Posts Tagged ‘Short story’

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Thanks for visiting my stop on the blog tour for The Making of Michael Bishop.

First thing, the cover.

I love it. It compliments the story perfectly. The only thing that would be scarier is seeing beneath that hood.

Take a close look, and enjoy my review!

 

The Making of Michael Bishop

A Realm Walker Short Story

Kathleen Collins

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Genre: urban fantasy, dark fantasy

Date of Publication: August 30, 2014

ASIN: B00N5YWPCE

Number of pages: 20

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My Review

Coming in at around 20 pages on my eReader, I thought there wouldn’t be much to this story. But that’s where I was wrong.

Michael D’Augustino was born a bastard child. The product of an indiscretion between his mother, a chambermaid, and his father, a now high raking priest.

There’s no love between father and son. The Bishop keeps Michael on a leash, threatening to stop providing for his mother if Michael doesn’t do what he wants.

So, here he is, entering the dungeon. Struggling to carry the squirming bundle to a dank, cold cell.

The Bishop’s orders were clear. Feed the creature and don’t get to0 close.

Now, I knew that this was titled ‘The Making of’ so I had a good idea Michael would get too close to the vampyr. And he did.

What I didn’t expect, but very much enjoyed, was the great dialogue between the two.

As Michael entered the cell to ensure the vampyr would indeed feed, I could see it coming. The creature was subtle, almost timid. He’d been tortured so needed assistance to feed on the piglet. And Michael, not wanting to disobey his father, would make sure the thing fed.

He got too close, let his guard down, forgot the thing wasn’t human and had been feeding on humans for 200 years.

Thus The Making of Michael Bishop.

The author did a wonderful job of description.  My sense of smell, touch, and sight came into play as I was put in that dungeon.

Then the apprehension came, the ‘I knew it’ moment. Did Michael’s becoming just put him on the end of another leash?

I’d highly recommend this short story. It’s a taste of what’s to come in the world of The Realm Walkers and I intend to read more of this series.

4 Stars

 

Book Description:

Keep your distance. Don’t look him in the eye. Feed him and leave.

 

Michael D’Augustino is a priest in the time of the Inquisition. Marked as weak for his refusal to torture those charged with sorcery, heresy, devil worship or worse, he’s given another task. Feed the prisoner in the cell in the darkest corner of the dungeon. With the edict comes a set of instructions.

 

Ever obedient, Michael does exactly as he is told. Until the night his charge doesn’t eat and Michael has to enter the cell to find out why. Instead of the beast he believes to be imprisoned there, he finds a man. A broken, tormented man who asks for help.

 

But all is not as it seems and, before the night is through, Michael will be changed forever.

 

Available at Amazon and BN

 

About the Author:

Kathleen  Collins

Kathleen Collins has been writing since Kindergarten. And while her ability has drastically improved, her stories are still about monsters and the people who play with them.

The rare instances that she actually finds some spare time, she spends it playing with her two boys. Three if you count her husband.

She is currently hard at work on her next book.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

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Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page.
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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My Teaser for today is from

Raker

A short story follow up to Dark Nights

by Christopher A. Gray

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Genre: Science fiction/fantasy

Teaser #1 from 14% in the eBook

Plato was enormous by any measure. Shoulders nearly a meter wide, a main torso almost as wide, two meters in height…enough weaponry and ordinance to start a full scale police action..

When he entered a room, a building or street scene, everybody knew it.

Teaser #2 from 32% in the eBook

Both policemen noticed the man’s frozen stare and turned around. Through the drizzle they saw the large shape of the android. Everyone went silent.

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A while ago, I hosted a blog tour for Christopher A Gray’s novel Dark Nights.

Since then he has written a short story follow up, RAKER, which is available for FREE on Amazon til September 21st and he’s going for perma-free.

Some of the characters in Dark Nights make an appearance in the short, but RAKER was written as a stand-alone, without you needing to have read the novel first.

However, if you like the short story, you may be intrigued enough to read Dark Nights.

Go HERE to get your free copy.

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Book Description:

RAKER
1. noun

Remote Armed Kinesthetic Engagement & Reconnaissance android, used primarily by Fire Departments and Police Departments in the United States. RAKERs are deployed for rescue, bomb disposal, and other tasks which are deemed too dangerous for humans. Some models are being manufactured for the armed forces to serve as offensive battlefield weapons.

Christopher A. Gray’s RAKER follows an incident one evening when Dr. Norman Stravinsky sends his RAKER android out to deliver a sensitive file to a colleague. When it encounters a crime in progress, the android must decide whether to interrupt its primary duties as bodyguard to Stravinsky in order to prevent the crime from continuing. The decision results in a confrontation between itself and the Seattle Police Department.

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How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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Welcome to my Monday Minis

For today I’ll be reviewing Derelict by Albert Berg

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My Review

When an E-class space ship docks at an orbital station without heeding to or sending any response, a team is assembled to enter and investigate.

Available information says the ship was the Persephone and it was supposed to have a full passenger roster and a cargo load. But when the team of three men begin to search the ship, they quickly realize something is very wrong. There is no evidence people or cargo were ever aboard the ship.

As they explore further, things begin to go weird. Doors are there, then not there. Corridors stretch on to impossible lengths and become dead ends where they shouldn’t.

 The team fears they may never find their way out. They believe the ship will never let them go.

This is a quick read at around 33 pages, so I zipped right through it. I was reminded of the movie Sphere, except this takes place in space, not under water.

I still felt the claustrophobic effect of being trapped with no help close by. Of the possibility their minds might be playing tricks on them. Or maybe something else was there with them. Something malignant, evil. Toying with them.

Eerie with a twisted ending.

3 Stars

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Synopsis

In the dark heart of space, a derelict freighter drifts empty and lifeless. But in the shadows…something waits.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew.

For more of my reviews go HERE.

 

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Welcome to my Monday Minis.

For today I’ll be reviewing Welcome Home

by William Hage 

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My Review

I like it when I go into a book thinking I’m getting one thing, and I get something totally different. This happened when I began reading Welcome Home. I thought it was going to be a haunted house story.

The story is haunting but there are no actual ghosts. What’s there is something shadowing John Lester. It’s like when you see something out of the corner of your eye and when you turn to look, nothing is there. But this isn’t visual so much as it’s memories. They haunt his sleep, staying just out of reach of recall.

While this didn’t really scare me, it did surprise me and that’s always a good thing.

A good story for a rainy day.

 3 Stars

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Synopsis

John Lester is returning to a place he never really considered home to begin with, a place that he has not seen in years. But what he does not realize is that what went on in this house was much less homely than he thought as he unearths something dark about his family.”Welcome Home” is a short story approximately 6600 words.

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There is a boutique hiding out between the
fractured, narrow storefronts lining New Gotham’s foggy docks. The shingles are
ribbed and black. Washed, peeling paint and displays offering views into wicked
leather and lace studded glam. The mannequins are ghoulish beauties stitched
together from whatever was left from the last fool to cross one of the sinister
witches.

 

Welcome
to Sinister Stitches

“…apparel
for a wicked fairy tale.”

 

 A spicy trinity of black magic sisters
breathe star-dusted dreams to life with their gothic apparel boutique. They are
schooled in the old ways of “fabric-bending” by the Needlewitches of old. With
this knowledge, they’ve created an entire line of clothing that all share the
same basic design element: one-size fits all. Each garment will magically
tailor itself to its wearer once worn. Last time the Witches-Who-Stitch, hosted
a literary catwalk, heroines were called from all walks of life and genres to
challenge their seamstress skills. This time, their men have joined the
fun—apparently, they’ve been sent to the boutique. (Whether they like it, or
not.)

 

The witches were NOT expecting men. Their
expertise is usually limited to DEMANDING their husbands NOT wear that in public, and, of course, the
fashioning of fantastic clothing for all of literature’s heroines. (New
Gotham’s men usually get their goods from Rumpel’s Twisted Threads, BUT that’s
beyond the point, the girls put a quill to their interview, changed some bits,
and rose to the occasion.)

 

To enjoy the hilarity, please check out some
of the questionnaire Marie Hall’s
Luc
from
the Night series

was
threatened asked to fill out after he swaggered into Sinister Stitches.
Naked.  

 

THE
WITCHES WHO STITCH QUESTIONNAIRE

 

 
Please provide the witches with your name:  Luc

 

Please provide the witches with the following:

 

Hair Color: Blond

Hair Length: [ ] Short and Sharp, [X] Shaggy and Sexy, [ ] Lush and Long

Eye Color:  Glittering, deep purple

Skin Tone: [ ] Ghoulish,
[X] Snow White, [ ] Cina-baby, [ ] Mochalicious, [ ] Dark Chocolate, [ ] Other:__________

 

Please provide the witches with your measurements and body-type.

 

a.) Height: 6 ft

 

b.) Body Type: [ ] Skeletal, [ ] Lean and Tender, [X] Lean and Tough, [ ] Ripe
and Edible

 

Do you have any extra extremities? Place an “X” to all that apply.

 

[ ] Horns or [ ] Halo
[ ] 20 ft. of Hair or More
[ ] Gills and Fins or [ ] Hooves
[ ] Wings (Span:   )
[ ] Tail (How many:  )

 

How many heads do you  have?

 

Really?

 

Do you have arms and legs? If so, how many?

 

I have an idea, how about I take off my clothes and show you, oh luscious witch.

 

How dead are you?   [X] Living, [ ] Undead, [ ] Astral Form

 

What are you? (Species/Breed)

 

Nephilim. I’m a Lust demon. Which means I’m sexy as sin. Wanna take a ride?

 

What is the occasion? (Ideas include: Wedding, Funeral, Sabbath, etc. Oh, and
seduction is a valid occasion. The more details, the better.)

 

Who the hell cares, I’m only here for the after party

 

What’s the occasion setting? (Beach, haunted castle, grand ball, etc.)

 

You in my bed, spread out before me wearing nothing but a smile…

 

Will you be fighting for your life at some point in the evening? 

 

Only if you say no *lecherous grin*

 

Will you be set on fire? Better yet, will you be setting other people on fire?

 

Only if they interrupt me, then all hell will break loose.

 

Will you be grave-robbing? (Dirt is a dressmaker’s tedium.)

 

Darling, these hands will only get dirty in bed.

 

What are you wearing right now? Who picked that outfit out? (Basically, who let you leave the crypt in those?)

 

Nothing. At. All.

 

Do you hope to be naked at some point in the evening? (All right, dirty birds. Such questions are actually intended toward the weres and shifters in regards to their
transformations.)

 

I don’t hope—I know I will be.

 

Describe your last brush with Death in two sentences. (Helps us plan for the unexpected.)

 

I laid her down, crawled between her legs, and made her weep with two flicks of my tongue…

 

Do you need a secret compartment for gigantic swords and guns, condoms…eyeliner, maybe?

 

*snorts* That’s funny

 

What are your three favorite colors?

 

Buff. Nude. Flesh.

 

What two colors ninja your brain, sweetie?

 

Whatever you need them to be.

 

Please pick a style that you feel embodies you the best. If none apply, feel free to surprise us by providing your own brilliant description in the “other” slot.

 

[ ] Dark AngelThis is for the spoonfuls of charming. The good-natured and naughty boys next door types. Thoughtful and sensual. Loyal and intelligent. More often than not, his head is in the clouds, but that smile holds hope for all of us. Our wizards.

 

[ ] Beast King: This is for the warlords and alphas. The type of men who walk into a room and their presence hushes out the sun. They live in their bodies, but their minds are searching for the next challenge. Hands for fighting and these boots for ass-kickings. Our protectors.

 

[X] Smooth Criminal: This is for the bad boys. You know, the types—mother’s worse nightmares. The kind of man that makes your skin itch every time he devours you with that hundred yard stare. Chances are his senses of humor is as wicked as his tongue. To hold him, isn’t to catch him. Our scheming rogues.

 

[ ] Black Knight: This for the mysteries. The ones no one can quite make heads or tails out off. He’s a mixture, a melting pot of strong, sinister, and sweet. He might be Dark Angel one day, and a Smooth Criminal other days. Our brothers.

 

[ ] Other: _____________________

 

Who is your favorite fairy tale villain?

 

I eat those bastards for breakfast. I’m the real big bad wolf.

 

If you could be any comic book hero, who would it be?

 

Whatever you want me to be.

 

Now, tell us who you love the most.

 

Not who. What. Sex. All the time. Every day. My cock in your warm flesh, your skin on mine, mine on yours. Bareback. Doggie. Missionary. I really don’t care, I’ll make you come anyway you ask me to.

 

Anything else you’d like to add…

 

There is only one person in all the world I ever gave two shits about. Her name’s Pandora and I stabbed her through the heart. I might be a lover, but don’t ever think you can tame me.
.
After
many barrels of chocolate, a dash of magic, and furious sewing…

 

Sinister
Stitches’ Medieval Mistress
Astrid
Dweyer presents Luc’s
Completed
Threads
“Tailored
Temptation”

 

 

 

There is a vampire stalking you from the shadows of Sinister Stitches’ tearoom. Her
eyes are slanted, jaded amethyst glowing in the darkness. You can’t see her
face, but every cutting sweep of her long lashes is felt against your cheek. Seated
with miles of oil-black coils wound at her feet, she clad in a black satin
pencil-skirt dress. Black stiletto catching the light and gleaming like a
silver stake. She uses the tip of her twisted bone wand to pull purple
tea-shades down her slender nose:

Oh,
baby…you must be lost. Have to be. First of all, Twisted Threads is that way. That’s where they make threads
for wicked ones of the male gender. Second, welcome to Sinister Stitches. Bow
down and worship, sinner, I’m Astrid the Medieval Mistress running shit on this
catwalk. And I’m about the only one who could be trusted to fashion your
treads. Gillian wouldn’t have lasted a second; wench would be naked as we
speak. And Brenda would’ve ridden that ass like a naughty pony. I’m Astrid the
Tempest. And I’m not interested.
Ah,
ah, ah—shut up and stop smiling at me, hot mess. I cannot be seduced, I cannot
be held in thrall, and I cannot be charmed. You risk that hard shit between
your thighs at your own peril, understood? And lastly, the only reason I’m
fashioning you threads is because this is my mother’s store and she doesn’t
believe in turning down good business. So, I’m going to get up from this chair
now, and you’re gonna keep your goddamn hands to yourself. Demon or no, I will
have that candy ass in a sling. Ah, ah, ah—what did I say? Shut up, I’ve killed
fools for less. That’s right, I axed the real
big bad wolf. And then, I made a fucking dress out of his skin. So don’t push
me, ingrate.
Now, I didn’t bother with a shirt. Obviously, you won’t need it. Seems like no matter
what you’re doing, you’re going to end up naked, but what the hell? Come here
and put on this jacket and these pants for giggles. The fabric is a New Gothel
wool and black butterfly cashmere blend. It will have the durability afforded
to wool, but cashmere drapes better and has that otherworldly “dressed to kill”
shimmer. Won’t hold creases very well, but that’s not an issue, considering it
probably won’t stay on long.
We went British for the cut. Expect mild shoulder padding, notched lapels, and a tailored fit. It will show off all that supposed sexy in the right light. However, we
did do away with buttons. All of them. The onyx buttons on your jacket’s cuff
were fashioned from golem eyes, and they’re purely decorative. Otherwise, you
will not find a single button on your outfit. Frankly, I’m not going to be
blamed every time you pop your cork and take out an eye.
Everything is regular, run of the mill Velcro. Indeed, I sure did make you some tear-away threads. Now
Astrid stalks to the front door and throws it open. Beyond the threshold, the city is
growling to life in the rising twilight:
You in my store, pack up all nine inches of that impressive
cock and go search the stars for a clue.
Stop it! Stop kissing me—okay, okay, just one on the cheek. Your are kinda cute. Now, get out.

 

IMPORTANT BULLETINS from THE PIXIES:

For more information about Marie Hall and Luc’s adventures in the Night series please check out her author website

Care to check out the last round of Sinister Stitches interviews? Check out Sophie Avett and Jennifer Blackstream’s
paranormal den, the Brimstone Pub. All SS interviews are retired there after their tour until the release of the SS e-book.
Fancy a tour of New Gotham? Check out New Gotham’s Survival Guide! It might save your ife!
For more nformation about Sophie Avett’s New Gotham Fairy Tales, the Sinister Stitches
series, and recent releases, please check out her website.

Image Credit(s): MaxFrost

Image Editing Credit(s): Elaina, For the Muse Design

 

Cry Wolf
A New Gotham Fairy Tale
Sophie Avett
Genre: Dark Fantasy Romance (MM/New Adult)
Publisher: Skeleton Key Publishing
Date of Publication:  May 1, 2014
Number of pages: est. 22 pages
Word Count:  est. 10, 000
Cover Artist: Elaina, For the Muse Design
Amazon   B&N   ARe    Kobo    Smashwords
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Book Description:
There’s a wild animal on the loose in the black forests surrounding New Gotham…
Not that anyone cares.
Well, Peter doesn’t care.
Peter Ume is more interested in finding a way to alleviate the skull-numbing boredom of a city wide shut down. So far his ideas for excitement hover between stealing an unwary idiot’s underwear (soul works, too), setting someone’s eyebrows on fire, or stabbing the next person he meets in the eye with a hot French fry.
It turns out, he’ll be able to save assault and theft for a rainy day. As luck would have it, this naughty kitsune is about to meet the big bad wolf.
And man, is the wolf in for a surprise…
Warning: This story can be read as a standalone, but you will want to smack Sophie for it. (Or so the ravens have said.) So, do keep in mind that there is a part two. (And it will be a freebie. Sophie’s Pixies will carrier pigeon everyone more information soon.)
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About the Author:
Sophie Avett is kind of a nerd. Like not even one of the cute, hip ones everyone brags about nowadays. More like the socially awkward hippie who eats way too much bread and dreams about being a dragon from behind towers of mythology books. Um…yeah. Picture old, tattered paperbacks and comic books–mostly Batman and Wonder Woman–dwarfing a tiny desk, with just barely enough room for the troll who writes there and the 70 pound hell-hound that insists on laying it’s wet nose on top of her bare foot.
Granted not the most exciting existence, but she tries to make up for it by writing romances populated with her own peculiar ilk of paranormal beasties.  Trolls, wyverns, the obscure Nordic brownie–she likes to keep things interesting. And bloody. (And mostly naked–but, we’ll keep that bit between us.)
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Tour giveaway:

1 Gray Shell Pearl Shamballa Style Bracelet from Bits and Pieces which is featured in the book and prize pack

Cry Wolf Bracelet

– The entire prize pack will include: the bracelet, some trinkets and wonderfully sarcastic little note from Mrs. Pott’s.

10 ecopies of ‘Twas the Darkest Night

Click on the Rafflecopter below to enter.

Raffle button

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

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Welcome to my Monday Minis.

This is where I review short stories and flash fiction.

For today I’ll be telling you about Just One Day

by Jacob Prytherch

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My Review

This story reminds me of the movie Ground Hog Day.

A man relives the same day over and over. Except this goes on for years!

Trapped on a space station overrun with flesh eaters, the engineer begins each day the same as the one before. He navigates obstacles and zombies, trying to keep more people alive each time.

While he knows he’s repeating the same day all over again, the other survivors don’t and it doesn’t seem to help when he explains it to them. Each morning he begins again.

“His calm demeanor was the resignation of the damned.”

Each time he anticipates what he learned the previous time, making it a bit further towards safety and keeping more people alive.

“It was just one day, one more, then it would be over. How many times has he said that?”

But the engineer begins to doubt whether he can do what he wants. Whether he can get most of the people to the escape pod and safety. He’ll just have to keep going through it until he reaches an end, if there is one.

For a short story this has a lot going on. Black holes, time travel, and space zombies!

The beginning is a calm introduction to the engineer and what’s going on. Then it quickly becomes a nail biting adventure with people screaming and fleshies gnawing on the poor saps that don’t survive that day.

It’s hard to find a zombie story with a unique spin on it. Kudos to the author for doing just that, plus giving me an ending that had me reading it twice. I wanted to be sure I got it right.

3  Stars

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Synopsis

The engineer awoke to the sound of the failing air conditioning, knowing four things above all else. He knew who would be beating a monotonous rhythm on the door, he knew that he had to kill them, he knew that they would already be dead and rotting, and he was painfully aware that they would not be alone…

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Welcome to My Monday Minis.

This is where I review short stories and flash fiction.

For today I’ll be telling you about Drop Dead Tavern

by Chad P. Brown

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My Review

You’d think after watching Walking Dead nothing would shock me.

This short story should have come with a warning. “Brace yourself.”

All Kent wants is a bottle to swill away his grief. To forget about the loss of his brother, the zombies gnashing around, and his loneliness.

He pulls his bike up to the tavern and after making sure the coast is clear, he enters.

Aah, right there amid the broken bottles stands one survivor. Looks like he’ll sleep good tonight. Maybe there’ll be no dreams.

Suddenly, he’s confronted by a boy. He looks like a street urchin, filthy and haggard.

Once Kent establishes the boys trust, he gets his story.

Any zombie fans would love this short tale.

It didn’t take me long to read it, but by the end it felt like forever. Like those dreams you have where you are running and running and never seem to get anywhere.

I must have been lulled somehow, because what happened in that tavern really tore me up.

Without fluff or wasted words, Chad got right to the matter, dragging me in.

You have to remember, this is a zombie apocalypse. It ended leaving me torn and wishing there was more. I really liked Kent and wondered what would become of him.

4 Stars

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About Chad P. Brown

Chad P. Brown was born in Huntington, WV. Once he outgrew his childhood fears of haunted houses, clowns, and toy monkeys with cymbals (although those still creep him out a little bit), he discovered a dark love for writing and an affinity for macabre and eldritch matters. He holds a Master’s in Latin from Marshall University and is an Affiliate member of the Horror Writers Association. In October 2011, he released his first horror novel, The Jack-in-the-box. He has appeared in the anthologies SPIDERS (August 2012 by May December Publications) and Gothic Blue Book Vol. 2 – Revenge Edition (October 2012 by Burial Day Books). His current projects include a recently released zombie novella, Messiah of the Zombie Apocalypse, and various short stories, as well as a dark fiction novella, The Pumpkin House, which is in submission.

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How could I resist Dogschwitz.

Just look at that face. Aaww!

I love books where the animal features heavily in the storyline.

I’m going to have fun reading about Rory.

I’m now an Animal Warrior!

Do you like stories with animals as characters?

Come meet Rory.

While you’re here, remember to enter the giveaway!

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Synopsis

When a basset hound named Rory survives the animal control gas chamber and becomes an internet celebrity, he attracts the attention of Anita, a just-dumped-by-her-boyfriend, luckless burger flipper, who travels cross country to adopt him.
Spurred by an online group called Animal Warriors, Anita then embarks on a mission to improve animal rights. Along the way, Rory brings Anita true love and financial success through a chance encounter with America’s 1%, proving her spontaneous rescue of Rory was the best decision of her life.

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Kim Cano

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dogschwitz author

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Kim Cano is the author of For Animal Lovers, a short story collection for kids ages 9 to 12. It also appeals to adult readers who are young at heart. 10% of the sale price is donated to the ASPCA® to help homeless pets. A Widow Redefined is Kim’s debut novel. It’s a story of a young woman’s journey through grief and the transformational power of friendship. Kim’s most recent book is Dogschwitz. A novellete set in the future that explores the terrible time in American history when millions of unwanted dogs and cats were euthanized each year. Kim lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband and cat.

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Giveaway

Kindle Copy of Dogschwitz by Kim Cano

$10 Amazon Gift Card

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

Raffle button

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For all of my giveaways click on the cutie below.

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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 Shed

by Paul Levas

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I picked this up as a free download while looking for short stories to review on my Monday Minis post.

There are two different covers for this book.

I like this one from Goodreads the best.

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And here is the one from Amazon.

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My Review

The last thing Steve wanted to be doing was cleaning out the shed. He’d rather be sitting on the couch watching football, but his wife is counting on him.

He does odd jobs in the yard, stalling entering the shed.

Vivid flashbacks to what happened in there almost knock him to his knees.

No, he doesn’t want to go in there.

As you can guess, Steve does go in the shed.

It goes from weird to bad very quickly.

While I enjoyed this story, I felt the ending was just a bit disjointed or rushed. I seemed to stumble a little while reading it. Could be just me.

However, I did enjoy it, and even though I had an idea of what would happen to Steve, I had no idea how. The author got creative.

This is Book Two in a series, but from what I can tell, they don’t need to be read in any order. Each is a separate story with different characters.

I’ll read more from this author.

3 STARS

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Author Paul Levas

Paul Levas

Paul Levas was born and grew up in Antioch, IL, but has lived in Phoenix, AZ, for the past twenty years. He is a writer specializing in the horror genre, and cites Stephen King and Dean Koontz as his major influences. He has three short stories published: The Shed, Sweet Temptation, and Shadows. He is also included in the anthology titled Grave Robbers. His story in that is titled Richie’s night out at The Hills Cemetery. He is currently working on a novel titled SHADOWLANDS, and a short story collection.

Go HERE for more about the author and his books.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

Click on the turkey to see all of my giveaways.

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The Calm Before the Storm VBT Banner (1)

This is a short story dealing in a dark subject manner, domestic abuse.

Many of us know someone who is in this deadly situation, and some of you may be caught up in one.

Joining this tour and spreading the word is one small step by me towards stopping this plague on women, men, and children.

The Calm Before the Storm is offered free on Smashwords.

Written by the author to raise awareness.

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The Calm Before the Storm by Tamaria Soana

The Calm Before the Storm

                        The last two years of Erica Bloom’s life have been spent looking over her shoulder. Sawyer Marsh promised the day she filed for divorce and left him, that if he couldn’t have her no one would. Even though Sawyer hasn’t contacted her in two years she’s still feared for her life. She remembers all too well the nightmare their marriage was and what it felt to be on the receiving end of his wrath.

The news of Sawyer’s engagement allows Erica to finally let her guard down and enjoy her new life and budding relationship with Brock Maxwell.

 

While away relaxing at Brock’s vacation home on the Willow Lake, the past comes back to haunt her. Were the past few years just the calm before the storm? 

Excerpt:

Erica picked it up and smiled when she saw it was Joann calling.

“Hey, Joann.”

“Hi, Erica. You busy?”

“No, not at all. I was just reading the paper.”

“Did you hear the news about Sawyer?”

Erica stood up.  Chills ran down her spine at the mention of his name. “What news?” she replied, just above a whisper.

“He’s getting married.”

The words stunned her.

“Erica, are you still there?” Joann asked.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm down so she could respond.

“How do you know?” she managed to stammer. So many feelings were flowing through her body as she paced the floor. They ranged from fear to relief. Was he truly moving on?

“Tim ran into his cousin at the hardware store. He said they’re getting married in a few months.”

“Wow.” Erica breathed out.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes. This is good news. He’s moved on. Maybe I can stop looking over my shoulder every time I go out. Do you know who she is?”

“No. From what I understand, some woman he met while on a business trip and Sawyer’s  cousin mentioned  that she’s much younger.”

“The poor girl doesn’t know what she’s getting herself into. I feel for her because I know all of his tricks. He’s sexy and charming in the beginning and you’re so over the top in love with him.  You marry him and get so caught up in the fairytale you believe is your life, until one day he changes into the man he truly is. A monster,” Erica stoically stated.

“Erica, I know you went through hell with him, but it’s been two years. You have a terrific man in your life. I think it’s time you let go of the past and live again.”

Erica sank down on the couch. She felt like she was hit by a freight train.  “I have a lot to think about. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Let’s get together soon.”

“Sounds great.”

“Erica, relax. The nightmare is finally over.” Her friend reassured her.

“Bye, Joann.” Erica ended the call and stared into space. Could it be that easy? Am I honestly free from that man once and for all?

FREE on Smashwords

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Watch the Trailer:

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQItNvn9QIo]

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From the Author:

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

I wanted to write a short story to raise awareness for Domestic Abuse. This cause is very near to my heart.

 the calm before the storm DVAM

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Here are some Domestic Violence Statistics

  • Every 9 seconds in the US a woman is assaulted or beaten.
  • Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women—more than car accidents, muggings, and rapes combined.
  • Nearly 1 in 5 teenage girls who have been in a relationship said a boyfriend threatened violence or self-harm if presented with a breakup.
  • Every day in the US, more than three women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends.

Those facts alone make you want to stand up and do something. One thing you can do if you’re in an abusive relationship or know someone who is please get help by calling the hotline.


National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−SAFE (7233) or TTY 1−800−787−3224

Things you can do to make a difference

Donate to The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence   NCADV Site

Support your local woman’s shelter by donating money, clothes,  and basic toiletries.

End the Silence on Domestic Violence   Dr Phil’s Site  View  Dr Phil’s Campaign

About the Author:

Tamaria Soana is middle aged, but just feels her life has begun. She writes sexy contemporary romance stories that always end with a ‘happily ever after’. Growing up she loved to read and make up new places in her head to escape to. In her late teens she began writing short stories and poetry; it wasn’t until her late thirties before she began to spin a full story.

She’s married and a stay-at-home-mom of two beautiful young girls, they reside in Western New York. Cuddling up with a good book under an electric throw is her way to escape the cold Buffalo nights.

Besides writing, she co-owns Shades of Rose Marketing and hosts a talk show on Talkshoe called Live with Tamaria ~ Giving authors a voice.

Author Links:    Site       Facebook Author Page     Twitter

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Tamaria is giving away a $5.00 Amazon Gift Card during her tour.

For a chance to win Just click on the Rafflecopter below.

RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY

Shades of Rose Marketing

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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