Genre – Cozy Mystery File Size: 2120 KB Print Length: 127 pages Publisher: Southern Ink Press An imprint of Blue Publications Publication Date: September 4, 2015 ASIN: B014XIMXOK
My Review
Reading these short tales was like hanging out with friends. I live in a small Single Tax Colony on the Gulf Coast and I swear I recognized some of these characters. Their accents, use of words, and mannerisms all rang true. And Goose Pimple Junction could be my home town.
Right from the start I was laughing. There’s a scene in the local diner where some ladies are gossiping. It reminded of when I managed a full service gas station. Remember those?
The owner and a bunch of his buddies would hang out at a small table in the corner and gossip. They were worse than any woman.
From what I gather, this book falls between the first and third book in the series. For those of you wanting to learn more about some of the characters, some details about how things came to be, these would be a special treat.
And for those of you who haven’t read the series yet, you’ll want to after visiting Goose Pimple Junction.
The characters are so genuine, the town so familiar, and the laughs so numerous, you can bet your bottom dollar I’ll be following this series now.
4 Stars
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Synopsis:
This is not your average Southern town. With a hint of mystery, a lot of laughs, and unique charm, you’ll catch a glimpse of everyday life in Goose Pimple Junction in this short story compilation. Short & Tall Tales occurs chronologically between Murder & Mayhem, book 1, and Heroes & Hooligans, book 2, in the Goose Pimple Junction mystery series. Book 1.5 is a fun escape that will answer questions readers may have about the residents of this quirky small town.
How did Johnny Butterfield become police chief?
How did Tess and Jack get engaged?
How did Ima Jean come to live with Louetta?
How do you celebrate an Apple Day?
These questions and more are answered in Short & Tall Tales in Goose Pimple Junction. Five short stories, one novella, and three recipes will give you more of life in Goose Pimple Junction, make you laugh, and have your mouth watering. If you want a feel-good read, you’ve come to the right place. Grab some sweet tea and escape to Goose Pimple Junction.
Author Amy Metz
Amy Metz is the author of the Goose Pimple Junction mystery series. She is a former first grade teacher and the mother of two sons. When not actively engaged in writing, enjoying her family, or surfing Facebook or Pinterest, Amy can usually be found with a mixing spoon, camera, or book in one hand and a glass of sweet tea in the other. Amy lives in Louisville, Kentucky.
TITLE– Broken Pride SERIES– Broken City AUTHOR– D.D. Chant GENRE– Post-Apocalyptic Romance/Adventure PUBLICATION DATE – 09/20/2015 LENGTH(Pages/# Words) – 115.600 words PUBLISHER– Self Published COVER ARTIST – Kate Lacy
BOOK SYNOPSIS
In a future filled with warring factions, one young woman must risk everything to be reunited with the man she loves.
Despised for the name she bears, and trapped behind enemy lines, she knows her life and the lives of those she loves rests on her choosing her allies wisely.
Yet, in a world where greed is rampant and only the strong survive, how can she find the courage to trust again?
Suddenly he knew exactly what the next few minutes would bring.They find the first body slumped against the wall of one of the outer buildings. The young man, little more than a boy, is propped up at an awkward angle, his face frozen into an expression filled with so much fear that it was difficult to look at him.
And then there was more.
More bodies, more blood, more horror than Ryder can take in. He feels sick to his stomach and, for a few moments, he is a teenage boy again picking through the dead carcasses that had littered the Kelly compound.
He shakes his head, trying to bring his focus back to the present.
Bodies litter the streets and hang over thresholds. He blinks the sweat running into his eyes away, trying not to dwell on the death that surrounds him. He couldn’t think about the awfulness, about the fact that most of the dead were so young.
They break into the square, yet by then Ryder had known what they would find. Val swears and when Ryder looks across at him it is to find that his sardonic, ever smug half-brother looks like he is going to be sick.
“What the… how the hell did they do this?” Val splutters, lifting his hand to his head and looking around wildly. “How did the Lewises manage to do this? We were right here for goodness sake! How did we not know this was happening?”
Ryder doesn’t answer him. He had no answers, just the sickness that rolled around his stomach. Beside him Connell turns and vomits on to the ground. Ryder isn’t surprised to see one of the hard-bitten Andak soldiers displaying such weakness. He was pretty close to joining him in heaving out the contents of his own stomach. Out of the corner of his eye he catches sight of a movement and lifts his gun warningly. Ian sits in the dust outside one of the hovels the Brownelys called homes. It takes Ryder a minute to realise that it was Ian’s house, the same one he had seen him standing in the doorway of yesterday.
He moves forward, ready to offer assistance. It wasn’t until he was much closer that he became aware of the fact that Ian clutched a lifeless body in his arms.
AUTHOR BIO
Hi everyone,
My name is DeeDee and I live in a beautiful part of Devon, England, with my family. I’ve always loved to read, and I’ve never been picky about which genre I read in. I’m just as happy curled up with a regency romance as I am with a dystopian adventure.
When I first wrote Broken City I had no idea that it would turn in to a series, but Deeta’s story begged to be told. So the stand alone Broken City became a trilogy, and now I know there will be a forth book as well.
I also write in other genres, I have a series of contemporary comedic short stores (The Claire series). I also have a historical romance series (The Lady Quill Chronicles), and a dystopian adventure series (The Chronicles of Discord).
I really hope that you enjoy reading my stories as much as I enjoy writing them!
Broken City is #FREE During the Duration of the Tour
BOOK SYNOPSIS
A girl with no future A man with no past A little lost boy And those who seek to find him….
….Welcome to Deeta’s world.
Deeta Richards has never seen the outside world. Before she was born a banking crisis brought civilization to an end and now no one leaves the safety of the compounds unless they need to, but Deeta still dreams of seeing more than the building she was born in.
Tom is in the guard, this group are the only people that the tribal elders allow to leave the compound and Tom knows only too well that Deeta could never survive the harshness that exists outside. Then tragedy strikes and Deeta and her Sister Jan find themselves captured by a hostile tribe. Why does Tom know so much about these people? And why do they know so much about him? As this mystery draws to a climax, they discover that their friend Tom is not quite what he seems…
Life isn’t turning out the way that Deeta thought it would. With the Lewises defeated and peace between the tribes, she had believed that the dark times were a thing of the past.
But troubles between the tribes continue, and the Andak council have selected Tom as their ambassador and spokesman to the other tribes.
Deeta knows that there is still much resentment against the Andak, and that Tom is in danger every time he leaves the safety of Andak City.
Struggling with her own complicated feelings against the tribe that she is now a part of, Deeta tries to ignore the changing attitudes growing within her.
But when Tom is betrayed and they are thrown into great danger, Deeta finds that reality can’t be ignored forever…
Happy Homicides – 13 Cozy Holiday Mysteries
by Joanna Campbell Slan and 12 more Cozy Authors
Doesn’t this sound awesome. You’ll probably recognize many of these authors, as I did, and find some new ones too!
Come on in, cozy up, and enjoy my review.
And don’t forget to enter the awesome giveaway!
Happy Homicides & Happy Homicides Bonus
Not Available for Sale or Pre-Order Yet.
My Review
Thirteen stories for the holidays. How great is that!
Some of my favorite authors contributed to this anthology along with some new ones for me.
Each story, though not a full length novel, was so well written it felt complete. That shows the talent of these authors, giving you a beginning, middle, and end, in a limited amount of words.
Spend the holidays meeting new characters, falling in love, and solving some murders.
Each new story brings that feeling of wonder. You are entering a new world, going on a new adventure.
After I finished one story, I couldn’t resist starting the next one. And so it went until I finished them all.
With weather cooling down, these stories would be great companions while curled up with a snug blanket and a hot cuppa tea.
5 Stars
Synopsis:
A holiday bonanza! A collection of traditional mysteries to celebrate the holidays, written by thirteen bestselling and award-winning authors. Heartwarming, brain puzzling, craft-centered, and character driven reads that’ll keep you entertained for hours. Nearly 800 pages of reading material, plus a special Recipe and Craft Bonus.
Included are:
Kiki Lowenstein and the Rowan Branch – (Joanna Campbell Slan) When Horace Goldfader is accused of murder, Kiki learns how difficult it can be to maintain peace on earth—and to keep her deathbed promise to her late friend, Dodie.
Cara Mia Delgatto and the Misdirected Gifts — (Joanna Campbell Slan) Two waylaid items cause Cara to take a break from her booming retail business and follow her heart. Can a sprinkling of holiday magic create a “happily ever after” ending for all involved?
The Christmas Dog — (Joyce and Jim Lavene) A woman running from her deadly past finds hope, and a dog, at Christmas.
and more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
About This Author
Joanna Campbell Slan is the award-winning author of the Kiki Lowenstein Mysteries (an Agatha Award Finalist) and two other mystery series. Her stories in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series has been read and loved by millions. Her books reviving the classic heroine Jane Eyre have won the prestigious Daphne du Maurier Award. In her past life, Joanna was a television talk show host, an adjunct professor of public relations, a sought-after motivational speaker, and a corporate speechwriter. She is married to David Slan, CEO of Steinway Piano Gallery-DC. The Slans make their home on Jupiter Island, Florida. Visit Joanna’s website at www.JoannaSlan.com
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page.
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
~~~
My Teaser for this week is from
Flask Of The Drunken Master
A Shinobi Mystery
by Susan Spann
My Teaser from page 89 in the Hardcover.
“You were asleep when the murder happened,” Hiro said.
“I’m a dangerous man,” Suke replied. “Lehtal, even in slumber.”
“Maybe so,” Hiro said with a sigh, “but the evidence says you’re not the killer.”
Suke’s arms fell down to his sides. “You’re sure it wasn’t me?”
Read on if you want to know more.
Synopsis
Master ninja Hiro Hattori and his companion Father Mateo are once again pulled into a murder investigation when a rival artisan turns up dead outside of their friend Ginjiro’s sake brewery. They must find the killer before the magistrate executes Ginjiro, seizes the brewery, and renders his family destitute. All the evidence implicates the brewer, yet with Kyoto on alert in the wake of the shogun’s recent death, Ginjiro’s is not the only life at risk.
As tensions rise, Hiro investigates a missing merchant, a vicious debt collector, a moneylender and the victim’s spendthrift son. But when a drunken Buddhist monk insists on helping Hiro and Father Mateo solve the crime, the monk’s bumbling threatens to foil the investigation altogether. With time running out, Hiro once again gambles on a clandestine mission to find the truth. Except that this time, Hiro isn’t the only one with a secret mission to fulfill.
Flask of the Drunken Master is the latest entry in Susan Spann’s thrilling 16th century Japanese mystery series, sure to gain new fans and please old alike.
Looking for a thrilling romantic suspense? Check out The Devil’s Hook.
Enjoy my interview with the author.
Catch a glimpse inside the book.
And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Synopsis
Jairus Twombly’s familial intuition is faltering and his new personal assistant seems to be trying to replace his wife, Amy.
On the Twombly College campus, someone is breaking into the dorm rooms of female students leaving things instead of taking things: red colored objects including a red golf ball, a red ribbon and a tiny red stuffed dog.
When a recipient of some of the red objects goes missing and is returned after being told, “You’re not her”, and the personal assistant turns up dead with Amy Twombly’s elegant Bloodwood crochet hook in her eye, things heat up for Emory Crawford and her chemist and forensic scientist husband, Dr. Jebbin Crawford.
Emory, along with the Twombly’s Nancy Drew-like daughter, Madison, once more turns to her amateur detective skills and intuition to solve the mysteries.
Enjoy this fun excerpt
“Get it out! Get it out! Get it out!”
Amy was screaming the words over and over, hands held to either side of her face like Edvard Munch’s painting “The Scream.”
There was a body on the floor at the far end of the table on my side. I heard doors sliding. I swung my head to look at the doors into the main hall.
“What on earth is . . .”
“Iga,” I yelled to be heard above Amy’s hysterics. “Get Amy and Madison out of here, now!”
I heard her rounding up the two Twomblys and taking them somewhere else. My attention was on the body on the floor.
A couple of steps closer and I could see what Amy was screaming about. There lay the display pedestal surrounded by mangled flowers and a porcelain vase in shards, some of which were resting in the blood on the floor as it bled into the water the flowers had been in. Despite knowing there had been an argument in here a short while before, despite the overturned furniture and broken vase that could have been knocked over for a very different reason than the one Amy gave us, even though Amy’s bloodwood crochet hook was protruding from Resie’s left eye, I knew with every shiver running through my soul that Amy hadn’t done this. And, since Resie wasn’t writhing in agony, I also knew she was dead.
~~~~~
My interview with Author Pearl R. Meaker
What genre would you describe The Devil’s Hook as and who is your target audience?
The Devil’s Hook is a cozy mystery, like Agatha Christie’s mysteries. So if you like Christie, Carolyn Hart, Miranda James and other authors like them, you will like The Devil’s Hook.
Everyone who likes cozy mysteries. Hahaha! More specifically, women, usually 30 yrs. old to 60 or so – although I’ve been reading cozies since I was nine years old and still do and I’m 61. People who do some crafts would like The Devil’s Hook as well.
Will this be a series or is it a stand alone?
Actually, The Devil’s Hook is the second book in the Emory Crawford Mysteries Series. The first book, The Devil’s Music, was released spring of 2015 and the third book is slated for release fall of 2016.
Who would be your choice of actors if your book were made into a movie?
Emory Crawford = Tiffany Thiessen
Dr. Jebbin Crawford = A mix between Jake Johnson & David Krumholtz (Jake’s height and David’s face 😉 )
AnnaMay Langstock = Emma Thompson
Dr. Nibodh Chatterjee (Chatty) = Kunal Nayyar
Aine McAllister = Siobhan Fallon Hogan
Did you always want to be a writer?
No. I initially wanted to be an artist/art teacher. When that didn’t work I took a year-long dental assisting course and became a dental assistant. When that didn’t work out I became a “whatever job I could get.” When that didn’t work out I got married and became a wife/mom/homemaker.
That worked out.
I didn’t start writing until I was 49 years old in 2003.
That worked out too.
Are you working on anything new?
Yes! Thank you for asking.
Due for release in the fall of 2016, the third Emory Crawford Mystery has the working title The Devil’s Flood.
The past and present of the town of Twombly and surrounding Golden County meet in two flood years bound together by mystery and murder. Add to that – moonshine. The old illegal liquor business is alive and well in the area, and it’s getting into the hands of underage citizens. Will Emory and Madison, with help from Jebbin, AnnaMay and others, be able to deal with the dirt and mire and solve the cases?
Five fun shorts:
Your favorite holiday?
Christmas
As a youngster, were you a Barbie girl or a tomboy?
I was a both. I happily played with my Barbies in the winter and on rainy days. When I was outside I wanted to climb trees with my pastor’s son (they had a great climbing tree in their back yard) or catch grasshoppers in empty lots with a girl friend of mine, and then we would trade them to little boys who were on their way to trade in pop/soda bottles at the candy store. Then we’d go to the candy store.
Ever been on a blind date?
Honestly, I don’t remember if I ever did or not. If I did, it must not have been all that bad or all that great, or you’d think I’d remember it.
Going on vacation: campfire or hotel?
Both. I’d like a nice comfy cozy travel trailer with a campfire a few yards away from it.
Name a phobia.
Hmm . . .
You mean one I have? Mild arachnophobia.
Just name any old phobia? How about Mythophobia- Fear of myths or stories. – Good thing I don’t have that one!
Or name, as in give a name to, a phobia?
Footinmouthaphobia – I have this one since I have a tendency to do this.
LOL! Thanks so much for sharing with us today, Pearl!
~~~~~
About Pearl R. Meaker
Pearl R. Meaker is an upper-middle-aged, short, pudgy homemaker, mother, and grandmother who in 2002 became a writer. Initially writing fanfiction she soon tried original fiction at the encouragement of her regular readers. She has been a life-long lover of mystery stories and
automatically went to that genre for her first book, The Devil’s Music. She and her husband of nearly 40 years live in central Illinois. They both love bluegrass music, playing fiddle and banjo and singing. Pearl also does many crafts – when she’s not reading or writing – knitting, crochet, origami, needlepoint, and cross-stitch among them. She also enjoys birding and photography and is a former fencer.
With Halloween fast approaching, I’ve amassed a bunch of creepy stories to share with you.
Recently I showcased several books I won from Michael Phillip Cash and I asked you to help me choose which order I should review them in.
The Flip was the top choice and you can read my review HERE.
Next up was The After House. Check out my review HERE.
Third up was The Hanging Tree. Check out my review HERE.
And now for Brood X.
Come on in and get your scare on!
Brood X
My Review
I swear I was itching all over after reading this book. I’m not crazy about bugs and Brood X are huge cicadas.
I’m sure you’ve heard them in the summer, calling each other from tree to tree. They can get so loud it drives you indoors.
A lot of the people in Long Island heeding the warnings and packed up, heading to somewhere safe until the outbreak is over. The cicadas, Brood X, are due to hatch and they’ll number in the trillions.
Some people scoff and say it’s just bugs. Well, try this. Hold out your hand. Now picture a cicada as long as that hand. Have you ever seen one up close. They’re not pretty. And though they aren’t known to bite, the bugs don’t know that.
One bite from these buggers is excruciating. Imagine a swarm covering your body. And the females are the worst. They have stingers, and will try to lay their eggs in any available orifice.
So, in the beginning. Seth and his pregnant wife aren’t leaving. He blows it all off as nonsense. This didn’t sit well with me. What if it gets bad? No water. No electricity. No one to rescue them. And his wife is very pregnant. He came off as selfish and and a boor. I never did warm up to him.
And sure enough, things get really bad. The neighborhood is unrecognizable. It’s coated with crawling cicadas. They are clogging up the water supply. Chewing through the electric wires. And are so thick you can’t see to drive, even if you dared to go outside.
This story moves quickly. It doesn’t take long for you to get to know the characters and once the cicadas enter the tale things go bad fast. You’ll think of this book whenever you hear a cicada’s call.
Are you itching yet?
4 Stars
Synopsis
Seth is laid off from work. His wife Lara just found out they are expecting a baby this summer. Seth plans on documenting the entire pregnancy with his brand new digital camcorder.
During an evening home watching television, the news reports that a swarm of cicada (Brood Ten) are expected to overwhelm the entire Northeast.
Brood Ten is vicious and ready to invade.
During a sweltering summer night, Brood Ten emerges and wreaks havoc with the electric grid, phone and cell service, wi-fi, food and water supply. Civilization as they know it is gone.
Seth and Lara are thrown back to the stone age in their own home with trillions of cicada trying to deposit their eggs and breed.
Fast paced and filled with tension, Brood Ten is the perfect summer read when you’re sitting outside listening to the cicadas sing.
Click on the cover to get your copy.
~~~~~
EXTRA! EXTRA!
And I have one more I want to squeeze in before Halloween is over.
I’ve read all of Anthony Renfros’ stories and I’m thrilled to share his newest collection with you.
***And Anthony has a giveaway on Goodreads.***
Go HEREand scroll down for a chance to win a print copy!
Nightlight Tales
My Review
It’s been my pleasure to read all of Anthony’s stories and now he has gathered them together in one volume.
I’d love to share my reviews of each story individually but that would be one huge review. So I’ll tease you instead.
Looking for some scary good reads?
From demon possession to fanatics.
From a cave dwelling monster to a haunted house.
From zombies to she devils.
There’s daylight vampires and sunrise werewolves.
And all things haunted and beastly.
There are plenty of ways to get your fright on in these pages.
These stories, spun from Anthony’s imagination, will fill you with wonder and hope and the darkness beyond.
Lots of action. Lots of suspense. Well developed characters. And terrific plots. There’s something for everyone in this collection.
5 Stars
~~~~
Synopsis
13 tales of terror.
13 tales that will have you reaching for the nightlight before you go to bed tonight.
The stories in this chilling collection are as follows.
1. The Man from the Road: A man suddenly appears on a road. He’s lost, confused, no clue as to how he got there. He starts to walk and stops suddenly. There’s a bonfire in a field nearby. He sees people dancing around this fire. They are performing some kind of ritual. He turns to flee, but he’s captured. No chance of escape. He hopes he is only dreaming, because all of this seems a bit too real.
2. The Living Sand: Two boys discover a hidden beach and the evil deadly secrets that lie within its soft white grains of sand.
3. SHe: A monster stalks the city of Tampa Bay. This monster is only attacking women taking only the one thing it needs. Tim Roberts, a detective, is hot on this monster’s trail. Will he catch this monster in time or will this monster feed until it has its fill? Be careful Tim, this monster has a secret yet to be revealed.
4. A Zombie Christmas: Three men risk life and limb in a Zombie Apocalypse in order to bring happiness to surviving kids on Christmas Morning.
5. Need to Feed: Another year. Another massacre looming. When the sun rises on the Old West town of Saltwater Junction this town will face head on two fierce predators. Vampires who stalk you in the sunlight and werewolves that transform with the sunrise. This short story rewrites the legends and all you’ve ever known about these creatures of the night. Where do you go when there’s no place left to hide?
6. A Haunted House Tale: Five college students on Halloween night set out to discover the secrets of the town’s most infamous haunted house. Will these students live to see the morning or will this house claim five more victims?
7. A Zombie Thanksgiving: A woman risks life and limb in a Zombie Apocalypse in order to keep the Thanksgiving tradition alive.
8. Sandy and The Stranger: A road racing champion meets his match in the form of a stranger who may or may not be the ghost of James Dean himself.
9. Demon Energy: A short story about 1 man possessed and tormented by a 1000 demons who must fight for a soul he is starting to lose. Will he ever find salvation or is his body now an eternal host of hell?
10. Killer Treads: A short story about a man who sees a flashy ad online advertising a twenty dollar treadmill. He buys the machine, too cheap to be scared, and realizes much to his dismay that this machine has a taste for blood. Big Bob better run like his life depends on it because in many ways it does.
11. A Zombie New Year’s Eve: Becky and Joe are separated in a Zombie Apocalypse and risk life and limb in order to reunite for their New Year’s Eve kiss.
12. Joyride: A Joyride in a Chevy Chevelle. The car was just sitting there for the taking. What could possibly go wrong? Vinnie and Mike are about to find out what can and will go wrong once they turn the key. Evil awaits.
13. A Vampire at Christmas: A Vampire uses his riches and immortal skills to bring joy to those in need during the Christmas Season.
Click on the cover to get your copy.
~~~~
You can click on the covers below to read my reviews.
Be sure to stop back by for next Saturday’s choice.
Welcome to my tour stop for The Cypress Trap by J.C. Gatlin. This is an adult suspense/thriller novel. The tour runs October 12-23 with reviews, interviews, guest posts and excerpts. Check out the tour page for the full schedule.
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The Cypress Trap
by JC Gatlin
My Review
Hang on to your boot straps! This is one intense, suspense filled read.
Rayanne knows her marriage is in trouble, so she talks her husband, Owens, into changing his plans and going fishing with her. They need to work on things.
She’s none too happy when Owens fishing buddy Daryl shows up, but sucks it up and goes along with them. What first appears to be some punk kids messing with them on the lake quickly turns into a fight for their lives.
From the water, to the woods, to an old cabin, they are relentlessly pursued by maniacal teens and a ferocious Rottweiler.
It makes you think twice about going off road. You go on a trip into the wilderness, or even just a bit away from the populace, never thinking anything bad will happen. Is that ignorance? Or is it denial? Bad things happen all the time. People disappear and are never found.
What do the teens want? How did it get so out of control?
I can’t wait for you to read this book and find out. It’s something so inconsequential.
And the relentless suspense will keep you reading to the end.
4 Stars
~~~~
Synopsis
When Rayanne commandeers her husband’s weekend fishing trip, she knows it’ll take work to adjust Owen’s attitude. She has no choice. Since the tragedy, they lost so much. They need to reconnect.
Without her knowledge, Owen texts his best buddy, Daryl, to join the getaway. The three of them aren’t alone in the backwoods of Georgia, though. Owen took something that didn’t belong to him. Something that changed their lives. And now the owner wants it back. By any means — including a posse led by a killer dog.
At first, Rayanne is clueless about the item and its value. One thing becomes crystal clear: If it’s not returned, they might not make it home alive.
About the Author:
JC Gatlin lives in Tampa, Florida. In addition to regular fishing trips, he wrote a monthly column for New Tampa Style Magazine, then began penning several mystery/suspense stories. He also maintains a blog about the art of spinning a nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat mystery yarn.
Coming from a large family with five brothers, JC grew up in Grapevine — a small Texas town just outside of Dallas. He moved to Tampa in 1999, and most of his stories feature the rich landscapes of Texas and Florida as backdrop.
The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader and find a sentence or a few (no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.
Then go over to Freda’s Voice and leave your link so we can visit your 56!
My 56 for this week is from
My Life As A White Trash Zombie
by Diana Rowland
My 56
Usually if I craved something, I ate it. Simple. I didn’t need anyone else to tell me it was okay and that I should go for it.
But I’d been craving brains. The smell was like chocolate and cookies and biscuits and gravy and everything else that was delicious. It damn near drove me crazy every time I had to touch one. I’d been fighting the cravings the way I’d never fought the urge to take drugs or get drunk.
~~~~
My Review
Angel is no angel. She’s a pill popping addict with a felony record and she can’t hold down a job. She’s also a zombie.
When she wakes up in the hospital, she thinks she’s lucky to be alive after overdosing on pain pills. But then she starts getting these weird cravings, and she can’t seem to eat enough to get full.
An anonymous note leads her to apply for and land a job at the morgue. That’s when her craving shows it’s true colors. That sweet smell that’s making her stomach growl in hunger is brains.
What better job for a zombie than to work at the morgue. Nobody will miss a few brains here or there. I suspect any zombie would want the job. Another advantage is not having to worry about being so hungry you lose control and attack someone.
But someone does notice the missing brains. And someone made Angel a zombie for a reason. And even worse, there’s a serial killer racking up a body count and taking the heads. No more brains means Angel will have to find out who the killer is or she might graduate to full dead.
Angel isn’t the most likable character at first. I have little sympathy for drug addicts. Especially when they do harm to others to get their next fix. Once she was turned into a zombie, I hoped she’d take the second chance she’d been given and do something good with her “life.” She has her work cut out for her.
And there’s a possible romance with a sexy deputy. I wondered what he’d think if he knew Angel craved brains.
Angel made me laugh. She made me shake my head in exasperation. Then she grew, accepted the role life gave her. She slowly won me over and made me care about her.
Looking for your next zombie fix. Try this series. It’s fun, kind of gross, (well, it’s about zombies and zombies eat brains), and has a killer plot. And there’s no cliffhanger ending, even though this is the first book in the series. Everything gets wrapped up. Yet it leaves you curious to know where Angel goes from here.
4 Stars
Read on if you want to know more.
Synopsis
Angel Crawford is a loser.
Living with her alcoholic deadbeat dad in the swamps of southern Louisiana, she’s a high school dropout with a pill habit and a criminal record who’s been fired from more crap jobs than she can count. Now on probation for a felony, it seems that Angel will never pull herself out of the downward spiral her life has taken.
That is, until the day she wakes up in the ER after overdosing on painkillers. Angel remembers being in an horrible car crash, but she doesn’t have a mark on her. To add to the weirdness, she receives an anonymous letter telling her there’s a job waiting for her at the parish morgue—and that it’s an offer she doesn’t dare refuse.
Before she knows it she’s dealing with a huge crush on a certain hunky deputy and a brand new addiction: an overpowering craving for brains. Plus, her morgue is filling up with the victims of a serial killer who decapitates his prey—just when she’s hungriest!
Angel’s going to have to grow up fast if she wants to keep this job and stay in one piece. Because if she doesn’t, she’s dead meat.
Welcome to my tour stop for Four (Their Dead Lives #1) by Zack Scott. This is a zombie apocalypse horror, comedy, action & adventure. The tour runs October 12-23 with reviews, interviews, guest posts and excerpts. Check out the tour page for the full schedule.
FOUR
Their Dead Lives #1
by Zack Scott
A tragic past. A destined reunion. A decaying hope.
In Southern California, four friends must face a haunting nightmare from high school in order to save the future of humanity. But will their personal conflicts get in the way? Battling for survival, these fated four will choose whether to follow a destined path or continue their dead lives, while the zombie apocalypse feeds them one cliche after another.
Enjoy this glimpse inside Four from the Evans Chapter!
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Roaring, Evans rolled on his side and unloaded most of his clip as the zombies neared. A few rotting corpses teetered off the dock, while too many others kept their pursuit.
Rolling back to the ocean, Evans reached in. Waves slapped his face. A hand broke the surface, snagging his wrist. He heaved to his feet and yanked Erica back on the dock with one tug. Thank you for being so light. Her body shivered against his and her lips shook the words, “We have to keep moving.”
Evans glanced at the sprinters closing in on them. A wave dragged a few more into the sea.
Erica’s body went weak and limp against him. He said, “We have to go!” But she seemed ready to pass out. He needed her alert, so he grabbed her head, wrapped his fingers through her drenched hair, and with his other arm outstretched, he aimed his pistol steadily, firing at the incoming sprinters.
Blocking out the storm, the bullets, and the onrushing undead, Evans pressed his lips to Erica. The world stilled as they stood in the eye of the storm. If only forever. The kiss seemingly helped Erica focus.
Feet slipped, moans swarmed, waves crashed, and then he finally saw it: the yacht at the end of the dock. Erica’s hand tightened around his, taut with hope. They glanced at one another and her wet lips parted into a beaming smile.
A strong urge gave him the desire to kiss—
The largest wave of them all rose high above the dock, then washed the yacht from their eyes.
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Author Zack Scott
Zack Scott is the author of THEIR DEADS LIVES, ONE PISSED OFF SHARK, and several short stories he wrote for the 2013 Flash Fiction Challenge, where he made it to the final round.Although he’s visited many areas in the world, Zack has lived in Southern California most of his life. He grew up in Los Angeles, attended undergrad at CSUCI in Ventura County, and completed law school down in sunny San Diego. More recently, he was living the startup life in Silicon Valley with the 500 Startups accelerator program. He is licensed to practice law in California, but more importantly he likes to hang his pants on his desk chair rather than his closet.
When he’s not writing stories, Zack can be found in a never-ending wrestling match with his dog Leo or cooking pasta while wearing a Chargers apron.
Title: Affected
Series: The Affected Trilogy
Vol or Book #: Book One
Author: Randi Lee
Audience: New Adult & Adult
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller & Dystopian
Format: paperback & ebook
Publisher: Abuzz Press
Cover by: Todd Engel, Engel Creative Graphic Design
Editor: Randi Lee
Pages: 292
ISBN: 978-1632639462
ASIN: B00WYBWL9G
Date Published: April 1, 2015
Eight years ago, there was no World Government. There were no agents, no carts. The fear of a nosebleed did not exist. Then came The Affection—an incurable disease that ran rampant across the planet, killing off roughly 60% of the human population. Two years later—with order in shambles and governments all over the world in ruins—the World Government formed. That’s when the real trouble began. The WG made it its mission to segregate the sick (known as “Affected”) from the rest of the population in an attempt to keep the disease from spreading. Agents were put into place to corral the ill and the God-forsaken carts were introduced. For the past six years, Ethan has lived a quiet life. He has done his best to remain out of the public eye and, more importantly, off of the agents’ radars. However, when his ex-girlfriend, daughter of the famous scientist who first discovered the disease, is captured by agents and taken to World Government
headquarters to be experimented upon, Ethan can no longer pretend the world around him doesn’t exist. On his way to save her, Ethan is thrust into a place of turmoil, espionage and conspiracies. Will he be able to handle the pressures of reality? Will he be able to save her in time?
The agents lead the chef out of the restaurant. Things do not go back to normal so easily, not the way they did back at the ball game. Awash with the tragedy of the moment, people mourn the loss of the chef in different ways. Some leave, some bow their heads and others lose the battle to tears. The hostess gives a speech about the man the chef is. A round of clapping follows.
“This doesn’t make sense,” Grant says. “The chef was Affected. Doesn’t that mean he was serving Affected food? He could have made us all sick.”
“What’s your point?” I ask.
“My point is that those agents could easily take us all in for fear of contagion. What’s stopping them?”
Cameron’s card comes to mind—the one with the embossed gold lettering and three contact numbers. I sift through my wallet and pull it out.
“Me,” I say, staring at the card. “I’m stopping them.”
Randi Lee is a writer and blogger who lives in New England with her family and much-loved dogs. She studied Communications, Media and Theater Arts and is an avid fan of live theater. Randi often incorporates techniques she’s learned from her studies into her writing. Believing that her areas of study have much in common with and can benefit the writing world, she shares her knowledge on her blog—often providing fellow writers with a different perspective on the craft via tips and advice.
A world traveler, Randi finds great inspiration in the places she visits. Whether it be a different country or the next town over, Randi uses all of her senses to take in each experience and learn something new. She strongly believes that visiting new places and interacting with different cultures strengthens the soul—and the creative muscles.
Randi is always excited to meet new people and exchange ideas. She can be contacted via e-mail at: randi@randileewrites.com.
