A Sneak Peek

Step into the World of Mesoamerica: Read the Opening Chapter of The Jaguar God Awakens

Nothing draws you into a story quite like its opening pages. With The Jaguar God Awakens, I wanted to immediately transport readers into the heart of Mesoamerica in 1521—a time of change, danger, and mystery.

Balam stepped over the jaguar tracks on her way to the mine. No one else in her village dared use this path, but she was at home here under the jungle canopy. Howler monkeys bellowed, marking their territory and warning intruders. She was careful not to disturb a tiny highway of termite trails constructed from the powdery remnants of a fallen mahogany tree. Velvety white lichen clung to the bark with a single drop of dew suspended from its edge.

As she bent closer to inspect the lichen, the bellowing stopped.

The dewdrop fell.

Out of the stillness, another sound—a terrifying sound—came from her jungle.

At first, she thought she heard a predator besting its prey, but, no, this was not the call of an animal. These sounds blanked the jungle. Men’s shouting became screams, then shrieks. Those shrieks—high pitched and filled with terror—spilled from the hilltop onto the forest floor. She froze. The hairs on her arms stood erect. Her teeth clattered under the force of her pounding pulse.

The screaming continued. She crouched low in the dense underbrush, invisible in the lush green womb…