Book Bits~n~Bobs: Blitz - Soul Mirrors by Wiley Haydon

My love of storytelling traces back to my step-mother, who spun wonderful fantasy stories when I was child. I finished my first novel at sixteen. That first attempt was terrible, but taught me quite a bit about story construction. Though I would start numerous other projects in the following years, I wouldn't actually complete another book for another 21 years.

I wasn't idle in that time, though. I earned a degree in engineering, married the love of my life, worked as a semi- truck driver crisscrossing the country, moved from Texas to North Dakota and then came back home.

It's been a fun and interesting journey. I really enjoy engineering, but writing was my first passion, and I'm excited to share it with you.

I currently live in West Texas with my wife and our two adorable (but weird) cats.

Connect with the Author here:

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"No one knows how human genetics evolved to create Mirrors. No one knows how the evidence of a criminal’s last horrendous act can be confirmed in a single gaze of a child’s silvered eyes. But just because science can’t explain something doesn’t mean it can’t be used, and this gift is simply too valuable to ignore.

Twins Thomas and Ashley Ross have grown up knowing they would be used as Mirrors for the “good” of humanity. When their powers mature at age twelve, they are taken weekly to fulfill their role. By reliving the most heinous crimes from a perpetrators’ perspective, they alone can assure that no innocent people will be executed, and that the worst offenders are not set free due to lack of evidence.

Justice is not without cost, however. Taking on the memories of others is a destructive process, one that quickly consumes the children involved until most take their own lives. As despair threatens to drown Thomas and Ashley, a distant hope keeps them from succumbing: If they can make it to their eighteenth birthday, their contract with the government will be fulfilled. Changing views on the morality of their role threatens to tear them apart, but the twins struggle to cling to each other and try to construct a fragile life above the weekly flood of horrors.

As their work takes it toll, however, a new question emerges: does survival even matter when you’re already broken beyond repair?"

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Top Ten List

1) Movie: It’s a Wonderful Life--It's amazing how powerfully the sentiment of "Your life has mattered" resonates.

2) Board Game: Twilight Imperium, 3rd Edition--I love playing board games, and the more complex the better. Twilight Imperium is a whirlwind of tactical combat, careful planning, and diplomacy. Definitely not for everyone, but I absolutely love it.

3) Sports Team: Kansas City Chiefs--I didn't like any sports until I was in college. My brother-in-law told me that this was because I had no team to root for and therefore had no investment. Taking up his challenge, I picked one at random: the Chiefs. It turns out he was right; emotional investment matters! Now I'm a faithful fan.

4) Book: Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson--I love everything Sanderson writes, but Way of Kings just blew me away the first time I heard it. My wife and I were working as a trucking team at the time, and we picked it up as an audiobook. I listened during my daily shift, and was so enamored with it after the first time that I went through it again almost immediately. Phenomenal.

5) Season: Winter--I like cold weather, snow, and curling up under the blankets on a cold evening. I think some of this is that I grew up in Texas where these things tend to be pretty rare and blazing hot summers are the norm. Spending two winters in North Dakota didn't cure this fascination with winter, though, so I'm probably just a little strange.

6) Band: Queen--No logic here, I just love their music. Also, Freddy Mercury could sing.

7) Vacation Spot: Ruidoso, NM--It's only a few hours away, the weather is nice and cool, and it's where my wife and I went on our honeymoon. We try to go once a year.

8) Restaurant: Babe’s Chicken Dinner House in DFW.--I love a good chicken fried steak, and they make the best. Their fried chicken's fantastic too. If we're driving to, through, or near Dallas/Fort Worth, we'll be stopping at a Babe's.

9) Favorite TV Show: I Love Lucy--The first time I remember seeing Lucille Ball's work was on a tribute show shortly after she had died. I watched that with my step-mother, and we laughed together at each clip. It hooked me instantly, and never let go.

10) Favorite Dessert: My wife’s chocolate cake--Seriously, it's fantastic.