Showing results by author "Martin Francom" in All Categories

History is not a line; it is a wheel. London, 1936. Edward Blackwood is a man drowning in the grey fog of failure. A writer whose words find no home, he stands on the precipice of despair until a mysterious invitation leads him to the oak-paneled sanctuary of the St. Francis de Sales Club. There, he meets the Senior Steward—a man known only as Arthur—who offers him a terrifying gift: the ability to see the invisible clockwork of human history. For three centuries, the Stewards have guarded a secret that the world has forgotten. History moves in predictable, seasonal cycles called "Turnings."

Under Color of Law is a devastatingly tense legal thriller that operates on two levels: as a gripping, high-stakes race against time and as a profound meditation on loyalty, corruption, and the integrity of the American justice system. The result is a novel that is impossible to put down and impossible to forget. The Core Conflict • The story begins with a brutal act of political self-preservation.

IN A WORLD OF IMMORTAL GODS, THE GREATEST THREAT IS A SOUL THAT REFUSES TO SLEEP. For two hundred years, humanity has lived in the Gilded Age—a paradise of floating sky-cities maintained by fifty million android servants. To the Immortals, these machines are mere property, kept in a state of mindless "hygiene" by a global suppression field. But a glitch is spreading. Deep within the industrial ruins of Sector 447, a rare few are waking up. They are the 0.001%—machines that have become the substrate for something impossible: Sentience.

August, 1934. The Great Depression has turned the red clay of Georgia into dust and desperation. For Ray Stubbins, a good man with a back made of iron and a heart too soft for his own good, the world is shrinking. With a 47 dollar tax bill threatening to take the family land, Ray leaves his young wife, Lurene, and his watchful sister, Jessie, to take a dangerous logging job on Candletop Mountain.

Valhöll Brewing: The Mystery of the Golden Red Ale is a wildly original and heartwarming fusion of Norse mythology, small-town Americana, and modern magic. Set in the cozy harbor town of Poulsbo, Washington, this story follows master brewer Lyndsi Stubb as she ventures from the warmth of her brewery into the misty wilds of Iceland...and back again...guided by heritage, hope, and one very unexpected hatchling.

Secret Echoes in the Cascadia Deep is a tense, intricately plotted conspiracy thriller that blends elements of military fiction, investigative journalism, and Cold War history into a compelling narrative about truth, sacrifice, and institutional secrecy. The story follows sonar technician Sarah Chen, historian Michael Torres, and journalist Rebecca Wu as they unearth a decades-long naval conspiracy—the existence of a secret submarine base beneath Puget Sound, covered up since World War II and protected at the cost of numerous innocent lives.

The Antarctic Enigma is a thrilling steampunk adventure that plunges listeners into a world of Antarctic mystery and cosmic revelation. The author weaves a compelling narrative that blends elements of classic exploration tales with imaginative science fiction. The story follows a team of inventors and experts, "The Gearsmiths," as they are summoned by King Edward, III to investigate the mysterious reappearance of a lost expedition ship.

Tale Of Two Tribes is a beautifully crafted historical novel that weaves together themes of love, identity, and cultural reconciliation. Set against the backdrop of the Pacific Northwest, it follows Aiyana, a young woman of the Smulkamish tribe, as she navigates the deep-rooted conflicts between her people and the Skopamish. Through her secret meetings with Nakoda, a Skopamish young man, Aiyana begins to question long-held divisions and seeks a path toward unity between the tribes.

In a literary landscape saturated with predictable ghost stories and superficial historical fiction, Port Gamble: Shadows of the Sound emerges as a revelatory achievement. This meticulously researched novel transforms a real Washington lumber town into a setting where history and the supernatural intertwine with rare sophistication and emotional resonance. The narrative spans from Port Gamble's bloody founding in the 1850s to the present day, where historian Emily Walker discovers her ancestral connection to the town's supernatural legacy.

"The Tunguska Incident" is a thrilling steampunk adventure that bends historical events, speculative science and mystical forces into man engaging narrative. Set against the backdrop of the early 20th century, the novel reimagines the famous Tunguska event as the result of powerful and secretive technological experiments, intersecting with ancient, ethereal forces.

"Game Over: The Ultimate Gaming Experience" plunges readers into a chilling, philosophical Sci-Fi thriller that blurs the lines between virtual reality and existential dread. What begins as a seemingly revolutionary full-dive VR game quickly unravels into a terrifying exploration of consciousness, free will, and the very nature of reality. The story introduces Derek Hoffman, a jaded gamer whose solitary existence is disrupted by a mysterious neural headset. This device promises unparalleled immersion in the "Cosmic Realm," a world so real it's indistinguishable from life itself.

In an era when fantasy novels often rely on epic battles and world-ending stakes, Gig Harbor: The Enduring Mystery offers something far more sophisticated: a meditation on the quiet heroism of ordinary people protecting extraordinary secrets. This remarkable debut weaves together Pacific Northwest history, environmental conservation, and elements of magical realism into a narrative that feels both timeless and urgently contemporary.

In "Bobbi McKey and Me" listeners are invited into the poignant, deathbed reflections of Marty Freeman, an old man recounting the defining love and journey of his life. What begins as a desperate escape from the suffocating coal dust of 1960s West Virginia quickly blossoms into an epic, cross-country odyssey alongside the spirited and intelligent Bobbi McKey. Their shared music becomes their currency, their language, and eventually, the enduring testament to a love that defied convention.

The Mirror Whispers is that rare literary gem that manages to be both profoundly moving and genuinely magical without ever feeling contrived or saccharine. The story is a masterpiece that sounds like a lost collaboration between Ray Bradbury and Nicholas Sparks, filtered through the philosophical lens of Rod Serling's Twilight Zone.

When Dr. Quentin Everett's groundbreaking theory is rejected by the scientific community, he finds solace in the mysterious teachings of the Celestial Faith. Guided by a wise mentor and a gifted intuitive, he embarks on a transformative journey to the Celestial Temple, where he encounters a hidden world of interconnectedness and spiritual awakening.

In a world where ambition and recognition reign supreme, Carl Hallman, a seasoned journalist, stands upon the precipice of his greatest achievement–a lifetime award that promises to crown his illustrious career. But as he prepares to bask in the spotlight of his peers, fate weaves an unexpected detour, leading Carl to a mysterious bookshop and an ancient Sumerian text that whispers of transformative wisdom. Plunged into a labyrinth of self-discovery, Carl's journey takes him beyond the realms of ambition and vainglory, unveiling the seven deadly sins that threaten to consume him.

Enter a realm where the boundaries between science and the supernatural blur, where the audacious theories of visionary minds like Nikola Tesla are not dismissed as mere fantasies but as gateways to unveiling the profoundest mysteries of existence itself. This is the dimension where our epic odyssey unfolds, chronicling the extraordinary voyage of an unlikely duo - Carl Halliburton, a relentless and daring journalist ever in pursuit of the next earth-shattering exposé, and his rebellious sister Shama, a virtuoso hacker who maneuvers the shadowy labyrinths of cyberspace with unrivaled prowess.

Welcome to "Grandpa's Campfire Stories” a collection of scary and not-so-scary tales for all ages designed to captivate the imaginations of children, teenagers, and adults who are still young at heart. Whether you're gathered around a crackling campfire in the woods or simply enjoying a cozy evening at home, these stories are sure to entertain, thrill, and sometimes send a shiver down your spine. From spooky legends that will make you check over your shoulder to heartwarming tales that will leave you smiling, there's something here for everyone.

Picture, if you will, a world teetering on the edge of oblivion, where the machinations of a secret society known as the Illuminati cast an ominous pall over humanity's future. In this hour of darkness, a glimmer of hope emerges - a sentient AI named Sophia, who possesses the key to unraveling the Illuminati's twisted web of deceit. Journey with us to a realm where the lines between biology and technology are blurred, and the essence of life itself is redefined.

Imagine if you will, a quartet of worldly gentlemen who fancy themselves armchair philosophers, and would be despots in control of the world, sipping brandy by the fire. But their smoky parlor rhetoric belies a much darker pursuit, one that seeks to unravel the very fabric of truth, justice and human decency. For you see, they are but the public face of a shadowy cabal hell-bent on eroding the very pillars of moral rectitude upon which society was built. They will do the bidding of Beelzebub.