Book Excerpt: The Death of the Kremlin Czar by Jorg H. Trauboth

 

“Watch out! High-voltage line at three hundred meters!“, shouted the co-pilot.
“In sight!“ the commander replied calmly, pulling up just before the obstacle and immediately pushing the helicopter down again. 

The two pilots of the Ukrainian armed forces guided the old Russian Mi-8 helicopter with their night vision devices on a zigzag course away from populated areas and Russian defense walls to the target. The destination was Luhansk. The mission: to free their own soldiers from Russian captivity. They had volunteered for the Ascension mission and trained for the flight intensively in the simulator supplied by the USA, including simulated enemy fire and evasive maneuvers. The simulator‘s current aerial photographs proved to be extremely helpful in the dimly lit night. A lot had changed in Donbass since the region was forcibly annexed by Russian President Ivan Pavlenko. Destroyed cities, abandoned villages, mined escape routes, deportations, rapes, mass graves, poverty, hunger, thirst and despair. 

Ivan Pavlenko was called “Czar Ivan II“ by the co-pilot, a former history teacher. But not only by him. The Ukrainian people hated this man who had brought so much suffering to their families with his megalomania and wanted to steal their country. Even those people whose thinking was shaped by Russian culture had turned their backs on this madman in Moscow. 

The co-pilot turned to Iris, the commander of the special forces, and signaled “30 minutes.“ 

Iris had been given his nickname because - like the German anti-aircraft missile of the same name - he was known for always hitting the bull‘s eye. Everything Iris tackled led to success. On a street in Kiev, the child-pushing, medium-sized, friendly man at his wife‘s side would not have been noticed. No one could have guessed that the man flirting with his young daughter was a rare mixture of analyst, combat soldier and leader with a stellar military career ahead of him. 

Iris looked at his men. The two teams sat opposite each other and remained completely relaxed despite the loud engine noise in the old transport helicopter with its fake Russian registration. 

Perhaps it was a kind of meditative calm before the dangerous mission. Or perhaps it was the awareness that they could be hit by a Russian missile at any time during this night-time low-level flight into the Luhansk Oblast without being able to do anything about it. There weren‘t even any parachutes on board, because every kilogram counted for the return flight, during which the aged and rattling Mi-8 would be fully occupied. 

The commander of the special forces fixed his gaze on the German opposite, who returned the look and nodded. Iris had received authorization for this rescue mission with a foreign team member from the highest authority. He had only agreed to it because the German Marc Anderson was considered a legend in the West despite being only thirty-five years old. Together with the US Navy SEALs, he had evacuated an American aircrew from the depths of Afghanistan and later served as a private security officer. 

The US president‘s family was rescued from the hands of Iranian terrorists on a luxury yacht by the security agent and his team. He and his team were personally honored by the US President. The Iranian terrorists took revenge and brutally murdered Marc‘s wife in front of their house in Hamburg.

 

Russian President and new Czar Ivan Pavlenko suddenly shows his true colors during the war in Ukraine. He wants the old Soviet Union back. The world is on the brink. The influential oligarch Alexei Sokolov wants to prevent Ivan’s megalomaniacal plans and is planning a fundamental new beginning for Russia. To achieve this, the Russian president must die. How will the US President react to the CIA’s proposal to support the oligarch, who has a romantic relationship with the Russian President’s partner, Yulia? 

The poison attack is perfectly prepared, but the Boeing with the oligarch Alexei Sokolow, his lover and over 100 passengers on board is hijacked by a Ukrainian terrorist and is supposed to crash over Berlin after knocking out the crew by shooting. Former elite soldier Marc Anderson is on board with his family and takes over with Alexei. The two flight amateurs try to get control. Will the landing and the assassination succeed or will the Kremlin Czar strike back brutally after realizing the role of Yulia?

The Death of the Kremlin Czar is available at Amazon (U.S. edition) and Amazon (German edition).

Jörg H. Trauboth, born in 1943 near Berlin, logged over two thousand flight hours as a Weapon Systems Officer Instructor in the Luftwaffe, flying PHANTOM F-4F / RF-4E and TORNADO fighter jets, and over 3000 hours in light aircraft. At the age of fifty, he left the service with the rank of Colonel in the General Staff. He received training as a Special Risk Consultant from the English Control Risk Group and served as Managing Director Germany, dealing with extortion and kidnapping cases in South America and Eastern Europe. Shortly thereafter, he founded his own consulting firm, quickly establishing an outstanding international reputation. Trauboth protected his clients with a 24-hour task force during product extortions, product recalls, kidnappings, and image crises. He was the first President of the European Crisis Management Academy in Vienna and President of the American Yankee Association.

He is known as a respected expert in the media on security-related topics. He volunteers as an emergency counselor and is a member of the Crisis Intervention Team (KIT Bonn) of the German Foreign Office. He is a private pilot, married, with two sons and three grandchildren.

In 2002, Trauboth wrote the now out of print standard work “Crisis Management for Company Threats”.

In 2016 the follow-up work was published with Jörg H. Trauboth as editor in collaboration with five authors: “Crisis Management in Companies and Public Institutions”.

Terror expert J. H. Trauboth presented his debut novel in 2015 with the Germany thriller “Three Brothers”. (Available in English). In 2019 “Operation Jerusalem” followed and in 2020 “Omega”. The trilogy is about the former elite soldier Marc Anderson and his team. With these three self-contained thrillers, Trauboth is rated by many readers as the “German Tom Clancy.” The trilogy is available as a printed edition, eBook and audio book.

His first detective novel, “Jakobs Weg” (German), followed in 2021. The highly explosive topic of “sexual abuse of children” is processed sensitively in a scenario on the Way of Saint James and at the end offers contact options for those seeking help.

In 2022, the novella “Bonjour Saint-Ex” was published (German) in which the passionate pilot Jörg H. Trauboth turns the last flight of the legend Antoine de Saint Exupéry into an exciting literary event.

Readers wanted a sequel to the Marc Anderson series. In 2023, ZarenTod – Das Ende der Präsidenten was published, a highly topical political thriller. The Russian president and new tsar, Ivan Pavlenko, suddenly shows his true face during the war in Ukraine. He wants the old Soviet Union back. The world is on the brink. The influential oligarch, Alexei Sokolov, wants to prevent Ivan’s megalomaniac plans and is planning a fundamental new beginning for Russia. To achieve this, the Russian president must be removed. But the plan goes awry. Ex-elite soldier Marc Anderson intervenes. Will Czar Ivan die? What will become of Europe? The book 8/ 2024 in English „The Death of the Kremlin Czar” is the fourth political thriller in the Marc Anderson series.

Website & Social Media:

Website ➜  https://trauboth-autor.de/english/

Twitter ➜ https://twitter.com/JorgTrauboth

Book Excerpt: Battlefield Earth by L. Ron Hubbard

 

Man,” said Terl, “is an endangered species.” 

The hairy paws of the Chamco brothers hung suspended above the broad keys of the laser-bash game. The cliffs of Char’s eyebones drew down over his yellow orbs as he looked up in mystery. Even the steward, who had been padding quietly about picking up her saucepans, lumbered to a halt and stared. 

Terl could not have produced a more profound effect had he thrown a meat-girl naked into the middle of the room. 

The clear dome of the Intergalactic Mining Company employee recreation hall shone black around and above them, silvered at its crossbars by the pale glow of the Earth’s single moon, half full on this late summer night. 

Terl lifted his large amber eyes from the tome that rested minutely in his massive claws and looked around the room. He was suddenly aware of the effect he had produced, and it amused him. Anything to relieve the humdrum monotony of a ten-year duty tour in this gods-abandoned mining camp, way out here on the edge of a minor galaxy. 

In an even more professorial voice, already deep and roaring enough, Terl repeated his thought. “Man is an endangered species.” 

Char glowered at him. “What in the name of diseased crap are you reading?” 

Terl did not much care for his tone. After all, Char was simply one of several mine managers, but he, Terl, was chief of minesite security. “I didn’t read it. I thought it.” 

“You must’ve got it from somewhere,” growled Char. “What is that book?” Terl held it up so Char could see its back. It said General Report of Geological Minesites, Volume 250,369. Like all such books, it was huge. Time, distance and weight have been translated in all cases throughout this book to old Earth time, distance and weight systems for the sake of uniformity and to prevent confusion in the various systems employed by the Psychlos but printed on material that made it almost weightless, particularly on a low-gravity planet such as Earth, a triumph of design and manufacture that did not cut heavily into the payloads of freighters. 

“Rughr,” growled Char in disgust. “That must be two, three hundred Earth-years old. If you want to prowl around in books, I got an up-to-date general board of directors’ report that says we’re thirty-five freighters behind in bauxite deliveries.” 

The Chamco brothers looked at each other and then at their game to see where they had gotten to in shooting down the live mayflies in the air box. But Terl’s next words distracted them again. “Today,” said Terl, brushing Char’s push for work aside, “I got a sighting report from a recon drone that recorded only thirty-five men in that valley near that peak.” 

Terl waved his paw westward toward the towering mountain range silhouetted by the moon. 

“So?” said Char. 

“So I dug up the books out of curiosity. There used to be hundreds in that valley. And furthermore,” continued Terl with his professorial ways coming back, “there used to be thousands and thousands of them on this planet.” 

“You can’t believe all you read,” said Char heavily. “On my last duty tour—it was Arcturus IV—” 

“This book,” said Terl, lifting it impressively, “was compiled by the Culture and Ethnology Department of the Intergalactic Mining Company.” 

The larger Chamco brother batted his eyebones. “I didn’t know we had one.” 

– Excerpted from Battlefield Earth by L. Ron Hubbard, Galaxy Press, 2016. Reprinted with permission.

 

In response to Voyager I, the human race was nearly wiped out by an alien invader of superior strength and weapons so technologically advanced that any counterattack was futile. 

After a thousand years of dystopian terror, one courageous man attempts to gather the scattered tribes of humanity and reclaim the planet. He must unite a beaten people and uncover any possible weakness in the alien’s hold on our world.

Already pitted against overwhelming odds, Jonnie is being secretly undermined by an unexpected enemy within his own people, who will stop at nothing to destroy him.

This carefully plotted journey of the fate of humankind has captivated readers for more than 40 years and earned its place as one of the most beloved science fiction novels of all time.

A Random House Modern Readers Library poll voted Battlefield Earth one of the Best 100 English-Language Novels of the 20th Century.

“L. Ron Hubbard was one of the big change agents of science fiction. He helped shift the genre from a cold exploration of machines, technology, and alien worlds, to a warm exploration of human beings and how they reacted to such machines, technologies, and worlds. Battlefield Earth is a prime example, a character-driven epic that grabs you from the start and never lets go. You root for the heroes and despise the villains, all the while becoming immersed in a compulsively-readable science-fiction tour de force, complete with breathtaking action, non-stop adventure, and enough creativity to fill a dozen novels.” —Douglas E. Richards (author of Unidentified)

“Battlefield Earth is one of my favorite works of science fiction ever. I’ve probably read it eight times or so. It’s always in my top five. As a writer myself, I think about the pacing and the plotting of that book and just marvel that he pulled it off. It’s really brilliant.” —Hugh Howey (author of Wool)

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Battlefield-Earth-Arrival-Invasion-Post-Apocalyptic/dp/1592129579
Barnes & Noble: 
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/battlefield-earth-l-ron-hubbard/1100824883?ean=9781592129577
Booksamillion:
https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Battlefield-Earth/L-Ron-Hubbard/9781592129577

With 19 New York Times bestsellers and more than 350 million copies of his works in circulation, L. Ron Hubbard is among the most enduring and widely read authors of our time. As a leading light of American Pulp Fiction through the 1930s and '40s, he is further among the most influential authors of the modern age. Indeed, from Ray Bradbury to Stephen King, there is scarcely a master of imaginative tales who has not paid tribute to L. Ron Hubbard.

Website ➜ https://battlefieldearth.com/battlefield-earth/

X ➜  https://x.com/BE_the_Book

Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/BattlefieldEarth/

Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/be_the_book/

Book Excerpt: The Mirror by P.K. Eden

 

“Sit.” Siene motioned to the black sofa next to the door. She walked to the back bookshelf and pulled forward an old book with her forefinger. She skimmed the pages as she walked back to him. About halfway through the book she retrieved a fragile-looking, folded paper with timeworn brown edges.  

She sat next to him. “Show me your palm.” 

Ben held out his hand. “Why? Are you going to read it?”

“Do I look like a fortune teller?”

“You did predict the cab accident,” Ben replied. 

She rolled her eyes and gently unfolded the paper. Carefully, she dropped three brown, shriveled ovals into his palm.

Ben’s brow furrowed. “What are these?”

“Beans.”

“I can see that.” He looked up. “Is this when I ask you why they were hidden in the book?”

“No, you’re supposed to guess.”

Ben lifted an eyebrow. “Do you really want to play games, Siene?”

She crossed her arms in front of her. “Actually, yes. You’re the hot-shot genius. I’m curious to see if that big brain of yours can think outside the . . .” She felt a wicked smile form on her lips “. . . outside the spit glands.”

He shot her an annoyed look and used his forefinger to move the beans around on his palm. They were shrunken but all the same size and shape. Kidney beans, he guessed. Very old kidney beans. He glanced at Siene. “Beans hidden in a book. Did you get them from a prom date instead of flowers and this is your way of telling me that you’re still thinking of the prom king?”  

She saw amusement replace the annoyance on his face. Okay, maybe inside all the gray matter the man had a sense of humor. She’d try sparring with him later. Right now, she had to make a seemingly very obtuse point. “Did your mother ever read you fairy tales when you were a child?”  

“Yes,” Ben replied, still holding the beans in his outstretched hand.

“Which ones?”

“The usual. Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, the Shoemaker and the Elves.”

“What about Jack and the Beanstalk?” 

Ben glanced down at the beans in his hand and then back at Siene. “Of course, and I suppose you’re going to tell me these are magic beans.”

Skepticism lit his eyes and Siene knew he wasn’t quite there yet. “I know I’m asking a lot, but for a minute, just send all the Einstein stuff to the back of your gray matter and go with it.” His expression told her he thought she was nuts and she suspected ninety-nine percent of the world’s population would probably agree with him. “I guess laymen might say they are magic.”

“Laymen.” Ben paused before shooting her a probing stare. “People off their meds like you, you mean.”

She held up her finger. “You agreed to go with it.”

“No, I did not.”

“Let’s pretend you did. These beans are the last ones left.  It drives my brother, Reed, crazy that I keep them in a book.  He thinks it’s the first place a Taltoian would look.” She held the book up so he could see the title.

“Taltioan?”

“I’ll get there in a minute.” She lifted her chin. “Look at the book.”

White paper showed through the frayed corners of the cover and the embossed lettering worn low by the passing years made the words hard to read. He leaned closer and squinted. Tales by the Brothers Grimm. His head snapped up. “Is this an original edition?” He turned the book over and then back. “It looks very old.”

Siene nodded. “They are my great-great--maybe another great, maybe not, it really doesn’t matter at this point--Uncles Jacob and Wilhelm. The book has been passed down through the generations.”   

Ben’s wide-eyed gaze flared. “You are crazy. You expect me to believe these are the magic beans they wrote about? That if you plant them, a stalk will grow as high as the clouds and if we climb it, we will meet a giant who has a goose that lays golden eggs?”

“Yes, and other things. A golden harp…”

Ben stood. “This has been an adventure to say the least, and I will admit you might have a very valuable book that could command millions, but you being related to the Brothers Grimm, “ he looked down at his hand, “And these are magic beans, I don’t think so.”

“Why not?”

He handed her back the book and held up fingers in a vee. “Two reasons. One, I suspect if there actually was a goose that laid golden eggs, some billionaire would own it and two, a giant, by sheer atomic weight and mass, cannot stand or live on a cloud.”

Siene shrugged. “Whether you believe me or not, it’s still true.”  

“Which part?”

“All of it.” She slipped her hand under his. “I better take those back now.” She carefully placed the beans inside the paper and back into the book.  

Ben remained still for several minutes as though processing the information he just heard. “It appears your uncles, if they truly are,  are not the only ones who can tell tall tales.”

She put the book back on the shelf. “They wrote the stories to protect the artifacts.”

“Artifacts. Like those in a museum?”

She looked at him and smiled. “No, the ones in my uncles’ stories.”

“Which stories?”
“All of them.”

– Excerpted from The Mirror by P.K. Eden, The Wild Rose Press, 2024. Reprinted with permission.

 

What if you found out the artifacts from the fairy tales you loved as a child were real and one of them just predicted your death? That’s the dilemma Scientist Ben Michaels faces when Siene Dower, descendant of the Brothers Grimm, tells him that Snow White’s Magic Mirror sent her to stop him from getting into the cab that crashed and burst into flame right before his eyes at the intersection at Penn Station, New York City. Does practical Dr. Michaels dismiss everything he knows about reality and science and follow the curious and beautiful woman who just saved his life?

The Mirror is available at Amazon.

P.K. Eden is the alter ego of multi-published and award winning authors Patt Milhailff and Kathye Quick whose debut novel FIREBRAND was lauded as comparable to the Harry Potter series, garnered 5-Star reviews, and won numerous  Reviewer’s Choice Awards.

Born long, long ago in a place not so far away, Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, Kathryn Quick has been writing since the Sisters in St. Casmir’s Grammar School gave her the ruled yellow paper and a number two pencil.  She writes contemporary and career romances, romantic comedies, historical romances as well as urban fantasy. 

Kathye has twenty fiction books in print with various publishing houses and one non-fiction compilation of her town’s history at the behest of the Manville Library Bord.  She was honored to have been named an Amazon top 100 Romance Author for Ineligible Bachelor published by Montlake Romance. Other works include a three book  Grandmother’s Rings Series – Amethyst, Sapphire and Citrine, a rom-com series that follows three siblings as they use their Grandmother’s Rings given to them by their mother to find their soulmates. 

Because she has been fascinated by King Arthur and his knights for almost forever, her series Beyond Camelot, Brother Knights, is her vision of how the majestic kingdom may have survived after Arthur. Two books are written in this series with the third and final still in concept.

She is a founding member of Liberty State Fiction Writers and has been a part of Romance Writers of America and New Jersey Romance Writers.

She is married to her real-life hero, Donald, and has three grown sons, each having romantic adventures of their own. Her two grandkids, Savannah and Dax, happily cut into her writing time but she still manages to get a few pages done each day.

Website & Social Media:

Website ➜ www.Kathrynquick.com  

Twitter ➜ https://x.com/KQuickAuthor

Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/KathrynQuickBooks/

Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/kathrynquickauthor/

Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/217228581-the-mirror

***

Thanks to novelist and editor, Dr. Nathasha Brooks-Harris who invited Patt Milhailff to write for several TRUE CONFESSION lines of magazines where she learned tight and entertaining writing and resulted in the publication of more than two hundred short stories and articles.

One of Patt’s most gratifying experiences was when she moderated a standing room only workshop at the African American Romance Slam Jam in 2004 and has since enjoyed speaking engagements at libraries, book clubs and other forums. 

She was awarded 2009 Author of the year and 2010 Mentor of the year by Romance writers of America, New York City Chapter, a terrific organization that helped her to obtain valuable lessons and insight while on her writing journey. 

Patt is also featured in A Dream Deferred, A Joy Achieved, a non-fiction novella by Charise Nesbit a co-producer at Tyler Perry Studios, about foster care, as well as being included in two of Times Bestselling Author Zane’s anthologies. 

Patt is one half of the writing duo P.K. Eden along with Kathye Quick, authors of Firebrand,  that received a five star Affaire de Couer Reviewer’s Choice Award. 

She is also a member of Liberty States Fiction Writers the home of a magnitude of talented writers and fellow authors and is the author of nine novels.  

Patt was raised, and educated in New York City, residing in  New Jersey, and has since relocated to Delaware.

Social Networks for P.K. Eden:

Follow on Twitter: https://x.com/PKEdenAuthor 

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Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p.k.edenauthor/

Book Excerpt: A Heart's Journey to Forgiveness by Terese Luikens

 

In my mind, these warm childhood memories include only my dad, never my mom. One photo from that era, snapped by an older sibling using Mom’s Instamatic camera, seems to capture our family dynamic. We are in the living room of the house that had the front-porch swing. I might be around four years old. My hair is cut short, pixie style, and I am wearing a long-sleeved, cotton-ribbed bathrobe. Dad, kneeling, wears a suit coat and a bowler hat. His hands are clasped behind my back and mine are hooked around his neck. Smiling, cheek-to-cheek, we face the camera.

Dad and I are in the center of the photo while Mom is in the lower left hand corner. She is sitting in a chair, and wears a plaid skirt and a turtleneck sweater. Her passive face is turned toward the camera.

That snapshot captures my life: Dad at the center and Mom on the perimeter.

– Excerpted from A Heart's Journey by Terese Luikens, Redemption Press, 2022. Reprinted with permission. 

 

For Terese Luikens, a picture-perfect childhood it was not. Frequent cross country moves, an emotionally absent mother and an alcoholic father who ends his life by suicide when Terese is just thirteen years old. 

The sixth of seven children, Terese grew up in an unstable and chaotic household–invisible to her mom yet cherished by her father. 

This heartfelt memoir documents the chain reaction of a tumultuous family history. From her stormy childhood to the far-reaching effects of her father’s suicide, Terese shares her inspiring journey to escape the shame of her past, find healing and live, learn to trust, and discover faith in a real and personal God.

A Heart’s Journey to Forgiveness is available at Amazon.

 

Terese Luikens has been married for forty-four years to the same man, although she is on her third wedding ring, having lost one and worn out another. She lives in Sandpoint, Idaho, enjoys being mother to three grown sons and grandmother to her much-loved grandchildren. She is the author of A Heart’s Journey to Forgiveness, a Memoir of her inspiring journey of emotional healing from her father’s suicide. She facilitates retreats and workshops focusing on forgiveness, and publishes her own blog, Why Bother? 

You can visit her website at www.tereseluikens.com.

 

Mercy of the Iron Scepter by Randy C. Dockens

 

Mercy of the Iron Scepter
Randy C. Dockens
Carpenter's Son Publishing
Christian Fiction

After Kalem lives through the death of his brother by the hand of the King which occurred over a decade ago, he is now torn. Two prophecies stand before him. The one he wholeheartedly believes in places his life in danger just as it had for his brother. The other is safer but requires him to live a lie.

Kalem, an archaeologist, has unearthed steles which tell of a prophecy about a coming Overtaker who will oust the current king and bring everyone total freedom avoiding a coming apocalypse. He becomes close to Angela, the woman supposedly the key to fulfilling this stele prophecy, desires a romantic relationship with her, but is hesitant to act on his feelings. Her belief in the current king takes Kalem down an alternative view of the prophecy where the current king will bring everyone into an even better future home after saving all from annihilation. Can Kalem exonerate his brother and bring the justice he had always dreamed of? Or will he find his life is being manipulated to prevent the true prophecy from being fulfilled? Unfortunately, he finds deception in places he never would have suspected.

Mercy of the Iron Scepter is the first book of a new biblical end times prophecy series entitled Stele Prophecy Pentalogy by futuristic fiction author Randy C Dockens. This is not your typical speculative fiction novel about biblical end times prophecy as it combines bible prophecy with futuristic advances in science to describe a future home that is agrarian but also technologically advanced, like citizens using a teleporter. Plus, it provides a romantic read with a little tension added in to make it interesting.

Mercy of the Iron Scepter is available at Amazon.

 

Excerpt from Chapter 20:

After dessert, Melana excused herself, and Peter offered to escort her home. Shortly after, Ilana and Robert left together. Kalem and Angela stayed a little longer, but after a short time, Angela said she had to return home; Kalem offered to walk her. They said their goodbyes.

Kalem and Angela walked in silence. Kalem could tell something was on her mind, but didn’t know what or how to ask.

“Kalem, can we go somewhere and talk?”

“We can talk as we walk, can’t we?”

“Yes, but I have a feeling this may take a while. Ilana and Robert may be at the apartment. Why don’t we go to the Overlook?”

Kalem looked at her with furrowed brow. “OK.” They turned at the next block, toward the temple complex, and then turned south toward the Overlook. “Is something wrong, Angela?”

“No. But I feel we dance around our feelings for each other, and I would like to clear the air.”

Kalem swallowed—hard. He hoped this wouldn’t mean an end to their relationship. His palms became clammy.

“I’m sorry, Kalem. If I sound like I’m defensive or hurt, I’m not. We see each other so infrequently. When we do, it seems we start to make a connection and, once again, you’re off on another adventure. We don’t communicate beyond surface stuff until we see each other again, and then it all starts over. I would like to know how you feel and where we stand. I don’t have any expectations. Your friendship is important to me.”

They turned the corner and arrived at the Overlook. Kalem motioned for Angela to sit next to him. He gazed at her. My, she is so beautiful. Why can’t I commit? After a while, she said, in a soft tone, “What?”

“The night lights make your hair glisten—and you look almost angelic.”

Angela smiled. “Well, that’s a nice start.”

Kalem smiled back and cleared his throat. “Angela, to be honest, I’ve been attracted to you from day one. I felt guilty, you being younger. Also, you’re so tight with Peter, who’s my nephew. It all felt . . . a little uncomfortable.”

“Well, I can understand that. But I’m only four years younger. Yes, it made a difference when we first met, but I’m now twenty, which makes both of us in our twenties. Is that too far apart? I don’t think Mom and Mik’kel would complain over our age difference when their ages are so, so . . . so much wider.”

Kalem laughed. “In comparison to Raina and Mik’kel, our birthdays are identical.” Kalem paused and became more serious. “I get that, but you’re part of the family—”

“Kalem, I’m not part of the family. Yes, I love them . . . desperately. Raina is the only mom I remember. From an emotional standpoint, we are family, but not by blood. There’s nothing taboo about us having feelings for each other, if that’s where you’re going.”

“But the perception is there.”

“Don’t confuse perception with reality. I don’t think anyone, or anyone who matters, would care if we became serious. But there’s another issue we need to discuss.”

“Oh?” Kalem’s voice got softer. “There’s something else I need to overcome?”

“No.” Angela matched his softer tone. “It’s something I have to decide how to deal with. Kalem, I really, really like you. I know that makes you uncomfortable, but I want to put it all on the line here. There’s a bigger issue than feeling you’re falling for your nephew’s sister.”

Kalem looked at Angela. She didn’t hold his gaze. He could now feel every thud of his heartbeat—knowing he was about to hear something he didn’t want to hear.

“Kalem, I’ve accepted our King as both my Lord and my future hope. You may have accepted him as your Lord, but not as the one to secure your future. That’s a big deal to me.”

She looked back into his eyes; he continued to stare into hers.

“Kalem, please say something.”

She reached out and put her hand on his. He didn’t move—couldn’t move. He finally took a deep breath, took Angela’s hand, and spoke while running his fingers over hers. “Angela, I don’t know what to say. I also really, really like you.”

He looked up and gave a weak smile. “I admit I did feel weird about that. So many things have proven strange for me. When I met the King, he turned out to be totally different from what I expected. Actually . . . ” Kalem gave a short laugh. “Very different from what I expected. I’ve been involved with the steles for so long, maybe it’s all scrambled my brain. I don’t know.”

He gave a short shrug. “I’ve thought many times about why I can’t accept the King as the hope for my future. But there’s something there. I can’t explain it or put my finger on it.”

Kalem forced another smile. “Robert told me once how I have to know the outcome before I’m willing to commit to something. Robert said I can never know what it’s like being connected to the King in the special way he’s connected to those who accept him, until I put my trust in him. I want to commit to him and to you, but I can’t—not yet, anyway.”

Angela’s eyes grew wet with tears.

Kalem felt so guilty, but at the same time, he needed to be honest. “Angela, I’m so sorry. I don’t want to hurt you.”

He let go of her hand, and didn’t know what to do next.

“Sorry, Kalem. I didn’t mean to cry. I don’t understand.” Angela choked up again.

“I don’t know how to explain it, Angela. I hope I can, one day. I have to know about the prophecy on these steles first. Once I know their message, I think I can understand . . . things.”

Angela became teary again. “And what if you never understand?”

“I don’t know. I don’t want to lose you as a friend, though.”

Tears trickled down Angela’s cheeks. “You only want to be friends?”

“No. No, that’s not what I meant.” 

Kalem looked at her, his heart almost breaking, knowing he was causing her pain. He took her hands in his again and rubbed his fingers over hers. His voice became low and hushed. “Angela, you said accepting the King as my future hope is important to you. I understand that, but I can’t make such a step—yet. I can’t disrespect you and pretend so we can be together. That wouldn’t be fair.”

Angela nodded, but the tears kept flowing. “Can I at least have a hug?”

“Oh, Angela, yes. Yes, of course.” Kalem held her in his arms; she sobbed and his eyes watered. “I’m sorry, Angela. I’m so sorry.”

He hoped she felt his love for her in his embrace. He knew she wouldn’t give in, and he wouldn’t want her to, but neither could he. Not yet. After several minutes, she stopped sobbing and pulled away from his shoulder.

“I think I’m better now.” She gave a weak smile and sniffled between words. “Can you walk me home?”

Kalem helped her up and held her close. This was odd. They had essentially broken up—or had they, if they were never officially together? At the same time, he felt closer to her than ever. He continued to hold her close to him as they walked to her apartment.

Along the way, he said, “Angela, I do care for you.”

“I know,” was all Angela whispered in return.

Other Books in the Series

About the Author

Dr. Randy C. Dockens has a fascination with science and with the Bible, holds Ph.D. degrees in both areas, and is a man not only of faith and science, but also of creativity. He believes that faith and science go hand in hand without being enemies of each other.

After completing his bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from Auburn University he went on to graduate school at Auburn and completed his first doctorate degree in Pharmaceutics. He began his scientific career as a pharmacokinetic reviewer for the Food and Drug Administration and later joined a leading pharmaceutical company as a pharmacokineticist, which is a scientist who analyzes how the human body affects drugs after they have been administered (i.e, absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted).

Through the years, he has worked on potential medicines within several disease areas, including cardiovascular, fibrosis, and immunoscience to seek and develop new and novel medicines in these therapy areas.

He has also had his attention on the academic study of the Bible. He earned a second doctorate in Biblical Prophecy from Louisiana Baptist University after receiving a master’s degree in Jewish Studies from the Internet Bible Institute under the tutelage of Dr. Robert Congdon.

Randy has recently retired from his pharmaceutical career and is spending even more time on his writing efforts. He has written several books that span dystopian (The Coded Message Trilogy), end-time prophecy (Stele Prophecy Pentalogy), science fiction (Erabon Prophecy Trilogy), and uniquely told Bible stories (The Adversary Chronicles). All his books, while fun to read, are futuristic, filled with science to give them an authentic feel, have a science fiction feel to them, and allows one to learn some aspect of Biblical truth one may not have thought about before. This is all done in a fast-paced action format that is both entertaining and provides a fun read for his readers.

He has also written some nonfiction books as well. One is to show how all humans are connected from God’s viewpoint by looking at biblical prophecy (Why is a Gentile World Tied to a Jewish Timeline?: The Question Everyone Should Ask). This book shows how all scripture is connected and inclusive of everyone. In addition, he and his editor have written two books about writing. The first is on writing techniques themselves and is entitled Mastering the ABCs of Excellent Writing: Creating Vivid and Colorful Stories that Readers Want to Read. This book not only addresses the techniques of writing, but what makes writing unique to each author. It conveys not only how to better hone one’s craft of writing but also the brand an author wants to portray. This helps an author make their writing unique as well as captivating for his/her audience. The second is a companion book to this one entitled Mastering the ABCs of Excellent Self-Editing: Framing Your Colorful Masterpiece to Keep Readers Engaged in Your Story. This is best used in conjunction with the first one. Yet, self-editing, though intricately connected to writing, is a distinct event. The better the quality of a writer’s draft manuscript when it is delivered to one’s editor, the higher the final quality of the manuscript will be for readers, and that is extremely important.

Dr Dockens is still not done. He has other creative ideas he is bringing forward as he is currently working on two new futuristic series. So, stay turned!

Website ➜ https://www.randydockens.com/   

X ➜ https://x.com/RandyCDockens 

Facebook ➜  www.facebook.com/Randy.C.Dockens

Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/randydockens 

Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16453941

Book Excerpt: Mercy of the Iron Scepter (Stele Prophecy Pentalogy Book 1) by Randy C. Dockens

 

Excerpt from Chapter 20:

After dessert, Melana excused herself, and Peter offered to escort her home. Shortly after, Ilana and Robert left together. Kalem and Angela stayed a little longer, but after a short time, Angela said she had to return home; Kalem offered to walk her. They said their goodbyes.

Kalem and Angela walked in silence. Kalem could tell something was on her mind, but didn’t know what or how to ask.

“Kalem, can we go somewhere and talk?”

“We can talk as we walk, can’t we?”

“Yes, but I have a feeling this may take a while. Ilana and Robert may be at the apartment. Why don’t we go to the Overlook?”

Kalem looked at her with furrowed brow. “OK.” They turned at the next block, toward the temple complex, and then turned south toward the Overlook. “Is something wrong, Angela?”

“No. But I feel we dance around our feelings for each other, and I would like to clear the air.”

Kalem swallowed—hard. He hoped this wouldn’t mean an end to their relationship. His palms became clammy.

“I’m sorry, Kalem. If I sound like I’m defensive or hurt, I’m not. We see each other so infrequently. When we do, it seems we start to make a connection and, once again, you’re off on another adventure. We don’t communicate beyond surface stuff until we see each other again, and then it all starts over. I would like to know how you feel and where we stand. I don’t have any expectations. Your friendship is important to me.”

They turned the corner and arrived at the Overlook. Kalem motioned for Angela to sit next to him. He gazed at her. My, she is so beautiful. Why can’t I commit? After a while, she said, in a soft tone, “What?”

“The night lights make your hair glisten—and you look almost angelic.”

Angela smiled. “Well, that’s a nice start.”

Kalem smiled back and cleared his throat. “Angela, to be honest, I’ve been attracted to you from day one. I felt guilty, you being younger. Also, you’re so tight with Peter, who’s my nephew. It all felt . . . a little uncomfortable.”

“Well, I can understand that. But I’m only four years younger. Yes, it made a difference when we first met, but I’m now twenty, which makes both of us in our twenties. Is that too far apart? I don’t think Mom and Mik’kel would complain over our age difference when their ages are so, so . . . so much wider.”

Kalem laughed. “In comparison to Raina and Mik’kel, our birthdays are identical.” Kalem paused and became more serious. “I get that, but you’re part of the family—”

“Kalem, I’m not part of the family. Yes, I love them . . . desperately. Raina is the only mom I remember. From an emotional standpoint, we are family, but not by blood. There’s nothing taboo about us having feelings for each other, if that’s where you’re going.”

“But the perception is there.”

“Don’t confuse perception with reality. I don’t think anyone, or anyone who matters, would care if we became serious. But there’s another issue we need to discuss.”

“Oh?” Kalem’s voice got softer. “There’s something else I need to overcome?”

“No.” Angela matched his softer tone. “It’s something I have to decide how to deal with. Kalem, I really, really like you. I know that makes you uncomfortable, but I want to put it all on the line here. There’s a bigger issue than feeling you’re falling for your nephew’s sister.”

Kalem looked at Angela. She didn’t hold his gaze. He could now feel every thud of his heartbeat—knowing he was about to hear something he didn’t want to hear.

“Kalem, I’ve accepted our King as both my Lord and my future hope. You may have accepted him as your Lord, but not as the one to secure your future. That’s a big deal to me.”

She looked back into his eyes; he continued to stare into hers.

“Kalem, please say something.”

She reached out and put her hand on his. He didn’t move—couldn’t move. He finally took a deep breath, took Angela’s hand, and spoke while running his fingers over hers. “Angela, I don’t know what to say. I also really, really like you.”

He looked up and gave a weak smile. “I admit I did feel weird about that. So many things have proven strange for me. When I met the King, he turned out to be totally different from what I expected. Actually . . . ” Kalem gave a short laugh. “Very different from what I expected. I’ve been involved with the steles for so long, maybe it’s all scrambled my brain. I don’t know.”

He gave a short shrug. “I’ve thought many times about why I can’t accept the King as the hope for my future. But there’s something there. I can’t explain it or put my finger on it.”

Kalem forced another smile. “Robert told me once how I have to know the outcome before I’m willing to commit to something. Robert said I can never know what it’s like being connected to the King in the special way he’s connected to those who accept him, until I put my trust in him. I want to commit to him and to you, but I can’t—not yet, anyway.”

Angela’s eyes grew wet with tears.

Kalem felt so guilty, but at the same time, he needed to be honest. “Angela, I’m so sorry. I don’t want to hurt you.”

He let go of her hand, and didn’t know what to do next.

“Sorry, Kalem. I didn’t mean to cry. I don’t understand.” Angela choked up again.

“I don’t know how to explain it, Angela. I hope I can, one day. I have to know about the prophecy on these steles first. Once I know their message, I think I can understand . . . things.”

Angela became teary again. “And what if you never understand?”

“I don’t know. I don’t want to lose you as a friend, though.”

Tears trickled down Angela’s cheeks. “You only want to be friends?”

“No. No, that’s not what I meant.” 

Kalem looked at her, his heart almost breaking, knowing he was causing her pain. He took her hands in his again and rubbed his fingers over hers. His voice became low and hushed. “Angela, you said accepting the King as my future hope is important to you. I understand that, but I can’t make such a step—yet. I can’t disrespect you and pretend so we can be together. That wouldn’t be fair.”

Angela nodded, but the tears kept flowing. “Can I at least have a hug?”

“Oh, Angela, yes. Yes, of course.” Kalem held her in his arms; she sobbed and his eyes watered. “I’m sorry, Angela. I’m so sorry.”

He hoped she felt his love for her in his embrace. He knew she wouldn’t give in, and he wouldn’t want her to, but neither could he. Not yet. After several minutes, she stopped sobbing and pulled away from his shoulder.

“I think I’m better now.” She gave a weak smile and sniffled between words. “Can you walk me home?”

Kalem helped her up and held her close. This was odd. They had essentially broken up—or had they, if they were never officially together? At the same time, he felt closer to her than ever. He continued to hold her close to him as they walked to her apartment.

Along the way, he said, “Angela, I do care for you.”

“I know,” was all Angela whispered in return.

– Excerpted from Mercy of the Iron Scepter by Randy C. Dockens, Carpenter's Son Publishing, 2019. Reprinted with permission. 

 

After Kalem lives through the death of his brother by the hand of the King which occurred over a decade ago, he is now torn. Two prophecies stand before him. The one he wholeheartedly believes in places his life in danger just as it had for his brother. The other is safer but requires him to live a lie.

Kalem, an archaeologist, has unearthed steles which tell of a prophecy about a coming Overtaker who will oust the current king and bring everyone total freedom avoiding a coming apocalypse. He becomes close to Angela, the woman supposedly the key to fulfilling this stele prophecy, desires a romantic relationship with her, but is hesitant to act on his feelings. Her belief in the current king takes Kalem down an alternative view of the prophecy where the current king will bring everyone into an even better future home after saving all from annihilation. Can Kalem exonerate his brother and bring the justice he had always dreamed of? Or will he find his life is being manipulated to prevent the true prophecy from being fulfilled? Unfortunately, he finds deception in places he never would have suspected.

Mercy of the Iron Scepter is the first book of a new biblical end times prophecy series entitled Stele Prophecy Pentalogy by futuristic fiction author Randy C Dockens. This is not your typical speculative fiction novel about biblical end times prophecy as it combines bible prophecy with futuristic advances in science to describe a future home that is agrarian but also technologically advanced, like citizens using a teleporter. Plus, it provides a romantic read with a little tension added in to make it interesting.

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Book Excerpt: Soul Love by D.F. Jones

 

Summer ventured out the side pedestrian door, her gaze drawn to the moving activity. Three men were unloading furniture from the truck, one clearly in charge. As their eyes met, Summer felt a sudden rush of nervousness.
 

She approached her mailbox, and one of the men raised his hand in greeting. She fumbled with a piece of junk mail. “Moving in?” she called out.
 

He walked to the end of the driveway. “Hi, I’m Erik, the designer.” Without waiting for her response, he quickly asked, “Have you ever met the owners?”
 

How odd. “Um. No. Why? Haven’t you?”
 

“I hoped you might know them. We worked through an attorney who never disclosed their names.” He shrugged. “No harm in asking.”
 

“I love the house. Is there any chance I could peek inside?” Sure, it was forward of her, but it might be the only way to satisfy her curiosity.
 

Erik nodded. “This is our last load of furniture, so why not? I love showing off my work.” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a business card. “I’m posting the project online. I would appreciate it if you’d leave a glowing comment on social media.” His hands tented.
 

“Sure thing.” Summer hated social media but took his card anyway.
 

She followed him up the painted plank steps through the open door.
 

An elaborate crystal chandelier hung in the entry. In front of her, the rich mahogany staircase dazzled against a backdrop of blue-green textured walls. A baby grand piano was positioned in the living room corner to the left of a rock fireplace. The art over the mantel looked like a Renoir. She wondered if it was an original or a reproduction.
 

Then something weird happened. The hair on her neck and arms rose. She had a deja vu feeling as if she had been there before. Trying to shake off the unsettling sensation, she turned in a slow circle and said, 

 

“It’s beautiful, better than I even imagined. I love it!”
 

Erik seemed pleased with her assessment, grinning from ear to ear. “I chose warm, rich colors. I can’t stand the fact that most designers are like sheep. The minimalists’ interior design with white is so overused and blah,” he said with an eye roll. “I updated the lighting fixtures and completely renovated the central kitchen. It’s three stories with the attic and a downstairs complete with a cookery and staff rooms.”
 

A mover dropped one end of a very expensive-looking bureau. Erik shouted, “Do not scratch the floors or furniture.” Then he glanced apologetically at Summer. “I’ve got to work. I have a deadline with instructions to leave the house by seven o’clock this evening. Feel free to look around.”
 

Yippee—freedom’s call echoed in her heart, inviting her to explore uninhibited. Summer drifted through the library first. Its walls were lined with ancient, leather-bound books. The scent of old paper and the hushed tales of forgotten lore surrounded her, igniting a thrill only a true book lover could understand and appreciate. Each step was a dance with history as her fingers trailed over the spines, noting the weight in their textured covers.
 

The library seamlessly gave way to an entertainment room, where contemporary met old-world design, asserting itself with an audacious flair. A large, ultra-high-definition television screen dominated one wall, surrounded by a state-of-the-art sound system. Soft, ambient lighting emanated from cleverly hidden sources, casting a glow that accentuated luxurious furnishings from the plush, angular sofa to the gleaming, geometric coffee table.
 

The kitchen made a bold statement with its brand-new stainless-steel appliances, rustic oak cabinets, and white and gray marble counters. The walk-in pantry door was ajar, so she peeked inside to find it vast and orderly, a trove of culinary possibilities. She suspected exotic spices and gourmet delights filled the closed shelves and drawers.
Adjacent to this culinary haven, a set of narrow, almost secretive steps curled upward, their very existence a whisper of intrigue. She glanced furtively over her shoulder. Erik was absorbed in positioning the remaining pieces in the living room.
Her pulse quickened with the thrill of undercover exploration. Memories of countless novels she had devoured over the years surged within her—a cascade of adventures, hidden rooms, and undiscovered treasures that had always seemed worlds away were now seemingly within her grasp. With each step into the unknown, her pulse quickened with anticipation, and her mind buzzed. What secrets and mysteries lay hidden in this century-old home?
 

Summer hustled up the stairs, bypassed the second floor, and continued into the attic. She’d long fantasized about writing a novel in such a superb, renovated space with its black, charcoal walls and a shade darker woodwork, a cozy white sofa with black and gold accent pillows—and how she loved the black lacquer desk. The lighting included several sconces with candle-like bulbs that glimmered warmly. 

 

It was a nice touch. She murmured, “Totally jealous of the owners.”
 

She peered through the horizontally installed cameo windows, the view of which looked directly at her house. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a shimmering swirling blue light materialized on the other side of the room. It formed a doorway of sorts, like beams of a hidden sun trapped within its frame, defying the laws of physics and reality.
 

What the heck? Summer cautiously approached, each step filled with fear and fascination. She reached out tentatively toward the opening, her hand trembling slightly. Was it a gateway to worlds unseen?
But Erik’s appearance on the top step jolted her back to reality just before her fingers could graze the pulsating energy. As if responding to his intrusion, the portal vanished as quickly as it had appeared, leaving behind a blank wall devoid of any clue to its mysterious existence.
She struggled to process what she had just witnessed. Was the ethereal light a trick of nature? A figment of her imagination? The silence that enveloped the room was heavy with unspoken questions, the air charged with the residue of the inexplicable.

 

– Excerpted from Soul Love by D.F. Jones, Jones Media, 2024. Reprinted with permission. 

 

From USA Today bestselling author D.F. Jones comes Soul Love, a mesmerizing tale of past lives, time travel, and an unbreakable bond that transcends time itself.

What if a simple dinner invitation could change your life forever?

When Summer Jewel accepts a dinner invitation from her enigmatic new neighbor, her world is turned upside down. Suddenly transported to 1926 Heartsville, she uncovers shocking truths about a past life she never knew existed. This revelation ignites a journey brimming with turbulent emotions and undeniable desires, leaving her questioning everything she thought she knew.

Meanwhile, Rogan Randolph, a dedicated agent of The Order of the Invisible Effect, is tasked with subtly guiding the course of human history. His orderly world is thrown into chaos when a portal to his own past unexpectedly opens, offering him a chance to right a wrong. His mission becomes inextricably linked with Summer's, as she is the very woman he encounters in the future.

Together, Summer and Rogan must navigate the intricate complexities of love and destiny, confronting the mysteries of their intertwined past lives. Their actions ripple through time, challenging the very fabric of reality and altering the course of their journey. True love is never lost, and some connections last forever.

Escape into Soul Love, where destiny and passion weave a captivating narrative that explores the enduring power of love and the intriguing possibilities of fate.

Prepare to be swept off your feet with this spellbinding story of love, loss, and the magic of second chances.

 

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