1 | Sam Houston
November 16, 2007 at 6:49 pm

I really enjoy reading your blog and check it regularly every evening. But I’m wondering if anyone has asked about the font colors that you are using. These old eyes are finding it extremely difficult to read your content because there doesn’t seem to be much contrast.

I use Firefox as my browser and it may look entirely different via Explorer. I’ll have to check that.

Just wondering…and thanks.

3 | Sam Houston
November 17, 2007 at 7:36 pm

Bless you…this works so much better for me. There’s just something about that other color combination that made it difficult for me to read your stuff. Thanks for having such great “customer service.”

5 | Tracy Minsky
November 26, 2007 at 8:48 pm

We work with critically acclaimed writer Sam Barone author of the newly published book EMPIRE RISING. He is available to blog as a guest writer or in a Q & A format to discuss his book and the resources used when writing Historical Fiction. Below are details about the book, below that are details about why he decided to write the book. Further down you’ll find his recommended reading list and also books that have helped him write his works.

Here is a link to Sam Barone’s website http://www.sambarone.com

and on Amazon, http://www.amazon.com/Empire-Rising-Sam-Barone/dp/0060892463/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1196129775&sr=8-1

Again, below are many more details

Please let me know if I can offer you any further information and arrange for Sam to join your blog.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,
Tracy

Tracy G. Minsky
Meryl L. Moss Media Relations, Inc.
tracy@mediamuscle.com

It was a time of heroes and villains…and one warrior stood between good and evil

EMPIRE RISING
by Sam Barone

Kirkus Reviews called Dawn of Empire, Sam Barone’s first installment of Mesopotamian intrigue and warrior combat, “well-crafted…A Bronze Age historical romance with brains as well as brawn, ripe for a sequel.” That sequel has arrived. EMPIRE RISING (William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers; On-sale: 9/25/07) delves further into a brutal, violent, and exhilarating time when a strong and charismatic leader proved crucial. For readers that crave the frenetic action of Gladiator and 300 or the compelling historical sagas of Bernard Cornwell, EMPIRE RISING is a novel of war, passion, savagery and human courage that is sure to thrill.

It’s 3157 B.C., and after having successfully repelled the savage Alur Meriki clan and saved the city of Akkad, the warrior Eskkar and his savvy wife Trella are enjoying their rightful rulership over the lone outpost of civilization amidst Mesopotamia’s scorching deserts and dusty hamlets. The specter of the barbarian invaders who threatened Akkad’s stability still lurks, so Eskkar sets out to secure the outlying villages and consolidate his nascent empire, entrusting the safekeeping of the city to his very pregnant wife. But malignant and mysterious forces are at work.

Korthac, a malicious Egyptian harboring grand plans of conquest, has a mission: seize Akkad, the jewel of Mesopotamia, at whatever cost necessary. When he saves a roving bandit named Ariamus from certain death at the hands of some enraged villagers, he is lucky to discover that Ariamus’s past ties to Akkad may prove invaluable in this clandestine quest. Far away, Eskkar encounters Lani, a beautiful and enigmatic slave woman, after rescuing a town from the clutches of a particularly bloodthirsty barbarian. As the enthralled warrior lingers in her company, thoughts of his beloved wife Trella fade, but so does his alertness to danger…

Meanwhile, Korthac arrives in Akkad with a bevy of burly Egyptians and begins to establish himself as a precious jewels merchant, using the expensive gems to buy himself a reputation—and some loyalty. As Trella is busy employing her diplomatic skill to foster a local government worthy of the empire it may build, little does she know that an uprising of epic proportions is quietly brewing within the city’s walls…

A worthy and exciting sequel to its high-energy predecessor, EMPIRE RISING features vivid battles, compelling characters, and a fascinating peek into the early history of a mighty civilization.

About the author:
Sam Barone was born and raised in New York City. He spent 30 years designing and developing software, and began writing seriously after his retirement. He lives in Scottsdale, Arizona.

15 | Ann Darnton (Table Talk)
August 14, 2008 at 1:19 am

Eva, I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve made my way over here from Litlove’s blog and your comment about starting grad school and being worried about wanting to hang out with new friends and knowing what that’s going to do to your vital routine. To start with, I know where you’re coming from because I’m a fellow sufferer. I produce adrenaline at a rate of knots and became so ill two years ago that I had to take early retirement. But, the point of my writing is this. Before I retired I was a University Lecturer and six years ago we had a girl join the class who put everyone’s backs up immediately. She would never agree to join a group that had to meet outside class time unless they chose the time that she suggested, even then she would often fail to show and when she did she often hadn’t completed the work that she should have done. If anyone challenged her about these issues she flew off the handle. She told everyone that she had a job and a boyfriend who were far more important than her work was. And yet she clearly had a good brain and seemed to want to do well. What I eventually discovered (after having had the entire class up in arms in my office about this) was that she had such severe ME that her doctor had advised her to use a wheelchair and yet she refused to do so and was struggling in for class when at times she could hardly stand. My problem here was that this information was confidential and I couldn’t tell the other students. Telling them had to be her decision and she wouldn’t/couldn’t do that. She lost so much because that crowd were really good kids and if they had known they would have done everything they could to make it possible for her to be part of the group without putting any extra pressure on her, but they needed to know. Eventually she came out with a reasonable degree, but her time at Uni was so miserable and it could have been one of the most supportive experiences of her life.
So, if you don’t mind a bit of advice from someone who knows this from both sides, be absolutely open with your fellow students about your condition and the needs that it imposes on you. I’m not suggesting you make a song and dance about it, I’m sure you wouldn’t want to be provoking pity, I know I wouldn’t, but most students are really great and kindly people and if they know what the score is they will help you get the best out of the experience without feeling that you’ve missed out on too much. If they don’t know they can’t do that.
Please excuse me if I’ve been presumptuous, but every time I think of that girl I weep inside and I would hate to see it happen to anyone else needlessly.

19 | susan
January 29, 2009 at 3:23 am

Why haven’t you ever joined any discussions at Shelfari? So glad I have found my way to your blog.

21 | Zoya
June 18, 2009 at 1:25 am

hey i’ve been following your blog since the last few months and thanks to your blog could find new books to explore. Delighted to note that you love Jane Austen!!

And your blog is very interesting with all the notes and also the wide variety of book reviews that you put up here. I’m new to blogging and my fav topic ofcourse is books…but I haven’t covered as many as you have et all.