Thursday, January 29, 2015
Thoughtful Thursday: My Time Away...
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
BETWEEN is looking for Blog Tour Hosts!
Looking for blog tour hosts for my paranormal novel BETWEEN
Sapphyria's Book Reviews is hosting my blog tour February 2015.
If you're interested, please follow THIS LINK
*Rafflecopter Contest: One eCopy of BETWEEN in the format of choice
Contest closes at the end of February and winner announced March 1st
*Rafflecopter Contest: One eCopy of BETWEEN in the format of choice
Contest closes at the end of February and winner announced March 1st
As a young girl, Lucinda was able to see spirits, a gift that didn't come without its difficulties. Now, a dedicated young veterinarian, she is committed to the idea that every life can be saved.
After a devastating accident, Lucinda tries to escape her past by moving to a small town. There, she meets a newcomer and feels an immediate connection with him. But there is another mysterious stranger to the small town, one that stirs within her a mixture of unease and desire.
As Lucinda is drawn into a bitter tug-a-war from the forces around her, she is likewise pulled into a dangerous twist of past and present events. Forced to make difficult choices, she finds that the two men are locked in not only a battle for her life...but a battle for their salvation.
*Second place - Preditors and Editors Readers Poll 2012
*Paranormal Reads gives BETWEEN 4 out of 5 Bats
Barnes and Noble
Musa Publishing
Reviews
Escape Into a Book "I loved how original the idea was for this book, I haven't read a book like this one. I loved that this book was fast paced and kept my interest till the very end."
MommaSez "Creepy, scary, haunting–just up my alley...gothic romance that makes the hair stand up on my neck!"
Musings from an Addicted Reader "It was haunting, unpredictable, and intriguing. All the characters were unique and draw you in from the first chapter. Excellent read."
Shut Up & Read "I love a good ghost story, and this one did not disappoint...I've heard the saying painting a picture with words, and that is exactly what the author does here. Each sentence is vivid and alive."
Happy Tails and Tales "I would recommend it to my fellow ghost lovers, Gothic lovers, and historical paranormal lovers alike. There are some interesting paranormal characters...I wasn’t expecting them...a really well done plot twist. "
Demons Do it Better "Between kept me guessing. I had no clue where the story was going to end but I made a couple of guesses along the way and I was wrong."
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Guest Author: New Release from A. Giacomi
Author: A. Giacomi
Excerpt:
I begin to scream questions into the darkness.
“Why are you here? What do you want?” I wait in silence, but no answers come.
I’m starting to feel a bit faint from the fear coursing though me. I hear that strange moaning again. It’s frightening and not like anything I have ever heard before. I stand paralyzed in the darkness with no idea what my next move is. While my thoughts race in every direction, I feel something graze my arm, and before I can pull it away, teeth pierce my arm’s soft flesh. They gnaw away at my arm as if it is a piece of barbecued meat. I feel a ripping sensation, and my arm begins to feel warm and wet. Something sprays my face, and I know the taste; it’s my blood that’s spilling.
“Zombie Girl is a fun and fast-paced read for teens and adults alike. Reading Eve's zombie girl life unfold with her two besties along for the bloody ride felt like watching a Joss Whedon show complete with the supernatural, a dose of gore, and a love triangle that is easily digestible and entertaining in one sitting.”
- Elise Walters, Author of the Tentyrian Legacy series
"Cool, quirky and gnarly as hell, Giacomi shows exactly how awesome it is to be a zombie. If I were bit by Eve Brenner, I'd be stoked to come back from the dead."
-Jeremiah Israel, Author of March The Damned
"Equal parts sexy and gory, hilarious and heartwrenching, EVE BRENNER: ZOMBIE GIRL is an astonishing debut."
-Stephen Kozeniewski, Author of Braineater Jones
Bio:
She is an educator, writer, and artist from Toronto, Canada. She is a zombie enthusiast, a wife, and mother to one small human child.
Monday, January 26, 2015
Cover Reveal: The Crosstown Kid by Richard Weir
The Crosstown Kid
by
Richard Weir
About The Crosstown Kid:
In the low-income part of a Florida town, kids get flushed into the gangland sewer every day. So when beat cop Rob spots a kid training on a track—trying, in other words, to actually be something—he’s intrigued.
Against the advice of his partner, he investigates the Kid and his family. What he uncovers unnerves him: the Kid’s father was a cop himself, gunned down by friendly fire. Before he knows it, Rob has uncovered a tale of police corruption and clandestine gang activity that may cost even more officers their lives.
Will helping the Kid mean exposing his own family to the corrupt cops?
Sometimes, extending your hand in help will only drag you down.
Book Details:
Title: The Crosstown Kid
Author Name: Richard Weir
Genre(s): Thriller, Police, Crime
ISBN: 978-1-68009-057-4
Release Date: 02/06/2015
Pre-Order and Read an Excerpt on Musa Publishing, LLC's website:
About the Author:
You can find out all about Richard at his website:
Cover Reveal Coordinated By:
Friday, January 23, 2015
Guest #Author: New #ScienceFiction Release from Jennifer Brozek
Peek into the mind and dreams of award winning editor and author Jennifer Brozek. Travel from the weird west to the hidden worlds of Kendrick all the way to the far reaches of space. This collection contains twenty previously published short stories and includes the brand new Kember Empire story “Found on the Body of a Solider.” Enjoy your journey and don’t forget your survival gear. Apocalypse Girl is waiting.
Apocalypse Girl Dreaming has been ten years in the making. Most short story collections are multi-year endeavors, and are “found” books. When authors start out, they don’t do so thinking “I will write and sell short stories until I have enough to make a book.” Thus, a short story collection becomes an accidental book and a nice surprise.
I’ve been asked many times how I chose my stories for Apocalypse Girl Dreaming. I suspect it is different for every author faced with such a pleasant problem. Once I realized that I had enough short stories for a collection—more than enough, in fact—I realized that I needed to choose the right stories to showcase my skill, fictional worlds, and how my writing has changed over time.
That sounds mature and professional, doesn’t it? What I actually did was pick my favorite stories first, realized I had too much, and needed to apply a filter. That was when I actually followed my first thoughts to make the mass of favorites into a cohesive collection that flowed well from story to story.
This is what I recommend for anyone putting together a short story collection for the first time: start with the stories you love. Then worry about the rest. It shows in the writing when you love your work. I think the reader can see that, too. No matter how early in their career the author is.
I hope readers of Apocalypse Girl Dreaming can see how much I love the stories within. I live worlds inside my head and I’m so glad to able to share them with all of you.
***
Thursday, January 22, 2015
#Sciencefiction #Adventure #Giveaway with Guest Author: Timothy C. Ward
Scavenger: Evolution (Sand Divers, Book One)
by Timothy C. Ward (Goodreads Author)
A compilation of Scavenger 1-3 (Red Sands, Blue Dawn and Twin Suns)
Release Date: March 1, 2015
In the future, sand divers search the depths for the lost city of Danvar and the truth behind their bleak existence. Divemaster Rush hasn’t dove since he lost his infant. A job offer turns from an escape to a trap and the lure of a hardened heart to survive like anyone else would. One dive leads to another. Farther and farther from the surface, death and evolution change his world. He’ll have to change too or watch his wife rise without him.
Inspired by Hugh Howey’s world of Sand. Written and sold with his permission. Scavenger: Evolution takes the landscape of Dune and throws in the pacing and thrills of Alien.
***
It took me a while to realize that this is the heart of story telling. This journey into the emotions of someone as they choose to change, either for better or worse, and then the chaos and conflict that will happen once they act. I thought I had to travel a lot to develop the fodder for a good story. I thought I was supposed to have fully formed characters already in my head, waiting to be written. If I had only realized sooner that you just have to find someone afraid to change, and then present an option that could be worse than they imagined and see how they react.
Some people ask whether you have to have talent or hard work. I'm in the camp of hard work, and if you manage to stick with it long enough, you'll develop the talent. Granted, some people are born for this, and I believe I'm one of them, but to those who are afraid they don't have the talent: if you desire to publish a book, know that it isn't genetics that is in your way; it's how much you're willing to prove that you want it. Prove it when no one's looking. Prove it when you get a bad review or a rejection. Prove it when you finish a draft and realize that it isn't done until you go back again and again. Writers succeed in these challenges. That's not talent. That's hard work.
 |
| Release date: late January 2015 |
I'm not a genius. I'm not a novel writing award winner from high school, or even the guy in college who worked on outlines and impressed with published stories while I was drinking mochas and playing pool, dreaming of being a writer. What has changed between now and seven years ago is that I have tried hard for seven years to improve with every day of writing. Sometimes that is creating a better story in the planning stage, or sometimes it is just trying to get two hundred words in before bed.
Bio: Timothy C. Ward grew up on DragonLance, Stephen King, and Dune. Read how he blends these influences in his serialized thriller, Scavenger: Evolution, where sand divers uncover death and evolution within America's buried fortresses. Parts one and two, Red Sands and Blue Dawn, are now available on Kindle. Sign up to his newsletter for exclusive news and giveaways.
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Guest Author: #Horror #Flashfiction with L. E. White
Hello everyone,
Clarissa has been kind enough to allow me a chance to share
a guest post with all of you on her blog. I am L. E. White. I tend to write
dark fantasy and horror although I have also written a little science fiction
and erotica. I post a new story every Wednesday on my blog and I hope that you will join me over there.
If you like what you read, there are links to all of my published
work on the site. I have a new erotic horror novella, tentatively titled
“Forever and Always” that is in production with Sirens Call Publications.
As I do on my own blog, I wanted to offer you an original flash
fiction story. Something scary that will hopefully make you look over your
shoulder as you follow my link. I look forward to seeing you, so be careful
along the way.
-L. E. White
Interruptions
 |
| Photo courtesy of Lothorian Magick |
When Lynn touched the box, she felt a burst of
pain. “Ow,” she said as she jerked away and shook her hand.
“What happened?”
Lynn looked at Anna, sitting on the bed across
from her. “It shocked me.”
Anna shrugged. “Maybe you should stop dragging
your feet as you walk.”
Lynn frowned and looked at the box again without
touching it. It was small and dark reddish brown. Lynn guessed it was some kind
of wood, but she wasn’t sure. The sides were dirty, dented and stained. A
simple latch flipped down over a metal pin to hold the lid in place. The lock
didn’t have a clip or bar to keep it from popping open, but it stayed closed
anyway.
“Why haven’t you opened it?”
Anna frowned and leaned forward, putting her nose
to within an inch or two of the top. “Every time I start to open it, something
happens.” She sat back up and looked at her friend. “My dad found it in a
storage unit he was cleaning out. He said it was the only thing left in the
unit.”
Lynn tilted her head to one side. “So it was
under some trash or something?”
“No,” Anna said. “It wasn’t under anything. It
was the only thing in the unit.”
Lynn curled up one lip and leaned over to look
at the box from the other side. “When did you get it?”
“Day before yesterday.”
Lynn wrinkled her forehead as she looked at her
friend. “Then why haven’t you opened it?”
“I told you something happens.”
“Like what.”
Anna took a deep breath. “Dad gave it to me
yesterday when I got home from school. When I went to open it, the cat knocked
its food bowl off the table and I had to clean it up.”
“I hate your cat,” Lynn said.
“But that is just one thing. Something happens
every time.”
“You’re imagining things.”
“Really,” Anna said as she crossed her arms over
her chest. “When you went to touch it just now, you got shocked.”
“That was nothing.” Lynn reached for the latch,
and Anna’s little brother walked opened the door.
“Mom wants to know if she is staying for dinner?”
Anna smirked at Lynn. “Yeah she is. Now get out.”
The door shut and Lynn raised one eyebrow. “That
was random.”
“Try again.”
Three more time, Lynn reached for the latch and
each time, something else interrupted her.
“What the hell?”
“You are just going to have to ignore everything
else and open it anyway.” Anna was smiling a wide smile at Lynn. “Otherwise it
will never get opened.”
“Wait a minute,” Lynn said. “Why don’t you open
it?”
“Because I’m your friend and I am indulging your
curiosity.”
Lynn grabbed a pillow and swatted Anna. They
began to wrestle, and the box was knocked off the bed.
***
Anna was in her bed, covers tucked in and eyes
shut. Lynn was on the floor, on a sleeping bag on top of an air mattress. Her
covers were tossed, and her eyes were open.
Lynn stared at the ceiling, her mind racing, and
she wished the race would end so that she could sleep.
She flipped around, swapping head for foot in
hopes that the change would help. She rolled, lying on her stomach, head turned
to look under the bed.
When she saw the box, she reached out, pausing
as she wondered if she would get shocked again before moving forward.
Lynn pulled the box out from under the bed and
turned it over in her hands. It felt grimy, leaving her fingers sticky after she
handled it. “Ewww,” she said as she turned it so that the latch faced her.
When she put her finger nail under the latch,
Lynn stopped and looked around the room. She waited, and then shook her head.
Lynn held her breath as she flexed her finger.
The small metal plate flipped off of the pin with a tiny click, and Lynn looked
around again.
She looked the other way, towards the window,
and didn’t see the lid lift up. It rose, twisting on it hinges, opening like
the mouth of a hungry baby bird.
When Lynn looked down, her mouth fell open. She
stared into her hands as she listened to a soft, cold, voice whisper, “Free.”
***
I am a happily married father of four who lives on a family farm in southern Indiana. I have published multiple stories under the by line of L. E. White, with my work being included in collections from Popcorn Press, Hazardous Press and Sirens Call Publications. I have completed my first novel and am seeking representation for it.
Find L. E. White on Amazon, Smashwords, Facebook, Twitter and on Wordpress.
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