The entire village knows Neima’s grandfather is a madman. For years the old man has prophesied that a great flood is coming, a flood disastrous enough to blot out the entire earth. He’s even built an enormous ark that he claims will allow his family to survive the deluge. But no one believes the ravings of a lunatic…
…until the rain starts. And doesn’t stop. Soon sixteen-year-old Neima finds her entire world transformed, her life and those of the people she loves in peril. Trapped on the ark with her grandfather Noah, the rest of her family, and a noisy, filthy, and hungry assortment of wild animals, will Neima find a way to survive?
With lions, tigers, and bears oh my, elephants and flamingos too, along with rivalries and betrayals, a mysterious stowaway, and perhaps even an unexpected romance, FORTY DAYS is not your grandfather’s Noah’s Ark story.
FORTY DAYS is approximately 45000 words, the length of a shorter novel, and is the first installment in a two-part epic story. It does contain a cliffhanger ending.
Readers looking for a traditional, religiously oriented version of the Noah’s Ark story should be warned that FORTY DAYS may not appeal to them. The novel will, however, appeal to lovers of apocalyptic fiction, historical fiction, and romance, as well as anyone who’s ever dreamed of having a baby elephant as a pet.
Forty Days is on sale this week only for only $.99! Go get your copy!
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Amazon - Kobo - Barnes & Noble
Excerpt:
A Surprising Appearance
Wait. What was that? There it is again: a flicker of movement, a blur of what looks like cloth. As soon as I turn toward the motion, it stops—which only makes me more suspicious. The familiar signs of panic rise up—my breath quickens, my heart flutters like flapping wings—and I quickly force them down. I will not let Kenaan get the best of me.
I take a step forward, in the direction of the movement, and I see yet another flicker, this one farther to the right. I turn to follow, my steps surer now, for I have the advantage here, where he can’t go much farther before ramming into the ark wall. And my knife is still tucked safely in the belt I’ve refused to take off, though the cloth is now more gray-brown than blue. Come to think of it, the transformation of my clothing reminds me of the bit of flower-birds’ feathers.
I’m distracting myself—yes, that’s good. Already my heartbeat has returned to a steady, determined boom in my chest. I take another step forward, then another; the elephants see me and trumpet, but I’m tracking the movement away from their corner, into that dark mass of cages…
“You might as well come out, Kenaan,” I call. My voice sounds surer than I feel, and it gives me new courage. “I know you’re there,” I go on. “We need to talk. We’re going to be on this ark together for a while, and—”
A figure steps slowly forward from between two cages, still in shadow so all I can see is a hint of his ripped, once-white tunic and, above it…a flash of gold? It must be a trick of the light. I take a deep breath, step forward again just as the figure moves closer, and—
A Surprising Appearance
Wait. What was that? There it is again: a flicker of movement, a blur of what looks like cloth. As soon as I turn toward the motion, it stops—which only makes me more suspicious. The familiar signs of panic rise up—my breath quickens, my heart flutters like flapping wings—and I quickly force them down. I will not let Kenaan get the best of me.
I take a step forward, in the direction of the movement, and I see yet another flicker, this one farther to the right. I turn to follow, my steps surer now, for I have the advantage here, where he can’t go much farther before ramming into the ark wall. And my knife is still tucked safely in the belt I’ve refused to take off, though the cloth is now more gray-brown than blue. Come to think of it, the transformation of my clothing reminds me of the bit of flower-birds’ feathers.
I’m distracting myself—yes, that’s good. Already my heartbeat has returned to a steady, determined boom in my chest. I take another step forward, then another; the elephants see me and trumpet, but I’m tracking the movement away from their corner, into that dark mass of cages…
“You might as well come out, Kenaan,” I call. My voice sounds surer than I feel, and it gives me new courage. “I know you’re there,” I go on. “We need to talk. We’re going to be on this ark together for a while, and—”
A figure steps slowly forward from between two cages, still in shadow so all I can see is a hint of his ripped, once-white tunic and, above it…a flash of gold? It must be a trick of the light. I take a deep breath, step forward again just as the figure moves closer, and—
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