A foot tall stack of books + Your reaction time vs. 21 feet

Feb 20, 2026 11:06 pm

Hi friends,

Good news first. I’m fully recovered from surgery with no complications and feeling great!

Now… we are officially over winter. It seems like someone’s been sick every week despite all the handwashing, herbal teas, and disinfecting. So far, it’s mostly my 11-year-old sampling every version of “mild plague,” and now my 77-year-old mom has a cough. Fingers crossed it passes quickly.

On a brighter note…

I just received the final narration for Book 6.

That means I’ll be working on getting it uploaded and ready for the May 8th release date.

It’s a strange and exciting feeling to realize the full six-book Shieldwall Academy series is nearly fully published.

When I ran the numbers, I had to double check them.

All six books together:

• 145 hours of audio

• 1.25 million words

• If you stacked the physical books, they’d be almost a foot tall

That’s a lot of story.

I’m incredibly excited to have the full arc nearly finished and out in the world. And very grateful to those of you who’ve been reading and listening along the way.

Check out our deals below and scroll down to learn how close is too close if you have to defend yourself.

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Return to the Galaxy by BA Gillies

99c Sale on Amazon!

The multi-award-winning series that hit #1 Best Seller in 7 Amazon categories

The astonishing truth? The human race didn’t evolve on Earth.

Looking for excellent SFF ebook Deals?

The Volcan Council by Laurie Bowler

99c Amazon Sale!

Five ordinary lives. One extraordinary transformation. A world hanging in the balance.

Tons of Thrilling KU First-in-Series reads.

The Wars not Won by Kate L. Mary

New Post-apoc Release!

A volatile evening of family drama is interrupted by a surprise earthquake, knocking out power to the entire city. (FYI - LGBTQ relationship in the story)

Grab a bunch of these FREE Sci- fi Fantasy ebooks?

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Self Defense Tip #40: Think 20 Feet, Not Arm’s Length

Most people believe they’re safe as long as someone isn’t within arm’s reach.

But if someone wants to attack you, that’s already too close.

There’s a training principle often called the “21-foot rule.” Demonstrations showed that an average attacker can cover 21 to 23 feet in about 1.5 seconds.

That’s faster than most people can recognize a threat and react.

The lesson isn’t to be afraid of everyone, but to realize how fast distance disappears. Think about it like this:

• 6 feet is normal conversation space

• 10 to 12 feet still allows a sudden rush

• 15 to 20 feet gives you meaningful reaction time

If someone feels unpredictable or “off,” aim to keep that 15-to-20-foot buffer. If they begin closing the gap, use your voice early by giving a loud, stern warning.

Something short works best:

• “Back off!”

• “Stop!”

• “Stay back!”

Someone with good intentions will stop. If they don’t, you still have room to get away.

Remember, keeping distance is not rude. Telling someone to stop or back off is being smart. Both will give you more time and options. Stay safe!

I hope you're having a wonderful February. I’m looking forward to warmer weather, fewer illnesses, and launching the final book of the series I've worked on for 4 1/2 years..