'Getting To Know You,' a Romantic Thriller About a Blind Date to Hell

In a fast-paced romantic thriller, a man and woman go on what is perhaps one of the most extreme "blind dates" imaginable as they descend unwillingly into the furnace-like Hades of the Grand Canyon in August.

San Antonio, TX (PRWEB) January 10, 2007 -- Jim Stallings, published by iUniverse, Inc., the leading provider of independent print-on-demand publishing, announced today the release of "Getting To Know You," a romantic suspense novel.

In this fast-paced thriller, a man and woman go on what is perhaps one of the most extreme "blind dates" imaginable as they descend unknowingly, and then unwillingly, into a desert-like Hades. Starting from Las Vegas they are forced to survive in the furnace of triple-digit August heat of the Grand Canyon.

Meet Vic Salem, self-help author, and professional escort woman, Shelby Cotton, as they desperately fight to save their lives in this tightrope walk of life and death trauma. In their dramatic effort to escape and seek revenge on their Vegas enemies, the descent into this exquisite Hades forces them to open up to each other and to the extraordinary primitive natures embedded in their survival instincts. Their search for life reaches vision quest intensity and delivers an astounding series of personal and mythic discoveries unveiling for them the deeper aspects of love, commitment, courage and the profundity of free will.

The author, Jim Stallings, has long had a fascination with the beauties and dangers of the Grand Canyon. Beginning in his teens in the early '60s he hiked with this father to the Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Canyon in summer heat. This trek was on well worn and safe trails like the Kaibab and Bright Angel. Tales of the deaths of hundreds of hikers in the canyon over the years (most to dehydration and heat stroke) stuck with the author, planting the seed for this thriller.

"I wanted to know in part what one had to do in an extreme survival situation. No food, no water, no climbing equipment, no cell phones and worst ... no experience. How would two urban amateurs survive? Could they? What would happen to them physically and psychologically? This novel answers that and more. I am indebted to a former Park Ranger and professional guide, Denise Traver, for keeping me on the trail of practical limits and giving me striking views of the Canyon's horrors and beauties. It was a fascinating way to push the limits of human experience…and enjoy from your reading armchair!"

Jim Stallings is an anthropologist, writer and editor. His other books include "Tales for Commuters & Other Time Travelers," "Hunters in the Fog: War Diary to Screenplay," "Neon Nirvana: A Romance of the New Age," the New England mystery, "Devil's Hopper," and the detective mystery novel "The Latest Bloodshed" about the Deep South's drug wars and social conflicts. See his website: http://www.jimstallings.com for more on his bio, philosophy, other works and contact info. Interested trade publishers & film producers contact Paul Levine, literary attorney, at (310) 450-6711.

About "Getting To Know You." Published December 2006, $13.95 paperback (ISBN: 0-595-42300-0); & e-book, from iUniverse; available direct from iUniverse.com or on web bookstores like amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, booksamillion.com, as well as special order through your local bookstore, or off the author's website: http://www.jimstallings.com/

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