I didn't set out to write a horror story, but it started to morph into that because of the subject matter. I wanted to expose governments that were brutal, cruel, and violent to their populations. As they say: this is a work of fiction, based on actual events, fiction stirred into a pot of facts. I think you'll find the story fascinating, but perhaps the novel will give you an uneasy feeling; the events are not all pleasant. Some readers might not want to deal with that, as the reality of the book can be difficult to absorb. People read horror stories and watch fearful movies without a moment's hesitation. They feel the fear, yet know they are safe watching from their couch. SHEBA'S VOW is a blend of fact and fiction. South Chale, where the story takes place, is largely an amalgam of Chile, the Soviet Union, South Africa, and China during the 1980s. The neighbouring island of Suntos is a reflection of the Ukraine in the 1930s when Stalin created one of the most drastic famines ever experienced, resulting in seven million people starving to death. The final section is an epitome of the People Power events in the Philippines, Tiananmen Square, and Moscow. The novel is largely about a political and personal struggle to find a way out of the despair and violence of dictatorships, a reflection of world events during the period 1980-2000. 128,000 words

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