Hi, everyone!
I am pleased to participate in Marie Harbon's Virtual Book Blitz for Seven Point Eight hosted by Bewitching Book Tours.
About Marie:
Marie Harbon has worked in both the retail and fitness industry. She has a degree in sport and fitness and taught group exercise for several years before settling into a post delivering BTEC Sport courses for two years. Since then, she has instructed dance with children and has decided to focus on writing as her main career.
She wrote her first novel length story at the age of twelve and has written on and off subsequently, evolving her style and literary maturity. ‘Seven Point Eight’ began life as a short story in the early nineties and was later developed into a full five part series of books. Work on ‘The Second Chronicle’ has already begun.
Marie has two children and lives with her son and four guitars in the town of Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, which is in England. She divides her time between writing novels and scripts, making things, teaching and being a mum. Her vice is fabric and she creates bags, corsets and clothes in the vintage and retro style.
CONNECT WITH MARIE ONLINE:
About the Book:
Title: Seven Point Eight: The First Chronicle
Author: Marie Harbon
Genre: Sci-fi Fantasy
One day FREE event May 15th
Seven Point Eight
The most powerful number in the universe
The number that connects everything.
It is time to wake up....
A physicist begins a quest to measure the soul but soon finds himself drawn into the world of the enigmatic Max Richardson, where research is sold to the military at the highest bid. However, he soon discovers another purpose when an extremely talented young psychic enters his life. He devises a project and builds a team to stretch the frontiers of exploration, only to make a reality-shattering discovery...
Written in the style of a TV series, The First Chronicle is the beginning of a 5 part epic which follows the spiritual and emotional journey of five people; their quest to understand the universe and our place within it.
Quantum physics meets spirituality in a tale which begins in the 1940s, unfolds during the 1960s; an era of social and spiritual transformation and reaches its conclusion in the modern age.
It interweaves the human dramas of love, betrayal, bitterness and above all, courage in a world where everyone must face their own dark shadow.
For fans of the paranormal, big sweeping epics, metaphysics, science fiction, Lost, Fringe, contemporary fantasy, alternate realities and new age/spirituality.It's also highly suited to Young Adult readers, who like sci-fi along with their paranormal, or those who like a more challenging read.Content guidance: Suitable for readers aged 15 and over. Sexual scenes are suggestive as opposed to explicit. Some references to psychedelic drugs.
Introduction
Be prepared for a journey, an expedition that
draws together fringe science, psychic powers, alternate dimensions, time
travel, past lives, miracles, folklore, consciousness, conspiracy and nostalgia,
in a soap opera for the soul. Welcome to
the new paranormal/science fiction series entitled ‘Seven Point Eight’.
Crossing genres and gender appeal, it
blends character driven plot with an intriguing story line, full of geeky
science underpinning a thrilling and clever plot.
‘Seven Point Eight is a twist of scifi
confusion that asks some interesting questions. If one had special abilities to
travel out of body, what would one do with them? What would the government do
with it if they could? How far could one go?’
Kindle
Book Review
‘every
page is chock-a-block full of quantum theory, wildly idiosyncratic characters,
out-of-body experiences, weird occurrences, and loose ends, all of which are
tied together with a fanciful yet plausible conception of the grand unifying
theory underlying the world around us. Oh yeah, and there's some sex, drugs,
and rock-and-roll thrown in for kicks’.
Jill-Elizabeth.com
Written
in the style of a TV series, ‘Seven Point Eight’ interweaves the human dramas
of love, betrayal, bitterness and above all, courage in a world
where everyone must face their own dark shadow.
Plus, it asks some pretty existential questions regarding the meaning of our
lives and destiny, our karma and dharma, and last but not least, God and the
universe.
This plays out through the lives of five
key characters:
·
Tahra – the smart, provocative
and psychically talented new recruit.
·
Paul - the boundary-breaking
physicist.
·
Max - the enigmatic businessman
with military connections.
·
Ava - the intelligent
geneticist, bewildered by her surreal experiences.
·
Sam - the bitter
artist/musician who, together with Ava, seeks answers to a shrouded past.
‘Seven Point Eight: The First Chronicle’
lays the groundwork, and sweeps through the 40s, 50s and 60s to modern day in a
wild nostalgic, scientific, paranormal ride.
The physicist, Paul, begins a quest to measure the soul but soon founds
himself swept into Max’s world, where research is sold to the military at the
highest bid. When the talented psychic,
Tahra, walks into his life, they soon embark on a ground-breaking project
designed to stretch the frontiers of exploration, only to make a reality
shattering discovery….
"Captivating
and intelligently written - definitely could appeal to fans of Star Trek, Star
Wars, Dan Brown books, fans of the Jodie Foster film 'Contact' and anyone who
loves X-Men"
Dream Reads
Dream Reads
'an enthralling read from start to finish...
this book has real originality and portrays an intricate journey... an
intriguing and mind-bending journey that leaves the reader asking themselves
huge life questions.'
BookStackReviews.com
‘Seven
Point Eight: The First Chronicle’ is available on Kindle at a special
promotional price of 99 cents.
The next
book in the series, ‘Seven Point Eight: The Second Chronicle’ is due for
release this summer.
It’s
Quicker By Consciousness
‘Man
also possesses a power by which he may see his friends and the circumstances by
which they are surrounded, although such persons may be a thousand miles away
from him at that time’.
Paracelsus (1493 – 1541)
“Welcome to Consciousness Direct
Inter-Dimensional Travel. Your conscious mind is ready to depart from your body
via Terminal 5. Please keep your third eye open and your physical eyes shut
tight. Enjoy the ride”.
In an increasingly virtual world, where we
no longer maintain face to face contact to communicate and immerse ourselves in
intricately woven computer generated worlds, how long will it be before we
never have to travel anywhere, physically, again? What if we could just
transport our mind to another country, planet or indeed, an alternate dimension
of reality?
During times of conflict, the governments
of the world have used remote viewers as a form of espionage. This, I see, is
closely related to astral, or consciousness travel and relates to the third
eye. As Max Richardson, one of the characters from my book points out, ‘remote viewers know no boundaries. They
aren’t limited by the restrictions imposed by the physical body. Their
consciousness can travel anywhere, unhindered, any distance, instantaneously.
They have, in fact, a limitless capacity to explore’.
What better way to experience the universe?
If we could attune our third eye to these alternate dimensions, what could we
expect to see?
Paul, the physicist in ‘Seven Point Eight’
documents one such journey…
‘Colours
began to come into the spotlight, very vivid colours which were unlike anything
on Earth, it’s hard to describe their brilliance. It was almost like a painting
coming into view, with luminous watercolours depicting a forest of evergreen
splendour. Pearl-like streams wove through it and in the distance, serpentine
tendrils and vines extended far up into the atmosphere. Instead of terminating at a point high in the
sky, they curved inward and embraced, creating a warped perspective like a fish
eye lens on a camera.’
But, if we had special abilities to travel out of body, what would we do with
them? What would the government do with them if they could?
Poll: If you
had enhanced powers of remote viewing, how would you use them?
- Time travel - to see future events, so I’d know what’s going to happen or travel to the past and visit a bygone era.
- To cheat in exams.
- To spy on companies, steal their secrets and sell them on.
- To check out hot guys/girls.
- To help others, by finding missing people.
Was it the people here or the place itself that was
insane? Did its aura drive sane people crazy in insane places?
She reached the reception, where a rather
matronly woman recognised her. Despite this, the woman announced herself.
“Hi, it’s Ava Kavanagh, and I’ve come to
see Maria Martinez.”
She
signed into the visitors’ book, which was then replaced behind the desk where
it belonged, and she was escorted to the low security wing. It sat at the end
of a long corridor, which was not well-lit but even so, light twisted
acrobatically across the walls, as if projected by car headlights. Ava behaved
as if the situation were normal; she didn’t want to attract undue attention to
her erstwhile grasp of reality.
The
route to Maria’s room passed some rather unusual residents and each time, Ava glanced
through the window in their door, very inquisitive as to what their story was.
The first curiosity was a dark haired man, who was always surrounded by reams
of paper and this time, the woman felt a strong desire to enquire about him.
“Is
he a writer or something?” she asked.
Her
escort was surprised at her interest.
“We
call him The Scribbler, as the only way we can manage his behaviour is to give
him access to paper and a pen. He writes constantly, but it’s all gibberish,
rows and rows of symbols.”
Ava
gave him a lingering glance, feeling a sense of sadness regarding his
predicament. What a waste of human life.
They
passed another character, a blonde haired woman with an intense and seething
look on her face. This time, she wasn’t restrained although she crouched on her
bed, bearing a menacing expression on her face. When she saw Ava, she snarled.
“What’s
wrong with her, if you don’t mind me asking?”
Her
escort acquiesced to her questioning again.
“Schizophrenia…
she hears voices, which she claims instruct her to do evil. She enjoys
inflicting pain on others, so we have to isolate her.”
Ava
was touched deeply this time.
“Like
Maria’s original diagnosis?”
Her
escort tried to smile sympathetically, although she said nothing. Ava made eye
contact with the intense character behind the door, which sent a chill down her
spine.
“She
reminds me of the girl from The Exorcist,” she commented.
They
turned the corridor, and there were two more people that Ava felt drawn to; a
black man and woman, who resided in the same room. They appeared to be actors
in a play of their own making.
“Lost
in their own little world, aren’t they?” she said.
“We
call them The Time Travellers, as they always insist they’ve travelled to the
past and future. Most of the time they’re locked in an imagery scenario, living
some other reality. We keep them together, as their behaviour is more manageable
if we do so.”
The
final curiosity that Ava had to ask about was a man with fair hair, who could
often be seen punching at the walls, or shouting for books. He was oblivious to
their presence and Ava’s gaze. On this day, he was standing in front of a wall,
reaching out to touch it with his fingers.
“What
is he doing?” Ava asked.
“He
believes he can walk through walls,” her escort explained. “My, we’ve had some
bruises over the years. I don’t know what’s worse, his wall or book obsession.”
They
passed through some double doors, which required a security code to gain entry
into the next corridor. There, they soon found room 104 and Ava paused outside.
“Has
there been any change in her condition since I last visited?”
Her
escort shook her head, sadly.
“She’s
still in a persistent vegetative state, exactly the same as the day she
arrived.”
Ava
accepted the situation with reluctance.
“She’s
the only living relative I know of,” she explained. “I was hoping one day I’d discover
where we came from, who our parents are and if our father is still alive. Did
you recover the file from the facility she transferred from?”
“I’m
sorry, it’s still missing.”
Undeterred,
Ava pressed further.
“Does
anybody else visit her? They may be able to offer some clues to her history…
why she ended up in this condition, when and why she cut her wrists...”
“I
can’t disclose that information, it’s confidential I’m afraid.”
Her
escort opened the door and Ava entered, determined to present a face of hope to
Maria, her sister.
Character
Profiles
D.O.B./Star
sign: 7th Nov 1944, Scorpio.
Profession:
I work at The Institute for Max Richardson as a
psychic spy, helping out in the Cold War with my remote viewing abilities.
Celebrity/person
lookalike: On
the book cover, I’m represented by New
Mexico actress Monique Candelaria.
Qualities:
I would describe myself as passionate, courageous,
driven, adventurous, dedicated, devoted and emotional.
Likes:
Exploring and knowing that there’s more to life
than what we can see with our physical eyes. I also like to share that with
others, and be a part of something big and exciting.
Dislikes:
People who try to control me, those who bullied me
as a child, not being accepted for who I am.
Name: Dr Paul
Eldridge. I have a PhD in Quantum Physics, hence the Dr prefix.
D.O.B/Star sign: 21st February
1921. I'm not a great believer in astrology but my star sign is Pisces,
identical to my favourite scientist, Albert Einstein.
Celebrity/person lookalike: Some people say I resemble the contemporary actor, Michael
Fassbender.
Profession: I'm
both a physicist and a university lecturer, although the latter I've only been
so for a few years. I've been a researcher in residence working for Max
Richardson at The Establishment and The Institute although now I'm managing my
own ground-breaking project.
Qualities: As a
child prodigy, I'm not exaggerating if I describe myself as intelligent. My
students always looked up to me so I would say I have a degree of charisma and
good leadership qualities. I value investigation and breaking boundaries, I'm
not afraid to be bold. It's been pointed out I'm somewhat impetuous; maybe, I'm
enthusiastic and driven although I don't see myself as reckless. However, it's
difficult to be objective when describing yourself.
Likes: Albert
Einstein, physics, science, the cosmos, space exploration... you get the gist.
Spiritual matters draw my interest too. I also enjoy the outdoors, horse riding
and the occasional pint of fine ale.
Dislikes: Narrow-mindedness,
negativity, people who treat others with disrespect, not being able to follow
my dreams.
Name: Max Richardson
D.O.B/Star sign: 13th
December 1920, Sagittarius
Celebrity/person
lookalike: Some say the actor, Henry Cavill, looks
like me.
Profession: I’m the CEO of an affiliation of research organisations, including
The Establishment and The Institute. I oversee projects commissioned by private
individuals and corporations, that’s as much as I’m willing to divulge.
Qualities: I have my feet firmly planted on the ground, coupled with a shrewd
business sense and an eye on the future. I’m patient, organised, methodical and
wise, although I party as hard as I work.
Likes: The good life, wine, women, horse riding and a host of fine things.
Dislikes: Being tied down, failure, not getting what I want, losing money.
Name: Ava
D.O.B./Star sign: 19th
November 1967, Scorpio
Celebrity/person
lookalike: I’ve been told I look a little like Dianna
Agron, from Glee.
Profession: I graduated with a degree in genetics. Currently, I work in a
biomedical research lab.
Qualities: I regard myself as a rational person due to my scientific
background, but in some ways, I think of myself as compassionate and sensitive
too. Helping others is as important in life as success.
Likes: Music, entertaining, science, companionship.
Dislikes: Selfish people, untrustworthy people, my life being so weird
sometimes.
Name: Sam
D.O.B./Star sign: 31st
October 1972, Scorpio. Yeah right I know, Halloween.
Celebrity/person
lookalike: the actor, Nicholas Hoult when he has
longer hair.
Profession: Artist, musician – I play piano and guitar.
Qualities: Confident, artistic, musical, romantic, strong minded (some say a
little cocky).
Likes: Music, art, parties, skateboarding.
Dislikes: my father because he’s critical of my career choices, negativity,
people who are obsessed with money, dead people talking to me.
Quiz: What ‘Seven Point Eight’ Character Are You?
- What interests you in life?
- Exploring and being a part of something bigger
- Science, technology
- Music, art, creative self-expression
- Nice house, stylish cars and fine clothes
- Making a difference, doing something fantastic to benefit others
- If you’re attracted to someone, how would you pursue them?
- Pull out all the stops and use all your powers of seduction
- The natural approach; strike up conversation and see where it goes
- The romantic approach; write or sing a beautiful song
- Splash out on gifts and fine dining
- I must admit, I’ve been hurt before so I’m quite wary on an emotional level
- What are your key strengths?
- Courage, passion, determination
- Intelligence, ability to solve problems
- Creative and artistic
- Leadership, persistence, cool headedness
- Cooperation, compassion
- Which ability would you prefer to be gifted with?
- To see any place or time in the world
- Intellectual genius
- To speak with the dead
- To be able to make a lot of money easily
- Surprise me!
- What is the purpose of special abilities?
- To yield power over others
- Success and recognition
- They’re just a curse
- To make money
- To help others
- What would others say are your key faults?
- Can be manipulative and controlling
- Not thinking things through properly, hasty
- Can be cocky at times, a loner
- Possessive, too obsessed with things
- Too trusting at times
MOSTLY A
You’re a feisty
and passionate individual just like Tahra, who’ll stop at nothing to get what
you want. There’s an almost rebellious determination inside of you yet you love
wholeheartedly and this brings out your sweeter side. Your downside is the need
to exert control over others, try to be more sensitive.
MOSTLY B
Intellectually,
you’re strong and will go far in the world of technology and science, like
Paul. There is a naturalness and spontaneity about you and you generally get on
well with others. However, you need to think your decisions through more
carefully and look at the longer term repercussions.
MOSTLY C
You’re a
romantic and artistic soul, just like Sam. Ideally, you’d like to get on with
creating beautiful art or music but the Universe has other ideas. Deep down,
you’re very sure of yourself but generally don’t blend well with others,
preferring to beat your own drum.
MOSTLY D
You have your
feet firmly planted in the material world, just like Max. Your status,
lifestyle and the things you own are important to you but at times, you can
cling too hard to these. In life, maybe you need to broaden your horizons and
see that money and security aren’t everything.
MOSTLY E
Like Ava, you
are a gentle soul who’d like to contribute something meaningful to the world,
but you’re not sure how you fit in. Because you’re a genuine person deep down,
you often believe others are the same but unfortunately, they can take
advantage. However, you’re a credit to the world and your time will come!
Retro Playlist
In the Mood –
Glenn Miller
The Twist –
Chubby Checker
Love Me Do – The
Beatles
Please Please Me
– the Beatles
Big Girls Don’t
Cry – The Four Seasons
All My Loving –
The Beatles
She Loves You –
The Beatles
I Saw Her
Standing There – The Beatles
Can’t Buy Me
Love – The Beatles
Something Tells
Me I’m Into Something Good – Herman’s Hermits
You’ve Lost That
Loving Feeling – Righteous Brothers
(I Can’t Get No)
Satisfaction – Rolling Stones
The Times They
Are A Changin’ – Bob Dylan
You’ve Got To
Hide Your Love Away – The Beatles
Good Vibrations
– The Beach Boys
These Boots Were
Made For Walking – Nancy Sinatra
Sunny Afternoon
– The Kinks
Summer in the
City – The Lovin’ Spoonfuls
Reach Out, I’ll
Be There – The Four Tops
You Really Got
Me – The Kinks
Modern Day Playlist (1980s – 1990s)
When Doves Cry –
Prince
Imagine – John
Lennon
Nothing Compares
To You – Sinead O’ Connor
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