At school I was voted the guy least likely
to tear off his clothes and run into the sea. That’s not actually true. But it
could be. I don’t do crazy impulses. I’m the man who holds up the coffee shop
queue before ordering the same latte as ever. I use SatNav. On the train. You
certainly wouldn’t catch me braving the English Channel
in October, without so much as a towel to hand. And yet, on one autumn
afternoon several years ago, I did. And I’m still trying to understand why.
My wife and I were in Lyme Regis, in Dorset (this location itself is a somewhat spooky
accident). We were walking along the sea front when we saw a commotion in the
water. In the midst of a group of swimmers, something dark kept bobbing up. We
saw a fin. It was like a scene from Jaws, except the screams were not of terror
but delight. Then shouts from around us confirmed it: ‘A dolphin!... A
bottlenose dolphin!’
My first fear – that the creature must be
in distress, to be so close to the beach – vanished almost at once. The dolphin
was clearly revelling in the attention, scooting from one bunch of kids to
another, splashing them, letting itself be stroked, and generally showing off.
At that moment I realised that I’d probably
never have this chance again. To swim with dolphins is often held up to be one
of life’s great experiences. Some polls have even voted it ‘the number one
thing to do before you die’. And this wasn’t some tame dolphin in a pool, or
some purchased, pre-packaged experience. This was the real deal, a wild
dolphin, an utterly random stroke of fortune, quite literally out of the blue.
And I didn’t have any swimming things.
No-one was more astonished than me when, a
minute later, I was splashing out into the cold water towards the dolphin.
(Note to Dorset police: I kept my shorts on).
The next ten minutes was like being a kid again. I was amazed at the creature’s
speed, disappearing underwater and reappearing many metres away, almost at the
same instant. Its skin I recall as feeling wonderfully strange to the touch,
like a living bar of soap, though when I tentatively grasped its fin to see if
it might tow me along like Flipper, it rolled over with a glare as if to say,
‘I don’t do tricks.’ It occurred to me then that this animal, with its size and
power and huge jaws, could easily have killed any one of us human beings in
seconds – without meaning to, or even noticing. Yet there we were, children and
adults all, prepared to risk our literal necks just for the sake of being close
to a dolphin.
Why? What possessed me? For a long time
afterwards I struggled to answer that question. And because I happen to be a
children’s author, I suppose it was inevitable that these musings would result
in a book.
The Storm Bottle is a tale of humans and
dolphins, an imagined one, but drawing for inspiration on that very real
experience.
The more I thought about it, however, the
more sure I was that the story would have to be set not in England, but in Bermuda.
Firstly, there was the strange fact of meeting the dolphin in Lyme Regis, the
place from which the Sea Venture set sail. Also I have a family connection to
Bermuda, first visiting for Christmas at the age of 12, and being able to swim
in the sea on Christmas Day (though it was cold). I’ve been back many times
since, but nothing compares to the wonder of that first trip, and exploring a
place so remote, so like home, and yet so strange and fascinating. The place
has harboured a mythos all of its own for centuries, since before it was even
settled, becoming the setting for Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’, an island
haunted by demons and enchantments, before growing into its more recent legends
of the Triangle. Could these elements also be drawn into my story?
It was on my first visit to Bermuda that my elder brother found an antique glass bottle,
buried in sand on one of the unpopulated islands. And at the house of a family
friend, I marvelled at her own huge bottle collection, like a real-life haul of
pirate treasure. And my stepmother told me about the Sea Venture that first
settled the islands by a pure twist of fate, having set sail from – wait for it
– Lyme Regis. And she told me about shark-oil barometers, and the Sargasso Sea that has no shore, and about hurricanes. All
of these sparkling fragments sank down into my mind, patiently waiting for that
moment when, years later, a swim with a dolphin would bring them bubbling back
to the surface.
Most authors don’t like to tell you where
they get their ideas from. Most, I think, don’t even know. But on this
occasion, I do know. Sometimes, everything just fits together.
Ready for a new adventure? Are you a fan of fantasy, young adult, science fiction and action stories?
“No mercy, No rules - Welcome to the Trail of Bones!”
Run with Purpose – battle cry of the Shade Wolves
Magnus, the runt of a litter of Shade Wolves, wants nothing more than to be a loyal, strong member of the pack. But when an ancient enemy threatens his friends and family, he faces a choice that could tear him from all he's known and loved.
Born in captivity, the giant panther Kelor knows nothing but suffering and loss. He struggles to find his place in this world of terror, and he battles to protect his family without succumbing to the darkness lurking inside him.
Falling captive to the evil Warden, the two are forced to fight in the battle of the beasts known as 'The Trail of Bones'. How will Kelor and Magnus learn to work together? How will they escape a fate of despair and death? How will their choices affect their comrades? Their enemies? And the forgotten magic that could doom all life of their world?
Let the adventures begin!
A fun, exciting, clean read for teens, young adults, adults and readers of all ages. Pick up your copy of this fantasy adventure today!
Are you a fan of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Robert Jordan, Orson Scott Card, Jim Butcher and other fantasy and science fiction authors? You’ll feel right at home with Trail of Bones. This fantasy story offers a strong moral message, suspense, action, and mystery, in a world full of magic, unlikely heroes, and devious villains.
Editorial Reviews
Salisbury is a rising star in genre fiction. This book makes a unique and exciting contribution in the fantasy realm. The first of great things to come. --Jake Black, "The Authorized Ender Companion" "Smallville" "Ender's Game: Recruiting Valentine"
Amazon Reviews
Conclusion:
A fantasy adventure that features lots of action and intrigue that is geared to a YA audience.
There are moments in this tale that are especially well done... story telling at a level that I'd be interested to see what this author would do with an adult orientated fantasy work.
As a dedicated YA work... 5 Stars.
~ Ray Nicholson
The beginning of a great adventure!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the first book of the Trail of Bones series. It is an unpredictable adventure, with heartwrenching acts of love and friendship. The story ended before I was prepared to put my Kindle down, and now I will wait anxiously for the second book to be published. In the meantime, I think I'll read it again with my eleven-year-old son; I'm sure he'll love it as much as I do. Give it a read!
~ HRL
Enthralling story line that really pulls you in
…The characters were some that I will not easily forget because he explains their background in a way that makes the reader really connect and believe they are real. He creates a world that I long to see. I really grew to both love and hate different characters. I think that is a sign of a really great author when they can make us feel so much emotion towards a character.
~ Janason
EXCERPTS
“Entula tuulo’ i’ba, Beleger!” the Storm Elf shouted
as he looked into the starless black cloak of the night sky.
He threw his head back, squinted until his beady eyes shut,
and extended his arms with his hands open and up-turned. He stood motionless
and waited for something, anything to happen; a strike of lightning, a
gale-force wind, a violent shake of the ground beneath his feet that were shod
in pointed shoes. But nothing came, and the forest was as quiet as the darkest
tomb in the catacombs of Cordale. Not even the trees made a sound, and their
boughs remained rigid and eerily silent. It was as if the very world held its
breath, refusing to offer even the slightest submission to the elf’s magical
request.
A few moments passed in awkward stillness while the elf
remained frozen in his posture of anticipation. Finally, an acorn fell and
struck the ground. There was no blaze of
fire or magical waves of energy. Nothing.
The Storm Elf slowly opened one eye and peered down his narrow
nose at an object resting before him. A large black, furry beast lay quiet and
lifeless on a large altar chiseled from a dark gray stone. Like the trees, sky,
wind, and everything else in the forest clearing, the beast made no movement.
“Ugh!” said the elf as he exhaled an exasperated sigh. His
shoulders slumped to his side.
“Why isn’t this working? I know those are the right words!”
he grumbled. His frustration grew as he knelt and rummaged through a small pack
sitting near the foot of the stone altar.
“Come all this way for nothing? I think not!” He argued with
himself. “Korwin Widestep does not give up so easily. They’ll see.”
****
A
series of long, haunting howls echoed through the forest and the night sky.
Adolphus nervously looked in the direction of the continuing symphony of
yowling wolves. Somewhere, deeper in the forest, the pack was at their den, and
something was not at all right.
He had never heard them howl for so long and bark so loud. He
was scared but did his best to hide it. So he bravely held up the torch with
one hand and firmly gripped the bone handle of his dagger with the other. He
would defend the village to his last breath and sacrifice his life if
necessary.
Adolphus was only seven years old, but he stood alone atop
the wooden watchtower. The young barbarian was a spry, big-boned lad who stood
nearly five-feet tall. His hair, black as the night sky, was tied into several
long braids that hung below his shoulders. His skin was dark brown, but smooth
and unblemished. The muscles in his arms and legs were well developed. His
chiseled, strong jaw made him look older than he was, but he still had the
heart and mind of a boy.
Suddenly, a large hand slapped his
shoulder, startling the young Adolphus so that the torch slipped from his grip
and slid down the front of his buckskin, nearly catching him on fire.
“Father!” he yelled as he adeptly
caught the torch before it hit the ground. “That’s not funny, and you shouldn’t
do that to a watchman.”
“So you think you’re ready to be a
watchman now, is that it?” said Chief Thayne Draghone.
“I’m old enough. You told me once
you were only five when you stood your first watch,” said the boy, defiantly.
“I did indeed. The youngest of our
tribe to do so, but the number of seasons had nothing to do with it. I earned
the right. I was ready. Are you?”
The boy looked down, not happy or
prepared for his father’s question. But after a moment, he returned his
father’s scrutiny.
****
“You’ve
seen a Shade Wolf? While the sun was overhead?” Chief Draghone asked. The boy
nodded. “Then you were too close to their dens. I thought we talked about this
Adolphus? You could endanger the entire village with your foolish desires.”
“But you said the Shade Wolves are
our friends. That they protect Thornmount and the forest just as we do,” the
boy said.
“True, but neither man nor beast
likes it when an intruder comes to his home uninvited. And with a new litter
coming, you’re lucky they didn’t tear you apart and feed you to the cubs for
their first meal.”
Surprisingly the boy did not back
down. Mildly irritated, the chief still admired his son’s conviction and
passion. “I did no harm, father, I swear it. He even spoke to me. He warned me
to go away,” Adolphus said with the excitement only a boy could display.
“And what did this Shade Wolf say?”
“He said run with purpose.”
“And did you?” the father asked.
“Of course. I’ve never run so fast.
When I made it back to the village, the wolf was gone,” Adolphus said
excitedly.
Thayne Draghone bellowed with
laughter, and put his massive arm around his son. They all fear what they do
not understand, he thought. That is why you are chief.
“You still have much to learn, young
one. Listen closely, son, for this is truth,” he said as he knelt next to his
boy so they could see eye to eye. “Run with purpose is not a warning, it is an
ancient wolf saying.”
The boy was perplexed; this was not
at all what he thought happened during his brief encounter with the wolf. “I
don’t understand. What does that mean?”
“Run with purpose. It means do not
waste energy, life, seasons. When you hunt, hunt until your prey is in your
jaws. If you fight, fight with all your strength until you win your enemy’s
throat. If you love, love until your heart stops beating. And if you must run, go swiftly until you run
with your pack once more. This is the way of the wolf. This is the way of the
warrior. And I pray to the gods it will be your way too,” the chief explained.
Adolphus looked back in the
direction of the wolves with a new understanding and appreciation. His fear
vanished, replaced with admiration and a sense of wonder. I want to see a
Shade Wolf again. I’ll be brave, he thought.
“Come boy, the night grows darker
still. Your mother will whip your hide… and mine if we don’t return to the
cooking fires soon,” said Thayne.
“Can’t we stay a while longer? I
want to listen. I wonder what they’re saying now, Father,” said the boy.
“When the sun rises I’ll travel to
their den and pay my respects. I will offer gifts of meat and dugan entrails in
celebration of new life. I was hoping my son could accompany me, but I fear if
he doesn’t find his bed soon, he’ll be too weary,” said the chief.
He barely finished his sentence before the boy scrambled down
the watchtower and scurried toward home. The father chuckled as he watched his
son dash away. Run with purpose, young one. Now you’re getting it, he
thought.
About Chris Salisbury
Chris Salisbury has been writing fantasy, science fiction, suspense, and action thrillers for years in independent films. Now he’s expanded his love of good movies, such as Gladiator, Counte of Monte Cristo, Saving Private Ryan, Braveheart, Star Trek, to the world of books. Trail of Bones is the first book in a planned four part fantasy, young adult series targeted at readers of all ages.
The father of four enjoys a wide range of interests from scuba diving to softball, coaching basketball to playing Battlefield 3 on his Xbox 360 or NCAA Football with his sons. He is also a big advocate for literacy and reading for young boys. There seem to be few titles that appeal to young boys and young men to hold their attention, trigger their imaginations and create a love of reading. Chris is out to change that.
In addition to the Trail of Bones series, he also has a number of other titles in development including historical fiction, action, suspense thrillers, and several science fiction properties. There’s a lot more on the horizon, so enjoy Trail of Bones but be sure to look for more captivating titles from Chris Salisbury in the near future.
‘The Plateau: Voices of the Earth’ is First Installment of Trilogy from Maureen Dudley
DENVER, COLORADO – Just in time for Earth Day, Maureen Dudley has penned “The Plateau:Voices of the Earth” (Hawk’s Cry Publications, an imprint of Word Keepers, Inc., April 22). The first fictional but fact-based novel in her stimulating three-part series showcases the need to protect and preserve natural environments for this generation and others to come.
In “The Plateau,” Dudley tells the story of an environmental engineer named Catherine and what happens when she meets an enigmatic archivist who has “time traveled” 200 years from the future to discover the pattern of decisions that led to how their world evolved.
Enlightening Radio host Christine Andrew calls the novel “timely and thought-provoking.” And ForeWord Magazine writes, “The book keeps a page-turning pace that will engage those who enjoy fantasy, general fiction, and stories about the environment.”
Having spent more than 20 years working as environmental engineer herself, Dudley draws on her vast knowledge of relatively obscure and under reported issues and events to bring attention to the breadth of the world’s environmental problems. Her dramatic storytelling blends elements of science fiction and
environmental advocacy, inspiring readers to reflect on the planet’s vulnerability and how every step we take – for better or worse – impacts the earth.
And while Dudley attempts to create awareness about certain issues facing the planet today, she encourages people to investigate and reach their own conclusions.
“You may agree with me, or your conclusion may differ significantly from mine,” said the Denver-based author. “I can only tell you that I strongly believe, and hope you agree, that we need to strive to take care of our environment so that future generations are left with air they can breathe; water they can drink; land, streams and seas they can cherish.”
An environmental engineer by education and profession, Maureen
Dudley writes with passion and poise in her conservation-focused
trilogy from Hawk’s Cry Publications, an imprint of Word Keepers,
Inc.
She spent eight years researching and writing the first installment, “The
Plateau: Voices of the Earth” (April 22, 2013) and hopes her debut
novel motivates readers to learn more about what is happening to our
environment, become cognizant of our own impacts and strive to make
a positive difference.
Dudley lived in Butte, Montana until she was 22 years old. There, she
earned a Bachelor of Science degree in environmental engineering
from Montana College of Mineral Science and Technology. She then
moved to Colorado where she began a career as an environmental engineer with the state.
After more than two decades of working for state and local governments, Dudley decided it was time for a change. With the support of her spouse Dave and her four-legged friends, first Kilty and now Charley (pictured), by her side, Dudley transitioned into her next career as a writer.
Dudley lives in Denver, Colorado, where she enjoys hiking and biking in the great outdoors.
As both a children’s book and scientific illustrator, Erin E. Hunter specializes in entomological and botanical illustrations. She has taught botanical illustration and field sketching at UC Santa Cruz and teaches workshops at local venues. Her portfolio includes print and online design projects for clients ranging from marketing firms to culinary groups to educational organizations—and she’s drawn insects under a microscope for the Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural History.
Erin lives with her husband on California’s Monterey Peninsula. When she’s not sketching and painting, she tends to flowers, fruit trees, and vegetables in her backyard garden.
The first of a thought provoking trilogy that dares readers to explore consciousness of the mind and observe how their everyday actions are having an impact on the world around them.
What if you have half a second to stop the extinction of part of the human race? What if that pivotal day to save humanity depends on you saving your own life? Catherine’s life and humanity’s continued existence depend on her ability and willingness to believe in an altered, future timeline with a colony of
Earth inhabitants.
It couldn’t come at a worse time. Catherine’s father dies unexpectedly. The pressure of her research and advocacy work adds dead weight to her life’s precarious tipping points. Catherine’s losing battles includes sleep deprivation. Sleep eludes her, and when it does come, she finds herself repeatedly dreaming about standing on the same high plateau with her greyhound dog, Addy, and a stranger (Keitha) and her dog (Murphey) surrounded by plants and animals and insects, and then poof! The living landscape transforms into ash.
Catherine does not suspect that she is the lynch pin, but she is the one who must stop the Machiavellians from shifting Earth’s future timeline, that will ultimately result in the colony’s extinction. But, because of her own beliefs in the Hau de no sau nee (Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy) principal that we have to consider the effect decisions have on descendants seven generations into the future. Catherine puts this belief to the ultimate test when she learns that ‘the event’ is her own death. In order to stop it, she must walk directly into its path.
Paperback $19.95, eBook $9.99
ISBN: 978-097853939-9
Fiction, 350 pages
Hawk’s Cry Publications,
an imprint of Word Keepers Inc.
April 22, 2013
www.wordkeepersinc.com/plateau_
voices_of_the_earth.html
Praise for
the Book
“The author
uses Keitha and Catherine’s stories to illustrate how important it is to take
care of the environment, not just for their sakes but also for that of future
generations who must live with the outcome of their ancestor’s actions. The
story keeps the reader engaged by revealing just enough of the past’s influence
on the future. Despite the revelation of future outcomes to the reader, the
author was able to maintain the suspense in the narrative, and this is
definitely one reason the novel works well.
‘The
Plateau: Voices of the Earth’ is a very interesting and well-written story. The
plot is engaging, the characters are likeable, and once the action gets going,
the book keeps a page-turning pace that will engage those who enjoy fantasy,
general fiction, and stories about the environment.”
- Laura Munion, ForeWord Review Magazine
“Given this
particular time in the state of our collective consciousness in our world, I
think ‘The Plateau: Voices of the Earth’ is a timely and thought-provoking
book.”
- Christine Andrew, Enlightening Radio/CoSozo Radio
of the Earth and information on some of the issues facing the environment
today.
I asked Maureen to list 10 things we could do to help the environment. Here's what she said:
Things we can do
in our daily life to help the environment. The following are ten that
came to my mind but there are many more that people would be able to
add to the list. These are not in any order of importance. Some are
well known, some are self-explanatory, and on most, well, I did throw
in a little additional observation.
Hand weed, and use alternative
insect controls (there are many) instead of applying pesticide. The
most important first step is to make sure that what you think is a
noxious weed or a pest truly is. And, think about the yellow warning
flag that keeps people, dogs and children off of areas where a
pesticide application has occurred and then think about all of the
other creatures. The natural pollinators, helpful insects, birds
and so many others. Who warns them?
Pick up after your dog. Yes, I
know they sometimes look at you funny but it is your job and no, dog
poop is not a “natural fertilizer.”
Don’t litter. But no one litters
any more, right? If only this were true. Unfortunately Keep America
Beautiful reports that while littering has decreased over the last
40 years, it still persists in our society. Per KAB’s 2009 study;
the most frequently littered item – tobacco products (mainly
cigarette butts), the largest growth sector – plastics (increase
in plastic packaging), motorists litter the most followed by
pedestrians.
Reduce, reuse, recycle and how
about just use. Replace your electronics, appliances, etc., when you
have to – not because you want to.
Reduce or eliminate your purchase
of beverages in plastic bottles - water isn’t the only one that
comes in plastic.
Create a habitat in your yard for
wildlife.
Take a walk and look at all that
you are helping protect.
Stay informed about at least one
environmental issue. To try and stay informed about everything that
is happening is too broad and unrealistic. But if people you know
all pick something different and then you exchange information, well
then you have an environmental information cooperative.
Take your car to the carwash.
Storm sewers drain to waterways not to treatment plants.
Lower your thermostat in the
winter and raise it in the summer. I know, tried and true, because
it is tried and true.
