Archive for the ‘giveaways’ Category

Shunned Giveaway and Review. More Amish Bloodsuckers!

Posted: November 20, 2012 in Action/Adventure, Creatures, fiction, giveaways, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews, Series, Uncategorized, Vampires
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Great news. I am hosting a giveaway for Shunned, The Amish Bloodsuckers Trilogy – Book Two.

My giveaway for Chosen – Book One ends at midnight November 20th.

For those who haven’t read Chosen, it will be free on Amazon November 21st – 23rd! You can get your copy and catch up on the series. You’ll be all ready for Shunned. You can purchase Chosen here .

Book Three, Reckoning is set to be released December 1st. I’m hoping to have a giveaway for it also, along with my review.

Shunned

The Amish Bloodsuckers Trilogy #2

by Barbara Ellen Brink

Shunned (Amish Bloodsuckers, #2)

ADD to Goodreads

I’m still lovin the cover art for this series. Take your time and really look at it!

They’re back! Most of my favorite characters are back plus I got to meet some new ones. Not saying they’re all nice, but they’re definitely interesting.

Spoiler Alert

Shunned is Book Two in The Amish Bloodsuckers Trilogy and just wanted to gives you a heads up. I don’t believe I will be giving anything away. I’ve tried to make this entertaining and fun without revealing any of the really relevant points of the story line.

Shunned takes up right where Chosen left us and Jael, the Chosen one, is in for big changes. She’s going to Minnesota to stay with her Amish grandparents. Til now she’s lived a somewhat normal teen-age life, except for the daily training in slaying vampires and the fact that no one is allowed to visit her at her house. But now she’s going to be living in an Amish community, learning and living by their customs.

Until recently she didn’t even know she had grandparents and she’s worried about how they will receive her. After all, her parents left the community before she was born, sneaking off in the night in order to protect their child from the Bishop, the community leader and a vampire. Most of the folks who live at Loon Lake don’t know about the vampires in their midst or about the Chosen one. Jael will be playing this on the down-low.

Knowing that her best friends Shadow and Brianna, now a couple, will be coming to spend the summer in Minnesota at Bree’s grandmothers house, only 20 miles away, gives her the courage to go to Loon Lake and face her newly discovered family.

Upon her arrival:

Jael drew a deep breath and moved tentatively closer, grasping the handle of her book bag at her side. She paused a few feet from the porch and looked into blue eyes faded with time.

“Grandma? I’m Jael.”

The woman seemed to weave like a thick blade of grass in the wind and then she stepped off the porch and put out her hands.

“Jael?” Tears filled her eyes and she closed them for a second, before reaching out and taking Jael’s hands in hers. She pulled her close and kissed her cheek. She smelled of onions and cinnamon and her hands were worn and rough with calluses, but the joy in her eyes made everything right.

I love that her grandfather calls her little one. He is gruff and stern but also tender and giving. Jael’s fears evaporate and she begins to settle in.

I had plenty of laughs reading about her attempts to fit in. She learns to bake bread, of course, gathers the eggs, and milks Elsa the goat. She does all of this at the crack of dawn. And she finally consents to wearing Amish garb, long drab dress, prayer cap, and all.

The dress won’t help when she has to battle with a vampire. She gets in quite the fix then, but she improvises really well and manages to stay alive.

Jael has brought vengeance with her to Loon Lake and to the Bishop and his growing gang of vampires. She will not stop until his reins of leadership are broken and the vampires are all dead.

There is a story inside Jael’s story. One about another Jael from long ago, back in 1142 B.C. Present day Jael sees the other Chosen one in her dreams, like watching a moving picture. At first she’s confused by the dreams, but then I felt she drew strength from them. She came to accept what she was here for, what her purpose  was.

She may have matured but she’s still a teen-ager, with all the angst, insecurity and rebellion. I love her even more.

Things start to get dangerous and messy in Loon Lake and the stakes get higher. Her uncle Seth reappears and along with Bree and Shadow, they are right in the thick of it.

There are some great reveals and surprises as you read Book Two and one heck of a cliffhanger ending. I am so hooked!

          This series is heating up!!

I need to tell you that these are not stand alone books. You need to read the series from the beginning, but at only a few dollars a book, it’s so worth the price.

Giveaway

Barbara is offering two books for the giveaway. Paperback or e-book (winners choice).

Entry is easy. Just leave your email address and answer this question, “Do you prefer a tropical Christmas or one blanketed with snow?”

This giveaway ends on December 3rd.

My giveaway for Chosen – Book One ends at midnight on Nov.20th. You can still enter to win the first book in this series. Just go here .

Not required, but I’d love it if you followed my blog.

About the author

Barbara Ellen Brink is a multi-published author of mystery and suspense. She lives with her husband and their two mutts in the great state of Minnesota where mosquitoes are the only bloodsuckers she’s actually ever seen. This is Barbara’s first foray into the world of Amish and Vampires – both of which scare her – but it isn’t the last. The 2nd book in The Amish Bloodsuckers Trilogy – SHUNNED – is now available. The 3rd book – RECKONING – will be available for December 1st!

Author Website/blog: http://www.barbaraellenbrink.com

Amish Bloodsuckers website: http://www.amishvampireslayer.moonfruit.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BarbaraEllenBrink

Twitter: BarbaraEBrink

To purchase The Amish Bloodsucker novels, just click on the images below.

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For more books by Barbara Brink click on these images.

Thank you for stopping by my blog. Wishing you the best for the holidays ya’ll!

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Giveaway / Nobody Has To Know by Frank Nappi

Posted: November 16, 2012 in Contests, Excerpt, fiction, giveaways, reviews, suspense, thriller, Trailer
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I have a fantastic giveaway for you! You can find the details after my review.

Nobody Has To Know

by Frank Nappi

Nobody Has to Know

ADD to Goodreads

Here is my review if you missed it before.

Cam is twenty-five years old, teaching at Hillcrest Highschool, and in a long-term relationship with his college sweetheart. A relationship where he can’t seem to commit himself to the final step.

He should have listened to his mentor’s words – “Remember, you can be friendly with these kids, but you are not their friend….. Especially the girls. That’s just trouble waiting to happen.”

Well, trouble finds Cam or does he find it? A beautiful, vulnerable young girl tests the boundaries between student and teacher, and Cam fails miserably.

One night in a seedy little motel room sends him straight to hell.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdMjNDJ5hT4]

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If Cam had listened to his mentor’s warnings, if he’d stayed true to his college love, if he’d just quit justifying the act to himself, he wouldn’t be looking out of the deep, dark abyss he’s now in.

There is one name  for men like Cam – Loser.

He lies to the girl, he lies to his lover, he lies to everyone, including himself. And his lies take him deeper and deeper into a frightening, out-of-control madness.

Frank Nappi knows how to write a thrilling suspense story. The subject is delicate, and there are some gritty scenes, which I feel were necessary to evoke the called for responses.

My responses were disgust, outrage, anxiety, sadness, and exhilaration!

Congratulations go to Frank for leaving me exhausted and triumphant.

You don’t have to like the main character, Cam. I don’t expect you will. I sure didn’t. But I did squirm as his lies caught up with him.

The author leads you to believe the worse is over, but don’t relax. It is really just beginning and the suspense is relentless. My jaw ached from clenching my teeth in anguish. I was so invested in this story, I felt physical pain.

What took this from a 4 to a 5 rating was the explosive ending. I couldn’t imagine a better one!

You can go here to read the first two chapters.

And now for the giveaway. Frank has offered 2 e-book copies of Nobody Has To Know. Thanks so much Frank.

It’s easy to enter. Just leave your email address and answer this holiday question, “What is your favorite Christmas movie?”

Giveaway ends November 29th.

Not required, but you’d make me smile if you followed my blog:)

You can find Franks contacts below.

About Frank Nappi and where to find him

Frank Nappi

Frank Nappi has taught high school English and Creative Writing for over twenty years. His debut novel, Echoes From The Infantry, received national attention, including MWSA’s silver medal for outstanding fiction for 2006. His follow-up novel, The Legend of Mickey Tussler, garnered rave reviews as well, including a screenplay adaptation of the touching story which aired nationwide in the fall of 2011 (A Mile in His Shoes starring Dean Cain and Luke Schroder). Frank continues to produce quality work, including The Legend of Mickey Tussler: Sophomore Campaign, the intriguing sequel to the much heralded original story, and is presently at work on a third installment of the unique series. Frank lives on Long Island with his wife Julia and their two sons, Nicholas and Anthony.

Website  Goodreads   Amazon   Twitter

Click here to purchase Frank Nappi’s novels.

  Echoes from the Infantry: A Novel

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Giveaway / Release Day for The Edge of Never

Posted: November 15, 2012 in Blog Tour, Book Promos, comedy, Contemporary Romance, Contests, fiction, giveaways, New Adult, Release day, Romance
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This event was organized by AToMR Tours and I’m excited to be a part of it.

J. A. Redmerski just released her new novel, The Edge of Never on Nov. 15th and I have  the book description and a fantastic excerpt for you. Also, you have a chance to win an e-book copy of this New Adult novel.  Details are at the end of the post.

The Edge of Never

Title: THE EDGE OF NEVER

Author: J.A. Redmerski

Release date: November 15, 2012

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age Group: New Adult

Add to Goodreads

Special Price: The Edge of Never will be available at a $1.99 promotional price on the release day only (Nov. 15) and will go to regular price on 11/16. You can purchase your copy here .

Book Description:

Twenty-year-old Camryn Bennett had always been one to think out-of-the-box, who knew she wanted something more in life than following the same repetitive patterns and growing old with the same repetitive life story. And she thought that her life was going in the right direction until everything fell apart.

Determined not to dwell on the negative and push forward, Camryn is set to move in with her best friend and plans to start a new job. But after an unexpected night at the hottest club in downtown North Carolina, she makes the ultimate decision to leave the only life she’s ever known, far behind.

With a purse, a cell phone and a small bag with a few necessities, Camryn, with absolutely no direction or purpose boards a Greyhound bus alone and sets out to find herself. What she finds is a guy named Andrew Parrish, someone not so very different from her and who harbors his own dark secrets. But Camryn swore never to let down her walls again. And she vowed never to fall in love.

But with Andrew, Camryn finds herself doing a lot of things she never thought she’d do. He shows her what it’s really like to live out-of-the-box and to give in to her deepest, darkest desires. On their sporadic road-trip he becomes the center of her exciting and daring new life, pulling love and lust and emotion out of her in ways she never imagined possible. But will Andrew’s dark secret push them inseparably together, or tear them completely apart?

Due to sexual content and language, this book is recommended for 17+ – Adult Contemporary Women’s – New Adult Fiction

And here’s the excerpt to give you a little taste of what’s inside.

Pretending

I pull my hand from his and grasp the fabric above my boobs and pull the top up a little so that it feels better in place.

“I love you in that,” he says, “but you have to admit, it’s a distraction for douchebags.”

“Well, I don’t want to walk all the way back to the hotel just to change my top.”

“No, you don’t have to do that,” he says, reaching for my hand again. “But if you want to go to another club, you’re gonna have to do something for me, alright?”

“What?”

“Just pretend you’re my girlfriend,” he says and a little smile spreads across my lips. “At least that way no one will fuck with you, or they’re less likely to try, anyway.”

He pauses and looks at me and says, “Unless you want guys to hit on you?”

It takes no time at all for my head to start shaking. “No. I do not want any guys to hit on me. Innocent flirting, fine—it does wonders for my confidence—but not douchebags.”

“Good, then it’s settled. You’re my sexy girlfriend for the night, which means I get to take you back to the room later and make you squeal a little.” There’s that boyish grin of his again that I love so much.

I’m tingling between the legs now. I swallow hard and play it off by playfully narrowing my eyes at him.

I’m just glad to see his dimples again, as opposed to that wrathful—although incredibly sexy, still—expression that consumed his features moments ago.

“As much as I like it—well, ‘like’ is really putting it lightly—I’m not going to let you do that anymore.”

He looks hurt and a little shocked. “Why not?”

“Because, Andrew, I…well, I just won’t let you—now come here.” I cup my hands around the sides of his neck and pull him toward me.

And then I kiss him softly, letting my lips linger on his afterwards.

“What are you doing?” he says, staring down into my eyes.

I smile sweetly up at him. “I’m getting into character.”

A grin tugs the corners of his lips. He turns me around and locks his arm around my waist as we head toward Bourbon Street.

And now for the giveaway. I have one e-book copy to give away.

Entry is easy. Just leave your email address and answer this question: Do you like love at first sight or a slow blooming romance?

For an additional entry, not required, you can “Like” the author on Facebook here .

Contest ends November 29th.

About JA Redmerski and where to find her:

Author of THE DARKWOODS TRILOGY and DIRTY EDEN, mother, werewolf & zombie fanatic, book addict and a happy hermit obsessed with the Universe. Oh, and AMC’s “The Walking Dead”.

Addictions: Starbucks every morning, trolling Barnes & Noble’s shelves once a week, detesting winter, shopping flea markets and preparing for the collapse of society as we know it. Do I own a tin foil hat? Maybe. :-)

I was born in Arkansas and have lived here most of my life, except the couple of times when I lived in Pennsylvania. I started my first novel at the age of thirteen and have been writing something ever since. Generally, I love characters in life and on paper. I pay attention to people, especially those whose personalities make them different from the rest of us: the drug addict roaming the Laundromat that talks to himself, the young, inattentive mother in the park with the meanest kid on the playground – (the entire cast of ‘Swamp People’) – characters fascinate me and I hope that it shows in my literary work.

Author Links: J.A. Redmerski | Twitter | Facebook

Special Offers is FREE!

Posted: November 10, 2012 in Action/Adventure, Aliens, Book Promos, comedy, fiction, Freebies!, giveaways, otherworldly, Paranormal or fantasy, Romance, Series
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Free Friday and Saturday, November 9th and 10th!

Special Offers by M L Ryan

I loved this book and am thrilled that Book Two will be released soon. So ready for more.

Go here to read my review.

To get your free copy go here .

About the book:

Hailey Parrish is quick-witted, irreverent, and hasn’t had a date in three years. She only wanted an eBook reader because her collection of paperbacks threatened to take over her small living space. Little did she know that the “special offers” that prompted the purchase included much more than a reduced price in exchange for a few ads. The device came pre-loaded with the essence of Sebastian Kess, an erudite womanizer with magical abilities from a parallel dimension. When she inadvertently releases him and he inhabits her body, she finally has a man inside her, just not in the way she imagined. And soon her predicament introduces her to yet another supernatural, the handsome could-be-the-man-of-her-dreams Alex Sunderland. Can Alex and Hailey find a way to return Sebastian to his own body, stay one step ahead of the criminals who want to keep him where he is, and not lose their sense of humor?

For more about M L Ryan and where to find her:

Author’s web site: http://www.coursodondimension.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CoursodonDimension

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/MLRyan1

Email: MLRyan@coursodondimension.com

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Undermountain and Afterlife / Reviews and Giveaway

Posted: November 10, 2012 in Action/Adventure, Aliens, Creatures, fiction, giveaways, otherworldly, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews, Science Fiction, Series, YA
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I have a fantastic series to tell you about. The Undermountain Saga.

I’ll be reviewing Undermountain, Book One and Afterlife, Book Two. I tried not to put in any spoilers for book two. Just teased you a bit. And I also have a giveaway for you. US/Canada only.  Details are after my reviews.

Undermountain

by Eric Edstrom

Undermountain (The Undermountain Saga, #1)

It starts normally enough. Six teen-agers and their guide,  Harvin, are on a grand adventure, camping in the wilds of Canada. Harvin is gruff and unfriendly but very knowledgeable about the Rockies and its dangers. The kids are from all walks of life and couldn’t be more different. This trip is going to be interesting.

While collecting water Danny and Breyona see something amazing.  Racing along is this two-headed creature with four pointy legs and right behind him is this huge hairy beast best described as a Bigfoot. When Danny tells the group what they witnessed, the other kids laugh it off as a joke.

When they discover giant footprints on the bank of the stream, their guide passes them off as bear tracks. But Shiv isn’t so sure of that. He has books on the flora and fauna of the Rockies and can’t find anything that matches the prints.

Danny and Breyona have another close encounter with the hairy bigfoot when it fishes Danny out of the stream, saving his life. They run away and hide in the woods, stopping to spy on the creature. It’s not chasing them. Instead it’s pacing back and forth on the bank, holding it’s hand to its head and muttering to itself. No wait, it’s talking into a cell phone and it’s speaking English.

It’s not long before everyone has a close encounter. The four-legged creatures, called Shriekers, which I visualize as the bugs from Starship Troopers, are hungry and they hunt as a pack. The kids are on the menu and running for their lives. Separated from their guide they are quickly surrounded and things look really bad. Seemingly from out of nowhere a bigfoot appears and quickly subdues several of the shriekers. He doesn’t kill them. Instead he calms them somehow.

Several more of the hairy creatures take care of the rest of the pack and turn their attention to the humans. Then, the one Danny recognizes from before speaks, “Be at ease. I cannot harm you.”

Definitely not a bigfoot!

Here are a couple quotes I really liked:

“I’m sorry I didn’t believe you about … bigfoot,” Wa said. “But you need to work on your delivery.”

– A barrage of swearing came flying in. Breyona. “I’m gonna kill you, and after I kill you, I’m gonna kill you again. I’m gonna keep on killing you until your dead. Do you hear me, you furball?”

Everyone will love this story. It’s action packed, you’ve got alien creatures and a huge secret. I wish I could tell you more. I really want to, but that would be spoiling it.

One scene in particular sticks in my mind. It ‘s when they base jump from a cliff and the cliff is inside the mountain. Can you just picture it?

The author does a beautiful job of describing this secret world, you’ll feel like you’re there. I’d love to visit.

Anyone looking for a grand adventure will love Undermountain. It’s so well written, flows seamlessly and rushes along to a great ending. There’s never a dull moment and I eagerly turned each page, excited to see what was coming next. That’s what makes this story so great. There’s always something new and surprising and it makes me wish I could be there.

         I loved it and you will too.

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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8j926g4C1A]

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And now for my next review.

Afterlife

Book two

Afterlife (The Undermountain Saga, #2)

I really love the cover art for these books. They compliment the stories and are just incredible.

All of my favorite characters are back, human and hairy. And of course, since there’s a second book, you know our hero’s will be seeing their alien friends and enemies again.

It’s been more than six months since they returned from  the mountain, bringing something away with them that’s changed them forever.

Now they are having a reunion of sorts. All meeting up again at Danny’s grandma’s house.

I can’t wait for you to meet Grandma. She is amazing and I just love her. So much character in such a tiny, frail looking body. You’ll see what I mean.

Everyone is there except for Breyona. She’s running late. Then the doorbell rings.

Danny froze as a surge of excitement filled him. The doorbell rang again, followed by two sharp knocks.

“Are you going to stand there like a lump or are you going to open the door?” Grandma asked.

Danny smiled. It had to be Breyona. He turned the knob.

The door smashed into his face and sent him stumbling backward. He tripped and fell over the porcelain frog and landed hard on his back.

A man wearing a black track suit and gas mask barged in. “Okay, nobody move.”

Another man in a gas mask rushed in and pointed a spray can at Danny.

Grandma stepped forward and kneed Track Suit in the groin. He bent double, swearing in a high-pitched rasp.

“Sit on him, Bronson,” Grandma said.

Didn’t I tell you. You can’t help but want to hug her. She is such a tough old bird. But not tough enough. They all succumb to the gas.

Breyona is four hours late when she finally pulls up to Grandma’s house. Once everyone is awakened, they discover that Danny and Wa are missing.

The whole thing was caught on security cameras and they watched it play out on Grandmas computer. The men came there looking for something Danny had. Something they needed badly.  And they got it. They take the unconscious Danny and bring Wa along for leverage.

It looks like the enemy isn’t done with them and it’s time to go back under the mountain.

This time they may not be so lucky.

Eric is at it again. Filling the pages with excitement, danger, intrigue and plenty of humor. This series is so addicting. And it just keeps getting better. He builds this incredible secret society, fills it with amazing creatures, and opens you up to a whole new world. I swear I can hear the sounds of this city and see all the wonders with my own eyes.

It’s a fast read from beginning to end, pulling you along with it. You won’t want to stop until you reach the conclusion, and maybe not even then.

           Still lovin it!

Great news for you. There will be more!

And now for the giveaway. Eric is offering two paperback copies of Undermountain. US/Canada only.

To enter is easy. Just leave your email address and answer this question, “Do you believe bigfoot exists?”

Giveaway ends November 24th.

Not required but I’d love it if you followed me on twitter and my blog

You can find Eric’s contacts below.

Did you like this post? Please hit that tweet and like button! Thank you.

For all of my giveaways go here

About the Author

Eric is an author, songwriter, husband, father, and guitarist. He is the author of Undermountain and Afterlife, the first two entries in YA science fiction series The Undermountain Saga.

Eric loves working out with kettlebells and eating pretty much anything with peanut butter.

Eric has a featured article just published: http://www.kalkion.com/news/1736/scie…

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5408492.Eric_Edstrom

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ekedstrom

Facebook.com/erickentedstrom

www.ericedstrom.com

Newest release

To order any of these books, just click on the cover.

The photo and comments of Shaggy below, were copied from Eric Kent Edstrom’s blog.

Is This Hanameesovenama (aka Shaggy)?

The brilliant concept artist Cristof Grobleski created this stunning conceptual image of Hanameesovenama, one of the villains from The Undermountain Saga.
Hanameesovenama, of the bigfoot Council of the Strict (click for bigfoot sized view)

View more of Christof’s wonderful artwork here.

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Chosen – Amish Bloodsucker Trilogy #1/ Giveaway and Review

Posted: November 6, 2012 in Action/Adventure, comedy, Excerpt, fiction, giveaways, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews, Romance, Series, Vampires
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GREAT NEWS! Barbara has added a paperback to the giveaway so now there are two chances to win. Everyone already entered will be eligible for this too.

Chosen

The Amish Bloodsucker Trilogy #1

by Barbara Ellen Brink

Chosen (Amish Bloodsucker trilogy, #1)

I  love the cover art for this book.  I just knew it was going to be a fun read, and it was! I mean,  Amish blood sucking vampires, now you know that’s going to be fun!

Jael is The Chosen One. She is descended from a long line of slayers. It’s her duty to save the Loon Lake Amish Community, which has been infiltrated by Bishop and his pack of vampires. He wants her dead before her 16th birthday, when she’ll come into her full slayer abilities.

Her parents, Miriam and Jesse, were forced to leave Minnesota when Miriam discovered she was pregnant. They knew she was carrying the next Chosen One and have been running ever since. Always moving, staying isolated, never in one place too long.

Jael never understood why they lived so far away from everyone, why she was never allowed to have friends over.

Jesse, Jael’s father, has trained her in martial arts and slaying with stakes for as long as she can remember. It’s only recently that she even knew she was Amish and The Chosen.

With the help of her uncle Seth, Jael goes on her first hunt.

“Well don’t just sit there….. We have vamps to stake.”

A slow smile turned up his lips and he climbed out too.

Her dad had fashioned her a leather tool belt with enough loops to hold six stakes, two on each side and two in the back. She slipped it on around her waist and filled every loop with a pointy, curved stake. Inside the top of each of her boots she slipped a four-inch blade. She picked up the crossbow. It this isn’t enough firepower……

Could you picture her doing this in a long dress, apron and prayer cap. That would be a hindrance for sure! Luckily her parents don’t make her wear traditional Amish garb.

A quirky thing about The Chosen. They are all born with six toes on one foot. Jael’s parents had hers removed as an infant to disguise who she was. When the vamps are near, her phantom toe gives her a painful warning. This comes in useful.

Brianna is Jael’s best friend and couldn’t be more different.

If lives were fairy tales, Brianna would reign supreme as a Walt Disney princess, while Jael would live in the darker Grimm Brother’s version  where survival meant slaying dragons on a daily basis.

There are rumors going around at school that Jael lives in a commune and is a sister wife. Brianna has seen her bruises and believes she is being abused. A time will come when Jael will have to tell her the truth. But not yet.

Shadow is the “bad boy” personified. The one all mothers warn their daughters about, with a piercing gaze, lanky good looks and  a mouth full of sarcasm. He has an unusual effect on Jael. Not a romantic one, instead his proximity makes her nauseous. It appears there is more to Shadow than meets the eye.

Then there’s Bruno, a huge wolf hound and loyal companion of Jael’s. They seem to have a special connection.  She can get him to do some really fun tricks. He’s also a great deterrent considering he’s the size of a small horse.

Jael’s 16th birthday is coming soon and the vampires are searching high and low for her. Thet need her dead before she comes into her full slayer abilities, while Jael has no clue what the powers will be. She is going to need all the help she can get if she’s going to be ready to go after Bishop and his bloodsuckers.

I really like Jael. Barbara was able to make her a typical teen, with everyday worries and baggage, and also with a secret life as a vampire slayer, and made it believeable and really fun.

The bloodsuckers are nasty, Jael is double tough, her family is fiercely devoted and her friends are loyal.

There are some tender moments in this story and a whole lot of humor. You’d expect that with the title Amish Bloodsuckers! It’s all in good fun, but there is some serious slaying too! Jael didn’t go through all of that training for nothing. I felt some Buffy and Little Red Riding Hood in this story.

Chosen is well written, fast-paced and easy to follow. I like how Barbara was able to keep it simple with so much going on. It could have been complicated, but she feeds you the story in bites that are easy to chew. I’m hungry for more.

        A whole lot of fun!

I’ve just finished reading Shunned – Book Two and will be telling you about it soon. And more news! Book Three is coming very soon.

Excerpt from CHOSEN:

“Jael?” Brianna was watching her with a puzzled expression on her face. “Are you all right? You seem sort of out-of-it.” She closed her locker, her history book in the crook of her arm.

“Yeah, just tired. Up late last night,” Jael said, dropping her book bag in the bottom of her locker and sliding out the book she needed for first class – Trigonometry. Ick. She’d rather smell a rotting corpse on a warm night than solve math problems.

“Okay…well… I’ll see you later, right?” She backed up a couple of steps, holding her gaze as though Jael would disappear again as soon as she let her out of her sight.

“Sure.”

Brianna smiled, then turned and hurried down the hall toward Mr. Stanton’s history class. Jael watched her go, feeling as though she was losing the only real friend she’d ever had, and there was nothing she could do about it. She saw Marti stop Brianna outside the history classroom to say something and then they both laughed and went into class together.

Jael slammed her locker shut and twisted the combination lock. She couldn’t go on this way much longer. Kicking vampire butts at night and pretending to be an average girl during the day was just taking too much out of her. She wasn’t cut out to live a double life. She wanted to be normal. If only she could be like Brianna, have parents that were nerdy scientists, a baby brother who was already taking college classes cause he tested out of third grade and was considered a genius. Okay, maybe Brianna’s family wasn’t that “normal” but still.

“Hey, Jael,” a male voice whispered close to her ear.

She twisted around and was a tenth of a second from crushing the guy’s windpipe with the heel of her hand when she realized it was just Lyle standing there. She dropped her arms and blew out a confused breath.

“You scared me,” she lied, a flimsy excuse for cover.

“Sorry.” He backed up a step, as though sensing his near demise. “Just wanted to see if you were coming to the exhibition game against the Redville Scorpions tonight. Some of us are going out afterwards for burgers. Thought you might like to come along. Hang out. Have some fun.” He narrowed his eyes. “You live way out in the desert somewhere, don’t you? Like in a commune or something?”

“What?”

“It’s cool. I don’t mind.” He smiled, and stepped closer, leaning in against the lockers with one hand. A wave of minty fresh breath wafted over her. He was always sucking on those Altoids. Curiously strong indeed.

“Good to know,” she said, basking in the warmth of his gaze. The blonde basketball star could believe she lived in a cave in Afghanistan if he wanted to, as long as he looked at her like that.

“So…?” He leaned closer, pinning her against the lockers with the heat of his eyes and another wave of peppermint.

She smiled back. “I was thinking about coming to the game.”

“Cool. I’ll see you tonight then,” he said, and pushed off from the locker. He winked and walked away to join a group of guys waiting at the end of the hall.

Her arms and legs felt paralyzed as though she’d been shot with a tranquilizer dart. At least how she imagined it would feel to be shot with a tranquilizer dart. She forced herself to move, to look away from the group of guys and walk in the opposite direction. She couldn’t let Lyle know that he set her heart racing just by speaking to her and that her skin tingled with electricity at his proximity. He would think she was some crazy, stalker girl – someone to avoid, not date.

The bell rang as she slowly moved toward the trigonometry room. Her legs refused to hurry, regardless of being tardy. She paused outside the door, listening to the sound of voices and laughter and scraping chairs as kids settled down for class. Mr. Winchester’s gruffy baritone rang out calling for attention.

Jael suddenly realized the predicament she’d shoved herself into. Since when had she ever thought about going to a game, much less believe her parents would allow her to be out of their sight that long? She blew out a frustrated breath. Since a hot guy asked her out on a date–that’s when. She had to get into town for the game tonight. It was her only chance to be normal. If it were up to her parents and Uncle Seth, the only socializing she’d ever do would be with undead creatures in the dark of night.

This was a once in a lifetime. She never thought Lyle would give her the time of day much less invite her out for burgers. Okay, maybe it wasn’t a real date; just a group thing. But it was a start.

Barabara has given me one e-book of Chosen to giveaway!

Bonus! Barbara is also giving away a paperback copy! For those who have already enterewd, you’re eligible to win this also!

It’s east to enter. Just leave your email address and answer this question: “What would you use to kill an Amish vampire?”

Giveaway ends November 20th.

Book Description

Chosen (Book One)

The Amish Bloodsuckers Trilogy

With tongue firmly in cheek and genuine Amish-made stakes at hand, The Amish Bloodsucker Trilogy sets off like a bat in the belfry. Jael the vampire slayer is ready to kick some serious bloodsucker butt. Seriously.

Move over Buffy – there’s a new slayer in town! Raised in the desert of Nevada, and destined for the Minnesota Loon Lake Amish Community, Jael Shetler is the Chosen One.

Trained by her uncle and father in twenty-one different forms of hand-to-hand combat – she also throws a knife with the speed of a bullet, and is accurate to within two centimeters of a cold, dead heart with her crossbow – she is a bloodsucker’s worst nightmare.

Her parents, forced to leave their plain and simple upbringing to escape the clutches of the new Bishop – an ancient and powerful vampire with plans to use the Amish Community as his own personal Jamba Juice – raise and train their daughter to continue the fight begun thousands of years earlier by another Jael, and to fulfill the prophecy in the Book of the Shunned.

Soon Jael is turning sweet sixteen and then … all hell will break loose.

Barbara Ellen Brink is a multi-published author of mystery and suspense. She lives with her husband and their two mutts in the great state of Minnesota where mosquitoes are the only bloodsuckers she’s actually ever seen. This is Barbara’s first foray into the world of Amish and Vampires – both of which scare her – but it isn’t the last. The 2nd book in The Amish Bloodsuckers Trilogy – SHUNNED – is now available. The 3rd book – RECKONING – will be available for Thanksgiving!

CHOSEN is available now in kindle and paperback until Dec 31st and then will be available in all ebook formats as well.

Purchase CHOSEN here:

Createspace paperback https://www.createspace.com/4032836

Amazon kindle/paperback http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009JYT3B0

Purchase SHUNNED here:

Createspace paperback https://www.createspace.com/4041332

Amazon kindle/paperback http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009VQIXF8

Barnes & Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shunned-barbara-ellen-brink/1113600422?ean=2940015877427

Author Website/blog: http://www.barbaraellenbrink.com

Amish Bloodsuckers website: http://www.amishvampireslayer.moonfruit.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BarbaraEllenBrink

Twitter: BarbaraEBrink

You can purchase these books by clicking on the images below.

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Winners! Winners!

Posted: November 6, 2012 in apocalypse, Creatures, giveaways, horror, Paranormal or fantasy, Romance, Series, Vampires, Winners!
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11

 

Time to announce the winners of The Blood Run Giveaway!

Winner of the Blood Run Trilogy (Complete set) : Mallory Anne-Marie Forbes

Winner of First Promise (Book One) : Ravanier

Winner of First Promise (Book One) : Emma Meade

  Congratulations!

I have sent the winners an email and notified the author.

Thanks to everyone for their comments. You’ve made this my biggest giveaway yet!

A huge Thank You to you, Christine, for allowing me to host this giveaway. I look forward to having you back again soon!

You can purchase this series by clicking on images below.

It’s time for the winners of Special Offers!

Posted: November 2, 2012 in Action/Adventure, Aliens, comedy, fiction, giveaways, otherworldly, Paranormal or fantasy, Romance, Series, Winners!
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2

Time to announce the winners!

I can’t believe how incredible the response has been! Huge thanks to everyone for your comments. I really enjoyed reading them. Also, I want to thank M. L. Ryan for allowing me to host this awesome giveaway and for a really good story.

The winners of Special Offers are:

Winner of Paperback: Christina

Winner of e-book: Stephanie Grego

Winner of e-book: Penumbra

Congratulations!

I have emailed the winners and forwarded their information to the author. She will contact you about your prizes!

You can purchase Special Offers by clicking on the image below or in the left hand sidebar.

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I have winners! Night of the Chupacabra.

Posted: November 2, 2012 in Contests, Creatures, fiction, giveaways, horror, Series, Videos, Western, Winners!
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4

And now for the fun stuff. Announcing the winners!

This has been a great giveaway! I want to thank Michael Hebler for letting me host this. And I want to thank everyone for your comments and helping make this a huge success.  Okay, I’ll get to it!

Winners of Night of the Chupacabra:

Winner of Paperback: Emma Meade

Winner of e-book: John Z

Happy Dance:) I have emailed the winners and forwarded their contact information to the author. He will contact you about your prize.

You can purchase your copy of Night of the Chupacabra by clicking on the image below.

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Brewin’s Cooked Up a Giveaway You Don’t Want to Miss

Posted: October 26, 2012 in Book Promos, Creatures, Dark Fantasy, fiction, giveaways, horror, otherworldly, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews, thriller
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19

The Dark Horde

by BREWIN

The Dark Horde

Check out this scary good trailer!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZl2uZNvj5c]

Book Description from Goodreads

Part thriller, part crime-fiction, all supernatural horror, The Dark Horde tells of the return of an ancient evil that is neither stoppable nor comprehensible…

My Review

From the opening page to the horror driven end, this story had me riveted.

Howqua Hills is under siege by something. Monster, demon, alien, or creature from another dimension, who knows? They have been waiting, but no more. Out of the shadows they come, the Dark Horde.  Hungry for flesh, they thrill to feel our terror and revel in our pain. Want a taste?

“The beast had an acute sense of smell, enabling it to smell the raw terror in the sweat of its quarry. The smell of this human was strong, indulging its senses with delectable wafts. Hungry for the kill, it gripped the wooden handle of the trap door and slowly teased it open. The shrieking cry of its hinges rang out, enhancing the fear of the cornered prey…It entered, scraping its clawed feet across each wooden step with calculated intent to terrify… Two down, one to go.”

The action is intense and relentless and the creatures are absolutely terrifying. Want a bit more?

“It glared at them with red, hate-filled eyes the shape of swollen slits as its bloodied snout curled to reveal a chaotic array of sharpened teeth. It grinned.”

Able to manipulate our minds, they invade our dreams with heart-stopping nightmares. I was worried they would invade my dreams. I read this book in one sitting and finished in the wee hours. Maybe it was because I was sleep deprived, but I didn’t remember dreaming. However, there are many more nights to come.

Brewin’ is a master at making you afraid of the dark. I suggest you sleep with a flashlight!

Brewin is having an awesome giveaway right now. Go here to check it out!

Don’t wait. Contest runs October 24th thru 31st. Happy Halloween!

He is  giving away a bunch of e-books and three signed paperback copies and t-shirts for The Dark Horde!

Brewin's Coffin Hop Prizes!

 Prologue

I was once an avid believer in many things… I believed in love, in compassion, in hope. I even believed in a God watching lovingly over us and that somewhere within the mystery of it all, there was a special place for us. This inclination towards a blind faith was strong in me, stamped upon my DNA and cultivated through my upbringing. I was sheltered from the brutal reality of this world, hidden from the horrible truths of our existence.

It is your choice to hear these words, but be warned, once you understand what they mean you will never be able to hide in the warm comfort of ignorance again.

Unless you’re prepared for this, it’s best you stop now. Time is short now, I sense them drawing close. Whilst blood flows through these shaking hands, I will tell you of them, in the hope that someone hears these words and know of what is inevitably to come.

I know not how to stop the Dark Horde, or how to stop the events I have set into motion. But I doubt it makes any difference, as mankind is doomed anyway.

It wasn’t always like this. Once I enjoyed a happy life too. Once I had  a life. my early childhood to the outsider seemed like any other. A child full of energy and confidence, and the world around me was of wonder. Then, when I was seven, came the visions. They were infrequent at first, like intermittent thunder before the storm, but by the time I was eight they were coming to me not only every night, but every hour of every waking day. Every child fears the dark, but who’s to believe that a child’s nightmares could possibly be real?

I was trapped alone in a world of nightmares, under constant assault from a force no one could see or believe. With time the cancerous visions only grew stronger and my parents grew ever more frantic in their attempts to find a cure. After numerous doctors and counselors, my parents finally found a psychiatrist to their liking. I was not yet ten when he gave his damning assessment; “Your son is suffering from temporary psychosis of a type that is treatable and not uncommon in boys his age. Nightmares and the fear of the dark occur in most children and have been known to be so intense that it results in delusions and even hallucinations. it is merely a product of the hormonal imbalance of puberty, of an over-active imagination…But he will be cured and in years to come he’ll look back at these days with humor and think how silly he’d been! Fear not, this psychosis will come to pass.”

I was to receive therapy and medication, and for a few mostly happy years, the treatment seemed successful. but always below the surface, dark forces gathered, revealing themselves in occasional “fits of madness”. My doctor was intrigued by this and sought to uncover what was best left alone. He put me under hypnosis, an event that was to forever alter my life. I was only thirteen. The hypnosis swept aside the clouds of consciousness, revealing my past in all its horror. I saw my previous life and the terrible deeds I had done. I realised then that the visions keep returning to haunt me because they are my past. In some archaic time I had brought them into this world, though what they were, I did not know. I only knew that they were alien to this world and meant only to destroy it…And I. in some “fit of madness”, had let them in.

I became resigned to the power of the visions, recognising my place in the scheme of things and realising the futility of it all. With time, I learned to hide the visions effects and ceased to even tell others of their existence. By the age of sixteen, I was deemed cured and ready to join the “real world”…But I had merely learned to wear the mask of sanity. Sometimes, however, the mask slipped…And deeds of darkness came to light.

I would wake alone in a dark forest, shivering. Then I’d realize…I dreamt this. Somehow I had sleepwalked into the forest at night, the black shapes of swaying trees crowded around me and the wind taunted in strange voices. Then I’d notice the candle-lit inscriptions in the dirt before me…If what I just dreamt was real, then I knew we were in great danger. Screaming, I’d run through moonless undergrowth until I found a road I could follow home, or someone found me, bruised and feverish, the next day.

My fate was inevitable. I was doomed to repeat history.

Neither drugs nor therapy would stop my sleepwalking and before long I was sleeping in restraints. At seventeen I left school and moved with my parents from Howqua Hills to far away Melbourne. With the move, my sleepwalking tendencies ended and I was able to begin a new life among strangers who did not know my past, nor care. They teased me for my country background, but accepted me as normal, as someone who was dependable. But never did the visions relent on my tortured mind, ever reminding me of who I was and who I was destined to be.

It is now five years later and things are no different. destiny is cruel when you are its slave. There is no privilege in this, no fortune in being chosen, there is only eternal damnation. but I cannot be held responsible for something that started and was predetermined before i was even born. And if I wasn’t their channel, it inevitably would have been another, if it wasn’t my past life, it inevitably would have been someone elses.

it is utterly useless to try to stop them. Their age is limitless, as is their knowledge and power. We are to them as ants on the Earth. An organized society that adapts and multiplies, but does not know of the world around it. We are not the most advanced creature in the universe, even on our own planet. Nor are we blessed in any way. Just as many other species of life succumbed to our dominance, so shall we succumb to others.

And now as I sit here making this recording of my final words; i know that i can restrain them no longer. Consciousness is fading, the lights grow dim and my voice faint. they are close now.

Calling…Calling…Calling…

“…..Come Dark Horde, remember, and once more be!

We are as one, as many are we,

Become one, once more be.

We are as one, as many are we,

Become one, once more be…”

After many hours of semiconscious chanting, I was startled awake by a sharp crack in front of me. Before me stretched a black void with depths beyond comprehension. A nauseating stench fell over me and I saw that within the nebulous darkness was a pair of eyes: red convex slits. They were a short distance away and staring directly at me, my mind naked before their gaze…

My God, what had I done?

About Brewin’

Brewin’ knew he wanted to be a writer when he was only seven and that has shaped his life. A gift from his brothers of a Role Playing Game Book was a pivotal moment in his life. Game books(along with role-playing games) made him the writer he is today. The last third of his first published novel, Evermore: An Introduction, is a choose-your-own-adventure and his second novel, The Dark Horde, has one of the characters from Evermore in it. For more about Brewin’ and his work visit:

http://www.thebrewin.com

To purchase The Dark Horde, click on the cover below

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