Mark Tushingham

There are two compliments for which I strive in regards to my stories. The first is that the reader could not put the book down: a page-turner. The second is that the reader continued to think about the story long after they finished the book: thought provoking. Over the past twenty years, I have written over a dozen novels in the genres of speculative military fiction, science-fiction, climate-fiction, fantasy, crime, and bedtime stories for children. An eclectic collection that mirrors my diverse interests. As a researcher by profession, all my stories are painstakingly researched. My speculative military novels have been particularly well-received, and I have been acknowledged in the media as "a keen student of military matters" and "obviously studied modern warfare carefully and became able to recreate it vividly." My novel, Battle for the Taiwan Strait 2033, had been highly rated by readers on both Amazon and Goodreads. Between them, these novels have been described in the media as “gripping,” “suspenseful,” “rapid-fire,” “engrossing,” “fast paced,” “well written” and “a bullet.” However, to me, one compliment stands out above the others. My first novel, Hotter than Hell, which was about survival in a world devastated by climate change, was described in one newspaper as “an important book because it is a warning … One hopes the right people will read it.” I received my Ph.D. in long-term climate change, and I spent my career in the field of environmental protection. It is, therefore, not wholly unexpected that all my stories have social or environmental messages in them, overt or subtle. The messages range from the need for action on climate change and conservation of our natural world to overcoming the intolerance of differences and the wider impacts of wealth imbalance, violence and war. However, not one of these important messages will be heard if the stories that contain them are not fun to read. I hope that you find my novels are, indeed, gripping page-turners. Enjoy! Mark Tushingham Praises for my novels: “Debate on global warming helps produce a brisk seller.” ~ New York Times “A readable book … remarkably well written … Tushingham is a keen student of military matters … Not only is the story gripping, it reminds the reader how easily something similar could actually happen, and what the steps to chaos would be. Many of us could use such a warning … Tushingham is as brave as any of his characters to issue such a warning. And he does it very well.” ~ Charlottetown Guardian “The deadly events come as rapid fire as, and more unremitting, than in a James Bond movie with no suave hero to save the world. In common with Carson’s classic [Silent Spring], this book sends a chill right down one’s spine.” ~ Gallon “A bullet.” ~ Toronto Star “A best seller.” ~ CBC News “Well written, engrossing and suspenseful.” ~ DreamCatcher “The story is about the human implications of climate change. Hopefully it is just a work of fiction.” ~ Globe & Mail “A fast-paced novel which seems just ahead of tomorrow’s headlines on the effects of global warming … It’s a remarkable first effort, whether one considers the plot, the characters or the development of the story … Tushingham has obviously studied modern warfare carefully and become able to recreate it vividly … Hotter than Hell is an important book because it is a warning … One hopes the right people will read it.” ~ New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal “Tushingham’s dark vision of a world affected by climate change … Once [readers] start reading it, they don’t want to put it down.” ~ Barrhaven This Week “Begging to hear more.” ~ Manotick Messenger “For fiction lovers.” ~ Halifax Chronicle-Herald “Climate change has decimated the world, destroying civil order and toppling governments … Is this [novel] purely fiction … or a prophecy of things to come?” ~ Ottawa Citizen