Great New E-book Website

Until recently, when folks wanted to read The Iron Horse Chronicles in e-book form, they were limited to Amazon’s Kindle. Five Star Publishing has placed its books, including mine, on a great new site that now allows other ways to enjoy e-books. Now, when buyers ask me at a signing if the book is available for Nook or Kobo, I do not have to apologize and answer “no.”

Check out this link to Five Star’s catalog of e-books on My Must Reads: http://fivestarpublishing.papertrell.com/fivestarpublishing

If you read on an Apple or Google device, or on an Amazon Fire, a Nook, or Kobo, you can download the My Must Reads app to your device. When you open the above link, select the FAQs item in the upper right hand corner of the page and you will find directions on how to install the app and how to order books. (Note: Amazon’s Kindles do not work with the My Must Reads app. If you read on a Kindle, you must download directly from Amazon.)

Return to the Five Star page and scroll down to the second row of books entitled Historical Fiction/Young Adult Crossover and you will immediately see Eagle Talons. By tapping the arrow to the right of this row of books you will transition to additional volumes where you will find Bear Claws. I am including this new link in Favorite Websites in the right-hand sidebar of my website.

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Nevada Reading Week

Today, Monday, February 27, kicked off Nevada Reading Week for 2017. I was fortunate to receive an invitation to read Chapter 1 from Eagle Talons, The Iron Horse Chronicles–Book One, to six middle-grade classes at Mater Academy on Mountain Vista Street in Las Vegas.

The vision of Mater Academy is to develop successful scholars with 21st century skills of communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity. Students are educated to be college and career ready with cross cultural competence.

Donna Mabry, fellow member of Anthem Authors and Western Writers of America joined me to read from her book Pillsbury Crossing. We alternated reading among various classes. Donna left the school’s library with a copy of her book, and I gave the library autographed copies of Eagle Talons, The Iron Horse Chronicles–Book One, and Bear Claws, The Iron Horse Chronicles–Book Two.

My experience with the students was positive and rewarding. They listened attentively to my introductory remarks about how and why I wrote The Iron Horse Chronicles as well as during my reading of the chapter. They asked intelligent questions to gain further insight. It was a little tough on my voice to talk almost non-stop for two and a half hours, and I was tired when the sessions ended. But it was well worth the effort!

Thank you, Mater Academy.

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Book Three Sample Chapters Concluded

On the Books tab of this website you will find Chapter 3 from Golden Spike, The Iron Horse Chronicles–Book Three. This is the final sample chapter. You will have to wait to read the other chapters until the book is released by Five Star Publishing on July 19, 2017. This past week, I received the ARC (advance reading copy) of Golden Spike and have only a few days before last minute corrections must be submitted to the publisher. Won’t be long now until the final book about Will Braddock and his quest to determine his own destiny comes to a conclusion in this trilogy.

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Book Three Sample Chapters Continued

This week you will find Chapter 2 of Golden Spike, The Iron Horse Chronicles–Book Three under the Books tab of this website. Next week I will complete the offering of sample chapters by posting Chapter 3. Then, you will have to wait to read the remaining chapters when Five Star Publishing issues the book on July 19, 2017. I hope you enjoy reading this sample chapter continuing the adventures of Will Braddock.

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Book Three Sample Chapters

Chapter 1 of Golden Spike, The Iron Horse Chronicles–Book Three, can now be viewed under the Books tab on this website. Over the next two weeks I will post Chapters 2 and 3. The publication date for Golden Spike has been set by Five Star Publishing for July 19, 2017.

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Golden Spike Cover

The front cover for Golden Spike, The Iron Horse Chronicles–Book Three, is ready. Five Star Publishing is pressing ahead with final editing and production scheduling with a planned release date for the last book in my trilogy now set for July 19, 2017.

The driving of the Golden Spike at Promontory Summit, Utah, in 1869 almost didn’t happen. History books do not mention the incident. Only five people were aware of it—Will Braddock was one. Will’s arch enemy, Paddy O’Hannigan, learns Leland Stanford, president of the Central Pacific Railroad, is bringing the Golden Spike on his special train to the ceremony to mark completion of the transcontinental railroad. Paddy does not know Jenny is now Stanford’s personal chef and that Will is helping her with her duties. Paddy, broke and desperate, steals the Golden Spike from Stanford’s train right under the noses of Will and Jenny. Will must regain the spike from Paddy, or Will and Jenny will be accused of the theft.

Beginning next week I will post Chapter 1 of Golden Spike on this website, to be followed by Chapters 2 and 3 in coming weeks.

Posted in Bear Claws - Book Two, Central Pacific, Eagle Talons - Book One, Golden Spike - Book Three, Iron Horse Chronicles' Characters, The Iron Horse Chronicles, Transcontinental Railroad, Union Pacific, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

No Writing Day

There won’t be much writing done at this desk today. I had to disconnect all my computers and remove them so that carpet installers can take the desk out of the room before re-carpeting the floor. The installers promise to do the job in one day. I have my fingers crossed that they speak the truth. Then, I’ll have to see if I can remember how all the plugs and cords are reconnected in order to get back to work.

As I type this short blog, I notice one of those anomalies that makes English such a difficult language at times. “Reconnected” is one word, but “re-carpeting” is hyphenated. Go figure!

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The Presidents in The Iron Horse Chronicles

Lincoln meets with Dodge

In The Iron Horse Chronicles I include scenes about the impact certain Presidents of the United States had on the construction of the first transcontinental railroad. In the first volume of the trilogy, Eagle Talons, I point out the fact that President Abraham Lincoln met with Grenville M. Dodge in 1859 to discuss the best route for the railroad. Lincoln was no longer living in 1867 when Eagle Talons takes place, and by that time Dodge was honored with the title “General” because of the rank he reached in Civil War. Will Braddock first meets General Dodge, Chief Engineer of the Union Pacific Railroad, when Will arrives in Omaha, Nebraska, at the beginning of his quest that leads him to become involved with the greatest engineering achievement of the mid-nineteenth century.

President Ulysses S. Grant

In 1868, General Ulysses S. Grant is running for president, and he makes a campaign tour of some of the western states and territories, including Wyoming Territory. Will Braddock meets Grant and several famous Civil War generals who are traveling with Grant to the end of track in central Wyoming. Everything I write about Grant in Bear Claws, the second book in The Iron Horse Chronicles, is true except the attempted assassination attempt on the future president that Will and his companion, Lone Eagle, prevent. That part of the story is pure fiction.

As I pointed out on January 5, 2017, in the blog post I wrote for Mad About MG History, the Presidents of the United States have always had a significant impact on the course of the history of our country. With Inauguration Day for our forty-fifth president occurring on January 20, 2017, it is an appropriate time to learn more about them. If you missed reading my article “Inauguration Day and the Presidency,” you will find it at this link: http://madaboutmghistory.blogspot.com/. You will need to scroll down a bit to reach it.

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Inauguration Day and the Presidency

“Inauguration Day and the Presidency” is the subject of an article I wrote on January 5, 2107, for the blog Mad About MG History. If you read my blog regularly, you know I contribute periodically to the Mad blog providing information to teachers and librarians who work with middle grade students. This is an appropriate time for all students, young and old, to learn more about the history of the Presidents of the United States. You can read my Mad blog here: http://madaboutmghistory.blogspot.com/

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Happy New Year!

What better way to start the New Year than to have the 2016 awards won by Bear Claws, The Iron Horse Chronicles–Book Two recognized in the Winter 2017 SCBWI Bulletin. I know many of you do not read this fine publication that connects writers, illustrators, agents, and publishers of books for young readers, so I will copy the entry here.

This notice was included under Awards in the People section of the bulletin on page 30: “Robert Lee Murphy – middle grade historical novel – Bear Claws, the Iron Horse Chronicles–Book Two – Silver 2016 Will Rogers Medallion Award for Younger Readers; also First Place in Fiction 2016 – Wyoming State Historical Society.”

Thank you SCBWI for recognizing my book. Happy New Year to everybody!

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