#NewRelease from @ScottTheWriter - The Children of the Seventh Son #HistoricalFantasy

I'm excited to share with you a dark excerpt from The Children of the Seventh Son, Book 2 in author Scott Bury's The Dark Age trilogy. Scott's new book is available on November 13, 2020 - pre-order on Amazon for the special price of 99 cents US to ensure delivery to your favorite reading device!

Scott is an incredibly versatile author, publishing books in multiple genres and for all ages. From books for kids to a memoir in novel form about his father-in-law's experiences in World Word II, to mysteries set in lush Hawaii and California's romantic wine country, to his historical fantasy trilogy, Scott offers something for everyone. Check out the excerpt from The Children of the Seventh Son below, and you'll discover why Scott is an author worth reading.

 

 

 

A conspiracy in victorious Rome

    What they saw, first, was a glorious troop of legionnaires bearing long spears, their armour shining, bristles on their helmets tall and proud, their scarlet cloaks bouncing in time with their steps.

 

    Behind them, the prisoners: dirty men in ragged, torn clothes, chained at the wrists and ankles, shoulders slumped, heads hanging, exhausted and defeated.

 

    “The Gepids,” Malleus said. “It is said that Priscus defeated them in four consecutive battles, killing thirty thousand, and bringing back eighteen thousand prisoners.”

 

    Javor’s mind whirled at the numbers. Thirty thousand dead? He tried to imagine thirty thousand dead bodies on a field, then pushed away the horrifying image. He concentrated on watching the parade of misery and pride. 

 

    Malleus leaned his head on Javor’s shoulder. His voice was low, soft, his words quick. “I am walking a very narrow path, my friend. The emperor understands how vital the Order’s support will be. And I mean the Order, the secret Gnostic Order, not the Order of St. Mary of Chalkoprateia.”

 

    Javor kept his eyes on the endless parade of ragged, chained men. 

 

    “That means that now, secrecy is more important than ever,” Malleus continued. No one else could hear them. Javor concentrated to make certain that he did not miss a word. 

    “That is because we must be seen to be working closely with the Church and the Patriarch in resisting, and defeating the enemies of Rome. But the position of the Orthodox Church of Rome has hardened against perceived heretics, outsiders and especially Gnostics.”

 

    “Then why work with them?” Javor asked, keeping his voice as low as Malleus’.

 

    “Because protecting civilization will require more than the Order and the Empire itself. Remember that Rome faces many enemies. The Sassanians. The Avars. The various barbarians that shattered the Western Empire. All civilizations, Roman and Sassanid, even the barbarians, must learn to resist the chthonic forces together, or we are lost. And I fear we will not find unity.”

 

    Prisoners continued to stream past, many stumbling, moving again only when whipped by the Legionnaires who marched, shining and proud along the edges of the Mese. Javor thought about Malleus’ words. “What about Gracian?”

 

    “Especially Gracian. Gracian comes from the Church. He is a believer in the decisions of the Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon. Which means he fervently rejects any deviation from the Orthodox doctrines.”

 

    “Then why have you made him your second-in-command?”

 

    “The Patriarch insisted. That is what I mean by a narrow path. I must be able to mobilize the full strength of the secret Order—such as you, Javor—in secret, without the knowledge of the Church, yet in coordination with it.

 

    “That means, Javor, that you and I will have to limit our direct communication. And you must never, never mention anything about the Order, Gnostic knowledge or anything about our true nature in Gracian’s presence. Do you understand?” 

 

    Javor nodded, feeling a tingle in his spine and a weight in his gut.

  

 

About this book

The Children of the Seventh Son is the second novel in the Dark Age series, which began with The Bones of the Earth.

 

The year 600 of the Christian Era is the darkest time of the Dark Age. Young Javor the Sklavene has settled in Constantinople, the last bastion of civilization against dark forces that have shattered the Western Roman Empire. 

 

Wielding two special weapons made from the Bones of the Earth, Javor has become the favourite monster-killer of the secret Gnostic Order. As his young family grows, he is sent to distant, exotic lands to eliminate threats and learn more about why the earth is intent on destroying humanity.

 

Every mission seems to bring more questions than answers—until he finds the greatest danger comes not from forces from beneath the surface of the world, but from the very civilization he has been defending.

 

Read more about The Dark Age series.

 
About the author

Scott Bury can’t stay in one genre. After a 20-year career in journalism, he turned to writing fiction. Sam, the Strawb Part, a children’s story, came out in 2011, with all the proceeds going to an autism charity. Next was a paranormal short story for grown-ups, Dark Clouds.

The Bones of the Earth, a historical fantasy, came out in 2012. It was followed in 2013 with One Shade of Red, an erotic romance.

He's written several mysteries and thrillers, including Torn Roots, Palm Trees & Snowflakes and Wildfire.

Scott’s articles have been published in newspapers and magazines in Canada, the US, UK and Australia.

He has two mighty sons, two pesky cats and a loving wife who puts up with a lot. He lives in Ottawa, Ontario.

Learn more about Scott on his:
•    Website
•    Blog
•    Facebook
•    Twitter

 

New #Mystery from @ScottTheWriter - WILDFIRE: A Wine Country Mystery #excerpt

I’m delighted to introduce a new mystery by my friend and bestselling author, Scott Bury! Scott's talent and creativity spans genres and generations - from books for kids to a memoir in novel form about his father-in-law's experiences in World World II.

His latest novel is WILDFIRE: A Wine Country Mystery.

Wildfires swept across California wine country in 2017, destroying thousands of homes and businesses, and killing dozens of people. Law school grad and single mother Tara Rezeck finds herself in the middle of the catastrophe. When she returns to her job at the most award-winning vineyard in Sonoma County, she finds her employer’s body in the ashes.

The question that challenges her brains and her legal training is: was it an accident? Or was his body burned to hide evidence of murder?

Check out the excerpt below to whet your appetite!

_________________________

WILDFIRE: Harassment

Mid-afternoon is typically a lull in a restaurant’s daily activities. The lunchtime crowd has left, and everything that can be prepared ahead of time for the supper crowd is complete.

Greg and Miguel stepped outside to smoke. Alex carried her book out to read in the foyer. From the kitchen window, Tara saw Antonio’s car driving out of the parking lot.

She jumped when a hand reached around her to place a tall stem glass on the counter. She turned to see Chef Donald almost nose-to-nose. She leaned back, and he lunged closer, picking up the glass before she knocked it over. He smiled and put the glass in her hand. He held another in his other hand. “Take it easy, there. It would be a shame to spill wine this good.”

“You startled me.”

“I didn’t mean to. I just thought you deserved a little glass of wine for your hard work today.”

What is this about? The chef who berates and belittles the rest of the staff is praising me?

“The sauce is especially good—almost as though I made it, myself,” he continued. He smiled even more. “Talented, and gorgeous, to boot. This is a trend that I hope Alan continues. Drink up.” He drank half his wine.

“Uh, is it ... I mean, are staff allowed to—”

“I run this kitchen. Staff do whatever I say.”

“Oh. Oooh—kay.”

Donald put his hand on the counter, bringing his face even closer to Tara’s. “Whatever I say.” His hand came up to her face then, to move a stray lock of hair away from her eyes. His touch was light and so gentle.

Now I know what this is about. She squirmed away from the trap between Donald and the counter. “Good to know. I have to do something on my break. Thanks for the wine.” She strode out the back door and forced herself not to walk too quickly to the guest house.

_________________________

WILDFIRE releases on March 22, and is available for pre-order on on Amazon (for Kindle e-readers) and Smashwords (for Kobo, Nook and other e-readers). You can read the first two chapters for free on Wattpad now!

Be sure to check out all of Scott's work on Amazon.

_________________________

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

After a 30-year career as a journalist and editor, Scott Bury turned to writing fiction with a children’s story, SAM, THE STRAWB PART, and a story that bridged the genres of paranormal occult fiction and espionage thriller: DARK CLOUDS. Since then, he has published 12 novels and novellas without regard to staying in any one genre.

In 2012, he published his first novel, the historical magic realism bestseller THE BONES OF THE EARTH. His next book, ONE SHADE OF RED, was a satire of a bestseller with a similar title.

From 2014 to 2017, he published the Eastern Front Trilogy, the true story of a Canadian drafted into the Soviet Red Army in 1941, and how he survived the Second World War: ARMY OF WORN SOLES, UNDER THE NAZI HEEL and WALKING OUT OF WAR.

Scott was invited to write for three Kindle Worlds, where authors base novellas on the fictional worlds of bestselling series. For Toby Neal’s Lei Crime Kindle World, he wrote TORN ROOTS, PALM TREES & SNOWFLAKES, DEAD MAN LYING and ECHOES.

For Russell Blake’s Jet Kindle World, he contributed JET: STEALTH, featuring the explosive duo of Van and LeBrun.

And for Emily Kimelman’s Sydney Rye Kindle World, he brought Van and LeBrun back for THE WIFE LINE and THE THREE-WAY.

Now, he is beginning a new mystery series with WILDFIRE, featuring the smart and passionate Tara Rezeck. Learn more about Scott and his writing on his website, ScottBuryAuthor.com.

UNDER THE NAZI HEEL - New #Historical #Fiction from Scott Bury (@ScottTheWriter)

New historical fiction release coming February 29 - UNDER THE NAZI HEEL by my friend Scott Bury!

UNDER THE NAZI HEEL is the second book in the Walking Out of War series, which is a memoir in novel form. The books are based on the experiences of Scott's father-in-law, Maurice Bury. From 1942 to 1944, Maurice Bury was a member of the Ukrainian underground resistance and fought against the German occupation of Ukraine.

Read on for a sneak peek of Book 2, and get a copy of Book 1, ARMY OF WORN SOLES, on Amazon.

UNDER THE NAZI HEEL
Walking Out of War, Book 2

About the Book

For Ukrainians in 1942, the occupying Germans were not the only enemy.

Maurice Bury was drafted into the Red Army just in time to be thrown against the invading Germans in 1941. Captured and starved in a POW camp, he escaped and made his way home to western Ukraine, where the Nazi occupiers pursued a policy of starving the locals to make more “living space” for Germans.

To protect his family, Maurice joins the secret resistance. He soon finds the Germans are not the only enemy. Maurice and his men are up against Soviet spies, the Polish Home Army and enemies even closer to home.

Experience this seldom seen phase of World War 2 through the eyes of a man who fought and survived Under the Nazi Heel.


UNDER THE NAZI HEEL
EXCERPT 4: RECRUITED

Komorski could not hope to keep his pathetic café warm. Ice built up around the windows and at the threshold, where the cold slithered under the door. Like the rest of the patrons, Maurice kept his hat and coat on as they sipped lightly tinted water and exchanged what little news they had. “My poor cows are suffering in this weather,” said one, when the door opened and a blast of winter air slapped Maurice’s cheek and threw newspapers off the tables. Hrech Zazulak, nearly swallowed by a fur coat and hat, stepped inside and struggled against the wind to pull the door closed again. He shook the snow off himself as he scanned the room. Apparently satisfied with the people he found in the café, he opened his coat and laid it over the back of a chair.

Out of the coat, Zazulak was a tall, thin man with thinning black hair and thick eyebrows. His cheeks were hollow and always covered with black stubble, no matter how recently he had shaved. The day that Maurice had returned home after nine months of fighting in the Red Army, and weeks starving in a German prison camp, Zazulak had tried to recruit Maurice into a secret underground struggle against the German occupation.

He reached inside the fur coat and took out a broadsheet. “Latest edition, boys.” He spread it across the nearest table—Free Ukraine, only two days old. “Fritz is taking heavy losses in Tula, and Ivan recaptured Klin to the north weeks ago.”

The men gathered around the newspaper, craning their necks to read about German losses across the front, about underdressed soldiers freezing to death. There was a story about a siege of Leningrad, starvation in the streets and cannibalism.

Germany and the USSR had frozen together in a death-grip. “Can you trust this?” Maurice asked Zazulak.

“More than Pravda or the shit the Germans spew out,” Zazulak said. “But Pravda corroborates the OUN. Read it well, boys, then burn it.”

Maurice scanned the rest of the paper as well as he could, sharing it with a half-dozen men. When he looked out the window, he felt a shock at how dark it was. He pulled his scarf up higher on his neck, waved a farewell to Komorski and stepped out, careful to push the door shut.

It opened again and Zazulak stepped out, grabbing for his hat when the wind tore it off his head. He followed Maurice down the road. “You were a member, before the war,” he said.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Maurice felt his pulse in his neck. “The Communists killed all of OUN in 1939.” He sped up, but walking against the wind, in snow half-way to his knees, made for slow going.

Zazulak put his hand on Maurice’s shoulder and stopped him. “The Soviets didn’t kill all of OUN, and neither have the Germans. And there are other organizations, too. Don’t worry, Maurice. I’m not here to betray you.”

“It’s too cold to stand here. If you want to talk to me, walk with me.” Maurice struggled through the snow, head down. The wind stung his face and snowflakes kept landing on his eyelashes.

“Ukraine needs men like you, Maurice,” Zazulak said, his voice muffled by his fur coat.

“What do you mean, men like me?” But he knew the answer.

“Men with military experience. Smart men. Able men.”

Maurice shivered and pulled his scarf over his nose. He tried to walk faster, but that just made his feet slip back with every step forward.

“Men are building an army for Ukraine,” Zazulak continued. “You’ve heard of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.”

“Never,” Maurice lied.


About the Author
Scott Bury just cannot stay in one genre.

After a three-decade career in journalism, his first published fiction was a children’s story, followed by an occult spy thriller. The Bones of the Earth, his first novel, crossed the boundaries between historical fiction and magic realism. He has also published spy thrillers and two police procedurals set in Hawaii.

Under the Nazi Heel is the sequel to Army of Worn Soles. They describe the real life experiences of Maurice Bury, a Canadian living in Ukraine during World War 2.


You can find Scott’s books and other writings at his website, The Written Word, and connect with him at:

•    His blog, Written Words
•    On Facebook at Scott Bury Author
•    His Amazon Author page
•    Or on Twitter @ScottTheWriter.

ARMY OF WORN SOLES by Scott Bury - #bookexcerpt and #giveaway @ScottTheWriter

Excerpt fifteen from Army of Worn Soles

The Army of Worn Soles launch blog tour continues! Read to the end for the clue that will help you win the Grand Prize of a signed paperback copy of Army of Worn Soles plus a $50 Amazon gift card. If you collect all the clues and put them in the right order, they’ll make a sentence. Send the sentence to the author (Scott Bury - see below for contact details) for a chance to win an autographed paperback copy of Army of Worn Soles plus a gift certificate from Amazon.

For a chance to enter the early-bird draw, enter the clue at the bottom of the post in the Comments section.

To see where the blog tour stops next, and to find the next clue, visit the author’s blog, Written Words.

Chapter 11: Fighting on the Dnipro

Central Ukraine, September 1941

Maurice and his men grew more and more nervous as the clouds approached the riverbank. By afternoon, they saw refugees approaching the bridges, streams of people on horse-drawn carts or on foot, a few rickety trucks. Behind them were the remnants of the 6th Army, mostly foot soldiers, a few battered tanks and hundreds of horse-drawn carts. From their vantage point, Maurice and his boys watched the sorry parade stream across the Dnipro bridges.

Then they heard the distant thunder of approaching war. And the Germans were upon them.

The airplanes were first. Maurice could never forget the buzzing sound of the Messerschmidts and the screaming Stuka bombers. They filled the sky, bombing and strafing, easily dodging Soviet anti-aircraft fire from the eastern riverbank. 

“Where are our planes?” someone yelled after a bomb shook the bunkers. 

There wasn’t a Soviet aircraft to be seen—just panic on the ground as the guards blocked the bridges. 

The Wehrmacht tore apart the ragged Soviet columns still on the western bank. Then Maurice and his men saw the dreaded Panzers. Some raced along the roads. Others crossed the deserted farmlands more slowly. It seemed only minutes before they were at the edge of the river, even though Maurice knew it had to have been hours. 

Charges under the bridges detonated before the Germans got there, stranding thousands of refugees.

“The idiots,” said Danylo, the lieutenant of the unit to Maurice’s right. “They should have waited until the first tanks were halfway across and taken some of them down.” 

But Maurice and everyone else knew that was too risky.

Behind them, the Soviet heavy artillery started firing. Maurice saw plumes of dust rising as the shells struck among the German tanks but never actually hit one.

Behind the tanks came the infantry in squat armoured cars, and horses hauling cannons and wagons. By nightfall, the Germans had dug in behind the riverbank, and even though the Soviets kept firing cannons and mortars at them, the Germans didn’t seem bothered. “They’re indestructible,” Private Yuri said. “We can’t even touch them.”

“Don’t be stupid,” Big Eugene said. He was a broad-shouldered youth who stood more than six feet tall. “Our gunners just have to get the range.”

“Well, they sure seem to be having trouble doing that,” Yuri said.

The Red Army settled into a new routine, hunkered down in the trenches during most of the day as each side’s artillery duelled. Sometimes, the riflemen would take long shots at their opponents, but never hit anything. Overhead, the cannons and mortars roared and coughed and below the bluff, the shells exploded among the trucks and tanks. Occasionally, they hit something, but usually did no more than send dirt high into the air.

The Germans’ heavy guns would answer, spitting death overhead to crash down behind them. Usually they missed, but sometimes they smashed apart stores of food or ammunition, sometimes ripping apart men and horses. Once, Maurice and his men rushed up the bank to help douse a fire burning close to an ammunition store.

Days dragged. Maurice and his unit spent as much time away from the trench as the officers would tolerate. They hid in the bunker, playing cards and smoking. While on duty, watching the enemy across the river, they felt useless. 

“Why don’t we attack them?” Corporal Orest said. “We’re doing nothing. We have the higher ground. We could destroy them.” 

“Let’s keep our heads down, Corporal,” Maurice said. “There’s no use in making ourselves into target practice for Fritz.” 

Or being cannon fodder for the Russians, he thought.

About the book:

 

1941: Their retreat across Ukraine wore their boots out—and they kept going. 

Three months after drafting him, the Soviet Red Army throws Maurice Bury, along with millions of other under-trained men, against the juggernaut of Nazi Germany's Operation Barbarossa, the assault on the USSR. 

Army of Worn Soles tells the true story of a Canadian who had to find in himself a way to keep himself alive—and the men who followed him.

It is available in e-book form exclusively on Amazon.

About the author:

Scott Bury is a journalist, editor and novelist based in Ottawa, Canada. He has written for magazines in Canada, the US, the UK and Australia. He is author of The Bones of the Earth, a fantasy set in the real time and place of eastern Europe of the sixth century; One Shade of Red, a humorous erotic romance;a children’s short story, Sam, the Strawb Part (proceeds of which are donated to an autism charity), and other stories.

Scott Bury lives in Ottawa with his lovely, supportive and long-suffering wife, two mighty sons and two pesky cats. He can be found online at www.writtenword.ca, on his blog, Written Words, on Amazon, on Twitter @ScottTheWriter, and on Facebook.

Today’s clue: sequel