Author: Matthew Peters
Series:Nicholas Branson #1
Pages: 336
Date Published: October 1st 2014
Publisher: Muse It Up Publishing
Format: Kindle
Genre: Speculative Fiction
Most of us are familiar with Jesus’ parents, Mary and Joseph, and Jesus’ purported spouse, Mary Magdalene. But what about Jesus’ siblings? What role did they play in early Christianity?
Contemporary Jesuit and renowned religious historian Nicholas Branson is about to find out…and the answer will shake the foundations of the Judeo-Christian world.
It all starts with the murder of a United States Senator in a confessional, and the discovery of a strange religious document among his possessions. At the urging of his FBI friend, Branson joins the investigation. His effort to uncover the truth behind the murder draws him into the search for an eight-hundred-year-old treasure and into a web of ecclesiastical and political intrigue.
Accompanied by a beautiful, sharp-tongued research librarian, Jessica Jones, Branson follows a trail of clues, from the peaks of the awe inspiring French Pyrenees to the caves of war-torn Afghanistan. Along the way, shadowy powerful forces trail the pair, determined to keep safe a secret buried for centuries.
~Guest Post!~
20 Things Most People Don’t Know
About Me
Hi. I’m
Matthew Peters, author of The Brothers
Keepers. I’ve never done one of these lists, so I thought it might be a fun
way to get to know me a little better. And turnabout is only fair play. Please
leave a comment, if you will, telling 1 thing most people don’t know about YOU!
2. I started playing the violin at the age of 4, but gave it up when I turned 13.
3. I have to eat Smarties, the roll candy, after dinner
4. I love classical music, especially Bach and Beethoven, but own almost every CD AC/DC and Iron Maiden ever made.
5. I prefer the mountains to the beach.
6. My fantasy date is with Scarlet Johannson.
7. Musicals (Singin’ in the Rain, Top Hat, The Sound of Music, etc.) make me feel good, and are my secret weapons against bouts of depression.
8. I’m a perfectionist who often has a very hard time starting to write.
9. I can’t skim a book: I either read it cover to cover or not at all.
10. I’ve taught college and graduate courses in International Relations, but I’ve never left the country.
11. I don’t eat pickles, large chunks of tomatoes, or olives.
12. I only started reading fiction a decade ago.
13. I only started writing fiction a decade ago.
14. I fear that someday I won’t be able to write, like it will all come to an end.
15. I’m a pretty good pool player.
16. The way to my heart is through my stomach.
17. I love cats.
18. I avoid large crowds and sometimes it is hard for me to go out in public.
19. I’m left-handed.
20. I read quite a bit of poetry, but can’t write a verse.
~Try an Excerpt!~
Father Rawlings drained his cup and set it on the table.
“What I’m about to tell you may sound ridiculous and melodramatic. At best it
will seem the stuff of conspiracy theories and spy novels. However, I assure
you it is not.” He fixed Branson with a steely gaze. “As God’s soldiers, we are
engaged in a battle, Nicholas. As real as any battle ever waged. The war we
fight has raged for centuries, but the battle we fight now could well be the
last. And we, you and I, the Roman Catholic Church as a whole, must emerge
victorious. Nothing less than the foundations, the stability of the Christian
world is at stake.” He smiled again, this time with bitterness.
“Of course it sounds unbelievable, even paranoid, but
believe me, it is neither. I choose my words carefully. I don’t make bold
assertions I cannot support. I assure you I am telling you exactly how things
stand, exactly what is at stake. Before I go on, however, I must demand a
pledge from you, your promise to help the Church in the epic struggle in which
we currently find ourselves. We require your guarantee, your warrant if you will,
that you will use all your energies, resources, and powers to secure the
interests of the Church, and that you will let nothing deter you from the task
at hand. With this binding agreement comes an inexhaustible supply of
resources: anything and everything you deem necessary to accomplish your
mission. But I must have your pledge before we proceed.” Rawlings rose from his
seat, motioning for Branson to stand as well. “Before you give me your answer,
listen again to Jesus’ words: ‘He who is not with me is against me.’ Nicholas
Branson, tell me now: Are you with our Lord, or against Him?”
~Meet Matthew!~
Dual
diagnosed* from an early age, Matthew Peters dropped out of high school at
sixteen. He went on to obtain an A.A., a B.A. from Vassar College, and an M.A.
and Ph.D. from Duke University. He has taught various courses in a variety of
disciplines throughout North Carolina. He is committed to increasing the
awareness and understanding of the dual diagnosed. In addition to The Brothers’
Keepers, he is the author of Conversations Among Ruins, which features a dual
diagnosed protagonist. Currently, he is working on a sequel to The Brothers’
Keepers.
*The term
dual diagnosed refers to someone suffering from a mood disorder (e.g.,
depression) and chemical dependency.
Website:
http://www.matthewpetersbooks.com/
Blog:
http://www.matthewpetersbooks.com/blog/
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/MatthewPeters65
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/matthew.peters.79656
Matthew Peters will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Thanks for hosting me, Andra!
ReplyDeleteI'd like to ask readers to tell 1 thing most people don't know about them. And I'd love you to play along, too, Andra :-)
I look forward to hearing your responses!
Best,
Matt
I was just going to comment and say I liked reading your list of things we don't know about you. Actually, I have rolls of Smarties in my candy dish right now. I don't eat them all the time but it seemed like a good interim candy between Valentine's day chocolates and Easter chocolates! Oh, an that candy dish is on the shelf outside my apartment door so other apartment tenants walking by can help themselves to a treat too.
ReplyDeleteI knew there was something I liked about you, Karen :-)
DeleteSmarties rule!
Now that I've got that out of my system, I really had fun compiling this list. It's something I've never done as a blog post on my own site, or even on Facebook.
I hope you have a great day, Karen!
Thanks for sharing your list, Matthew. Here's one from me: I'm terrified of boats and just got back from my first cruise Now I feel like I can do anything!
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by and commenting, Heather.
DeleteBravo on conquering your fear of boats! I guess in terms of your phobia, that ship has sailed :-( Oh, wow, it's good I don't write satire, huh?
Have a super day!
Hi Matt, Great idea. Anne and I are both nor particularly fond of heights, but we have managed to turn that fear into plot points in two of our novels. We have also not read any Harry Potter, although our children devoured the books.
ReplyDeleteThanks for coming by, Ken and Anne!
DeleteWow, you mean I'm not the only one who hasn't read Harry Potter? I feel so much more connected now. Thanks :-)
And way to go, turning phobias into plot points!
All the best!
Like Heather, I don't enjoy being on the ocean in a boat where I can't see land or flying over the ocean on a plane and looking down and seeing the moon reflected on the water. But I have done both many times.
ReplyDeleteAh, so now everyone's phobias are coming out! Great!
DeleteI'm sure you can work all of this into a wonderful cozy mystery, Susan!
Have a wonderful day :-)
Heather and Susan, You would not have liked being on the boat this past fall when we hit some rough seas in the Mediterranean and the boat was smacking hard through the swells and the propeller was coming out of the water on the top of the waves. Plus it was nighttime and we were trying to sleep.
DeleteAndra,
ReplyDeleteI see you're not playing yet. Is that because I scared you away with my list of 20?
:-)
Thank you for hosting me.
ReplyDeleteMost people don't know that I am one of 7 children.
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by and sharing, Mary.
DeleteThat is interesting. I always wondered what it would be like to have a large family. It must make the holidays and reunions that much livelier
All the best,
Matt
One thing most people don't know about me..... hmmm. I usually give up most sweets for Lent however, after one year of giving up chocolate, my family forbade me from ever doing that again. :-)
ReplyDeleteHah! That's terrific, Glenda.
DeleteI'm with you. Chocolate should be a basic food group. There should be an RDA for it, and it should be high.
I remember when I was very little one year, I told everyone I was going to give up Lent for Lent. The priest was not amused :-(
All the best,
Matt
Well, *I* was amused and LOL when I read that, Matthew. Well done, especially when you were "very little"!
DeleteMost people think there's just me and my brother (I'm 55 and he's 60), but I also have two older sisters (65 and 70). When I was a kid, I stayed a whole summer with my eldest sister (2000+ miles away), and strangers thought she was my mom. Last year she and her husband visited, and a cashier was positive these were my parents - my sister was not amused, LOL.
ReplyDelete