Spartan Gold by Clive Cussler, with Grant Blackwood
Grant Blackwood and Clive Cussler Spin a Tale of Pure Gold
It's just about every writer's dream to be paired with a legend. To be able to craft a story side by side, collaboratively, with one of the best known writers in his genre. Well, Grant Blackwood's dream has come true.An acclaimed writer in his own right, Grant Blackwood has teamed up with the venerable Clive Cussler in their new Fargo series. The first installment of that series, Spartan Gold, hits the shelves this month.
Thousands of years ago, two superpowers of the ancient world went to war, and a treasure of immeasurable value was lost to the shadows of history.
In 1800, while crossing the Pennine Alps with his Grand Reserve Army, Napoleon Bonaparte stumbles across a startling discovery. Unable to transport it, Napoleon creates an enigmatic map on the labels of twelve bottles of rare wine. When Napoleon dies, the bottles disappear--and the treasure is lost again.
Present day. Treasure hunters Sam and Remi Fargo are exploring the Great Pocomoke Swamp in Delaware when they are shocked to discover a WWII German U-boat. Inside, they find a bottle from Napoleon's "Lost Cellar." Fascinated, the Fargos set out to find the rest of the collection. But another connoisseur of sorts is hunting his own prize, and the Lost Cellar is his key to finding it. That man is Hadeon Bondaruk--a half-Russian, half-Persian millionaire--and the treasure will be his, no matter what....
"As a writer who's been at this for 22 years, it's become second nature to avoid clichés, but in this case I can't: Working with Clive has been a dream-come true. I was reading The Mediterranean Caper when I decided I wanted to write fiction for a living, so to have come full circle and to be working with him is incredible. He's a great guy: down to earth, supportive, great sense-of-humor. Clive was my "mentor from afar" for so long, and now we're partners. It makes me realize the last two decades have been worth every minute of effort.""I submit to Clive a short sketch of the book's plot, then follow up with a more detailed outline. From there, the book is divided into thirds. I send each portion to him, in hardcopy, as I finish it; after he's looked it over, he calls and we talk ideas and revisions. It's a very hands-on, collaborative process. A lot of give and take. He was clear from the beginning that he wanted the story to be ours."
"Working with Clive has not only made me a better writer, but also a better story-teller -- in that respect I've always taken a page from the Cussler credo: tell a good story. Do your best to make sure the reader is entertained. I try to keep in mind that people are not only spending their hard-earned money on our books, but their time, which is oftentimes even harder to come by. "Though he'd probably argue this, the credit for Sam and Remi belongs solely to Clive. Shortly after he and I met to discuss the series, he sent me a biography of Sam and Remi. He had a clear idea of what the Fargos were about and how they lived in, and moved through, the world.
For me it was one of those "light bulb moments" -- a husband and wife treasure-hunting team, gallivanting around the globe, exploring exotic locals, solving ancient mysteries and puzzles, getting into-and-out-of trouble.... It just doesn't get any better than that. I've had a fantastic time writing Sam and Remi.
Like all couples, Sam and Remi have their disagreements and their personality quirks, but there's a deep-seated respect between them -- and mutual realization that they're better together than apart. When they're in dicey situations, each one holds his or her own. Both male and female readers will find Sam and Remi a lot of fun to follow."
Mark Combes is an avid sailor and Scuba diver and travels extensively in the Caribbean pursuing his passions. He works in book publishing and RUNNING WRECKED is his first novel.
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