ZERO ALTERNATIVE

Zero Alternative by debutant author Luca Pesaro is a fast-paced and tantalizingly crafted action-packed conspiracy suspense thriller that takes you into the dizzying world of intrigue and machination of the global financial market, criss-crossing London in England, Sardinia, Siena and Rome in Italy, New Mexico in United States and Lugano in Switzerland. Weaving a thoroughly fresh story with plot twist that will keep you totally absorbed, Luca Pesaro’s debut novel may perhaps end up as the thriller debut of the year.

Luca Pesaro was once a derivative trader in real life and is familiar with the world of Zero Alternative where greed, skullduggery, sleaze and manipulation rule. The main protagonist, Scott “Yours” Walker, is an investment banker who with the help of tech-savvy friend created DeepShare program - a silicon oracle that could predict a slice of the future, quickly turning him into a multi-millionaire. With such a money-machine in existence, can trouble be far behind? Walker got bundled out through the calculated move of an unknown enemy. But his problem is far from over. As the story unfolds, he must uncover a web of mystery and deceit if he is to keep DeepShare safe.

But that is easier said than done. With government agents, greedy billionaires, crazy criminals and sharp hitmen on his tail, Walker’s immediate task is to stay alive. To make matter worse, he can’t even trust the woman he love. If his life is to regain a semblance of normalcy that he once knew, his gut instinct know that greater dangers lie in wait. Whatever the consequence, he must tear apart a corrupt international bank that has been hunting for him. Now it is time for the hunted to become the hunter.

Zero Alternative is not only a refreshing read but an innovative story with the global financial market with all its huge imponderables as the backdrop of a story that is scary, stunning and simply absorbing. Luca Pesaro is a fine storyteller and he has the gift to emerge as one of the foremost writers of our time. Having said that, the novel at times appears a bit raw, which is a trait most visible in first-time authors. But that should not take anything away from a novel with exotic locales, amazing characters and a storyline that has real depth and could become a reality in the near future.

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Luca Pesaro was born in Italy in the early seventies, but has spent most of his adult life in the US or UK. After long years gaining a degree and masters in the pseudo-science that is Economics he got bored, jumped the gun and became a derivatives trader in financial markets with several investment banks. Now reformed, he is writing full-time.

Zero Alternative is his first novel, and he is hard at work on his second thriller.

He lives in London, is married to an awesome Italian lady and has two children who always manage to annoy, surprise and delight beyond any reasonable expectation. (Goodreads)

CONNECT WITH LUCA PESARO:
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Balance Sheet Of Life

www.furkl.com

Our birth is our opening balance!

Our death is our closing balance!

Our prejudiced views are our liabilities

Our creative ideas are our assets

Heart is our current asset

Soul is our fixed asset

Brain is our fixed deposit

Thinking is our current account

Achievements are our capital

Character and morals is our stock-in-trade

Friends are our general reserves

Values and behavior are our goodwill

Patience is our interest earned

Love is our dividend

Children are our bonus issues

Education is our brand patent

Knowledge is our investment

Experience is our premium account.

The aim is to tally the balance sheet accurately

The goal is to get the best present accounts award!

Belonging To Heaven

Descended from the Hawaiian royal line, Jonathan Napela became one of the first—and most influential—converts to the Church in Hawaii. A man of intelligence, social status, and wealth, he used his considerable position to further the gospel in his native land. He developed a lifelong bond of brotherhood with Elder George Q. Cannon, helping to translate the Book of Mormon into Hawaiian and establish a gathering place for the Hawaiian saints in Laie, Oahu. But when his beloved wife, Kitty, was stricken with leprosy, Jonathan made the defining decision of his life. He would leave his life of privilege to become her caretaker and spend the rest of his life on Molokai, the island of lepers. To those who suffered similar heartbreak and banishment, Jonathan’s self-sacrifice became their lifeline. Based on true story, this is an extraordinary novel of a man who chose love in the face of death.

Excerpts

She stepped out of the cooking house and moved into the yard. “My heart is full of joy today. My feet and fingers wish to talk of this joy.” Slowly she began to sway, her feet moving smoothly over the packed ground, and her gnarled fingers floating through the air, painting pictures with each movement. “I will tell the story—na wai ‘eha. The four waters of Maui.” She began to chant:

Fed by the tears of heaven and the hidden pools of the mountains

Oh, life-giving waters

You flow down to the children of the land.

The fingertips of the rising sun reached over the barren peaks of Ukumehamo, and the fisherman felt the warmth on his back. He stood on the reef, the waves gently lapping around his knees.

“Hee mahola,” he chanted.

“Eia ka leho.” Here is the cowry.

A red cowry to attract the octopus to his death.

“Eia ka koa, he laau.” Here is the spear, a mere stick. “He lama noka hee mahola, no ka hee-palaha.” A spear of lama wood for the octopus that lies flat.

Catherine Keliikuaaina Richardson walked beside his son in regal splendor. Her brown hair hung in waves down to her knees. She wore a white holoku in the style that was part missionary and part Hawaiian. Long sleeves covered her arms and a high collar came up to cover her neck.The soft fabric hung loosely from a square yoke that was edged with white ruffles. On her head she wore a wreath of bright yellow ‘ilima flowers woven with ferns and the golden tail feathers of the o-o bird. Her golden brown skin glowed in the morning light and the sight of her drove reason from Waaole’s head.

Jonathan chuckled as he helped Catherine and then his father into the carriage. He leaned over and whispered to him.

AUTHOR GALE SEARS

“When we are out of sight of the village we will take off our suit coats.” He climbed up, took the lines in his hands, and commanded the horses to walk on. As he waved to the villagers, Jonathan smiled. It was a smile that felt its way through his entire body. Today was a good day.

Gale Sears is an award-winning author, known for her historical accuracy and intensive research. Gale received a BA in playwriting from Brigham Young University and a master’s degree in theater arts from the University of Minnesota. She is the author of the bestselling The Silence of God and several other novels, including The Route, Christmas for a Dollar, Autumn Sky, Until the Dawn, and Upon the Mountains. She and her husband, George, are the parents of two children and reside in Salt Lake City, Utah. Visit her website.

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Challenging God

PHOTO: SOURCE UNKNOWN

One day, an atheist professor who constantly tries to disprove God stood up on a podium in front of his class and said, "Today class, I will disprove God! If God really exists then he will knock me off this podium within 15 minutes!" The professor then took his watch and started to keep time.

"10 minutes to go God!"

"5 minutes to go God!"

Now a football player was outside the door and heard the teacher counting. When he heard what the teacher was doing, he was furious and waited.

"1 minute left! Well class, as you can see there is no possible way that I will come off this podium now, so your God is..."

At that moment the football player came charging in and tackled the professor off the podium and onto the floor. Stunned the professor stammered, "Wh-where did you come from?!"

The football player smirked and replied, "God was busy so He sent me."

Atheist in the Woods

PHOTO - SOURCE UNKNOWN

An atheist was taking a walk through the woods, admiring all that the accident of evolution had created. "What majestic trees! What powerful rivers! What beautiful animals!" he said to himself.

As he walked alongside the river he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. He turned to look, just in time to see a 7-foot grizzly charge towards him. He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his shoulder and saw the bear closing in on him. He tried to run even faster, so scared that tears were coming to his eyes. He looked over his shoulder again, and the bear was even closer. 

His heart was pumping frantically as he tried to run even faster, but he tripped and fell on the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up and saw the bear right on top of him raising his paw to kill him.

At that instant, he cried out, "Oh my God!"

Just then, time stopped... The bear froze; the forest was silent; even the river stopped moving. A bright light shone upon the man, and a voice came out of the sky, saying, "You deny My existence all of these years; teach others I don't exist; even credit My creation to a cosmic accident, and now do you expect Me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?"

The atheist, ever so proud, looked into the light and said, "It would be rather hypocritical to ask to be a Christian after all these years. But could you make the bear a Christian?"

"Very well," said the voice.

As the light went out, the river ran, the sounds of the forest continued, and the bear put his paw down. The man breathed a sigh of relief. Then the bear brought both paws together, bowed his head and said: "Lord, I thank you for this food, which I am about to receive."

Fire & Ash

Fire and Ash by Anne Patrick

Fire and Ash is the story of female fire investigator Sadie McGregor.  When she was a child, Sadie lost her family in a horrific fire that still haunts her.  She's now been called in to investigate a fatality fire in her hometown of Emerald Point, Missouri. What Sadie and the handsome new police chief discover will not only affect those close to them, but will rock the entire community.

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Reviews and Awards

"This is a beautiful, yet hard-hitting story, fluently written, presenting characters you fall in love with." 
~ Reviewed by Fennel at LASR

"A Top Pick! Another Fantastic Novel!!!! Anne Patrick's novel, "Fire and Ash" is a well-written novel that flows wonderfully. A fantastic read!" 
~ Night Owl Reviews

"A wonderful read, this book had me laughing and crying. True to life characters and vivid descriptions, along with comedy and heart stopping moments, make this a page turner you'll want to read again." 
~ Happily Ever After Reviews

"As a forensics show enthusiast, I found that Anne Patrick, in her book, Fire and Ash, goes into great, minute detail of the fire investigation, that puts you on the scent of a perpetrator.  Her unique ability to incorporate multiple plots to throw you off course makes the pages fly by to connect the dots."  
~ Onedesertrose's Christian Book Reviews Blog

"As a retired fire investigator I have to say kudos to Ms Patrick on her research. I normally don’t read romantic suspense, but this book sounded intriguing so I couldn't resist. I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED" 
~Review from 'Fireboy' at Christianbook.com

Received Four Stars from Romantic Times Book Reviews!

LASR BEST BOOK of 2010 Nominee!

'Best Inspirational' 2010 at The Romance Reviews!

#1 Bestselling Suspense eBook, and #1 Bestselling Romance eBook at Christianbook.com!

Amazon Top 100 Bestseller in Christian Fiction!

Author Anne Patrick

Anne Patrick is the author of more than a dozen novels of Romance, Mayhem & Faith, including the award winning and bestselling WOUNDED HEROES SERIES, FIRE AND ASH, and TIES THAT BIND. When she isn't working on her next novel she enjoys spending time with family and friends, and traveling to foreign countries to experience new cultures and adventures. Born and raised in Oklahoma, she now makes her home in Kansas. 

Website * Blog * Twitter

She loves to hear from her readers!

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Ends 4/10/13

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