Rick McBee

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About Rick McBee

Rick McBee, (full name: Richard H. McBee Jr.) is a writer across several genres of fiction and non-fiction!

I write because it relaxes me to tell stories. I hope to be able to educate and entertain others with my stories whether they are fact or fiction. I enjoy the discipline of writing and the attention to detail needed to pull together a major work. The research into people, animals, countries, historical situations and my own ancestry are all adventures in their own right. By writing I have helped myself, my family and my readers learn to more fully enjoy the world we live in. Reading opens our minds to new ideas, situations and the past. It breaks through the fetters of our own limited cultural experiences. Reading takes us places we cannot go, and lets us experience situations we cannot have in real life. It broadens our outlook on life as a whole.

My broad background and variety of work and play experiences have had a lot to do with the kinds of things I write about. Having been a Science Teacher, School Principal, U.S. Army Soldier, Peace Corps Volunteer, Methodist Missionary, Mountain Climber, Spelunker, Big Game Hunter and Scuba Diver while living, traveling and working in North America, Africa, South America and Europe, I has accumulated plenty of grist for the writing mill. He hopes you will check out all four of his books as you read, travel and relax with your e-book or paperback. Don't miss these:

2016: "The Ghosts of Ukuthula" is an adventure, action, fiction novel of the struggle for Black African majority rule in The Republic of South Africa. It has enough history of the final transition in 1989-90 to pull you into the intrigue, fear and violence of that period of history. You won't be able to put it down!
2014: "Beachcomber Seashells of the Caribbean" is the result of over ten years of research, travel, beach combing and diving in the Caribbean in order to study and collect seashells from Florida to Venezuela. It is the best e-book for this part of the world and works best in the e-format.
2013: "Rough Enough," is a Civil War history based on eight years of research to trace and follow the life of my great grandfather, Richard H. Clow, from his enlistment in the Union Army in 1864 through to the Indian wars in Montana and the Dakota Territories. The letters he wrote to his sisters and his diary give insights into the daily life of a soldier who eventually ended up in Deadwood, S.D. in the 1876 gold rush with the likes of "Wild Bill."
1995: "Kalahari" is my first book. It is a retro spy adventure novel set in Southern Africa.

Read them all!

J. A. Konrath

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Books By Rick McBee

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Beachcomber Seashells of the Caribbean: A Field Guide Correlated to 6 Key Reference Books Feb 27, 2014

by Richard McBee

( 2 )

$2.99

"Beachcomber Seashells of the Caribbean" is a work of art and photography while also filling a gap in the collection and identification of Caribbean sea shells. It has the sound basics of collecting needed for the beginner, amateur and student, while also providing a cross referenced guide to other field guides; something sorely needed by the serious collector and professional conchologist.
Readers will find that this book is not simply a piece of beauty to grace the coffee table and foster discussion, but will also be able to use it as a distinct addition to their own catalogue of teaching and scientific research tools. By correlating the book to the data in 6 other key references, it enhances broadens the range of shells and enhances the ability to actually locate, classify and describe shells even beyond the scope of the one book by itself.
With it's keys, pictures and page by page references, this single book can form the backbone of an entire study library for the active conchologist. Because the identification keys are based on both a visual and dichotomous approach to the classification of shells, there is a higher probability that the user will actually learn to key out shells and recognize features rather than doing the old "flip through the book" routine in hopes of landing on the right shell in the right family.
Scientific and correct anatomical names are used, coupled to common names, throughout the book in order to build up a solid working vocabulary in the study of conchology. The anatomical features are illustrated again and again on photographs of actual seashells to assist collectors in the identifying key characteristics through repetition. A special page showing some of the features of bivalve hinges also helps the budding collector recognize certain shell families quickly by that important characteristic.
Advanced collectors and amateurs, will be pleased with the multiple photographs showing field variations found within each species. By utilizing the other references and comparing photos from this variety of sources, the student gains a better perspective of species variation.
The beginning shell collector will quickly become familiar with many of the common shells found on any Caribbean beach. They will acquire a common scientific vocabulary so that they will be able to converse knowledgeably with other collectors and transfer this knowledge into the study of sea shells in other parts of the world. In a short period of time the budding student will be able to branch out into the deeper complex identification of even the most obscure specimens. The millimeter scale next to each specimen makes the size of the shell obvious so that the collector will be aware that they are searching for something the size of a rice grain or a football.
Enjoyment of any hobby or avocation is extremely important. Having a book with the science and vocabulary mixed in with fine macrophotography will expose the reader to some of the incomparable beauty of the Caribbean. A gateway into the study of the natural world which has enthralled the author for almost a lifetime. He certainly hopes that you fall in love with this wonderful hobby and scientific field of study.

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

Rough Enough Jan 11, 2014

by Richard McBee

( 12 )

$2.99

Rough Enough is a work of historical non-fiction detailing ten years in the life of Richard McBee's great grandfather, a teenager who goes off half cocked to fight the Civil War!

Richard Clow is 17 when the excitement of the final year of Civil War conflict entices him to enlist in the Union Army.

Very quickly he finds that even getting to the battle front can have its own challenges: tewo weeks in a thug dominated holding camp followed by the ship voyage from Hell in getting from Boston to the Petersburg front.

His thirteen letters home to his sisters describe poignant military experiences, bloody battles to take Petersburg, close calls, and the stresses of war. These are mingled with his daily observations of the Virginian countryside, hardships and small joys by a young man who has a flair for description.

The accompanying text documents the changes from snotty nosed youth to blooded infantryman. It describes parallel battle situations and how the stresses of the battlefield lead Richard Clow towards a "Soldier's Heart" PTSD type syndrome.

What is it that makes this young man reenlist two years after the war and join the 13th Infantry fighting in the mountains and plains of Montana and the Dakotas from ill designed forts.

As his heart grows weary of battles, Clow shares his dreams of married life with his sister as he describes yet another ambush oo travelers through Indian territory.

Clow's post military marital bliss is cut short by the specter of death which nearly wipes out his immediate family. With a heavy heart he again seeks solace in the wilderness and the cold creeks and gun ruled world of Deadwood in the heart of the Black Hills gold rush.

As he strikes it rich and then goes on to live out his dreams of being a farmer, rancher and Oregon hotelier, we see how perseverance in the face of overwhelming life struggles can lead to a family and forty more years of productive life on the waning frontier.

Other Formats: Mass Market Paperback

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

The Ghosts of Ukuthula Jun 4, 2016

by Rick McBee

( 4 )

$2.99

In 1989 the majority of African nations have gained liberation from colonial rule. One by one, as these countries throw off the mantle of white European oppression, the pressure on others increases. In South Africa this only hardens the intransigence of the white rulers. The Republic of South Africa eventually remains as the last white minority dominated nation in Africa. A nation is about to explode.

In an attempt to lower the levels of violence, moderate South African leaders begin negotiations to loosen the reins of apartheid. Allowing black Africans into the government is seen as a better option than having terrorism tear the nation apart. But, as with all periods of change, not everyone is happy with their new plans.

The Fascist hard liners of apartheid, within the secret police and ruling government, are out to maintain their power. They form an unholy alliance with Russian backed liberation forces to throw the country into chaos. Thus a 'Third Force' is formed within the country of South Africa, but controlled by Russian outsiders.It's winner take all!

The 'Third Force" is bent on increasing tensions and violence between the black African tribes and white Africans ruling the country. The Fascist Afrikaners believe that black violence will provoke a backlash from the white community and allow apartheid to be reinstated in full force. The Communists believe that this same violence will result in a black African uprising. They want chaos so they can take complete control of the country and kick out the whites.

As the wedge of racial hatred and violence increases within South Africa, one man has the knowledge to expose the perpetrators and wipe them out. That man is Jacob Nkwe, code named 'Zulu,' of the CIA. Jacob is the head of a deep cover operation. His network has uncovered intelligence on the 'Third Force' that can destroy its leaders and show their Russian connections. But the opposition is not impotent. They strike back, wiping out Jacob's unit.

Now Jacob is on the run, dodging death by hiding out in Namibia. After almost a year, he's now trying to make a come-back to bring in his critical intelligence before South Africa explodes. In the process he has to deliver a king's ransom in blood diamonds to terrorist gun runners. Can he cross the Kalahari Desert and the Okavango Swamp and in time to stop a bloody revolution. The other side is waiting for him.

Colonel Petrov, is that other side. He leads Russia's plans to control the government of South Africa. He's a pro, having stirred up revolution in Africa for decades. Petrov has his fingers in every plot. His plans of assassination, intimidation and guerilla strikes can change the fate of a nation. If Petrov can stop Zulu, then South Africa will dissolve in racial warfare. He has his people already in place to take control.

Although Jacob is on his own, the CIA is calling in assistance. Jacques D'Anjou, born in the Congo, son of a French mercenary and animal collector is a man of the bush. He's a pinch hitter for the CIA throughout Africa. Now he's on point to facilitate Zulu's rescue. He'll have to move fast to pull it off..

Backing up Jacques is Sue Ferrell, fledgling CIA agent. Her spying on Petrov puts Jacob's rescue in jeopardy. Now she has to fight back. The result will determine the success or failure of the mission. She's resourceful and tough, but Petrov is no push-over.

Other Formats: Paperback

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

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