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They Conquered And Destroyed Civilizations
History of Lies follows two people attempting to unlock the secrets of past lives in order to stop a powerful organization from controlling the world. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
This book has been a long time in the making (over 15 years), and the original concept was much more basic. My writing partner and I came up with an idea for scientists to find a way to help blind people see. They created a technology that converted brain waves to visual images. At first, it worked as they expected, but when they applied the technology to different parts of the brain, the scientists realized they were accessing memories. Eventually, they realized they were memories from past lives. As the ideas continued to flow, the story became bigger and bigger until we considered the concept that there are some people who can remember their past lives, and these people have been manipulating the world for thousands of years. From there, the story required a lot of research because we had to recreate the world’s history under this new paradigm. At times, it was a lot of fun learning about the different historical periods, but it was also complicated as we had to keep track of the various timelines and storylines, but in the end, we were proud of the story we’d created.
The element I’m most proud about is having a story structure where the past not only informs the present storyline (for readers), but the present also informs the past. It sounds strange, but little tidbits that the reader may not be focusing on will come into play, so it works both backward and forward.
What was the collaboration process like for writing this novel?
It was challenging because my writing partner and I both work full-time. That’s one reason the book took as long as it did. The other books we wrote together were much easier because the concepts were more straightforward.
Did you find anything in your research of this story that surprised you?
I learned a lot about the Romans, and they were far more controversial than I realized. Some of their values are questionable, and the way they conquered and destroyed civilizations was also surprising. Many of the emperors were not good people, at least from what we know, which leads me to the next big lesson I learned from writing this story. Many people reference history in a very factual manner, but none of us were there, and we only have bits of evidence. The true history is likely far more complex than we’ve been taught in school.
Do you think there’s a single moment in everyone’s life, maybe not as traumatic as discovering past lives, that is life-changing?
Yes, but just like many key historical events, sometimes you need enough time to pass before you understand the significance of it. When you experience something in the moment, you may not realize the ripple effect that it will ultimately have on your life until you’re several years or decades down the road and you understand just how significant something was. As an example, I was born later in the year, and my mom had the choice of holding me back in kindergarten or pushing me into first grade. I was small to begin with, and I believe that if I had been pushed into first grade, the whole trajectory of my life would’ve changed. I don’t think I would’ve done as well in school or sports. There are of course other moments that you know are significant at the time like getting married and having kids.
Author Links: Website | GoodReads | Twitter
Throughout human history, people have speculated whether we have past lives. In this fast-paced epic thriller, that question is answered—we do. Unknown to the masses, there are a select few who possess the ability to remember them. With knowledge and skills acquired over multiple lifetimes, these individuals are anything but ordinary, and they’ve used their gifts to manipulate the world for thousands of years.
When Ben Preston, a history professor, uncovers the lies created by this clandestine group, he becomes their number one target. Now they’ll stop at nothing to silence him and keep their secrets safe. Ben’s only chance for survival is to learn the true history but doing so means he must face the truth about himself.
From India to Rome and Alexander the Great to seventeenth-century pirates, History of Lies transports the reader around the globe to key moments that changed the world forever—but not the way found in most books.
Filled with real historical events and fascinating details, History of Lies is a unique blend of fact and mind-bending fiction that will keep you guessing and change how you view history.
It Originally Had A Darker Ending
High Risk follows a self-absorbed businessman who becomes trapped in his building for four days with no internet, phone, water, or a way out. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
This story was originally written in 1999 as a screenplay. The idea came about when I was sitting in my office late at night working, and the cleaning crew came around. I wondered what would happen if they accidentally locked me in the building. My office wasn’t 50 stories high like Jim, but this idea of being locked in intrigued me. The basic premise for Jim came together quickly in my head, and I emailed my writing partner about it (who happened to be working late), and he got excited about it, too. The full story and details of the screenplay came together very quickly after that. It was probably the fastest and easiest thing we’ve written. It was one of those rare moments where the story just flowed. There is one key difference between the original screenplay and the final version—the ending. It originally had a darker ending, something neither of us liked. In subsequent revisions, we settled on something very close to the version in the book.
The screenplay seemed like it might get made in the early mid-2000’s. After it stalled out, it sat on the shelf for many years until the pandemic hit, and I decided to turn it into a book. Anyone who read the screenplay really liked it, and a common note we got from readers was that it was a fast and thrilling read. My writing partner and I were very proud of it and thought people would enjoy it, so it bothered me when it became this dead story. During the pandemic, I re-wrote it as a book and enjoyed the process so much that I wrote three more books and plan to continue.
I felt that there were a lot of great twists and turns throughout the novel. Did you plan this before writing the novel, or did the twists develop organically writing?
Most of the twists and turns happened as we plotted out the story. I’ve never had a story reveal itself as easily as this one. The only thing we struggled with was the ending. The original ending felt like it worked, but I didn’t like it. My writing partner and I kept kicking around versions and eventually settled on the final ending.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
We were both much younger in our careers when we first wrote this, and we saw executives who were older than us who had let their work consume their lives. Despite their success, they didn’t seem happy. Some people seemed to prefer being in the office rather than being at home. The book is by no means an anti-work story, but it does offer a picture of what can happen if you define yourself by your career and money.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’m working on a sequel to Nina Winter and the Age of Darkness which will be released at the end of the year. I also write short stories that I post on my website, and a new one should be released in May.
Author Links: Website | GoodReads | Twitter
From the authors of the mind-bending epic, HISTORY OF LIES, comes HIGH RISK, an intense, claustrophobic thriller set fifty stories high.
An ambitious business executive, Jim Sloane, is imprisoned in his high-rise office over the long holiday without food, water, or power. Cut off from the world, Jim must figure out who locked him in and why. As he unravels the mystery, Jim discovers that his list of enemies is long and his time to escape is short.
Can he find a way out, or will he die trying?
History of Lies
History of Lies is a captivating and thought-provoking conspiracy thriller that will challenge everything you thought you knew about history. This epic novel is replete with suspenseful twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat, eagerly anticipating what will happen next. The non-linear narrative style, alternating chapters between past and present, adds an extra layer of depth to the story and heightens the suspense.
The novel’s central theme is the ability of a select few to recall their past lives and the deliberate suppression of this truth by a powerful group known as the Pantheon. From the formation of the Akkadian civilization to the quests of Alexander the Great, the rule of Julius Caesar, and the reign of Azes the Great, the novel spans several centuries. It explores the interconnectivity of historical events through the same individuals driven by a lust for power.
The protagonists, Ben Preston, and Riya Patel, embark on a perilous journey to uncover the suppressed memories of Ben’s past lives, with the Pantheon in hot pursuit. The authors’ superb storytelling skills bring the characters to life, and their excellent writing will keep you rooting for Ben and Riya until the end. The alternating chapters that delve into the past enable the reader to piece together the puzzle and unravel the mysteries surrounding the characters’ intertwined pasts.
History of Lies is an action-packed and fast-paced thriller that transcends genres, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a compelling novel that is consistently entertaining. I appreciated the depth of the world-building and the intricacy of the plot. All of this came together to make a very entertaining read that will keep readers flipping the pages and yearning for more.
Pages: 454 | ASIN: B0BMGQPD6Y
High Risk
High Risk, written by T.S. Maynard and W.J. McNally, is a thrilling novel that follows the life of a self-centered businessman named Jim. After receiving an opportunity to work on an important business deal, Jim decides to stay late at work, causing him to miss his flight home to his family. Unfortunately for him, Jim finds himself locked inside his own office building. With no way out, no phone or internet connection, and the water turned off, Jim is forced to fend for himself for four long days until the staff returns to work.
The story commences with Jim on the rooftop of his building, contemplating his life choices while clutching a forty-five-degree ledge at the top of a fifty-story skyscraper. This opening scene instantly captivates the reader and creates suspense, setting an excellent tone for the rest of the novel.
The story then transitions back four days to give readers an insight into how Jim ended up in this predicament. The third-person narrative allows readers to gain an overview of the situation, with a primary focus on Jim’s experiences. However, dialogue between other characters when Jim is not present, helps to build a more vivid picture of his character.
Maynard and McNally have crafted a book full of suspense and drama, with a classic closed-room mystery of who locked Jim in and how he will escape. Each chapter, while some may be brief, offers a glimpse into the characters’ stories, is action-packed, and poses intriguing questions that drive the reader’s curiosity.
High Risk is an easy and captivating read that I would highly recommend to anyone seeking an engaging and entertaining story. This is a quick and smooth mystery thriller that will have you guessing until the very end.
Pages: 103 | ASIN: B09MZLQV2L
Nina Winter and the Age of Darkness
Nina Winter longed for a peaceful and fulfilling life after her father’s tragic death, but when a mysterious beast who can tear through dozens of men begins terrorizing her village forcing them to flee, her world is turned upside down. What little remains of her village run to Lord Braemar’s castle for safety, but they are met with cruelty from their nobles. Along with her mother Emma, childhood friend Tomas, and archer Günther, their little village must band together to find a way to kill the shadowy beast that lurks outside the walls, before they all become its next prey.
Nina Winter and the Age of Darkness by T.S. Maynard is an eerie fantasy period piece that centers around young teenager Nina Winter and her story about the beast who turned her village’s life upside down. We follow her as she navigates through grief, the fear of death, and finding a way to kill the beast. This fast paced read had me turning the pages as I wanted to know more about the origin of the beast. Even though it was never explained in detail where the beast came from or why, the tension and creepy factor kept me wanting to read more.
The gruesome deaths, and gory imagery were shocking at times but it added to the tension in the story. I did enjoy some of the characters such as Günther, an accomplished archer with a tragic past. I also enjoyed Lars, the blacksmith who despises the nobles for the suspicious death of his son. These two were very enjoyable characters and they captured my interest the most.
Nina Winter and the Age of Darkness is a dark and intriguing story that has everything readers could want in a short dark fantasy story. With compelling characters and perplexing mystery that begs to be explored, readers will devour this novel quickly.
Pages: 162 | ASIN: B0BKLKYDT8
LITERARY TITAN 