I had the pleasure of having a guest post with the Underground Library Society this week. Take a look. What book would you choose to become?
Category: Essay
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The Day of Reckoning Has Arrived
View the Star Touched Book Trailer Here
For those of you who are really into the science in science fiction, here is what happened. If those kinds of details don’t interest you, just skip the rest of this paragraph. The meteor that hit earth in Star Touched was smaller than the nearly six-mile-wide meteor that scientist believe caused the dinosaur’s extinction, but not by much. Hitting in the Atlantic near the conjunction of three tectonic plates, this impact triggered massive earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Basically, it really shook things up in nearly the worst possible way. All those earthquakes caused numerous tsunamis, one of which smacked into the eastern America. Volcanic eruptions spewed tons of junk into the atmosphere.
The Day of Reckoning and the days following devastated earth’s population, changed the coastline, and altered the climate. Were it not for clear sky day, it is unlikely life would have continued as we know it. It also created the star-touched, people capable of accessing incredible power.
https://www.psi.edu/epo/ktimpact/ktimpact.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicxulub_crater
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-39922998
STAR TOUCHED
Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her star-touched powers eight years after a meteor devastates earth’s population.
Her power to heal may be overshadowed by more destructive abilities. Fleeing the persecution of those like her, Tatiana seeks refuge in a small town she once visited. But this civil haven, in a world where society has broken down, is beginning to crumble. Will Tatiana flee or stay and fight for the new life she has built? Only by harnessing the very forces that haunt her can Tatiana save her friends…and herself.
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Countdown to the Day of Reckoning – 1 Days – Meteors and Tsunami
We’ve all seen the movies of giant tsunami hitting the coast, but how accurate are they? The devastating wave that hit Indonesia in 2004 was caused by a 9.1 earthquake in the Indian ocean.https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2014/12/ten-years-since-the-2004-indian-ocean-tsunami/100878/
Could a meteor cause this kind of phenomena? Probably not by itself, but location is key, and the amount of water vapor tossed up into the atmosphere would drastically effect climate.
https://www.space.com/35081-asteroid-impact-ocean-computer-simulations-solar-system.html
https://mashable.com/2018/07/01/nasa-meteorite-pacific-ocean-exploration/#.w4Ht5hh9aq9
https://www.space.com/35081-asteroid-impact-ocean-computer-simulations-solar-system.html
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Countdown to the Day of Reckoning – 2 Days – Survival of The Apocalypse
If the unimaginable were to happen, are you prepared?
It’s time to start packing.
What 5 items would you definitely want to have to survive a cataclysm?
If you want to bring a copy of STAR TOUCHED,
you can pack a 6th item!
Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her
star-touched powers eight years after a meteor devastates earth’s population.
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Countdown to the Day of Reckoning – 3 Days – An Interview of Tatiana from Star Touched
Here is an interview of Tatiana, the main character in Star Touched, that The Wolf did a while back.
Wolf: Welcome to Wolf Notes, Tatiana. If you could be any animal in the universe, what would it be and why?
Tatiana: Thank you, Wolf. I’d love to be a bird. That way I could fly anywhere I wanted, feel the wind in my feathers as I soared through the air. I’d be free, with no worries.
Wolf: That sounds nice. Any particular kind of bird?
Tatiana: Swallows are pretty and graceful. I love the way they glide.
Wolf: Sweet. Swallows are cool to watch. Would you consider yourself a cat person or a dog person?
Tatiana: I love all animals, but I suppose I’m partial to dogs right now. Fifi is very important to me.
Wolf: You mean that tiny poodle you’re bonded to?
Tatiana: I’d rather not talk about her. Please ask a different question.
Wolf: Sure. While walking through the woods you come upon…
Tatiana: Wild blueberries, a whole field of them. There are also wild carrots, dandelions, cat tails, and all sorts of other yummy foods.
Wolf: That sounds more like a grocery store. What is the strangest food you ever had?
Tatiana: Food is food these days. Although I did see someone else eat, well… something I really don’t want to talk about. I mean I’ll eat almost anything, but not…that. I’d rather starve. Not that I would. I’m pretty good at finding food in the wild.
Wolf: I’m not sure you really answered that one. Let’s try another. What do you do for fun?
Tatiana: Surviving is very time consuming, so I don’t have much free time, but when I do, I love to read. Doesn’t matter what. Fiction, history, science… I just love books. When I read I can be anyone and go anywhere. It’s a wonderful escape and I learn things.
Wolf: I agree. Books are pretty awesome. You’ve just been turned into a plant. Describe yourself.
Tatiana: That’s a tough one. I don’t like the idea of staying in one place. My roots would need to be movable. More like legs.
Wolf: A walking plant?
Tatiana: Yes. With a forest green stem and bright-green heart-shaped leaves with a splash of blue. They could be made into a tea that would cure any disease. I’d also grow clusters of tasty and nutritious berries. Each would be enough to fill your belly for a day.
Wolf: That sounds fantastic. Aren’t you worried people would hunt you down for those berries and leaves?
Tatiana: Oh. I didn’t think of that. Can I change my answer to a small inedible red flower with no useful purpose?
Wolf: Sorry. No take backs. There is a door at the end of a dark damp corridor. You hear rumbling. What do you do?
Tatiana: Open the door and try to fix whatever machine is malfunctioning.
Wolf: Are you a mechanic?
Tatiana: No, but I’ve read lots of books on fixing things.
Wolf: If you could choose any weapon, what would it be?
Tatiana: Knowledge. I don’t like weapons or fighting.
Wolf: If you could pick any super power, what would it be and why?
Tatiana: None!
Wolf: Really?
Tatiana: I don’t want ANY special powers. I just want to be a normal person. I need to go now.
Wolf: Wow, Tatiana ran out of here fast. If you want to know more about her, you’ll have to read Star Touched.
Don’t forget to get your copy of Star Touched so you can learn more about Tatiana an her friends.
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Countdown to the Day of Reckoning – 4 Days – Perseid Meteor Shower
There are several meteor showers throughout the year, but the Perseid meteor shower is one of my favorites. It’s one of the reasons I used is as a base for some of the events in my novel, Star Touched. This annual show is caused by the dust and debris left behind by the 1992 passing of the Swift-Tuttle Comet. It’s going on now, but peak is between August 11-13th, where you could see as many as 60-70 meteors an hour. That’s a lot of space junk. The little crescent moon will set before the shower starts after midnight.Look north toward the Perseus constellation. (just below Cassiopeia)
Pull out a chair.
Slather on some bug spray.
Camp out under the night sky.
Enjoy the show.
While you’re there, keep an eye out for Mars and Saturn. Both will be visible.
But don’t worry, none of the meteors are big enough to cause a cataclysm.
Here are some links for more information:
https://www.space.com/32868-perseid-meteor-shower-guide.html
https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/meteor-shower/perseid.html?hc_location=ufi
STAR TOUCHED
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Countdown to the Day of Reckoning – 5 Days –Fault Lines
Our ever-changing earth is made up of several plates that bump, grind, rub, and twist in a tectonic dance. All that moving around has created some pretty cool geological features, like mountains. If you want to see a really good example of how rocks can bend over time, take a look at Sideling Hill in Maryland. When they build Interstate 86 they cut through Sideling Hill, uncovering some spectacular layers.
http://www.mgs.md.gov/geology/geology_tour/sideling_hill.html
Sometimes the plates move a bunch all at once. That’s when we feel earthquakes.
Keep an eye on this spot as we get closer to the Day of Reckoning.
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/research/faults/
https://www.exploratorium.edu/faultline/liveeye.html
Don’t forget to pick up a copy of STAR TOUCHED
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Countdown to the Day of Reckoning – 6 Days – Vegetable Oil Engine
When petroleum isn’t available, what do you use to fuel your engine? Why vegetable oil, of course. In the post cataclysmic world of Star Touched, there are no oil refineries and gasoline is hard to come by. That’s why Marty the Merchant has a custom bus that runs on a combination of old vegetable oil, rendered fat, and alcohol. The old fast food places may not be serving up food any longer, but they’re a great source of fuel for Marty. So, next time you smell French fries, take a look around for an old bus. It just might be Marty.
If you don’t think it’s possible, check out these links.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEX1YFXYTdI
http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_svo.html
https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/a20651/grease-car-vegetable-oil/
https://www.caranddriver.com/features/how-to-convert-your-diesel-to-run-on-vegetable-oil
Want to know what happens? Get your copy of Star Touched now.
STAR TOUCHED
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Countdown to the Day of Reckoning – 7 Days – Gareth’s House
I remember reading an early draft of chapter three. My critique group was confused and it was easy to see why. There were three floors and a bunch of stairs that made up a store, a tavern, and rooms. Once I sketched out exactly what Gareth’s house/store/tavern looked like, it was easier to describe the path Tatiana and Fifi took to the common room.
Get Star Touched Here.
