Book Spotlight: Six Moons, Seven Gods by Robert A. Walker

“One must be careful practicing deception. The easiest to deceive will always be one’s self.”

The skilled thieves of the Takers Guild plot to overthrow the kingdoms of Baelon, but when their plans are thwarted by a prescient woman and her brooding daughter, they must turn to the League of Assassins for assistance. Meanwhile, retired royal guard Rol ft Aerns returns to the palace of King Axil with an old score to settle. When they all cross paths – and swords – in the dark shadows of Fostead’s south end, nothing is as it seems and the murder count rises quickly. The long fingers of the Guild reach everywh ere, and one overly ambitious thief is all it takes to spark a chain of events that will haunt the world of Baelon for many years to come.

Six Moons, Seven Gods is book one in The Legends of Baelon.

EXCERPT

Sibil sat on a bed in a servant’s quarters, her head spinning. Had it not been for previous visits to the palace with Princess Lewen, she would not have known where she was. The steward had escorted her briskly to the room some time ago, leaving her to entertain herself.

There seemed no end to the mystery surrounding her mother. Supposed premonitions of death had been unnerving enough, but now... an audience with the king? At his request! It was surreal, and Sibil’s wildest conjectures did not begin to explain it. Her attempt to seize control of her own life seemed waylaid once again. She was imagining herself a bit of flotsam from a shipwreck, at the mercy of the ocean’s currents, when the steward returned, shutting the door angrily behind himself.

“Where is my mother?” she asked as he approached.

“With the king.” Without warning, the steward sat so close to her their thighs touched. “I should like to see her.” Sibil started to rise.

“In due time.” The steward caught her arm and pulled her back to the bed.

“What are you doing?”

“If your mother were more forthcoming, you would not be so inconvenienced.”

“How do you mean?” Sibil’s eyes darted toward the door.

“The woman’s hiding something. Perhaps you’d like to tell me what that is.”

“My mother has nothing to hide from the king!”

“I could be convinced of that, I suppose.” The steward loosened his hold and placed a palm against Sibil’s cheek. “There are many ways for you to prove your loyalty to the throne.” His hand brushed her breast as he withdrew it. “Are you prepared to do so?” Before Sibil could respond, he leaned in, his lips seeking hers.

Sibil pushed him away, struggling to stand. “How dare you!”

“Need I remind you where you are?” The steward rose, positioning himself between her and the door. “Or who you’re talking to?”

“I mean no disrespect, m’lord, but if you—"

“Take off your blouse.”

“What?!”

“Like mother, like daughter. Take off your blouse and let us see what you are hiding there.”

“I’ll do no such thing,” said Sibil breathlessly. “And if you lay another hand on me—"

The steward grasped her sleeve. Sibil twisted violently away, her blouse ripping at the shoulder seam. 

The steward grinned. “You see? One way or the other!” He started to laugh, sobering quickly at the sight of the dagger Sibil produced. “Put that away before you hurt yourself.”

“Take me to my mother!” Sibil waved the dagger at him.

“Did I not warn you about making demands?” The steward lashed out, recoiling as Sibil’s blade pricked his arm. He swore loudly as he inspected the spot of crimson staining his white blouse. “You’ll not soon forget what I’m going to do to you.”

“Touch me and I’ll kill you!” Sibil lurched past the steward and onto the bed, clambering quickly over it, but he intercepted her before she could reach the door. He kicked a stool separating them toward her. Sibil grabbed it and flung it back at him. The stool sailed past the steward’s head and crashed against the door.

“Make all the noise you want,” the steward said. “No one cares!”

PRAISE

"A fascinatingly detailed and murder - fueled adventure in a violent fantasy setting." — Kirkus Reviews

“In Robert A. Walker’s Six Moons, Seven Gods, loyalty and treachery entwine, friendships are tested, and dangerous secrets are held close to the heart... a brilliant, compelling narrative that hooks the reader from start to finish.” — Literary Titan 5 - star Review

"...an exceptionally rewarding fantasy. There are twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat, unable to stop reading.” — Ronél Steyn for Readers’ Favorite, 5 stars

PURCHASE FROM AMAZON

ADD TO YOUR GOODREADS SHELF

Award-winning author Robert A. Walker grew up in Northwestern Massachusetts. After graduating college, he packed his scant belongings in a car with rusted-out floorboards and headed west. He’s lived in California ever since, and now resides along the Pacific Ocean with his wife and dogs. When not fabricating stories, he can be found roaming local tennis courts or working on a never-ending list of DIY house projects.

Website: https://rawalkerwriting.com

Author Marketing Experts:

Twitter: @Bookgal

Instagram: @therealbookgal

First Chapter Review & Giveaway: Racing the Dream by M. T. Bass

 

I received a digital copy of the action and adventure novel, Racing the Dream, by M.T. Bass, from Goddess Fish Promotions.

BLURB: 

“If everything seems under control, you’re not going fast enough.” ~Mario Andretti 

Strap down the 5-point harness in the cockpit of a Formula 1 air racing plane and join Hawk as he chases victory! First on their amateur make-shift course over Antelope Acres, then on the re-emerging pylon racing circuit in the early 1960s. And finally, as Hawk battles 7 other top-level pilots at the very first National Air Racing Championship event in Reno! 

Abandoning the cloth and his African mission, Father Bob returns to his slide rule to design Hawk’s racer. Sparks, his loyal yet surly mechanic, built it and wrenching both on the engine—as well as on Hawk—keeps them at the front of the pack. Home again in Los Angeles from behind the stick of a T-6 Texan as a mercenary in the Congo civil war, air racing is a new aviation adventure for Hawk. Ride along as he tangles with fellow pilots in “uncooperative formation flying” at two-hundred miles per hour a mere fifty feet off the ground! 

And then one day cruising home to Van Nuys airport, Hawk spies Allison, a beach-blonde surfer girl, insanely wing walking on the top wing of a Stearman PT-17 bi-plane. He quickly sets his sights on her. 

Fly low…Fly fast…and Turn Left…

COVER: This is a cool design and fits in well with the earlier books of the series. 

FIRST CHAPTER: Hawk, Scotty, and a few other guys are racing their airplanes at Antelope Acres, their makeshift course, But Sparks isn't too happy when something unexpected happens. 

KEEP READING: Probably. Admittedly, I'm out of my element with some of the jargon, but I love the tight writing, the action-filled opening chapter, the characters that are already taking shape in my head. Though the third book in the White Hawk Aviation Adventure Series, this one stands by itself. No mention of Allison yet, but I am sure that is coming. I feel it wise for the author to cement for the reader who these tight-knit characters are before introducing her. 

EXCERPT

Chapter 1 — Antelope Acres 

I chased Scotty down the long straightaway. Three hundred feet back. A hundred feet off the ground. One hundred seventy knots. 

Quick looks at the panel: Thirty-six hundred RPM. Look: engine oil pressure—green. Look: oil temperature—green. 

All good. 

Banking hard into the “pylon” at W Avenue G and Myrick Canyon Road over the desert, a shadow on the ground to my left crawled toward my British Racing Green colored wing. He had to be outside. You can’t look to the right. It’s just not safe. But the sun was behind us… 

I lofted a bit in the eighty-degree turn—climbed twenty feet or so—then quickly dove back down to close another hundred and fifty feet on Scotty, picking up a bit of his wake turbulence. 

Rolling out and down the front straightaway, I found smooth air twenty-five feet above his hot red Jensen Cassutt. 

We used the crossroads, a pile of rocks, a little hump in the desert sand, and a windmill water pump to set up our three-mile oval course. I knew Scotty from Van Nuys, but the other three guys were new, from other SoCal airports. We were all on “Company Frequency,” one-two-three point four-five. We joined up in a loose formation for a pace lap, then got down to business with a flying start. 

Like Henry Ford said, racing began five minutes after the second airplane was built. And that’s where Father Bob came in. There were a ton of modified Cassutts out there. Anybody could buy the design for $20. But Father Bob used his engineering skills to develop and, with Sparks’ help, build White Hawk Redux, an 85 horsepower, Continental C-85 Goodyear racer that we were pushing over two hundred miles an hour. 

It was all unofficial because, after fifty years of glorious history, airplane racing fell off the face of the earth for a while in the Sixties. There were no sanctioned races around anymore, so we made up our own course, kicking up dust devils and rooster tails over the desolation of Antelope Acres. Our version of California street drags. 

Of course, I didn’t really know what I was doing, but I was learning fast. 

Around the windmill and up to the forty-foot hump in the sand. I chased Scotty down foot by foot. I knew I could take him. 

Only two laps left. It was now or never. 

Banking hard into the crossroads, I juiced the power up near four thousand RPM and pulled back on the stick to take Scotty up and outside. 

But dammit, I missed him— 

In my peripheral vision, a Tweety-yellow racer on my right came toward me. 

I flattened my wings and rolled off the power sweeping below him to keep from colliding. But I caught the tornado of his wingtip vortices and involuntarily flipped inverted. 

A Joshua tree bloomed overhead in my canopy as I arced upside-down towards the ground at two-hundred-fifty feet. Gravity pulled my shoulders down against the straps of my five-point harness. 

Without thinking, back pressure on the stick moved quickly forward to illogically raise the nose with a nudge of left rudder to roll level and maxing out the power…

Racing the Dream Purchase Links 

Author Web Site Info Page

Amazon (Kindle Unlimited)

Stories by M.T. Bass

 

White Hawk Aviation Adventure Stories

My Brother's Keeper

Jungleland

Racing the Dream 

***~~~*** 

Murder by Munchausen Sci-Fi Thriller Series

Murder by Munchausen

The Darknet

The Invisible Mind

Motherless Children

Murder by Munchausen Trilogy: Books 1-3 

***~~~*** 

Article 15

Somethin' for Nothin'

In the Black

Crossroads

Lodging

Untethered

M.T. Bass will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to

a randomly drawn winner via 

rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

New Release: Dead Heat to Destiny by J. B. Rivard

 

Four lives. Three destinies. Two continents. One devastating war.

It’s the early 1900s in Europe, and young Adrienne Boch is pursuing her dream: a successful career in the booming world of high fashion. When she meets Will Marra, a debonair American with a passion for aviation—and Adrienne—romance is the last thing on her mind. Aside from her career, she’s focused on writing to her cousin, Gregor Steiner, who’s training to be an officer in the Imperial German Navy. Out at sea, Gregor waits eagerly for his letters from Adrienne, recalling their childhood romps at the Belgium shore.

Then World War I breaks out. Adrienne’s life is turned upside down as the invading German army threatens Paris, Gregor advances to captain a U-boat, Will becomes a pilot in the U.S. Army, and Adrienne’s family flees an overrun Belgium. In Central America, a spy is recruited to defeat the United States.

Adrienne’s feelings for Will have grown, but she fears it’s too late. She’s terrified for him and for Gregor, now on opposing sides of the war, and for her family, refugees from the only home they’ve ever known. As the global conflict simmers and tension rises, Will, Gregor, Adrienne, and the spy’s lives converge in an epic, unexpected clash. With life—and love—on the line, they must each fight for what they believe in…or pay the ultimate price.

Publication date: February 7, 2023

Books Fluent

Historical Fiction, Adventure

Paperback | 978-0-9968363-6-4 | $15.95

eBook | 978-0-9968363-7-1 | $5.95

Purchase from: 

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Book Depository

Indiebound

J.B. RIVARD believes words can create pictures. His readers agree; one said, “I was right in the biplane cockpit with Nick,” referring to pilot Nick Mamer, the 1929 record-setting aviator in Rivard’s nonfiction book “Low on Gas – High on Sky.” A writer of historically accurate fiction and nonfiction, J.B. knows readers want the past to blaze up and enthrall them. His commitment to compelling and convincing writing derives from four years in the military as well as his technical career on the staff of a U.S. National Laboratory. A graduate of the University of Florida, he attended the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts, and is an award-winning artist and author. His latest novel is  “Dead Heat to Destiny,” in which the lives and loves of three people are imperiled during the cataclysm of World War One. To learn more about J.B.’s life and work, visit www.illusionsofmagic.com

First Chapter Review: They Call Me Superman by Michael Goffinet

Michael Goffinet is on tour with Pump Up Your Book to promote his action/thriller novel, They Call Me Superman.

 BLURB:   Marcus Evans is a new kind of super hero. Born with superhuman strength, he is compelled to join the Army Rangers, where his abilities create an unique assassin against the war on terror. After his stent with the Rangers, he joins forces with reclusive billionaire, Robert Sinclair, who has been his mentor and father-figure since the age of sixteen. A whirlwind of action-packed adventures lead Marcus to the discovery of an alien spaceship that unlock secrets about his life, which will shock him to his very core, secrets that Robert has been hiding his entire life.

COVER: I love the contrasting colors of this one and the mix of the camouflage jacket hiding his superhero symbol.

FIRST CHAPTER:   It is 500 B.C. Commander Tallaios and his crew are in a desperate situation. They've lost power on their ship and are in danger of crashing. As the commander contemplates their plight, he also considers how horribly wrong everything went.

KEEP READING: I'm on the fence over this one. I like the premise of the story stated in the blurb, and found the opening paragraphs of the first chapter to be a wonderful hook. After that, however, the pace is slowed by pages and pages of backstory, until the last two paragraphs bring it back to Commander Tallaois on the ship, which leave the reader with a thrilling cliffhanger. Goffinet definitely has the ability to draw the reader in quickly, but the backstory encompasses so much time and a variety of events that the excitement fades and soon the present day suspense is broken. I would be willing to give this book another couple of chapters to see where the story goes from here, but if I get buried by more backstory I'm not sure I would go further.

If you like gadgets and gizmos that make up science fiction and unique medical advances, you might enjoy this book. Goffinet has a vivid imagination and it definitely shows in these sections of the chapter.

File Size: 556 KB
Print Length: 334 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Barringer Publishing (January 29, 2014)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00I51YT1C


I received the first chapter of this book from the author through Pump Up Your Book. This review contains my honest opinion, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Michael Goffinet was born and raised in Southern California. After earning his Masters of Health Administration degree, he worked in the health care industry for the last two decades. He currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada with his wife of twenty years and his teenage son. He is an avid golfer and when he’s not reading or writing he can be found on the golf course.

Visit his website at www.michaelgoffinet.com.

Connect & Socialize with Michael

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Book Spotlight: MechaNation by J. E. Dugas

Shortly after the conclusion of the War of 2018, the mechanical evolution of humankind made a dramatic leap forward.

With the Human Guerilla Faction no longer a threat, a biotech company, Lazarus Nanotech Corporation, went from competing to stay in the top ten, to top contender after introducing their revolutionary NanoInjections system.

NI’s were designed to wipe the slate of traditional internal surgery, and go far beyond it. NI’s—composed of targeted nanomachines—could be preprogrammed and injected into the client to vastly transform the client’s body in any chosen manner. Weight loss, facial reconstruction, breast and genital enhancement, intelligence boosters, social elitist; whatever the client desired.

Soon, NI’s became a major vanity movement, and Lazarus Nanotech became the most valuable company in the world.

This success, of course, spawned an entirely new criminal underworld: the Nano Black Market.

PURCHASE AT AMAZON!

J.E. Dugas is the author of the multi-period action/adventure/science fiction series Rose Petals and Gun Powder (Rose Petals and Gun Powder, including , RPGP: Shadows of Life, RPGP: Lost Cove, RPGP: Wanderlust, and RPGP: Paradoxical, a Double Feature), as well as the new title MechaNation, a NanoPunk Thriller. J.E. is currently at work on its sequel, MechaNation: Rebirth. Prior to writing full time, J.E. spent over a decade in the private security and law enforcement fields.

Visit him at http://www.crimsonworx.com/index.html.

MechaNation Virtual Book Publicity Tour Schedule

Wednesday, February 6

Guest blogging at Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks

Thursday, February 7

Interviewed at Examiner

Friday, February 8

Guest blogging at My Devotional Thoughts

Monday, February 11

Interviewed at The Writer’s Life

Wednesday, February 13

Book spotlight at The Book Connection

Thursday, February 14

Guest blogging at The Story Behind the Book

Book spotlight at Depression Cookies

Friday, February 15

Book spotlight at Parenting from a Child’s Point of View

Monday, February 18

Interviewed at Digital Journal

Tuesday, February 19

Interviewed at Literal Exposure

Wednesday, February 20

Guest blogging at Beauty in Ruins

Thursday, February 21

Interviewed at Beyond the Books

Monday, February 25

Book reviewed at My Cozie Corner

Tuesday, February 26

Interviewed at Yahoo News

Wednesday, February 27

Guest blogging at Literarily Speaking

Thursday, February 28

Interviewed at Review From Here

First Chapter Review: After the Cross by Brandon Barr and Mike Lynch

Mike Lynch, co-author of After the Cross, contacted me for a review. While I couldn't work a full review into my schedule right now, I offered him a First Chapter Review. This is one of those books, however, I will admit up front I would love to fit into my schedule.

 BLURB: Colton Foster, once hailed as a renowned linguistics expert, had his career and self-respect in pieces until a team discovers an 800-year old letter in Istanbul and his life takes a pivotal turn. The job of translating the letter, purportedly revealing the hidden cross of Jesus, is his for the taking, and with it a chance to redeem himself.

Mallory Windom is a linguistics prodigy who eagerly accepts the chance to accompany Colton’s team, seeing it as a ticket to the legitimacy she craves.

Join Colton and Mallory as they hunt for Christianity’s most prized relic, mysterious forces seem bent on stopping them at every turn. In a race against time and hired mercenaries, they soon discover that the most important struggle of their lives is not around them, but from within, testing their beliefs, their ethics, and their growing love for one another.

COVER:  Love it. It captures the ancient relic adventure story within. The cross and the map are nice details.

FIRST CHAPTER:  Emel Dwayat and Hassam are at a Constantinople Library excavation site in Istanbul, Turkey, when they hear someone downstairs. After the dust has cleared, two dead men are dead, one of them carrying a shiny metal box with a piece of parchment inside.

The story then moves back in time to 30 A.D., during the Crucifixion and the days following, where Caiaphas makes a decision that he hopes will erase all traces of Yeshua.

KEEP READING:  A definite yes. This is an intriguing story that if it continues to remain as strong as this first chapter will provide tons of action, adventure and mystery. Floating between present day and the past, it provides a glimpse into the history that created the current discovery. The banter between Dwayat and Hassam adds a touch of humor. What I think is interesting is that the main characters mentioned in the blurb aren't part of the first chapter. I usually like to meet the main characters right away, but it seems like this first chapter serves like a prologue to what will unfold throughout the story. It works for this genre, but in some instances I don't care for it.

I hope I get a chance to read this entire book at some point. It sounds fascinating.

Paperback: 274 pages

Publisher: Ellechor Publishing House LLC; 1st edition (June 1, 2011)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0982624204

ISBN-13: 978-0982624203

Available in paperback and electronic formats

I received the first chapter of this novel from one of the co-authors in exchange for a First Chapter Review. I received no monetary compensation of any kind to provide my honest opinions.

First Chapter Review: Breakthrough by Stephen Tremp

Last month, author Stephen Tremp offered his book, Breakthrough: The Adventures of Chase Manhattan as a free download. I took advantage of it and read the first chapter this week while at the beach.

BLURB: The Information Age is moving at breakneck speed. Breakthroughs in areas of science that were once fodder for science fiction are now becoming part of our everyday life.

A group of graduate students from Massachusetts Institute of Technology has stolen a breakthrough in opening and stabilizing Einstein-Rosen Bridges, commonly known as wormholes, that allows them to instantly transport people from one location to another. Their goal is to assassinate any powerful politician and executive controlling the world’s banking system that would use this technology for their own greedy gain rather than the advancement of mankind.

In south Orange County, California, young Chase Manhattan, part of a new breed of modern-day discovery seekers, seeks to leave behind his life of danger and adventure and settle down as an associate professor of physics at University of California-Irvine. He also desires to build a lasting relationship with a beautiful woman he has not seen since high school.

His idyllic plan is postponed when he soon uncovers the diabolical scheme on the other side of the country. He realizes he is the one person who can prevent more murders from happening and either control or destroy the technology. Once the M.I.T. group understands Chase and his friends have the ability and motivation to not only take the technology from them, but also thwart more killings, Chase finds himself in their crosshairs, the top-of-the-list target on their assassination agenda.

As the death toll mounts, Chase and his friends must battle this group of misled zealots from M.I.T. on both coasts and in cyberspace in a thrilling, desperate race to determine the outcome of this monumental, once in a millennium discovery that will drastically change life as we know it—for better or worse.
COVER: Superb. This cover captures the setting and the plot in one fell swoop. Love the "Do Not Enter" sign next to the wormhole.

FIRST CHAPTER:  Chase Manhattan is in Las Vegas, having been hired to retrieve a flash drive outlining how to build a new technology. With the flash drive in his possession, he attempts to leave the motel. Three thugs are soon in hot pursuit. Someone is willing to pay millions of dollars for that flash drive, and they don't want to give it up.

KEEP READING: Yes. While science and technology aren't high on my list of reading materials, Tremp has created an action-packed opening chapter that begs the reader to keep going. The action is a bit predictable. The bad guys pursue the hero; they catch up; there's some fighting and tossing around of nasty threats; lots of chaos and destruction; Chase is able to put greater distance between them; then repeat. There is some bad guy banter between the smarter villain (Stockton) and the not so bright villain (Webhead). This helps lighten the intensity a bit, but not much. There's tons of tension here and it will propel you right into the next chapter.

File Size: 661 KB

Print Length: 416 pages

Publisher: Amazon.com (July 20, 2010)

Sold by: Amazon Digital Services

Language: English

ASIN: B003WQBFV2

Currently available for $1.99

I download a free copy of this book from Amazon. I received no monetary compensation for this first chapter review.

Interview with Kim Antieau, Author of Her Frozen Wild

Kim Antieau has written many novels, short stories, poems, and essays. Her work has appeared in numerous publications, both in print and online, including The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Asimov’s SF, The Clinton Street Quarterly, The Journal of Mythic Arts, EarthFirst!, Alternet, Sage Woman, and Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine. She was the founder, editor, and publisher of Daughters of Nyx: A Magazine of Goddess Stories, Mythmaking, and Fairy Tales. Her work has twice been short-listed for the Tiptree Award, and has appeared in many Best of the Year anthologies. Critics have admired her “literary fearlessness” and her vivid language and imagination. She has had nine novels published. Her first novel, The Jigsaw Woman, is a modern classic of feminist literature. Kim lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, writer Mario Milosevic.

Her latest book is Her Frozen Wild.

Learn more about Kim and her writing at www.kimantieau.com.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband, writer Mario Milosevic. We both work part-time for the library system where we live. We love to hike, watch movies, and spend time together. I’m fascinated with folk and fairy tales. I study them, read them, and re-imagine them. I’m also interested in permaculture, gardening, and sustainable food systems. We live in a county in Washington State where it is against the law to harm Bigfoot. I love that there’s a law on the books in my county that essentially protects a fairy creature!

Where did you grow up?

I grew up out in the country near the small town of Brighton in Michigan. I was the second to the oldest of five girls. I was a tomboy through and through. I was outside running around in the woods from dawn until dusk—barefoot most of the time. I loved taking care of my animals, being in the woods, riding horses, being outside under the stars. In the summer, before we had air conditioning, I used to sit between the rows of corn and play in the sand with my little trucks. It was the coolest place to be, underneath those tall beautiful green cornstalks. When I was a little older, I’d sit under one of the big old oak trees writing novels all summer long. When I was about twelve years old, there were UFO sightings in Ann Arbor, which was just down the road from where I lived. The rumor was that space aliens were coming to get girls and women! I remember I folded up some clothes and put them in the top drawer of my dresser so I could grab them in case the aliens came. I was ready to go! I’d stand at the edge of the marsh and watch for swamp gas, fairies, and UFOs. 

When did you begin writing?

I began writing soon after I could read, probably when I was five or six. Before that, I drew pictures to make them into books that told a story.
Do you write during the day, at night or whenever you can sneak a few moments?

I write during the day.
What is this book about?

In Her Frozen Wild, archaeologists uncover a frozen tattooed female mummy in the Altai in Siberia. But when they take a DNA sample and put it in the worldwide DNA database, they discover her DNA matches almost perfectly with Ursula Smith’s DNA, a Portland archaeologist who is peripherally involved in the project. Nobody can explain how this could have happened since Ursula is in Portland and has never been to Siberia, and the mummy is 2,500 years old. Despite being terrified of flying, Ursula travels to Siberia to unravel the mystery of the “lady.” She meets Sergei Ivanovich Polyakov, a Russian doctor who graciously invites her into his home. After they become lovers, she discovers Sergei has the same tattoos on his body as the tattooed lady. He tells her that they have met before, and she is destined to save the ancient shape-changing People. Ursula can’t imagine she is destined for anything, but she goes with Sergei and a shaman to one of the sacred timeless caves where her mother supposedly vanished thirty years earlier. When Ursula allows the shaman to tattoo her, she is thrown back in time where she has to unlock the mystery of the People and their link to her past in order to save them and Sergei.

What inspired you to write it?

Years ago I read a National Geographic article about the discovery of an “ice maiden” mummy in Siberia. She was tattooed, and she was buried with horses, a long conical hat, and other items that made archaeologists believe she was a priestess or shaman. When I read the article, I got chills, and I knew then I would have to write about her.

Who is your biggest supporter?

My husband, Mario Milosevic.
Where can readers purchase a copy of your book?

It’s available in print on Amazon. You can also buy an e-reader version on Amazon kindle, Barnes and Noble, smashwords, or at any of your favorite e-bookstores.

What is one piece of advice you would like to share with aspiring authors everywhere?

Keep writing! Remember when you get a rejection, that’s just one person’s opinion. Move on! Once you get a contract, don’t just sign it. Make certain you understand the contract and don’t give away your rights! That hurts you and other writers.
What is up next for you?

I have a bunch of new projects. Some are complete and some are near completion. Butch: a bent Western will be out in a few months, along with Desert Siren. I’m finishing work on Whackadoodle Times and Pricked: A Jane Deere Novel. I wrote them while on retreat in Arizona this winter. Whackadoodle Times takes place during a week in the life of Hollywood screenwriter Brooke McMurphy, a week where everything seems to fall apart. I’ve never laughed as much or cried so hard as I did while writing this book! Pricked is about Jane Deere, who has been on the run for a couple of decades. The novel starts when she stops running for a time to start a new life in Tucson. She begins to solve some of the mysteries in her own life as she helps the new people in her life solve some of their problems.
Is there anything you would like to add?

Thank you so much for the interview. I had fun!

You can enter to win a copy of Her Frozen Wild over at Books, Products and More!

Interview: Gordon Gumpertz, Author of Red Hot Sky

Gordon Gumpertz brings fiction readers another exciting action/adventure experience in his new novel RED HOT SKY. This is the author’s second book, following his highly acclaimed novel TSUNAMI.


In addition to writing novels, Gordon has won gold and silver awards in national and regional short story competitions. He is a member of the Authors Guild, the Palm Springs Writers Guild, a UCLA graduate, and an instrument-rated private pilot. He keeps his website current by blogging on natural disasters and natural phenomena.

Gordon and his wife Jenny live not far from the San Andreas fault, where the Pacific Plate thrusts into the North American Plate, building increasingly high levels of faultline stress which, the seismologists say, may soon produce the Big One.

Visit his website at www.tsunaminaturaldisaster.com.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I'm a native Californian, a UCLA grad, and an army vet. I'm an instrument- rated private pilot. Flying a Cherokee Arrow from L.A. to New York and down to Los Cabos in Baja are among my favorite trips. I started my working career as an advertising agency copywriter. Later, I opened my own ad agency with two partners. I began writing adventure fiction after leaving the agency. I'm married with two kids and two grandkids. Things I enjoy are reading, hiking, tennis, movies, and travelling. I'm a member of the Authors Guild and the Palm Springs Writers Guild. In addition to writing novels, I've won gold and silver awards in regional and national short story contests. My wife and I live in the California desert just a few miles from the San Andreas fault, which is overdue for the Big One.

Where did you grow up?

I was born in San Diego, but raised in Oxnard, CA, a small agricultural town sixty miles north of L.A. Population was 7,000 at the time. There were 90 in our high school graduating class.

What is your fondest childhood memory?

Playing touch football with the neighborhood kids.

When did you begin writing?

I wrote some short stories in college, and a ton of advertising copy during my business career, but didn't start serious fiction writing till I left my business to devote myself to becoming an author.

Do you write during the day, at night or whenever you can sneak a few moments?

I do all my writing during the day. I like to start by 9:00 a.m. after clearing my email, and get in 4 to 5 hours of undisturbed writing time. Sometimes life interferes, but I try to stick with the schedule.

What is this book about?

Red Hot Sky is a fast-moving novel about what happens when the buildup of CO2, methane, and other greenhouse gasses in earth's atmosphere reaches a tipping point. In this scenario, global weather destabilizes and turns chaotic. Ice storms, dust storms, floods, blizzards, hurricanes, tornadoes pummel the earth nonstop. A secret computer model reveals that the frantic weather will peak out, and transform world climate into an alien environment devastating to human survival.

Scientists Ben Mason and Claudine Manet, developers of the computer model, are lovers as well as lab partners. While they work frantically to head off the approaching catastrophe, a disgraced Russian general hacks into their model and sees earth's bleak future as his opportunity for ultimate world power.

Ben, who had left the CIA to develop the computer model at the national lab, is reactivated by the Agency and sent on a perilous mission to block the rogue general's plot. Claudine is placed in charge of a massive NASA project that, if completed on time, could stop the approaching doomsday climate change. But her project is stalled by bureaucracy. Ben, his cover blown, is on the run in hostile territory. The climate change calamity steadily approaches.

What inspired you to write it?

I read a report that CO2 concentration in earth's atmosphere had increased dramatically in the last 50 years, and that the rate of increase had greatly speeded up just in the last two years. Ice caps are melting, weather is getting more extreme, and scientists say we are now heading toward a hotter and greatly changed natural environment much faster than predicted. In my imagination, I took it a step beyond, and wondered what would happen if CO2 concentration keeps zooming higher till it reaches a tipping point, and kicks earth's atmosphere into something radically different, and threatening to human survival. My book is based on that idea.

Are you a member of a critique group? If no, who provides feedback on your work?

Yes. I belong to critique group of published writers. We meet weekly for 2 to 3 hours and critique each other's work. I find the feedback extremely helpful.

Do you have an agent or are you looking for one?

When I finished my first novel, Tsunami, I sent query letters and chapters to agents for several months, without success. When a small press called with interest in the book, I signed up. Unfortunately, they were underfunded and unable to live up to their commitments on publishing schedule and promotion. They took orders for several thousand copies, but by the time the books were finally shipped, the recession had hit and book sales were going south. Half the shipments were returned and I never saw a penny of royalties. I finally negotiated the return of all publishing rights and went direct on Kindle, selling through my website, which has been quite successful.

Was the road to publication smooth sailing or a bumpy ride?

Bumpy.

If you knew then, what you know now, is there anything you would have done differently?

Do a more thorough check of the publisher's finances and track record before signing the conract. For Red Hot Sky, I decided to bypass the traditional route and publish with Amazon's CreateSpace.

Where can readers purchase a copy of your book?

Paperback copies of Red Hot Sky can be ordered from Amazon or your local book store. The ebook version is available on Amazon's Kindle.

Do you have a website and/or blog where readers can find out more?

Yes. My website is http://www.tsunaminaturaldisaster.com/ where I blog on natural disasters and natural phenomena. In addition to my blog articles, the site features information about Red Hot Sky and my previous novel, Tsunami, plus reviews, excerpts, and bio info about the author.

What is the best investment you have made in promoting your book?

My best investment was paying a good website designer to design an attractive homepage. Also, I've signed up for a virtual tour with Pump Up Your Book and I'm hopeful the program will pump up interest in Red Hot Sky and drive more traffic to my website.

What is one piece of advice you would like to share with aspiring authors everywhere?

Write every day. Some days will be better than others, but stick with it. Never give up.

What is up next for you?

I've completed the first draft of my next book, also on a disaster theme, which I prefer not to divulge at this time. It's being revised. I plan to publish it later this year.

Is there anything you would like to add?

Buy Red Hot Sky. It's a pulse-pounding read.

“Mystery and Adventure” is Theme of New Novel: Anasazi Intrigue by Linda Weaver Clarke

Stolen artifacts, the Santa Clara/Virgin River flood, a snoopy newspaper reporter, and mysterious events begin to unfold with Anasazi Intrigue.

When a devastating flood wipes out homes in a small town, residents are shocked by the news of a possible poison spill that also kills many of the fish and neighbor's pets. The people don’t know what to think or do, until Julia, the town's newest reporter, jumps into action and begins her investigation. Quickly Julia realizes the story is much bigger and more dangerous than she thought. As information unfolds, Julia and her husband find themselves on the run, trying to save their lives while finishing the story of a lifetime. She never realized that being a reporter could be so dangerous. With artifacts, dead fish, a devastating flood, and miscreants, John and Julia have their hands full.

In Anasazi Intrigue (ISBN: 978-1-58982-587-1), Clarke creates a story based upon an independent, educated, and strong woman character. Suko’s Notebook Reviews said of Clarke’s writing: “Linda Weaver Clarke is outstanding at presenting the characters' thoughts.”

There are two subjects discussed in this novel: The Santa Clara/Virgin River Flood and stolen artifacts. The mystery of the Anasazi Indians boggles the minds of many archaeologists. Ancient dwellings, petroglyphs, and pottery found in Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico are fantastic and part of Anasazi history. When an ancient ruin is discovered, it doesn’t take long for thieves to take it apart. Archaeological thievery is becoming more and more of a problem every year.

The second subject brings out what really happened during the flooding in southern Utah. Lost homes can be replaced, but it’s impossible to replace precious treasures that had no value to anyone but the owner, such as photos and memories of the past. The stories of hope, charity, and little miracles seem to uplift others and have a wonderful effect on people during a crisis such as this. Clarke’s novel brings out what really happened in St George, Utah but the mystery is just beginning.

About the Author:

Linda Weaver Clarke travels throughout the United States, teaching a “Family Legacy Workshop,” encouraging others to write their family history and autobiography. Clarke is the author of the historical fiction series, A Family Saga in Bear Lake, Idaho, and the new mystery series, Anasazi Intrigue: The Adventures of John and Julia Evans.

Anasazi Intrigue (ISBN-13: 978-1-58982-587-1, American Book Publishing, 2010) can be purchased through local and online bookstores. For more information, visit www.lindaweaverclarke.com. Publicity contact: www.american-book.com.

Bearkiller by D.J. Stephens--Book Review

An engrossing, fast-paced adventure novel that explores past lives and their connections to the present is what you'll find in Bearkiller by D.J. Stephens.

Jeff Barkil--who I first met in HALO--is hunting in the mountains of Montana when he is attacked by a grizzly bear. Severely wounded, Jeff uses his survival instincts gained from years of military training to attempt making it back to camp.

Awakening in a teepee, Jeff is not quite sure what happened or who he is. Gray Buffalo, chief of the Blackfoot Nation, accepts Jeff into the tribe and christens him Bearkiller for his bravery in mortally wounding the great grizzly.

Bearkiller becomes a brave Blackfoot warrior, adored by the people of his village and despised and feared by the Crow, the Shoshone, and other enemy tribes who seek to kill him and regain the honor he has stolen from them along with their horses and weapons.

Will Jeff ever make it back to his own time? And if he does, will he remember Bearkiller and all his coups or will he think them only the dreams of a delirious mind?

Stephens shows his strength in creating adventure stories that draw the reader in with Bearkiller, his first novel. Similiar in some ways to his novel, Death Rider, the reader explores Jeff's past life as a Blackfoot warrior. This helps to give insight into Jeff's actions and instincts in HALO--which is a big bonus.

Non-stop action fill the pages of Bearkiller, making it a book that you will never want to put down until you have read the last word. Stephens's research of Indian customs is evident throughout and his descriptions allow the reader to experience everything right alongside Bearkiller/Jeff. In addition, Gray Buffalo, Smiling Otter, Sweet Water, and Morning Star become memorable, real characters whose lives captivate the reader.

Fans of western adventure stories and those interested in exploring past lives and Indian customs will find much to enjoy in Bearkiller.


Title: Bearkiller
Author: D. J. Stephens
Publisher: Infinity Publishing
ISBN: 0-7414-4966-8
U.S. Price: $16.95