The Virginian-Pilot
© August 21, 2008
By Jan Gaillard
Correspondent

Edward Curry's "Temple of the Two Jaguars," is the stuff dreams are made of.

Better yet, the Indiana Jones-style story was the literal product of his dreams after an astrological reading drew him to Mayan culture.

Curry's plot weaves elements of intrigue and romance throughout an action-packed Smithsonian-Mexican jungle expedition to find the elusive Maya Rosetta Stone.

"The first half of the book is taken almost entirely from my dreams," said Curry.

No stranger to the written word, the former insurance executive, Texas oil man and insurance consultant has authored six books on business and an inspirational book. He also produced nine marketing videos.

Curry's venture into Mesoamerica began in 2005 after his editor said she was "into" astrology.

"Jill Melichar of Synergy Associates asked me if I ever had a positioning done," said Curry, a Little Neck resident.

"She told me things that only my wife and I would have known, and then she told me in a previous life I was a doctor and a healer in the Aztec civilization. She said it would impact my life."

"I thought, 'What a bunch of hooey,' " he said, laughing.

Three weeks later he received a phone call from a Mayan customer in South America.

"I called Jill - she started laughing and said she told me so," Curry said.

Then came the dreams.

"I was doing research on the Maya, and they were so vivid," he said. "I felt like I had been there before."

Something pushed him to write.

"I saw the book laid out before me in chapters," Curry said. "I didn't have a storyboard or an outline. I just started typing."

Curry's own long-term marriage was the basis for the relationship between the key characters in the book: Ryan Keshaw and Allison Shelton.

"I felt it was important to write the book from the standpoint that men and women are on equal footing," he said.

Jordan Rich, Boston radio talk show host at WBZ, interviewed Curry on his program.

"The thing I like about Edward is his passion for living and life," Rich said. "I thought his book was entertaining and for someone to have dreamt these things is really cool."

Fran Thomas, friend and former editor of a newspaper in St. James City, Fla., said she could see the book made into a movie.

"As a writer myself I know how difficult it was to do," Thomas said. "This book is different because of its focus on the heroine and the paranormal element."

"It was a stream of consciousness," Curry said. "I'm not senile, or crazy and I honestly didn't know where the book was going at first. I can tell you a sequel is coming, though."

 
For more information or to order "Temple of the Two Jaguars" visit www.templeofthetwojaguars.com.

 
Jan Gaillard, jangaillard007@yahoo.com