"War of the Institutes" by Paul James

NEW RELEASE and EXCERPT

War of the Institutes
(The Modest Proposal Institute Book 4)

by Paul James

War of the Institutes, the fourth and final book in The Modest Proposal Institute series by Paul James, has just been released. The author stops by today to share an excerpt from the book. Also available for only $0.99 each (or FREE on Kindle Unlimited): An Old Path to a New Future, No More Empires (read my blog post), and Rival Institutes.

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Description

The Modest Proposal Institute, which began in 2018 with such high hopes of saving the future progress of mankind, has broken into rival factions by 2030. Book 4, War of the Institutes, brings to an end this dystopian young adult, near-future sci fi, history of Earth.

Alexis and his pioneers have set up home on the moon and Mars, with an Earth 2.0 to come. Shane and his ocean pioneers are establishing mankind's presence on the seabed. Nadia and Tomas reign supreme in Western Europe and would like to extend their dominion across all the old Western lands. A splinter group, led by Jamie, wishes to live free in North America. All would be well if only they would be happy with what they have - but not everyone can and on Earth mankind returns to its pre-industrial state.

Excerpt

Moon City, 2129

Alexis frowned. He wished, and not for the first time, that he’d never started this history and yet it had to be told. To be honest, all he really wanted was his view of events told in his own voice. Looking back, he could see so many times where he failed and people would wonder why? They would ask why the same man who, in his early days, had pushed the Space Institute forward so forcefully, but then had been so unsure of himself when the Institute began to fracture. And they’d be right to ask. He could hardly understand it either. Until 2040, he’d been striding forward into space. After 2040 he’d been out of his depth on Earth. People there made no sense to him. Unfortunately, that’s the time he’d reached in this history, and he felt almost afraid to go on. He shrugged. Best to get it over with, he thought, and began recording.

It was the darkest time of the Institute’s history. The time when the three branches drifted farther and farther apart in growing mistrust and then violence. These events had happened only a few years ago and yet were almost forgotten by most. Or here in space they were, anyhow. He couldn’t speak much about those left on Earth because he never visited now, but he suspected their everyday thoughts were consumed by just finding enough food to keep living.

It wasn’t a dark time for everyone. Here in space, life went on as if nothing had changed. It was always a reflection of the Earth of 2018 here, only better. Before the moon and Martian cities were even half finished, exploratory missions had gone out in search of asteroids, other moons, and anything in the solar system that looked like it could be colonized. The drive was relentless. Even Alexis was staggered at the energy his pioneers showed in every possible new territory. Now he could see how the ancestors of the Western world could have arrived in a wilderness hundreds of miles from the nearest outpost of their civilization and built a city almost overnight.

He also now saw why the Founders had not focused on recruiting men with any one particular attribute—not IQ or physical strength or any other single quality. The Institute needed a range of qualities. Once those who explored had put roots into a new territory, pioneers needed to arrive and build. Nothing stopped the pioneers—not heat, cold, or exhaustion. They threw themselves into building each new settlement like there was no tomorrow. The contrast to the people he’d tried to help on Earth was staggering. Back on Earth people were starving, freezing, and yet could barely organize a hunt. Any one of the Institute’s men was worth ten of them.

After the pioneers came the builders, farmers, manufacturers, and those who provided them the services they needed. Where there had once been a barren, lifeless rock whirling in space, there was soon a thriving community sending resources back to the older colonies and importing things they needed in order to expand. No one directed anyone. The men just did what they did and the rest of life followed naturally.

The same story, of course, had been played out many times throughout men’s history on Earth. As Dean had told them, barren islands and lands had been turned into bustling cities and booming countries for thousands of years, but it was still astonishing to watch happen in space.

[Want more? Click below to read a longer excerpt.]

Praise for the Book

“This author is a born story-teller, and I enjoyed this immensely. I’m especially impressed because it’s a first book. Superbly edited and excellently written, it’s a story of growing up, facing challenges, and finding the ‘you’ that you were meant to be; but all that’s extraneous to the plot, which I found unique and fascinating. About a group of young boys working to solve the problems of their society by creating a better future, you’ll experience tension, and relief, and more tension.”

“The story reaffirms that no matter how technologically advanced or intelligent we humans are, our basic human nature doesn't change, or rather, the more things change, the more they stay the same.” ~ MJC

“Loved this book. Great build up from the 3 and like the others couldn't put it down. Would recommend to those who love sci fi and an adventure.” ~ NB

“You will enjoy this book more - as you will know the history of the main characters and the plot if you read books 1-3 of the Modest Proposal Institute. Be advised that the characters’ life spans last for hundreds of years. Tomas and Nadia rule Europe, Alexis controls Outer Space, Shane the Oceans, Jamie - Jamestown, North America, and Asia and the rest of the world had more localized control. What happens when one leader wants to control the Earth?” ~ Terry Biehl

“The end of the end. Heavy, yet satisfying. It made me cry. I was secretly hoping for a different ending, but knew it has to end this way. The Modest Proposal Institute series is truly a masterpiece that makes you wonder on so many issues that we're facing right now.” ~ Rugova Writes

About the Author

Paul James is an engineer with a life-long interest in books and writing. Originally from England, he's lived with his family near Toronto, Canada, for many years and where he walks, runs and takes wildlife photos whenever the weather will let him. In his writing, he likes to capture the humorous side of life even when sometimes the world doesn't seem to warrant it - as we saw in his earlier book, Diary of a Canadian Nobody.

For his new series, The Modest Proposal Institute, he has returned to one of his earliest loves - science fiction.

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"The Last Flag" by Wren Cavanagh

EXCERPT and GIVEAWAY

The Last Flag
(Race the Dead Book 1)

by Wren Cavanagh

The Last Flag by Wren Cavanagh is currently on tour with Silver Dagger Book Tours. The tour stops here today for an excerpt and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.

Description

What would you do to pay the bills; to survive, or to just get rich, would you compete against other teams in a quarantined town filthy with zombies wanting to bite out your throat?

Emma and Lewis sign up for the race, they need the money to save his life. But they won't just be racing the dead, the surprise blizzard, or the other contestants.

Because anger and vengeance know no bounds and, like everyone in the blighted town, they become pawns in a game of retribution.

The contestants become nothing more than live entertainment to viewers who watch and judge their every move in the town of Prideful as they race each other to arrive alive to a final flag. The team that makes it will get airlifted out alive and go back home richer for it. The others walk back to a pittance and, if they are not careful, they won't get out at all.

Excerpt

The helicopters lifted off from their respective locations at the town’s cardinal points. For the landings, the pilots made a show of finding a good spot, good editing would do the rest. It would create the impression of action and urgency where there wasn’t much of it; for ‘safety’ the pilots hovered close to ground and let the members of the four teams jump out of the open doors. All a show—a few ladders and some thick blankets thrown over the barbed wire would have worked as well. Or cutting a hole in the fence. But cutting through it would have caused legal issues, worse, the noises might eventually draw out some of the town’s current inhabitants. And everyone wanted intact fences between them and the turned.

The players now had two days to reach as many flags as possible. They would be told how many flags the other teams had, for added pressure. If they went past two days the cash pot would drop hourly by hundreds of thousands of dollars. A million today not being what it used to be, the contestant had better be hauling ass.

The video streams from the aerial drones, the helicopters, and the cameramen showed that most of the teams had gotten quickly organized once they hit the ground, and trotted off without a hitch. With one exception: The voice of the senior editor came in through Tom’s headset.

“Tom, first fuck up.”

“Great, who is it?”

“Joe from Striker,” replied the man as he zoomed in on the feed for the team.

Tom nodded, he looked at the fallen man on his tablet and opened his microphone. His voice came in over the video feed. “It looks like we have a player down. A player in danger! And that can put his team mates in danger. Joe Rosling from team Striker is on the ground and not getting up! Team striker has hit the ground and is already behind. Joe Rosling! Joe, looks like you got hurt there.”

Joe, the Army vet, tall and wiry, with wild shoulder length brown hair tied back in a pony tail and biker mustache, sat grimacing on the ground. He looked embarrassed and his lips formed a tight white line on a face from which pain had already drained all color.

“Just a sprain. I’ll be okay.” He gasped through clenched teeth and killed any credibility his reply might have had. Joe tried to get up and held his hand out to Lew for support. With the other man’s help he

struggled to his feet, but when he tried to put weight on the hurt foot he gave a sharp cry and fell back on his ass.

The awkward silence and frustration was palpable as the camera feed streamed on and minutes passed. Ross Boulez, the team’s assigned cameraman, panned in on the reaction of the team members.

Embarrassment, anger and impatience were the predominant emotions.

“Think you can keep going, Joe?” Tom asked. “Your team is waiting on you. Do you need to be extracted?”

The man shook his head. “I'm good.” With a pained, tight lipped expression and Lew’ help, he managed to get back up and started walking. Emma and Lew clapped and patted him on the back, but they looked doubtful. The team left at a slow trot that soon turned into a slow walk, and then to a funeral procession pace march as Joe limped along and kept up as best he could.

[Want more? Click below to read a longer excerpt.]

Praise for the Book

“… I find this book very enjoyable and a breath of fresh - if gory - air. Imagine if they threw zombies into Survivor and you’ll get a rough idea of the reality show within The Last Flag by Wren Cavanagh.” ~ dragonet711

“This was a short book worth a read. First of all, the pacing was great and kept me reading. I also really liked the character development and the overall plot. It had enough of a twist to the story to make it stand out from your usual zombie story. Another thing I really enjoyed was the transitions from perspectives that made it lots of fun.” ~ Chelsea O.

“I liked the humor in this book, and the action and I especially liked that Cavanagh manages to make a trite subject like zombies interesting again.” ~ MB

“I enjoy the humour and never quite know what is coming next of this author ... she is going from strength to strength and manages to create brilliant visuals in my mind. This is like a breath of fresh air in an otherwise tedious ‘real’ world.” ~ Aku – The Dragon Slayer

“I enjoyed the book. It has its ups and downs, but was enjoyable all the way. I'm not a zombie fan, as the genre is same old thing over and over, but this little twist in the zombie genre is a realistic version of what I could see happening. Hunger Games meet The Walking Dead is my take on the story.” ~ Tia H

About the Author

Wren Cavanagh, that would be me. Also writes under the pen name Junior Sokolov.

An artist and writer from great North West.

I am grateful that I have this opportunity to share my work and imagination with you. Growing up, my head was always stuck in a book or a comic book (before they got fancy and got the moniker “graphic novels”).

More often than not, those books were filled with monsters, werewolves and vampires.

Then the likes of Godzilla showed up, along with their brethren, born from the very justified fear of the atomic bomb and its consequences.

And that is what I love. Escaping into worlds of monsters and heroes, and sometimes they are one and the same! Letting my imagination run along and bring into the narrative what I see around me every day.

I hope that you will enjoy my stories. Find in them a temporary and enjoyable escape of your own.

Giveaway

Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card or one of two audiobooks or ebooks of The Last Flag by Wren Cavanagh.

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"No More Empires" by Paul James

INTERVIEW and EXCERPT

No More Empires
(The Modest Proposal Institute Book 2)

by Paul James

No More Empires is the second book in The Modest Proposal Institute series by Paul James. The author stops by today for an interview and to share an excerpt from the book.

Also available: An Old Path to a New Future.

Description

No More Empires, the second book in the #1 Bestseller series The Modest Proposal Institute, starts where Alexis and Shane begin building their chosen worlds.

We dive below the sea with Shane and fly into space with Alexis while, on the Earth’s surface, the institute struggles to survive amid the Western world’s collapse. Out of the turmoil, a rival emerges to challenge Alexis and Shane for the Institute's leadership. Tomas, who builds the institute’s robots, has his own ideas about how things should be done, and his way doesn’t include Alexis and Shane.

With the Founders seemingly enthralled by Tomas, Shane works secretly to prevent disaster right up to the moment Tomas decides to save the world from war and starvation.

Who are the good guys now? And will they win?

Excerpt

“Shane.”

Kurt’s voice broke into his thoughts, interrupting a mental run-through of the escape sequence for tomorrow’s final test. “What?”

“Yves and I think we have a problem.”

“You think you have a problem or you know you have a problem?” “That’s just it. We aren’t too sure.”

“So, what is this possible problem?” Shane asked impatiently.

“You remember how Tomas asked us to let his robots train with our security guys?”

“Yes.”

“Well, it’s been weeks now—”

“I know,” Shane interjected, growing tired of this slow recital. “I watched one of the early sessions. Remember?”

“Yeah. And it was okay then. The robots were cool, Tomas was cool, and the trainers were good with it too. In fact, a lot of them thought it was great we were on the leading edge of warfare—you know, men and machines working together.”

“So, what’s changed?”

“It’s hard to say. Tomas has developed some really incredible battlebots from those early prototypes. It’s like watching every sci-fi movie you’ve ever seen. His ‘NuMan’ robots are real androids—they almost look like human soldiers, only they’re bigger, incredibly fast, strong, and seem to be totally immune to bullets.”

“Then our security is looking good for the future.”

“Yeah, it is,” Kurt said, “only it doesn’t feel right. The troops are too good and they follow their own orders. Tomas says he’s building them for us, the institute, but we aren’t so sure anymore.”

“You think he’s planning a takeover?”

“We don’t know. But I’m telling you he could. These things are scary beyond all belief and they have a mind of their own, or maybe it’s just Tomas directing them.”

“But you’re not sure?”

“We’re not, but Leon is, and you know he’s been one of our chief commanders on all the defensive exercises. He says we’ve got to act soon. So far, the robots have taken part in the exercises without any problem, but even the elite trainers from the outside world are saying something funny is going on.”

Yves, who’d been standing silently beside Kurt with a worried expression, spoke up. “Leon has been warning us for some time. He’s been bugging Tomas too, demanding more information and more transparency. They’ve had arguments about it.”

Shane frowned. Leon wasn’t the sort to be paranoid about things. “The robots don’t have live ammo, do they?”

“No, but if they did we’d all be toast or taking orders from Tomas.”

“Do you have any actual proof there’s something going on or are you guys just jealous that the robots are tougher than you?”

“If we had proof, we’d destroy them now before they destroy us,” Yves said bluntly. “But no, we don’t have anything but intuition.”

Shane thought for a moment. “You say others are concerned as well?”

“The two Navy SEALs instructors who are training us now came to Yves and I this morning with their concerns.”

“Well, their spider senses are good enough for me,” Shane said. “How can we disable these things?”

“Not easily, but it can be done,” Kurt said. “Our concern is that Tomas has built more that we aren’t seeing, so that if we move against the ones we do see, we’ll get creamed. That factory of his is impossible for regular guys to get into.”

“We need to talk to the Founders,” Yves added. “There’s a night exercise tonight. Why don’t you come and see what you think before we go to them? We need your support because they won’t like our concerns. You know how pleased they were to get Tomas here.”

The night was overcast, the only light a slight phosphoresce from the sea that made the surf shimmer as it washed against the rocks and beach. Wearing the night-vision goggles, Shane could see the training defenders spread out across the terrain. Even Tomas’s robot defenders gave off enough heat to show up. The sea gave no sign of attackers, just the usual, steady rolling swell and waves.

Time passed and the night grew cold. Even bundled up, Shane wished he’d stayed indoors and watched from the monitors. It seemed the cold was making him feel sleepy rather than keeping him sharp. His thoughts drifted to his final test, the suit escape from a sunken Ray. He went through each step in his mind, determined to be perfect when the time came.

Then the night exploded. A blaze of light blinded him and he was stunned by a deafening, screaming howl. Out of the sea and onto the island came troops, guns blazing. They seemed to leap ashore and onto the defenders before Shane got his mind around what was happening.

Fortunately, the defenders had not been lulled into sleep. They fought back fiercely. The flashing simulator lasers weaved intricate tracer patterns through the darkness and revealed more crafts landing on the beaches with troops leaping from them. They began firing the moment they landed, responding fire erupting from the beach defenders. The noise and flashing lights left Shane stunned. It had been so long since he’d attended one of these exercises that he hadn’t realized how far they’d come or how realistic they now were.

[Want more? Click below to read a longer excerpt.]

Praise for the Book

“You do need to read the first book in order to really understand and enjoy this one - if you appreciate having your thinking challenged you will enjoy this series. Like Book 1, Book 2 is fast-paced and keeps your interest. Enjoying the character development between the main characters.” ~ L. Leighton

“Young adult fans of dystopian and science fiction novels are going to love the second installment of The Modest Proposal Institute. Picking up where the first book left off, the story is told from Shane’s point of view.” ~ HRH

“Book one was brilliant, it this book is even more so! It's so exciting to be reading from Shane's point of view. I love how Alexis and Shane went from enemies to frenemies. And I love how the element of suspense adds more spice into this story.” ~ Amber C.

“You can read this book by itself, but if you want to understand the purpose of the school, and the personal history between Alexis and Shane, you should read the first book in the series The Modest Proposal Institute.” ~ Terry Williams

Interview With the Author

Author Paul James joins me today to discuss his new book, No More Empires, the second book in The Modest Proposal Institute series.

For what age group do you recommend your book?

I recommend this book for anyone aged ten to 90.

What sparked the idea for this book?

I started writing this series because there is a lack of the kind of books I liked as a kid and teenager in today's books for boys. Also, because I have an interest in the near future. I felt there was a need for some different views of the future that looked at possible ideas and not magic.

So, which comes first? The character's story or the idea for the novel?

For me, the idea for the novel.

What was the hardest part to write in this book?

The hardest part was presenting an overview of the future of the Western world through the eyes of teenage boys.

How do you hope this book affects its readers?

I hope it encourages them to read more, widen their horizons, and consider their futures through their own ideas and endeavors and not what they're told.

How long did it take you to write this book?

From the idea, about a year. The actual writing was more like ten months.

What is your writing routine?

I write in two single one-hour periods, one earlier in the day and one in the evening.

How did you get your book published?

I self-published. I think it's the way publishing is going, and I wanted to have more control of the whole process.

What advice do you have for someone who would like to become a published writer?

Read and write a lot is the obvious first advice but, more than that, have something you want to say.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

Outside writing, I take photos - preferably wildlife - and I exercise - running, walking, and cycling.

What does your family think of your writing?

They've grown used to it. I've been doing it so long now, I don't think they notice anymore.

Please tell us a bit about your childhood.

I grew up in the country with a passion for the outdoors and all things technical, which is why I became an engineer. I read way too much. I read anything that was available almost from the moment I could read. I devoured books, though I didn't write anything other than school essays back then.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

That's difficult to say, it was so many years ago. But, I guess, when we had children, and I was reading to them.

Did your childhood experiences influence your writing?

Only in the sense that science fiction was one of my favorite genres when I was a teenager.

Which writers have influenced you the most?

They're a mixed bunch: Jane Austen, Bill Bryson, Douglas Adams, are all writers I keep in mind when I write. You'll note they're all different kinds of humorists, which I try to include some of in my stories.

Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?

I hear from some readers and all are very positive, though I imagine you only reach out to people when you have something good to say.

What can we look forward to from you in the future?

For now, I plan to finish the series of The Modest Proposal Institute.

Thanks for stopping by today, Paul. Best of luck with the rest of the series.

About the Author

Paul James is an engineer with a life-long interest in books and writing. Originally from England, he's lived with his family near Toronto, Canada, for many years and where he walks, runs and takes wildlife photos whenever the weather will let him. In his writing, he likes to capture the humorous side of life even when sometimes the world doesn't seem to warrant it - as we saw in his earlier book, Diary of a Canadian Nobody.

For his new series, The Modest Proposal Institute, he's returned to one of his earliest loves - science fiction.

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