Read An Excerpt From Jorg H. Trauboth's 'The Death of the Kremlin Czar' #bookexcerpt #readanexcerpt #thriller #blogtour @jorgtrauboth @pumpupyourbook

 

 


An exciting, cutting-edge political thriller about the removal of a psychopathic Russian president who wants to restore the old Soviet Union.



Title: The Death of the Kremlin Czar

Author: Jörg H. Trauboth

Publication Date: August 26, 2024

Pages: 443

Genre: Thriller

Russian President and new Czar Ivan Pavlenko suddenly shows his true colors during the war in Ukraine. He wants the old Soviet Union back. The world is on the brink. The influential oligarch Alexei Sokolov wants to prevent Ivan’s megalomaniacal plans and is planning a fundamental new beginning for Russia. To achieve this, the Russian president must die. How will the US President react to the CIA’s proposal to support the oligarch, who has a romantic relationship with the Russian President’s partner, Yulia? 

The poison attack is perfectly prepared, but the Boeing with the oligarch Alexei Sokolow, his lover and over 100 passengers on board is hijacked by a Ukrainian terrorist and is supposed to crash over Berlin after knocking out the crew by shooting. Former elite soldier Marc Anderson is on board with his family and takes over with Alexei. The two flight amateurs try to get control. Will the landing and the assassination succeed or will the Kremlin Czar strike back brutally after realizing the role of Yulia?

The Death of the Kremlin Czar is available at Amazon (U.S. edition) and Amazon (German edition).

 

Book Excerpt 


“Watch out! High-voltage line at three hundred meters!“, shouted the co-pilot.
“In sight!“ the commander replied calmly, pulling up just before the obstacle and immediately pushing the helicopter down again. 

The two pilots of the Ukrainian armed forces guided the old Russian Mi-8 helicopter with their night vision devices on a zigzag course away from populated areas and Russian defense walls to the target. The destination was Luhansk. The mission: to free their own soldiers from Russian captivity. They had volunteered for the Ascension mission and trained for the flight intensively in the simulator supplied by the USA, including simulated enemy fire and evasive maneuvers. The simulator‘s current aerial photographs proved to be extremely helpful in the dimly lit night. A lot had changed in Donbass since the region was forcibly annexed by Russian President Ivan Pavlenko. Destroyed cities, abandoned villages, mined escape routes, deportations, rapes, mass graves, poverty, hunger, thirst and despair. 

Ivan Pavlenko was called “Czar Ivan II“ by the co-pilot, a former history teacher. But not only by him. The Ukrainian people hated this man who had brought so much suffering to their families with his megalomania and wanted to steal their country. Even those people whose thinking was shaped by Russian culture had turned their backs on this madman in Moscow. 

The co-pilot turned to Iris, the commander of the special forces, and signaled “30 minutes.“ 

Iris had been given his nickname because - like the German anti-aircraft missile of the same name - he was known for always hitting the bull‘s eye. Everything Iris tackled led to success. On a street in Kiev, the child-pushing, medium-sized, friendly man at his wife‘s side would not have been noticed. No one could have guessed that the man flirting with his young daughter was a rare mixture of analyst, combat soldier and leader with a stellar military career ahead of him. 

Iris looked at his men. The two teams sat opposite each other and remained completely relaxed despite the loud engine noise in the old transport helicopter with its fake Russian registration. 

Perhaps it was a kind of meditative calm before the dangerous mission. Or perhaps it was the awareness that they could be hit by a Russian missile at any time during this night-time low-level flight into the Luhansk Oblast without being able to do anything about it. There weren‘t even any parachutes on board, because every kilogram counted for the return flight, during which the aged and rattling Mi-8 would be fully occupied. 

The commander of the special forces fixed his gaze on the German opposite, who returned the look and nodded. Iris had received authorization for this rescue mission with a foreign team member from the highest authority. He had only agreed to it because the German Marc Anderson was considered a legend in the West despite being only thirty-five years old. Together with the US Navy SEALs, he had evacuated an American aircrew from the depths of Afghanistan and later served as a private security officer. 

The US president‘s family was rescued from the hands of Iranian terrorists on a luxury yacht by the security agent and his team. He and his team were personally honored by the US President. The Iranian terrorists took revenge and brutally murdered Marc‘s wife in front of their house in Hamburg. 

About the Author

Jörg H. Trauboth, born in 1943 near Berlin, logged over two thousand flight hours as a Weapon Systems Officer Instructor in the Luftwaffe, flying PHANTOM F-4F / RF-4E and TORNADO fighter jets, and over 3000 hours in light aircraft. At the age of fifty, he left the service with the rank of Colonel in the General Staff. He received training as a Special Risk Consultant from the English Control Risk Group and served as Managing Director Germany, dealing with extortion and kidnapping cases in South America and Eastern Europe. Shortly thereafter, he founded his own consulting firm, quickly establishing an outstanding international reputation. Trauboth protected his clients with a 24-hour task force during product extortions, product recalls, kidnappings, and image crises. He was the first President of the European Crisis Management Academy in Vienna and President of the American Yankee Association.

He is known as a respected expert in the media on security-related topics. He volunteers as an emergency counselor and is a member of the Crisis Intervention Team (KIT Bonn) of the German Foreign Office. He is a private pilot, married, with two sons and three grandchildren.

In 2002, Trauboth wrote the now out of print standard work “Crisis Management for Company Threats”.

In 2016 the follow-up work was published with Jörg H. Trauboth as editor in collaboration with five authors: “Crisis Management in Companies and Public Institutions”.

Terror expert J. H. Trauboth presented his debut novel in 2015 with the Germany thriller “Three Brothers”. (Available in English). In 2019 “Operation Jerusalem” followed and in 2020 “Omega”. The trilogy is about the former elite soldier Marc Anderson and his team. With these three self-contained thrillers, Trauboth is rated by many readers as the “German Tom Clancy.” The trilogy is available as a printed edition, eBook and audio book.

His first detective novel, “Jakobs Weg” (German), followed in 2021. The highly explosive topic of “sexual abuse of children” is processed sensitively in a scenario on the Way of Saint James and at the end offers contact options for those seeking help.

In 2022, the novella “Bonjour Saint-Ex” was published (German) in which the passionate pilot Jörg H. Trauboth turns the last flight of the legend Antoine de Saint Exupéry into an exciting literary event.

Readers wanted a sequel to the Marc Anderson series. In 2023, ZarenTod – Das Ende der Präsidenten was published, a highly topical political thriller. The Russian president and new tsar, Ivan Pavlenko, suddenly shows his true face during the war in Ukraine. He wants the old Soviet Union back. The world is on the brink. The influential oligarch, Alexei Sokolov, wants to prevent Ivan’s megalomaniac plans and is planning a fundamental new beginning for Russia. To achieve this, the Russian president must be removed. But the plan goes awry. Ex-elite soldier Marc Anderson intervenes. Will Czar Ivan die? What will become of Europe? The book 8/ 2024 in English „The Death of the Kremlin Czar” is the fourth political thriller in the Marc Anderson series.

Website & Social Media:

Website  https://trauboth-autor.de/english/

Twitter ➜ https://twitter.com/JorgTrauboth



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Read An Excerpt From P.K. Eden's 'The Mirror' #excerpt #readanexcerpt #urbanfantasy @pkedenauthor

 

 

What if you found out the artifacts from the fairy tales you loved as a child were real and one of them just predicted your death?


Title: The Mirror

Author: P.K. Eden

Publication Date: October 14, 2024

Pages: 390

Genre: Urban Fantasy

What if you found out the artifacts from the fairy tales you loved as a child were real and one of them just predicted your death? That’s the dilemma Scientist Ben Michaels faces when Siene Dower, descendant of the Brothers Grimm, tells him that Snow White’s Magic Mirror sent her to stop him from getting into the cab that crashed and burst into flame right before his eyes at the intersection at Penn Station, New York City. Does practical Dr. Michaels dismiss everything he knows about reality and science and follow the curious and beautiful woman who just saved his life?

The Mirror is available at Amazon.

 

Book Excerpt


“Sit.” Siene motioned to the black sofa next to the door. She walked to the back bookshelf and pulled forward an old book with her forefinger. She skimmed the pages as she walked back to him. About halfway through the book she retrieved a fragile-looking, folded paper with timeworn brown edges.  

She sat next to him. “Show me your palm.” 

Ben held out his hand. “Why? Are you going to read it?”

“Do I look like a fortune teller?”

“You did predict the cab accident,” Ben replied. 

She rolled her eyes and gently unfolded the paper. Carefully, she dropped three brown, shriveled ovals into his palm.

Ben’s brow furrowed. “What are these?”

“Beans.”

“I can see that.” He looked up. “Is this when I ask you why they were hidden in the book?”

“No, you’re supposed to guess.”

Ben lifted an eyebrow. “Do you really want to play games, Siene?”

She crossed her arms in front of her. “Actually, yes. You’re the hot-shot genius. I’m curious to see if that big brain of yours can think outside the . . .” She felt a wicked smile form on her lips “. . . outside the spit glands.”

He shot her an annoyed look and used his forefinger to move the beans around on his palm. They were shrunken but all the same size and shape. Kidney beans, he guessed. Very old kidney beans. He glanced at Siene. “Beans hidden in a book. Did you get them from a prom date instead of flowers and this is your way of telling me that you’re still thinking of the prom king?”  

She saw amusement replace the annoyance on his face. Okay, maybe inside all the gray matter the man had a sense of humor. She’d try sparring with him later. Right now, she had to make a seemingly very obtuse point. “Did your mother ever read you fairy tales when you were a child?”  

“Yes,” Ben replied, still holding the beans in his outstretched hand.

“Which ones?”

“The usual. Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, the Shoemaker and the Elves.”

“What about Jack and the Beanstalk?” 

Ben glanced down at the beans in his hand and then back at Siene. “Of course, and I suppose you’re going to tell me these are magic beans.”

Skepticism lit his eyes and Siene knew he wasn’t quite there yet. “I know I’m asking a lot, but for a minute, just send all the Einstein stuff to the back of your gray matter and go with it.” His expression told her he thought she was nuts and she suspected ninety-nine percent of the world’s population would probably agree with him. “I guess laymen might say they are magic.”

“Laymen.” Ben paused before shooting her a probing stare. “People off their meds like you, you mean.”

She held up her finger. “You agreed to go with it.”

“No, I did not.”

“Let’s pretend you did. These beans are the last ones left.  It drives my brother, Reed, crazy that I keep them in a book.  He thinks it’s the first place a Taltoian would look.” She held the book up so he could see the title.

“Taltioan?”

“I’ll get there in a minute.” She lifted her chin. “Look at the book.”

White paper showed through the frayed corners of the cover and the embossed lettering worn low by the passing years made the words hard to read. He leaned closer and squinted. Tales by the Brothers Grimm. His head snapped up. “Is this an original edition?” He turned the book over and then back. “It looks very old.”

Siene nodded. “They are my great-great--maybe another great, maybe not, it really doesn’t matter at this point--Uncles Jacob and Wilhelm. The book has been passed down through the generations.”   

Ben’s wide-eyed gaze flared. “You are crazy. You expect me to believe these are the magic beans they wrote about? That if you plant them, a stalk will grow as high as the clouds and if we climb it, we will meet a giant who has a goose that lays golden eggs?”

“Yes, and other things. A golden harp…”

Ben stood. “This has been an adventure to say the least, and I will admit you might have a very valuable book that could command millions, but you being related to the Brothers Grimm, “ he looked down at his hand, “And these are magic beans, I don’t think so.”

“Why not?”

He handed her back the book and held up fingers in a vee. “Two reasons. One, I suspect if there actually was a goose that laid golden eggs, some billionaire would own it and two, a giant, by sheer atomic weight and mass, cannot stand or live on a cloud.”

Siene shrugged. “Whether you believe me or not, it’s still true.”  

“Which part?”

“All of it.” She slipped her hand under his. “I better take those back now.” She carefully placed the beans inside the paper and back into the book.  

Ben remained still for several minutes as though processing the information he just heard. “It appears your uncles, if they truly are,  are not the only ones who can tell tall tales.”

She put the book back on the shelf. “They wrote the stories to protect the artifacts.”

“Artifacts. Like those in a museum?”

She looked at him and smiled. “No, the ones in my uncles’ stories.”

“Which stories?”
“All of them.”

– Excerpted from The Mirror by P.K. Eden, The Wild Rose Press, 2024. Reprinted with permission.


About the Authors

P.K. Eden is the alter ego of multi-published and award winning authors Patt Milhailff and Kathye Quick whose debut novel FIREBRAND was lauded as comparable to the Harry Potter series, garnered 5-Star reviews, and won numerous  Reviewer’s Choice Awards.

Born long, long ago in a place not so far away, Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, Kathryn Quick has been writing since the Sisters in St. Casmir’s Grammar School gave her the ruled yellow paper and a number two pencil.  She writes contemporary and career romances, romantic comedies, historical romances as well as urban fantasy. 

Kathye has twenty fiction books in print with various publishing houses and one non-fiction compilation of her town’s history at the behest of the Manville Library Bord.  She was honored to have been named an Amazon top 100 Romance Author for Ineligible Bachelor published by Montlake Romance. Other works include a three book  Grandmother’s Rings Series – Amethyst, Sapphire and Citrine, a rom-com series that follows three siblings as they use their Grandmother’s Rings given to them by their mother to find their soulmates. 

Because she has been fascinated by King Arthur and his knights for almost forever, her series Beyond Camelot, Brother Knights, is her vision of how the majestic kingdom may have survived after Arthur. Two books are written in this series with the third and final still in concept.

She is a founding member of Liberty State Fiction Writers and has been a part of Romance Writers of America and New Jersey Romance Writers.

She is married to her real-life hero, Donald, and has three grown sons, each having romantic adventures of their own. Her two grandkids, Savannah and Dax, happily cut into her writing time but she still manages to get a few pages done each day.

Website & Social Media:

Website www.Kathrynquick.com  

Twitter ➜ https://x.com/KQuickAuthor

Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/KathrynQuickBooks/

Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/kathrynquickauthor/

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/217228581-the-mirror

***

Thanks to novelist and editor, Dr. Nathasha Brooks-Harris who invited Patt Milhailff to write for several TRUE CONFESSION lines of magazines where she learned tight and entertaining writing and resulted in the publication of more than two hundred short stories and articles.

One of Patt’s most gratifying experiences was when she moderated a standing room only workshop at the African American Romance Slam Jam in 2004 and has since enjoyed speaking engagements at libraries, book clubs and other forums. 

She was awarded 2009 Author of the year and 2010 Mentor of the year by Romance writers of America, New York City Chapter, a terrific organization that helped her to obtain valuable lessons and insight while on her writing journey. 

Patt is also featured in A Dream Deferred, A Joy Achieved, a non-fiction novella by Charise Nesbit a co-producer at Tyler Perry Studios, about foster care, as well as being included in two of Times Bestselling Author Zane’s anthologies. 

Patt is one half of the writing duo P.K. Eden along with Kathye Quick, authors of Firebrand,  that received a five star Affaire de Couer Reviewer’s Choice Award. 

She is also a member of Liberty States Fiction Writers the home of a magnitude of talented writers and fellow authors and is the author of nine novels.  

Patt was raised, and educated in New York City, residing in  New Jersey, and has since relocated to Delaware.

Social Networks for P.K. Eden:

Follow on Twitter: https://x.com/PKEdenAuthor 

Follow on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/P.K.EdenAuthor

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p.k.edenauthor/

 


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Read An Excerpt From Deborah Levin's 'An Exploratory Study of GPT-4o Poetry 2024'

 

This groundbreaking study examines the creative capabilities and limitations of GPT-4o, an advanced AI model that mirrors human expressiveness. 


Title: An Exploratory Study of GPT-4o Poetry 2024

Author: Deborah Levin

Publication Date: May 6, 2024

Pages: 226

Genre: Nonfiction

Discover the creative abilities and constraints of artificial intelligence with "An Exploratory Study of GPT-4o Poetry 2024." This groundbreaking study examines the creative capabilities and limitations of GPT-4o, an advanced AI model that mirrors human expressiveness. Drawing on the insights of the latest research, this book explores whether AI can truly replicate the depth and nuance of human creativity in poetry.

From structured sonnets to open-ended free verse, poetry is a profound literary form that captures the essence of human emotions and experiences. But can an AI model like GPT-4o generate verses with human authenticity? Through a qualitative exploration of AI behavior in creative contexts, this study examines the model's ability to create original, non-plagiarized work and its tendency to rely on specific terminology or phrases.

Key Questions Explored:

  • Can GPT-4o produce poetic expressions equivalent to human creativity?
  • What refinements in capability does GPT-4o encompass beyond its older counterparts?
  • Does GPT-4o exhibit over-reliance on specific terminology or phrases?
  • Are the poetic outputs from GPT-4o indistinguishable from human-created poetry?
  • How does GPT-4o handle the complexities of creative context generation?

In this study, you will also find:

  • Examples of AI-generated poetry that showcase GPT-4o's creative potential.
  • Insights into the model's unique approach to literary expression.
  • Evaluation of plagiarized content and poetry generation speed.

An Exploratory Study of GPT-4o Poetry 2024 is an essential read for anyone interested in the future of AI and its role in human culture. Whether you are a poetry enthusiast, a tech aficionado, or simply curious about the capabilities of modern AI, this book offers unique insights and thought-provoking analyses. Don't miss out on this opportunity to explore the cutting-edge of AI-driven creativity—get your copy today!

An Exploratory Study of GPT-4o Poetry 2024 is available at Amazon.

 

Book Excerpt


This independent exploratory study aims to understand GPT-4o's capabilities and limitations related to creative poetic expression. Poetry encompasses creative literary representations in structured and open-ended formats. Expressions of feeling are arranged in verses or comparable language patterns (Oxford, 2024). Can GPT-4o produce poetic expressions equivalent to human creativity?

GPT stands for generative pre-trained transformer. The number four in the model's name represents the fourth generation of this model, created by OpenAI. The "o" is short for "omni," which is defined as "combining all." 

GPT-4o is a multi-modal large language model (LLM) based on artificial intelligence (AI). AI uses data and algorithms through machine learning to imitate how humans learn. A subset of machine learning, known as Deep Learning, uses multi-layered deep neural networks to simulate the decision-making complexities of the human brain. This learning enables the model to increase the accuracy or predictions over time. Examples of AI-based technology include digital assistants, global positioning systems, and self-driving vehicles. Companies use AI strategies to automate tasks of lower complexity and bolster predictive modeling performance. (IBM, 2024)

Critics of AI believe it cannot replicate human creativity. The development of quality literary contribution requires personal collaboration. AI cannot critically analyze its outputs and cannot produce engaging content. Although technically accurate, the absence of emotional intelligence and empathy makes AI-generated creative content lackluster. Additionally, AI struggles with context and tone. (Burn, 2023)

Additional criticisms of AI, beyond an absence of creativity and emotion, include limitations due to data dependency and bias. Machine learning algorithms pull data from information across digital technologies. The quality of data inputs, including biased information, directly affects the outputs generated by AI. There may be over-reliance on source information if machine learning deems other sources less relevant. In some instances, AI can magnify biases, resulting in discriminatory content. Data inputs of misinformation or propaganda further exacerbate bias by developing aggregated content perceived as accurate and relevant. (AIContenfy, 2023)

Ethical concerns, including copyright infringement and plagiarism, present significant implications for authors, students and educators. The evolution of AI enables this LLM to mimic human conversations and create human-like content. The United States Copyright Office does not currently offer protection to literary work unless it is made or heavily edited by humans. This human-created requirement also encompasses protection for art and other media. Information contributors extend ethical concerns as AI may or may not ask contributors for permission before including their content in machine learning models. (Lane 2024) 

Regardless of copyright protection, AI-generated content encourages human laziness through over-reliance on technology tools to produce content. The challenge of generating original creative thought is relegated to merely creating the right prompt to tell AI the type of output desired. This presents a significant challenge to educators as they strive to develop student intellect, encourage critical thinking, and realize the full human experience. 

The GPT-4o model was trained using an extensive dataset, including internet text, books, articles, websites, and other electronic information. This data included information created up to September 2021. However, refinements enabled the model to include some knowledge as recent as early 2023. Therefore, new outputs created are based on relevant data from 1-2 years ago. This model began its rollout for general use in 2024 with enhanced voice, vision and text modality. (OpenAI, 2024)

Criticisms of AI were based on previous models. What refinements in capability does GPT-4o encompass beyond its older counterparts? Qualitatively exploring AI behavior's complexities relative to creative context generation will reveal its capabilities. Is this new model capable of creating original, non-plagiarized work? Does the model exhibit over-reliance on specific terminology or phrases? Do poetic outputs from this model seem human?

About the Author

Dr. Deborah Levin is a woman of many talents. She holds degrees in Design, Business Administration, and Leadership. She has multiple technical certifications, ranging from project management to artificial intelligence natural language processing. She has a strong background in project management and continuous improvement. She used her unique combination of creative and analytical skills throughout her decades of experience in corporate manufacturing and transactional environments, in addition to facilitating courses for adult learners and community service leadership. Dr. Levin is passionate about lifelong learning and is a strong supporter of formal education. She believes sharing her learning and experiences with others helps them gain perspective to become better versions of themselves.  She expresses this passion through a down-to-earth, personable writing style often seen in her written work.

Her book, An Exploratory Study of GPT-4o Poetry 2024 is available at Amazon.

Visit her website at www.allenjopublishing.com.


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