Archive for the ‘reviews’ Category

Monday Minis #9 ~ Morning Warning ~ Twister!

Posted: August 6, 2013 in Monday's Minis, reviews, Short stories and collections
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Welcome to My Monday Minis.

This is where I review very short stories and flash fiction.

For today I’ll be telling you about Morning Warning

by A.M. Sawyer 

Morning Warning

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I’m not sure if this would be categorized as suspense, horror, or paranormal. I would say all three as it has some of each.

Young Anthony drags himself out of bed and gets ready for school. It’s Friday and one week closer to the summer break.

After the usual race to beat his older sister, Rachel, to the bathroom, which he lost, and the fight over the TV remote with his big brother, Alex, which he also lost, it’s time to meet the school bus.

As usual, his sister and brother leave him at the door and he runs to catch up with them.

As they wait for the bus, Anthony notices how quiet it is, how still it is. He looks back up the long driveway to his house and sees the heavy green clouds. They cover the sky, hanging low to the ground.

Living in a tornado prone area, he’s so used to the tornado sirens going off all the time, he wonders if he should be worried by this calm. There are no sirens, but he becomes uneasy, then fearful. He really wants to go back to his house.

The author’s description of the weather is dead on. I’ve been through a few tornadoes, and how he describes the greenish clouds and the sense of foreboding they cause, brought back some vivid memories.

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The family dynamics, with the older brother and sister teasing their little brother rings true. I am the youngest of six and was at my older siblings mercy.

As the weather takes an ominous turn, the author creates a sense of apprehension, of fear. It builds just like the storm does.

Morning Warning made me shiver.

Though a short story, the writing is powerful, and the author gave me quite a surprise with the conclusion.

I’m not sure what I was expecting, but the ending was a twister!

5 Stars

About the author

A. M. Sawyer has written several books, delving in poetry, humor, science fiction, and fantasy.

You can find out more at these links:

Goodreads / Blog / Twitter / Facebook

Jordanna East is in the Spotlight and her debut ~Blood in the Past is free!

Posted: July 31, 2013 in Author Interview, Freebies!, reviews
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Jordanna East is in the spotlight!

And she’s got a surprise.

Her thriller, Blood in the Past, is free right now on Amazon!

Go HERE to get yours.

But first, enjoy our interview and my review for Blood in the Past.

See what’s cooking and what you’re in for!

I don’t want to keep ya’ll waiting, so let’s get started.

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When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
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I was always a creative person, but mostly in the visual arts. As the bio I’ve posted all over the web states, I started writing because I was broke and unemployed and my cable had been shut off. I read a lot of true crime and crime fiction and, since I went to school for Biology, Psychology, and Criminology, I thought I’d try my hand at writing and see how it went. Well, when I finally found a job, some coworkers came across the few chapters I had written and couldn’t stop gushing about them. But it wasn’t until recently, when one of my good friends passed away (after which one of the characters was named), that I decided to go ahead and finish the story. One thing led to another and I really started to love writing and hate when I wasn’t writing. The idea of finishing the one story turned into the goal of finishing a series. And my love of writing turned into a notebook full of future ideas.
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I see that Blood in the Paint is coming this winter. When writing this series, did you already have a general idea for each book or did it start as one book and you made it into more than one? I’ve always wondered about that.
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Dammit, I kind of already answered that in the previous question. I’ll elaborate. I actually started writing Blood in the Paint first, but as the story progressed and became more about the characters’ psychopathies, I wanted to show the chain of events that led them there. So I wrote Blood in the Past. Somewhere in there I realized these characters would make for a great series and I sketched some general ideas for two more full-length books.
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How do you feel about cliffhanger endings?
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I honestly LOVE a cliffhanger ending that makes me stark-raving mad with fury. But, obviously, that’s just me, so I try to write cliffhanger endings that tie up most of the story with the cliffhanger only alluding to next book’s story arc. My husband has read the first draft of Blood in the Paint and he lost his mind over the ending. But in a good way. Not in a stark-raving mad with fury way.
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Which character was easiest to write and which was the hardest?
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This is going to make me sound like a complete psycho to those who have already read Blood in the Past, but Lyla Kyle was the easiest to write. I started the story with her. I love writing her, but I can’t say why for fear of ruining anything for anyone. As for the rest of the characters, my own experiences are scattered among each of them, so they’re all easy to write in spots. But I would have to say that Jason Brighthouse was the hardest. He was my first male character, so I wanted to get him right (CJ is a male, but I kind of wrote him based on someone, so he wasn’t so bad). I’ve read too many books where the male leads just screamed “written by a woman!” and I didn’t want to fall into that category.
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Books are listed under many different genres. What genre would you say best describes Blood in the Past?
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I actually had to look that up when I first finished Blood in the Paint! They are technically Psychological Thrillers. They don’t fall under mystery/suspense because you know who’s doing what. I suppose they can be considered as Crime Thrillers, but the focus of the series is more on the criminals where most Crime Thrillers are about the investigation of the criminals.
Are you finding it easier to write Blood in the Paint than it was to write Blood in the Past?
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As I mentioned, I wrote Blood in the Paint first, but I can still compare the two. They each had their own challenges. Blood in the Paint was my very first piece of fiction writing. I wrote it by the seat of my yoga pants and as I did research and learned more about writing I had to keep going back and changing things. By the time I wrote Blood in the Past, my creative writing skills had vastly improved. Unfotunately, the story takes place–you guessed it–in the past, so I had to make sure everything I wrote worked with what takes place later, which was just plain annoying. Note to self: don’t write things out of order.
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Do you have any hobbies?
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Well, like any good writer, I’m a voracious reader. I also enjoy painting and drawing, though I don’t get much time to do either anymore.
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Now for five fun short questions! Yay! I love these! It’s like a lightning round!
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Favorite TV show? Right now, Scandal.
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A phobia? Jellyfish scare me more than sharks.
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Cook or go out to eat? If everyone could cook like me, they’d never go out.
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A steak or a burger? Big, bloody steak.
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Sweet or salty snack? The sweeter the better.
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Thanks so much for visiting my blog and taking time out to answer my questions. I would be thrilled to have you back again when Blood in the Paint is released.
Thank you so much for having me! I love your blog and I’m thrilled to be a part of it. And you can definitely expect me back this winter!
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Jordanna Logo Final

Jordanna East readily confesses that she started writing a novel one day when she was broke and unemployed. Her cable had been turned off. SHE WAS BORED. So she sat down on her bed and started writing…and she hasn’t stopped. Though, now she has cable and pens her Psychological Thrillers at an actual desk. Blood in the Past is the prelude novella to her debut Blood for Blood Series, which follows three lives entwined by deaths and consequences, revenge and obsession. Blood in the Past is scheduled for release June 19, 2013.

Visit her website here

See what she’s up to.

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A psychological thriller sure to get your endorphins pumping!

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Blood in the Past 2

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My Review
Actions have consequences.
You’ve heard of the ripple effect. A pebble tossed in the water creates ripples, which grow, expanding outward.
Jillian is the pebble, and her affair with a married man is the first ripple.
What happens after are the expanding ripples.
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I didn’t expect to like  Jillian so much.
She’s messing with a married man, and no matter what lies of his she chooses to believe, it’s a big no-no in my book.
Powerful writing drew me to Jillian. I wanted more for her. I wanted her to be happy and free.
As she gets tangled in a web of lies and infidelity, I became more and more fearful. Her obsession with her lover grows and takes a bizarre turn.
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If only Jillian and her roommate hadn’t been mugged.
If only  Calvin Kyle hadn’t been the responding police officer.
If only he hadn’t been so attractive.
If only they hadn’t started their affair.
A lot of if onlys.
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There are so many people affected by this affair. So many victims.
I guess you could call them collateral damage.
Jillians act of desperation plows through several families, leaving bodies in her wake.
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I almost didn’t want to continue reading. I just knew this wasn’t going to be pretty, but I had to know what happened.
Boy, was I right.
This short story had me sweating blood! It was relentless.
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Blood in the Past is only 8 chapters, but by the time you finish reading, it will feel like a lot more.
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The writing is bold, making this cast of dysfunctional and flawed characters come to life in the pages.
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As Blood in the Past is the prelude novella to the Blood for Blood Series, I can hardly wait to see what the author has cooked up for her other stories.
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Such strong writing, if I didn’t already know, I never would have guessed this was the authors debut novel.
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5 Stars
Don’t forget to get your free copy of Blood in the Past HERE.
Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew
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The Spotlight is on M.S. Spencer and Triptych

Posted: July 30, 2013 in Adult Fiction, Author Interview, Mystery, reviews, Steamy Romance
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M. S. Spencer is in the spotlight!

Join me in welcoming her to my blog for an interview. Then read my review of her book, TRIPTYCH.

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Welcome! Welcome! Let’s get started, shall we?

When we first met, I asked you how you came up with the title for Triptych. We had a good conversation. I know you can’t say much without spoiling the story. Could you tell us a little and did the title come first or the story?

Certainly, but first, let me thank you for having me here today. It’s always such fun to talk about oneself…J

I came up with the plotline for Triptych after reading about the legend of the Three Sisters—a set of three rocky islets in the middle of the Potomac River in Washington, DC. The story goes that one of three Indian sisters fell in love with a white settler. When her father forbade the match, she decided to swim across the river to be with her lover. Her sisters followed her, hoping to bring her back, but a huge storm sprang up and all three were drowned. The legend is that the sisters forever guard that bend of the Potomac and will kill any man who tries to cross.  I thought a story that entwined the Indian legend with that of three human sisters living high above the rocks would be very romantic. Here’s a summary:

Both Miranda Cabot and her sister Honor prefer their solitude to romance, Miranda having watched her husband die in flames on the Potomac River rocks called the Three Sisters. Not so their younger sister, Sybil, who invites a mysterious Frenchman calling himself the Chevalier du bon Arnaque to stay with them in their mansion overlooking the deadly rocks.

Misgivings about the stranger’s intentions cause Miranda and Honor to ask their neighbors Dieter Heiliger and his grandson Corey to chaperone. Three beautiful, strong-willed women living in a house with three handsome, virile men leads inevitably to an intricate web of jealousy, sex, and intrigue. Add in long-lost master artworks, stolen prototypes and a resident genius and you have a recipe for romance. Who will end up with whom, and will the Three Sisters take another life as the legend calls for?

As to the title, I spent many a wakeful night trying to come up with it. I pored over the thesaurus entries for “three” and “tri.” I checked song titles and quotation books. Passing pedestrians would stare at me as I mumbled “triangle?—nope, clichéd—trimester? Tribbles?” Desperate, I sought solace in dessert. I swear on my mother’s Bible the title Triptych simply dropped into my lap along with the chunk of blueberry pie which I don’t think I’ll ever get out of my white skirt. (Note: a triptych is a work of art in three panels hinged together—hence three separate but interconnected pictures.)

You’ve written many books and each one is quite different. Where do your ideas come from?

The settings are all favorite places of mine: Old Town Alexandria (Virginia), Chincoteague Island, the Gulf Coast of Florida, Paris.  The setting often spurs the plot—in Mai Tais and Mayhem, the aquarium at the famous Mote Marine Labs in Sarasota simply cried out for a floating corpse. It certainly wasn’t that I wanted an excuse to loll around on the beach with an umbrella’d drink and watch for dolphins.  Some stories also contain autobiographical snippets woven into the fiction (especially my latest, Lapses of Memory).

What is your favorite part of your writing process?

Fifth revision. No, fourth. When the bulk of the writing is done and I can indulge in adding delicate touches and embellishments, enriching the action.

Do you listen to music when you are writing, or is there a routine you have for beginning a new book?

No, I can’t have any noise at all when I write. Even a car passing with radio going full blast halts the process.  I start a new book with the last line and then work backward (well, more sideways, like a drunken turtle) from there. The first three chapters are sheer hell, but after that I more or less coast between toll booths (i.e., the intermittent points at which I wonder just where I’m going with this).

What do you do to relax and unwind?

Now that I’m in Florida, I walk to the beach and stare out at the water, giving thanks for the ability to do so. Then I go back home and make a drink (not a Mai Tai, sigh) and watch the news.

Are you working on something now?

Ooh, I’m glad you asked. I’m almost finished the penultimate revision to The Mark of Love and Death (tentative title) set in Old Town Alexandria. Here’s the blurb:

Her first day as docent in the George Washington Masonic Memorial, Claire Wilding finds a distinctly non-Masonic item: a dead body. As she deals with a smitten police detective, a handsome Senator, black ops agents, and two ruthless mothers, she learns more than she ever expected to about jewels and pennies, irregular Masonic lodges, and our first President’s family secrets.

I’ve also started a story called The Wishing Tree, set in Chincoteague. It involves visiting NASA scientists, spies, and mistaken identity. And two romances. So far.

Five Fun Short Questions!

Favorite sweets?

I don’t have much of a sweet tooth (it disappeared the year I discovered beer), but now and then I fancy something chocolate—bittersweet of course, maybe with sea salt and caramel. Or plain old whipped cream!

A vegetable you can’t stand?

Okra. It’s that gooey, stringy stuff that oozes out of it—yuck. Other than that I love pretty much any vegetable, luckily for me since my family includes two vegetarians and a vegan. We always had a garden and planted, besides the usual suspects, things like artichokes (too big), corn (also too big), sorrel, lots and lots of herbs, golden beets, etc. Now my son establishes urban gardens and teaches sustainable agriculture. Where did I go wrong?

Wine or beer?

Do I have to choose? I drink a lot more wine (buttery French burgundy when I can get someone to pay for it) because it’s low-carb but I do love a nice brown or red ale.

Slow blooming romance or wham I’m in love?

Slow—I like the heroine to discover that she’s in love after she’s gotten to know her hero.

Sexiest man ever?

Sean Connery. No question.  Sexiest bad boy: Robert Downey, Jr.

Thanks again for having me Laura. I hope you read and enjoy all my books—and tell your friends!

Thank you for taking time away from your beach walk to answer my questions. I had a few chuckles from some of your answers. I wouldn’t mind sitting down and shooting the breeze with you, enjoying one of those yummy Mai Tais. Maybe we’ll spot Sean or Robert!

~~~~~

M.S. Spencer

M.S. Spencer

Although M. S. Spencer has lived in Chicago, Boston, New York, France, Morocco, Turkey, Egypt, and England, the last 30 years have been spent mostly in Washington, D.C. as a librarian, Congressional staff assistant, speechwriter, editor, birdwatcher, kayaker, policy wonk, non-profit director and “domestic engineer”, aka parent.  Once she escaped academia, she worked for the U.S. Senate, the U.S. Department of the Interior, in several library systems, both public and academic, and at the Torpedo Factory Art Center.  She holds a BA from Vassar College, a Diploma in Arabic Studies from the American University in Cairo, and Masters in Anthropology and in Library Science from the University of Chicago.  She divides her time between Maine and Florida.  All of this tends to insinuate itself into her works.

Writing as M. S. Spencer, she has published seven best-selling contemporary romantic suspense novels, Lost in His Arms and Lost and Found from Red Rose Publishing, as well as Losers Keepers, Triptych, Artful Dodging: the Torpedo Factory Murders,Mai Tais & Mayhem: Murder at Mote Marine (a Sarasota romance), and Lapses of Memory from Secret Cravings Publishing. All but Lost & Found are available in print-on-demand.

I’d love to hear from readers. Click on MY BOOKS on my blog for full information on each of my books:

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/msspencer

Blog: http://msspencertalespinner.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/msspencertalespinner

Twitter: www.twitter.com/msspencerauthor

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/msspencerauthor/

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/M.S.-Spencer/e/B002ZOEUC8/

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Triptych

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My Review

Funny, flirty, and downright sizzling in a few places.

Triptych is a tale of three sisters. They all live together in a mansion on the bank of the Potomac River.

Sybil is the youngest, and keeps her older sisters on their toes with her propensity for flitting around willy nilly and  lifting her skirts.

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Honor is the oldest and more staid of the three, kind of like their fairy godmother, tempering their rash decisions.

Miranda is the middle child and seems to be the most grounded. She’s funny, self-confident and adventurous.

When Sybil takes an off the cuff comment seriously and goes to Craig’s List to find an aristocrat for a companion, the other sisters, after getting over the shock of someone actually answering the ad, decide to let the mysterious Luc Rever, Chevalier du Bon Aranaque, come and stay for a week. Who knows, maybe it’ll work and she’ll land her man.

Just as a precaution, they invite a family friend, Dieter, and his visiting grandson, Corey, to stay at the house while the stranger is visiting.

Pretty soon this quaint life on the river is thrown topsy-turvy as the sisters are drawn into the middle of an art theft.

In the beginning, the story flows smoothly along the shores of the Potomac, but as you read on, it picks up pace, the current rushes around the configuration of the three rocks called The Three Sisters, and as you get caught up in the chase, you end up in the rapids, rushing to the conclusion.

Triptych may be categorized as erotic, but I found more developed romance than just beyond the bedroom door scenes.

It was fun watching these sisters interact and live together. I sometimes felt like I was in another time. A step back to when life was gentler, more family oriented.

Then, situations jolt me back to the present as characters step forward and take charge.

Filled with pictorial surroundings and down to earth characters, Triptych is a grand adventure with a sensual bouquet of women looking for love.

I have three older sisters and we are all so different. Triptych took me back to when we all lived under one roof. Wow, what wonderful, outrageous fun we had. We may have gotten on each others nerves now and then, but in a pinch we were a united front, a Triptych plus one!

5 Stars

Now I have to decide which of M. S. Spencer’s books to read next!

Want to help me decide?

 Go HERE to see her list of books and pop back here to let me know which one you picked!

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

Monday Minis #8 ~ Level 9 Paranoia

Posted: July 29, 2013 in Meme, Monday's Minis, reviews
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Welcome to My Monday Minis.

This is where I review very short stories and flash fiction.

For today I’ll be telling you about Level 9 Paranoia

by Peter Rosch

Level 9 Paranoia: Shortish Ramblings of a Self-Diagnosed Schizo

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I don’t normally use the blurbs for a book. I like to write my own.

In this case, I couldn’t resist using it. You’ll see!

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Think everyone’s out to get you? You aren’t alone. Or are you? Either way, you’ll get no argument from Peter Rosch. Take an exciting–albeit brief–ride in the clown car that is Rosch’s mind, where you’ll discover how some of life’s most only-seemingly mundane happenings could spiral quickly out of control. Bake sale brownies, NYC cabbies, folks in need of aide, flying First Class, and more–it could all be the end of you. Rosch has taken it upon himself to map it out for those of us who lack the natural ability to see all the disturbing possibilities that exist when you live with Level 9 Paranoia.

My Review

“Too twisted for color TV.”

I love being able to use that quote and it fits the bill with Level 9 Paranoia.

If you think you might be paranoid, you probably are.

Have you ever had that feeling like someone is watching you, the hair on the back of your neck stands up, you break out in goosebumps, and your heart races? Maybe someone is, or maybe you’re just being paranoid.

Read these scenarios and you’ll never feel safe again.

A little paranoia is a good thing, but too much and everything looks like a disaster waiting to happen.

Now that I’ve entered the mind of Peter Rosch, I’m worried whether I’ll find my way out again.

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The Exit sign is lit, but what’s on the other side?

To fly or not to fly?

A stranded motorist or a psychopath?

Peter takes normal, everyday occurrences and twists them so you are imagining the worst case scenario.

I’m wondering what could happen now that I’ve read the book!

See, paranoia is contagious.

4 Stars

About the author

Peter Rosch

Peter Rosch is what happens when a Polish drag racing varsity bowler and a beautiful but über paranoid French Canadian Air Force brat get together on a disco dance floor in glorious Albuquerque, NM. He’s a recovering alcoholic who favors the run-on sentence – the one thing for which he offers no apologies. Fifteen years in NYC as an award winning writer, creative director, and commercial director in advertising has left him moderately famous in an industry filled with the very best kind of people, lunatics. His commercial work for Levi’s, AXE, Rolling Stone Magazine, and more is polarizing, and you either hate it or love it because you’ve definitely seen it. When he isn’t writing ads, penning entries for his blog LEVEL 9 PARANOIA, outlining ideas for new books, or performing as his alter ego, Joey Jo Jo, in NYC’s most prolific douche rock band The Future, you will most likely find him playing fetch with his cat Target. Yes, his cat plays fetch.

Find out more HERE.

Woo Hoo! I’m in the 1%

Posted: July 28, 2013 in Awards, reviews
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This week, Goodreads ran a database query to figure out whose reviews received the most likes and attention.  They took that result and emailed the Top 1% to inform them that they are now Lords and Masters of Goodreads. Check out what Cuddlebuggery has to say about it HERE.

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I wouldn’t have made it if not for the wonderful books, awesome authors, and friends I have discovered. So I have an award for all of you word lovers: readers, writers, bloggers, tweeters, etc…

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Who Loves Ya?!

On behalf of the Goodreads team, I want to say thank you. You’re in the top 1% of reviewers on Goodreads! Your many thoughtful book reviews help make us a vibrant place for book lovers.

And our community has been growing! We now number more than 20 million members on Goodreads.

Every day readers from all over the world are connecting over a love of books. And our 25 million reviews – including yours – are a big part of that conversation.

Thank you for your support of Goodreads, and keep reading! I’m looking forward to seeing what you think of your next book!

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Who woulda thunk it!

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Hop on over to My Goodreads and see what I’ve been up to.

I am always looking for new friends:)

Browse my pages for fun memes, free books, and giveaways. Links are at the top of my blog!

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A Zombie Giveaway ~ Dead Girl

Posted: July 26, 2013 in Blog Tour, giveaways, horror, reviews, Zombies
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It’s finally here! Now I can tell you all about Dead Girl!

Check out my review.

Check out the awesome cover art and don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

You won’t believe what is being given away and won’t want to miss your chance to win some amazing prizes!

Dead Girl: A Romantic Zombie Tale of Revenge

Written by Stavros  

Illustrated by Charles Hearn

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Genre:  Horror/Thriller

Publisher: Crazy Duck Press (CDP)

Date of Publication: August 2011

ISBN: 9780982812198

Number of pages: 266

Cover Artist and Illustrator: Charles Hearn

CDP eShop  The Arti(s)fact Store  Book Browser  Amazon

Book Description:

“…Death was a dream of sleep where the eternally dying dream the sleep of death.  The undeniable evidence in the stillness of her being, the stark paleness of her complexion, and the lack of blood pooling from her cuts after climbing through the window whispered dark truths in her ears.  Rigor Mortis.  There was nothing familiar to Jamie about her skin.  Time and time again, she found herself asking what had happened, only to arrive at the hard won conclusion that she, Jamie Lund, wasn’t alive anymore.  Somehow in the foolhardy night, she’d been a dumb girl.  She’d gotten herself killed…”

From the mind of Stavros, the critically acclaimed author of Blood Junky, comes a new twisted tale of horror and adventure.  An average girl, living in the city is murdered.  Nothing new, right?  It happens every day.  Just another statistic.  That is…until she woke up dead.

Trapped within her own decaying shell, the dead girl struggles to piece together the awful events of her untimely death and hunt down the man responsible.  Armed only with a kiss from an ancient Egyptian God, a pockmarked memory, her ex-boyfriend, and a murder of crows Jamie Lund comes face to face with something more terrifying and real than mere death…she suffers the agony of being undead!

With twelve black & white illustrations and a full colored cover from tattoo artist, Charles Hearn, this sardonic tale comes alive like no other zombie story, popping from the page with stunning, unnatural brilliance.  Dead Girl: A Romantic Zombie Tale of Revenge will keep the reader on the edge of their seat suspended in this unique supernatural thriller.

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My Review

Jamie’s story begins and ends on the bank of the river.

Pulling her battered body from the cold, sucking mud, she’s disoriented, with no memory of how she got there or who she is.

In the distance she can see the lights from a city. The only other thing she sees is crows. Lots of them.

On auto pilot, she heads toward town and manages to get to her apartment. With no purse or keys, she’s forced to break a window to get in.

Once inside, she takes a look at herself. There’s a lot of blood but nothing is bleeding anymore. Her neck has bruises and her eyes are blood shot.

She moves on to what happened. How did she end up on the riverbank, why can’t she remember what happened last night?

She stumbles to her bed. As she lies there, some memories are returning. She gets flashes of a party and a man following her into a bedroom. Maybe someone slipped her a roofie.

As she lay there, the hours pass. When she tries to rise, she can’t move. She can’t even wiggle a toe! Then it sets in. The signs are now clear. Rigor Mortis!

At 22 years old, Jamie has been murdered.

She can’t go to the police for help so she turns to her ex-boyfriend Billy.  But how to tell him she’s dead?

And those crows continue to follow her.

 

Jamie may technically be a zombie, but I think of her more as reanimated. She doesn’t go around moaning, “Brains…” and doesn’t eat humans.

The only thing she craves is vengeance. She’s determined to confront whoever did this to her, even if it kills her…again.

The story is told from two perspectives, Jamie’s and Billy’s, which works well as these two used to be lovers and it explains why Billy would go to the lengths he did to help Jamie.

There are some laughable moments too. As Jamie’s body slowly begins to decompose, Billy gets creative with the duct tape. And when the maggots eventually make their appearance, Jamie starts naming them.

There’s also a surprising element in the story that shows how Jamie came back from the dead.

Dead Girl is creative, funny, and sad. I especially liked the ending. It was perfect.

I recommend Dead Girl to zombie fans and those who like some humor, some get what’s comin to ya, and some gore with their love story.

5 Stars

Quotes I liked:

“Crows swarmed above her as a single mood.”

“Millions of nerve endings reported nothingness back at her.”

“Even in death she was beautiful and that beauty gnawed at Billy’s gut with teeth.”

“…Jamie wanted this maniac, this destroyer or youth…to taste the river as she had, and feel death’s cold embrace as she had – slow and sinking.”

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 Praise for Dead Girl: A Romantic Zombie Tale of Revenge…

“A Bittersweet punch with a suspenseful plot and somber romance, showing us the vulnerable perspective of death from the other side.  Definitely, not to be missed!” -Tara Lindsey Hall; Writer/Editor

“I couldn’t put it down. I loved it.  You are a great writer.  Can’t wait to read the next one.” -Bethany Tanner-Evanko, a Facebook Post

“Just wanted you to know…I was about to wrap Dead Girl in festive Christmas paper but decided to read the first page…now I’m on page 88 and I’m keeping the book…and I’m not going to bed anytime soon.” -Sabrina Buckman, a Facebook Post on Dec 21, 2011

“WOW!  Holy shit…Thank you for this.  Thank you for bringing forth a story that more than restores my faith in a type that has gnawed at my entrails for over a decade.  It was different, it was refreshing, it was a damn awesome break from the “same old, same old” crap this genre is filled with.  It’s so hard to find an original zombie tale any more.  And even harder to find someone who can make an old story their own in some personal way.  But this?  Definitely not the same old crap.”

-C. Dulaney, author of the Roads Less Traveled series

“OMZG! (Oh My Zombie Goodness)  I absolutely Loved this book. Dead Girl is not the conventional zombie book, but a great one!  It’s a book of mystery and revenge with Egyptian influence felt within the pages. Plus the actual attention to detail of rigor mortis and decomposition of the body is spot on and a great additive to the book.  I love this book and highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good revenge tale.  Plus I couldn’t put the book down!”

-Sunshine Rose, Chicago, ILL. April 2013

About the Author- Stavros:

Stavros

Notorious Poet.  Fool.  Born in WashingtonDC.  Stavros was a writer and editor for The Independent Underground Magazine.  Raised in Southern Maryland, he fled the Chesapeake Bay to the wilds of the New Mexican desert.  He is a single father of two, whose poetic works have been published in several online and print publications, including Central Avenue, The Sword That Cuts Through Stone, Poets Against The War, Conceptions Southwest, The Mynd, Imagine: Creative Arts Journal, and Bartleby, where he won a specialty award for his poem, Blackbird.

In 1999, he won an Official Selection into the Writer’s on the Edge Festival for his play, The Redline.  In 2001, he created the Poetry Television Project for public cable access in Albuquerque, NM.  All eight volumes of Ptv’s ground-breaking show were broadcast to over 100,000 viewers on a network of regional PAC channels throughout the Southwest and Baltimore.  He helped to launch Unpublished Magazine, sponsored the monthly poetry series, The Word Café, in the Duke city, and produced a political compilation, Poetic Democracy.  In 2007, he released the award-winning documentary film, Committing Poetry in Times of War.

In 2010, he launched the production management company, Organic Ghetto, and released its first imprint, Crazy Duck Press, with his first novel, Blood Junky. Blood Junky received exceptional praise and review, even being called “one of the best vampire novels ever written,” by Living Dead Media.  The following year he helped to launch BioGamer Girl, undertook a bigger East coast tour where he began selling his original photographic art, and released two new novels through Crazy Duck Press.  Dead Girl: A Romantic Zombie Tale of Revenge features a stunning full-color cover and twelve black and white illustrations from tattoo artist, Charles Hearn.   Blood Junky’s sequel, Love in Vein, cemented the One Blood series with its continuation of the story, garnering such review as to claim that the book and the series is “comparable with, and at times surpasses, the ‘Vampire Chronicles’ by Anne Rice.”

In 2012, Stavros joined forces with the Vampire Professor, Bertena Varney, M.A.M.Ed, to co-create the nonfiction annual anthology, Vampire News, and officially became a Fangsmith with the creation of Organic Ghetto’s second imprint, Kaos Kustom Fangs.  He rounded out the year by writing and editing screenplays for the One Blood Transmedia Project, recording Dead Girl as an audio book, and undertaking his biggest national marketing campaign, The Book & Fang Tour.

In 2013, he and the Vampire Professor released the second volume of Vampire News: The (not so) End Times Edition and is currently working on writing and growing his imprints.   Stavros is also a musician who has scored commercials, film shorts, documentaries, and television programs.

Stavros FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/stavros.cockrell

Author Blog: http://www.bitemereallyhard.com

Kaos Kustom Fangs: http://www.kaoskustomfangs.com/

Dead Girl CDP Page: http://www.crazyduckpress.com/#!dead-girl/c1ekr

Dead Girl FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/ogdeadgirl

CDP eShop: http://www.crazyduckpress.com/#!shop/c6cv

CDP Twitter: https://twitter.com/CrazyDuckPress

Stavros Twitter https://twitter.com/VisualLyricist

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Tour Wide Giveaway
1 Grand Prize Pack containing t-shirt, sticker, art print, button and book
1 Prize pack containing a button and t-shirt
1 Prize Pack containing an art print and button
10 e-book copies of Dead Girl
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Author’s choice of designs for items in prize packs-Physical prizes open to US Shipping
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Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter.
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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!
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For all of my giveaways go HERE.
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Review ~ Heart Search: Found ~ Just one bite…..

Posted: July 22, 2013 in Blog Tour, reviews
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Are you ready for the launch of Carlie’s newest book, Heart Search: Book Two, Found?

It’s that time and I have some goodies for you.

This is going to be such a fun tour. So much more is coming!

For today I’ll be reviewing Heart Search: Found!

First, feast your eyes on her cover art. I believe she has a signature for her covers now. Further down in my post you can see the cover art for Book One, Heart Search:Lost and you’ll see what I mean.

Blurb

One bite started it all . . .

Another mysterious disappearance sparks a frightening chain of events for Remy and her family. Events foretold come to pass, and more strange and alarming occurrences assail her life. Where can she turn?

Coven politics continue to threaten Joshua’s existence, but an even bigger menace looms . . .

And Remy’s life hangs in the balance – can Joshua save her?

Fate still toys with mortals and immortals alike, as hearts torn apart by darkness confront perils which could lead to their doom.

~~~~~

As this is the second book in the series I just wanted to say, I’ll do my best to not put spoilers in my review.

My Review

Remy hasn’t given up on finding Joshua. It’s just that she has a whole new set of complications to handle. You could say, double the trouble.

She still dreams of Joshua and misses him and will not stop until she finds him.

A mysterious peeping tom with piercing green eyes lurks outside Remy’s home. Remy, her twin, Becky, and her best friend, Jakki, all are scared. They wonder what or who he is after.

The vampire coven has problems of its own. One tries to kill another in a fit of rage and jealousy.

And a nemesis from the past has come back, and he’s brought friends. His resentment continues and now he plots to end them all.

5 Stars

I’ve been waiting for this book and I got so much more than I expected!

There are some really sweet and funny episodes with Remy and her double trouble.

The story has some surprising turns that I didn’t foresee. That’s always exciting.

I got to know more about the coven members and how they think. I had to keep reminding myself these are not nice vampires. Once they are turned, they have no compunction or guilt about taking lives.

I read a scene where the vampires were stalking their dinner and the people were just ordinary people, not evil, minding their own business, and bam. They were dead and dumped miles away in moments. The vampires were just doing what they do, but it felt so profound. And, somehow, I still liked them..

Writing like this will keep me coming back for more. The characters are genuine and distinct. The story line flashes back and forth from one set of characters to the next easily. The anticipation builds along with your hopes.

I had a few moments where I sniffled, many where I grinned, and I even laughed out loud at some scenes. Several times a scene evoked disgust or trepidation too.

An all around great sequel with more to come.

Well worth the wait!

I’ll be looking for more of Remy’s story and can already tell the next book is going to be dramatic.

~~~~~

Heart Search: Found is now available to purchase!

Amazon US / Amazon UK

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Check out the new trailer!

Carlie has done something incredible!

You’re going to want to run right over and get this book. Just sayin!

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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DSssMGyA1E?version=3&rel=1&fs=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&wmode=transparent]

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Heartsearchauthor

Carlie M A Cullen

Carlie M A Cullen was born in London. She grew up in Hertfordshire where she first discovered her love of books and writing. She has been an administrator and marketer all her working life and was also a professional teacher of Ballroom and Latin American dancing until recently.

She has always written in some form or another, but Heart Search: Lost is her first novel. This was launched 8th October 2012 through Myrddin Publishing Group and book two, Heart Search: Found, is due out early July 2013. She writes mainly in the Fantasy/Paranormal Romance genres for YA, New Adult and Adult.

Carlie is also a professional editor.

Carlie also holds the reins of a writing group called Writebulb. Their first anthology, The Other Way Is Essex, was published September 2012 under Myrddin Publishing Group. Their second anthology is in editing.

Carlie currently lives in Essex, UK with her daughter.

You can find Carlie M. A. Cullen at the links below:

Blog/Twitter

I’ve read Heart Search, Book One: Lost and loved it!

Heart Search: Lost (Heart Search, #1)

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Go here to read my 5 Star Review

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Stay tuned for more fun and exciting things to come as the tour continues!

Check out these others wonderful bloggers participating in the tour:

Tour host’s:

Sherry Fundin

Joy Keeney

Donna L Sadd

Michelle Birbeck

We will be revealing more about Carlie’s new release with interviews, reviews and exclusive excerpts

Come join the fun and help spread the word!

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RAP Giveaway Tour ~ Life After Dane ~ I took her teeth, Momma..

Posted: July 18, 2013 in Blog Tour, giveaways, New Release, reviews
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Life After Dane

by Edward Lorn

Published by Red Adept Publishing, LLC

August 2013

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Have I got a scare for you!

Red Adept Publishing has put together an amazing tour for Edward Lorn’s Life After Dane.

I have a peek inside for you. Chapter One!

Read on to catch my review and the scary good trailer.

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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Where you can purchase Life After Dane.

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / Goodreads

Description

A mother’s love is undying… and so is Dane.

After the state of Arkansas executes serial killer Dane Peters, the Rest Stop Dentist, his mother discovers that life is darker and more dangerous than she ever expected.

The driving force behind his ghostly return lies buried in his family’s dark past. As Ella desperately seeks a way to lay her son’s troubled soul to rest, she comes face to face with her own failings.

If Ella cannot learn why her son has returned and what he seeks, then the reach of his power will destroy the innocent, and not even his mother will be able to stop him.

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

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Chapter One

 

The state of Arkansas put my son to sleep on October 25, 2013. All across the country, from Colorado to Virginia, forty-two families were finally able to rest. I knew those grieving souls by faces, not personalities. Their tears were familiar, yet their pain was not. I could recall their loved ones easily, as they were the victims. My son’s name was Dane Peters. The rest of the world called him The Rest Stop Dentist.

Not everybody from Dane’s many court sessions came that night. The watch room only held thirty chairs, and nine were taken up by the cops who had arrested my son, two local reporters, and Sven Gödel, a freelance journalist from Chicago.

When the guards led my son into the execution chamber, he strode tall, his face bereft of emotion. At some point, they’d shaved his head. His mop of brown shag was a five o’clock ghost of its former self. While one officer unshackled Dane, the other made ready the straps on the cross-like table where Dane would serve his final sentence. Unencumbered, Dane stretched his arms wide, bent back at the waist, and rocked forward to meet my eyes.

A chill ran down my spine. He looked so calm, the exact opposite of me. I could feel my hands shaking around the Bible I clutched to my stomach. Oh, God, they’re actually going to kill my child. If I had died, they would have called Dane an orphan, but what would they call a childless mother? At fifty-five, I was left all alone.

Dane groped at the front of his orange jumpsuit, patted it flat, and turned toward the awaiting table. Never breaking eye contact, he craned his neck so he could keep a bead on me. My baby boy was in there somewhere, hiding behind that cold stare. I felt myself reaching for him, though I hadn’t meant to do so.

Someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned my head to find a man wearing a police officer’s uniform.

“You know,” he said, “that’s two-way glass. He can’t actually see you.”

Looking back at my son, I tried to tell myself that the man behind me was wrong. He had to be. Dane was gazing directly at me, into me. He sat on the edge of the metal table, twisted, and threw his legs up onto the surface, then lay back and looked toward the ceiling. The guards went about belting him down. Dane lifted his head, met my eyes, and gave me a mirthless smile.

The officer behind me said, “That monster must think he’s something. Look at that smug expression painted all over his mug. He ain’t a bit sorry ’bout what he done.”

Dane blinked twice and settled back on the table.

Too low for anyone else to hear, I said, “He’s not a monster. He’s my son.”

Dane was thirty years old when they put an IV in his arm and dosed him with pentobarbital to render him unconscious. A pump injected him with pancuronium bromide to relax his breathing until his lungs quit altogether. Potassium chloride, the “humane drug,” ceased the beating of his heart before the failure of his lungs became too painful. I watched, seated with the families of the victims, while my son was put down like a rabid dog.

One of the men behind the glass finally said, “It’s over.”

The father of Lillie Mason clapped, putting his hands together, slowly at first, then faster. Vickie Hancock’s mother joined in. Fredericka Devereau’s parents followed along until everyone surrounding me fell into a fit of raucous applause. I didn’t feel the need to celebrate my child’s death, so I remained stoic and silent.

Dane’s body was transferred from the execution table to a beige body bag atop the stainless surface of an awaiting gurney. I’d seen enough.

Rising from my chair, I took an unsteady step forward and almost fell. A hand wrapped around my bicep, keeping me upright. Glancing to see who’d saved me from a tumble, I came face to face with that Chicago journalist, Sven Gödel.

He asked, “Are you all right?”

“Leave me alone.” I snatched my arm from his grasp, turned on my heel, and headed for the door.

Sven called after me, “We should talk, Mrs. Peters.”

I didn’t justify his comment with an answer.

The watch room door opened onto a courtyard surrounded on all sides by razor-wire-topped fencing. October in Arkansas wasn’t quite as cool as back home in Colorado. In fact, the air was uncomfortably warm, like sitting down on a public toilet and finding the previous users’ body heat radiating up into my own butt. Sweat popped out on my forehead. I swiped it away with the back of one hand.

At the main gate, a bald prison guard let me out into the free world. I thought of it like that, “the free world,” because during Dane’s trial and the time up until his death, I’d felt like a prisoner alongside him. With Dane gone, I was free.

I crossed the parking lot to my gold Camry. Once behind the wheel, I let my emotions take over. Tears choked me. To clear my pipes, I lit a Virginia Slim and allowed the menthol to soothe my clogged throat.

I smoked the entire cigarette in less than three minutes. I rolled down my window and flicked the butt into the prison’s lot, leaving a piece of myself behind. Lighting another one, I drove away from that edifice of justice, wondering what else I had left back there. That thought haunted me across seven hundred miles, two fast-food cheeseburgers, four restroom breaks, and a whole pack of Slims, until I crossed the city limits of Well Being, Colorado. Home sweet home.

~~~

My Review

I’ve read several of Edward’s books and I have to say Life After Dane is his best work yet.

I would call it a psychological thriller and horror story. But it’s more than that. You could also call it a ghost story but it isn’t a house that’s haunted.

They say a serial killer can be born one or made into one. I’m not sure which it was for Dane, but he was prolific, killing 42 people. His moniker, The Rest Stop Dentist, was earned because he stalked and killed his victims at rest stops and left a trail of their teeth, like bread crumbs, leading to their discarded corpses.

Like in real life, the law does catch up with him and on October 25, 2013, Dane Peters is sent to hell.

But Dane isn’t planning on staying there, and before long, he pays a visit to his loving mother, the chain-smoking woman who stood by and watched him suffer at the hands of his abusive father.

Dane is back and he wants his own brand of justice.

I like how the author  showed you both sides of the story, both Danes and his mother, Ella May’s. It helped me to see behind their actions and connect with them.

Dane is horrific, but you almost feel sorry for him. Good writing there.

Ella May is sweet and loving, but she’ll tick you off, making you want to slap her down. More good writing.

I would put the pacing of this story as relentless. Once you start reading, you’ll not want to stop until the white-knuckled read is over.

When I reached the end, my heart was pounding in my ears and my jaw ached from clenching my teeth. I just sat there, thinking. Then I got up and grabbed a romance book to read so I wouldn’t be thinking about Dane when I went to sleep!

5 Stars

~~~

About  Edward Lorn and where to stalk him.
Image of Edward Lorn

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/

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Prizes:

$20 Amazon Gift Certificate

$10 Amazon Gift Certificate

Dane Tote Bag

Dane Mug

Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter.

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I’ve read other books by Edward and loved them.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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Monday Minis #7 ~ It’s Harvest Time..

Posted: July 15, 2013 in Meme, Monday's Minis, reviews, Short stories and collections
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Welcome to My Monday Minis.

This is where I review very short stories and flash fiction.

For today I’ll be telling you about The Harvesters

by Ashley Hill

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You get all of the ingredients for a good horror story. A thunderstorm, a rustic old cabin deep in the woods and some really creepy characters. There’s the huge shambling guy with the axe, the sly shotgun wielding old man, and the creepy kids.

I think the kids creeped me out the most. It had me thinking Blair Witch, when they hear the weird voices outside their tent and the kids giggling and slapping the tent.

The Harvesters is relentless and you land right in the thick of it from the get go.

Ash creeps around in the cellar of the ratty cabin and finally spots her boyfriend, Jason. He’s manacled to a metal table.

From this point on, I girded myself for what was coming.

Ash manages to get his hands free before this huge man throws an axe at her. She heeds Jason’s warning and hightails it but is rushed by a little kid. She sweeps past him and slams the door of the cellar shut behind her.

That’s when she hears the whispering.

She rushes to the truck outside, but, of course, there are no keys. A vision flashes in her head of the keys hanging on a hook inside the cabin.

This is where I wonder what I would’ve done. We know the warnings for these scenes. “Don’t go back inside!” But if your true love is lying in there, helpless, about to be carved up, what else can you do?

So, in she goes again.

From the very beginning it’s a mad dash through this short story.

You’ll get to read about it from two points of view. Ash narrates most of the story, but Jason does have his own side to tell.

Then their story meets again as they struggle to survive multiple attacks with no help for miles in any direction.

 I was thinking serial killers or a family of cannibals maybe. I’m still not sure exactly what they wanted from Ash.

That brings me to the ending. It’s a cliffhanger and a big one. I kind of saw it coming, but I think I would have been disappointed if it wrapped up neatly.

This way, I get to look forward to more. I wonder if one of the next books will be about Jason. He has a dark past and I think his story would be harrowing.

We’ll see.

3 Stars

Go here to check out the trailer!

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Author Info
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harvesters trailer ashley5
I’m a college student still trying to get a handle of the adult world. When I need to get away from it I lose myself in books, my own writing, and in spending time with my amazing boyfriend which he supports me to no end. Finding my passion in books has led me to finding a passion in writing my own fictional stories back in 2009, I have turned this into a dream career and going one step further I would love to open up my own book store.
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Giveaway Tour and Review ~ Welcome to Adelheid ~ Population: furry & fanged..

Posted: July 11, 2013 in Blog Tour, giveaways, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews, Series, suspense
Tags: , , , ,
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What can I say. I loved this series.

How great is it that you can get all three stories in one book, never having to wait for the next release.

When you start reading Welcome to Adelheid and meet all of the exciting characters, you’ll see how great this is.

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Welcome to Adelheid

Books One -Three
Mia Darien

Genre: Paranormal Suspense

ISBN: 9781476224244

Number of pages: Approx 375

Word Count: Approx 160K

Cover Artist: Mia Darien

Smashwords  Amazon Kindle  Amazon Print   BN

Kobo     iTunes   Audible

Book Description:

Welcome to Adelheid, CT. Freak central. Unofficial capital of legal preternatural creatures in the Northeast. Focal point for anti-preternatural sentiments in the United States.

Who would ever guess that this otherwise sleepy New England town houses many of the most powerful beings known to exist?

* * *

Cameron's Law (Adelheid, #1)

In “Cameron’s Law,” meet Sadie Stanton, vampire poster girl for preternatural rights. She’s just trying to start a business to help the community, but when vampires and werewolves start attacking each other, she gets thrust in the middle.

My Review

Right from the start you are thrust into the action.

Her name is Sadie Stanton and she owns the Stanton Agency, where she serves all things preternatural.

When Cameron’s Law was passed, making all supernatural beings citizens, Sadie saw the opportunity and offered her services for paranormal investigations.

She’s perfect for the job, after all, she’s a vampire.

While helping a client in the graveyard, a crazed woman runs up and stakes Sadie. As quickly as she appeared, she ran away. Lucky for Sadie, the woman didn’t know her anatomy. It hurt like hell, but healed quickly. And the night is still young.

Following proper procedures, she files a complaint and has the bad luck to have her complaint taken by Detective Johnston, a shifter. There is no love lost between these species and he is being a jerk, or is she just reading him wrong. He definitely gets under her skin, and as her receptionist, Madison, said, “He was tugging on her pigtails.”

Soon enough, Sadie has to deal with Johnston again. It appears that young vampires are attacking werewolves and this could have an adverse affect on the new law. Sadie wants to avoid that at all costs and begins to work closely with Detective Johnston. They need to see who or what is behind this before there is an all out war between the vampires and the werewolves.

There are so many awesome characters in this book. Each one, even the ones with only small roles, stand out as individuals and their voices are strongly written.

My favorites are Sadie and Dakota. Can’t wait for you to meet Dakota. If you think Sadie is tough, wait until to see Dakota in action. She is a hunter and even Sadie isn’t sure of just what she is, maybe something shifty or fae.

The author left me wondering about that in this first book.

I also really liked the view of Sadie’s everyday life while being a vampire, her normalness.

“It was a standard evening. I showered and dressed, had breakfast and checked to see if I had any messages. After that, I ran a few errands, which were ultimately very banal. Just like all the other myths, being a vampire did not automatically make your life exciting or glamorous, and you didn’t come equipped with servants. Vampires still had to do things like go to the bank, buy food and do their laundry.”

Of course, her breakfast must have been some type of blood and her day started after dark. I wonder what the grocery stores are like, having to stock edibles for all types of supernatural beings.

There are more attacks and the race is on to solve this case before all hell breaks loose.

You’ll meet some very interesting characters, good and bad.

You’ll get to see how Sadie interviews  demon summoners, and lawyers for her agency, which was a fun way for the author to introduce new characters.

And you get to meet Dakota, the bounty hunter from hell. Still not sure what she is.

I had a really fun time getting to know the characters of Adelheid, the largest supernatural community in all of New England.

For a not so long book, this one is packed full of back story mysteries,  budding romance, lethal investigations, and a look at the politics of a preternatural town.

A great beginning to this series which the author wraps up nicely, but hints at answers to some lingering questions, which leads you to the next book.

5 Stars

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When Forever Died (Adelheid, #2)

In “When Forever Died,” Dakota is a rare shifter and hunter who has lived a long, hard life. But the past never sleeps and two simultaneous cases are going to test the personal defenses she’s built over the centuries.

My Review

I love it. This book features Dakota, bounty hunter extraordinaire. She is one of my favorite characters.

Dakota hunts the NHF, or Non-Human Form creatures. She’s the one police call when they can’t handle a particular supernatural being. Cameron’s Law may have made all preternaturals citizens, but just like humans, you get your bad seeds and that’s when they call Dakota.

Dakota now kind of works for Stanton at her agency. She has a long way to go to be a team player and she’s kind of scary.

She’s working a case for Myles Bail- Bonds. A fight ends in death and the vampire, wanted for manslaughter, has bolted.

Then she gets a phone call to come down to the police station. The Captain has a case he needs help with.

It seems he needs an ancient, a vampire over 1000 years old, found and brought in.

Dakota doesn’t usually work more than one case at a time, but she’s intrigued. She’s never hunted an ancient before.

And Detective Moore, the visiting detective, has caught her eye. When she learns the detective is looking for a mysterious being, the name slaps her in the face. She’ll need to stay close to Moore in order to monitor her hunt for this being, which happens to be Dakota’s sister.

Someone is following Dakota, things are heating up, people are being torn apart, and bodies are disappearing.

What I really enjoyed about this second book, is Dakota finally opens up, as much as she can, and tells what she is, or thinks she is. She starts to let others in, to trust a few people, to get this ‘friend’ thing.

The authors flashes you back into time so you can see Dakota’s origins and why she is like she is. You also meet her deadly sister. Not someone you are going to like at all.

The writing is so fluid. The characters and situations feel normal, not fictional. You forget they can’t really exist and just go with it.

All I’ll say about the ending is it left me grinning.

And, of course, wanting more.

5 Stars

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Voracious (Adelheid, #3)

In “Voracious,” the life D wants isn’t what it seems. He certainly never planned on the fangs, but he’s going to need a lot more than the pointy teeth to survive the first weeks of his new existence.

My Review

 D is a reluctant vampire. He is lured by a mysterious and beautiful woman to a vampire bar. He really should have known better.

I guess a few too many drinks left him with his guard down. He hates fangs, his name for vampires, and certainly wouldn’t have let this female turn him into one.

Their night of passion ends with a quick snap of his neck and now he’s that thing, a fang.

D is haunted by a dark hunger, has been for a long time, and now he has a hunger even greater, a hunger for blood.

As he gets the hang of it, of being a fang, he feels the need to find out why Ceille did this to him, why she thought he could help her. So he returns to the scene, to the vamp bar 5, and asks the owner, Quintus, what Ceille’s story  is.

What Quintus tells him leaves him hanging. Ceille was beheaded by another vampire. She is now truly dead.

When he turns Cassandra, a young woman dying after being attacked, he has a new bunch of problems. She can’t be left on her own, like he was, and he is her sire, he is responsible for helping her adjust.

There is something special about Cassandra, something that draws vampires to her. D takes her to the vampire coven lead by Jade. They will help her adjust and learn to control her abilities.

Now, a vampire is after him and her and he has no idea why. Too bad Ceille is dead for good, but maybe, just maybe, she can still tell him what he needs to know.

What I liked best about D is how at first, he came off as callous, as a drunk wandering aimlessly through life.

Then, when he’s turned into the thing he despises, only then does his humanness come out. That’s when I started to like him, to pull for him.

Dakota makes a boisterous appearance, as does Sadie, Johnston, and several other characters from the first two books.

I like that you could read these as stand-alones, but why would you want to. You can get all three books individually at a very affordable price, or you can get all three stories in one book!

I read one book each night and had a fun time doing it. I never had to wait for the next release and all of my favorite characters made appearances, like old friends stopping by to visit.

I caught myself wishing there was a town like Adelheid, a town of supernaturals and humans living side by side. I think I’d like it there. Who knows, maybe there is.

5 Stars

~~

I gave each of these books 5 Stars because I just couldn’t get enough of the characters. I was really sad to reach the end, but had such fun getting there.

As I can’t give Welcome to Adelheid 15 Stars I give it 5 Stars

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Quotes I liked:

“You can’t learn stupid like that. It’s got to be genetic.”

~~

He stared openly. “Is there some way I can get rid of you?”

“Not really, no. Except by telling me what I want to know and not lying to me. Believe me, you will not like me when I’m angry.”

~~

“I’ve been known to go to church from time to time, and the walls never came falling down.”

~~

Somehow, I heard her grin.

~~

The place was filled with shift work shifters. Say that three times fast.

~~

About the Author:

adelheid_authorphoto

Mia Darien is an indie author of speculative fiction, and a New England Yankee transplanted into Alabama clay. No matter her geography, she continues to stubbornly and rebelliously live the life of her choosing along with her family and pets. She doesn’t miss the snow.

http://www.miadarien.com

http://www.twitter.com/MiaDarien

http://www.goodreads.com/mia_darien

http://www.facebook.com/author.miadarien

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