Deadly Ground by Thomas W. Starbuck and Judy Belshe-Toernblom Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc. (April 4, 2018) Category: Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction Lite, Post Apocalyptic Tour dates: October-November, 2018 ISBN: 978-1641401678 Available in Print and ebook, 157 pages
“Deadly Ground” – a riveting story about the human race under threat, with a rare DNA condition providing a second chance for humanity. A fast-paced novel that reads like an apocalypse movie with a biological viral disease, some romance, and aliens in the mix, centered on the unforgettable human main character AB, who becomes the hope for humanity’s regeneration. By author Thomas W. Starbuck, whose storyline for “Deadly Ground” was adapted and written by Judy Belshe-Toernblom.
Trailer Deadly Ground by Thomas W. Starbuck and Judy Belshe-Toernblom
Excerpt:
Deadly Ground
T.W. Starbuck, Author
Excerpt 3 (Ch. 8) – 614 words
As he
left the room, he passed Clayton’s desk. He saw a picture of Clayton, Colleen,
and their family, including their dog Winnie.
“Winnie
. . . she’s alone. I’ve got to get to her.”
He quickly
pulled the picture out of the frame and tucked the picture into his pocket and
left. Outside, AB loaded scanning devices and the matching equipment into his
H2. He took a long last look at the CDC headquarters and then got into his H2
and drove away.
Once
again, AB was carefully negotiating the streets of Atlanta. It was a silent war
zone. Homes were broken into, doors were open. There were cars up on lawns and
driven into buildings. There were family animals running everywhere, terrified
and trying to find their owners . . . but no humans.
AB
pulled up in front of Clayton’s home and exited his H2. He cautiously walked
around the home and on to the backyard. He did not see Winnie. He calmed his
voice and called to her.
“Winnie,
Winnie it’s AB. Where are you, girl?”
He
whistled. Then he picked up a few of her toys and squeaked them. He stuck a few
dog cookies from her bowl into his pocket. He continued his walk to the garage.
There she was, cowering in the corner of the garage. Winnie could hear him but
did not come to him. Instead, she just watched him. He entered the garage
unhurriedly and steadily to not scare Winnie.
“There
you are, girl—” AB stopped in midsentence.
“Oh,
sweet lord, it’s the children . . .”
Winnie
was lying next to what appeared to be children’s clothing. The arms of the
little boy’s clothing were wrapped around the little girl’s clothing.
He
gasped and began to pant for air. The sight was too much. Then he remembered
his mission. Through his tear-filled eyes AB looked around for a container to
put the children’s dust into. On the shelf was a mason jar. He collected the
dust of the children. As he did, Winnie slowly walked over to him. She was
traumatized. AB held out a biscuit, and Winnie took it. AB petted Winnie and
comforted her.
“That’s
a start, girl, good girl.”
AB
took the container now filled with the children’s dust and left the garage,
Winnie followed. He asked himself, Where was Colleen?
He
walked to the back door of the house. He cautiously opened it and walked in
with Winnie. The door opened into the kitchen. There on the floor was the
clothing and the dust of Colleen. There was a broken plate of sandwiches and
spilled drinks on the floor. The food was covered in flies.
“She
must have been fixing the children a snack, girl.”
AB
petted Winnie again in a consoling way. He continued his ritual of gathering
Colleen’s dust. He poured her dust in with the children’s, and then walked back
outside. He sat on the stoop of the porch and cried as the humid Atlanta sun
beat relentlessly on his back.
He
looked around the yard and down the driveway. It was so quiet. He hated the
quiet. To make matters worse, it was a muggy, sticky scorcher of a day that
only added to the stench now rising from every orifice in the town.
Gathering
his strength, he and Winnie walked to the H2. He opened the door of the H2 and
took the container with Clayton’s dust and poured his family’s dust into the
container. AB wiped the sweat from his face and tears from his eyes.
“I
know you’d all want to be together.” AB and Winnie got into the H2 and left.
About Thomas W. Starbuck
Thomas W. Starbuck, an eternal optimist, finds joy in everything around him – from quality time with his active family to quiet meditation and contemplation about the world around him. Never living life in the status quo, Tom had an idea for a story. This spark of an idea for a screenplay turned into Tom’s first novel, 'Deadly Ground', published in April 2018. To give Deadly Ground the soul it needed, Tom worked with gifted writer, Judy Belshe-Toernblom, on both the screenplay and novel, and they were recognized by the 2018 Capital Fund Screenplay Competition Top 100. Tom is the father of two daughters and a beloved granddaughter, who one of the Deadly Ground characters was named after. He lives with his wife of 45 years in Des Moines, Iowa, where he graduated from Drake University and worked in financial services for 32 years prior to retirement in 2009.
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About Judy Belshe-Toernblom
Multi-talented Judy Belshe-Toernblom has spent her career as an award-winning writer/producer/casting director in Hollywood. Having published 5 books, Judy received the Dove Foundation Award for her book, Boonville Redemption: The End of the Beginning, as well as its film, Boonville Redemption, starring Pat Boone, Edward Asner and Diane Ladd. Working with Thomas W. Starbuck on both the screenplay and published novel, Deadly Ground, they were recognized by the 2018 Capital Fund Screenplay Competition Top 100. She also received the Irwin Award for her book, It's A Freeway Out There! Everyone's Guide to the Film and Commercial Industry. She's had the privilege of working with award-winning directors over the years, casting for movies, educational films, industrials and infomercials, such as: McGruff the Crime Dog series, How the West Was Lost (Cable Ace Award), Knotts Berry Farm, Oroweat, Disney educational projects, Boys and Girls Town PSAs, Will Rogers Institute PSAs, and 100s more.
Website / Facebook / Twitter
Website / Facebook / Twitter
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This giveaway is for the winner’s choice of one print or ebook copy of the book. Print is open to the U.S. only and ebook is available worldwide. This giveaway ends November 30, 2018, midnight pacific time. Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.
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