Rai Aren's Blog - Posts Tagged "fiction"
An Egyptian "What If?" - New 5-star review of Secret of the Sands!!
I wanted to share our latest & totally fantastic 5-star review. It's been posted right here on Amazon & in the Apr-09 edition of Sonar4 Science Fiction & Horror Ezine, a very cool publication. In their own words:
"We are a Free Science Fiction and Horror Monthly Ezine that accepts submissions all year long of Short Stories, Flashes, Micros. We also do reviews and author interviews."
Here is the link to their website, be sure to check out all of their cool content!
Sonar4 Science Fiction & Horror Ezine
At the end of the review, I have included an author's comment, which I thought important to share.
We are also being checked out by Hollywood for a future movie version of the book, so we hope to see you on the big screen in the not-too-distant future! (in IMAX & 3D!!)
Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands
Reposted from Amazon & Sonar4 (note: some spoiler alerts):
An Egyptian "What If?"
Every story is a "what if?" Writers are continually writing alternate histories of the world even if they seem identical to the world we inhabit. Ancient Egypt wavers in our minds between knowledge and imagination, fact and fiction, like waves of heat coming off the desert, is what we see real or mirage?
Secret of the Sands by Rai Aren and Tavius E has two stories running concurrently and that mirror each other. The first story is the of ancient Egypt before the Pyramids but not before the Sphinx. The "what if" in Secret of the Sands embraces the theory that the Sphinx is older than accepted dating based on the evidence that parts of the Sphinx show that at one time rain flowed over its body indicating that the Sphinx must have been built at a time when the Egyptian weather was much milder and wetter approximately 12,000 years ago. We're introduced to the kingdom of King Traeus and Queen Axiana and the extended royal family that lives in the palace. Traeus and Axiana are beloved rulers and the country is at peace. Traeus has plans to build what will become the Sphinx in honor of a legendary lion that saved an ancient king, it is to be a gift from the royal family to his people. Traeus is taken aback when at the Spring Ceremony, which honors the harvest, some of his subjects stage a protest and demand that Traeus reveal all of his plans to the people. There is also strife within Traeus' own household, Traeus' brother Prince Alaj and his wife Zazmaria are dissatisfied with the status quo of the lack of power Alaj has within the family, and the slights and deceit they perceive from Traeus. Zazmaria is easily seduced by the powerful enemy of Traeus, Lord Draxen. But the intriguers aren't wrong, Traeus himself does have a secret that he is hiding from everybody. He is building a secret chamber under the Sphinx (also rumored in our day and age to exist) to house some kind of machine called the Pharom. Traeus wants to harness the power of this machine to the benefit of his people.
The concurrent story is set in our world, the world of Mitch and Alexandra, they're lifelong friends and colleagues who are doing their field work on a dig near the Sphinx to earn their doctorates. They work for Professor Dustimaine a vainglorious man more interested in taking credit for the work and discoveries of others than doing any actual field work, except to berate the doctoral students into working harder and longer. One afternoon under the Egyptian sun Alex(andra) falls asleep and has a dream of an ancient chest with strange markings. The dream upsets her so much that she jumps up and runs until she trips over something in the sand, they dig it up to discover it's the chest Alex was dreaming about. Inside the chest they find two scrolls made of metal from a time that predated the iron age. They take the chest to their friends in the lab Jack and Bob, who provide the comic relief but they're skilled lab technicians and if they don't have the equipment they know other doctorial students who do have the right equipment. Together they discover a Rosetta Stone for the two scrolls found which are written in an ancient language and parts of it written in an archaic but more modern form of ancient Egyptian. Together they decide to keep the artifacts and their discoveries away from Professor Dustimaine until they can verify their findings, but each time they make a new discovery it pushes them on to a new discovery until they find the Pharom and activate the powerful machine.
I really enjoyed this book, the authors have a very natural style, that lets the reader feel as if they're witnessing the events as they unfold, it takes a certain amount of confidence and skill that usually takes a lifetime of writing to develop. The writers have the confidence to trust in their story to let the tension build, drawing the reader farther into the story and investing themselves into the outcome, and lets the reader discover things on their own. The writing fully involves the reader and you'll find yourself cheering the heroes, and wanting the villain(s) to get their comeuppance. The characters are vivid and palpable, especially Mitch and Alex, the camaraderie displayed by the two characters feels as if you're getting to know two real people. The same can be said for the descriptions, at times you can almost hear sand scrapping against rock.
I know there's a tradition in science fiction stories of not telling too much about technologies or tools that would be used everyday by the inhabitants of the world described. But I think the Pharom should have a little background on how it came to be in Traeus' possession, what he thinks it will do to benefit his subjects, and how he knows how to use the power. We are told the Pharom is given to man by an alien race, but we never see how that contact was made and why the aliens would give such a machine to a King of a primitive society. The Pharom is alien to Traeus and his people and would naturally invite explanation, these questions need answering, some are alluded to but that's mostly left for the reader to fill in the blanks. I think it's a little obvious throughout the book that a lot of things are being set up for a sequel, and that may be a little unfair for the reader because we're being intrigued and beguiled by elements that we aren't going to see brought to fruition by the end of the book. There's a planned sequel to Secret of the Sands but even a book with a planned sequel should give some answers to the reader be satisfied some of their questions and really to whet their appetite for the next book. But these are minor quibbles compared to all the overall quality and strengths of the book.
This is a beautifully written book and I enjoyed reading it very much, and that I would readily recommend to anyone looking for a good story to read.
--Jym Cherry, staff reviewer for Sonar4 Science Fiction & Horror Ezine
Author's note on this review (additional spoiler alerts): the comment on why aliens gave this technology to the King - this is not the case, the technology was developed by the King and the aliens are not a 'separate' part of this story... ;)
"Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction." -- Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy
"A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion." -McNally Robinson
"We are a Free Science Fiction and Horror Monthly Ezine that accepts submissions all year long of Short Stories, Flashes, Micros. We also do reviews and author interviews."
Here is the link to their website, be sure to check out all of their cool content!
Sonar4 Science Fiction & Horror Ezine
At the end of the review, I have included an author's comment, which I thought important to share.
We are also being checked out by Hollywood for a future movie version of the book, so we hope to see you on the big screen in the not-too-distant future! (in IMAX & 3D!!)
Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands
Reposted from Amazon & Sonar4 (note: some spoiler alerts):
An Egyptian "What If?"
Every story is a "what if?" Writers are continually writing alternate histories of the world even if they seem identical to the world we inhabit. Ancient Egypt wavers in our minds between knowledge and imagination, fact and fiction, like waves of heat coming off the desert, is what we see real or mirage?
Secret of the Sands by Rai Aren and Tavius E has two stories running concurrently and that mirror each other. The first story is the of ancient Egypt before the Pyramids but not before the Sphinx. The "what if" in Secret of the Sands embraces the theory that the Sphinx is older than accepted dating based on the evidence that parts of the Sphinx show that at one time rain flowed over its body indicating that the Sphinx must have been built at a time when the Egyptian weather was much milder and wetter approximately 12,000 years ago. We're introduced to the kingdom of King Traeus and Queen Axiana and the extended royal family that lives in the palace. Traeus and Axiana are beloved rulers and the country is at peace. Traeus has plans to build what will become the Sphinx in honor of a legendary lion that saved an ancient king, it is to be a gift from the royal family to his people. Traeus is taken aback when at the Spring Ceremony, which honors the harvest, some of his subjects stage a protest and demand that Traeus reveal all of his plans to the people. There is also strife within Traeus' own household, Traeus' brother Prince Alaj and his wife Zazmaria are dissatisfied with the status quo of the lack of power Alaj has within the family, and the slights and deceit they perceive from Traeus. Zazmaria is easily seduced by the powerful enemy of Traeus, Lord Draxen. But the intriguers aren't wrong, Traeus himself does have a secret that he is hiding from everybody. He is building a secret chamber under the Sphinx (also rumored in our day and age to exist) to house some kind of machine called the Pharom. Traeus wants to harness the power of this machine to the benefit of his people.
The concurrent story is set in our world, the world of Mitch and Alexandra, they're lifelong friends and colleagues who are doing their field work on a dig near the Sphinx to earn their doctorates. They work for Professor Dustimaine a vainglorious man more interested in taking credit for the work and discoveries of others than doing any actual field work, except to berate the doctoral students into working harder and longer. One afternoon under the Egyptian sun Alex(andra) falls asleep and has a dream of an ancient chest with strange markings. The dream upsets her so much that she jumps up and runs until she trips over something in the sand, they dig it up to discover it's the chest Alex was dreaming about. Inside the chest they find two scrolls made of metal from a time that predated the iron age. They take the chest to their friends in the lab Jack and Bob, who provide the comic relief but they're skilled lab technicians and if they don't have the equipment they know other doctorial students who do have the right equipment. Together they discover a Rosetta Stone for the two scrolls found which are written in an ancient language and parts of it written in an archaic but more modern form of ancient Egyptian. Together they decide to keep the artifacts and their discoveries away from Professor Dustimaine until they can verify their findings, but each time they make a new discovery it pushes them on to a new discovery until they find the Pharom and activate the powerful machine.
I really enjoyed this book, the authors have a very natural style, that lets the reader feel as if they're witnessing the events as they unfold, it takes a certain amount of confidence and skill that usually takes a lifetime of writing to develop. The writers have the confidence to trust in their story to let the tension build, drawing the reader farther into the story and investing themselves into the outcome, and lets the reader discover things on their own. The writing fully involves the reader and you'll find yourself cheering the heroes, and wanting the villain(s) to get their comeuppance. The characters are vivid and palpable, especially Mitch and Alex, the camaraderie displayed by the two characters feels as if you're getting to know two real people. The same can be said for the descriptions, at times you can almost hear sand scrapping against rock.
I know there's a tradition in science fiction stories of not telling too much about technologies or tools that would be used everyday by the inhabitants of the world described. But I think the Pharom should have a little background on how it came to be in Traeus' possession, what he thinks it will do to benefit his subjects, and how he knows how to use the power. We are told the Pharom is given to man by an alien race, but we never see how that contact was made and why the aliens would give such a machine to a King of a primitive society. The Pharom is alien to Traeus and his people and would naturally invite explanation, these questions need answering, some are alluded to but that's mostly left for the reader to fill in the blanks. I think it's a little obvious throughout the book that a lot of things are being set up for a sequel, and that may be a little unfair for the reader because we're being intrigued and beguiled by elements that we aren't going to see brought to fruition by the end of the book. There's a planned sequel to Secret of the Sands but even a book with a planned sequel should give some answers to the reader be satisfied some of their questions and really to whet their appetite for the next book. But these are minor quibbles compared to all the overall quality and strengths of the book.
This is a beautifully written book and I enjoyed reading it very much, and that I would readily recommend to anyone looking for a good story to read.
--Jym Cherry, staff reviewer for Sonar4 Science Fiction & Horror Ezine
Author's note on this review (additional spoiler alerts): the comment on why aliens gave this technology to the King - this is not the case, the technology was developed by the King and the aliens are not a 'separate' part of this story... ;)
"Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction." -- Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy
"A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion." -McNally Robinson
Two more great reviews of Secret of the Sands!!
Hello Goodreads friends,
We are having a great week with two recent stellar reviews of Secret of the Sands! I thought I would share them here with you:
reposted from Amazon:
5-stars: "Tell all your friends about this Secret", May 9, 2009
"Secrets, deceit and lies can make almost any novel exciting. But, add to that, two stories simultaneously told then throw in some romance, science fiction and a power struggle and what do you get? A true page turner that takes you on one heck of a journey.
Rai Aren and Tavius E. have masterfully intertwined a story about a modern day archeological dig in Egypt with a story that took place at the same exact location in ancient times.
Enjoy digging through the pages as you meet archeologists, Mitch and Alex as they unearth an extremely powerful artifact. Then fall back into ancient times and learn how and why King Traeus hid this same strange artifact 12,000 years ago.
In these two completely different stories, it is fascinating to see the differences, yet, even more so, the similarities of how true power effected people in ancient times as it does today.
While power, deception, and lies run concurrent in both stories. So do honor and integrity.
Not having much interest in ancient Egypt, I was somewhat skeptical at the beginning of this tale, but I was quickly won over by the wonderful characterization and scenes. I also really enjoyed the transitions between modern and ancient stories. Secret of the Sands is an enjoyable, fun to read novel that has me looking forward to the authors' sequel, Destiny of the Sands.
Very nicely done, Ms. Aren and Mr. E."
Michael Balkind
Author of Sudden Death & Dead Ball
Our second review was posted on a very cool book blog, The Book Girl Reviews, here is our link:
The Book Girl Reviews: Secret of the Sands
I thought I would also share that review here:
May 10th, 2009: "This book is about two archaeologist who uncover a secret from 12000 yrs ago. The book goes back and forth between the past and present day.
The past deals with the Kiernan people and the royal family who ruled them, and how the family suffered and coped with their decisions dealing with the secret that Traeus has been keeping.
The present deals with Alex and Mitch uncovering this secret and how they handle what they find. Also how they're handling the person trying to undermine them and they must find out who is secretly helping them and why.
The sequel should have the answer to all and am really looking forward to see how all turns out.
This book was very good. I thought the humor dispersed between the archeologist helped to get through the technical facts you need to know to fully understand just how much research and detail they have to go into to arrive at their conclusions. I really felt an emotional pull to the royal family they were researching, and got caught up in the excitement every time Alex and Mitch found out something new. The way the book was written kept you moving right along and descriptions of events made you feel like you were right there with them. I was thoroughly immersed in the royal family's story and suffered right along with Traeus. I am anxiouly awaiting the sequel, Destiny of the Sands, and expect it will be even more exciting to see how Traeus will go on and what Alex and Mitch will do next about reviving the secret. Until then, I wait expectantly."
As always, I am deeply grateful for these wonderful reviews and to know that our story continues to resonate with our readers. The sequel, Destiny of the Sands, is coming along smashingly!!
Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands
We are having a great week with two recent stellar reviews of Secret of the Sands! I thought I would share them here with you:
reposted from Amazon:
5-stars: "Tell all your friends about this Secret", May 9, 2009
"Secrets, deceit and lies can make almost any novel exciting. But, add to that, two stories simultaneously told then throw in some romance, science fiction and a power struggle and what do you get? A true page turner that takes you on one heck of a journey.
Rai Aren and Tavius E. have masterfully intertwined a story about a modern day archeological dig in Egypt with a story that took place at the same exact location in ancient times.
Enjoy digging through the pages as you meet archeologists, Mitch and Alex as they unearth an extremely powerful artifact. Then fall back into ancient times and learn how and why King Traeus hid this same strange artifact 12,000 years ago.
In these two completely different stories, it is fascinating to see the differences, yet, even more so, the similarities of how true power effected people in ancient times as it does today.
While power, deception, and lies run concurrent in both stories. So do honor and integrity.
Not having much interest in ancient Egypt, I was somewhat skeptical at the beginning of this tale, but I was quickly won over by the wonderful characterization and scenes. I also really enjoyed the transitions between modern and ancient stories. Secret of the Sands is an enjoyable, fun to read novel that has me looking forward to the authors' sequel, Destiny of the Sands.
Very nicely done, Ms. Aren and Mr. E."
Michael Balkind
Author of Sudden Death & Dead Ball
Our second review was posted on a very cool book blog, The Book Girl Reviews, here is our link:
The Book Girl Reviews: Secret of the Sands
I thought I would also share that review here:
May 10th, 2009: "This book is about two archaeologist who uncover a secret from 12000 yrs ago. The book goes back and forth between the past and present day.
The past deals with the Kiernan people and the royal family who ruled them, and how the family suffered and coped with their decisions dealing with the secret that Traeus has been keeping.
The present deals with Alex and Mitch uncovering this secret and how they handle what they find. Also how they're handling the person trying to undermine them and they must find out who is secretly helping them and why.
The sequel should have the answer to all and am really looking forward to see how all turns out.
This book was very good. I thought the humor dispersed between the archeologist helped to get through the technical facts you need to know to fully understand just how much research and detail they have to go into to arrive at their conclusions. I really felt an emotional pull to the royal family they were researching, and got caught up in the excitement every time Alex and Mitch found out something new. The way the book was written kept you moving right along and descriptions of events made you feel like you were right there with them. I was thoroughly immersed in the royal family's story and suffered right along with Traeus. I am anxiouly awaiting the sequel, Destiny of the Sands, and expect it will be even more exciting to see how Traeus will go on and what Alex and Mitch will do next about reviving the secret. Until then, I wait expectantly."
As always, I am deeply grateful for these wonderful reviews and to know that our story continues to resonate with our readers. The sequel, Destiny of the Sands, is coming along smashingly!!
Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands
Coming soon! For Sony ebook readers - Secret of the Sands!
I am very happy to share the news that our publisher, Bristlecone Pine Press/Maine Desk LLC is in the process of striking a deal with Sony to offer their ebooks for the Sony reader. We've been receiving requests from interested readers who want our book for their Sony readers, so I am very happy that we will soon be able to offer this cool option!
Do stay tuned! I will let you know when it becomes available :)
In the meantime, you can find our trade paperback copy here:
Secret of the Sands trade paperback on Amazon
Our Amazon kindle version:
Secret of the Sands Amazon kindle edition
And our Mobipocket link:
Secret of the Sands on Mobipocket
Happy reading always, my friends!
Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands
For 12,000 years a dark and deadly secret has been hidden deep below the Great Sphinx of Giza. In present day Egypt, a frightening, yet awe-inspiring story unravels as archaeologists race against time to decipher an ancient truth...
"A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion." -McNally Robinson
"Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction." -- Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy
Do stay tuned! I will let you know when it becomes available :)
In the meantime, you can find our trade paperback copy here:
Secret of the Sands trade paperback on Amazon
Our Amazon kindle version:
Secret of the Sands Amazon kindle edition
And our Mobipocket link:
Secret of the Sands on Mobipocket
Happy reading always, my friends!
Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands
For 12,000 years a dark and deadly secret has been hidden deep below the Great Sphinx of Giza. In present day Egypt, a frightening, yet awe-inspiring story unravels as archaeologists race against time to decipher an ancient truth...
"A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion." -McNally Robinson
"Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction." -- Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy
Secret of the Sands has been picked up by a publisher for foreign translation rights!!
Hi Goodreads peeps,
We just received some fantastic news - a publisher in Turkey has offered us a publishing deal for translation rights to Secret of the Sands!! I can't wait to see the book in a new language!
I'll share details as I get them :)
Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands
We just received some fantastic news - a publisher in Turkey has offered us a publishing deal for translation rights to Secret of the Sands!! I can't wait to see the book in a new language!
I'll share details as I get them :)
Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands
Secret of the Sands was again an Amazon kindle Bestseller!!
Hello fellow readers!
I just wanted to share our good news with you - this past week, Secret of the Sands appeared on the Amazon Kindle Bestseller list for Historical Fiction. Thank-you to all of you wonderful readers out there who are giving our mystery tale about ancient Egypt a try...
Here's a screen shot, we might have been higher than #89, but that's just when I noticed it:
It's truly an honor to see these great results! Happy reading always, my friends!
Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands
www.secretofthesands.com
"A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion." -McNally Robinson
Secret of the Sands trade paperback on Amazon.com
Secret of the Sands kindle edition
"Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction." -- Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy
I just wanted to share our good news with you - this past week, Secret of the Sands appeared on the Amazon Kindle Bestseller list for Historical Fiction. Thank-you to all of you wonderful readers out there who are giving our mystery tale about ancient Egypt a try...
Here's a screen shot, we might have been higher than #89, but that's just when I noticed it:
It's truly an honor to see these great results! Happy reading always, my friends!
Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands
www.secretofthesands.com
"A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion." -McNally Robinson
Secret of the Sands trade paperback on Amazon.com
Secret of the Sands kindle edition
"Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction." -- Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy
Secret of the Sands was again an Amazon kindle Bestseller!!
Hello fellow readers!
I just wanted to share our good news with you - this past week, Secret of the Sands appeared on the Amazon Kindle Bestseller list for Historical Fiction. Thank-you to all of you wonderful readers out there who are giving our mystery tale about ancient Egypt a try...
Here's a screen shot, we might have been higher than #89, but that's just when I noticed it:
It's truly an honor to see these great results! Happy reading always, my friends!
Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands
www.secretofthesands.com
"A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion." -McNally Robinson
Secret of the Sands trade paperback on Amazon.com
Secret of the Sands kindle edition
"Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction." -- Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy
I just wanted to share our good news with you - this past week, Secret of the Sands appeared on the Amazon Kindle Bestseller list for Historical Fiction. Thank-you to all of you wonderful readers out there who are giving our mystery tale about ancient Egypt a try...
Here's a screen shot, we might have been higher than #89, but that's just when I noticed it:
It's truly an honor to see these great results! Happy reading always, my friends!
Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands
www.secretofthesands.com
"A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion." -McNally Robinson
Secret of the Sands trade paperback on Amazon.com
Secret of the Sands kindle edition
"Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction." -- Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy
Attention fellow authors: Cool new book contest to enter!
Hey there fellow authors,
I just came across an exciting new book contest that is open to books published between 2005-2009 in 40 different categories. We are planning to enter Secret of the Sands into the contest & I wanted to pass along the word:
Readers Favorite Award Contest - Enter Today!
Here is some info about the contest, which makes it so appealing:
What Do You Win?
Winners will be chosen in four levels for each Genre Category: Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Honorable Mention. Each winner will receive a personalized Award Certificate, a high resolution version of their seal for publication, and a roll of Seal Stickers to affix to current editions of their book.
Readers Favorite announces the results of our competition through a premium press release which is placed into RSS feeds with more than 250,000 subscribers including bloggers, journalists and consumers. The release is also sent to more than 30,000 opt-in journalists and bloggers and will appear on search engines like Yahoo and Google. The release will remain online, indefinitely, continually advertising you and your book. Winners will also be featured on our website.
All entrants receive a complete book review which will be posted on our site and on Amazon. Winners and Finalists will receive juror feedback and evaluation notes of their work. This can be extremely helpful in rewrites or edits, especially for manuscript entries. In addition, jurors will make quotable comments throughout the evaluation which you may use in your marketing.
********
It sounds very exciting! You can click on the link above or the banner below to find out more info & enter the contest.
Good luck to any & all who enter!!
Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands
I just came across an exciting new book contest that is open to books published between 2005-2009 in 40 different categories. We are planning to enter Secret of the Sands into the contest & I wanted to pass along the word:
Readers Favorite Award Contest - Enter Today!
Here is some info about the contest, which makes it so appealing:
What Do You Win?
Winners will be chosen in four levels for each Genre Category: Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Honorable Mention. Each winner will receive a personalized Award Certificate, a high resolution version of their seal for publication, and a roll of Seal Stickers to affix to current editions of their book.
Readers Favorite announces the results of our competition through a premium press release which is placed into RSS feeds with more than 250,000 subscribers including bloggers, journalists and consumers. The release is also sent to more than 30,000 opt-in journalists and bloggers and will appear on search engines like Yahoo and Google. The release will remain online, indefinitely, continually advertising you and your book. Winners will also be featured on our website.
All entrants receive a complete book review which will be posted on our site and on Amazon. Winners and Finalists will receive juror feedback and evaluation notes of their work. This can be extremely helpful in rewrites or edits, especially for manuscript entries. In addition, jurors will make quotable comments throughout the evaluation which you may use in your marketing.
********
It sounds very exciting! You can click on the link above or the banner below to find out more info & enter the contest.
Good luck to any & all who enter!!
Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands
Secret of the Sands eBook is now also available on OmniLit!
Hi fellow readers,
I wanted to pass along some cool news - the eBook version of Secret of the Sands is now also available on OmniLit! We are honored that they chose to list our title :)
Here is the link to our OmniLit listing:
http://www.omnilit.com/product-secret...
Secret of the Sands
By: Rai Aren and Tavius E. | Other books by Rai Aren and Tavius E.
Published By: Bristlecone Pine Press
ISBN # 978-0-9817464-5-6
Word Count: 100532
Available in: Adobe Acrobat, HTML, Mobipocket, Epub
About the book
In the shadow of the Great Sphinx of Giza, two young archaeologists unearth extremely unusual artifacts dating over 12,000 years old. Not only could this change everything we thought we knew about Ancient Egypt, but the exhilarating find is wrong - very wrong. The artifacts shouldn't be there. . .they shouldn't even exist at all. The greatest discovery in human history may also turn out to be the deadliest. . . Visit www.secretofthesands.com to learn more about the story that opens a window into the past, bringing this previously unknown and startling civilization to life.
I wanted to pass along some cool news - the eBook version of Secret of the Sands is now also available on OmniLit! We are honored that they chose to list our title :)
Here is the link to our OmniLit listing:
http://www.omnilit.com/product-secret...
Secret of the Sands
By: Rai Aren and Tavius E. | Other books by Rai Aren and Tavius E.
Published By: Bristlecone Pine Press
ISBN # 978-0-9817464-5-6
Word Count: 100532
Available in: Adobe Acrobat, HTML, Mobipocket, Epub
About the book
In the shadow of the Great Sphinx of Giza, two young archaeologists unearth extremely unusual artifacts dating over 12,000 years old. Not only could this change everything we thought we knew about Ancient Egypt, but the exhilarating find is wrong - very wrong. The artifacts shouldn't be there. . .they shouldn't even exist at all. The greatest discovery in human history may also turn out to be the deadliest. . . Visit www.secretofthesands.com to learn more about the story that opens a window into the past, bringing this previously unknown and startling civilization to life.
Awesome new 5-star review of the adventure novel Secret of the Sands!
Hi friends,
I was absolutely delighted to come across another 5-star review of our adventure novel, Secret of the Sands. I thought I would share it with you:
reposted from Amazon:
"Can't wait for the Movie!", October 27, 2009
"Secret of the Sands is a very entertaining and exciting tale of ancient Egypt and modern archeology. The authors succeed in painting the ancient world and its characters in realistic and memorable fashion. Secret of the Sands is a story of adventure, wonder, betrayal, forgiveness, suspense, and action - all the elements that so often can be weaved together into a blockbuster movie. A hope this tale gets the opportunity to reach the big screen - i'll be amongst the first in line to see it! Fans of adventure tales like Indiana Jones will love this book." --P. Martucci
*******
If you are interested in buying our mystery novel, here is the link to the trade paperback version:
http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Sands-Ra...
and here is the link to our Amazon kindle version:
http://www.amazon.com/Secret-of-the-S...
Happy reading always, my friends!
Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands
www.secretofthesands.com
For 12,000 years a dark and deadly secret has been hidden deep below the Great Sphinx of Giza. In present day Egypt, a frightening, yet awe-inspiring story unravels as archaeologists race against time to decipher an ancient truth...
"A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion." -McNally Robinson
"Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction." -- Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy
I was absolutely delighted to come across another 5-star review of our adventure novel, Secret of the Sands. I thought I would share it with you:
reposted from Amazon:
"Can't wait for the Movie!", October 27, 2009
"Secret of the Sands is a very entertaining and exciting tale of ancient Egypt and modern archeology. The authors succeed in painting the ancient world and its characters in realistic and memorable fashion. Secret of the Sands is a story of adventure, wonder, betrayal, forgiveness, suspense, and action - all the elements that so often can be weaved together into a blockbuster movie. A hope this tale gets the opportunity to reach the big screen - i'll be amongst the first in line to see it! Fans of adventure tales like Indiana Jones will love this book." --P. Martucci
*******
If you are interested in buying our mystery novel, here is the link to the trade paperback version:
http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Sands-Ra...
and here is the link to our Amazon kindle version:
http://www.amazon.com/Secret-of-the-S...
Happy reading always, my friends!
Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands
www.secretofthesands.com
For 12,000 years a dark and deadly secret has been hidden deep below the Great Sphinx of Giza. In present day Egypt, a frightening, yet awe-inspiring story unravels as archaeologists race against time to decipher an ancient truth...
"A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion." -McNally Robinson
"Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction." -- Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy
We are now award-winning authors!
I am extremely pleased to announce that we have won two medals in the category of “Fiction-Mystery” in the Readers Favorite 2009 book contest, a silver medal for Secret of the Sands and a bronze medal for its upcoming sequel, Destiny of the Sands (coming in 2010!). How cool is that?!?! This is truly an honor for us and I am thrilled to say that we are now award-winning authors! Here is the link to the announcement:
Readers Favorite 2009 Winners
It is immensely gratifying to receive this praise and to know that our stories resonate with readers and reviewers alike. It really is a dream come true… ☺
I just had to show off our super cool Certificates of Award:
I would also like to share the judge’s comments we received on each book:
SECRET OF THE SANDS:
“Authors Rai Aren and Travius E. bring the ancient past to life. Secret of The Sands is a fast paced adventure reminding me of The Indiana Jones Series. The authors successfully weave the past and present together playing out two stories at once. In the past, we watch the story of King Traeus and Queen Axiana unfolds. There is strife in Traeus’’ kingdom. He builds a secret chamber under the Sphinx to hide a powerful machine that he hopes will help his people.
In the present Archeology students, Mitch and Alex discover a box hidden in a secret chamber under the Sphinx. The box contains two scrolls and a metal unknown to humankind but predating the iron age. They more they learn the more they question.
This is my kind of book. Please, please make a continuing series and a movie! The authors are extremely talented. I cannot praise this book enough. Fast paced, page turner, character development, fascinating plot…….what more could I ask for.” – ReadersFavorite.com
DESTINY OF THE SANDS:
“Destiny of the Sands is the second book in this series. The first book was Secret of The Sands. The story continues in 1941. The war continues and the mysterious box resurfaces. Mitch and Alex must return to once more study the strange alloy. The past and the future intertwine to create an adventure that the reader will not want to end. Danger lurks around every corner as the Nazis fight for world dominance.
(The authors) allow reader to observe life in ancient Egypt and during WWI. There descriptions are fascinating. The characters are realistic. I was very partial to the ancient Egypt scenes. While the stories are parallel for me the past was almost hypnotic. I wanted to experience more. I hope there is another book in this series.” – ReadersFavorite.com
Happy reading always my friends!
Rai Aren, co-author of the mystery novel Secret of the Sands
Destiny of the Sands to be released in 2010
www.secretofthesands.com
Readers Favorite 2009 Winners
It is immensely gratifying to receive this praise and to know that our stories resonate with readers and reviewers alike. It really is a dream come true… ☺
I just had to show off our super cool Certificates of Award:
I would also like to share the judge’s comments we received on each book:
SECRET OF THE SANDS:
“Authors Rai Aren and Travius E. bring the ancient past to life. Secret of The Sands is a fast paced adventure reminding me of The Indiana Jones Series. The authors successfully weave the past and present together playing out two stories at once. In the past, we watch the story of King Traeus and Queen Axiana unfolds. There is strife in Traeus’’ kingdom. He builds a secret chamber under the Sphinx to hide a powerful machine that he hopes will help his people.
In the present Archeology students, Mitch and Alex discover a box hidden in a secret chamber under the Sphinx. The box contains two scrolls and a metal unknown to humankind but predating the iron age. They more they learn the more they question.
This is my kind of book. Please, please make a continuing series and a movie! The authors are extremely talented. I cannot praise this book enough. Fast paced, page turner, character development, fascinating plot…….what more could I ask for.” – ReadersFavorite.com
DESTINY OF THE SANDS:
“Destiny of the Sands is the second book in this series. The first book was Secret of The Sands. The story continues in 1941. The war continues and the mysterious box resurfaces. Mitch and Alex must return to once more study the strange alloy. The past and the future intertwine to create an adventure that the reader will not want to end. Danger lurks around every corner as the Nazis fight for world dominance.
(The authors) allow reader to observe life in ancient Egypt and during WWI. There descriptions are fascinating. The characters are realistic. I was very partial to the ancient Egypt scenes. While the stories are parallel for me the past was almost hypnotic. I wanted to experience more. I hope there is another book in this series.” – ReadersFavorite.com
Happy reading always my friends!
Rai Aren, co-author of the mystery novel Secret of the Sands
Destiny of the Sands to be released in 2010
www.secretofthesands.com
