# On Sale-only $2.99! Secret of the Sands, award-winning mystery novel 2nd edition



## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

Hi there,

My name is Rai Aren & I co-authored a mystery/alternate historical fiction/archaeology adventure novel about ancient Egypt & the Great Sphinx of Giza, entitled *Secret of the Sands*. It is the _*2009 ReadersFavorite.com "Fiction-Mystery" silver medalist.*_










It is a little bit like mixing INDIANA JONES + THE MUMMY + NATIONAL TREASURE and has a double storyline where the past & present intertwine...

*For 12,000 years a dark and deadly secret has been hidden deep below the Great Sphinx of Giza. In present day Egypt, a frightening, yet awe-inspiring story unravels as archaeologists race against time to decipher an ancient truth...*

Here is the link direct to the new second edition - only $2.99!:












_*A Prophecy was Told&#8230;*_

An ancient prophecy, thousands of years old, told of the coming of the Chosen one, but she will be both loved and feared, and some will stop at nothing to defy everything she represents.

_*A Secret Long Buried&#8230;*_

A secret power that once proved too deadly, was hidden away deep beneath the sands of Egypt, only to be revealed by its sworn guardians when the time came that the knowledge would be safe.

_*A Deadly Riddle is Unlocked&#8230;*_

Two young archaeologists fatefully unearth unusual artifacts dating over 12,000 years old. The exhilarating find however, is wrong - very wrong. The artifacts shouldn't be there&#8230;they shouldn't even exist at all.

_*A Power Unleashed&#8230;*_

Now after remaining dormant for 12,000 years, the secret has been uncovered, and its true purpose suspected. What will be the greatest discovery in human history will either change us forever or destroy us for trying&#8230;










*"A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion."* -McNally Robinson

*"Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction."* -- Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy

Here is our video trailer:






This adventure novel has been an Amazon.com bestseller numerous times in the categories of "Action and Adventure", "Historical Fiction", "Religion and Spirituality". We hope you will check our _ancient Egypt book_ out & we love hearing back from our readers!!

Happy reading always, fellow book-fanatics!

_*Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands*_
http://www.secretofthesands.com/

_In the shadow of the Great Sphinx of Giza, two young archaeologists unearth extremely unusual artifacts over 12,000 years old, but the find is wrong - very wrong. The artifacts shouldn't be there&#8230;they shouldn't exist at all. The greatest discovery in human history may turn out to be the deadliest&#8230;_










_--Rai, fixed your broken link and resized your image just a little bit...Betsy_


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## marianneg (Nov 4, 2008)

Here's a link (yours doesn't seem to be correct):


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## Anne (Oct 29, 2008)

I just downloaded a copy it sounds good. The book has gotten a lot of good reviews on Amazon.


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## michaelbalkind (Mar 30, 2009)

I am about half way through Secret of the Sands. Great story so far!


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

Hi there!

Marianne - thanks so much for the help with the link!

Anne - thank-you very much for downloading Secret of the Sands!! It's always a delight to meet a new reader   I hope you enjoy the story!

Michael - yaay, you are reading & enjoying the book!! Wonderful!!


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## LCEvans (Mar 29, 2009)

I've read Secret of The Sands and I'm looking forward to the sequel. The two stories of modern and ancient Egypt are woven together in an exciting way that draws you into the story.


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

Guess I'm gonna have to suck it up and spend more $ than usual since I really do like this genre!


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## sem (Oct 27, 2008)

Just bought this myself after looking at it for a week or so. I'm finishing "In Her Name" and will need something to really get into. I am dreading the end of "In Her Name" because it is sooo good, I don't want it to end!!


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

OK I got it - but the price has fallen, a tad but still less than the last time I looked $5.59 now it was almost $8 the first time I looked.  Now when will I have the time to read it?  When I get off of the kindleboards!  ARGHHHH


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## Gthater (Mar 27, 2009)

I read Secret of the Sands a couple of months ago.  It's a very entertaining book - i recommend it!


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

Hi everyone!

Wow, so nice to hear from all you!!

re: the price being $8, now $5.59, I hope that was just a glitch, because our publisher had set the price to $5.59. I would be very unhappy if our kindle was priced at $8    much too high! Glad it's showing the correct price now  

Thanks to those of you who are reading or are going to be reading the book & for the kind comments from those who have already read it. I am an avid reader too, I could just happily read all day long...

I have seen the book "In Her Name" - I will take a closer boo at it now that you mentioned it's so good. Recommendations are always good!!

You guys all made my day  

Rai


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

I think I managed to figure out how to fix the link in my posting, should be ok now...


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## Guest (May 1, 2009)

Rai - 

I gotta admit I'm a complete sucker for these kind of books!!!! 

Sounds absolutely fantastic!!!! 



Wendy


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

Thanks so much Wendy!

As an author, I love to write the kinds of stories I want to read, Secret of the Sands was no exception


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

Just thought I would come on by & share the brand new trailer for our _adventure novel_ *SECRET OF THE SANDS* - I made it myself using Animoto - a very cool, easy-to-use FREE tool! 

[flash=200,200]http://www.vimeo.com/7385063[/flash]

(p.s. I tried to embed the video, but since it wasn't on YouTube, it wasn't working, but the link will take you right there!)

I am also proud to say that our _ancient Egypt book_ *Secret of the Sands* has been repeatedly ranking lately as an Amazon.com kindle *BESTSELLER* for the category "*Historical Fiction*" - we are very thankful for every new reader!!

Happy reading always!

_*Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands*_


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to share our super-cool news that our award-winning adventure novel, Secret of the Sands, has been a consistent Amazon kindle bestseller for the last few months. I wanted to thank our awesome readers for their support & interest in the novel!! It's even been on two bestseller lists lately: Historical Fiction & Genre Fiction - Historical, having cracked the Top 1000 books oodles of times *jumps for joy*

Here's the link to it:

http://www.amazon.com/Secret-of-the-Sands-ebook/dp/B001ESMPTG/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2

(I included that link b/c the link-maker wasn't picking up the kindle edition of the book, only the paperback edition - see below)



Our readers mean the world to us!

Also, our fantastic publisher, Bristlecone Pine Press/Maine Desk LLC, has enabled the book (and the rest of their catalogue) for the Amazon.co.uk kindle store, too. It's wonderful to be available across the pond 

Happy reading always!

_*Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands*_
http://www.secretofthesands.com/


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## Lyndl (Apr 2, 2010)

How did I miss this ?  I've just downloaded the sample


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Welcome back, Rai! Since it's been a while, here's a courtesy copy of our welcome letter -- We like to put a copy of the "welcome letter" in each book thread. It doesn't mean you've done anything wrong, it just helps us know that you know the rules.

A brief recap of our rules follows:

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--We ask that Amazon reviews not be repeated here as they are easy to find at your book link. Also, full reviews from other sites should not be posted here, but you may post a short blurb and a link to the full review instead.

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All this, and more, is included in our Forum Decorum: http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,36.0.html. Be sure to check it from time to time for the current guidelines and rules.

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Book Bazaar Moderators


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

Lyndl said:


> How did I miss this ? I've just downloaded the sample


Hi Lyndl,

Thank-you very much for your interest!

Rai


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

Hi Book Bazaar moderators - thanks so much for the info! I wasn't aware of some of those rules. Much appreciated.

I will sign off for now by posting a link to my most recent interview, on author/publisher Kent Holloway's blog. We chat about the genesis of *Secret of the Sands*, have a discussion on the main characters, the upcoming sequel, and more! He's interviewed many other authors including Steve Perry (of Indiana Jones & Star Wars fame!), Scott Sigler, Jim Butcher, Steven Saville, Sean Ellis, David Sakmyster, Kristina Schram, Rick Chesler, Stacey Kennedy. I'm honored to be in their company!

Comments are more than welcome, so do drop by 

Here's the link:

http://kenthollowayonline.blogspot.com/

Happy reading always kindle-peeps!

Rai


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## jackwestjr_author (Aug 19, 2010)

I love adventure stories that intermingle ancient mystical knowledge with current struggle.  Secret of the Sands sounds like it has that winning combination.


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

Hi Jack - thanks very much for your comment & interest! It's very nice to meet you  

Rai


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

Hi KindleBoards readers,

I wanted to pass along the good news that our publisher, *Bristlecone Pine Press*, has graciously agreed to lower the price of our award-winning, bestselling (in the category of Historical Fiction) archaeology adventure novel, *SECRET OF THE SANDS*, from $6.99 to *$4.99*! I am very, very happy about this as it's important to me that our book is affordable & accessible to our interested readers. Here is a link to the book if you'd like to check it out:

http://www.amazon.com/Secret-of-the-Sands-ebook/dp/B001EQ60WQ/ref=dp_return_1?ie=UTF8&n=133140011&s=digital-text










I would be honored if you would add it to your virtual bookshelves 

Happy reading always, kindle peeps!

_*Rai Aren, co-author of SECRET OF THE SANDS*_


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## r0b0d0c (Feb 16, 2009)

When I saw the recent updates on this thread, I thought that I'd already read it - clicking your link brings up:

http://www.amazon.com/Secret-of-the-Sands-ebook/dp/B001EQ60WQ/ref=kinw_dp_ke?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2

This has the $4.99 Kindle price, and it's listed as one I HAVEN'T purchased already. Then I did a search on the "Manage My Kindle" page, and found that I'd purchased it 1-1/2 years ago, but clicking on the title brought up a DIFFERENT page:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001ESMPTG/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title

which includes the "You purchased this item on..." label, and sells for $5.59.

It's incredibly frustrating when Amazon does this, since I have, on occasion, purchased a Kindle book that sounds interesting, only to find that I've already bought/read it some time ago. It appears that these two purchase choices have different publishers. Other times, I've found that the link for the Kindle version I'd already purchased brought up a "Not Found" page, and that the same book is now listed as a different item number (perhaps updated?).

I'm in no way criticizing the author, or book (I enjoyed it when I read it last year!), just a frustration with Kindle book listings. If a book is updated, or changes publishers, Amazon should have a way to alert me when I browse the page that "You purchased an earlier edition..." or some such information.

Anyone else have this happen?


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

Hi there,

For sure, that is frustrating! I didn't even realize right away that there were two different listings, it surprised me as well. I didn't know what happened, but I did recognize that the one publisher (Bristlecone Pine Press) was owned by the other (Maine Desk) from my dealings with the publisher. Just recently, I finally decided to ask my publisher what the deal was, and she told me that the one version (Maine Desk, I think), was migrated over to Amazon (I believe without her participation), from Mobipocket, which Amazon owns. She had put her catalogue of books up on Mobipocket (and elsewhere), not intending for it to head over to Amazon, of course, or realizing that it ever would/could. I think Amazon should have checked to ensure there weren't duplicate listings when they migrated Mobipocket titles over to the Amazon storefront, that would have saved a lot of confusion.

It is not an ideal situation for anyone (except probably Amazon), it's confusing. I agree with you that Amazon should have notifications for things like this to help their customers.

Rai

P.S I am happy to hear you enjoyed the book, though! Many thanks for your readership & interest!


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

Hi Kindle Boards readers!

I wanted to pass along the news that we now have a *second edition*, of our award-winning _mystery novel_, *SECRET OF THE SANDS*. It is the same great story, with a spanky, new cover. The reason for the second edition is that we will branching the book out to many, many more markets. Here is the link:



If you haven't already read the original edition, (which is still available), I would be honored if you would give it a read 

Happy reading always, kindle peeps!

_*Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands*_
www.secretofthesands.com

_For 12,000 years a dark and deadly secret has been hidden deep below the Great Sphinx of Giza. In present day Egypt, a frightening, yet awe-inspiring story unravels as archaeologists race against time to decipher an ancient truth..._

"A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion." -McNally Robinson

"Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction." -- Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

*Holiday sale! Award-winning mystery novel Secret of the Sands, now only $2.99!*

Hi Kindleboards readers!

I wanted to let you all know that just in time for the holiday season, I've put our brand new _second edition_ kindle version of our award-winning, bestselling _archaeology adventure novel_, *Secret of the Sands* on sale for the low price of only $2.99! Here's the link:



It's the same great story with an exciting new cover, to celebrate its newly expanding distribution. We are thrilled that the book is making its way into many more online stores!

If you have a kindle, or a kindle-loving reader in your circle of family & friends, especially ones who love a good mystery novel & are fascinated by ancient Egypt and the Great Sphinx of Giza we hope you'll add *SECRET OF THE SANDS* to your list!

*A Prophecy was Told&#8230;*

An ancient prophecy, thousands of years old, told of the coming of the Chosen one, but she will be both loved and feared, and some will stop at nothing to defy everything she represents

*A Secret Long Buried&#8230;*

A secret power that once proved too deadly, was hidden away deep beneath the sands of Egypt, only to be revealed by its sworn guardians when the time came that the knowledge would be safe

*A Deadly Riddle is Unlocked&#8230;*

Two young archaeologists fatefully unearth unusual artifacts dating over 12,000 years old. The exhilarating find however, is wrong - very wrong. The artifacts shouldn't be there&#8230;they shouldn't even exist at all

*A Power Unleashed&#8230;*

Now after remaining dormant for 12,000 years, the secret has been uncovered, and its true purpose suspected. What will be the greatest discovery in human history will either change us forever or destroy us for trying&#8230;










How irresistible is that for the low price of only $2.99?! Dive into an ancient mystery & go on an adventure in the sands of Egypt&#8230;

Happy Holidays to you & yours!

_*Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands*_










*For 12,000 years a dark and deadly secret has been hidden deep below the Great Sphinx of Giza. In present day Egypt, a frightening, yet awe-inspiring story unravels as archaeologists race against time to decipher an ancient truth&#8230;*


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

Wishing everyone here on Kindle Boards a very Happy New Year! I hope 2011 is filled with many excellent, interesting, and unforgettable reads... 

Cheers,

_*Rai Aren, co-author of the award-winning mystery novel SECRET OF THE SANDS*_

http://www.amazon.com/Secret-ReadersFavorite-com-Fiction-Mystery-Medalist-ebook/dp/B004EEORPW/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&m=AZC9TZ4UC9CFC&s=digital-text&qid=1291608498&sr=1-6&tag=vglnk-c9-20



_For 12,000 years a dark and deadly secret has been hidden deep below the Great Sphinx of Giza. In present day Egypt, a frightening, yet awe-inspiring story unravels as archaeologists race against time to decipher an ancient truth..._

"The authors have successfully woven a story based on archeological events mixed with their own ideas of what happened to the Sphinx and the mysteries surrounding it." *-sabrinareviews*

"Rai Aren & Tavius E. write a spellbinding mix of mystery, history, fantasy, and adventure in this tale of two histories - one told in the present, the other told from the past - telling a story of misused power, learning how to trust, and the fate of civilization." *-TeensReadToo*


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

*Kindle Bestseller! Award-winning mystery novel Secret of the Sands*

I just wanted to share our happy news that the second edition of *Secret of the Sands*, the *2009 ReadersFavorite.Com "Fiction-Mystery" Silver Medalist*, is an Amazon.com & Amazon.co.uk *Kindle Bestseller*.

Here's the link to the UK edition:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-ReadersFavorite-com-Fiction-Mystery-Silver-Medalist/dp/B004EEORPW/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=digital-text&qid=1292301707&sr=1-6

Like a proud parent, I took a picture of our bestseller status:










If you're a kindle-peep from across the pond, I'd be honored if you'd add it to your virtual shelves 

You can also find it on Amazon.com kindle, where it's popping up regularly on 3 bestseller lists, including "Fantasy-Historical" for *ONLY $2.99!* (see screenshot below):










Here's the link:

http://www.amazon.com/Secret-ReadersFavorite-com-Fiction-Mystery-Medalist-ebook/dp/B004EEORPW/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&m=AZC9TZ4UC9CFC&s=digital-text&qid=1291608498&sr=1-6&tag=vglnk-c9-20



We are deeply grateful to our readers & love providing an entertaining escape & adventure for you to enjoy...
Happy reading always!

_*Rai Aren, co-author of the award-winning mystery novel SECRET OF THE SANDS*_

_For 12,000 years a dark and deadly secret has been hidden deep below the Great Sphinx of Giza. In present day Egypt, a frightening, yet awe-inspiring story unravels as archaeologists race against time to decipher an ancient truth..._

"The authors have successfully woven a story based on archeological events mixed with their own ideas of what happened to the Sphinx and the mysteries surrounding it."
*- www.sabrinareviews.com*

"Rai Aren & Tavius E. write a spellbinding mix of mystery, history, fantasy, and adventure in this tale of two histories - one told in the present, the other told from the past - telling a story of misused power, learning how to trust, and the fate of civilization."- *www.TeensReadToo.com*


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

I just wanted to wish all the Kindle Boards peeps an early Happy Valentine's Day!










I've definitely been feeling the love from our awesome readers lately, they've pushed our archaeology adventure novel up much higher on the Amazon.com Bestseller lists. What a sweet gift!

Here's a link:



Happy reading always, kindle peeps! I hope you all get something sweet on Valentine's Day 

_*Rai Aren, co-author of the award-winning mystery novel SECRET OF THE SANDS*_

_In the shadow of the Great Sphinx of Giza, two young archaeologists unearth extremely unusual artifacts dating over 12,000 years old. Not only could this change everything we thought we knew about Ancient Egypt, but the exhilarating find is wrong - very wrong. The artifacts shouldn't be there&#8230;they shouldn't even exist at all. The greatest discovery in human history may also turn out to be the deadliest&#8230; _


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

I hope everyone is having a great weekend, reading lots of good books! In addition to reading, I will be watching the Oscars tomorrow - it's my favorite TV-watching day of the year, I can't wait! I'm hoping that Inception picks up some gold, such a cool film 

I wanted to share an interview I did with Geri Ahearn, where I talk about some of my own favorite authors & upcoming works:

http://authorgeriahearnsinterviews.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2010-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&updated-max=2011-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=33

Thanks for your time, kindle-peeps! 

*Rai Aren, co-author of the award-winning mystery novel SECRET OF THE SANDS*


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

G'day Kindle-peeps!

I hope everyone is having a relaxing Sunday, reading some good books 

I wanted to say a big thank-you to Geri Ahearn for making us the Featured Authors for March 2011, here's the link, which also has a link to my interview with her:

http://networkedblogs.com/f0ahG?a=share&ref=nf">Featured Author of the Month/MARCH/2011* RAI AREN & TAVIUS E.

Here are a couple of excerpts from our feature:

"AN IMPRESSIVE EPIC STORY OF ENDURING APPEAL ACROSS GENERATIONS!"

AWARD WINNING "SECRET OF THE SANDS" is as Intelligent as CLEOPATRA, as Entertaining as STARGATE & as Captivating as THE TEN COMMANDMENTS!



I'd be honored if you'd stop by & have a read 

Cheers & happy reading always, my friends!

_*Rai Aren, co-author of SECRET OF THE SANDS*_

_For 12,000 years a dark and deadly secret has been hidden deep below the Great Sphinx of Giza. In present day Egypt, two archaeologists discover mysterious artifacts belonging to an unknown civilization. A frightening and awe-inspiring story unravels as the archaeologists race against time to decipher the dangerous knowledge they hold&#8230;_

"The authors have successfully woven a story based on archeological events mixed with their own ideas of what happened to the Sphinx and the mysteries surrounding it."
- *www.sabrinareviews.com*

"Rai Aren & Tavius E. write a spellbinding mix of mystery, history, fantasy, and adventure in this tale of two histories - one told in the present, the other told from the past - telling a story of misused power, learning how to trust, and the fate of civilization."- *www.TeensReadToo.com*


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

Hi Kindleboards peeps,

I wanted to share the *super-cool* news about our award-winning, bestselling archaeology adventure novel, Secret of the Sands - it's been on THREE kindle bestseller lists for over THREE straight months!!! 

How awesome is that?! We are immensely grateful to all of our readers & to the fans who write in to us from all over the *interwebs* - you mean the world to us! 










Here is a screen shot of the book's current standings, I'm a super happy & proud scribe!:










Here's a little more information about our Egyptian mystery tale:

_In the shadow of the Great Sphinx of Giza, two young archaeologists unearth extremely unusual artifacts dating over 12,000 years old. Not only could this change everything we thought we knew about Ancient Egypt, but the exhilarating find is wrong - very wrong. The artifacts shouldn't be there&#8230;they shouldn't even exist at all. The greatest discovery in human history may also turn out to be the deadliest&#8230;_

"The authors have successfully woven a story based on archeological events mixed with their own ideas of what happened to the Sphinx and the mysteries surrounding it." *-www.sabrinareviews.com*

"Rai Aren & Tavius E. write a spellbinding mix of mystery, history, fantasy, and adventure in this tale of two histories - one told in the present, the other told from the past - telling a story of misused power, learning how to trust, and the fate of civilization." *-www.TeensReadToo.com*










Thanks for your time & happy reading always!

_*Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands*_


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

Hi Kindleboards peeps,

I hope everyone is having a great weekend! I wanted to share (albeit a little late) my guest post on *Tony Eldridge's blog, Book Marketing Strategies and Tips for Authors*. Tony is a great guy, very smart, and a super-talented author (check out _The Samson Effect_!) to boot, so I was honored to be asked to be a guest poster there.

Here is the link to my post, "*Top 5 Marketing Tips for Authors*":

http://blog.marketingtipsforauthors.com/2011/04/top-5-marketing-tips-for-authors-by-rai.html?showComment=1302986813050#c2678753157812041145

I hope you find it helpful. Please feel free to share any comments you have as well. I very much enjoy supporting & encouraging my fellow authors... 

Cheers!

Rai


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

*Secret of the Sands - How it Came to Be...*

We get a lot of questions about how the story of *Secret of the Sands* came to be, it's been really, really cool to see how interested people are in its creation, how fascinated they are by the story, and the meaning behind it. It's come up so often, that I thought I would share more about it. It's probably a lot longer journey than most people realize. Although we've been asked about it numerous times in interviews and fan letters, I've never talked about the story's creation in this much detail before. Now that we're getting closer to the finished version of its sequel, *Destiny of the Sands*, I have found myself reflecting often about the process of bringing *Secret of the Sands* to life. I wanted to share with you a bit more of what that journey was like, and reveal for the first time, just how long it took to get to the finished version, and how much work really went into it. As I've said many times before, I am immensely proud of the story. Writing it was one of the most fun and meaningful things I've done in my life. I dedicated myself fully to its creation and to supporting it thereafter. I hope this post gives you greater insight into *Secret of the Sands*&#8230;

As I've mentioned before, the story idea itself came from a program on the *Discovery Channel*, where archaeologists were debating the actual age of the Sphinx and discussing how it could be many thousands of years older than the history texts state. We had already decided to write an epic story, and once I saw that - boom! - I knew we had our story. My co-author & I had both been fascinated by ancient Egypt our whole lives, so writing about it was so natural, so welcome, so fun, it was irresistible!










The finished story was actually over 200,000 words in length - yeah, that's an extra almost 100,000 words (more than enough for another novel & then some!), than the finished version, which clocked in at about 114,000 words. Crazy big! *Secret of the Sands* is still a bit on the long side as far as novels go. I will confess to being the culprit of that - I can write & write & write&#8230;not all of it "keepers" of course, not by a loooong shot! Volume has never been a problem for me, in anything written. Makes for a lot (& I mean A LOT!) of extra editing, lol! I inadvertently created a lot of extra work for us - oi!, but then, we always have a lot of stuff to choose from, so there are pros and cons. Who knows, maybe one day we'll release the "director's cut" - an extended version of the story, showing much more of what happened between the scenes than remained in the final story. Everything is still there, who knows where the extras may pop up&#8230; 

More than that? It took us around six years to write (we were doing it part-time, on weekends, and at first, we'd only meet every few weeks). More than that? There is a companion document that contained our research on numerous aspects of the story, story notes/author commentary, character background information, story background, timelines, detailed chapter outlines/story arcs, alternate endings, deleted scenes, prequel sections, detailed descriptions of the religion & of the ancient society, of weapons, mythology, etc. That document itself is alone 153,000 words long - oh yeah, we put our work into it!

A little side note on Rai - I'm a perfectionist, and a little OCD, so I will keep writing & writing & writing, trying to perfect the story, then afterwards, when it comes to editing, I edit & edit & edit before and after it goes to other people to edit. (I had to stop myself from writing a mini-book & taking weeks just for this blog post! I'm terrible!)

So, *Secret of the Sands* is an _archaeology adventure_, a _historical fantasy_ tale, but there's a lot more to it than meets the eye&#8230; 

I hope you've found this interesting, every writer's journey is different, and personal, and unique. This is where we started. This is how it happened. Now we are in the process of finalizing the sequel, *Destiny of the Sands*, which was started a few years ago. Are we slow? Yup! Is that good? Nope. Do I intend to speed things up from here on in? Yup! But, having said that, I am still going to ensure the absolute best version of the sequel goes out to our readers. I've also got three more solo novels feeling terribly neglected that are going to want attention again soon. As soon as Destiny is up & running, I'll be focusing on them. Rest assured though, before anything is released, an incredible amount of effort goes into it. I love what I do and care deeply about our readers - I want to give you the best possible experience for what we are offering, so that when you choose to spend some time with these books, it will be time well spent&#8230;

I wanted to write this to give our readers more insight into how this all came to be. Your interest has meant so much to me. As we get closer to the release date for the sequel, I will begin a newsletter to keep everyone posted on ETAs, etc. If you've written in to us, you will automatically be included in the distribution list. I will share more insights & experiences, too, as we go. I may add to this post eventually as well, with future posts, on the creation of these stories, as well as more about the meaning behind them.

Happy reading always!

*Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands*


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## Jason Blacker (May 20, 2011)

I loved this book. And I love the cover and graphics you've done on it to show it off!

It was the cover of the Sphinx that really got me salivating and so I bought it. Those
vids are cool too. 

For me, my favorite part was the ancient Egypt times, but the current day characters
are a hoot. 

When will you be getting the sequel out. Destiny of the Sands?


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

Thanks so much! The Sphinx has always fascinated me...

I'm working on the final edit for Destiny of the Sands as we speak. It should go to the editor next month. Stay tuned!  

Cheers,

Rai


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## FEM4Ever (Jun 4, 2011)

Oh wow-- the Sphinx mysteries will keep haunting us writers for years to come


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

Yes, indeed! Here's a quote I often think of...

_"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science." -*Albert Einstein*_

Good luck with your book!

Cheers,

Rai


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## jpmorgan49 (Feb 10, 2009)

I'm only a few pages from the end of this book and it really is Great!  I give it 5 Stars and I haven't even finished it yet!!
jp


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

Hi JP,

Wow, thanks so much!! I'm so happy you have enjoyed the story. That is all we ever wanted, to provide our readers with an enjoyable experience  

Kindest regards,

Rai


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

P.S. I thought I would also share our latest trailer for *Secret of the Sands*:


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## jpmorgan49 (Feb 10, 2009)

I finished the book and it left me wanting more, can't wait for the next episode!!! It was a Great read....
jp


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

jpmorgan49 said:


> I finished the book and it left me wanting more, can't wait for the next episode!!! It was a Great read....
> jp


Thanks so much JP!! You made my day!! 
I am so happy you enjoyed the story.

I am merrily editing away on the sequel, *Destiny of the Sands*. I look forward to being able to hand it off to the editor soon.

In the meantime, I wrote a blog post about the writing of sequels:

http://blog.printsasia.com/2011/06/01/secret-sequels-rai-aren/

It's a fun process. I am loving being immersed back in the story...it feels like home...

Best regards,

Rai


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

Hey everyone,

I just wanted to let you know that Amazon has discounted *Secret of the Sands* to *$2.83*! Yaay! 



Cheers & happy reading always!

~Rai


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

Good morning kindle peeps!

I hope everyone's weekend is off to a peaceful and happy start 
I'm surrounded by kitties, so that's always a good start to my day!

I wanted to share the Amazon discussion thread started by a reader of *Secret of the Sands*, for our upcoming sequel *Destiny of the Sands*:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/forum/cd/discussion.html/ref=cm_cd_NOREF?ie=UTF8&cdForum=Fx1U9JECDZ4DF9X&cdPage=1&newContentNum=6&cdMSG=addedToThread&cdSort=oldest&cdThread=TxKGELZ0MR3H69&newContentID=Mx2B4F1Q2T9ED8L#CustomerDiscussionsNRPB

I'm honored by the wonderful comments and feedback our readers have been leaving us. It is exactly the reason we wrote these stories in the first place - to give our readers an entertaining adventure to escape on.

We are getting close to the launch of the sequel, just polishing the draft before it heads off to the editor, so I will be posting announcements on that discussion thread (as well here and on my blog).

Feel free to visit us there - you are always welcome! 

Cheers & happy reading always...

*Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands*


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

Hi peeps,

I hope everyone is having a great 2012 so far!

I wanted to let everyone know that our _archaeology adventure_ novel, *Secret of the Sands*, is now also available through the Amazon kindle lending library:



There's been a great response for the book overall, as it's sitting on *3 bestseller lists*! So cool! 
Amazon also has it discounted right now, only $2.91! Yaay!

*SECRET OF THE SANDS*

_*A Prophecy was Told&#8230;*_

An ancient prophecy, thousands of years old, told of the coming of the Chosen one, but she will be both loved and feared, and some will stop at nothing to defy everything she represents.

_*A Secret Long Buried&#8230;*_

A secret power that once proved too deadly, was hidden away deep beneath the sands of Egypt, only to be revealed by its sworn guardians when the time came that the knowledge would be safe.

_*A Deadly Riddle is Unlocked&#8230;*_

Two young archaeologists fatefully unearth unusual artifacts dating over 12,000 years old. The exhilarating find however, is wrong - very wrong. The artifacts shouldn't be there&#8230;they shouldn't even exist at all.

_*A Power Unleashed&#8230;*_

Now after remaining dormant for 12,000 years, the secret has been uncovered, and its true purpose suspected. What will be the greatest discovery in human history will either change us forever or destroy us for trying&#8230;










Happy reading always!!

~Rai


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

I hope everyone has been having a great weekend!

I just wanted to share our good news that *Secret of the Sands* continues to be an Amazon kindle bestseller. We're thrilled about this! Here's our current standings:

#13 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Alternate History
#36 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Fiction > Fantasy > Historical
#41 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Fiction > Genre Fiction > Horror > Occult



We're hard at work finishing the sequel, Destiny of the Sands. I will keep the folks here at kindleboards posted on its release date.

Cheers & happy reading always!

Rai


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

Thanks so much to all of our readers for keeping *Secret of the Sands* on the kindle bestseller lists!



We are honored that you have chosen to spend some hours with us in the pages of Secret of the Sands. We look forward to sharing the sequel with you soon... 

~Rai


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

Wishing everyone a very happy Family Day long weekend! I hope it's filled with good times, good people, and good books 
That's my plan! xo  

Cheers,

Rai


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

Good day kindleboard peeps!

I hope everyone is having a great weekend!

I wanted to share a very cool new concept trailer for *Secret of the Sands*. It was created by *James Gelet*, one of the writers/producers of the Jaws documentary, *The Shark is Still Working*. James is very talented, he has a great filmmaker's eye. The trailer he created has a movie-like feel and gives a great sense of the mystery at the heart of Secret of the Sands. It's excellent, have a look:






Here is the link to the trailer on YouTube:






Here is the link to the site for James' documentary as well, there's a ton of interesting stuff there:

http://www.sharkisstillworking.com/

Cheers!

Rai


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

Wishing everyone here on Kindleboards a very Happy Easter!










Warm fuzzies always... 

~Rai


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

Happy *Earth Day* kindleboards peeps!










It's a nice reminder to make good, helpful choices for mamma earth and all of her beautiful lifeforms every day 

Namaste.

~Rai


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

Happy Holidays everyone!

I hope you've been enjoying your holiday season thus far!

We would like to add a little more entertainment to your holiday plans. Grab a comfy, cozy spot somewhere and curl up with the sequel to the best-selling archaeology adventure novel *Secret of the Sands*, *Destiny of the Sands...*

_*The Great Sphinx of Giza has guarded a secret, both dangerous and incredible, for 12,000 years. Now deadly enemies emerge, and those involved must face startling truths and deep sorrow, in the fight against the forces of tyranny&#8230;*_

The long, long wait is finally over. Dec.17th, 2012 *Destiny of the Sands* has launched...










If you would like to watch the trailer, before diving into the pages of the book, here is the link to it on YouTube:






Here is the link to the Amazon kindle edition (click on the cover):



We would love to hear from you on what you think of the story. As with *Secret of the Sands*, we poured our hearts and souls into crafting *Destiny of the Sands* so that reading it would be time well spent. We hope you enjoy the journey...

Best wishes for a safe and happy holiday season and happy reading always! 

_*Rai & Tavius*_


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## Rai Aren (Apr 26, 2009)

Hi folks,

For those of you who enjoyed *Secret of the Sands* and *Destiny of the Sands*, I've written a new archaeology adventure, this time in short novel format. It's called *Lost City of Gold*, and it's the first installment in my new *Ancient Quest Mystery* series:

_*A dangerous adventure beckons deep in the Amazon jungle&#8230;*_

Reckless treasure-hunter Rick Braeden sets out into the uncharted reaches of the Amazon jungle in a dangerous search of the fabled Lost City of Gold. It's a quest for an ancient city shrouded in mystery that he believes will place him in the history books and bring him all of the riches and redemption that have eluded him. He also hopes to succeed where more than one hundred others, who were either lost or died in the attempt, have failed. As he embarks on his journey something or someone deep in the jungle waits and watches&#8230;



The story is about 25,000 words long and has 15 chapters. It was great fun to write! I hope you'll check it out...










Cheers & happy reading always!

_*Rai Aren*_


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