Archive for the ‘giveaways’ Category
Book Blast and Giveaway ~ Diamond In The Rough by Lori L. Robinett
Posted: May 13, 2016 in Book Blast, Contemporary Romance, giveaways, WesternTags: Author Lori L. Robinett, contemporary romance, Diamond In The Rough, giveaway, western
I love cowboys. Ever since I was young and stayed up late with my Dad to watch westerns, I’ve adored them.
Whether the story is set in the old west or current times, I still enjoy reading about them.
A little romance, rustlers, and a kidnapping. Lots to entertain.
I have a fun excerpt for ya too. Gina is a hoot.
Check it out!
And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!
Diamond In The Rough
Diamond J #2
by Lori L. Robinett
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Western
Synopsis
Ranch hand Aidan Brackston has built a new life at the Diamond J, and he keeps women at arm’s length to protect his secret . . . until he walks into the local scrapbook store on an errand for his boss. When he accidentally knocks Gina on her ass, she responds with a slap . . . and the fireworks begin.
Single mom Gina Montgomery has her hands full running a business and taking care of her little boy. The last thing she needs is a man in her life, but when a tall, dark and sexy cowboy strides into her store, she’s reminded that she’s still a young woman with hopes and desires.
Just as passion ignites between Aidan and Gina, her little boy is kidnapped by rustlers. Will the two of them be able to save her little boy . . . even if that means exposing Aidan’s secret?
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Excerpt
She peeked around the paper rack at the cowboy standing in the front of her store. He was tall, easily six foot. His shoulders were broad, his arms well muscled. A pair of work gloves tucked in his back pockets drew her eyes to his butt. Red dust covered his black cowboy hat, and his boots were scuffed. Yes, yes, yes, she thought, he was a real cowboy.
She scooped up the box of supplies and smiled around the pencil in her teeth. Something dark and fuzzy came into her field of vision, from below, right across the top of the box. Her focus shifted from the cowboy to the thing crawling across the box clutched to her breast.
Spider!!
She screamed. She pitched the box and the contents flew through the air. The spider moved fast across the old linoleum tiles, straight towards her.
She climbed on top of the folding table and squatted there. Its two front legs felt in front of it, as if it were trying to find her.
She was so focused on the spider, she didn’t see the others. Wasn’t even aware that she was not alone in the shop, until she heard Midge’s voice.
“Good grief, stop screaming, would you?”
And she saw him. The cowboy. It took a moment to remember his name. Aidan. That was it. Aidan.
Calm as could be, he walked over, picked up a piece of paper and scooped the spider up. It jerked a bit, then froze. Aidan strode to the front door. Gina stood up on the table and watched as he opened the door, squatted down and tipped the paper. Stunned, she stood and watched. She’d never seen anyone do that before.
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Author Lori L. Robinett
Lori is the author of four books, and serves as a mentor for aspiring writers. She is a creative soul trapped in a paralegal’s body. Several years ago, she discovered (and won) National Novel Writing Month and rediscovered the joy of escaping into a world of her own creation.
She lives in rural Missouri with her husband. One very spoiled Miniature Schnauzer and Miniature Beagle allow Lori and her husband to live in their house, and the outside is patrolled by BK (short for Barn Kitty) and Patches (a sweet tom cat stray that missed his calling as a lap cat).
Her novels cover everything from romance to thrillers, but mystery is the thread that binds them all together. Her favorite authors are Tawna Fenske, Tierney James, Colleen Donnelly, Allison Merritt, Lisa Medley, Lea Waite, Susan Mallery, Hugh Howey, HP Mallory and, well, the list goes on and on.
Links: Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook
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The more you comment, the more chances to win!
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Collective Ramblings ~ An Anthology ~ Review and Giveaway
Posted: May 12, 2016 in Anthology, Blog Tour, giveaways, reviewsTags: anthology, Collective Ramblings, giveaway, Laura Thomas, review, various authors, Volume One
Thanks for visiting my stop on the tour for Collective Ramblings!
I had fun with this anthology and discovered some wonderful new authors and enjoyed stories from some I already know.
Check out my review.
And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!
Collective Ramblings
Volume One
by Various Authors
Genre: Anthology
My Review
I’m a fan of short stories and anthologies so I was excited to read this collection.
I’ll give you a few samples.
The first story, The Era of Super Weapons, was fun and packed with action. The super weapons were humans with extra powers, some an interesting combination of animal and human.
One such weapon, while on a mission, bumps into other super weapons, and that saying “The enemy of my enemy is my friend,” couldn’t be more true when they come up against a deadly foe.
This was fun. My imagination took over, and I visualized how these super weapons would look. Action is fast and furious, and the ending invites you to want more. I’d continue with these characters if another story became available.
Next up was Heroes. A young man, comic book heroes, and an old man. What if the comic book legends were real? The writing was strong, and while the ending left me hanging, it did make me think, what if.
All Things Change was a strange little story about a girl living in a bubble. She’s locked in her house, surrounded by plastic, and it’s been days since her parents visited her. With no clue what’s happening outside, she invites a stranger in.
I would have loved to get more of this one. I knew something dramatic was occurring but was kept as isolated as the girl in her bubble. The ending left me scratching my head.
There’s a blend of several genres. Lots of different scenarios. And some fun characters too.
While I can’t say I loved all of these stories, I did enjoy their individuality and finished the collection wondering about several of them, and I’d read other stories by these authors.
You may not like all of these, but I’m sure there are some gems you’ll enjoy. From little nibbles to bigger bites, and four categories, there’s something for everyone.
4 Stars
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Synopsis
2015’s Twenty Short Story Contest winners assembled in one place. Five stories from each category (Super Powers, Deserted Island, Horror, and Labyrinth), including the top winners of each contest shown below.
The Era of Super Weapons – Roger, America’s super-soldier, embarks on what seemed a routine mission –until his enemies turn to allies against a horde revealing information that will turn the entire world on its head.
Synchronysi – A steampunk masterpiece. After her volunteer operation, a woman awakens to a world made entirely of tine crystals. As she travels the shining island, the product of her surgery reveals much more than she may be able to handle—neither the land of crystals nor the world from which she arrived are exactly what they seem.
Terrors Great and Small – A couple barricades themselves in their home to escape a viral outbreak carried by mosquito bites. As the days of panic and solitude stack up, they battle with both their own crumbling sanity and the terror of what really awaits them beyond their front door.
The Walls Are Alive – in a world where violent offenders are placed in a deadly, automated labyrinth—designed to let no one escape alive—the labyrinth’s caretaker steps inside for a routine maintenance. When the automation turns on him, he’s forced to run the maze like all the criminals he’s sent to their own demise.
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Horror Excerpt
Terrors Great and Small by John Langmaack
From out in the hall, something big dropped from the ceiling, slamming its bulk into the door and knocking Simon against the desk. He quickly bounced back, throwing all his weight against the door, pushing it back. A terrible droning sound filled them all with a primal fear. It rose in pitch and volume as the door moved toward Simon. He pushed against it with all his strength, groaning as he gained and lost inches. Simon used the desk behind him as a brace, using his legs to add to the strength of his push. The door was closing. He was…winning.
He shouted in alarm as something grabbed the door from the outside. At first, he thought it was a stick, like a branch. It was segmented and moving, with bristling hairs, like thorns. He gave a greater push as the droning outside reached a terrifying whine. He was awestruck with horror when he risked a strained glimpse through the narrowing crack and saw a huge compound eye staring back at him.
Simon recoiled and the door opened a little wider. He could now clearly see the thing. It was neither a giant insect nor a man, but a ghastly amalgam of both. Torn and bloody flesh was a quivering, wet curtain beneath the bulging eyes. From behind the bleeding mess, a long and slender tube, like an exposed muscle, stretched toward Simon’s face. He almost wept when he saw, above those prismatic eyes, a tuft of shocking orange hair. The frantic beating of veiny, cellophane-like wings caused the droning. He could feel the wind of their beating and he could smell the stench of decay it blew off its own shredded flesh.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Just as it says, Collective Ramblings is a collection of various works, an anthology. In 2015, we completed our quarterly writing contests, each with its own theme. For each theme, the five best entries were selected from the contest to have their works published. All twenty stories have been compiled into this book for your reading pleasure. The four contest themes were:
- Super Powers
- Deserted Island
- Horror
- Labyrinth.
We know everyone will love these imagination-stretching stories, that are filled with suspense, bravery, and danger, as much as we did.
RamRam Publishing / Twitter / Facebook / Tumblr / Instagram
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The authors will be awarding 1 print copy of Collective Ramblings: Volume 1,(international winner) or 2 ebooks (one of Collective Ramblings: Volume 1 and the second RRPI Book winner’s choice) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and winner’s choice of a t-shirt or print from their shop: https://www.teepublic.com/user/rrpi to a randomly drawn host.(US ONLY) Additionally, Goddess Fish Productions will be awarding a $5 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn host.
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Click on the banner below to follow the tour and comment.
The more you comment, the more chances to win!
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The Neverland Wars by Audrey Greathouse ~ Blitz and Giveaway
Posted: May 12, 2016 in Blitz, giveaways, YA FantasyTags: Author Audrey Greathouse, fairytale retelling, giveaway, The Neverland Wars, YA Fantasy
Hatred Day by T.S. Pettibone ~ Excerpt and Giveaway
Posted: May 11, 2016 in Blog Tour, giveaways, Science Fiction, YA FantasyTags: Author T.S. Pettibone, giveaway, Hatred Day, Science Fiction, YA Fantasy
This is going to be such a fun read. How can I resist a YA fantasy, science fiction blend. And just look at that amazing cover art!
Check out Hatred Day by T.S. Pettibone.
And don’t forget to enter the giveaway! I have one print copy to giveaway to a luck US or Canada entry.
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Hatred Day
by T.S. Pettibone
(Hatred Day, #1)
Publication date: January 29th 2016
(Hatred Day, #1)
Publication date: January 29th 2016
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Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult
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Synopsis:
In the year 2052, it’s not love but hate that unites the world. Humanity is unified against the Inborns, an extraterrestrial species with godlike intelligence and abilities whose arrival on earth caused an environmental and biological crisis.
Enslaved and despised even by her own Inbornkind, 18-year-old Snofrid reawakens to the world after having her memories stolen and is certain of only one thing: she will do anything to ensure her freedom. But her resolution is soon tested when the son of a high-ranking human official is murdered and her home city becomes the center of the interspecies war, one that might see the Inborns purged. Desperate to find a way out of the city for herself and her family, Snofrid risks making a deal with the manipulative Inborn Commander, Hadrian, and his brutal cadre of soldiers. Her task is simple: take part in a historic hunt that will bring wealth and fame to all who survive. Unfortunately, Snofrid’s role is one in which survival is rarely seen—the bait.
Check out the excerpt!
In the beginning of Hatred Day, our protagonist, Snofrid, discovers that she has lost her memories. The below excerpt is the first memory she gets back.
A Girl and Her Ghost
Age 4
The Empyrean City
I lived alone in a room without windows. It had one door that only opened on the last day of the month. There were giant chests of toys in the room. I kept my dolls in a wooden trunk with flower carvings, and my thirty books, I stacked in neat rows along the walls. All of my dresses were stored in a wardrobe beside my bed; if I left one on the floor, it was hung by the morning. Each time I woke, a tray of meat, fruits and vegetables, and a pitcher of water was on the table. Someone took care of me; I didn’t know who, but I think the person liked when I was neat. I named the person Ghost. I wanted to make Ghost happy, so I always made sure my toys, books and clothes were put away before I went to sleep. I used to stay awake, hiding my face with my covers, waiting to see Ghost when it came in, but nothing ever happened. Once I stayed awake for hours, and by the twenty-ninth hour, the food still hadn’t come. I stopped trying to see Ghost after that.
But I talked to Ghost every day.
I told it about the things I read; I sang for it; I told it stories; I told it when I was sad, or afraid, or when I felt lonely; and I asked it questions, even though it never answered back. Almost every time I did these things, the floor creaked on the other side of the wall, so I knew Ghost was listening. This usually made me happy, but sometimes it made me sad. I wanted Ghost to let me see it and play with me in the room.
I didn’t know where the room was. I’d stopped wondering a long time ago. I hadn’t seen sunlight, or beasts, or plants, or the stars; I only knew about these things from pictures in my books. My favorite pictures were ones of the sky, and of giant towers with windows, and of beasts with bright feathers and furry tails.
I had no idea what I looked like. I’d never seen my own face, only a blurry reflection in my food tray. I knew my eyes were large and that I was very small. I hoped I was pretty like the highborn women I read about.
The two tall, masked men who walked me to the library each month to choose thirty new books were the only people I’d seen. One of them was skinny and so white he looked sick. He wore a black robe and always tugged on the sleeves until strings fell on the floor. The other one was as big as a warrior. I’d learned by heart the House insignia on his breastplate—a cold blue wyvern head with seven silver horns above five golden keys. Around it were silver cypress leaves and golden anemone flowers; if I looked closely, I could see the soft outline of a solar eclipse behind the wyvern’s head. I liked the swishes his blue robe made as he moved; the clicking sounds his spurs made when he walked; the way the light made his silver pauldron shine; and even the slow way he breathed.
When the man in the black robe would lift me up to reach the books, he’d say in his raspy voice, “Don’t only choose science books. Some of the history books might have sweets behind them.” The man in the blue robe never let me stand close to him. I didn’t think he liked me. His silver eyes looked sad, sometimes mad, through his mask eyepieces. Every time I stared at him, he squeezed something in his pocket. It must’ve been sharp, because afterward his pocket would have blood on it.
Then one day I left the room forever.
I’d been drawing a picture of a beast for Ghost when the door opened. I was so afraid, I dropped my pencil. The man with the silver eyes picked me up and carried me down a passage for a long time. He didn’t talk to me or look at me, only held me in one arm, and kept the other one behind his back. I tried tickling his chin, but he didn’t smile. He had a big black Mohawk on his head and I touched it to see if it was sharp. It was poky and soft. When he didn’t talk to me, I told him about my friend Ghost. He stayed quiet. I fell asleep on his shoulder.
When I woke up, he was setting me down before a metal transport. I’d seen a picture of one in a book and knew the guns on the side were dangerous. The door in the transport opened and I moved back when a young man with short black hair came out, smiling at me. He was handsome like the highborns in the books I read, but his brown eyes were slanted funny, and he didn’t wear armor. He crouched in front of me, and said, “I’ve waited to meet you a long time, Snofrid. My name is Ryuki Yagami and I’m going to take you to a new home.”
I was afraid and hid behind the silver-eyed man’s leg. No one had ever spoken to me before—except for the raspy-voiced man behind the wall, who taught me about Inborn etiquette, and how to read and speak English. I didn’t want to go to a new home. I liked my room. I liked my books and my flower chest, and I didn’t want to leave Ghost. The silver-eyed man picked me up and put me inside the transport. Then, for the very first time, he talked to me, and said, “Daringly dared, half of it won, Snofrid.”
I didn’t know what these words meant. I wanted to ask him, but he’d already put his back to me was talking to Ryuki in a language I didn’t understand.
There was a little boy with golden brown eyes sitting in the back seat eating dried leaves. It was the first time I’d seen a person as small as me before. I wanted him to like me, but I was too afraid to sit close to him, so after I greeted him, I sat behind him. He stared over his seat with wide eyes, and said, “Stone me! You look just like my aunt Lorna.” His voice was loud, and I didn’t know how to answer, so I just nodded. The boy talked a lot more after that and I listened. He told me his name was Desya, and that we were going to live in a place called Hollowstone City, and that Ryuki was a good dad, and that we’d never have to be afraid with him, even though we were shamed. I didn’t know what he was talking about really, but after a while, I started saying things back.
We drove through the passage for a long, long time. When I first saw the sunlight, it happened so fast that I screamed. It was the brightest light I’d ever seen. It was brighter than all my candles and lamps, and it burned my eyes. Desya gave me a pair of black goggles. As soon as I put them on, I was able to see the mountains, the trees, and the flowers. I thought of Ghost right away and was sad I couldn’t tell it how happy I was.
Author T.S. Pettibone
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T.S. Pettibone are the authors of The Hatred Day Series. Expected publication for book two, Verdict Day, is 2017.
T.S. Pettibone is the pen name of identical twins, Brittany and Nicole Pettibone. They were born in California, grew up in Kansas, and these days, live and write in California. On the rare occasion that they break from writing, they enjoy taking their dog on night walks, reading books by long deceased authors, drinking too much coffee and tea, traveling the world, making friends out of strangers and trying new things.
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I have one print copy to give away.
US and Canada Only. Sorry to my International friends.
Entry is easy. Just leave your email so I can contact you if you win and answer this question:
“If you had a date with an alien, where would you take them?”
Giveaway ends May 21st.
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The Colony ~ A Rasper Novel by Kathleen Groger ~ Review and Giveaway
Posted: May 10, 2016 in Blog Tour, giveaways, reviews, Science Fiction, YATags: A Rasper Novel by Kathleen Groger, giveaway, review, The Colony, YA science fiction
The Colony
A Rasper Novel #1
by Kathleen Groger
Published: April 5, 2016
![Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000039_00004]](http://fuonlyknew.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Colony-cover.jpg)
Genre: YA Science Fiction
My Review
So, the skinny is, scientists and Big Brother drill for what they think is the biggest oil deposit ever. What they raise is a plague on humanity. Many people die, and others are infected. Survivors are hunted by the Raspers, and the world crumbles.
You meet Val after the apocalypse started. She’s lost her parents and is surviving by three simple rules she keeps written on her arm.
Trust no one.
Never go out in the dark.
Always carry a weapon.
This serves her well. But she soon has to bend those rules when she meets Adam. Forced out of hiding, they travel together, trying to stay one step ahead of the Raspers. It gets riskier when the Raspers start coming out in the daylight. And it seems no matter how far or fast they run, the Rasper’s keep finding them. They want Val, and their pursuit is relentless.
This is a real page turner. You’re sucked in from the beginning and the action and suspense are relentless. In those few moments when the action slows, you are swept along with the characters as they evolve and grow during desperate times.
Always on the lookout for something new, the author gave me a good one with her Raspers. Just what do we know about them? They’re called Raspers because of their noisy breathing. They are the infected humans that survived, kind of. But what are they really? What came up when the drilling began? Not what I was expecting and that’s a nice surprise.
A solid science fiction story for all fans, with a dash of something scary to keep you hooked.
4 Stars
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Synopsis
Trust no one.
Never go out in the dark.
Always have a weapon.
Sixteen-year-old Val lives by these three rules etched on her arm. Her rules and her gun are the only things standing between her and assimilation by hordes of human-looking aliens she calls Raspers.
By day, Val gathers supplies. By night, she hides and wishes she could go back in time…before her family died…before the annihilation…before the Raspers began stalking her and demanding she join their collective.
But when the Raspers attack in broad daylight, the truth becomes startlingly clear.
They’re evolving.
A fellow survivor crashes into Val’s life. Adam’s full of charm and promises—like rumors of a safe haven—but there’s something wrong. He’s survived with no supplies, no weapons…no plans. Time is running out. With the formula for survival shifting around her, Val must decide how many rules she’s willing to break to escape the Colony.
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Author
Kathleen wrote her first story in elementary school about a pegasus named Sir Lancelot. It had no plot or conflict, but it sparked a dream. After serving a fifteen-year sentence in retail management, the bulk in big box bookstores, she turned her love of reading into a full-time career writing dark and haunting characters and stories.
She lives by the mantra that a day is not complete without tea. Lots of tea. Kathleen lives in Ohio with her husband, two boys, and two attention-demanding dogs. When not writing or editing or revising, you can find her reading, cooking, spending time with her family, or photographing abandoned buildings.
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A Kindle Fire
5x print copies of The Colony
Swag
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The Cresecren Chornicles ~ Novus by Crystal Marcos ~ Book Blast & Giveaway
Posted: May 9, 2016 in Action/Adventure, Book Blast, Dystopian, giveaways, Romance, suspense, YATags: Author Crystal Marcos, giveaway, Novus, romance, suspense, The Cresecren Chronicles, YA Dystopian
Novus by Crystal Marcos
Ideal for Hunger Games and Divergent fans, Crystal Marcos delivers Novus, a riveting novel set in a dystopian future of action-adventure, suspense, and romance. Intriguing characters and a gripping storyline keep the reader turning page after page.
Being a teenager is hard enough. And what if your life’s path is pre-determined? On top of that, you aren’t even Human?
Cayden was given life as a Cresecren. He expected to live out his days with the dysfunctional Human family he was assigned to serve. One fateful night, however, landed him in Gavaron, the home of maimed, elderly, or defiant Cresecren.
Beyond its borders is the Den, an area much more dangerous than he ever imagined. Now seventeen, Cayden unwittingly becomes involved in a conspiracy and is one of a handful of survivors fleeing a deadly attack. They set off on a perilous journey in search of refuge and the truth. Along the way, Cayden begins to comprehend the difference between fully living and merely surviving, while trying to balance his emotions and a forbidden love.
Awards:
~”Official Selection” Winner in the Young Adult category, 2015 New Apple Book Awards!~
~Winner Best Books in the Young Adult category, 2016 Pinnacle Book Achievement Awards!~
NOVUS (The Cresecren Chronicles, Book 1) has recently received two book awards! To celebrate the eBook will be on SALE for $1.99 until 5/15/2016
Praise for the Book:
“Novus by Crystal Marcos is one of those gems that make you care about the characters within the story, and while you definitely want to know what happens to them, you can’t help but also not want to get to the end of the book. It’s the kind of book whose characters you miss when you finish the book.”
~Kim Anisi for Readers’ Favorite- 5 STARS
Enjoy this Excerpt
Famous and Alecander had just reached the trees when another man jumped from the vehicle to the ground. He reached overhead to grab the rifle from the marksman as another gideon approached at top speed. I turned and joined Alecander and Famous as they rode through the woods dodging trees, bushes, and branches.
Gunshots whizzed through the woods. A sizzling sound zipped by my left ear and gouged a hole the size of my fist in a nearby tree. I had heard of the “Bleeding Heart” but never witnessed it in action. It was designed to take out an enemy’s heart. I quickly decided to run in a zig-zag pattern through the forest to make it more of a challenge to hit me. This was not easy to do as I had to avoid trees and foliage. I knew they would pursue us until they killed us. My only concern was how long I could elude them. Why did they want us dead?
Author Crystal Marcos
Award-winning author Crystal Marcos has been a storyteller her entire life. As the oldest of five children, she had to do a lot of entertaining. She lives on the Kitsap Peninsula in Washington State with her husband, daughter Kaylee, and infant son Jaxon. Crystal is the author of BELLYACHE: A Delicious Tale and HEADACHE: The Hair-Raising Sequel to BELLYACHE. Novus, her third book and first Young Adult novel, is Book One of The Cresecren Chronicles.
Blast Giveaway – $100 Amazon Gift Card or $100 in Paypal Cash
Ends 5/19/16
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the participating authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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Deadly Dunes by E. Michael Helms ~ Review and Giveaway
Posted: May 8, 2016 in Blog Tour, giveaways, Mystery, reviewsTags: A Mac McLellan Mystery #3, Author E. Michael Helms, Deadly Dunes, giveaway, Laura Thomas, mystery, review
Deadly Dunes
Mac McClellan Mystery #3
by E. Michael Helms
Genre: Mystery
My Review
Living on the beautiful Gulf Coast of Mexico, I just knew I had to read this series. I’ve read the first two books and couldn’t wait to see what kind of pickle Mac got himself into this time.
Newly retired and looking for something new, Mac landed in the Florida Panhandle. It seems he’s a magnet for trouble and inadvertently ends up in a couple of murder cases.
An encounter with the enchanting, Kate, spurs him to put down roots. A young woman insists her brother, an archaeology professor, didn’t commit suicide, but was murdered. The plot thickens when she mysteriously dies in a car accident after speaking to Mac.
As suspects crawl out from under the woodwork, the author keeps you busy sifting through the false leads to find the motive and the killer or killers.
Mac. What can I say. Retired from the military, he’s got a bark he needs to tame. His girlfriend Kate is quick to remind him he’s no longer in the military and she doesn’t take orders.
It’s never mentioned but I wonder if Mac’s a Jimmy Buffet fan. He sure feels like a fellow parrothead.
The bullets fly. There are multiple car crashes. Beer and scotch are consumed. And you’re taken on a treasure hunt. What a bounty.
I’ve become familiar with the setting for this series and it’s fun to recognize locations and land marks.
I almost forgot to mention. There’s a shiny new character you’ll be meeting. His tag is Henry the Eighth, and you’ll love him!
With lots of action, a mystery that’s not easily solved, a feeling of coming home, and character’s I’ve become quite fond of, I was kept entertained. I’m enjoying this series and hope there is more to come.
4 Stars
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Synopsis
Hours after hiring Mac McClellan to investigate the supposed suicide of her archaeologist brother, single-mom Jessie dies in a car accident. Jessie had just showed Mac artifacts and a copy of a map Jake found, items that indicate Hernando de Soto and his explorers might have camped on Five Mile Island during the winter of 1539-1540. Studying the map, Mac determines the site lies in the middle of a planned resort, The Dunes. Declaring the area an historic site could shut the project down. Suspicions aroused, he forges ahead, even though he no longer has a paying client.
Everywhere Mac turns, greed abounds, and no one he interviews seems innocent, even Jessie’s closest friends the Deckers, who have adopted her teenage daughter. Ron Decker’s construction company is building the Dunes, and he is heavily invested in its success. Then there is the oily son and ex-stripper wife of an old curmudgeon who won’t sell the one lot the project still needs to acquire. Jake’s estranged wife Laurel had plenty to gain from his death, and as Mac continues to dig, he begins to wonder if Jessie herself had more at stake than he was led to believe.
No one is happy about Mac’s persistence, and someone is unhappy enough to crash his truck and frame him for yet another murder. But Mac isn’t giving up, no matter what the cost.
Purchase Links: eBook / Paperback
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Enjoy this glimpse inside.
During our meeting at Panama Joe’s Jessie had mention that her brother found the artifacts near the bay overlooking what appeared to be a dead forest sticking out of the water. That had to be The Stumps, and most likely the location of the Spaniards’ winter fort, if it had existed. But there was no telling how far out into the bay the small forested peninsula had extended during de Soto’s time. My guess was the main part of the fort was now under several feet of water. From my front pocket I pulled the map Jessie had given me of what during the 16th century was a seven-mile-long peninsula. I took it out of the protective ziplock bag. After studying it a minute or so I slipped in back in the bag and back in my shorts pocket.
My plan was to start inland and work my way in a crisscross pattern toward the bay. Not being familiar with the metal detector, and knowing I was looking for iron objects as well as coins, I turned the discrimination knob low and the sensitivity setting to about midrange and pressed the “All Metal” display. With those settings I’d probably come across a lot of trash, but it was my best shot at finding something worthwhile.
Sweeping the coil back and forth, I almost immediately picked up several beeps of different tones. I pinpointed the object as best I could, then dropped to a knee and pulled the garden trowel I’d borrowed from Kate from my back pocket and dug into the sand. A few seconds later I flipped up the rim of an old drink can that predated all-aluminum cans.
The next ten or fifteen minutes produced nothing but pull tabs, rusted cans and other junk, and then the detector let out a beep different from the ones I’d been hearing. Digging down about four or five inches, I heard the trowel strike something solid and metallic. My adrenaline rushed as I lifted a coin with a trowel-full of sand. Brushing the coin clean, I saw it was an Indian Head penny in rough condition, dated either 1903 or 1908. It was no 16th century Spanish coin, but what the hell, I figured it had to be worth at least a few cents. The trip wasn’t a total loss.
The wind was picking up, and the thunder was getting louder by the minute. Deciding my chances would probably be better closer to the bay, I hurried in that direction. Jerry and I had to motor back to St. George, and I damn sure didn’t want to do it fighting a gale. About ten feet from the edge where the dunes began to slope downward to the bay the detector cut loose again. I dropped to both knees and began digging. I dug about a foot deep came up empty, so I passed the coil over the pile of sand I’d excavated to make sure I hadn’t missed anything. Nothing. I kept digging for another six or eight inches and then an object hit the pile and slid down a couple of inches. At first I thought it was an old bracelet someone had lost years ago, but on closer inspection I saw it was several small rusted oblong or circular loops linked tightly together, forming a patch-like object a couple of inches long and maybe an inch and a half wide. I had no idea what it was, but I slipped it into my pocket. You never know.
A few feet away the Bounty Hunter beeped again. Down and digging, I soon turned up a similar object, although this one was a little smaller in length. I dropped it in my pocket with the other one as a voice called out, “Hey, you!”
Oops! I turned and saw a tall lanky man with bushy hair approaching from about fifty yards away. He wore a tan shirt and trousers and a brown ball cap. It wasn’t a county sheriff’s uniform, but I had no intentions of hanging around long enough to find out who the guy worked for.
I scrambled to my feet and trotted toward the ledge as a shot rang out. The SOB was shooting at me, at least in my general direction! I hit the deck, cradling the detector in both arms and low crawled to the dune wall and went over head first. I spit out a mouthful of sand and tried to let loose a warning whistle to Jerry, but I doubt you could’ve heard it five feet away.
I turned feet-first and slid on down the slope and hit the beach running. Jerry had the boat waiting a few feet off the shoreline. I high-stepped through the shallows. Tossing the detector into the boat, I grabbed the bow and pushed for all I was worth. Jerry gunned the motor in reverse. I hung on until I managed to pull myself aboard and flop onto the deck.
“Turn this thing around and get the hell out of here!” I shouted, but Jerry was way ahead of the game. We were thirty or forty yards past the end of The Stumps when another shot rang out, barely discernable above the roar of the Merc 50. By then I was more pissed than scared, and if the Bounty Hunter was an M16 I would’ve had that chickenshit wannabe cop hugging Mother Earth for all he was worth.
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Author E. Michael Helms
- Michael Helms grew up in Panama City, FL, on the beautiful coast of the Florida Panhandle. He played football and excelled in baseball as a catcher. Turning down a scholarship offer from the local Junior college, he joined the Marines after high school graduation. He served as a rifleman during some of the heaviest fighting of the Vietnam War until wounded three times in one day. Helms discounts it as “waking up on the wrong side of the foxhole.”
His memoir of the war, The Proud Bastards, has been called “As powerful and compelling a battlefield memoir as any ever written … a modern military classic,” and remains in print after 25 years.
The Private War of Corporal Henson, a semi-autobiographical fictional sequel to The Proud Bastards, was published in August 2014.
A long-time Civil War buff, he is also the author of the historical saga, Of Blood and Brothers.
Seeking a respite from writing about war, Helms decided to give mysteries a try. The first novel of his Mac McClellan Mystery series, Deadly Catch, was published in November 2013 and was named Library Journal’s “Debut Mystery of the Month.” The second Mac McClellan Mystery, Deadly Ruse, premiered in November 2014. It won the 2015 RONE Award for “Best Mystery.” Deadly Dunes was published in March 2016 by Camel Press. Deadly Spirits is scheduled for release in January 2017.
With his wife, Karen, Helms now lives in the Upstate region of South Carolina in the shadow of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. He enjoys playing guitar, hiking, camping, fishing, canoeing, and is an avid birdwatcher. He continues to listen as Mac McClellan dictates his latest adventures in his mystery series.
Represented by Fred Tribuzzo, The Rudy agency.
Website / Facebook / Goodreads / Twitter / Amazon / Google +
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What’s New On My Bookshelf #158 and The Sunday Post
Posted: May 8, 2016 in Freebies!, giveaways, reviews, What's New on My BookshelfTags: fuonlyknew, Laura Thomas, my weekly book news, The Sunday Post
This is my own version of a weekly book haul and all things new on fuonlyknew.
Another fun way to share your book news and enjoy others is The Sunday Post hosted by
Kimberly the Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Head on over and leave a link to your Sunday Post and hop around to visits others.
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Some chit chat.
Hello everyone and Happy Sunday!
I try hard not to bitch and moan on my blog. But did I have a nightmare week. First, I’ve been struggling with a lot of pain. It radiated from the center of my spine and wrapped all the way around to my ribs. I finally got in to see a doctor, and it’s a muscle spasm. Sounds like no big deal, right? Let me tell you, I’ve been in agony. Couldn’t sit down or lay down without being in excruciating pain. I was so afraid it was something that was going to kill me. Sure felt like it. I’m now doing exercises to stretch the muscles and taking some medicine to ease the spasms and pain. There’s not much else you can do.
Then……..Someone hacked my email account. I woke up to around 8000 spam emails! What a nightmare to delete them all. Sorry if your posts got deleted too. And for not visiting much this week. I didn’t want to bring my problem over to you by commenting. You never know! It’s all clear now and I’m back in business.
A note of warning: They also hacked my Amazon account and went on a shopping spree with my gift card account. Amazon was amazing and my money was replaced quickly. Do yourself a favor. Change all your passwords from time to time!
On the good side. I’ve been watching the Captain America movies and the Avengers movies with my son. We turn out the lights, turn up the volume, and settle in with bowls of popcorn. Been a blast!
I’ll be hopping over to check out your Sunday posts so be sure to leave me your link!
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New books on my shelf. Some I won, some are for review, and some I just had to have.
Print books.
New eBooks
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And here are some freebies for ya!
Click on the covers to get yours and remember to make sure they’re still free before you click that buy button.
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Books I reviewed this week. Click on the covers for my reviews.
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Books I’ll be reviewing next week.
Most of these are for tours, so be sure to stop back as they will have giveaways too!
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Other posts on my blog this week.
My Monday Minis Reviews #48 ~ Descent, Forest Of Memory, and West Of Dead
Cover Reveal ~ Kaitlin’s Tale by Christine Amsden ~ A Cassie Scot Companion Novel
Teaser Tuesday #155 ~ Onyx Webb
The Berlin Package by Peter Riva ~ Review and Giveaway
Song of the Oceanides by J.G. Zymbalist ~ Guest Post and Giveaway
A short bite of horror ~ Rattlesnake by Michael Hebler ~ Get your free copy!
The Friday 56 #105 ~ Assassin’s Heart
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For a list of my reviews go HERE
For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE
To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!
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So, what did you get to read this week?
Got any recommendations?
I’d love to know and thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew.
Song Of The Oceanides by J.G. Zymbalist ~ Guest Post and Giveaway
Posted: May 5, 2016 in Blog Tour, giveaways, Guest Post, YA FantasyTags: Author J.G. Zymbalist, giveaway, Song of the Oceanides, YA Fantasy
I have a wonderful book to share with you today. Song Of The Oceanides is a YA Fantasy blend and sounds wonderful.
Please enjoy Author J.G. Zymbalist’s guest post and an excerpt from the book.
And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!
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Guest Post by Author J.G. Zymbalist
Background of the book
I began to conceive Song of the Oceanides when I was just a little kid. Every summer for about four or five summers straight, my family would spend the holiday in Castine, Maine right on Penobscot Bay. Every June or July we rented out Robert Lowell’s house, and there I would look back on the previous school year and take stock of the latest round of insults I had weathered. As I walked the halls of that house, I knew that someday I would have to do something about my growing sorrows—channel my childhood depression into something redemptive.
The house itself fascinated me and pretty much demanded to be the setting of a book. As such, when I wrote Song of the Oceanides, I used the actual downstairs and upstairs floor plan as the model for the house where my young point-of-view character, Rory, lives. Looking back, I think what enthralled me most about that big old New England house was the way the soft hazy summer light moved through the windows and all about the rooms and hallways. Nothing triggers the imagination quite like the movement of light.
Almost as important, living in a New England house like that for the summer gave me the opportunity to experience the ocean: the majestic sight of the bay, the roar of the Atlantic, the aroma of the waters and breeze, the alluring call of the seagulls. Everything combined to give me the sense that I stood in the presence of either God or some eternal force of destiny I could not understand. The ocean also terrified me, and for the first time, I actually remember thinking about things like mortality. I can recall discussing my fears with my totally-baffled mother. At the time, I did not know what ocean myth would be best to bring all these concerns to life, but I knew I would find it someday. (It ended up being the Oceanides of course; hence my title.)
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Song of the Oceanides
by J.G. Zymbalist
Genre: YA Fantasy
Synopsis
Song of the Oceanides is a highly-experimental triple narrative transgenre fantasy that combines elements of historical fiction, YA, myth and fairy tale, science fiction, paranormal romance, and more. For ages 10-110.
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Enjoy the excerpt
Blue Hill, Maine.
3 August, 1903.
From the moment Emmylou heard the song of the Oceanides, she recognized something godly in the tune. As it resounded all across the desolate shoreline of Blue Hill Bay, she recalled the terrible chorus mysticus ringing all throughout that extinct Martian volcano the day her father went missing down in the magma chamber.
Aunt Belphœbe followed along, guiding Maygene through the sands. “Why don’t you go play in that shipwreck over there?” Aunt Belphœbe pointed toward a fishing schooner run aground some fifty yards to the south.
When Maygene raced off, Emmylou refused to follow. By now the chorus of song tormented her so much that an ache had awoken all throughout her clubfoot. Before long she dropped her walking stick and fell to the earth. Closing her eyes, she dug both her hands into the sands and lost herself in memories of the volcano. How could Father be gone? Though he had often alluded to the perils of Martian vulcanology, she never imagined that someone so good and so wise could go missing.
The song of the Oceanides grew a little bit louder and increasingly dissonant.
Opening her eyes, Emmylou listened very closely. The song sounded like the stuff of incantation, witchcraft. And even though she could not comprehend every word, nevertheless she felt certain that the Oceanides meant to cast a spell upon some unfortunate soul.
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Author J.G. Zymbalist
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J.G. Źymbalist began writing Song of the Oceanides as a child when his family summered in Castine, Maine where they rented out Robert Lowell’s house.
The author returned to the piece while working for the Martha’s Vineyard Historical Society, May-September, 2005. He completed the full draft in Ellsworth, Maine later that year.
For more information, please see http://jgzymbalist.com
NOTE: The book is on sale for $0.99. Free for Kindle Unlimited Members or as part of Kindle MatchBook.
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The more you comment, the more chances to win!
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