Showing posts with label Book Feature. Show all posts

For the first time, facts and common misconceptions about the Military Lifestyle have been accessibly presented and composed in a manner that specifically appeals to non-military friends and family members. This book is meant to apply to all families and friends of our service(wo)men of every branch within the military. It was written in order to make a positive difference by giving people within the civilian world the information they need to understand the experiences of and reconnect with those that protect their freedoms and rights. Stay close to your service members, for they truly need you.

Reviewed by “Circle of Moms” Top Military Bloggers:

“This resource is perfect for EVERYONE with ANY connection to the military community, and should be on everyone’s shelf!” – Judy Davis – TheDirectionDiva.com

“[This] book is absolutely brilliant!” – Cat Lang – NutsInANutshell.blogspot.com

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Military Family

Rating – G

More details about the author

Connect with  Yvonne Jones on Facebook

Website http://www.understandingyourserviceman.com/

Here are all three suspenseful mysteries in one book!

Forevermore, the first mystery, was a #2 bestseller in Amazon’s Historical Mystery category. It has received outstanding reviews from readers, and it establishes Pat O’Malley as a detective sleuth par excellence. The second mystery, Disappearance at Mount Sinai, continues the development of the characters amidst an excellent caper. The third mystery, Jane the Grabber, plunges O’Malley into the middle of the Steampunk world, and it marks a turning point in the novels to come.

Forevermore Synopsis:

“Musgrave mixes accurate history with a spell-binding plot to create an amazing who-done-it! Watch for more Pat O’Malley Mysteries.”

In post Civil War New York City, Detective Pat O’Malley is living inside Poe’s Cottage in the Bronx. O’Malley is haunted by Poe one night, and the detective finds a strange note. As a result, O’Malley decides to prove that Edgar Allan Poe did not die in Baltimore from an alcoholic binge but was, instead, murdered. O’Malley quickly becomes embroiled in a “cold case” that thrusts him into the lair of one of the most sinister and ruthless killers in 1865 New York City.

Jim Musgrave’s “Forevermore” is a quick read in four acts that will keep your mind razor sharp trying to solve the mystery of Poe’s murder. Pat O’Malley must first find out how to become intimate with females before he can discover the final clue in this puzzle of wits, murder and romance.

Disappearance at Mount Sinai Synopsis:

What if the anti-Semites, racists, and terrorists wanted the final revenge following the Civil War? How do you stop them from committing the worst atrocity?

It’s 1866 in New York City. Civil War Vet and Detective Pat O’Malley’s biggest case returns him to the deep, dark South to search for the kidnapped wealthiest inventor and entrepreneur in America. But the widening gyre of anti-Semitism and racism pulls him down into the pit of hell itself. Disguised as an Oxford England Professor, O’Malley infiltrates the anti-Semites’ group and travels with his partners, Becky Charming and his father, Robert, down to a Collierville, Tennessee mansion.

At the crux of this case are a Jewish father and his five-year-old son, Seth. They have developed a unique bond that relies on Jewish folklore and a belief that they are Mazikeen, half-angel and half-human, born from the loins of Adam’s strange female cohorts during the 130 years he was banished from the Garden. Will O’Malley find Dr. Mergenthaler before it’s too late? What does this world-wide eugenics group have planned for the mongrel races? Read Jim Musgrave’s Disappearance at Mount Sinai, the second mystery in the series of Pat O’Malley Mini-Mysteries.

Jane the Grabber Synopsis:

What was it like before women were given rights to determine their own destinies? How was abortion and birth control used in the 1860s? What happens to a society when the last sexual taboo is permitted? Find out in the third mystery in the Pat O’Malley Historical Steampunk Mystery Series, Jane the Grabber.

Buy Now @ Amazon @ Createspace

Genre – Historical Steampunk Mystery

Rating – PG13

More details about the author

Connect with  Jim Musgrave on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://contempinstruct.com/Forevermore/

Here are all three suspenseful mysteries in one book!

Forevermore, the first mystery, was a #2 bestseller in Amazon’s Historical Mystery category. It has received outstanding reviews from readers, and it establishes Pat O’Malley as a detective sleuth par excellence. The second mystery, Disappearance at Mount Sinai, continues the development of the characters amidst an excellent caper. The third mystery, Jane the Grabber, plunges O’Malley into the middle of the Steampunk world, and it marks a turning point in the novels to come.

Forevermore Synopsis:

“Musgrave mixes accurate history with a spell-binding plot to create an amazing who-done-it! Watch for more Pat O’Malley Mysteries.”

In post Civil War New York City, Detective Pat O’Malley is living inside Poe’s Cottage in the Bronx. O’Malley is haunted by Poe one night, and the detective finds a strange note. As a result, O’Malley decides to prove that Edgar Allan Poe did not die in Baltimore from an alcoholic binge but was, instead, murdered. O’Malley quickly becomes embroiled in a “cold case” that thrusts him into the lair of one of the most sinister and ruthless killers in 1865 New York City.

Jim Musgrave’s “Forevermore” is a quick read in four acts that will keep your mind razor sharp trying to solve the mystery of Poe’s murder. Pat O’Malley must first find out how to become intimate with females before he can discover the final clue in this puzzle of wits, murder and romance.

Disappearance at Mount Sinai Synopsis:

What if the anti-Semites, racists, and terrorists wanted the final revenge following the Civil War? How do you stop them from committing the worst atrocity?

It’s 1866 in New York City. Civil War Vet and Detective Pat O’Malley’s biggest case returns him to the deep, dark South to search for the kidnapped wealthiest inventor and entrepreneur in America. But the widening gyre of anti-Semitism and racism pulls him down into the pit of hell itself. Disguised as an Oxford England Professor, O’Malley infiltrates the anti-Semites’ group and travels with his partners, Becky Charming and his father, Robert, down to a Collierville, Tennessee mansion.

At the crux of this case are a Jewish father and his five-year-old son, Seth. They have developed a unique bond that relies on Jewish folklore and a belief that they are Mazikeen, half-angel and half-human, born from the loins of Adam’s strange female cohorts during the 130 years he was banished from the Garden. Will O’Malley find Dr. Mergenthaler before it’s too late? What does this world-wide eugenics group have planned for the mongrel races? Read Jim Musgrave’s Disappearance at Mount Sinai, the second mystery in the series of Pat O’Malley Mini-Mysteries.

Jane the Grabber Synopsis:

What was it like before women were given rights to determine their own destinies? How was abortion and birth control used in the 1860s? What happens to a society when the last sexual taboo is permitted? Find out in the third mystery in the Pat O’Malley Historical Steampunk Mystery Series, Jane the Grabber.

Buy Now @ Amazon @ Createspace

Genre – Historical Steampunk Mystery

Rating – PG13

More details about the author

Connect with  Jim Musgrave on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://contempinstruct.com/Forevermore/

$250 Amazon.com gift card giveaway

10 Things I Wish I Knew About Being an Author I Didn’t Know Before

by Rachel Thompson

When I first started writing my author blog (about four and a half years ago), I had NO idea the extent of marketing I would have to do once I published my first book.

Now that I’m three books in (all bestsellers), I’ve developed a system that works for me. It’s not brain surgery, it’s not impossible, but it is hard work.

And it all starts with having an author platform.

Lots of people have written about author platforms; but back then, I had no comprehension of what that meant (and while I have a fairly extensive sales and marketing background, publishing was all new to me).
So what is an author platform and how can knowing this help you? I’m drawing on my own experiences, what I’ve read and learned, as well as the business clients who do what I recommend.

Let’s deconstruct.

The primary components of any platform include:

• Social Media
• Website
• Blog
• Ads
• Digital copy.

I’ll break down each one with an additional tip on how I do things.

1. Social Media: Everyone knows you have to be on (at the very least), Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads. That’s kind of a given. What people don’t tell you is that you need a Facebook page, separate from your personal Facebook account (however you can manage it from there). Why? Facebook personal accounts (where you ‘friend’ people) were not created for selling. Also, they limit you to 5,000 friends, which sounds like a lot, but once you get more well-known? Not so much.
2. Success: For the best chance at success, be sure to not go into social media thinking, ‘Hey this is awesome! I’m just gonna link to my own books all the time, in every share, message, and tweet!’ Not only will people unfollow/unfriend you, it’s also extremely counterproductive to doing any actual selling. Tip: Use keywords that connect to your subject/genre. Glean articles from the Net and share those. RT/share others. Be generous in supporting people. Add visual formats like YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest. And above all else, have a presence on G+. Google owns it. Google is the largest search engine in the world. You do the math.
3. Website: I had NO idea until I finally convinced myself to switch from blogger to WordPress.org that my SEO/SMO was in the tank. Why does this matter? Paying someone (not a lot) to optimize my site (and then coaching me on how to do it) has made a huge difference in my Google ranking and Alexa.com score. What does that mean? I’m more visible, more exposed (in a good way!), and I’ve made it easier for people to find me.
4. Optimization: It’s okay if you don’t understand what it means. Hire someone who does. I truly had no clue how important it was to optimize my site or what all was involved. I’m grateful to @SugarBeatBC for her knowledge and patient help.
5. Blog: A natural extension of any author is your blog. Again, use your keywords to come up with subjects or a theme to your writing, and update your blog at least once per week. Google’s algorithms look at how fresh your content is. If you don’t post often, your ranking goes down. Boo.
6. Topics: Confused on what to blog about? Find blogs you really like, and see what their focus is. Write about what you know. Share excerpts from your book(s). Have guests (remember, be generous?). Tip: post on the weekend for more comments, during the week for more shares (Source: Dan Zarrella).
7. Ads: Many authors don’t want to tangle with the beast that is Google AdWords. I didn’t either! I tried to learn many times but looking at cost per keyword makes me think of algebra class and hey, writer here. Math is NOT my forte. So I make my husband do it. Ha! (In fact, he’s become so proficient at doing AdWords, he hung up his shingle at The AdWords Guy, and helps other authors learn, or manages their campaigns for them.)
8. Keywords: Yes, again. Even if you don’t get how AdWords works, at least you can use their Keyword Tool to run your words through (ie, I use relationships, grief, loss, love, romance, etc.). It’s free and fairly easy to use.
9. eBook or Digital Copy: Is it really necessary to have an eBook version of your book? In a word: duh. Of course it is! Report vary, but anywhere from 50-70% of all books purchased over the last year were in eBook format; of those, 50% were purchased from Amazon.

(People are still somewhat confused about this. You CAN purchase eBooks from Amazon without a Kindle. All you need to do is download their free apps for smartphone, computer, tablet, or cloud. It’s SO easy! Even Nook readers can read Amazon books (not on their Nook of course. Barnes and Noble isn’t stupid.), but from the free apps.)

10) Embrace Technology: No matter what your personal opinions are about eBooks, digital content is our future – right now. As baby boomers age, purchases made from home have skyrocketed. Younger people have become used to the instant gratification from gaming and social media, which makes eBooks perfect for your younger demographic.

Okay, that’s it! Almost every single one of these points I learned during the process of publishing or after. I hope they help you to be successful but remember, first and foremost, write a terrific book first!

Check out my books on Amazon: A Walk In The Snark, Mancode: Exposed, and my latest, Broken Pieces. Find me on Twitter at @RachelintheOC or my business @BadRedheadMedia. Look up the same names on G+, Facebook, Pinterest, etc. I’m everywhere!

PRAISE FOR BROKEN PIECES:

‘So ridiculously amazing, I can’t take it’ ~ Gabe Berman, Author ‘Live LIke A Fruit Fly‘

‘Engrossed. It is a grippingly brilliant work’ ~ Frank Feather, author and blogger

‘Any woman who has had a former lover (or two or three) will be able to relate to this. Her writing is very poetic.’ ~ LS Hullinger, reader, writer

‘A brilliant and intense must read’ ~ Jeffery Rowan, reader

Out less than three weeks, Broken Pieces already hit the Paid Top 10 list on Women’s Studies!

Welcome to bestselling author Rachel Thompson’s newest nonfiction work! Vastly different in tone from her previous essay collections A Walk In The Snark and The Mancode: Exposed, BROKEN PIECES is a collection of pieces inspired by one woman’s life: love, loss, abuse, trust, grief, and ultimately, love again.

This is NOT a humor book! It IS a book about relationships, a study of women, a book with heart.Want to see why people love it? Why they call it ‘riveting, powerful, insightful?’

Read it and see why Broken Pieces is tearing up the lists for Nonfiction, Women’s Studies, and books for women!

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – NonFiction

Rating – PG13

More details about the author

Connect with Rachel Thompson on Twitter & Facebook

***See why A Walk In The Snark won Best Runner-up 2012 Nonfiction Virtual Book Fair Indie Book Awards!***

**See Thompson’s first book and decide for yourself if you love it — or hate it!

Thank YOU for making A Walk In The Snark a #1 Bestseller on multiple charts including Motherhood, Parenting & Family, Family Relationships, Advice/How-To, Women’s Studies and more! AND a Top 100 Overall Paid bestseller!

Be forewarned — the material in this collection has been called controversial in nature. It is a relationship book based on the author’s popular blog. There are recurrent themes regarding men and women, love and loss, romance and parenting. This is intentional. 

It’s not ALL humor, but it IS all honest. Can you handle the snark?

Sometimes I think I’m too jaded. Then I think no, it’s just the lighting.

Praise for A Walk In The Snark – now a #1 Bestseller!
5 of 5 stars!

The commonalities we all share is what makes this book spark to life. - Tony Eldridge, Author, The Samson Effect

Thank you for making the lives of women and men more intelligible, Rachel, and for making us laugh at ourselves! - Berit Ellingsen, Author, The Empty City

Rachel believes “Men are from Seinfeld, Women are from Friends,” and so do her legions of fans. She dares to ask “Why do men want to change the world, but can’t change a roll of toilet paper?” Are you offended easily? Take satire literally? Don’t buy this book. 

See why everyone is buying this book! Mancode, Chickspeak, and much, much more!  See why critics love it! 

More praise:

5/5 Stars:  Crisp, cutting, and caffeinated. A gem of a read. ~Rebecca Tsaros Dickson, Author, I Could Tell You Stories; Editor-In-Chief, Indie Ink

The author’s wicked sense of humor sprinkles every day stories of relationship angst with spicy hot pepper with keeping it real adventure. ~Bonnie Jean Adams, Chicago Culture And Events Examiner

Want to know why this book reached #1 on the Kindle Motherhood list (and Parenting & Families, and Women’s Studies and…) and is still a mainstay months and months later?

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Humor / NonFiction

Rating – PG13

More details about the author

Connect with Rachel Thompson on Twitter & Facebook

***You will either LOVE this controversial book or you will HATE it. If you have no sense of humor, DO NOT BUY IT.***

• ‘I’m over forty. I don’t have a blankie. I have vodka.’
• Note: this is not a book of advice, how-to, or self-help. The author deconstructs stereotypes with satire. Totally different concept.
• ‘I write about men, women, sex, & chocolate. My experiences, my truth, my martinis.’
• *Note: Thompson employs hashtags (i.e., the # sign) in her collection. Google it. These are not typos, people #deargod.
• Looking for a humorous take on family relationships or love and romance? Look no further.
• Praise for The Mancode: Exposed – already a #1 bestseller in Marriage, Parenting & Families AND Parenting & Relationships!

–As a long time warrior in the Battle of the Sexes, I would’ve won a lot more skirmishes had I had a copy of Mancode in my saddle. Reaching back toward my shotgun, I would’ve found this collection. Instead of shooting the man, I could’ve said, “Stop acting like a man!” Buy Mancode and stop wasting bullets. ~ Beth Wareham, author Power of No

–Finally! A woman who gets what I’m going through every day, from that whole spitting thing to my deep abiding love for chocolate. Well done! ~ Amber Scott, author of #1 Kindle bestsellers IRISH MOON, FIERCE DAWN, WANTED

–Mancode: Exposed is a scathingly funny, rapid fire and heartfelt look at men. Author Rachel Thompson delivers a satirical piece that invokes strong shades of Penny Marshall and Seth McFarlane. ~ Casey Ryan, Host & Creator, Cutting Room Floor radio program

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Humor / NonFiction

Rating – PG13

More details about the author

Connect with Rachel Thompson on Twitter & Facebook

More details about the author

Connect with Rachel Thompson on Twitter & Facebook

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Julian Rosado-Machain

English is not my native language, all the books are edited by a professional editor.

I can’t write in Spanish! I did try I swear…

I’ve stopped trying to explain to my friends or people I meet what Guardians Inc. is about. Since it has mythology, fantasy, alternate history and Science Fiction I was told many times that I sounded like a crazy person.

I have two older brothers, one is a sci-fi fan, the other is a fantasy hard-core fan, both tried to convert me to their ways… I ended up right in the middle.

I rely heavily on the opinion of a couple of friends to finalize the first draft of each book and on my editor to help me fix all those grammar problems and other stuff,- Like run on sentences…

I am unabashedly, irrevocably, uninequibably a cat person.

I spell wrong and create words all the time… I even say them wrong some times. Things like… uninequibably.

The first book I read in English was Edgar Rice Burroughs’ The Princess of Mars. The first book I read when I fully understood English was the same.

I was born in Washington D.C. in the Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital. I have an American birth certificate, but I can’t be a U.S. Citizen because my dad was in a diplomatic mission in the U.S. so both countries consider me as being born inside Mexican embassy grounds AKA Mexico.

Yes it is complicated and I’m quite confused about it too.

GUARDIANS INC.: THE CYPHER

A chance reading of a newspaper ad will send 16 year old Thomas Byrne into the world within our world.  Following the ad he will find Guardians Incorporated. A seven thousand year old organization charged with protecting the balance between Magic and technology. 

Through their guidance technology has kept Magic at bay since the Renaissance, but the balance is shifting and soon all those creatures we’ve driven into myth and legend will come back with a vengeance. To protect the present, Guardians Incorporated needs to know the future and to unlock the future they need a cypher.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – YA Fantasy / Adventure

Rating – G

More details about the author

Connect with Julian Rosado-Machain on Facebook

Website http://www.guardiansinc.com/

Best friends Duncan and Ray run a successful bookie business in Phoenix. Outgrowing the life they began in college, the late twenty-something pair set out on the road with a plan to never return. Their trip takes them cross-country with eventful stops in Las Vegas, Omaha, and Niagara Falls. Along their journey they meet several colorful characters and even agree to bring a pretty young girl named Ruby along with them for the ride. Landing in Boston to run an errand for an old friend, the travelers begin to lay roots in an attempt to forge for themselves the life they’d always hoped for. Easier said than done. As romances begin to burgeon, and one of their lives is put in danger, the group quickly discovers that where they are may indeed have little effect on who they are.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Contemporary Fiction/Literary Fiction

Rating – R

More details about the author

Connect with Brad Cotton on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://www.bradcotton.com/

In this modern world of science and high technology, in secret places deep under the ground and in the forest primeval, legends still walk the earth and what we think of as myth and fairy tale are all too real.

Driving home late one night, Melody Carver, bereft and grieving after the death of her mother, sees a strange creature standing on the lonely road. This being will change her world-view forever, and open her eyes to a reality beyond her imagination.

Melody’s chance encounter on that dark and snowy road will mark the beginning of a journey of discovery and wonder that will bring two worlds together in hope and despair.

Can one person bridge the gap between the ancient and the modern, the mundane and the magical?

An urban fantasy filled with adventure, romance, war, heartbreak and triumph!

ONIO! Unlike anything, you have ever read before!

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Fantasy/Romance

Rating – PG13

More details about the author

Connect with Linell Jeppsen on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://neljeppsen.weebly.com/

According to legend, King Arthur is supposed to return when Britain needs him most. So why does a man claiming to be the once and future king suddenly appear in Los Angeles?

This charismatic young Arthur creates a new Camelot within the City of Angels to lead a crusade of unwanted kids against an adult society that discards and ignores them. Under his banner of equality, every needy child is welcome, regardless of race, creed, sexual orientation, or gang affiliation.

With the help of his amazing First Knight, homeless fourteen-year-old Lance, Arthur transforms this ragtag band of rejected children and teens into a well-trained army-the Children of the Knight. Through his intervention, they win the hearts and minds of the populace at large, and gain a truer understanding of themselves and their worth to society. But seeking more rights for kids pits Arthur and the children squarely against the rich, the influential, and the self-satisfied politicians who want nothing more than to maintain the status quo.

Can right truly overcome might? Arthur’s hopeful young knights are about to find out, and the City of Angels will never be the same.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Edgy Young Adult

Rating – PG13

More details about the author

Connect with  Michael J. Bowler on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://michaeljbowler.com/

Why Independent Publishing Rocks

by Brie McGill

WWGD? What would Gutenberg do, if he could log onto Amazon and cruise around for books? (Other than, of course, be redirected to amazon.de to make a purchase.)

Love them or hate them, ebooks have dramatically reshaped the publishing landscape. I’m a diehard fan of the portable, apocalypse-proof hardbacks, but ebooks speak more to my budget. I only have Kindle for PC, but it has made me want to buy a reader, because I’ve since read a mountain of amazing texts not available in the local big-name bookstores.

When I finished writing my first book, Kain, I attempted to publish traditionally. I vowed to snag an agent. My manuscript was so polished I had to wear sunglasses to read it; I sleuthed the internet for tips like my life depended on it and spent nearly as much time crafting my query as I did my entire novel. I was ready to go!

A girlfriend of mine self-published. It was incomprehensible to me, doing all that marketing by myself. Plus, I didn’t have the guts to go out there, into the wild, all alone, with no one to back me up. And, wasn’t there a rumor that self-publishing “tarnished” one’s reputation, making it more difficult to snag an agent in the future? It’s the rumor that says, “An agent will see that you have self-published, give you the hairy eyeball, and say, ‘Well, why didn’t you come to me in the first place?’”

No one wants the hairy eyeball.

Bubbling with great enthusiasm, I launched a buck-wild querying bonanza. I found every appealing agent in every applicable genre for my book, studied their websites, studied their credentials, studied their blogs, toiled, sweat, and pored night and day over sending them the most graceful personalized introductions on the planet.

One, three, six, seven months later, that swathe of rejection letters came pouring in. It broke my heart, studying all those blogs, only to receive a “dear author” in return.

Now, I’m not railing on agents–I can only imagine the immense amount of work and pressure that comes with the job, wheeling and dealing with the big names. Agents receive something like 200 unsolicited emails every day. That many emails would drive me INSANE!

But this brings me to my point: right now, the publishing landscape is crazy. Bookstores are closing; a smaller environment means increased competition, with less agents willing to take on new authors.

Too bad for new authors!

To persist in an endeavor that would only bring certain heartache felt like clinging to a whimsical boyfriend who was never truly pleased: I sucked it up and went indie.

My neck was on the chopping block: it was up to me to secure my edits, without the help of the time-tested professionals. But I retained creative input on my cover. I stopped worrying about whether or not I needed to censor myself–writing queries felt like a dreadfully stuffy process, and I was not in my element. I realized I look better in my homemade robot suit than a blazer, slacks, and tie.

Traditionally published or not, there is no guarantee any author is ever going to make enough money to quit his day job–but the difference with independent publishing is, no longer do authors require the permission of someone else to at least try.

Ultimately, the entire process of me putting myself out there was rewarding, because it generated an incredible sense of self-empowerment. I started a project, set a goal, and saw it through every step to completion. I didn’t sell a lot of books my first month–I’m still quite new to the scene–but I did manage to pay my telecom bill, which was more than a stack of rejection letters ever did for anyone. I’m not famous, but a few total strangers chose to read my book of their own free will–my little old book, among so many others!–and they loved it.

If you love writing and have the burning need to share your stories, rain or shine–self-publishing might be for you. It takes guts to venture out into the wilderness all alone, especially the first time. But resonating with a readership, however small, is an incredible feeling–especially when it’s your heart and your magic, nothing else, that made it grow. I have so much to communicate and I want to share it now!

And I can. What would Gutenberg do?

Counting days is irrelevant in the life of a well-to-do man, unless he counts the days passed in total service to the Empire. Salute. Submit. Shut up and scan the wrist. Therapists armed with batons and brass knuckles guide the derelict along a well-beaten path to Glory.

When human experiment Lukian Valentin escapes the Empire to save his crumbling sanity–through a grimescape of fissured highways, collapsing factories, putrescent sewers–he realizes the fight isn’t only for his life, it’s for his mind. Torturous flashbacks from a murky past spur him on a quest for freedom, while the Empire’s elite retrievers remain at his heels, determined to bring him home for repair.

Lukian needs one doctor to remove the implanted chips from his body, and another to serve him a tall glass of answers. Lukian attempts a psychedelic salvage of his partitioned mind, gleaning fragments of the painful truth about his identity.

A scorching, clothes-ripping rendezvous with a mysterious woman offers Lukian a glimpse of his humanity, and respite from his nightmarish past. It also provides the Empire the perfect weakness to exploit for his recapture.

To rise to the challenge of protecting his new life, his freedom of thought, and his one shot at love, Lukian must reach deep into his mind to find his true identity. To defeat the Empire, he requires the deadly power of his former self–a power that threatens to consume him.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Sci-Fi/Steamy Romance

Rating – R (18+)

More details about the author

Connect with Brie McGill on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://www.sexdrugsandcyberpunk.com/

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp? I’d like readers to explore a bit their feelings about guilt and forgiveness; how much can people forgive as opposed to how much God can forgive, etc.  Also, the damage that can be done by emotional bullying—“soul-killers” as Hector calls them.  It can be far worse than actual physical harm.

How much of the book is realistic? The settings and scenes and the general high school/mall scene are pretty authentic, but most everything is what I’d call hyper-real, kind of like a comic or graphic novel, where good people are really good (even if they do bad things), and bad people are really, really bad, and settings are exaggerations of the actual.

Have you included a lot of your life experiences, even friends, in the plot? No, other than feeling the sting of being emotionally trashed by people in jr. high and high school.

How important do you think villains are in a story? Great villains are essential to keep things from getting boring in a story.  This story has some real “love to hate” people in it that I think readers will enjoy.

Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)? Not yet, but I hope to do that more in the future.  I love connecting personally with an audience.
Can we expect any more books from you in the future? Oh yes!  I have a middle-grade/YA historical fantasy coming out soon that is actually a new edition of my first-ever novel, and also the concluding chapter to a three-part graphic novel series for kids should come out sometime this summer.  Really excited about that as it completes a three-part series.

Have you started another book yet? Currently outlining several projects, not sure which I’ll really go with next, but more books are definitely coming.

What are your current writing projects now? Two book projects; a YA female superhero series, and a funny family romantic comedy that involves performing primates, and a couple screenwriting projects; a true-life story about a down-and-out woman who starts a children’s performing arts school and a YA series about a girl who has superpowers, etc.

Are you reading any interesting books at the moment?  Yes!  Dan Brown’s “Inferno” is really good, and I also enjoyed the YA novel “Divergent” a lot as well.

Are there any new authors that have sparked your interest and why? I focus more in on stories that specific authors.  There’s so many YA authors these days (and so many imitating each other) that it’s almost impossible to keep them straight.  But some at least seem very good.

What are some of the best tools available today for writers, especially those just starting out? A good outlining program can really help a new writer get a good handle on their ideas and give it structure and substance.  Also, there’s some good online courses that teach the writing process that would do the same thing, or more.

Amazon bestseller - Teen/YA Literature and Fiction

“Imagine the unimaginable.”

That was the mantra of young prodigy Hector Chevas’s mentor in architectural design, Gellini. But even Gellini couldn’t imagine the horrors that his prize student and adopted son would fill Suburbia’s new Heartland Mall with to wreak revenge on those who killed Gellini and murdered Hector’s only friends. “Black Friday” was never blacker.

But Hector couldn’t imagine that, in the middle of his deathly rampage, an “angel” from his past would re-appear into his life; wild-child Janey, whose life he’d saved years before, and who’d never forgotten her promise to “always love him…for reals.” But was that love strong enough now to learn the unimaginable truth; to call Hector’s “dead” soul back to life and resurrect him from his mad plunge into oblivion?

MALLED is a story filled with tragedy, terror, raw emotion, unspeakable horrors, and, above all, the awesome power of ferocious, undying love. Go for it. Get into it. Dare to “imagine the unimaginable.”

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Genre –  NeoGothic Horror / Thriller

Rating – R for violence & language

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Markos Adams is famous, but not for his flashy guitar chops, leading man good looks or homemade baklava. After a heavily publicized suicide attempt, he resolves to get his life and mind back in order. The morning after his return to the stage, Markos’s worst nightmare is realized when his daughter, Jessie, is abducted. The kidnapper contacts him with the terms of the ransom. Markos must identify who he is in twenty-four hours. If he fails; he must commit suicide. Markos races against the clock to unmask the kidnapper and starts to question his sanity when he experiences visions of Jessie singing to him. Is Markos slowly descending into madness, or is he the victim of a sadistic criminal act that  will force him to face his biggest fear…that he’ll die before seeing his precious daughter again.

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Genre - Paranormal Mystery

Rating – PG13

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Connect with Eleni Papanou on Facebook & Twitter & LinkedIn

Website http://elenipapanou.com/

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Me

by CS Patra

-I wrote my first novel at 18, which is when I really got into writing. I was interested in it for a long time but started taking it seriously by the end of high school. I handwrote this novel with multi-colored pens. Each section was written with a different color. These were pens I got as a present and I loved to write with them. So it seemed fitting to write this book that way. It was a fantasy novel and I remember it having lots of missing words (problem with having no white-out). But I felt accomplished afterwards. I doubt I would publish it in reality though.

-I am fond of the following random things besides writing; yellow roses (have to be yellow), ladybugs, turtles (be them land, sea, ninja, etc), peacocks, Greek mythology, movies, theater productions, French fries, dancing, yoga/pilates, museums, silver jewelry, and sleeping. They are some of the few things in the world that make me happy, no matter what mood I’m in.

-I love to work out and I go to the gym quite a bit. If I miss a day, I usually feel like something is missing in my life. Sometimes, I lift weights and run. Sometimes, I go into a dance or yoga class. But no matter what, I try my best to keep my body as fit as my mind.

-I’m not much of a makeup person but I do love nail polish and I like getting an occasional manicure/pedicure. I love colors that stand out, the brighter, the better. Sadly, I cannot keep my manicures for long. At most, they last a week before my nails start to chip (due to all kinds of work I do). My pedicures last quite a long time though.

-I could never give up cheese or ice cream (as well as frozen yogurt, gelato, sherbets, etc) for anything. I don’t eat them all the time but they are my guilty pleasures. Once in a while, I do like to indulge in them. I eat almost all cheeses and ice cream flavors too.

-My biggest issue with writing sometimes is finding a good stopping point. I get the beginning, I get the middle, but the end always takes me time to wrap up correctly. I think that is a reason why a good chunk of my books often end up having sequels. I always feel like something was unresolved. I’m working on this though!

-I do not know what my life would be like without music sometimes or least having some background noise. My musical tastes range from classical to country, rap to rock, and everything else in between. It helps me write and do my other work. Without it, I find myself getting easily distracting.

-Some of my books and ideas come from dares/discussion with other people. Lengths for Love was one of those ideas. I find it very challenging and it often gets me looking up/researching things that I never knew about before.

-Though I write just about anything, I really don’t like to write plays/scripts that much. I think it’s because I don’t like writing stage direction. I’d rather the actors come up with their own emotions/directions to the lines. I think I may squeeze out a play once in a blue moon but I’d rather write stories and poetry over them.

-I have quite a few interests outside of writing. In addition to that, I paint, make jewelry (though I haven’t done much of it lately), and I cook on a rare occasion. I am also doing my masters right now and I work for the state’s revenue department. Those tend to take up my day while writing and more schoolwork tends to take up my nights.

People say they will do just about anything for love. Some might go far enough to try and find the impossible. Some will stop at no lengths for the one they love. When Ian Choi’s girlfriend gives him the most difficult task…find her someone, a vampire, to turn her immortal…he is faced with a choice he never imagined he’d have to make. And little does he know just what could happen while he’s trying to make her wish come true.

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Genre – Supernatural / Romance / Fiction

Rating – PG13

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NY Times Bestselling Author, former Green Beret and West Point Graduate, Bob Mayer.

“A pulsing technothriller. A nailbiter in the best tradition of adventure fiction.” Publishers Weekly ref Bob Mayer

Horace Chase arrives on Hilton Head Island to pay his last respects at the Intracoastal Waterway where his late mother’s ashes were spread and to inspect the home his mother left him in her will. He’s been recently forced into retirement, his divorce is officially final, and now he’s standing in the middle of the front yard of his ‘new’ house where a tree has crashed right through the center of it.

What could possibly go wrong?

Within six hours of arriving on Hilton Head, Chase is exchanging gunfire with men who’ve kidnapped a young boy and tried to grab the boy’s mother, Sarah Briggs. Soon he’s waist deep in an extortion plot to funnel a hundred million dollars of Superbowl on-line gambling money into an offshore bank account or else the boy dies.

Dave Riley has long retired from the military and living peacefully on sleepy Dafuskie Island off the coast of South Carolina. Sort of. Actually he’s bored, feeling old, and just a bit cranky running his deceased uncle’s small-time bookie operation.

Horace Chase, meet Dave Riley. Riley-Chase.

Chase and Riley assemble a team of misfits and eccentrics as they take on the powerful Russian mob in the lawless tidal lands of the Low Country to get the boy back.

Meet Erin: Chase’s long-ago summer fling, now a veterinarian and not interested in men any more, at least that way. But her suturing skills and her knowledge of the island bring assets the team needs. Especially after Chase’s first visit with the Russian requires a bit of the former.

Meet Gator: an ex-Ranger, iron-pumping, fire-breathing hulk of a redneck, with a soft spot in his heart for Erin, and steroids burning in his muscles to hurt people. As long as Riley and Chase point him in the right direction, the rest of the populace should be all right.

Meet Kono: a Gullah, descendant of the free slaves who fled to the barrier islands in the 19th century and developed their own culture. He nurses his own pain and secrets, but heeds Chase’s call to renew their childhood friendship. Especially when he learns the target is the Russians.

It adds up to a fiery confrontation to rescue the young boy, and settle some old scores.

But Riley and Chase need to remember a basic tenet from their days in covert operations: Nothing is ever as it appears.

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Genre – Thriller

Rating – PG

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Connect with Bob Mayer on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://www.bobmayer.org/

When and why did you begin writing? Last year was my first attempt and I couldn’t stop the story.  I started on a Saturday morning and couldn’t sleep right until I finished book one two months later.  Of course I rewrote it six more times after that, but the story didn’t change substantially.

How long have you been writing? Only since last year professionally.

When did you first know you could be a writer? After my first five star review from someone I didn’t know.  I still don’t know if I would call myself a writer.  I think people will love or hate my style.  I write very fast paced books and some people want a lot more description, but I would rather write a fight seen then describe a rose.

What inspires you to write and why? My children and more specifically my twelve year old who text me every day asking for more chapters.  She reads faster than I write and never stops nagging me!

What genre are you most comfortable writing? If there aren’t monsters, magic and mayhem you can assume I will never write it.

What inspired you to write your first book? The story wrote itself, I really wasn’t thinking about doing anything with it except letting my children read it, but they shared it with their friends and they all pushed me to publish.  I have been consistently surprised by the reactions I have received from children and adults.

What made you want to be a writer? I don’t think I do or did!  It is a strange thing to say, but I don’t think I want to be a writer.  I want to tell this story.  As I build out the back story for each character the story is growing larger than I ever anticipated.  I have written book 2 already and have at least three more that most be written, but I don’t know that I will ever take an advance that would force me to write.  I want to tell this story so I can figure out what happens to Wess (My main character.)

What do you consider the most challenging about writing a novel, or about writing in general? Definitely the marketing!

Did writing this book teach you anything and what was it? I noticed through the editing process that I will pick a word and repeat it inside a paragraph.  For instance I might describe something as “massive” then something else massive ten sentences later.  I have noticed I do this while speaking.  I catch myself when I do it now and I think this has made me a more effective communicator in general.

Do you intend to make writing a career? I intend to write the story, I think the market will dictate if this becomes my career.  I n the mean time I will do it to make my kids happy.  I can’t think of a better reason to write.

In the first book of The Druid Legacy, Wesslayn Grace believes himself to be a normal twelve year old boy, and up until now he has been. Wess is propelled into a wild adventure as strange powers begin to manifest. He finds himself in the middle of an invasion of foreign creatures he never knew existed. In this fast paced story, Wess learns about himself, makes new friends, and battles powerful enemies.

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Genre – Young Adult Fantasy

Rating – PG

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Website http://www.thedruidlegacy.com/

Jack Carnegie has developed a head for numbers – a true savant who was just an average teenager a day before. Jack Deacon builds things, from self-propelled drones to goggles that can see through walls.

Jack Van Slyke awakes with an ability to speak a half dozen languages.Jack Gordon discovers he is a master of the martial arts, just when he needs it most.

All over the country, young men are finding that they have special skills, areas of expertise that appeared out of nowhere. They’re confused. Baffled. Maybe even dangerous.

And they’re all named Jack.

After experiencing adventures on their own, the Jacks will come together in the deserts of Arizona. There, they will set out on the quest to find out what has happened, becoming a multi-talented task force with not a single clue why.

But answers are coming – chilling revelations about their own minds and about new terrors that imperil the world. Together the Jacks will have to make a decision: drift apart and return to being careless teenagers? Or band together and fight a rising evil that threatens not just the Jacks, but the world.

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Genre – YA / Thriller

Rating – PG

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Connect with Mark LaFlamme on Facebook

Website http://marklaflamme.com/

Have you ever had writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it? I’ve never experienced writer’s block in the sense of no words coming to me. I have experienced moments (and by moments, I mean months) when I didn’t know what comes next in the story, or how to move my plot from point A to point H. I know such a moment is upon me when I start writing witty and engaging dialogue that does not serve any purpose in the story, except to be witty and engaging., I now recognize it as hitting a plot snag.

When I see three or four pages of this, I recognize that a plot snag, stop writing and start working through possible scenarios in a methodical fashion. If I’m diligent about it, I come up with an answer in short order.

The other type of “block” I’ve experienced is a lack of desire to write because external circumstances push the writing to a lower priority. The only cure to this condition is forcing myself to write. It’s similar to my lack of enthusiasm for exercise — if I just force myself to walk into the gym, I’ll exercise and enjoy it, and it’s the same with writing. Once I open the draft document and write a couple of sentences, I’m back in my novel’s world and happier for it.

What genre are you most comfortable writing? Hands down, suspense, capers, and thrillers are my genres. I love reading them, I understand their construction, and I find them a great vehicle to explore serious and complex issues in a non-preachy and entertaining manner.

How did you develop your plot and characters? The characters are based on composites of people I know. My protagonists came to me almost pre-formed. I just knew who they were, their background stories, and their responses to different situations. As to the plot, I knew the beginning and the end, but didn’t outline the full story. Instead, it felt like the characters did their own thing, and I just reported on what they were up to. Only in the last couple of chapters, where everything had to be resolved, did I step in with a detailed list of plot points that needed to be addressed.

Who designed your cover? Christine Van Bree designed my cover (http://christinevanbreedesign.zenfolio.com/). I couldn’t have asked for a more professional, talented or dedicated designer. The only complaint I can think of is that she provided me with too many excellent concept choices and it made picking the winner very difficult!

Can you tell us about your main character? Olga Mueller is a lawyer who’s ready to stop being one. She works for one of the most prestigious law firms in the world, and her area of concentration is pharmaceutical patent litigation. But she has grown tired of putting blinders on and concentrating only on the patent questions, when she knows that the drugs these patents are protecting may be dangerous.

She is smart, impetuous, some say childish in her hope for justice, willful, and craves excitement. A chance encounter with Benedict Vickers, the brother of the scientist who invented the diet drug at the center of the plot, offers her the chance to leave her secure job and experience the thrill ride that she so desperately wants, and she readily takes it.

How much of the book is realistic? I think of the book as heightened reality. Much of what I describe is absolutely true (the descriptions of litigation and life in a big firm, for example), but certain periods of time have been compressed for dramatic effect, and the chase scenes are a necessary plot device and a nod to the genre.

How long have you been writing? I started writing fiction on November 1, 2010. POISON PILL is the first piece of fiction I’ve written (not counting any stories I wrote as a pre-teen), and it began as a National Novel Writing Month (www.nanowrimo.org) novel. For those unfamiliar with NaNo, it’s an organized challenge in which you commit to write a first draft of a novel (50,000 words) during the month of November.

On the nonfiction front, however, I’ve been writing for decades. I authored scientific and legal academic papers, and drafted countless legal documents, such as briefs.

What’s your favorite place in the entire world? My favorite place in the entire world is the airport terminal from which I’m flying to a place I’ve never been. It doesn’t matter how dingy or boring it is, how bitter the coffee is in its coffee shop, or how early or late the time of day is — my excitement level is through the roof and I can’t wait to fly to the next adventure.

Have you started to write another book yet? Yes, I’m currently writing the sequel to POISON PILL. It’s working title is BUYING ON MARGIN. The same protagonists, Olga Mueller and Benedict Vickers, will be employing similarly borderline-illegal methods to reach a just result. Also just like POISON PILL, this story involves multiple international locations: Italy, St. Maarten, Peru, possibly South Africa.

In parallel, I’m working on another legal suspense novel that isn’t part of the Mueller/Vickers series, and I’m starting research on a couple of other novels, all generally in the suspense/thriller genre.

It’s the drug of the century, a miracle weight loss compound worth billions, invented by Jon Vickers shortly before his death. So why is Jon’s brother Benedict risking his inheritance, his brother’s legacy, and even his own life to keep the drug from the market?

And why is Olga Mueller, a jaded lawyer Benedict met by chance while traveling to Istanbul, willing to help?

Can they take on a powerful venture capitalist and a ruthless top-tier law firm and win? Or even survive? In a world where money rules, does truth stand a chance?

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Genre – Legal Thriller

Rating – PG

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Katie Reid is living the quintessential Southern California life. A dream job and her college sweetheart, Spencer top it all off. However, she can’t seem to shake the terrible dreams that have been tormenting her nights these past few months.

After seeking help to find relief from the exhausting effects of these dreams, it becomes apparent that Katie is dealing with something much deeper and much more sinister. Her only solution is to delve into a past that no one wants her to remember.

With the horrific discovery of a dark secret kept hidden for years, Katie is drawn into a world mired in evil and lost innocence. And only with the help of Detective Marshall Avery will she be able to channel her pain and anger.

But, will he be able to contain Katie’s desire for vengeance that has begun to unravel her perfect life?

The first in a two-part series, Redwood Violet will keep you firmly in its grip and refuse to let go!

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Genre – Mystery  / Thriller / Suspense

Rating – PG

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When a mortal cop must delve into the paranormal, only a Viking vampire can save her soul, and her heart.

Detective Celeste Wilder knows who she is, a damn fine cop. But when the recently dubbed ‘Cult Murders’ start back up, this time targeting city prostitutes she’s sworn to protect, she’s thrown into a world of paranormal creatures she never believed existed. And now, they’re out to keep her from uncovering even more secrets.

An immortal Viking vampire, Brandon Wulfgar knows something is strange the moment he sees Celeste valiantly fighting for her life against a group of rogue vampires. When he’s asked to work with her–solve the crime while keeping the mortal woman safe–he figures no problem.

But as the undeniable connection between them grows and danger appears from every side, they will have to trust one another not just for their lives, but for their very souls.

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Genre – Paranormal / Vampire Romance

Rating – PG

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