# The Peacekeepers, Descent into Madness. Book 5. By Ricky Sides New Cover.



## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

*Synopsis*

A large group of peacekeepers on their return trip to Base One stopped to camp for the night just south of Birmingham Alabama. These men and women had been serving as guards and in other support duties for the temporary peacekeeper airbase in Mobile Alabama. In the middle of the night these peacekeepers are attacked, but the lieutenant in charge of the unit gets a message to the base and activates the unit's emergency beacon.

The Peacekeeper and a squadron of fighters head for the location at top speed. When they arrive they find an incredible nightmare awaiting them as they investigate the deaths of their fellow peacekeepers. Following the clues and the evidence they soon discover that a deadly cult has formed and has grown to the point that they have become a serious threat to the safety of the people of the region.

If a heavily armed, professionally trained group of peacekeepers didn't stand a chance against these people the peacekeeper council knows that no one is safe. One by one the numerous nests had to be located and the cult members dealt with if the people of the area were to survive.

What follows is a descent into the mindset of the hardcore cult member. To defeat an enemy one must understand that enemy. But understanding this enemy is a descent into madness and is the darkest encounter that the peacekeepers have ever faced.



*Ricky Sides* Action Adventure/Science Fiction. The Birth of the Peacekeepers. http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,13723.msg262947.html#msg262947

*Ricky Sides* Action Adventure/Science Fiction. The Peacekeepers, Some Gave All. Book 2. http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,13725.msg262954.html#msg262954

*Ricky Sides* Action Adventure/Science Fiction. The Peacekeepers, Liberty or Death. Book 3. http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,13727.msg262982.html#msg262982

*Ricky Sides* Action Adventure/Science Fiction. The Peacekeepers, Eternal Vigilance. Book 4. http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,13728.msg262994.html#msg262994

*Ricky Sides* Action Adventure/Science Fiction. The Peacekeepers, The Citadel. Book 6. http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,21627.msg404283.html#msg404283

*Ricky Sides* Short Stories. Adventures in Reading. http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,16207.msg310740.html#msg310740

*Ricky Sides* Nonfiction. The Ultimate in Women's Self-Defense. http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,18808.msg466759.html#msg466759


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Announcing a price change.

The price of this book has been reduced to $3.00.


This book will please the action adventure fan. It is almost nonstop action. The book also develops new characters for the peacekeeper world.


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there,

Book 5 has been extensively reformatted and is now live. I also took the time to reedit the book to correct a few issues.


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there,

Book 5 will be available for the $3.00 price for at least two more weeks before I increase the price to $3.99. I currently have no plans to raise the price beyond the $3.99 mark, however that could change at some point. I do tend to agree with Mr. Patterson that $3.99 seems a good price for Kindle books.

When I change the price I will change the price for books 2 - 5. Book 1 will remain at $1.00. Though that may change at some point in the future, I have no plans to increase the price anytime soon.


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there folks,

First I'd like to thank the Kindle customers who have made this a good month for my peacekeeper series. I'm pleased by the performace of the books this month.  

The price of Descent into Madness will be changing to $2 soon. I plan to leave the price at $2 for at least two weeks.


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there,

Thank you Kindle users. Some of you have already taken a chance on book five of the series and purchased the book. Considering the relatively short time that I have been here I find that very satisfying.

sincerely,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there,

Book 5 is now priced at $1.99. I plan to leave the book at that price at least through Thanksgiving. The price may go back up after that holiday. Then again it may not. I'm testing a business model I've read about from multiple sources.

Have a great day,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there,

Thank you for your continued support of the peacekeeper series.


Have a great day,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there folks,

This book will be priced at $1.99 the rest of the month. 

sincerely,
Ricky


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

Ricky Ricky Ricky LINK


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

LOL ok sorry:

http://www.amazon.com/Peacekeepers-Descent-Madness-Peacekeepers-ebook/dp/B002JM1DGM/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258673964&sr=8-5

Thank you again.

Have a great day,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there Kindle readers,

Thank you for making this month the strongest month to date for sales of this book. 

I'd love to hear from the people who've read the entire series to get your overall opinion. I'd like to take such feedback into consideration before writing book six. Indeed that feedback could well determine whether or not I leave the series at five books or do another. As some of you may know I've been wavering over that decision for some time now.

Have a great Thanksgiving,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Merry Christmas Kindle readers,

This is just a brief note to let you know that I just completed the reediting work on book four and have already begun the work on book 5. In a few days I'll have this book reedited as well.

Once the work on this book is completed I'll resume work on book six. I hope to have that book ready for release in the coming months. It is much too early to estimate the timing of that release.

Have a wonderful Christmas day,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there Kindle readers,

Thank you for continuing to purchase book five in the series. I'm beginning to get excited about book six. The release for that book will come in just a few short months. Those of you who have read and enjoyed the series to this point should enjoy that book. A substantial amount of book six has already been written, but is on hold while I tackle the women's self-defense book I've had on tha back burner for far to long.

Thank you again for continuing to purchase my books.

sincerely,
Ricky


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## daveconifer (Oct 20, 2009)

Ricky, you're way ahead of me since you're writing book 6 and I'm only halfway through book 2. These are really compelling stories and I dig into it pretty much every night.

I'm no martial artist and I'll steer clear of any of the women who read your forthcoming book. Even though I don't know what I'm talking about, I can tell by reading the fight sequences in the Peacekeeper books that _you_ know what you're talking about. I think writing the self defense guide for women is pretty cool...


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Thank you Dave,

I hope you enjoy book 2. It is different in many respects from book 1. Whereas book 1 details the events leading up to the birth of the peacekeepers, book 2 details the first several missions and the development of the fledgling peacekeepers. 

Actually no two of the books are quite the same. 

Writing the fight scenes comes natural for me because I was an active martial artist for a very long time.

Have a great night,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there Kindle readers,

I just wanted to thank you for continuing to purchase this book.

Those who are waiting for book six will be pleased to know that I'm looking forward to taking up where I left off on that book as soon as I complete the current writing project in a few more weeks.

Have a great night,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there Kindle readers,

As always, I'd like to thank you for continuing to support the peacekeeper series.

Now for some news that a few of you have been anticipating. I'm currently gearing up to take up book 6 where I stopped last year while I pondered whether or not to end the series with book 5.

I have decided to do at least one more peacekeeper book centered on the central cast of characters, though I would not rule out further books utilizing them. However, after book six I am giving serious thought to other writing projects. One of the possibilities is a trilogy of backfill stories from the perspective of different characters, set in the peacekeeper world. Another project I have in mind is a full length novel based on the shorty story, "_The Tank,_" which is one of the short stories in "_Adventures in Reading._"

It's too early to say which of those projects will follow The Peacekeepers. The Citadel. Book 6. But I am leaning toward "_The Tank._"

Have a great day,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there Kindle readers,

Thank you for continuing to purchase the peacekeeper series. This month, the prices of the books in this series have all been set to $1. Next month the prices will change. I may return them to the $1.99 price they were set at prior to this sale. Then again, I may test the $2.99 price point the projected Amazon changes will encourage on June 30.

Book one of the series has been set at $1 for several months now. I think it is time to raise the price of that book to parity with the rest of the series. I will most likely do so when I change the prices of the rest of the books at the end of this month.

Sincerely,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there,

I'm pleased to say that this book got its first rating today. Thank you, S. Brown for another five star rating on one of the peacekeeper series books.

This is the last week that books 2 - 5 of the series will be available for $1. I'll be changing the prices Friday, and the higher rates should take effect Sunday or Monday of next week. 

As always, thank you Kindle readers who have purchased the books of this series.

Book 6 is being a bit of a pain at the moment. In some ways, it is the most difficult book I've ever written. You readers who eventually read the book will understand why when you read it. 

Before book 6 releases, I will have some beta readers go through the manuscript. If you are interested in receiving an advance copy of the book when it is ready, please PM me with your email addy. In that PM please state a preferred format. I can email you a PDF, HTML, or an RTF.

Thank you.

Have a great day,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there Kindle readers,

I'm pleased to announce that I have completed the writing phase on book 6 of the peacekeeper series. The Citadel was a tough book to write. In some ways I'd say it is the hardest book I've ever written. I edited each chapter as I completed them. Now I'll be editing the entire book again. Once that phase is complete, I'll send it to my Beta readers and wait to hear from them.

If you've read the series, and would like to get to know the characters even better, this book will appeal to you. If you want plenty of action, this book will also appeal to you. 

I think the storyline is good and solid. I'll see what the beta readers think. I should have it ready for them a week from today.

As always, I thank you for supporting this series.

Sincerely,
Ricky


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## Krink (Jun 18, 2009)

in the words of a reformed MMO'er 

Woot! Woot!


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

You seem happy about the news. That's good!


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there Kindle readers,

I thought I'd share a thought with you this morning. Waiting for feedback from Beta readers is like waiting for the birth of a child. Nerve wracking, but at the same time there is an air of plesant anticipation. That in turn reminded me of a scene I wrote for one of my fantasy novels.

To celebrate the completion of the Citadel, I think I'll share that scene with you readers who follow the peacekeeper series.

The characters:

*Damia*- goddess of neutrality. Daughter of Ogrimar and Shinobi. Wife of Brimstone.

*Brimstone*- demi-god of fire. Son of Artherk and a mortal woman named Evleyn. Husband of Damia. Leader of the Companions, which is a multi alignment group of people dedicated to maintaining the balance between good and evil.

*Shinobi*- goddess of the sea. Mother of Damia. Dedicated to neutrality as well.

*Ogrimar*- God of evil. Father of Damia.

*Artherk*- god of good. Father of Brimstone.

A few months later Brimstone awoke in a chair next to the bed to the sound of Damia's labored breathing. She was huffing and puffing in short quick intakes of breath and exhalations. Her face was sweat streaked her eyes wide as he took one look at her and then bolted for the door. Slamming the door wide open so hard the doorknob crashed into the wall with sufficient force to embed itself in the wall, he proceeded down the hall to the room where Shinobi's head Priestess was staying. Pounding on the door impatiently, he failed to note that he was hitting the door so hard as he knocked that he caused a crack to appear in the fine grained wood, which warped the door, making it impossible for the poor woman to open when she tried.

"_The door is stuck!_" she wailed plaintively. "_I can't open it to get out!_"

"Stand to the side," he commanded and then impatiently shouted, "Are you out of the way?"

"Aye, Brimstone," the woman's voice was calmer now that he wasn't pounding on the door.

Brimstone drew back his arm and twisting his upper body he brought his forearm around hard and slammed it into the middle of the door about the height of his chest. The door crashed inward into the room with a thud. Sticking his head in the room and spotting the woman he said, "_Oh, there you are!_ Damia's in labor. Get Shinobi here fast. We have to get her to a safe place so her birth pains won't ravage Althea."

"I'm here, Brimstone," Shinobi said from somewhere behind him.

Spinning about Brimstone asked, "How'd you know? I just found out myself."

"Damia called me. She said you were tearing the house down and she needed to get off of Althea lest she do harm to the world," Shinobi said placidly and then she added, "I see what she meant," and gazed at the door lying in a shambles inside the room. "What were you trying to do? No, never mind that now, we have to move Damia."

From Damia's room came a muffled scream and Shinobi vanished as Brimstone raced back to their room. He got there just as Shinobi took Damia by the hand. "Follow us, Brimstone," she said and then they both disappeared.

Shinobi had insisted that he practice teleporting himself to the place where they were going frequently, so that he could do it in moments on demand, despite his state of mind. He knew that he was in Damia's garden in the realm of the Gods. Here on this plane of existence they could experience pain and grief without having a negative impact upon Althea. He knew that somewhere in this realm his father had grieved for the loss of his mother. He banished that thought, as he had no desire to experience such unhappy memories as those at this particular moment. Running up the path to the stairs that led to the house, he ascended them two at a time until he reached the top. He was just about to slam into the door when one of Shinobi's Priestesses opened the door hastily. He ran through the foyer as fast as possible and took the next flight of stairs two at a time. When he reached the top of those stairs he paused and fretted. He'd forgotten which way to turn. A door opened down the left hall so he turned in that direction, running as if pursued by a werebear. Sliding to a halt, he had to backtrack to dart through the door.

Seeing Damia with her mother beside her he asked, "What can I do?"

Shinobi arched a brow and asked, "Did you draw the water from the special well and set it to boil? The towels?"

Brimstone looked crestfallen. "How could I have forgotten?" he asked apologetically and then darted off at a dead run.

"You'd better tell the Priestesses to stand clear of the halls, Mother. In his state, he'd like as not run right over them." she giggled softly and then another contraction hit and she stifled a cry of pain as her mother soberly wiped the sweat from her brow with a damp washcloth she summoned on the spot.

***​
Brimstone ran to the little well set nearly a quarter mile from the house. When he got there, he discovered the rope was dangling down in the water of the deep well. Pulling the rope furiously he discovered to his disgust that the rope had managed to come untied and the bucket wasn't attached. He had to run back to the house and find a bucket. When he reached the well, he tied the rope to the handle of the bucket and threw it down into the well with such force that water splashed up into his face. Blinking stupidly, he worked feverishly to pull the rope back up all the time muttering to himself, "_Water, water, must heat water! _ It is important. _It is for Damia!_"

He worked so feverishly at drawing the water that the rope bounced back and forth violently as he pulled the bucket back up the deep well. By the time it got to him it was half empty and he sighed wondering if half a bucket would do. "Better not risk it," he thought and then threw the bucket back into the water with such force that water splashed up into his face again.

This time he managed to keep the load stable and the bucket reached the top of the well, filled to the brim. Smiling briefly, Brimstone then untied the rope and started up the steep slope to Damia's house in the realm of the Gods. When he reached the steps to the house, he was soaking wet with sweat from the mad dashing about he'd been doing and the repeated splashing with the well water. Glancing down at the bucket, he noted that it was still three quarters full and he decided that this would be more than enough. "It better be," he muttered.

Inside the house, he heard Damia shriek, but Shinobi's calm voice said, "There, now dear, you're doing just fine. Paling noticeably, Brimstone uttered a strangled sob and dashed off with his bucket of water to the kitchen, where he found no fire had been prepared. Glaring at the Priestess in that room he said, "_I am to heat water!_"

"Yes, so I have been told," the Priestess replied calmly.

"_Why is there no fire if I am to heat water?!_" he demanded incredulously.

"You are demi-god of fire, Brimstone. No one would insult you by assuming you cannot heat water without our aid." the poor Priestess uttered in apology.

Feeling contrite he said, "I'm sorry, it's not your fault." Just then another shriek sounded. "_What am I to do?!_" he asked nervously.

"Heat the water?" the Priestess gently reminded.

"Oh, yes, you are so nice to remind me," Brimstone replied absently and then held his hand under the bucket and brought the water to boil in moments. "Now what?" he asked as he extinguished the flame he'd held in the palm of his hand.

"Take it to my Goddess Shinobi?" asked the Priestess.

Slapping his forehead at his lack of good sense Brimstone darted from the room. As he darted up the stairs again he heard another shriek. This one protracted and then a slap and a baby cried. Brimstone stopped dead still and listened to the first sounds made by his daughter and smiled. Then, remembering his errand, he darted to the top of the stairs. He stopped as a Priestess greeted him at the door and took the bucket. Holding out her other hand she said, "The towels, please, Brimstone?"

"Towels?" he asked stupidly and groaned as he remembered that he was to bring towels, because Shinobi needed towels and hot water to clean the mother and baby before he could see them. Sobbing Brimstone said, "I'll be right back," and he darted away. In his haste, he missed a step and tumbled down the last six steps. Surging to his feet like an enraged torlag, he darted for the linen closet that Damia had patiently shown him a month ago. "_How could I have forgotten how important that initial cleaning is for the babe?!_" he asked himself.

Running back he took the stairs four at a time and darted to the top faster than he'd ever managed in the past. When he got there, he saw Ogrimar standing outside the door waiting to be admitted. The Priestess took the towels and departed.

Turning to Ogrimar, Brimstone said, "They'll let us in as soon as the babe is clean," and he apologetically added, "I forgot the towels they'd need to clean the babe."

"Son," Ogrimar said with a twinkle in his eye. "Hasn't it occurred to you that Shinobi is a Goddess?"

"I know that of course, but she said she needed me to get water and towels." Brimstone said in irritation. "Besides, what does her being a Goddess have to do with anything?"

Shaking his head sadly Ogrimar said, "You would think she would have just summoned them ready to hand."

Brimstone's mouth dropped open and Ogrimar began to roar in great peals of laughter.

A moment later the door to the room opened and the Priestess stepped out. "They are waiting for you both," she said politely, and then bowed and stepped aside, closing the door behind them as they entered.

Brimstone stared into Damia's eyes, reassuring himself that she was safe and sound. "Thank you for this," he said simply and then leaned down to kiss her gently. Then, noting the small baby wrapped in a blanket nestled in the crook of Damia's arm, he leaned down to see the child, and though he was in a room with many people, he had eyes for only one at that moment.

Reaching down gently, he took the child in the blanket and cradled her in his arms. She was the most adorable child he'd ever beheld. As he held her, she reached clumsy arms out to draw his face near, as if the better to see him and then she smiled broadly and wrapped her tiny arms around his head as far as she could. His heart blossomed with love for the child. It was different from the love he had for Damia and that surprised him. He didn't fully comprehend it all, but he understood the main things. This little life depended upon him and he vowed then and there to die before he'd let that girl down.

"What is her name?" Ogrimar asked, as he waited less than patiently to hold his grandchild.

"Damia and I have discussed it," Brimstone explained.

"And we have decided to name her Brandy." Damia said, smiling weakly from the experience of her childbirth.

"A good name," Shinobi observed.

"I think so, as well," Ogrimar noted and then frowned at Damia. "Girl, why do you suffer. You have not yet healed yourself."

"Father, I am weak from childbirth and don't think I have the energy as yet. I'll live," she said stoically caring at the moment only for the safety of her daughter and the look of love in Brimstone's eyes.

"Nonsense, girl. I can't abide to see you suffer," Ogrimar stated, and passed his hand a foot above her body, healing her body though she was still weak from the childbirth.

"Thank you, father, _but no tampering with Brandy's aging!_" Damia warned.

Looking startled, Brimstone, who had been about to hand the child to Ogrimar, hesitated. "Don't be ridiculous, son. I missed these years with Damia. I plan to get my fill of what I missed with her at this age with my granddaughter."

There was a knock at the door and Brimstone went to greet the newcomer. Artherk was there and he clasped hands with his son, his eyes twinkling. "Congratulations to you, my son." Artherk said quietly and then stepped into the room to pay his respects to Damia and view his grandchild.

Ogrimar glared at Artherk but Damia bespoke him asking him not to ruin this special moment for her and his eyes softened. Holding the baby out for Artherk to take, he said proudly, "_Just look what our children have done!_"

***​
I feel rather like Brimstone right now. I've been running to the well, figuratively speaking, as I await the news from the Beta reader.

For those of you interested, the excerpt above is from Brimstone, book 9. Brimstone is my nine volume fantasy series that I wrote with Kathy Young. It's based on the online RPG t4c. You can read the series free on my website. Talks with Dialsoft, the owner of the intellectual rights to t4c, regarding the publication of the series have stalled, so it doesn't look as if we will be able to publish the series.

Have a great day,
Ricky


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## Archer (Apr 25, 2009)

Ricky:
That WAS a treat! Thank you.


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

You're welcome Archer. 

The fans of the series loved that scene because it was so out of character for Brimstone, who was almost always portrayed as calm and collected. But then book 9 challenged everything the fans of the series thought they knew about Brimstone and the gods of Althea.

I miss fantasy writing. I am giving a lot of thought to a new series, but haven't had the time to learn my map making skills sufficiently to create a world as yet. I'm so motivated by such maps that I won't even think about beginning the series until I can create the world map.

Have a great day,
Ricky


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## Archer (Apr 25, 2009)

ooh! Wait'll you see the new map for Outcaste! It's a thing of beauty, I kid you not!
I have to be extra nice to my cartographer for this series. The distances traveled will be vast, through uncharted lands (uncharted by OUR characters, at least). I can hardly wait!


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

I can relate to that excitement. I remember how I felt when Yane of t4c fame created a new island map for me to use in the Brimstone series. I think I wrote three books before that burst of excitement and energy subsided.  

I hope your new map has the same effect on you.

sincerely,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there Kindle readers,

If you've read this book and would like to participate, I'd like to ask you to post your favorite scene from the book. Such feedback will enable me to hone my craft, and produce better novels in the future. 

On the otherhand, if there was a section of the book that you really didn't like, I'd like to hear about that as well. All feedback helps a writer to attempt to perfect his skills. Indeed, sometimes negative feedback leads to greater improvements than positive feedback.

Have a great day,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Good morning folks,

Thank you for continuing to support the series. The support that the Kindle community has given to me, as I made my faltering first steps in the market, has sustained me. I thank you all for the support. I continue to attempt to improve the series with each book. It is my hope that book seven will be the best book of the series.

Have a happy Easter,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there,

Thank you for your continued support for the peacekeeper series.

Sincerely,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there Kindle readers,

_Thank you so much for another great month for this book and the rest of the peacekeeper series!_

In many ways, this book was an attempt to delve into the mindset of the hardcore cultist. One day, while I was working on an edit for this book, the subtitle descent into madness just popped into mind. I added that subtitle, but that was at odds with the rest of the series. Therefore, I went back and added subtitles to the rest of the series. I felt the first book didn't need one.

Now you know why the books have subtitles, and when that practice originated.

Thanks again for your continued support.

Sincerely,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there folks,

Here's another piece of information for you regarding this book. The scene depicted in Washington DC at the end of the book is one design I am considering for the cover when Books in Motion gets to this book. 

The other design I'm considering involves the photo of Clarissa and the child. If you've read the book, then you know the one I'm referencing.

The third design I'm considering is the fight scene between Jim and Flavious.

If you'd like to voice your opinion regarding this, please feel free to do so. In fact, I invite your input.

Have a great day,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there folks,

_Wow!_ I am astonished by the strong opening for the month. Thank you Kindle readers. This is by far the strongest first 7 days of any month since I entered the Kindle market.

Thank you all for your continued support of the series.

Now for another piece of inside information regarding this book.

Most of the action in _Descent into Madness_ takes place in or around Birmingham, Alabama. I have been to the city many times in the past. I remember the first time I went to Birmingham. As we approached the city, I saw the statue of Vulcan and marveled at it. Later, when I chose Birmingham as the site for the action sequences in much of the book, I wanted to add references of that statue to the book. When I wrote the scene for locating the entrance to the final subterranean lair of the cult, I wanted locating that lair to be a difficulty that it took teamwork to overcome. I saw an opportunity to accomplish both goals by placing the statue of Vulcan in the background of the photo. The strike team found the photo. Patricia made the connection by using the statue as a reference, and finally, Namid reasoned out the problem in the field by altering the focus of her search.

The addition of the landmark that I wanted to add worked out well. Instead of a passing reference to a city landmark, it became a key element in locating the remaining stronghold of Clarissa's followers.

And now you know how that came about. 

Have a great day,
Ricky


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## daveconifer (Oct 20, 2009)

Ricky, you were right.  This one was the best yet.  I read it in two days (fast for me).  I love the others too but this one had a whole new dimension.  Well done!!!


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi Dave,

Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed the book. I believe that it's the fastest paced book of the series. I hope you liked the ending. I wanted a special ending for the book. Having Bill keep his promise seemed a good way conclude it.

Have a great day,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there Kindle readers,

There is something unique about this book. Of all the books I've ever written, this is the only one that I leave to the interpretation of the reader. Some who read this book will come away with the belief that the peacekeepers were simply battling a cult, and that the core of the cult were drug crazed fiends. Others will believe that at the heart of that cult, the peacekeepers encountered at least a few vampires that had been artificially created by the experiments of Flavious. 

Either way you choose to view it, the book is full of action. 

Why did I choose to do this? The original draft of the book left no doubt whatsoever as to which line of thought was correct. But while working with Books In Motion's reviewer, Tom, we discussed the outcome and came to the mutual conclusion that I could improve the book by altering a few spots and leaving it to the reader to interpret.

I was a bit skittish about trying that, but Tom felt it improved the book. I trusted his instincts, and I'm glad I did. The man was right. I can see that now, although I wasn't certain it was the right thing to do at the time.

Have a great day,
Ricky


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## daveconifer (Oct 20, 2009)

I'm going to be putting up my review of this one soon.  I've enjoyed all the books of this series so far but this one was by far the best one because it had a whole new dimension.  I have no idea what would really happen if our country was plunged into anarchy.  The scenarios in this series seem as likely as any because the characters are just regular folks reacting to irregular circumstances.

But this was the best yet.


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Dave,

Thank you. There were many elements of this book that I really liked. I agree with your statement that this book is different from the rest of the series. Aside from not wanting to get stuck in a rut and churn out formula novels, I also wanted one with a sort of parnormal theme. In the end, I leave it to the reader to decide if the peacekeepers encountered the paranormal or a group of drug laced wannabes.

I'll look forward to the review, and I thank you kindly.

I'm also looking forward to that sequel to Snodgrass Vacation.

Have a great day,
Ricky


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## sierra09 (Jun 20, 2009)

Shoot, this is making me want to push this one up on the TBR list but I'm bound and determined to read these in order...must resist temptation.

Slightly offtopic but I'm curious Ricky, is book 1 the only one with a paperback version?


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there,

You really do need to read them in sequence or you'll be lost. The peacekeepers in book five is a fully developed organization. At the end of book 1 they are just being born. 

Yes, book 1 is the only one with a paperback version. My paperback sales are almost non existant for _The Birth of the Peacekeepers,_ so I saw no need to go paper with the rest of the series. I did go paper with the self defense book, but that was to give people who were interested in taking the course an option to putting an expensive Kindle at risk in a workout environment.

I haven't ruled out paperback versions of the rest of the series. But at this time, I see little reason to go that route.

Have a great day,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there folks,

I wanted to let you know that the price of this book, which has been selling for $1.99, is going up to $2.99. Anyone who has been considering purchasing this book in the past may want to purchase it soon. I don't know when Amazon will get the price changed. I think it will be in 2 - 3 days, but that's just a guess based on past changes.  

As always, I want to thank you Kindle readers for supporting this series. 

Have a great day,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there Kindle readers,

I just wanted to let you know that Amazon is still discounting most of the peacekeeper series. You can snag some good deals at the moment.

Here's a link to a page that you can use to check out the bargains.

http://www.amazon.com/s/qid=1256863753/ref=sr_gnr_spell?ie=UTF8&search-alias=aps&field-keywords=peacekeepers%20ricky%20sides

Thank you for the continued record breaking sales this month.

Have a great day,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there Kindle readers,

Last month exceeded my wildest dreams in the Kindle store. Thank you for that.

The Amazon discounts are still in affect. I would have sworn they'd have stopped by now, but they haven't. 


Have a great day,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there Kindle readers,

I'm just coming off a four day weekend in which I had the opportunity to get a substantial amount of the writing done for book 7.  The book is coming along well. I'm happy with the content to this point, although I now know the book is going to be much longer than I'd originally planned. Hopefully that higher word count won't bother you good folks.  It's not filler. There are plot reasons for the additional length.

As always, I'd like to thank you all for the great month of sales. The series is doing well and I couldn't be happier.

I'd like to take this opportunity to publicly thank Jason911 who will be working on new covers for books 3 - 6. Jason does fantastic work on covers. He did the women's self-defense book and he recently completed the book 7 cover for this series.










Thank you Jason. I love that cover.

The Amazon discounts are still available for most of the books in this series. Here's a link to a page where you can access the books:

http://www.amazon.com/s/qid=1256863753/ref=sr_gnr_spell?ie=UTF8&search-alias=aps&field-keywords=peacekeepers%20ricky%20sides

Books 2 and 3 of the series have new reviews.  Thanks!

Have a great day,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there Kindle readers,

I wanted to let you know that books 1, 2, and 3 of the series are still being discounted by Amazon. You can find my books at this Amazon search page:

http://www.amazon.com/s/qid=1256863753/ref=sr_gnr_spell?ie=UTF8&search-alias=aps&field-keywords=peacekeepers%20ricky%20sides

Book 7 is coming along well.

This has been a fantastic sales month for me. As you may know, when I enjoy such a good month I try to pass along some savings to my customers. Here are free book coupon codes for two books and a link to a third book you can get free.

Adventures in Reading. 
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/6651 
Coupon Code: ZM45D

The Ultimate in Women's Self-Defense.: 
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/8669 
UZ46T

Brimstone and the Companions of Althea.
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/15872

Thank you for the great month.

Have a great day,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there Kindle readers,

*Thank you for another great month of sales!*

Books 1,2, and 3 of the peacekeeper series are still being discounted by Amazon.

Book 1. *The Birth of the Peacekeepers* is listed at $1.99, but Amazon is discounting it to $1.00

Book 2. *Some Gave All.* Lists for $2.99, but Amazon is discounting it to $2.39.

Book 3. *Liberty or Death.* Lists for $2.99, but Amazon is discounting it to $2.39.

Book 7 is coming along well, but it has reached the point where a late August release seems unlikely. It's looking more like early to mid-September. I'm sorry about that folks. I've been trying, but it's taking a bit longer than anticipated. The overtime at work really set me back.

Thank you again for another great month of sales. You folks are the best.

Have a great day,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there Kindle readers,

I'm happy to say that the editing stage on book 7 has been completed, and the book is being published. Hopefully, it will be available tomorrow or the next day. I'd like to thank Jason911 for the fine cover he crafted. His cover speaks to my heart every time I see it. I like it so much that I have it hanging prominently on the wall beside my desk. I also owe a huge thank you to the Beta reader, Sharon from Texas. She worked hard on the project to help me produce the best book possible. Her input was an invaluable asset.

I'm proud of what the three of us working together have achieved.   

Thank you for the great sales this month.  

Have a great day,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there Kindle readers,

Thank you for another great month of sales. I am especially pleased with the sales on book 7, the latest release in the series. It is performing almost dead on what I'd hoped for the first month it was available.

I announced Amazon's discounts on the series the other day, but I'll do so again. Some of you who read this may have missed the announcement.

Book 1 - $1.79
Book 2 - $2.39
Book 3 - $2.39 
Book 4 - $2.39
Book 5 - $2.39
Book 6 - $2.39

Here's a link so you can check out the discounts:

http://www.amazon.com/s?_encoding=UTF8&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=Ricky%20Sides

Thank you again for another great month.

Sincerely,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there Kindle readers,

Here we are at the close of another month, and sales have been fantastic for the peacekeeper series. To celebrate, I'm offering free copies of four of my books. 

The Birth of the Peacekeepers
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/4216
Coupon Code: PL89D

Adventures in Reading. 
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/6651 
Coupon Code: ZM45D

The Ultimate in Women's Self-Defense.: 
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/8669 
UZ46T

Brimstone and the Companions of Althea.
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/15872

I'm giving these copies to the Kindle community because sometime the words Thank You just aren't enough for me to express my heartfelt gratitude.

Have a great day,
You've all made mine! 
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there Kindle readers,

I wanted to let you know that Amazon is now discounting book one of the series. The list price is $0.99, but Amazon is discounting it to $0.89.  

There was another review the other day. I loved the last sentence in the review.

Thank you for another wonderful month of sales.

Have a great day,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there Kindle readers,

Thank you for another great sales month.  I'd also like to thank you for the reviews and the help with tagging my books.

Now for a bit of news. A reader emailed me this week asking if I planned a book 8 in the peacekeeper series. The answer is a definite yes. I have plotlines for two additional peacekeeper books, utilizing the main peacekeeper characters. I also have tentative plans for a trilogy of books set in the peacekeeper world, but utilizing other characters.

Will there be other peacekeeper books utilizing the main characters beyond the aforementioned book 9? At this point I'm not sure. I certainly wouldn't rule it out.

The work on my current project is going well. It's a different genre, but I find I like writing it. Anyone who has read _Adventures in Reading_ or _Brimstone_ will be aware that I actually do write something other than militaristic post apocalyptic fiction. 

I've contacted Jason911 from our Kindleboard community and he's agreed to do the cover for the book. Jason did the cover for book 7 of the peacekeeper series, and I love that cover. Jason, if you're reading this, thank you again.

I plan to sequester myself at home this weekend and write, so wish me luck. 

Have a safe and happy holiday season.


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Merry Christmas everyone,

I'm on vacation for a week, so after today I plan to devote myself full time to completing Claws. Jason911 came through with a wonderful cover.










Thank you Jason.

I've heard from several readers who are asking when I'll begin work on book 8 of the peacekeeper series so I thought I'd mention that today. I've been working with Mr. Bob Lee who has written some good bonus material that explains the drive system of peacekeeper ships, fighters, and drones. He has pointed out capabilities of such a drive system that I had not considered. I'm excited about these discoveries that he assures me are theoretically sound. I plan to begin work on book eight as soon as Claws is released. It will definitely incorporate new technological advances. I can't give a release date for that book, but expect it to be completed during the later part of the first quarter of next year.

Thank you all for a wonderful year. I've said it before, but it bears repeating. You Kindle readers are the best.

Have a safe and happy Christmas,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there Kindle readers,

Book 5 of the peacekeeper series is an intense read. It's one of those books that you may not want to begin reading unless you have a few hours you can spend with a book because it's almost non-stop action. If you've never read this book, I'd like to encourage you to get the sample and give it a try.

http://www.amazon.com/Peacekeepers-Descent-Madness-Peacekeepers-ebook/dp/B002JM1DGM/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1295910176&sr=1-5

Have a great day,
Ricky


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## Ricky Sides (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there Kindle readers,

Jason Merrick has come through with another good cover.










I think it captures the essence of Clarissa. 

Thank you Jason.

Have a great evening,
Ricky


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