Today I’m helping celebrate Jacqui Murray’s latest release, the first book of her Crossroads series.
The book is set in prehistory, when human survival depended less on brute strength and more on outwitting predators. Did those early humans have a way to explain their luck when they managed to survive until the next day?
Survival of the Fittest hints at a spiritual side to man. Is that accurate?
Scientists have no idea when man’s spirituality started. Because 850,000 years ago (when Xhosa lived) is considered prehistory—before any sort of recorded record—there’s no way to tell. Survival of the Fittest offers one speculative theory of how that could have happened.
Short Blurb:
Five tribes. One leader. A treacherous journey across three continents in search of a new home.
Short Summary:
Chased by a ruthless and powerful enemy, Xhosa flees with her People, leaving behind a certain life in her African homeland to search for an unknown future. She leads her People on a grueling journey through unknown and dangerous lands but an escape path laid out years before by her father as a final desperate means to survival. She is joined by other homeless tribes–from Indonesia, China, South Africa, East Africa, and the Levant—all similarly forced by timeless events to find new lives. As they struggle to overcome treachery, lies, danger, tragedy, hidden secrets, and Nature herself, Xhosa must face the reality that this enemy doesn’t want her People’s land. He wants to destroy her.
Chapter 1 Excerpt:
Her foot throbbed. Blood dripped from a deep gash in her leg. At some point, Xhosa had scraped her palms raw while sliding across gravel but didn’t remember when, nor did it matter. Arms pumping, heart thundering, she flew forward. When her breath went from pants to wheezing gasps, she lunged to a stop, hands pressed against her damp legs, waiting for her chest to stop heaving. She should rest but that was nothing but a passing thought, discarded as quickly as it arrived. Her mission was greater than exhaustion or pain or personal comfort.
She started again, sprinting as though chased, aching fingers wrapped around her spear. The bellows of the imaginary enemy—Big Heads this time—filled the air like an acrid stench. She flung her spear over her shoulder, aiming from memory. A thunk and it hit the tree, a stand-in for the enemy. With a growl, she pivoted to defend her People.
Which would never happen. Females weren’t warriors.
Feet spread, mouth set in a tight line, she launched her last spear, skewering an imaginary assailant, and was off again, feet light, her abundance of ebony hair streaming behind her like smoke. A scorpion crunched beneath her hardened foot. Something moved in the corner of her vision and she hurled a throwing stone, smiling as a hare toppled over. Nightshade called her reactions those of Leopard.
But that didn’t matter. Females didn’t become hunters either.
With a lurch, she gulped in the parched air. The lush green grass had long since given way to brittle stalks and desiccated scrub. Sun’s heat drove everything alive underground, underwater, or over the horizon. The males caught her attention across the field, each with a spear and warclub. Today’s hunt would be the last until the rain—and the herds—returned.
“Why haven’t they left?”
She kicked a rock and winced as pain shot through her foot. Head down, eyes shut against the memories. Even after all this time, the chilling screams still rang in her ears…
Book information:
Title and author: Survival of the Fittest by Jacqui Murray
Series: Book 1 in the Crossroads series, part of the Man vs. Nature saga
Genre: Prehistoric fiction
Cover by: Damonza
Available at: Kindle US Kindle UK Kindle CA Kindle AU
Author bio:
Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy, the Rowe-Delamagente thrillers, and the Man vs. Nature saga. She is also the author/editor of over a hundred books on integrating tech into education, adjunct professor of technology in education, blog webmaster, an Amazon Vine Voice, a columnist for TeachHUB and NEA Today, and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics. Look for her next prehistoric fiction, Quest for Home, Summer 2019. You can find her tech ed books at her publisher’s website, Structured Learning
Social Media contacts:
http://twitter.com/worddreams
http://pinterest.com/askatechteacher
http://linkedin.com/in/jacquimurray
https://worddreams.wordpress.com
https://jacquimurray.net
March 7, 2019 at 7:23 am
I love that cover! And the story does sound engaging. Wishing Jacqui all success!
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March 7, 2019 at 7:56 am
I know, right? I’m going to get buried under my TBR list at this rate 🙂
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March 7, 2019 at 10:36 am
Thanks, Margot. I really felt the artist captured the essence of the story with the cover.
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March 7, 2019 at 8:28 am
I can’t even imagine trying to write a prehistory book, as I’m research-obsessive. What an undertaking! Wishing her all the best.
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March 7, 2019 at 10:37 am
It’s taken about two decades to write–and most of that because of research. But it was fascinating. I bet you know what I mean!
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March 7, 2019 at 4:08 pm
I absolutely do.
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March 7, 2019 at 10:45 am
I so agree! I would get distracted during research. You know, all the cool animals and plants and climate and…
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March 7, 2019 at 4:08 pm
And down the rabbit hole. That would be me, too.
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March 7, 2019 at 10:23 am
Congratulations to Jacqui and it is a huge achievement to write a book, an even more remarkable feat to set one in an era hundreds of thousands of years ago!
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March 7, 2019 at 10:38 am
Thanks so much, Annika. At least this one is a million years more recent than Lucy’s story. There were a few more bones and artifacts for me to pick through!
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March 7, 2019 at 10:46 am
I can’t even imagine the amount of research, but a great reason to go to natural history museums!
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March 7, 2019 at 10:35 am
Thank you so much for helping me with this, Julie. I’m excited to be featured on your blog!
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March 7, 2019 at 10:47 am
You are very welcome, Jacqui!I love having visitors (as long as I don’t have to clean–much 😀 ) Wishing you lots of good luck!
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March 7, 2019 at 12:37 pm
Hehee!
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March 7, 2019 at 10:52 am
It looks like Jacqui’s going to have a great day. Fun to see her here too, Julie. 🙂
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March 7, 2019 at 12:37 pm
And it stopped raining out here in California! It’s been threatening to flood my living room for weeks!
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March 7, 2019 at 1:37 pm
Would you believe I’m sitting is a blizzard? Usually in Oregon, we’re mowing the lawn in early March.
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March 8, 2019 at 7:35 am
She’s making the rounds. Gotta love blog tours!
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March 7, 2019 at 11:59 am
Hilarious. This is the launch I’m doing Monday that I mentioned. Mine will be shorter, but I’m glad you could include it all.
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March 7, 2019 at 12:38 pm
You know your audience, Betsy. When I read those really (really) long posts, I start skipping whole paragraphs. Just not my way.
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March 7, 2019 at 12:42 pm
I’m glad you understand, Jacqui. Yesterday after scheduling your launch post and emailing you, I did the same with Julie here, mentioning that I’d be launching one Monday, though not saying it was yours. Clearly I could have. We’re all one big happy blog family, aren’t we? (And I love it.)
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March 8, 2019 at 7:37 am
Everyone can do it differently, but I’m glad Jacqui has a bunch of stops on her release tour!
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March 7, 2019 at 12:29 pm
Beautiful cover and I love the idea of it being written in pre history times. Intriguing excerpt! Best wishes on your release, Jacqui. Thank for hosting Julie.
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March 7, 2019 at 12:41 pm
Thanks for visiting, D.L. I just peeked at your website–what a huge number of books you have out there! Let me know when you have your next children’s book out. I don’t feature those enough on my blog.
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March 8, 2019 at 9:34 am
Thank you Jacqui! I might gave one coming out soon if all things go well:)
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March 8, 2019 at 7:40 am
Another stop on the blog tour! Thanks, Denise! And I agree, prehistory is one of those timeframes that is very interesting (and not just because of the cool animals, like cave bears and saber-toothed cats 😀 )
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March 7, 2019 at 12:30 pm
Good luck with the book, Jacqui. You are a very hard worker, and totally deserve all the success that comes your way.
Neil
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March 7, 2019 at 12:36 pm
Thanks, Neil. I admit, I was fairly inspired (driven?) by this saga. Once it’s done, we’ll see if I have any more stories in me.
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March 8, 2019 at 7:41 am
Thanks for stopping by, Neil! So glad to help Jacqui show off her latest!
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March 7, 2019 at 12:36 pm
I really enjoyed the excerpt. The descriptions are so very vivid.
Wishing Jacquie all the best. I was intrigued by her last release too. I need to do more catching up with my TBR.
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March 7, 2019 at 12:42 pm
Thanks, Mae. I do love strong female protagonists!
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March 8, 2019 at 7:42 am
LOL! I’m at the point where if you don’t hear from me in a week, it means I’m trapped under my TBR list and can’t get up 😀
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March 8, 2019 at 7:52 am
LOL! Although, that’s a good place to be 🙂
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March 7, 2019 at 1:11 pm
I wish you and your new book all good fortune. With your success rate it is bound to fare
very well. 🌈 .
miriam
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March 7, 2019 at 1:19 pm
Thanks so much, Miriam. All good so far!
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March 8, 2019 at 7:43 am
Jacqui has some great stuff out there!
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March 12, 2019 at 11:22 am
Here’s to another great launch!
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March 12, 2019 at 11:36 am
Thanks for stopping by, C! Three cheers to Jacqui’s launch!
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March 12, 2019 at 12:14 pm
Thanks so much, Lee. One a year is a lot! But that’s what’s recommended. I have one more in me and then, I believe I will slow down.
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