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The 7.9 Scenario

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Press Release: August 14, 2003

Publication Announced for
Sam Penny's First Novel,
Memphis 7.9

What happens when a 7.9 magnitude earthquake strikes within 45 miles of a major metropolitan area in the central United States?

Aguanga, California - Booksurge.com announced this week that the novel Memphis 7.9 by Sam Penny, a part-time resident of Aguanga, California is now available at their on-line bookstore at www.booksurge.com in both printed and eBook formats. It will become available on-line from Alibris.com, Amazon.com, and Barnes & Noble in the next few weeks and may be special ordered from their bookstores.

The story of Memphis 7.9 focuses on how some citizens of Memphis have prepared for a major earthquake on the New Madrid Fault Zone, just 45 miles west, and what happens to the Mississippi River valley during the first six hours immediately following a great earthquake of magnitude 7.9. A series of three major earthquakes of even greater magnitude tore apart the same region in 1811 and 1812.

Penny explains, "I began this book upon retirement when I explored the New Madrid Fault in the central United States. My long-time amateur interest in seismology had developed from life in shaky California. I was appalled when I saw the level of preparedness of Memphis and talked with the locals. I felt the story of what awaited them should be told."

The Print-On-Demand capabilities of Booksurge.com of North Charleston, SC, were chosen by Penny for the publication of Memphis 7.9. "Booksurge has the capability to print copies of the book at several facilities, including Europe, Great Britain and Canada. Bookstores and libraries receive 40% off of the retail price when ordering online at www.booksurgedirect.com. They service all aspects of order fulfillment, both retail and wholesale."

The Booksurge subsidiary, GreatUnpublished, provided the interface and services to prepare the book for printing. Penny says, "Had I chosen to follow the traditional path for book publication, I was looking at one to three years from the time my book came ready before it would be available to the public. I felt that time was running out, both for me and for the people of Memphis."

Memphis 7.9 is Book 1 of a four-part project, The 7.9 Scenario, which will tell of effects on the rivers and attempts of the United States to recover from the worst disaster that had ever struck this land. Other books in the series are scheduled for publication in the next three years.

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