by: E. William Podojil
Series: The Herb Society Mystery
Genre: Suspense/Mystery/Thriller
Release Date: August 26, 2024
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
The Poseidon Project is an international suspense thriller and the first book in The Herb Society Mysteries series.
Molly Halloran and her friends have a secret past. Their bucolic retirement is suddenly upended when Molly’s husband is abducted and held for a steep ransom. Now she, her friends, her tech executive son, Lukas and his Air Force pilot boyfriend must race against the clock and travel halfway around the world to meet the kidnappers’ demands. But when they learn why her husband has been abducted, they realize how high the stakes truly are. Molly and her friends now must face their past in order to save the future. But not only their futures; the world’s.
EWP: I boarded a cruise ship with a group of twenty (most of whom I’d never met,)to celebrate a friend’s milestone birthday. We traveled throughout the Caribbean Sea and did some island hopping. It was my first cruise and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
What part of the writing process do you dread?
EWP: I enjoy the process overall, but sometimes reading some of my older, unpublished work, is a bit cringey. It’s kind of like hearing my own recorded voice or seeing one of my video interviews.
Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?
EWP: I have periods of writer’s block, not the act of writing, but particular to a story I’m developing. I do three things to get back on track. First, I take a long walk outside as that’s when I get my best ideas. Second, I’ll force myself to write something, even if it’s terrible, and then go back to it. There’s usually a nugget of gold there somewhere. Finally, I take a break from the story and work on something else; another story, physical labor or change of scenery. I normally come back refreshed and energized by the mental break.
Tell us about your latest release.
EWP: The Poseidon Project is my first novel in The Herb Society Mysteries series. It centers around Molly Halloran and a group of her retired friends who call themselves The Herb Society, a moniker they coined based upon a shared, secret history from when they were young. Molly and her friends are suddenly pulled into an international debacle when her husband is kidnapped while on a business trip overseas. She learns that a game-changing technology called Project Poseidon is at the center of the drama. Its misuse can cause catastrophic consequences, and the kidnappers are trying to acquire it at any cost. Aided by her friends, her son Lukas and his retired Air Force special-ops boyfriend, Taylor, the group travels the globe not only to rescue Molly’s husband, but to prevent an unimaginable future if the technology is misused.
The explosion was deafening. A huge fireball engulfed the Iveco box truck with a force that knocked Molly, Donna, Linda, and John off their feet. Having been already seated, Lukas instinctively shielded Taylor from the force of the blast that was over one hundred feet away. The explanation of the Hindenburg explosion his mom had referenced two days ago flashed through his mind. The hydrogen collection tank must have had a leak or breached from being overfilled. But unlike the Hindenburg, there was not a zeppelin-sized supply of hydrogen on the Demeter unit, or what was left of it. The explosion was sudden, strong, and brief. The flames quickly burned through the truck’s cargo area, then slowly burned the embers of what little was left. The truck was destroyed, as was Demeter. Zip- Tie’s blackened remains smoldered on the ground, about ten feet from the blast.
Betty and Patrick stood at the top of the terrace waving their arms and appeared to be yelling something. Lukas could not hear much other than the ringing in his ears, and he assumed the rest of the group was partially deaf as they struggled to get to their feet. Lukas had shielded Taylor’s body, and his hearing appeared to be unaffected. Taylor kissed Lukas on the cheek and mouthed Thank you. Or at least Lukas thought he said it silently.
Betty held the fourth Glock in her hand and ran toward the group to help them ascend the terrace. “We’ve gotta get out of here!” she yelled, hoping their damaged ears could hear her. She knew it was only a few minutes before the Dubai police came to investigate the source of the explosion in the city center.
“Where is Malik?” Betty asked as John, Donna, and Molly rubbed their ears, hoping to regain their hearing.
“He ran that way.” Taylor pointed in the direction of the Burj Khalifa. “I saw him for an instant right after the blast.”
Patrick raced toward the group. “Police are on their way. I hear the sirens. Let’s go, everybody!” Patrick and Taylor, both injured, were able to shepherd the group up to the Sprinter van, get in, and buckle up for what was going to be a quick getaway.
Betty slammed on the accelerator, and the van lurched forward. She could see the flashing police lights about a quarter of a mile to her right. She turned left, hoping to avoid them. “Patrick, I need you to navigate! I don’t know where I am!” Betty yelled with a tinge of panic in her voice. Patrick stood up and sat in the passenger seat to help navigate.
Taylor quickly dialed his daughter. She answered on the first ring tone. “Dad, where are you?”
“Get the Goose ready. We’ll be there in—” He looked at Patrick, who held up his hands with fingers extended. “—ten to fifteen minutes. Please clear a take- off slot for us in twenty-five minutes from now.”
“Got it, Dad. Drive safely.”
Tory hung up as Betty slalomed quickly through.
Betty and Patrick stood at the top of the terrace waving their arms and appeared to be yelling something. Lukas could not hear much other than the ringing in his ears, and he assumed the rest of the group was partially deaf as they struggled to get to their feet. Lukas had shielded Taylor’s body, and his hearing appeared to be unaffected. Taylor kissed Lukas on the cheek and mouthed Thank you. Or at least Lukas thought he said it silently.
Betty held the fourth Glock in her hand and ran toward the group to help them ascend the terrace. “We’ve gotta get out of here!” she yelled, hoping their damaged ears could hear her. She knew it was only a few minutes before the Dubai police came to investigate the source of the explosion in the city center.
“Where is Malik?” Betty asked as John, Donna, and Molly rubbed their ears, hoping to regain their hearing.
“He ran that way.” Taylor pointed in the direction of the Burj Khalifa. “I saw him for an instant right after the blast.”
Patrick raced toward the group. “Police are on their way. I hear the sirens. Let’s go, everybody!” Patrick and Taylor, both injured, were able to shepherd the group up to the Sprinter van, get in, and buckle up for what was going to be a quick getaway.
Betty slammed on the accelerator, and the van lurched forward. She could see the flashing police lights about a quarter of a mile to her right. She turned left, hoping to avoid them. “Patrick, I need you to navigate! I don’t know where I am!” Betty yelled with a tinge of panic in her voice. Patrick stood up and sat in the passenger seat to help navigate.
Taylor quickly dialed his daughter. She answered on the first ring tone. “Dad, where are you?”
“Get the Goose ready. We’ll be there in—” He looked at Patrick, who held up his hands with fingers extended. “—ten to fifteen minutes. Please clear a take- off slot for us in twenty-five minutes from now.”
“Got it, Dad. Drive safely.”
Tory hung up as Betty slalomed quickly through.
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Podojil currently resides in Northeast Ohio with his husband and three sons. He travels extensively and writes about his experiences on his website.
Places to find E. William Podojil:
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Thank you so much for featuring THE POSEIDON PROJECT today.
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ReplyDeleteSuspense/Mystery/Thriller - I love this genre and the amazing cover!
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