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Thursday, December 29, 2016

PROMO: The Sightseers Agency


Science Fiction
Date Published:  August 2016

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The first recruit to the new Sightseers Agency is a remote viewer who actively seeks the resolution of events threatening world security.

Both his fledgling agency and that of The Deaduction Agency are members of The Dreadnought Collective.

The term ‘Dreadnought’ is based on a type of battleship introduced in the early 20th century, larger and faster than ever before and equipped entirely with large-caliber guns.

It applies in this instance because the cerebrally talented agents who enter its portals are expected to fear nobody and be scared by nothing in the performance of their duties.

They pursue those who indulge in criminal and seditious activities in the modern meritocracy using unorthodox techniques.

The Collective will embrace several types of Black Arts as it grows and faces unusual challenges. These once belonged to the realms of Science Fiction but are fast becoming a reality in the emerging new world.

This is a series of Whodunits set in the future.

About the Author


The author, writing under the pseudonym Terry Tumbler, was born in the 1940s in the small province of Wales, in not-as-'Great'-as-it-once-was Britain. The adjoining photo of the real author has been air-brushed, so that the possibility of anyone stumbling upon his true identity will not disturb him, also believing that no one who reads his first book can possibly recognize him from the long gone days of his childhood. The first book, The Rough and Tumbles of Early Life, as you may be aware, is an accurate recollection of key events that occurred in his early life.  Others of a similar, warped humor and semi-fictional nature have been produced and are being published.

The author left full-time education with a higher level certificate in Business Studies, had a Commercial Apprenticeship in the Titanium Industry, and subsequently gained professional qualifications in Personnel Management and as a Company Secretary. He worked in all aspects of computing for over thirty years, during which time many reports of dubious value and two technical manuals were well-written and printed.

Now retired, and a few months after moving abroad, the author was bemused to find his dear wife sitting alone on her tilting armchair weeping; the reason she gave was shock and horror at the prospect of spending her remaining years with him. Since then, he has done his best to behave himself, but she has still taken out a funeral plan on him. They have three grandchildren, none of whom much like to be with him for more than two weeks.

Those who may wish to inflict retribution for his innocently evil behavior as a child, may well see through the flimsy disguise, but should know that the author now lives on alien shores and cares not one jot for their intentions.

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Friday, December 23, 2016

PROMO: Silk


Historical / Victorian Suspense

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Silk on the skin—luxurious, luscious..lethal.


London-Fall, 1888

The city is in a panic as Jack the Ripper continues his murderous spree. While the Whitechapel police struggle to find him, Detective Inspector Rudyard Bloodstone and his partner are working feverishly to find their own serial killer. The British Museum's beautiful gardens have become a killing ground for young women strangled as they stroll through.

Their investigation has them brushing up against Viscount Everhard, a powerful member of the House of Lords, and a friend to Queen Victoria. When the circumstantial evidence  points to him as a suspect, Rudyard must deal with the political blowback, and knows if they are going to go after the viscount, they'd better be right and have proof.

As the body count grows and the public clamor for the detectives to do more, inter-department rivalries complicate the already difficult case.




Excerpt


Events of the day and the potential satisfaction of giving Napier a bloody nose dwindled. Questions about the murder crept back into Ruddy's thoughts. Morris joined him at his table in the rear of the pub with a Guinness, the popular beer of choice in hand. “You’ve got the look of a man whose thoughts are a long distance from London.”
“No, sadly my thoughts are fixed here in the city. I’m trying to figure out a clue. Ellis’s roommate said she’d sometimes meet with a well-dressed man, a man of means the victim indicated. They’d meet up at the fountain by the British Museum.”
“Don’t know the spot but then the museum isn’t my cup of tea.”
“Not the point. I’m saying it’s odd. What member of the upper class chooses to stroll through a public garden other than Hyde or Regents, where they can see and be seen by one of their own?”
“I agree the wealthy prefer the parks filled with others of their kind but it doesn’t mean a man can’t enjoy someplace different.”
“We interviewed the guard again. The one that discovered the body walks that half of the building. He told us the majority of their male patrons are natty dressers, but he never saw a man like that loitering by the fountain.”
“My guess is: the man is married and can’t afford to run the risk of being seen by a friend of his wife’s. Or, he might live or work in the area and the spot is convenient.”
“Or, he’s a murderer who’s noticed the victim walking through the park on a regular basis, saw it as an opportunity and cozied up to her.”
Ruddy took another swallow of his ale, mentally debating the merit of each theory. “I don’t think he lives in the area. If so, he’d have cut through the park more and been seen by the guards. Not sure about the married man having a tryst idea."
To Ruddy's way of thinking, if the man was married and looking for a tumble, he’d have met her someplace other than the gardens and at a better hour.
Instinct drew him back to his original sense of the culprit and crime. “I feel like this was a crime of opportunity. I’ve thought it all along and can’t shake the sense.”
“If he was just seeking a victim, then why haven’t you had more murders like this?” Morris asked.
Ruddy downed the rest of his beer and put his tankard on the edge of the table where June would refill it. “Everyone has to start somewhere. She might be number one.”
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About the Author

I was born and raised in Chicago. My father was a history professor and my mother was, and is, a voracious reader. I grew up with a love of history and books.

My parents also love traveling, a passion they passed onto me. I wanted to see the places I read about, see the land and monuments from the time periods that fascinated me. I’ve had the good fortune to travel extensively throughout Europe, the Near East, and North Africa.  

I am a retired police detective. I spent twenty-five years in law enforcement with two different agencies. My desire to write came in my early teens. After I retired, I decided to pursue that dream. I write three different series. My paranormal romance series is called, Knights in Time. My romantic thriller series is Dangerous Waters. The newest is The Bloodstone Series. Each series has a different setting and some cross time periods, which I find fun to write.

I currently live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband and four wild and crazy rescue dogs.  


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Friday, December 16, 2016

PROMO: Wetzel


Historical Fiction
Date Published:  December 2016

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"Who in the west has not heard of Wetzel, the daring borderer, the Boone of North-Western Virginia." Wills de Hass, 1851.

Lewis Wetzel came of age near the end of the Revolutionary War and was an important participant in the twenty-year war between the woodland Indian Nations and the settlers of western Pennsylvania, western Virginia, and Kentucky. The novel, although classified as historical fiction, traces Wetzel's life over a period of more than twenty years, featuring events and the rich history that occurred in the upper Ohio River Valley, Kentucky, Ohio, and down the Mississippi to New Orleans. According to de Hass, a historian in the mid-nineteenth century, Wetzel's efforts were without parallel in border warfare.


 EXCERPT

He moved along in the direction indicated by the track he had found, and he soon found another. The Indian was moving along the path parallel to the tree line, which ended at the riverbank.
Lewis knew that the Indians often used the islands such as Boggs Island to help them cross the Ohio, and he figured that this warrior was heading directly to the shore opposite the island.
“This red buck ain’t doin’ much to cover his trail,” said Wetzel aloud to himself. “And he ain’t too far ahead neither.”
He came to a break in the tree line, and he could see the island in the distance. There was tall grass and some light brush in the open area, then another clump of trees. Wetzel dropped to a crawl, keeping his head below the taller grasses until he reached the trees.
He looked for some sign of his quarry and eventually saw a broken twig just a few feet to the left of where he had entered. A natural path led along the base of a low-rising hill, and Lewis followed it, stopping often to listen and examine the forest floor to both sides.
It seemed to Wetzel that he should be close to what he had thought was the Indian’s intended destination. He heard
Something that sounded like singing, a female voice. His eye then caught sight of his prey, kneeling behind a big maple and watching something intently. Wetzel dropped down behind some bushes and stared at the husky brave. What was he looking at?
Lewis backed up a bit and shifted to his right where there was a small opening in the trees through which he could see to the riverbank. What he saw nearly took his breath away. A woman Wetzel stood at the edge of the stream, splashing water on herself. She was completely naked, and she was singing softly. Wetzel knew immediately that it was Lydia, and he could not take his eyes off her. When she began to turn, Lewis was so enthralled that he nearly forgot his dusky friend who was sharing this view.
Lydia stepped toward the canoe that was pulled up on the bank near where she stood and reached for the towel, slung over its side. In so doing, she exposed her front side to the two men watching her with avid attention. Lewis was conscious of the effects this sight was having on his body. Her breasts were as beautiful as he had imagined, and as his eye dropped down to the dark thatch between her legs, he could scarcely keep himself from crying out. He felt the desire well up within him, and he wanted to rush down and take her in his arms.
Lydia casually lifted the towel and began to dry herself, completely unaware of the two men watching her from so nearby.
Lewis, remembering finally the danger to Lydia crouching behind the big tree, looked to see what the warrior was doing.
The Indian, as if mesmerized by the erotic show in front of him, had not moved. This couldn’t last much longer, and Wetzel
eased back into the woods behind him and moved to a position advantageous for an attack. How should he do it without revealing to Lydia that the two of them had been peeping at her. He could not wait much longer, he knew.
He dropped down to a prone position and raised his rifle, sighting through the opening at the Indian who stood next to the tree, still watching the girl. His face was painted and a stone hung
from his right ear. Wetzel aimed just in front of the dangling gem and squeezed the trigger. The ball slammed into the unsuspecting brave in the right jaw, plowing through his mouth and out just under the left eye. He dropped instantly and without making a sound. Wetzel could hear the scream from Lydia, but he waited for a short while before moving.

He was confident that the Indian was dead, but he made no move to go to the body and retrieve the scalp. He could not see Lydia now, but he figured that she was scrambling to get dressed and get the canoe out into the river. Waiting until he thought she was probably dressed, he then pushed through the trees, making as much noise as possible. Lydia was visible as Wetzel neared the edge of the woods, and he could see that she was no longer naked. She had put on the gown, but he could see that her petticoat was still in the canoe. She had crouched down by the side of the canoe that was nearest the river, and as he came into the clearing, she screamed again.
“Lyddy, it’s me, Lew Wetzel,” he shouted, hoping to stop her screaming.
It had just occurred to him that they might not be alone, even though he had seen no one else.
“Who?” Lydia stopped screaming but remained half hidden by the canoe.
“Lew Wetzel!” exclaimed Lew, louder this time.
Now Lydia stood up and immediately recognized the young hunter.
“Lew Wetzel, you fool. You look like an Indian. You scared me to death.”
“That wasn’t my intent, Lyddy,” protested Lew.
“Was that you shooting?” Lydia demanded, walking around the bow of the canoe and approaching Lew. Her expression had changed from one of fright to one of fury.
“I reckon it was,” admitted Wetzel.
“What were you shootin’ at then?” Lydia wanted to know. “I thought somebody was shootin’ at me.”
“I was shootin’ at a rabbit, Lyddy. I missed him.”
“I thought you was supposed to be a crack shot,” said Lydia, beginning to calm down.
“Suppose to bein’ and bein’ are two different things, mebbe,” said Lew.
He had decided it was better not to mention the Indian. 
“Well, everybody says you’re one of the best shots on the whole border. Guess you got ’em fooled.”
Another thought occurred to her, and she felt herself beginning to blush. “When did you first see me?” she asked suddenly.
Wetzel was ready for this question. “Why, just when I came out of the woods,” he explained. “I saw you crouchin’ there behind the canoe. Why do you want to know that?”
“None of your business, Lew Wetzel.” In spite of herself, Lydia’s face broke into a coquettish grin. “Maybe I wasn’t dressed proper for receivin’ company.”
Wetzel stole a glance at the petticoat draped against the side of the canoe. “Maybe you ain’t dressed quite proper even now,” replied Lew, surprised that he would talk that way to a girl. He surely would never say such a thing to Betty Zane.
Lydia had seen his glance, and she blushed even more. Still she was feeling a certain excitement at this turn in the conversation.
“Well, it’s better than it was before I heard that shot. I was takin’ a bath in the river.”
“I sure wish I had seen that!” said Wetzel emphatically.
“You’re bad, Lew,” said Lydia. “Would you have watched me without warning me?”
Lew realized he could be on dangerous ground here, and he answered accordingly. “Of course not, Lyddy. Why, you’re my friend Billy’s little sister.”
“What difference does that make? Does that mean if it was some other girl, like Betty Zane, you would have watched?” Lydia was not particularly fond of Betty Zane. It was rumored that she was engaged to Moses Shepherd, a young man that Lydia had in mind for herself.
“No, I wouldn’t have looked at Betty Zane neither. Listen here, Lyddy, it ain’t smart for you to come over here by yourself like you did. I could’ve been an Injun, and if I was, you’d be dead about now.”
“Well, I ain’t dead, and I don’t like you sneakin’ up on me like some Injun anyway.”
“I didn’t sneak up on you, Lyddy. I’ll go behind these bushes and turn my back while you finish gittin’ dressed. Then I’ll take you back home.”
Wetzel did as he promised, and Lydia finished dressing. She wanted to stay angry with him, but she supposed she didn’t really have a good reason. The look on his face, though, made her wonder if maybe he had seen more than he was admitting. When she was ready, she called to him and climbed into the canoe. He laid his rifle carefully on the bottom and pushed the little craft out into the water, jumping in as the current began to carry it away from the shore. He took the paddle and began the trip back around Boggs Island and to the shore on the other side.
Two days later, Lydia sat in the commandant’s room at Fort Henry when John Linn came in to talk to her father, Captain John Boggs. The two men spoke for a few moments when a remark of Linn’s caught her attention.
“Funny thing, Captain,” said Linn. “Across the river, in the woods across from your island, I found the body of a dead redskin. He’d been shot through the head but wasn’t scalped. I don’t know how long he’d been there, but he was beginnin’ to stink. His gun was leanin’ against the tree right where he fell. I didn’t see no sign of any others around anywhere.”
A puzzled look came across Boggs’ face. “Weren’t you over there a couple days ago, Lyddy?” he asked his daughter. “Lew Wetzel said he’d found you there. Did you hear anything that day?” Boggs had intended to address the matter with his daughter and give her a good scolding, but he hadn’t got around to it yet.
“Not a thing,” said Lydia immediately, wondering how much Wetzel had told her father.
The men looked at each other and shook their heads. “Let that be a lesson to you, Lyddy. You’d best not go over there again like that,” said Captain Boggs.
“I won’t, Pa,” answered Lydia. Some rabbit, she was thinking to herself.


About the Author


Richard Fleming has degrees from Northwest Missouri State and Florida State University, including a doctorate in mathematics.  After forty-two years as a professor of mathematics at the University of Missouri, the University of Memphis, and Central Michigan University, he retired and began to indulge a lifelong love of history.  He lives in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, with his wife, Diane.

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Week Blitz: Knights In Time


Historical Romance

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HEROES LIVE FOREVER

Elinor Hawthorne has inherited a house haunted by two medieval knights, Basil Manneville and Guy Guiscard. Basil is literally the knight of her dreams. She never expected to “meet” a ghost face to face let alone fall in love with one. Living the normal life together that they’d want is impossible unless fate intervenes.

A lifetime later fate does intervene. Basil, still in love with Elinor, is told her spirit lives on in a young woman. He is given another chance at life to find her.

JOURNEY IN TIME

The budding romance between London attorney, Shakira Constantine, and her client, Alex Lancaster is put to the test when the couple finds themselves torn through time back to the medieval world. It’s a world Alex has a strong connection to, a connection that will cost him his life unless they can find a way to return to this time. Without him, Shakira is condemned to live in a dangerous medieval world alone.

Together they’ll struggle to discover a way back to the modern world while dealing with the political and social intrigues of 14th Century England. The intrigues of that world all too often work against their efforts to get home.

KNIGHT BLINDNESS

Stephen Palmer, a wounded medieval knight finds himself torn through time from the battlefield to the modern and alien world. Seriously injured, he now must make his way in a world he has no context for and no knowledge about.

Esme Crippen is hired as his tutor. Love is something he does understand and as the two fall into love, they both must overcome the fact the world thinks him mad with his time-travel talk, including Esme.    







About the Author

I was born and raised in Chicago. My father was a history professor and my mother was, and is, a voracious reader. I grew up with a love of history and books.

My parents also love traveling, a passion they passed onto me. I wanted to see the places I read about, see the land and monuments from the time periods that fascinated me. I’ve had the good fortune to travel extensively throughout Europe, the Near East, and North Africa.  

I am a retired police detective. I spent twenty-five years in law enforcement with two different agencies. My desire to write came in my early teens. After I retired, I decided to pursue that dream. I write three different series. My paranormal romance series is called, Knights in Time. My romantic thriller series is Dangerous Waters. The newest is The Bloodstone Series. Each series has a different setting and some cross time periods, which I find fun to write.

I currently live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband and four wild and crazy rescue dogs.  


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Thursday, December 15, 2016

Blog Tour: Affiliated and Going Pro



Teen and Young Adult

Date Published: February 2016


Ever Dance With The Devil? 14 year-old Tajalik Stokes is a member of the 17th Street Serpents, a murderous gang in Chicago. After losing his brother to gang violence, Tajalik becomes defiant and violent in his own right. Nonetheless, Tajalik begins to wrestle with his pride when he is confronted with the gospel of Jesus Christ by his peculiar guidance counselor, Alfred Justice who tries to mentor him. Yet, Tajalik’s egotism and disobedience land him in a “Dante’s Inferno” experience at the gates of hell. Now, in agonizing pain, misery and regret, Tajalik finds himself in a realm of darkness trying to figure out answers as to how he got there. In this Author’s Cut of Affilaited, Champion weaves together the same elements from the previous edition, while streamlining the storyline to fully immerse the reader into the domain of the streets where good and evil are oftentimes hard to discern.



Teen and Young Adult

Date Published: August 2016

Enoch Zoles is an agnostic, egotistical, collegiate football star, primed to make millions of dollars as a professional football player. But a one-night stand with a seductive vixen leads to a downward spiral of devastating events, which cost him his reputation, his promising future, and his freedom. And, after experiencing an unexpected tragedy, Enoch wants nothing to do with the God his coach and mentors keep talking about. After repetitive visits to jail, he meets a mysterious inmate who challenges his humility, integrity, and faith—right down to the core of his spirit. But will it be enough to save him from a dreadful end?



Excerpt


Tajalik looked around in the dark void of where he stood, and saw the silhouette of more souls walking around him. Their faces were disfigured, too. He heard their weeping and moaning. Then, like them, he cried in misery and torment.
“William, what happens next? Is this it? We’re here forever, huh?”
“No, this is only the beginning, Stokes. Our affliction will get much worse.  For an eternity we-”
Loud screeching, screams suddenly interrupted William. Tajalik and the others, held their hands over their ears to block out the sounds that became intolerable. The noise only added to the burden of the souls. All of the afflicted began to run. Tajalik saw William turn and sprint, followed by the countless others that ran from the sounds. Tajalik tried his best to stay close to William. The screams seemed to get closer as Tajalik caught up to William. The two sprinted with thousands of others running away from the abominable noise following behind them. The screams of souls, echoed throughout the darkness, running from the predators who were seeking to destroy them.
The two veered down another dark path. On both sides of them were barren trees. It was so dark; the two were vaguely able to see in front of them. They continued to run as they heard the screams of other souls being picked off and tortured, by whatever creatures captured them. Tajalik looked through the forest. Alongside the path, he thought he saw a hill. He was only able to make it out because of its height in the background; which towered over the trees. Suddenly he felt inclined to veer off the path. Everyone running behind him seemed to be getting intercepted by their attackers. It made sense to take the road less traveled. He turned and ran through the forest of barren trees; leaving William to his own fate. He continued to hear the cries of the other souls. It was unbearable. Tajalik worked his way towards the hill; through the trees and thickets. As he ran, he heard himself getting farther and farther away from the screams. He stumbled and even ran head first into some branches that were unseen in the darkness. It still did not stop him. Finally, he came to the forest’s end.
He was standing in a small field, just a few yards from the base of the hill. He heard more branches rustling. He continued to run again, fearing he was being chased by the creatures that terrorized the dark. A figure emerged, running through the trees. Tajalik continued to sprint towards the hill, as he got closer he spotted a crevice at the base. It looked like a cave. With nowhere else to run, he headed straight inside. He stopped in dead in his tracks at the sight of a group of boys staring at him through black hoods. Tajalik became faint with fear. These were the boys that he saw in his dream; following him down the long dark road. Their unsettling stare terrified Tajalik even more. The figure that had been running behind Tajalik now stood at the opening at the bottom of the hill.
“Who are you?” asked the figure.
“Tajalik.”
“You’re new, huh?”
“What were those things?” Tajalik asked as he backed himself against a side of the cave wall, where he could keep an eye on the figure and the group of boys.
“It’s part of our sentence. Just don’t get caught. If you do, it makes your after-life that much worse.”
“What the hell are you talking about, man?”
“Hell is precisely what I’m talking about; Tajalik…Hell is precisely what I’m talking about…” The figure entered the cave finally and began to approach Tajalik.
“…But the children of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness: there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew chapter eight, verse twelve. I bet you wish you believed now.  Don’t you?”
Tajalik looked at the figure as the figure slowly approached him. Tajalik was baffled. It was another young boy in a hood. He nodded towards the other boys.
“We’re all lost souls, man. I’m Lavelle. I grew up in church. Had a mother and a grandmother who prayed for me consistently. They made me go to church regularly, even had me memorize scriptures from the Word. I had mentors who were constantly around me, telling me what to do and what not to do. I didn’t listen. I bucked authority because I loved the street life. I made the choice to not listen to the information, not to listen to the truth that was given to me. That’s the one thing that separates us that dwell here and those that dwell in paradise. That’s the key; Jesus Christ and the choices we make in life. I chose to rebuke the information. So here I stand.”
“So what do we do?” asked Tajalik in intense trepidation.
“We run and hide, Tajalik. It’s only a matter of time before they come through those woods to seek us out. They know this side of the gulf inside and out.”





Chayil Champion is a graduate of the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida where he double-majored in both English and Journalism while competing as a two-sport athlete in both football and track. After graduating from UM in 1998, Champion received his masters and doctorate degrees in education from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He embarked on a career in education as an English teacher and vice principal in South Florida’s Dade County and West Palm Beach County public school systems respectively before moving to Los Angeles, California in 2009.
 A native from Evanston, Illinois, a suburb that borders Chicago’s north side, Champion developed a love for writing at a young age which carried well into his adult years. After penning his first book in 2009 upon his arrival to Los Angeles, Champion has gone on to write five more books, which include the Young Adult fiction novels, Affiliated and Going Pro, both from The Lost Souls literary series. Champion also wrote Exiting The Wilderness and But He Said He Was A Christian, two nonfiction Christian self-help books. His latest book, Majesties of Canaan: The Goliath Project is a Young Adult, super hero novel. It is the first book of many within the Majesties of Canaan Superhero Series and the second book of The Dark Spores Series where Champion has partnered with best-selling authors Keshawn Dodds and Braxton Cosby to form the new superhero universe and to collaboratively pen the upcoming superhero novel Infinity 7 due in early 2017.
Outside of his love for writing, Champion, runs his own education consulting company in Los Angeles where he continues to teach and tutor students. In his free time, Champion focuses on fitness as he is a gym rat, frequents movies, and enjoys spending time with his daughter Vanessa.


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Twitter: @chayilchampion

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PROMO: The Pakistani Connection



Espionage Thriller, Military Thriller
Date Published: July 2016

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This espionage thriller describes how MI6 was able to place a special non official under-cover agent in the Pakistani Al Qaeda organization, with the aim to finding Osama Bin Laden. His name was Naeem Fiazudin and before being recruited, he was an ex SAS soldier of Pakistani origin with an exceptional fighting record in Afghanistan. He discovered that Al Qaeda was currently being run by a far more powerful man in the background. After the CIA raid in Abbottabad, in which Ben Laden was killed, Al Qaeda and their Taliban allies, decided to use the skills of their new recruit to mount a raid on the Pakistani atomic bomb factory near Islamabad. MI6 came up with an ingenious and supposedly fail safe plan, which allowed the raid to go ahead and expose the danger that both MI6 and the CIA had for years feared, with the aim of forcing the Indian sub-continent to put their nuclear arsenal under international control as a step towards disarmament.

Mike Sander, the new MI6 director had recruited Naeem Fiazudin together another ex SAS soldier, John Sebastian, who was severely injured and took up the position of an Al Jazeera investigative journalist. The two of them were close friends and took part in the Tora Bora raid in Afghanistan at the beginning of the hunt for Bin Laden. The journalist was the convert contact man for Naeem.

The story relates the Odyssey of Naeem Fiazudin, starting with his recruitment in a Mosque in South London leading to him joining the Red Crescent organization in Pakistan and subsequent contact with the Taliban and Al Qaeda in the Swat Valley, where he had to prove himself. He was first asked to organize and mount a raid on the Pul- e-Charkhi prison in Kabul, where a brother of the Afghan Taliban leader Omar was being held and due to be executes. The raid was successful and he got the attention of a man known as the Sheikh in Dubai, who was the de-facto leader of the world wide Al Qaeda network, under the cover of a wealthy and successful businessman in the building industry.

The Sheikh decided that his new recruit should train a team of the best Al Qaeda and Pakistani Taliban fighter and mount a raid on the Pakistani Kahuta bomb making factory and steal four small portable atomic bombs. They would be aided by an inside man, who was an engineer in the end control, who was a devout Muslim and Taliban sympathizer. His job was to build in a GSM triggering device, so the bombs could be detonated anywhere in the world, in particular US and Europe. To this end the Sheikh had an ingenious plan. However, MI6 had also a high ranking Engineer in placed in the PAEC, which oversaw the Kahuta plant. His job was to disarm the bombs and place a small tracing and tracking device in them. Naeem would only be given the go ahead if he successfully accomplished this, just before the bombs were due to be collected. 

Something went wrong, and although the Sheikh and the top Al Qaeda leaders, were captured or killed in a meeting in Dubai, the control of the bombs got into the hands of the IS leader. Mike Sanders, together with Naeem Fiazudin and John Sebastian had to stop him using them before it was too late, because one of the bombs had not been neutralized. This bomb was traced to London.


About the Author

Stuart Craigie was born in 1945 at the end of WWII in the North West Frontier province of war time India (now Pakistan); son of Major Ian Craigie of Scottish and Russian parentage. He is married, has adaughter and has lived and worked in Germany for the past twenty years. He holds dual British and German citizenship.
His early childhood was spent in Kenya East Africa. He finished his academic career studying Physics at University College London. After obtaining a B.Sc first class honors and Ph.D. degree he began research in high energy nuclear particle physics. Over the next fourteen years he published over eighty scientific works in major physics journals and proceedings of international conferences, His publications included two monographs and two books.(Most of his works can be found in the ww web under  “N S Craigie”)

During his research years he visited the Soviet Union and a number of east block countries attending symposiums, giving seminars and collaborating with east block physicists on joint projects. These experiences gave him a vivid impression of life behind the iron curtain during the cold war and brought him indirectly in contact with the KGB and East German Stasi, who were monitoring the scientists he had contact with.

In 1984 he left academia and entered industry as a developer of intelligent sensors for the automation industry. In his first four years he submitted and was granted six patents in the above mentioned field. In 1990 he took up a position as a senior executive of his last employer and became its joint CEO and Managing Director in 1994. One of his important tasks was chairman of the board of the directors of a joint venture company in Shanghai. Over a period ofsixteen years he visited and worked in China on numerous occasions.

As a frequent traveler over the years, visiting almost all continents, numerous countries, including most of the major cities around the world, he often took for leisure an exciting spy thriller novel from one or other of his favorite authors: Forsyth, le Carre, and Higgins. As time went on he had read most of their works as well the works of Follet, Clancy, Forbes and others, so that he found less and less to read. Ten years ago this gave him the motivation to write spy novels himself as part of a wider urge to write about life in general..

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Friday, December 9, 2016

Blog Tour: The Legacy of Dragonwand


Fantasy
Date Published: February 16, 2016

He Who Seeks Power, Seeks Destruction.

Over 1000 years ago, nearly all the ancient wizards were destroyed after the Wizard Wars. However, the one who started the War still remains, having worked his will in secret. If he can find the last Dragonwand, he will regain his powers as the dark dragon. Unaware of the Dragonwand or the betrayer, sixteen-year-old Markus is looking for a wizard who will give him a letter of recommendation for the College of Wizardry. During his journey, he stumbles upon Tolen the Wise, who sends Markus on a quest to end the darkness and find the Dragonwand before it gets into the wrong hands. As Markus discovers growing powers and makes allies, will he find what he needs to complete Tolen’s task, or will the ancient, dark wizard uncover the Dragonwand and forever change the fate of the land of Gallenor?








Daniel Peyton is a fresh author whose talents includes, writing, sketching and dreaming out adventures in faraway places that he seeks to bring to paper. He lives in East Tennessee where he draws a great deal of inspiration from the unique landscape. He has been featured in short story e-zines as well as flash fiction blogs. Legacy of Dragonwand: Book I is the first book in the Dragonwand Trilogy. Outside of authoring books, Daniel is an award winning cook, artist, and embroiderer. He is a distinguished member of the Sigma Alpha Iota, and often can be found teaching classes at his church. Before he began seriously devoting himself to becoming a published author, he spent over ten years traveling the country as a member of the Miyagi Ryu Nosho Kai dance school, performing Okinawan classic and modern dances.

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Twitter: @DanPeytonAuthor

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Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Blog Tour: The Infertile Heart





Contemporary Romance - medical and sports
Date Published: May 6, 2016
Publisher: Xlibris


Dr. Lincoln Montgomery is a man who has lost everything but longs to find a connection to someone who he can share his life with, but he fears he will never find the love again that he lost.
The hero of my recently completed novel, The Infertile Heart, has finally found the woman who can complete him, but will their past prevent them from having a future.  Set in Atlanta, GA, this character driven story is a 112,257-word contemporary romance.  Adventuresome and sensual, the book weaves a story of love and loss, lies and truth, and the story of two people learning to love again even though the trials and tribulations they face will stack the cards against them.
An overachiever, Dr. Lincoln Montgomery is a Noble Prize winning billionaire who has spent his life giving others what he could not give to others.  Losing his brother to cystic fibrosis he was driven to find a cure for the gene mutation that took his life.  Even given his success, he could not prevent the death of his wife and unborn child to a drunk driver and spent the last three years mourning their passing and trying to find a way back.  A chance meeting plunges Lincoln back into the dating pool with the one woman he thinks could fertilize his infertile heart.
Dr. Nicole Harris is a physical therapist who has struggled with the decisions she made as a teenager.  Drugged and raped by her date at 14, Nicole ended up pregnant and gave her child up for adoption in order to ensure that she would have a good life.  Finding the perfect family that would keep Nicole abreast of Aubrey’s developments was fear number one priority.  Having given up on love and finding someone who would appreciate her for the woman that she was, Nicole had grown to be.  Feeding her love of golf and football, Nicole meets Dr. Lincoln Montgomery.  Could Lincoln be the one to fertilize her long dormant infertile heart.


Excerpt

Looking into his eyes, Nicole was intrigued by what she saw and felt. It was as if the sky
had cleared, the sun was shining and she felt the refreshing breeze after a spring rain hit her all
at once. But, she could see something else in his eyes that gave her pause. She could see a
lingering deep despair that made her want to take him in her arms and tell him it would be
okay. At 5’ 8” with dark blond hair and brown eyes, she had always been a tomboy at heart and
much preferred playing games outdoors to sitting inside and reading. She had never really
considered herself a beautiful woman just merely average but she had never been swept off
her feet or stopped dead in her tracks by meeting a man until now. Her athletic grace seemed
to elude her anytime she saw something she may be interested in.
Today had caught her by surprise. She did not see this tall stranger until it was too late and she was bumping into him with full force running to get something for her mother. Right now she was thanking God that she needed more ketchup for her fries. “It is a pleasure to meet you Dr. Montgomery” she said
with a smile and warm tender eyes. Nicole had been alone too long. Yes she dated in recent
years but it never lasted. She was looking for the one Mr. Right not Mr. Right now. She had
always had a notion that romantic love, love at first sight was out there waiting for her and she
would not settle for anything less. However, today she could not help feeling that maybe she
had finally found her tall prince charming. “So, did you go to school here?” she asked.
“No I am a proud graduate of the University of Georgia.” Lincoln said.
“Eww.” Nicole said with a chuckle.
“So what brings you to Auburn? Slumming it with other schools?” She said mockingly.
“No, since Rob and I became friends, I have become almost as much part of the Auburn
family as I am the Georgia Bulldog Nation. I like to give to the scholarship fund every year but
unfortunately my seats usually go unused or given to friends and staff members. As a matter of
fact I just auctioned off my luxury box at Georgia for the Auburn Georgia game last night at the
charity event.”
“Well that was mighty nice of you. So why are you here and not in Athens today?”
“I prefer Rob and Erin’s company to the empty seats around me. It is so nice to have
friends that accept me for what I am and not who I am or who I know.”
“Well then”, she said “you want to avoid that group over there. They only care about
your bank account and whether or not they can get into it.” She said pointing at a group of
women standing on the far side of the room. Lincoln laughed hard for what seemed like the
first time in 3 years. He was suddenly feeling light on his feet as if the burden was being lifted.
“So what about you Nicole, do you enjoy your work and living in Atlanta?”
“I love my job. I am lucky enough to work with the best people in the business and the
ability to see people regain use of their bodies and even walk again is simply amazing. I often
find it difficult to put into words how I feel about it. Atlanta, well it is Atlanta. I grew up
outside of Atlanta and lived there all of my life except for college and grad school. The only big
change is moving to the Dunwoody area.”
“Really, I live over in the Dunwoody area as well. I wanted something close to work and
to avoid the commute.” Lincoln said but thought I am running away from the ghosts of my past 
at my house. What would she think about me if she knew the truth.” “Please do not think this
is another line, but you look so familiar. I can’t help but feel that I have seen you somewhere
this weekend.”
“Well unless you were out at the Grand National yesterday then it was not this
weekend.” Nicole said.
“Wait. You were the woman I saw on the 18th tee box. I stood there and admired you
grace and athleticism from afar. I was taken by your strength and beauty and the way you
could drive a golf ball. I was surprised to see you playing from the men’s tees. I don’t mean
that in a sexist way it is just most women play from the forward tees.”
“Well I suppose most women are not scratch golfers from the men’s tees.”
Suddenly flush with renewed vigor, Lincoln knew he had to spend more time with this
remarkable woman. “Please don’t think that I am being too forward, but are currently seeing
anyone seriously or not so seriously? I only ask because I would really like to take you to dinner
or lunch so that we could get to know each other better.”
“Well Dr. Montgomery, this is totally unexpected, but no I am not seeing anyone serious
or otherwise. I would not mind having dinner with you but my schedule is very busy and I have
a difficult time getting away from work at a decent hour.”
Interrupting her Lincoln said, “Please call me Lincoln or Linc as that is what my friends
call me. Sorry to interrupt please continue.”
“As I was saying, I do believe I can try to make some time.” Nicole was suddenly struck
with the thought why did I say yes to something so quickly. I know that I do not really have
time, but there is something about him that intrigues me and makes me want to know him
better. Holding out her hand Nicole says, “Give me your phone and I will put my number in
there then you can text me with yours. I am sorry to have to run but I need to get back to my
family since they are done eating. We always like to get to our seats early so that we can watch
Nova fly before the game.”
Unsure what to do, Lincoln held out his hand to Nicole but was surprised when she
pulled him in for a quick hug.
“Just as good as I thought it would be Dr. Montgomery.” Nicole said with a slight
flirtiness in her voice.
After their too brief hug, Lincoln stood there staring at Nicole momentarily shocked by
her display of affection, he could do nothing more than smile at her and bid her goodbye.
Lincoln was so excited he could not stand it.
Rob saw Lincoln and turned to Erin to point out the look on his face and eyes. “I don’t
know what just happened” he said “but I don’t think I have seen him like this in years.” Rob
laughed as he watched Lincoln walk towards them with an almost swagger in his step. He was
shocked by the change of his demeanor today. Gone was the dark brooding Lincoln replaced by
the man he knew so many years ago. Not sure what to make of what had just happened he
was silent while he waited for Lincoln to tell him about the encounter.
Lincoln wanted to talk to Rob and Erin but he did not know what to say. What was he
feeling? He had so many emotions running through his mind at this very instant that he could
barely make sense of the ground moving beneath his feet. “Rob, I don’t know or even
understand what just happened. I feel like every nerve ending is on fire.”
“Lincoln, I haven’t seen you like this in a long time. You look like the weight of the world
has been lifted off of your shoulders.”
“I don’t know what to do. I feel so alive but I‘m terrified all at once. How can someone I
just met have this effect on me? I mean just looking into her eyes set my soul ablaze. I could
see the sweetness and desire in her and it was just one touch and one long glance into her
eyes.”
“Lincoln, I can’t pretend to know what you are feeling with all that you have been
through, but I have known for a long time that you needed to connect with someone else and
once you meet that person you would hopefully find that closure. Maybe she is that
connection that you need.”


About the Author

BK Harrell is former Navy physician who has had a long love of writing.  He specializes in medical, military and sports romance writing.  He began seriously writing while deployed to Afghanistan in 2012 and has never looked back.  Whether he is teaching, serving his country, educating people about the fine art of cigars, practicing medicine or spending time with friends and family he uses his diverse background to shape the world around him through words.
He uses his unique experiences and love of all things Atlanta, University of Georgia and sports to weave intricately detailed stories focused on Atlanta and the surrounding areas.  His goal is to bring the same joy and excitement he sees in his own city to the readers and to allow them to experience the city through his eyes.
Dr. Harrell is married to his beautiful wife Erin, a proud graduate of Auburn University, which makes multiple appearances in his books, and their wonderful one son.  Dr. Harrell is a native of Augusta, GA and a proud graduate of the University of Georgia, Emory University, and proud to have been a member of the first ever graduating class of Georgia Campus Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.  He currently resides in the Atlanta area where he practices medicine and raises his family.

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Twitter: @cigardoc

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