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Ghost of the Rio Grande
Ghost of the Rio Grande, by Don Allen Holbrook, is a riveting historical fiction novel inspired by true events, shedding light on the complex interactions between Americans and Mexicans in the early 1900s. Set in 1915, the story centers on Fabriciano Garcia, a cattle herder living in South Texas, whose life takes a dramatic turn during a tumultuous period of land disputes and cultural clashes.
Fabriciano’s troubles begin when a notorious land grabber, William Johnson, covets his land. During a confrontation, Fabriciano kills one of William’s rangers to protect his community, forcing him to flee to avoid certain retaliation. Leaving behind his beloved wife, Manuela, and their children, Fabriciano embarks on a journey of survival and resistance. On his journey, Fabriciano saves François LaBorde from an assassination attempt, forging a strong bond between them. Fabriciano soon becomes involved with a group of cattle rustlers, earning a reputation for his cunning and ability to evade capture. Known as “The Ghost,” he becomes a legendary figure, adept at avoiding his hunters.
Together, François and Fabriciano play crucial roles in thwarting Germany’s plot to incite a war between Mexico and the United States during World War I. Fabriciano emerges as a fascinating character, embodying the qualities of a family man, a romantic, a brave protector, and a loyal friend. His unwavering commitment to protecting his people, regardless of whether they are family or not, makes him a compelling hero. The novel effectively portrays the hostility between Mexicans and Americans, especially along the Texas-Mexico border, where territorial disputes were rampant. Through Fabriciano’s eyes, readers gain insights into the historical events that shaped North America’s history.
Holbrook’s storytelling is fast-paced and engaging, with events unfolding rapidly to keep readers hooked. The character development is robust, and the exploration of historical context adds depth to the narrative. The book is not only entertaining but also enlightening, providing valuable historical insights into World War I and the intricate dynamics between the countries involved.
Ghost of the Rio Grande is a captivating novel that offers a blend of adventure, history, and rich character portrayals. It is a highly recommended read for anyone interested in historical fiction that both entertains and educates.
Pages: 352 | ASIN : B0BMCSKYRK
Do What You Love
On Wahoo Reef follows a PR executive from Atlanta who quits his job to open a scuba diving operation in the Caribbean. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
In twenty-plus years of working as a scuba instructor and boat captain in the Caribbean, I’ve met a lot of visiting divers who fantasize about doing just that, without realizing how much hard work goes into running a small business in the tropics. Something’s always breaking. Something’s always going wrong. Nothing works the way it should. Getting parts from the hardware store isn’t an option when there is no hardware store. The pretty beaches, palm trees, and hammocks are for tourists.
Many readers will be able to identify with Wally. Are there any emotions or memories from your own life that you put into your character’s life?
Some of Wally’s predicaments are so close to real life, I winced as I wrote them. The dread of opening the boat’s engine compartment every morning to see what broke overnight. Will we be able to cover payroll at the end of the week? It costs how much to repair that? But there are good memories, too, the reasons you stay in spite of all that. I drew on those for the scuba diving scenes, for the nightlife scenes, and for making the island itself a character in the book.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Do what you love, and keep doing it no matter what obstacles pop up to complicate things. Every job has complications and negative aspects, but if you’re doing what you love, they’re worth the trouble.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
In a Sandy Lie’s protagonist is an unqualified land surveyor sent to Blacktip Island to scout land, on the sly, for golf course construction. He discovers the island is geologically useless for golf, but sends back glowing, bogus reports while using the company expense account to have an extended stay in the tropics. It’s a small island, so the locals know he’s hiding something, and concoct all kinds of wild rumors to explain his motives and doings. More comic misadventure in the same vein as On Wahoo Reef. It will be available as soon as I can get it finished.
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Wally Breight’s a miserable-in-his-job P.R. executive who dreams of escaping to happily-ever-after in the Caribbean. When he stumbles across a run-down scuba diving operation for sale on Blacktip Island, he snaps it up and settles into paradise. But paradise has other ideas. His dive boat’s a lemon. His business partner proves the age of piracy isn’t dead. Scuba guests are scarce. And a free-spirited dive mistress might party him into an early grave. If Wally can’t get a handle on paradise, pronto, he’ll be leaving Blacktip Island faster than a coconut in a hurricane.
Torn
Vizard: An Ember Files Side Story follows a courageous thirteen-year-old girl whose entire family has been murdered and who must now go into hiding to survive. What inspired the setup of your story?
Juniper Berry is a character that’s in every novel in The Ember Files series, although this isn’t immediately apparent to the reader because lives her life in various guises. She is a master of disguise—a vizard—and she’s secretive, which gives her an air of mystery. Her story formed in my mind while I was writing Chimera and Curses. As I was writing, I realized there were a lot of unknowns about her that readers would be curious about and that there was more to her character that I still wanted to create and share. So, I marked the idea of her story with a working title—Torn—to be written as a prequel toThe Ember Files.
Juniper is forced to grow up quickly when her family is killed. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
I don’t consciously write with ideals and tropes in mind. With Vizard, I wanted to create a strong heroine whose strength came from deep inside her, giving her resilience and determination. Love, justice, and compassion are some ideals that Juniper Berry struggles with before they become an ingrained part of her personality.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Family, as a theme, runs through the entire Ember Files series. Juniper Berry’s experience of family is complicated: tangled with love, justice, and revenge. As a result, the paradigm of good versus evil is a theme that is built right into Juniper Berry’s internal struggles and growth; there is potential in her character to become either. The possibility for these extremes within her is part of what drives her and the story. I picked the working title, Torn, to write this story under because it described Juniper Berry and the struggles of her life. It represents being pulled apart, being uncertain, and the conflict between those uncertainties with the extreme being a woman who lives multiple lives wearing a disguise.
Where does the story go in the next book, and where do you see it going in the future?
Juniper Berry’s story leads into the first book in The Ember Files, The Ember Stone, which occurs forty years after Vizard. Although Juniper Berry is no longer the main character, bits of her story continue to be revealed in the next books—the last book in the series is scheduled for release in July. The events and characters throughout the series intertwine with her story.
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A brutal deed forever alters the rules of survival.
Few Spellbinders know of the kill list’s existence; a list that marks multiple families for death. In the wake of one savage attack, there’s a survivor. Juniper Berry, a thirteen-year-old girl, without options, enters a cloak-and-dagger life—forced to care for herself. She plots a course of retribution. Her plan lands her in a world of intrigues and hazards that threaten to overwhelm the already unstable facts of her identity. As Juniper Berry’s noose tightens around her enemies, fate continues to take swings. What begins as a relationship of necessity becomes so much more—an unfortunate pattern—and Juniper Berry finds herself torn between irreconcilable lives.
Vizard: An Ember Files Side Story (The Ember Files)
In Vizard: An Ember Files Side Story, author Shari Marshall crafts a suspenseful narrative around Juniper Berry, a young girl entangled in a web of vengeance and survival. The story begins in the aftermath of a harrowing attack, with Juniper emerging as the sole survivor. This tragedy propels her into a dangerous world where she must navigate a complex web of secrets and peril.
The book’s central theme of resilience against overwhelming odds resonates deeply. Juniper’s character is intricately portrayed, allowing readers to journey with her through challenges and triumphs. This emotional depth not only endears Juniper to the reader but also adds a layer of realism to her extraordinary circumstances. Marshall excels in creating a character who is not merely a passive participant in her story but an active pursuer of justice. Marshall’s narrative pacing is a standout feature, skillfully balancing suspenseful action with moments of introspection. This equilibrium keeps the storyline engaging, drawing readers into Juniper’s world and holding their attention until the final page. The vivid descriptions and imaginative setting further enhance the reading experience, crafting an intriguing and relatable world.
Vizard is a well-rounded novel offering a blend of intrigue, emotion, and adventure. It invites readers into a fantastical realm where themes of identity, determination, and the strength of the human spirit are explored. This book is a noteworthy addition to the fantasy genre, offering a compelling read for those who appreciate stories of adversity and triumph.
Pages: 198 | ASIN : B0CH5KYY44
Waiting for the Second Coming
The Apocryphal of Lazarus follows Lazarus, who, after rising from the dead, travels the world, plies different trades, and falls in love over and over again while trying to find purpose in life as he awaits the return of Christ. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
There are many legends indicating where Lazarus of Bethany was buried, including Cyprus or Kilton. In Jewish tradition and in the writings of Maimonides in his Mishneh, Torah spoke of the resurrection at the end of times where the souls of those who had died inhabit other bodies, a Jewish acceptance of reincarnation. Reform Judaism rejected the idea of the resurrection in the Pittsburg Platform of 1885. I believe that resurrection means that you, like Christ, cannot die and that Lazarus is walking the earth, waiting for the second coming. What does this affect a human being? How do you cope with seeing loved ones grow old and die? How do you deal with changing your looks to disguise perpetual youthful looks? Is this a blessing or a curse? The Apocryphal of Lazarus involved my exploration into this character and how circumstances molded him and helped him to cope with the grief of loss. To see a wife, a son, a daughter, and grandchildren grow and change, then finally wither and die must have been overwhelmingly sad, yet his faith kept him moving forward.
When you sit down to write a book, what comes first for you — the plot or the characters — and why?
The plot stems from the characters involved in the story. Once I know who is speaking to me, the plot writes itself. Once I know who my protagonist is, how he deals with the bumps in the road and how he struggles and overcomes difficulties in life, where he goes next is easy.
What is a significant way your book has changed since the first draft?
After I put a manuscript down for a while and then go back and reread it, I find the need to add more description of what I see in my mind’s eye. How do the desert, the ocean, and other places smell and look? The background music of the time helps me to feel that I am actually there. I want the readers to feel that they are there, walking with the characters and seeing what they see, think, smell, and desire.
What do the words “literary success” mean to you? How do you picture it?
Literary success, to some, means how many copies they sell, but for me, it’s more about how many people have read the book and enjoyed it. Many of the world’s great writers realized no significant book sales in their lifetime, but we remember them as great authors because their words still resonate and inspire us. They teach us that we are not alone and that others have gone through similar struggles. There is always hope.
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Over his long life, Lazarus marries, has children, watches them grow to adulthood and give him his first grandchildren. They age and die, leaving Lazarus alone, traveling and plying his trades, until he marries again and the story repeats—children, grandchildren, and the deaths of more loved ones.
He travels with Cortez, fights in the conquest of the Aztecs, and struggles to protect native peoples against the Spaniards in California and New Mexico. He journeys east to New Orleans where he works to establish the first healthcare system. In the midst of the Battle of New Orleans, he tends to the wounded. He moves to New England and participates in building the hospital system in Boston.
Compounded with personal tragedies, Lazarus faces another dilemma because he does not age. He is forced to devise disguises to protect his ageless state or leave and start life anew where no one knows him.
Between the lines, Lazarus never loses his true mission, spreading the good word about Jesus and His life as Lazarus knew him in childhood.
Real-life Knights
Worst Knights Ever follows a comically disastrous adventure in which the Queen, backed by a ludicrously inept band of modern-day celebrity knights, must defeat a dragon terrorizing 2001 England. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
My co-writer, Jimmy Paulsen, and I were writing movies at the time and living in Hollywood. We had just read about the new real-life celebrities that were knighted that year, and it made us laugh because the very worst people you could choose to save the world would be old, vain, selfish, self-important actors. Within an hour, we had a 3-page outline that became this book.
This seemed like a fun book to write. What scene in the book did you have the most fun creating?
Like a real egomaniac, I still listen to the audiobook all the time when I shower. Our narrator, Mitch Benn, did a phenomenal job and even did all of the celebrity impressions. It’s an incredible performance. So, in that sense, producing the audiobook might have been the most fun. Speaking of written chapters though, the pet shop scenes kill me. The knights have acquired a box of grenades from probable maniac/actor Vinnie Jones. The only thing the knights know that the dragon eats is dogs, (RIP to the Queen’s corgis and dorgis), so they head to the pet shop in hopes of getting a dog to wear a necklace made of grenades and be bait for the dragon. Don’t worry, dog lovers. The pet shop workers are hilariously on to them.
There’s a seamless blend of chaos, humor, and pop culture references throughout the book. How did you balance all these elements without overwhelming readers, and did any scenarios get cut for being just TOO over the top?
Thank you. Honestly, I have no idea. I simply wrote the book for me. This is what I would enjoy as a reader. Obviously, I’m biased, but this is my favorite book ever. I’d never read a book like this.
There was one chapter that was cut for just being way too crazy. As ludicrous as the plot and humor may be, everything in the book is played dead-serious. Life and death are at stake. So, there was one chapter where the fictional wives of the knights, Elton’s partner, David Furnish, and my favorite character – Connery’s housekeeper, were getting drunk together. They’re so stressed that their significant others could possibly die that they’re getting wasted. That quickly took a turn, and they all spent the evening having a ladies’ fight club to blow off steam. It was really fun and silly, but it was just too much.
What is the next book you are working on, and when will it be available?
I’m hoping to write the sequel to Worst Knights Ever to coincide with the release of the film if there is one. But that’s a ways off. I truly think Worst Knights Ever could be a movie franchise that spans decades. Make a film and a sequel, wait ten years, cast new real-life knights, and make a sequel. Rinse. Repeat. As long as real-life celebrities keep getting knighted, you could make these movies forever.
I will start writing my next book in November. I think in movie references, as evidenced in Worst Knights Ever, so I’d say my next novel is a story about a young boy trying to navigate his parents’ divorce with the help of some famous imaginary friends. In that sense, I hope it feels like JoJo Rabbit. The trick will be keeping the R-rated comedy at the forefront, getting laughs on every page while also deftly handling the seriousness of physical abuse and divorce. With any luck it should be out in the fall of 2024.
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The only problem is that the Queen has only knighted celebrities.
Worst Knights Ever is the hilarious tale of four celebrities who volunteer to hunt down the dragon and try and save all of London.
This novel is an R-rated fantasy satire that has been called Jaws meets Ricky Gervais’ Extras. Its outrageous irreverent humour and surprising heart have delighted early reviewers.
The novel is very inclusive and features LGTBQ heroes.
If you like quick wit, some dirty jokes, loving relationships, and brave celebrities who are under-prepared and in grave danger – You will love Worst Knights Ever!
Dystopian Story Inside of a Dystopian Story
Da’Resistance follows five friends who somehow managed to survive an alien invasion apocalypse and now are forming a resistance to save Earth. What I love about these characters is how realistic their interactions are. Did you create an outline for the characters in the story before you started writing, or did the characters’ personalities grow organically as you were writing?
I let the characters develop as I went along, I always start with a very basic premise for all of my books, with Da’ Resistance I simply used the start of a very common joke that people tell in the UK. An English man, an Irish man, and a Scottish man are in a pub, that gave me the starting point, so I just let it progress from there.
With so many laugh-out-loud moments in this story, what was your favorite scene to write?
I think it was when they found the people hiding underground, I really enjoyed putting a separate dystopian story inside of a Dystopian story.
What is the next book you are working on, and when will it be available?
It’s already available, it’s the second book in my One-Eyed Cy series called, One-Eyed Cy And The Army Of The Toad People. I am currently working on the second Da’ Resistance book called Still Resisting, which will be available sometime towards the end of November 2023.
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Forming the resistance did not take long, there’s only five of them, but they will put up a fight none the less.
This is a tale of something or other, and what a tale it is. There was, something, then there was this other thing. Nobody saw it coming, nobody expected it, and nobody could have imagined the fight that followed, from Da’ Resistance!
