J.C. Martin's Blog, page 2

Series Shout-Out: Tallent & Lowery by Amy Lignor

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Tallent & Lowery

13 (Tallent & Lowery, #1)

In 1902, in a dark room on the fifth floor of Carnegie Hall, thirteen people came together to continue a tradition that had been set in stone thousands of years before.

In 2012, Leah Tallent is Head of Research at the New York Public Library. Stoic and stable, brilliant and cynical, she has forever enjoyed her existence among the book stacks. But even with her unparalleled intellect, there was no way to know that on the historic steps between America’s famous lions, she would become involved with a crazy man on a fanatical quest.

Gareth Lowery has spent his life searching for the ultimate artifact that he is certain exists. His life’s pursuit has been to retrieve twelve keys hidden by men whose job it was to protect the single biggest secret ever kept. To find the keys he must enlist the help of an unwilling guide who, unfortunately, knows much more than he bargained for.

From the first page to the last word, this fantastic duo become immersed in a whirlwind treasure hunt with historical and passionate repercussions. From the strange and eerie Winchester House to the blustery darkness of Loch Ness, Gareth and Leah will quickly learn that the theory of duality is correct: For every bad there is a good and, for Heaven, there most assuredly exists … Hell.

THE SAPPHIRE STORM (Tallent & Lowery, #2)

After going up against a man who believed he was the Devil, himself, the beloved characters from 13 – Leah Tallent and Gareth Lowery – are beyond exhausted. Now they are about to embark on the most terrifying journey imaginable … a trip to meet Leah’s parents.

When Leah arrives where the ‘home fires burn,’ her sarcasm burns even brighter, while Gareth Lowery – the handsome adventurer – uses his charm to sway the ‘odd’ Tallent clan. But when a frightening call from Gareth’s sister arrives telling him that her love has disappeared, the daring duo is soon running away from one horrific situation directly into another. A new puzzle from the past has come to life. Following clues left behind, the courageous couple becomes embedded in a world filled with liars, killers and greed.

And when the riddle of a famous ‘Bard’ is solved, a strange woman appears who has far more in common with Leah than she can possibly imagine! The heart-stopping suspense of this new quest takes them from Coptic Cairo to the magical world of Petra, in search of a cave deep underground that once housed a true ‘Illuminator.’

Yet again, they must find the answers and stay one step ahead of true villains who are determined to make sure that – this time – Tallent & Lowery do not survive.

THE HERO’S COMPANION (Tallent & Lowery, #3)

With their second battle behind them, Leah Tallent and Gareth Lowery find themselves still knee-deep in hell. What should’ve ended with a celebration of passion wrapped in each other’s arms becomes a nightmare once more, as a mysterious man demands Leah to return home, or else her beloved father will be found at the bottom of the sea.

Scrambling to figure out what’s happened Tallent & Lowery walk in on a family that has literally gone insane: A mother filled with accusations, three sisters who wish them nothing but certain death, and a frightening story of a blood-red eye that leads to a puzzle with immense repercussions. The woman named Anippe who readers questioned in The Sapphire Storm is back, with an item in her possession that will have Tallent & Lowery heading out on an adventure based on pure emotion and ultimate fear – where victory may just depend on their willingness to sacrifice each other.

The time has come for Tallent & Lowery to go head-to-head with the mysterious voice from 13, as a villain is unveiled … and a war begins!

Purchase Links: Amazon: 13, The Sapphire Storm, The Hero’s Companion | Barnes & Noble

About the Author

The daughter of a career librarian, Amy Lignor‘s first love has always been books. She began her career in publishing as the Editor-in-Chief of Grey House Publishing. Working in the industry for twenty years, she is now the Owner/Operator of the Write Companion, an editorial house offering authors a range of services.

Appointed the Editor-in-Chief of a brand new traditional publisher — Hallowed Ink Press — Amy somehow finds the time to do it all while still putting out the most amazing series that has received every ‘Top Pick’ readers can think of!

Her popular YA series, The Angel Chronicles (Until Next Time, Gilded Wings, and A Privilege), introduced her to fans who now wait with bated breath for the next Tallent & Lowery suspense/thriller to arrive.

Inducted into the International Thriller Writers Organization, Amy is also a writer/contributor for various magazines, companies, and review organizations; Authorlink, The Feathered Quill, Suspense Magazine, and more.

Source: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer

Cover Reveal: MEANT FOR ME

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Meant for Me (Take Me Now #2)


by Faith Sullivan


Release Date: December 10, 2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: New Adult






Summary from Goodreads:

Eric thought he had forever…before.

Divided between reliving the past and embracing his new life with Ivy, Eric fears that love will once again be ripped from his grasp. Having faith in the future is hard. So many things can go wrong.

Ivy is convinced that what they have is meant to be…but no one can escape the wheel of fate.

Her love for Eric and the life they’re creating make every sacrifice seem worthwhile. Until she’s forced to reveal the truth surrounding her delicate condition. Even if it shatters his hope.

Can they hold onto their newfound happiness or are events already in motion to keep them apart?

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Books in this trilogy:
(linked to Goodreads)


  



About the Author:




Faith Sullivan is an author of New Adult contemporary romances including the HEARTBEAT trilogy, the TAKE ME NOW series and the 9/11 novel, UNEXPECTED.

Where to find Faith Sullivan:

 

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Source: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer

Hinduism & Daughters by Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar

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To celebrate the release of her book An Unlikely Goddess, Mohanalakshmi is here with an interesting and eye-opening guest post about:

Hinduism & Daughters


by Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar

People often confuse being a speaker of Hindi, which is one of the 16 official languages of India, with the religion, with being a Hindu, which is someone of the faith of Hinduism.

Hinduism is an ancient religion which is polytheistic, or believes in many Gods and is mostly practiced in India but also in Nepal and places with Indian influence like Bali or Singapore. There are male and female deities, like the goddess Sita, who the main character is named after, and like the Greek gods, there are many, many stories about their origins, lives on earth in human form, and the ways they can help people.

Many of the gods have allegorical positions or they stand for certain values. Sita, for example, is a paragon of womanly virtue. A parallel might be the Virgin Mary for Catholics; she is seen as above reproach and the perfect woman (the comparison ends there, no virgin birth for Sita).

I named my main character Sita because she is a “good girl” who struggles with how to come into her own, whether as an Indian, or an American teenager. Her struggle is one anyone who has ever tried to fit in can relate to.

I was the second daughter and it’s no secret that my family was eagerly expecting a boy since all of the 10 cousins were also girls. I wrote a short story, “Truth” about unwanted daughters and the dangers of the ‘sex test’ in Asia (which allows women to know whether or not they’re having a boy) in my collection Coloured and other Stories. Throughout India, China, and other parts of Asia, girls are often viewed as a burden because of the high price of dowries and marriage practices where they are given away to the other family. “A daughter is the wealth you give away,” a character says in the novel Toss of a Lemon by Padma Viswanathan. This is a mentality that is changing but is at the heart of sexism against women all over Asia. And certainly a key part of Sita, my protagonist’s, story.

About the Author

Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar

Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar is a writer who has lived in Qatar since 2005. She has a PhD from the University of Florida with a focus on gender and postcolonial theory. Her dissertation project was published as Haram in the Harem (Peter Lang, 2009) a literary analysis of the works of three Muslim women authors in India, Algeria, and Pakistan. She is the creator and co-editor of five books in the Qatar Narratives series, as well as the Qatari Voices anthology which features essays by Qataris on modern life in Doha (Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Publishing, 2010). Her research has been published in numerous journals and anthologies.

She was the Associate Editor of Vox, a fashion and lifestyle magazine based in Doha and a winner of the She Writes We Love New Novelists competition. She has been a regular contributor for Variety Arabia, AudioFile Magazine, Explore Qatar, Woman Today, The Woman, Writers and Artists Yearbook, QatarClick, Expat Arrivals, Speak Without Interruption and Qatar Explorer. She hosted two seasons of the Cover to Cover book show on Qatar Foundation Radio.

Currently Mohana is working on a collection of essays related to her experiences as a female South Asian American living in the Arabian Gulf and a novel based in Qatar. She believes words can help us understand ourselves and others.

Contact: Website/Blog | Twitter | Facebook

An Unlikely Goddess

*Winner of the SheWrites New Novelist competition 2011*

Sita is the firstborn, but since she is a female child, her birth makes life difficult for her mother who is expected to produce a son. From the start, Sita finds herself in a culture hostile to her, but her irrepressible personality won’t be subdued. Born in India, she immigrates as a toddler to the U.S. with her parents after the birth of her much anticipated younger brother.

Sita shifts between the vastly different worlds of her WASP dominated school and her father’s insular traditional home. Her journey takes us beneath tales of successful middle class Indians who immigrated to the U.S. in the 1980s.

The gap between positive stereotypes of South Asian immigrants and the reality of Sita’s family, who are struggling to stay above the poverty line is a relatively new theme for Indian literature in English.

Sita’s struggles to be American and yet herself, take us deeper into understanding the dilemmas of first generation children, and how religion and culture define women.

Purchase Links: Amazon

Source: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer

Book Shout-Out: THE OMEGA PROJECT by Steve Alten

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The Omega Project
by Steve Alten
on Tour Oct 1 – Nov 30, 2013

Book Details:

Genre: Fiction

Published by: Tor/Forge

Publication Date: August 6, 2013

Number of Pages: 336

ISBN: 0765336324

Purchase Links:

Synopsis:

In The Wizard of Oz, a runaway finds herself transplanted to a strange land, only to learn it was all a dream. In Planet of the Apes, an astronaut awakens to find himself in a strange land, only to realize he is still on Earth. The Omega Project ups the ante, and neither the hero nor the reader will know the true reality until the very last page. In 2028, twelve astronauts and a scientist are cryogenically frozen for 30 days beneath the Ross Ice Shelf to prep for a mission to Europa. Only one will awaken… 12 million years in the future!

Omega Project Trailer

Read an excerpt:

When the oil stopped flowing death became a game of musical chairs. Accepting isolation over the insanity of anarchy, I remained alone in my fortress of solitude, waiting for the world’s population to drop from seven billion to just under six hundred million, knowing that if I could safeguard my chair then maybe I’d live to see a different, wiser world. Instead, I found myself quarantined against a society gone mad in every sense of the word. After sixteen months of rationing, I was forced to venture out of my prison — and that’s when I met my new companion.

Author Bio:

Steve Alten earned his Bachelors degree at Penn State University, a Masters Degree in Sports Medicine from the University of Delaware, and a Doctorate of Education at Temple University. Struggling to support his family of five, he decided to pen a novel he had been thinking about for years. Working late nights and on weekends, he eventually finished MEG; A Novel of Deep Terror, a thriller about Carcharodon megalodon, the 70-foot prehistoric cousin of the great white shark. MEG went on to become an international best-seller, with movie rights sold. The Mayan Calendar plays a big part in his Domain series — another international best-seller sold in the U.K. as THE MAYAN PROPHECY series. Steve’s other work includes The LOCH — a modern-day thriller about the Loch Ness Monster, The SHELL GAME — about the end of oil and the next 9/11 event, and GRIM REAPER: End of Days — a modern-day Dante’s Inferno which takes place in New York when a man-made plague strikes Manhattan. His best work yet, THE OMEGA PROJECT – was released in August 2013. As an author, Steve has two goals. First, to continue to work hard to become a better storyteller and create exciting page turning thrillers. Second, to remain accessible to his readers. Steve reads and answers all e-mails, uses the names and descriptions of his loyal fans as characters in all his novels, and even hires readers as editors, depending on their particular expertise.

Catch Up With the Author:
Tour Participants:

Source: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer

Bye Bye, Britain!

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Early Friday morning, we’ll be boarding a plane for our new home — Malaysia, here we come!

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Leaving on a jet plane…

Today, someone will come by to adopt my computer, so until we settle down out I might not have much access to my blog. I will however be able to access my inbox, so if anybody needs to get in touch, you can e-mail me.

In the meantime, scheduled posts will continue to go up, so do hang around and make yourselves at home!

Speak soon, very soon!

Source: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer

Book Shout-Out: STRINGS OF GLASS by Emily Kimelman

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Strings of Glass

[image error]STRINGS OF GLASS is the fourth novel in Emily Kimelman’s Sydney Rye Series of dark murder mystery novels. This series features a strong female protagonist and her rescue dog, Blue. It is recommended for the 18 who enjoy some violence, don’t mind dirty language, and are up for a dash of sex. Not to mention an awesome, rollicking good mystery!

Sydney Rye is hanging out in India with her boyfriend, Dan, reading paperbacks and sipping beer. No violence and no reminders of her past. But when she and Blue, are attacked by a pact of wild dogs, Sydney starts to feel that old itch again; to do good by being bad.

Trouble finds Rye when she stops the attempted rape and murder of Anita, a reporter working on a story of corruption and human trafficking. The atrocities Anita describes send Sydney, Blue and Dan on a quest that takes them across India after a dangerous and, up until now, untouchable, figure. While Sydney struggles to accept her true nature she realizes that it is the only way to end decades of abuse and exploitation. But Rye fears that she will lose herself, becoming no better than the monster she fights against.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Excerpt

I took off down a dirt ridge that ran along a culvert which brought water out of the town. The stench of sewer was ripe as we roared through the open space. When we reached the river the woman said, “That way, towards the highway.” I turned the bike at the top of the hill, my bare leg glowing in their headlights. On my thigh the thick ridge of a scar from the last time I got shot stood out puckered and pink.

Two scooters left, one with two guys on it. I wanted to send them into the sewage that sulked by but there was no way… unless I got off the bike and faced these ignorant fucks right there. I revved the engine watching their approach.

“What are you doing? We need to go!” the woman on the back of my bike said, squeezing me around the belly.

“Do they have guns?” I asked.

“Yes!” she squealed. “Come on.” She pushed on me. “What are you doing?”

I revved the engine and this time let it catch sending us shooting along the dirt road past the neatly lined crops. I sped up headed for the tree line, my engine roaring. We hit a bump and got some air; I felt the breath rock in my lungs, my heart jump in my throat.

About the Author
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Emily Kimelman

Emily Kimelman lives on a boat in the Hudson Valley with her husband, Sean and their dog Kinsey (named after Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone). Kimelman has a passion for traveling and spends as much time as possible in the pursuit of adventure.

Her “Sydney Rye Series” are dark murder mystery novels which features a strong female protagonist and her rescue dog, Blue. This series is recommended for the 18 who enjoy some violence, don’t mind dirty language, and are up for a dash of sex. Not to mention an awesome, rollicking good mystery!

The first four books in Kimelman’s series, UNLEASHED, DEATH IN THE DARK, INSATIABLE and STRINGS OF GLASS are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and Kobo.

If you’ve read Emily’s work, and enjoyed it, please let Emily know. You can reach her via email

Contact: E-mail | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Source: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer

Blog Action Day 2013: 7 Thoughts on Human Right s

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The theme for this year’s Blog Action Day is Human Rights. Rather than writing an entire essay on the subject, I’ve decided to compile a list of my thoughts instead. Here they are, in no particular order:

7 Basic Human Rights Everyone Should Have

Everyone should have the right to marry who they choose.
Every child should have the right to a childhood and not have to grow up too early (through child labour, child marriage, enlisting child soldiers, etc.).
Every woman should have the right to wear what they like (heck, to wear nothing even!) without having her choice of clothing being used as the reason why they were raped.
Heck, every woman should have the right to say “No” and mean no!
Everyone should have the right to practise their religion/philosophy without being villified. If a woman chooses to wear a burqa (as long as she is not forced to — see 3), then she shouldn’t be accused of “not integrating”.
On that note, speaking as an atheist, everyone should be free to choose their religion, or none at all, without having zealots trying to shove their brand of religion down their throat. As long as I’m a good human being, what hellfire should I fear?
Finally, everyone should have the right to equal access to food, water, healthcare, and in general living a life not overshadowed by the threat of wars, famines, unfair imprisonments, and other injustices.

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What do YOU think? Too idealistic? What human rights are important to you?

I leave you now with a cheesy line:

YES to human rights, NO to human wrongs!

Source: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer

Book Shout-Out: EYRIE by Emma Michaels

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Eyrie:

Society of Feathers #2

Somewhere between falling and flying…you will find the truth.

The truth is being unveiled and Iris’ past is unlike anything she ever could have guessed. For Stryx, finding your missing half doesn’t always mean finding your mate. Iris has been missing a part of herself for so long that no one is sure she will be able to put the pieces back together and her ever reliable dreams may be forcing her astray. Coping with the death of someone she loved, she is forced to face the truth and break free from the lies that have caged her.

Kindle  *  Nook  *  iBookstore

Smashwords  *  Google  *  PDF

Excerpt

Iris lost herself in Falcon’s arms, feeling the world drift away again as her lips melted against his stronger, larger ones. The warmth spreading through her body felt like electricity filling very part of her, pooling at the tips of her fingers where she touched his shoulders then traced along his arms. The tension that had worked its way up her back and through her own shoulders released as his hand brushed lightly down the length of her spine, sending sparks through every nerve.

“Please,” she whispered softly, centimeters from his lips as they breathed in each other’s warm breath. She felt herself lean towards him, this time not holding back as she moved his arm to her waist, making him wrap both arms around her fully. His secure hold on her was the only thing keeping her upright.

“Anything,” he whispered into her ear a few moments later after she had caught her breath.

“Be the one beside me when I enter the masquerade. Be the one by my side when I change it all. I know I can do it on my own or with Nestor but…I don’t want to. I want you both there with me,” Iris said.

The look on Falcon’s face, the light in his eyes, showed her the joy he found in her invitation. “I was waiting for you to ask. Waiting for you to want to need me, even if you never will. It would be my pleasure, Izzy. I will always be there for you. Nothing could pull me away.” He didn’t say the words but they still hung silently between them, the knowledge that anyone who tried to pull him away from her would die trying. She knew she should be afraid, but somehow he was the only person she knew she could trust, the only one her heart was perfectly sure about, like a tether tied them together, connecting their lives.

“I do need you. Even if I don’t, I still need you.” She whispered and kissed him harder, forgetting the world outside their doors, ready to explore the man that the boy she had known had become. The man who felt like such a part of her now that she had accepted him. She didn’t know what she’d do if she ever lost him. She had never felt a connection this powerful, this all consuming.

“I love you.” He whispered, his eyes gazing into hers, their intensity only pulling her further into the joy of just being close to him, just letting herself forget the world she wanted so desperately to help, to change. “I want to do something for you.”

“What is it?” Iris almost pulled back, not wanting to lose the moment between them but instead she leaned the side of her face against his chest so that she could hear his heart beating.

“I want to show you what it’s like to run without hesitation, without taking away the one part of running that makes it so magical?the freedom. I want to show you that freedom.” He bent and traced his fingers along the back of her legs. They buckled but he lifted her, taking it as an invitation.

She smiled and leaned against his chest. This time he wasn’t carrying her because something was wrong. It was like when they were kids and he wanted to show her he was strong enough to support her, that he could be that person who would pick her up even if she hadn’t fallen. He walked to the door and she turned the doorknob for him. They found Autumn in the hallway.

“Wanna go for a run?” Falcon asked Autumn, his voice a conspiratory whisper.

“Sure!” She said and smiled lightly when she realized what Falcon was planning. “Every girl should get to feel the aves inside of her come alive.”

Iris smiled feeling like she had her team. They were the people she needed and wanted by her side. They were the ones who kept her human and kind, protecting her at all costs. Nestor was upstairs with Nathaniel preparing for his duties in their upcoming plans. The rest of her family was downstairs. As they jogged by, they passed Jarem on the way, heading up to meet Diana. “We’re going running, wanna come?” Falcon offered and Iris laughed.

“If you invite everyone we may as well all go.” Iris giggled and smiled widely, looking forward to it, not caring who decided to come. Iris knew that no matter how people surrounded her and Falcon, somehow they were always alone. They were the only two people in on the secret. That was their unusual type of love. It would only grow with time and trust as long as it was never betrayed.

“Sure, why not.” Jarem said and smiled. He opened the door to Diana’s room and hollered, “We’re going running with Falcon, wanna come?”

“Absolutely!” They heard Diana yell back. She joined them even though she was wearing a short dress. Not bothering to change, she threw a pair of high-tops on with it.

As they jogged through the house David joined them, leaving the fort to Neal, Garah and Griffin so as not to disturb Nathaniel and Nestor. When they went out the door, Diana led them to the back of the house, going through the garden to a strange trail beyond it. “Is this the fairy trail?” Jarem asked. When Diana nodded, he smiled and looked at Iris. “It’s perfect.”

“Wooooo!” Diana shouted, crying out like a hawk soaring through the sky. Jarem and even Autumn joined in and Iris realized it was for her and Falcon, egging them on. Falcon set her on her feet and knelt down the way he once had to offer her a ride on his back. She blushed feeling like that same little girl for one beautiful moment, attaching herself to his back and holding onto him tightly.

The bird calls got louder and louder until Falcon got ready and whispered, “You ready?”

“Yes.” She whispered next to his ear and then looked straight ahead realizing, she really did need him. Falcon knew what she needed even before she did. As he started running, she shifted her weight and realized, she fit so well against his back, like they had been molded for just this moment, for him to give her the freedom that her body robbed her of. Suddenly her grudges against her body for being made the way it was disappeared as the wind whipped her hair away from her face. She arched her back ever so slightly to get the full effect and to keep her weight manageable for Falcon as he ran faster and faster. Her heart felt like it was soaring for the very first time. There was nothing like it, the faster he went the more amazing it felt. All she could feel was the earth around her and the link to her aves.

She couldn’t help but giggle with glee as she watched Diana pass them, holding her arms out at her sides like wings. The wind was pushing her arms behind her, and her face was lifted toward the sunlight shining through the trees. Jarem sped to catch up with her and they started to race each other, getting competitive each time one of them would pass the other.

Autumn was at Falcon’s side as she called out, “Oh come on, go for it. She’ll love it!”

“Faster!” Iris squealed like a little kid, the sheer joy of movement giving her a rush she had never felt before. As she leaned her face against Falcon’s, she could feel that he was smiling as he gained speed. He wrapped his arms behind her, entwining his fingers at her back like he was stretching as his position formed a brace for her. She leaned into it and as he went faster and faster. She slowly let go of his shoulders and held her arms out at her sides like Diana. The sun beat down on her face and arms. As she closed her eyes, she felt like she was flying, really and truly flying.

Author Emma Michaels

Emma Michaels is a multi-talented bookish girl. Not only is she the designer of beautiful covers, but she has many other accomplishments under her belt. She started book blogging in 2009 and was first published in 2010 (The Thirteenth Chime). She started The Writers Voice in 2011 as a way to help readers get to know authors on another level.

She moved to Washington at seventeen to be with the man that she loves, who asked her what she secretly wanted to be when she grew up. Naturally, she told him that she wanted to be an author, but at the time she thought “it was a pipe dream.” He encouraged her to pursue her dreams and taught her that “sometimes reaching for the impossible can make a world of difference in your life.” Now she is published and reaching well beyond what most people can imagine.

 

Web site * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads

 

Book 1 is now 99 cents on Kindle!

Add Book 3 to your Goodreads list!

coming October 13, 2014

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Source: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer

10 Things About Derlund, the Setting for Terri Rochenski’s EYE OF THE SOUL

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10 Things We Ought to Know About Derlund
by Terri Rochenski

Hmmm. This might be tough since I don’t want to give too much away. Guess I’ll just start with some basics then move onto the history, hopefully setting the stage for what readers will find within the Pool of Souls series.

Geographically, Derlund is similar to North America, but a large range of almost impassible crags running north to south essentially cuts the country in half. Two passes lie to the north and in the southern region, the mountain range eventually tapers off into flatlands and marshes.
Taran, a small island off Derlund’s south east coast, is home to most of the remaining Native-blooded. Most are herbalists and healers.
Climate-wise there are mild cold winters and warmer summers in the south while the northern regions are covered in snow with shorter growing seasons.
Derlund was originally inhabited by Natives, human-like beings with magical powers connected to nature and earth.
Ages before Eye of the Soul takes place, a small group of humans arrived by boat on Derlund’s shore after their continent was destroyed by massive volcanic explosions and earthquakes.
Through the seasons the two species intermingled, diluting the Native blood and lessening their females’ ability to conceive.
Most of the humans adopted the faith of the Natives after their god had proven to save them from extinction. A few, however, clung to the faith of their forefathers’ beliefs in the Church – doing good, being good, and reaping awards in the afterlife among the stars.
During the second age, religious war broke out, diving Derlund’s people.
At the end of the second age, the last full-blooded Native, Aldric, brought peace among Derlund’s people, solidifying their faith in Fadir once again.
The Natives magic has become a thing of legend, and at the beginning of Eye of the Soul, their faith – and the humans – in Fadir is diminishing once again

There’s probably tons more I could say, but that’s ten!! You’ll have to read book #1 to learn more.  *wink wink*

About the Author

Terri Rochenski

Terri started writing stories in the 8th grade, when a little gnome whispered in her brain. Gundi’s Great Adventure never hit the best seller list, but it started a long love affair with the fantasy genre.

Today she enjoys an escape to Middle Earth during the rare ‘me’ moments her two young daughters allow. When not potty training or kissing boo-boos, she can be found on her back patio in the boondocks of New Hampshire, book or pencil in hand.

Contact: Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Eye of the Soul

Escape.

That should be Hyla’s first thought as her people are chained and imprisoned for no imaginable reason.

Instead, Hyla finds herself traveling through a land void of Natives, with human soldiers pillaging in desperate pursuit of her, and in search of the mystical Pool of Souls — home to the one man who can save her people.

Or so she believes.

Led by her faith in the deity Fadir, Hyla is met along her journey by Jadon — a human male and fierce King’s warrior, and his childhood best friend Conlin — one of the few Natives aware of his Fadir-given Talents.

Protected by Jadon, guided by Conlin, and with an unfailing belief in the purpose of her pilgrimage, Hyla carries on.

Like her, though, another searches for the Pool, and should he gain access first, everyone she loves, and everything she knows, could be lost.

Forever.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Giveaway!

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Source: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer

Book Shout-Out: THE JOSHUA STONE by James Barney

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The Joshua Stone
by James Barney
on Tour Oct 8 – Nov 30, 2013

Book Details:

Genre: Thriller/Suspense

Published by: William Morrow Paperbacks

Publication Date: August 10, 2013

Number of Pages: 416

ISBN: 9780062021397

Purchase Links:

Synopsis:

Some secrets belong to the past. Others refuse to stay there . . .

In 1959, in an underground laboratory in a remote region of West Virginia, a secret government experiment went terribly awry. Half a dozen scientists mysteriously disappeared, and all subsequent efforts to rescue them failed. In desperation, President Eisenhower ordered the lab sealed shut and all records of its existence destroyed. Now, fifty-four years later, something from the lab has emerged.

When mysterious events begin occurring along the New River Valley in West Virginia, government agents Mike Califano and Ana Thorne are sent to investigate. What they discover will shake the foundations of science and religion and put both agents in the crosshairs of a deadly, worldwide conspiracy. A powerful and mysterious force has been unleashed, and it’s about to fall into the wrong hands. To prevent a global catastrophe, Califano and Thorne must work together to solve a biblical mystery that has confounded scholars for centuries. And they must do so quickly, before time runs out . . . forever.

Read an excerpt:
PROLOGUE

Thurmond, West Virginia

October 5, 1959

IT was time. Dr. Franz Holzberg stood at the security desk of the Thurmond National Laboratory and waited patiently for the guard to buzz him through the heavy steel door that provided access to the lab. Funny, he thought as he waited. They don’t even know what they’re guarding. He shook his head and considered that thought for a moment.

If they only knew . . .

A second later, the door opened with a loud buzz, and Holzberg stepped into a steel enclosure about five feet square and seven feet tall. He turned to face the guard and pulled a chain-link safety gate across the opening.

“Ready?” asked the guard.

Holzberg nodded, and the compartment in which he stood suddenly lurched downward and began its long descent toward the laboratory spaces, nine hundred feet below the ground.

Two minutes later, the elevator shuddered to a halt, and Dr. Holzberg exited into a wide, empty passageway, about twenty feet across and two hundred feet long. The cracked, concrete floor was sparsely illuminated by overhead industrial lighting. A pair of rusty trolley rails ran down the middle of the corridor—a remnant of the mining operations that had once taken place there decades earlier.

Holzberg took a deep breath and savored the pungent smell of sulfur and stagnant water. After three long years of working on this project, he actually felt more at home underground than in the charmless cinder-block rambler that the government had provided for him “up top,” in Thurmond.

He started off toward the laboratory at the end of the corridor, his footsteps echoing loudly throughout the vast space. As he walked, the protocol for Experiment TNL-213 streamed through his mind for the thousandth time. Today is the day, he reminded himself, allowing just the faintest of smiles. Today, God would heed his command. Just as God heeded Joshua’s command at Gibeon.

Holzberg passed through the laboratory’s heavy security door and entered a long, rectangular room resembling a tunnel, with unpainted cement walls, ceiling, and floor.

The middle of the room was dominated by a large pool of water, twenty by thirty feet across and thirty feet deep, with a steel catwalk extending across it. A sturdy steel railing circumscribed the edge of the pool. Overhead, four long rows of incandescent bulbs illuminated the entire room with bright, white light. High up on the walls, thick, multicolored bundles of wires and cables snaked like garlands across sturdy brackets, with smaller bundles dropping down at uneven intervals to various lab equipment and workstations around the room.

Holzberg spotted four technicians in white lab coats busily preparing the lab for the upcoming experiment. He acknowledged them with a nod and then quickly made his way to an elevated control room overlooking the pool. He entered without knocking and greeted the room’s sole occupant, a bespectacled man in a white lab coat. “Good morning, Irwin,” said Holzberg in a thick German accent. “How are the modifications coming along?”

Dr. Irwin Michelson swiveled on his stool. He was a wiry man in his midthirties, with disheveled black hair and a two-day- old beard. He pushed his glasses up on his nose.

“They’re done,” he said.

“Done? You’ve tested it?”

“We changed out the power supply, like you suggested, and increased the cooling flow to two hundred gallons per minute. We tested it last night and were able to generate a ninety tesla pulse for twenty-five seconds with no overheating. We probably could go higher if we needed to.”

“Good. And the sensors and transducers?”

“All set.”

Holzberg nodded appreciatively to his tireless assistant.

“Sehr gut. Then let’s proceed.”

It took nearly three hours for Holzberg, Michelson, and their team of four technicians to complete the exhaustive checklist for TNL-213.

This experiment had taken three years to plan and had required millions of dollars in upgrades and modifications to the lab.

Nothing would be left to chance today.

By early afternoon they’d finished their thorough inspection of the equipment. They’d checked, double-checked, and triple-checked each of the hundreds of valves, levers, and switches associated with the lab’s “swimming pool” test rig. Everything was positioned according to a detailed test protocol that Dr. Holzberg carried in a thick binder prominently marked top secret—winter solstice.

Michelson knelt on the steel catwalk that bridged the 160,000-gallon pool of water and carefully inspected a rectangular steel chamber that was suspended above the water by four thick cables. Numerous electrical sensors were welded to the exterior of this chamber, and a rainbow of waterproof wires radiated out from it, coiling upward toward a thick, retractable wiring harness above the catwalk.

“Transducers are secure,” Michelson said over his shoulder.

“Good,” said Holzberg from the railing. He made a checkmark in his notebook and read the next step of the protocol aloud. “Mount the seed.”

Michelson stood and turned slowly to face his mentor.

“So it’s time?”

Holzberg nodded.

Michelson dragged a hand over his unshaven face and cracked a smile. “God, this . . . this is incredible.” He was barely able to contain his excitement. “This’ll give us a whole new understanding of the universe.”

“Perhaps,” said Holzberg.

“Right, perhaps. And perhaps the Nobel Prize, too.”

“No,” said Holzberg firmly, his expression suddenly turning dark.

“But . . . if this works, we could publish our findings. By then the government—”

“Irwin, no. We’ve had this discussion before.”

Michelson sighed and looked deflated. “Right, I know. Not until the world is ready.”

Holzberg inched closer to his protégé. “Irwin, this is a responsibility you must accept. Einstein himself was confounded by this material.”

“Einstein was overrated,” Michelson mumbled.

“Perhaps. But that does not change the fact that we have been entrusted with something very special here. We must study and solve it. Until we do, it is simply too dangerous to expose to the world. That is our burden. Do you understand?”

Michelson nodded sheepishly. Holzberg patted his younger colleague’s shoulder.

“Good. Now, let’s get the seed.”

The two men made their way to the far end of the room, where a circular vault was mounted flush with the cement wall. The vault door was protected by a bank-grade, dual-combination lock with twin tumblers. “Ready?” Holzberg asked.

Michelson nodded.

One after the other, the two men turned the pair of dials on the vault door four times each, alternating clockwise and counterclockwise. When the last of the eight numbers had been entered, Michelson pulled down hard on the heavy handle in the center of the door, and the vault opened with a metallic ka-chunk. He swung the door open slowly, and, as he did, the vault’s lights flickered, illuminating the interior with an ethereal blue light.

There was only one object in the vault: a clear glass cylinder about eight inches high and four inches in diameter housing an irregular black clump about the size of a golf ball. “The seed,” Holzberg whispered as he reached inside and retrieved the cylinder, cradling it carefully in both hands. He held it up to the light and peered inside. “Your secrets unfold today.”

Thirty minutes later, with the seed securely mounted in its special test chamber, and the chamber lowered deep into the pool, the two scientists returned to the control room for their final preparations.

“Transducer twenty-one?” said Holzberg, reading aloud from the test protocol.

Michelson pressed a button on the complex control panel and verified that transducer 21 was providing an appropriate signal. “Check.”

“Transducer twenty-two?”

Michelson repeated the procedure for transducer 22.

“Check.”

“That’s it then,” said Holzberg, turning to a new page in his notebook. “We’re ready.”

He checked his watch, which indicated 4:15 p.m. Then he picked up a microphone that was attached to the control panel by a long wire. “Gentlemen,” he announced over the lab’s PA system. “We are ready to commence experiment 213. Please take your positions.”

In the lab space below, the four technicians quickly took up positions at their various workstations. One after another, they gave the thumbs-up signal that they were ready.

“Energize the steady-field magnet,” announced Holzberg.

A loud, steady hum suddenly filled the lab, followed by the sound of rotating equipment slowly whirring to life.

Several seconds later, Michelson quietly reported over his shoulder that the steady-field magnet was energized and warming up.

“Remember,” Holzberg said, “bring it up slowly.”

Michelson nodded. “We’re at thirteen teslas and rising,” he said, his attention focused on a circular dial on the control panel.

“And the cooling water outlet temperature?”

Michelson glanced at another gauge. “Sixty-two degrees.”

Eight minutes later, Michelson announced they were at 25 teslas, the peak field for the steady-field magnet.

“Outlet temperature’s creeping up slightly,” he added with a hint of caution.

“What about delta T?”

Michelson pushed a button and read from a gauge on his panel. “Nothing yet. Zero point zero.”

Holzberg pressed the microphone button and announced to the lab, “Prepare to energize the pulse magnet.”

There was a flurry of activity in the lab space below as the technicians quickly went about opening valves, flipping switches, and starting various pumps and other equipment. Eventually, all four gave the thumbs-up signal.

“Ready,” reported Michelson.

Holzberg swallowed hard. This was it. He paused for a moment before giving the final command. “Energize it now.”

Michelson pulled down on an electrical breaker until it clicked loudly into place. A deep buzzing sound immediately permeated the entire laboratory. The overhead lights dimmed momentarily and then slowly returned to their original intensity. “Energized,” he reported nervously.

“Bring it up slowly.”

“Total field is twenty-seven point three teslas.” Michelson was slowly turning a large knob in the center of the control panel.

“Outlet temperature?”

“Seventy-eight degrees.”

“Keep going.”

Michelson continued turning the knob slowly until the magnetic-field strength had reached 70 teslas. There he paused and quickly checked his instruments.“Outlet temperature is one hundred twenty-two degrees and rising,” he said nervously. “We don’t have much more room.”

“Any delta T?”

Michelson checked again and shook his head. “No. Still zero point zero.”

“Keep going,” said Holzberg.

Michelson nodded and again twisted the dial clockwise. He read out the magnetic-field strengths as he went.

“Seventy-six point four. Seventy-eight point zero. Eighty point two . . .”

“Temperatures, Irwin.”

Michelson quickly turned his attention to the outlet temperature gauge. “One hundred forty-five degrees and rising.”

“Keep going,” Holzberg said.

“Eighty-one teslas,” said Michelson nervously. “Eighty-two. Eighty-three.”

His voice cracked slightly. “Uh . . . we’re getting close to the outlet limit.”

“Any delta T yet?”

Michelson quickly checked. “No. Zero point zero.”

“We need a higher field.” Holzberg touched Michelson’s shoulder and nodded emphatically for him to continue.

Michelson’s voice grew increasingly nervous as he continued reporting the rising magnetic-flux levels. “Eighty-seven point three. Eighty-eight point four. Eighty-nine point six . . . ninety point one.”

Suddenly, there was a loud beep, and an amber light began flashing on the control panel.

“Outlet temperature alarm,” Michelson reported. “One hundred seventy-five degrees and still rising. Should I bring it back down?”

“No,” said Holzberg firmly. “We need a higher field.”

Michelson started to protest, but Holzberg cut him off.

“Irwin, the flux levels!”

Michelson snapped his attention back to the control panel. “Ninety-three point one . . . ninety-four point four . . .shit.”

Another shrill alarm sounded on the panel.

“Core temperature alarm!” Michelson shouted above the noise. “We’ve got to shut it down!” He began turning the knob counterclockwise.

“No!” Holzberg barked, grabbing his arm. “Check the delta T.”

Michelson wiped his brow and checked. “Delta T is . . . zero point one seconds.”

“My God,” Holzberg whispered. “It’s working!”

“Zero point two seconds,” Michelson reported, still holding down the button. “Zero point three . . . zero point four.”

“Bring it up just a bit more,” said Holzberg over the constant noise of the two alarms.

“But—”

“Do it!” Holzberg snapped.

Michelson swallowed hard and slowly tweaked the knob clockwise to increase the power to the pulse magnet.

“We’re gonna lift a relief valve.”

“What’s the reading?”

Michelson pushed the delta T button. “Whoa . . .”

“What is it?”

“Ten point five seconds. That’s incredible.” He continued holding the button down. “Fourteen seconds . . . twenty . . . thirty . . . fifty . . .”

“We’ve done it!” Holzberg exclaimed, patting Michelson on the back. “Okay, you can bring it back down now.”

Michelson quickly began twisting the knob counterclockwise. After several seconds, however, he suddenly looked confused.

“What is it?”

“Outlet temperature’s . . . still going up.” Michelson quickly pushed the button for delta T again. “Holy shit.”

Holzberg leaned in close and observed that the dial for delta T was now spinning rapidly clockwise. An odometer-style counter below the dial indicated that the accumulated value was now at 500 seconds . . . 600 seconds . . . 700 seconds.. . . The dial was spinning faster and faster.

“Shut it down!” Holzberg bellowed.

“I am. Look!” Michelson showed that he had already twisted the knob for the pulse magnet all the way to the left.

“Cut the power!”

At that moment, a thunderous scream erupted in the lab space below, and thick plumes of steam instantly billowed up from the pool. The technicians could be heard screaming emphatically to each other.

“Relief valves are lifting!” Michelson yelled over the cacophony.

Holzberg was just about to say something when suddenly there was a blinding flash of white light below. Instinctively, he shielded his eyes.

“My God,” Michelson shouted. “Look at that!”

Holzberg uncovered his eyes and gazed in awe at the spectacle now occurring in the lab below him. A brilliant aura of light was hovering directly above the reactor pool, swirling in undulating patterns of blue, green, red, and yellow. The aura lasted for several seconds before giving way to a violent, blinding column of light that shot suddenly out of the pool, straight to the ceiling.

Holzberg again shielded his eyes.

A split second later, there was a loud whoosh and the entire lab filled with blinding white light. The control room windows shattered instantly, and Dr. Holzberg hit the floor.

The blinding light and whooshing sound subsided after several seconds, leaving in their place a terrifying jumble of alarm sirens and horns and the panicked shouts of the technicians below. Holzberg groped on hands and knees through the broken glass until he found the prone body of Dr. Michelson, who was either unconscious or dead.

“Irwin!” said Dr. Holzberg.

There was no response.

With effort, Holzberg pulled himself to his feet and gazed in utter disbelief at the chaos unfolding below him.

“Mein Gott,” he whispered. “What have we done?”

A second later, a man in a black leather coat suddenly appeared in the lab space below, seemingly from nowhere. Who is that? Holzberg wondered, utterly confused. And why does he look familiar?

Author Bio:

James Barney is the critically acclaimed author of The Genesis Key. He is an attorney who lives outside Washington, D.C., with his wife and two children.

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Source: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer