What
inspires you to write? The authors I love inspired me to write. Many
times, as I finished a great story I would say to myself, “I wish I could write
a story like that.” Like you, I spent countless hours as a child
enthralled, enraptured, enthused and entertained, hidden under the covers,
reading Edgar Rice Burroughs, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, H.G. Wells and Jules
Verne by flashlight. Even then, I imagined writing my own stories of high
adventure, bravery, great deeds and men and women of character.
Later, I fell in love with the deep, descriptive
words of Joseph Conrad. More recently, I belly laughed to the comedy of
Dave Berry, Carl Hiaasen and Janet Evanovich and became addicted to the
sweeping historic epics by Wilbur Smith. And who hasn’t enjoyed the legal
thrillers of John Grisham and Earl Stanley Gardner? Then, I discovered
the genius of blending past and present into gripping adventure tales, like Inca
Gold by Clive Cussler. And finally, I read the book that inspired me
most, The New Testament.
I wanted to write a book that would encapsulate
a little of all the genres I love. Somehow it all came together in my
second novel, Maximilian’s Treasure, a legal thriller, filled with
adventure, romance, comedy, mystery and the hunt for a legendary treasure.
I love this story! It’s based upon an actual encounter I had with an
elderly Choctaw gentleman who believed that a legendary treasure was hidden on
his farm. Thirty-five years ago, he told me that he believed the Emperor
of Mexico, Maximilian, sent Aztec gold to support the South in the Civil
War. The War ended when the shipment was near his farm and was hidden
there. A friend of mine and I went with him to his farm to search for the
gold. We had a great day listening to his stories.
In Maximilian’s Treasure, two young
lawyers help save a Choctaw family farm from foreclosure, but rumors of
treasure lead to murders, kidnappings, arson and riots. One lawyer
defends the family in court, while the other chases clues from a Mississippi
swamp to the Caribbean, to the Chiapas jungle. The story is filled with
romance, comedy, action and adventure. More importantly, the story is
filled with treasures. The two lawyers are best friends, but have
opposite worldviews. One is a Christian, the other an agnostic.
They share their views with each other as they discuss the meaning of
life. They have earned each other’s respect and neither judges the
other.
The story demonstrates that the past is never
really past, things are not always what they seem, character matters and some
treasures are far more valuable than gold. I love this story. I bet
you will too. Read it, and let me hear from you.
Your friend,
James D. Bell
Genre: Romantic Adventure
Author: James D. Bell
Website: http://maximilianstreasure.com/
Find out more on Amazon
About the Book:
Rumors of a legendary treasure fuel a battle over possession of a Choctaw family farm. Two young lawyers, John Brooks and Jackson Bradley, agree to help the family keep their farm. Early legal success prompts the drive-by murder of the patriarch of the family. The grandson chases the suspects whose bodies are found on the farm, scalped. At the same time clues to a vast treasure are found on the farm. Jackson, pursued by fortune seekers, adventurers, an exotic beauty and a homicidal maniac, follows the clues from a Caribbean reef to the Chiapas jungle. John stays behind to defend the grandson and continue the fight for the farm. His efforts are complicated by arson, murder, race riots, and the realization that he lost his one true love. Though there is great distance between them, their adventures are intertwined as they rush toward a triple climax that could shake the world. Join the adventure and discover your Maximilian’s Treasure.
About the Author:
James D. Bell is an award-winning author and retired Judge who received the highest bar association approval ratings ever given to a Mississippi Circuit or County Judge. He is listed in Preeminent Lawyers, Outstanding Lawyers of America and Top 100 Attorneys of North America. He is the author of two novels, Vampire Defense and Maximilian’s Treasure. His short story, The Adventures of Sherlock Hound, was published in Mardi Allen’s collection, Dog Stories for the Soul, alongside stories from Mark Twain, John Steinbeck, Willie Morris and others. The son of a Choctaw mother and a Mississippi businessman, Judge Bell is devoted to his wife, Joanne. They live near Jackson, Mississippi and have four children. Judge Bell returned to law practice but is frequently called back to the bench by the Mississippi Supreme Court for short term assignments.
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