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Relics: The Dark Autumn
$19.95 - $29.98eBook: $6.99
Author: John Vandeventer
Series: Relics, Book 1
Genres: Science Fiction, Supernatural Thriller
Publisher: Empire Publishing
Publication Year: 2021
Format: Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle
ASIN: B09J8GKBRL
ISBN: 9798496209496
Rating:

The creatures are known by many names, Sasquatch, Bigfoot, Skunk Ape, Skookum, and others. Sam comes to know them by the terms used by an antagonist government agent named Paul Eastman. If he is to restore tranquility and safety to the citizens of Talihina, he must defeat Eastman and his minions, as well as the monstrous beasts he comes to know as "Relics."

About the Book

Talihina is a small town nestled in the mountains of southeastern Oklahoma, in the heart of the Choctaw Nation. Like most small towns, life in Talihina moves at a slower pace than in big cities. The citizens peacefully go about their daily lives at a steady pace. With few strangers in Talihina, there are not many secrets. Most people carry on relationships with the same friends and neighbors they’ve known their whole lives. Talihina has very little excitement, except for the autumn and spring months when the vacationers from out-of-state flock in, especially from the nearby Texas and Arkansas borders, to enjoy the seasonal changes.

The Talimena Scenic Drive is one of the favorite attractions for tourist groups. Stretching from eight miles north of Talihina and running 52 miles east to Mena, Arkansas offers majestic autumn colors, spring flowers, and mountain vistas. Something abruptly broke the pleasant routine in autumn of 2014 when a group of outlaw bikers was brutally murdered at the very doorstep of the Talimena Scenic Highway. The small Talihina Police Department is the first to respond to the horrific crime scene at Choctaw Vista. The violence of the crime that occurred just outside of his community appalled the local Chief of Police, Samuel Redstone, a veteran of the war in Iraq. With the crime occurring just out of his jurisdiction, Sam can only watch and hope the violence doesn’t spread to Talihina. His hopes are dashed, however, when two members of the motorcycle gang decide to avenge their dead brothers at a popular eating establishment in the heart of the small town. The quick and measured response of two of these off-duty officers quickly becomes a topic of the national news media looking for a follow-up story concerning the violent deaths at Choctaw Vista. The small community suddenly finds itself the center of attention on the evening news.

Adding to this, strange occurrences were suddenly happening around the community; missing pets, student protestors being assaulted by a strange creature at night while camping at a local lake. Tales spread about mythical creatures roaming the mountains just outside of town. Sam Redstone suddenly finds himself with dilemmas, both professional and personal. Just as Sam embarks on dating a beautiful Oklahoma Highway Patrol officer, suddenly, his old flame moves back into the community with her new husband, who was a lawyer of questionable ethics and enough money to force his will on many people in the small town.

Now overwhelmed with mysterious events and his own romantic confusion, Sam is slow to see the unnatural nature of the threats to his community. His father, a full-blood Choctaw elder, is aware of his people’s old ways and old enemies. He tries to warn his son of the existence of a race of beings known as “Okla Chito.” Sam remains convinced his battle is against nothing more than average everyday human criminal activity.

Because Sam was oblivious to the real threat, he wasn’t ready to comprehend what he was really dealing with. Not until he witnesses an unimaginable creature taking one of his officers. Next, the federal government and the military have suddenly invaded the local area, causing more complications. Sam realizes the only way to bring peace back to his community and his own life is to join his father in a life and death battle with the mysterious creatures preying on the citizens of Talihina.

The creatures are known by many names, Sasquatch, Bigfoot, Skunk Ape, Skookum, and others. Sam comes to know them by the terms used by an antagonist government agent named Paul Eastman. If he is to restore tranquility and safety to the citizens of Talihina, he must defeat Eastman and his minions, as well as the monstrous beasts he comes to know as “Relics.”

Powerful novel of BIGFOOT in Arkansas, Oklahoma & what follows is shocking confrontation EVENT ! John Vandeventer novel of what moves in the DARK, great novel, can't put it down, don't want it to end !!!
– Larry W. Taylor
I lost a lot of sleep staying up late nights reading this book. I couldn’t wait to read the next page to read what happened next. If you are looking for a good read you have got to get this book.
– Charla Deann Jones
Is it a myth or legend? Is it real or is it fake? Well let me tell you, after you read a few pages, it is real. I was so sad that I finished the book so quick (in my mind.) Just "OUTSTANDING." The characters become your friends (and enemies) so very quickly. I couldn't recommend this Relics series more highly.
– AJ Bellard
John Vandeventer

John Vandeventer is originally from Plano Texas. He is a sixteen-year veteran of the United States Air Force. His lifelong love of military aviation history and his interest in UFOs has always made him an avid reader. His other hobbies include target shooting and more recently writing has become an enjoyable pastime for him. The author’s first novel RELICS was first published in 2017 after he spent a little over two years writing the novel and researching the topic of Sasquatch as he wrote. In 2018 the author and his wife moved to Honobia Oklahoma in the heart of Oklahoma Sasquatch Country. John has been a guest on several Bigfoot and Paranormal Podcasts. He was also a guest speaker at The Honobia Bigfoot Festival in 2018, he also served as MC for the 2021 Honobia Bigfoot Festival and will return to MC again in 2022. In 2021 John became an active writer again, after meeting and signing with Empire Publishing. RELICS: The Dark Autumn, (Second Edition), and RELICS II: The Honobia Remnant, both published in the last quarter of 2021. In February of 2022, John decided to retire and devote himself to being a fulltime author. He started a Young Adult Series title SHADOW CHASERS, the first offering of this series The Rock Creek Wildman, published in June 2022, to great reviews. RELICS III: Lair of the Ancients, will be John’s second new book of 2022, and the finale of the RELICS series. John hopes to have the next SHADOW CHASERS book, Haunted Sky released in time for Christmas 2022. John plans to start 2023 with the first book of his new series, ET-Enigma Team.