Dead Balance
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Reviews
“A crime novel set in the Colorado backcountry, mixing gritty suspense, supernatural horror, and Native American folklore. With this mix of horror, mystery, and the unexplained, Clark (The Devolution Chronicles: Rise of the Chimera, 2011, etc.) builds an intriguing setup and a diverse cast of characters. A promising start to what could be a fresh paranormal-crime series…”
-- Kirkus Reviews
“Gary Wayne Clark has created an engrossing story with exciting character depth in his novel Dead Balance. This is a testament to the author’s skills. Well-written and researched, Clark ensures that the reader is fully invested in every character and aspect of the story. Set in the high mountains of the Continental Divide readers are treated to a picturesque setting prime for a thrilling read. Anything seems possible in this untamed and unruly landscape. As murder and ancient myths collide, a young man is brought to the edge of his world and tested. Dead Balance is a diverse landscape of mystery, sweeping mountain imagery and cultural insight.”
-- Red City Review
"I highly recommend this thrilling mystery if you are looking for a book that you just can't put down. It is a wonderful mix of mystery intertwined with Native American Indian culture, beliefs and spiritual influence....not to mention a touch of a love story. I'm hopful there may be a sequel to follow!"
-- Jane, Amazon Reviews
"I selected this book on a recommendation from a friend. The plot was well thought out with some nice twists, and some well placed comic relief. I enjoyed the ride and look forward to another installment."
-- Nancy, Amazon Reviews
"Fascinating! A real thriller set the mountains near a national park. I would recommend this book to any mystery or horror fan. It is top notch."
-- Mike, Amazon Reviews
"I love to read, crime, suspense, mystery. This story has it all and more. The Indian legends are something I don't know much about but make the story captivating. I'm glad there were survivors so there can be a sequel."
-- James, Amazon Reviews
“A crime novel set in the Colorado backcountry, mixing gritty suspense, supernatural horror, and Native American folklore. With this mix of horror, mystery, and the unexplained, Clark (The Devolution Chronicles: Rise of the Chimera, 2011, etc.) builds an intriguing setup and a diverse cast of characters. A promising start to what could be a fresh paranormal-crime series…”
-- Kirkus Reviews
“Gary Wayne Clark has created an engrossing story with exciting character depth in his novel Dead Balance. This is a testament to the author’s skills. Well-written and researched, Clark ensures that the reader is fully invested in every character and aspect of the story. Set in the high mountains of the Continental Divide readers are treated to a picturesque setting prime for a thrilling read. Anything seems possible in this untamed and unruly landscape. As murder and ancient myths collide, a young man is brought to the edge of his world and tested. Dead Balance is a diverse landscape of mystery, sweeping mountain imagery and cultural insight.”
-- Red City Review
"I highly recommend this thrilling mystery if you are looking for a book that you just can't put down. It is a wonderful mix of mystery intertwined with Native American Indian culture, beliefs and spiritual influence....not to mention a touch of a love story. I'm hopful there may be a sequel to follow!"
-- Jane, Amazon Reviews
"I selected this book on a recommendation from a friend. The plot was well thought out with some nice twists, and some well placed comic relief. I enjoyed the ride and look forward to another installment."
-- Nancy, Amazon Reviews
"Fascinating! A real thriller set the mountains near a national park. I would recommend this book to any mystery or horror fan. It is top notch."
-- Mike, Amazon Reviews
"I love to read, crime, suspense, mystery. This story has it all and more. The Indian legends are something I don't know much about but make the story captivating. I'm glad there were survivors so there can be a sequel."
-- James, Amazon Reviews
Post mortem; 500+ new Dead Balance readers & slightly abnormal #horror #thriller friends. Thanks @StanleyFilmFest - http://tinyurl.com/ocoglnu
Log Line:
When a haunting voice foretells impending deaths, a troubled Arapahoe boy with an eerie talent for locating dead bodies must unravel the ancient mystery of DeadRaven… before another body drops.
When a haunting voice foretells impending deaths, a troubled Arapahoe boy with an eerie talent for locating dead bodies must unravel the ancient mystery of DeadRaven… before another body drops.
Blurb:
Beneath the shadow of the Continental Divide, the mountain holds a dark secret, a secret of murder and suicide. A secret that for decades, the peaceful resort town of DeadRaven has concealed; an unspoken balance between the splendor of the mountain, and the price it surreptitiously demands.
The secret of Deadraven remains hidden for decades, until the deceptive tranquility is shattered when a disabled veteran in a remote mountain cabin receives a garbled call on his radio, describing a murder… before it happens. Two hours later when a police dispatcher broadcasts the identical call, and the first body is discovered in what will become an escalating series of grizzly killings, each announced in advance by a mysterious voice. As the Sheriff begins her investigation under the watchful eye of the local Town Council, she contemplates an unsettling thought; the murderer might not be acting alone. To halt the carnage, she enlists the help of Logan Tuu'awata, a troubled Arapahoe boy with an eerie talent for locating dead bodies on the mountain.
With the help of Raven Thundersky and a reclusive Medicine Man named Ten Bears, Logan seeks to crack the case by embarking on a vision quest into the spirit world, enabling him to see through the eyes of the killer. But his newfound vision has a terrible side effect; the killer can now see through his eyes as well, stalking him between the worlds of dark and light, awakening his terrifying past, and driving him to the brink of madness. As murder, psychosis and ancient myths collide, Logan struggles to maintain his sanity as he is forced to confront the nightmares of his past, to track down a serial killer and unravel the dark secret of Deadraven… before another body drops.
Beneath the shadow of the Continental Divide, the mountain holds a dark secret, a secret of murder and suicide. A secret that for decades, the peaceful resort town of DeadRaven has concealed; an unspoken balance between the splendor of the mountain, and the price it surreptitiously demands.
The secret of Deadraven remains hidden for decades, until the deceptive tranquility is shattered when a disabled veteran in a remote mountain cabin receives a garbled call on his radio, describing a murder… before it happens. Two hours later when a police dispatcher broadcasts the identical call, and the first body is discovered in what will become an escalating series of grizzly killings, each announced in advance by a mysterious voice. As the Sheriff begins her investigation under the watchful eye of the local Town Council, she contemplates an unsettling thought; the murderer might not be acting alone. To halt the carnage, she enlists the help of Logan Tuu'awata, a troubled Arapahoe boy with an eerie talent for locating dead bodies on the mountain.
With the help of Raven Thundersky and a reclusive Medicine Man named Ten Bears, Logan seeks to crack the case by embarking on a vision quest into the spirit world, enabling him to see through the eyes of the killer. But his newfound vision has a terrible side effect; the killer can now see through his eyes as well, stalking him between the worlds of dark and light, awakening his terrifying past, and driving him to the brink of madness. As murder, psychosis and ancient myths collide, Logan struggles to maintain his sanity as he is forced to confront the nightmares of his past, to track down a serial killer and unravel the dark secret of Deadraven… before another body drops.
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Story Sampler:
“You know, I first heard about you from Search and Rescue. Got a call that some kid just appeared on the mountain and found a dead body, before the scent dogs could get even get out of the truck.”
“Yeah, I saw them thrashing about in the woods. I could tell that the dogs didn’t really want to track that one. It looked like they could use some help.”
“Some help? I know the lead investigator over there; he’s been tracking up here for twenty years. Said he’d felt some disturbing sensations from time to time up on that mountain, but running into you? You totally spooked him.”
“Spooked him, Sheriff? How?”
“Finding a body before the dogs, that’s one thing, it happens. But he said when they caught up to you, you were just sitting there beside the body, talking to it, like it was still alive; asking questions, carrying on a conversation… that totally freaked him out. That’s when he called me and suggested that maybe you’d be a better fit working homicide with me.”
“And do I spook you, Sheriff?”
“You know, I first heard about you from Search and Rescue. Got a call that some kid just appeared on the mountain and found a dead body, before the scent dogs could get even get out of the truck.”
“Yeah, I saw them thrashing about in the woods. I could tell that the dogs didn’t really want to track that one. It looked like they could use some help.”
“Some help? I know the lead investigator over there; he’s been tracking up here for twenty years. Said he’d felt some disturbing sensations from time to time up on that mountain, but running into you? You totally spooked him.”
“Spooked him, Sheriff? How?”
“Finding a body before the dogs, that’s one thing, it happens. But he said when they caught up to you, you were just sitting there beside the body, talking to it, like it was still alive; asking questions, carrying on a conversation… that totally freaked him out. That’s when he called me and suggested that maybe you’d be a better fit working homicide with me.”
“And do I spook you, Sheriff?”
Author Bio
I’m a novelist, poet and Grammy® Recording Academy Artist, but a storyteller at heart. My works include the Sci-Fi series “The Devolution Chronicles”, critically acclaimed Soundtracks and the Poetry / Photography series “High Country Haiku”. When I’m not recording with my Indie band Earamas™ or traveling among Native Americans to swap stories, I live in the High Country of Colorado on a ranch with my wife, a Great Doodle named Neli, and the spirit of my shape shifting Great Dane named Raz.
I’m a novelist, poet and Grammy® Recording Academy Artist, but a storyteller at heart. My works include the Sci-Fi series “The Devolution Chronicles”, critically acclaimed Soundtracks and the Poetry / Photography series “High Country Haiku”. When I’m not recording with my Indie band Earamas™ or traveling among Native Americans to swap stories, I live in the High Country of Colorado on a ranch with my wife, a Great Doodle named Neli, and the spirit of my shape shifting Great Dane named Raz.
What is the Inspiration for Dead Balance?
For centuries, frontiersmen and Indians have told dark tales of evil spirits that haunt the mountains. As I researched ancient legends and interviewed witnesses to modern day mysteries, I unraveled a startling common thread buried in each disturbing story—and that got me wondering… what if?
Is there a message in your book that you want readers to grasp?
Abandoned and incarcerated as a boy, Logan is troubled by his past. To seek his destiny, he must face many demons—both real and imaginary. As the Hopi say, ‘Inside every spirit is a fight between two bears. One evil; one good. Which bear will win?’ For Logan, and for each of us, ‘The bear we feed.’
For centuries, frontiersmen and Indians have told dark tales of evil spirits that haunt the mountains. As I researched ancient legends and interviewed witnesses to modern day mysteries, I unraveled a startling common thread buried in each disturbing story—and that got me wondering… what if?
Is there a message in your book that you want readers to grasp?
Abandoned and incarcerated as a boy, Logan is troubled by his past. To seek his destiny, he must face many demons—both real and imaginary. As the Hopi say, ‘Inside every spirit is a fight between two bears. One evil; one good. Which bear will win?’ For Logan, and for each of us, ‘The bear we feed.’
Target Genre: Mystery / Fantasy targeted Book Markets / Episodic Television / Film Development
Similar Feel: Longmire, Grimm, Twin Peaks
Keywords: #MurderMystery, #YoungAdult, #Fantasy, #NativeAmericanMythology, #PsychologicalThriller
Similar Feel: Longmire, Grimm, Twin Peaks
Keywords: #MurderMystery, #YoungAdult, #Fantasy, #NativeAmericanMythology, #PsychologicalThriller
Dead Balance © 2014-15 Gary Wayne Clark. All rights reserved.