Erik Simpson is a brilliant young zoologist who has no memory of his life before the age of sixteen. Trained by his aging foster father, a world renowned zoologist, Erik astounds his colleagues with his insights into animal behavior. As his thirtieth birthday approaches, Erik has a recurring dream of stumbling through the Amazon jungle, hunted by a black jaguar. One night he dreams of the hunt, first as an observer, then as the jaguar itself on the prowl in California's High Sierras where he comes upon campers and mauls them in a savage frenzy. The next day he receives a call from the National Park Service asking for assistance investigating a bizarre animal attack. When he goes to the camp site, he recognizes it from his dream and tells the authorities that it was a jaguar, and shows them precisely how it happened. His quest for the truth leads him into a murky world of magical plants and ancient shamanic rituals that ultimately bring him face to face with the enigmatic mystery of his past.
Matthew J. Pallamary's historical novel of first contact between shamans and Jesuits in 18th century South America, titled, Land Without Evil received rave reviews along with a San Diego Book Award for mainstream fiction. It was chosen as a Reading Group Choices selection. Land Without Evil was also adapted into a full-length stage and sky show, co-written by Agent Red with Matt Pallamary, directed by Agent Red, and performed by Sky Candy, an Austin Texas aerial group. The making of the show was the subject of a PBS series, Arts in Context episode, which garnered an EMMY nomination. Land Without Evil is in development as a feature film. His nonfiction book, The Infinity Zone: A Transcendent Approach to Peak Performance is a collaboration with professional tennis coach Paul Mayberry which offers a fascinating exploration of the phenomenon that occurs at the nexus of perfect form and motion, bringing balance, power, and coordination to physical and mental activities. The Infinity Zone took 1st place in the International Book Awards, Nonfiction, New Age category, and was a finalist in the San Diego Book Awards His first book, a short story collection titled The Small Dark Room Of The Soul was noted in The Year's Best Horror and Fantasy. It's follow up A Short Walk to the Other Side was an International Book Award Finalist. Dreamland, a novel about computer generated dreaming, written with Ken Reeth won an Independent e-Book Award in the Horror/Thriller category. His memoir Spirit Matters, which details his journeys to Peru, working with shamanic plant medicines took first place in the San Diego Book Awards Spiritual Book Category, and was an Award-Winning Finalist in the autobiography/memoir category of the National Best Book Awards. Spirit Matters is also available as an audio book. Matt frequently visits the jungles, mountains, and deserts of North, Central, and South America pursuing his studies of shamanism and ancient cultures. WWW.MATTPALLAMARY.COM
