(NewsUSA) - Natural gas and electricity produced with natural gas are critical sources of energy throughout the year, but especially during the winter months when families need to keep their homes cozy and bright.

Households this winter are expected to use more natural gas because of slightly colder weather projections than last year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the statistical agency within the U.S. Department of Energy. The fact that about half the homes in the United States use natural gas for heating highlights the importance of having dependable service.

Williams, which is one the largest natural gas infrastructure companies in the United States, is focused on reliably handling approximately 30 percent of the nation’s natural gas so it is there when consumers need it most.

Making this happen requires a sophisticated infrastructure network that spans the country as well as a dedicated workforce committed to working 24 hours a day, seven days a week to keep the gas flowing. That includes holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Nathan Thee is a senior pipeline controller for Williams in Tulsa, Okla. with more than 10 years of experience. He knows the critical nature of his job means his work shift fluctuates and can require sacrificing time with family on the holidays to perform his job alongside teammates.

“Pipeline control is like air traffic control at an airport, except we’re directing gas in pipelines,” said Thee. “We’re in constant communication with processing plants and well operators, making sure gas flow is up and running from the well heads to the plants.”

As a controller, Thee typically monitors several pipelines remotely and directs assets where they need to be so there’s no service interruption to customers. Pipeline controllers are also coordinating with operations employees in the field around the clock with any necessary work or checks they need to ensure system reliability.

Natural gas is most often associated with home heating in the winter, but it is also used to generate most of the electricity used in the United States, according to EIA. Therefore, in the summer months when demand for electricity to run air conditioners increases so does demand for natural gas. To cushion these high-demand periods of winter and summer, the industry stores away huge quantities of natural gas every year. The most common way to store natural gas is in large caverns underground. It can also be stored in smaller quantities in tanks above ground.

The gas is injected into underground storage typically late in the spring or early in fall. These periods are known as the “shoulder months” when natural gas demand declines with the mild weather. Building up gas inventories during these times ensures there is enough supply on hand when the seasons change and demand returns.

As the world moves to a low-carbon future, Williams is well positioned to support the continued replacement of higher-emitting fuels such as coal and heating oil domestically and abroad. According to EIA projections, the displacement of emission-intensive coal with natural gas and renewable energy will allow the U.S. to continue reducing carbon dioxide emissions into 2035.

In addition, natural gas remains an indispensable partner in supporting society’s ambitions to add more renewable energy to the power grid. Natural gas ensures reliable power generation when intermittent wind and solar resources are unavailable. Concurrently, the ability of the U.S. to export liquefied natural gas will also provide other countries with the environmental benefits of replacing more carbon intensive energy sources.

Demand for clean energy is on the rise and natural gas is playing a critical role in moving the world to a low-carbon future. This winter as families depend on the warmth of their homes – and during every season of the year – Williams and its employees will be there to safely and reliably provide the natural gas that is used each day.

To learn more about the benefits of natural gas visit Williams.com.

(NewsUSA) -  

Writers of the Future, Volume 38
presented by L. Ron Hubbard

In the World of Science Fiction & Fantasy, this Anthology stands out for the stories, art, and extras.

Which will you love most? Discover 25 award-winning authors and illustrators. The best new stories selected by some of your favorite authors—including Brandon Sanderson, Orson Scott Card, Nnedi Okorafor, and Jody Lynn Nye. These diverse stories will fill you with wonder. And a few just might break your heart.

“The Writers of the Future collection is exciting and engrossing, across the spectrum of SF and fantasy, space opera and epic fantasy. These stories explore new mysteries and ideas.” --Publishers Weekly

Bonus short stories by Frank Herbert, L. Ron Hubbard, and David Farland. Volume 38 is a treasure.

Purchase at http://bit.ly/3ERPzcn.

Singing Lessons for the Stylish Canary
by Laura Stanfill

Suspenseful and heartwarming, a whimsical journey full of friendship, adventure, and self-discovery. Georges Blanchard is revered in the small French town of Mireville as a master serinette maker and for a miraculous incident in his childhood that earned him the title "The Sun-Bringer." As his firstborn son, Henri Blanchard is expected to follow in his footsteps, but Henri would rather learn to make lace than music boxes.

When Henri discovers a stash of American letters in his father's drawer, he learns he's not the firstborn son at all: Henri has an older half-brother born to one of Georges's American customers. When he crosses the ocean to encounter his half-brother, Henri discovers there's an entire world beyond Mirevilleace and there may be a perfect place for him yet.

Purchase at http://bit.ly/3EwxVJP.

The Hawk’s Flight: Book Two of the Three Brothers Trilogy
by Elizabeth R. Jensen

From award-winning author Elizabeth R. Jensen comes a gripping tale of adventure and the unbreakable bond of family. 

After twenty years of peace in the land of Etria, war has come crashing across its borders. Both Wanonia to the north and Ruschmann Blackwell to the south have waged attacks. Suddenly, three young brothers find themselves thrust into the role of battlefront soldiers. Following separate paths, the three hone their skills and fight for their people. 

Years pass as friendships are tested and lives are lost. Only then are the brothers reunited on a top-secret diplomatic mission. Can their bond as brothers withstand the challenges they face, or will they become the latest casualties of the dragon sorcerer?

Purchase at https://bit.ly/3h3dVa3.

Visions of Johanna
by Peter Sarno

Johanna, an artist, and Matt, a music critic, couldn’t be more different, but by a simple twist of fate, she plucks him from a crowd at a Dylan concert. What follows is a heady and intense relationship buffeted by the usual suspects that gently rocked the ‘80s. Matt’s lessons in art—as well as life—at the hands of Johanna drive the novel into pockets of feminism and quiet revolution. All of this is tempered by deeply held traumatic secrets that torque their intimacy.

The novel travels through time and social unrest to the final moment. Within its pages, tragedies haunt, acts of moral goodness manifest themselves, and benevolence reigns with a finality that absolves all. "A beautifully intimate romance that doesn't shy away from challenging topics," says Publishers Weekly's BookLife.

Purchase at https://bit.ly/3HoJ5DG.

BookBites is presented by BookTrib.com.

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“Battlegrounds”
by Stephen A. Carter       

A young John Saxton looks on helplessly as brutal slavers on the slave ship “Wanderer” throw their human cargo overboard to avoid capture by the American Naval Patrol. From then on, the Boston shipping heir and his giant Maasai mentor Matari  (Marcus Brown) become implacable abolitionists.  

A supporting cast of unforgettable characters are caught up in a web of murder, dark secrets and political intrigue. Arrayed against them are two arch villains, Horatio Garrow and his hapless henchman, Harley Blackstone.  

Saxton and his beautiful Black bride, Virginia, survive a dangerous milieu of Confederate espionage, high treason and the siege of Fort Sumter all brought to the fore by one man ... President Abraham Lincoln. This is book one in the four-book Matari Series.

Purchase at https://bit.ly/3Ws0Zug.

“Benghazi”
by Salah el Moncef  

Salah el Moncef’s “Benghazi” is the exquisitely crafted story of a teenager confronted with two equally repressive forces: the dictatorial rule of Italian fascism and the stultifying codes of patriarchy. Stymied and stifled by both, she finds hope and inspiration in the words of a charismatic Tuareg woman.  

Critically acclaimed as a masterpiece of war fiction, “Benghazi” delivers a spellbinding chronicle of the dreary days of European totalitarianism, along with the harrowing tale of a woman’s triumph over the traumas of war and family. A lush, immersive gem of a story from a wordsmith at the height of his powers. “Moncef transforms prose into poetry,” says Michigan Quarterly Review. “Absolutely beautiful,” adds Manhattan Book Review.

Purchase at https://amzn.to/3N0l4U5.

“Secondary Break: An NBA Dad’s Story”
by Marvin Williams Sr.  

Named by Book Authority as one of the Best Basketball Books to read in 2021, this book is about more than just basketball. It is about a young man who came from a dysfunctional and abusive family and fell in love with the sport of basketball. His love and passion for the game would take him on a lifelong journey, a journey of disappointments, setbacks and finally triumph. This book will show how, by continuing to follow your passions and dreams, anything can be possible.  

The author is the father of NBA player Marvin Williams Jr. He coached basketball for more than 30 years and is a member of Fathers and Men of Professional Basketball Players.

Purchase at https://amzn.to/3fnoVyb.

“Jack Mathias and the Boonetown Bandits”
by G.M. Savage      

He’s known as the class clown  --  the kid with a lot of nerve. And some believe 13-year-old Jack Mathias is too confident for his own good. His audacious practical jokes and impulsiveness frequently land him in hot water, and growing up seems a world away. However, a sudden wild adventure with his unlikely companions, Gene (the nerd) and Edgar (the shy outcast), thrusts Jack toward maturity with more of a shove than normal life would ever have managed.  

The trio’s illicit and desperate quest to find a long-hidden treasure leads them into great danger, challenging their wits and testing the limits of their physical and mental endurance. Will Jack discover the ancient jewels and a different version of himself in the process?

Purchase at https://bit.ly/3WIHiOS.

NOTE: BookTrib’s Bites is presented by Booktrib.com.

(NewsUSA) -  

“Nad of Nadide”
by Wagih Abu-Rish       

This book has been called by Literary Titan “as enticing as the Shakespearian classic Romeo and Juliet, maybe more.” Labeled “an engrossing drama” by The Prairies Book Review, this is a story about love in a maze of social, religious and political obstacles.  

After his love affair with the stunning Lebanese Dania takes a turn for the worse, Fareed Shaheen transfers to university in Istanbul, where he meets the lovely Nad. He falls in love once again, but Nad’s father, General Ali Hikmet, is an intimidating man who has no intention of letting his daughter marry a man of mixed origin. Will the lovers prevail?  

Prairies Book Review adds, “Beautifully written and carefully crafted, this poignant meditation on love and desire makes for a winner.”

Learn more at http://bit.ly/3AnQJdd.

“Pure Dynasty”
by Leila Almarzoh  

In this young adult science fantasy, Isabel, a seemingly ordinary teenager, holds an unexpected secret: She can sense people’s emotions, feeling others’ pain, joy, anger and sadness as if they were her own. Isabel soon learns she is not the only one with a hidden secret; her siblings all have different abilities. They will all find out what is happening as they come together to learn their family descends from witches.  

Isabel and her siblings Molly, Anthony, Austin and Rene fight against a powerful entity that has trapped their father in another realm. It’s time to awaken their abilities and become stronger. The battle is coming; Isabel needs to be ready. The planet is in danger. Magic, time-travel, aliens and spirits -- everything is connected.

Purchase at https://bit.ly/3CZcull.

“Driving Unclaimed Cargo”
by Rick Mammoth  

When the U.S. military decides it is in their strategic interest to update its nuclear assets, it chooses to move the American nuclear arsenal to locations all over the country, preventing the currently centralized location from being wiped out too quickly. Even if a 99 percent success rate is achieved, one failure could occur.  

A bomb is misplaced, and it’ll take the work of a secret internal government organization and its operatives to bring it back. However, to reduce the number of connections back to the U.S. government, they decide to use an inexperienced non-government employee to do most of the work. His inexperience is noticeable. Follow along as they work against the current to return a bomb to its rightful owner in this action-packed adventure comedy.

Purchase at https://amzn.to/3DOEGaV.

“Fred the Fox Finds His Family”
by Jerry Winningham  

When Fred’s family does not come home, he is taken in by various animal families over time. During his time with these families, he realizes that he is not like them and feels isolated and alone. This causes him to search for a new home where he would feel he belongs. In the end, Fred realizes something about family that he will never forget.  

Says one reviewer, “Beautifully told and illustrated, “Fred the Fox Finds His Family” shares a touching story of the real way a family is made. The unexpected story of finding one’s place in a family through discomfort -- but ultimately love -- was a refreshing approach with a positive message. All wrapped up with a pleasantly surprising ending and endearing artwork.”

Purchase at https://amzn.to/3EGwKtj.

NOTE: BookTrib’s Bites is presented by Booktrib.com.

(NewsUSA) -  

“Battlefield Earth, Expanded 21st Century Edition”
by L. Ron Hubbard       

It’s the year 3,000, a thousand years after an alien invasion nearly exterminated the human race and left the cities in crumbling ruins -- a post-apocalyptic graveyard. The vicious aliens hunt the remaining survivors for sport. A young hero rises from the ashes and rallies the scattered tribes in an all-out rebellion for freedom that erupts across the continents of Earth and the cosmic sprawl of the Psychlo Empire.   You will love this classic sci-fi novel because of the characters.  

“Pulse-pounding, mile-a-minute sci-fi action-adventure.” --Brandon Sanderson  

“Non-stop and fast-paced.” -- Kevin J. Anderson  

“Over 1,000 pages of thrills, spills, vicious aliens and noble humans. Un-put-downable.” -- Neil Gaiman  

“This has everything: suspense, politics, war, humor, and intergalactic finance.” -- Publishers Weekly “A vivid movie of the mind.” -- AudioFile “Epic story.” -- Booklist

Purchase at https://amzn.to/3S5URnY.

“The Angkor Abduction”
by Austin I Pulle  

When sex-traffickers kidnap a beautiful Eurasian teenager when she is on a school trip to the famous Angkor Wat complex in Cambodia, Alex reluctantly agrees to join in the search but then finds himself fighting a ruthless former Khmer Rouge warlord to rescue the beautiful Imogen and reunite her with her mother.  

Alex had pressed the reset button on his life and relocated to manage the Singapore office of a Texas billionaire. He had hoped for a quiet, successful run, but fate has other plans. Now in a race against time to save the girl from being auctioned off to a select group of billionaire crime bosses, he realizes the only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.  

Purchase at https://amzn.to/3Crn0BE.

“Did We Learn Anything from WTC Towers Collapse?...”
by  Gregory Szuladzinski  

The best known and the most extensive engineering investigation into the collapse of World Trade Tower 1 is presented in  National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) reports. But the author argues that the work failed to demonstrate the mechanism of failure. Now, some 21 years after the disaster, the damage done by premature destruction of evidence cannot be undone. However, the analytical part can be corrected and completed.  

This book presents at least three types of material: the discussion of the report as presented by NIST volumes; the background material and information to better grasp what is missing or poorly explained results in the NIST and the analysis of expected results of a similar attack against the new 1-WTC building.

Purchase at https://amzn.to/3y4NjuQ.

“Evil’s Promise”
by Daniel O. Noorlander Jr.    

This is the second in a three-part series on what Rush Limbaugh taught for one-third of a century sitting behind the Golden EIB Microphone. Rush was unwavering in his defense of America against the left and their effort to destroy America as founded. This book focuses on what leftists oppose and why. It constitutes a warning from Rush to shun the left and reject their attempt to regulate every aspect of your life.  

Books dedicated to Rush’s memory must include a discussion of what he taught about evil and how to avoid it. Sample chapters, reviews of the author’s favorite Rush segments and a blog about the Rush Revere series of books can be found at TributeToRush.com.

Purchase at https://amzn.to/3M3A8zY.

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