Mark Morneweg was born in Evansville, Indiana, and lived most of his life in Southern California.
A graduate of the University of California, Riverside, Joan Didion spoke at his commencement address and influenced his life as a writer.
A life-long Civil War historian, Morneweg authored The Electric Mandolin, Penthe & Alphonse and The Girl on the 40-Yard Line, published by El Portal Press.

 

 

 

Penthe & Alphonse

Penthe & Alphonse is a historical inter-racial romantic novel, set in New Orleans, during the Civil War. It’s a memorable portrayal of the life, love, and history of two central characters, who will live forever in the reader’s mind.

He walked over and kissed her on the cheek.
Now, she was the one who looked surprised.
A boy had never done that before.

– excerpt

Kindle version < purchase here>
$9.98 / paperback  To order, contact: fjm@elportalpress.com

The Electric Mandolin

A sweet romance between the proprietor of a bookstore in Southern California, The Electric Mandolin, and a recently graduated co-ed. Enjoy the hints of growing affection, amid the shelves of books and titles, that fill its pages.

“Do you have a boyfriend?”
“No, not really. Not now. No one serious. At the moment.”
“That’s hard for me to believe. I thought that maybe you  and  – – – ”
“No.”
[. . .] We loved classical music and our time together.
Barber’s Adagio for Strings was playing in the background as we stood and touched and kissed.
I rested my head in her lap . . .
– excerpt
$12.99 / paperback | Kindle ver. to come
To Order contact: fjm@elportalpress.com

 

The Girl on the 40-Yard Line 

A couple of guys seated in the stands see her walk across the football field. She looks at them and disappears.  The Girl on the 40-Yard line is gone. She’s a ghost.
But she does come back. The “Golden One”, a self-named local DJ provides the backdrop in sound, spinning songs of the time that set the scene for a mysterious California love story.

[. . . ] It doesn’t really matter how she died.
She went for a walk in the orange groves. . .
On the beach at sunset, Hendrix and Lennon play their guitars like mad.
She beckons to me [. . . ] She looks over at me.
I smile at her. She looks into the glass.
“I don’t want to talk anymore.”

– excerpt
$12.99 / paperback | Kindle ver. to come
To order contact: fjm@elportalpress.com