Vote today

Just two more weeks left; voting ends February 28. Click on the title of the posting and you will be taken to the Books in Sync video trailer contest. Vote for the one you feel is the best. The JGDS book trailer that Mr. Hughes worked so diligently on is #11. Tell everyone you know to come over and vote - thanks E :)

What a wonderful picture

Every once in a while my aunt (love you Aunt Lu) comes along and sends me something truly wonderful and amazing. This is one of those times.












FACTS:
Base to Shoulder: 150 feet
Right Arm: 340 feet
Widest part of arm holding torch: 12 1/2 f eet
Right thumb: 35 feet
Thickest part of body: 29 feet
Left hand length: 30 feet
Face: 60 feet
Nose: 21 feet
Longest spike of head piece: 70 feet
Torch and flame combined: 980 feet
Number of men in flame of torch: 12,000
Number of men in torch: 2,800
Number of men in right arm: 1,200
Number of men in body, head and balance of figure only: 2,000

Total men: 18,000


If you look at the picture you can see some very detailed areas in the formation. I'm amazed that they even thought of this back in the time of preparing for war. It would be interesting to find out how long it took them to form this and who would took the picture. Enjoy - E :)

Breakthrough author Stephen Tremp

What is your writing niche?

As a fictional author, my niche is weaving together theoretical physics with greed, murder and mayhem. I focus on Proposed Theories such as Einstein-Rosen Bridges (wormholes as they are commonly known), String Theory, Parallel Dimensions, Dark Energy, and Dark Matter among others. These proposed theories are the results of scientists, philosophers, and theologians trying to elegantly explain the universe we live in and our place in it, but have yet to be verified.

What direction are scientists and physicists moving in?

The overlapping proposed theory I am most interested in is the Theory of Everything. Even though Einstein's Theory of General Relativity (science of the very big like galaxies) and quantum mechanics (science of the very small like sub-atomic particles) are supported by rigorous and repeated empirical evidence and do not theoretically contradict one other, they are not compatible when scientists try to incorporate them within one cohesive model.

Many scientists today are seeking to discover a unified theory that would elegantly combine these two schools into one Theory of Everything. Easier said than done in a three-dimensional spatial universe (length, width, and height). However, what is amazing is when additional dimensions are added, like in String Theory, then many (not all) problems are elegantly reconciled.

I’m also following events at CERN and projects physicists are conducting using the Large Hadron Collider. Expectations are high, but we will have to wait and see what, if anything, they can measure when they smash sub-atomic particles traveling in opposite directions near the speed of light.

Why is this important? What’s wrong with living in a three dimension spatial universe?

The possibilities are seemingly endless. For example, would a unified theory need to take into account the spiritual realm. Throughout the history of mankind, most civilizations held the belief of a spiritual world that is more real than our own.

We do not really have any idea what else is out there, but there is no reason to believe that we are the only intelligent beings in the universe. That would be arrogant and asinine. There is no reason to believe that whatever else is out there will necessarily have to obey the same laws of physics that we do. Perhaps a unified theory of everything will need to take into consideration parallel dimensions beyond our currently accepted space-time continuum where angels and demons dwell and cross back and forth at will. This is entirely possible as we will see once we look at hyperspace in a future blog. This is indeed a very strange universe we live in.

Is there anything you stay away from?

What I avoid is writing stories set in the future, in outer space, or with people with pointy ears or green skin. BREAKTHROUGH is set right here on planet earth in Orange County, California and in metropolitan Boston. Although one could realistically place my genre as science fiction, I prefer to think of them as action thrillers since mankind could very well be on the cusp of making breakthrough discoveries in these areas in our lifetime.

I also have three taboos: I never use God’s name in vain, there are no F-bombs in my stories, and I will not exploit children to further the plot or make the villain more evil.

What kind of balance do you seek in your novels?

Lots of action balanced out with terrific character development. There is a lot of action in BREAKTHROUGH, including eleven murders, several action-packed fight scenes, and numerous other tense events. Character development provides an opportunity to take a break from the action. Also, I want the reader to form an affinity with the protagonist as well as his supporting cast.

Much of my time is spent researching locations in the setting. I use actual restaurants, night clubs, and Starbucks locations and include meals, wine and drinks off their menus. I use Google Earth, images off the Internet, and customer reviews to zero in on a particular establishment to better describe its physical makeup and ambience. I even visit the establishments and order what the characters eat and drink in the story.

What is your background?

I have a B.A. in information systems and an MBA degree in global management. I am currently completing his doctorate program in business administration. I have spent over ten years in consumer finance for some of the largest companies in the industry, holding numerous management positions. After many years of writing short stories and poems, I have taken the last two years to fulfill my lifelong passion: write and publish fictional thrillers. I have four more suspense thrillers to follow. I receive inspiration from some of my favorite authors: the Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child tandem, Dean Koontz, Dan Brown, and Stephen King, among others.

Book Description:

* Hardcover: 424 pages
* Publisher: iUniverse.com (December 31, 2008)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0595710700
* ISBN-13: 978-0595710706
* Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.5 inches

Readers can visit my blog site

Breakthrough can be purchased through traditional retailers. Currently, Barnes and Noble online has the lowest price and offers free shipping.

Barnes and Noble


P.S. Tour with VBT-Writers on the Move through February. New and famous authors, plus useful information.

Support your local library update #5

Finihsed Death at Devil's Bridge by Cynthia DeFelice, I think Sunday night. Returned those four libary books and checked out The Day the Music Died A Mystery by Ed Gorman. Started reading it last night but the writing seems very passive. (Yes my publisher will get me on that for my passive writing - lol). Of course the book was published in 1999 and a lot has changed in those 11 years. Maybe the further I read, the more I can connect with the characters and get into the mystery (we have a dead body, an apparent admission to killing her and a suicide so far - these incidents coincide to the timing of the news that Buddy Holly and Richie Valenz were killed in a plane crash but are totally unrelated incidents).

I hope the 6th graders are keeping up with their reading info and logging in books so they can get their prizes. More updates later - E :)

Book trailer up for Books in Sync contest

Voting starts today and will run through the month of February. I have posted my JGDS book trailer here. I'm #11. Click the title of this posting and you should be taken to the voting page. See you all in the postings. - E :)

Breakthrough author Stephen Tremp coming soon

My guest this month will be Stephen Tremp, author of the novel Breakthrough. Stop by on Monday, February 8th, and check out the interview with Stephen.

To tempt you:

Chase Manhattan, part of a new breed of modern-day discovery seekers, seeks to leave behind his life of danger and adventure and settle down as an associate professor of physics at University of California-Irvine and build a lasting relationship with a beautiful girl he has not seen since high school. Meanwhile, a group of graduate students from Massachusetts Institute of Technology have stolen a breakthrough in opening Einstein-Rosen Bridges, or wormholes, as they are commonly known, from renowned M.I.T. professor of physics Nicholas Fischer. Their goal is to assassinate any powerful politician and executive controlling the world’s banking system who would use this technology for their own greedy gain.

Within days, Chase uncovers the diabolical scheme and finds himself the one person who can prevent more murders and prove the innocence of Professor Fischer who is framed for the killings. As the death toll mounts, Chase and his friends must battle this group of ambitious graduate students on both coasts in a desperate race to control or destroy this breakthrough that threatens to drastically change life as we know it. However, once the M.I.T. group realizes Chase and his friends have the ability to thwart more killings, he soon finds himself in their crosshairs, the latest target on their list of assassinations.

For more information, visit Stephen's blog.