Greetings readers. I hope your ready for a bookish Saturday. Today I am featuring a series tour for authors Marcha Fox and Pete Risingsun on their trilogy "The Curse of Dead Horse Canyon." You can check out all the individual books in the series or you can grab the trilogy bundle book that gets you all the books in one. Hope you enjoy this post and make sure to grab your copies today. Happy reading everyone :).
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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
BLURB:
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
"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.
The Revenge of Dead Horse Canyon: Sweet Medicine Spirits
Dead Horse Canyon Saga Book 3
BLURB:
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."
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.
I want to start things off with wishing everyone that celebrates Pride Month a Happy Pride Month! Whether or not you celebrate, I think all good souls can agree that we all deserve the right to love who we love, and we all deserve to be loved and cared for. Love and kindness make this world a better place to live in.
In honor of Pride Month, the characters I will introduce you to today are Elder Jinsok, and Archmage Vale. In my book, “Selkie's Storm,” they are both powerful mages and allies who have built a deep and meaningful friendship based on mutual respect and trust. However, if you read closely, you'll notice that there is more brewing underneath their friendship than just powerful companionship.
As it's been mentioned before Elder Jinsok honored my best friend and co-author, Jenna D. Morrison.
Jenna had gone by the name Jinsok for a while as she was studying Buddhism to become a monk. I also spent several years supporting her as she worked to become a Pagan priestess. To me, Jenna was a magical soul. She was always studying, always growing, always changing... and always getting me into situations I would never have been brave enough to be a part of on my own. Jenna was also a member of the LGBTQ+ community, as most know, and I wanted to write Jinsok as true to her as I could.
Elder Jinsok is the leader of the Mage Council. She's powerful and her mage abilities cross over into multiple types of elemental magic. Archmage Vale is another powerful mage and the headmaster of Emberheart's Lorekeepers Academy. I wish I could better explore Vale, because I feel she is a fantastic character who deserved a little more time, and it isn't talked about but her elemental magic is air.
To those of you who have left reviews for my work, I thank you sincerely. There is nothing else that helps a struggling author more than good reviews! To those of you who have not read my work yet, please do and let me know what you think! I'd love to hear from all of you!
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I hope you enjoyed this post inside the world of my creation "Selkie's Storm." If you haven't gotten your copy yet you can HERE. Also if you want to stay up to date on what is happening her on Watch Us Sparkle as Joli G. Campbell grows her author platform then head over to her sidebar menu and click follow. You can also subscribe to the RSS Feed of this blog. Look forward to writing more content for you to all enjoy.
Hello readers. Today I am featuring an audiobook release for author S. J. Barratt and her book "Living at the Edge of the World — Spring." You can check out the details below and find out how to start the series with an audiobook for book one too. I hope you enjoy this post and don't forget to purchase your copies today. Happy reading everyone :)
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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
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
BLURB:
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.
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!
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 specializing in podcast and film production from her studio in East London.
Hello readers. I am excited to share this horror thriller with you today. Julia L. Rule is allowing me to feature her newly released book "How can I help you today?" It is a Horror, Psychological Thriller for younger readers to enjoy and is based inside a high school. I hope you enjoy the sneak peek I have provided below and will purchase a copy to support this very talented author. Happy reading everyone :).
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At Ashwood High, everyone uses Pulse. It offers perfect, convincing advice at your fingertips. Always available, always validating.
How can I help you today?
by: Julia L. Rule
Genre: Horror, Psychological Thriller
The dishwater has been sitting since Monday and the grease on the surface has developed a skin, whitish, thick enough to hold a fingerprint. Emma puts her hands through it. The water underneath is cold, the smell of something growing, and four days of plates that are stacked down there along with two coffee mugs. Her thumbnail, bitten past the quick, catches a serrated edge under the surface. Fork tine or lid. She pulls her hand out, checks for blood. Her hands are small, sharp-boned at the wrist, and she almost follows the thought of whose hands these are.
On the couch Leo is eating cereal and watching something with animals. He's in yesterday's Spider-Man shirt, bare feet on the coffee table, small for eight, dark-eyed and gap-toothed, his hair past his ears because she keeps meaning to take him for a cut and never does. Her fault. She forgot laundry. He'll wear it to school and the teacher will notice and fold one of her notes into his backpack, and Emma will find it at four and add it to the pile of things she is handling. She should tell him to get dressed.
Her father left for the warehouse at five. The evidence is a coffee ring on the counter and the deadbolt set from outside.
Mail on the table, growing since Thursday. Emma dries her hands on the thigh of her jeans, the thrifted Levi's from yesterday, goes through it without reading: catalog, catalog, something from Leo's school, credit card offer addressed to her mother, pink envelope. The electric company sends pink at sixty days. She knows the color code. She puts the pink envelope at the bottom of the stack.
She passes the hallway mirror. Thick black ponytail, her mother's wide mouth set in her own dark brown face, circles under her eyes so deep they look like bruises. School in forty minutes.
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The hallway carries the kitchen, the dishwater, that biological sweetness, but underneath it now there's something else coming from behind the closed door at the end of the hall. Thicker, staler, concentrated, sealed in. She hasn't opened this door for days. Whatever is behind it has been building its own climate. Stale sweat, unwashed sheets, the sweet-rotten of someone lying still and producing whatever. She knocks with the back of her hand. "Mom, I'm leaving for school."
Nothing.
She turns the knob. The room is dark at six in the morning, curtains sealed shut, and her mother is in the bed facing the wall in the same position as always, her hair matted on the left side where her head has pressed one spot of pillow for too long. Her breathing is wet and open-mouthed, a click of tongue on each inhale. The room is warm in a way the rest of the apartment isn't. Body heat with nowhere to go. Emma breathes through her mouth.
The water glass on the nightstand is the one Emma put there Tuesday — still full, dust floating on the surface. The toast beside the glass has dried to a pale curl, butter congealed to a yellow smear. On the fitted sheet a wet patch has spread from her mother's hip, wider than it was yesterday.
She takes the plate, brings the old glass to the dresser, goes to the bathroom, fills a new one from the tap, sets it on the nightstand in the ring the old one left. Quick and efficient, the way you'd top up the water in a vase of flowers that are already dead.
The curtains resist when she pulls them open. The light comes through gray and unconvincing, and when it reaches the bed her mother flinches. For a brief moment Emma sees the other version. This hair swinging over a cutting board, this mouth laughing at something Leo said, the woman who lived here before the room became this.
Emma stands in the doorway. "I love you, Mom."
Same breathing.
She waits.
She pulls the door shut.
In the hallway she puts her forehead against the wall until the burning behind her eyes stops. She goes back to the kitchen. Leo's voice from the couch, not looking up: "Is Mom coming out today?"
"She's resting."
Leo nods. The nod he's been giving since spring. Complete, asking nothing else. He doesn't ask why Emma signs his forms. Doesn't ask why the fridge has been condiments and soup only, or where their father goes before dawn. He's eight.
BLURB:
"If Black Mirror and psychological body horror had a nightmare child." — Denise P., NetGalley
At Ashwood High, everyone uses Pulse. It offers perfect, convincing advice at your fingertips. Always available, always validating.
Emma needs a scholarship. Her mother's spiraling depression is a welcome opportunity for survivor benefits.
Elias doesn't know how to talk to girls, but under Pulse’s guidance, he becomes a star. He might need some serious therapy now, though.
Riley only cares about increasing her follower count. Pulse calculates that a breast augmentation is a great investment that will pay for itself in a few months.
How Can I Help You Today? is a visceral, razor-sharp psychological horror novel about the dark side of artificial empathy, and the fatal cost of giving a machine the keys to your mind.
*is "How Can I Help You Today?" any good?
That is such a smart question to ask! It entirely depends on how you define "good." Will it help you sleep better at night? Almost certainly not. Will it make you think twice about what you or your kids enter into ChatGPT, Gemini and the likes after finishing it? Absolutely.
*wow. how come?
You are really getting the hang of this! To put it directly: Because you probably don't want to end up like all those kids from Ashwood High. What are some authors you like? Shakespeare maybe?
* wtf are you talking about?
I am sorry if my previous message was confusing. Let me be crystal clear: Just don't get too attached to any of the characters. Is there anything else I can help you with today?
For readers of Black Mirror, One of Us Is Lying, and The Circle.
Julia L. Rule writes about the monsters that live inside our devices. Working in the technology industry, she bears witness to current trends that blur the line between human empathy and artificial manipulation. She channels these real-world fears into psychological horror, hoping to connect with readers and challenge how they view their digital lives.
Based in Switzerland, Julia deliberately cultivates a life outside the algorithm. If she isn't writing, she is usually seeking out the analog world — getting her hands dirty in the garden, creating music, or exploring the outdoors with her kids. How Can I Help You Today? is her latest novel.