was a woman from her past. And Sandra's future was in jeopardy...Decades before, in a world of high school cliques and competition, Sally Jordan Hill had a crush on a guy whose attentions turned toward Sandra. Little did Sandra know how jealous Sally might have been...Once Nurse Sally had Sandra in her care, she adm...

In 1865 Americans faced some of the most important issues in the nation’s history: the final battles of the Civil War, the struggle to pass the Thirteenth Amendment, the peace process, reconstruction, the role of freed slaves, the tragedy of Abraham Lincoln's assassination, and the trials of the conspirators. In this illuminating collection, prominent historians of nineteenth-century America offer insightful overviews of the individuals, events, and issues on 1865 that shaped the future of...

The Vicksburg campaign was among the longest of the Civil War, lasting from 26 May 1862 to 4 July 1863. This Civil War Short provides a compelling narrative of the final six weeks of the campaign, excerpted from Michael Ballard’s Vicksburg: The Campaign That Opened the Mississippi, which blends strategy and tactics with the human element, reminding us that while Gettysburg has become the focal point of the history and memory of the Civil War, the outcome at Vicksburg was met with ...

A well-to-do planter and slave owner in Chickasaw County, Mississippi, Levi Holloway Naron was an unlikely supporter of the Union. And yet, at the outbreak of war in 1861, his agitation against the Confederacy so outraged his fellow Mississippians that they drove him from his home. Bent on retaliation, Naron headed North, contacted the Union army, and was ushered into the presence of General William T. Sherman, who quickly saw the possibilities for employing such a man. Thus began Levi Nar...

Actions, they are what sculpt and define us as humans. The same holds true for our hero William and what defines him as such. As “The Haunted Forest” begins you find nothing different or even special about this boy until adversity finds him.

A zany musical comedy, touching love story, and fast-paced adventure thriller combined – with “Elvis Presleymeets Star Wars†plot twists – COSMIC COWBOY theMUSICAL stars the love-struck alien Prince Remo, fromfaraway Planet Vegas (complete with glowing blue-greyskin and personal flying saucer), and the object of hisadoration, aspiring Nashville country singer Jenna LeeJenkins. When Remo comes to town, the Nashville musicscene goes wild - and so does Jenna's sleazy manager,Lance. Ca...

"In 'He Who Finds a Wife Finds a Good Thing,' Michael Ballard offers a divinely inspired guide to understanding the profound essence of marriage from a Christian perspective. Drawing from his personal journey, filled with trials, triumphs, and invaluable lessons, Ballard delves deep into the roles of women as godly wives and the sanctity of marriage.This book isn't just another relationship manual. It's a spiritual compass, guiding readers through the intricacies of love, commitmen...

In the Civil War Mississippi experienced a protracted and devastating invasion, and Confederate and Union armies fought fiercely at Corinth, Holly Springs, Iuka, Port Gibson, Vicksburg, and many other sites throughout the state.With both tourists and Civil War buffs in mind, archivist Michael Ballard has written Civil War Mississippi: A Guide, the first comprehensive coverage of the war in the state. Containing easy-to-follow maps and a wealth of historical material, the book discu...

Michael Ballard provides a concise yet thorough study of the 1863 battle that cut off a crucial river port and rail depot for the South and split the Confederate nation, providing a turning point in the Civil War. The Union victory at Vicksburg was hailed with as much celebration in the North as the Gettysburg victory and Ballard makes a convincing case that it was equally important to the ultimate resolution of the conflict.