Excerpt Tour: The Descent from Truth by Gaylon Greer

Working with traveling carnivals and itinerant farm labor gangs during his teen and early adult years took Gaylon Greer up, down, and across the U.S. and introduced him to a plethora of colorful individuals who serve as models for his fictional characters.

After several years as an Air Force officer and then a university professor with a Ph.D. in economics, Greer developed an interest in writing fiction and attended workshops at the University of Iowa, the University of Nebraska, and Bryn-Mawr College. He also studied with the U.C. Davis Extension program and the Algonquian Writers Group.

His most recent novel, THE DESCENT FROM TRUTH is available at www.Amazon.com and other e-book retailers. Please visit Greer at www.GaylonGreer.com

Alex Bryson is patrolling Rocky Mountain backcountry in his job as a security guard when he discovers a woman with a baby wandering alone in the snow far from the nearest road. He takes them to shelter in a weekender cabin and sees a newscast that suggests the woman, Pia Ulmer, kidnapped the baby from its rightful parents and that it is the sole heir of Peru’s wealthiest and most corrupt family.

Pia claims that she is the baby’s mother, and Alex doesn't know what to believe. After turning her in, he continues to struggle with his budding feelings for her and remains unsure of the true story. He becomes more and more involved until finally there is no turning back—lives are on the line.

He helps Pia get free from a brutal world that values money over life, and together they devise a plan to reclaim the baby. Just when it looks like they might succeed, they discover an international conspiracy that changes the game entirely.

Excerpt

“So you're from Colombia,” Alex said as he coaxed more oatmeal into the baby’s mouth. “What part?”

“Amazonas Province.”

“You grew up in the Amazon rain forest?

“I did not grow up there,” Pia said. “It is merely where I was born. My mother died when I was very young, and we—my father and I—moved to Belén, a small town in Peru. It is only a short distance from Iquitos.”

Alex remembered Iquitos from his time in Peru. He’d been told it was the world’s largest city that could not be reached by road. “Was your father Peruvian?”

“He was British, trained as an Army officer. He was wounded early in his career and separated from the Army. A group of rebel fighters along the border between Colombia and Peru hired him to manage their supplies.”

“What about your mother?”

“She was an Amazonian aborigine.”

“You’re Colombian by birth, British by parentage, and Peruvian by residence?”

Another smile. “I am not a citizen of any country. My birth was never registered.”

Three mysteries solved: her unusual facial features, her command of English, and her intriguing accent. “Without a birth record, how’d you get a passport and visa?”

A moment of pursed-lip silence. “My employer has influence.”

“You say your father ran a depot. He no longer does that?”

“He died. A little over three years ago.” She stood and hefted the baby onto her hip. “He will nap now.” She headed for the bedroom.

Giveaway

A randomly chosen commenter will receive an autographed hardcover version of the author's previous book, The Price of Sanctuary.

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