Guest Post | fuonlyknew

August 2026
M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	1	2
3	4	5	6	7	8	9
10	11	12	13	14	15	16
17	18	19	20	21	22	23
24	25	26	27	28	29	30
31

Archive for the ‘Guest Post’ Category

Who ya gonna call? Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper ~ Blitz Review and Giveaway

Posted: September 25, 2014 in Adult Fiction, Blitz, giveaways, Guest Post, horror, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews
Tags: Author JL Bryan, Book #1, Ellie Jordan: Ghost Trapper, paranormal horror

With Halloween fast approaching, I’ve been amassing some horror books to get in the mood. Honestly, I do it year round. I’m huge into horror.

That said, how I could pass up the chance to read this book. It’s got a creepy, gothic mansion,ghosts, and ghost trappers. All huge draws for me.

So let’s get to it. There’s lots to see. Check out the cover and blurb. Read the guest post to find out if your being haunted.

Enjoy my review.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway. You could win your own copy!

***

Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper is the first book in a new series by J. L. Bryan, the author of the Jenny Pox series and other novels. He lives in the very hot state of Georgia with his family and no ghosts, as far as he knows.

Sign up for J.L. Bryan’s newsletter to receive a free ebook of short stories and hear about future releases in the Ellie Jordan series and other new books.

***

Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper

by J.L. Bryan

Publication Date: September 19, 2014

Genres: Adult, Horror, Paranormal

My Review

The first thing I noticed about this book was the story takes place in Georgia. It’s supposed to be one of the most haunted cities in the south, steeped in dark stories. It’s the perfect setting.

You’ve read the blurb so you know this is about a haunted house. So I’m going to introduce you to the ghost trappers from Eckhart Investigations instead of telling you what you already know.

Retired Homicide Detective Calvin Eckhart is the owner and boss man. He needed something to do with all of those empty days and it was an easy decision to start investigating hauntings as he had a keen interest in the supernatural.

Since he’s confined to a wheelchair and not getting any younger, he hires Ellie James to do the work for him. To determine if there is, in fact, a haunting, and then take care of that pesky ghost.

Ellie Jordan, head ghost trapper. Her job is to determine if a house is haunted, and either to get the ghost to vacate, or trap it and dispose of it in a safe place.

She’s my favorite character. Smart, determined, and gutsy, she goes places I’d never dream of entering.

But even she is terrified as the ghost turns out to be many ghosts, and the danger escalates into the physical realm.

Stacey is the newbie. Eckhart didn’t like Ellie going into a haunting investigation alone. It could be very dangerous. Stacey always had an interest in ghosts, and really wants to meet one up close. She helps set up the video equipment and monitored the cameras from outside in a van. She’s in contact with Ellie, and helps to pinpoint where a ghost might be lingering. Her enthusiasm is fun and addictive. I doubt she’ll be so eager to see a ghost after this job.

Jacob Weiss is thrust upon Ellie by the boss. Eckhart insists a psychic could be beneficial. Jacob is one of only a few survivors of a horrible plane crash and now can contact ghosts. He comes into the story closer to the end so I didn’t get to know him very well, but as this is a series, I hope to see more of him. He did come in handy though, so Eckhart was wise to use him.

Finally, the hauntees, the Treadwell family, consisting of Dale, Anna, and their young daughter Lexa. They bought a rundown mansion in an out of the way place. The only other structures on the street are some derelict warehouses and factories. They have big plans to renovate the house and turn it into a bed and breakfast. Dale came up with a great idea. They could add a sports lounge for the men, complete with a huge flat screen TV to watch the games, and plenty of beer. That would make it appealing to the husbands while the quiet holiday appealed to the wives. It’s really a good idea.

There’s just one little hitch. The house came with a ghost, a very expressive ghost. It wants just one thing…for them to vacate the premises, now!

I’d tell you about the ghosts but that would be telling you the story. I can tell you this. I don’t think I’ve experienced such an intense, nail-biting, scene as the one when these characters enter the house for the final event. If it was a movie, I’d have been peeking through my fingers. Horror doesn’t always come with a happy outcome, so all of them were fair game to die a grisly death. That kept me reading, eyes zipping from word to word, hoping for the best and fearing the worst. I was breathless afterwards and my shoulders ached from the tension.

The author nailed it with his characters. Each almost immediately became familiar.

His ghosts were terrifying.

The plot was fun and scary and your quickly immersed in it.

And this is book one in the series, so read it now. That way you’ll be ready for the next one.

5 Stars

***

There’s no way I wasn’t going to mention Ghostbusters. While this book isn’t all fun and games, some things made me think of the movie.

Here’s a little treat for ya.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fn7-JZq0Yxs]

***

And one more thing. I’m sure you’ve wondered, like I have, why ghost hunters do most of their work at night, in the dark. The logical explanation could be because that’s when the ghosts come out to play. And that’s right, for the most part.

The author gave me a new explanation. A really good one, and I’ll keep it in mind if I ever go ghost hunting.

***

Book description:

Ellie’s job is to catch and remove unwanted ghosts. Part detective, part paranormal exterminator, Ellie operates out of Savannah, Georgia, one of the oldest and most haunted cities in North America.

When a family contacts her to deal with a disturbing presence in the old mansion they’ve recently purchased, Ellie first believes it to be a typical, by-the-book specter, a residual haunting by a restless spirit. Instead, she finds herself confronting an evil older and more powerful than she’d ever expected, rooted in the house’s long and sordid history of luxury, sin, and murder. The dangerous entity seems particularly interested in her clients’ ten-year-old daughter.

Soon her own life is in danger, and Ellie must find a way to exorcise the darkness of the house before it can kill her, her clients, or their frightened young child.

Purchase Links: Amazon ~ B&N

***

Enjoy this fun guest post. Is your house haunted?

Five Signs Your House May Be Haunted

Things go bump in the night. You feel like someone is always watching you. You think you have a ghost, but maybe it’s a just a creepy squirrel scrambling around your attic at night and staring at you through the windows. How can you tell for sure?

The editors of Ladies’ Haunted Home Journal are back with an easy guide to determining whether a paranormal presence infests your house! Before calling the ghost trappers, consider whether you have any of the following signs:

Cold Spots: One or more areas in your house might seem much colder the space around it. This may be a corner, closet, or other out-of-the-way spot. You may be excited to learn that when you feel the cold spot, you’re not just in the presence of a restless dead spirit, you’re also touching it! You’re almost inside the ghost, and it’s kind of inside you. Pretty neat. Important note: A cold spot inside your refrigerator or freezer may be caused by the appliance itself.

Strange Sounds: You may hear moaning, groaning, thumping or crashing late at night. Make sure it isn’t an elderly neighbor or relative bumbling around your house. If you hear voices threatening you with death or dismemberment, you might consider the benefits of spending the night at a Motel 6.

Mysterious Motion: Plates slide off the counter. Doors open or close by themselves. The chandelier leaped down from the ceiling, flew across the room, and tried to kill you last week. You’re beginning to think something may be amiss. First, make sure there aren’t any logical causes for these problems, such as keeping your counter too greasy, or a broken hinge in the door, or that idiot who installed your chandelier. If you can’t find an explanation, odds are you’ve got a ghost (or a poltergeist, but let’s not split hairs).

Absurd Disappearances: Your keys disappear from your end table, only to be found in the fish tank. Your good silver vanishes, piece by piece, and you discover all of down in a mysterious back corner of the basement. It’s either a family member with bizarre hoarding tendencies or a mischievous ghost. Either way, you’ve got an annoying problem on your hands.

Full Apparitions: If you have seen a ghost appear and disappear, you probably have a ghost. We don’t really have an alternate explanation for this one. Call your local paranormal exterminator today!

We hope these tips will help you sort out whether your house is haunted or your family just weird! If you have further questions, please read our pamphlet: My House is Haunted – What Now? Good luck with that ghost!

***

Author J l Bryan

J.L. Bryan studied English literature at the University of Georgia and at Oxford, with a focus on the English Renaissance and the Romantic period. He also studied screenwriting at UCLA. He enjoys remixing elements of paranormal, supernatural, fantasy, horror and science fiction into new kinds of stories. He lives in Atlanta with his wife, his son, and some dogs and cats.

To hear about future books by J.L. Bryan, sign up for his new release newsletter: http://eepurl.com/mizJH

J.L. Bryan’s links:

My Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

***

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

I have one eBook copy to give away (International)

To enter, please leave your email address so I can contact you if you win and answer this question:

“Which paranormal or supernatural being scares you the most?”

Giveaway ends October 2nd.

***

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

Author Denise R. Stephenson shares with us what drove her to write Isolation

Posted: July 22, 2014 in Blog Tour, Dystopian, giveaways, Guest Post, Science Fiction, thriller
Tags: Author Denise R. Stephenson, dystopian, Isolation, Science Fiction, thriller

Yesterday I shared my thoughts about Isolation by Denise R. Stephenson.

Today, I’m thrilled to turn over my blog to the author for a guest post.

Be sure to check out the rest of the post for more about the book and how to enter the giveaways. There’s two.

So Denise, tell us.

What drove you to write this book?

I was driven to write this book by a little boy who found a pornographic image in his mother’s garage. Before that all I had were ideas from contemporary events suggesting I had something to write. The germs of my novel Isolation came from the fear of a swine flu epidemic in the fall of 2009, the CDC changing our behavior by teaching us to sleeve the sneeze, and my concerns about the overuse of 99% bacterial killing soaps and sanitizers. But it was hearing this line in my head: “and laying a finger aside of his nose” that told me I had something worth pursuing. In that line, I suddenly imagined a world in which face-touching had been outlawed—an outrageous idea, one worthy of a dystopia.

The gift of a sabbatical in the Spring of 2012 gave me the time to create this particular world torn apart, not by a virus, but by a variety of bacteria no longer within medical control. I did a great deal of research, some over the two years of gestation and lots during the first month of the actual writing. I probably spent at least a couple of hours every day researching food-borne bacterial contaminants, produce recalls, genetically modified foods, and the practices of agri-business. I watched many documentaries and a few fictional movies like Contagion. I also read many, many dystopias, discovering intuitively how to build a world falling apart.

I consider myself an organic writer, meaning I don’t outline, but rather, allow a story to grow organically from the seed of an idea or the voice of a character. Typically I have no idea where a story is going and find ways to push myself to just keep writing until plot develops, usually through characters’ interactions more than through exterior devices like chase scenes or explosions.

My characters reveal their lives to me. Sometimes they do so in excruciating detail that I have to sift through, discovering which aspects are important to a particular story. Other times characters show me only a swipe of the canvas and I need to imagine what fills the rest of it. Either way, I don’t plan or outline. I find myself sitting in a coffee shop, walking along a beach, or reading for pleasure and suddenly needing to take notes or capture a line of dialog. Once I have an opening, I’m at the computer drawing the characters actions in words, making sure to capture the emotional tone of the details.

In the case of Isolation, though Gary was a tweener who found The Night Before Christmas children’s book in his mother’s old belongings and recognized that Santa Claus touching his own nose was an illicit image, it was taking Gary into adulthood which became a driving force that kept me working toward a novel. Isolation is epic in scope, spanning three generations. Figuring out that I could use Gary both in his adolescent years and then as an adult really helped me develop that timeline.

In the end, Gary was only one of a cast of six characters who form the central story of the novel. He was the first I imagined, but not the first I wrote. In fact, the first character I developed ended up being cut from the novel altogether. And in the end, Gary’s was one of the story-lines that took the longest for me to close. I think I wanted something for Gary that a dystopia couldn’t give him, so it took me awhile to be willing to end his story as it had to end.

No spoilers, so I’ll stop there. The drive to write Isolation was a combination of world events and a line from a children’s book which brought with it a concept I’d never imagined and wouldn’t want to live with—a world without touch.

Thanks so much Denise. I just wanted to add that the ending was special. I’m glad you stayed with it.

~~~~

Publisher: Mill City Press (April 15, 2014)
Category: Dystopian, Science Fiction, Apocalyptic & Post-Apocalyptic, Political Thriller, Medical Thriller
ISBN: 13: 978-1-62652-760-7
Tour Dates: June 15-July 30, 2014
Available in: Print and ebook, 383 Pages

Isolation depicts a bleak but recognizable future in which the fear of contagion reaches a fever pitch as a bacterial epidemic catapults the US into an apocalyptic crisis.

Touch is outlawed. Mothers like Maggie bind their infants’ hands, terrified they might slip fingers into mouths. Gary, a Sterilizer, uses robots to scour the infected, avoiding all contact with human flesh. Trevor, the Chief Enforcer, watches, eager to report any and all infractions.

One inadvertent touch will change all of their lives.

For those of you who missed my post yesterday, click HERE to read my review and enter the giveaways.

~~~~~

About Denise R. Stephenson:

DENISE R. STEPHENSON resides in Oceanside, CA, but she has lived in all the isolated locales of this novel at one time or another. Her publishing history is primarily academic, though as a member of Attention Deficit Drama, she has written and produced monologs and short plays. This is her first novel.

Website: http://denisestephenson.com/

Facebook: h ttps://www.facebook.com/DeniseStephensonIsolation
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BookArts_Denise

Buy Isolation:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Book Depository

~~~~~

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

I have two giveaways!

You can enter both!

The first one is for an eBook copy of Isolation (Open Internationally)

Now for the second giveaway!

5 Print copies of Isolation

Go HERE to enter.

~~~~

Follow the Tour:

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus June 16 Excerpt & Giveaway
Library Educated June 17 Review
Creating Serenity June 18 Review
Room With Books June 18 Interview & Giveaway
Reviews From The Heart June 19 Review & Giveaway
Paranormal Romance & Authors June 24 Review
Always a Book Lover June 25 Guest Post
Lightning Chronicles June 27 Review
Elizabeth McKenna Romance Author July 1 Interview
Deal Sharing Aunt July 2 Review
Deal Sharing Aunt July 3 Interview & Giveaway
Books & Quilts July 9 Review
Mary’s Cup of Tea July 10 Review & Giveaway
Manic Mama of 2 July 10 Review
TreeHouseJuly 12 Giveaway
Book Talk With Alana July 14 Review
Book Talk With Alana July 14 Interview
Nerdophiles July 15 Review
Nerdophiles July 16 Interview & Giveaway
She Treads Softly July 17 Review
Kritters Ramblings July 18 Review
fuonlyknew July 21 Review, Guest Post, & Giveaway
Open Book Society July 23 Review & Giveaway
Cassandra M’s Place July 24 Review & Giveaway
Giveaways and Glitter July 25 Review
Two Children & a Migraine July 28 Review, Guest Post & Giveaway
JeanzBookReadNReview July 30 Interview & Giveaway
Heart of a Philanthropist July 31 Review, Interview & Giveaway

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

Tag Team Giveaway Event ~ New Cover Art For Wormwood ~ An Apocalyptic Fantasy by D.H. Nevins

Posted: July 16, 2014 in angels, apocalypse, Cover Reveal, Dark Fantasy, giveaways, Guest Post, Romance
Tags: Author DH Nevins, Dark Apocalyptic Fantasy, romance, series, Wormwood

$tag you're it photo: Tag! You\'re It! AnyOccasion-TagYoureIt-May2007.jpg$

This is a Tag Team Event by fuonlyknew and fundinmental.

Today Sherry and I are featuring the new cover art for Wormwood by D.H. Nevins.

The author has also written an exciting guest post all about the process of creating and choosing her new cover.

And I’ve also reposted my review for ya.

One more thing. There’s a giveaway for a chance to win your own copy of Wormwood, with the new cover!

After entering my giveaway, head on over to Sherry’s blog at fundinmental for another chance to win!

~~~~~

Here is the new cover. Is it not spectacular? The faint hint of color like a ray of light. The wing tip and falling feathers. The peak she is standing on and the silhouette of her holding her crossbow, looking outwards.

All of these things pertain to the story and bring back fantastic memories.

Bravo!

AMAZON

MY REVIEW

I’m reposting my review so you don’t have to leave the page!

I did not read the back flap before I started reading Wormwood. I had also received another book in the mail that day and mistakenly thought this was the book about aliens. Boy, was I surprised.

The first chapter introduces you to Kali. She is a trail guide at Pinecrest National Park. A quiet hike up to her favorite spot, Lookout Peak, starts out normally enough, but a light breeze quickly becomes a tree snapping gale. The once clear skies have turned a heavy grey-black, the clouds tumbling over each other as they race towards her.

This would not be so bad if the woods had not suddenly gone silent. Not a sound could be heard. The winds had stopped and all was still. Not even a bird song was heard. Into this silence came a rumbling that turned into a roar. The ground began to vibrate under her feet and she could see something was coming. The trees started to shake and then to fall, the ground began to roll. Kali ran.

The earth twists and buckles as she tries to reach the safety of Lookout Peak. Trees and shrubs reach out as if to grab her. She sees her goal and rushes forward. Stillness. All around her the earth is raging. Great rents appear, lava flows up from below, the skies open up and rain and hail lash down, but from her vantage point all she feels is a mild tremor under her feet. How can this be?

Kali wants to move out from under the overhanging rocks and edges around them to a clear space. The rocks could fall at any moment. There is a campfire burning. She is not alone up here. A quick look around reveals a figure standing on the cliffs edge, his arms stretched out towards the devastation that is still raging below.

TIAMAT

I tell ya, I was not prepared for this. I was exhausted from the tension I experienced following Kali’s mad dash to safety. My description is just a wee bit of what she goes through.

I am so excited just thinking about what I want to tell you. This happened and that happened! And what? I have never read a story quite like this. There is so much going on. The story raced to its conclusion, leaving me stunned.

At times I was scared. Other times I was so mad. And at one part, I realized I was crying, and it hurt.

D. H. Nevins has written a fantastic story of the end of the world and the last survivors. Perhaps this description is too simple, but I hesitate to tell much of the story. I want you to read it like I did. Unprepared and wide-eyed. I want you to get to know each character and discover just what is really causing all the destruction.

I hope when you read Wormwood, you’ll tell me how it made you feel. Did you experience it like I did?

A huge Thank You to the author for an extremely well written story in which to immerse myself.

Beyond 5 STARS

~~~~

Check out this amazing trailer!

~~~~

Synopsis

Against a devastated landscape, a legion of one hundred fierce half-angels is hell-bent on purging the Earth of all humans. But one of them, the tormented Tiamat, struggles against his mission, and when he rescues a beautiful woman named Kali, he finds the attraction as troubling as it is miraculous. Can Kali trust the one creature who could be responsible for her ultimate demise?

Beautifully written and excitingly told, Wormwood creates a world that is as strange as it is compelling. Filled with brilliantly executed twists and turns on every page that are guaranteed to keep you guessing, Wormwood is one of the most exciting debuts of the year.

~~~~

Enjoy the guest post by D.H. Nevins

A New Cover for Wormwood

First of all, before I say anything else, let me introduce Wormwood’s new cover. Oh, and before I do that, I should forewarn you that I’m a tad biased about this…

The New:

This beauty took my breath away the moment I saw it. As an author, I couldn’t ask for a better representation of my work. And I’m kind of picky—so that says a lot! The image projects a mood that reflects the feel of my story so perfectly, I knew the cover artist understood Wormwood on multiple levels. But even if we’re just talking aesthetics, well, although I am most definitely biased, I think this is one fantastic-looking cover!

The Old:

I originally had a different cover for Wormwood. It was a simple black and white etching by Gustave Doré, depicting a fallen angel reaching towards the heavens. The sheer turmoil apparent through the angel’s expression and pose not only fascinated me, but seemed a perfect depiction of the conflict raging through Tiamat, a half-angel in Wormwood. However, the etching–although classic–was hardly a trendy cover. The story itself was very well-received, but I found that people had trouble getting past the antiquated-looking cover in order to take a chance on reading what was within. My love for the cover, it seemed, was a lonely one!

The Cool How:

About a month ago, I was contacted by cover artist extraordinaire, Derek Murphy. He had read Wormwood and subsequently offered to make up a new cover for the book—for free. Surprised, flattered and curious about the vision he had for Wormwood, I heartily agreed.

Then, as you know, the resulting cover blew my expectations out of the water! Its impact was immediate.

Why it Works:

The image depicts the book genre clearly. The colour contrast is striking, which catches the eye instantly. Plus, it’s incredibly professional.

It also fits the story.

On a literal note, the protagonist is a strong female, adept with a crossbow, yet still out of her element. However, she would never admit it. I could see this in her stance. Yet the cover holds so much more than a simple literal representation of Wormwood. Derek recreated the feel of the book perfectly. The mixture of light and darkness remind me of a review Wormwood once received which, in part, said, “The lines will be blurred between good and evil, love and hate, truth and lies, and hero and antagonist.” The hazy fusion of sunlight and shadow reflect this beautifully. The unsettled, foreboding skies mirror the mood of this dark, post-apocalyptic story, and the falling feathers are a nice touch. They hint at the half-angels in the story without hitting potential readers over the head with their existence. The fact the feathers are broken and falling is also perfect, but I hesitate to say why… after all, I don’t want to spoil the most exciting parts of the book!

The Alternatives:

It was exceedingly difficult to select my favourite cover. Every mock-up Derek created was incredible in its own right, and it would be a shame not to share them. So in all their glory, here are the other options he came up with.

The third one—the one with the wing obscuring the girl’s face—is so amazing, I’d very much like to use it as the cover for my sequel, Angel of Shadow. What do you think?

My Thanks:

Naturally, I wouldn’t be sharing this with you if it wasn’t for Derek Murphy. His outstanding covers and unprecedented talent can be seen on his website, CreativIndie Covers. Have a look at http://bookcovers.creativindie.com/

~~~~

D.H. Nevins was born in Toronto and currently lives in a quiet area of Ontario, surrounded by forests and lakes. By day, she is a personable, friendly school teacher. By night, she silently chuckles as she writes about destroying the world. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys hiking, camping, flying around on her motorcycle or dabbling in live theatre.

For more about D.H. Nevins and her writing:

Website ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

~~~~

D. H. Nevins is giving away 5 eBook copies of Wormwood.

An International Giveaway

To enter, please leave your email address with your comment so I can contact you if you win and answer this question:

“Which cover would you choose and why?”

This is a Tag Team Event hosted by myself and Sherry at fundinmental.

You can visit Sherry’s blog for another chance to win and see what she thinks about Wormwood HERE.

Giveaway ends July 30th.

~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

Anna Simpson needs your ideas! Come help her with her next story!

Posted: July 7, 2014 in Book Promos, Fantasy, Guest Post
Tags: Author Anna Simpson, call out for story ideas, guest post

Wouldn’t it be great if you could help an author write her next story? Well, Anna Simpson needs your help. I’m going to turn my blog over to Anna today and let her tell you her fantabulous news!

Then you can have fun helping her with her next story!

~~~~

When a writer gets something published, there are certain expectations. Everyone knows this. But I’m not sure what to do this time and need your help. Roane Publishing has asked me to write a short story as a free read, and your guidance would give me a place to start.

Since my only work to-date with Roane is Mexmur, The Huntress; this will be the story I’m going to promote.

If you’ve not read it yet, take a look at this:

Mexmur, the Huntress by Anna Simpson

Long ago a dragonkeeper betrayed his charges. To bring back magic, to set things right, Mexmur is sent through the portal.

Can she succeed armed with only a poem, talon and blade.

Need more? Okay. How about this.

Betrayed, the dragons fled into a portal. Years later, a young huntress and a failure of a prince join together to go after them. Not only are the dragons the only way to fulfill the duos goal, the beasties want revenge. With only an old legend and poem as a guide, and very different ideas on how to succeed, Mexmur and Recser try to return magic to their kingdom.

oOo

Here are some story ideas:

The Hunter – Mexmur was only a huntress in training when her father died. What happened to him? How? Was she there and how did it affect her?

The Legend of The Dragonkeeper – A simple man brought magic to the land by betraying he charges. Want to know more about the old legend and why it happened at all?

The Dragons – Near extinction and depending on the kindness of the kingdom, the last of the dragons trickled magic back into the land. Why so little magic? Why did they need a dragonkeeper? What happened to all the rest?

Or is there something else you’d prefer?

Please put your requests/suggestions into the comments. What would you prefer to read about?

Remember this will be a short short story so please keep this in mind when making your suggestions. I’ll try to go with the majority. Who knows maybe I’ll receive enough suggestions that it will spark a brand new tale.

Which one do you like? What questions would you like answered? What do you want more of? I’m a writer and can make your dreams come true—on paper if nowhere else.

oOo

Portals: A Fantasy Anthology

Genre: Fantasy Anthology (mixed sub genres)

Keywords: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Urban Fantasy, Steampunk, Short Stories, Picture Prompt

Description: No matter what world you call home, or what your station in life, there are just some paths that weren’t meant to be tread.

Authors:

Christy Thomas | Anna Simpson | Echo Shea | Havva Hurat

Laurie Treacy | Michael Siciliano

~~~~

Laura’s thoughts on Anna Simpson’s Mexmur, The Huntress

If you love dragons, this ones for you.

Mexmur is forced to enter the portal to recharge a talisman of magic. The King is willing to sacrifice her and his son in his quest to steal power from the dragons.

Can a spoiled prince and a lowly huntress survive the dragon’s breath? Or will they become a meal?

Mexmur is a huntress so she has skills to hunt the dragon. The spoiled prince has some surprises of his own and I grew to like him. These two both learn a lot once through the portal and the dragons are great teachers.

I really enjoyed the dragon characters. They had their own agenda and played a big part in the story.

~~~~

Okay! Are you ready to help Anna? Please leave your suggestions in the comments. You can choose from what Anna has provided or tell her some of your own ideas for the story! We can’t wait for your ideas!

~~~~

Image of Anna Simpson

About Anna:

Remember that there may be many an Anna Simpson, but only one emaginette.

Contact me:

Blog Twitter Facebook Goodreads

.

.Purchase Links

PRINT

Roane Publishing | Createspace | Amazon

Digital

Roane Publishing | Amazon | Amazon (UK)

Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Smashwords / Bookstrand

~~~~

Transport Tour with Author Peter Welmerink’s Top Tens List of things you SHOUDN’T do when the zombie apocalypse happens

Posted: June 27, 2014 in Action/Adventure, Blog Tour, Guest Post, horror, Zombies
Tags: Action, Author Peter Welmerink, Horror, Transport, zombies

Peter Welmerink
Featured Book Release:
Transport
June 23 to June 29 , 2014

Most of you know of my addiction to zombies! I can’t resist when I spot a new story.

And I just fell in love with the cover art for Transport.

When I discovered the author was from Michigan, that sealed the deal. I was born there and wouldn’t mind revisiting, zombies and all.

Author Peter Welmerink has put together a really fun Top Tens List.

Take your time, browse the post, and check out the awesome illustrations!

~~~~~

Peter Welmerink’s

Top Ten Things You SHOULDN’T Do

When the Zombie Apocalypse Happens

(In the World of TRANSPORT)

Stand in front of oncoming military vehicles, which are there to protect and assist you, to protest their presence. Plus, they might not stop and, if you are unfortunate enough to be standing before the HURON, 72 tons of armored vehicle will reduce your waist line to, ummmm, about a millimeter or so.

Wear a dress, pants, shirt, or undergarments made of raw meat, even if you are a big fan of Lady Gaga.

Ingest a lot of beans the night before, and then try and sneak through a quiet, zombie-infested, poorly-soundproofed auditorium the next day. Okay, one of my kids came up with this one. Still, sounds like something NOT to do.

Move out to the country. You will eventually either get attacked, or someone will “crop dust” your homestead with flesh-eating chemicals, reducing you and the undead into piles of red goo.

Run out to the big university communal. There might not be zombies within its walled confines, but the crazed geneticists inside may want to combine your biological essence with a dead cat or mutated bull. Unless you’re into that sort of thing.

Use “weapons” which shoot foam bullets. Nerf guns are fun to shoot and play with, but not recommended for use in repelling actual undead.

Buy a house on Grand Rapids west side. It becomes an enclosed retention area for the city’s undead populace once the outbreak is in full bloom.

Use any type of two-wheel or four-wheel vehicle to drive over and through a pile of zombies. Tires will spin on the gore-slop, unless you can totally floor it and run your rubber right down to pavement before being overwhelmed by flesh-biters. Try to spray a crimson rooster only if you have the horsepower and ample time for such shenanigans.

Have a staring contest with a local Grand Rapids undead civilian. You’ll lose. They either don’t blink or do not have eyes to stare into. And the idea is just insane anyway. If you are silly enough to do such a thing, try it on a Feral zomb. You’ll still lose… along with your face, neck, appendages and, most likely, your life. Okay, one of my kids came up with this one too.

Die, or become infected and die. The name of the game is live and survive, or, if not, make sure you go out with a big enough BANG to put yourself into some type of subatomic form.

~~~~~

Book Synopsis for Transport

The HURON, a 72-ton heavy transport vehicle and an army of four; tracked, racked and ready to roll, to serve and protect the walled metropolis of Grand Rapids—both her living and her undead. Captain Jacob Billet and his crew patrol the byways, ready for trouble.

William Lettner, the North Shore Coalition High Commissioner, has enemies from the mainland to the lakeshore and needs to be covertly transported home after his helicopter is shot down en route to Grand Rapids. He has no love for a city that gives unliving civilians the right to survive. Lettner’s venomous outbursts assaults Billet and his crew along every mile travelled as they are assigned to safely bring him through the treacherous landscape outside the city back to his hometown.

The HURON and her crew will have to face domesticated zombies and the feral undead; marauders holding strategic chokepoints hostage; barricaded villages fighting for survival, and a group of geneticists who’ve lost control of one of their monstrous experiments if they want to complete their mission.

The crew will need to stay strong and trust one another in order to finish the mission and bring their “precious” cargo home, even knowing, all the while, the terrible deeds Lettner has done.

Travelling through West Michigan was never so dangerous.

Amazon Links for Transport

Print Version ~ Kindle Version

~~~~~

About the author: Peter Welmerink was born and raised on the west side of pre-apocalyptic Grand Rapids, Michigan. He writes Fantasy, Military SciFi, and other wanderings into action-adventure. His work has been published in ye olde wood pulp print and electronic-online publications. He is the co-author of the Viking berserker novel, BEDLAM UNLEASHED, written with Steven Shrewsbury. TRANSPORT is his first solo novel venture. He is married with a small barbarian tribe of three boys.

Find out more about his works and upcoming projects at:
http://www.peterwelmerink.com

~~~~

Author Links:

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

***

Tour Schedule and Activities

6/23 The Rage Circus Vs. The Soulless Void Review
6/23 The Tiffany Apan Blog Interview
6/23 Beauty in Ruins Guest Post
6/24 Come Selahway With Me Character Post
6/25 Deal Sharing Aunt Excerpt
6/25 Sheila Deeth Post on Art of Transport
6/27 Bookishly Me Review
6/27 fuonlyknew ~ Laura’s ramblins and reviews Top Ten’s List
6/28 Bee’s Knees Reviews Review
6/28 Alexx Momcat’s Gateway Book Blog Top Ten’s Llist
6/29 L. Andrew Cooper’s Horrific Scribblings Review

~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

They’re men…they’re beasts ~ The Secret Wolf ~ A Full Moon Mercy Novel by Ana W. Fawkes ~ Guest Post and Giveaway

Posted: June 17, 2014 in Blog Tour, giveaways, Guest Post, Paranormal or fantasy, Romance, Series, Shifters
Tags: Author Ana Fawkes, bikers, Full Moon Mercy Novel, shifters, The Secret Wolf

I love the cover art for The Secret Wolf. So much going on!

And so much going on in this book. Shifters, werewolves, bikers and some romance.

Check out The Secret Wolf, enjoy the fun guest post from the author, and don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

The Secret Wolf

A Full Moon Mercy Novel

Book 1

Ana W. Fawkes

22069017

Genre: paranormal romance, motorcycle club, shifter, werewolf

Publisher: Hundred to Home

ASIN: B00K64FVO0

Number of pages: 185 / Word Count: 57,000

Book Synopsis

Welcome to the world of FULL MOON MERCY.

This isn’t just a book about a MC… this is about a brotherhood, a group of men who share a bond not just within the MC, but within their souls…

They’re men. They’re beasts. They are… FULL MOON MERCY.

Sitting next in line to run Full Moon Mercy Motorcycle Club, Lucas Trowwer has kept his fair share of secrets. Whether it’s the cover up of murders in town or the fact that all the men that sit at the table are truly beasts on the inside, Lucas knows the line between paranormal and reality is very thin.

When bodies start piling up in town, the evidence points to a rival shifter crew looking to take down the MC, and the last thing Lucas needs is to save an innocent woman and fall for her. His trust must now reside in a woman who is beyond beautiful… and completely human. If things couldn’t get any more confusing, a one night stand from Lucas’s past comes forward with news that could change the path of Full Moon Mercy and Lucas is trapped within secrets, romance, and bloodshed.

There’s a war brewing in the town of Mercy… and deep inside Lucas’s beast of a heart.

Available at Amazon

~~~~~

Enjoy the guest post from Author Ana Fawkes

Writing Full Moon Mercy has given me the chance to finally write and explore some of my secret and dark addictions. I LOVE bikers and I LOVE werewolves. For years I’ve been a closet paranormal romance junkie. I’m proud to say that because it’s just damn sexy, isn’t it?

To research for Full Moon Mercy, it was more or less thinking about the story I wanted to tell and how to tell it. All the years of reading shifters and paranormal really helped me shape the series. I did some research into bikers and groups and gangs, just to get the idea and the feel of it all, but honestly, I wanted to keep it mine. I wrote it as I wanted to be involved in the town of Mercy and the MC of Full Moon Mercy. I wanted to create this club that preferred to be beasts but respected their small town enough to keep as humans, only shifting was absolutely necessary. Then, of course, I had to create the lingering secret around town of potential ‘large wolves’ roaming in the woods.

For the inspiration part of the series, it was really simple… I wanted to take two really hot and sexy things and mesh them together. Bikers who are werewolves… when the idea came to me I think I stayed up most of that same night and outlined what would be The Secret Wolf. I just started to go with this and haven’t looked back. I really can’t remember a time I wrote like this before. Normally I’ll stare at a project for a little while to determine if I want to pursue it, but this just hit me, stuck with me, and I felt like I had no choice but to bring it to life.

It’s so much fun to write… and it’s so much fun to read. I’m in the final stages of the third book in the Full Moon Mercy series and it’s another amazing read. I’m already getting set to write the fourth book!

~~~~~

About the Author:

Ana W. Fawkes is the best selling author of several series including, BY HIS COMMAND, WITH THE ROCKSTAR, and the new smash hit shifter MC romance, FULL MOON MERCY.

Mailing List ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Site

~~~~

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

Tour giveaway

1 grand prize giveaway of a $25 Amazon.com gift card

10 ebook copies of the second Full Moon Mercy book – The True Beast. There will be 10 winners of a single.

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

Additional Giveaway:

Anyone who buys a copy of The Secret Wolf (A Full Moon Mercy) and sends the proof of purchase to Ana at AnaFawkes@gmail.com will be put on a list to receive a *free* ebook Full Moon Mercy novella when published. (Novella is due for summer publication!)

~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

Author Guest Post and Giveaway ~ Mind Games: The Cassie Scot Series, Book #3

Posted: May 21, 2014 in Blog Tour, giveaways, Guest Post, Magic, Paranormal or fantasy, Series
Tags: Author Christine Amsden, Cassie Scot Series, Mind Games

I have so much to show you today!

I’m showcasing Mind Games: The Cassie Scot Series, Book 3.

I’ve also got the first and second books in this exciting series and there’s all kinds of links for fun content.

There’s a huge giveaway too.

And Christine Amsden is here to tell us all about writing her amazing series.

So check it out, click on some links, read my reviews of the first two books, and don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

~~~

The Bumpy Road to Cassie Scot

Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective was the easiest, most natural book I ever wrote. It almost seemed to write itself! The entire series felt natural because of the way I identified with and practically channelled the main character, but the challenges grew with each book. The final volume, Stolen Dreams, presented the greatest difficulties. But also, and in my very biased opinion, I rose to the challenges, making each book better than the one before.

Cassie first came to me in a burst of inspiration, and I pushed out the first draft of a book in record time. I did rewrite and heavily revise the book several times based on some astute feedback from beta readers, but even the rewrites were easier than usual. There was a certain energy to each revision, a vitality and a definite sense of purpose. I never tried to rewrite the book without specific feedback and a plan, and I always felt a sense of rightness about the changes I made. The final revision came after I had finished rough drafts of the rest of the series, which gave me the power to make sure I did not contradict myself and that I had set everything up, even if the readers would not yet know the significance of every decision I made.

I usually find beginnings easier than endings, which may be another reason why the first book was the easiest of the four for me to write. It did come to a conclusion (the mystery was solved), but I set up many problems in book one that I didn’t have to deal with at the time – I left that for a future version of me to handle.

It wasn’t until I first drafted Secrets and Lies that I came up with a plan for the rest of the series. Before then I had some vague notions and themes, but the cliffhanger ending to Secrets and Lies was as much a surprise to me as it was to my readers! Yet that cliffhanger ending sets the tone for the final two books. Secrets and Lies was a book of discovery for me. I refined my characters, learned new things about the bigger magical world, and decided what the rest of the series would look like. The biggest challenge in Secrets and Lies was balancing the mystery with all the personal and magical discoveries being made. Some of the lessons I learned while writing this book led to a major revision of book one. But the growing pains took place while writing book two.

Mind Games was the most difficult of the four books to draft for two reasons. First, I was writing from the first person point of view of a character who was being subtly manipulated by mind magic. I wanted this to be absolutely obvious to the reader from page one, but at the same time I needed to convince the reader of Cassie’s struggle with this truth. Second, I strayed from the series’ primary love interest, Evan, and I found it very difficult to write romantic scenes between Cassie and another man. Even knowing it would be temporary, even knowing Cassie was partly being manipulated, and even knowing that Cassie needed this test of character, I still felt like I was cheating on Evan when I wrote certain scenes. Strangely enough, though, the final version of Mind Games is closer to its first draft form than any other book in the series. I made few revisions, none of them major, which leads me to the most challenging volume …

Stolen Dreams is not the book I first wrote. It wasn’t even originally called Stolen Dreams, it was called Dreamer. But regardless of what I ended up calling it, there exists (somewhere on my hard drive) a rough draft of a book that I originally intended to conclude the series which has almost nothing whatsoever in common with the book I’ll be releasing this summer. I think I reused one scene, then revised it heavily.

Ground-up rewrites are rare, and there is only one reason to do it: A fundamental flaw in the spirit of the story. That first draft was not about what it should have been about: it challenged Cassie in all the wrong ways, it broke an important theme I had been building all along, and it reverted to genre cliches that the series had, up until then, avoided.

Whew!

I went to a book signing/Q&A with Jim Butcher in the summer of 2011. He had just put out Cold Days (which turned out to be my least favorite of the Dresden Files books – I have bad luck with books I get signed by authors). But during that Q&A, I had an epiphany. Someone asked him when and how The Dresden Files would end. Jim gave his usual not-entirely-joking answer about the length of the series depending upon whether his kids decided to go to grad school, but then he said something else about endings. He said (and I’m obviously paraphrasing) that by the time a series is over, the main character should be uniquely qualified to overcome the final hurtle.

I had a lightbulb moment. It wasn’t a warm, glowy sort of lightbulb moment because I knew instantly that I had to toss an entire draft in the trash (metaphorically speaking – I never throw anything away).

Cassie has no magical powers. In my first draft, I had her facing a challenge that any of the people around her with magical powers would have been far better able to handle. She wasn’t just not uniquely qualified to handle it, she was probably the least qualified person to handle it! But I had fallen into the same trap Cassie fell into – thinking she needed to be able to compete with powerful sorcerers in a magical world in order to be worthwhile. And actually, I think the series as a whole is stronger because I started to fall into that trap with her. In the final book, she and I both had an important lesson to learn. Specifically, that being a hero isn’t about overpowering or outwitting the biggest, baddest bad guy (the fantasy cliché), it’s about using your strengths to solve the problems you are uniquely qualified to handle.

I don’t want to spoil Stolen Dreams for you, but I am so excited by the conclusion to this series. Stolen Dreams is more than a mystery – it’s personal. The feud between the Scots and the Blackwoods takes center stage and when it erupts, people Cassie and Evan love get hurt and even die. Cassie is uniquely qualified to put an end to this feud and to solve an interwoven mystery, and she still does not need magic to do it!

***

Thanks so much for this amazing guest post Christine. While I’m excited to get my hands on Stolen Dreams, I’m also sad because this exciting series will be ending. Can’t wait to see what your cooking up next.

~~~

Mind Games (Cassie Scot Book 3)

Beware your heart and soul…

Evan broke Cassie’s heart two months ago, and she still doesn’t know why. She throws herself into family, friends and her new job at the sheriff’s department, but nothing helps. The only thing that finally allows her heal and move on is the love of a new man, mind mage Matthew Blair. Cassie finds him…irresistible.

Matthew may also be the only one who can help keep the non-magical residents of Eagle Rock from going crazy over the murder of a beloved pastor’s wife. It looks like a sorcerer is to blame, but while Cassie tries to figure out who, others take matters into their own hands. With tensions running so hot, a single spark might set Eagle Rock ablaze.

Keep your eye out for my review coming in June!

First Chapter (Warning! Contains series spoilers. New readers to the series would be better off reading the preview of book one here.)

Buy Links : Amazon ~ Bar nes and No ble

Coming to print June 15, 2014. Audiobook release TBA.

Other Books in the Cassie Scot Series

Cassie Scot: ~~Para~~Normal Detective

Go HERE for my review

Cassie Scot is the ungifted daughter of powerful sorcerers, born between worlds but belonging to neither. At 21, all she wants is to find a place for herself, but earning a living as a private investigator in the shadow of her family’s reputation isn’t easy. When she is pulled into a paranormal investigation, and tempted by a powerful and handsome sorcerer, she will have to decide where she truly belongs.

First Chapter

Buy Links for Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detecitve

Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ Audible (audiobook)

~~~

Secrets and Lies (Cassie Scot Book 2)

Go HERE for my review

Cassie Scot, still stinging from her parents’ betrayal, wants out of the magical world. But it isn’t letting her go. Her family is falling apart and despite everything, it looks like she may be the only one who can save them.

To complicate matters, Cassie owes Evan her life, making it difficult for her to deny him anything he really wants. And he wants her. Sparks fly when they team up to find two girls missing from summer camp, but long-buried secrets may ruin their hopes for happiness.

Buy Links for Secrets and Lies (Cassie Scot Book 2)

Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ Audible (Audiobook)

Author Christine Amsden

Christine Amsden has been writing fantasy and science fiction for as long as she can remember. She loves to write and it is her dream that others will be inspired by this love and by her stories. Speculative fiction is fun, magical, and imaginative but great speculative fiction is about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations. Christine writes primarily about people and relationships, and it is in this way that she strives to make science fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone.

At the age of 16, Christine was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, a condition that effects the retina and causes a loss of central vision. She is now legally blind, but has not let this slow her down or get in the way of her dreams.

In addition to writing, Christine teaches workshops on writing at Savvy Authors. She also does some freelance editing work.

Christine currently lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, Austin, who has been her biggest fan and the key to her success. They have two beautiful children.

Social Media Links:

Web site ~ Newsletter ~ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~Goodreads

Praise for the Cassie Scot Series

“Amsden continues the story of the only mundane member of a supernaturally-gifted family in this middling sequel to Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective. Cassie, stubborn and proud, is bravely trying to live on her own after her family disowns her. Struggling to make ends meet, she accepts a case involving a pair of magical girls who disappeared from summer camp. With the aid of the handsome Evan Blackwood, to whom Cassie is attracted despite her family’s disapproval and her own better judgment, she follows the trail of the missing girls. What she finds is a dark side of the magical world, and the hidden depths of her family’s past force her to reconsider long-held assumptions. The growing complexity of Cassie’s world makes this an entertaining installment, focusing as much on the will-they, won’t-they romantic chemistry between Cassie and Evan as on the primary mystery. An inconclusive ending is clearly intended to feed into the next volume.” — Publisher’s Weekly

“When sorcerers call the shots, what’s a girl without powers to do? Get ready for a ripper of a murder mystery full of romance and intrigue, where magic potions bubble, passions spark and vampires are definitely not your friend. Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective grabs you by the heart and won’t let go until the very last page. Well written, immersive and unputdownable. This is urban fantasy at its best. More please!” – Kim Falconer, bestselling author of The Spell of Rosette, Quantum Enchantment Series

~~~~~

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

$100 Amazon Gift Card

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

What’s in your planetary go bag? Evacuation by K.D. McAdams ~ Fun spotlight and giveaway

Posted: March 19, 2014 in apocalypse, Blitz, giveaways, Guest Post, YA
Tags: Evacuation, K.D.McAdams, Seamus Chronicles #2

Welcome to my stop on the Blitz for Evacuation by K.D. McAdams.

I love discovering a new author and another exciting book.

The author has a really fun guest post and there’s a giveaway for a chance to win your own copy of Book One or Book Two of The Seamus Chronicles.

Pack your bags and let’s go.

~~~

What’s in your planetary go bag?

Food, water and a 3-D printer may be keys to survival

What if Earth was going down the tubes and you had to Evacuate the planet? What would you put in your go bag?

Thanks to the Mayan apocalypse and the popular Doomsday Preppers show on National Geographic the concept of a survival “Go-bag” has gained mainstream understanding. Survival experts can debate the best contents for one of these go bags but in general they contain food, water, security and some protection from the elements. The idea is that when civilization goes down the tubes you grab the go bag on your way out the door and use its contents to survive.

Here on Earth a go bag has to help you get by. Get by until order is restored. Get by until you can make a supply trip to a safe place. But if you have to leave Earth you can’t just get by, you have to start over. You could bring plenty of stuff, but what happens when you run out? Even if you brought enough of something to last your lifetime what would your ancestors do?

Our world is littered with finished goods. Even after an electromagnetic pulse or a collapse of the world financial markets if you needed a nail, screw or fastener you could find one with just a few minutes of looking. You may have to recycle or up cycle it from a previous use, but it’s there. Even a straight or flat piece of wood is only a few miles away from the places in America where most people live.

Imagine building something without screws, nails or dimensional lumber.

Many of us are familiar with assembling things from furniture to power tools, but can you manufacture anything? Given a tree, can you make a straight board? The earliest pieces of steel are four thousand years old, but could you smelt ore?

Following directions from Ikea doesn’t mean you can make furniture.

There are a few things I’m on the fence about; seeds (would they grow?), weapons (will they work) and a bicycle (can it carry enough?) for example. Given unlimited space these would certainly make it but space will be tight. For the purposes of this exercise lets assume you are leaving Earth in Nissan Maxima; doors, windows and trunk have to close. What do you bring?

You need to figure out all the firsts. The first mill, the first sewer system, the first farm all things that won’t fit in your bag. So in addition to food and water here are five things that I would bring if I had to bug out from Earth and start over on another planet.

A tent. The new planet will likely have a different weather system and you’ll need to protect against hot or cold.
Basic hand tools. Hammer, shovels, axes etc.
A hand crank or pedal generator for electricity
A 3-D printer. You can make some of the core pieces needed to build almost anything.
A tablet loaded with manufacturing how-to documents; How to build a sawmill, How to build an iron mill, How to make plastic etc.

What would you bring if you had to bug out from Earth and start over on another planet?

~~~

Evacuation by K.D. McAdams (The Seamus Chronicles #2)

Publication date: March 7th 2014

Genres: Post-Apocalyptic, Young Adult

Synopsis

They have only one chance for survival, leave… the planet.
The virus that wiped out most of the human race is adapting to defeat the vaccine and kill the survivors. There is a government response protocol but it will kill them too, it involves a nuclear winter. The NASA scientists believe they can leave Earth and achieve faster than light travel, but Seamus doesn’t want to slog through space. He knows that to survive they have to go somewhere fast. To save them all he needs to invent a warp drive and evacuate the planet.

Purchase: Amazon ~ B&N

~~~~

AUTHOR BIO

K. D. McAdams writes stories about young people who make choices with their heart and not their head. ‘Don’t talk to strangers’ is the most common phrase in our house, I have failed several art classes and I can’t remember what I ate for breakfast. I have a son that loves to talk to strangers, my daughter is an incredible artist and I have another son that is a stickler for details with a near eidetic memory. We nurture our kids everyday with advice and information but deep down they all have an element of nature that overrides our nurturing and influences their choices. Kids who have the courage to follow their instinct and make their own choices are the ones who make life memorable.

Author links: Goodreads ~ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

~~~

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

I have one ebook copy of Annihilation, Book #1 or Evacuation, Book #2, winners choice, to giveaway (International)

17713788

Evacuation cover

To enter:

Please leave your email address so I can contact you if you win and answer this fun question:

“What’s the most important thing you’d pack in your Planetary Go Bag?”

Giveaway ends April 2nd

~~~~

Thanks so much to Xpresso Book Tours for this exciting event.

~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

Freakin Fridays #28 ~ Just released! CRAWL ~ In your face horror ~ My Review

Posted: January 31, 2014 in Adult Fiction, Guest Post, horror, New Release, Release day, reviews
Tags: Crawl, Edward Lorn

Freakin Fridays

Freakin Fridays is my own little meme. I’ll be posting about books, movies, and all things scary.

Feel free to join in and do your own Freakin Fridays posts!

Tune in every Friday. Get your scare on!

Let’s have some fun!

~~~

With the new year here, I’ve started implementing my new plans for my blog.

While I’ll still be doing my memes and posting for book tours and giveaways, I’m going to be doing a lot more reviewing.

I asked you to help me with this. I gave you 5 books and let you choose which one I should review each week for the 5 Fridays in January. Your response was fun and I did get four of the weeks choices reviewed. However, the last book has been put off temporarily as I work with the author to arrange a guest post and giveaway. I’ll let you know when it’s all set.

So for today, I have something extra special!

First off, I’m thrilled to be telling you about another winner from Edward Lorn.

The moment I read he was writing a new story, and a novellette at that, I stalked E. I had to have it ASAP! He should be getting used to it by now.

Horror is my first love and when I find an author whose words make me shudder in horrific delight, I have to read everything they write. Not only does Edward’s stories do that, he’s also a really witty guy.

When he sent me Crawl, I begged him to do a guest post. I wanted all of you to see the guy behind the books. The one who captivated me as much as his stories.

So here he is. Take it away E!

Crawl For Me

CRAWL is my first jaunt into novelette territory. In case you don’t know, a novelette is anything between 7,500 and 25,000 words. Anything less is a short story. Anything more is a novella. CRAWL is meant to be read in an hour or two (depending on your reading speed, of course), and that’s exactly how I like it. Early reviews are begging for a follow up, and I am currently working on that, but CRAWL is what it is. A bite-sized chunk of salted caramel, a mixture of sweet and savory. At its heart, the story is a character study which covers love on the brink of disaster. The circumference of the piece is a tale of survival, and I get about as bloody as I ever have. This one’s not for the squeamish.

About a month ago I came across “Say Something,” by A Great Big World, featuring Christina Aguilera. The song broke my heart. But it also inspired me. I wanted to tackle the death throes of a relationship. That’s how I met Juliet Harryhousen, the lady who carries my new novelette, CRAWL, on her very capable shoulders. When she started talking, the story told itself. I was nothing more than a dictation device. I love characters like that. That’s that magic.

CRAWL is an ode to the classic “Trapped and Must Survive” horror trope. Think about Poe’s THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO (but only in the sense that both have characters that are chained up at some point) or, most recently, GERALD’S GAME, by Stephen King. Okay, so maybe GERALD’S GAME isn’t recent, but it’s the most recent book I can think of with the same theme. I think every author tackles the idea at some point in their careers: You take a person who’s either restrained or incapacitated and you see if they survive the situation. It’s dirty fun, like monkey sex, and like an orangutan-gang-bang things get messy fast. The human body is a fragile thing, but it can also be a fountain of strength. Just like our minds. Sometimes, though, you have to go mad, you have to break just a smidgen, to see exactly what you’re capable of doing to survive against all odds. In CRAWL, Juliet Harryhousen has to do just that. Did I mention she’s a bad mother(shutyomouf)? Yep. She’s a firecracker, folks; someone I think most readers will have a good time with. I haven’t had this much fun writing a character in a long while. I’ve been spending a lot of time with morose bastards, so Juliet’s snark and humor was a breath of fresh ozone.

I want to talk to Laura Thomas for a minute. Thanks for having me today. You’ve been an avid supporter of not just my work but countless others. Whether they’re traditionally or indie published, you highlight them. You love to read as much as I do, and that’s only one of your many amazing qualities. I’m just as much of a fan of your blog as you are of my writing. Keep up the good fight, lady. People like you never go out of style.

To the rest of you, it’s been my pleasure. Thanks for letting me throw words at your face. I hope you decide to check out my fiction at some point or another. And even if you don’t, thanks for reading this post.

~~~

Thanks so much for sharing Edward. And you made me blush! Such a nice compliment for doing what I love.

And now that ya’ll have met E. it’s time for me to tell you about CRAWL.

I had so much fun writing my review. I agonized over what to say and what not to hint at. I giggled and snickered and had such devilish fun.

Enjoy!

~~~

20611936

You’re out in the middle of nowhere.

You’ve been crippled and left for dead.

There’s something in the woods.

It’s coming.

There’s only one thing you can do…

CRAWL

My Review

What do you do when you catch your husband bumping uglies with the dog-sitter? You get as far away from them as you can. That red haze you’re looking through could be lethal.

That’s what Juliet’s doing. Yeah, she’s letting Colton drive her to her mothers, but he’s not welcome to stay. She needs time and space, and then, maybe, she can forgive him.

There’s cold silence and instant rage as they travel through the night.

Soon, these two will be worrying about something much more immediate. Much more ominous than an illicit transgression.

One of the great parts of this story was the trip through the night.

I think Juliet held herself together very well. Colton expects her to forgive and forget. He can’t stand not knowing what she’ll do.

For Juliet, it’s not that easy. Ugly, hurtful thoughts and images slip into her conscious at will. Walking in to find them going at it on the couch. Fumbling for their clothes, hurrying to hide their nakedness.

What’s with Colton? Why does she have to forgive him? Why does he expect her to give him a crumb, a bit of hope? She’s still in shock, raging over the betrayal, and trying to tape her heart back together. To keep breathing.

Colton ticked me off. He’d just destroyed them as a couple. Thrown away all they had. And now he wanted her to reassure him? What a jerk. I’d leave him hanging. It’s not like I’d make a decision without crawling out from under the pain first.

I found Juliet’s actions and reactions appropriate. She didn’t give an inch. Didn’t soothe his anxiety. And she let him have it when he pushed too hard.

I may be a sick puppie, but when something horrible happened to Colton, I was snickering, especially over what Juliet was thinking. She’s a really tough cookie.

Reading this story is like an assault. The author shocks you into seeing the disgusting scene when Juliet walks in on the humping. Then he blasts you with Colton’s whining and bullying. He revs you up with Juliet’s outrage. And then he stumps you with the weird guy in the car.

Yeah, there’s a creep they keep bumping into. He looks ghoulish, dresses funny, and acts like he knows something they don’t. Which he does.

The freakiness comes out to play. Darting from shadow to shadow. Taunting and terrifying with malevolent glee.

As the title says, you’ll ‘crawl’ out of this story, trying to shake off the horror.

Edward never sugar coats it. His stories are down and dirty. So I’d only recommend this to adults. And then, to those who like it in your face.

5 Creepy Crawlie Stars

~~~

This just in from Edward Lorn!

Here it is in all it’s glory!

CRUELTY EPI3

CRUELTY is a serial novel in ten parts.

Episode Three.

The corpse in the cooler of Bob’s Bait and Fuel might not be the innocent victim everyone first assumed.

William Longmire is released from police custody only to find out his buddy Kirk is in the hospital.

Innis Blake is stuck between two worlds. Will she find her way out before Cruelty has his way?

Regret is born.

Author’s note: CRUELTY: Episode Three will be released in February. CRUELTY: Episode Four will be out sometime in March. Thank you for your patience.

~~~~

Cruelty: Episode 1

and Cruelty: Episode Two

18769241

Go HERE for my reviews

~~~~

More books I’ve read by Edward Lorn

Life After Dane 1400x2100

Go HERE for my review.

And more books.

Go HERE for my reviews.

~~~~

About Edward Lorn and where to stalk him.

Edward Lorn is an American horror author presently residing in the southeast United States. He enjoys storytelling, reading, and writing biographies in the third person. Once upon a time, during a session of show and tell, a seven-year-old Edward Lorn shared with his class that his baby brother had died over the weekend. His classmates, the teacher included, wept while he recounted the painful tragedy of having lost a sibling. Edward went home that day and found an irate mother waiting for him. Edward’s teacher had called to express her condolences. This was unfortunate, as Edward had never had a baby brother. With advice given to her by a frustrated teacher, Edward’s mother made him start writing all of his lies down. The rest, as they say, is history. Edward Lorn and his wife are raising two children, along with a handful of outside cats and a beagle named Dot. He remains a liar to this day. The only difference is, now he’s a useful one.

For more about Edward Lorn and his books:

Website / Twitter / Goodreads / Amazon

Edward’s page on RAP: http://redadeptpublishing.com/edward-lorn/

Edward’s blog: http://edwardlorn.wordpress.com/

~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew.

What’s New On My Bookshelf #51 ~ Now that’s a lot of books!

Posted: January 19, 2014 in Freebies!, giveaways, Guest Post, Meme, Release day, reviews, What's New on My Bookshelf
Tags: bookish news, Laura Thomas, What's New on my Bookshelf

bookshelves photo: Bookshelf bookshelves.jpg

This is my own version of a weekly bookhaul post where I’ll be telling you about all of the books I got this week, whether print or e-book plus all things new on fuonlyknew.

I got a few books this week, some free, some for review, and some I purchased just for my reading pleasure.

I also post reviews on another blog aknifeandaquill . It’s all about horror. If someone doesn’t die, we don’t do it here!

~~~

Here’s some I picked up to review on both blogs. Double exposure for the author:)

18687583

~~~

Here are some I picked up to review on fuonlyknew.

18046381 18047485 18139014

18526414

Got some good ones!

~~~

Got some freebies for ya!

Tried to find a little something for everybody.

Just click on the covers to get yours. Make sure they are still free. Were at time of posting.

And a few more.

You can also find more free books HERE.

~~~

Books for Review.

18196166 8520600

and one more.

18514774

I have too many review books!

~~~

Books I won.

18740615

I won I Dream of Zombies from Charlotte Gerber’s giveaway.

Thanks so much Charlotte!

~~~

Reviewed this week

15833313

I’ll be reviewing this for my Monday Minis post HERE.

Read my review and enter the giveaway HERE.

ParaNormal Detective cover

Read my reviews of both books HERE.

18399599

Read my review and enter the giveaway HERE.

You can read my review and enter the giveaway HERE.

You can read my reviews of all five novellas in the Moonsong’s Series and enter the giveaway HERE.

And on Friday, January 24th I’ll be reviewing the readers choice. I was supposed to review The Monster Man of Horror House, your next choice, but had so many reviews to write I didn’t get it ready in time. It will be on next weeks post along with your next choice.. Go HERE to cast your vote!

~~~

Reviewing this coming week.

1957920

YOu can read my review on my Monday Minis post on January 20th.

Part of my plan for this new year is to include a review of a book I won, one that was gifted from the author, or one I grabbed because I had to have it, each week. Trying desperately to catch up on reviews and read books that have been calling my name.

17405720