"THE GRAVESIDE PROMISE" is packed with mystery, adventure and romance from start to finish. After her father died when their private plane crashed in a remote South American jungle, Tagalon, a teenaged girl left all alone in the jungle, is threatened by a cougar. Jingle, a jungle boy who was abandoned at an early age tries to help her. Tagalon made a graveside promise to her father that she would explore the three archaeological sites they planned to visit on this trip. She and Jingle travel through the jungle together toward S-1, the first site. They nearly die while exploring a huge pyramid. A love triangle is formed when Co-ana, a lovely Indian maiden flirts with Jingle. Jingle and Tagalon travel to a faraway University, where Tagalon hopes to pursue an archaeology degree. On the way, their boat sinks. They save a Professor from headhunters. Later, the professor and Tagalon go on archaeological expeditions together and a love triangle is formed. Jingle returns to the pyramid, where Co-ana is threatened by murderous treasure seekers. Gold is discovered in a near-by river, but it results in death. The pyramid becomes a tourist attraction staffed by Indians. One day robbers attack and many die during the ensuing fight. There is a well and connected tunnel at the S-2 site, where Jingle and Desiree, a fellow archaeologist fight to survive the elements, a giant Condor attack, and a band of angry Indians seeking to kill them. Desiree attempts to seduce Jingle. On their way to S-3, their helicopter fuel had been sabotaged, causing Jingle, Tagalon, and their two sons to crash land in the jungle. They manage to make it to S-3 on foot, where they are trapped in an abandoned village high on a mesa. They are in dire straits, and no-one knows their exact location. Desiree attempts to find a map to locate them for possible rescue. Jingle and Tagalon stage the three sites to preserve them. Because Jingle and Tagalon met in the jungle so many years ago, the Indians in the entire area now have a much higher standard of living, and the world is enriched by the historic treasures and ancient lifestyles they discovered and made accessible to tourists from around the world.
About the Author: Donald E. Pearse Sr. is an octogenarian who recently completed his first novel, "Fatal Plunges", and is now ready to publish his next novel, "A Graveside Promise". He has had numerous articles published, along with photos he entered in contests. He has an engineering degree and a Master's degree in management. He has served in the U.S. Army and retired from a major manufacturing company as a Technical Manager. World travels include Alaska, Hawaii, Germany, Holland, Egypt, Mexico, China, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, Canada, and Australia. He has gone scuba diving in the Red Sea, Caribbean, and the Great Barrier Reef. He has explored inside the Great Pyramid and walked on the Great Wall of China. His hobbies include writing, photography, ceramics, stained glass, woodworking, and landscaping. He loves to travel and explore nature with his wife, Joan, who is an outstanding teacher and an avid photographer. He is planning to compose a fictional book consisting of Christian short stories. Science fiction may also be on the horizon!