Title: Battlefield Earth: A Saga of the Year 3000 Author: L. Ron Hubbard Publisher: Galaxy Press Pages: 1092 Genre: Science Fiction, sub-genre: Alien Invasion, Classic Science Fiction, Space Opera, Military Sci-Fi, Adventure Sci-FI
If you liked Dune, Atlantis Gene, Foundation, Ender’s Game, and Starship Troopers, you’ll love Battlefield Earth.
Sadistic Aliens…
…Man is an endangered species.
Is it the end of the world or the rebirth of a new one?
In the year A.D. 3000, Earth is a dystopian wasteland. The great cities stand crumbling as a brutal reminder of what we once were. When the Psychlos invaded, all the world’s armies mustered little resistance against the advanced alien weapons.
A young hero rises from the ashes and rallies the last survivors in an all-out rebellion for freedom that explodes across the continents of Earth to the cosmic sprawl of the Psychlo empire.
The fate of the Galaxy lies on the Battlefield of Earth.
You’ll love Battlefield Earth because of the characters you’ll love and hate and the unexpected twists that keep the pages flying.
“Over 1,000 pages of thrills, spills, vicious aliens and noble humans. I found Battlefield Earth un-put-downable.” —Neil Gaiman
“Battlefield Earth is a terrific story! The carefully underplayed comedy I found it delicious. A masterpiece.” —Robert A. Heinlein
“Pulse-pounding mile-a-minute sci-fi action adventure that does not stop. It is a masterpiece of popular adventure science fiction.” —Brandon Sanderson
“Space opera that hits the right notes. It’s provocative, exhilarating and genuinely enjoyable.” —SCIFI.COM
“Like the Harry Potter series, its got concepts like good vs. evil, the noble savage and the hero’s journey—and people go crazy over it!” —Dr. David Powers, Educator
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About the Author:
Aboard Apollo – 1970
L. Ron Hubbard
With 19 New York Times bestsellers and more than 350 million copies of his works in circulation, L. Ron Hubbard is among the most enduring and widely read authors of our time. As a leading light of American Pulp Fiction through the 1930s and ’40s, he is further among the most influential authors of the modern age. Indeed, from Ray Bradbury to Stephen King, there is scarcely a master of imaginative tales who has not paid tribute to L. Ron Hubbard.
Title: L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 39 Authors: L. Ron Hubbard, Kevin J. Anderson, S.M. Stirling, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Lazarus Chernik and 24 Award-Winning Authors and Illustrators Publisher: Galaxy Press Pages: 544 Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy Anthology
BOOK BLURB:
This is an anthology with 24 new authors and illustrators and bonus content by L. Ron Hubbard, Kevin J. Anderson, S. M. Stirling, Kristine Kathryn Rusch.
Short Description of Each Story:
Join a team of time travelers who set out to save London from a terrorist’s nuclear attack … when a blast from the past changes everything.
Meet a vampire, a dragon and a shape-shifting Chihuahua in Key West … this is one beach party that’s about to get wild!
Follow Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I., who’s investigating the craziest case of his so-called life.…
A miracle? An omen? Or something else? One day, they arrived in droves—the foxes of the desert, the field, the imagination….—“Kitsune” by Devon Bohm
When a vampire, a dragon and a shape-shifting Chihuahua meet on a beach in Key West, fireworks go off! But that’s just the background.—“Moonlight and Funk” by Marianne Xenos
The Grim Reaper, trapped in an IRS agent’s dying body, must regain his powers before he dies and faces judgment for his original sin.—“Death and the Taxman” by David Hankins
In a metaverse future, a woman who exposes falseness in others must decide what is real to her—the love she lost or the love she may have found.—“Under My Cypresses” by Jason Palmatier
Vic Harden wasn’t lured by glory on a daring mission into the reaches of outer space—he was ordered out there by his editor.—“The Unwilling Hero” by L. Ron Hubbard
Dangerous opportunities present themselves when an alien ship arrives in the solar system seeking repairs.—“White Elephant” by David K. Henrickson
With her spaceship at the wrong end of a pirate’s guns, a former war hero must face down her enemies and demons to save Earth’s last best chance for peace.—“Piracy for Beginners” by J. R. Johnson
Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I., faces one of his funniest and most perplexing cases ever—an enlightened ogre, a salamander with low self-esteem, and a raging fire dragon terrorizing the Unnatural Quarter!—“Fire in the Hole” by Kevin J. Anderson
Years after the Second Holocaust, the last surviving Jews on earth attempt to rewrite the past.—“A Trickle in History” by Elaine Midcoh
When I said I’d do anything to pay off my debts and get back home to Earth, I didn’t mean survey a derelict spaceship at the edge of the solar system—but here I am.—“The Withering Sky” by Arthur H. Manners
High-powered telescopes bring galactic life to our TVs, and network tuner Hank Enos figures he’s seen everything—until the day an alien boy stares back.—“The Fall of Crodendra M.” by T. J. Knight
Knights, damsels and dragons, curses and fates foretold—the stuff of legends and stories, but unexpectedly perverse.—“Constant Never” by S. M. Stirling
Determined to save his wife, Tumelo takes an unlikely client through South Africa’s ruins to the heart of the Desolation—a journey that will cost or save everything.—“The Children of Desolation” by Spencer Sekulin
When a terrorist smuggles a nuclear weapon into London, a team regresses in time to AD 1093 to assassinate a knight on the battlefield, thereby eliminating the terrorist a millennia before his birth.—“Timelines and Bloodlines” by L. H. Davis
The Grand Exam, a gateway to power for one, likely death for all others—its entrants include ambitious nobles, desperate peasants, and Quiet Gate, an old woman with nothing left to lose.—“The Last History” by Samuel Parr
Website Address: This is the cover reveal event address:
The international Writers of the Future Contest was created and endowed by L. Ron Hubbard. After several years of success in fostering new writers, the Illustrators of the Future Contest followed. The winning stories are illustrated and published in the annual L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future anthology. Described by critics as a perennial “glimpse of tomorrow’s stars,” a “must-have for the genre reader,” and “the bestselling science fiction anthology series of all time,” it is today the most enduring and top-ranking publication of its kind.
The blue-ribbon panel of judges is what makes this possible. The winning stories are selected by bestselling authors, including Brandon Sanderson, Orson Scott Card, Nnedi Okorafor, Kevin J. Anderson, Brian Herbert, Jody Lynn Nye, Larry Niven, Robert J. Sawyer, Katherine Kurtz, and many others. The best of the best are hand-picked each year.
There is no entry fee, and stories are judged blind, making it a fair competition for all authors and illustrators who enter from anywhere in the world. There are cash prizes. The winners are paid professional rates and maintain their rights.
It is an excellent program for new authors and readers, who often discover their next favorite writer.
Thomas White began his career as an actor. Several years later he found himself as an Artistic Director for a theatre in Southern California and the winner of several Drama-Logue and Critics awards for directing. As Tom’s career grew, he directed and co-produced the world tour of “The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Coming Out Of Their Shells”. The show toured for over two years, was translated into seven different languages and seen by over a million children. Tom served as President and Creative Director for Maiden Lane Entertainment for 24 years and worked on many large-scale corporate event productions that included Harley Davidson, Microsoft, Medtronic Diabetes, and dozens of others. The Siren’s Scream is Tom’s second novel that follows up Justice Rules which was nominated as a finalist in the Pacific Northwest Writers Association 2010 Literary contest.
Well, I was born and I am a writer so… But seriously folks, I did not spend my childhood writing escape stories or pirate stories, I was mostly doing plays. I started out as an actor and transitioned to a director. A director’s main job is to tell a story, either on stage or through a film medium. Story telling is probably a better word than writer and, in that event, then yes, I am a born story teller.
What was your inspiration for The Siren’s Scream?
I wanted to do a different take on the mermaid mythology. So many stories and myths surround this creature and I wanted to create something different. I was at a family dinner and we were having trouble with a particularly challenging sister and I wondered if mermaids ever had to deal with this stuff. Do they have families? Is there a siren lineage? Where do they come from and how are they created. Once I started down this path and decided on their origin the story began to form around that theory.
What themes do you like to explore in your writing?
I believe that inter-personal relationships are what I tend to develop the most. It comes from my actor/director background of feeling a character from the inside-out. What are the motivations, feelings, desires of each person. What do they want and why are they present in the scene I am writing? So much of our everyday existence is based on interaction with each other and it often becomes the focus of our day. Someone merges in front of you in traffic and your anger flairs. That interaction affects your day. (Personally, I believe the secret to happiness is to let people merge. They aren’t insulting your family lineage, they aren’t calling your kids fat, they are just in the wrong lane. Let them in so that they can get where they are going.) Yet, how that one action effects your response is what makes character development effective. Too often cliché responses are the go-to for a writer and it is so boring. My pet peeve, mostly on TV, is the undercover agent who struggles with not being able to tell their spouse what they did at work. Duh! They are an agent for a special organization and no, they can’t tell anyone what they do. What was unclear about that when they signed up? Be honest with your characters and have them react in a manner that makes sense for them.
How long did it take you to complete the novel?
This was actually my first novel which I shelved and referred to as my practice novel. After many years I dragged it out and took another look at it. It was very poorly written but the story line held together. Once I was able to create a lineage for the siren the story came together. From concept to finish was probably 25 years. LOL! It was ten years between my first and second novel so I will never be accused of ‘cranking them out.’
Are you disciplined? Describe a typical writing day.
I have found that the greatest motivating factor in my writing is boredom. I have many things going on in my life, including a career in the theatre, and I often go weeks without writing. However, when I do start up again, I am focused and relentless about writing every day. Once I find that through line in a story, I make it my priority and will spend every waking minute I can spare developing and twisting a plot line. But to answer your question, am I disciplined? No, I am sporadically disciplined at best.
What did you find most challenging about writing this book?
Writing a novel is the hardest thing I have ever done. I can’t believe I have done it twice and am actually onto my third. It is relentless and difficult and just when you think you are finished someone reads it and asks a very simple, totally justified question that sets your world to spinning once again.
What do you love most about being an author?
To be honest, I love the look of my novel on a bookstore shelf. I love the feel of holding a printed copy and knowing that I did this. It is so grueling to write, and to accept what people tell you so that you can improve the story that the simple satisfaction of seeing the result in print really has to be enough. So few people attain success that you must glean what satisfaction you can from the fact that so many people are missing out on what you created.
Did you go with a traditional publisher, small press, or did you self publish? What was the process like and are you happy with your decision?
Traditional Publishing? I don’t even know how that works. My first noel, Justice Rules, was submitted to 58 different publishing houses and each came back with a resounding ‘no’. I had three agents at different times who saw promise only to leave the industry for marital reasons (two marriages, one divorce). I tried every way I could to get recognition and got nothing in return. Justice Rules went on to be a finalist in the Pacific Northwest Writer’s Association Literary Contest, one of eight selections from 2,800 submissions. I sold almost 3500 copies. At that point I went back to traditional publishers and was told that if I had sold 10,000 copies they might be interested. I said, “If I had sold 10,000 copies I wouldn’t need you.” So, end of the day I have self-published. My audience is considerably smaller, I work with groups like The Dark Phantom to get my work out there, and I take solace in the fact that I know my writing is better than many published works, it just hasn’t happened for me yet. (Sound like big old sour grapes, I know, but it is so frustrating) But that is the lot I have signed up for and I’m okay with it. Lack of traditional publishing success hasn’t dampened my writing and I still get the same satisfaction from holding that printed book!
Title: Kiss My Boots Author: Jennifer Learmont Publisher: Shawline Publishing Group Pages: 170 Genre: Memoir
My commitment to eating healthy was only equaled by my desire for cocaine…
Setting out on an adventure to the USA with my best friend, we had no plans, no rules and no limits. It started in the wild 80’s in Hollywood, LA and the spread across the ’90’s, fueled by drugs, sex, rock n roll. We met the people who later became famous actors, musicians, singers. I took some risks, made mistakes and lived through them; I was one of the lucky ones.
For 14 years I worked as a Dominatrix in Hollywood.
I was a natural and loved the work. My clients included a US General, Top Surgeons, Politicians, High Court Judges and VIPs. There is a grey side to my work, and no one really knows what goes on behind the dungeon doors.
I married a charming, captivating Italian/American criminal and lived a dangerous life, involved in crime, drugs and crazy choices where I almost lost my life. My turning point came the day I walked into the Sanctuary of an Interdenominational Church. I loved it so much I joined the gospel choir and took up yoga.
Now I was a dominatrix, yoga student singing in a gospel choir.
Eventually, and exhausted, I returned to Australia permanently to set up my own yoga studio and started to build a new life away from a blurred past. I was a wild and fearless child with a kind compassionate heart and a determination to live my life to the full, regardless of any cost.
“A spectacular life journey of a woman filled by verve and passion for life and who found her place far from where she thought it was going to be…sensitively written and thoughtful reflection of an explorative youth…wonderful…” Tara, Indiebooks reviewer
Publisher: Shawline Publishing, March 15, 2022
Formats: Paperback, 170 pages, $7.42; E-Book/Kindle, 240 pages, $5.99; ISBN-978-1922594709 and ISBN-13-978-1922594709. Available for purchase at: https://www.amazon.com/Kiss-My-Boots-Jennifer-Learmont-ebook/dp/B09S9Y7JX7 as well as Walmart, barnesandnoble.com, abebooks.com, Alibris, booktopia.com.au, thriftbooks.com and bookshop.org
“One night, Steve and I were at home, smoking cocaine and, naturally, we ran out, which is the mist desperate feeling. Steve went out to get some more, and he seemed to take forever. I was frantically pacing the floor for him to return. I couldn’t stand it any longer, so to take the edge off, I took some over the counter sleeping pills to relax my agitation. Finally, Steve returned and quickly cooked up the cocaine. I took one hit, and that’s all I remember.”
About the Author
Jennifer Learmont was born in a little town called Wagga Wagga in New South Wales, Australia, but grew up in Sydney, Australia. She attended a variety of schools since her family moved here and there while she was growing up. Jennifer credits her mother, who was an opera singer, a concert pianist and very educated woman for her education. “She was my teacher,” remarks the author. Jennifer Learmont maintains her home in Australia today. Author Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/p/CYiaX-GJ8lG/
Title: The Code Author: Sean Keefer Publisher: Rivers Turn Press Pages: 319 Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Legal Thriller
It should have been an otherwise uneventful Sunday morning for Charleston attorney Noah Parks. Perhaps a trip to the beach or a run with his new Australian Shepherd, Austin. But with a cryptic voicemail, everything changes.
A client has vanished, leaving nothing behind as a clue to where he may be. Neither his family, friends, nor neighbors are able to provide help.
Turning to his friend Emmett Gabriel, Charleston’s newest police detective, Parks can only watch as what started with a simple voicemail takes on a sinister life of its own.
Parks soon finds himself entangled in an affair that spans centuries, going back to the time of Charleston’s birth.
With a focus on learning his client’s fate, Parks will soon find himself facing a mystery that will not only be a test of his wits but leaves him challenged in ways he never imagined.
Facing down twists, turns, betrayals, and traditions of honor, will he break The Code?
He looked into my eyes with something that could only be described as desperation. Suddenly, his look of despair faded as if a veil was lifted from his face. He stopped speaking and stood straight. His hands stopped moving, and he looked at each of them, turning them over, back to palm, as he examined them. He raised his head back to my eyes. As he looked at me, in an instant, the fearful look drained from his face, replacing it, a blank, expressionless gaze took hold of his features. He moved his eyes to my hand on his bicep, then shifted his gaze back to my face. He slowly twisted his arm from my slight grasp. He spoke slowly and methodically.
“No, Cash didn’t call. No one called. There was nothing from Cash.”
“But you just said…”
“I didn’t say anything. Nothing,” he said as he turned and faced the rear of the lot.
He is also the author of Mediation in the Family Courts of South Carolina, a legal treatise on family law mediation.
He lives and writes in Charleston, South Carolina.
In addition to his writing, Sean is a recording and performing guitarist/singer/songwriter of Americana and Alt-Country music. Watch him sing Carolina Sunset which was inspired by his latest book, The Code. Listen here!
For more information about his writing and music, visit SeanKeefer.com and ADogNamedBear.com.
1. “Alters” is short for “Alternate Personalities”
2. Justin’s son, Dylan is named after the son of one of Rob’s best friends
3. Mandy Wright, Justin’s wife, works in the same building Rob worked in twenty years ago
4. Justin’s son, Michael, is loosely based of one of Rob’s closest childhood friends
5. A person living with DID – Dissociative Identity Disorder – can have as many as 100 alters
6. Names of alters often have a symbolic meaning. In altered, Frank (the host personality) means “free”
7. Frank’s last name (Devlin) is a play on the word “devil”
8. Justin Wright’s Type A personality is based on the author’s personality, with a little OCD peppered in
9. The title ALTERED has two meanings: 1. A person who lives with a number of personalities 2. Lives that have been changed (altered) due to horrific experiences.
10. The book cover was created by a designer in the UK
Rob Kaufman novels are known for having characters with whom people can relate, while at the same time, bringing them on a journey from which most people would crumble.
His degree in Psychology was the first step toward getting beneath the surface of the people in his life. What followed was a lifelong search for what makes people tick – what forces them to become evil when deep down they are yearning for love. Rob’s characters walk this search with him, deep into the human psyche, creating psychological thrillers from everyday events.
Rob’s books are perfect for those who enjoy thrillers but also need strong emotion to keep them deeply involved with the characters.
“All my books hit home for me,” says Rob. “There are always parts that make me laugh out loud as I write them… and many, too many, that make me cry. And the great thing is, I’m finding that many readers of my books experience the same emotions.”
Rob’s books receive both national and international praise with most reviews noting that his storylines are extremely “unique” and “sobering” and the twists and turns are “masterful”.
Title: Being Present: The Gift of Experiencing Life As It Happens Author: Keith Sykes Publisher: Chosen Pen Publishing Pages: 104 Genre: Memoir
Being Present details my life growing up in New Orleans, Louisiana, the youngest of 8 children. It gives the reader an intimate look at the relationship between me, my parents, and my siblings. It discusses life and death, joy and pain, and strength and perseverance. The book talks about love and loss and is an optimistic look at overcoming the obstacles of life.
Being Present talks about how I dealt with life after my parent’s death and how joining the military completely changed my life. It gives a glimpse into how the military inspired my love for travel and the many places that I was able to visit as a result. Read about my life after the military and the challenges I faced that shaped the man I am today. Lastly, the book will provide samples of my photography and discuss how it was inspired by my travel.
One evening, while visiting my mother, her physician pulled me aside to ask what my short and long-term plans were, and I told her I wasn’t sure. I let her know that I was in college, but other than that, I had no plans beyond school. She insisted that I make a firm plan because she didn’t expect my mother to be around much longer, and she said if I needed anything, let her know. I remember sitting in the room that night, and when it was time to go, I didn’t want to leave because I always had this thought in the back of my mind- how long is not much longer? It was tough sitting at my mother’s bedside, knowing that my time with her was coming to an end. She was my everything. What would I do now? I had no clue. I didn’t think that far beyond my sophomore year, and now I had the rest of my life staring me in the face in one night.
About the Author:
Keith Sykes grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana with his 7 siblings; he is the youngest of 8. Keith attended Xavier University of Louisiana where he studied Computer Information Systems and Graphic Design. He lost both parents by the age of 20 and joined the United States Army in 1990 where he completed 20 years of active military service. He continues to serve as a Department of Defense civilian where he works as a Health Systems Specialist at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He is a freelance writer, photographer and event planner and is heavily involved in the community. Keith is a cancer survivor as of February 2022 and attributes his positive attitude in dealing with the condition to his mother Violet who succumbed to cancer in January 1990. He loves exploring nature and traveling. Some of his most memorable trips have been to Egypt, Belize, and Cuba.
The little white house on Main Street in Buffalo Springs, Arkansas, is the only home Jackson Nelson has ever known. With college behind him and both his sisters back in town to look after their aging parents, Jackson knows now is the time to make his big move. All he’s ever wanted is to move to New York and lead the high-stakes life of a real estate investor. He’s determined to leave town right after Christmas and never look back.
Cindy Kline has never had a real home or a real Christmas. Abandoned by her father and raised by an unfit mother, Cindy thought she had finally found the family she always wanted when the man of her dreams asked her to marry him; but when his Navy SEAL helicopter went down in a fiery crash before their wedding, Cindy had nothing left to keep her in sunny California. Packing her meager belongings into her old, beat-up car, Cindy drives straight to Buffalo Springs and to the only real friend she’s ever had – Andi Nelson. With Christmas around the corner, Andi, Jackson, and the whole Nelson family convince Cindy to stay through the holidays even finding her a job that may turn out to be a real career.
Just when Cindy is beginning to get into the Christmas spirit, her life is once again up-ended – this time by a series of break-ins and the news that her dangerous father may be lurking nearby. Cindy has no idea that her father’s mysterious past will put her life in jeopardy, and Jackson has no idea that the bright lights of New York are but a flickering flame when it comes to the sparks of the heart.
And unto you a child is born!” The child actor belted out the play’s most robust line with all the enthusiasm he could muster.
It was all Cindy could do not to jump to her feet and applaud. She laughed and clapped along with the rest of the audience. When the play was over, she went with the Nelson family to the town drug store that boasted an old-fashioned ice cream parlor and soda fountain in the back of the store. The proprietor had kept the doors open late to welcome the theatergoers.
“What would you like?” Jackson asked as Cindy eyed the many choices written on the blackboard.
“There are too many to choose just one.”
Jackson laughed. “Andi is partial to anything with peanut butter, and Helena always goes for something super sweet and fruity like cherry or raspberry. Mama likes plain old chocolate.”
She looked at Jackson. “And what do you like, Jackson?”
She saw his expression falter for just a moment, and a curtain of pink danced across his features, reminiscent of the curtains that closed at the end of the show. He blinked and just as quickly as the odd look appeared, it disappeared, and he broke into a wide grin.
“I always go for a good, old-fashioned root beer float with vanilla ice cream.”
“Would you believe, I’ve never had a root beer float?”
The look he gave her was one of exaggerated shock. “What? That might be the most un-American thing I’ve ever heard.” He clutched at his chest. “A shot to the heart.”
Cindy laughed, and Andi inserted herself between them to grab some extra napkins from the top of the ice cream display case.
“Is this guy bothering you?” she asked with a mock scowl.
Cindy shook her head. “Not at all. This has been one of the best nights of my life, and I’m going to top it off with my very first root beer float.”
Andi smiled. “I think that’s a great idea.”
On their turn, Jackson ordered for them both then reached for his wallet to pay, but Cindy put her hand on his arm.
“Jackson, no, I can’t let you do that.”
“Why not?”
“Because I can pay for my own ice cream. You all have been so generous already.”
“Sorry, Cindy, but my daddy would skin me alive if he heard that I allowed a female to pay for her own ice cream.”
She frowned and said in a firm voice, “Jackson, this isn’t a date. I can pay for my own ice cream.”
Again, she saw his face redden. “I never said it was a date, and you should accept an act of kindness when presented with one.”
The cashier cleared her throat, and Cindy realized they were holding up the line. Embarrassed for drawing attention, she said, “You’re right. Go ahead and pay, but I owe you.”
“That’s fair. On the next family outing, you can buy me ice cream.”
Cindy accepted her root beer float from the young girl behind the counter and took a sip. She didn’t know how to respond to Jackson. She wasn’t part of the ‘family’ and didn’t know if she’d be there for the next outing. Rather than agree, she concentrated on her float and sat quietly while listening to the rest of them banter about Christmas and New Year’s and the June wedding. She couldn’t help but wonder what she would be doing by then and where she would be.
As she ate, Cindy felt a peculiar tingling on the back of her neck. She looked around, peering up and down the streets. Other families hovered nearby, eating ice cream, and several couples walked along the sidewalk. It looked like everyone in town had come out to see the play. None of the other theater goers paid any attention to Cindy or the Nelsons, and Cindy had no reason to be paranoid, but she could not shake the eerie feeling that she was being watched.
Meet the Author
Amy Schisler is a novelist, poet, children’s book author, spiritual writer, blogger, reader, and avid traveler with years of professional experience in all manner of writing-related endeavors. Whether she’s writing novels filled with faith and inspiration, books that children will love, or her weekly blog devoted to family life and faith, she loves connecting and resonating with her readers. Amy’s first novel, A Place to Call Home, a romantic suspense, debuted in 2014, and her much-loved Chincoteague Island Trilogy has won numerous literary awards.
Amy lives on the Eastern Shore of Maryland with her husband, Ken, their daughters, Katie and Morgan (and sometimes their daughter and son-in-law, Rebecca and Anthony), and their dogs, Rosie and Luna. When she’s not writing, Amy can usually be found on a boat in the Chesapeake Bay or hiking in the Rocky Mountains, most often with a good book in her hand.
Title: To Catch The Setting Sun Author: Richard I. Levine Publisher: The Wild Rose Press Pages: 320 Genre: Suspense/Thriller
There’s a killer loose on the island of Oahu. His targets? Young, native-Hawaiian women. But it also appears that he’s targeting and taunting Honolulu police detective Henry Benjamin who knew each victim and whose wife, Maya, had been the first name on that list. In addition to battling his personal demons, this New York transplant’s aggressive style didn’t sit well with his laid-back colleagues who viewed Henry’s uncharacteristic lack of progress in the investigation as evidence that fueled ongoing rumors that he could be the killer. Was he, or could it have been someone within the municipal hierarchy with a vendetta? As it was, after thirteen years on the job Henry had been disillusioned with paradise. His career choice long killed any fantasy of living in a grass hut on a wind-swept beach, being serenaded by the lazy sounds of the ocean and a slack key guitar. Instead, it had opened his eyes to a Hawaii that tourists will never see.
The reflection from scattered tiki torches competed with the moonlight flickering across the black velvet lagoon. Gentle trade winds, carrying the sweet peach-like scent of plumeria, tickled the flames and the palm fronds. Clearly a welcomed reprieve from five straight days of stifling temperatures. A catamaran and a couple small outrigger canoes, their artfully painted fiberglass hulls made to look like the wood of ancient Koa trees, were pulled up along the sandy shoreline. The heavy beat of drums reverberated off the tall palms and set the rhythm for a half-dozen pair of grass-skirted hips dancing on the main stage while vacationers laughed, ogled, and stuffed their faces with shredded pork, scoops of macaroni salad, steaming flavored rice wrapped in Ti leaves, thick slices of pineapple, papaya, mango, and freshly roasted macadamia nuts that were all artfully displayed on wide banana leaf covered center pieces. They sat cross-legged in the sand, sipping Mai Tais from plastic cups made to look like hollowed out coconut shells, lost in a tropical fantasy that came complete with a souvenir snap shot taken with an authentic hula girl—the perfect paradise as portrayed on the website. The noise from the music, chanting, and laughter, drowned out the frantic noise of the nearby kitchen, and it drowned out the desperate pleas and painful cries of Makani Palahia from the far side of the beach at Auntie Lily’s Luau Cove and Hawaiian Barbecue.
About Richard I. Levine
Richard I Levine is a native New Yorker raised in the shadows of Yankee Stadium. After dabbling in several occupations and a one-year coast to coast wanderlust trip, this one-time volunteer fireman, bartender, and store manager returned to school to become a chiropractor. A twenty-three-year cancer survivor, he’s a strong advocate for the natural healing arts. Levine has four Indy-published novels and his fifth work, To Catch The Setting Sun, is published by The Wild Rose Press and was released in August 2022. In 2006 he wrote, produced and was on-air personality of the Dr. Rich Levine show on Seattle’s KKNW 1150AM and after a twenty-five year practice in Bellevue, Washington, he closed up shop in 2017 and moved to Oahu to pursue a dream of acting and being on Hawaii 5-O. While briefly working as a ghostwriter/community liaison for a local Honolulu City Councilmember, he appeared as a background actor in over twenty-five 5-Os and Magnum P.Is. Richard can be seen in his first co-star role in the Magnum P.I. third season episode “Easy Money”. He presently resides in Hawaii.
S.G. Basu is an aspiring potentate of a galaxy or two. She plots and plans with wondrous machines, cybernetic robots, time travelers and telekinetic adventurers, some of whom escape into the pages of her books. Although she’s an engineer by training, writing has been her passion since childhood. Her other loves include extra-hot lattes, fast cars and binge watching sci-fi movies.
Find out more about the futuristic worlds she creates at sgbasu.com. She can also be reached at sg@sgbasu.com.
Books by S.G. Basu:
The Lightbound Saga series (YA Dystopian Science Fiction)
Maia and the Xifarian Conspiracy
Maia and the Secrets of Zagran
Maia and Regency Protocol
The Lightbound Saga 3 Book Bundle
The Firefly League-A Lightbound Saga novella
Elementals-The Serial Thriller (Paranormal Science Fiction)
Population Morpheus (Near Apocalyptic Science Fiction)
Not at all. Writing a book, a book series, and eventually having a full-time career as a writer was never a plan or a dream. I have always been an avid reader and an imaginative child, and I had once dreamed of being an astronaut. But a writer? What? No!
I was a happy, content telecommunications professional with a job I loved and a young family that needed all my attention when the writing bug bit me out of nowhere. Well, I should not say it was out of nowhere. Here goes the story behind the story: I was hooked on an anime show at the time, and its ending (specifically, the arcs for several characters) was a huge letdown for me. I felt robbed of a perfect conclusion and was so upset that I stopped watching the show (to this day, refuse to watch, read, or hear anything about the show). However, after spending a few weeks stewing over what was, in my opinion, an unsatisfying ending, I realized a few things. While I had the right to be upset, the writers wrote their story and ended it as they saw fit. The only way I could have an ending I wished for was if I was a writer, writing my own story. That was when I decided. I was going to write my own story.
A few months of plotting and planning later, the first book of The Lightbound Saga series was born.
How long did it take you to complete the series?
Maia and the Legend of Tansi, the last book in The Lightbound Saga series, was a strange experience. It was an unplanned book. I needed space to complete the character arcs in a satisfactory manner and I did not want to make the fifth book immense and cumbersome. So a sixth book had to happen. It is a 200,000+ words/650+ page mammoth which I wrote in an unbelievable (for me) 101 days.
In comparison, the fifth book in the series, Maia and the Blades of ThulaSu, took a record time of two years to complete. In its defense though, this was when the pandemic hit, and nothing was normal. Anyway, you could say I sort of compensated for that delay with the last book.
Before these two aberrations, each book in the series has taken me about six to eight months to write, on average.
Are you disciplined? Describe a typical writing day.
Most days, I am. However, I have to confess that the pandemic had thrown a wrench into my routine. Thankfully, I have recovered now, almost completely.
My writing day starts at 8:30 in the morning after I have dropped the kid at school. A cup of coffee and a few crackers are the only things allowed to come between my laptop and me until 10. This is the time when I catch up on my to-do list, and revise the previous day’s work. Then it’s time for breakfast and until 2:00 in the afternoon, I work on new projects. If I am too engrossed in a project, I keep on writing (with a few breaks for picking up the kid, cooking, dinner, etc.) until after dinner. My day typically ends around midnight, or if I’ve had a super productive day, around 11:00.
What did you find most challenging about writing this book? (speaking a bit about the series here)
Writing a series such as The Lightbound Saga is inherently challenging because of the length and complexity of the story. Any complex story runs the risk of logical and continuity errors. However, in a series, the risk of continuity errors increases with every new book. To counter that, I had to read through every book (if possible, twice) before writing the next. So before starting the sixth, I had 2000+ pages of reading homework. Even then, the first draft of the sixth book was far from error-free. I have an intense editing/revision cycle for The Lightbound Saga in particular which includes two extra rounds of revisions (in addition to my usual alpha reader, beta reader, professional editor, and author revision rounds) to catch any rogue continuity errors. I hope that I have caught them all.
What do you love most about being an author?
Oh, the joy of creation! There is something widely exciting and fulfilling about creating new worlds and more importantly, their inhabitants, making their dreams and wishes come true, and giving them the life they deserve. I love to live in these worlds I create while I’m writing them. Even later, every time I pick up a book I’ve written and read a story I’ve completed, the overwhelming joy comes back. And when a reader finds it engrossing or derives pleasure from it, there’s nothing more satisfying.
Did you go with a traditional publisher, small press, or did you self publish? What was the process like and are you happy with your decision?
While I’m a hybrid author (both traditionally and indie published), for The Lightbound Saga series, I went on my own and self-published. When I started the project, I was unsure whether to go traditional or indie. I got myself an agent and she queried a few publishing houses. But soon, the allure of indie publishing won me over. I like having control over everything I do and the more I studied the model of self-publishing, the more I liked it. However, that meant even more hard work learning the ropes but I have enjoyed it every step of the way. I am absolutely happy with the decision and since then, I have continued on the same path for most of my books.
What is one thing you want readers to take away with them after reading your book?
True friendship can transform the world by tearing down the differences with love, generosity, and compassion.
What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
Writing is hard work and the writing business is a marathon. So be ready to put in long hours and be patient. But most of all, enjoy the journey while you are at it.
About theSeries:
13-year-old Maia is a land-dwelling Solianese living on the planet of Tansi. She has been raised by her doting grandfather. Her mother, Sophie, supposedly deceased, is accused to be a traitor who fought for the Xifarians who have subjugated Tansi. Loathing her family’s history, Maia has put herself into self-exile, vowing to steer clear of the temptations that led her mother astray. But when she is drafted into a peace summit by the Xifarians, she must walk into Xif, the planet she has always wanted to avoid. Here she meets loyal teammates Kusha, Dani, Nafi, and Ren, as well as Miir, their Xifarian team mentor who is as accomplished as he is temperamental. As Maia and her teammates thwart a plot to harm the underwater settlements on Tansi, she also discovers that her mother, Sophie, was not what she seemed. Sophie sacrificed herself to save Tansi before the Xifarians could destroy the Tansian system.
Maia visits the Jjord nation in their underwater colonies on Tansi. More of Sophie’s secrets come to light while she is in the colonies as well as more of the Xifarians’ plots to rebuild the dark heart of Xif. As Maia’s link with Sophie becomes apparent, Maia soon finds herself in the crosshairs of the Xifarians who kill her family and send her running for shelter across the dead lands of the Solianese. Chased by the Xifarians, Maia barely manages to stay alive with the help of her teammates.
While on the run across Tansi, Maia meets a mysterious man who unlocks a power within Maia. When her mighty Xifarian foes corner her, Maia unleashes the power on them, overpowering everyone, including her former mentor, Miir.
Maia struggles with her newfound power. The team is on the verge of fracturing when Maia reveals she might have killed Miir. Meanwhile, the R’armimon, an ancient and powerful enemy of the Xifarians, are on the way to the Tansian system, seeking vengeance from the Xifarians. On finding this, the Xifarians grow desperate to resurrect the dark heart that would enable them to leave the Tansian system. Maia narrowly escapes the Xifarians’ trap with a mysterious ally but her new alliance takes a toll on her friendships.
Maia is alone and hopeless but she forges on to regain the trust of her teammates and tries to convince the Tansian leaders of the impending threat of the R’armimon fleet. With help from her allies, Maia continues to uncover more of Sophie’s past. Together with her friends, Maia rushes to find the artifacts needed to thwart the R’armimon as the massive Execution Fleet of the R’armimon appears next to Tansi.
The Dark Phantom Review 