NEWS ITEM: November 1st 2021: New York City Big Book
Award Organization
announces "The Urkiola Boy" has earned its 2021
Award in the "Teen" category.
"Absolutely thrilled," says Robert Egby.
Read News Release? At bottom of this page.
"....A racy, hard-hitting drama from the Spanish Civil War!"
From the creative mind of Robert Egby comes
an historical novel set in the Basque Country 1936 to 1943
THE URKIOLA BOY
"Armed with only an ancient sling and a pebble
he attacked Franco's Death Squad!"
THE URKIOLA BOY: An Adventure in Basque Time.
When a teenage youth barely alive gets washed up on a British beach, it triggers British Intelligence to investigate. They discover he’s Basque with strange and unique abilities some 6,000 years-old. Using the slingshot and reading Cuneiform, the Babylonian language are just two. The problem is amnesia. A leading hypnoanalyst helps the fellow remember torturing events from the Spanish Civil War and the youth, Mikel Ybarra vows to return and kill the murderers.
But British Intelligence plans to use Mikel to assassinate the pro-Nazi Spanish Dictator, Francisco Franco before he gives access to Germany’s forces to take Gibraltar and gain another base in Morocco and North-west Africa. He’s trained in combat with the British Army’s elite Long Range Desert Force in Egypt before being sent to Spain.
But Mikel is no ordinary person. His back carries the ancient birthmark of the tribe of Jubal and Tubal which means he has his own agenda of teaching in the Basque Country and accessing the mountain hideaway of the ancients. Also uppermost is finding his sister and the young woman he loves, both in the hands of Franco’s Nationalists.
This historical novel, set in real time from 1937 to 1943, frequently displays a background of real people. The British born author spent a total of almost three months spread over five years studying in the Basque Country - or Euskal Herria as it is properly known.
What our readers say:
"Good read. Loved the story all wrapped around a well-researched history. And of course, the
connection to the Cuneiform tablets and their origins is fascinating." Diane G.C. Langley, B.C., Canada.
The Author writes about creating the Urkiola Boy.
Robert's Blog
NEWS RELEASE: THE URKIOLA BOY EARNS AWARD
News Release: November 1st 2021
Robert Egby – 609-351-5878
AUTHOR’S SPANISH WAR NOVEL
EARNS NY CITY BOOK AWARD
Robert Egby’s historical novel “The Urkiola Boy: An Adventure in Basque Time” has earned a “Distinguished Favorite” Award in the 2021 New York City Big Book Awards announced today.
The story, set in the turbulent 1930s tells the adventures of a Basque teenager, found barely alive on an English beach. British intelligence discovers some of Mikel’s unusual gifts – a natural marksmen. They train him to return to Spain to assassinate Dictator Franco during the brutal Civil War.
But Mikel has a much different agenda, inherited from historic times. For instance, he speaks Cuneiform the ancient language of the Sumerians, he is adept with the biblical Sling, is also a healer and knows the spiritual teachings of the ancients.
Set in the mystical Urkiola Mountains of Northern Spain, the book was awarded the “Distinguished Favorite” award in the “Teens” or young people’s category.
“We feel deeply honored with this recognition from the New York City Big Book Awards Organization,” says Robert. “Particularly this year when they received book submissions worldwide, including great submissions from journalists, well established authors, small and large press as well as first time indie authors participated in high numbers.”
Entries were from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America. Cities such as Bangalore, Edmonton, London, Los Angeles, Melbourne, New York, Seattle, Singapore, Vancouver, were among the entries. Winners were recognized globally from Australia, Cambodia, Canada, England, Germany, Lebanon, Queensland and the United States of America.
The award is for the English edition which is handled globally by LSI/Ingram in print, sold by Amazon, and is included in the Kindle Library. A Spanish edition “El Chico de Urkiola: Las aventuras de un Gudari Vasco,' is also available. The Awards Organization and its lists of Winner/Favorites can be found at www.nycbigbookaward.com.
Robert Egby who with his partner Betty Lou Kishler lives in Pemberton, NJ has published 15 books, a mixture of fiction and non-fiction and to date non-fiction books have received seven awards. “This is the first time one of my fiction works has scored a hit, “he says, “ and it gives me quite a thrill.” Egby is a member of the IBPA – the Independent Book Publishers Association. ENDs.
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