Fire and Ice Book Tours: Splinter by Sherri Fulmer Moorer

BLURB

The year is 3001, and history takes a critical turn when Earth is destroyed by a solar flare. As Dr. Leigh Lybrand and her colleagues explore ways to survive in orbit of Jupiter, dark matter rips open the fabric of space and time, allowing them to see parallel universes. When the visions reveal that a radical religious group planned Earth’s destruction, Leigh must make a choice: Accept her fate, or use what she’s learned to save humanity; even if it means betraying the one closest to her in a parallel universe and sacrificing herself in this one. 

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 An Interview with the Author

Top Ten Places to Travel:

1. The Grand Canyon. I visited the South Rim in Arizona in February 2013, and it was amazing. I hope to make it back, or to visit the North Rim someday.
2. 
   Scottsdale, Arizona. I visited the Historic Scottsdale district for a work conference in February – March 2013, and it was amazing. Art Walk night on Thursdays is a must! And stay at Hotel Valley Ho for a great experience.
3. San Francisco, California. I went there for a work conference in September 2012, and this is a place that everybody should see. It’s beautiful! The weather can be a bit of a shock if you go in the summer and are accustomed to warmer weather, but it’s worth it.
4. Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Nestled in the Smoky Mountains, I like this little town so much that I made the area the setting for my last mystery novel, Move. There’s a little bit of everything, from hiking, to entertainment, to shopping, to great food, to a beautiful aviary called Parrot Mountain where you can actually pet the birds (we got our female sun conure, Chloe, from there). Fall is spectacular there, but it’s beautiful any time of year.
5. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. This was practically my second home growing up. Like the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area, it’s full of entertainment and relaxation options, but it’s on the ocean. Stay on the north or south end to avoid most of the crowds – you aren’t far from it all, and there’s still plenty to enjoy.
6. Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida. Everybody could take customer service training from the Happiest Place on Earth. Disney is quite an experience, and you get treated like royalty. Splurge with staying on property (The Caribbean Resort is my favorite) and get the meal plan to make it a wonderful, stress-free experience. It can get overwhelming, but if you pace yourself then you can still see and enjoy a lot.
7. Asheville, North Carolina. It’s a beautiful, artsy town. You must visit The Biltmore Estate for a complete experience! It’s beautiful, especially when it’s decorated for Christmas, and in the spring when the gardens are in bloom.
8. Charleston, South Carolina. My husband is from this area, so I’ve seen it a lot. The friendliest city in the United States is also one of the most beautiful. There’s so much to see and do here, and you can’t beat the seafood in Charleston. Plantation tours, Fort Sumter tours, cruise tours, shopping, dining, carriage rides – another place it’s impossible to be bored in!
9. Savannah, Georgia. Charleston’s sister city has much the same charm, the same great food, the same entertainment, and the most ghost stories in America! Plus great churches, gardens and monuments, it’s a wonderful peek into the history of America.
10. New York City, New York. Frankly, it overwhelmed me a bit, but I think it’s a good experience for everybody to see “the big city.” There were amazing experiences like the Empire State Building, the United Nations, and The Statute of Liberty.

Top Ten People to Meet:

This is more of a wish list, as my contacts don’t include the rich, famous, or influential:

1. Jesus Christ. Easily the most interesting person ever. I’d love to meet Him to talk about finding peace in a chaotic life.
2. Moses. It would be interesting to meet the most humble man that ever lived, and get his perspective on the Exodus from Egypt.
3. Martin Luther. I’d love to talk to the reformer about how he stood up for what he believed in and started The Protestant Revolution (albeit unintentionally!).
4. J.R.R. Tolkien. Undoubtedly one of the best writer’s ever, I’d enjoy talking to him about how he created Middle Earth and his adventures in writing The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.
5. C.S. Lewis. Another one of the best writer’s and a great Christian apologist, I think any discussion with this great mind of the 20^th century would be insightful and interesting.
6. Gene Roddenberry. It would be great to meet and talk to the creator of the Star Trek series that has spawned so much over the generations.
7. Mother Theresa. A wonderful, low key woman that made a huge difference, it would be an honor to meet her and be inspired by her loving and generous spirit.
8. Charles Stanley. Still a great preacher after over 50 years in the ministry, I admire him and find so much inspiration in his work. I’d love to meet him someday, or even just sit in a service.
9. P.D. James. An excellent mystery writer, and she started while she was still working a full time job (just like I do!). I’d love to meet her to speak about juggling writing with a full life.
10. Peter Jackson. A master of bringing great stories to the big screen, I’d just love to know his inspiration and how he does it.

Top Ten Foods to Try:

I’m not very adventurous with culinary delights, but these are my top recommendations:

1. Bar-B-Que. Especially if you aren’t from the south. You haven’t had pork until you’ve tried good old southern BBQ. Take your pick of mustard, ketchup, or vinegar bases sauces. Come to South Carolina and you can find countless places to sample it.
2. Soup, Salad and Breadsticks at The Olive Garden. Simple but good!
3. Five Guys Burgers and Fries. These are the best burgers around. Only get the fries if you have somebody to share with with – they’ll load you up.
4. Longhorn Steak House. You can’t go wrong with anything there!
5. California Dreaming Steaks. This is a restaurant located in Columbia, SC, and Charleston, SC. They marinate their steaks for 24 hours, making them the best steaks I’ve ever had!
6. Lizard’s Thicket. If you come to Columbia, SC, you MUST go there for some good, old fashioned country cooking. It’s similar to Cracker Barrel with our local bend. Great food, generous portions, and friendly folks. Every time I travel to a different part of the country, Lizard’s Thicket is the first place I go when I come home.
7. The Old Mill Restaurant in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. More good, country cooking with a Tennessee flavor. Wonderful cooking, and bigger portions than you ever dreamed. Desert comes with every meal, whether you have room or not. Watch out, the ducks and geese at the creek running beside the restaurant will be glad to relieve you of it, and any other leftovers you have!
8. Breakfast at the Grand Canyon Hotel. Last February, my husband and I went to Arizona and booked a ride on the Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel. The breakfast at the hotel had the most amazing omelet either of us had ever had! The whole experience is great and I highly recommend it. And be sure to get meals with your package, because the restaurant at that hotel is top notch.
9. Crabby Mikes. This is a seafood restaurant in Surfside Beach, SC, which is just south of Myrtle Beach. It’s an all you can eat buffet, and they have everything from crab legs to prime rib to whatever else you can imagine from the sea! Yes, it’s expensive, but it’s worth it.
10. Hymans Seafood. If you find yourself in Charleston, SC, you must go here for seafood. Hands down the best!

Top Ten Books to Read:

As you can see, I have a thing for trilogies on my “best of” lists:

1. The Bible. I think this is a “must read” because it gives you insight and wisdom for living – and glimpses of human history.
2. The Other Bible. I’ve been criticized for reading this Barnes & Noble compilation of the rejected books of The Bible, The Gnostic Gospels, and The Dead Sea Scrolls, but I think it’s actually something that people should read, at least once. Whether you believe it or not, it opens your eyes to what people were reading in the early days of the Christian faith and what they believed before The Bible was compiled. It broadens your perspective, that’s for sure!
3. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, by J.R.R. Tolkien. The ultimate quest novel – and yes, the book is better than the movies.
4. The Dark Elf Trilogy, by R.A. Salvatore. If you like The Lord of the Rings, then read this one for a view from the “bad guy’s” side. Very interesting, and you see the birth and development of a great hero in Salvatore’s later works.
5. The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. If you only read one of his works, make it this one. The topsy-turvy view on life and faith can open your eyes in ways you’d never imagine.
6. The Inheritance Cycle, by Christopher Paolini. I know the movie for the first book in the series, Eragon,flopped, but it’s actually a fantastic book series. The movie didn’t fully capture everything that the book had to offer. Really, it’s a shame the later books weren’t given a chance on the big screen. It would have been magnificent.
7. The Mars Trilogy – Red Mars, Green Mars, and Blue Mars, by Kim Stanley Robinson. Many people refer to Robinson’s work as “humanitarian sci-fi,” and I can see why. There’s a great balance between the science of terraforming and colonization of Mars and the characters that carry out the work. You get to know the people as well as the place in this series.
8. How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie. This should be required reading for everybody, especially those in positions of authority. There’s no way this book gets dated because the advice is timeless and, if followed, would lead to people getting along a lot better.
9. Original Sin, by P.D. James. A murder takes place in a publishing house. If you like mysteries and you like writing, this is the perfect book for you.
10. Simple Abundance – A Daybook of Comfort and Joy by Sara Ban Breathnach. I found this gem of a devotional book in a secondhand book store about 10 years ago, and it’s one of my best finds there yet! An awesome guide to finding your authentic self and becoming comfortable with the person you were made to be. I highly recommend that all women give this book at least one read-through. Yes, it’s a bit dated (it was published in the mid-90’s), but the advice is timeless.