Amber
Gifts
Prequel
Kevin
B. Henry
Genre: Fantasy, Time Travel,
Science Fiction, and History
Publisher: Burst/ Champagne
Books
Date of Publication: June 01,
2015
Word Count: 20,000
Formats available: eBook, PDF
Cover Artist: Ellie Smith
Book Description:
Mitchell didn't really believe
the story the Man told him, Just take a sip and speak a year. He whimsically
chose a historic event to witness. Little did he know he would become part of
that history. Faster than you can say Teithwyr Amser our man Mitchell is
chasing a bona fide assassin not only across America but across time.
Amber Prelude will require
Mitchell to travel from the America he knows to France and Africa. He will
travel to decades and centuries he is unfamiliar with. Mitchell will chase
authentic villains and make historic friends, all in an attempt to set history
back the way he remembers.
Excerpt
Chapter One
1963: New Mexico
It had started
simply. I uncapped the vial, drank the liquid, and spoke the year I had chosen
aloud. The room spun. I dissolved.
I anticipated
nothing happening. I began by sitting at the old wooden table feeling numb. My
expectations extended to looking for shelter the following morning. Maybe I
would move under a bridge for a short time; maybe I would do something much
worse to myself.
I’d experienced
severely morbid thoughts for months. Moving often transformed me. A nightmarish combination of a manic and
depressed person was all I had been until the vial. It continued for months,
and I expected it to continue forever. What I didn’t expect was a twisting
feeling in my chest and lower abdomen. It wasn’t painful, just an unusual
feeling. I didn’t expect the room to blur. I blinked several times, but it
wasn’t my eyes; the room was blurry. Soon the room ceased to exist.
I had not spent
long hours considering the year I would move to. I flippantly selected 1963. It
would give me almost ten years before my birth moment and I vanished from the
universe forever. The Man was specific about not existing past my birth moment.
It would give me a chance to see some of the most tumultuous years in America,
civil rights marches, hippies, the moon landing. My choice of year would give
me a chance to stand at Dealey Plaza and personally see if there was a second
shooter. It was a shallow choice, but it was the best I could come up with.
About
the Author:
From an early age, Kevin B. Henry
was a voracious reader. His collection of science fiction, fantasy and mystery
books bring tears of envy to the eyes of many small community libraries.
Kevin has worked as an educator,
technology specialist and day laborer most of his adult life. During all that
time he lived the life of a frustrated author. That it took 30 years for him to
piece together the series, Amber Gifts is a testament that the best meals need
slow cooking to bring out the flavor.
The Amber Gifts Series begins
with Amber Gifts. The second story, which is really the first, is Amber
Prelude, and is available now. The third story, Amber Legacy continues where
Amber Gifts left off. It will be available in November 2015. All are published
by the wonderful folks at the Champagne Book Group. A fourth story is in the
process of being written.
Kevin is a natural story teller,
so it’s logical that he lectures occasionally. Topics range from the
implementation of cutting edge technology hardware to the creation,
modification and use of e-books within education. He constantly pursues research
to expand his range of possible topics. His most recent research revolved
around the aerodynamic properties of reindeer. He’s also been known to include
little known facts and trivia within his presentations. Did you know just 146
years ago today the Union Army marched into Atlanta. It took longer than
anticipated. They were delayed by a traffic jam on I-75 and the toll booth on
Ga. 400
He continues to live in the
Mid-West without human or domesticated mammal companionship.
Blog/Wesbite: www.ambergifts.blogspot.com
Twitter: @Kevin_Henry
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AmberGifts
Interview
Where are you from?
I
grew up in the Pacific Northwest. I spent well over ten years living in
Northern Florida and South Carolina. Currently I live in the St. Louis area.
I’ve managed to live in all four time zones in the continental United States.
When I retire I may have to move to Alaska or Hawaii to complete the set.
Tell us your latest news?
This
is a very busy year for me. Amber Prelude
is being released now. Amber Legacy
will be released in November and I’m working on the fourth story in the series.
That is keeping me fairly busy on the writing front.
When and why did you begin writing?
I’ve
always been a storyteller. I tried writing other things early on but none of it
stuck long enough to be finished. I keep trying little things until eventually
I struck upon the story of Amber Gifts.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I
guess I always thought of myself as a writer, a frustrated non-published
writer. I really started calling myself an author or a writer when I was able
to go online and see one of my stories available from an actual publisher.
What inspired you to write your first book?
The
way I remember it, I was watching something on television about the 50s (the
1950s) where the men were all wearing hats, all black and white and grainy and
I thought how interesting it would be to go back to that time to see it for
real. I wondered how that might happen. Within an hour I had the outline for
the first chapter. The rest of the story just followed along.
Do you have a specific writing style?
I
don’t really feel I have a style. Maybe someone outside of my head would like
to correct me on that. I just don’t recognize a particular style. I know I
write fairly short pieces. I don’t go into page-long descriptions of what color
the sky is or what the ground looks like. I don’t drop f-bombs on every page.
That’s just a personal choice.
How did you come up with the title?
By
the time I had finished the first chapter the title of my first story had
presented itself to me. The most important prop in the story is an amber vial.
It’s given as a gift. That was easy. For my current release it is the prequel
story of Mitchell’s first trip though time, a prelude if you will. Amber Prelude seemed the most
appropriate.
Is there a message in your novel that you want
readers to grasp?
I try
not to do messages. They can so easily get misinterpreted. I write to
entertain. I write to amuse and I try to throw a little obscure information in
as well.
How much of the book is realistic?
Every
word is the truth. It all happened just as I’m telling it. Okay, not really. I
do include as much accurate history as I can in my stories. Bending that
history is where I really have the most fun writing.
Are experiences based on someone you know, or events
in your own life?
Not
really. I try to imagine the people I’m writing and guess what they might do or
how they might act. I haven’t really used any real people and only a couple of
real names. I warn everyone that I might put you in a story just to kill you
off. What was your name again?
What books have most influenced your life most?
I
read so much as I was growing up, Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke, Roger Zelazny,
Piers Anthony, John D. MacDonald. All of them influenced me in one-way or
another.
If you had to choose, which writer would you
consider a mentor?
Clarke
and Heinlein had the earliest influence on my reading. I’d consider them like
mentors or guides.
What book are you reading now?
I’m
currently between books for personal enjoyment. I’m waiting for the release of The Aeronaut's Windlass, the first book
in The Cinder Spires series by Jim Butcher. It should be out in the Fall.
Are there any new authors that have grasped your
interest?
I
loved the Odd Thomas series by Dean Koontz until the final book. I was
disappointed in how he ended the series. It was still very good writing. By far
my favorite thing to read is the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher. Every
time I read one of his books I know I need to ratchet up the quality my own
writing a whole lot more.
What are your current projects?
Beginning the edits for
Amber Legacy, continuing writing the
next Amber story (I wish I had a good title) and enjoying promoting my series.
It’s always fun to be a part of these great blogs.
What would you like my readers to know?
I
hope you enjoy my stories as much as I enjoyed writing them.
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