Holiday sale! Kindle & paperback editions of award-winning mystery novel Secret of the Sands!

Just in time for the holiday season the trade paperback edition of our award-winning, bestselling archaeology adventure novel, Secret of the Sands is now on sale! The price has been reduced from $17.95 to $14.95! If you are a fellow bookaholic or know an avid reader in your circle of family & friends, especially ones who love a good mystery novel & are fascinated by ancient Egypt and the Great Sphinx of Giza we hope you'll add it to your list! It's also a great way to use those always fun to give & receive Amazon gift certificates :)

Here's the link:








A Prophecy was Told…

An ancient prophecy, thousands of years old, told of the coming of the Chosen one, but she will be both loved and feared, and some will stop at nothing to defy everything she represents

A Secret Long Buried…

A secret power that once proved too deadly, was hidden away deep beneath the sands of Egypt, only to be revealed by its sworn guardians when the time came that the knowledge would be safe

A Deadly Riddle is Unlocked…

Two young archaeologists fatefully unearth unusual artifacts dating over 12,000 years old. The exhilarating find however, is wrong - very wrong. The artifacts shouldn’t be there…they shouldn’t even exist at all

A Power Unleashed…

Now after remaining dormant for 12,000 years, the secret has been uncovered, and its true purpose suspected. What will be the greatest discovery in human history will either change us forever or destroy us for trying…


SECRET OF THE SANDS also makes a great stocking stuffer & provides hours of entertainment!

The brand new second edition on Amazon kindle is also on sale now for the low price of only $2.99:






Dive into an ancient mystery & go on an adventure in the sands of Egypt…

Happy Holidays to you & yours! May all your holiday dreams come true... :)

Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands




For 12,000 years a dark and deadly secret has been hidden deep below the Great Sphinx of Giza. In present day Egypt, a frightening, yet awe-inspiring story unravels as archaeologists race against time to decipher an ancient truth…




"A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion." -McNally Robinson

"Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction." -- Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy

Holiday sale! Award-winning mystery novel Secret of the Sands, now only $2.99!

Just in time for the holiday season - the second edition kindle version of our award-winning, bestselling archaeology adventure novel, Secret of the Sands is now on sale for the low price of only $2.99! Here's the link:

Secret of the Sands 2nd edition kindle - on sale for the holidays for only $2.99!





This is the brand-new second edition just launched! It's the same great story with an exciting new cover, to celebrate its newly expanded distribution. We are thrilled that the book is making its way into many more online stores!

If you have a kindle, or a kindle-loving reader in your circle of family & friends, especially ones who love a good mystery novel & are fascinated by ancient Egypt and the Great Sphinx of Giza we hope you'll add SECRET OF THE SANDS to your list!



A Prophecy was Told…

An ancient prophecy, thousands of years old, told of the coming of the Chosen one, but she will be both loved and feared, and some will stop at nothing to defy everything she represents

A Secret Long Buried…

A secret power that once proved too deadly, was hidden away deep beneath the sands of Egypt, only to be revealed by its sworn guardians when the time came that the knowledge would be safe

A Deadly Riddle is Unlocked…

Two young archaeologists fatefully unearth unusual artifacts dating over 12,000 years old. The exhilarating find however, is wrong - very wrong. The artifacts shouldn’t be there…they shouldn’t even exist at all

A Power Unleashed…

Now after remaining dormant for 12,000 years, the secret has been uncovered, and its true purpose suspected. What will be the greatest discovery in human history will either change us forever or destroy us for trying…






Now how irresistible is that for only $2.99?! Dive into an ancient mystery & go on an adventure in the sands of Egypt…

Happy Holidays to you & yours!

Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands




For 12,000 years a dark and deadly secret has been hidden deep below the Great Sphinx of Giza. In present day Egypt, a frightening, yet awe-inspiring story unravels as archaeologists race against time to decipher an ancient truth…





"A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion." -McNally Robinson

"Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction." -- Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy

Holiday sale! Award-winning mystery novel Secret of the Sands, now only $2.99!

Just in time for the holiday season for - the eBook edition of our award-winning, bestselling archaeology adventure novel, Secret of the Sands is now on sale for the low price of only $2.99! It's offered in multiple eBook formats on Smashwords for easy downloading. Here's the link:

Secret of the Sands - only $2.99 on Smashwords!




This is the brand-new second edition just launched! It's the same great story with an exciting new cover, to celebrate its newly expanded distribution. We are thrilled that the book is making its way into many more online stores!

If you have an eReader, or an eBook-loving reader in your circle of family & friends, especially ones who love a good mystery novel & are fascinated by ancient Egypt and the Great Sphinx of Giza we hope you'll add SECRET OF THE SANDS to your list!


A Prophecy was Told…

An ancient prophecy, thousands of years old, told of the coming of the Chosen one, but she will be both loved and feared, and some will stop at nothing to defy everything she represents

A Secret Long Buried…

A secret power that once proved too deadly, was hidden away deep beneath the sands of Egypt, only to be revealed by its sworn guardians when the time came that the knowledge would be safe

A Deadly Riddle is Unlocked…

Two young archaeologists fatefully unearth unusual artifacts dating over 12,000 years old. The exhilarating find however, is wrong - very wrong. The artifacts shouldn’t be there…they shouldn’t even exist at all

A Power Unleashed…

Now after remaining dormant for 12,000 years, the secret has been uncovered, and its true purpose suspected. What will be the greatest discovery in human history will either change us forever or destroy us for trying…





Now how irresistible is that for only $2.99?! Dive into an ancient mystery & go on an adventure in the sands of Egypt…

Happy Holidays to you & yours!


Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands




For 12,000 years a dark and deadly secret has been hidden deep below the Great Sphinx of Giza. In present day Egypt, a frightening, yet awe-inspiring story unravels as archaeologists race against time to decipher an ancient truth…





"A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion." -McNally Robinson

"Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction." -- Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy

P.S You can also find the first edition in trade paperback format:

It's live! The second edition of award-winning archaeology adventure novel Secret of the Sands

G'day everyone!

I wanted to pass along the news that we now have a second edition, of our award-winning mystery novel, SECRET OF THE SANDS. It is the same great story, with a spanky, new cover. The reason for the second edition is that we will branching the book out to many, many more markets. Here is the link:

Secret of the Sands second edition on kindle





If you haven't already read the original edition, (which is still available), I would be honored if you would give it a read :)

Happy reading always, kindle peeps!

Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands



For 12,000 years a dark and deadly secret has been hidden deep below the Great Sphinx of Giza. In present day Egypt, a frightening, yet awe-inspiring story unravels as archaeologists race against time to decipher an ancient truth...

"A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion." -McNally Robinson

"Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction." -- Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy

Happy to share our latest author feature with you!

Hi all,

I am very pleased to share our latest author feature on author Geri Ahearn's blog:

www.authorgeriahearnsbookreviews.blogspot.com



My sincere thanks to Geri for all of her hard work! She is a delightful lady. You can also find her on Facebook:

Geri Ahearn on Facebook

Be sure to subscribe to her blog to see all of the cool features she has.


Happy reading always!

Rai Aren, co-author of the award-winning mystery novel SECRET OF THE SANDS

Announcing the Second Edition of Secret of the Sands!

Hey book peeps,

For the last few weeks I have been working on putting together a new Second edition of our award-winning mystery novel SECRET OF THE SANDS. It's the same cool story, with a even cooler cover! Here it is:



The publishing process is underway to roll the book out across pretty much all online platforms. The first stop is Smashwords:

Secret of the Sands on Smashwords

Shortly, it should be included in their Premium Catalog, which will allow the book to be available in the following places in addition to the Smashwords catalog:

* Apple's iBookstore
* Barnes & Noble
* Sony
* Kobo
* Borders (powered by Kobo)
* the Diesel eBookstore
* Whitcoulls (New Zealand, powered by Kobo)

I am also working on getting it onto Amazon kindle. I will let you all know as soon as these processes are complete.

For all of our fans, who continue to write in to us to tell us how much they love the story, rest assured, we haven't changed anything there. It's just got a spanky new cover, which I think evokes the substance of the story even more. The second edition allows me to make the book available on many more platforms, and while I was considering that, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to reinvent the cover. I'm extremely excited about this, and totally thrilled with the result!

I also want to pass along my sincere thanks for the hard work & incredible talent of the two people who have been helping me put the second edition together:

* Cover: Gary Val Tenuta, one of the best graphic designers I've come across. Here's the link to his site if you would like to tap his talents:

GVTgrafix: www.bookcoversandvideos.webs.com

* eBook formatting & design: Greg Banks @ BDDesign LLC, he really knows his stuff!: www.bddesignonline.com

Both of these guys are talented, professional & fantastic to work with. Highly recommended!

I will be updating our website and all of my online profiles to reflect the new images. I will also provide links as I get them to all of the great retailers where the book can be found. I may also consider a print edition with the new cover at some point. The first edition print & eBook will remain available in all of the current places.

I hope you like the new cover! I am over the moon about it... :)

Happy reading always, my friends!

Rai Aren, co-author of the award-winning mystery novel SECRET OF THE SANDS

New lower price for award-winning archaeology adventure novel SECRET OF THE SANDS! Only $4.99!

Hi valued readers, friends & fans,

I wanted to share our latest happy news for our adventure novel, Secret of the Sands. Our publisher, Bristlecone Pine Press, has graciously agreed to lower the price of our Amazon kindle edition to $4.99 (from $6.99). It was very important to me to have our novel be affordable & accessible to all of our interested readers. If you have a kindle, or use the (free!!) kindle apps for PC & Mac, I hope you will consider adding our book to your virtual shelves :)

Happy reading always!!

Rai Aren, co-author of the award-winning mystery novel SECRET OF THE SANDS

For 12,000 years a dark and deadly secret has been hidden deep below the Great Sphinx of Giza. In present day Egypt, a frightening, yet awe-inspiring story unravels as archaeologists race against time to decipher an ancient truth...

"A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion." -McNally Robinson

"Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction." -- Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy

Coming soon - a series of cool & jazzy announcements!

Hey friends, fans, and followers,

I wanted to let you know that starting soon and carrying on throughout the holiday season, I will be making a series of announcements related to our award-winning adventure novel, Secret of the Sands.



I've got a variety of cool things in store, and wherever we connect online, you will see the news as it happens :)

Stay tuned & happy reading always!

Rai Aren, co-author of the award-winning mystery novel SECRET OF THE SANDS

Short story review- A Bite Out of Time

Hey peeps,

I don't usually review short stories, but this one was irresistable! It's called A Bite Out of Time, by a very cool author, Gary Val Tenuta, who wrote The Ezekiel Code. Here's my review:

5-stars: A lively short with a superb twist!

This is a fun, sexy, entertaining short story brimming with danger as the main character enters the night-time predatory world of vampires and experiences the high cost of the vampire life - the years that go on and the loneliness and isolation that ensues.

My favorite aspect of the story is the limousine service. I don't want to say too much and give away the story, but what a cool, slick concept it is. It really got me thinking if such a thing existed, what if anything, would I want to do with it? Does fate exist? Are certain outcomes inescapable? I love stories that have a powerful hook like that, that get you looking inwards, imagining possibilities for your own life. Clever storytelling!

At the end of the story is an introduction to the author's novel The Ezekiel Code - which is truly an unforgettable read. I loved it.

For a mere $0.99, A Bite Out of Time provides you with more than a bite of great entertainment. I'd read a longer version of it in a heartbeat.




Happy reading always!


Rai Aren, co-author of the award-winning mystery novel SECRET OF THE SANDS

DRACULAS - a *vewe scary* Halloween read!

Hey there avid readers,

I'd like to share my latest book review - a horror novel, DRACULAS. It's good timing with Halloween on the way. You can download teaser chapters (the first 50 pages) for FREE (!!) here:

DRACULAS teaser chapters FREE on kindle








Here's the description:

A DYING MAN'S GREATEST TREASURE...

Mortimer Moorecook, retired Wall Street raider, avid collector, is losing his fight against cancer. With weeks to live, a package arrives at the door of his hillside mansion--an artifact he paid millions for...a hominoid skull with elongated teeth, discovered in a farmer's field in the Romanian countryside. With Shanna, his beautiful research assistant looking on, he sinks the skull's razor sharp fangs into his neck, and immediately goes into convulsions.

OPENS THE DOOR TO AN ANCIENT EVIL...

A rural hospital. A slow night in the ER. Until Moorecook arrives strapped to a gurney, where he promptly codes and dies.

WHERE DEATH IS JUST THE BEGINNING.

Four well-known horror authors pool their penchants for scares and thrills, and tackle one of the greatest of all legends, with each writer creating a unique character and following them through a vampire outbreak in a secluded hospital.

The goal was simple: write the most intense novel they possibly could.

Which they did.



Here's my review:

5-stars: A very bloody good time!

Want to get in the mood for Halloween? Get this book! DRACULAS is a crazy, no-holds-barred, totally over-the-top good time! It's a horror novel that delivers grotesque terror after grotesque terror at an unrelenting pace, yet it's also got humor galore. It's definitely not for the squeamish, but horror fans will delight - the gore-fest never wanes and there is a wild dose of insanity mixed in for flavor. As one of the authors (Joe) sez in the bonus content: it's a "balls-to-the-wall monster book" - oh yeah, it is!

This was co-written by four authors, and yet the voice is perfectly consistent the entire way through. Kudos!  It's also got a great ending that leaves the door wide open for a sequel. I'd love to see where else they can take this story, there are tons of tantalizing possibilities that I hope the authors fully explore down the road.

The bonus content was very interesting, entertaining & content-rich. I loved reading about the creative process and the (disturbed) minds behind this ;) They're a funny bunch! This gets me excited for future kindle releases that will continue to break the standard book mold. There are short stories, alternate endings, deleted scenes, excerpts from other novels, and a 'making-of' section. This book gives the reader a ton of bang for their buck! Sign me up for DRACULAS 2, WEREWOLVES & MUMMIES - can't wait!!

Note: my review is based on the complete novel.

Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands


This is a unique vampire tale co-written by the following four authors:

F. PAUL WILSON is an award-winning, NY Times bestselling novelist whose work spans horror, adventure, medical thrillers, science fiction, young adult, and virtually everything between. He is best known as the author of THE KEEP and creator of the urban mercenary Repairman Jack.

JACK KILBORN is a pen name of J.A. Konrath, who has written six Jack Daniels thrillers. The seventh, SHAKEN, will be available October 27. Kilborn is the author of AFRAID, ENDURANCE, TRAPPED, and SERIAL UNCUT, (written with Blake Crouch) which has been downloaded more than 250,000 times.

JEFF STRAND is the Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of such novels as PRESSURE, DWELLER, GRAVEROBBERS WANTED (NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY), BENJAMIN'S PARASITE, and THE SINISTER MR. CORPSE. His secret shame is SUCKERS, co-written with J.A. Konrath.

BLAKE CROUCH is the author of four thrillers, DESERT PLACES, LOCKED DOORS, ABANDON, and SNOWBOUND, all published by St. Martin's Press. His short fiction has appeared in Ellery Queen, THRILLER 2, and other anthologies.



The complete novel will be released Oct.19th, 2010, just in time for Halloween & it's a steal of a deal at only $2.99:

DRACULAS (A Novel of Terror)


Read on my friends!

Rai Aren, co-author of the award-winning mystery novel SECRET OF THE SANDS

My latest book review: The Atlantis Revelation by Thomas Greanias

I would like to share my latest book review with you folks. As I've mentioned, I like to pass along the word about books that I really enjoy. I also post my reviews on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, LibraryThing, and in my MySpace blog. You'll notice that the reviews I post are pretty much all 4 or 5-star reviews, that's because I only like to publicly review things that I really like, I don't want to poo-poo something that other people might enjoy just because it happens to not be my taste, preferred style, etc. There's enough negativity out in the world, I don't want to add to it & hurt other people's creative efforts. If I don't like something I just don't say anything. That's just me :)

So, let's carry on to the latest: The Atlantis Revelation, by Thomas Greanias:

5-stars: The Atlantis Revelation caps a very entertaining trilogy

I was already a fan of Thomas' previous two books, Raising Atlantis & The Atlantis Prophecy - both of those were rollicking fun, totally entertaining, and a great way to escape on intriguing adventures for a few reading hours. I am happy to say that 'The Atlantis Revelation is a worthy successor in the Atlantis trilogy. It is smart, well-researched, has loads of action, and presents fascinating concepts that kept me interested the whole way through. It takes the reader on a whirlwind journey to interesting places - from Corfu & the Calypso Deep to Azerbaijan to Rhodes to Jerusalem and more.

Mr. Greanias is a talented thriller author who never disappoints. His characters are well-fleshed out & jump off the page with life. His storytelling skills are solid. I have read thrillers and adventure novels where authors got so engrossed in the details of place and technology that they let the story drop, drag, and sometimes nearly evaporate. A thriller needs to be fast-paced with enough detail to make the setting come alive for the reader, but always keeping the story strong and at the forefront of the reader's attention. Thomas strikes that balance perfectly. You can rest assured when you pick up any of the books in the Atlantis trilogy that you will be turning pages super fast.

Great entertainment, highly recommended!

Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands

Rai's new interview on Kent Holloway Online

Hey everyone,

I was fortunate to be invited for an author interview and feature for our archaeology adventure novel, SECRET OF THE SANDS, on publisher/author/real-life CSI Kent Holloway's blog. Kent gave me a very warm & fun introduction & it was a great interview. I thoroughly enjoyed myself! I'm also honored to be in such great company, previous features have included authors Steve Perry (of Indiana Jones & Star Wars fame!), Scott Sigler, Jim Butcher, Steven Saville, Sean Ellis, David Sakmyster, Kristina Schram, Rick Chesler, Stacey Kennedy, amongst many others. My tbr pile certainly grew checking out all of these interesting features! Here's the link:

http://kenthollowayonline.blogspot.com/

I invite you to stop by & have a read. Feel free to leave a comment, too, for myself, Kent, or any of the other authors, we'd love to hear from you :)

My thanks to Kent for his hard work and efforts! Kent is the author of Primal Thirst, a "spine-chilling suspense" novel. It's on my list!

Happy reading always!

Rai Aren, co-author of the award-winning mystery novel SECRET OF THE SANDS

Secret of the Sands - award-winning adventure novel climbs higher on the Bestseller lists & is now also available in the UK!

Hi fellow book peeps,

Like a proud parent, I wanted to share a couple of cool news items about our adventure novel Secret of the Sands. For the last several months, the novel has been a consistent feature on the Historical Fiction Bestseller list for Amazon kindle, and today I noticed that we have reached one of our highest positions on the list - #29, and we are now appearing on a second Bestseller list for kindle - "Genre Fiction, Historical". That is really thrilling!! We are deeply grateful to all of our readers!! Here is a screen shot of our proud moment, of which I'm all aglow :)



This is doubly wonderful news, because our terrific publisher, Maine Desk/Bristlecone Pine Press, has just recently made the ebook edition available in the UK as well. We are so jazzed to be branching out around the world. Here is a link:

Secret of the Sands adventure novel - Amazon kindle UK

Secret of the Sands is actually a multi-genre novel, suitable for young adult to adult audiences. It is a mix of adventure, mystery, suspense, action, alternative historical fiction & speculative sci-fi (the kind of story that is catnip to me!). It has both light-hearted aspects, as well as serious moments and events. The description that sums it up is that the book is a little Indiana Jones meets The Mummy meets National Treasure.

From the back cover:

A Prophecy was Told…

An ancient prophecy, thousands of years old, told of the coming of the Chosen one, but she will be both loved and feared, and some will stop at nothing to defy everything she represents.

A Secret Long Buried…

A secret power that once proved too deadly, was hidden away deep beneath the sands of Egypt, only to be revealed by its sworn guardians when the time came that the knowledge would be safe.

A Deadly Riddle is Unlocked…

Two young archaeologists fatefully unearth unusual artifacts dating over 12,000 years old. The exhilarating find however, is wrong - very wrong. The artifacts shouldn’t be there…they shouldn’t even exist at all.

A Power Unleashed…

Now after remaining dormant for 12,000 years, the secret has been uncovered, and its true purpose suspected. What will be the greatest discovery in human history will either change us forever or destroy us for trying…






Happy reading always my friends! Thank-you once again to our readers - you mean the world to us!!!

Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands

Rai Aren

Author

Secret of the Sands

Read Now - http://bit.ly/15WZUp

Twitter - @raiaren

Book review: Pyramid, by Tom Martin

Good day friends,

I do like to take note of books that I enjoy, so here is my latest book review. It's on the novel, Pyramid, by Tom Martin:




Ancient wonders are the draw

This book had me hooked by the plot - an ancient mystery with dire warnings for the present, the settings - Peru & Egypt, and the genre - archaeological adventure/thriller. I have always been fascinated by ancient Egypt, so it was irresistible! I found Pyramid to be an easy read, fairly engaging, and enjoyable. The settings and sense of place were well done. I especially liked the focus on ancient history and mythology - those aspects of the story were fascinating.

I would have liked more follow-through for the book's antagonists and their mission, which started off strong, more impetus for the main characters to do what they were doing and for them to have made a bigger impact on the story's ending. Though they chased around the world (spending a lot of money on flights without specific aims), they didn't actually accomplish or affect much and the ending wasn't as strong as it could have been. I did like the main characters however and the pacing of the book was good.

Overall, I found Pyramid to be an entertaining read with a lot of interesting information presented. That for me was the book's strongest feature, so if you're like me and enjoy being entertained by ancient mysteries in an adventure setting, it's a good read. I liked it enough that I look forward to reading Tom Martin's next book, Kingdom:



Happy reading always my friends!

Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands

Join me on Goodreads this Friday, June 25th for a Q&A on I Love Canadian Authors!

Hi there fellow book enthusiasts,

As I have mentioned many times, Goodreads is one of my favorite sites. I am also proud to be a member of the Goodreads group "I Love Canadian Authors" & was honored to be invited to participate in their Author Q&A. My turn is this Friday, June 25th, and I will be available to answer questions throughout the day.

Here is the link to the group on Goodreads:

I Love Canadian Authors group

And here is the link to the Author Q&A thread:

Author Q&A

I am following on the heels of some very cool authors, so do stop by & check out the previous Q&A's - there's lots of interesting things being asked & shared.

Of course, like many of the other participants, I will keep an eye on my thread after my day and respond to addition questions that come in. If you are not already a Goodreads member, but books are an important part of your life, I encourage you to join!

I am looking forward to this & thank the moderators of the "I Love Canadian Authors" group very much for this opportunity. Talk to you soon!

Rai Aren, co-author of the award-winning mystery novel SECRET OF THE SANDS

Secret of the Sands - Bestseller for Historical Fiction!

Good day!

I wanted to share our cool news - our award-winning mystery novel Secret of the Sands has been on the Amazon kindle BESTSELLER list for Historical Fiction for the last several weeks. Whoohoo!! We have our awesome readers to thank for that!

Currently, we are at #75, here's a screen shot:




We are so very grateful for each & every reader. We love to entertain you! I also want to pass along to our fans who take the time to write in to tell us how much they enjoyed Secret of the Sands - that gives us big, huge warm fuzzies every time :)

Rai Aren, co-author of the award-winning mystery novel SECRET OF THE SANDS

Interview with Rai Aren on thriller author Sean Ellis' site

G'day peeps,

I wanted to pass along a link to my latest interview. We talk about our award-winning, bestselling adventure novel Secret of the Sands, its upcoming sequel, Destiny of the Sands, and more. I was honored to be invited as a guest on thriller author Sean Ellis' website. Sean is the author of The Shroud of Heaven. Other authors he has featured are Kent Holloway, Nicholas Boving, Steven Savile, Paul Byers, David Wood, Barry Reese, and Craig Smith. I am delighted to be in their company. Their interviews/features are all worthy and entertaining reads. I encourage you to check them all out while you're there. Here is the link:

Sean Ellis - "Authors You Need to Read!"




I thought I would also share a link to Sean's novel, I've ordered my copy and I am looking very forward to reading it:

The Shroud of Heaven on sale on Amazon


My sincere thanks to Sean for the opportunity to be a guest author on his site! Thanks for your time & happy reading always :)

Rai Aren, co-author of the award-winning adventure novel SECRET OF THE SANDS

Celebrating Secret of the Sands' BESTSELLER status for Historical Fiction!!

Hi friends & fellow readers,

I was doing my dance of joy this week as Secret of the Sands kindle edition spent a couple of days on Amazon's BESTSELLER list for Historical Fiction, reaching at least #78. That is a huge honor for us & I want to pass along our sincere thanks to our readers - you're everything to us!

I'll take a moment to show off the screen shot of our super-cool bestselling standing:



Yippee!! Here is the link to the kindle edition:

Secret of the Sands kindle edition

Our readers rock!

Happy reading always my friends :)

Rai Aren, co-author of the award-winning mystery novel SECRET OF THE SANDS

Come & check out Book Town

Hi fellow authors,

I wanted to pass the word along about one of the very cool ning sites out there. It's called Book Town and here is their mission statement:

"The social network that brings writers, readers & artists together. From novels to short stories Book Town is the place to promote your work."

The site has discussion forums, a bookstore, groups, various resources organized by genre, and more. We all have many choices in our social networking, and with some sites, it can be challenging to find places within that are on point with your needs and goals. Book Town makes a great addition to your social networking activities if you are interested in writing, reading, or are an artist.

Here is a link to the site:

http://booktown.ning.com/

and here is a little more info on what they are about:

"Book Town was built to provide a social network that brings writers of novels, graphic novels, short stories, poems, quotes, and artist together to:

* Provide assistance to the novice writer by building a network of accomplished authors who are willing to give pointers and advice to beginners in need of assistance.

* Gain additional exposure for authors to promote their projects by way of book sales, video trailers, contest, and by posting appearances in book fairs, book signings, radio and TV appearances."


Also, as many of you know, the free ning sites are no longer, but Book Town is not one of them, so you can rest assured your profile will remain. I have been a member since shortly after their inception and there are lots of cool peeps there to engage with & learn from. If you are an author, they are also offering opportunities for FREE promotion, including author features & a Book of the Week program. Sign up & check it out! Do befriend me there, too :)

Rai Aren, co-author of the award-winning mystery novel SECRET OF THE SANDS

Book review: 5-stars for Knight Eternal, by Glenn G. Thater

Knight Eternal

Here is another of my most recent book reviews, also posted on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Knight Eternal, the follow up book to Harbinger of Doom (made up of two stories, The Gateway & The Fallen Angle) was a most excellent read by author Glenn G. Thater. If you are a fan of fantasy stories, this one - in fact all of Glenn's books - are for you.




Here is a description of the story:

"In Knight Eternal, Glenn G. Thater transports us to an age of high adventure where knights battle supernatural creatures, political intrigues abound, ancient fiends lurk in the mist, and the line between good and evil is all too thin. This next volume in the epic Harbinger of Doom series is certain to delight fantasy fans everywhere. KNIGHT ETERNAL Lord Angle Theta, Claradon Eotrus, and Ob the gnome battle fanatical monks, deadly bounty hunters, and otherworldly fiends whose merest touch is death, in their relentless pursuit of Korrgonn, Lord of Chaos. Meanwhile, Korrgonn stops at nothing to acquire the fabled Orb of Wisdom, that ancient talisman that can return Azathoth and his kingdom to Midgaard. But the fate of the world turns when Claradon faces DeBoors, the ancient sword-master who has sworn to slay him."

And here is my review:

"5-stars: Pure Excellence in the Fantasy Genre

The author, Glenn G. Thater, wrote this story based on 1200-year old documents about an enigmatic character, Lord Angle Theta, and his epic journeys and battles. There is even evidence dating all the way back to 2600 B.C. that speaks to the Angle Theta lore. The author has updated this lost tale into the fantasy novel Knight Eternal. It is a battle of good vs. evil in a time of gnomes, elves & knights, and sword & sorcery. Terrible evil has befallen a vast land, creeping into places everywhere - seen and unseen - and corrupting countless people. A cadre of souls sets out to save a comrade after a merciless attack, restore justice and stability, and exact revenge.

Like his first book, Harbinger of Doom (made up of two stories - The Gateway & The Fallen Angle), this is, in my opinion, truly excellent fantasy literature. Many of the themes will be be familiar to fans of the fantasy genre, but it's possible that's because the ancient lore these books are derived from predates many other fantasy stories. Perhaps the intriguing and highly entertaining stories of the intensely mysterious and powerful Angle Theta were amongst of the original sources of inspiration for these later tales. It is obvious to me the appeal of these tales and why they lived on.

I am not exaggerating when I say that excellence is in every part of this book - from the dialogue, the settings, the pacing, the plot, to the overall feel of the story. There is not one word that is extraneous or out of place, there is never any place where I wish there had been more description, or better description, better flow, or more excitement. The characters are all clearly drawn out with palpable presences and personalities - my two faves are Ob the Gnome, and Lord Angle Theta, who continuously simmers with nearly unmatched power, danger, and deep mystery. The dialogue is crisp & witty, humorous at times, and always meaningful. The stakes are high and the journey is wild and unpredictable. The story is perfectly put together and, I think, should be read by every fan of the fantasy genre - I mean this all sincerely. It is a classic in the making.

***Possible spoiler alerts - next paragraph only***

What is really surprising & completely refreshing is that near the end of the book, the story is switched over to the bad guys' point of view, and absolutely everything is upended. The reader is then left questioning if they have it backwards, maybe those are actually the good guys (though ultimately, everyone does bad things, no one is blame-free, but everything seems to have solid motivations). This sets this book (and its predecessors) apart from most other stories. It is revelatory, and so incredibly well done, I am enthralled by it. I am not sure who the good guys are, plus there are many shades of grey, and what an agonizing treat for the reader that is. The possibilities this leaves are so tantalizing that I have never wanted to read a sequel so bad. Ever!

***End spoiler alerts***

One thing is important to mention - the story ends suddenly, very suddenly. It really is the first half of a full story. I didn't realize this about the book, there were pages left, but they turned out to be the glossary, so it caught me by surprise. I dearly hope the next installment will be released post haste!

To wrap it up, Knight Eternal is brilliant storytelling in every possible way. So much so, that I want to read every single tale about Angle Theta that has ever existed. Highly recommended!"

You can learn more about these books and the author on Glenn's website:

www.glenngthater.com

and on his Amazon.com Author page:

Glenn G. Thater - Amazon Author page

And here is the link to his book:

Knight Eternal on Amazon


Happy reading always, my friends!

Rai Aren, co-author of the award-winning sci-fi / mystery novel SECRET OF THE SANDS

Book review: 5-stars The Samson Effect, by Tony Eldridge

The Samson Effect, by Tony Eldridge, is one of my latest book reviews. It is an action/adventure story that Clive Cussler calls a "first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure."



Here is a description of the story:

Since discovering an ancient scroll in a cave in Hebron, Israel, American biblical archeologist Thomas Hamilton and his trusted friend and colleague, Israeli biblical linguist Michael Sieff, have been consumed with the notion of the Samson Effect—the idea that a long-lost elixir can allow an ordinary person to perform superhuman feats. When they happen upon a worn Hebrew parchment that not only confirms the existence of the Samson Effect but could potentially lead them to its source, the scholars embark on an impassioned crusade for the truth behind the myth.

But Hamilton and Sieff aren’t the only ones intent on uncovering the secret of Samson’s strength. An unrelenting sect of Jewish protectors will let no one stand in the way of their mission to reclaim what they had hidden nearly three thousand years ago, and a brilliant but ruthless Palestinian leader will stop at nothing to find and use the Samson Effect to empower his army of soldiers for a jihad against the world in the name of Allah.

It isn’t long before their joint pursuit becomes a deadly one, and Hamilton and Sieff come to the grim realization that the Samson Effect is more powerful and far-reaching than they ever anticipated. In the wrong hands, it could trigger a worldwide catastrophe.

A chilling and suspenseful tale of political and religious intrigue set in the unforgiving landscape of the Middle East, The Samson Effect wanders the boundaries of obsession and love, betrayal and allegiance, and vengeance and justice.


About the Author

Tony Eldridge has done in-depth studies in Old Testament history, and his writings have been published in numerous national magazines.


Here is my review of the story:

5-stars: Ancient Mystery & Intrigue awaits you in The Samson Effect

I am a big fan of ancient mysteries, action adventure stories & thrillers, so I was immediately intrigued when I came across The Samson Effect & the blurb from Clive Cussler sealed the deal. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it's an engaging read with a good sense of place, relentlessly fast pacing, and is populated with lively, colourful characters. A secret held since biblical times has been protected by an ancient order, but there are opposing forces closing in on it. It can impart superhuman powers & near invincibility, so the draw is irresistible. Should it fall into the wrong hands, the consequences could be disastrous.

Mr. Eldridge certainly has a flair for storytelling and creating an interesting mystery. I would have liked it if he had taken even more time in telling it - relationships & events happened quickly and could have afforded a lengthier path to develop.

The ending hints at more mysteries to come, which I hope does happen. I would not hesitate to pick up the next novel by this author. Recommended for readers who enjoy thrillers, action adventure tales, quick reads, and ancient mysteries.


**********

Here are links related to this book:

The Samson Effect on Amazon.com


Tony Eldridge's Amazon author profile


The Samson Effect on Barnes & Noble


Happy reading!

Rai Aren, co-author of the award-winning mystery novel SECRET OF THE SANDS

Rai's book reviews

I thought that I would start to share a selection of my book reviews here. I do a fair bit of them, and my policy is that I only post reviews of books that I can give honest 4 or 5-star reviews to. As a fellow author, I don't want to publicly criticize anyone else's work. I know how much hard work goes into writing a book, and the uphill battle it can be to find one's readership. Sometimes, it's a matter of personal taste, what may make me dislike a certain book, may not bother someone else, or they may like it that way. There are so many reasons why people like or dislike books, and it's certainly not the same for everyone. Preferences and opinions vary. It's also a professional courtesy, I do not put myself out there as a professional reviewer, but rather as an avid reader who simply likes to give credit where credit is due. There are enough official reviewers and bloggers out there to get a wide opinion on a given book.

I love to read (obviously), so there are tons of books I've read that I have not yet reviewed. Maybe one day I'll catch up, perhaps it could be a retirement project! (though I'd have to re-read them all, by then). For now, I will share reviews of selected books that stand out for me on a go-forward basis, because of how well they are written and/or because they are really my cup of tea. I might at some point, choose selected reviews from books I have read in the past and post them here, too.





I also do the odd movie review, though I haven't written as many of those recently, probably because movies have to be really special for me to take the time to write a review (books are my main focus and like everyone else, there's a time shortage in my universe!). However, for the films I did take the time to review, my reviews can be found in a couple of places. First is my Amazon profile, which also has most of my book reviews posted there:

Rai's Amazon profile

and my MySpace page in the blog section:

Rai's MySpace page

My MySpace blog is the most varied of my three blogs (the other two are this one & Goodreads), so there is a wider variety of topics there than on the others.

All of my book reviews can also be found on my Goodreads profile:

Rai's Goodreads profile


I hope that my reviews help you find some more worthy reads you might not have come across yet or encourage you to pick up a book you were just considering.

As always, happy reading my friends!

Rai Aren, co-author of the award-winning mystery novel SECRET OF THE SANDS

Secret of the Sands, award-winning mystery novel - back better than ever & ON SALE NOW!

I am extremely pleased to announce that SECRET OF THE SANDS, our award-winning, bestselling mystery novel has successfully undergone a great new upgrade. It has been polished inside & out. This endeavor took two months to complete and was initiated by the exciting award our adventure novel received of a silver medal for "Fiction-Mystery", in the ReadersFavorite.com 2009 Book contest.

The new cover has the medal on it and new wording. Here is what it looks like:



In the new interior, there's lots of new things including a couple of new quotes and some very cool hieroglyphs...you'll love it!

The new version is available on Amazon & even better - they have put it on sale! I don't know how long that will last & I have no control over that, so get it while it's hot, avid readers!! Here's the link:

Secret of the Sands - new version, on sale!




Amazon's "Search Inside the Book" feature is going to take 6-8 weeks to update to the new interior, but rest assured, it's the new version you will get!

The other changes to the interior include new blurbs & excerpts from numerous great reviews this ancient Egypt book has received along the way, an update to our author bio at the back of the book (it was time), the fixing of the handful of typos (egads!) that gremlins must have inserted into the book when we weren't looking ;) and the mention of our bronze medal award for the sequel, Destiny of the Sands - also from ReadersFavorite.com in the "Fiction-Mystery" category (which can also be found at the back of the book). We are thrilled to bits to have won two medals! I have also included our new tagline for the sequel on that page:

Some secrets cannot remain hidden, some cannot be forgiven...

Those words perfectly capture the story of both books, if you've already read Secret of the Sands, you will know what I am talking about... ;)


Here is a screen shot of the awards that we won:




If you are a Canadian bookstore or library, you can also order SECRET OF THE SANDS through our new distributor, Red Tuque Books:

www.redtuquebooks.ca







Here is our ad, which appears in Red Tuque's 2010 Spring catalogue:




Here is the ordering info - readers can also use the ISBN or LCCN to request the book at their fave library or bookstore if they don't already carry it:

ISBN-10: 1-4196-7552-4
EAN-13: 978-1419675522
Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN): 2010904965

BISAC codes:

1. FIC002000 FICTION / Action & Adventure
2. FIC030000 FICTION / Suspense
3. FIC040000 FICTION / Alternative History
4. FIC028010 FICTION / Science Fiction / Adventure
5. FIC024000 FICTION / Occult & Supernatural


So, who would love Secret of the Sands? This adventure novel has a double storyline, where the past & present intertwine & is intended for both young adult & adult audiences. It would appeal to people who love National Treasure, The Mummy movies, and Indiana Jones (it even has shades of The Chronicles of Narnia & The Golden Compass in it), readers who love suspense, adventure, alternative historical fiction, speculative sci-fi, unique mystery tales, and those who are fascinated by ancient Egypt and the enigmatic Great Sphinx of Giza…covers a lot of people, doesn't it?! That was the idea ;)

Secret of the Sands has made numerous appearances as an Amazon.com BESTSELLER in the categories of "Ancient Civilizations", "Books, Religion & Spirituality, Fiction", "Fiction, Action & Adventure", and "Historical Fiction", so having a new version of the book that has been shined & polished is very special :)

Happy reading always, my friends!

Rai Aren, co-author of the award-winning mystery novel SECRET OF THE SANDS


In the shadow of the Great Sphinx of Giza, two young archaeologists unearth extremely unusual artifacts over 12,000 years old, but the find is wrong - very wrong. The artifacts shouldn’t be there…they shouldn’t exist at all. The greatest discovery in human history may turn out to be the deadliest…

Rai Aren

Author

Secret of the Sands

Read Now - http://bit.ly/15WZUp

Twitter - @raiaren

"A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion." -McNally Robinson

"Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction." -Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy