After a bitter divorce, Jackson Norwood never thought he’d fall in love again.
Especially not with his best friend, Essence Priestly. His attraction to her is
the most powerful thing he's felt in a long time, and he doesn't just want her
as a lover. He wants her to be his wife. Yet she’s determined to keep their
relationship strictly platonic.
Jackson means everything to Essence and her son, and she’s torn between her
love for him and the fear of ruining their years of friendship. But after an
impulsive, passionate weekend together, she can’t deny their chemistry is off
the charts. Jackson woke up the part of her she thought died years ago, and
Essence is tempted to let him have what he wants—her.
But drama from his ex-wife is enough to challenge the strongest connection.
Will Essence and Jackson’s reinvented relationship buckle under the pressure?
Or will their bond grow stronger and lead them to their happily-ever-after?
“Nyla asked if I’d be willing to
share a room with you. I told her it was fine and assumed the two of you had
already talked about it. She even had my overnight bag delivered there.”
“I’m going to kill my sisters. All
of them,” Essence said through gritted teeth, attitude dangling from each word
before she turned narrowed eyes on him. “You know what they’re trying to do,
don’t you? You have to know.”
It took everything within Jackson
not to smile because she was adorable when she was mad. Which he didn’t witness
often. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he lied, earning him a
deeper glare.
Okay, maybe he knew now, but not at
first. He hadn’t thought much of it when Nyla told him of the change because it
wasn’t unusual for him and Essence to share a room. But now that he knew her
sisters might be trying to push them together, Jackson was totally onboard with
their scheming. They all knew how much he adored Essence and how close they
were, but they also knew Essence was afraid to move out of the friend zone. It
would be just like them to butt in.
He and Essence exited the elevator,
and Jackson followed a few steps behind her as she practically stomped down the
hallway to their room. She might’ve been pissed, and he probably should be
thinking about how he was going to get her to lighten up, but damn her ass
looked good in that dress. Watching her shapely hips sway back and forth
rhythmically made his body stir in response. Hell, if he could get her to calm
down, maybe they could have some fun tonight. It was a new year. A perfect time
to start a new chapter in their story. And a little rendezvous in a luxury
hotel would only add to the fun.
As if she could hear his thoughts,
Essence glanced over her shoulder at him without missing a step. If eyes could
shoot invisible daggers, she was definitely shooting them at him, and he felt
them square in the chest.
So much for living out a few
fantasies tonight. Clearly, the hotel room would be for sleeping only.
Normally, Essence was sweet, kind,
and would do anything for anyone. She also had a good sense of humor and took
her family’s antics in stride. She didn’t usually trip over stuff like this,
especially since she and he often shared a hotel room. The two of them, and
sometimes Tray, vacationed together more often than not. Staying in the same
room was a norm. So, it was out of character to see her this pissed.
Essence already had her keycard out
when she stopped in front of their hotel room door. Seconds later, she stormed
inside the room. She didn’t seem to care if he followed her in or not.
Jackson sighed, catching the door
before it slammed in his face. This was going to be a long night. He didn’t
want to argue, and Essence had every right to be mad—just not at him. She was
probably looking forward to relaxing in a beautiful hotel room after a long
day. Hell, a couple of long weeks, and here he was crashing any solitude she
thought she’d get.
Or maybe she was mad because she
had planned to invite that punk ass Romero to the room after the reception.
That thought had Jackson wanting to
question her about the guy. Had their relationship moved up from just casual
dating? Instead of asking, he kept his mouth shut. She was angry at her
sisters, and he didn’t need her to take it out on him. He didn’t have siblings,
but he’d been around hers enough to know they all drove each other nuts
sometimes.
“Oh, and if you think we’re
sleeping in the same bed, think again,” Essence snapped, tossing his duffel
bag, which had been on the edge of the king size bed, to the sofa.
Jackson yawned, then slid out of
his tuxedo jacket and laid it across the arm of the sofa. Next went the bowtie.
“Essence, I don’t know what’s going on with you, but I do know one thing. I’m
not sleeping on the sofa.”
USA Today
bestselling author Sharon C. Cooper loves anything involving romance with a
happily-ever-after, whether in books, movies, or real life. She writes
contemporary romance, romantic suspense, as well as romantic comedy. She enjoys
rainy days, carpet picnics, and family game night. Her stories have won
numerous awards, including The Rochelle Alers Best Series award for her
Atlanta’s Finest Series (2022) and The Beverly Jenkins Author of the Year award
(2021). When she isn’t writing, Sharon loves hanging out with her amazing
husband, doing volunteer work, or reading a good book (a romance of course). To
read more about Sharon and her novels, or to sign up to be notified of her
latest releases, visit www.sharoncooper.net
In the French Resistance of 1944, trust is
the difference between life and death.
Post-war troubles heighten when our
hero’s life is in danger and all he holds dear is at risk.
In the Orchards of
Shadow and Light
The Shadow Series
Book 1
by Arthur McMaster
Genre: Historical
WWII Suspenseful Spy Romance
In the vast
tapestry of war, outcomes are never certain. Its demands are endless, its
sacrifices countless. Yet for one couple who will share war's burdens and
dangers-a daring American OSS agent and a French Resistance leader-its
conclusion will transform both lives forever.
From the opening
line, author Arthur McMaster, a retired foreign intelligence officer, makes
clear: "No families escape the devastation of war." What follows is
storytelling you won't be able to set aside. Amid the apple orchards and
farmlands of war-ravaged Western Europe in the final years of World War II, we
follow thirty-five-year-old OSS operative Claire Skiffington and French
Resistance leader Jacques Berlangier through perilous clandestine operations.
Eluding Vichy collaborators and Wehrmacht checkpoints, Claire's cover is that
of a simple pastry girl, but this emissary is far more than she appears.
Years after the
Nazi menace has passed, in the small Breton village of Combourg, Claire and
Jacques are in love and determined to build a life together. Their days and
nights in Paris work to make it all magical. But someone wants Jacques dead.
Why? And how will one estranged family member unlock the source of danger?
Brimming with
suspense and rich in character development, In the Orchards of Shadow and Light
features beautiful imagery and finely drawn characters. Written by former
DIA-CIA analyst and award-winning writer Arthur McMaster, In the
Orchards of Shadow and Light is the first in a trilogy based on
espionage, romance, and suspense. Combines elements of "The Rose
Code," "The Nightingale," and "All the Light We Cannot
See" to create a rich atmosphere, original characters embroiled in real
historical events, dangerous romance and compelling drama. This story
represents one man and one woman's perilous commitment to service in the face
of danger: one couple's commitment to overcoming treachery and blazing a future
together.
What readers
are saying:
“Finely crafted
with an artisan's touch, there is an unseen history beneath the lives of those
trying to survive. Precisely researched, McMaster adroitly drops the reader
behind the lines of clandestine operations. The grim destruction of Europe is
brought to life with beautiful imagery and reconnoitered characters-every bit
as interesting as those of Ken Follett's Eye of the Needle and The Key to
Rebecca. This is a fine novel no one should pass up.”
— William
Walsh, author of Lakewood (TouchPoint Press)
As you begin
this book, prepare yourself for reading a writer who knows the details of
espionage so well they feel like second nature, rather than research. Prepare
yourself for lush, lyrical prose and the historical span of an Ian McEwan
novel. This is a spy story, a love story, and a family story set largely in
France, during a war, but McMaster balances the deprivations of war with
domestic arts, the healing chores of mother women who bake stolen oranges into
cakes, somehow find tea to serve, and harvest the slenderest sprigs of tarragon
and chervil, plucked from their gardens, and stored in delicate clay pottery.
This is a white knuckle thriller written by someone with all the sensibilities
of a poet.
Near eleven, Jacques’s truck approached the barn. There, he and Claire saw
two men in black coats putting a third into their vehicle. The barn behind them
roiled in flame. From the look of it, the generator had exploded, or maybe they
had simply set off some explosives. Jacques and Claire sat far enough back to
observe what had happened but not close enough to be spotted.
“Goddamn it.”
“My God, Jacques,” she said.
“They are taking him.” Their own luck had held. Thomas’s had not. “And he had
been so clever. The boot heel. The shaving cream.”
“We have to go. Immediately!”
Both watched, though only seconds more, until the Germans drove off with their
prize, the barn behind them collapsing in flame. “Did you think he knew about
Combourg?” Jacques asked her.
She had never mentioned it.
They’d only met Thomas at the Laurent farm, in Épiniac. “As I recall, nothing
was ever said to him about Combourg.”
“He would not know of the
monsignor, Roger’s uncle,” she added. They had kept that secret. Claire rubbed
at the palm of one hand, kneading it with the knuckle of the other.
“No. And he does not know our
real names,” Jacques said. “But Roger Laurent could know.”
Jacques took her hand. “Thomas is
lost, but what harm Roger could do yet is considerable. If he gives up Roger.”
“Will he? Where will they take
him?” she asked as Jacques worked the truck around, knowing he was leaving
behind his apples and, more importantly, his cover for travel.
“Saint-Lô, I would think. Some
Nazi headquarters.”
As Jacques wrenched the truck
sharply onto the road toward home, where the deeply distressed Claire would be
able to arrange for her return to Bodney, a bottle scooted out from under her
seat.
“Look at this,” she said, pulling
it up from the floor. “It’s his Calvados.” Attempting to hold back tears.
“Keep it. We will finish it
tonight in his honor with a tip of the hat to our friend.”
Passing near enough to the
Laurent farm en route to Combourg, with relative safety still several
kilometers away, Jacques pointed to the farmhouse. It was risky, but he had to
take a look, remaining well back from potential observation. There, they were able
to make out, standing near the entry door, the one thing they had hardly dared
hope to see—a dark green motorcycle.
What Roger’s return portended was
unclear, but given what had happened to Thomas, that outcome was surely the
best they could have hoped for. Jacques slowed the truck and looked to the
darkened house, their hearts racing.
“Oh my God. He’s come back.”
Jacques touched her hand.
She thought to say something,
leaning into him. “Let’s go home, Jacques. Please!” Then added, “You did well,
getting us through it all. So brave.”
“You and me,” he said. “We did.
Together.” He touched her face tenderly.
In that moment, Jacques and
Claire leaned toward each other for a necessary hug, and then a kiss. A kiss of
relief. A kiss of what might yet be.
Poet, playwright and novelist,
Arthur retired from full-time teaching, most recently as Visiting Assoc.
Professor of English, at Converse College, in Spartanburg, SC. HIs books
include: In the Orchards of Our Mothers (historical fiction
novel); The Whole Picture Show (poetry) Musical Muse (academic); Birdies
Never Die (golf); Givings & Misgivings (poetry)
and The Spy Who Came Down with a Cold (poetry) and Need
to Know (memoir).
Arthur's first career was that of a foreign intelligence officer, with assignments
with military intelligence and briefly with the CIA. Arthur earned an MFA
degree in Poetry at University of Florida. Pushcart Prize nominations. He now
teaches in Continuing Education Dept for Furman University (fiction and
poetry).
A scandalous Top Secret Facility built on Sacred Ground
triggers an ancient Cheyenne curse.
The Curse of Dead
Horse Canyon: Cheyenne Spirits
Dead Horse Canyon Saga Book 1
by Marcha Fox & Pete Risingsun
Genre: Native American Cross-Cultural Conspiracy Thriller
GOVERNMENT
CORRUPTION TRIGGERS AN ANCIENT CHEYENNE CURSE...
Greed and corruption have infiltrated the once-pristine
Colorado Rockies, echoes of years past when silver miners swarmed the area like
vermin, precipitating a 19th Century curse. Now a new generation delivers a
different form of pollution, among them the most corrupt entity of them all.
All Sara Reynolds remembers of the wreck that slammed their Silverado to the
depths of Dead Horse Canyon is Bryan's dying plea to expose what he found. Why
did they kill him? What happened that fateful spring day? Will she and her dead
husband's life-long Native American friend, Charlie Littlewolf, discover his
secret?
Ceremonies taught by Charlie's Northern Cheyenne medicine man grandfather
decades before can connect with the spirits and reveal all things. He shunned
them then. He needs them now, like never before. Coupled with Sara's ethereal
clues from the heavens can they find answers in time? Or will the same black
ops raiders murder them, too?
READERS' FAVORITE 5-STAR REVIEW
"Infused with a sense of danger, the intricate plot and dramatic
storyline create a breathtaking and intense story....An exceptional
novel complete with conspiracy, intrigue, and murder that will enthrall
everyone who has an affinity for suspenseful thrillers with just a smidgen of
the paranormal." --Susan Sewell
THE BOOK COMMENTARY 5-STAR REVIEW
"A fascinating blend of historical mystery and the supernatural that is
as suspenseful as it is entertaining. How the past affects the present is a
cleverly handled theme, and the narrative highlights the enduring consequences
of greed and disrespect for the land. Boldly written, tautly plotted, and
expertly delivered." --George Buehlman
AWARDS
Page Turner Book Award
Silver Medal Global Book Awards
Pinnacle Book Achievement Award
Book Excellence Award Finalist
Readers' Favorite 5-star Review
Breathtaking drops along the road that rimmed Colorado's
Dead Horse Canyon terrified Sara Reynolds from the start. Cliffs and gorges
stretched on and off for miles, few protected by guardrails.
"Too expensive," Bryan explained. "Not a priority for lean
county budgets."
His advice for dealing with roadway-induced acrophobia was simple:
"Keep your eyes on the center line. Concentrate on the road. Whatever
you do, never, ever look down!"
His words sprang from memory, recommendations moot. Ignoring the threat
didn't make it go away. Especially when someone T-boned your truck on a blind
curve.
Their mangled Silverado teetered on a ledge twenty feet below. She stared,
incredulous, as steam twisted upward from its crumpled hood in a sultry,
hypnotic dance. Vapors crawled along the shattered windshield, then teased the
heart-shaped leaves of a young quaking aspen—the truck's only ally against a
sheer drop of several hundred feet.
The realization she'd been the truck's passenger only moments before sizzled
through her like lightning. Why was she weightless, brunette tendrils floating
about her shoulders like a storm cloud? Her horrified gaze shifted to her
husband, likewise weightless and wearing his signature crooked grin.
"What happened?" Her words were soundless, thought rather
than speech.
"We're dead."
"What? Dead? What do you mean we're dead?"
He pointed to their truck. She gasped. Their lifeless bodies were clearly
visible through the cab's passenger side window.
He was right—they were dead.
The tender expression in his hazel eyes embraced her heart as affection
flowed between them. An unexpected sense of peace defied what lay below.
Time froze, the forest hushed and serene as a leafy chorus offered a requiem in
the spring breeze.
What seemed an eternity later, sirens screamed through the canyon. His
demeanor shifted.
"I'm sorry, Sara. That didn't exactly work out as planned. I know—I
should have listened to you. I love you, sweetheart."
Renewed panic surged. "What are you saying, Bryan?"
"You must go back. Promise me. Don't let them get away with this.
Please."
He blew her a kiss, then his personage retreated, fading into a swirling
vortex of unearthly light.
He didn't stop, her plea denied, his only response a wave of farewell as he
vanished into the light.
* * *
She awoke to mind-numbing pain. Her shoulder, neck, and hip screamed, spasms
twisting every muscle as if some wild beast had torn them apart. There'd been
an ear-splitting crash, a brilliant flash of light. . .
Where was Bryan? Where was she?
Unless someone knew otherwise, surely it was hell.
Somewhere far away a muffled siren wailed. Fear of the truth conspired with
her blood-crusted lashes not to open her eyes. Pain vetoed the refusal. Her
eyelids trembled open.
A sandy haired, broad-shouldered man in a blue EMS uniform sat beside her,
attention fixed on a beeping vital signs monitor. A metallic taste filled her
mouth, lips swollen and heavy, her attempt to speak a scratchy whisper.
"What. . .happened? Wh-where's Bryan? Is he h-here?"
The man turned her way, regarding her with dark, concerned eyes.
"It's okay, ma'am. Don't try to talk." He placed a gentle hand on
her shoulder. "We're getting you to help as fast as we can."
Her breathing quickened, ravaged muscles and nerves on fire, but the agony
consuming her heart eclipsed it all. A sob caught in her throat, words an
articulated whimper.
"H-he left me. Here...."
"Just relax." He emptied a syringe into the port of the IV line
embedded in her arm.
The pain ebbed. Again nothing. Only darkness.
* * *
BELTON REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
April 17, Tuesday
5:37 p.m.
The sensation of motion breached the persistent fog. Her eyes cracked open
as the gurney rumbled through a portal into blinding light. Electronic
chirping, then muted voices, the smell of antiseptics.
She forced her query out from somewhere in her chest. "W-what
h-happened?"
The pretty black nurse hanging a unit of blood looked her way. "You
were in a bad wreck, darlin'. Just rest now. You're in good hands. You're awake
and that's a really good sign."
"But my husband—"
"I know, darlin'. Don't worry about him. He's in a better place."
Tears flowed unbidden. It had to be a nightmare. Willing herself awake,
however, failed. Abandonment and confusion in the grip of agonizing pain
remained.
Return to Dead Horse
Canyon: Grandfather Spirits
Dead Horse Canyon Saga Book 2
THE DEAD HORSE
CANYON SAGA CONTINUES. . .
READERS' FAVORITE
5-STAR REVIEW
"I went into 'Return to Dead Horse Canyon' not having read the first
book and while it does read comfortably as a stand-alone, after just a couple
of chapters I actually went back to read 'The Curse of Dead Horse Canyon'
before restarting book two. It was an excellent decision. The building of the
Cheyenne history is critical to the story and had I not understood Sara’s
complete motivation and Charlie’s fully fleshed-out roots, I’d have missed out
on so much more than just a good read. My gosh, the depth of ethnology packed
into both novels is meticulously researched and beautifully detailed.
Co-authors Marcha Fox and Pete Risingsun are a dream team with this saga and
I’m really looking forward to the third and final installment of their
trilogy." -- Asher Syed
This epic modern Native American saga continues in this sequel to "The
Curse of Dead Horse Canyon" where Charlie Littlewolf and Sara Reynolds
discovered why her husband, Bryan, was murdered, changing their lives forever.
While Charlie swore to avenge his white brother's death, the path to do so
remains unclear.
His job with Lone Star Operations allows him to use his college education and
earn a generous income. However, it conflicts with everything he knows to be
right, especially as he returns to the teachings of his medicine man
grandfather. Is violating the Earth wrong or not? Little does he realize that
his work will ultimately return him to the Northern Cheyenne reservation where
his true destiny will manifest in ways he never imagined.
Sara is determined to fulfill Bryan's last request to expose the government
corruption coupled with the lethal forces that stole his life. Releasing the
scandalous Top Secret data via WikiLeaks infuriates those with much to lose,
who place a high price on her demise. When her response gets too personal, the
next attempt to silence her forever comes close to home.
While miles apart, each struggles with life-threatening situations as a result
of their dedication to Bryan's legacy. Their lives remain entangled through a
series of fateful decisions and circumstances that define a future fraught with
dangerous unknowns for them both.
AWARDS
Pinnacle Book Achievement Award
Firebird Book Award
Book Excellence Award Finalist
5-star Readers' Favorite Review
Page Turner Award Finalist
The Revenge of Dead
Horse Canyon: Sweet Medicine Spirits
Dead Horse Canyon Saga Book 3
The DEAD HORSE
CANYON Trilogy's explosive conclusion!
Picking up where "Return to Dead Horse Canyon: Grandfather Spirits"
left off, we find that much to her enemy’s dismay, Sara’s life is spared, but
with a steep price. A million dollar bounty remains on her demise, motivating
another to threaten her life. Paralyzed by the last attempt to eliminate her,
her Native American friend, Charlie, promises to help restore her health so she
can walk again. Before he can accomplish that, however, the unthinkable happens,
which disrupts and redirects their plans.
To fulfill his promise to his Northern Cheyenne Grandfather to complete a
four-day ceremonial fast at the Sacred Mountain, Charlie journeys to Bear Butte
in South Dakota, known to his tribe as Novavose. A series of
startling visions reveal the full scope of his destiny. Of prime importance is
to restore the ancient Earth Giving Ceremony known as the Massaum, originally revealed
thousands of years before by their prophet, Sweet Medicine.
Has the time come at last for Native People to unite and fulfill Black Cloud’s
curse on Dead Horse Canyon? And what about those other 19th century prophecies
directed to the 7th Generation by Black Elk and Crazy Horse?
Phase I of the PURF complex is complete. A gala open house to celebrate is
scheduled around the same time as the Gathering of Indigenous Leaders.
While the underground facility is filled to the brim with corrupt lobbyists,
contractors, and government officials, not far away a host of First Nation
Americans is entrenched in a ceremony that promises to restore them to their
land.
What could possibly go wrong?
5-STAR EDITORIAL REVIEW FROM READERS'
FAVORITE
"The Revenge of Dead Horse Canyon by
Marcha Fox and Pete Risingsun stands out for its sharp writing and complete
ability to immerse readers, especially in Charlie's spiritual transformation.
Poor Sara just cannot get a break. Attacked, paralyzed, kidnapped, and then
labeled a domestic terrorist and sanctioned! This isn’t just a fight for
survival; this is about the power of truth in the face of overwhelming
opposition. Charlie fits into this description, with a spectacular ceremony for
Sara's healing, but also as a powerful catalyst when he is in the presence of
Grandmother Earth and the consequences of his actions. Fox and Risingsun are a
dream writing team in every way, and, culturally, this portrayal of Charlie's
heritage is painted from the sky to the smallest pebble and the fire burning in
between. The pacing is elevated by point of view shifts and all the drama, but
also a surprising relationship transformation as well. Ultimately, this finale
succeeds with a perfect 10 landing. Very, very highly recommended."
AWARDS
Reader's Favorite 5-stars
Book Excellence Award
Pinnacle Achievement Award
A
sweetgrass braid ordered in 2019 connected a NASA physicist in Texas with a
Cheyenne elder living on the Northern Cheyenne reservation in Montana. That
relationship evolved from a transaction to a consultation to a co-authorship
that produced a culturally meticulous, spiritually grounded, award-winning
conspiracy thriller trilogy.
Before
publishing "The Curse of Dead Horse Canyon" Marcha wanted to confirm
her portrayal of Native American culture and the story's protagonist, Charlie
Littlewolf, was accurate as well as respectful toward indigenous people.
Synchronicity
intervened via that sweetgrass braid and connected her with Pete Risingsun, an
enrolled member and elder in the Northern Cheyenne tribe. He offered insights
and changes, but best of all, was so taken with the story he ultimately became
its coauthor.
Marcha's
experience as a retired NASA engineer and seasoned author of The Star Trails
Tetralogy science fiction series, melded perfectly with Pete's knowledge of his
tribe's history and ceremonies.
The
pair, who has never met face to face, collaborated via phone calls, text
messages, and snail mail between her home in the Texas Hill Country and his on
the reservation in Montana.
It
took five years to produce the trilogy that comprises "The Curse of Dead
Horse Canyon Saga," the three books of which have collected a total of 13
awards.
In
preparation for writing the saga's explosive conclusion, Marcha and Pete
conducted extensive research. In so doing, they were delighted to uncover
fascinating details of Norther Cheyenne history and ceremonies that dove-tailed
perfectly with the complex story's plot, tying it back to numerous events in
the 19th Century.
My Writing Journey: Science Fiction to Cross-Cultural Thrillers
by Marcha Fox
I started out writing science fiction, which I loved as a kid. My favorite author was Robert A. Heilein, but I was always disappointed when the stories didn't contain much, if any, science. Thus, I decided some day I'd write the books I wanted to read. Books that had plenty of action and interesting characters, but also included some science.
Learning is supposed to be fun, right? So that's what I did with Star Trails. The science wasn't tacked on, but integral to the plot as science and engineering were required for the characters to solve the many problems that came along, whether during space travel or colonizing a hostile planet.
One of my sci-fi characters is a telepathic walking plant named Thyron. He just showed up and threatened to take over the story. He was so popular I eventually wrote a novel as a side story to the second book in the series that included him as the protagonist.
In The Terra Debacle: Prisoners at Area 51, Thryon winds up on earth with a NASA astrobiologist studying him. Needless to say, the fact I spent 21 years working at NASA was very helpful! I had to do quite a bit of botany research since that was not my forte, but it was essential to my pledge to include science in my stories.
Oddly enough, a professional reviewer criticized it for having too much science while my readers loved it! You can't please everyone, that's for sure, but I couldn't help wondering how he thought science that established the premise was inappropriate? C'mon! At least one science teacher I know had my novels in her classroom as extra-credit reading material.
Since I'd written science fiction that included a fair amount of paranormal elements, it was an easy transition to the Native American connection with the earth and everything on it. In writing Dead Horse Canyon with my coauthor, Pete Risingsun, we'd talk on the phone about what would happen, then I'd go draft it and send it to him for approval, comments, and so forth. There were times when I wondered if I was getting a little too far out, even though I was simply writing what Charlie was thinking and doing as it came to me.
A few times I expected Pete to come back and tell me that something I had in there was blatantly wrong or downright impossible, like having a tree that witnessed the accident tell him telepathically where to look for evidence. It never happened. Nothing I ever wrote got nixed for not being fully credible as a part of their culture!
Indigenous people have a connection with the earth and the spirit world "civilized" people have been trained to forget. Those who notice that the world is evolving toward enlightenment with physics and metaphysics gradually coming together are simply coming back to what Native Americans have known all along.
In Shetland, twelve-year-old twins uncover a Viking
artifact, setting off an unforgettable adventure of friendship, teamwork, and
discovery. ⚔️
Living at the Edge of
the World – Spring
The Papala Island Adventure Series Book 2
written by S. J. Barratt
narrated by Gill Mills
Genre: Middle Grade Eco Adventure
When twelve-year-old
twins Tabitha and Timothy unearth an ancient artefact in the peat banks of
Papala Island, they set off a chain of extraordinary events. Determined
to protect their discovery, the twins rally their friends to outwit sneaky
treasure hunters, navigate treacherous terrain, and unravel the island’s
ancient legend.
As spring unfolds, and with the guidance of their Great Uncle Tamhas, the twins
uncover the true meaning of community, courage, and belonging—realising they
have the power to make a difference, even at twelve.
Packed with action, wildlife, and heart, Living at the Edge of the
World: Spring is the perfect adventure story for listeners aged 9-12.
Explore the wilds of Papala Island, Shetland, in this exciting tale of bravery,
friendship, and discovering where you truly belong.
Ready to join Tabitha
and Timothy in Papala?
RECOMMENDED AGE RANGE:
Middle Grade 9-12 but ideal for adults too! Wonderful for reading along with
your child.
I
would recommend this for young readers who have an interest in nature and enjoy
adventure stories.’ @katsbookcave
‘It’s
a really well written and gripping story that kept my son and I both interested
and intrigued. It’s full of action and we particularly liked the wildlife
aspect and also the spring activities that the children took part in.’
@mum_of_boys_northeast
“I
loved this story as it gives a sense of wonder and exploration of the natural
world. As the twins slow down and appreciate the island, the listener too gets
to explore the Shetlandic way of life.’ @that_alto Kimberly Thomson
Twins Tabitha and Timothy leave London for a wild Shetland
island — no Wi-Fi, no friends, and a mysterious great-uncle. In Papala, they
discover a new way of life, unexpected friendships, and courage they never knew
they had.
A fun, eco-conscious story for ages 9–12 that the whole
family will love.
When their parents sail the world without them, 12-year-old
twins Tabitha and Timothy are sent to the remote island of Papala, known as the
"Bird Island." Great Uncle Tamhas becomes their guardian in a world
as strange as the island itself.
Tabitha is frustrated with the island's isolation and
limited Wi-Fi, but Timothy is delighted to uncover the island’s natural
secrets. The twins soon realise however, they are not the only newcomers to the
island.
Discover a story about courage, friendship and the joy of
embracing the unfamiliar. Dive into a different world, where nature and
friendship are full of surprises.
You'll love this story of courage and friendship. Buy now
before the price changes!
Check out: https: //www.sjbstories.com to know more!
S. J. Barratt is a self-published, professionally edited
children’s author whose eco-themed stories celebrate the connection between
people and the natural world. Rooted in an English countryside upbringing and
shaped by a career in agriculture, she blends a gardener’s curiosity with a
storyteller’s warmth to her writing. Now based in Lyon, France, Suzanne creates
tales that inspire middle-grade readers to swap screen time for green time—and
rediscover the wonders waiting just outside their door.
A former BBC broadcaster and journalist, Gill Mills brings
over 20 years of experience in entertainment to her narration. Known for her
warm, resonant voice, she began her voice career while DJing on BBC Radio 1 and
has since voiced numerous TV and audio productions. She now runs a content
company specialising in podcast and film production from her studio in East
London.
