It’s another release day for my good friend, Debbie Peterson! Debbie writes mesmerizing tales of time travel with a splash of sweet romance mixed in. In her newest book, Heart of the Storm, she addresses one of the foremost unexplained mysteries to baffle scientists for centuries—the Bermuda Triangle.
Please welcome Debbie as she shares a true-life incident from the Triangle, and celebrates Heart of the Storm.
Hello Mae! Thank you for helping me celebrate the release of Heart of the Storm.
Once upon a time, five TBM Avenger torpedo bombers, known as “Flight 19,” took off from the Naval Air Station in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. It was during the afternoon hours of December 15, 1945. The routine training flight was no big deal, really. They were to conduct a bombing exercise known then as “Navigation Problem Number One.” It would take a mere three hours. During this mission they would fly to a place called the Hens and Chicken Shoals, drop a few practice bombs, then head north and fly over the Grand Bahama Island. Afterward, they would turn in a southwesterly direction and go back to base. Lieutenant Charles C. Taylor, an experienced World War II pilot, served as flight leader.
At first, all went as planned…at first.
About 2:30 p.m. the boys dropped their practice load over the Hens and Chickens Shoals and turned north as scheduled. That’s when the routine flight became anything but routine. You see, from out of the blue, and quite unexpectedly, Taylor reported the compass of his plane wasn’t functioning correctly. He became convincedthey were all flying in the wrong direction. A sudden, tumultuous rainstorm, accompanied by high winds and heavy clouds worsened the situation. They couldn’t see a thing.
“I don’t know where we are,” said one of the pilots over the radio. “We must’ve got lost after that last turn.”
A Navy flight instructor, who was flying near the coast of Florida, overheard the chatter. After he informed the Air Station of the situation, he radioed the Avengers and asked if they needed assistance.
“Both my compasses are out and I’m trying to find Ft. Lauderdale, Florida,” a panicked Taylor said. “I’m over land, but it’s broken. I’m sure I’m in the Keys, but I don’t know how far down.”
That didn’t make any sense at all. After all, Taylor had made his scheduled pass over Hens and Chicken Shoals less than an hour earlier. Yet, for some reason, he now believed his squad had somehow drifted hundreds of miles off course and ended up in the Florida Keys. Pilots lost in the Atlantic were trained to fly their planes toward the setting sun. This, of course, would take them west toward the mainland, even if they didn’t know where west was. In the hope he could locate the Florida peninsula, Taylor turned his squad northeast.
“Dammit,” one man groused over the radio. “If we would just fly west, we would get home.”
Taylor finally turned around and headed west, but shortly after 6 p.m., he once again changed direction. “We didn’t go far enough east,” he said. “We may as well just turn around and go east again.” The transmissions became increasingly faint. By now, fuel would be running low. Taylor instructed his men to prepare for a crash landing in the ocean. “All planes close up tight,” he said. “We’ll have to ditch unless landfall…when the first plane drops below ten gallons, we all go down together.” A few minutes later, the only thing that could be heard over the radio was unnerving static.
Treasure hunters thought they solved the puzzle of the missing planes in 1991 when they found five World War II-era Avengers on the ocean floor near Fort Lauderdale. However, the serial numbers didn’t match those of “Flight 19.”
There are many such stories that have taken place inside the Bermuda Triangle. There are a few things they all have in common, though: A sudden, raging storm, malfunctioning gauges, disorientation and feelings of being hopelessly lost…
Such a setting is found in the beginning of Heart of the Storm, in a story where past meets present and the adventure begins!
Blurb:
DEA agent Aliyana Montijo must stop a drug lord’s killing orders and find a government mole. With a contract on her head, she trusts no one. While heading back to Florida with evidence, lightning strikes her plane. As it careens into the ocean, she thinks she sees a pirate ship. What she finds is a dashing and most unlikely ally.
Four centuries ago, Wolfaert Dircksen Van Ness captained a vessel for the Dutch West Indies Company. Then an unearthly storm in the Bermuda Triangle blew him into a parallel dimension. After rescuing Aliyana from a similar tempest, he finds himself drawn to the courageous beauty and wants to aid her mission.
In the midst of danger, the two find themselves falling in love. Then a misunderstanding tears them apart, perhaps forever…
About Debbie Peterson
Debbie is an author of paranormal and fantasy romance. She has-and always has had-a soft spot for fairy tales, the joy of falling in love, making an impossible love possible, and happily ever after endings. She loves music, art, beautiful sunrises, sunsets, and thunder storms.
When she’s not busy conjuring her latest novel, She spends time with the members of her very large and nutty family in the lovely, arid deserts of southern Nevada. She also pursues her interests in family history (which she also teaches), mythology, and history.
You can find her at the following haunts:
Website
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads
Buy Links
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Apple I Tunes
I have always been fascinated by the Bermuda Triangle Debbie! Sounds like an exciting read. Congrats and best of luck on your new release.
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I’ve always been fascinated by the stories as well. I suppose that’s why I had to come up with a fun explanation as to where everyone goes. Thank you for your sweet comments!
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Thanks for visiting to check out Debbie’s release, Denise. The Bermuda Triangle has always given me goosebumps!
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Sounds an interesting read. Thanks for bringing another writer to my attention Mae. Congrats on the release Debbie!
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Hello Jessica and thank you! I really enjoyed writing this book. It was a lot of fun for me.
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My pleasure, Jess. I love everything Debbie has written, new book no exception! 🙂
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Reblogged this on DSM Publications and commented:
Check out this post from Mae Clair’s blog announcing the new release, Heart of the Storm by Debbie Peterson
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Well thank you Don! That’s so very kind of you!
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How nice of you, Don. Many thanks for sharing!
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I have heard about this story and have always found it fascinating. Who doesn’t like a great mystery? Congratulations, Debbie, on your new release. Thank you for sharing it with us, Mae.
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Hello Mark and thank you! This story has always intrigued me as well. Another one is the pilot that experienced a “time warp” when he flew through the Triangle…
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My pleasure to share, Mark. And I’m so glad you dropped by to check out the book. I devour mysteries, especially when they have an element of the supernatural included!
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I’d be scared if I had to fly over the Bermuda Triangle. Best of luck to Debbie on this new release!
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At the very least I would have to hold my breath! Thanks Priscilla for taking time to make a comment. They are always appreciated!
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I’ve had to do it a few times and always cringe to know I’m crossing that “weird patch” of ocean and sky, LOL.
Thanks for dropping by to wish Debbie well, Priscilla!
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My dear, dear Mae! Thank you so very, very much for sharing my Release Day on your blog! I so appreciate you!
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It’s always a pleasure to have you visit, Debbie. I positively love everything you’re written, and Captain Wolf might just be my favorite of all your wonderful characters. Happy release day!
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Bermuda Triangle stories fascinate me – and that one put chills down my spine. Best wishes to Debbie on her new release!
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Thank you so very much Teri for the kind comment! I too find the Bermuda Triangle stories so very intriguing, even if somewhere out there they do have a logical explanation!
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I know. Creepy stuff, right?
Thanks for visiting, Teri. Debbie has another winner with this one!
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I find the Bermuda Triangle (and other lesser-known areas of similar repute) to be fascinating. This sounds like a good story.
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Thanks Staci! I’m not sure I’m brave enough to sail through or fly over the Bermuda Triangle, but…
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You and I both love all those weird areas, legends, thin spots, and oddities, Staci! 🙂 I thought Debbie was ingenious weaving the Bermuda Triangle into her latest release. Thanks for sharing in her release day joy!!
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We really do seem to share a brain sometimes.
You’re right; Debbie’s take on it sounds fascinating. Wishing her much success with it.
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Thank for sharing this one, Mae. Bermuda Triangle stories are always intriguing.
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Absolutely. And so creepy about those pilots . . .
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Yes they are, and to think there are other “gates” out there as well. Thank you for the comment!
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So much opportunity here for a fictioner.
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Everything about the book sounds like a hit to me. Congrats Debbie.
sherry @ fundinmental
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Awesome! I know Debbie will be glad to hear that. Thanks, Sherry!
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Aww shucks! Thanks Sheri! I sure enjoyed writing this story.
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I love time travel. 🙂 And a great snippet to get me hooked. Thanks for sharing, Mae, and congrats to Debbie on the release!
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I always enjoy time travel as well, especially when it has that extra element of “spooky weird” attached, LOL. Thanks for visiting and sharing in Debbie’s release day celebration, Diana!
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Thank you for such a sweet comment Diana! I really appreciate it.
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A pirate and a DEA agent- there’s a combination you don’t hear every day!
Congrats on your new release, Debbie!
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Isn’t that match-up clever? I love the idea, LOL!
Thanks for stopping by to check out Debbie’s latest, Jacquie!
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I have to tell you it was a fun story to write Jacquie! I’m happy you were here to share Release Day!
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Oh, thank you for sharing this, Mae! The Bermuda Triangle has always been a place of mystery to me. Many believe it is the site where the City of Atlantis sank. Who knows? But there are lots of unexplained phenomena around it. Debbie’s book sounds awesome!
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Thank you for the sweet compliment! I have found that the mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle can’t always be so easily dismissed…
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So glad you enjoyed the post, Jan. I’m fascinated by all the speculation surrounding the Triangle. I honestly think I would be disappointed if a logical solution was ever provided for all the strangeness in that small corner of the world. Thanks for visiting today!
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I loved this book I couldn’t put it down. And I enjoyed your Bermuda Triangle story I have always been intrigued by the Bermuda Triangle …So this book was just perfect.
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Hi, Tammy! so great to hear. Debbie wrote an awesome book and I know she will appreciate hearing how much you enjoyed it.
Always a pleasure to have you visit my blog!
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I’m fascinated by the Bermuda Triangle as many are. This sounds like a good read.
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Thanks Michele! I had so much fun writing this story!
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It is indeed an intriguing tale, Michele. I love the element of the Bermuda Triangle woven with time travel and a modern day setting
And then there is Wolf—be still my heart 😉
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The Bermuda Triangle and a pirate? Sounds like a great story! Good luck with your book, Debbie.
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Thank you so much for your sweet comments Judi! They are appreciated!
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Isn’t that a fab combination? 🙂
Glad you dropped by to check out Debbie’s release and share in her book birthday. Thanks, Judi!
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Books about the Bermuda triangle are fascinating, Mae. An interesting post.
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I couldn’t agree more about the Bermuda Triangle. Thanks for checking out Debbie’s post, Robbie!
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This sounds intriguing! The Bermuda Triangle is always great for speculation. Another add to my TBR. Congrats and good luck with the book, Debbie!
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So glad to hear you’re intrigued, Julie. I know Debbie will appreciate that. And of course, I love anything that includes the Bermuda Triangle. It fits with my appreciate of all things odd, LOL!
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Congratulations Debbie! It looks like an interesting read. 🙂
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Thanks for visiting and checking it out, Rob!
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I loved reading about Debbie’s book, especially the Florida connection, and interesting life with a nutty family!
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I’m glad you enjoyed it, Flossie. It’s a great book!
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A lot of great books–and I love the idea of reading your own book without a thought about editing. What a gift.
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Every now and then I do enjoy doing it. It keeps me inspired for writing the next one, LOL!
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