MUDSLIDE is the first young adult adventure book in “The Misadventures of Sarah Davies”. The second book is Firestorm which was released in July of 2011, and the third is Whiteout, which will be released in April of 2012. The fourth, Raging Waters, will be available in the fall of 2012.

What is Mudslide? It’s an action packed, fast-paced young adult adventure novel.

Sarah and Meagan Davies are cousins in a grade 12 geography class that sets out on a three-day hike along the Snake River in Idaho. Their plan is to experience wilderness survival as they trek along the rocky and scenic trails that lead them to an exciting day of white water rafting. The great finale will be the last night at the Resort Hotel where America’s hottest idol will entertain them.

But their fun adventure quickly becomes a horrific nightmare as team conflicts bring about growing tension and unrest, leaving them targets for the unexpected storms that begin to rage against them.  Without warning, they find themselves hostage in the direct path of a deadly mudslide with no way of escaping. Sarah watches in horror as the mud dumps its vengeance on some of her teammates.

Now she must overcome her own personal fears and dismiss the rising conflicts of her teammates as she bonds with them in  a desperate quest of rescue and survival that becomes a gut wrenching race against time.

Excerpt from Mudslide:

My heart was racing with fear and the other girls and Austin were screaming at Rick to grab Mr. Baker’s hand. I moved away from the rocky cave so that I would be able to jump down and help when they needed me.

But suddenly, the whispering caution of the oak tree began flooding my entire body with a pulsating sensation that was echoing in my ears. Icy chills shot up my spine, across my neck and into my head. Fear gripped me so powerfully that for several seconds I couldn’t move.

The sounds of the hideous gurgling above us was intensifying and becoming more threatening with each passing second. As I moved my eyes around, I realized that I had stepped back into the path of the overhanging ledge above, and I was sure that I could see the mud moving. A second impact of fear struck my chest.

My ears were pounding with anticipation as Mr. Baker was trying to grab Rick’s arm. He was shouting something to Rick and then he turned to me and all I heard was the word, rope. No one else heard him. Then finally he seized Rick’s hand and pulled him back
sharply. Rick’s foot was freed but he wasn’t off the tree, yet.

I had a rope in my backpack and I knew I had to get it to him, but I was so gripped with fear that I wasn’t able to move. I kept telling myself to move, to drop my backpack and get the rope out of it. Then I closed my eyes and began yelling as loud as I could inside myself for my legs to move. My heart was pounding against my chest with such vigor that a rush of energy rose up inside
me and then with all the force I could muster, I shook off the trance and quickly unzipped my backpack.

“I have a rope!”

I forced my rubbery legs to edge down the slope but I kept sliding because I couldn’t keep my footing in all the wet, slippery muck. The smell of wet, dirty mud was filling the gully and the sky was getting darker. I was coated in goose bumps, terrified that I wouldn’t get there in time.

The gurgling sounds from the ledge above grew louder and deeper, but they were soon drowned out by the desperate shouts from my team. As the sky above us began turning black, a cold chill started rippling up my spine again. I had my back to a huge rocky inlet watching Mr. Baker trying to pull Rick off the tree.

Suddenly, there was a loud suction noise and then an explosion!

They both turned and looked up at the ledge above me. I’ve never seen fear on anyone’s face like that before in my life. I didn’t even know that anyone could look that scared. Their eyes were bugged out and Rick’s opened mouth was stretched across his contorted face. Their screams were like two-edged swords stabbing into my chest. It’s a vision I’ll probably never erase, and one I wish I had never seen.

The gurgling became a loud ripping sound as mud slowly began seeping forward and down the ledge. Mr. Baker and Rick were in its direct path and they were scrambling to get off the tree. The mud slowly pushed the tree down towards the edge of the bank where it rested for the next few seconds. We were all shouting at Mr. Baker and Rick and then our shouts turned into screams of terror that rang in my ears.

Suddenly, the wall of mud on the ledge above me burst forth like water pouring through a broken dam.  The entire wall split wide open and became a gigantic, moving wall of mud.

The horrifying screams from Rick and Mr. Baker were overwhelming and rippling through my whole body. In just seconds, black mud dumped onto Mr. Baker and Rick. It covered them completely and flushed them over the edge of the riverbank and down into the raging rapids below.

..end of excerpt….