Part I - The "Spark" for CROW and the CAVE, an Adventure by John Bradford Branney

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My latest book CROW and the CAVE will be released March 8, 2018. In advance of that release date, I want to give you a little background on how this book came about. The passage below is the first part in a two part blog posting that describes the events leading up to my writing CROW and the CAVE.  

As an author, my historical fiction originates from research, real-life experiences, and an active imagination. Since many of my books are about Prehistoric America, I rely a lot on documented archaeological evidence. However, on December 3, 2016, I had a real-life experience that changed my life and I decided to adapt this encounter to my latest prehistoric adventure entitled Crow and the Cave.

Our German Shepherd Madd Maxx and I were prehistoric artifact hunting on a ranch in northern

Colorado when a herd of horned cattle decided they did not care for Madd Maxx. These cattle must have thought that Madd Maxx was a predator, like a wolf or a coyote. One of the horned beasts decided to remove the predator from the pasture. She lowered her head and rammed into Madd

Madd Maxx

Maxx, sending the one hundred-pound shepherd flying. I intervened between Madd Maxx and the orange-colored beast and paid the price. The horned devil that just launched Madd Maxx into inner space came after me, ramming her skull into my chest. Not having other options, I grabbed the cow by the horns and hung on for dear life. She shoved me backwards across the pasture, picking up speed as we went along. I concluded that hanging on to her horns was not going to end well for me, so I let go, and she ran right over the top of me. Ouch! She knocked the wind out of me. I was in pain and I could not breathe. Later, I found out that I had sustained three broken ribs and a bruised lung. I remember hearing Madd Maxx barking which was a good sign. He was still alive. I staggered to my feet like a fallen boxer rising for an eight count. Before I could straighten up, the horned devil plowed into me. One year later, I still remember that teeth-rattling jolt when her massive skull smashed into my back. I went down hard. I later found out I had sustained kidney, liver and adrenal gland damage. If I had any oxygen in my lungs to start with, it was all gone. I tried to crawl away, but the devil cow was on me, pinning me to the ground with her skull and horns, swinging her head from side to side, trying to hook me with her horns. Fortunately, I was wearing a backpack filled with bulky winter clothes. The devil cow ended up destroying the backpack, but wearing it saved my life. I had been carrying a metal walking stick that she also destroyed. As she mauled me, I remember seeing a huge dust cloud rising above the pasture. I was drowning in a sea of dust. The entire herd was on the war path. While I was trying to escape with my life, so was Madd Maxx, and he had the rest of the herd to contend with. I fought to breathe, but every time I took a breath, the cow slammed into my back.

As I laid there getting bludgeoned by this beast, I felt relieved when I heard Madd Maxx. I knew that if I heard him, he was still alive and if I was going to save him, I first had to save myself. I yelled for help, but that was futile. I was in the middle of nowhere and my yell had no energy, whatsoever. I

Madd Maxx

fought to escape, but the horned beast kept smashing into my back. She walked all over my legs and back with her sharp hooves. I swear it felt like she was kneading bread on my legs like some massive hooved cat. The more I resisted, the more aggressive the horned beast was. I wrapped my arms around my head, hoping to protect my skull from her horns and hooves. She had already loosened my front teeth. I remember thinking that I was going to "die by cow". I understand that we all die of some cause, sooner or later, but “death by cow”?

Based on the above narrative, you can see that Madd Maxx and I are in quite a pickle. You will have to wait until Part Two of the blog posting to see how we get out of it. Then, in subsequent blog postings, I will give you a taste or two about my prehistoric adventure CROW and the CAVE.    

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CLICK for Part Two of the "Spark".