Book excerpt: Tapping into the panic over the SARS outbreak, Bone Dust is a timely tale that paints an all-too-believable scenario. In a smooth writing style that flows evenly and easily, Maier's first book is a fascinating story sure to catch a reader's attention. Set in Macon, Georgia, the main character, Mike Spiker, is a busy executive at Bio Lab Research. A deadly outbreak of the flu in the Philippines doesn't concern him or his colleagues. After all, this sleepy little town in the deep South has always been far from the front lines of any big trouble. But the outbreak becomes a modern-day disaster, an influenza pandemic that affects the lives of everyone. How they deal with it, who succumbs and a myriad of subplots involving infidelity, fraud, race relations and more keep the story moving with palpable excitement. Maier has blended his fascination with life in the South with his in-depth study of the 1918 flu epidemic. He weaves a tale full of intrigue, little-known facts and realistic fiction. In our terror-filled, post 9-11 existence, Maier presents a fascinating story sure to force you to spend a sleepless night or two. As Macon Telegraph columnist Ed Grisamore wrote: "Turning each page is like putting your hand on an electric fence."