Posts Tagged ‘giveaway’

The Lightning Road Series by Donna Galanti ~ New Covers Reveal and Giveaway

Posted: October 10, 2018 in Action/Adventure, Children's books, Fantasy, giveaways
Tags: , , ,
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New cover reveals for The Lightning Road series by Donna Galanti!

Look at these awesome the new cover reveals for Donna Galanti’s Lightning Road series! Plus enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card at the end of this post and get the first e-book in Donna’s series, Joshua and the Lightning Road, on sale now through October 15th for just $0.99cents.
Donna talks today about how the 10 steps to writing thrillers for kids and shares an excerpt from Joshua and the Lightning Road.

10 Steps to Writing Thrillers for Kids
by Donna Galanti

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Do you love to be scared? I do (when I know it’s safe)! Haunted houses. Hayrides. Rollercoasters. Adventure rides.
I got so scared once in a haunted house that I whacked the “ghosts” with the teddy bear from my costume. The management turned on all the lights and asked me to leave. Oops.
Recently at Halloween, my friend dared me to do Terror Behind the Walls at Eastern State Penitentiary. I was very proud that I didn’t whack anyone this time! Here we are 😊 .

donna guest post

But I still get scared of real places as a grown up. Of the dark garage. Of the creepy cellar. Of nighttime when taking the trash cans out. My heart pip-pops waiting for that creature or boogeyman to grab me. I know he could be. My imagination tells me so.
Thriller movies are fun to watch – but I think it’s even more fun for me to watch my son watching them. He yells at the characters, “save yourselves!” then jumps up and down, hides his eyes, and we hug each other in fright – whether it’s Jurassic Park, Twister, or Dante’s Peak.
As my son became an avid and selective reader, I discovered that kids love to be thrilled not just in movies but in books too. I started reading some of the books my son had on his bookshelf like Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan and Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo. In doing this I began to see patterns in these kid adventure tales – and I began applying what I learned, along with general thriller elements, to create my own stories.
10-steps for writing kid thrillers:
⦁    Put the kids in charge. Kids don’t want to read about grownups having adventures.
⦁    Which leads into…have the kids figure out how to take the bad guys down – not grownups. Kids want to see themselves as the hero, not Mom or Dad or their teacher.
⦁    Whatever scary situations the kids find themselves in – they must navigate their way out.
⦁    Don’t dwell on the dark stuff. Make it happen fast without gory detail – kids can use their imagination.
⦁    Give them friends in their travels. Life is hard without friends! And a kid needs friends to help him along his scary adventure.
⦁    Through story events have the kids discover their own strength and courage to overcome the bad things happening to them.
⦁    Make all seemed lost! End the chapters on cliffhangers to encourage kids to keep turning the pages and find out what happens next.
⦁    Have it work out in the end, or at least partially, even if all seems doomed for a while.
⦁    Add humor! Interjecting a dollop of funny can alleviate the tension in the scariest of scenes and lighten the moment.
⦁    Make it a series. Have a final resolution to the story but leave it open for more stories down the road for the characters. Kids love to follow their beloved characters into new adventures.

JOSHUA AND THE ARROW REALM EXCERPT:

A faint rumble groaned through the whistling wind.
Boom!
Thunder ripped the sky overhead.
Charlie reached the frozen pond, spinning across it. “Woohoo! I win! You Americans can’t beat us at speed!”
Lightning flashed. It zinged across the pine trees like brilliant sunlight. A seed of terror flickered inside me.
Boom! Boom!
Another flash scorched the sky.
Charlie’s smile fell to a frown as he raced across the ice, peering up into the swirling clouds.
We both knew what lightning could do.
Suddenly, sneaking outside for a moonlit sled ride before Bo Chez got home from his monthly poker game didn’t seem so smart.
The sleet turned to snow. Icicles flew off trees like glass splinters, shattering on the hard snow. As I shot toward the pond, a tree on the edge moved. Its branches swayed in the swirling snow.
It wasn’t a tree, but a girl! She stumbled through the mad flurry, arms outstretched.
“Charlie, look!”
Gusts snatched the words away as my sled hit the ice and careened out of control on the bumpy surface. The girl staggered and fell onto the pond. I twisted my sled away to avoid hitting her and smashed right into Charlie. With a yelp, he pulled me up, and we clumped toward the girl. We lifted her up, half dragging her back up the hill to the house in the pelting snow and sleet.
“Who is she?” Charlie yelled.
“No idea,” I yelled back.
He said more, but his words were lost in the wind.
My lungs burned with the cold and effort. There was only one reason someone would appear with lightning—to steal us. This girl might appear like a waif unprepared for a storm, but I couldn’t trust that’s all she was.

WATCH THE JOSHUA AND THE LIGHTNING ROAD BOOK TRAILER!

ABOUT JOSHUA AND THE LIGHTNING ROAD:


Twelve-year-old Joshua Cooper learns the hard way that lightning never strikes by chance when a bolt strikes his house and whisks away his best friend—possibly forever. Armed with only luck and his grandfather’s mysterious crystal, Joshua must save his friend by traveling the Lightning Road to a dark world that steals children for energy. New friends come to Joshua’s aid and while battling beasts and bandits and fending off the Child Collector, Joshua’s mission quickly becomes more than a search for his friend—it becomes the battle of his life.

Read My Review HERE.

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PRAISE FOR JOSHUA AND THE LIGHTNING ROAD:
“Vividly imagined characters in a gripping action fantasy that never lets you go until the very last page.” —Jenny Nimmo, New York Times bestselling author of the Charlie Bone series
**$0.99 DEAL!**
Joshua and the Lightning Road is available now through October 15th for just $0.99cents on e-book from these book sellers:
Amazon / B&N / Kobo / iBooks

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ABOUT JOSHUA AND THE ARROW REALM:


Joshua never thought he’d be called back to the world of Nostos so soon. But when his friend King Apollo needs his help in the Arrow Realm, Joshua braves this dark world once more in order to save him. With Joshua’s loyalties divided between Nostos and Earth, he must rely on his courage and powers to restore magic to this desperate world and to free its people. Abandoned by his friends in his quest, unarmed, and facing great odds, can he survive on instincts alone and not only save those imprisoned—but himself?

Read my review HERE.

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PRAISE FOR JOSHUA AND THE ARROW REALM:
“Fast-paced and endlessly inventive, this is a high-stakes romp through a wild world where descendants of the Greek gods walk beside you, beasts abound, and not everything—or everyone—is as it seems.” –Michael Northrop, New York Times bestselling author of the TombQuest series

Joshua and the Arrow Realm is available through these book sellers:
Amazon / B&N / Kobo / iBooks

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ABOUT DONNA:

Donna Galanti new
Donna Galanti is the author of the bestselling paranormal suspense Element Trilogy and the children’s fantasy adventure Joshua and The Lightning Road series. Donna is a contributing editor for International Thriller Writers the Big Thrill magazine, a writing contest judge at nycmidnight.com, and regularly presents as a guest author at schools and teaches at writing conferences. She’s lived from England as a child, to Hawaii as a U.S. Navy photographer. Donna also loves teaching writers about building author brand and platform through her free training series at yourawesomeauthorlife.com. Visit her at donnagalanti.com.

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CONNECT WITH DONNA:
Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

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Raven Dock by Sara Caldwell ~ Blitz and Giveaway

Posted: October 10, 2018 in giveaways, Paranormal or fantasy, YA
Tags: ,
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Raven Dock Blitz Banner

Raven Dock
by Sara Caldwell
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Raven Dock cover
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(Dark Coven #1)
Publication date: October 2nd 2018
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult
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Synopsis
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Seventeen-year-old Harper Duncan never fit in anywhere her family moved…and they moved a lot. But after her parents and brother die in a tragic accident, she finds out she’s adopted, and her birth mother lives in a remote retreat called Raven Dock. Harper ventures north and discovers a dark family secret: her birth mother is a witch. And she’s one too. As Harper Learns about her own hidden powers, will she choose to embrace her chilling heritage, or return to the safety of the ordinary world?
Purchase: Amazon / B&N
AUTHOR BIO
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Sara rd
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Sara Caldwell teaches screenwriting and digital media courses at College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita and the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandizing (FIDIM) in Los Angeles. She has won many awards for her writing, including Best Original Screenplay at the Burbank International Film Festival. Sara has always been drawn to the supernatural and has produced a number of award-winning short horror films through House of Gorey Productions, along with her husband Walter Gorey. She is also a member of the Writers Guild of America (WGA).

Like Harper in Raven Dock, Sara spent her childhood as a tumbleweed, moving around the United States and even to Guatemala, Spain and England. She’s run three marathons, authored three nonfiction books, and has three cats that enjoy perching on her shoulder while she writes at her kitchen table. It goes without saying that three is her lucky number. She’s also working on the remaining novels for the Dark Coven series, the next of which is titled Darkest Hour.

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To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

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Who will survive the Planet Of The Dead ~ Excerpt and Giveaway

Posted: October 8, 2018 in giveaways, horror
Tags: ,
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Planet dead badge

 
Planet of the Dead
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Book One
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Thomas S. Flowers
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Planet dead cover
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Genre: Horror
Publisher: Shadow Work Publishing
Date of Publication: Oct 13, 2017
ISBN: 1988819024 / ASIN: B075X2WLX1
Number of pages: 268 (Kindle), 266 (paperback)
Word Count: 60K
Cover Artist: Travis Eck
Tagline: Live. Die. Or become one of the Undead.
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Book Description:
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News reports speak of mass panic and violence spreading across the globe. Negligent leaders hide behind misinformation. But in an age of paranoia and suspicion, who can say what is true anymore? Struggling to survive against a sweeping epidemic that has engulfed the planet, survivors will have to make hard choices in a world that no longer makes sense.
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Amazon
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Excerpt:
Seoul, South Korea.
There it is again. Scratching in the walls. Harold sat up in the queen bed he shared with
Silvio, his grey-haired miniature Schnauzer. He stared out into the darkness of
his room, turning his head to the wall. What was that sound? Scratching…was it
rats? Now it sounded like it was above him, that nails against wood kind of
sound. But that didn’t make sense. He lived on the first floor of a two-story
apartment building in one of the quieter neighborhoods in the Yongsan-gu area.
Nothing ever happened here. While in the past, he’d had his share of crappy
neighbors, Mrs. Kim was farthest from what one would consider to be a rowdy
neighbor. Kim was a sweet little old lady with poorly dyed hair that gave her thinning
white a touch of blue. She wore large red framed glasses and never made much of
a sound, even during the day. The only complaint he would have would be the
smell of kimchee that permeated through the walls whenever she cooked the awful
stuff.
Still, the scratching persisted.
Silvio whimpered, turning his head upward at the sound, and then burying himself under
the comforter.
Harold looked to his quivering dog and back to the ceiling. Now there was something else. Was
that…moaning? Christ, what if Mrs. Kim fell and hurt herself. She could be
dying up there. I should probably call someone, emergency services…anyone. But
would they get here in time to help her? What if she’s really hurt? I need to
do something.
He flung off his warm blanket and hopped out of bed. Harold slid on his slippers and went for
the door. The hallway outside was empty, not very surprising considering most
of the residents here at Yongsan-gu were nearing or past retirement. The very
reason why he wanted to rent here was the quiet; nothing out of the ordinary
ever happened here. A sudden cold breeze tickled his neck and arms. Pulling his
robe closer to his chest, his skin breaking out in goosebumps, he quickly
shuffled to the stairs.
Hoping Silvio would be okay on his own, Harold climbed the short steps to the second floor.
Silvio will be  okay, he promised himself.
It’ll only be for a few minutes.
Mrs. Kim’s apartment was at the end, just above his own. Passing the door before hers he
thought he’d heard the tenants arguing inside.
Odd, he thought, tempted to press his ear against their door.
In all the years that Harold had lived here, he had never once heard or
seen Fred and Marcy fight. Not once. They were the picture perfect boring
couple, and the only other Americans living in the complex. Teachers, at some
private school. Not that Harold would know much about that; he taught at the
public institution, and had so for years now. As the saying goes, he was a
professional bachelor and had little to nothing keeping him from wanting to
return to the States. And besides, he liked it here. The culture, the food, the
purposefulness, and the discipline of the students were far advanced from what
he’d dealt with back in Kentucky. 
Harold took a step and stopped, thought better of it, and continued to Mrs. Kim’s.
He knocked on the red door.
“Mrs. Kim, you in there?”
No answer.
“Is everything okay? I thought I heard— “
The door to Fred and Marcy’s apartment flung open.
Harold jumped back, pulling tighter on his robes.
Someone ran out. A blur. Down the hallway to the stairs. Turning back, he stared at Harold.
“Fred? What’s going on?”
Fred, who was normally tan with tidily kept clothes, looked disheveled and ghostly. He’d
obviously been sweating, his hair ruffled and sticking up in areas. And on his
clothes, there were red stains, dark red, covering most of his untucked shirt
and pant legs. On his neck, an aggravated wound, crimson and purplish, oozing
down and soaking into his collar.
“Fred, are you okay? Are you hurt?” Harold took a step forward.
Wide eyed, Fred turned and darted down the steps.
Harold watched, silent and unmoving.
He eyed the open door to their apartment.
No sounds came from within.
He glanced at Mrs. Kim’s door and then back to Fred and Marcy’s.
Swallowing hard, he moved toward the open door. With his slipper foot, he slowly nudged it open.
The door creaked and stopped. No lights inside, just a dim glow coming from a
lamp in the living room. Chairs were turned over, dishes smashed and broken on
the floor in the kitchen.
“Hello?” he called. “Marcy? It’s me, Harold, from downstairs.”
Nothing.
“I don’t mean to intrude, but I saw Fred. He looks hurt. Is everything okay?” Harold stopped
short of coming into the kitchen completely. He saw legs and feet sticking out
around the corner, lifeless on the floor.
Harold gasped, covering his mouth with his cold trembling hand.
“Oh no,” he whispered.
He moved to the body. Marcy lay face down on the kitchen tile. Blood pooled underneath,
staining her yellow polka dot dress, wet in a gamey orange.
“Marcy?” Harold called out. He bent down and reached to check for a pulse.
He jerked back.
Marcy stirred.
“Oh, God, you startled me. Marcy, are you alright?” Harold shuddered, his breath coming too
fast, heart pounding against his chest.
Strangely, in odd twitching movements, Marcy got to her knees and turned.
“Oh no, Marcy…what…what happened? How can— “Harold wanted to scream, his breath and his
heart pumping too hard to allow him.  She
ground chunks of pink flesh between red stained teeth… Fred’s flesh, he was
sure.
Marcy groaned and lunged for him.
Harold moved back just in time.! He watched as Marcy fell face first onto the kitchen tile,
inching away as she began moving again, crawling, reaching out with reddened
fingers, clawing at his slippered feet.
“Marcy, what’s happened? What’s going?” he begged, again taking another step back out into the
living room, back towards the open apartment door.
Marcy groaned, annoyed and hungry, still in pursuit, still crawling.
Unable to watch anymore, wanting nothing more than to run back downstairs to his own apartment,
to lock and deadbolt the door, to hug close Silvio, his miniature Schnauzer,
wanting nothing more than to be somewhere else, somewhere not here with this
bloodied crazed woman who was no longer the Marcy he thought he knew.
She’s drunk… Or on drugs, has to be.
She’s not herself.
Harold turned and started for the open door.
He yelped.
Mrs. Kim stood in the entryway. Her bluish white hair ruffled and torn. Red swollen teeth-like
wounds on her arms. And her eyes, a creamy yellow white, but not a sunny
yellow, rather much more like decay that reminded him of rotting things eking
some measure of existence at the bottom of dumpsters. She shuffled toward him,
quickly grabbing on his robe and pulling herself to him.
Harold slapped at her. Hard.
But her hold was strong, manically strong.
“Stop, Mrs. Kim, please— “
She angled down and bit his exposed wrist. Blood pooled around her lips as she gnawed and
suckled, grunting with a sort of pleasurable ecstasy.
Harold screamed and fought to dislodge her, but he could not remove her bite.
Nails scraped his shins.
He glared down.
Marcy was clawing at his legs, nipping at his flesh.
He kicked away, but she held fast. With a quick sneer, she bit into his calf.
Harold shrieked, toppling over the couch. He rolled and hit the floor on the other side hard,
knocking his head against the coffee table. Dazed, he lay there, unsure if what
was happening was even real. Maybe he was still in his own apartment, fast
asleep with Silvio by his side.
Shuffling over, moaning deeply, Mrs. Kim reappeared, her lips wet and scarlet, dribbling down
onto her white ruffle blouse.
He watched, frozen, his body refusing to move.
“Please…stop…don’t— “he begged.
Another moaning, gurgling above him.
Harold angled and watched as Marcy crawled towards him from the other side of the couch. As
if driven by the smell of his wounds, she quickened her pace, scrapping along
the floor. Reaching his face, she thrust her sneering teeth clamping down on
his cheek, ripping, shredding loose flesh and tissue and fat, pulling back to
enjoy the chunky red and purplish glob.
Harold squirmed and squealed.
He stared in horror as Mrs. Kim kneeled beside him, reaching with greedy claws for his now
exposed belly. She tore into his flesh, bleeding him, reaching, wiggling her
fingers deep inside.
Harold lost his voice, whimpering and gnashing his gums as he watched in disbelief, watched as
Mrs. Kim ripped out a rubbery looking hose like noddle what he could only
assume to be part of his intestines. Dripping wet, she suckled and chewed
hastily and dug some more.
What about Silvio, he wondered, shuddering at the molten touch of Mrs. Kim digging farther
into him, pulling out more of his stomach, licking, eating him alive.


My dog, what’ll happen to my Silvio…
 

About the Author:

Who doesn’t love a good story? Thomas’s favorite books include All Quiet on the Western Front, Salem’s Lot, and Hell House.
In his own writings, he aspires to create fantastic worlds with memorable characters and haunted places. His stories range from Shakespearean gore, classic monster tales, and even stories that hurt him the most to write about, haunted soldiers and PTSD. Residing in the swamps of Houston, Texas, with his wife and daughter, Thomas’s debut novel, Reinheit, was eventually published with Shadow Work Publishing, along with Lanmò, The Hobbsburg Horror, FEAST, Beautiful Ugly, and Planet of the Dead.
His veteran focused paranormal thriller series, The Subdue Series, filled with werewolves, Frankenstein-inspired monsters, cults, alter-dimensional insects, witches, and the undead are published with Limitless Publishing.
In 2008, Thomas was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army where he served three tours in Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2014, Thomas graduated from University of Houston-Clear Lake with a Bachelors in History. He is the senior editor at Machine Mean, a site that reviews horribly awesome and vintage horror movies and books from guest contributors who obsess over a wide range of strange yet oddly related topics.
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Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads / Machine Mean / Newsletter
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The Cryptid Trilogy ~ Tour and Giveaway

Posted: October 6, 2018 in giveaways, horror, thriller
Tags: , ,
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Cryptid: Discovery
Cryptid Trilogy Set 1
by Douglas E. Roff and Jacob A. Roff
Genre: Horror, Thriller
 
 
Adam St. James, software genius and savant Chief Technologist of the
massive American DataLab Project, had just returned to his home in
Barrows Bay, British Columbia from Tucson, Arizona. He had spent the
better part of the past month working on a pro bono assignment for
his father’s friend Peter Berg, Regional Director of the FBI,
working out of the Seattle field office. His favor for the FBI was to
secure the mother lode and Holy Grail of the FBI’s Joint Organized
Crime Task Force that Berg believed he had accidentally stumbled
upon. Mere fortuity had led him to what he thought was fifty years or
more of Mafia financial books and records detailing organized
criminality from Seattle to Miami and all points in between. 
What Adam found was nothing even remotely resembling what Regional
Director Berg was looking for. It had been a small clerical error
made by a temp transposing a letter or two in a last name that led
Adam St. James to his incredible discovery. But this discovery was
too incredible, too massive to even contemplate as being authentic.
Adam himself did not believe it could be true. Would he be proven
correct or was the truth too immeasurably stranger than fiction? 
If Adam had accidently stumbled upon a great discovery, it would mean
that he had fortuitously confirmed the existence of the cryptid of
all cryptids. Had Adam found scientific and verifiable proof of the
existence of an unknown species of creatures capable of transforming
to human form or was this some immense practical joke designed to
annoy and embarrass him and his father, noted forensic archeologist
and author, Edward St. James?
His journey will be fantastic. His discovery, if true, immense.
But will Adam and his eclectic family survive discovery? Will
humanity?
Cryptid:
Discovery chronicles the discovery of the Gens Collective, ancient
and primal beings previously unknown to humanity but living among
mankind as crypto humans.
They live among us.
Murder, intrigue, deception, treachery, lust and betrayal all come together
in the Cryptid Trilogy as mankind faces off against an unknown
species bent on its total destruction as the dominant species on the
planet.
Adam continues to develop his amazing natural abilities as he seeks to
understand and control them. How will this saga end?
 
 
Cryptid: Probe
Cryptid Trilogy Set 2
 
 
They live among us. 
Working with his father, renowned archeologist Edward St. James, and his new
wife, Misti Alarcon, Adam St. James continues his investigation into
the Gens Collective and its rival rebel faction, the Black Shirts.
Both factions seek the demise of homo sapiens and have developed the
means to destroy humanity in what they call the Great Cull. And they
seek to destroy each other.
As Adam continues his dialog with Paulo Fortizi, leader of the Gens
Collective, he is met with deceit and duplicity at every turn. The
Gens Collective desperately seeks to find Adam, who they call the
Human, and recover their lost Library.
Adam continues to develop extraordinary new mental abilities with a close
group of colleagues and finds his new abilities are more powerful and
frightening than he could possibly imagine. Can he control his powers
or will they be his undoing?
With the addition of the beautiful and mysterious Alana McCarthy, world
renowned NSA computer hacker, and the equally mysterious and lethal
Nocera “Noki” Lee, Adam confronts his adversaries uncovering the
depth and breadth of the plot against humanity. Can they succeed?
Only Adam holds the key to prevent unleashing total
annihilation.
The mysterious Cardinal Bellinelli plots against the Black Shirts and the
Gens Collective to spark a war between the Gens and humanity he
believes will eliminate the Gens species on the planet. Does the
Vatican hold the answers Adam seeks? Which side will the Vatican
choose and why?
Murder, treachery and betrayal combine with unexpected twists and turns, as
events pit friend against friend, family against family, and species
against species. Nothing is as it appears to be, and new discoveries
shed light upon old grievances.
The Black Shirts and their charismatic leader, Saldana Ri, develop the
means to destroy the rival Gens Collective and humanity, but will
they unleash the devastation? Can they? What explosive secrets does
Saldana hide that could destroy her leadership and shift the balance
of power back to her rival, Paulo Fortizi of the Gens Collective.
With the means of destruction of humanity complete, it’s a race against
time to prevent genocide on a global scale. Can Adam stop the
impending holocaust? Can anyone?
With the fate of mankind and the Gens Nation hanging in the balance,
forces array against Adam and his teams trying to prevent the
conflagration that could signal the demise of intelligent life on the
planet.
New tech, new weapons and new adversaries, along with new powers never
thought to exist, entertain the reader throughout the novel. New mind
journeys and psychic powers begin to reveal themselves as both the
savior and destructor of humanity.
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Born in the United states, lived in Russia, the UK, Mexico, Costa Rica and
Canada. Citizen of the US and Canada. Worked for US and Canadian
governments as well as a long career in finance and trade finance. I
live in Latin America between countries on and off. I am retired and
now write novels full time.
I am single, have one son who was active in my first three novels, the
Cryptid Trilogy. I speak Spanish fluently. 
I have completed three other novels that are now in edit, and have two
more novels that are in various stages of completion, will be
finished in 2018 but will not be published until 2019.
I was targeted by the Russian government for arrest in retaliation for
the arrest of a Russian spy in the US.
I was never a spy, but was a visible American involved in trade
promotion. The Russian spy was released and I was left alone after
that. I left Russia in 1998.
I moved to Canada after that and spent over fifteen years in Vancouver,
BC. I lived in Ecuador, Costa Rica, and Mexico after leaving Canada.
I have traveled extensively around the world, largely with my son, and
extensively in my home country of the US.
 
 
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You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

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The Last Hellfighter ~ Guest Post and Giveaway

Posted: October 5, 2018 in giveaways, Guest Post, Historical, horror
Tags: , , ,
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Friday the 13th 3D: 36 Years in the Making
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Guest Blog by Thomas S. Flowers
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As a horror fan I feel rather
fortunate that so many of my favorite thrillers released on the year of my
birth. A quick Google re-search will reveal a VHS candy store of goody gore and
lovable murderers, from The Thing to Poltergeist to Halloween III (the one
without Myers) to Amityville II: The Possession (the one that was like The
Exorcist but with incest) to The New York Ripper to Pieces, Parasite, The
Slumber Party Massacre, and… Friday the 13th…PART 3D (cue groovy disco music).
And among the other entries in the franchise, PART 3D is I would say my second
favorite. There are many factors that play into my rating but unless you’ve
seen it you probably won’t understand. So, do me a solid and go pop in that
flayed VHS cause this review will be chopped full of SPOILERS. Readers…you
have been warned!
Directed by: Steve Miner
Writing Credits:  Martin Kitrosser, Carol Watson, and Sean S. Cunningham.
Music by: Harry Manfredini
Special effects: Martin Becker
Release Date: 13 August 1982 (USA)
“Having revived from his
wound, Jason Voorhees takes refuge at a cabin near Crystal Lake. As a group of
co-eds arrive for their vacation, Jason continues his killing spree.”
Among many reasons why I love
Friday the 13th part III, one would be that it is the first true Jason Voorhees
slasher. Yup. Obviously part 1 was really about mommy Voorhees, a character who
wasn’t even given a first name until…what, part 2? And while fantastic in its
own right, it was not a “Jason” movie, not yet anyway. Now some would
say, “But hey, Tommy, what about part 2? Isn’t that considered a Jason
Voorhees movie, it does have Jason in it after all?” And I would of course
nod my head knowledgeably. Yes, part 2 does have Jason…but not the Jason. What
we got was a backwoods deranged potato sack wearing weirdo who at times
certainly had classic Jason mannerisms, but in the end still just an inbred
acting mongoloid. Now that said, part 2 has its charm and some really excellent
kills, but if you want Jason as we love him today (hockey mask and all), you
gotta start with part 3.
Part 3 is also really awesome
because it has what every good indie horror movie should, a cast a
unrecognizable actors and actresses. While still young, parts 1 and 2 had some
fairly recognizable cast members, including Kevin Bacon, John Furey (a known TV
actor), Harry Crosby (son if Bing Crosby), and not to mention the late great
Betsy Palmer who was one of the most veteran and highly respected actors on
set. Part 3? Nadda. They didn’t even have Chong, of the Cheech and Chong
variety, star as the lead stoner, instead they dressed some dude named Chuck in
a blue bandanna, green button down, and red pants with not quite as much weed
as Up In Smoke.
I’d be amiss not to comment on
what PART 3 has no other addition does. Shelly. Shelly is the best part of this
movie. From humble awkward to cartoonish to a astonishingly flamboyant runner,
Shelly is still by far my favorite character in the film. Sure, he fails to get
the girl Vera and he’s socially immature, who isn’t?!? Shelly does have a few
things going for him. Sweet yo-yo skills and a magic box that is literally
“his entire world” full of tricks and gags to annoy the entire gang
of friends, and the largest white-boy fro ever shot on a 3D film.  On a low par, I wasn’t all that thrilled with
leading lady Chris Higgins (Dana Kimmell).
She seemed too annoyed at times. Bored. And too drawl. The best part
about her, I thought, was her really strange back story of a previous
“unfilmed” encounter with Jason Voorhees. An encounter that sounded
almost as if it were some kind of sexual assault. Going back to the amazing
documentary
Crystal Lake Memories, actress
Dana Kimmell confirms this backstory, but she says that producers did not want
to pursue it in any kind of depth. This revelation is kinda dark for a Friday
the 13th film as they typically follow a blood, guts, and gags methodology.
So, we’ve covered the more manly
killing machine Jason. We got the actors. Next is the music. Harry Manfredini,
who scored most of the Friday the 13’s, including the original, crafted one
hell of a soundtrack for this third installment. Part disco, part horror, 100%
awesomeness. It is also one of the few, if not only, horror sound track to
garner its own cover band by the name of Nilbog. Check them out on YouTube.
Link provided below.
But like any horror slasher
flick, there’s gotta be a seemingly solid foundational plot. In PART 3, Chris
Higgins invites a gang of friends to include a pregnant bestie (who gets
slaughtered later btw…also a very dark moment for a Friday the 13th movie),
two stoners, a Mexican chick, and Shelly. They met up later with lurch looking
boytoy Rick (Paul Kratka). Events escalate into a series of weed smoking, beer
drinking, skinny dipping, practical jokes, and heartfelt life lessons until
Shelly and Vera end up pissing off a low-level biker gang. After Shelly runs
over some of their motorcycles, the b-squad gang vows revenge that never really
materializes. Instead, after following Shelly and Vera back to the cabin, they
are quickly dispatched by Jason.
After Chris goes off with Rick to
blow off some steam, the night consummates in more weed smoking and beer
drinking, a sexual encounter, and Shelly in a wet suit. I know, sounds amazing
doesn’t it? Where does all this debauchery go? To one of the coolest kills.
Once Shelly is dispatched, Jason finally obtains his moniker look by putting on
the hockey mask that Shelly was so kind enough to bring along. Jeez, imagine if
he brought a faded Captain Kirk mask? Talk about a lawsuit! Anyways, with Jason
now complete, he causally strolls out on to the deck where a waiting Vera is
fishing for Shelly’s dropped wallet on the edge of the lake. He aims at her,
much to her confusion, as she thinks he’s Shelly. Just as she says,
“Wait…who are you?” Jason pulls the trigger on the speargun popping
her eye out the back of her head. Simply amazing. Its the small things folks.
More killings ensue until finally
Rick and Morty…oops, Rick and Chris arrive back at the cabin. With everyone
gone and blood everywhere, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to put two and
two together. During the attack, ole handsome lurch Rick gets his eyeball
popped out his socket, which must have been a real thrill for kids who matched
this back in 1982 in 3D. And finally, Chris and Jason go toe to toe. During the
struggle, one of the surviving bikers revives just to be killed again, but
distracting Jason long enough for Chris to throw a noose around Jason’s neck
and shove him out the barn. When that proves useless, she plants an ax deep in
his skull. That seems to have done the trick and as the credits roll, the cabin
is surrounded by police and paramedics.
For me, my horror appetites are
not hard to please. And PART 3D, given some of its flaws, is a groovy good time
for a slasher flick, and especially a Friday the 13th slasher flick.
.

The Last Hellfighter

Thomas S. Flowers


Genre: Historical Fiction/Horror


Publisher: Darker Worlds Publishing


Date of Publication: Aug 10, 2018

ISBN: 1724369202 / ASIN: B07FFND86J
Number of pages: 277 (Kindle)
410 (paperback)
Word Count: 78K
Cover Artist: Michael Bray
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Tagline: They thought vampires were fantasy. They were wrong.
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Book Description:
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In the year 2044, reporters from the Public Relations Ministry gather at the home of Benjamin Harker, the last surviving member of the Harlem Hellfighters. At the age of 144, he is the oldest recorded man alive. Hidden among them, Clyde Bruner is looking for a different kind of story. Across the United States, despite the Great Walls and patrol drones built to keep America secure, something has found its way in. And now towns are vanishing during the night. Entire populations, gone. Only to return after the sun sets, changed, unholy, and lethal. And whatever this evil is, its spreading west.
According to a bedtime story Bruner’s grandfather told him when he was a boy, Benjamin Harker has seen this before. He’s faced this scourge. Fought this evil. Survived them. Killed them. From the trenches of the Great War to the jungles of Vietnam to the sands of Iraq, Harker will search his past to save our future.
But as each city light extinguishes across the country, is there no time left to stop what’s coming?
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Amazon
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Excerpt:
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“Hey, Mr. Green. Any ships due in tonight?”
“Huh?” the older man grunted, his full attention glued to the small box television set. Family
Feud was on and Silas never missed an episode. As long as Julius had worked
with him at least, in these past four months on the night shift, the seasoned
longshoreman who acted very content with his life—who moved slow and never
liked causing “trouble,” as he called it, to his superiors, could recite the
most complex trivia questions.
Julius looked back to his monitor. Part of his job was to watch for ships that may have
wandered off course, or even scheduled docks on the quay. The program displayed
on his monitor was linked to AIS Marine database that monitored all vessel
traffic around the world. He kept the screen displaying his assigned port—which
showed a few red, which meant docked and inactive. The one that concerned him
was another ship, inbound and blinking green.
“Mr. Green?” Julius pressed. 
The older black man sighed loudly, turning away from his small TV screen. “What? Why the hell
would—listen son, you can’t let this job spook you. Working nights on the dock,
I know, the long hours can get to you. But trust me, this sure beats working
days out in that sun all day offloading ships.”
“But look,” the younger longshoreman pointed his screen.
Frowning, Silas rolled his chair over to the computer monitor. The green blinking ship
reflected off his thick glasses. He pushed them back up on his nose, “That
ain’t nothing, probably just a glitch in the system.”
Julius looked at the screen and then out the large window that overlooked the Port of Jerusalem.
He’d just moved to town not more than six months prior from Bangor and he
wanted to make a good impression.
“Okay,” the younger man said.
Silas nodded in quiet victory and rolled back over to watch his show.
Julius continued glaring at the blinking green ship as it approached the port on the screen. He
swallowed hard as it inched closer and closer. He glanced at the old man as he
howled at some man on the TV having missed a question that Silas thought was a
“no brainer.”  On the monitor, the green
blinking ship was upon them. Beads of sweat dripped down his forehead.
Closer.
And closer.
“Mr. Green, I don’t think is a glitch,” Julius protested.
Exhaling loudly, Silas stood and turned. “Listen, young blood, I’ve been doing this job for
twenty years and I’ve never heard of no ship coming in that wasn’t on the
manifest.”
Julius shrugged. “Yeah, but…” he gestured to the screen.
“There is no ship coming—”
Just outside, a large wave crashed against the port levee walls. A thunderous metallic screech
vibrated off the walls of the little trailer office on the wharf. Manuals and
notebooks and ship logs fell from the shelves as the ground itself felt as if
it was opening. The small TV still playing Family Feud rattled off the table
and crashed to the floor, sizzling out. The florescent bulbs above them burst
raining shards of glass and casting the room into a yellow gloom. The
horrendous grinding seemed to go on forever, shaking and shuddering the world.
And then it was over.
Silas Green was the first to prop himself off the floor. Looking around cautiously, as if any
wrong move would send the world into chaos again.
Julius propped himself up, moving into a crouch. He peeked through the blinds. “What the heck
was that?”
“Shit!” the older man hissed.
Julius glanced over his shoulder at him. “What? You okay?”
Silas held up what remained of his TV. “No, damn tube is busted.”
Shaking his head, Julius peered back out the blinds. “I think we should go check the dock.”
He stood, not waiting for approval and went through the door of the office.
“Hold on, young blood.” Silas gave the TV a final kiss—he’d had the device for more years than
he cared to confess, and then set it down on the floor as gently as he could.
Standing, he opened the bottom drawer of his desk and retrieved a flashlight.
Outside, Silas trotted to catch up with Julius who was standing at the edge of the wharf
looking up into the gloom.
“Somethings out there,” the young man said.
Silas wafted the fog around his head. “Can’t see shit out here.”
“Use the flashlight,” Julius suggested without taking his gaze from in front of him.
“Oh,” Silas grunted, flicking on the switch. A beam of bright white broke apart the misty
smoke like haze. He shined out toward the wharf and at first still could not
see anything. And then the fog parted as if controlled by some unknown force,
separating and unfolding around a large cargo ship.
Silas traced the hull to the edge of the ship deck. “Mother of God,” he whispered, taken back by
the sudden massive size of the ship. He’d never been this close to one. The
larger vessels normally dock at Freeport.
Julius stepped toward him, asking, “What do we do?”
The older man couldn’t think—this wasn’t on the schedule, the ship manifest, nothing. This
ship shouldn’t be here. The harbourmaster would have said something. Hell, his
superintendent would have damn sure said something. It would have been on the
log. Silas moved the beam of light to the wharf itself, noting the broken
shards of rock in the thick cement and the thick crack in the hull of the ship.
It was taking on water for sure—it hadn’t even bothered slowing down. It
ploughed into the quay. But why? Wasn’t there someone steering this damn thing?
This wasn’t right. Something about this—everything about this wasn’t right.
“Mr. Green?” Julius pressed, whispering hotly.
Silas looked at him, the kid was rattled; he was rattled. He took a deep breath. “Okay, listen,
I’m going to call this in—pray the lines in the office are still operating.
Here, take the flashlight.” He handed it to Julius. “Stay put, yell out if you
see anyone. Some dumbass is going to pay bigtime for this screwup and it ain’t
going to be you or me.”
He gave one final glance at the monstrous freighter and started off for the office. Inside,
he could use the phone on the floor. He scooped it up and dialed his
supervisor.
“Green, there better be a good fucking reason why you’re calling me at—” Silas’s
superintendent started through the speaker of the phone.
“A ship crashed into the port,” Silas blurted.
“What?”
“A ship, some damn cargo ship. Large motherfucker.”
“Are you fucking with me?”
“No, I ain’t fucking with you, sir. A cargo ship crashed into the port, took a good-sized
chunk out of our wharf too.”
“Was it on the manifest?”
“No—that’s what I’m saying. This ship ain’t supposed to be—”
A scream from outside on the dock jarred Silas from the phone.
“Julius, what the hell was that?”
“Green, what’s going on?” his superintendent asked, sounding more and more irritated.
Silence.
“Green?”
“Hold on, sir.”
Silas set down the phone, ignoring the muffled protest from his superintendent
on the line. He glared at the open door and crept toward it. There were no
other sounds, and he didn’t like that one bit.
Stepping outside he called, “Julius?”
It was hard to see through the fog as it rolled across the walkway.
Silas squinted, peering through the gloom turned yellow by the glow of the dock lights.
“Julius, what’s going on?” he called to the dark shape in front of him.
And then he heard it.
A sucking sound.
He stopped.
The dark shape unfolded.
The fog parted slightly, revealing a tall, bald woman with pale skin. Her eyes burned red. She
was looking at him with an expression of mild satisfaction, the look of a
thirsty soul finally getting a cup of water. She was holding Julius, cradling
him almost as if they were dancing.
“Who are—” Silas started, until he saw her teeth, her large fanged front teeth, salivating in
blood. He took a step back as she let Julius go. His body crumbled to the wet
dock.
“No,” Silas managed to say, like a child refusing to go to bed.

 

And then she was upon him. 
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About the Author Thomas S. Flowers:

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Who doesn’t love a good story? Thomas’s favorite books include All Quiet on the Western Front, Salem’s Lot, and Hell House.
In his own writings, he aspires to create fantastic worlds with memorable characters and haunted places. His stories range from Shakespearean gore, classic monster tales, and even stories that hurt him the most to write about, haunted soldiers and PTSD. Residing in the swamps of Houston, Texas, with his wife and daughter, Thomas’s debut novel, Reinheit, was eventually published with Shadow Work Publishing, along with Lanmò, The Hobbsburg Horror, FEAST, Beautiful Ugly, and Planet of the Dead.
His veteran focused paranormal thriller series, The Subdue Series, filled with werewolves, Frankenstein-inspired monsters, cults, alter-dimensional insects, witches, and the undead are published with Limitless Publishing.
In 2008, Thomas was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army where he served three tours in Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2014, Thomas graduated from University of Houston-Clear Lake with a Bachelors in History. He is the senior editor at Machine Mean, a site that reviews horribly awesome and vintage horror movies and books from guest contributors who obsess over a wide range of strange yet oddly related topics.
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Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads / Machine Mean / Newsletter
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Rising Tide by Claudette Melanson ~ Tour and Giveaway

Posted: October 2, 2018 in giveaways, Paranormal or fantasy, YA
Tags: ,
16
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Rising Tide: Dark Innocence
The Maura DeLuca Trilogy Book 1
by Claudette Melanson
Genre: YA Paranormal
 
Rising Tide will sink its fangs into you, keeping you awake into the wee
hours of the night
Could Maura’s life get any worse? …turns out it most certainly can.
Isolated and sheltered by her lonely mother, Maura’s never been able to make
friends. She seems to drive her classmates away—except for the odd
times they pay enough attention to torture her—but she doesn’t
understand why. Maura considers herself to be a freak of nature, with
her unusually pale skin and an aversion to the sun that renders her
violently nauseous. Her belief is only worsened by the fact that
almost everyone around her keeps their distance.
Even her own father deserted her before she was born, leaving Maura alone
with her emotionally distant mother, Caelyn. Even though Maura is
desperate for answers about her unknown parent, Caelyn remains
heartbroken and her daughter can’t bring herself to reopen her
mother’s wounds. Or is there a more sinister reason Caelyn refuses
to utter a word about her long-lost love?
When a cruel prank nearly claims Maura’s life, one of her classmates,
Ron, rushes to her rescue. Darkly handsome & mysteriously
accepting, Ron doesn’t seem to want to stay away, but Maura is
reluctant to get too close, since her mother has announced she’s
moving the two of them to Vancouver…nearly 3,000 miles away from
their hometown of Indiana, Pennsylvania.
If life wasn’t already challenging enough, Maura begins to experience
bizarre, physical changes her mother seems hell bent on ignoring,
compelling Maura to fear for her own life. Vicious nightmares, blood
cravings, failing health and the heart-shattering loss of Ron—as
well as the discovery of a tangled web of her own mother’s
lies—become obstacles in Maura’s desperate quest for the
unfathomable truth she was never prepared to uncover.
2015 Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal Winner for YA Mystery
2015 RONE Award Finalist for YA Paranormal

2015 New Apple Top Medalist for Young Adult Ebook

Chosen as one of 400 for the second round of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel
Award for 2014!!!

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freebie rising tide

Praise for Rising Tide:
“This captivating and commendable work had me immersed from the beginning.
The story flows from scene to scene with ease, and the author shows
exceptional skill when it comes to storytelling.”
“Mrs. Melanson’s writing is so descriptive and talented. Throughout the
entire story, I felt like I was watching a movie.”
“Melanson grabs you from page 1 and doesn’t let you go until the very bitter
end, only bitter because the book is finished.”
“I found pure delight in this book and will recommend it to other
readers.”
“The writing by Claudette Melanson in this novel is top notch and I can
see the movie rights for this being grabbed in no time.”

˃˃˃ Sure to become one of the Books to Read of the year, Rising
Tide: Dark Innocence isn’t the usual YA tale of vampires.
Full of Mystery and Suspense, this Vampire Mystery Thriller packs
just enough Romance & Humor, while delivering plenty of Dark
Fantasy served with a side of the Supernatural. Maura, in the midst
of her vampire awakenings is unarguably a vampire in denial. It is a
novel that is certain to become one of the classic paranormal and
fantasy books of its time–the series is not only for Teen &
Young Adult readers, but has been well-received by many adult
readers, as well. Maura doesn’t live in Castle Dracula in
Transylvania, but she must still discover the bloodlines constructing
the creature she is destined to become, while overcoming social
issues, such as bullying, that rock her world while coming of age.
She is an strong Urban Scienece Fiction & Fantasy female
protagonist readers love.

**Get it FREE!!***
 
 
 
 
 
Undertow: Death’s Twilight
The Maura DeLuca Trilogy Book 2
 
Maura finally found the truth she was always seeking…or has she?
After being left in the dark for all of her life, Maura’s father,
Maxwell, has finally returned to reveal sinister family secrets Maura
could never have dreamed possible—including his revelation that she
is one of The Born. But his daughter soon discovers both he and her
mother are keeping pieces of her reality hidden, still. As Maura
struggles to unravel the mysteries surrounding her new existence and
discover every piece of the cryptic puzzle, life appears intent on
casting stumbling blocks across her path with every step forward.
Tragedy seems to stalk Maura, and those around her, as she stumbles along,
altering the young changeling’s family, just when they have all
come back together. The changes left in its wake could be for the
better, or may threaten their existence, entirely.
With the arrival of Christmas comes the opportunity for Maura to draw
close to everyone she loves—and finally reunite with Ron, the man
she loves. But permanence has always eluded her, and in her current
state of flux this pattern endures, as fate seems intent on snapping
the threads that bind her to those she holds most dear. Maxwell’s
good intentions pave a road for Maura, littered with misery, while
her mother, Caelyn’s, desire to shield her family from pain may
tear her away from them, altogether. The perfect happiness in the
young vampire’s grasp is so easily swept away and dragged under,
out of reach. Can Maura erupt from the darkness and confusion to
break the surface and find the life she’s always dreamed of?
In the midst of chaos, assistance materializes in the form of another of
her kind—ephemerally beautiful, yet explosively volatile, this new
vampire may prove capable of unlocking the puzzle-box Maxwell seems
intent on securing from her sight. Maura will discover the darkest
parts of herself in her quest to understand the being she is destined
to become. Her newfound friend has some shady intentions of his
own—such as thwarting the love that has grown between Maura and
Ron. Following in the wake of the impulsive vampire’s misguided
instruction may further pull a naive Maura down into the depths of
ultimate despair, heartbreak…and even destruction.

2015 Readers’ Favorite Honorable Mention for YA Horror

2016 New Apple Summer eBook Solo Medalist for YA Horror

Praise for Undertow:
“This series offers so much: the heartwarming family moments, the comedic
back and forth banter between characters, life lessons tragically
instilled.”
“I actually cried during a few parts of the story.”
“The story is well written and gripping until the very end.”
“If it’s written by Claudette Melanson, you’re guaranteed to have an
amazing piece of literature that anyone can enjoy.”
 
 
Riptide: Betrayal of Blood
The Maura DeLuca Trilogy Book 3
 
Maura has never felt so alone in her life…nor has her existence ever been
so overshadowed by peril…
Not only do both her parents—her distant but loving mother and
recently- returned father—remain absent from her life, but due to
the hideous error in judgement executed in collusion with her best
friend, Valdamir, and adoptive sister, Susie, Maura has been cut off
from the pair’s friendship and support, forbidden by both her
father and the fallout from the dire outcome to see either of them.
The heartbreak she suffers, brought on by the weight of these
estrangements, is only intensified by the continued mysterious
absence of her supernaturally-destined mate, Ron…whose
disappearance delivers grave consequences Maura would have never
dreamed possible…
Despised by her vampire cousin, Aldiva, for reasons Maura cannot yet
comprehend, the young changeling will be forced to guard her back
with every step, as she comes to realize this member of her vampire
family would love nothing more than to bring about her demise.
Aldiva’s wrath calls forth other members from both Vancouver
covens, forcing them to rush to Maura’s aid—even though her
father, their king, has expressly forbidden the other vampires to
initiate contact with his daughter. Will her extended family on
Vancouver Island obey, abandoning Maura to her doom, or will they
instead rebel against Maxwell’s wishes in order to save her life?
 
In addition to the menace personified in her unsolicited enemy, the
unlikely vampire princess will find herself drowning as she is pulled
down into the depths of a far more devastating crisis…one which may
condemn her to a fate she considers much more undesirable than death.
But in order to tear herself free from the deadly pull which is
drawing her under, Maura must enlist the help of her preternatural
family, exposing her newfound friends to a danger none of them have
ever had the misfortune to face before. Can she be saved or will the
riptide drag Maura under…along with those she loves the most…
2017 New Apple Solo Medalist for Summer eBook – Young Adult General Fiction
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riptide teaser
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Praise for Riptide:
“I will scream it from the rooftops how much I love this series.”
“I can only say that Riptide is one of the best modern vampire stories I
have ever read, and I read them all from Stephen King to Ann Rice to
Stephenie Meyer.”
“Riptide was action packed and the fight scenes were well written but more
than that it was the story of family and love, of taking
responsibility, and dealing with hate when all sane avenues fail.”
“The lore is superb, as is the writing. I can’t wait to catch up with
Maura again!”
 
 
Claudette Melanson writes dark fantasy, horror and children’s books in
Kitchener, Ontario with seven bun babies at her side: Tegan, Pepper,
Butters, Beckett, Sansa, Daenerys & Caramel. She graduated from
Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a BA in English, BS in
English Education and an MA in Literature. Harboring a deep
admiration of vampires since the age of five left her with the desire
to eventually become one, and now fuels the creation of her favorite
paranormal characters. She hopes to one day work full time as an
author, since there are many, many stories playing out inside her head.
In her very scant spare time, she enjoys watching Japanese Anime and
reading vampire stories…along with other genres of great fiction,
as well as riding every roller coaster she encounters in both her
hometown and away at signings. An advocate for good health and
ketogenic eating, her favorite foods are bulletproof coffee,
cashew-flour crust pizza and treats made with xylitol and almond,
coconut or cashew flours.
Future dreams include a cabin boasting a roaring fire, isolated inside a
snow-filled wood in the Yukon—the perfect writing spot—and the
completion of dozens of future novels and stories. A Rabbit Rescue
fanatic and loving bunmom, she also hopes to help rescues all over
the world save many innocent lives.
 
 
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The Haunted Hollow Chronicles ~ Red Harvest ~ Giveaway Tour

Posted: October 1, 2018 in giveaways, horror
Tags: ,
20
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Red Harvest
The Haunted Hollow Chronicles #1
by Patrick C. Greene
Genre: Horror
In the epic tradition of
Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and Jonathan Maberry, a chilling new
masterwork of small-town evil, centuries-old traditions, and
newly-risen terror…
Red Harvest
Every year at harvest
time, something strange and wonderful happens in the sleepy farm
community of Ember Hollow. It comes alive. Truckloads
of pumpkins are sent off to be carved into lanterns. Children
scramble to create the creepiest, scariest costumes. Parents stock up
on candy and prepare for the town’s celebrated Pumpkin Parade. And
then there is Devil’s Night . . .
But this year, something
is different. Some of the citizens are experiencing dark, disturbing
visions. Others are beginning to wonder if they’re losing their
minds, or maybe their souls. One newly sober singer with the voice of
a fallen angel is tempted to make a deal that will seal his fate. And
one very odd boy is kept locked in a shed by his family—for reasons
too horrible to imagine . . .
Whatever is happening to
this town, they’re going to make it through this Halloween.
Even if it kills them . . .
 .
Check out this peek inside:
.

A Preamble

“Trick or treat! Rotten meat! That is what we want to eat!” One of the troupe of tweens was out of harmony.

“Hm.” Lola, costumed in a short leather nun’s habit, smiled and saluted the kids with her wine glass.

She was decidedly not mortified by this variation of the traditional rhyme, and only mildly amused, more interested in the TV party a few rooms away. “Well, no rotten meat I’m afraid, but I think I still have a few…”

She twisted almost sideways and presented a near-empty candy bowl from just inside, dumping the last of the treats into the bags and buckets. “Here you go, kiddies!”

Lola ignored the disappointed expressions the kids cast at her and at one another, her bleary gaze drawn to the figure standing across the street, just outside a vague circle of street light.

The figure, wearing an odd costume of rainbow fright wig, Lone Ranger–style eye mask, and an oversized brown raincoat, wasn’t moving, except for his shoulders, which rose and fell as if from suppressed laughter. He hunched over and covered his mouth with both hands, like a toddler who had just stolen a cookie. Did he think she couldn’t see him? How silly.

“Is this all you got, lady?” asked the kid in the…whichever superhero wore black tights with green trim. She had stopped trying to keep up.

“Um, well…” She looked inside again. “No more candy,” she said. “But how about this for your chaperone?”

From the four canisters of silly string beside the candy bowl—in the event of a prank war—she held one over the heads of the children, to offer it to the man on the street. But he was gone.

“Where’s your grown-up?” she asked.

The kids turned to see what she meant. “What grown-up? We’re old enough to be without,” explained a rubber-worm-infested zombie, quite indignantly.

Her wine glass was empty. She didn’t care about the funny skulker anymore.

“Okeydoke, then,” she said. “Have at it!” She tossed the silly string at the group, then half waved, half shooed, until they shuffled away. Before closing the door, she decided to blow out the jack-o’-lantern.

Lola re-wined her glass and started back to the den to rejoin her friends in giving old horror movies the MST3K treatment. She was stopped by the doorbell.

She stepped to the door, unsteady on her spike heels. “Sorry! All out! Happy Halloween!”

She moved to walk away but stopped upon hearing a giggle—silly yet eerie—just outside the door. “Hey!” she shouted. “You better not be TPing our lawn out there!”

The doorbell rang again.

“Okay!” Lola grabbed a can of silly string. “I warned you!”

She yanked open the door and poised the canister, finding only blowing leaves, on and all around the front stoop.

She listened for the sound of giggling or leaves crunching under running feet, bracing for a good hearty “Boo!” as well.

“Ding dong ditch,” she muttered. “Not even a flaming bag of doggy doo. Kids these days…”

She closed the door—and felt the icy tingle of intuition. Something was very, very wrong.

She turned fast.

It was the man from across the street, now less than two feet away.

He had entered through the rear kitchen door.

The fright wig he was wearing, vaguely haloed by the hallway, did its job. From there down, it only got worse.

His Lone Ranger–style mask framed eyes filled with something like joy—but more like hopeless insanity. His face was white, as if bleached.

Then there was the blood.

Streams of it ran down gaunt cheeks to cracked smiling lips from the staples that held the mask on.

The figure raised a meat cleaver with a blade the size of a notebook.

Lola’s heart skipped a beat, until she saw that the weapon was mere plastic—a toy. Lola smiled, issuing a relieved, “Whew!”

“So funny, Greg.” She leaned forward to look more closely at him. “Where’s the ol’ ball and chain?”

As she reached for his mask, the figure stepped back from her grasp. He lowered the cleaver and slid the toy plastic blade—merely an improvised sheath—off of a very shiny, very real butcher knife blade.

The oversized trick-or-treater displayed the implement.

“Oh, my God, Greg.” Lola rolled her eyes and raised both middle fingers.

The trickster slashed the knife in a sideways arc, severing the fingers.

She was too breathless to scream, trying to reconcile the sight of her shortened digits and angry that Greg had taken his little joke this far.

Not-Greg squatted to gather the fingers and drop them into his treat bag.

Trying to back away from her own ruined hand, Lola fell like a toddler onto her rump, sucking breath for a scream she would never have time to release.

.
~~~~~
 
Patrick C. Greene is
a lifelong horror fan who lives in the mountains of western North
Carolina. He is the author of the novels Progeny and The
Crimson Calling, as well as numerous short stories featured in
collections and anthologies.
 
 
 
Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

Tag Team Review and Giveaways ~ Fatal Agreements by Ashley Fontainne

Posted: September 28, 2018 in giveaways, Mystery, reviews, suspense, thriller
Tags: , , , , ,
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Fatal AgreemendtsbyAshley Fontainne

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

 It’s always a pleasure to share another book by Ashley Fontainne. I’ve read many of her books and plan to read everything she writes.

For today, I’m sharing my review of Fatal Agreements.

After reading my review, head on over to Sherry’s blog at fundinmental and check out her review.

Enter her giveaway for another chance to win!

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Fatal Agreements

by Ashley Fontainne

38725061

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Genre: Mystery / Suspense / Thriller

My Review

Samantha cuts her losses and returns home. She purchases the old Halstead House, a crumbling mansion she always dreamed of living in and hangs her litigator’s shingle. But, it’s not all smooth sailing. Major repairs are needed on the house. She’s juggling a tenuous reunion with her sister, and a mother and nana that butt heads over every little thing. And someone she’s desperate to escape from isn’t ready to let her go. Long kept secrets are coming to light and Samantha’s life and that of those around her are up for grabs from those who’d rather let sleeping dogs lie.

This is an author who keeps on giving. It seems like one dilemma gets resolved and three more pop up. So many ways to take down three generations of women. So many skeletons in thee closets. Lots and lots of skeletons. Wanting to come out.

Same for those bent on taking down Samantha and those she loves.. It’s exhausting to me how these desperate character’s wouldn’t give up. If one scheme didn’t work, they’d come up with another even crazier one.

All of the character’s make mistakes, some worse than others. And they all move like chess players, trying for the best advantage and the ultimate prize of winning. I was continually set back on my heels as one thing after another came to light. And it makes me wonder what I’d discover if I shook my family tree.

Halfway through the book so much had already happened I couldn’t imagine how the second half could have much more to reveal. Well, turned out there was. Plenty of suspense and thrills kept the story moving at a fast clip. All the way to the nicely wrapped up ending.

Did I enjoy this book? Yep. Every scheming bit. Would I recommend it? You better believe it. There’s never a slow spot or a dull moment.

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Synopsis

Whispered rumors tickled the ears of the residents of an entire town for decades about the disturbing secrets of the old Halstead House, dating all the way back to the early 1920s. Most people didn’t believe them. Several people will soon discover they should have listened.

Three years after struggling to cope with the death of her beloved father and escaping an abusive relationship, Samantha Chapman decides it’s time to return to her hometown of Hot Springs. She buys the ramshackle Halstead House, eager to transform the dilapidated, abandoned piece of history into her new law office and residence, hoping it will be the start of a brighter chapter and a safe haven to escape her personal demons.

Instead of newfound freedom, things take a dark turn when the resurrection of the old home reveals the disturbing secrets hidden within its walls. When youthful transgressions of numerous people come to light, including ones some members of the Chapman family are desperate to contain, it reveals the sins of the past. They collide with the grave mistakes of the present, creating a perfect storm of chaos and death for not only the Chapman family but others as well.

Some will survive.

Others will get burned.

Sam and her loved ones realize some family secrets should have remained buried.

Amazon  / B&N / Kobo

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Author Ashley Fontainne

 

Award-winning and International bestselling author Ashley Fontainne is an avid reader of mostly the classics. Ashley became a fan of the written word in her youth, starting with the Nancy Drew mystery series. Stories that immerse the reader deep into the human psyche and the monsters that lurk within us are her favorite reads.

Her muse for penning the Eviscerating the Snake series was The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. Ashley’s love for this book is what sparked her desire to write her debut novel, Accountable to None, the first book in the trilogy. With a modern setting to the tale, Ashley delves into just what lengths a person is willing to go when they seek personal justice for heinous acts perpetrated upon them. The second novel in the series, Zero Balance. focuses on the cost and reciprocal cycle that obtaining revenge has on the seeker. For once the cycle starts, where does it end? How far will the tendrils of revenge expand? Adjusting Journal Entries answered that question: far and wide.

Her short thriller entitled Number Seventy-Five, touches upon the sometimes dangerous world of online dating. Number Seventy-Five took home the BRONZE medal in fiction/suspense at the 2013 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards contest and is currently in production for a feature film.

Her paranormal thriller entitled The Lie, won the GOLD medal in the 2013 Illumination Book Awards for fiction/suspense and is also in production for a feature film entitled Foreseen.

Ashley’s decided to delve into the paranormal with a Southern Gothic horror/suspense novel, Growl, which released in January of 2015. The suspenseful mystery Empty Shell, released in September of 2014. Ashley will be teaming up with Lillian Hansen (Ashley calls her mom!) to pen a three-part murder mystery/suspense series entitled The Magnolia Series. The first book, Blood Ties, released the Summer of 2015.

Whispered Pain released in October of 2015 and Night Court released December 13, 2015.

Ashley also hosts The WriteStuff, a popular BlogTalk Radio show, each Friday night at 10 p.m. CST.

Blog

Author Website

Foreseen Movie Website – See the trailer

Number Seventy-Five Movie Website

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giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

Ashley is giving away two eBooks and five print copies.

Entry is easy. Just leave your email address so I can contact you if you win and answer this question:

“Do you still live in the town you were born in? If not, have you ever went back there?”

Now hop on over the Sherry’s post on fundinmental for her review and another chance to win!

Giveaway ends October 18th.

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Books by Ashley Fontainne

  26135598     

       

      

29542739    Blood Loss (The Magnolia Series Book 2) by [Fontainne, Ashley, Hansen, Lillian]  36577244  38725061

Click on the covers to see on Amazon.

And click on the links below to see my reviews.

Growl

The Lie

Night Court

Suicide Lake

Tainted Cure

Ruined Wings

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

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Blast and Giveaway ~ Liar Liar by Nancy Boyarsky

Posted: September 27, 2018 in Excerpt, giveaways, Mystery
Tags: , ,
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Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Nancy Boyarsky will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Liar Liar

A Nicole Graves Mystery #3

by Nancy Boyarsky

37871329

Synopsis

Nicole Graves finds herself in the crosshairs when she reluctantly agrees to babysit a witness in a high-profile rape trial. Mary Ellen Barnes is suing her university’s star quarterback for rape when the authorities won’t act. In the court of public opinion, Mary Ellen appears to be the quintessential, pious, good girl. But her lies and mysterious comings and goings lead Nicole to suspect that she’s not what she seems.

Read an Excerpt

Later, Nicole would ponder the truth and its illusive nature. She’d realize how many lies people would tell to protect themselves from it. And, worst of all, how many she herself would tell to get at it. She’d always considered herself a truthful person. Yet she’d find herself lying to others, to her fiancé, and even to herself.

She’d wonder if there was such a thing as the actual truth. Or was truth relative, the product of incomplete or faulty memories, or the limitations of the observer? How often was the truth tainted by what an individual wanted, or needed, to believe?

On this bright day in mid-March, Nicole stepped into the United Terminal at LAX and encountered a situation she could hardly believe. It was as if she’d slipped back in time to the previous year when the media was stalking her. This morning, they were massed in a corner of baggage claim. After the initial shock of seeing them, she noticed they weren’t looking in her direction, hadn’t noticed her at all. They were waiting for someone else, someone they expected to come down the escalator from the arrival gates.

About the Author Nancy Boyarsky:

Nancy Boyarsky is the bestselling author of the award-winning Nicole Graves Mysteries.
Before turning to mysteries, Nancy coauthored Backroom Politics, a New York Times notable book, with her husband, Bill Boyarsky. She has written several textbooks on the justice system as well as articles for publications including the Los Angeles Times, Forbes, and McCall’s. She also contributed to political anthologies, including In the Running, about women’s political campaigns. In addition to her writing career, she was communications director for political affairs for ARCO.

Liar Liar is the third Nicole Graves novel, following The Swap and The Bequest, each of which can be read as a stand alone. Readers are invited to connect with Nancy through her website.

Website / Goodreads / Twitter

Amazon / B&N

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giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

Never Expected You by Jody Holford ~ Tour and Giveaway

Posted: September 26, 2018 in giveaways, Romance
Tags: ,
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Author Jody Holford
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Jody Holford is a multi-published author who has a soft spot for happily ever after. So much so, she tattooed the words on her arm. She’s a mom and a wife, a friend, sister, daughter, teacher, and book-lover. Her stories have a little heat and a lot of heart. And maybe, some swoon-worthy moments that will make you smile.

Connect: Site | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Never Expected You

 by Jody Holford

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When Zach Mason, former army sergeant turned veterinarian for war-wounded animals, returns home, the decision to stay is easy. But convincing the only other vet in town to hire him is a good deal harder. It doesn’t help that the beautiful, intelligent, and stubborn Stella Lane is determined to make his life hell.
Stella doesn’t take outside help easily—she’s been let down in the past, most recently by her ex, just as she’d begun to plan their wedding. Trusting Zach with her animals is one thing, but trusting him with more is a hard pass. Too bad the handsome vet is nothing but temptation. And her new roommate…
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Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

Add to Goodreads

Giveaway:

  • $15 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

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