Exciting Day for #OurAuthorGang

It is such an exciting day for Our Author Gang!

Our books were chosen by the Judges & Readers as
Finalists in the Golden Quill Award Contest.

http://www.goldenboxbooks.com/golden-quill-award-contest-winners/congrats-to-the-golden-quill-award-contest-finalists

JUDGES' CHOICE FINALISTS

Historical Fiction

https://www.amazon.com/Du-Lac-Devil-Book-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B01N0FW1RU/

War is coming to Saxon Briton.

As one kingdom after another falls to the savage might of the High King, Cerdic of Wessex, only one family dares to stand up to him — The Du Lacs.

Budic and Alden Du Lac are barely speaking to each other, and Merton is a mercenary, fighting for the highest bidder. If Wessex hears of the brothers’ discord, then all is lost.

Fate brings Merton du Lac back to the ancestral lands of his forefathers, and he finds his country on the brink of civil war. But there is worse to come, for his father’s old enemy has infiltrated the court of Benwick. Now, more than ever, the Du Lac must come together to save the kingdom and themselves. Can old rivalries and resentments be overcome in time to stop a war?

Historical Fantasy

http://www.authorerikamszabo.com/the-ancestors-secrets.html

Morana waited centuries for the chance to reunite with her beloved Joland and gain the power to rule the ancient clan that still exist hidden among us with its strict hierarchy, deadly rules and traditions. Ilona doesn’t know that she was chosen to stop Morana’s evil plan. She doesn't know about her heritage besides legends and rituals when begins to remember her mother’s instructions concealed as rhymes and is unaware that her pleasant life as a doctor is about to change and she will be thrown into a dangerous world filled with secrets. The discovery of her healing power and ability to freeze time is exciting and frightening. A sinister man appears, and Ilona connects his presence with the series of mysterious deaths around her. She has been in love with her unsuspecting best friend when she meets a stranger. She is drawn to him and confused by the sudden magnetic feeling.

Heroic Fantasy

https://www.amazon.com/Mad-Shadows-II-Dowser-Serpent-ebook/dp/B01MT620ZU

This time around, Dorgo falls in love with a witch known as The Girl Who Loved Ghouls, battles creatures from another dimension, and meets one very special cat named Crystal. It’s also the first time he hears about the ancient death cult — the Order of the Serpent. Then, after a young woman is murdered and a mysterious book of arcane lore is stolen from her, Dorgo comes closer to learning more about the snake-worshiping Order. But first he must battle both humans and demons in order to find and destroy The Book of Echoes. Finally, when called upon to help a young girl trapped inside an evil spell, Dorgo must confront fiends born of dark sorcery as he tries to save her and destroy the undying warlock who is the leader of the Order of the Serpent. 

Military Romance

https://www.amazon.com/Richards-Relics-Acorn-Hills-Book-ebook/dp/B017I16J9Y/

Richard Dempsey grew up in Acorn Hills. He was a star athlete and his prowess put many trophies in the cases that lined the halls of AHHS. Upon graduation, Richard and a classmate enlist in the Navy and are shipped to Vietnam.

War and its remnants are cruel, as he finds out. One of the lucky ones that survived, his turn in Vietnam changed him. He followed the suggestions of his commanders and tried counseling, but it didn’t work. His nightmares continued. Richard met with a couple friends for a few beers. The conversation turned to suggestions of flying across the world to modern day Saigon. He agreed, hoping to slay the dragons that continue haunting him.

Richard’s Relics, Book 5 of the Acorn Hills series, details the uglyness of PTSD, is filled with history of the Vietnam war, and a few surprises that emotionally engage you in this epic story.

Young Adult Fantasy

https://www.amazon.com/Rite-Wands-Mackenzie-Flohr-ebook/dp/B06XFKDY93/

One boy…one Rite… And a world of deadly secrets that could change the course of history—forever

And so begins the tale of Mierta McKinnon. When a horrible fate reveals itself during his Rite of Wands ceremony, he must find a way to change not only his destiny but also the land of Iverna’s.

Forbidden from revealing the future he foresees to anyone, he is granted a wand and his magical powers, but still must master the realm of magic in order to save himself and those he loves.

But Mierta is not the only one with secrets…especially when it’s impossible to know who to trust.

READERS' CHOICE FINALISTS

Romance

https://www.amazon.com/Moonlight-Music-Grace-Augustine-ebook/dp/B0153XTBG2/

Blake McIntyre had held his position at Bankston Promotions for fifteen years. He is the top music artist promoter in the business. Potential clients by-passed the CEO’s daughter and sought out his expertise. He assumed that was why he was fired. With an interview scheduled in less than six hours, he needed sleep and to be on his A-game, but the wailing coming from the apartment across the hall prevented it. 

Renee Manelli, a frustrated musician, had worked twenty years as a paralegal. Her goal was to stockpile money, write songs, retire early, and hit the road performing. Her most creative time happened to be at 2 am. Her crystal-clear voice and messages in her songs make her the fastest rising independent artist in the country. 

A working relationship between Blake and Renee turned quickly into the personal journey of a lifetime under the stars and Moonlight & Music.

Military Romance

https://www.amazon.com/Richards-Relics-Acorn-Hills-Book-ebook/dp/B017I16J9Y/

Richard Dempsey grew up in Acorn Hills. He was a star athlete and his prowess put many trophies in the cases that lined the halls of AHHS. Upon graduation, Richard and a classmate enlist in the Navy and are shipped to Vietnam.

War and its remnants are cruel, as he finds out. One of the lucky ones that survived, his turn in Vietnam changed him. He followed the suggestions of his commanders and tried counseling, but it didn’t work. His nightmares continued. Richard met with a couple friends for a few beers. The conversation turned to suggestions of flying across the world to modern day Saigon. He agreed, hoping to slay the dragons that continue haunting him.

Richard’s Relics, Book 5 of the Acorn Hills series, details the uglyness of PTSD, is filled with history of the Vietnam war, and a few surprises that emotionally engage you in this epic story.

Afraid of what?

By Cristina Grau

Puget-Théniers

A few days ago, somebody asked me if I am not afraid of being by myself in the middle of nowhere.

And this is something I get asked often.

Obviously, I am not afraid, otherwise, I would not be living the kind of life I live.

Many people have difficulties understanding my kind of life.

They don’t comprehend how can I stay in people’s houses (housesitting), or stay with people that I never met before (CouchSurfing, workaway, helpx), and not be afraid.

I am not afraid.

What I am afraid of, it is not to live my life to the fullest, not to live the way I want to live and not to do things because I am afraid.

And, afraid of what?

We create the anxiety about something before it happens, and most of the time what we think it’s worse than what it actually is.

One thing I learned during my travels is that most people are nice.

And the people that accept strangers into their homes are open minded people like me. Otherwise, they would not be letting people they never met into their homes. It works both ways.

And if an intruder breaks into the house I am house sitting now, the two westies would run toward the door barking and waving their tails, and go belly up for a scratch. And what intruder in the right mind would resist that and rob me?

Downtown

Downtown

The female westie is alwasy on top of me

Guest Author Bobby Nash #OurAuthorGang

 Our guest author today is Bobby Nash

www.bobbynash.com

Although he doesn’t run around getting into shootouts, car chases, or adventures himself, author Bobby Nash spends his days writing about heroes who do, like Abraham Snow and his friends.

Bobby is an award-winning author of novels, comic books, short stories, novellas, graphic novels, and the occasional screenplay for a number of publishers and production companies. Bobby was named Best Author in the 2013 Pulp Ark Awards. Rick Ruby, a character co-created by Bobby and author Sean Taylor also snagged a Pulp Ark Award for Best New Pulp Character of 2013. Bobby has also been nominated for the 2014 New Pulp Awards and Pulp Factory Awards for his work. Bobby's novel, Alexandra Holzer's Ghost Gal: The Wild Hunt won a Paranormal Literary Award in the 2015 Paranormal Awards. The Bobby Nash penned episode of Starship Farragut "Conspiracy of Innocence" won the Silver Award in the 2015 DC Film Festival. Bobby is a member of the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers and International Thriller Writers.

For more information on Bobby Nash and his work, please visit him at www.bobbynash.com. Learn more about SNOW at http://ben-books.blogspot.com/p/snow.html

What inspired you to start writing? 

I fell in love with adventure stories as a child and wanted to experience my own adventures. I started crafting story ideas and eventually started writing them down. As I got older, I started to take it more seriously and kept on writing. Eventually, I found a publisher, then another, and so on. Now, writing is my career and I love it. I’m still not where I want to be, and there’s still some literary mountains to climb, but I’m loving the journey and still seeking adventure.

What genre do you write?

I have written many genres, but I tend to gravitate toward crime fiction. The beauty of writing crime fiction is that is easily mixes with other genres, which is a whole lot of fun for me.

www.amazon.com/dp/1548008672

Abraham Snow's career ended with a single shot, but now he’s back behind the wheel and looking for a saboteur.
The Chambers Racing team hires Snow Security Consulting to get to keep their people and equipment safe and to get to the bottom of whoever is trying to put them out of business and why.
Archer Snow volunteers Abraham Snow and Big John Salmon as part of the pit crew. Can they keep the team's young hothead out of trouble long enough to stop the saboteur before the next race?
Meanwhile, an old enemy sets her sights on Snow when a bounty is placed on his head.
SNOW DRIVE is the third book in the continuing adventures of Abraham Snow.

https://ben-books.blogspot.com/p/snow.html

EXCERPT:
Abraham Snow was excited.

He hadn’t been to the racetrack in years. The last time he had visited the Atlanta Motor Speedway, his dad had surprised him, Douglas, and Samantha with tickets. He had agreed to take the kids to the races to give their mom a much-needed day off.

Or so they had been told at the time. Snow would later learn that his mother had stopped taking her medication and was having issues dealing with things. When this happened, Snow’s grandfather, Archer would step in to help. Like everyone else, Laura Snow loved the old man and listened to his soothing words. It was the exact opposite reaction she had to her husband, Dominic.

Snow and his dad rarely saw eye to eye, even when Snow was a kid. He couldn’t put his finger on the reason their relationship was strained, but it had been as long as he could remember. No matter who was at fault, and Snow admitted that there was enough blame to go around, there was one thing that he and his dad had in common.

They both loved the races.

Since he had returned to Georgia after retiring from his previous profession, Abraham and Dominic Snow had given one another a wide berth. They were civil when they saw one another, but there was definitely a chill in the air. Not surprising as things had been chilly between them for a couple of decades.

When Archer Snow, who was not only Abraham’s grandfather and Dominic’s father, but also the owner of Snow Security Consulting, ergo, their boss, asked them both to accompany him to the Atlanta Motor Speedway to meet with one of their clients, they both agreed to be on their best behavior.

Guest Author KJ Waters #OurAuthorGang

KJ Waters

KJ Waters is the author of the #1 best-seller Stealing Time and the short-story Blow. The second book in the series, Shattering Time, was just published on June 27, 2017 and the next day reached #6 on the UK Amazon site, and was #2 as a hot new release for one category, seating neatly after Michael Crichton’s Dragon Teeth.  

In addition to her writing, she is the CEO of Blondie's Custom Book Covers and the co-host of the popular podcast Blondie and the Brit.

She has a Master’s in Business and over 15 years of experience in the marketing field. Before quitting her job to raise a family and work on writing she was the Director of Marketing and communications for a national behavioral healthcare company.

What inspired you to start writing?

My favorite author, Diana Gabaldon, has a book called the Outlandish Companion where she described her somewhat haphazard way of writing a story. It inspired me to give it a try, with the pressure of a structured story removed, and I found my way to the bookstore to find some writing guides. 

What genre do you write?

I write in a Romantic Suspense genre, but it’s more of a mixture of Historic Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Sci-Fi. It involves a lot of elements that I really enjoy writing. Because it’s time travel I get to include whatever points in time I’m intrigued by and it’s set during the hurricanes of 2004 in Florida. 

I invite you to check out my Stealing Time Series so you can experience the power of the storm: http://geni.us/guestblogseries. Here is one recent review: Shattering Time is a page turner, and for that reason is a quick read. I definitely recommend it, even to those who never thought they would enjoy time travel fiction. Oddly enough, I only recognized the complexity of the characters after I completed the book and let it all sink in.

http://geni.us/shatteringguestblog

The number one best-selling thriller Stealing Time continues its “breathtakingly original” journey.

Excerpt:

Ronnie Andrews returns from eighteenth-century London shell-shocked from her first terrifying time travel encounter. Her boyfriend, Jeffrey Brennan, casts doubt on her sanity leaving Ronnie wondering if she went back in time or is having a mental breakdown.

To add to the tension, Hurricane Frances, a storm the size of Texas, is barreling towards Florida and her fears of a repeat time travel experience mount. Ronnie’s best friend Steph, along with her friend Nick and Steph’s younger brother Ian, shield Ronnie from the dangers of Frances but cannot save her from traveling back in time. Unfortunately, their meddling brings Ronnie to the brink of destruction as they are caught in the throes of the hurricane’s wrath.

Once again, Ronnie is transported to dangerous places and plagued with desperate situations, while experiencing perilous cultures including one of America’s first mysteries -- the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island. 

A stunning conclusion brings Ronnie face to face with a dangerous ally who may hold the key to her past while offering salvation for her future. 

Please check out my #1 Best Selling short story, Blow, on Amazon here: http://geni.us/guestblog. It has 4.9 out of 5 stars on Amazon.

Here is one short review: Action packed short story about the intensity of Hurricane Ivan. I was so immersed in the tale, I had to look up to check that my roof was still there once I had finished. Waters is a great story teller!

Please sign up for my newsletter on my website (kjwaters.com) and see my weekly sales and contests. I’m always offering ways to win copies of my books, and other special sneak peeks. I’m also offering a Goodread’s Giveaway here of my latest release – (Starts July 10) https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/11164130.K_J_Waters

Tips to Promote Your Book #OurAuthorGang

Picture credit: free image from Pixabay.com

Book Marketing: Three Tips to Promote Your Book(s)

Without Alienating Readers

By N.N. Light

You’ve just published a book. Congratulations! You’ve done something that many have tried and few have succeeded. Give yourself a pat on the back… then put on your thinking cap. It’s time for the next step: promoting your book.

Book promotion is something most authors dread. I get that and I’m here to help. Being an author myself, I know how overwhelming it is to sell and market your book. In today’s publishing market, both traditional and indie authors are expected to promote and be active on social media.

As my first post on A Small Gang of Authors I thought I’d share some book promotion tips with you today. Who am I? My name is Mrs. N and I’m one-half of the pen name N. N. Light (my husband is the other half). I am a social media marketer by trade and I have the social media reach of over forty-five million. I’ve been in the book industry for over twenty-six years and I specialize in matching books to readers. In addition, I’m the author of four books (with more on the way) and I firmly believe in authors helping authors succeed.

Below are my three tried-and-true tips to promoting your book(s) without alienating readers. The key to effective book promotion is to balance your selling of your wares with connecting with your followers/readers.

Tip #1:
Be a real live person. In the digital age, robots and automation are everywhere. Don’t be a talking billboard on social media. Don’t scream at the top of your lungs, “BUY MY BOOK! BUY MY BOOK! BUY MY BOOK!” Instead, connect with your followers and take an actual interest in their lives. Say hello and talk about things that interest you.

When I first joined Twitter, I had no followers. I started following people who shared similar interests. I soon had a following and made connections. I built a trust with my followers and laid a foundation that’s more valuable than money. Sure, it was a slow process but these same followers are still with me today.

Love to bake, shop, hunt, travel or another hobby? Talk about it online. Intersperse news about your writing and books with what you like to do in your free time. Your following will soon grow and readers will connect with you, the person.


Tip #2:
Pick three social media outlets and be consistent. Every day, a new social media outlet pops up. It’s hard to keep up. I mean, who has time to tweet, pin, facebook, tsu, post pics on Instagram, etc? I surely don’t. Readers want consistency so here’s my advice: pick three social media outlets that work for you. For me, it’s my blog, Twitter and Pinterest. I post to my blog every day (Monday through Friday), tweet 24/7 and add pins to my Pinterest boards at least once a week.

My followers know that if they want to connect with me, the first place they do it is Twitter. It’s my go-to platform and I’m always on there. I’m a social butterfly and I love how Twitter is like a global social club. I meet people from all over the world, get news I can’t get elsewhere and connect with people I’m interested in. I can share my thoughts on a topic without having to explain myself. If I have news to share (whether personal or professionally), it goes out to my followers and even strangers (when I use the right hashtags).

My blog is my secret weapon. Secret weapon? Yes! Every day, I create new content online and Google grabs it, sorts it and ranks it. Through SEO (Search Engine Optimization), I’m able to help Google get my writing into the hands of readers. Since I started blogging, my followers have sky-rocketed.

Authors underestimate how powerful a tool a blog can be. Not only can you have one place where you can promote your book(s), the more you write, the higher your blog gets ranked by Google. Think about it for a second. Every time you post something on your blog, your writing goes out into the world. If you post twice a week for a whole year, that’s 104 sales pitches for you as a writer and author.

Sales pitches? 

Yes, sales pitches. Each time you write a blog post, it’s a sales pitch for someone to read, secretly disguised as an inspirational thought, writing tip, recipe, book review, vacation memories, holiday remembrance, etc. Someone who’s never heard of you will run across your blog post and read your writing.

What happens next will be up to your writing. If your writing inspires/moves the reader, they’ll comment, follow your blog or even check out your book(s).

The best thing about using your blog to showcase your writing is that it’s absolutely free. It doesn’t cost you a thing and the results will astound you.

Remember one important thing about social media: be consistent. No matter what social media platform you use, be consistent. You don’t have to post every day like me. Find what works for you and do it. If it’s only once a week or once every two weeks, that’s fine. Just let your followers know what the schedule is so they’re in the loop. If they think you’ve abandoned them, they’ll leave and won’t come back.


Tip #3:
Use graphics in your promotion. Studies show that 76% more readers will click-through to check out your book(s) if a graphic/photo accompanies your blog posts/tweet/update. Readers are visual creatures and one way to pique their interest is to create a quote graphic.

Find a compelling quote that will draw readers in. Create a graphic using one of the many software applications available (Photoshop, Adobe, Canva, etc) and save it to your computer/device. I have a folder with all the graphics I’ve used for my books so it’s easy to post to Twitter/Pinterest/Blog.

I can’t stress this enough, use graphics in Twitter and on your blog. Trust me, you’ll get more readers intrigued with a visual aid than by saying you have a book for sale.

Readers will be more likely to buy your book(s) if you have established a connection and they trust you. I’ve built trust as an authentic author/blogger/reviewer and readers trust me when I tell them something is great.

I hope these tips have helped you to see that book promotion is not only essential but fun, too.  You’ve done the hard stuff, writing and publishing the book. Promotion is sharing your writing with the world while building your brand.

Sharing Time: What do you struggle with the most when it comes to book promotion? I’d love to hear from you. I’m happy to answer any and all questions, too. If you prefer, you can email me.

Author Bio: N.N. Light is the best-selling husband-wife writing team, commonly known as Mr. N and Mrs. N. Mrs. N. has been creating stories ever since she was little. Her grandfather remembers when she was two years old, she would stand at the top of the stairs and tell him a story filled with emotion (and in a language foreign to him) with her hands on her hips. Let’s just say she was a born storyteller.

They’re blissfully happy and love all things chocolate, books, music, movies, art, sports, trains, history, cooking and baking. Their mantra is to spread the Light.

Most of the time you can find them on Twitter or getting new ideas on how to spread the Light on Pinterest. They’re a proud member of ASMSG and Independent Author Network.

Subscribe to their author newsletter and you'll be eligible to win $5 Amazon gift card monthly:  http://ow.ly/jWec308TabL

In addition to being authors, they’re also book promoters/reviewers, social media marketers/influencers and the owners of N. N. Light Author Promotions. They both love books, have ever since they were young. Matching up books and readers is something that gives them great pleasure.

They’d love to connect with you either via email or via these various social media sites:
Website: http://princessofthelight.com
Newsletter: ow.ly/jWec308TabL
Blog: http://princessofthelight.wordpress.com
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/nnlight  
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/NNP_W_Light
Bookbub:  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/n-n-light
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/nnlight
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/n-n-light/90/1a7/902
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/118060034268079734144/posts
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/nnlight
Independent Author Network: http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/n-n-light.html

My Hometown, Sarospatak #OurAuthorGang

Sarospatak will always be my hometown

no matter where I choose to live.

by Erika M Szabo

http://www.authorerikamszabo.com

I grew up in this lovely historical town, Sárospatak, in northern Hungary of the Bodrog river valley.

The area has been inhabited since ancient times and Sárospatak was granted town status in 1201 by King Emeric. Today the town is a tourist attraction and an important cultural center.

http://ckg.hu/2013/06/27/sarospatak/

The Rakoczi var's ground was one of my favorite playgrounds when I was a kid. We played the wargame with my friends and defended the castle against the Habsburgs with toy swords and muskets.

 http://panoramio.com

The cultural center was beautifully rebuilt after I moved away. I have fond memories from my childhood researching in the library and enjoying the wide variety of programs in the theater.  

 http://sarospatakszeretlek.blogspot.com/

I found this picture of people relaxing in the cultural center's plaza. 

 https://www.programturizmus.hu/partner-vegardo-furdo-termalfurdo-gyogyfurdo-strand-elmenyfurdo-sarospatak.html

The waterpark is a major tourist attraction today. When I was a kid, there was only one pool where people relaxed in the hot thermal water that is known to ease arthritis pain. 

 http://sarospatak.hu/2017/06/04/szent-erzsebet-unnepe-kosztumos-felvonulassal/

There is a beautiful tradition every year when the town celebrates the patron saint, St. Erzsebet's life. People dress up in costumes and reenact Erzsebet's life from birth to her death.

 http://sarospatak.hu/2017/06/04/szent-erzsebet-unnepe-kosztumos-felvonulassal/

Hungarians have a special bond with horses and there is rarely a celebration without them.

http://sarospatak.hu/2015/12/04/mosolygo-arcok-fogadtak-a-lovas-mikulasokat/

Even Santa comes to town with the Krampuses on horseback.

The novella I published last year plays out in Sarospatak. Jayden, an archeologist from New York is fascinated by Hungarian history and participating in an important dig in Sarospatak. His sister, Emily, decides to spend her summer vacation from medical school in their grandmother's home and joins her brother. She meets her childhood playmate, Daniel, by coincidence or fate, at the airport. Daniel never forgot his first love and they rekindle their bond on the long flight to Budapest. Emily meets her excited brother and Jayden tells her that he found a leather book in his grandmother's secret room. the book was written in 426 by a shaman. Emily can read the ancient runes, and they learn about their family's curse. They also find out that the curse cast by their ancestor remains unbroken, it will bring tragedy and ruin their lives as it destroyed many of their ancestors' lives for centuries. Will they find the way to break the ancient curse? Could Emily find happiness with her childhood friend, Daniel?

Find this eBook in online stores:

EBOOK and PRINT

https://books2read.com/Unbroken-Curse-by-Erika-M-Szabo

Read a short excerpt:

Chapter 1

“Archaeology is the peeping Tom of the sciences. It is the sandbox of men who care not where they are going; they merely want to know where everyone else has been.” ~ Jim Bishop

cd

Megyer Mountain, Hungary

The archaeological site near an abandoned stone mill quarry in the mountains on the Northeast side of Hungary had been buzzing with activity for days. Archaeologists found 16th-century artifacts the year before, but when they restarted the site in the spring and dug deeper, they’d unearthed an ancient burial site in the eight-foot-deep layer. As the initial assessment estimated, this layer had been untouched since the 5th century.

The large space near the top of the mountain had been cleared from vegetation and two more pits started in the spring. The excited murmurs of the group of four archeology students working at the bottom of the largest, nine feet deep hole, sounded muffled by the mound of dirt piled neatly around the mouth of the pits.

The smaller hole was occupied by two students kneeling in the dirt, brushes, and fine chisels in their hands. They carefully scraped away the dirt layer by layer. Next to them laid out on a weathered tarp were weapons, jewelry, and everyday items from around the beginning of the 5th century.

Jayden, a young American archeologist worked in the third pit, alone. Although Helen, the lead archeologist, wanted everyone to concentrate on the two new holes they’d found the artifacts in, Jayden convinced her to let him try the abandoned pit again.

Helen, a plump, middle-aged woman in white cotton overall, stood by a table carefully labeling and documenting the artifacts. She pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped the sweat from her forehead. A strand of salt and pepper hair hung loosely tickling her nose, so she took off her hairband and pulled her hair into a tight bun.

Next to a large tent that housed the boxed artifacts ready to be transported to the museum, sat two men in foldup chairs wearing security guard uniforms. Bored out of their minds, they played cards keeping an eye on Helen. Standing with her back toward them, as soon as she moved, the guards hid the cards. If they’d be caught by the stern woman, they would say goodbye to their well-paying, cushy jobs.

The group had been working since dawn, knowing that it would be too hot to work after midday when they would be forced to take a break until around mid-afternoon.

The sound of the soft murmurs of the students and the relaxing chatter of animals coming from the bushes and trees had been broken by a lanky young student in a dusty overall. He ascended the stepladder from the largest hole and yelled out to the lead archeologist, his voice roaring, “Helen, you have to see this!”

Helen froze for a second, and then dropping her notepad and pen, she started running toward the pit. When she was near the mouth of the deep hole, her chest tightening by the sudden excitement and anticipation, asked, “What did you find?”

“Come down and see!” The student’s head disappeared as he hurried down the stepladder giving space for Helen to descend.

“Darn!” Helen exclaimed when her shaky leg missed the last step, but the young man broke her fall and steadied her on her feet. “Thanks,” she mumbled.

“Look!” One of the female students pointed at the horse's skull and shoulder poking halfway out of the soil. “Look at that beautiful headgear!” She looked up at Helen, beaming with joy.

“It’s magnificent!” Helen whispered. “The finest craftsmanship I’ve ever seen.” Crouching by the skull, she carefully ran her fingers through the dry, hardened leather. “The usage of gold and alloy of copper and zinc proves that this warrior had a funeral fit for a noble leader.” She quickly stood up as a realization hit her, and with a sweeping move of her arm, she barked out an order. “Everyone back away! There might be a human skeleton here as well. This is either the grave of a warrior’s favorite horse or a clan’s revered medicine woman who had been buried here with her horse. We must start clearing the dirt in a circle, from outward to inward.”

The four students complied and slowly moved away from the skeleton. They stood in a circle, their backs touching the wall of the pit. “How do you know?” one of them asked.

Helen stared at her confused students for a few seconds and then lowered her eyes back to the skull and began explaining, “According to Hun funerary customs of the 5th century, a male warrior had to be buried with his horse in an upright position, and the warrior sitting on his horse, upright. But because this horse was laid to rest on its side, it means that either buried alone or with a female medicine woman, who was also a warrior, sitting on its back, also laid on her side.” She stood by the horse skull calculating where the human skeleton should be, and grabbing a digging stick, she started scratching a wide circle into the packed dirt around the skeleton. “Okay, we’ll start removing the earth toward the middle of the circle, but very carefully!” she warned the students. “Let’s get to work!”

The group kneeled around the circle and carefully started the tedious work of scraping and brushing the packed dirt inch by inch and collecting the soil into small baskets. One of the students emptied the baskets into a large one with leather straps. He put the basket on his back and started climbing up on the stepladder. While pouring the dirt on top of the growing mound near the mouth of the pit, he waved and smiled at the guards.

Peter, the gangly, middle-aged guard waved back and stood up, shaking the numbness from his legs. “They must’ve found something,” he said to his stocky partner. “I’m gonna check it out. Helen seemed to be very excited when the student called her.”

“You go check it out, I’ll stay here to watch the tent,” Rowan said and pocketed the deck of cards.

 Peter walked to the largest pit and craning his neck, he peeked while planting his feet firmly on the ground. Some old bones. He thought. Good! I hope they’ll keep finding stuff for a long time to keep my job secure. Not interested in looking at bones, he straightened up with a grunt and started walking around the clearing. He peeked into the other pits and initiated small talk with the students. They weren’t interested in talking, so Peter continued his round.

On his way back to the tent, anger rose in his chest when he spotted his partner still sitting on the chair, but his head tilted to the side. “That fool fell asleep!” He mumbled and hurried over. Rowan was softly snoring. “Hey, wake up, man!” Peter said, keeping his voice down, he punched his partner’s shoulder.

“Uh, what? Nah! I ain’t sleeping. Just restin’ me eyes,” the balding man grunted with a heavy Irish accent, which he still couldn’t lose after twenty years of living in Hungary. He sat up straight and wiped spittle from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand.

Peter scolded him in a hushed voice, “If they catch you snoozing, you can say goodbye to this easy job.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Rowan mumbled. “They’re in the holes busy brushing dirt off of old stuff. And who would come up to this place to steal anything, anyway?” He stretched his hands over his head and let out a loud yawn before reclining once more on the fold-up chair with obvious intent to resume his slumber.

“Just keep your eyes open! I’m gonna drive down to the coffee shop to pick up the breakfast.”

“Okay, hurry up. I’m starving.”

Peter walked down the path between the thick bushes to the clearing where the archeology team parked their cars. Despite his promise, his porky partner’s chin dropped to his chest as soon as he was out of sight. I’ll just close me eyes for a moment, he thought. His breathing slowed as he fell asleep.

Continue reading:
https://books2read.com/Unbroken-Curse-by-Erika-M-Szabo

COMMENTS

Erika M Szabo

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly

 

I had a great childhood Rick :) We didn't have cellphones or games and I was allowed to watch TV only an hour a day. But in order to play war games, we had to know the history. Therefore, because we didn't have YouTube and Google either, we listened to old people's stories and read books. Maybe because of that, I daydreamed a lot and made up stories about heroic historical figures.

 

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Rick Haynes

1 year ago

 

 

I also had a great childhood, as you know. Thus, like you, Erika, I have the benefit of a vivid imagination.

Erika M Szabo via Google+

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly

 

My Hometown, Sarospatak #OurAuthorGang
Sarospatak will always be my hometown no matter where I choose to live. by Erika M Szabo http://www.authorerikamszabo.com I grew up in this lovely historical town, Sárospatak, in northern Hungary of the Bodrog river valley. The area has been inhabited since...

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Mary Anne Yarde

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly

 

I am really enjoying learning about Hungarian culture. Your pictures are beautiful!

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Erika M Szabo

1 year ago

 

 

Thank you Mary Anne :)

Eni T

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly

 

Loved it!

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Erika M Szabo

1 year ago

 

 

I'm glad you did Eniko :)

Grace Au

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly

 

Your Hungary looks amazing! Thank you for sharing the photos and your rich heritage with us!

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Erika M Szabo

1 year ago

 

 

My next post will be about Budapest with pictures of amazing historical buildings :)

Mackenzie Flohr

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly

 

Such beautiful pictures! I also enjoy learning about other cultures and history, so thank you for this post.

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Erika M Szabo

1 year ago

 

 

Glad you enjoyed it :)

Cristina Grau

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly

 

Great video. Your town looks gorgeous. I bet it was nice growing up in such a place.

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Erika M Szabo

1 year ago

 

 

Yes, it was :) I have lots of great memories

T.C. Rypel

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly

 

Delightful personal history, Erika, enhanced by all those breathtakingly beautiful pics and the tantalizing glimpse into "Cursed Bloodline," which I have to read!

We've discussed my own Central European roots (Poland), which factored heavily into my thrusting the samurai-Viking hero Gonji right into the Carpathian Mts., east of Buda and Pest, in my series' opening trilogy. All the research I pored over made me quite fond of the history and culture of this Vlad the Impaler territory. And all those wonderful native names transported me right back to my fictional dealings in the environs. You teleported my imagination to a place that I've always found haunting (right down to the wooden-spoon-spanking threats---did EVERY ethnic granny not hold a wooden spoon in reserve as a hedge against kids' misbehavior?!).

Kudos to you for this lovely posting and stirring text sample.

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Erika M Szabo

1 year ago

 

 

I can imagine how much research you did for your awesome series Ted :) Isn't it amazing how many contradictory "facts" we can find when doing research of historical events? For example, the great Hun King, Attila, is still depicted as a brute savage in many books and articles. In fact, he was an educated man and a great leader. Was Vlad III a monster, or a medieval ruler like any other? The world may never know for sure because of the many contradictory information we can find. Vlad's cruelty is well documented in historical texts, but what often goes overlooked is how he combined this cruelty with cunning to terrorize his enemies as it was customary in his time.

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T.C. Rypel

1 year ago

 

 

Yes! In my experience, the prevailing image of Attila, and historic Huns in general, is either: a) a complete misunderstanding of them ethnically---as if their "nomadic Asian-ness" saw them never evolve beyond their Genghis Khan/Mongol roots, over the centuries of European assimilation; or, b) a quick transition into stomping, faceless Germanic hordes who trampled Middle-Age Europe.

And Vlad is ALWAYS "Dracula" in popular mass conception. At one point in the Deathwind Trilogy, during a military planning meeting of the Vedunian rebels under Gonji, I have old wagoner Ignace Obradek break into senile exultation over how great it might be to have one-time protector Vlad the Impaler's help in freeing the territory from the invading sorcerous army.

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Lorraine Carey

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly

 

What an interesting town! I need to add this on my bucket list! So much culture here.
The beauty is how you weave this into your novels.

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Erika M Szabo

1 year ago

 

 

Better to stick with what we know :)

Lorraine Carey

1 year ago

 

 

Always a smart move.

Joe Bonadonna via Google+

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly

 

Today on A Small Group of Authors, Erika M Szabo talks about growing up in the Hungarian town of Sarospatak, shows us some wonderful pictures illustrating the culture and history of the town, and provides us with a wonderful excerpt from her novel, "Cursed Bloodline."
https://asmallgangofauthors.blogspot.com/2017/07/my-hometown-sarospatak-ourauthorgang.html

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Erika M Szabo

1 year ago

 

 

Thank you for sharing my post Joe :)

Joe Bonadonna

1 year ago

 

 

You're very welcome! Excellent post, too!

Joe Bonadonna

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly

 

What a wonderful and lovely town you grew up in, Erika. So full of culture and history. I think Rick Steves, on his PBS series, "Rick Steves' Europe," visited Sarospatak. Now I have an even clearer understanding of your love for horses. Great excerpt from your novel, and I loved the video, too!

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Erika M Szabo

1 year ago

 

 

I love the Rick Steves' series! But I missed the episode when he visited my hometown and it's not on his website. Maybe I can find it in the PBS archives. I bet he sampled some tasty food and the wedding pasties and cakes that the women of Sarospatak are famous for :)

Joe Bonadonna

1 year ago

 

 

I could be wrong about Steves' show. What triggered a memory was the pool where people go because it's good for their arthritis, and the horse pageantry. I know he's been to Hungary and that part of Europe. He's taken me to places I would never had heard of, otherwise. His tours are supposed to be excellent, if a bit expensive. We have Perillo Tours here in Chicago, which are very reasonably priced, but I think they only go to Italy and Sicily -- not even the Greek Islands!

Rick Haynes

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly

 

History is fascinating and your pictures, Erika, show some of your colourful heritage. I love the picture of The Rakoczi var's ground, what a place for children to run wild. Maybe that's where your vivid imagination came from?

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Enjoy some ancient music