Title: Stepping Off A Cliff
Author: Doug Dillon
The St. Augustine Trilogy: Book II
The St. Augustine Trilogy: Book II
Length: 321 Pages
Genre: YA Paranormal
Genre: YA Paranormal
Released: Nov. 29, 2013
BLURB
An otherworldly, evil and dangerous force infests America’s oldest and most haunted city, St. Augustine, Florida. Everyone living there, or visiting, is at risk in ways too horrible to imagine.
Standing between this invader and the people of St. Augustine are teenagers Jeff and Carla, the mysterious Native American shaman, Lobo, and Lyle, the homeless guy.
In their quest to save themselves and all the inhabitants of this ancient Florida city, Jeff and Carla uncover lost parts of St. Augustine history, push past the limits of space and time, and come face-to-face with what they come to realize are the true walking dead.
This time, the traffic changed midstream into … I don’t know, I guess you would call it a fast moving parade of weirdness. That’s the only way I can describe it.
On top of a huge flatbed truck coming our way, there was a large commercial barbeque grill with a guy holding up a plate full of food in one hand and pointing towards it with the other. As that odd sight roared by, the delicious scent of cooking meat slid up my nose.
Going in the opposite direction, a shiny new convertible passed by with Carla at the wheel and she waved. Carla? “What the hell?” I asked of no one in particular, but the parade was just beginning.
Right after I spoke, another flatbed truck went by and this one had my old house on top of it with all the crime tape fluttering.
Mom drove a Harley past us, looking extremely scared. My Mom!
And not giving me time to recover from that appearance, my dad drove by going the opposite direction in a cab with this vacant look on his face. I hadn’t seen him since just before his suicide.
“Lobo,” I said, “how can all this be happening?” None of what I was seeing could be possible, I knew, but it looked so real.
Lobo didn’t answer, but I hardly noticed as an RV went past us with Carla’s grandma sitting on its roof in one of her kitchen chairs. In her hands, she held a flagpole with a flapping flag attached that said, “Grandma’s Soups.”
Another Lobo rode a horse that made sharp, clattering sounds as its hooves hit the street.
On and on it went with scenes of people, places and crazy things from right out of my life’s history and then they repeated, over and over again. I sat there hypnotized, my eyes shifting rapidly back and forth until Lobo finally said something.
EXCERPT
This time, the traffic changed midstream into … I don’t know, I guess you would call it a fast moving parade of weirdness. That’s the only way I can describe it.
On top of a huge flatbed truck coming our way, there was a large commercial barbeque grill with a guy holding up a plate full of food in one hand and pointing towards it with the other. As that odd sight roared by, the delicious scent of cooking meat slid up my nose.
Going in the opposite direction, a shiny new convertible passed by with Carla at the wheel and she waved. Carla? “What the hell?” I asked of no one in particular, but the parade was just beginning.
Right after I spoke, another flatbed truck went by and this one had my old house on top of it with all the crime tape fluttering.
Mom drove a Harley past us, looking extremely scared. My Mom!
And not giving me time to recover from that appearance, my dad drove by going the opposite direction in a cab with this vacant look on his face. I hadn’t seen him since just before his suicide.
“Lobo,” I said, “how can all this be happening?” None of what I was seeing could be possible, I knew, but it looked so real.
Lobo didn’t answer, but I hardly noticed as an RV went past us with Carla’s grandma sitting on its roof in one of her kitchen chairs. In her hands, she held a flagpole with a flapping flag attached that said, “Grandma’s Soups.”
Another Lobo rode a horse that made sharp, clattering sounds as its hooves hit the street.
On and on it went with scenes of people, places and crazy things from right out of my life’s history and then they repeated, over and over again. I sat there hypnotized, my eyes shifting rapidly back and forth until Lobo finally said something.
REVIEW
This book is an intriguing second following an incredible first in The St Augustine Trilogy. You'll find yourself devouring the book, turning the pages with history, mystery, paranormal & time travel all wrapped up in this next installment. Author Doug Dillon knows how to weave a fascinating story.
Jeff has come a long way since he's moved to St. Augustine and met up with Carla and Lobo, his character has developed more as well as his gifts. When faced with a decision, his talents come to the surface. Carla is also quite amazing in this book, her soft outer shell has been penetrated and we see more of her personality and characteristics come out. Jeff and Carla's budding romance is taken to the next level with such care. We get to know Lyle, a homeless guy from the first book, as he is a key into Lobo's past. Lobo on the other hand is still up to his discrete and secretive self but with a little more style when he gets into a story interrupting him is not an option. Blunt and direct as well as defined we also get to know more about Lobo and his Shaman abilities in this installment. Faced with the unknown, a threat that can destroy St. Augustine and all who reside there, Jeff, Carla, Lobo and Lyle must face off and defeat the mysterious being before it's too late.
If you loved Sliding Beneath the Surface [The St. Augustine Trilogy Book I] and cannot wait to find out what happens next, the journey in Stepping Off A Cliff [The St. Augustine Trilogy: Book II] will not let you down. Join Jeff, Carla, Lobo and Lyle as they fight to protect the city they all love, St. Augustine and all they hold dear.
About the Author
A former award-winning educator, Doug writes about things paranormal and historical. His interest in the paranormal comes from personal experiences as detailed in the nonfiction adult book he and wife wrote titled, AN EXPLOSION OF BEING: AN AMERICAN FAMILY'S JOURNEY INTO THE PSYCHIC. Out of those events and extensive historical research, he created SLIDING BENEATH THE SURFACE for young adults, Book I of the St. Augustine Trilogy. Doug set his trilogy in the oldest and most haunted city in the United States, St. Augustine, Florida not only for those reasons, but also because it's his favorite place to visit. Books II and III of the trilogy are on the way.
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