Lance Morcan's Blog, page 101

Prologue in book one of The Orphan Trilogy sets the scene for what follows in this explosive thriller series.

The Prologue to The Ninth Orphan (The Orphan Trilogy, #1) provides an intriguing insight into the ninth-born orphan’s formative years and kinda sets the scene for what’s to follow…so we thought we’d share it with you.

Here ‘tis. Read and enjoy with our compliments…

 

Prologue / The Ninth Orphan

A deer grazed on lush grass in a forest clearing. Around her, early morning mist clung to the tops of the spruce and fir trees common to Montana’s Custer National Park. Her ears twitched as the distant screech of a Merlin falcon carried to her in the still mountain air. The deer looked up, but mist concealed any view of the small and relatively rare bird of prey. She resumed grazing.

The deer wasn’t to know, but her remaining lifespan could be measured in minutes.

Two hundred yards downwind, an unusually large hunting party approached. This was a hunting party with a difference. Only one of the hunters was armed – their leader, Tommy Kentbridge; the others were all children ranging in age from ten to twelve. Male and female, they were of various racial backgrounds. Following Kentbridge, they walked silently in single file along a forest trail.

A tall, powerfully-built man in his mid-thirties, Kentbridge moved effortlessly across the hilly terrain. In his wake, the youngsters had to scramble to keep up. Muddy underfoot conditions added to their difficulties. Despite the challenges posed by keeping pace with their fast-moving leader, the children were doing admirably well. Their faces were flushed with excitement.

Kentbridge, who earlier that day had transported the kids from Chicago’s Pedemont Orphanage, kept one eye on his charges as the trail took them along the edge of a cliff. He noted with satisfaction not one of them seemed fazed by the thousand foot drop. They appeared to cope with the danger with all the poise of adults, or of young adults at least.

As he continued to observe the orphans, Kentbridge’s keen eyes missed nothing. A head count confirmed all twenty-three were still with him. Strangely, he only ever referred to them by numbers. The oldest child was Number One, the youngest Twenty Three.

Directly behind Kentbridge, following like a shadow, was a serious-looking, twelve-year-old boy. Number Nine, who was the ninth-born orphan, had startling green eyes that seemed all-knowing and gave him a maturity beyond his years. Nine’s intelligent face was framed by dark, wavy hair. He wore a silver necklace. A ruby dangled from it, bouncing on his chest as he walked. The exquisite stone gave off a blood red glow in the sunlight.

A slightly younger, blonde-haired girl followed close behind. Number Seventeen was, of course, the seventeenth-born orphan. She surveyed the world through icy-blue eyes. Those same eyes were now fixed on the center of Nine’s back. It irked the competitive Seventeen that Nine had ensconced himself between Kentbridge and herself. She felt like she was always following in the boy’s footsteps.

Kentbridge slowed momentarily as the trail took them away from the cliff-top. The screech of a Merlin falcon attracted his attention. Just as the mist had concealed the falcon from the deer’s view moments earlier, it also concealed the falcon from Kentbridge’s view.

Some sixth sense prompted Kentbridge to unshoulder his rifle – a powerful, semi-automatic, military-issue weapon which he handled with the familiarity of a sniper.

The orphans’ leader suddenly froze. Behind him, the children became motionless also. A hundred yards upwind, a beautiful deer stood grazing, superimposed against the green foliage. She continued to graze, unaware humans were in the vicinity.

Kentbridge flashed military-style hand signals to his young charges. In unison, the orphans dropped to the ground. Close behind Kentbridge, Nine and Seventeen watched in awe as their leader sunk down onto one knee and aimed his rifle at the deer. At the last second, he lowered his weapon a fraction then fired. The shot shattered the silence. The deer went down.

The orphans and their leader raced over to the deer to discover she was not yet dead. On her side, the deer was trembling and white foam covered her nose and mouth. The foam turned pink then red as her inner organs reacted to the trauma caused by one not-so-well-placed bullet. Her breathing came in short rasps. The dying animal pawed the air with her legs as the orphans crowded around her.

Kentbridge handed his rifle to his shadow, Number Nine, and nodded toward the trembling animal. Of all the orphans, Nine was his most brilliant pupil. He was stubborn and defiant, but also highly intelligent. In many ways he reminded Kentbridge of himself.

The other twenty-two orphans felt varying degrees of jealousy as they watched Nine psyching himself up to carry out their teacher’s order. Although very intelligent and gifted in their own right, the others sensed Nine had some indefinable X-factor that gave him an edge over them. It set him apart and they knew it…

 

 

If you are enjoying it so far, click on the cover image of The Ninth Orphan (below) to read the balance of the Prologue and the opening chapters of this novel.

For readers’ reviews, or to purchase the trade paperback or kindle version of this book go to: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0056I4FKC

 

Happy reading! –Lance & James

 

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We’d like to share the Prologue of our historical adventure, ‘Fiji: A Novel’, with you…

           

Readers have complimented us on our Prologue in Fiji: A Novel with comments like “Mouth-watering” and “Very descriptive” and “Colorful visual writing”…so we thought we’d share it with you.

Here ‘tis. Read and enjoy with our compliments…

Prologue / Fiji: A Novel

A Fijian maiden stooped to pick up a shell as she walked along a white sand beach at Momi Bay, on the western side of Fiji’s main island of Viti Levu. Sina had a natural island beauty. Lithe and graceful, her dark skin glistened in the tropical sun. She wore a traditional grass skirt and shawl made from tapa, or bark cloth.

The beach was bordered by a grove of coconut trees and the turquoise waters of the bay. Tropical birds filled the sky —among them Kingfishers that dived into the sea, competing for fish.

At one end of the beach, a distinctive headland protruded out into the Pacific. It accommodated a village whose entrance was marked by defensive fortifications in the form of bamboo palisades. The village was home to the Qopa, the region’s predominant mataqali, or clan.

Out in the bay, Qopa fishermen speared fish and cast nets from their canoes. Beyond them, foaming surf marked the reef that ringed much of Viti Levu. The constant sound of waves crashing against the reef was like the boom of distant thunder.

Several miles beyond the reef, a ship sailed by, her sails billowing as she was pushed along ahead of a light southerly. Sina and the other villagers paid scant attention to the vessel: they’d become used to the comings and goings of the white man’s ships.

The maiden noticed the shadows were lengthening. It was time to think about returning to the village. She smiled as squealing village children playing at the water’s edge splashed one another, white teeth sparkling against their black skin. Like all Fijian children, they seemed to wear permanent smiles.

Sina stopped to pick up another shell, dropping it into a woven flax bag hanging from her shoulder. Humming a traditional lullaby to herself, she was unaware a tall, muscular warrior was watching her impassively from the shadows of the coconut grove. Standing motionless, the sinister warrior held a musket in one hand. Only his coal-black eyes moved —his heavily tattooed, battle-scarred face adding to his air of silent menace.

This was Rambuka, also known as the Outcast, the charismatic leader of a tribe of cannibals feared by villagers up and down the coast. Rambuka’s eyes subconsciously widened as he studied Sina. He liked what he saw. Finally, he moved, gliding soundlessly among the palm trees like a spirit as he stalked his prey.

Still singing, Sina bent down to study an unusual shell. A sudden movement to her left caught her eye and she looked up to see Rambuka rushing toward her, musket in hand. She recognized him immediately. Screaming, she turned to flee, but had barely taken a step before her assailant was onto her, dragging her back to the trees. Startled by her screams, the children ran toward the village, shouting.

Terrified, Sina lashed out and twisted around, trying to bite her attacker. Rambuka slapped her hard, momentarily stunning her. Everything started spinning and Sina felt as if she might faint. Effortlessly hoisting her over his shoulder, the Outcast began running inland.

Behind them, Qopa warriors came running from the nearby village, alerted by the children’s screams. Most carried clubs or spears, while some had tomahawks they’d acquired from white traders. Nearly all were tattooed about the arms, legs and torso. The warriors were led by Joeli, son of the village ratu, or chief.

A big, powerful man, Joeli’s proud bearing and intelligent eyes were clues to his royal bloodlines. Bone earrings hung from his ears and a huge, intricately-carved, whale bone club dangled from a cord around his waist, a dozen human teeth inlaid around its head testament to how many men he’d killed in battle. Most striking, however, was his massive hairstyle. Nearly two feet high and even wider across, it was dyed blue with yellow stripes through it. Earlier treatment with burnt lime juice would ensure it remained stiffened in place for a few more days at least.

Some of Joeli ’s warriors wore equally flamboyant hairstyles —many dyed a bright color and some even multi-colored; several sported hairstyles of a geometric shape while the orange-dyed hair atop one proud warrior was all of six feet in circumference. Such weird and wonderful styles could be seen on men throughout Fiji and were worn as a symbol of masculinity and social standing.

The frightened children all talked at once and pointed down the beach. Joeli led his warriors to the spot the children had indicated and there two sets of tracks were immediately visible in the sand. He turned, grim-faced, to his warriors. “It could only be the Outcast,” he decreed.

A fine-looking young warrior with a distinctive birthmark on his forehead and a zany, geometric hairstyle asked, “Who has he taken?” This was Waisale, a close friend of Joeli’s.

Joeli looked down, avoiding his friend’s eyes. He suspected that Rambuka had abducted Sina, but didn’t want to say as much until it was confirmed. It was common knowledge Waisale and Sina were lovers.

A sense of foreboding suddenly came over Waisale as he studied the footprints that Rambuka and his captive had left behind. “Sina!” he murmured. Without another word, Waisale sprinted into the coconut grove, following the tracks into the dense rainforest beyond. The others ran hard on his heels.

#

Dusk was approaching and Sina was near exhaustion when the Outcast finally stopped running, allowing her to briefly rest and drink from a shallow stream. Their flight had taken them into the forest-covered hills above Momi Bay.

Scratches and bruises covered Sina’s face and body, and she winced as she splashed water over her face. Aware of Rambuka’s reputation and knowing what fate awaited her, she looked frantically around, her mind racing, desperate to find a way out of her predicament…

 

If you are enjoying it so far, click on the cover image of Fiji: A Novel (below) to read the balance of the Prologue and the opening chapters of this novel at no charge.

For readers’ reviews, or to purchase the trade paperback or kindle version of this book, go to: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0057YCZM0/

 

Happy reading! –Lance & James

 

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The Bilderberg Group is a goldmine for conspiracy theorists…and little wonder when names like Prince Charles, Clinton, Rockefeller, Ford, Gates, Kissinger, Thatcher and Blair pop out of the woodwork!

In the climax of The Ninth Orphan, book one in our top rated conspiracy thriller series The Orphan Trilogy, our hero, the ninth-born orphan, gate-crashes the Bilderberg Group’s annual conference.

Okay, it’s a work of fiction, but it does raise some interesting questions about a secretive, invitation-only organization whose annual conferences for the most part remain mysteriously off the record. Questions that demand answers.

The Bilderberg Group has some big names in its elite membership. Famous Bilderbergers include Bill Clinton, David Rockefeller, Prince Charles, Bill Gates, Ben Bernanke, Google Chairman Eric Schmidt and Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes who have all attended meetings of the organization.

Conspiracy theorists have long said the Bilderberg Group undermines democracy and influences everything from nations’ political leaders to the venue for the next war; the politicians and industrialists who attend say it’s nothing more than a think-tank, conducted without media coverage so the world’s most powerful can speak freely.

The Ninth Orphan , which merges fact with fiction, exposes a secret elite pulling the strings of various administrations.

Is there any truth behind this supposed political conspiracy? Well, that depends on who you ask. Certainly, it’s easy to see why conspiracy theories plague the Bilderberg Group.

Bilderberg takes its name from a hotel of the same name in the Netherlands where the first meeting took place in 1954. Ever since, every Bilderberg conference has received almost complete media blackouts despite being held at prominent five-star resorts.

Conspiracy theorists point out this dearth of media coverage is highly unusual given the veritable who’s who of world leaders and movers-and-shakers in attendance each year.

Other notable US political figures to have officially attended Bilderberg meetings include current Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger, Alexander Haig and Colin Powell, former President Gerald Ford as well as Texas Governor and 2012 Presidential hopeful Rick Perry.

Some say these and all other US attendees have been in direct violation of the Logan Act, a Federal law which prevents US citizens and representatives from making policy decisions in secret with foreign government officials. However, no Bilderberger has ever acknowledged engaging in policy-making during the meetings and there is no clear proof that any of them do.

The Ninth Orphan reveals a secret elite pulling strings.

On the international roster, Bilderbergers have included leaders of almost every Western nation, Swiss bankers, EU Commissioners and Royalty. Among past and present attendees are current Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, former British Prime Ministers Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Margaret Thatcher, the King of Spain Juan Carlos I and the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Phillip.

Beyond these confirmed Bilderbergers, there’s also a raft of other high profile figures suspected to have participated in conferences – according to the conspiracy theorists at least. For example, shortly before becoming the US President, Barack Obama was rumored to have met with key Bilderberg members at or near their conference venue in Chantilly, Virginia, in 2008.

Veteran Bilderberg observer, Jim Tucker, phoned Obama’s office during the campaign to confirm whether he had attended the conference. A campaign spokeswoman refused to discuss the matter, but would not deny that Obama had attended.

Other rumored attendees include Rupert Murdoch, George Bush, Sr. and George W. Bush. Hillary Clinton also denies having attended any Bilderberg meetings despite reported sightings of her at the locations of the 2006 (Toronto) and 2008 (Virginia) conferences.

Bill Clinton, however, was an official attendee of the 1991 Bilderberg conference in Germany while still a little known Governor of Arkansas; the following year he won the US Presidential Election.

So what does all this mean exactly? Is it just a pile of the usual circumstantial evidence that seems to conveniently support most conspiracy theories?

According to Belgian magnate and Bilderberg chairman Étienne Davignon, that is exactly the case. Davignon says an attraction of Bilderberg Group meetings is they provide an opportunity for participants to speak candidly and to find out what major figures really think without the risk of off-the-cuff comments becoming fodder for media controversy. However, partly because of its working methods to ensure strict privacy, the Bilderberg Group is often accused of conspiracies.

Then again, it is hard to believe the only decisions the world’s elite make at these exclusive resorts each year is what to order for dinner or what time to play golf…

Still sceptical? Take a look at this interesting bedtime reading…

bilderbergmeetings.org

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilderberg_Group

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Bilderberg_participants

http://www.youtube.com/user/SterlingGateBooks

Want to learn more? Get your copy of The Ninth Orphan (The Orphan Trilogy, #1): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0056I4FKC

 

Happy reading! –Lance & James

 

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It’s a wrap! James in recovery mode after completing two OZ-Bollywood feature films

I just finished filming OZ-Bollywood feature films MY CORNERSTONE and LOVE YOU KRISHNA, which I wrote the screenplays for and acted lead roles in. We filmed both features simultaneously. It was a massive job and sleep has been at a premium of late! We just finished the Indian leg of the shoot in Mumbai after filming for two months before that here in Sydney. -James

James on the set of LOVE YOU KRISHNA.

 

Here are the IMDb links for both films:

MY CORNERSTONE: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2527256/

LOVE YOU KRISHNA: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2496488/

More news about these two films to follow!

 

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First reviews are in for ‘The Orphan Uprising’…Warning: spoilers ahead!

The first reviews are in for The Orphan Uprising, our third novel in The Orphan Trilogy, and they are real doozies! All 5-star reviews.

It’s early days yet, but the reviews confirm our belief this is a worthy finale to the series.

Here’s a sample of what reviewers are saying about The Orphan Uprising on Amazon:

Nine’s caught in a living nightmare. Instead of being present for the impending birth of his second child, he’s on a mission to find his firstborn. The Omega Agency has found his family…When the remaining Orphans are deprogrammed all hell breaks loose. The Law and Order like twists keep you on the edge of your seat. An extreme roller coaster ride of emotions awaits the reader. You won’t be able to put it down. –Examiner.com reviewer Wandalyn Thomas

Nine’s persona is fully realized in this sequel and there are unexpected character developments within the ranks of the other orphans that turned out to be very touching…This trilogy was just plain well worth the read. I was glad to find out that this book was ready and I was able to get closure about the orphans as the table turns on Omega Corporation. -Amazon book reviewer Kim Rhym

The books contained in this trilogy are great reads that requires one to re-discipline one’s self because once one starts reading anyone of the trilogies, it cannot be put down…you will not be able to put this book down until you finish it…That is how addictive and enjoyable this book is. It is truly a triller! –Amazon book reviewer Oluremilekun Cole

For the full reviews and more go to: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BFC66DM/

Happy reading! -Lance & James

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‘The Orphan Uprising’ endorsed by acclaimed US author

Here’s what Susan M. Heim, acclaimed American author and editor of the bestselling Chicken Soup for the Soul books, has to say on her ‘Susan Heim on Writing’ blog about our new release thriller The Orphan Uprising (The Orphan Trilogy, #3)…

 

The Third Book in The Orphan Trilogy Has Been Published!



Back in November, I told you about an exciting thriller by James and Lance Morcan — The Ninth Orphan. (CLICK HERE to see my review.) So, I was pleased to hear that The Orphan Uprising, the third book in The Orphan Trilogy, has just been released as a Kindle eBook on Amazon, courtesy of Sterling Gate Books.

About this book: In this explosive conclusion to The Orphan Trilogy, the ninth-born orphan’s dramatic story resumes five years after book one, The Ninth Orphan, ends. Having eluded his former masters at the Omega Agency and escaped his past life as an operative, Nine has married his soul mate, Isabelle. They’ve carved out a new life for themselves, off the grid, in the remote islands of French Polynesia. The contented couple has a five-year-old son, Francis, who is a chip off the old block and who has inherited his father’s unique DNA. Francis will soon have a sister as Isabelle is about to give birth to a baby girl. Their idyllic lifestyle is shattered when Francis is abducted by operatives in the employ of the Omega Agency, the shadowy organization that brought Nine into the world and once controlled every aspect of his life. The terrified boy with the unique DNA is dispatched to one of Omega’s underground medical laboratories for scientific testing and experimentation. Nine is desperate to find Francis before Omega can harm him. He soon finds he’s up against his fellow orphans — all elite operatives as he once was — who are under orders to kill him on sight. To overcome them, he must call on all his former training and skills. His search takes him around the world — from Tahiti to America, Germany, Greenland and the Congo. To add to Nine’s worries, he has a serious heart condition that requires immediate surgery. The clock is ticking and he knows he’s on borrowed time. It’s a race against the clock to find his son before Omega can harm the boy — and before his heart gives out.
Written by father-and-son writing team Lance and James Morcan (authors of The Ninth Orphan, The Orphan Factory and Fiji: A Novel), The Orphan Uprising is the third book in The Orphan Trilogy. A feature film adaptation of The Ninth Orphan is currently being developed.
About Susan


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Susan Heim
Susan M. Heim is a writer and editor, specializing in parenting, multiples, Christian and women’s issues. Her books include It’s Twins! Parent-to-Parent Advice from Infancy Through Adolescence; Boosting Your Baby’s Brain Power; Oh, Baby! 7 Ways a Baby Will Change Your Life the First Year; Twice the Love: Stories of Inspiration for Families with Twins, Multiples and Singletons; and numerous Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Her articles have appeared in many books, magazines and websites. Visit her author site at www.susanheim.com.

View my complete profile

Follow Susan!

Our thanks to Susan for this wonderful endorsement for our novels! -Lance & James


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‘The Orphan Trilogy’ now available as a box set – three books in one!

The Orphan Trilogy (The Ninth Orphan / The Orphan Factory /

The Orphan Uprising)

A box set of our international thriller series, The Orphan Trilogy, is out now and available on Amazon at a discounted price.

The set includes:

Book One: The Ninth Orphan

Book Two: The Orphan Factory (prequel to The Ninth Orphan)

Book Three: The Orphan Uprising (sequel to The Ninth Orphan)

Plus a free bonus chapter of our historical adventure, Fiji: A Novel

The Amazon link for The Orphan Trilogy is: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BGGM05U/

For more background info on this series go to: http://www.youtube.com/user/SterlingGateBooks

 

Happy reading! -Lance & James

 

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‘The Orphan Uprising’, book three in ‘The Orphan Trilogy’, out now!

The Orphan Uprising, our long-awaited third book in The Orphan Trilogy, has just been published on Amazon courtesy of Sterling Gate Books.

In this climactic sequel, the story resumes five years after book one, The Ninth Orphan, ends. It’s an action-packed finale in the life story of Nine, the ninth-born orphan and product of a shadowy organization intent on establishing a New World Order.

The Amazon kindle link for this thriller is: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BFC66DM/

The Amazon links to books one and two in the series follow:

The Ninth Orphan (book #1):

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0056I4FKC

The Orphan Factory (book #2):

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008M9WWKW/

For more about the international thriller series known as The Orphan Trilogy, go to: http://www.youtube.com/user/SterlingGateBooks

 

Happy reading! -Lance & James

 

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Reviewer predicts readers won’t be able to put down ‘The Ninth Orphan’, our first book in The Orphan Trilogy

Amazon reviewer Linda Townsend loved The Ninth Orphan so much she has started reading the prequel (book two) – and is finding it “awesome!”

Here’s her (abridged) review:

A Very Suspenseful Spy Thriller You Won’t Be Able to Put Down!!!!!!

OMG! First of all, please know that this book is outside of the genre I have normally read. However, it will not be the last as I found myself unable to put it down… don’t start it when you need to get to sleep! The Ninth Orphan is the tale of one of a group of children who were genetically manipulated and raised from inception to be operatives for a clandestine organization in a very controlled environment. This is the tale of one of those children who makes a break from the organization that has been the only “parent” he knows. BTW, I’ve now started reading the prequel to this story (and it’s awesome!) I look forward to more great reads from these authors!

For the full review go to: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0056I4FKC

The Ninth Orphan is available via Amazon as a trade paperback and kindle ebook. To read the first few chapters free, click on the book cover below…

For more background on this international thriller, and the ‘goss’ on some of the conspiracies it uncovers, go to: http://www.youtube.com/user/SterlingGateBooks

Book three in The Orphan Trilogy will be released soon courtesy of Sterling Gate Books.

Happy reading! –Lance & James

 

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FREE spy thriller novel today only

Our coming-of-age spy thriller novel The Orphan Factory is FREE today for Amazon Kindle readers: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008M9WWKW/