Sontag’s “The Silver Coin” is the third book of the “Ancient Elements” historical YA series

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Sunbury Press has released The Silver Coin, Marie Sontag’s historical young adult novel that is the third volume in the Ancient Elements series.

About the Book:
The Mycenaean captain laughed and addressed his prisoners. “By the time people realize you’re missing, you’ll all be slaves of Greek merchants or landowners. And I’ll be that much richer!” Sam swallowed hard. Now I’ll never find Uncle Zim. And who will want to buy a crippled slave? Numbness overtook him as he saw his hopes, like the sail of the Phoenician ship, go up in flames.

What Others Are Saying:
“Sontag’s Mediterranean world is a vivid one, and the story makes clear that even thousands of years ago, residents of the region were well traveled and knowledgeable about their realm. . . . individuals looking for curriculum-based fiction may find the book a valuable tool.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Sontag’s final book of her Ancient Element’s trilogy was an exhilarating conclusion to this Indiana Jones-like journey through the civilizations of the ancient middle eastern kingdoms. Students reading her books will effortlessly be educated, richly enhancing the core curriculum they are learning in their middle school classes.” — Jean Fujiki, Library Media Clerk, Cupertino, CA

“Sontag once again delivers heart stopping excitement as Samsuluna embarks on his next adventure. A masterful work of historical fiction that brings the ancient past to life. You will not be disappointed!” — Roberta Hendricks, Reading Intervention Specialist, TX

“The Silver Coin is so visual throughout, using conversation to move the characters forward in this third book of Dr. Sontag’s trilogy. My sixth grade students love to read her books!” — Susan Peers, Social Studies Teacher, San Jose, CA

Excerpt:
Peret, Season of Planting, 1777 BC – Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Egypt

Fifteen-year-old Samsuluna fingered the remaining silver coin given to him by his adoptive father, Balashi. As the ship rocked beneath his sandaled feet, he eyed the ominous, black clouds gathering in the distance. “They say it takes about seven days to sail from Egypt to the Phoenician city of Tyre,” Samsuluna told his friend, Keret. “Once we get to Tyre, I’ll finally be able to complete my quest and reunite with my uncle, Zim-ri-lin.”

Seventeen-year-old Keret leaned over the Phoenician ship’s wicker railing to look at the dark sea that churned below. Keret then observed the swift moving clouds overhead. “I don’t know, Sam.” Keret shook his head. “It may take more than seven days to reach Phoenicia if a storm rolls in.”

Sam returned his coin to the leather pouch strapped around his neck and tucked the pouch beneath his tunic. “Well, at least I’ll have a place to call home again,” Sam said. “Since Balashi’s death . . .” Sam’s voice trailed off as he gazed at the clouds once again.

Sam turned his head when one of the Phoenician crewmen walked over and stood next to him, scanning the horizon. Something in the sailor’s intent gaze caused Sam to tighten his grip on the ship’s railing.

About the Author:
Dr. Marie Sontag taught middle school for over 15 years. She has a BA in Social Science, and an MA and PhD in Education. When on speaking events, she’s always accompanied by her authenticated 3,000-year-old bronze dagger, alabaster jar, and silver coin.

Books in the Ancient Elements Series:
Book One: The Bronze Dagger
Book Two: The Alabaster Jar
Book Three: The Silver Coin

Books in the Warsaw Rising Series
Book One: Rising Hope
Available Soon:
Book Two: A Door of Hope
Book Three: A Banner of Hope

The Silver Coin
Authored by Marie Sontag
List Price: $9.99
5.5″ x 8.5″ (13.97 x 21.59 cm)
Black & White on Cream paper
140 pages
Sunbury Press, Inc.
ISBN-13: 978-1620067987
ISBN-10: 1620067986
BISAC: Juvenile Fiction / Historical / Ancient Civilizations

Coming soon on Kindle

For more information, please see:
http://www.sunburypressstore.com/The-Silver-Coin-97816200…

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1913 Calumet copper mining strike backdrop for Timmerman’s young adult novel

CALUMET, Mich. — Sunbury Press has released My Brother’s Mountain, John Timmerman’s historical young adult novel about life in Calumet, Michigan in 1913 during tense economic times.

About the Book:
Davey O’Brien and his friends are just trying to get through seventh grade at the Calumet & Hecla school for miners’ children.  But trouble won’t leave them alone.  Conflict with the “townies”, sons and daughters of mine bosses and store owners, is one thing.  But then the miners go on strike, food becomes scarce during awful winter storms, and life itself grows uncertain as the miners square off against the owners’ vigilante thugs.

Excerpt:
September 24, 1912

I had put my life in the hands of a madman.

He stood beside me, carrot-colored hair tangled up in curls like a nest of snakes. His shoulders stretched the shirt and sweater to the point of bursting. “And remember. Not a word of this to anyone. Ever,” he said.

His name was Robert O’Brien, and he’s my brother. I can’t deny it. Even though I have dark hair and dark blue eyes instead of green. I was skinny as a birch sapling, and about half as strong. I couldn’t see worth anything either. Right now I felt positively weak and half blind.

“Ready, Davey?” Robert asked. “It’s not going to be daylight forever.”

Rough caskets for victims of the Italian Hall disaster

“I’m coming,” I said.

I was on my knees getting a drink at the creek. All around me were footprints of animals that had crept down the forest trail during the night. The deer prints were the deepest—the big does more cautious, the small fawn prints dotted all around like dizzy sailors.

I felt like one of those fawns, spindly-legged and trembly.

My mistake was the way I leaned down to get a quick drink from the creek before I followed Robert the rest of the way up the trail. I saw Mount Baldy perfectly reflected in the water, ready for me to climb.

I didn’t want to do it. But Robert stood beside me like an oak tree with curly orange leaves daring me to go back down the trail.

“Come on. Don’t sit there guzzling water or you’ll never make it up.”

I wasn’t guzzling. I was staring at the upside-down reflection of Mount Baldy and was thinking that I really, really didn’t need to be a King of the Mountain.

At least not yet. That thing was a monster.

But, this would be my only chance this year. Snow could start any day. I mean heavy snow. And it wouldn’t be gone until May. By then Robert would have turned eighteen, left school, and gone to work in the mines.

I stood up. “Okay,” I said.

He looked at me. “This first part is easy,” he said. “Just an uphill walk. But you have to learn the trail. That’s your job.”

“All right. I hear you.” I hate it when a big brother sounds like a big brother.

“And remember,” he said, “I show you once. If you can’t remember, you don’t deserve to be a King of the Mountain. Brother or not.”

This was the thing. There was only one way to learn the trail. Someone had to lead you, showing all the weird markings used to point the way. If you failed, you were cast out of The Kings forever. You had one chance.

I had known that sooner or later Robert would take me. I was just hoping it would be later. Much later. Like four or five years later when maybe I’d have more than two pounds of muscle in my body and a set of glasses good enough to keep me from bumping into trees and tripping over acorns.

So here we were—working our way along the forest trail to the ledge. The trail started heading up more sharply. My feet kept slipping, and I kept grabbing onto tree trunks to keep my balance. At one point my feet just slid out from under me on a patch of leaves and loose stones. Splat! Right on my face and a wicked little cut on the palm of one hand. Where the trees began to thin out, the wind slanted in from Lake Superior and drove things like icicles right down my throat into my stomach. My fingers were turning blue-white. Big old Robert just kept stalking along ahead of me, as if the whole world wasn’t about to turn to ice. I wish he would fall or something, just to prove he’s not such a big shot.

Fall only about four or five feet, of course. He still had to get me back down. I kept climbing as fast as I could just to stay warm.

I felt like I had been climbing for three days straight. I was sucking at the cold wind to catch my breath. I looked up to see how far I had to go. A long shelf of rock hung out above us.

“Are we at the top?” I asked.

About the Author:
John Timmerman is a former college professor and the author of many books and short stories.  He lives with his wife in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

My Brother’s Mountain
Authored by John Timmerman
List Price: $9.99
5.5″ x 8.5″ (13.97 x 21.59 cm)
Black & White on Cream paper
160 pages
Sunbury Press, Inc.
ISBN-13: 978-1620067093
ISBN-10: 1620067099
BISAC: Juvenile Fiction / Historical / United States / 20th Century

Also available on Kindle

For more information, please see:
http://www.sunburypressstore.com/My-Brothers-Mountain-978…

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Mark Singel’s memoir leads the polls as the Sunbury Press bestseller for August

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — Sunbury Press has released the bestsellers list for August. Mark Singel’s political memoir A Year of Change and Consequences took the top spot. Wonder Boy by Lawrence Knorr was runner up.

SUNBURY PRESS – Bestsellers for August, 2016 (by Revenue)
Rank	Last Month	Title	Author	Category
1	3	A Year of Change & Consequences	Mark Singel	Political Memoir
2	1	Wonder Boy: The Story of Carl Scheib	Lawrence Knorr	Sports Biography
3	19	Keystone Corruption Continues	Brad Bumsted	History
4	5	Living in the Afterlife	Michele Livingston	Spirituality
5	NEW	Hatched	Robert Barksy	Literary Fiction
6	—	Going Home	Sharon Marchisello	Thriller Fiction
7	10	Amelia Earhart: The Truth at Last, 2nd Ed.	Mike Campbell	History
8	9	Cast Iron Signs of Pennsylvania Towns and Other Landmarks	N Clair Clawser	History
9	6	The Savage Apostle	John Kachuba	Historical Fiction
10	—	The Devil Tree	Keith Rommel	Thriller Fiction
11	—	Where Elephants Fought	Bridget Smith	Historical Fiction
12	22	Bitter Sweet	Catherine Jordan et al.	Short Stories
13	NEW	Taking Lady Gibraltar	Dick Schwirian	Historical Fiction
14	18	Raising Monarchs	Sue Fox McGovern	Nature
15	—	The Mask of Minos	Robert Walton	Thriller Fiction
16	—	Fatal Snow	Robert Walton	Thriller Fiction
17	12	Dying for Vengeance	J M West	Thriller Fiction
18	23	Murder in Tuxedo Park	William Lemanski	Thriller Fiction
19	7	Maybe Tomorrow	Mela Suśe Vigil Duran Carvalko	Memoir
20	—	Of Guilt and Innocence	John Scanlan	Thriller Fiction
21	—	Home Is a Long Time Ago	William F Lee	Historical Fiction
22	4	The B Team	Alan Mindell	Sports Fiction
23	—	A Moment in the Sun	Tory Gates	YA Fiction
24	2	The Gingerbread Man’s School Adventure	Sherri Maret	Childrens
25	13	Call Sign Dracula	Joe Fair	Vietnam Memoir
26	—	Courting Doubt and Darkness	J M West	Thriller Fiction
27	16	Pit Bulls	Anthony Julian	History
28	—	Pink Flamingos All Around	Matt Anderson	Childrens
29	—	Stink Bomb	Ricky Bruce	YA Fiction
30	14	The Closer	Alan Mindell	Sports Fiction
31	26	That Night at Surigao	Ernie Marshall	History
32	NEW	Ice Canyon Monster	Keith Rommel	Climate Fiction
33	—	Prohibition’s Prince	Guy Graybill	Biography
34	21	Hidden Dangers	Bob Stout	Geopolitics
35	—	Well I’ll Be Hanged: Early Capital Punishment in Nebraska	Tim Dempsey	History
36	32	Mary Sachs: Merchant Princess	Barbara Trainin Blank	Biography
37	15	The Ripper’s Haunts	Michael Hawley	History
38	—	Forts, Forests, and Flintlocks	John L Moore	History
39	—	Settlers, Soldiers, and Scouts	John L Moore	History
40	—	Darkness and First Light	J M West	Thriller Fiction
41	—	Cannons, Cattle, and Campfires	John L Moore	History
42	—	Warriors, Wampum, and Wolves	John L Moore	History
43	24	Hour 30	Brandon Musgrave	Memoir
44	—	Pioneers, Prisoners, and Peace Pipes	John L Moore	History
45	36	Lost in the Shadow of Fame	William Lemanski	History
46	48	Bows, Bullets, and Bears	John L Moore	History
47	—	Traders, Travelers, and Tomahawks	John L Moore	History
48	—	Rivers, Raiders, and Renegades	John L Moore	History
49	20	Messages from Beyond	Michele Livingston	Spirituality
50	—	Prince and the Paupers	Guy Graybill	Biography

Mark Singel’s memoir “A Year of Change and Consequences” was #1 due to media attention and planned events. Lawrence Knorr’s “Wonder Boy: The Story of Carl Scheib – The Youngest Player in American League History” continued to sell briskly due to seasonal interest. Brad Bumsted’s expose “Keystone Corruption Continues” showed #3 due to interest in the Kathleen Kane trial, and Brad’s numerous media appearances. July’s #1 by Michele Livingston – “Living in the Afterlife” – continued to sell well, holding at #4. Her “Messages from Beyond” nabbed the 49th spot. Robert Barsky’s new novel “Hatched” debuted at #5 thanks to release publicity.

The company released two new titles in August:

SUNBURY PRESS – New Releases for August, 2016
Hatched	Robert Barksy	Literary Fiction
My Brother’s Mountain	John Timmerman	YA Fiction

For more info: http://www.sunburypressstore.com/BESTSELLERS_c3.htm

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