EXCERPT and GIVEAWAY
The Staircase of Fire
(A Shakertown Adventure Book 3)
(A Shakertown Adventure Book 3)
by Ben Woodard
The Staircase of Fire is the third book in the Shakertown Adventure series by Ben Woodard. Also available: A Stairway to Danger (read my blog post) and Steps Into Darkness (read my blog post).
The Staircase of Fire is currently on tour with BeachBoundBooks. The tour stops here today for an excerpt and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.
Description
A quiet town in Kentucky explodes from a racial incident and fourteen-year-old Tom Wallace is in the thick of it. His past haunts him and now he’s witness to a horrific event leaving him devastated and afraid.
Tom and his cousin, Will, search for lost Shaker gold he believes can help him escape his town and memories. But leaving has consequences. He will lose his friends and his new love.
On a fiery staircase Tom finally realizes that he must face his inner demons and his terrifying nightmares. To do so he must take a stand that could change his life … or end it.
Author Ben Woodard relies on firsthand experience and family history to tell this moving story of personal tragedy and racial hatred set in the rolling countryside of Kentucky in 1923.
Excerpt
Every night when Tom went to sleep, He thought of her. Every night when he closed his eyes, he saw her face. But he never cried.
“I’m so sorry, Tom, but you know, we can’t tell anyone we saw this. The Klan would come after us.”
Tom didn’t reply.
“Please, Tom, don’t tell anyone. They will kill us—and our families.”
Tom nodded slightly. He was afraid for Helen.
They separated and as he watched Helen disappear into the woods, the world changed.
The leaves drooped and the trees sighed. Creatures stilled and his heart ached.
Death surrounded him. A cloud. a fog, a mist of death.
Enveloped him, chilled him, terrified him. Mary was dead. Mama was dead. Now one more death.
Why was he alive?
He slumped against a shagbark hickory.
“I’ll find out who the Grand Dragon is,” he screamed, “and I will kill him. With a gun, or my bow, or my hands.”
Tom’s fists lashed out at the loose bark pounding it until blood splattered chips littered the ground.
Then the sweats started. Tom dropped to his knees and gasped for air.
He wrapped his arms around the tree and gagged. Retching as the sweat turned to chills. He shivered and threw up into the grass. Again and again until the last of his breakfast competed with morning dew to cover the ground.
He collapsed on the cool dirt and curled into a ball. He lay there gulping for breath thinking how he couldn’t go on. The pain was too much.
Tom used the tree to pull himself up, but his knees buckled and he hugged the tree waiting until he regained his strength and then struggled back to the West Lot house.
[Want more? Click below to read another excerpt.]
Praise for the Book
“The Staircase of Fire succeeds in offering dramatic action, mystery, social insights, and a story line that evolves from pure adventure to something deeper … a highly recommended pick for teens looking for something different …” ~ D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
“The Staircase of Fire is a riveting and intense tale ...” ~ The Children's Book Review
“Tom grows a lot in this book and I really enjoyed reading his journey. It seems like almost every white character is racist in some way (which is historically accurate) and it was refreshing to see Tom learn to break out of the narrow-minded thinking that he had and which surrounds him.” ~ Eustacia Tan
“An inspiring adventure where the reader discovers that strength of character, the belief in what is right, and facing your demons, is the only answer to true inner peace – Highly recommended.” ~ Susan Keefe
“The Staircase of Fire is an extraordinary book for children aged 12 upwards.” ~ Robbie Cheadle
“The story is wonderful. I liked the settings, and the characters are well-thought out. I recommend this book to older teen readers, due to light adult content.” ~ Alyssa Elmore for Readers' Favorite
About the Author
Ben is a (mostly) retired amateur adventurer who has traveled across Tibet, climbed to 18,000 feet on Mt. Everest, and solo backpacked wilderness areas. Now his adventures come in the form of imagining stories, writing and telling them to kids and teens. He works with teachers, schools and literacy organizations spreading the word that books are vital - and fun.
Giveaway
Enter the blast-wide giveaway for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card or PayPal cash.
Links
