Archive for the ‘Interview’ Category

Hearing Voices
Axel Cruise
(An Isaac Blaze Thriller)
Publication date: April 2nd 2017
Genres: Adult, Thriller

“You’re a dead man,” he yelled.
“That’s great. Now answer the question.”
–Isaac Blaze

Isaac Blaze.

A quick wit, zero allegiances, and every major government agency after him. He’s also got two voices in his head. Neither of which is particularly helpful. Or care to be.

But at least he’s never been caught.

Hell, he’s barely even come close.

So when finally a SWAT team does actually manage to take him in – and with such ease at that – they probably should’ve been asking themselves: why?

Too bad they didn’t.

A lot of people got killed.

Goodreads / Amazon

Q&A with author Axel Cruise

RG: How did you get into writing? Is it that classic story of long-time reader who decides to pick up a pen?
AC: To be honest, I’m a TV man. Always have been. Right from when I was a kid. I’d come home from school and just sit and watch.

RG: Your parents must have loved that.
AC: Ha! Yeah, it wasn’t exactly a great hobby in their eyes—or my homework-hungry teachers for that matter. I frequently got the (wags finger) “Watching TV won’t get you anywhere” speech.

RG: I think we’ve all been on the receiving end of that one. So did you have to sneak in your TV time?
AC: Well, luckily I was a quick kid. So whenever I got the speech, I’d just calmly wait for the list of supporting reasons to come to an end—square eyes, kills brain cells, doctors and lawyers don’t watch TV—and then I’d say, “But what if I want to make TV shows?”

RG: Oooh, good answer. That must’ve driven them crazy!
AC: Yeah, you bet. But then again, I never got more than a derisory headshake. So I was pretty confident I was on to something.

RG: (Nodding whilst holding a copy of Hearing Voices) Seems you were.
AC: (Smirks) Well, all right, it was a little more than that. I mean, you have to understand, I wouldn’t just be sitting there. It wasn’t a passive activity for me. It was a whole experience. I’d really see myself in the show. As one of the characters.

RG: Any TV shows in particular?

AC: Not really. I watched pretty much everything. Anime, sit-coms, superheroes—I loved them all. Even stuff I was a little too young to understand. Like for example Seinfeld or Married with Children, when I was only five or six.

RG: OK, so it was through copious watching that you subconsciously picked up the fundamentals of story production?
AC: Yeah. Without knowing it, I was absorbing the dialogue, learning about story arcs, understanding how to pace your plot—all of it.

RG: I think Ben Stiller had a similar theory for himself. He wasn’t just watching TV, he was studying it. Were movies a big thing for you?
AC: Not really. But only because we (the family) never went.

RG: OK, let’s turn back to the written word. You’re an avid reader, so when did your love of books take flame?
AC: When I was about 16.

RG: 16? That’s late.
AC: Like I said, I’m a TV man. But then I really got into reading. Biographies and how-to books, mostly. My mum was always into bios and she encouraged me to read all the time. Eventually I gave it a try, and—surprise, surprise—I found I quite liked it.

RG: Which biographies?
AC: I read a lot of entrepreneurs—Alan Sugar, Richard Branson, Steve Jobs. I remember reading Arnold Schwarzenegger’s in university. That was a definitely a game changer for me. If you need a kick up the ass to get going, read that. It’s called Total Recall.

RG: What about fiction? When did that start?
AC: When I picked up my first Lee Child.

RG: Which one?
AC: Number one. Killing floor. I was in a bookstore, leafing through the selection, and I found this orange book (the UK version) and I read, I was arrested in Eno’s diner. At twelve o’clock. I was eating eggs and drinking coffee. A late breakfast, not lunch… I didn’t put the book down. (Note: Axel can quote the first chapter by heart. He’s read it that many times.)

RG: Who are your favorite authors?
AC: (Blows air out of cheeks) Where to start? I mean, obviously, you’ve got the big guns: Child, Chandler, King, Cole…(coughs) Cruise…Elmore Leonard, Michael Connelly, James Patterson, Karin Slaughter; and then you’ve got the lesser known, but equally incredible: Alan Glynn, Chuck Palahniuk, and whoever wrote that creepypasta about the Russian sleep experiment—damn thing gave me nightmares for weeks!

RG: Are there any self-published authors you particularly look up to?
AC: All of them. Seriously. Because we’re all cut from the same cloth. We’ve been rejected, beat down, told “no”. Doors slammed shut, dreams taken away. But. We didn’t stay down. We got up. Grabbed on to what we want and we’re not going to let go. I’m extremely proud to be part of the self-published community.

 

Author Axel Cruise

Axel Cruise is the author of the highly acclaimed psychological thriller Hearing Voices—the first in the Isaac Blaze series.

Check out what Readers’ Favourite is saying here: https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/hearing-voices

Axel is known for his ability to craft fast paced interweaving storylines, but primarily it’s his ‘cool’ and ’compelling characters’ and ‘dialogues that read so naturally’ that draws in audiences, with readers and reviewers likening Isaac Blaze to icons such as Deadpool and Jason Bourne.

British born, Axel grew up ‘pretty much in front of the TV’, and, in much the same way as Quentin Tarantino with films, Axel credits his incredible consumption of TV shows for his extensive knowledge of story craft. Some personal favourites include: Spiderman TAS (‘the best thing Marvel ever made’), Seinfeld (‘the best show ever made’), Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Dragonball Z.

Of course, Axel is a voracious reader, too. His prefences for reading and writing are expressed well in a recent interview and the question of plot vs character:

“Look. Plot’s important, yeah. But really, I just want to see cool characters doing cool shit.”

You can check out the full Author Interview with Axel, here: http://www.axelcruise.com/interviews

Website / Goodreads / Twitter

 

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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Lots to share today!

Looking for a thrilling romantic suspense? Check out The Devil’s Hook.

Enjoy my interview with the author.

Catch a glimpse inside the book.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

TheDevilsHook book cover

Genre: Cozy Mystery

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Synopsis

Jairus Twombly’s familial intuition is faltering and his new personal assistant seems to be trying to replace his wife, Amy.

On the Twombly College campus, someone is breaking into the dorm rooms of female students leaving things instead of taking things: red colored objects including a red golf ball, a red ribbon and a tiny red stuffed dog.

When a recipient of some of the red objects goes missing and is returned after being told, “You’re not her”, and the personal assistant turns up dead with Amy Twombly’s elegant Bloodwood crochet hook in her eye, things heat up for Emory Crawford and her chemist and forensic scientist husband, Dr. Jebbin Crawford.

Emory, along with the Twombly’s Nancy Drew-like daughter, Madison, once more turns to her amateur detective skills and intuition to solve the mysteries.

Enjoy this fun excerpt

“Get it out! Get it out! Get it out!”

Amy was screaming the words over and over, hands held to either side of her face like Edvard Munch’s painting “The Scream.”

There was a body on the floor at the far end of the table on my side. I heard doors sliding. I swung my head to look at the doors into the main hall.

“What on earth is . . .”

“Iga,” I yelled to be heard above Amy’s hysterics. “Get Amy and Madison out of here, now!”

I heard her rounding up the two Twomblys and taking them somewhere else. My attention was on the body on the floor.

A couple of steps closer and I could see what Amy was screaming about. There lay the display pedestal surrounded by mangled flowers and a porcelain vase in shards, some of which were resting in the blood on the floor as it bled into the water the flowers had been in. Despite knowing there had been an argument in here a short while before, despite the overturned furniture and broken vase that could have been knocked over for a very different reason than the one Amy gave us, even though Amy’s bloodwood crochet hook was protruding from Resie’s left eye, I knew with every shiver running through my soul that Amy hadn’t done this. And, since Resie wasn’t writhing in agony, I also knew she was dead.

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My interview with Author Pearl R. Meaker

  • What genre would you describe The Devil’s Hook as and who is your target audience?

The Devil’s Hook is a cozy mystery, like Agatha Christie’s mysteries. So if you like Christie, Carolyn Hart, Miranda James and other authors like them, you will like The Devil’s Hook.

Everyone who likes cozy mysteries. Hahaha! More specifically, women, usually 30 yrs. old to 60 or so – although I’ve been reading cozies since I was nine years old and still do and I’m 61. People who do some crafts would like The Devil’s Hook as well.

  • Will this be a series or is it a stand alone?

Actually, The Devil’s Hook is the second book in the Emory Crawford Mysteries Series. The first book, The Devil’s Music, was released spring of 2015 and the third book is slated for release fall of 2016.

  • Who would be your choice of actors if your book were made into a movie?

Emory Crawford = Tiffany Thiessen

8559520 Actresses Miranda Cosgrove, Tiffani Thiessen and Dolly Parton visit the "Today" show on January 12, 2012 in New York City, NY. FameFlynet, Inc. - Santa Monica, CA, USA - +1 (818) 307-4813

Dr. Jebbin Crawford = A mix between Jake Johnson & David Krumholtz (Jake’s height and David’s face 😉 )

DH_Jebbin1  DH_Jebbin2

AnnaMay Langstock = Emma Thompson

DH_EmmaT

Dr. Nibodh Chatterjee (Chatty) = Kunal Nayyar

G

Aine McAllister = Siobhan Fallon Hogan

DH_Aine McAllister

  • Did you always want to be a writer?

No. I initially wanted to be an artist/art teacher. When that didn’t work I took a year-long dental assisting course and became a dental assistant. When that didn’t work out I became a “whatever job I could get.” When that didn’t work out I got married and became a wife/mom/homemaker.

That worked out.

I didn’t start writing until I was 49 years old in 2003.

That worked out too.

  • Are you working on anything new?

Yes!  Thank you for asking.

Due for release in the fall of 2016, the third Emory Crawford Mystery has the working title The Devil’s Flood.

The past and present of the town of Twombly and surrounding Golden County meet in two flood years bound together by mystery and murder. Add to that – moonshine. The old illegal liquor business is alive and well in the area, and it’s getting into the hands of underage citizens. Will Emory and Madison, with help from Jebbin, AnnaMay and others, be able to deal with the dirt and mire and solve the cases?

Five fun shorts:

  • Your favorite holiday?

Christmas

  • As a youngster, were you a Barbie girl or a tomboy?

I was a both. I happily played with my Barbies in the winter and on rainy days. When I was outside I wanted to climb trees with my pastor’s son (they had a great climbing tree in their back yard) or catch grasshoppers in empty lots with a girl friend of mine, and then we would trade them to little boys who were on their way to trade in pop/soda bottles at the candy store. Then we’d go to the candy store.

  • Ever been on a blind date?

Honestly, I don’t remember if I ever did or not. If I did, it must not have been all that bad or all that great, or you’d think I’d remember it.

  • Going on vacation: campfire or hotel?

Both. I’d like a nice comfy cozy travel trailer with a campfire a few yards away from it.

  • Name a phobia.

Hmm . . .

You mean one I have? Mild arachnophobia.

Just name any old phobia? How about Mythophobia- Fear of myths or stories. – Good thing I don’t have that one!

Or name, as in give a name to, a phobia?

Footinmouthaphobia – I have this one since I have a tendency to do this.

LOL! Thanks so much for sharing with us today, Pearl!

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About Pearl R. Meaker

TheDevilsHook author pic

Pearl R. Meaker is an upper-middle-aged, short, pudgy homemaker, mother, and grandmother who in 2002 became a writer. Initially writing fanfiction she soon tried original fiction at the encouragement of her regular readers. She has been a life-long lover of mystery stories and

automatically went to that genre for her first book, The Devil’s Music. She and her husband of nearly 40 years live in central Illinois. They both love bluegrass music, playing fiddle and banjo and singing. Pearl also does many crafts – when she’s not reading or writing – knitting, crochet, origami, needlepoint, and cross-stitch among them. She also enjoys birding and photography and is a former fencer.

Visit Pearl here:

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest

Buy The Devil’s Hook:

Amazon / B&N / Chapters-Indigo

Buy The Devil’s Music:

Amazon / B&N / Chapters-Indigo / Books-a-Million

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Welcome to my stop on the tour for Choose Your Own death by Marianna Shek

I have some super fun stuff to share with you today.

You can check out the amazing cover art for Choose Your Own Death, read the excerpt, and enjoy my review.

I have a fun interview to share as Marianna answers some of my questions.

And there’s a giveaway, so don’t forget to answer.

And now for the interview!

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Hi Marianna. Thanks so much for taking time to answer a few questions.

No problems! Thank you for having me : )

 

Where did the idea for Choose Your Own Death come from?

I’ve always enjoyed macabre stories especially dark fairytales. As a kid I was very fond of the Choose Your Own Adventure series but when I went back to one of my old stories, I found both the language and the illustration style very outdated. I was disappointed because I had so many good memories of these stories so I decided to take a modern approach and create a path-finding adventure that I would enjoy reading.

 

How long did it take you to write?

I wrote it in dribs and drabs between my day job. There was one week where I was able to work on it intensely so I guess overall, it would have taken about one month to write.

 

Which character was the easiest and which was the hardest to write?

The characters were all wonderful to write. When I start writing a story, I start talking to the characters in my head. The more I talk to them, the more alive they become. In this case, all the characters appeared fully formed. Perhaps Drew being the narrator was the hardest to write. I couldn’t decide if he was a male or a female narrator, hence the ambiguous name. In the end, it felt more natural to make him a male, especially as he played off so well against the other female characters Amelia and Jessica.

In two sentences describe Choose Your Own Death.
CYOD is a rollicking fun read that both adults and kids will enjoy. Every death is original and imaginative – you actually look forward to the end.

ChooseYourOwnDeath pic for interview

Are you working on anything new, and if so, would you like to share a bit about it?

Ooooh I’m currently working on a couple of picture books. Here’s a rough page layout from the book Donald Doing House of Verbs aimed for kids 5 -8 years old. The illustrator is the super talented Cody McGrath

 

Now for Five Fun Shorts!

Flip flops or high heels?

FLIP FLOPS!

 

Sweet or salty snacks?

Salty caramel macaroons

 

Favorite animal?

Panda

 

Best movie ever?

Stardust

 

An author that inspires you.

Neil Gaiman

 

It was wonderful having you on my blog today and I hope to see you back in the future. Good luck in your writing endeavors.

Thank you for having me!

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MY REVIEW

There was nothing sweet about little Sally’s death. She was found drowned at the chocolate factory.

The peacefulness and trust of the people of Goultown is shattered.

With only a few of them left, the kids band together and take matters into their own hands. Now they just have to make the right choices or death will be waiting.

When my son was young, I used to buy him the Goosebumps books. Many of them were similar to this book. You reach a point in the story where you have a couple of options on which path you want to go down next.

I read this with my 20 year old son and here are the results.

So, I reached the first path. Hmm…where to? I went this way. He went that.

That was quick. I’m dead already. And he’s moving on in the story.

So now I try the next path. That’s better. But wait, now which should I choose. This is where I started playing follow the leader. My son was fairing better than I was.

The creepy cool illustrations added to the fun. You never knew what was waiting for you at the end of the path. Most of them would send you screaming back the way you came.

 I had a blast. I read this a few times. I didn’t do too good. Wound up dead more often than not. I’d shake my head, laugh, and try again.

Why don’t you try? See how you end up.

Just watch out for the thing in the closet. Oh, and Doc Choc. Well, watch out for anything because anything goes when you choose your own path.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

Goultown. The sort of place where kids could walk down the street in the middle of the night. Or accept sweets from strangers because strangers were just friends you hadn’t met yet. A place where grown-ups got tattoos of smiley faces and if kids graffitied, they were sure to do smiley faces too.

That was before the murders began. After Sally Ellerson drowns at the chocolate factory, you know there’s something weird going on. It’s time to take charge.

Choose Your Own Death is a path-picking adventure where every wrong turn unleashes an eldritch evil. If you don’t solve the mystery soon, the next death could be yours.

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Here’s a taste of what’s inside!

‘Wicker witches!’ She rummages through her backpack, pulls out a peg and clamps it over her nose making her sound like she’s blocked up from a cold. ‘I’ve read all about them in Scented Supernatural. They lull you into a sense of dullness and kill you.’

‘Sandalwood and lavender. My favourite.’ Angus seems to have forgotten Tammy lying stiffly at his feet.

The trees are closing in. Shuffling like old people. Dribbling waxy secretions onto the ground with every step. The wax drips and curls into crevices forming eyes, mouths and noses. They look and smell like giant scented figurines from a candle shop.

Jessica pulls out two more pegs and places them on you and Angus. The spell breaks.

‘Wicker witches?’ Angus howls. ‘Let’s get out of here!’ He grabs the torch, scoops up Tammy’s stiffened form and flees.

‘Come on, Drew!’ Jessica takes off. She’s the fastest runner on the track team at school. She used to try and get you to train with her but you always laughed and asked what was so great about being sporty.

You stagger after her but the wax on your jeans has set hard. You hold out your hands to break your fall.

‘Wait for me,’ you cry, but the words come out muffled. The wax has coated your lips shut. You try yelling out some swear words but realise you’re wasting time. You upturn your knapsack looking for a weapon. Rock. Paper. Scissors. What the? You will never let Tammy pack the survival kit again!

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Author Marianna Shek

ChooseYourOwnDeath author

 

Marianna Shek is a writer, reader and ideal eater. She took a ridiculously arduous route to get there, dabbling in pharmacy before switching to animation and finally settling down as a writer. She has a wonderful day job as a researcher and producer. You can follow some of her crazy art and film projects at: www.theunreliablenarrator.com.au

She rambles specifically about books and creative writing at:

Blog ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon Author Page ~ B&N Author Page

Purchase Links

B&N ~ Amazon

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Click on the banner below to follow the tour and comment.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

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I’ve been following Michael Hebler’s Chupacabra Series from the beginning and I’m always anxious to read the next book.

It may be a bit until I get my hands on Dawn of the Chupabara, but Michael did send me the cover art, along with some characters bios, an excerpt and he even took time to answer a few of my questions. Not that I didn’t hound him a bit. I can’t help it. I love this series!

Check out my Interview with Michael!

Hi Michael. I just wanted to remind you that I’m still waiting for Dawn of the Chupacabra! Not to rush you or anything, but…. LOL Just kidding, kind of.

I know. I’m sorry. The fourth book turned out to be more of a monster than I originally intended.

 

Since I haven’t got my hands on it yet, I was hoping you could answer a few questions about it?

Of course. I would love to, but you know me and how protective I am of my twist and plot details. J.J. Abrams would be proud.

 

The other books take place in the old west. Will this one too?

Partially. Dawn of the Chupacabra is a prequel to the trilogy already released. It begins in the final year of the American Civil War and spans through a couple of years thereafter, which is well into to the start of the “Old West” era.

 

A prequel? Other than the chupacabra, will there be many familiar characters?

A couple. I hope readers will have that sense of familiarity with the book. The story also answers some lingering questions from the previous entries. And although [Dawn] will continue to have a lot of the same fun action (as demonstrated in the excerpt), I will advise that this book will be the most brutal in series thus far.

 

You mentioned familiar characters, is that face on your cover anyone we’ve met before?

No. He’s new. And I can’t say who.

 

And what plans to do you have for the rest of the series? Will it advance in time?

Yes. [Dawn] will be the last novel set in the 19th century. Book 5 entitled, Return of the Chupacabra, leaps into the 1990’s at a time when we discover what happened to the creature after the end of [Legend].

 

And how many books are you planning for this series?

There are six currently, but I won’t be a JKR and say nevermore. I’m just anxious to explore some of my other ideas. In fact, I’ve recently decided to take a year off of the Chupacabra Series to concentrate on finishing a novella I’ve been writing off and on for the last 15 years called, The Ghost of Christmas Past. I also want to write a fan-fiction novel based on a popular horror film series, which I’ll do under a pen name. Don’t ask which film series because I won’t tell, but if fans of the Chupacabra Series comes across it, they might be able to figure it out. I hope to release both in 2016.

 

Does that mean Return of the Chupacabra will not be released until in 2017?

That’s my hope and dream. I have the story outlined already so I don’t see why not.

Thanks so much for the fun interview Michael. I’m thrilled about your other stories too. They will do nicely while I’m waiting for Return of The Chupacabra!

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Are you ready to see the amazing cover for Dawn Of The Chupacabra?

Are you sure?

Positive?

Okay.

Here

You

Go!

Dawn Chup DOTC front cover final_web

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Excerpt

Again, lightning pierced the night, followed by an earth-shattering rumble. In that abrupt moment, Jeremiah’s previous assumptions had been confirmed. The kitchen had been ransacked. Burlap sacks lay torn, drained of their contents. The cooler doors hung wide open with the evidence of broken jars and dishes at the foot, but before darkness settled back into place, he caught sight of a lamp that sat on the counter, undisturbed.

A memory awoke of light beaming through the kitchen’s orifices when last here. The matches would be somewhere near, and unlike the sticks inside the house, these would have remained dry. Patting the counter, Jeremiah found them in no time. He struck a flame and discovered a large ale barrel, untouched by time or wildlife. An overwhelming pungency of lime assaulted his sense once he removed the lid. He dipped his hand into the water then pulled out two eggs. They were two-years-old at best, but the solution of lime water would have kept them from rotting. He broke the tip and drank its slimy filling. Yep, still fresh, though citrusy, and could use a bit of spice.

Jeremiah rummaged through cupboards and soon discovered a shelf of airtight tin canisters. Inside the first was salt. The next was thyme, and then paprika, cayenne, and cumin. Thrilled by his findings, Jeremiah cracked the top of his other egg then sprinkled a pinch of salt and cayenne before he sucked it down.

By his own doing, Jeremiah’s skin crawled. His feeding hadn’t sounded too dissimilar from the creature’s, but his slurping was not his only reminder of the beast at that moment. The pounding rain on the slate roof had masked the demon’s arrival. And what had felt like a bullet to his neck was none other than the elongated leech that drained the blood from his veins.

Jeremiah twisted to the window where it perched and bore its beady eyes into him as intensely as its tongue, but unlike its previous attack, Jeremiah did not hesitate this time. He reached for his sickle and swung. The might behind his strike would have sliced the tongue in two had the blade been sharp, but the attack was not in vain. The curvature of the steel hooked around the appendage and yanked it from his neck.

The beast reeled in its tongue then bounded inside. Jeremiah gripped his knife when the thing knocked him against the counter. The blade fell to the floor, leaving no chance of slicing its throat a second time.

Face-to-face, once again, Jeremiah twisted his head, hoping it would discourage the slimy projectile from entering his eye, when his focus rested on the set of spice canisters he pulled from the cabinet.

He reached for the tin of cayenne then closed his eyes and held his breath before flinging a wave of the spicy powder into the creature’s face. After a short delay, the thing released its hold to shriek and flail throughout the confined enclosure. Keeping his eyes closed, Jeremiah slid beneath the protection of the counter and crawled towards the exit while the monster ripped through the kitchen like a deadly tornado. Its agony sounded severe. He had succeeded in getting away, but at the cost of pissing it off even more.

Jeremiah crawled outside and into the mud before opening his eyes or taking a breath. He glanced back into the kitchen for a mere second only to be continually surprised by the thing. Not only could it cling from wall to wall to ceiling, but the beast had a ripple of spikes that stretched down its back to a tail that he had not yet observed. No doubt, this beast was like nothing he had ever seen or heard before. There was something special about this one-of-kind creature, and judging by its tenacity for him, Jeremiah had a feeling it wasn’t acting of its own cognizance, but serving a master.

chupacabra photo: Chupacabra chupacabra.jpg

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Character Bios

Dawn Chup Atraco

NOAGUNUM “ATRACO” (age unknown) 
This Pniese Indian was thought to have died as a young boy during the white man’s genocide of his people, but Noagunum lived to become a daring and skilled assassin in his youth. The settlers gave the nickname “Atraco” (Latin for “dark”) to their unknown perpetrator; not only for his ability to keep hidden in shadows, but for the dark heart he carried for any white man, woman, or child. Once too old to retain the stamina of a hunter, Atraco retired to the land of his nation in an incessant search for a curse that would cause their mass extinction.
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*****
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Dawn Chup Adam Johnson
 
ADAM JOHNSON (12) is one of the youngest sniper’s to come out of any Union state. At his previous age, Master Adam went from one of eleven Johnson family members to the only living. While playing alone in the storm cellar, he cowardly watched a squadron of graybacks overtake his family’s ranch then proceed to rape and murder his sisters, brothers, and mother on their front porch. To this day, Adam continues to be haunted by his cowardice, having ignored a faultless opportunity to save his gimp father from the soldier’s extensive torture and eventual slaying. Burdened by the weight of regret, Adam and his dead-eye joined his fellow countrymen as a highly proficient sniper in hopes of filling his bottomless pit of grief with Confederate blood.
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*****
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Dawn Chup Alice Stebbins
 
ALICE SAMPSON-STEBBINS (18) – Alice is as feisty as she is stunning.  Country born to a small Dutch family in the Ozarks, Alice had found friendship in two neighboring boys, Jeremiah Whiting and Martin Stebbins, whom she lured her into her mischievous clutches and consistently helped get into trouble.  At the end of her tomboy days, Alice developed feelings for one of the two boys, Martin, which flourished into love.  To her relief, her feelings were reciprocated in folds and the two formed a union of marriage before her husband left to fight for the Confederacy.  Alice awaits the day for her husband’s return.  Should he survive, her hopes are to start a family that same day.
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*****
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Dawn Chup Elias and Silas Stebbins
 
ELIAS & SILAS STEBBINS (14) – Identical twins, Elias and Silas, perceive war as nothing less than glorious.  Raised in a large and loving family, their eagerness to become a soldier once reaching their father’s approved age of fifteen, is amplified by their elder brother’s stories of battle.  After war, both boys hope to marry beautiful women, but that is where their identities split.  Confident and noble, Silas holds onto aspirations of staying in the Ozarks and taking over their father’s furniture business while Elias, ideological and adventurous, dreams of heading to the Alaskan frontier to live a lavish life bathed in its riches.
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*****
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Dawn Chup Kit_Carson
 
CHRISTOPHER HOUSTON “KIT” CARSON (57) – “Kit” was a non-fictional American frontiersman. The few paying jobs he had during his lifetime included fur trapper, wilderness guide, Indian agent, and American Army officer. Carson became a legend in his own lifetime via biographies and news articles. Exaggerated versions of his exploits were the subject of dime-store novels. Of all his notable achievements, Carson’s supervision of Fort Nichols’ construction is the most relevant to ‘Dawn of the Chupacabra’, a stronghold to protect travelers on the most dangerous part of the Cimarron Cut-off of the Santa Fe Trail from raids by the Kiowa and Comanche Indians.

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Author Michael Hebler

Michael Hebler

Prior to becoming an award-winning author of his dark fiction Chupacabra Series, Michael was a full-time international film publicist who had worked on multiple titles for Walt Disney, Pixar, Lionsgate, Lakeshore Entertainment, Warner Bros., Summit Entertainment, and the 2013 Academy Award-winning Best Foreign Language Film, “La grande bellezza” (The Great Beauty).

Born in the early 1970’s in Los Angeles County to a salesman and homemaker, Michael dreamed of following his passions for entertainment and storytelling by acting. It was while studying theatre arts at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, California, did he realize his penchant for stories were better suited on the page rather than the stage. But creating tales with suspense, laughter, and heart is not Michael’s only love. Hebler also enjoys volunteering in his local community, as well as aid in the capture/spay/neuter/release feral program.

To date, Michael’s publications include NIGHT OF THE CHUPACABRA, CURSE OF THE CHUPACABRA, and LEGEND OF THE CHUPACABRA (Books I, II, & III of the six-part Chupacabra Series) as well as his first publication, THE NIGHT AFTER CHRISTMAS, a holiday picture book for believers of any age. Michael’s fourth book in the Chupacabra Series, DAWN OF THE CHUPACABRA will be available in print and for ebook on October 13, 2015.
Michael currently resides in Southwest Florida.
Author Links:
Email:
Michael also in the beginning stages of organizing a newsletter.  If you would like to be included on the list once it’s up and running, you can email Michael at the link above.

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Last week I shared the new cover art for Night Of The Chupacabra.

I also reposted my review and Michael offered an awesome giveaway!

Here’s what you can win.

 One Winner of either:

 1) a signed paperback copy of the new edition (USA only) OR 2) 4 ebooks (Night of the Chupacabra, Curse of the Chupacabra, Legend of the Chupacabra, and an ARC of Dawn of the Chupacabra when it’s ready sometime this summer) (choice of formats: MOBI, EPUB or PDF)

Go HERE to enter.

Giveaway Ends June 8th.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For all of my giveaways click on the chupacabra below.

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Aftermath BlitzBanner

The first thing I did after seeing the cover for Aftermath was rub my hands together and grin. I enjoy a good sci fi dystopian and am thrilled to share with you today!

I have a lot to show and tell.

Enjoy the author interview.

Check out the blurb.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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Interview with Author Tom Lewis

Tell us about your debut novel:

The book’s called “Aftermath”. It’s a fast-paced, dystopian sci fi actioner that follows a teenage girl’s struggles for survival in the increasingly hostile wake of civilization’s collapse, and humanity’s domination by an alien race of beings. I’m calling it a “Hunger Games” with aliens.

“Aftermath” is the first novel in the “After the Fall” dystopian series, which will follow my heroine, Paige, and the remnants of humanity in their efforts to both survive, and reclaim our world.

 

How did you get into writing?

I started writing screenplays in 1999, and had my first screenplay optioned that year. I followed that up with several other screenplays, a few of which were optioned by production companies and ended up getting me hired for writing assignments. Two of those scripts were made into movies which I produced and directed. The first of those movies was picked up by Lionsgate for distribution, and we’re in negotiations with distributors on the second film, a spooky ghost story called “The Chanel”. It’s about a teenage girl, who after surviving a near-death experience in a car crash, finds herself haunted by a shadowy figure she sees from the corner of her eye – something that followed her back from the other side of death.

 

You’re also an attorney?

Yes. I practice entertainment law from my office in Santa Monica. My clients are mainly producers, so that’s helped with getting my screenplays out there. Before that, I served in the Marines.

 

Where did your interest in post-apocalyptic and dystopian fiction come from?

My first exposure to the dystopian genre came about 4 years ago, when I was negotiating movie rights to a best-selling novel for one of my clients. I read that novel, and then read the “Hunger Games” trilogy, and then I was hooked. Dystopian, YA, NA, sci fi action, survival, and post-apocalyptic stories are far and away my favorites.

 

Where did the inspiration for Aftermath come from?

I came up with the idea for Aftermath about a year ago. I was searching Amazon for something post-apocalyptic and dystopian, but with ordinary people thrown into that upside-down world. Most of the books I was finding had either elite commandos, or the threat wasn’t big enough, or there just wasn’t enough action, thrills, or scares. So basically I wrote Aftermath as the story I wanted to read. I originally started drafting it as a screenplay, but then I saw the potential of it as a series of novels. The story is epic in scope – it follows the survivors through the end of civilization, and its conquest by this alien race. And by doing it through novels, I wasn’t limited to budget considerations you have when writing screenplays. But I did have the fun of shooting the trailer I made for the book. You can see that trailer here: https://vimeo.com/124008432

 

What’s next for you?

I’m about halfway finished with the second installment in the series, and hope to publish it later this summer. The working title is “The Whisperers.”

 

About Tom Lewis

Tom Lewis grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, where his family still resides. He served in the Marines, before returning to Arizona, where he attended Arizona State University, receiving his BS in Business Management. After ASU, he moved to San Diego, where he attended law school at the University of San Diego. He graduated in 1996, and was admitted to the State Bar of California the same year. Shortly after that, he moved to Santa Monica, where he practices law as an entertainment attorney.

His novel, “Aftermath,” is loosely based on one of his screenplays. In writing “Aftermath,” his goal was to take his readers through a post-apocalyptic America, where civilization had been crushed in an alien attack. The reader is taken on this journey through the eyes of his protagonist, 16-year-old Paige O’Connor, and encounters this hostile new world as she does.

“Aftermath” is the first book in the “After the Fall Dystopian Series,” which will continue to chronicle the adventures of Paige and the remnants of humanity in their struggle to survive, and ultimately reclaim our planet from the invaders.

When he’s not writing, or handling the legal work for his clients’ films, Tom enjoys working out, hanging out at the beach, bike riding, reading, and movies.

 

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Aftermath cover

Aftermath by Tom Lewis
(After the Fall #1)
Publication date: March 28th 2015
Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult
Synopsis:

The end of the world came fast. Between the time the warning had sounded on the TV, till when 16-year-old Paige O’Connor awakened sometime later, civilization had been crushed.

The attacks had come by “them” – those things in the ships in the sky that had appeared suddenly, and without warning.

And as Paige would soon discover, the attacks had only been the beginning.

Aftermath is the first book in the new After the Fall dystopian action series, which follows a young girl’s struggle for survival in the wake of civilization’s collapse, and humanity’s domination by an alien race of beings.

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Purchase:

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M9B-Friday-Reveal

Welcome to this week’s M9B Friday Reveal!

This week, we are featuring

Lisa T. Cresswell, author of Vessel

presented by Month9Books!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Lisa T. Cresswell

Meet Lisa T. Cresswell!

Lightening Round Questions

 

Twitter or Facebook? Twitter by far!

Favorite Superhero? Hulk

Favorite TV show? Um, I don’t watch tv anymore.

Sweet or Salty? Sweet

Coke or Pepsi? Pepsi before I gave it up; now its coffee 🙂

Any Phobias? Heights/fear of falling

Song you can’t get enough of right now? They play it way too much, but
I still like Uptown Funk.

Who is your ultimate Book Boyfriend? That’s tough. I’m sure Peta’s up
there. I’ll get back to you on that one 😉

What are you reading right now or what’s on your TBR? I want to read
the latest Neil Gaiman book. Always!

Fall Movie you’re most looking forward to? It’s really next winter,
but it’s STAR WARS!!

Lisa, like most writers, began scribbling silly notes, stories, and poems at a very young age. Born in North Carolina, the South proved fertile ground to her imagination with its beautiful white sand beaches and red earth. In fifth grade, she wrote, directed and starred in a play “The Queen of the Nile” at school, despite the fact that she is decidedly un-Egyptian looking. Perhaps that’s why she went on to become a real life archaeologist?

Unexpectedly transplanted to Idaho as a teenager, Lisa learned to love the desert and the wide open skies out West. This is where her interest in cultures, both ancient and living, really took root, and she became a Great Basin archaeologist. However, the itch to write never did leave for long. Her first books became the middle grade fantasy trilogy, The Storyteller Series. Her first traditionally published work, Hush Puppy, is now available from Featherweight Press.

Lisa still lives in Idaho with her family and a menagerie of furry critters that includes way too many llamas!

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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LCresswell_Vessel_M9B_eCover_1800x2700

The sun exploded on On April 18, 2112 in a Class X solar storm the likes of which humankind had never seen.

They had exactly nineteen minutes to decide what to do next.

They had nineteen minutes until a geomagnetic wave washed over the Earth, frying every electrical device created by humans, blacking out entire continents, and every satellite in their sky.

Nineteen minutes to say goodbye to the world they knew, forever, and to prepare for a new Earth, a new Sun.

Generations after solar storms destroyed nearly all human technology on Earth, humans reverted to a middle ages-like existence, books are burned as heresy, and all knowledge of the remaining technology is kept hidden by a privileged few called the Reticents.

Alana, a disfigured slave girl, and Recks, a traveling minstrel and sometimes-thief, join forces to bring knowledge and books back to the human race. But when Alana is chosen against her will to be the Vessel, the living repository for all human knowledge, she must find the strength to be what the world needs even if it’s the last thing she wants.

add to goodreadsTitle: Vessel
Publication date: May 2015
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Lisa T. Cresswell

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The book will be sent upon the titles release.

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M9B-Friday-Reveal

Welcome to this week’s M9B Friday Reveal!

This week, we are spotlighting Julie Reece, author of

The Artisans

presented by Month9Books!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Julie_Reece_Image_3-253x300

Get to Know Julie Reece in 10 Questions or Less!

 

Twitter or Facebook? -Both

Favorite Superhero? –One hero to rule them all: Thor

Favorite TV show? -Sherlock (British)

Sweet or Salty? -Ice cream is a food group.

Coke or Pepsi? -Tea (I’m a rebel)

Any Phobias? –Sharks and, ew, spiders … oh and drowning.

Song you can’t get enough of right now? –Caroline (or anything) by Kill It Kid *dies*

Who is your ultimate Book Boyfriend? ‘Weaver’ from May Webb’s, Precious Bane *swoons*

What are you reading right now or what’s on your TBR? -Saving Francesca , by Melina Marchetta

Fall Movie you’re most looking forward to? –OMG! Crimson Peak and Mad Max:Fury Road

Born in Ohio, I lived next to my grandfather’s horse farm until the fourth grade. Summers were about riding, fishing and make-believe, while winter brought sledding and ice-skating on frozen ponds. Most of life was magical, but not all.

I struggled with multiple learning disabilities, did not excel in school. I spent much of my time looking out windows and daydreaming. In the fourth grade (with the help of one very nice teacher) I fought dyslexia for my right to read, like a prince fights a dragon in order to free the princess locked in a tower, and I won.

Afterwards, I read like a fiend. I invented stories where I could be the princess… or a gifted heroine from another world who kicked bad guy butt to win the heart of a charismatic hero. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that? Later, I moved to Florida where I continued to fantasize about superpowers and monsters, fabricating stories (my mother called it lying) and sharing them with my friends.

Then I thought I’d write one down…

Hooked, I’ve been writing ever since. I write historical, contemporary, urban fantasy, adventure, and young adult romances. I love strong heroines, sweeping tales of mystery and epic adventure… which must include a really hot guy. My writing is proof you can work hard to overcome any obstacle. Don’t give up. I say, if you write, write on!

 

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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The Artisans

They say death can be beautiful. But after the death of her mother, seventeen-year-old RAVEN WEATHERSBY gives up her dream of becoming a fashion designer, barely surviving life in the South Carolina lowlands.

To make ends meet, Raven works after school as a seamstress creating stunning works of fashion that often rival the great names of the day.

Instead of making things easier on the high school senior, her stepdad’s drinking leads to a run in with the highly reclusive heir to the Maddox family fortune, Gideon Maddox.

But Raven’s stepdad’s drying out and in no condition to attend the meeting with Maddox. So Raven volunteers to take his place and offers to repay the debt in order to keep the only father she’s ever known out of jail, or worse.

Gideon Maddox agrees, outlining an outrageous demand: Raven must live in his home for a year while she designs for Maddox Industries’ clothing line, signing over her creative rights.

Her handsome young captor is arrogant and infuriating to the nth degree, and Raven can’t imagine working for him, let alone sharing the same space for more than five minutes.

But nothing is ever as it seems. Is Gideon Maddox the monster the world believes him to be? And can he stand to let the young seamstress see him as he really is?

The Artisans is a delectably rich, layered and dark YA Southern Gothic inspired by Jeanne Marie Leprince de Beaumont’s classic Beauty and the Beast.

The Artisans has all the elements I love – spooky intrigue, strong friendships, and a romantic tension to be savored.” ~ Wendy Higgins, New York Times bestselling author of the Sweet Evil trilogy.

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Title: The Artisans
Publication date: May 2015
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Julie Reece

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The book will be sent upon the titles release.

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Welcome to the blast for A Mighty Good Man by Rebecca E. Neely.
I din’t have time to read this before the tour but the author is here for a quick Q&A!
Come on in and get to know Rebecca and check out her Romantic Suspense novel.
.

Please tell us about yourself using 3 verbs, 1 quirk and a pop culture addiction

Verbs – learning, laughing, persevering

Quirk – I have a very bad habit of getting a new glass every time I get something to drink. I have no idea why. It drives my family crazy. I even buy disposable glasses and I burn through them.

Pop culture addiction- The Voice. I love watching the blind auditions, and hearing the stories of the people who are pursuing their dreams, and following their passion. I feel a kinship with these fellow artists; the contestants and the judges inspire me as a writer to work hard and never give up.

Who do you consider the most swoon-worthy man in the literary world? How about on tv/in the movies?

In the literary world, I’m going to go with a few of my favorite characters – Jay Gatsby, from The Great Gatsby, Fitzwilliam Darcy, from Pride and Prejudice, and Cameron Quinn, from Sea Swept
My favorite TV personality is Anderson Cooper. Believe it or not, I first remember seeing him on the show, The Mole. He’s incredibly talented and well spoken. His coverage of the earthquake in Haiti in 2010 moved me; he was broadcasting amid the destruction and chaos and at times he was so choked up he could barely continue. I applaud him for doing what he does. His killer blue eyes don’t hurt either!

In the movies, I’d have to say Matthew McConaughey. He’s got a hint of a drawl in his voice and a smile that won’t quit. I especially liked him in the movie Contact, with Jodie Foster.

What’s the last song you listened to?

The last new song I heard was Skinny Love (Birdy), performed on The Voice. It mesmerized me. The last older song I listened to was “One Flight Down” by Norah Jones. At the end of a crazy, busy work day, she takes me to my happy place.
Do you have any advice for anyone that would like to be an author?

Write a book you would love to read. Read Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight Swain. Then read it ten more times at least. Set goals. Be prepared to work hard, make mistakes, suffer setbacks, and never, never give up.
This or That-

*Paranormal or Dystopian? Paranormal

*Winchesters or Salvatores? How about Rachael vs. Guy? I’m a huge Food Network fan! And I can’t decide…I love them both 🙂

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A Mighty Good Man
By- Rebecca E. Neely
Genre- Contemporary Romantic Suspense
 
‘Hank’ Jerry…Her personal and professional life on the skids, a family emergency forces her to return to the small town, and the aunt, she left behind.
 
Jack ‘Gent’ Darcy…Fresh out of prison, he’s bent on cutting ties with the Creds, but when you’re a war counselor in a national gang, they don’t let you just walk away.
 
Injured and on the run, Jack lands on Hank’s doorstep, and makes her a proposition she can’t refuse: write his story about life inside one of the most powerful gangs in the country. It’s simple – she’ll get her career groove back, and he’ll bury the gang, then disappear – his version of freedom.
 
Only problem is, they can’t help falling for each other, and they’ve both got something to hide that could blow up in their faces. With time running out and gang enforcers closing in, will the trust they’ve forged survive the ultimate test?
 
On Sale NOW for just 99 Cents! 
(Limited Time Only) 
  

(more…)

M9B-Friday-Reveal

Welcome to this week’s M9B Friday Reveal!

This week, we are spotlighting Suzanne van Rooyen, author of

I Heart Robot

presented by Month9Books!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Suzanne-van-Rooyen-1-1-200x300

 Twitter or Facebook? Twitter

 Favorite Superhero? Morpheus from The Sandman although he’s not always a hero exactly 😉

Favorite TV show? Tie between Game of Thrones and Penny Dreadful

 Sweet or Salty? Salty

 Coke or Pepsi? Coke

Any Phobias? Grasshoppers

 Song you can’t get enough of right now? Hozier’s Take Me to Church

 Who is your ultimate Book Boyfriend? Ghost from Lost Souls by Poppy Z Brite

 What are you reading right now or what’s on your TBR? Currently reading Trigger Warning by Neil Gaiman

 2015 Movie you’re most looking forward to? Terminator: Genisys, and the new Avengers

Suzanne is a tattooed storyteller from South Africa. She currently lives in Finland and finds the cold, dark forests nothing if not inspiring. Although she has a Master’s degree in music, Suzanne prefers conjuring strange worlds and creating quirky characters. When not writing, she teaches dance and music to middle schoolers and entertains her shiba inu, Lego. Suzanne is represented by Jordy Albert of the Booker Albert Agency.

 

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

I-Heart-Robot-cover

Sixteen-year-old Tyri wants to be a musician and wants to be with someone who won’t belittle her musical aspirations.
Q-I-99 aka ‘Quinn’ lives in a scrap metal sanctuary with other rogue droids. While some use violence to make their voices heard, demanding equal rights for AI enhanced robots, Quinn just wants a moment on stage with his violin to show the humans that androids like him have more to offer than their processing power.
Tyri and Quinn’s worlds collide when they’re accepted by the Baldur Junior Philharmonic Orchestra. As the rift between robots and humans deepens, Tyri and Quinn’s love of music brings them closer together, making Tyri question where her loyalties lie and Quinn question his place in the world. With the city on the brink of civil war, Tyri and Quinn make a shocking discovery that turns their world inside out. Will their passion for music be enough to hold them together while everything else crumbles down around them, or will the truth of who they are tear them apart?

add to goodreads

Title: I Heart Robot
Publication date: March 31, 2015
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Suzanne van Rooyen

Available for Purchase:
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The book will be sent upon the titles release.

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

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No Bad Deed Tour Banner copy

ou are now entering the world of Brimstone, where you’ll get to know M. Ryan Seaver’s debut character, John  Arsenal.

I have so much to share with you.

Check out the blurb.

Enjoy the excerpt.

Read my review.

Read the fun author interview.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway.

let’s get to it!

~~~

My Interview with M. Ryan Seaver

  • Please tell us a little about yourself

I’m an author raised in upstate New York by a family of writers. I’ve spent the last ten years of my life in Boston, and recently moved to Chicago, where I spend every moment not spent writing exploring this enormous city, finding new places to eat and drink.

 

2) What did you want to be when you grew up?

Not a writer! My mother is actually a novelist as well, so I was constantly asked if I wanted to be a writer too, and I always said no, which I think was more of a kneejerk reaction than anything else. I changed my mind a lot about what I wanted to be as a younger kid, but as a teenager I finally settled on acting. I was in all the school musicals, and did acting camp during the summer. I ended up studying theater in Boston before I discovered that writing was my real love. I feel like I’m still acting, but in a different way. As a writer, I get to play all the parts as I’m writing the story. I get to play roles I would never be able to play in real life, which is a great feeling. I love being able to play some giant thug, or a really sinister bad guy.

 

  • If you were granted 3 wishes, what would you wish for?

Infinite wishes! Just kidding. 1) A home with a beautiful state of the art kitchen, a serene little office, and enough rooms for all my friends and family to come stay. 2) The ability to eat what I like and not end up out looking like the stay puffed marshmallow man. 3) My sister just announced her engagement. I remember how absolutely overjoyed my grandmother was when I called her several years ago to tell her I was getting married, and how much she enjoyed the wedding. She’s since passed away. I wish she was here to see my sister get married too. She would have been absolutely beside herself.

 

  • What genres do you like to read?

I’m a compulsive reader. I just devour everything. I really gravitate toward mystery, but love fiction in general, particularly if there’s a little something magical happening throughout the story (think The Time Traveler’s Wife, The Lovely Bones, In the Woods, The Night Circus).

 

5) Are you working on anything new and could you share a little with us?

I’ve just finished the first draft of the next book in the John Arsenal series. This one is a serial killer mystery, which is particularly interesting because of course in Brimstone, everyone is already dead. But as it turns out, when you’re killed in Hell, there’s something even worse than death waiting on the other side. It was a lot of fun to be able to follow John into this new chapter, because of course he had to go through so much in No Bad Deed, some of those demons are still hanging around for him, and will be for quite some time.

 

Five Fun Shorts

  • Favorite TV show

Just one? Sherlock. However I haven’t been able to get my Sherlock fix lately, since we’re between seasons, so Sleepy Hollow has been standing in.

 

  • Best book ever

In the Woods by Tana French. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve re-read that book. It has everything I love about mystery novels, but wrapped up in this gorgeous prose, and tied up with this cunning thread of something slightly supernatural.

 

  • What animal would you like to be?

Any type of bird. Whenever I feel stuck or stressed I find myself thinking how nice it would be to be a bird. No bills, no deadlines, no drama, just flight.

 

  • Print or eBooks for reading?

Both! But I do love a paper book, and my home is bursting with them. Paper books satisfy the collector in me in a way ebooks never will.

 

  • Flip flops or high heels?

Flip flops. I try to limit my time in high heels as much as possible. They are oh so pretty, but the prettiness is often counteracted by my grimace as I struggle to stay upright.

 

A Dare

Tell us the first thing that popped in your head.

Breakfast. I’ve just returned from a trip, and there’s nothing to eat in the house. Most of the time if you ask me what I’m thinking, the answer will be food.

 

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MY REVIEW

He’s a gumshoe in Brimstone. A P.I. in Hell. He goes by the name of John Arsenal.

On a good day, no one tries to wave him and he doesn’t return the favor.

In hell, you’re already dead, so to wave someone is to erase them. “…something more terrifying than damnation.”   To end their soul’s existence.

Arsenal knows she’s trouble the minute she opens her mouth. The sweet looking Mirelle Bissette. She wants him to locate her missing sister. Her identical twin, Sophie.

That’s a problem. You see, in Hell, no one knows what they did to wind up there. No one remembers their life before they died, or their real name. So how can she remember her real name, or that she even had a sister?

She claims she knew Arsenal before. Before Brimstone. And she uses that knowledge as leverage to get him to take her case. If he does, she’ll tell him how she knew him, what his real name was, and most importantly, what he did to get him sent to hell. That was too hard to resist and he takes the case. Begins the search for Sophie.

I knew I was going to love this book. A P.I. in Hell. I wondered what kind of cases he would have. What kind of clients.

With no money in hell, the author came up with some much desired, plausible, items in exchange for currency.

And what would hell be without some drugs to get you through the monotonous days. Switch is the new drug of choice. It does something that shouldn’t be possible. Could hell get any worse?

John’s search for Sophie takes him to the dangerous outskirts of Brimstone. It’s where “they” roam. The orphans or Brimstone. Mirelle says her sister mentioned them. Worried that they were left to fend for themselves.

Imagine it. Adults had time to mature. To choose to do whatever terrible thing it was that landed them in hell. What must the children be like. I shudder to think. They are frozen in time. Evil in small form. They’ll wave you just for the fun of it.

From first page to last, I was completely absorbed in this story. The writing is excellent, the story reads easily and quickly, and the characters are entertaining or disgusting, as they should be. And the world is incredibly creative and visually alive.

Bravo to the author. An excellent debut novel. Can’t wait to see where John lands next.

D@&n good reading!

5 Stars

~~~

BLURB:

 

Private detective John Arsenal can’t tell you what terrible crime he committed to wind up in a sweltering urban hellscape, surrounded by thieves, drug addicts and murderers—only that it was very bad, and now he’s being punished. That’s because in Hell—or Brimstone, as the damned prefer to call it—your identity, your memories, even your name, are stripped away from you.

John is relatively comfortable in his damnation, working easy cases and making himself at home in the grimy squalor of the afterlife. That is, until a mysterious woman appears in his office, begging him to find her missing sister, and promising him the impossible in return—a glimpse of his old life, before Brimstone.

To track down the enigmatic Sophie, John must delve into Brimstone’s darkest recesses, where murderous children run wild in packs, and a strange and terrifying new drug promises to deliver the user to the heights of ecstasy, but at the risk of being snuffed out of existence altogether. All the while, John must grapple with the vivid nightmares that have haunted him since his arrival in Brimstone, and confront the thing he desires and dreads the most—the truth of what he did to deserve damnation.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt

“How did you get in?” I said.

“Are you going to shoot me, Mr. Arsenal?” Her voice had the slightest hint of an accent. My eyes adjusted to the light, and I could see her more clearly. She was early thirties, maybe, with a heart shaped face, and huge, dark eyes. Tendrils of black hair sprang free from the messy knot at the back of her head and stuck to the nape of her neck, and I wondered immediately, like I always do when I see a pretty woman in Brimstone, what she could have possibly done to end up here.

“Don’t want to,” I said. “You going to tell me how you got in here?”

“Your front door was unlocked,” she said. “You should really be more careful. This city is full of lunatics.”

“Mm-hmm,” I said. “You one of them?”

She smiled and sat on the edge of my desk, and I cringed instinctively, thinking about the film of crud and ash covering everything in this apartment. Her dress was the color of cream, and I wondered how she kept the thing so clean.

“If I said no, would you believe me?”

“I guess not,” I said, and sat up. “Don’t you know it’s polite to knock?”

“I did knock,” she said. “You didn’t answer.”

“So you just let yourself in.”

“I didn’t think you’d pull a gun on me,” she said.

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I was raised in Rochester, New York, in a house that was constantly full of writers. On nights when my parents and their friends were holding court in our living room, I would practice the fine art of evading the little kids in the next room, setting up camp among the grown-ups, and being quiet long enough that they would forget I was there, and that it was past my bedtime. All my best dirty jokes were picked up this way.

I studied theatre performance at Northeastern University, where I spent a little time onstage, and a lot of time reading plays. I fell in love with Sam Shepard, Arthur Miller, and Nicky Silver. Exposed to plays day in and day out, I honed my ear for dialogue, and learned firsthand that if the writing doesn’t ring true, no amount of brilliant acting would make it right. I wrote my first play (terrible, melodramatic, with characters whose names did absolutely nothing to mask the real people they were based on). I showed it to no one. It’s probably still on my computer somewhere.

John Arsenal and Brimstone came to me during a bout of unemployment, in between searching desperately for a job, and baking more bread than was sane or reasonable for my two person household. The idea came to me in my sleep, demanding to be written, and that’s how the prologue of the book came into existence: In my darkened apartment in Boston at one o clock in the morning, my eyes barely able to focus on the computer screen long enough to get the words down. Sleep has continued to be the place where John Arsenal and I meet up to put the pieces of his story together. I’ve never been prone to insomnia, but John, it seems, is, and has never cared much for my sleep schedule.

In my life before Brimstone, I’ve worked as a telemarketer (I’m sorry) administrative assistant, waiter (badly, briefly), clerk and occasional story-time reader in a children’s bookstore, and professional hawker of everything from magazine subscriptions to national television advertising. I was better with magazines. I now live in Chicago with the love of my life, and my snarling, seven-toed demon-cat, Clara. No Bad Deed is the first book in the John Arsenal mystery series.

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