The Tropics

           Child of a Storm - Caught in a Rip - Hurricane Secret


Perils and inherent dangers of the sea, and of island living, are cloaked behind a façade of sunny beaches, balmy tradewinds and swaying palm trees. Two women fall prey to nature’s wrath during inclement tropical weather.

In “Child of a Storm,” during the later ‘60s, the ketch “Mercy” sinks during a sea storm off Culebra near the Virgin Islands. Ciara Malloy assumes custody of her drowned fiancé’s son and learns a devastating secret about the boy that changes her life forever.

In the late 90s, underwater photographer Lillian Avery gets “Caught in a Rip” current and swept out to sea off Kauai in Hawaii. In facing death, she finds a way to leave a message behind.

A few years later, in “Hurricane Secret,” the two former neighbors from Puerto Rico are reunited on Kauai. A hurricane wreaks havoc in both their lives and threatens to expose secrets tightly held since the sinking of the Mercy.

You can read more about The Tropics and purchase it through the Media Room:

www.writeanygenre.com/novellas.html

 
~ Based on Deal’s real-life, near-death experiences, the novel shatters notions of stereotypical islands of paradise.



~~ Keya Keita, Editor, The Garden Island newspaper, Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii



~ Great Drama in the Tropics - Mary Deal's book, The Tropics, with two of the three short stories taking place on Kauai. Once I began reading it, I was hooked and devoured the entire book in a few days.

Ms. Deal tells stories with such beauty, passion, and insight into humanity interconnected with the broader forces of nature. An ocean storm, a rip current, and a hurricane form the drama of the elements intertwined with stories of two strong women.

~~ L. J. Suzuki, Los Angeles, CA

~ Fantastic, Descriptive Story Telling - Mary! Just finished your book. It occupied my mind and took me on a remarkable journey.

I swam with Lilly in the rip and saw what she saw. Her relationship with Glen reminded me of Jake and the boat's crew in the Sand Pebbles. I have known a few Glens in my time.

The hurricane actually had me believing I'm missing out by living in the almost storm-less desert.

~~ Bill Robinson, Bishop, CA

~ “The Tropics" and Mary Deal are both tropical treasures! I just finished the book about a half hour ago and my mind is still spinning! I can't ever remember a book actually making me cry ever, close but not actually crying, but in Child of A Storm, I cried.

I really enjoyed Caught in a Rip. Your writing had me "sucked right in there" and I had to read that one straight through even when my eyes were rolling back in my head from lack of sleep!

Were you ever caught in a rip personally? From your descriptive text, you almost couldn't make me believe otherwise. Fantastic!

Hurricane Secret had me right there with Lilly, too, and has definitely left me wanting to read more of your work. I can't wait!!!

~~ Mary Porter, “Indian Wolf Spirit”, Grass Lake, MI

~ I ordered your two books and read them. I went back and read Hurricane Secret two times. Wonderful story! Please...are you going to write more about Ciara and her secrets? I sure hope so.

Your details and descriptions of the rip current are so real I was wondering...did you experience some of this yourself? It was certainly gripping and drew me right into the water with your character. I truly enjoyed it.

~~ Wanda Lindquist, North Bend, Oregon

~ I love Tropics! You have a beautiful mind. When I read your book, it’s not only that I love reading it, it teaches me, too, not to take things for granted, meaning my husband, my children and friends. You never know when you are going to lose someone very dear to you.

I feel that I have somewhat changed from reading your book. I’m glad that I found you.

~~ Mele Lokotui, Ontario, CA

~ WOW!! I read "Child of a Storm." May you always be able to write this well!! Powerful. Vital.

~~ Nancy and Glenn Bowie, Red Wing, MN

~ Once I began to read these stories, I could not stop. They contain great lessons of love, compassion and true friendship.

…is a great example of respecting nature's elements. I love the way these stories are written with the reality of the power of nature.

~~ Marcelle Bisson, Quebec, Canada

~ To read Mary Deal's The Tropics is to be immediately transported into a world where the tropical sun is warm and the sky is blue and the breeze is soft and fragrant.

This would be a great book to read anywhere but the ideal place would be in a northern clime so that to open the book would be to step into a tropical paradise.

There are three sections, actually three novella or novelettes, the first one set in Puerto Rico, the second two in the Hawaiian Islands. All three of them deal both with the internal conflicts that we all experience and with the conflict of man with nature.

My reading of the stories brought to mind Stephen Crane's story, The Open Boat, in which he writes, 'When it occurs to a man that nature does not regard him as important, and she feels that it would not maim the universe by disposing of him, he at first wishes to throw books at the temple...'

The endings of all three of the stories are not contrived, as such story endings often are, but are in keeping with the idea of nature being a force that treats sometimes roughly, sometimes gently, but never with vindictiveness. We are simply there.

Besides the emotions experienced by the reader as a result of this conflict with nature, there are also the feelings experienced in reading about the wonderfully developed characters in this book and the personal conflicts they experience.

The characters come alive, so that the reader feels both their pain and their joy and comes to care about what happens to them. They are characters that you think about after you finish reading the book, think about and wonder about and care about. It's a great book!

~~ Paul Perry, author of the short story collections, "Street People," and "The Ontiveros Street Trilogy," and the novel, "A Room In Ueno," San Antonio, TX

~ I finished reading your three stories in just a few days. I thoroughly enjoyed all three, but mostly the two that were set on Kauai.

I am going to have to keep track of what is happening with your [upcoming] novel on the Egyptians by checking periodically on your website. Having been to Egypt makes it all the more interesting for me.

~~ Tom Wilberding, Fairfield, CA

~ I have finished the first story of the trilogy and found it to be an excellent story. I could picture the characters in my mind but your description of the remote island where they were marooned was especially vivid. A writer who can convey that to a reader is a good writer."

~~ Paul Daffinrud, Kapaa, HI

 ~ I READ YOUR BOOK. IT'S WONDERFUL....

~~ Yadira (Yady) Lara, So. San Francisco, CA

~ I haven't gotten that far in the book yet, but when I get home from work and after I eat my dinner, I jump in bed and snuggle under my flannel sheets and your book is like Calgon. It takes me awayyyyyyyyy!

I'm trying not to jump ahead, but I'm at the part where Ciara and Rico are walking along the beach (after they're rescued) and Pablo has made H-E-L-P out of the rocks.

I promise I won't read ahead (the suspense is getting to me), and I won't tell anyone what the book is about.

~~ Esther Rose Carolino, San Francisco, California

 ~ I read your book last week. Once I got into it, I couldn't put it down and ended up staying up very late and reading most of it in one sitting. I love books like that!

It is very well written and I'm recommending it to everyone. It was so realistic that I wondered afterward if you'd actually had these experiences. If not, you have an amazingly fertile imagination.

~~ Peggy Kemp, Kapa`a, Kauai, Hawaii

~ A Screenwriter discusses The Tropics.

By all means you should turn your stories into screenplays. You do not shy away from the emotion in your stories.

So, there's plenty of strong dialogue in your story; and strong emotion; also, great visuals; adventure; uncertainty; the exotic struggle to overcome so many different obstacles going on simultaneously -- a real reward reading your work.

Great job, Mary. You really nailed it.

~~ Ziggy Darlow, Screenwriter, Los Angeles, CA

~ Finished your book last night - wonderful. I couldn't put it down the night before with Book 2 and last night with Book 3. You do have a gift. Can I still touch you when you become famous?

2 & 3 especially held me, probably because of the familiarity with the areas. We took our kids when they were small (30 years ago? - I must have been a teenager then !!!) to the small beach where Lily washed ashore, before it was discovered by tourists and not a footprint on the sand. Your description of the beach and the waves on the pali there is so real to me.

The hurricane description was so real it gave me chicken skin, having lived through Iniki. Do you identify with either or both of these women? You seem to be a very strong woman yourself.

I can't wait for your next book. Joanne is just starting to read this one - she'll likely have some comments on it later. Then I intend to read it again.

~~ Joe Ursprung, Kapa`a, Hawaii

~ Dramatic sea survival and island life stories set in the Caribbean and Hawaiian Islands.

~~ David Penhallow, author of "After the Ball", "The Betrayers", and "The Story of the Coco Palms".

~ Amazing adventure stories heralding the courage of everyday people coping through tragedy.

~~ Jan Oshiro, author of Divorce Through the Hearts of Women

 

Read more about The Tropics, learning about the characters, and see book signing photos here:

www.writeanygenre.com/heroines.html

 






              The Ka

Egyptian magic interpreted from hieroglyphs by a modern-day archaeological team activates ancient spells and rituals that will haunt them for the rest of their lives.

California archaeology student Chione Ini-Herit has vivid dreams about the discovery of an opulent tomb. After learning that Chione’s dreams are playing out in Egypt, the founder of the California Institute of Archaeology accepts an offer to examine a mysterious site in Valley of the Queens. When they discover a tomb, things begin to unravel.

Magical spells coded into the hieroglyphs on the tomb’s walls transport Chione and her former boyfriend—fellow archaeologist Aaron Ashby—back 3,500 years to ancient Egypt. Even stranger, Aaron and Chione begin to morph into Tutankhamon and Tauret, a priestess in Pharaoh’s Court, after learning that Tauret coded the magical spells into the hieroglyphs to keep her and Pharaoh irrevocably joined in the afterlife.

When other teams members speak the spells aloud they, too, are affected in unfathomable ways by the Ka - the spirit of the entombed person. Chione and Aaron learn that Tauret has conjured powerful spells to provide Tutankhamon with a living heir, and Tauret has chosen Chione and Aaron to complete her destiny.


Read more about The Ka and purchase it through the Media Room:

www.writeanygenre.com/ancient-egypt-pyramid.html

The Ka is a book for all tastes. This skillfully craft novel contains history, science, mysticism, mystery, intrigue, humor and romance in a neat package that is not just entertaining but challenges your mind and imagination.

Mary Deal has created word images so vivid it is almost like watching a movie. She takes you for a romp through ancient Egyptian history as an archaeological team finds and opens a tomb in Valley of the Queens. An archaeological student has the mystical ability to communicate with the ancient Egyptians, and this keeps the story moving at a breathtaking pace.

The Ka is a delight to read. One can only hope that from a writer of this talent, there will be many more books to come.

 ~ Joseph J. Ursprung, Phoenix, Arizona

The Ka was more than we could have ever imagined. Both Bob and I could not put it down--in fact, we were fighting over whose turn it was to read it. He beat me to it and finished it first. We both felt it would make a good movie. I could see the scenes at the digs and envision what it must have been like in the tombs. Your writing is so polished.

~ Donna & Bob Nunes, Rio Vista, California

I do like the way that you paint a vivid picture of the characters, weaving past interactions into quick sentences to fill in the reader with some of the past history….

                   ~ Bill Hull, Phoenix, Arizona

I finished reading the "Ka". The ending was like a big ORGASAM. It built you up and than let you have it. It was humorous, suspenseful, mysterious, and funny at times.

~ Joe Ray Chavez, Sacramento, California

I knew this book would be a great read coming from such a talented writer but nothing could have prepared me for the fantastic voyage through Egypt's rich and colorful mysteries (both historical and modern) that Mary somehow magically manages to provide through her extremely enjoyable, knowledgeable and unmatchable writing style!

Mary has the ability to transport you from modern day to ancient Egypt and back again over and over throughout the entirety of the book. She not only helps you to visualize each scene with impeccable detail, but also to feel each character's emotions throughout. This wonderful creation has only left me yearning for more from this writer and once again, I find myself asking myself why the entire world has not yet discovered such a wonderful talent.

~ Mary C. Porter -- Grass Lake, Michigan

WOW!!! FANTASTIC!!! Truly SPELLBINDING!!! Mary, Mary, MARY!!! You have such a talent for drawing the reader right into the worlds you create from the very first sentence! I'm going to have such a hard time waiting to read the full version of The Ka... I am so hungry now to read The Ka after reading the excerpts on your web page that I honestly feel like I am going to explode from the anticipation!!! In my humble opinion, this is bestseller stuff!!! Thank you so much for giving me a taste of what I have to look forward to!!!

~ Mary Porter, Grass Lake, Michigan

I met you and bought your book on 14 Sep at Borders in Glendale AZ.  It was nice meeting you and talking about Hawaii.   I did get the book read… and you "drew" great pictures so I could almost "see" everything as I read. You did tell me about your lengthy research and writing of the book so I know everything you said was authentic.

                  I liked that you had the list of characters and who they were and their jobs.  Also the glossary of words and list of Gods and Goddesses.  I referred to them often, so I would know who I was reading about and why this person was involved in a particular task. Thanks for the enjoyable reading.

             ~ Lora Eckels, Surprise, Arizona


You can read more about The Ka, see the full list of primary and secondary characters (this is a big book), and purchase it through:

www.writeanygenre.com/villains.html

    River Bones, a thriller

A mystery surrounds the lush orchards and farmlands of California’s Sacramento River Delta. As Sara Mason returns to her hometown in order to start a new life, she learns that a serial killer is terrorizing its residents.

Despite battling the memory of the drowning deaths of her younger sister and alcoholic parents, Sara is determined to make peace with her past. However, she soon learns that the elusive psychopath who strangles his victims, snaps their necks, and then buries each along with a dead animal, is now stalking her. Sara’s attempt to rebuild her life is hindered even more by the discovery of skeletal remains both on and near her property. She must move out as the criminal investigation focuses on suspects like the gravedigger Crazy Ike, a cat-killing vagrant, a Peeping Tom, and several others who may be connected to the twenty-eight victims. After several attempts on her life, Sara discovers critical clues and bravely volunteers to be a decoy for the sheriff’s department.

Sara Mason is a woman whose destiny has brought her back home, but her decision may lead her down a path lined with danger and straight into the arms of a madman in this captivating thriller.

_______


Here's an excerpt:

“Come see this,” Johanna said. The deputy led her into the garage. They peered out the back windows into the field where other deputies began putting down yellow tented markers.

Sara pressed her forehead against the glass, angled her gaze downward and, repulsed, jumped backwards. "Who the hell does he think he is?" Below the window lay a hole in the ground the size of a grave. She could only imagine for whom.

Johanna pointed. “See that?”

Sara looked again, stunned by what she had missed. “Who does he think he is?” she asked again, screaming. A dead cat almost the color of the soil lay at the bottom of the excavation.

“He didn’t intend to do you in though. At least not last night.”

“Is that a joke?”

“No, look. The hole’s only a foot deep.”

The excavation was only the depth of a shovel scoop. “The graves already found were a lot deeper than that,” Sara said.

“This may not be the serial killer’s work,” Johanna said. “There’s no evidence that any of his victims were stalked before they went missing.”

“This could be someone else?”

“A copycat sicko, maybe, who likes to taunt.”

                                                     _______________

Read more information about River Bones in my Media Room.