02 February 2021

My 2nd Novel, "Vhaidra & the DRAGON of Temple Mount" is NOW Available!


Many of you know that besides blogging here at the Orthodox Scouter, I am also top-selling author of epic fantasy fiction novels. My first novel, Vhaidra & the DESTINY of Nikodemos was a top-seller at Barnes & Noble, was a HPB Pick at Half-Price Books, and sold well at Amazon and more than 50 bookstores across the USA and in more than 20 countries. 

Today, I wanted to share that yesterday I released my second novel in THE VHAIDRA SAGA, a sequel to Vhaidra and the DESTINY of Nikodemos that is titled, Vhaidra and the DRAGON of Temple Mount. This novel takes the characters through many years of peace followed by the beginning of some very big troubles. Here is the back cover blurb for it.

The War of the Dragons begins here...

What secrets lie in Sicyon's mysterious Temple Mount? Who are ATHIE, DAMIANOS, and KOSMAS, and what is their connection to the orphaned half-dragon MIKHAIL? Are the forces that are purportedly working for a better tomorrow in Sicyon truly what they say they are?

After the devastating Battle of Sicyon in “Vhaidra & the DESTINY of Nikodemos,” House Iroas ascends as VHAIDRA the dark elf monk and NIKODEMOS the human cleric raise a powerful house of half-drow warriors in the overworld. Meanwhile, the young half-dragon, MIKHAIL, his human milkmaid and astonishing ranger, MIRIAM, and the flirtatious dwelf dancer, TI'ERRA, change the ascetic half-orc wizard, ELDER DIONYSIOS, forever, as his hidden history intersects with his future, whether he likes it or not. 

The obsidian half-dragon grows from a baby to Sicyon’s powerful stylite and protector, but will his abilities be enough to stave off both the imminent threat of the mighty white dragon from the north or will Sicyon get a long cold winter that it can never wake from? Will the diabolical forces within Sicyon that conspire against ARCHON JUSTINIAN and his allies be able to exploit VHAIDRA, NIKODEMOS, TI'ERRA, ELDER DIONYSIOS, MIRIAM, and MIKHAIL to create the civil war that they so desire? Find out the answers to these questions and more in the exciting adventures of Vhaidra & the DRAGON of Temple Mount! 

It is currently available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and eBay, and will be in many more bookstores very soon. It is already getting 5-star reviews, and like my previous novels it has been enjoyed by people of all ages and people who never had read fantasy novels before.

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07 October 2020

The National EOCS Virtual Religious Retreat is this Saturday!

 Please go to https://www.eocs.org/2020-religious-retreat-registration to sign up for this first virtual national retreat for the Eastern Orthodox Committee on Scouting! 


Preliminary Schedule (times are EDT)

1:00 pm -  Opening Remarks and Prayer

1:10 pm -  Presentations from churches with Scouts chartered to them: 

  • St. Demetrios, Astoria, NY & St. John the Theologian, Tenafly,NJ

1:30 pm -  Breakout sessions on North American Eastern Orthodox Saints Peter the Aleut & Olga Michael. Ambassadors from Holy Cross presenting to Scouts separated into Grade levels K-3,  4-5, 6-8, 9-12

2:00 pm -  Presentations from churches with Scouts chartered to them:

  • St. Nicholas, Flushing, NY,
  • Holy Cross, Brooklyn, NY
  • St. John the Baptist, Euless, TX

2:25 pm -  Breakout Sessions on North American Eastern Orthodox saints

  • Saint John Maximovitch 
  • Saint Nikolaj Velimirovic

Ambassadors from Holy Cross presenting

  • Separated into Grade levels K-3,  4-5, 6-8, 9-12

2:55 pm – Presentations from churches with Scouts chartered to them.

  • St. Demetrios, Camarilo, CA

3:05 pm -      Scouting Religious Awards recognitions(only for those present)

  • Scout & Ambassador Talent Show
  • Closing Remarks and Prayers
  • Vespers            


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15 August 2020

My Novel, "Vhaidra & the DESTINY of Nikodemos", is Available Internationally in Both eBook and Paperback Versions NOW!

 

My novel, Vhaidra & the DESTINY of Nikodemos, is now available as an eBook, for those of you who prefer electronic versions of books rather than the paper and print versions. 

Currently at Amazon it is ranked #3 in Romantic Action & Adventure and #15 in Fantasy Action & Adventure for new releases (released in the last 90 days) as of today! At Barnes & Noble it is ranked #1 in English Drama, #4 in Fantasy Drama English Literature, and #22 in Epic Fantasy in new releases (released in the last 30 days)! Thank you to all of you helped my novel get such great numbers! I am super happy to be listed amongst the top books in these genres, (Othello, Richard III, Harry Potter, etc.)

I'm asking everyone to take a photo of them with my book or reading it for my readers collage, and to give the book a 5 star review if they can. If you cannot for any reason, please reach out to me with your feedback, as feedback is a gift! Here are some of the people who have already sent me photos of them with my novel. 


If you would like to know where you can purchase my book, here are the links where it is currently available: 

AMERICA (USA)

  1. A Galaxy Called Dallas: https://bookshop.org/shop/AGCD
  2. AbeBooks: https://www.abebooks.com/products/isbn/9781734914009/
  3. Alibris: https://www.alibris.com/search/books/isbn/9781734914009
  4. Amazon USA: https://amzn.to/3fTpTNG 
  5. BAM!: Books-A-Million: https://www.betterworldbooks.com/product/detail/Vhaidra-and-the-DESTINY-of-Nikodemos-9781734914009 
  6. Bargain Book Store: https://amzn.to/3keE7LU 
  7. Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/vhaidra-and-the-destiny-of-nikodemos-nicholas-stanosheck/1137418794 
  8. Book Depository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Vhaidra-DESTINY-Nikodemos-Nicholas-Stanosheck/9781734914009 
  9. Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/12559/9781734914009 
  10. Better World Books: https://www.betterworldbooks.com/product/detail/Vhaidra-and-the-DESTINY-of-Nikodemos-9781734914009
  11. California Books: https://amzn.to/30plgFK
  12. eBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vhaidra-and-the-DESTINY-of-Nikodemos-Paperback-or-Softback/383664125493 
  13. Google Play Books: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=lKH0DwAAQBAJ 
  14. Google Shopping: https://www.google.com/shopping/product/9923216831165234301
  15. Grand Eagle Retail: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vhaidra-and-the-DESTINY-of-Nikodemos-by-Nicholas-Stanosheck-English-Paperback/392890580584 
  16. Kindle USA: https://amzn.to/3ajuCXf 
  17. Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/vhaidra-the-destiny-of-nikodemos-nicholas-stanosheck/1137433353 
  18. Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/vhaidra-the-destiny-of-nikodemos 
  19. Second Sale: https://www.secondsale.com/i/vhaidra-and-the-destiny-of-nikodemos/9781734914009 
  20. ThriftBooks: https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/vhaidra-and-the-destiny-of-nikodemos_nicholas-stanosheck/26770326/#isbn=1734914009 
  21. Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Vhaidra-the-DESTINY-of-Nikodemos-eBook/375887354 
AUSTRALIA
BRAZIL/BRASIL
FRANCE
NORWAY/NORGE
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01 August 2020

On a Personal Note: My Novel, "Vhaidra & the DESTINY of Nikodemos" was released today!


Those of you who know me personally or follow me on social media may know about 2 major and very important things that have happened to me in the last 24 hours.
  1. Yesterday, I, along with 110 others were laid-off by the Boy Scouts of America, a reduction that I am told was about 40% of its staff. 

  2. Today, my side-gig became my only gig, as my first novel was published. 
Because of the above, I hope I can ask you, my friends, my family, and my followers to purchase my novel, which is now my only source of income. 

Vhaidra & the DESTINY of Nikodemos is Available NOW at Amazon! I will provide links below so that you can purchase it at your nearest Amazon online store. It will be available from other bookstores a little later, but depending on the retailer, you may have to ask for it. It is distributed through Ingram, the world's biggest book distribution company.
When you order my book from Amazon, please click on the follow the author button, so you can be updated about my future books and any special deals from me. You will also be alerted when the eBook (later this year) and if an Audiobook version (not this year) comes out, along with my next novels.

Thank you for your patience with my many posts about my novel during the publishing process. Now that my book is available, I am hoping that you are able to purchase my book, and if you love it, give it a 5 star review. If you do not, please email me and let me know what parts you did not like and then donate it to a library or sell it to a used bookstore. Feedback is a very valuable gift and will help me improve my novels that follow after this one. 


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19 March 2020

A Prayer in Time of Pestilence and Pandemics

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Let us pray to the Lord. Lord have mercy.

Heavenly Lord and Creator of all things, have mercy on us your people, for we have strayed from the path which You have given us.

Forgive our many offenses and grant us your mercies.

We come to you today with tears of repentance and ask for your protection from the terrible disease that threatens us.

We have sinned, Oh Lord, and we have disobeyed your Commandments, but we beseech your mercy and compassion; have mercy on your servants, on the elderly and the children; have mercy on us all, and keep away from the terrible diseases and viruses  which appeared in our days.

Send your holy angels, Oh Lord, to disperse every disease and calamity and keep us safe and healthy that we may worship and glorify your Most Holy Name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, through the intercessions of the Holy Theotokos and of all your Saints.

Amen.
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09 March 2020

The BEST Lean Six Sigma Books on the Market for Those Interested in Continuous Process Improvement and Change Management

As a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt who uses Agile Project Management Methodologies, I am often asked what are the best books to read on Lean Six Sigma, Lean Startups, Lean Enterprise, Kaizen, and the TPS (Toyota Production System).

Here I have categorized them into sections based on topics or philosophies and broken them into groups of books that I feel are best read together.

SIX SIGMA:
TPS: Toyota Production System
LEAN:
LEAN STARTUP:
LEAN KAIZEN:
LEAN & SIX SIGMA COMBINED:
LEAN & SIX SIGMA LEADERSHIP:
LEAN & SIX SIGMA ELEMENTARY INTRODUCTIONS:
LEAN & SIX SIGMA POCKET MEMORY JOGGERS:

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03 March 2020

The 5 Types of Love in Ancient Greek

Though there are more Greek words for love, variants and possibly subcategories, a general summary considering these Ancient Greek concepts are as follows:

Agápe (ἀγάπη agápē) means "love: especially charity; the love of God for man and of man for a good God." Agape is used in ancient texts to denote feelings for one's children and the feelings for a spouse, and it was also used to refer to a love feast. Agape is used by Christians to express the unconditional love of God for his children.

Éros (ἔρως érōs) means "love, mostly of the sexual passion." The Modern Greek word "erotas" means "intimate love". Plato refined his own definition: Although eros is initially felt for a person, with contemplation it becomes an appreciation of the beauty within that person, or even becomes appreciation of beauty itself. Plato does not talk of physical attraction as a necessary part of love, hence the use of the word platonic to mean, "without physical attraction". In the Symposium, the most famous ancient work on the subject, Plato has Socrates argue that eros helps the soul recall knowledge of beauty, and contributes to an understanding of spiritual truth, the ideal "Form" of youthful beauty that leads us humans to feel erotic desire – thus suggesting that even that sensually based love aspires to the non-corporeal, spiritual plane of existence; that is, finding its truth, just like finding any truth, leads to transcendence. Lovers and philosophers are all inspired to seek truth through the means of eros.

Philia (φιλία philía) means "affectionate regard, friendship", usually "between equals". It is a dispassionate virtuous love, a concept developed by Aristotle. In his best-known work on ethics, Nicomachean Ethics, philia is expressed variously as loyalty to friends (specifically, "brotherly love"), family, and community, and requires virtue, equality, and familiarity. Furthermore, in the same text philos is also the root of philautia denoting self-love and arising from it, a general type of love, used for love between family, between friends, a desire or enjoyment of an activity, as well as between lovers.

Storge (στοργή storgē) means "love, affection" and "especially of parents and children". It is the common or natural empathy, like that felt by parents for offspring. Rarely used in ancient works, and then almost exclusively as a descriptor of relationships within the family. It is also known to express mere acceptance or putting up with situations, as in "loving" the tyrant. This is also used when referencing the love for one's country or a favorite sports team.

Xenia (Greek: ξενία, romanized: xenía, meaning "guest-friendship") is the ancient Greek concept of hospitality, the generosity and courtesy shown to those who are far from home and/or associates of the person bestowing guest-friendship. The rituals of hospitality created and expressed a reciprocal relationship between guest and host expressed in both material benefits (such as the giving of gifts to each party) as well as non-material ones (such as protection, shelter, favors, or certain normative rights).
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