A great career, financial stability, and the looks to attract any woman he chooses, Dr. Daniel Bennett was a man that had it all. But he is also a man with a secret that haunts him while he’s awake and threatens to kill him while he sleeps. Four years ago an encounter with Africa’s most notorious and ruthless warlord ended in a massacre and a brutal murder he hasn’t been able to forget or forgive. The once outgoing and celebrated doctor has now become a cold and heartless recluse, intent on living a life free of emotional commitments.
Until the United Nation’s top crisis counselor; the incredibly beautiful and determined Ayana Burundi walks into his life forcing him to face his emotions and the darkest moments of his past. But for Ayana there is only one thing driving her; bringing the warlord Kronte “The Terror” Kroma before the international courts to answer for his crimes against her people and the doctor is the key. What begins as a simple request quickly turns into a struggle of wills and emotions as Daniel and Ayana’s lives fall into a collision course between love and a warlord willing to do anything to silence anyone that threatens his freedom.
Excerpt:
The heat from the afternoon sun seemed to intensify as gunfire and terrified screams surrounded him from every corner of the small village. Dozens of midnight-skinned bodies lay mutilated in crimson pools of blood that seemed to boil under the scorching hot African sun. In his arms lay an African girl no older than five; eyes wide open and lifeless. Her body was riddled with the bullets that violently snatched the life of a promising future full of potential. Regardless of her age, she was raped and gunned down like a rabid dog by monsters disguised as men, who didn’t care how young and innocent she was, nor did they heed her screaming pleas for mercy. They violated her small innocent body repeatedly, with a vicious malice that seemed more demonic than human; stripping her of the happiness she stored within her soul, right before they murdered her. They laughed, howling like wolves as her body shook violently from the force of the countless bullets that pierced her tiny and broken body.
She was the most beautiful soul Dr. Daniel Bennett had ever known and now that soul was gone; leaving behind the violated and mutilated shell it once occupied. Tears streamed down his face like rivers of pain and anger as he felt her blood pour over his arms and hands into the reddish dirt beneath him. He was so engulfed in his grief, he didn’t notice the multiple assault rifles now pointed at him; the men that held them yelling in a language he didn’t understand, nor did he care to. Everything that he cared for was taken right before his eyes to the sounds of automatic gunfire and at the edge of a machete. Eventually he looked up at the men that threatened him with their weapons of genocide. The revelation of staring into their evil faces made the blade of his tragedy cut even deeper. They all resembled the child in his arms; possessing the same ethnic features and ultra-dark skin complexion that was common among most of the people that lived in the southern region of Sudan.
How could a people be driven to hate themselves this way?
One of the men bent down, pushing the barrel of his smoking-hot rifle on the doctor’s cheek. Shards of pain went through his face as his flesh burned against the barrel of the rifle.
“What are you doing here and where are you from?” the man asked with a heavy Sudanese accent. He possessed deep and heavy scars all over his face and in his eyes burned an evil inferno that appeared insatiable. He was clearly their leader, indicated by the way the sound of his voice silenced the other men.
“Are you American?”
The sound of his voice angered the doctor, as his accent was all too familiar to him, being the same accent the girl spoke in when she was alive. Looking the man in the eyes and without thinking of the consequences, he pulled a large lump of mucous from his throat and forcefully spat it in the man’s face.
The leader’s eyes turned red with rage, right before he struck the doctor in the face with the back end of his rifle. The force of the strike slammed the doctor to the ground shattering his jawbone and throwing the little girl’s body out of his arms and into the dirt like a rag doll. Before the pain could set in, he was being stomped and pounded with boots and rifle handles, all over his body. Their strikes were inhumanly violent and it seemed each blow meant to kill him; every time he appeared alive, they would hit him again, even more violently. The beating seemed to last for an eternity until suddenly everything stopped. The doctor was in so much pain he could barely breathe; he kept his eyes shut, laying in a fetal position, afraid to see what was coming next. He could feel the bright sun shining on his face and when he decided to open his eyes, he was looking at the group of men pointing their guns at him, awaiting the order from their commander.
“You spit in my face? I was going to let you go free; but now you will die for your insolence….ready, aim, fire…
Bestselling author Navi’ Robins was born in Chicago, IL and comes from a family as diverse as the characters in his novels. At the young age of 10 his family relocated to the West African country of Liberia and while living abroad for 7 years he found and nourished his immersive imagination. Learning and living with different cultures and languages gave Navi’ a unique prospective on life and self expression that can be experienced while reading one of his novels.
After several years at attempting to complete a novel; in 2012 Navi’ was able to complete his first novel entitled Walking Among the Shadows: Awakening, which is the first book in a planned 7 book series. Walking Among the Shadows: Awakening was officially published in May of 2013 to rave reviews with a small yet dedicated following. Wanting to push himself to write in different genres Navi’ Robins pinned 3 short stories in another series entitled Article 88: Jericho’s Revenge. On October 23rd 2014 Navi’ Robins released a revised edition of his first novel Walking Among the Shadows: Awakening debuting at # 18 in the top 100 bestsellers in the Thriller/Paranormal genre. Since then Awakening has remained a top 100 bestseller on Amazon.com and peaked at #4 in March 2015. On March 24th 2015 Navi’ Robins released his first romance novel Tragedy, Lust & Destiny to rave reviews from book bloggers and readers alike becoming an Amazon.com bestseller two days after its release.
Get to know Navi:
1. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
After I wrote my first poem entitled “I’d rather die than live a lie.”
2. How long does it take you to write a book?
It took me two years to write my first novel “Walking Among the Shadows: Awakening” but it only took me six weeks to complete the sequel “Walking Among the Shadows: Belly of the Beast. Tragedy, Lust & Destiny took me about six months to complete. It all depends on the “voices” in my head. Sometimes they just won’t shut up and I have no choice but to finish a book much faster than the others. And other times they are more under control…
3. What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?
I tend to write at any time. I really don’t have a set schedule when writing; it’s all dependent on my inspiration.
4. What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
When I write certain songs inspire the story but they don’t have anything to do with the subject matter. The more I listen to certain songs over and over again the more my imagination soars.
5. Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
For Tragedy, Lust & Destiny I used my experiences in Africa when I was a P.O.W. during the Liberian civil war. I also did extensive research on the conflict in Sudan and how the international community deals with the subject matter. For my novel Walking Among the Shadows: Awakening I combined the best attributes of 5 other books I didn’t finished into one series.
6. What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
Writing the story is only the beginning. There is so much more to be done after your manuscript is completed. It’s mind boggling.
7. Do you have any suggestions to help others become a better writer? If so, what are they?
Don’t be afraid to trend untraveled waters, the greats are always the first to do something. Research; even while writing take at least 30 minutes a day or more to research everything about being a published author. Be supportive and open minded to constructive criticism. Always keep in mind that you are writing for other people and not just yourself, so make sure what you write makes sense across the board. Hire an editor; don’t be cheap on this because an editor can make the difference between a great book and a bad book. Reach out and create positive relationships with other authors, readers and bloggers. They will be your mouthpiece once your book is published.
8. Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
Yes! I tend to reach out to my readers often, chatting with them on Facebook or answering questions about upcoming releases. They often tell me how much they loved my books and how refreshing it was for them to read something totally different from what they’ve been reading for the past year or so.
What do you think makes a good story?
Your own imagination. Copy cats come dime a dozen but your own unique imagination makes for a great story because no one can duplicate your imagination.
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