H.O.T. Press Publishing

Our Latest Releases

A Psalm for Cock Robin
A Harp and His (Dead) Mother Mystery

by E.E. "Doc" Murdock

A Psalm for Cock Robin is the most innovative murder mystery you will ever read. It features a gentle young man named Harp who lives under the Santa Monica pier after he was accidentally released from a mental hospital. When he wakes up one morning to find another homeless man lying dead right next to him, he runs away but soon becomes the main suspect in the murder. Harp must find the killer before the police find him. Sound like a familiar murder mystery plot? Not really. Harp is clearly not much of a detective, but his caustic, sarcastic, Bible-quoting mother is. The only problem is she's dead. But when Harp gets into trouble, she comes into his head to guide him (and harass him) as he searches among a wild assortment of Venice Beach crazies for clues about who the murderer might be. She becomes a sort of second protagonist, always there in Harp's head to keep him on the straight and narrow (often by quoting the grimmest of Grimm's fairy tales, the only thing she let Harp read when he was a child). As weird as this book may sound, it's actually very funny. You'll find yourself laughing out loud, whether you want to or not. It's a classic murder mystery (but with a postmodern twist), one you'll never forget.

Click here to LOOK INSIDE A Psalm for Cock Robin at Amazon.com

Crueltown
A Drew Steele A Los Angeles - Las Vegas Mystery

by E.E. "Doc" Murdock



LA detective, Drew Steele, takes on a new case while still recovering from life-threatening wounds he suffered in an IED explosion in Iraq where he was working for "the company" as a private contractor. The doctors told him he would never walk again, but he proved them wrong. After multiple surgeries, he is able to walk again using a high-tech prosthetic foot (which provides a convenient place to hide a tiny gun). Although he walks with a limp, don't call him a cripple; he's still one of the most successful and sought-after detectives in LA. His first case back in LA seems routine - a missing Las Vegas casino boss - and unrelated to what he was doing in Iraq, but the case turns decidedly dangerous when the missing man turns up dead with a strange message burned into the flesh of his forehead. When the autopsy reveals a grisly surprise in the dead man's stomach, Steele suspects it was put there to suggest the murder is somehow connected to drug trafficking in Crueltown, the criminal hideout in a toxic swamp near the LA-harbor where police are not allowed. But is Crueltown really at the center of this mystery, or is it one of his old enemies trying to draw him into a deadly trap? Crueltown is a Noir murder mystery that pits two brilliant minds against each other in a life and death struggle against a backdrop of the darker side of LA and Vegas.

Click here to LOOK INSIDE Crueltown at Amazon.com

The End of the Civil War
A Drew Steele Civil War Mystery

by E.E. "Doc" Murdock



The End of the Civil War is a fast-paced western/murder mystery/war story that plays out in the American West soon after the supposed end of Civil War. It asks the question, what would happen if some Confederates had refused to give up and instead moved West to form alliances with anti-American militants? The story begins when a Confederate general known for his ruthless tactics in the war suddenly appears in the West along with his loyal company of men. When the general begins to wreak havoc in California and Arizona, famous San Francisco detective, Drew Steele, is hired to be a go-between negotiator. The cat-and-mouse game that ensues leads from California, through Mexico, and into the mountains of Arizona. It pits two brilliant minds against each other in a life and death struggle against a backdrop of spectacular Western scenery.

Click here to LOOK INSIDE The End of the Civil War at Amazon.com

Who Owns Arizona?
A Drew Steele Civil War Mystery

by E.E. "Doc" Murdock



Who Owns Arizona is a murder mystery set in the American West during the traumatic post-Civil War period. This fast-paced story has more twists and turns than a runaway river in flood stage. It begins in San Francisco when Drew Steele, a Civil War-veteran turned detective, is hired by newspaperman John Rudd to go to the Arizona territory to find a long-lost Spanish land grant that supposedly lays claim to the entire Arizona territory. Murders ensue, and Steele suspects the motive may be related to the missing Spanish land grant.

Steele confronts hired gunslingers, marauding Indians, and of course, a number of beautiful, but dangerous, women as he searches for an illusive and exceptionally clever serial killer. A historical murder mystery in the classic mold.

Click here to LOOK INSIDE Who Owns Arizona at Amazon.com

Obama Won, but Romney Almost Was President:
How the Democrats Targeted Electoral College Votes to Win the 2012 Presidential Election

by Everett E. Murdock PhD



On November 6, 2012, voters went to the polls to vote in the most highly contested (and most expensive) presidential election in U.S. history. There was more attention paid to a few so-called "swing states" than ever before because everyone realized the election would be won or lost in the Electoral College, not in the general election. This book, written by a college professor, analyzes every presidential election in the country's history with special focus on the role played by the Electoral College. He describes how duels and scandals and wars and secret deals contributed to a win or a loss for presidential candidates throughout U.S. history. Dr. Murdock provides fascinating details about how the Electoral College was created at the 1787 Constitutional Convention as a compromise with the slave states and the smaller-population states, and how it has distorted the election process ever since. He also describes how the election process has evolved, how political parties have learned to target Electoral College votes instead of the popular vote. As he says, targeting swing states has become the "new" way to win presidential elections. In the final chapters, he analyzes, in detail, the presidential election of 2012 and predicts how it will influence all future elections.
Click here to LOOK INSIDE Obama Won, but Romney Almost Was President at Amazon.com
Interested in the AUDIO VERSION? CLICK HERE to listen to a short audio sample from the book.

Obama Will Win, but Romney Will Be President:
How Political Parties Target Electoral College Votes to Win Presidential Elections

by Everett E. Murdock PhD



This is one of those rare books that gives even more than it promises. Novelist and history buff, E.E. Murdock, predicts that the 2012 presidential election will have a surprising and disturbing outcome: Barack Obama will win the popular vote by as much as a million votes, but Romney will be named president because of the biased design of the Electoral College system. Dr. Murdock makes his case by analyzing every presidential election in U.S. history, carefully ferreting out historical details that reveal just how the Electoral College has influenced election results since it was created at the Constitutional convention in 1787. Though few people realize it, the Electoral College gives an unfair advantage to the smaller states. It was the reason Al Gore won 543,895 more votes than George Bush in 2000, but did not get to be president.

From duels to wars to riots to assassinations to scandals, Dr. Murdock describes how national and international events affected which candidate would be president. He has created a book chock full of little-known information about our nation's presidential history, information that every U.S. citizen should know before they walk into their local polling place on November 6th, 2012.

Click here to LOOK INSIDE Obama Will Win, but Romney Will Be President at Amazon.com
Interested in the AUDIO VERSION? CLICK HERE to listen to a short audio sample from the book.

Click on the button below to order the AUDIO VERSION of the book (Item 1109) from Sudbury Publishing
using credit card, debit card, ATM, check, money order, or cash.

Problems completing this order? We can help. Click here

Torn by God:
A Family's Struggle with Polygamy
by Zoe Murdock



Zoe Murdock's riveting family saga takes place in 1959 in a small Mormon town in Utah. It chronicles the devastation brought upon the Sterling family when the father has a vision which leads him to become involved with a local polygamist group run by a self-serving fundamentalist. The father comes to believe that the Mormon Church never should have rescinded polygamy. Even though the practice is now against the law and grounds for excommunication, he feels it is something God demands of him. Twelve-year-old Beth watches helplessly as her mother sinks into depression and illness. When her father leaves town to build a church for the polygamists, the family is cast off by the Mormon community and it is up to Beth to take care of her sick mother and her little brother. The story delves deep into the controversial association between mainstream Mormons and fundamentalist offshoot groups such as those led by Warren Jeffs. It explores the power of indoctrination and religious control. It is a story inspired by true events.

Click below to LOOK INSIDE the Paperback version of Torn by God at Amazon.com
Torn by God: A Family's Struggle with Polygamy - Paperback Version

Click below to LOOK INSIDE the Kindle version of Torn by God at Amazon.com
Torn by God: A Family's Struggle with Polygamy - Kindle Version

Want to read some of this novel? Click here to read the first few chapters.

Want to hear an interview with the author? Click Here to listen.

Current newspaper reviews of the book Click Here

Downloadable How-to Books

Our downloadable how-to books can be read on-screen, or they can be printed out using your own computer and printer. We currently have five how-to books available for download. They are described below.

DOS the Easy Way
A Complete Guide to Microsoft's MS-DOS
by Everett Murdock, PhD

This is the latest version of Dr. Murdock's best selling book, DOS the Easy Way. It includes complete information about using all versions of Microsoft's Disk Operating system (DOS), including the versions of DOS provided with Windows XP & VISTA. The book uses a tryout approach, with tryout examples for each topic.

The book shows you how to configure your computer system using DOS, and it includes information about directory structure, file naming, DOS format notation, and DOS file-management techniques. It also provides extensive information on creating and using batch files (including the AUTOEXEC Batch File and other system-management batch files). It provides many basic and advanced batch file examples and shows you how to make practical use of them on your computer. The book also includes a special section on DOS error messages and shows you how to deal with computer problems using DOS.

Published in print form since 1988, there are now more than one million copies of this book in print. It is currently used as a textbook at a number of colleges and universities.

This downloadable book can be read by any word processing program such as Microsoft Word, Word for Windows, Office, Works, Word Perfect, etc. The book has been completely redesigned and desktop published to make it easy to read on screen or print out in an attractive, easy-to-read format. DOS the Easy Way is now only available in electronic, downloadable form from this site. Only $8.75. (DOS the Easy Way can also be purchased as part of the EasyWay three book special - only $19.95.)

Click on the button below to order DOS the Easy Way (Item 1101) from Sudbury Publishing using credit card, debit card, ATM, check, money order, or cash.

Problems completing this order? We can help. Click here

Windows the Easy Way
A Complete Guide to Microsoft Windows
by Everett Murdock, PhD

This latest version of Windows the Easy Way includes information about using all versions of Microsoft Windows, up to and including Windows XP.
This e-book can be printed out or read on your computer or laptop screen using any internet browser (such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Netscape, or Apple Safari). It can also be read on your KINDLE, iPad, Sony Reader, Smart phone or any other device that can read HTML-based internet files.

This book uses a question and answer approach to make learning and using Windows as easy as possible. The book includes (1) the EasyWindows Questions and Answers e-book, (2) the Windows Troubleshooting Guide, (3) the Windows XP Features e-manual, (4) the Windows XP Networking Guide, (5) the Error Messages e-manual (with error solutions), (6) the Using DOS with Windows e-manual, (7) the Using Batch Files e-manual, and (8) the Example Batch Files list.

This latest version of Windows the Easy Way is only available in downloadable electronic form from this site. Still only $8.75. (Windows the Easy Way can also be purchased as part of the EasyWay three book special - only $19.95.)

Click on the button below to order Windows the Easy Way (Item 1102) from Sudbury Publishing using credit card, debit card, ATM, check, money order, or cash.

Problems completing this order? We can help. Click here

Computers the Easy Way
A Complete Guide to Microsoft Windows
by Everett Murdock, PhD

This latest version of Computers the Easy Way is a complete text on using computers. It provides extensive information about the world of computers, software, and computerized devices. It includes information about computer hardware and software and how computers are used in today's homes, schools, and businesses.

This e-book can be printed out or read on your computer or laptop screen using any internet browser (such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Netscape, or Apple Safari). It can also be read on your KINDLE, iPad, Sony Reader, Smart phone or any other device that can read HTML-based internet files. Because it includes many internal links, it only takes one click to jump to definitions of terms or to explanatory sections in other chapters.

Computers the Easy Way is for both beginners and experienced users: it provides simple explanations and many clear color pictures to illustrate computer concepts and techniques. It can be used in computer classes or by individual users at home or at the office. This book is currently used as a textbook at a number of colleges and universities. This downloadable version of the book includes an interactive index, the interactive ComputersEasy Questions and Answers list, an interactive Glossary of Computer Terms with links to the appropriate sections in the book, dozens and dozens of color pictures to show how computers work.

This new version of Computers the Easy Way is only available as a downloadable book from this site. Only $8.75. (This book can also be purchased as part of the EasyWay three book special - only $19.95.)

Click on the button below to order Computers the Easy Way (Item 1103) from Sudbury Publishing using credit card, debit card, ATM, check, money order, or cash.

Problems completing this order? We can help. Click here

Three Book Special

Get all three of the Easy Way computer books described above, DOS the Easy Way, Windows the Easy Way, and Computers the Easy Way, for one low price, $19.95.

Click on the button below to order the three book special (Item 1106) from Sudbury Publishing using credit card, debit card, ATM, check, money order, or cash.

Problems completing this order? We can help. Click here

dBase III+ the Easy Way
Learn and Use dBase
by Everett Murdock, PhD

dBASE III Plus has been around for many years, but it is still one of the most popular database programs on the market. dBASE the Easy Way by Dr. Everett Murdock is a fast-start, no-nonsense introduction to the basics of dBASE. The book's main approach is to introduce each of dBASE's features and options and then provide a tryout example. We have found that this is usually the fastest way to learn a new program. You can also use the book as a reference to dBASE's main features.

The book includes the following sections: introduction to the main concepts of databases in general and to dBASE III Plus in particular, learning how to use dBASE, dBASE's main features, with tryouts for each (includes a number of pictures illustrating the program's main options), planning and creating a database, database structures, database planning considerations (it also provides a tryout of starting and new database), displaying data (including using dBASE's LIST and DISPLAY options, printing and status options, sorting data, (includes a tryout of the INDEX option), and creating and printing reports, includes tryouts for creating label forms and other report forms).

This downloadable book can be read by any word processing program such as Microsoft Word, Word for Windows, Office, Works, Word Perfect, etc. The book has been completely redesigned and desktop published to make it easy to read on screen or print out in an attractive, easy-to-read format. Only $8.75.

Click on the button below to order dBASE the Easy Way (Item 1104) from Sudbury Publishing using credit card, debit card, ATM, check, money order, or cash.

Problems completing this order? We can help. Click here

HyperCard the Easy Way
All Versions - Includes Hypertext
by Everett Murdock, PhD

The latest version of HyperCard the Easy Way by Dr. Everett Murdock is a complete text on using Apple's HyperCard and HyperTalk scripting on a Macintosh computer. It includes information and many pictures showing you how to create and use HyperCard stacks, cards, buttons, and fields. It uses a step-by-step tryout approach showing you how to create HyperCard objects and HyperTalk scripts.

This e-book can be printed out or read on your computer or laptop screen using any internet browser (such as Apple Safari, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Netscape). It can also be read on your KINDLE, iPad, Sony Reader, Smart phone or any other device that can read HTML-based internet files. Because it includes many internal links, it only takes one click to jump to definitions of terms or to explanatory sections in other chapters.

HyperCard the Easy Way is for both beginners and experienced users: it provides simple explanations and many clear pictures to illustrate computer concepts and techniques.

It can be used in computer classes or by individual users at home or business. Each chapter of the book includes explanatory introductions to the chapter's terms and concepts. In addition, there is a set of study questions at the beginning of each chapter. Each chapter ends with a clear, concise summary of the concepts introduced in the chapter. The book is currently used as a textbook at a number of colleges and universities. The download is a compressed file containing the book and the HyperCard Examples stacks. Only $8.75.

Click on the button below to order HyperCard the Easy Way (Item 1105) from Sudbury Publishing using credit card, debit card, ATM, check, money order, or cash.

Problems completing this order? We can help. Click here