PUYB Author Talks: ⭐A Bookish Conversation with 'A Heart's Journey to Forgiveness: A Memoir' Terese Luikens⭐ #interview

 

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.

Hi Terese! I am so in awe of your book, A Heart's Journey to Forgiveness. You say that a picture perfect childhood it was not. Can you take us to the beginning? Where did you grow up and tell us a little about your family?

I grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska as the sixth of seven kids. The first eight years of my life were idyllic because although the household was chaotic, Dad was readily present. He was the one who tucked us in at night, read us bedtime stories and whose lap I sat on for comfort. But the older I grew, the more I discovered about his drinking and his depression.  

Did you ever have thoughts of running away?

I didn’t have any thoughts of running away, but in times of trouble I found quiet places where I could be alone such as in a neighborhood park or the public library. 

What was your school life like?

We moved for the first time just after I finished the second grade. Then again after I started the sixth grade and yet again in the middle of seventh grade. With so many moves in such a short time, I didn’t get the opportunity to make friends or find success in the classroom. By the time I was in high school, I thought about dropping out of school and just working full-time. But, my mother said that I needed to graduate and I did. Later, when I went to college, I enjoyed academics because my life had finally settled down.

How did you get out of your situation?

My dad ended his life by suicide when I was thirteen. For the next ten years I learned ways to survive by not depending on anyone but myself. Living independently and not relying on anyone except for myself caused me to be very lonely and eventually led me to nearly ending my own life. But, I didn’t. If you read my book, then you will find out what happened next. 

Did you ever learn how to trust again?

Trusting again was and is still sometimes difficult. But, without trusting others, relationships don’t happen. 

Did God play a big part in your healing?

God did play a big part in my healing and God has stayed involved in my everyday life. 

Looking back, was there anyone you could confide in?

Suicide is a tough topic to talk about. My mom was unable to help any of us through our grief because she became emotionally incapacitated after Dad’s death. Occasionally, I’d talk with my grandma who told me that someday I’d have to forgive my dad. At the time she said those words to me, they did not make much sense to my adolescent mind. It would be years later that those words came to my mind and I was able to forgive my dad.   

What would you like to say to your readers and fans about your book?

Even if you’ve never experienced the suicide of a loved one, I think you will be able to relate to the book on multiple levels; growing through insecurities, marriage, raising kids and what it’s like to keep walking by faith.

 

Inside the Book

Title: A Heart's Journey to Forgiveness: A Memoir

Author: Terese Luikens

Publication Date: November 3, 2022

Pages: 282

Genre: Memoir

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.

 

 

 

⭐Pump Up Your Book Virtual Book Tour Kick Off⭐The Shards of Lafayette: Drops of Glass Book 1 by Kenneth A. Baldwin #historicalfantasy

 

A combat pilot and his magically-inclined mechanic discover the limits of loyalty, love, and friendship when they’re tasked with tracking down magical artifacts popping up around WWI’s Western Front.

 

 

Title: The Shards of Lafayette: Drops of Glass Book 1

Author: Kenneth A. Baldwin

Pages: 380

Genre: Historical Fantasy

1918. France. Reports of unexplained rogue attacks have come in from both sides of the Western Front.

When Marcus Dewar is tasked with investigating the aerial bombardments, it’s not because of his aviation record. To make a name for himself, he will have to escort his best friend, a woman named Jane Turner known for her witchlike repairs on damaged aircraft, through some of the war’s most dangerous battle zones.

But when they learn the rogue pilots seek out arcane devices filled with magic powerful enough to alter the war, it will take more than some hedgewitch tactics and smart flying to return with their lives.

And in a conflict that values human life so little, that’s the least they have to lose.

The Shards of Lafayette: Drops of Glass Book 1 is available at Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Drops-Glass-Magic-Shards-Lafayette-ebook/dp/B0C42B144X .

 

Book Excerpt

“Are those Boelcke’s goggles?” Marcus asked. 

Smith nodded and took them off.

“I Convinced Mustermann to leave them here as a sign of good faith.” Smith’s eyes glossed with a peculiar sheen. He laughed to himself and whispered. “I’ll be damned, but they work.”

I stared, grasping now for the first time the importance of Smith’s experiment. 

“You watched the fight through the goggles?” I asked.

“Hardly thought to grab them when the bomber showed up, but I’m sure glad I did.”

Marcus squirmed beside me.

“What do you mean they work?” he asked, a trace of anger on the edge of his voice.

“I mean that while Private Whiskey pulled his risky spiral, it just so happened to coincide with the German’s bottom gun jamming.”

“How do you know?” Marcus stammered.

But we all knew, at least after the fact. The bloated pause before Lufbery opened fire—a gun jam would explain it. A flash of sympathy for the pilots raced through me. How they must have panicked when they realized…

“It’s just like Mustermann said,” Smith replied, tossing the goggles brusquely to Marcus. “There’s something inside of you that goes off. And as you believe it, the plane gets a bit of a glow to it. Like the glow of a Christmas tree from down the hall after too many drinks. Hazy like, almost blurry. It’s like you could swear someone was shining a blue flashlight on the jammed gun.”

I turned to Marcus. Part of me wanted to flaunt how I’d been right, that the magic was real, but the danger of the immediate situation cut the wind from my sails. Instead, I hoped he would at least see reason. He saw red.

“Luf downed that plane because he’s the best pilot we have.”

Smith raised his eyebrows.

“Best American pilot, you mean.”

“Best Allied pilot.”

“Not by the numbers,” Smith said flatly.

“Then forget the numbers,” Marcus spat back, his voice raising.

I furrowed my brow.

“Marcus, you have to start believing. Why else would the Germans send a bomber after Mustermann if not to keep him quiet? These goggles are important. This mission is important. They must be on to something.”

“On to what?” Marcus asked. He shook his head “What? Blue flyers and special goggles? Smith, what if this is all part of a larger cup and ball routine? If I were Ludendorff, one of my top priorities would be finding a way to make the other Allied commanders lose faith in General Pershing. Isn’t this type of goose chase exactly the thing to accomplish that?”

“You think the Germans would sacrifice a Gotha bomber in a show of pageantry? Have you lost your mind?” I asked incredulously.

“I appreciate the point you’re trying to make, Marcus. But like it or not, she’s right.” He looked at the goggles with a faraway frown. “It’s too many validations. I don’t know if those goggles are some kind of military innovation or if they’re the product of some devious enchantment or what, but they worked for me just now. Could it be that the Gotha had some type of technology synched up with these goggles to show me what I expected to see? Maybe. But that’s not technology our government has any idea how to replicate.” 

“But, sir—”

Sharp shouts from Dupont and Atkins cut short our conversation. Calls for help mixed with rudimentary commands in German.

“This day keeps getting better,” Smith said as he peered through the trees toward the wreckage. “The pilot survived.”

– Excerpted from The Shards of Lafayette: Drops of Glass Book 1 by Kenneth A. Baldwin, Eburnean Books, 2023. Reprinted with permission.

About the Author

 

Kenneth A. Baldwin writes stories that blur the lines between history, magic, dreams, and reality. He loves finding oddities in history books with unbelievable tales or unexplained phenomena. His first series, The Luella Winthrop Trilogy, takes place during just such a time when late 19th-century Victorians struggled to balance a surge of occultism and never-before-seen scientific advancements.

Before he started writing novels, Kenny paid his way through law school by writing, performing, and teaching humor. You can still catch him on stage or in corners of the Internet that feature sketch and improv comedy. Now, he lives nestled under the Wasatch Mountains with his wonderful wife, sons, and Golden Retriever.

Website & Social Media:

Website ➜ www.kennethabaldwin.com 

X ➜ http://www.x.com/kennethabaldwin 

Facebook ➜ www.facebook.com/kennethabaldwin 

Goodreads ➜ www.goodreads.com/kennethabaldwin  

 

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⭐Pump Up Your Book Virtual Book Tour Kick Off⭐Even Higher Than Everest by George Almond #historicalfiction #adventurefiction #biographicalfiction

 

The Dramatized Story of the First Flight Over the Himalayas

Title: Even Higher Than Everest

Author: George Almond

Pages: 274

Genre: Historical Fiction/Adventure Fiction/Biographical Fiction

EVEN HIGHER THAN EVEREST is a vastly entertaining, fact-based, yet dramatized story of a London cockney heiress who, in the 1930s, sent a small fleet of double winger biplanes on a daring and remarkably dangerous mission to fly over Mt. Everest and film the world’s highest and most famous mountain peak.

Author George Almond met the Himalayan heroes (Sherpa Tenzing and Lord Hunt), who explained how the first aerial photographs, taken in 1933, assisted their heroic ascent of Everest in 1953. Captivated by this dazzling and little known tale, the book - Even Higher than Everest - is a dramatized recount of the tenacity of the heiress Lucy Houston and her team of prestigious aviators whose five aircraft flew to the world's highest mountains.  A short 1930s film from footage of Houston’s flight, titled Wings Over Everest, won an Oscar in 1936 from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wings_Over_Everest 

Commenting on his work, author George Almond says: “Inspired by true events of that first flight over Everest, the novel Even Higher Than Everest follows skilled personnel in finance, diplomacy, media, filming, engineering and aviation, all aiming for a shared objective. How these characters blended successfully, overcoming constant setbacks and challenges, was in itself a major accomplishment. I have followed the truth, tweaking just a few elements, in recounting the event.”

PRAISE:

“Yay, George Almond! You DID it! You delivered a fine story- -and a fun story- -with your Higher Than Everest dramatization. I loved many aspects about this book. You had me on the edge of my seat with the actual flights over the Himalayas. I could SEE the mountains in my mind's eye and could feel the tension and the dangers they faced.” - Amazon (Marla Bray)

Even Higher Than Everest is available at Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Even-Higher-Than-Everest-Dramatised/dp/1782226249.

 

Book Excerpt

As he ducked back into his cockpit, out of the ripping blast of the slipstream, Blacker became aware of another problem. This, he realized, was not the best of times to be feeling drowsy. He quickly ran a check as a cramping sensation registered in his feet and he felt the lightheaded emptiness that implied a reduced flow of oxygen. Hadn’t they given him a foretaste in the bubble at Farnborough? And this felt alarmingly similar. He immediately scribbled a message to Clydesdale about the problem as the Westland fell into a sweeping downdraft. Lucy bucked up, then down, then up again, jumping like a feather in a gale. Blacker was forced to grab the cockpit coaming with each buck as the biplane floundered insanely.

But recovery came as Clydesdale activated the spare oxygen supply.

Blacker felt the revitalizing rush in his lungs before another fist of wind came charging down from the mountains. This blow punched the Westland, pushing her down several hundred feet in a single second while leaving his stomach far above. Blacker looked towards the front cockpit where Clydesdale sat, calm, stoic and fearless, looking out over the trembling wingtips as he surfed Lucy through each wave of the jet stream.

All the time, the turbo-charger lashed the 650 horse power of the Pegasus compelling it to fire on stubbornly, shoveling air over the wings while they closed on their target some ten miles ahead. But was it ten miles or five? It might have been one or two. Blacker found it difficult to estimate the distance because the terrain was so huge and dominant, so unexpectedly different and daunting at close quarters. He searched around for Mac’s Wallace and thought he saw the flash of wings in the distance.

Up here it looked like a fly lost in the atrium of a West End theatre. Blacker seized the Williamson P14 plate camera and began taking shots of Makalu. The mountain was hewn like a switchblade knife thrust into glacier arteries. He exposed several plates at Everest while the Westland rolled and pitched. He checked his belt and the line that kept him hooked within the cockpit. Bloody hell! Blacker grinned inside his oxygen mask.

This was going to be some ride!

Passing over the monstrous haft of Makalu, Blacker’s heart bypassed several beats. The altimeter was still stuck on 28,000 feet. The snow pip on the summit remained high above and they were closing on the most unforgiving surface imaginable at a groundspeed of 50 miles an hour.

Blacker bent down and heaved open the flaps of a trap door in his cabin floor, allowing more air to scythe up towards his mask and goggles. Now he was looking straight down onto the silvered shoulders and buttresses of the great mountain, all moving this way and that while Lucy danced in the air above. He took several photos and then shut the trapdoor to concentrate on the peak action.

Then as suddenly as the downdraft had begun, a reverse action set in. A surging up-draft helped Clydesdale coax Lucy’s nose up and up, pushing her towards the final gradients and cliffs of the dominant landmass.

Blacker repositioned his camera as Clydesdale drove the valiant biplane towards the snow-capped crest.

Seconds later, with the engine still thrusting against the elements, Lucy the Westland passed over the snowy peak of the great mountain with only a few hundred feet to spare. Clydesdale turned and raised his gloved hand.

Blacker waved back in unspoken triumph.

They had done it!

– Excerpted from Even Higher Than Everest by George Almond, Paragon Publishing, 2018. Reprinted with permission.

Watch the Trailer

https://youtu.be/DL0q16QHTnc 

About the Author

George Almond, the grandson of a Wyoming horse rancher, enjoys revisiting great adventures. Born in London and educated in France and Oxford University he has ridden horseback 1500 miles across Europe, worked for Calgary Stampede's Champion Chuck Wagon driver,  sailed two oceans with the world's most experienced square-rig sea captain, taken the Flying Scotsman steam train from Boston to Houston where he was hired by Neiman Marcus. These days Almond makes his home in Europe, working on other books, including one about Jack Rackham and his two lady pirates who formerly sailed the Caribbean, preying upon merchant vessels.

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PUYB Author Talks: ⭐A Bookish Conversation with 'AJ and the Incredible Fish' Paolo Mazzucato⭐ #AJandtheIncredibleFish #interview

 

Paolo Mazzucato is an American fiction author and screenwriter. He began his writing career as a Chicago playwright and award-winning student filmmaker before moving to Los Angeles where he won awards for screenwriting and scripted various projects for film and television. He is also the author of several children’s books including: “No One Mocks a Panda” (an Amazon #1 Best Seller, Feb. 2019), and “The Absolutely True Story of La Befana” (an Amazon Holiday Top 100 title). He is also the author of the fantasy/adventure novel, “The Gondoliers: The Secret Journals of Fanticulous Glim,” a “recommended” read by the US Review of Books.

Mazzucato’s new book will be launched on Sunday, September 22nd at the Orange County 
Children’s Book Festival in Costa Mesa, California. 

Find out more about the author on his website:  www.writer.mazzucato.org and follow him on his social media (Facebook, X and Instagram).

Before you started writing your book, what kind of research did you do to prepare yourself to write this?

I think research for a book, especially in fiction, is a constant and continual process. Little ideas that occur to you…themes that weave themselves into your day-to-day life…moments that you file away in memory, become the springboard for characters, scenes and stories. With AJ and the Incredible Fish, the characters are definitely fused from personalities and philosophies of people I have encountered in some form throughout my life. And while AJ’s adventure is certainly fantastical, the underlying purpose of each step in the journey relates in a very real way to steps that we each take in deciding what risks we are willing to chance and what path we choose to follow. The particulars of setting, of course, will help make a story feel authentic, and for that reason, I like to blend my created world with some aspect of the real world. AJ’s home and life in Maui stems from my spending time in that setting with extended family. While certain specifics are researched, most of the description that gives life to that place comes from first-hand experience of the town and rhythms you experience there. I did do a bit of traditional research when it came to the portions of the story at sea—terms and practical knowledge—because while those scenes are windswept in fantasy, they still need to have a foot firmly in a reality that makes sense.

Did you purposefully choose a distinct month to release your book?  Why?

I had heard that, ideally, the best time for a fantasy release is the beginning of summer, when school wraps up and people on vacation are ready to spend time with a fun adventure. That idea may still be valid, but maybe summer fun, these days, is more about outdoor activities.
Curling up with a good book may be more of a Winter holiday pursuit. So, launching AJ at the end of September at the Orange County Children’s Book Festival turned out to be a good option. Hopefully, kids and parents (and grandparents) will find the journey of AJ and his Grandpa to be a charming and even exciting prospect for their Winter break.

How did you choose your cover?

The collage of images from AJ’s adventure over an old world map of the seas was an image in my head even as I was still finishing the book. I had mocked up some art with character silhouettes over a compass and map early on, and when I met with an illustrator much later, I had very detailed ideas and compositions for the cover and each of the twenty-two chapter heading graphics and twenty-two chapter illustrations. I eventually forged ahead with the art, trying to recreate the cover and images from my mock-ups and from those in my head to best capture the fun and adventure of the story.

What's your opinion on giving your book away to sell other copies of your book?

As a writer, the goal is certainly to share your work with as many people as possible; however, you should never forget or dismiss the fact that it is, in fact, work. I was once told that work that is given away has been treated the same as work with no value. Now, giving some copies as a tool for marketing is a calculated expense, but that’s what it is, an expense that will hopefully generate interest among a wider audience.
I am not a fan of giving free things to people who just don’t think they should have to pay for anything.

What are some of the most important things you believe an author should do before their book is released?

After finishing, let it sit for a while; then, reread it. If you can allow yourself sometime to “forget” the story, then you might be able to see the parts that are unclear or that just don’t work. That, of course, leads to the next “important” thing you should do which is rewrite. If a chapter or section isn’t serving the story or the characters, cut it.
 

Save it in a separate file if you like, but streamline the story so that is doesn’t get bogged down in tangents that you once thought were entertaining but are, on the whole, irrelevant. Then let someone else read it, preferably not someone who just loves everything you do (grazie, Mamma). A critical, fresh eye will find more parts that don’t make sense or don’t further the story. Cut or rework those parts too.
Obviously correcting type-o’s and formatting errors goes without saying.
Then, when you are sure your story is the best you can make it…read it again, start to finish, several times. I guarantee you will stumble over another awkward phrase or mind-boggling type-o that you missed. Finally, after all that, create an Advance Review Copy (ARC) to get the ball rolling with some legitimate, professional reviews.

What are some of the most important things you believe an author should do after their book is released?

Unless you, as a writer, are also an expert in marketing, it helps to find someone else to champion or promote your book. Whether that’s an agent or manager or publicist, having a professional whose expertise will put your work in front of the right eyes and help it stand out in an otherwise crowded field, will make a big difference.

What would you like to say to your readers and fans about your book?

For me, AJ and the Incredible Fish is both epic and personal. The story is a flight of fantasy that takes the reader on a grand adventure full of strange, new places and peculiar characters; but at its heart, it is a tale of personal growth and discovery. AJ’s relationship to his new friend Livvy and especially to his Grandpa is just as much a journey as is their quest to find the incredible fish. I hope that young readers will enjoy the action-filled adventure while recognizing AJ’s hopes, doubts and uncertainties in themselves as well. And I hope older readers will see in the subtext, a story that is just as relevant for those of us who must continue to reach for the “extraordinary” in life, to see the “horizon beyond the waves.”

Inside the Book

Title: AJ and the Incredible Fish

Author: Paolo Mazzucato

Publication Date: September 10, 2024

Pages: 316

Genre: Fantasy Adventure (Tweens 9-14)

Could a fish hold the key to belief?

AJ and the Incredible Fishby Paolo Mazzucato is a captivating fantasy adventure that’s perfect for tweens aged 9-14, especially boys who love a blend of excitement and deeper meaning.

This story takes young readers on an unforgettable journey that blends the wonders of fantasy with the realities of growing up.
Eleven-year-old AJ is a relatable character who starts off skeptical of fairy tales and grand adventures, but when his Grandpa unexpectedly sets sail on a quest to find a legendary fish, AJ finds himself pulled into a world where anything is possible.

Alongside an eccentric girl named Livvy, AJ faces perilous challenges, encounters extraordinary characters, and discovers that the true adventure lies in believing in the impossible.

This book is more than just an adventure; it's a story about trust, courage, and the power of belief. It encourages young readers to embrace their imagination, face their fears, and understand that sometimes, the greatest treasures in life are the dreams we dare to chase.

Ideal for parents, teachers, and librarians seeking a fantasy fiction adventure that inspires and entertains.

Don’t miss out—let AJ’s journey spark imaginations!

AJ AND THE INCREDIBLE FISH is available in hardcover for $24.95 and in Paperback for $18.95. It can be found on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BepiBooks.com and other online book sellers. (and at the Orange County Children’s Book Festival, Sept. 22, 2024 https://www.kidsbookfestival.com/

BepiBooks: https://bepibooks.com/aj.html

Publication date: September 10, 2024; Publisher: Bepi Books 

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Paolo-Mazzucato/author/B07PHNMF53

Amazon Hard Cover Page: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1737989840?

AJ and the Incredible Fish — Hard Cover: 978-1-7379898-4-4; 316 pages, 24.95

AJ and the Incredible Fish — Paperback: 978-1-7379898-5-1, 316 pages, 18.95

Amazon Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/AJ-Incredible-Fish-Paolo-Mazzucato/dp/1737989859

⭐Pump Up Your Book Virtual Book Tour Kick Off⭐Battlefield Earth by L. Ron Hubbard #sciencefiction #scifi

 

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.

 

Title: Battlefield Earth

Author: L. Ron Hubbard

Pages: 1080

Genre: Science Fiction

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

 

Book Excerpt

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.

About the Author

 

 

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/

 

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