Thursday 29 March 2012

Author Interview - J.R. Barker

Interview today with author J.R. Barker! 

Look for J.R.'s book, The Adventures of the Frog Princetoday in Read It & Reap!

The Prince had problems; he was stranded in a moat and was trying to come to terms with being small, green and surprisingly springy.
Now not only must he battle to control his new body, which is frequently prone to malfunction, but he must also avoid being eaten by things that are bigger than him as he tries to find his way back to the castle to find out who wants him out of the way and why.
Will he discover the culprit?
Will he ever be human again?
And, if all else fails, will he still be able to choose his Princess?
Find out in this captivating story, suitable for children of all ages.


Thank you for stopping by our blog J.R.!  When did you first consider yourself an author? 
I’m still not sure that I really consider myself an author. I don’t think I will until I have a few more books under my belt. Until then I consider myself as an apprentice to authorship. But technically I suppose author is defined as someone who has works completed and published, so I became an author the day my book was published.

How did you decide on the character names? 
Names just pop into my head, some exist, some made up, but they have to suit the character. I never write a name then create a character to fit and sometimes a character has to earn their name.

How long does it take you to write a book, from start to finish? 
It can take a while. I suppose I can commit to an answer of a few months, give or take.
I will often write an overview of sorts, then walk away from it for a while. When I come back to it I write the first draft, then go through it adding and tweaking bits, almost like an oil painting.
Sometimes it helps to just walk away from something, my brain seems to write it for me without my noticing. I’m starting to wonder what else my brain gets up to when I’m not looking.

What was your main source of inspiration for the story? 
The Adventures of the Frog Prince started a few years ago with a concept, “what would the princess and the frog story look like from the point of view of the frog?”
I wrote a short piece and a few years later my partner stumbled across it and told me that I should develop the idea, so I did.
I think my inspiration in general is obscurity.
I like to include little pieces of history or obscure folklore to make the story seem much more tangible.

What was the hardest part of writing your book? 
Letting it go, I was really nervous (and still am) about how it would be received. I don’t like to put myself in the limelight, so putting something of mine out there for the world to see was very difficult for me.

What does your family think of your writing? 
They are very supportive of it and will happily read my latest offerings. My other half has been especially invaluable as a sounding board.

Do you have any hidden talents? 
Well, not so much hidden as buried.
My other half says I can sing but I’m not convinced. I’m certainly not about to start auditioning for Xfactor.

What book are you reading now? 
A tale of two cities by Charles Dickens. Unfortunately I seem to have run out of reading time recently so I have stalled, but I have to say that I love it so far and can’t wait to get back into it.
I have also started a free kindle read called Mancode Exposed. I have never read a “chick book” before and was curious. I have to say it’s not really my thing. I would recommend it for people whose thing it is.

Can you share a little of your current work with us? 
I have two things in the air at the moment. One is a fantasy novel, the other is another children’s book. I shall keep them shrouded in mystery a little while longer, I don’t quite have all the little details hammered out and would hate to lie to you.

What were your feelings when you first saw the finished product of your first book? 
I can only describe it as a warm glow. I was grinning for ear to ear for days, although I didn’t quite believe that it was my work. I still look at it from time to time and wonder who wrote it. Perhaps it was my alter ego.

Who designs the covers for your books? 
At the moment I do. One day I hope to have someone better create one for me, but, for the moment, I’m it.

Find out more about J.R. Barker on Goodreads or her website, and follow on Twitter!

The Adventures of the Frog Prince by J.R. Barker

The Prince had problems; he was stranded in a moat and was trying to come to terms with being small, green and surprisingly springy.
Now not only must he battle to control his new body, which is frequently prone to malfunction, but he must also avoid being eaten by things that are bigger than him as he tries to find his way back to the castle to find out who wants him out of the way and why.
Will he discover the culprit?
Will he ever be human again?
And, if all else fails, will he still be able to choose his Princess?
Find out in this captivating story, suitable for children of all ages.

Find out more about the author on Goodreads!

Moa by Tricia Stewart Shiu

Hillary Hause is not a witch. But, everyone in her conservative small town thinks so. When she is given a trip to Hawaii for graduation, this energetic eighteen-year-old anticipates adventure but gets more than she bargained for when Moa, an ancient Hawaiian spirit, pays her an unexpected visit.

With the help of her older sister, Molly and her seven-year-old niece, Heidi, Hillary embarks on a journey in which she not only saves herself, her family and Moa, but also the Hawaiian Islands. In the end, she learns to accept herself and her spiritual gifts warts and all. 
 
Find out more about this author on Goodreads!

Siren by Joycelin Arnold

By 2348, the world has been put in a crisis. With humans and Sirens on the brink of a discriminating civil war, much is shrouded in secrecy. With death as the reward, many don’t dare speak the truth and others prefer the bliss of ignorance. People who share their opinion and come against the government's tyrannical rule are thrust into exile.
Nadia Delmasta is one of those people.

Being a recently, and falsely, exiled solider, Nadia sees this as chance to have the freedom she never could and to set aside the life she was forced into. Everyone else has other plans though. As Nadia begins to understand more about the world outside of the military and the ways of the corrupt government, she has to make a life changing decision.
Will she join in the fight for justice or seek out her own freedom?

Find out more about this author on Goodreads!

Tuesday 27 March 2012

Author Interview - Tricia Stewart Shiu


   Author
Tricia Stewart Shiu
    stopped by our blog today
         for an interview!


Watch for Tricia's book, Moa, this
        week in
Read It & Reap!

Hillary Hause is not a witch. But, everyone in her conservative small town thinks so. When she is given a trip to Hawaii for graduation, this energetic eighteen-year-old anticipates adventure but gets more than she bargained for when Moa, an ancient Hawaiian spirit, pays her an unexpected visit.

With the help of her older sister, Molly and her seven-year-old niece, Heidi, Hillary embarks on a journey in which she not only saves herself, her family and Moa, but also the Hawaiian Islands. In the end, she learns to accept herself and her spiritual gifts warts and all.




Thank you for stopping by our blog Tricia! When did you first consider yourself an author?
I was in middle school and read James Joyce’s “Portrait of an Artist” for the first time. About an hour later, I was overcome by an urge to write, and indulged the impulse. Time stood still, I have no idea what happened. All I remember is coming to, with pages upon pages filled with words in front of me. It felt incredible to express myself so freely and I never looked back.

How did you decide on the character names?
The names just popped in naturally and, subsequently, their personalities formed. I had an intuitive internal dialogue that went something like:

“Hillary”
“With one l or two?”
“One. No, two looks better. What about her last name?”
“I don’t know.”
“How about Haus.”
“No, that’s not right.”
“Hause?”
“Yes.”
And, that’s how it went.

How long does it take you to write a book, from start to finish?
Good question. I went back into my notes and discovered that it took me exactly three months and ten days to write “Moa” from beginning to end. That seems to be my average writing speed, three months. My aunt, Rebecca Gummere, is my editor extraordinaire. We have developed a comfortable and productive working rhythm that balances creativity and structure and brings such joy and enrichment to the work. Right now, we’re finishing up the sequel, “Statue of Ku,” which is due out at the end of April.

What was your main source of inspiration for the story?
When I was five, I was visited by a vision. I'll never forget it, I was running down the stairs and the entity, a girl with dark hair, stopped me in my tracks. The spirit said that I would go through a deeply challenging time in my life, but would resurface, later in life, with unimaginable joy and fulfillment. That vision stayed with me. In middle school, I would sit quietly at my desk adding up the years to figure out exactly when my life would turn around.

And then I forgot. I got busy, my work and the stress of family life took over and I was completely overwhelmed and in desperate need of a vacation. My husband, daughter and I decided to go to Hawaii.

When the plane landed in Honolulu, I remember feeling the difference in the atmosphere as I disembarked. The air made me somehow, remember that there was a part of me that knew…something…what was it?

Never mind, I was in Hawaii it was time to see the sights! So, I sped off to see Diamond Head, Waikiki Beach and then headed home for an afternoon nap before an evening luau. As I drifted toward sleep, I heard my name being called. In my mind's eye, I saw a beautiful young woman with dark hair, who said her name was Moaahuulikkiaaakea’o Haanaapeekuluueehuehakipuunahe’e—Moa for short.

And then I remembered.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?
The time between stories is the most challenging for me. When I am inside a story and writing I am at my most peaceful and joyful. Not only do I mourn the end of a story when I write, I also do it when I read a great book.

Nevertheless, I believe that this sadness brings with it, a great opportunity and depth of creativity and I wouldn’t change a thing about the process.

Is there a message in your story that you want readers to grasp?
Each of us has at least one divine gift to remember. The moment we wake up and retrieve the memory of who we are and what we are here—on earth—to do, the adventure begins.

What does your family think of your writing?
They are incredibly proud of my accomplishments and love sharing in every part of the creative process. My daughter took the cover photo and illustrated “Moa” and my husband has been a tremendous support in helping me finding designers, checking items off of my ‘to do’ list and, most importantly, watching our daughter while I write.

Do you have any hidden talents?
I am an energetic intuitive and have a talent for creating powerful healing essential oil blends and gem elixirs. The unearthing of these talents occurred as I became certified in an energy healing technique called “Crystalline Consciousness Technique” and studied a variety of shamanic clearing methods and healing rituals.

What book are you reading now?
“The Graveyard Book” by Neil Gaiman.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?
Sure. This is an excerpt from “Moa:”

Eighteen-year-old, Hillary Hause’s left thumb searches frantically to turn on the “I’m Okay to Fly” hypnotherapy recording. Her nerves on edge, fuchsia fingernails press into the blue pleather armrests of her airplane seat.

“No spells can help you now,” she whispers to herself under her breath—then checks to see if anyone notices. Nope, they don’t.

The plane lifts through the early morning, gray fog of California, “June Gloom” giving way to the azure sky, and Hillary covers her curly brown head and retreats beneath the questionably clean plane blanket cranking the volume to drown out the drone of the engines.

“Outer shell close to breaking.” This time she doesn’t care if anyone hears.

I hover just beyond her “outer shell”—a movement in the periphery, a faintly familiar scent, a fond memory just beyond recognition, a non-human observer.

What were your feelings when you first saw the finished product of your first book?
Elation! I grabbed the first person I saw—it happened to be my seven-year-old daughter/illustrator, Sydney—and we did a celebration dance!

Who designs the covers for your books?
The brilliant and talented, Sydney Shiu took the cover photos and Scott Torrance brought his years of experience in photographic art and design to the layouts.

Thank you again, Tricia, for stopping by our blog! Watch for Tricia's newest novel, Statue of Ku, coming out in ebook at the end of April!
STATUE OF KU, the second book in the Moa Book Series, follows Hillary and Moa as they jet to Egypt on the Prince’s private plane to reclaim Moa’s family heirloom, the inimitable Statue of Ku.

Once on the ground, however, they find that their search is less about retrieving a treasured family possession and more about tracing a healing path in their genetic lineage to its true beginning. Their journey involves magic, sacrifice and the discovery of unique healing gifts, which live within all of us.

Their story intertwines with that of the real boy, Ku — his questions, his travails and, eventually, his triumph.

In their continuing search for the Statue, Hillary and Moa find that the answer to every question they seek is where they least expect it and that healing gifts are not lost but merely forgotten.


Sunday 25 March 2012

Sunset by Arshad Ahsanuddin

With millennia-old magic, emerging romance, and ever-shifting allegiances, this inventive new series unveils a scintillating, homoerotic world of Nightwalkers, Daywalkers, Sentinels, and Humans, who battle for world dominance in the not-too-distant future.

Los Angeles, 2040. The terrorist Medusa and her followers threaten to destroy the metropolis with a nuclear bomb. One individual, the vampire Nicholas Jameson, comes forward to oppose them. As Nick takes on the terrorists, the fragile peace between the races hangs perilously in the balance as the supernatural peoples are exposed. 

Find out more about the author on Goodreads!

Dangerous by Alycia Linwood

Ria is an 18-year-old girl who has just started going to the University of Magic, a special university for those who have one of the four elements: fire, water, air and earth. There she meets Michael, a boy whose element is different from hers, which makes their romantic involvement seem impossible because mixing of elements can have horrible consequences. She also feels threatened by Adrian, a very dangerous magic disease carrier. Magic disease, which surged as a result of bad mixing of elements, turns people into cold-hearted killers, who have a strong desire to take someone's element as they do not have their own. Ria's best friend, Paula, is fascinated by Adrian like most of the girls at the University and wants him to help her with her research about the disease. All Ria's beliefs are put to test when she starts having the symptoms of the disease and the only person she can turn to is Adrian. 

Find out more about the author on Goodreads!

Thursday 22 March 2012

Author Interview - Karina Kantas

This week we had the opportunity to interview author Karina Kantas

Karina's newest book, Huntress, is now available on Amazon.


After learning a notorious motorcycle club was responsible for the murder of her uncle and the death threat given to her parents, Sofi vows revenge. Using her journalist skills, she makes the mistake of infiltrating the gang.

Watch for Karina's book, Lawless Justice, in Read It & Reap:

Cass has left an abusive relationship. Vowing no one will hurt her again, she returns to her home town, Northampton, in the hope of mending the relationship with her family, but she soon gets drawn into deadly situation.

Cass has to decide quickly, does she remain invisible or is it time to stand out?

Enter the Kittnz.

Six sexy but tough women that serve the public by dealing out justice the Kittnz way... for a price.

Dangerous women you would love to hate.
__________________________________________________

When did you write your first book and how old were you?
I think I was about eighteen when I thought my first manuscript was finished. I didn’t try to get anything published until I moved to Greece though. 

Do you have a favorite character? Which character did you have the most fun writing?
My favourite character is Ice from the thriller Lawless Justice. We’re very similar in many ways and I can understand her struggles. I love that she leads an exciting double life as a vigilante and yet finds it hard to balance her family ties and the Kitnnz duties. Can you imagine what it must feel like to be able to hit out without fear of repercussions? 

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?
I’ve been so busy promoting my latest thriller, Huntress that I haven’t picked up a pen for quite a while. But once I’m back in the “zone” I will continue with Broken Chains, my MI5 thriller. I’ll start by reading through the MS and try to connect with the characters and plot. Once I do, I can then start work. I won’t give myself a set number of words per day, I don’t have a deadline. I write when I’m ready to write. There’s no way I will force myself. I know it would be a waste of my time.

Are experiences in the book Lawless Justice based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Yes, some scenes are from my own experiences, actual emotions I felt and I suppose a few of the smaller characters are based on people I’ve come across. Names have been changed to protect the (not) so innocent.

Do you suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do to get over it? 
It’s not just about the block; it’s having the time and being able to put the effort in. No matter what other may say, writing is difficult and it takes a lot out of you, more emotional than physical. When I am stuck I asked my Facebook fans to give me three random words, then I make write a flash fiction using the most interesting group. It’s usually enough to get the juices flowing.

Is there someone in your life that inspired you to write? Was there another author or teacher that encouraged you?
Quite the opposite, my English teacher said I suffered from dyslexia and that I’d never become an author. I was inspired to prove here wrong. 

There was a time when I was ready to give it all up. But then I read Stephen King’s Book on Writing and I was amazed at how similar our background and writing beginnings were and it made me realize that if he could do it, why couldn’t I?

What do you do to unwind and relax?
I used to sing in a rock band. I love singing as much as writing; they both give me a release. So when I want to relax, I either plug in my microphone at home or hubby takes me out to a karaoke, yes, even in a small Greek village I can find a karaoke. I also love to unwind with a good book.

What book are you reading now?
I go through a lot of books. Thirty so far this year (I blame it on the Kindle) *laughs*

At this time, I’m just finishing the Mockingjay, the third and final book of The Hunger Games series. It’s such an emotional read, certainly top of my 2012 list.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?
Road Rage is an urban thriller about a sponsored superbike racing team and their illegal activities. The manuscript is complete and has been professionally edited. I am currently submitting Road Rage to Literary agents.

If you could do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
Well as Huntress is traditionally published and has just been released, I think it’s perfect as it is. *winks*

What tools do you feel are must haves for writers?
In this day and age a computer and internet connection is important. Although we used to be able to get by with just pen and paper. I remember when I was working on my first book In Times of Violence, banging on my brother manual typewriter. *smiles*


You can find Karina and more about her books at any of these places:
Fan Page:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Karina-Kantas/31754864225
Twitter:  http://twitter.com/#!/karinakantas
Website for excerpts, reviews and links:  http://www.freewebs.com/froget/
Website for everything urban:  http://www.urban-novels.com/
Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/226865.Karina_Kantas



Billy has been a target of bulling throughout her schooling. Exams are over but the stress she's feeling leads her to thoughts of suicide. It's her counselor that suggests she volunteers to assist in an archaeological dig in Scotland.

A secluded hostel. The residents start dropping like flies.

Billy knows who the murderer is.

Shane knows he's next to die.


Heads & Tales is a collection of 28 short stories that will delight, fright and leave you questioning your sanity.
Diverse collection of flash and short fiction. Includes the award winning horror story Crossed.

Thought provoking storytelling at its best.

Genres include horror, comedy, romance, thriller, science fiction, historical romance and prose.



Jade, a sheltered teenager, gets caught up in the violence and frightening experiences after becoming a member of a notorious bikers' gang.

Sunday 18 March 2012

A Marked Past by Leslie Deaton

Lyla Mercer’s life changed the moment her dad was murdered, and again when she heard that she could be next. Forced to move to Salem for safe keeping, Lyla soon discovers her family has a dark history in the small town, and when a glossy black moon appears on the back of her neck she becomes newest part of that legacy. Her family is marked and being hunted, but Lyla may be the weapon they need to survive. Lyla attempts to ignore the danger, pretending to be normal, but whispers and rumors follow her everywhere. She thinks nothing can ever be normal for her again until she meets Caleb, the minister’s son, and the absolute wrong boy to be dating a witch. He’s everything she wants to be, just a normal kid from a normal family. At least that’s what she thinks, but nothing is as it seems in Salem. Caleb has secrets to keep about his family that rival her own. Until recently, her father's murderer has managed to keep his true identity a secret, but when Lyla uncovers the truth about him, nobody is safe, especially her.

Find out more about this author on
Goodreads

Amber Eyes by Jolyn Palliata

~ Eyes are the window to the soul, in a time when souls are ancient. ~

After an accident, one she shouldn’t have walked away from, Lexi’s life finally begins. She meets Dez, a new student with the most beautiful eyes she’s ever seen. And since gazing into them, Lexi has had vivid waking dreams that pull her back through time, and into the warm embrace of a mysterious stranger—a stranger who becomes all too familiar. When offering an explanation for her detailed visions, Dez changes her world forever with two simple words: Soul mates.

For the first time in her life, Lexi feels safe and complete. But lingering in the shadows is the embodiment of evil, coveting the light within her. He’s a threat to Lexi’s very existence, and to a love that has transcended time.


Find out more about this author on Goodreads

Abandoned Angel by Kayden Lee

BEATEN, BLOODIED, AND DRUGGED, and things are going to get worse.

Angelina awakes from a drug-induced haze, alone in the dim parking lot of a biker gang’s clubhouse. Her violent husband, who has left her there to suffer, has kidnapped their young son. The desperate woman slowly makes her way into the rundown building with the hope of finding help. Instead, a gang of bikers, who intend to make the young mother their property, approaches her.

After a disheartening confrontation, a club member with a past full of disappointment and regret insists that the attractive woman ride with him. In doing so, he upsets the balance of the gang, infuriating another member in the process. As they travel across country, Angelina quickly learns that not only does she have to worry about the safety of her child, but her own safety as well.

It will take determination, inner strength, and the help of a handsome stranger in order for her to survive the ride of her life.

This romantic suspense novel will keep you speculating throughout the journey.

Find out more about this author on Goodreads

Ethereal Influence: The Birth by Lana Bradstream

A person's faith can waiver when life becomes difficult. It is during those times when God's angels can appear and attempt to deliver guidance. Alas, God is not the only one with angels. The death of Laura's baby shakes her faith to the core, leaving her open and vulnerable. With her faith in the balance, her soul becomes the battle ground between good and evil. The angels Ben and Ryan war with one another over whether or not Laura's faith can be restored or her plunge into darkness will continue.

Find out more about the author on Goodreads

Saturday 17 March 2012

Author Interview - Jeff Horton

It was my pleasure to interview author Jeff Horton this week! Jeff's newest novel, The Dark Age Survivors of the Pulse, is now available for purchase and will be featured in Read It & Reap soon!



Thank you Jeff for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer our questions!  When and why did you begin writing? What inspired you? 
When I was a small child I could frequently be found curled up somewhere reading a great book. I recall reading Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs at a very young age, soon followed by the Bible, and classics like Sherlock Holmes, Lord of the Rings, and Call of the Wild. 

I took a creative writing class in college many years ago. On a number of occasions we were encouraged to write about anything we wanted. I believe that class was probably the first time I realized how much I enjoyed writing fiction, thus planting the seed for me to begin my career as a novelist about four years ago, in 2008. After years of false starts with various concepts, I had finally arrived at the point that I was ready to attempt a novel. After some contemplation as to what I wanted to write about, I eventually settled on THE DARK AGE, a post-apocalyptic concept about the world after the sudden collapse of civilization worldwide. Although The Dark Age was the first book I wrote, it was actually the second published. My first novel published novel was THE GREAT COLLAPSE, the prequel to The Dark Age.

Were the characters in your book created around people in your life? How did you decide on the character names? 
The characters in my novels are usually an amalgam of people and personalities I have either known or been close to. I've been blessed to know a number of colorful people throughout my life, which has definitely helped me as a novelist.

How long does it take you to write a book, from start to finish?
Since I do most of my writing on nights and weekends, it usually takes me a few months to get a first draft completed and another month or so to get through my first pre-submittal edits. I think that Michael Crichton had it right when he said that great novels are not written, they’re re-written!

What was your main source of inspiration for the story?
It came to me one night while I was lying in bed. I imagined a post-apocalyptic world which had regressed to a medieval era level of technology, until an opportunity was presented that can enable civilization to re-emerge and end the dark age.


How do you deal with (or have you had to) rejection letters?

Oh, yes, I certainly have had my fair share of rejection letters. I was thankful when World Castle Publishing, a new small press, picked up not only The Dark Age, but my third novel, The Last Prophet as well. 

Certainly the rejection letters I received before my novels were published were not so easy to deal with, especially after pouring so much effort into my books. It was a bit frustrating that so many publishing houses will only go with an author when there is a near-certainty of their success. It seems they are much more cautious these days about the authors they sign, and are much more risk-adverse than they used to be. I dealt with it by just not quitting. Before World Castle came along, I had finally decided that if I was unable to find a suitable publisher for my work, that I would just publish through Amazon.

Are there any authors (living or dead) that you would name as influences? 
There were several authors that have really influenced me. Dickens, Doyle, Wells, Clancy, Creighton, Augustine, all have been influential in my writing style.

What does your family think of your writing? 
I think everyone (especially me!) would like to see my work jump from being on Amazon's bestseller list to being on the New York Times bestseller list, before appearing on the silver screen! My family really didn’t have any idea how to react in the beginning, since we've never had any authors in the family that we’re aware of. Once everyone saw that it was something I was serious about, however, everyone jumped on the bandwagon and began supporting me 100%.

What book are you reading now? 
I just finished reading Moby Dick for the first time. It was a long read and, in my opinion, more about whaling than about Moby Dick himself. I thought that it was an interesting novel, however, a story set in a bygone era.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?
I just finished my first draft of TALES OF EDEN: THE WAY OF NACOR, which is a fantasy/science fiction novel. What I set out to accomplish with Tales of Eden was to develop a book/series that was a mix of Chronicles of Narnia and Pilgrim's Progress, with a little science-fiction thrown in. I'm excited about this novel, and I think it will do very well.
I've also started researching material for my next novel, a techno-thriller set in the near future, during a time when nation states fight wars almost exclusively in cyberspace.

What were your feelings when you first saw the finished product of your first book?
In a word, wow. I never really felt like an author until I was able to hold a copy of my book. It was such a feeling of accomplishment. Now, I've been bitten by the bug and will likely write until I can no longer do so.

Who designs the covers for your books? What is that process like for you as the author? 
My publisher, World Castle Publishing, designs the cover, although I am very grateful that they were so open to my suggestions and feedback. They really valued my input and made changes based on what I asked for.

I believe that the right cover for a novel can definitely help make or break it. I always try to ensure that either literally or symbolically, the conveys something important about the novel.

Thank you again Jeff!  Good luck with your current and future novels!  To find out more about Jeff and his work, follow any of the links below:
Bookblogs:  http://bookblogs.ning.com/profile/JeffHorton

_____________________________________________________________

Suppose you learned that an ancient prophecy about an artifact, said to be powerful enough to dramatically change the world, was true. Would you risk everything to find it?

It has been five-hundred years since the Pulse caused the Great Collapse, ending the Golden Age, and civilization on planet Earth. Humanity has waited ever since for a long-anticipated sign from God, which has finally appeared in the night sky. The time has come for Ferrell Young, the Warrior Clan, and the Church to risk everything in an effort to restore civilization, and bring hope to a world full of despair.

Alex Montgomery is an archaeologist who has spent many years looking for a mysterious book on behalf of the Holy Christian Church. The book is said to contain the location of the Great Oracle which, according to legend, can endow the one who finds it with great power and wealth. Of much greater importance to the Clan and the Church however, is the fact that it may also enable the world to emerge from five centuries of darkness and suffering.

When a powerful, intelligent, but sadistic barbarian leader named Kraken learns of the Oracle, he plans to destroy the Warrior Clan and the Church, take the Oracle for himself, and enslave the rest of humanity.

Join Ferrell and his companions as they set out on a desperate journey to find the Great Oracle, and rescue humanity from The Dark Age.

_____________________________________________________________

Editorial Reviews
"As the world falls to pieces, evil will flourish and only the bold will dare stand in its way. "The Dark Age: Survivors of the Pulse" is set on a post apocalyptic Earth... "The Dark Age" is a riveting blend of science fiction and fantasy, recommended reading."
MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW

"...I am a fan of good post-apocalypse novels. This book is no exception. The author has shown great skill in weaving a story of "what if." What if everything changed in the blink of an eye? I did find A Dark Age to be a somewhat complicated novel but consisting of basic good versus evil. The author takes the concept and inserts enough detail to quickly define the environment, atmosphere, and characters. This enables the reader to promptly label the players. The main characters are likable, particularly the protagonist Ferrell, Alex and his daughter Hannah, and Brother Sebastian. Then there is the evil antagonist, Kraken, with whom the reader will quickly grow to hate. The plot, while based on a well-used concept, is well thought out and constructed in a manner to keep the reader's attention and interest. I did find the ending to be a touch simplistic but still satisfactory. Overall, it's very well done." 

Reviewed by Paul J. for READERS FAVORITE

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Find The Dark Age on Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11021753-the-dark-age-survivors-of-the-pulse

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http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Age-Survivors-Pulse/dp/193708504X/ref=pd_sim_b1 

Find The Dark Age on YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeG5qT13Te8