The Bloody Frontier (Pistols and Pyramids Omnibus Book 1)
Page 31
These first three books of the Pistols and Pyramids series were my first efforts as an indie publisher, and while I hope to write many more books in this series, the sales of the books in this series have been modest, at best. If you’d like to see more adventures of Tjety, Ruia, and all the others, please encourage your friends, enemies, and strangers to check out the series to help give me the means to bring more of them to you.
So, thanks so much for picking up this book and trying it out. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. May your horse be sound, your aim be true, and your scales be always in balance.
Jim Johnson
August 2016
Alexandria, VA
Acknowledgments
This book took a team to put together. This is my opportunity to thank that team. First, to my editor Erica Satifka, who provided critical commentary on the manuscript and whose efforts made this book and series far stronger. To my cover artist, print layout guru, friend, and fellow Literary Outlaw, Kevin G. Summers, who patiently worked with me through dozens of emails and Facebook conversations to get the cover text and layout just right. To my team of beta readers, thank you for your efforts. I didn’t use all of your comments, but I hope I used the right ones. Your advice made this a better book and series.
Thanks to the members and participants of sundry online writing communities out there, including the Pulp Speeders, denizens of kboards’ Writer’s Cafe, the SFWA forums, and many others. I’ve learned from you all and have drawn inspiration from you all as well. Also, thanks to artist James Hale, who provided the illustrations you’ll find in the print versions of these books and also the cover illustration you’ll find on the omnibus. His sketches and final artwork provided a huge jolt of inspiration to my own humble hekau, fueling my desire to write these stories so that they lived up to his great artwork.
Special thanks to composers John Barry (Dances With Wolves), Jeff Beal (Appaloosa), Marco Beltrami (3:10 to Yuma), Bruce Broughton (Tombstone), Nick Cave & Warren Ellis (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford), Bill Elm and Woody Jackson (Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare), James Newton Howard (Wyatt Earp), Kevin Kiner & Gustavo Santaolalla (Hell on Wheels), Ennio Morricone (too many to list), Lennie Niehaus (Unforgiven), Alan Silvestri (The Quick and the Dead), Keith Zizza (Pharaoh, Children of the Nile) and all of the musicians who worked with them on their respective scores and soundtracks. Your music was and is a constant inspiration during the development and writing of this series. Thank you all.
To my son Jacob Robert, who was born just a few weeks before I hit the ‘Publish’ button on the first book in this series: I love you, son. I sure hope you enjoy this series when you’re old enough to read it.
And finally, to my wife Damaris: As always, thank you for your love, your support, and your confidence in my efforts. I’m grateful you’re with me on this crazy journey. Love you much, my dear.
About the Author
Jim Johnson is the author of the Pistols and Pyramids weird western series, the Potomac Shadows urban fantasy series, and other fiction series currently under development. He has written sundry other pieces of fiction, including several stories published in the Star Trek universe, and has freelanced for pen and paper roleplaying game companies, including Modiphius, Decipher, and White Wolf. Please visit www.SCRIBEINETI.com for more information on Jim and his interests and writing.
If you’d like to be added to Jim’s mailing list to be notified of freebies, new releases, and other exclusive content, please sign up at www.scribeineti.com/newsletter.
Jim lives in historic Alexandria, VA with his wife, newborn son, and several crazy cats.
Pronunciation Guide
A brief guide on how to pronounce some of the names and words found in the Pistols and Pyramids series.
Ammut: ah-MOOT
Amun-Re: ah-MOON ray
Apep: a-PEP
Asyut: as-YOOT
Deshi: DEE-she
Duat: do-OUGHT
Gintenka: zhin-TANK-ah
Hapi: happy
Hekau: HECK-ow
Heker: HECK-er
Herikhet: hair-EE-kett
Hesso: HESS-oh
Isfet: iss-FETT
Iteru: ee-TEAR-oo
Kekhmet: keh-KUH-met
Kephri: KEHP-ree
Khonsu: CON-sue
Knefa: NEFF-ah
Kubela: coo-BELL-ah
Mayat: my-OUGHT
Meret: MARE-et
Nauny: NONNY
Osiris: oh-SIGH-rus
Pashet: PAW-shat
Qebsenuf: keb-senn-OOF
Re: Ray
Ruia: roo-EE-yah
Sekhmet: SECK-met
Teteri: teh-TEAR-ee
Tjety: JETTY
Uni: OO-knee
Usemi: oo-SEE-me
Waset: WAH-set
Zezago: zuh-ZAH-go
Particulars
Copyright © 2016 by Jim Johnson
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, please write to the publisher at the address below.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead; events; or locales is entirely coincidental. Except for the Duat, which we’re fairly sure is a real place, though we’re in no rush to find out.
Despite the events depicted herein, no horses or other animals were harmed in the making of this book.
www.PISTOLSANDPYRAMIDS.com
Cover illustration by James Hale
Cover design and print layout by Kevin G. Summers (www.happycatstudios.com)
Editing by Erica Satifka (www.ericasatifka.com)
We’d love to hear from you! Please send letters and/or postcards of interesting places you’ve visited to:
INETI PRESS
2308 Mt. Vernon Ave., Ste #325
Alexandria, VA 22301
www.INETIPRESS.com