Sample Sunday - A WIP - FIND ME!

I shared the prologue to this WIP a few weeks ago and thought I'd share a portion of the first chapter. Bear in mind this is the first draft and if I keep true to form will probably change slightly during the final editing stages. Critiques are welcome, and if you enjoyed it I hope you'll leave a comment below. Happy Reading!


CHAPTER ONE


"Please don't leave me here."

Catherine heard the whisper over the rustling of the leaves. A heavy mist had begun to develop over the river, drifting up the ravine into the creek where she knelt beside the water. Her search for twenty-one-year-old Timothy Bond had led her to many ravines in the past two weeks. Her visions confusing. Pieces of jigsaw puzzles
that seemed to fit every creek area surrounding the Kentucky River.

Letting the cool water flow over her hand, Catherine paid attention to the gentle force as it pressed against the barrier, connecting with the emotions it contained.

He'd been here. Walked this bank. Trudged through this water. And he'd never left.

"Catherine?"

Hearing Cody's unasked question she stood, turning to glance in his direction. "He's here, Cody. I can feel it."

"The fog is rising fast. I'm calling off the search, bringing everyone in."

His voice held an edge of defeat. He'd followed her through snake-ridden ravines, shallow pools, and even into the river twice. She knew he consciously ignored the ridicule of his fellow officers, but he couldn't ignore the rising wind, misty rain, and fog swirling into ghostly clouds. To not call off the search put everyone in danger.

Catherine turned back to the pool of water, staring into the murky depths. A vision of Mr. and Mrs. Bond appeared. Arms wound around each other, eyes swollen and red, beseeching her. Their voices echoed in her mind. "We know he's dead, Ms. Mans, but we can't sleep at night. Not 'till our boy comes home."
Mrs. Bond's cry had touched her in a way she hadn't expected. She touched the scar just above her right breast. Had her own mother felt that way when she left? Had she looked that way?

Catherine shook off the thoughts. Now wasn't the time to think about her mother, or the past. Nor was it the time to allow the frustration in Cody's voice to stray her from her task. She knew he respected her abilities, and believed in her. So much had changed in the last six years since he'd knocked on her door and asked for her help in finding three-year-old Danny Wells. He was the head of the homicide division, and through his efforts a special fund had been established to pay for Catherine's "consulting fees". She also knew it was through his efforts that other departments had begun to call upon her for help. Still there would always be the non-believers. The ridiculers. It didn't matter that her success rate ranked at ninety-eight percent. It was the two percent failure that everyone remembered.

A steady rain began to fall as the whisper reached her ears again. "Please don't leave me here."


The Gifts, A Jacody Ives Mystery

Cattitude by Edie Ramer - $.99 on Amazon Kindle

Edie Ramer loves her cat so much, she wrote CATTITUDE, a book in which a cat changes bodies with a woman. Edie tried to put herself in her cat's mind. She managed so well it was eerily freakish.

She lives in southeastern Wisconsin with her husband, two dogs, and the original Belle the cat. She started writing in the 1990's, selling short stories in the mystery genre to National magazines and two Women Sleuth books. In addition to non-fiction articles, she wrote verses for greeting cards, and she possesses a drawer filled with cards for any occasion.

She's co-founder of Write Attitude (writeattitude.net), an inspirational website for writers, and a popular group blog, Magical Musings (magicalmusings.com).

You can visit Edie at www.EdieRamer.com.
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After Belle the cat switches bodies with a psychic on the run from a murderer, she wants her perfect cat body back instead of this furless human one. But she doesn't count on falling in love with her former owner. Or that a CEO and a beauty queen want to use up her nine lives. Now is her chance to prove anything a human can do, a cat can do better.


"Cattitude is a magical tale that you won't soon forget. Edie Ramer has a writing voice that charms, and she pulls the reader right into Belle's amazing world." -Cynthia Eden, author of Deadly Fear and I'll be Slaying You

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SampleSunday - Excerpt From The Gifts

Excerpt from The Gifts, A Jacody Ives Mystery

In honor of Valentines Day I decided to post a portion of the romantic parts of my current books. The Gifts is a traditional mystery with a touch of paranormal and just a smidgen of romance.
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“Good morning, Millicent. Miss Nikki.” Clarence Archibald tipped his hat to the ladies.

Millie Crawford frowned as she placed the key in the door. “Humph,” she snorted. Old coot. “Morning, Mr. Archibald,” she answered in her most prim voice.

His laugh carried across the street. “When are you going to call me Clarence? It’s been two months now, and you’re still fighting it. By the way, you look as fresh as my new roses this morning.”

Millie sent him a scathing look as she closed the door. Fresh as his new roses. He was the one that was fresh. Acting like a teen-ager.

“You run on and play, Nikki.”

Millie couldn’t stop herself from lifting the blinds and taking a quick peek to see if he was still there. A slight pang of disappointment filled her when she saw he had already entered the flower shop.

“Flirtatious old coot,” she muttered to herself as she opened the bookstore for business. Always calling me Millicent. She stopped her muttering as she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror behind the counter. The slight flush on her cheeks and sparkle in her eyes belied her age, as did the spring in her walk. The old fool had her feeling like a teenager. Maybe she’d just take a walk over there and see those new roses. He could probably use a good cup of coffee. Might even ask him over for dinner one night. Possibilities. The old coot had definite possibilities.

Humming softly, Millie flipped the sign to “open” and headed to the back of the store to make a fresh pot of coffee.


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Devil Moon by Dana Taylor $2.99

Review
Taylor has crafted a fast-paced story... Along with the main love story, she adds drama, with a kidnapping and drug subplot, and a touch of the paranormal. Drama, romance and humor combine to make Devil Moon plain fun.
--Romantic Times


I loved this book. It made me laugh and cry. The characters are wonderful, the writing is compelling and witty, the plot-twists are unexpected, and the love story is both steamy and sweet.
--Round Table Reviews--Beverly Forehand

Romance Designs--
You won't get away from this read without chuckling...The secondary characters were absolutely outstanding. All-in-all, a delightful story.
--Romance Designs
Product Description
What Reviewers say about Devil Moon:

Romance Junkies

Ms. Taylor's DEVIL MOON is a wonderful book that you will want to read over and over again. Maddie and Phil are two confident and secure adults who happen to, at the same time, fall off kilter for one moment of mad passion. In their reality at school they bicker and argue like an old married couple. Phil can't help but want to shatter Ms. Harris' picture perfect exterior. Maddie can't believe that the muscle bound football coach does everything to needle her, get under her skin and then expects her to be nice to him. With the help of two very unusual entities, these two find each other at every turn. I enjoyed watching them fight their growing attraction and looked forward to the moment when they discovered that the other was the fabulous one night stand that they had indulged in. DEVIL MOON will give you a dose of moon madness and is a very enjoyable read.

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Friday's Flash Fiction - 200 word Flash Fiction - Using Whiskey, Rock, Bats

I think I'll call this Thea's Flash Fiction because the challenge originated from Thea Atkinson. She gave us 3 words - whiskey, rock and bats. From that we were to write a 200 word flash fiction. I almost passed up the challenge simply because the idea of trying to tell any story in 200 words was quite daunting. I may have wanted to pass but the voices inside my head didn't. Whisper, whisper, whisper, murmur, murmur, murmur.

Now those of you who have those voices inside your head when you're working on a project know the only way to shut them up is to write it down. So I gave it a shot. And actually I was pleased. I wish I'd had more words, because there were so many other things I could have said or told or described, but with a little artistic work with the delete button I kept it to 200 words.

WHISKEY, ROCK, BATS

Bobby Joe Cameron, the star quarterback had been pestering daddy to let me go out with him for months. Today Daddy said yes.

"Where we going?" I asked buckling ...my seatbelt.

Taking a swig from a whiskey bottle he handed it to me and grinned. "It's a surprise."

I took a sip, grimacing as it burned its way down to my navel. Not wanting to act all prudish on my first date I took a bigger swig.

By the time we got to Shell Cave we were both giggling and stumbled just a little when we got out of the car. Bobby Joe grabbed a flashlight and pulled me inside the cave.

Seemed like we went a long way before Bobby Joe giggled again and said, "watch this". Picking up a rock he threw it at the ceiling.

Now Bobby Joe probably didn't know about that hole in the floor. And he probably didn't figure on them bats being so riled up over one little rock. He sure didn't know I had a deathly fear of bats.

Today's my sixteenth birthday and I died because of a bottle of whiskey, a rock and a bunch of bats.

# # #

Let me know what you think. When I first started attempting flash fiction I truly didn't see any value, but having experimented with it now I'm beginning to understand that it's really a teaching tool for honing your work. I now look at my chapters from a whole new perspective.

Have a great Friday, and if you're snowed in looking for something entertaining to do - check out The Jacody Ives Mysteries. They're still $.99 on Amazon Kindle and Nook.

The Gifts, A Jacody Ives Mystery

Sacred Secrets, A Jacody Ives Mystery

R. Doug Wicker - Decisions $2.99 on Amazon Kindle

R. Doug Wicker is a graduate of Kubasaki High School in Okinawa, Japan. He attended college for two years at Clemson University before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force. His stint in the Air Force began his thirty-four year-career as an air traffic controller, serving with both the U.S. Air Force and the Federal Aviation Administration. He has controlled aircraft at R.A.F. bases Lakenheath, Mildenhall, and Sculthorpe in the United Kingdom; Davis-Monthan A.F.B. in Tucson, Arizona; and El Paso International Airport in El Paso, Texas. He is a writer of both fiction and nonfiction. He enjoys thrilling his audience with tales of murder and suspense, as in the recent Kindle release of his mystery novel DECISIONS. Today, R. Doug Wicker lives in El Paso with his lovely wife Ursula whom he married in 1978. He enjoys writing, reading, travel, art, photography, gourmet cooking and fine wines, and bridge (the game, not the structure). He looks forward to further entertaining his fans for years to come with earlier works from his archive of currently unpublished works as well as his upcoming murder mystery THE GLOBE, the project on which he is currently working.
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Donovan Grant lost his mind, his wife, and his career. Now he may be losing even more. Lately, and with distressing regularity, he’s been finding himself standing over dead people while holding the murder weapon. Even worse, he’s his own prime suspect. And that new woman in his life? She may be next on his list . . . that’s if he’s not on hers.

Review:
An Agatha Christie inspired confection stays true to its roots, with enough clues and plot twists to keep the reader guessing until the end. Donovan Grant was an air traffic controller until a post-traumatic stress disorder renders him unfit to continue in the profession. He lands the job as pilot for the exclusive Vai Kai resort in the Fiji Islands where trouble arrives in waves. First Donovan starts having inexplicable blackouts, in which he becomes uncharacteristically violent. Then he ferries in a group that includes actress Kelly LaBrecque and her movie producer ex-husband, Sheldon Larsen. Kelly informs Donovan that every person in their group hates Sheldon's guts. Finally, a hurricane knocks out the lights long enough for the first murder to occur and it looks like Donovan is the guilty party. Kelly, who seems romantically interested in Donovan, jumps to his defense. The novel is airy fun, carried by its two likeable and witty central characters. -- manuscript review by Publishers Weekly, an independent organization

Donovan Grant was a pilot for the Federal government and witnessed something that made him psychologically unstable. Pushed out of his job, divorced and collecting a disability pension, he moves to an island in Fiji where he works as a pilot. Then murders start to occur and he has to figure out if he is involved. The excerpt is well written with a sardonic sense of humor. The character is believable as to what he is supposed to be. Unfortunately, murder is way overdone, although not remembering the murders is a slightly new twist. -- Amazon Top Reviewer

The writing was very well done and I must admit that the author kept my interest throughout the entire "two hotties and an old pilot" scenario that was actually quite funny and really made the story interesting. I also kind of liked the scene at the soda machine. I can't say that I would actually purchase this book, due to its premise, which doesn't really interest me, but the writing was good and for those of you who would be interested in this kind of story, it would probably be a very good read. -- Amazon Top Reviewer

Download a Sample or Buy Now at Amazon.Com

Keith C. Blackmore Interview - The Missing Boatman $2.99

1. What are your influences and sources of inspiration?

I was an avid reader of comic books and later got into trade paperbacks. I
read a lot of different stuff, from action adventure to horror, SF to
fantasy. The first novel I read was Conan by Robert E Howard, and a few
other pulp writers whose names I can’t recall right now (sorry). At some
point later I remember picking up a copy of Terry Brook’s The Elfstones of
Shannara. I also remember reading Dracula at around twelve or thirteen,
and that lead to me picking up the Nightshift collection of short stories
by Stephen King. Movies were hard to come by in my hometown, so I would
read a lot of movie adaptations, and a lot of them were written by Alan
Dean Foster, who quickly became a favourite of mine. Anything that was in
comics, print, or on the screen was a source of inspiration. I also played
Dungeons and Dragons (yes, yes) quite a bit and the idea of creating my
own adventures was something I wanted to do, just like the movies Those
were good times with good friends as well, but I realized that sometimes,
the characters controlled by the players didn’t always do things I
envisioned in gameplay, so, the next big step was writing my own adventure
with characters of my own creation. In university, I majored in English
literature but the course selections (the classics) were mostly pretty
boring (there were some exceptions--Shakespeare was great, as was Charles
Dickens). Classic mythology was a course I loved but didn’t do well on
as, during the final exam, the professor insisted on making me answer
questions I had no interest in. I also studied the classics in SF &
Fantasy during university, as well as a little military history.

2. What genres do you read and why?

Mostly SF and Fantasy but I will go outside of that. I’ve read westerns
(Larry McMurty’s Lonesome Dove) Annie Proulx (The Shipping News) as well
as a bunch of others. Some nonfiction as well if it’s anything weird or
different. I want to get a new book called The Decent which is about this
group of people that explore the deepest known caves on Earth, and they go
down in the earth for kilometres. Anything outside of SF & Fantasy is
essentially research for me as I study how other authors do things.

3. Who are your favourite authors and why?

Robert E Howard, Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Alan Dean Foster, Larry
McMurty, Annie Proulx, John Steakley, and bunch of others. Steakley
particular has a writing style that hooks me right from the get-go. I read
most of these authors because they are or were the best at what they do,
so studying them is important, and they tell great stories.

4. Have you met any famous writers and did they live up to your expectations?

Met Chris Clairemont at an SF Convention in Nova Scotia, Canada. Also met
Guy Gavriel Kay. Both guys were very friendly although I do remember Chris
and his wife just getting back from Australia and being jet-lagged. He did
sign my limited series Wolverines though.
Kay awarded me first prize in a short story contest, and told me that I
was good at capturing and developing “a voice.” It was a year before I
knew what he meant.

5. Aside from writing, what other interests do you have?

Avid movie watcher--some great stories out there--although I don’t do
musicals (unless it’s a Disney animation). Still a big PC gamer, and I’m
currently enjoy playing Fallout 3. I enjoy exercising, mountain biking,
and walking. The biking and walking in particular are great ways to work
out writer’s block, and to just think.

6. Have you had anything traditionally published or adapted into a film?

Came close to traditionally publishing a long time ago with my first
fantasy novel Not a Bard’s Song, which is probably as close to mainstream
fantasy as I’ll get. The publisher (a small press) “loved” the book but
went bankrupt. None of the big publishers wanted it. So, while still
peddling it around, I wrote the sequel, a few more fantasy novels, and a
horror book. I’ve had a few articles published in Korean newspapers (my
first paid work!). Nowadays, I’ve all but given up on the traditional
publishing industry as ebooks and ereaders are becoming more and more
prevalent.

7. Can any of your work be viewed, if so where?

My website is www.keithcblackmore.com, where you can find news and reading
samples. There are a couple of free horror stories there--Taste and Ye
Olde Fishing Hole. There will be some short fantasy fiction there as well,
which will be the lead in to a series of short stories under the title of
131 Days. Also, links Amazon.com, where whatever ebooks I have are
currently selling. Reviews are coming in, and I’m pleased with them. I
hope they continue.

8. What’s your current book about?

The Missing Boatman is a horror tale about the week where a lot of people
start surviving terrible accidents and disasters all over the globe. It’s
a modern day story about “what if” none of us could die anymore, and what
might happen once the world populace discovered their newly found
immortality. It’s fantasy, Death is a character in the book, and there are
a lot of powers, both good and bad, that want to find him… or kept him
missing.

I was a student of classical mythology in university, and came across one
story which I found exceptionally interesting. It was about this man who
had wished for immortality and got it, but later realized the gods had
played a trick on him. They made him immortal, but they did not grant him
eternal youth. As a result, he continued to age, until he was an
incredibly old man. The Missing Boatman takes that myth a few steps
further, and I hope people enjoy the story.

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Linda Prather - The Independent Author Network

Linda Prather - The Independent Author Network

Lessons II by Michael Crane $.99 on Amazon Kindle

Michael Crane is an indie author and scribbler of inane babble that can sometimes end up as stories. He went to Columbia College Chicago where he earned a BA in Fiction Writing. He is the author of IN DECLINE and LESSONS AND OTHER MORBID DRABBLES, and he also might've written two books while he was in high school, but he refuses to own up to them and that's why they aren't included on this page. His work has appeared in A POUND OF FLASH by David McAfee, and A LAND OF ASH by David Dalglish. He lives in Illinois and is always trying to work on something new, unless he's battling stupid writer's block.

Some of his favorite writers are Raymond Carver, Richard Yates, Kurt Vonnegut, Chuck Palahniuk, Bret Easton Ellis and Hunter S. Thompson.
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A sinister puppet finally makes a new friend.
A man learns about his bleak future.
A killer has another painful lesson to teach.

From the author of LESSONS AND OTHER MORBID DRABBLES comes this terrifying and amusing follow-up. 30 100-word shorts about horrible ghouls, monsters and deranged, bloodthirsty lunatics. In these drabbles, you'll run into kid-hungry goblins, sadistic dolls, zombies and psychopaths who believe that violence can solve just about anything.

Disgusting, creepy and darkly comic, LESSONS II: ANOTHER MORBID DRABBLE COLLECTION is bound to entertain, as well as horrify.

There's always time for another lesson...

Features bonus story by David McAfee, from his horror collection A POUND OF FLASH

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Excerpt from The Gifts, A Jacody Ives Mystery

Ignoring the branches that slapped at her face, Sarah raced through the trees, lungs on fire. Somewhere ahead of her a madman had her little girl. She cried out in frustration, as the pain became unbearable. Holding her side, she hunched over trying to catch her breath. How far had she run? A mile? Two? The roaring in her ears drowned out all other sound, as sweat burned her eyes, blinding her. She had to stop. She leaned against a tree for support as she wiped the sweat from her face, slowing her ragged breathing. Dawn was breaking, and she scanned the forest in front of her. She’d broken her own rules, rushing in blindly. She didn’t even know where her own men were. What if she’d shot one of them? What if she’d shot Carl?
The roaring had subsided and she stood listening, straining her ears to catch the slightest whisper or breaking branch. The forest was silent except for her ragged breathing, pounding heart. Where the hell were they? Grief threatened to overcome her. She didn’t know if Juanita and José were dead or alive. The body count was way too high. Five little girls had lost their lives because she’d run away. Closing her eyes, she struggled for control; the image of Gavin kneeling beside his brother flashed before her eyes. She heard his anguished voice, “Find Nikki.” That was all that was important now. She swore softly as she straightened her spine. “No more, Williams. You’re not taking one more person from me.”
“Sheriff!”
“Over here, Matt.”
“We’ve got somebody here.”
Sarah turned toward the sound, moving swiftly, but cautiously this time, her eyes scanning the trees around her. Matt and Jed approached her, carrying a huge black man, cursing and yelling. Blood flowed from the bullet wound in his left leg.
“Put him down.” Holstering her gun, Sarah knelt beside Carl, gently probing the wound. “Looks like the bullet went straight through. I need your belt, Matt.”
Sarah took the belt, fashioned a make-shift tourniquet, and stood up. “Take him to the house. I’m going after Williams.”
“Wasn’t Williams. And you’re too late.” Carl struggled to sit up, grimacing as the movement started a fresh wave of pain.
“What do you mean it wasn’t Williams?”
“Campbell. Bastard had a car parked other side of the woods. Heard him drive off right after he shot me.” Carl fumbled in his pocket for his cigarettes.
Sarah knelt again, her eyes level with Carl’s. “Tell me everything you know about the man who’s got my daughter.”

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Falling Star by Philip Chen - $2.99 Kindle Edition

Philip Chen was born in China in 1944 and immigrated to the United States in 1949. Growing up in Washington, D.C., during the 1950s and 1960s, Philip learn both the pains and triumphs of American society at a crucial turning point in America's history. After receiving a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering with Distinction from the University of Virginia and a Master of Science from Stanford University, he worked as an ocean research engineer in the development of deep submergence systems. Part of his work dealt with vehicles that could freely dive to 20,000 feet of water depth. He also participated as a hyperbaric chamber operator for manned dives inside a pressure chamber to 1,500 feet. He holds one U.S. Patent for an underwater mooring system.

After his stint as an ocean research engineer, Philip was an environmental and energy engineer, a trial attorney, a public securities attorney, an investment banker, a corporate executive, a private equity manager (in Africa), a strategic consultant, a cartoonist, an illustrator, a website manager, and author. He received his law degree from the University of Minnesota.

One of his mentors once told Philip that it wasn't that he couldn't hold down a job; he couldn't even hold down a career!

Philip's biography has been included in Who's Who in America and in Who's Who in the World for many years.
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The World is at risk; not the ordinary risk seen every night on prime time news, but a horrific one that portends the possibility of total annihilation. Mysterious but silent objects have been found buried deep in the murky depths of the ocean. However, something has suddenly happened. These objects wake up and start sending messages to outer space. Mike, pulled back into a clandestine world that he thought he had left behind to help decipher these messages, is attacked by gangs of ordinary looking Americans and must fight for his very life. Who are these attackers? Why have they targeted Mike and his colleagues in the secret agency? On top of these interwoven threats, Mike learns that a revered friend has died. With the death of this friend, is mankind's last hope for understanding the signals lost forever in the silt and muck of the ocean bottom?

EDITORIAL REVIEWS:

Alan Caruba, Charter Member of the National Book Critics Circle had this to say about Falling Star:

"It is rare when a novelist makes his debut with as powerful a novel as Philip Chen’s Falling Star ($15.25, available from Amazon.com, softcover and on Kindle). It begins in 1967 and concludes in the Oval Office in 1993. In between Chen introduces you to an array of characters, all of whom have unique talents, some of whom are U.S. Navy officers, some with the FBI, all devoted to the protection of their nation. They are a handful of people who know about mysterious entities far beneath the surface of the waters surrounding the U.S. Others are members of a rogue KGB unit, moles who lived among us, but whose mission ended when the former Soviet Union collapsed. This novel stands out for the way you are introduced not just to the characters, but the physical reality in which they live, the sights and even the smells. Slowly and then with increasing intensity, the mysteries are unraveled, the enemies identified, as life and death often hangs in the balance. Drawing on his own life as an ocean research engineer, attorney and banker, Chen brings an authenticity to the novel that provides a heart-pounding reality that forces you to ask “What if?” What if Earth was under observation by those from another planet that is circling a dying sun? What if they intended to colonize it? What if the year for this was 2013? If you read just one novel in 2011, make it Falling Star."

Robin Hathaway, well-known mystery author of the Dr. Fenimore and other series, and an Agatha Award winner (1998) and the David G. Sasher, Sr. Award (2009) winner, writes,

"The discovery and subsequent search for a mysterious weapon buried deep in American waters, is the chilling subject of this thriller. The author’s knowledge of engineering and his use of specific detail increase the credibility of this intriguing story. A colorful cast of characters are involved in the search and their dramatic interaction is vividly portrayed.

"Anyone interested in the future of America’s defense and weaponry will find this novel gripping."

Check out the sample or Buy Now!

Samantha Fury's Street Justice Charlie's Angel - $.99

Samantha Fury was born in Eastern Kentucky, the daughter of a coal miner & his loving homemaker. She is an only child so she spent many hours using her imagination to keep her busy. She graduated from high school, married in 1986 and began what she calls her 'life on the road.'

Samantha spent over eighteen years traveling with her husband, through 48 states & Canada. This gave her lots of experience for the backgrounds of her Novels. She has since retired to staying at home with their two dogs, Jack & Max. Her husband still travels and she stays busy writing and dispatching for her husband.

This gives her more time to write, and she enjoys her time at home with the dogs. She's always has loved writing since the early age of eight; when she wrote 'The Day The Sky Turned Green.' Her imagination takes her many places, and she hopes that her stories can uplift, entertain, and be a blessing to her readers.

She calls what she writes Life Fiction. It's not your normal romance, though each story will have a bit of romance in them. They will also have some real life struggles, and a little detective work, and humor when at all possible.

Samantha plays the piano and bass at her church, and loves writing, singing, and photography. She has many stories to tell, and she hopes to be around writing for many years to come.
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Charlie's life in Ohio is ordinary and consistent. When her dad loses his job, fighting becomes an every day event. Moving in with her sister only makes matters worse. Her life is turned upside down. In a desperate attempt to find a safe haven, she ends up on the streets of Chicago. She's introduced to a different kind of world. A place where crime lords and women of the night come out to play. Charlie finds herself at the mercy of Rico DeLusa, a local crime king.

When she begins having feelings for one of Rico's employees, Angel Blackwell, she wonders if she's out of her element. Is she being drawn into their world, instead of being a light in a dark place? Blackmail, prostitution and drugs were never a part of her life, but they are now.

Charlie finds herself in the middle of a fight between good and evil. She needs the strength to overcome, the wisdom to make the right choices, and the insight to follow what is right Instead of listening to her heart.

Buy Now:

Street Justice Charlie's Angel

Rewrite of an old work - Find Me

I wrote this book several years ago but I just wasn't happy with it. Recently I decided to take a new look at it from a different direction. Here's the Prologue.
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PROLOGUE

Abigail Blanchard closed the door to the basement leaning her head against the cool steer barrier. She knew it was just her imagination, but she could still hear the shrieks of her child, the clanging of the chains against the concrete wall. Would it never end? What evil had she committed that was so bad that God would punish her in this way?

She sensed the old woman's presence behind her and without turning shrieked, "Go away!"

"You know what you must do. I have seen the feux-folet. She is the child of Diable and will curse us all."

"Fiank-o!" Abigail screamed, ripping her clothing and slipping into her native tongue.

"Mon chere ti chou, you know I speak the truth. I was here when she was born without life. Her body blue, her soul already beyond this world. Five years have come and gone. As she grows so does the evil."

Abigail slipped to the floor hugging her knees to her body, rocking back and forth. "She's only five. I have lost one. Must I lose them both?"

The old woman didn't answer. Instead she placed the knife in Abigail's hand. "You can't cure a mad dog, Aggie, you can only put it down."

Abigail rose to her feet. The old woman was gone, but the knife lay heavy in her hand. Much like the heaviness of her heart. And just as cold.

Grasping the knife she opened the door to the basement, descending the steps slowly.


If you liked this, or even if you didn't please leave a comment below. It is my desire to write the best books I possibly can and books my readers would want to read.

Sin and Vengeance by C. J. West $2.99

CJ West spent twenty years helping companies solve computer networking and information management problems with firms including Arthur Andersen. In 1999, he began writing thrillers and several years later transitioned to writing fulltime.

Sin and Vengeance, the first book in CJ’s Randy Black series, was optioned for film by a screenwriting firm in early 2008. The screenplay, written by Marla Cukor, is complete. A Demon Awaits, the second book in the series offers a major twist in the storyline and challenges readers to forgive Randy Black’s mistakes and follow his journey in future novels. Gretchen Greene, the third Randy Black novel is the first in a series of characters Randy will be tasked with saving. CJ’s latest standalone thriller, The End of Marking Time, was published in 2010.

CJ hosts a Blog Talk Radio show called The Thriller-30 each month where he interviews contemporary thriller and suspense writers. CJ embraces social networking and keeps in touch with readers on Goodreads and Facebook.
More information on CJ: www.22wb.com
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When his knee shatters on the playing field, Charlie Marston is plunged into turmoil. The fallen college superstar joins the family winemaking business, but working alongside his parents is not the future he had planned. He escapes work whenever he can and soon finds a new friend named Randy Black. Randy is part stunt-pilot, part Casanova, and part drunken Pied Piper. Randy introduces Charlie to Deirdre Deudon, the provocative wife of a French farmer. They come together in an ill-conceived stunt that explodes into consequences that chase Charlie and Randy back home to Massachusetts and change Deirdre's life forever. The after-effects of this tragic mistake bind the three of them together and threaten everything they hold dear.

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Sample Sunday - WIP The Road To Hell

Sunday samples are a great way to get to know new authors, their works and works in progress. I decided this week to share a work in progress instead of an excerpt from one of my published books. Mainly because samples are out there of the printed books, as well as this is something totally different for me. I've never written in first person before so I'm anxious for comments on how you think it's going. I've been told this is somewhat of a combination of the movies Ghost and Constantine with a whole new twist. Perhaps it will make the big screen someday - who knows, I can dream can't I?
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CHAPTER ONE

You grow up poor you've got to wonder if God's got a sense of humor. All the crap life throws at you. And He gives you mothers. It's kind of like that guy Brandon Lee said in the movie The Crow--"Mother is the name for God on the lips and hearts of all children."

He got that right. My momma wasn't just a good woman. She was a Saint. Somehow she managed to raise four kids on a waitress' salary. And three of them turned out pretty good. Or would have. But that's another story.

Sometimes when I'm thinking about momma I have to wonder if she knew about God's sense of humor. She read us the good book every night, but she never said nothing about no sense of humor. Still, she had to know something. I mean, after three girls she got me. She had to figure God was up to something.

I’m Jake Savior, and yeah you might as well go ahead and laugh. Everybody else does. My clients are always telling me God's got a sense of humor. The people looking for me weren't looking for a savior. They were mostly searching the want ads for killer for hire. That's me. For the right price I put a lot of people out of other people's misery. Heck, I even done some for free. Some people deserve to die, and being the nice guy I am, I gladly obliged them.

But I'm digressing. Let's get back to God's sense of humor.

I'd a pretty good day. Won a few bucks on the horse races. Did a little charity work by ridding the world of one more piece of garbage. The courts seen fit to let a pedophile go--I didn't. So I was feeling pretty good about myself, except I was out of cigarettes.

Now anyone that knows me knows I love a good smoke. Last count I was up to five packs a day. Momma always said those thing were going to kill me. Turns out she was right.

Only a die-hard smoker goes out at 2:00 a.m. for smokes. Especially since all the safe places close down early, leaving only a few gas stations and convenience stores open at that hour. Still, I was willing to take my chances. It was too damn cold for thieves to bout and I really, really wanted that last cigarette before I turned the lights out and called it a day.

You've probably already concluded that I'm a smart ass bastard that beats my own drum. Some people will smoke anything. Not me. I'm a strict Kentucky Red's Best smoker. Which means whether I liked it or not I was gonna have to hoof it over to Winchester Road at this time of night. Not everybody carried Red's Best.

Being the cautious person I am, I scouted the parking lot and looked inside for milling customers. No cars and only one customer at the counter. I quickly ascertained he was one of the good guys like me, needing that last deep drag to calm his nerves before he called it a night. Boy was I wrong. Wrong place, wrong time and wrong guy. Five minutes after I entered the door of the Shaky Seven Gas to Go bullets started flying.

I've always heard that your life passes before your eyes when you're dying. Trust me, that's all bull. My last vision was that pack of Red's Best I held in my hand, and my last thought was how good that cigarette was gonna taste as soon as I got outside. Of course, that wouldn't have surprised anyone who really knew me. It wasn't any big surprise to me. I was surprised though. Having listened to momma all those years and growing up with three sisters extolling virtues that I never needed or wanted, I was expecting either that bright light to take me to Heaven, or most likely in my case, a little fire and brimstone trail leading to Hell. That didn't happen either.
# # #

Like the sample and want to know more? Check out Karen Cantwell's blog on January 20th where Karen and I will be discussing this work.

Want to sample my current works? Check out The Gifts, A Jacody Ives Mystery and/or Sacred Secrets, A Jacody Ives Mystery.

The Gifts

Sacred Secrets

Also available on Amazon in the UK, as well as B & N, Sony, Kobo, Diesel and Smashwords.

Have a great Sunday and Happy Reading!

If you like this, or even if you didn't--please leave a comment below. All constructive criticism is greatly appreciated.

Entangled by Barbara Ellen Brink $2.99

Barbara Ellen Brink is a freelance writer and novelist, supported financially by a loving husband who just happens to have a better paying job. Her novel, “Time in a Bottle,” was selected as a finalist in the Pacific Northwest Writer's contest in 2006 and her novel, “Sense of Danger,” was a finalist in the 2007 contest. Barbara’s short stories and articles have been published in THEMA Literary Magazine, The Springhill Review, Evangel, Liguorian, and others. “Entangled” is her first published novel.
She grew up on a small farm in Washington State, but now lives in the mean “burbs” of Minnesota with her husband and their dogs, Rugby & Willow. With her kids now pushed out of the nest and encouraged to fly, Barbara spends much time writing, motorcycling with her husband in the summer, and hiking through the snow with the dogs in the winter.

The second book in the Fredrickson Winery Saga will be out sometime in March.
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A Minneapolis attorney inherits a small California winery, reawakening memories that have lain dormant for twenty years. One summer of her childhood is a mystery she intends to solve. But digging up her past also lays bare the skeletons of others, including her mother’s. Entangled between what she once believed and a new reality, will she be able to live with the consequences of full disclosure?

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His Majesty, Prince of Toads - Delle Jacobs - $.99

I like to say I live in a fantasy world of endless green forests, cascading silvery rivers that run between shining, snow-capped mountains, and within reach of both a high desert scabland and a sandy-beached, marine blue ocean. It's called Washington State. I share this wonderland with two to three generations of adult males (more or less, depending on time and circumstances), the requisite two writer's cats of mixed heritage and contradicting dispositions, and all sorts of other mossy-backed folk who don't mind the rain that makes our land so magical. I love to fill my historical and fantasy romance with this same feeling of magic.

I'm a three time winner of the Golden Heart and have won many other awards for my books. I have been involved in e-publishing almost from the industry's beginning. Besides writing, my other favorite addiction is designing covers for ebooks.

Now, it's true, my life doesn't always seem all that rich in fantasy and beauty. But every word of it is true. I might have dressed it up a bit for the introductions, but since that's the way I like it, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

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Review
"His Majesty, Prince of Toads is a delightful romance with interacting dialogue that spins with interesting characters. Sophie's strong-will stays grounded when matched against Lucas. Suffering within the midst of a war has softened him and his trepidation can be felt through his voice. Delle Jacobs creates a believable page-turner. With some well-rounded secondary characters and tight emotions, this reader found this refreshing tale thoroughly captivating." Reviewed by Cherokee of Coffee Time Romance "Delle Jacobs is expert at relationship building and developing original plots. She's the author of two earlier Regency romances, MUDLARK and LADY VALIANT, that I also recommend highly. HIS MAJESTY, THE PRINCE OF TOADS is a treat historical readers won't want to miss." Reviewed by Jane Bowers of Romance Reviews Today
Product Description
Sometimes it takes more than a kiss to change a toad into a handsome prince.

When Captain Lucas Deverall returns from the Peninsular War to succeed to his deceased brother's title, he grudgingly decides to take back his wife. But even before he learns the circumstances of his inheritance, he encounters her at a New Year's gala. Shock sets in as he realizes the most beautiful woman in England is the same gangly, calf-eyed chit who tricked him into marriage six years before.

That's not how Sophie remembers it. She wishes fervently she'd had the sense not to scream when the drunken scapegrace crawled into her bed at her Uncle Harry's house party. True, she'd had a secret tendre for the handsome wastrel, until his scathing denunciation of her after their forced wedding. Then he went off to war without even consummating their union, and for six years she heard nothing from him.

Now the toad offers her forgiveness in exchange for his presence in her bed? Revenge comes more to mind.

And so the battle of wits begins. And the harder they fight it, the more they fall in love.

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REVIEW - Take The Monkeys and Run by Karen Cantwell

I have been writing plays and short stories for many years, some of which were published in various college literary magazines. More recently, my short story "The Recollections of Rosabelle Raines," was published in the mystery anthology Chesapeake Crimes: They Had it Comin' available at Amazon.com.

But I had always wanted to write a novel. I found that more difficult. Finally, a few years ago I became inspired to write my first novel, Take the Monkeys and Run, a comedy-mystery, inspired, to some degree by a true monkey sighting in my own neighborhood. Because I love to laugh as well as make other people laugh, I have the most fun imagineable writing the character Barbara Marr along with her friends and adversaries. When I set out to write this book, I knew I wanted to write something that readers would say, "Now that was FUN."
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If you're looking for a fun, entertaining read then you really need to look no further than Take the Monkeys and Run. A die-hard mystery fan myself I wasn't sure I was going to like this. I'm normally pulled in by intrigue, suspense and thrillers that leave me on the edge of my seat or jumping when the house creaks or a dog howls. I read an excerpt from this book on twitter's samplesunday and was immediately captivated by an amazing character that I had to know more about. I totally emphasized with Barbara Marr and could relate not only to her situation, but her quirky sense of humor in dealing with it. Add to that mix two best friends trying to keep her out of trouble (I have those types of friends too), but instead find themselves pulled into the mystery and you have what I suspect is rural living in America. At least where I grew up.

Most of you who have read my reviews know I don't review on book sites like Amazon or B & N and you know my reasons for that. One it isn't allowed (although not everyone adheres to that) and two it's impossible for those reading a review to know if the authors are associated, personal friends, etcetera.

I've met Ms. Cantwell on Indie boards, Kindle Boards, Twitter and Facebook. I don’t personally know her, and the review below is my personal opinion on her book, not her personally. I am not a professional reviewer, but a reader who knows what she likes and what she doesn't. So let's get to it.

Overall Book - 5 stars

For a book to be entertaining it has to have a beginning, a middle and an end. Ms. Cantwell has written a book that in my personal opinion exceeds those limits. You're immediately drawn into a story with an entertaining character and a mystery to solve, an enjoyable journey as you follow Barb, Peggy and Roz attempting to solve the mystery, and an ending that resolves those issues. The book was well written and well formatted--although I did find two typos therein. I probably found these only because I'm a professional proof reader. They did nothing to detract from the story and I've found many more in traditionally published books. Therefore I'm still giving Ms. Cantwell a 5 for the overall book.

Chacterization - 5 stars

Ms. Cantwell's characters are well developed and compliment each other. Peggy and Roz are truly women I can relate to knowing. And Barb Marr - while perhaps not your typical female, I'll bet there's a lot of men and women out there that could relate to her personality with the comment "I know somebody just like that". Which is one of the things that makes this book so entertaining. It's not just for women. I bet there are a lot of male readers out there who would love it. I know Coby thinks I'm as dingy as Barb when I'm out traipsing through graveyards or old abandoned buildings. Thank God I haven't run across any monkeys in my travels - although perhaps a few ghostly entities.

Plot - 5 stars

Combine a rural housewife, two nosey friends, an abandoned house with late night visits and you have a "I need to know" story developing. Mix that with someone yelling "No Toes" and well, you've got to know who, what, where and when as well as why. Mix in a handsome ex-boyfriend now turned private investigator, a husband not playing to form, and monkeys in the trees along with neighbors who suddenly slam doors in your face and you have an excellent plot.

It isn't often that I can't find something negative to say about a book. Heck, I can even find a few negatives about my own books, but it was difficult to find anything negative to say about Take the Monkeys and Run. There was a point where Barb's quirkiness got on my nerves just a little bit, but not so much that I didn't want to keep reading.

The next time you're looking for a fun, entertaining book for a quiet evening at home I hope you'll check out Take the Monkeys and Run. Read the sample like I did, or take my word for it and click the link below. I don't think you're going to be disappointed.

Kindle Edition - Still $.99

DaSample - Elizabeth Reyes - A WIP - Unspeakable

My guest today is Elizabeth Reyes. Her works include Forever Mine, A Night Owl Review 5 Star "Top Pick". Today Elizabeth is sharing something new. We hope you enjoy it.

Elizabeth Reyes is a self published writer. Her debut YA romance novel Forever Mine is available now on Amazon US, Amazon UK and B&N Nook. It's received great reviews and is the first in the series, The Moreno Brothers. The second in the series is due to be released in the next few months. For more on Elizabeth and to read more samples of Elizabeth's work visit her blog The Beginnings.
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UNSPEAKABLE

Lydia didn’t bother with an umbrella as she rushed out the door pulling the hood of her coat over her head. Panic was beginning to creep in. The last time Tanner had wandered off it’d been almost an hour before they found him and she’d been that close to calling the police but it wasn’t raining then.

The water roared down the street. Would Tanner even be able to get across it? The Manning’s lived on the other side of the street. She made her way through the rushing water soaking her pants almost to her knees and rushed up the Manning’s walkway. She saw someone peek through one of the side windows. She rang the bell and waited. No one answered the door. Someone had obviously seen her. Maybe the doorbell wasn’t working. She knocked three times loudly. Finally someone turned the locks on the door. Rebecca Manning cracked the door open but just enough for her face to show. “Yes?”

The Manning’s had never been the friendliest people in the neighborhood and the two older teens were known to be bullies. So she’d specifically asked Wesley and Bruce to stay away from them.

“Hi, I was just wondering if Tanner was here. We can’t seem to find him and I know he’s wandered over here to play with Kelly before.”

“No,” Rebecca replied. “No, we haven’t seen him.”

Lydia stood there for a moment, not knowing what else to say. She’d been so sure she’d find him there. And Rebecca hadn’t bothered asking anyone else in the house. “Really so you haven’t seen him at all today?”

“Is that Tanner’s mom?” She heard Kelly ask from behind the door.

Rebecca closed the door a little more as if to keep Kelly from looking out. Lydia and Rebecca’s eyes locked for a moment then Lydia answered. “Yes, honey it’s me you haven’t seen him?”

“No she hasn’t.” Rebecca answered closing the door down to a few inches. “I’m trying to keep the cold out. Kelly’s been a bit sick these last couple of days.”

Lydia nodded. “Okay well I’ll let you go then. Please let me know if you do see him.”

She was officially panicked now. She rushed up the street. The boys were at the house next door and David her neighbor was talking to them. Lydia hurried to them.

“Lydia,” David said as she reached them. “I haven’t seen him but if you’d like I can help you look for him. How long has he been missing?”

Missing? Dear God. “I’m not even sure. But I’m really getting worried.” She thought about it for a moment. “About forty minutes maybe?” It seemed like an eternity already.

“Well just relax he’s probably around here somewhere.” He smiled but it did nothing to calm Lydia’s nerves. “We’ll find him. Just let me grab my jacket”

“Thank you so much, David. I’m gonna go home and call Sean.” She started to walk away then turned. “You boys keep knocking on doors. Hurry!”

Lydia gulped hard as she walked in her home. She called out for Tanner a few more times and when he didn’t answer reality sunk in. He was really missing, and in this horrible weather. She picked up the phone and when the call to Sean’s direct line went to voicemail she hung up and picked it up it up immediately. She tried his secretary’s line. Annie, his secretary’s cheery voice greeted her.

“Is Sean there I need to talk to him it’s an emergency.”

“Yes of course let me put you through.”

Sean answered on the first ring. The moment she heard his voice she broke down.
“Sean, Tanner’s missing!” She sobbed.

“What? What do you mean missing? Since when?”

Lydia struggled to speak clearly. “About forty minutes but he’s nowhere. We’ve looked all over the house the neighbors, the boys are out there looking now so is David from next door, and it’s pouring out there. I don’t know what to do!”

“Did you check Kelly’s house?”

“Yes, he’s not there. They haven’t seen him. What do I do Sean?”

“Wait.. It’s only been forty minutes. I’m leaving now if you haven’t found him by the time I get there we’ll call the police. Are you sure he’s didn’t fall asleep somewhere like in a closet or something?”

“I’ll check again.”

As soon as she hung up she ran to the bedrooms. “Tanner baby, mommy’s really scared now. If you’re hiding please, please come out!”

She checked all the closets and under all the beds she ran through the back yard checking the shed and even in the dog house. Standing on her tip toes she looked over the back fence and her heart nearly gave out the stream was almost to her fence. What if – she stopped her thoughts. She wouldn’t even consider the possibilities.

The sliding door to the patio opened. Lydia spun around it was Wesley. “Did you find him?”
He shook his head. “No. Where do you think he’s at, mom?”
“I don’t know! But we have to keep looking.” She walked toward him

“Are you crying?”

Lydia wiped her face. “No it’s the rain. Did you knock on everyone’s door?”

“Well not everyone’s but all the one’s he’d go to.”

“And no one’s seen him?” Lydia ran her hands through her soaking hair.

“Nope.” Wesley bit his lip. “Mom, the other day…he was asking me about the river.”

Lydia stared at him, terror raced through her veins. “What about it?”

“He wanted to know if I’d ever gone swimming in it. I said no, it was too dirty. But he said he wanted to.”

“Oh no!” Lydia rushed in the house. Sean said they should wait but she couldn’t anymore. She struggled to breathe steady as she dialed.

“Nine one one what’s your emergency?”

“Yes I need to report a missing child!”

DaSample - Second Chances by Valerie Maarten

Premise: After 20 years of the pain and suffering from the loss of a loved one, Dain and Kadi must confront the ghosts that haunt their past, present and future. Will they, in turn, be able to embrace their Second Chances?

The set-up: Kadi needed to see her father after his release from prison for murder. Although she remembered little about that horrid time, she still remembered the man that loved and cherished her. Now, after all these years, she must confront her beloved father and ask him if he’s the monster all of society labeled him to be.
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Kadi stood at her father’s door. This was further than where she had gotten yesterday. “Here goes nothing,” she said under her breath. She took in a deep breath. She held it for a moment then blew out. She knocked.

She didn’t hear anything at first. Suddenly a calm washed over her. Relief. Maybe he wasn’t here. Maybe she didn’t have to face him and…. The door opened and she stood still, unable to breathe and incapable of moving.

For a long while, they both just stood in the doorway. No one said a word. The flood of emotions and the endless barrage of questions seemed to be barreling ahead, blinding them for a moment. Then he cleared his throat. His voice sounded raspy and hoarse, like he hadn’t used his voice to speak in years. “Kadi?”

Tears began to well up in her eyes and she couldn’t stop them from flowing. Her throat constricted, preventing her words from coming out. She simply nodded.
The look of complete pain and joy took over his aging face. He didn’t know how to react, just stood there with his hands to his side and waited for her to give him permission…a sign that it was all right to embrace, to hold her and tell her how much he loved and missed her.

The permission he sought was written all over her face. He cautiously took her into his bony arms. She could tell that underneath his shirt he was frail, just skin and bones. But she didn’t care. He was here, right now…holding her.
“Papa, I’m so glad to see you,” she managed to eke out after a long while.
“I’ve missed you, Angel. I’ve missed you so much.” He gave her a tight squeeze and let her cry on his shoulder.

They spent the next few hours talking and crying and catching up as best they could on each other’s lives. It didn’t take long for Kadi to realize that their lives were not that dissimilar. In a sense, she had also been imprisoned for the last 20 years. She didn’t realize until talking to her father that she hadn’t begun to live, until this moment.

Her reunion with her father was more than she had dreamed about over the years. For the life of her, she couldn’t remember what she was so apprehensive about. She learned, by talking to him, that he had quite the sense of humor. She couldn’t say what type of wherewithal a person would need to possess in order to retain some of life’s precious gifts, like humor and hope. But whatever it was, you had to be strong. And she learned that he was that…he was strong.

After the pleasantries of becoming reacquainted were over, she knew she had to ask the hard questions. She simply couldn’t leave without having done so. In this moment of clarity she realized that no matter what her father told her today, she would still love him the same. She may be sorely disappointed or maybe even appalled, but she would never stop loving him, as he had never stopped loving her.
“Papa,” her voice was soft and unsure, “…are you….did you kill Hanna?”

He didn’t flinch. His eyes stared off, but he didn’t blink. Kadi could feel her heart pounding up in her throat. She steeled herself as she waited for his response. And silently she prayed. Her heart was ripping from her chest and her mouth turned dry.

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ORDER NOW!


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Website

Monday--DaSample - Shades of Gray

Joleene Naylor grew up in southwest Iowa surrounded by corn and very little entertainment – so she made her own. She’s been writing and drawing since she was a child, with a leaning towards fantasy, horror and paranormal. It’s this love of all that goes bump in the night that lead her to write the Amaranthine vampire series. In her spare time she’s a freelance artist and photographer. Joleene does freelance book cover art, maintains blogs full of odd ramblings, illustrates a webcomic and hopes to win the lottery. However, unless she starts buying tickets she may never actually win anything.

From Shades of Gray by Joleene Naylor, Book 1 in the Amaranthine series: Where vampires live in the shadows and don’t sparkle.

When they reached the motel, Jorick unlocked the door and hurriedly stuffed her into the room. He promised he'd be back momentarily and took off, leaving her alone.
She flopped onto the bed and flipped through the TV channels. She ran the gamut of the basic cable’s offerings without finding anything to hold her interest. In desperation, she settled on the local news. She was just ready to change the channel again, when a report came on about an abandoned farmhouse that had burned to the ground. Authorities weren’t certain yet what had happened, but there were human remains among the wreckage and they suspected that they’d been having a party when calamity struck.

Katelina’s mouth dropped open like a cartoon character. It was Jorick's house – or the house he'd been in, anyway. The blonde anchorwoman, shiny nailed hands folded on the desk in front of her, said that they were still trying to contact the owner and ID the bodies at this time. So far they had no idea who anyone inside had been. A stripped, abandoned car had been found nearby and the police were using the VIN numbers to find the owner, but so far the name had not been released to the media.
Katelina felt dizzy and strange. Seeing the skeletal remains of the small house on television and listening to the reporter’s neatly clipped voice seemed to make the entire thing really real. It made it an event. It made it an inescapable truth that she didn't want to face.

A terrible voice in her head told her that the “stripped and abandoned car” was her car; her happy, shiny red car that she’d paid on for three years. She groaned silently, thinking about how much it was going to cost to repair the damage.
Despite her shock, she found one thing amusing: she could imagine the look on the coroner’s face when they brought him a bag full of skulls with pointy teeth! How long would it take them to figure that out?

The news gave way to a sit–com, but the segment left her feeing unsettled. She found herself glancing at the door and wishing that Jorick would hurry up.
Another sit–com followed, just as ridiculous as the first. Katelina made it halfway through the second one before she gave up on it. She pressed the button on the remote and, in the second of silence as the television flipped from one channel to another, she heard a noise outside the door.

“At last,” she muttered, grateful for company. She switched off the TV and started towards the door when it suddenly burst open.
The pale man who came striding into the room – teeth bared and hair cropped short – was obviously not Jorick. His shining fangs made the word “vampire” scream through her skull and forced her to visibly cringe. There, before her, was a nasty reminder of last night and the truth the news had echoed.

“Where is he?” His eyes made quick, jerky movements as he surveyed the room.

“Wha– who?” she stuttered as another man came in the door behind him. His eyes were dark and a snarling smirk was pasted on his cruel, pointy face.
The shorthaired vampire drew closer to her. “You know who I mean; that conceited ass, Jorick.”

Panic surged in her and she stammered, “I – I don't know where he is.”
“Sure you don't.” He smiled evilly. “Perhaps some persuasion will jog your memory?” He took a step towards her. His long pale fingers stretched through the empty space between them, reaching for her.
She jerked away and tried to run for the door, but the second vampire blocked her path.

Katelina realized that she wasn't going to make it out the door; not with the pair of them in the way. Her heart pounded through her body. Her hands were slick and her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. She didn't know what she was going to do!

Buy the book:

Amazon US (paperback)
Amazon US (kindle)
Smashwords

Website:

http://JoleeneNaylor.com