MaryAnn Bernal's Blog, page 279
May 21, 2014
Margin Mystery Solved in Rare Edition of Odyssey
by Richard Farrell
The curious notations at the margins of this 1504 copy of Homer's Odyssey have finally been identified.
University of Chicago Special Collections Research Center
A kind of literary whodunit was solved recently when mysterious handwritten notations from a rare, 1504 edition of Homer's Odyssey were identified.
The epic poem was part of a collection donated to the University of Chicago Library in 2007 by a collector, and ever since the unknown notations have told the library little besides their probable dating to the 1850s.
What better way to solve a mystery than to incentivize the correct solution with a thousand bucks? That's just what the collector, M.C. Lang, did. The deal was simple: Identify the script in the margins, prove the assertion, translate some of it, and then the fun part: pocket $1,000.
Italian digital humanities student Daniele Metilli took the prize when he and a co-sleuth with a background in stenography and the French language, Giula Accetta, cracked the case.
Did an Earthquake Destroy Ancient Greece?Because there were French words mixed in with the mystery handwriting, and the legible date of April 25, 1854 was present, the duo investigated French stenographic systems that were in use during that time.
After judging a few of those systems "not guilty," Metilli and Accetta hit paydirt: The guilty party was Jean Coulon de Thévénot, creator in the late 1700s of the shorthand notation system scrawled amid the Greek text of the 1504 Homer. The decoded notes were French translations of some of the Greek wording in the classic tome.
To the untrained eye, the notation looks like the Palmer Method gone horribly wrong. But there's a method to the cryptic madness. "Every consonant and vowel has a starting shape, and they combine together to form new shapes representing syllables," said Metilli. The curious underlining of words was also key to their meaning, based on each letter's position atop or below the line.
Next up for Metilli and Accetta is to unmask the author as well as determine why the notations are only present in one place in the book.
via The University of Chicagohttp://news.discovery.com/history/art-history/margin-mystery-solved-in-rare-edition-of-odyssey-140507.htm
The curious notations at the margins of this 1504 copy of Homer's Odyssey have finally been identified.
University of Chicago Special Collections Research Center
A kind of literary whodunit was solved recently when mysterious handwritten notations from a rare, 1504 edition of Homer's Odyssey were identified.
The epic poem was part of a collection donated to the University of Chicago Library in 2007 by a collector, and ever since the unknown notations have told the library little besides their probable dating to the 1850s.
What better way to solve a mystery than to incentivize the correct solution with a thousand bucks? That's just what the collector, M.C. Lang, did. The deal was simple: Identify the script in the margins, prove the assertion, translate some of it, and then the fun part: pocket $1,000.
Italian digital humanities student Daniele Metilli took the prize when he and a co-sleuth with a background in stenography and the French language, Giula Accetta, cracked the case.
Did an Earthquake Destroy Ancient Greece?Because there were French words mixed in with the mystery handwriting, and the legible date of April 25, 1854 was present, the duo investigated French stenographic systems that were in use during that time.
After judging a few of those systems "not guilty," Metilli and Accetta hit paydirt: The guilty party was Jean Coulon de Thévénot, creator in the late 1700s of the shorthand notation system scrawled amid the Greek text of the 1504 Homer. The decoded notes were French translations of some of the Greek wording in the classic tome.
To the untrained eye, the notation looks like the Palmer Method gone horribly wrong. But there's a method to the cryptic madness. "Every consonant and vowel has a starting shape, and they combine together to form new shapes representing syllables," said Metilli. The curious underlining of words was also key to their meaning, based on each letter's position atop or below the line.
Next up for Metilli and Accetta is to unmask the author as well as determine why the notations are only present in one place in the book.
via The University of Chicagohttp://news.discovery.com/history/art-history/margin-mystery-solved-in-rare-edition-of-odyssey-140507.htm
Lost Song by Mendelssohn Re-Discovered Among Papers in US
A song written by German composer Felix Mendelssohn went missing some 140 years ago — but has now been rediscovered among the papers of the grandfather of a U.S. musician.The song, "Das Menschen Herz ist ein Schact," or "The heart of man is like a mine" was privately commissioned in 1842 for an acquaintance who worked at the Court Theater in Berlin. It was never published but was known to musical scholars and had been sold at auction in 1862, then again in 1872.
Lack of Vitamin D May Have Killed Mozart
Since then its whereabouts remained a mystery and scholars aren't sure how the work ended up in the United States.
The manuscript will be sold at Christie's in London later this month, where it is expected to fetch £15,000 – £25,000 ($25,000-$42,000). The manuscript has the composer's signature at the bottom, which proves the piece is genuine.
According to a Christie's London news release, the text of the song is drawn from the second stanza of Friedrich Ruckert's poem Das Unveranderliche and compares the human heart to a mine which can produce gold, silver or humbler ore, but only gives what contains within itself. It is made up of 29 bars for an alto voice and piano in A flat major.
Fish Listen to Music, Prefer Bach
The song is accompanied by a letter from Mendelssohn to theater manager Johann Valentin Teichmann – who commissioned the song – asking him not to make the work public. Considering the composer's instructions, he may not have been pleased that the BBC's Radio 4's Today program broadcast a performance of the song (watch below). The song is simple and plaintive — a work, it seems, that the composer should be proud to finally share.
Felix Mendelssohn was born in Hamburg in 1809 to wealthy German Jewish parents who renounced their faith and later had their children baptized by the Reform Church. Felix was considered a child prodigy and composed his first piece at the age of 12.
His most famous works include the Hebrides Overture, his Italian and Scottish Symphonies, and his Overture to Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.
http://news.discovery.com/history/art-history/lost-song-by-mendelssohn-re-discovered-among-papers-in-us-140506.htm
History Trivia - Lady Jane Grey marries Guildford Dudley
May 21
on this day The Agonalia was held. It was held on January 9th, March 17th, May 21st, and December 11th. On each day a ram was sacrificed, probably as an offering to Janus.
685 English settlement was halted at the Firth of Forth when Picts defeated Northumbrians at Nachtansmere.
878 Syracuse, Italy was captured by the Muslim sultan of Sicily.
996 Sixteen-year-old Otto III, king of Germany and fourth ruler of the Ottonian (Saxon) dynasty was crowned Holy Roman Emperor.
987 Louis V, last Carlovingian King of France (966-987), died.
1420 Charles VI ceded France to Henry V of England in the Treaty of Troyes, after Henry's victory at Agincourt.
1471 King Henry VI was killed in the Tower of London. Edward IV took the throne.
1481 Christian I, king of Denmark/Norway/Sweden, died.
1553 English Lady Jane Grey married Guildford Dudley.
on this day The Agonalia was held. It was held on January 9th, March 17th, May 21st, and December 11th. On each day a ram was sacrificed, probably as an offering to Janus.
685 English settlement was halted at the Firth of Forth when Picts defeated Northumbrians at Nachtansmere.
878 Syracuse, Italy was captured by the Muslim sultan of Sicily.
996 Sixteen-year-old Otto III, king of Germany and fourth ruler of the Ottonian (Saxon) dynasty was crowned Holy Roman Emperor.
987 Louis V, last Carlovingian King of France (966-987), died.
1420 Charles VI ceded France to Henry V of England in the Treaty of Troyes, after Henry's victory at Agincourt.
1471 King Henry VI was killed in the Tower of London. Edward IV took the throne.
1481 Christian I, king of Denmark/Norway/Sweden, died.
1553 English Lady Jane Grey married Guildford Dudley.
May 20, 2014
Mr. Chuckles popped by the Wizard's Cauldron where Terry Tyler discusses her new release, Kings and Queens
Terry says:Kings and Queens is the 7th novel I have published on Amazon, and is my most ambitious work to date. It tells the story of Harry Lanchester, a charismatic property developer, and six women with whom he becomes involved, over a period of 35 years. It just happens to mirror the story of Henry VIII and his six wives, but you do not have to know anything about that period in history to enjoy it, as it is, essentially, a contemporary novel in the romantic suspense/drama genre.
Read more at:
http://greenwizard62.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/terry-kings-and-queens-tyler-returns.html
'Magical' 18th-Century Artifacts Found in Caribbean
by Owen Jarus, LiveScience
Small iron balls called grape shot, meant to be shot out of cannons, were found in the posthole of a plantation house discovered in the British Virgin Islands. Archaeologists working on two small Caribbean islands have found artifacts intentionally buried beneath two 18th-century plantation houses. They appear to have been placed there for their spiritual power, protecting the inhabitants against harm, said John Chenoweth, a professor at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, in an interview with Live Science. The discoveries were made recently in the British Virgin Islands, an overseas territory of the United Kingdom. On one island archaeologists found "grape shot" — iron balls less than an inch (2 centimeters) in diameter meant to be shot from a cannon — buried in two postholes under a sugar plantation house. At this time on the British Virgin Islands "weapons were in short supply, so these bullets would have been likely relatively important," Chenoweth said. Why someone would bury them in postholes is a mystery, as one would need to dig up the house's foundation to access the iron balls, not to mention the balls would corrode over time, Chenoweth said.
That ammunition likely served a spiritual or magical purpose, he said. Supporting that idea, researchers Jacqueline Simpson and Steve Roud write in the "Dictionary of English Folklore" (Oxford University Press, 2002) that "the power of iron to repel evil is very well attested in Englishfolklore, and throughout Europe — all sorts of domestic objects, and even lumps of scrap iron, were placed in homes, stables and cowsheds as defenses against witchcraft and harmful fairies, or used in counter-spells."
Chenoweth believes that this ammunition was used like a counterspell. Grape shot was intended for warfare and therefore could be magically used to stop violence. "Following the idea of 'like cures like' the grape shot may have beenburied to keep violent attack away," he said in a follow-up email.
The inhabitants of the two-room plantation house had plenty of potential violence to worry about, as historical records show the island government continually warned London the colony was short of weapons and ammunition and was vulnerable to a Spanish attack or slave uprising, Chenoweth said. The fact that the plantation homeowners buried this scarce ammunition makes the find all the more remarkable.
"When they placed them there they had a good reason for doing so," Chenoweth said. (History of Human Aggression: 10 Ways Combat Has Evolved)
The quarters for the plantation slaves have not yet been found.
http://news.discovery.com/history/archaeology/magical-18th-century-artifacts-found-in-caribbean-140520.htm
Small iron balls called grape shot, meant to be shot out of cannons, were found in the posthole of a plantation house discovered in the British Virgin Islands. Archaeologists working on two small Caribbean islands have found artifacts intentionally buried beneath two 18th-century plantation houses. They appear to have been placed there for their spiritual power, protecting the inhabitants against harm, said John Chenoweth, a professor at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, in an interview with Live Science. The discoveries were made recently in the British Virgin Islands, an overseas territory of the United Kingdom. On one island archaeologists found "grape shot" — iron balls less than an inch (2 centimeters) in diameter meant to be shot from a cannon — buried in two postholes under a sugar plantation house. At this time on the British Virgin Islands "weapons were in short supply, so these bullets would have been likely relatively important," Chenoweth said. Why someone would bury them in postholes is a mystery, as one would need to dig up the house's foundation to access the iron balls, not to mention the balls would corrode over time, Chenoweth said.That ammunition likely served a spiritual or magical purpose, he said. Supporting that idea, researchers Jacqueline Simpson and Steve Roud write in the "Dictionary of English Folklore" (Oxford University Press, 2002) that "the power of iron to repel evil is very well attested in Englishfolklore, and throughout Europe — all sorts of domestic objects, and even lumps of scrap iron, were placed in homes, stables and cowsheds as defenses against witchcraft and harmful fairies, or used in counter-spells."
Chenoweth believes that this ammunition was used like a counterspell. Grape shot was intended for warfare and therefore could be magically used to stop violence. "Following the idea of 'like cures like' the grape shot may have beenburied to keep violent attack away," he said in a follow-up email.
The inhabitants of the two-room plantation house had plenty of potential violence to worry about, as historical records show the island government continually warned London the colony was short of weapons and ammunition and was vulnerable to a Spanish attack or slave uprising, Chenoweth said. The fact that the plantation homeowners buried this scarce ammunition makes the find all the more remarkable.
"When they placed them there they had a good reason for doing so," Chenoweth said. (History of Human Aggression: 10 Ways Combat Has Evolved)
The quarters for the plantation slaves have not yet been found.
http://news.discovery.com/history/archaeology/magical-18th-century-artifacts-found-in-caribbean-140520.htm
'Byzantine iPad' Found in Ancient Shipwreck
Rossella Lorenzi
Turkish archaeologists excavating a harbor site on the European side of the Bosphorus have unearthed a 1,200-year-old wooden object which they claim is the ancient equivalent of a tablet computer. The device was a notebook and tool — in one.
The Byzantine invention was found within the remains of one of the 37 ships unearthed in the Yenikapi area of Istanbul, a site which has been at the center of excavations for the past 10 years.
Also known as Theodosius Port, it was built in the late 4th century during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Theodosius I and become the city's most important commercial port.
Photos: Biggest Shipwreck Finds in History
Probably belonging to the ship's captain, the wooden object, whose cover is finely carved with decorations, is the size of a modern seven-inch tablet, but it's much thicker.
It consists of a set of five overlaid rectangular panels carved with frames and covered with wax. Notes could be taken on those panels, as shown by writing in Greek which is still visible on the wax.
A primitive "app" is hidden on the bottom panel: a sliding lid revealing a hidden plate with carved spaces.
"When you draw the sliding part, there are small weights used as an assay balance," Ufuk Kocabaş, director of Istanbul University’s department of marine archeology and the Yenikapi Shipwrecks Project, told Hurriyet Daily News.
Since it was a merchant ship, the tool was likely used to assess the value of some items. Assay balances were used to determine the metal content in ore or the kind of precious metal in an alloy.
Smuggled Cargo Found on Ancient Roman Ship
The notebook could have been easily carried. Each panel features four holes -- they were drilled in two pairs in order to bind the notebook together, probably by leather straps.
"Yenikapı is a phenomenon with its 37 sunken ships and organic products. I think these organic products are the most important feature of the excavations," Kocabaş said.
The sunken ship upon which the "Byzantine iPad" was found, has been dated to around the 9th century A.D.
Shipwreck Yields Bonanza of Gold Bars & Coins
The containers it had been carrying suggest the vessel sailed the Black Sea, transporting goods from Crimea to Kersonesos.
A research team from Istanbul University is now restoring the ship, 60 percent of which has survived in good condition, with the aim of having her set sail again by 2015.
Image: The Byzantine notebook. Credit: Ufuk Kocabaş.
http://news.discovery.com/history/archaeology/byzantine-ipad-found-in-ancient-shipwreck-14051.htm
Turkish archaeologists excavating a harbor site on the European side of the Bosphorus have unearthed a 1,200-year-old wooden object which they claim is the ancient equivalent of a tablet computer. The device was a notebook and tool — in one.The Byzantine invention was found within the remains of one of the 37 ships unearthed in the Yenikapi area of Istanbul, a site which has been at the center of excavations for the past 10 years.
Also known as Theodosius Port, it was built in the late 4th century during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Theodosius I and become the city's most important commercial port.
Photos: Biggest Shipwreck Finds in History
Probably belonging to the ship's captain, the wooden object, whose cover is finely carved with decorations, is the size of a modern seven-inch tablet, but it's much thicker.
It consists of a set of five overlaid rectangular panels carved with frames and covered with wax. Notes could be taken on those panels, as shown by writing in Greek which is still visible on the wax.
A primitive "app" is hidden on the bottom panel: a sliding lid revealing a hidden plate with carved spaces.
"When you draw the sliding part, there are small weights used as an assay balance," Ufuk Kocabaş, director of Istanbul University’s department of marine archeology and the Yenikapi Shipwrecks Project, told Hurriyet Daily News.
Since it was a merchant ship, the tool was likely used to assess the value of some items. Assay balances were used to determine the metal content in ore or the kind of precious metal in an alloy.
Smuggled Cargo Found on Ancient Roman Ship
The notebook could have been easily carried. Each panel features four holes -- they were drilled in two pairs in order to bind the notebook together, probably by leather straps.
"Yenikapı is a phenomenon with its 37 sunken ships and organic products. I think these organic products are the most important feature of the excavations," Kocabaş said.
The sunken ship upon which the "Byzantine iPad" was found, has been dated to around the 9th century A.D.
Shipwreck Yields Bonanza of Gold Bars & Coins
The containers it had been carrying suggest the vessel sailed the Black Sea, transporting goods from Crimea to Kersonesos.
A research team from Istanbul University is now restoring the ship, 60 percent of which has survived in good condition, with the aim of having her set sail again by 2015.
Image: The Byzantine notebook. Credit: Ufuk Kocabaş.
http://news.discovery.com/history/archaeology/byzantine-ipad-found-in-ancient-shipwreck-14051.htm
History Trivia - The Battle of Dunnichen - Picts victorious
May 20
325 Roman emperor Constantine called the Council of Nicaea, the first ecumenical Christian council.
685 The Battle of Dunnichen or Nechtansmere was fought between a Pictish army under King Bridei III and the invading Northumbrians under King Ecgfrith, who were decisively defeated.
1217 The Second Battle of Lincoln was fought near Lincoln, England, resulting in the defeat of Prince Louis of France by William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke.
325 Roman emperor Constantine called the Council of Nicaea, the first ecumenical Christian council.
685 The Battle of Dunnichen or Nechtansmere was fought between a Pictish army under King Bridei III and the invading Northumbrians under King Ecgfrith, who were decisively defeated.
1217 The Second Battle of Lincoln was fought near Lincoln, England, resulting in the defeat of Prince Louis of France by William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke.
May 19, 2014
Congratulations author K Meador for being selected as Authorsdb Featured Author of the Week
K Meador - Hot
http://authorsdb.com/authors-directory/4488-k-meador
BioBorn in Jacksonville, Florida and raised in Texas since she was four years old, K-Trina Meador is the youngest of five children. Growing up in Cross Plains, Texas and being raised on a seventy acre farm gives her an appreciation for country life and the small town community. She has two grown sons.
She enjoys hiking, snorkeling, scuba diving, photography and aviation. She is currently traveling from state to state working as an aircraft mechanic and author. Current locations include: Hawaii, Georgia, South Carolina and currently, Oklahoma.
Her first novel, Journey to Freedom, was published in April 2012. Followed by Their Journey Begins in November 2012 and Transcendence in December 2012. Most recent publication is The Knight of the Dixie Wilds in May 2013. Book DetailsAmazon Book Descriptions, Reviews & Buy Audio books also available
http://www.amazon.com/On-Top-of-the-Rainbow/dp/B00I5XP7OS/ref=tmm_aud_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1400502801&sr=1-10
http://www.amazon.com/Princess-Alexia-and-the-Dragon/dp/B00J0BU8NO/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_audd?ie=UTF8&qid=1400502748&sr=8-1&keywords=k+meador
http://authorsdb.com/authors-directory/4488-k-meador
BioBorn in Jacksonville, Florida and raised in Texas since she was four years old, K-Trina Meador is the youngest of five children. Growing up in Cross Plains, Texas and being raised on a seventy acre farm gives her an appreciation for country life and the small town community. She has two grown sons.She enjoys hiking, snorkeling, scuba diving, photography and aviation. She is currently traveling from state to state working as an aircraft mechanic and author. Current locations include: Hawaii, Georgia, South Carolina and currently, Oklahoma.
Her first novel, Journey to Freedom, was published in April 2012. Followed by Their Journey Begins in November 2012 and Transcendence in December 2012. Most recent publication is The Knight of the Dixie Wilds in May 2013. Book DetailsAmazon Book Descriptions, Reviews & Buy Audio books also available
http://www.amazon.com/On-Top-of-the-Rainbow/dp/B00I5XP7OS/ref=tmm_aud_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1400502801&sr=1-10
http://www.amazon.com/Princess-Alexia-and-the-Dragon/dp/B00J0BU8NO/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_audd?ie=UTF8&qid=1400502748&sr=8-1&keywords=k+meador
Some fun facts about R. Kyle Hannah, author of ASSASSIN’S GAMBIT
Please welcome author R. Kyle Hannah who has graciously agreed to tell us some fun facts about himself.
R. Kyle Hannah is a local from the Birmingham area and has served in the US Military for over 28 years as a Finance Officer, Logistics Officer and a host of other positions. He is slated to retire in 2015 and hopes to devote more time to writing. He is the author of the TIME ASSASSINS series, a time travel adventure that rewrites alternate timelines into our history. The second book in the series, ASSASSIN'S GAMBIT, debuted on the amazon bestseller list the first day of its release. Kyle is also the author of several short stories and TO AID AND PROTECT, his first novel. He has several projects in the works, including the final TIME ASSASSINS novel, HARVEST DAY, THE JAKE CUTTER CONSPIRACY, HYPERION, and ATLANTIS FALLING. He is married with two children and lives in the suburbs of Birmingham, Alabama
Captain Bear is spilling the beans about Kyle and stuff you didn't know: Kyle has A-D-D, which means that his mind is in constant overdrive. He has ideas about a story, a scene, or even just dialogue between characters all the time, so he never goes anywhere without a notebook or his phone for voice memos. MAB: I function at warp speed and am in constant overdrive, so you're in good company. Kyle is a US Army Paratrooper, and has included “jump scenes” in two of his stories. MAB: On my bucket list. Kyle started writing in High School as a way to combat boredom. It was either that or act up in class and he didn’t want that much trouble when he got home!!! MAB: I used to doodle, never got caught. Kyle has also written poetry and song lyrics. He has almost two dozen songs written without music. Like his early writing, some are ok, some are complete garbage…but fun to revisit every so often. MAB - at least you can sing! Kyle wrote his first and third novels while deployed to the Middle East. MAB: Thank you for serving our country, Kyle. Kyle will be a guest at the ALABAMA PHOENIX FESTIVAL, Birmingham’s very own sci-fi convention. If you are in the area, come visit. Find out more at www.alabamaphoenixfestival.com. MAB - I've attended the Star Trek Conventions when I lived in New York. Yes, I'm a Trekker and proud of it!
MAB next to Captain Janeway on the bridge of Voyager.
MAB: Carmina Burana - good choice
Kyle's Novels:
Kyle's first novel, TO AND AND PROTECT, was written in Afghanistan in 2002.
http://www.amazon.com/Aid-Protect-R-Kyle-Hannah-ebook/dp/B004J172WK/ref=la_B00876V5LW_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1399907514&sr=1-3
When their planet faces destruction, the simian-like Cenceti flee in thousands of ships piloted by a master computer designed to watch over and guide them. When a new homeworld is discovered and preparations are made to abandon the fleet, the now sentient computer realizes it cannot assist them if they leave. After unsatisfactorily trying to convince the Cenceti to stay in space, the computer lashes out at its creators and destroys them.
Now, after years of roaming the universe and unsuccessfully interacting with dozens of species, the computer has picked up signals from another sentient species; a species in desperate need of protection. Following the signals, the computer turns its fleet of spider-shaped ships toward the planet Earth. How will the human's react to the alien computer...and will it be able to finally fulfill its programming To Aid and Protect?
TIME ASSASSINS is a time travel, alternate history story with a lot of history and drama.
http://www.amazon.com/Time-Assassins-R-Kyle-Hannah-ebook/dp/B009V3FN7M/ref=la_B00876V5LW_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1399907514&sr=1-2
History has always been written by the victor, but in the shadows, history has been manipulated by an ancient Guild of Time Assassins. Until now. Rick Brewer, assassin's apprentice, is sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit. He escapes to a distant past and, stranded in time, seeks revenge against the Guild by creating instability in the time-line by choosing powerful targets - The Presidents of the United States of America. Reginald Mayweather is a ruthless business tycoon and not one to accept no as an answer, but when a business prospect fails, he demands the help of the Assassin's Guild to eradicate the competition by killing his competitor's ancestors. If successful, it could prove disastrous to the time-line on a global scale. Jason Lassiter joined the Assassin's Guild because he wanted to experience history first hand. Little does he know that his future, and the future of the Guild, rests in his hands.
ASSASSIN’S GAMBIT is the sequel to TIME ASSASSINS and debuted on the amazon best seller list on its first day of release.http://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Gambit-Time-Kyle-Hannah-ebook/dp/B00JX1PNEU/ref=la_B00876V5LW_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1399907514&sr=1-1 Pulled forward in time by the Guild of a distant future, Assassin 101 is tasked with tracking down a rogue agent before he can return to his time. What he finds is a web of espionage bent on destruction and domination, and a family secret makes the Assassin doubt his own future.
Sebastian Caine, a top level Apprentice, has duped the Guild into complacency. Sentenced to death for his crimes, he escapes into the past. Plans for a new life hinge on drastically changing the timeline.
Rick Brewer has been a guinea pig for Guild scientists since his capture. Along with Assassin 97, he is sent to retrieve Caine, but his growing affection towards her becomes more pronounced as they bounce through the Renaissance in search of Caine. When Assassin 97 is captured and tortured, Brewer must make the ultimate sacrifice.
To rescue Assassin 97, Brewer and Assassin 101 must violate Guild law and, with it, accept possible execution. Can Assassin 101 save his wife and his future, or will the Guild leave her to history? Kyle's books are also available on: www.smashwords.comwww.darkdragonpublishing.com Want more of Kyle - click on the links www.rkylehannah.comwww.facebook.com/rkylehannahwriterwww.rkylehannah.blogspot.com@rkhannah on twitter
MAB Thanks for stopping by, Kyle. The best of luck with sales.
R. Kyle Hannah is a local from the Birmingham area and has served in the US Military for over 28 years as a Finance Officer, Logistics Officer and a host of other positions. He is slated to retire in 2015 and hopes to devote more time to writing. He is the author of the TIME ASSASSINS series, a time travel adventure that rewrites alternate timelines into our history. The second book in the series, ASSASSIN'S GAMBIT, debuted on the amazon bestseller list the first day of its release. Kyle is also the author of several short stories and TO AID AND PROTECT, his first novel. He has several projects in the works, including the final TIME ASSASSINS novel, HARVEST DAY, THE JAKE CUTTER CONSPIRACY, HYPERION, and ATLANTIS FALLING. He is married with two children and lives in the suburbs of Birmingham, Alabama
Captain Bear is spilling the beans about Kyle and stuff you didn't know: Kyle has A-D-D, which means that his mind is in constant overdrive. He has ideas about a story, a scene, or even just dialogue between characters all the time, so he never goes anywhere without a notebook or his phone for voice memos. MAB: I function at warp speed and am in constant overdrive, so you're in good company. Kyle is a US Army Paratrooper, and has included “jump scenes” in two of his stories. MAB: On my bucket list. Kyle started writing in High School as a way to combat boredom. It was either that or act up in class and he didn’t want that much trouble when he got home!!! MAB: I used to doodle, never got caught. Kyle has also written poetry and song lyrics. He has almost two dozen songs written without music. Like his early writing, some are ok, some are complete garbage…but fun to revisit every so often. MAB - at least you can sing! Kyle wrote his first and third novels while deployed to the Middle East. MAB: Thank you for serving our country, Kyle. Kyle will be a guest at the ALABAMA PHOENIX FESTIVAL, Birmingham’s very own sci-fi convention. If you are in the area, come visit. Find out more at www.alabamaphoenixfestival.com. MAB - I've attended the Star Trek Conventions when I lived in New York. Yes, I'm a Trekker and proud of it!
MAB next to Captain Janeway on the bridge of Voyager.MAB: Carmina Burana - good choice
Kyle's Novels:
Kyle's first novel, TO AND AND PROTECT, was written in Afghanistan in 2002.http://www.amazon.com/Aid-Protect-R-Kyle-Hannah-ebook/dp/B004J172WK/ref=la_B00876V5LW_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1399907514&sr=1-3
When their planet faces destruction, the simian-like Cenceti flee in thousands of ships piloted by a master computer designed to watch over and guide them. When a new homeworld is discovered and preparations are made to abandon the fleet, the now sentient computer realizes it cannot assist them if they leave. After unsatisfactorily trying to convince the Cenceti to stay in space, the computer lashes out at its creators and destroys them.
Now, after years of roaming the universe and unsuccessfully interacting with dozens of species, the computer has picked up signals from another sentient species; a species in desperate need of protection. Following the signals, the computer turns its fleet of spider-shaped ships toward the planet Earth. How will the human's react to the alien computer...and will it be able to finally fulfill its programming To Aid and Protect?
TIME ASSASSINS is a time travel, alternate history story with a lot of history and drama.http://www.amazon.com/Time-Assassins-R-Kyle-Hannah-ebook/dp/B009V3FN7M/ref=la_B00876V5LW_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1399907514&sr=1-2
History has always been written by the victor, but in the shadows, history has been manipulated by an ancient Guild of Time Assassins. Until now. Rick Brewer, assassin's apprentice, is sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit. He escapes to a distant past and, stranded in time, seeks revenge against the Guild by creating instability in the time-line by choosing powerful targets - The Presidents of the United States of America. Reginald Mayweather is a ruthless business tycoon and not one to accept no as an answer, but when a business prospect fails, he demands the help of the Assassin's Guild to eradicate the competition by killing his competitor's ancestors. If successful, it could prove disastrous to the time-line on a global scale. Jason Lassiter joined the Assassin's Guild because he wanted to experience history first hand. Little does he know that his future, and the future of the Guild, rests in his hands.
ASSASSIN’S GAMBIT is the sequel to TIME ASSASSINS and debuted on the amazon best seller list on its first day of release.http://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Gambit-Time-Kyle-Hannah-ebook/dp/B00JX1PNEU/ref=la_B00876V5LW_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1399907514&sr=1-1 Pulled forward in time by the Guild of a distant future, Assassin 101 is tasked with tracking down a rogue agent before he can return to his time. What he finds is a web of espionage bent on destruction and domination, and a family secret makes the Assassin doubt his own future. Sebastian Caine, a top level Apprentice, has duped the Guild into complacency. Sentenced to death for his crimes, he escapes into the past. Plans for a new life hinge on drastically changing the timeline.
Rick Brewer has been a guinea pig for Guild scientists since his capture. Along with Assassin 97, he is sent to retrieve Caine, but his growing affection towards her becomes more pronounced as they bounce through the Renaissance in search of Caine. When Assassin 97 is captured and tortured, Brewer must make the ultimate sacrifice.
To rescue Assassin 97, Brewer and Assassin 101 must violate Guild law and, with it, accept possible execution. Can Assassin 101 save his wife and his future, or will the Guild leave her to history? Kyle's books are also available on: www.smashwords.comwww.darkdragonpublishing.com Want more of Kyle - click on the links www.rkylehannah.comwww.facebook.com/rkylehannahwriterwww.rkylehannah.blogspot.com@rkhannah on twitter
MAB Thanks for stopping by, Kyle. The best of luck with sales.
