B o o k s 4 T o m o r r o w

FEATURED AUTHOR: "Edge of Dreams" - by DEBBIE BENNETT

2012-02-25T13:57:00.000-08:00

“EDGE OF DREAMS”

by Debbie Bennett

About the Book

Review

Author Interview

“EDGE OF DREAMS”

What do you do when you realise that the badguys might care more about you than the good ones?

Ricky’s on the edge of a life of crime. Skippingcollege to steal cars in the aftermath of his father’s death in action, it’snot surprising that his dreams are vivid and seem almost real.

Calith’s just on the edge of a life. Snatchedfrom Ricky’s world to another place altogether, shaped and taught by a man who meanteverything to him, Calith’s found out that when you’ve grown up with the enemy,it’s hard to make friends.

Then Ricky dreams of Calith and nobody seemsmore real than the boy from another world, with his multi-coloured hair andtemper to match. But are Calith’s motivations all they seem? Ricky’s not sure.Calith’s dark past is coming back to haunt him big time, and when you’rejumping worlds to escape the good guys, something must be wrong somewhere,mustn’t it?

A contemporary fantasy, certified 100%vampire-and-werewolf-free. No elves, faeries, dragons or wizards. Not even anyzombies. Anywhere.

No, really – there aren’t.

REVIEW for “EDGE OF DREAMS”

by Ellen Fritz

“Edgeof Dreams” is a fantastic 5 star read and the first in a series which promisesto be highly exciting and truly unique.

It wasrefreshing to read a fantasy novel for a change, which only had humans in itand no other paranormal characters; albeit humans with a difference and verypowerful magical and psychic abilities which allows them to travel intoparallel dimensions and manipulate time with their minds.

When Ricky discovers that the peopleand places of his extremely vivid dreams are real, his attention is divertedfrom a possible life of crime to far more challenging adventures. EnterCalith, with his colorful hair and equally colorful personality, and things forRicky and his sister may never be the same again. Ricky is not the only one whofaces change as Calith also has to deal with doubt and horrific betrayal fromthose he trusted most. Amid all the seriousness I had to smile at Ricky's smartmouth which often came close to getting him into trouble, as well as at Calithwho can throw some impressive temper tantrums.

Theauthor expertly incorporates fantasy, magic, different plains of existence andpsychic powers into daily life as we know it. The unbearable suspense builds upslowly as to give the reader an in-depth insight into the worlds and lives ofthese exceptional characters. Although this is a straightforward good vs evilplot, the reader is kept guessing until the very end as to who are the bad guysand who are the heroes in this story.

Ienjoyed the friendship and close bonds shared between the characters, and ittouched my heart how readily they would make sacrifices, including their lives,for the ones they love and to keep their worlds safe. The two main characters,although only seventeen, are remarkably grown-up and deal with their unusualtrials and tribulations in a mature and intelligent way. A touch of romancebetween Calith and Ricky’s sister Louise, adds that extra sweet touch to thisstory.

“Edgeof Dreams” was a real pleasure to read from start to end. I applaud the authorfor her originality in creating worlds that are so well portrayed, the readercan experience and appreciate every single detail of its beauty to theirfullest. I strongly recommend this brilliant read to readers of all ages. It’sworth every penny!

READ more REVIEWS

“Edgeof Dreams” by Debbie Bennett has another great review on GoodReads.
Read it here – http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12751926-edge-of-dreams

MEET author DEBBIE BENNETT

Debbie is a middle-aged boring civil servant with a secretlife as a writer... She's worked in law enforcement for over 25 years, in avariety of different roles, which may be why the darker side of life tends toemerge in her writing. If she makes enough money selling books, perhaps she'llbe able to afford counselling instead.

INTERVIEW with DEBBIEBENNETT

Q: Do you recallhow your interest in writing originated?

A: I’ve written since I was about nine or ten. I remember being givinghomework at school to write stories and while everybody else turned in one ortwo pages, I’d hand in a dozen or more.

Q: What inspiredyou to write your first book?

A: I was 14 and I’d outgrown kids’ books. In the late 1970s, there wasnothing for teenagers and young adults and while I’d read Lord of the Rings andBrave New World, I wanted something more contemporary, edgier maybe. So when Icouldn’t find it in my local library I decided to write it instead and produceda handwritten teenage thriller. I think its only redeeming quality was the factthat it was finished! I still have it in a drawer somewhere and it’s trulyawful and completely unpublishable.

Q: How many books have you written?Which one did you enjoy writing the most?

A: Two that are finished and of publishable quality. Another four that arein the bottom drawer and will never see the light of day – they were goodtraining and I learned a lot while writing them, but I doubt there is anythingI could salvage from any of them. Then maybe another two or three that arenearing completion or being edited. The one I always enjoy writing is whicheverone I am currently working on – for a while I’m living the story and trying todo my day job with characters sitting on my shoulder whispering into my ear.

Q: Is thereanything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

A: I find it hard to get into the right mindset for writing sometimes. Iknow what I want to say but I can’t quite get the mood right for the words toflow. And then real-life will intervene and the washing needs sorting and thetea needs cooking and before you know it, the day is over.

Q: Are there anynew authors who have grasped your interest?

A: I love Melissa Marr’s faery books. And I’m just discovering a wholecrop of fabulous indie authors!

Q: Who are yourfavourite authors and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

A: I have an eclectic taste in reading. Authors such as Alan Garner andSusan Cooper inspired me as a writer. Then there are my fantasy favourites likeStorm Constantine and Louise Cooper who create such amazing characters;techno-sf in Stephen Baxter whose grasp of physics and maths can keep me awake atnight puzzling the mysteries of the universe and darker stuff with StephenKing. Then there are women’s fiction writers Jodie Picoult who aren’t afraid totackle deep issues yet wrap them in fascinating stories. I also love all theconspiracy theory writers – I’m a sucker for lost maps, ancient symbols andsecret societies – and can read Matthew Reilly until my eyes bleed.

Q: Do you everexperience writer's block and how do you deal with it?

A: Frequently. I try to move onto something else, or write a blog post –anything to skirt around the problem. Sometimes with short stories, it’s just amatter of finding the way into the story and once I’ve done that, the blockdisappears.

Q: What would yourideal career be, if you couldn't be an author?

A: My day job is a business intelligence analyst for the police. It mademe realise that what I’d love to have done as a career is forensics, butunfortunately I’m way too old to go back to the beginning again and start atthe bottom of the ladder.

Q: If you were todo your career as an author again, what would you do differently, and why?

A: I don’t think I’d do anything differently –except perhaps to believe in myself more and have confidence in my abilities.

Q: What do you like to do whenyou're not writing?

A: Read,a bit of interior design work (I did a 2 year course at night school a fewyears back) and mess around in my garden when the weather is amenable!

Q: What are yourcurrent projects and can you share a little about it with us?

A: I’m currently finishing off a sequel to Edge Of Dreams, plus anothercouple of thrillers

Q: Do you have anyadvice for other writers?

A: If I was starting out as an authortoday, I wouldn’t be sucked into amazon and e-publishing too quickly. It’s tooeasy to upload work that isn’t ready and lose your audience before you’ve evengot off the ground. Take your time. Edit, edit and edit some more. Then put itaway and write something else. Come back to it and edit again. Send it to yourkindle, or even just reformat in a different font – when the words are in adifferent place on the page, errors you hadn’t noticed will leap out at you.Find a trusted writer friend and ask them to beta-read for you (do the same forthem in return). A fresh pair of eyes will spot yet more errors. Then edit itagain. Rinse and repeat until you are sure your work is as perfect as it canpossibly be. Only then are you ready to query agents or editors, orself-publish.

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Edge-Of-Dreams-ebook/dp/B005OT3YFK/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1330166492&sr=1-8

SmashWords – www.smashwords.com/books/view/91048

Barnes & Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/edge-of-dreams-debbie-bennett/1007923580?ean=2940011547249&itm=2&usri=debbie+bennett

AUTHOR LINKS

Website – www.debbiebennett.co.uk

Twitter -@debjbennett

QUICK REVIEW: "Birth of a Wizard" - by MJ Schutte

2012-02-25T13:56:00.000-08:00

“BIRTH OF A WIZARD”

by MJ Schutte

REVIEWEDBY: Books4Tomorrow

OVERVIEW

A new world is discovered in Birth of a Wizard,book II of the Energy Chronicles.
Brighton and Lilian, along with their children andtwo dear friends have crossed the western boundary in search of a new life.
Just as it seems they will finally settle down,tragedy strikes and Brighton is forced to use his gift in order to save hisloved ones.
Brighton’s actions earn him an unwanted reputationand cause ripple effects that will haunt them in years to come.
Is Lilian strong enough to find her way back toBrighton?
Will Brighton survive the repercussions of hisactions?

REVIEW

Since Ifinished “Energy”, the first book in this series, I couldn’t wait for the nextbook to be released. Now that I’ve finished reading “Birth of a Wizard”, I’monce again in awe of this author’s remarkable ability to take the reader on anextraordinary adventure that will have you feeling as though you were part ofsomething big.

“Birthof a Wizard” is the second book in the Energy Chronicles, and it leaves no roomfor disappointment. It picks up where it left off in “Energy”, the first bookin this series. Again, as in the first book, this is a fast-paced epic fantasyadventure that catapults the reader into a beautiful world created by theauthor in which to escort the reader on an unforgettable journey into the livesof Brighton and Lilian and their companions.

Prepareto have yourself pushed across the boundaries of your imagination in a storyfull of unexpected twists, hold-your-breath suspense; and falling in love withcharacters that will stay in your mind long after you’ve finished thebook. Exciting new characters are also introducedin this instalment of the Energy Chronicles, such as elves and the moon people.Mischief, the beloved black panther from the first book in this series, makeshis reappearance in “Birth of a Wizard”, to add to the butt-kicking action thisauthor writes so well.

MJSchutte paints his characters realistically and passionately. You’ll easilylaugh, cry, smile and cheer along with them, just as much as your heart willbreak at their loss. This magnificently written book will leave you breathlessin anticipation of the last book in this trilogy. Here is one exciting journeyyou don’t want to miss out on. Whether you’re a fan of this genre or not, I canassure you, you will find something in this story that will appeal to yourtaste. I highly recommend this magical read to young and old alike. It willleave you wanting more!

READmore REVIEWS

“Birthof a Wizard” by MJ Schutte has another 5 star review on GoodReads so far. Readit here - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13499324-birth-of-a-wizard

PURCHASELINKS

Thisreview was for an ARC of “Birth of a Wizard”, supplied to me by author MJSchutte.

Theofficial release date for this book is 1 March 2012 and the purchase links willthen be posted.

AUTHORLINKS

“Energyby MJ Schutte” on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/EnergyNovel

“Birth of a Wizard” on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/WizardNovel

QUICK REVIEW: "Tangled Bloodlines" - by Deborah Noel

2012-02-25T13:54:00.000-08:00

“TANGLED BLOOD LINES”

by Deborah Noel

REVIEWEDBY: Books4Tomorrow

OVERVIEW

“Old-school vampires have re-surfaced,responsible for brutal murders and more blood than anyone can cope with. Cianna Fitzgerald, a young but 'retired'crime scene investigator, finds herself back in a world she walked away fromsome years ago.

“She grew up in knowing she possessessuperhuman power from her 'Irish pixie' bloodlines. She had retired after a particularly toughcase where the victim was her husband’s twin brother. After her brief respite from murders andhomicides, Cianna witnesses a killing where the murderer is a vampire. Her daughter goes missing soon after thekilling. Cianna and the love she had once pushed out of her life, her estrangedhusband Declan, travel halfway around the world to try to save their daughter.

“As the mystery unravels, she learns thatalthough she is a half-breed, the other half isn’t 'Irish pixie' as she grew upbelieving – weaving her into a more tangled history and frightening future thanshe had bargained for.”

REVIEW

This isagain one of those books which I just couldn’t put down. Every spare moment Ihad was spent reading this enjoyable book. While reading the first chapter of“Tangled Blood Lines”, I felt an excitement rush through me, in anticipation ofan unforgettable read in which I can sit back and relax and let the authorthrill me to no end with a story full of twists and turns.

Unfortunately,there were a few things I just couldn’t overlook. Thorough readers will soonpick up on the tangled timelines, grammar errors and incredible jumps in logicthat leaves you slack-jawed and confused. Halfway through the book I couldn’thelp but feel slightly cheated as it seemed to me that the author somewherealong the line decided to throw all caution to the wind and give little thoughtto what would make sense and what not.

Otherthan that, I enjoyed this book immensely and wouldn’t hesitate to give it twothumbs up. The characters were well defined and the vampires will scare the heckout of you. I enjoyed her take on old-school vampires and other paranormalentities in this book. There’s absolutely nothing to love about these vamps,which for me was a good change from most of the vampire reads available today.The story moves at a steady pace and will keep you entertained for hours; and thenail-biting suspense will have you think twice before turning off the lights atbedtime.

DeborahNoel has a very unique style of writing which I enjoyed a lot, and a knack forwriting solid dialogue. The author doesn’t shy away from descriptive violenceand does a great job at making the reader feel as repulsed at the bloodbaths asthe main characters do.

“TangledBlood Lines” is an addictive read, but is in need of more editing. The authorknows how to engage the reader and I am definitely looking forward to readingmore of her books. However, due to the disappointing ending, the many questionsleft unanswered and a few of the other points I mentioned earlier which justcan’t be overlooked, I am necessitated to recommend this book with only 3stars. It’s still a worthwhile read though!

READ more REVIEWS

“TangledBloodlines” by Deborah Noel has 22 reviews on GoodReads. Read them here – http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11699390-tangled-blood-lines

PURCHASELINKS

www.amazon.com

www.barnesandnoble.com

www.smashwords.com

www.vamptasypublishing.co.uk

AUTHORLINKS

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tangled-Blood-Lines-written-by-Deborah-Noel/215210808506176

Twitter - twitter@deborahnoelauth

QUICK REVIEW: "Kill Me Now" - by Lawrence Fisher

2012-02-25T13:51:00.000-08:00

“KILL ME NOW!”

by Lawrence Fisher

REVIEWEDBY: David Fritz

OVERVIEW

Kill Me Now is aboutLawrence, a man in his late 40s dodging bullets deep in the dating battlefieldwhile searching for THE ONE.

In “Kill Me Now!”Lawrence tries to decode the signals of his enigmatic opponent, often resultingin his hasty retreat. Why is she resting her head on her hand? Is she bored? Oris she interested? He finds himself in many humorous situations where he has noidea what he is doing and no idea how to manoeuvre through the skirmish.

Trapped in the epicentreof the courting conflict, the motivating thought that sustains him is hisstrong belief that somewhere out there, she awaits.

Join Lawrence as hepainfully stumbles through the mating minefield in search for his SOULMATEwhile silently wishing that he was elsewhere.

"Kill Me Now is ariot... It is original."

REVIEW

Lawrence Fisher progressed to the ripe age of 40-plus without beingdragged to the altar. As it goes in life, the older he got, the less he moved inthe dating circles. But then three life-altering events took place in quicksuccession, which sent him back into the dating arena.

Lawrence shares with the reader 47 of his dating experiences during aneight-month period. All real-life experiences, related with a spark ofhumour. Read all about the good, the bad and the ugly, with all their tricksand eccentricities. Although written from a male perspective, there's plentythe fairer sex will find to laugh about. Meet nose-picking Allison,arsonist/terrorist Sally, Robin the witch and many more colourful characters!

It’s a delightful read; especially for days when you're downor stuck in places you don't like to be - like maybe a dentist's waitingroom.

The short chapters makes for quick and easy reading, so keep thisbook in your handbags/moon bags, in the cubby hole, or download an electronicversion to your favourite reading device, then zip it out for a quick,mood-lifting read in stalled traffic or while waiting in that seeminglyendless queue.

A very enjoyable 4 star read!

READ more REVIEWS

“Kill Me Now” by Lawrence Fisher has 6 reviews on GoodReads. Read ithere – http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12941331-kill-me-now

PURCHASELINKS

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Kill-Now-Maneuvers-Frontline-Battlefield/dp/1462059511/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1330164761&sr=1-3

Barnes & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/kill-me-now-lawrence-fisher/1106781133

AUTHORLINKS

Website – www.killmenow.org

Twitter – @Ibigfoot

FEATURED AUTHOR: "Dark Moon" - by MAGGIE TIDESWELL

2012-02-18T15:00:00.002-08:00

“DARK MOON”

by Maggie Tideswell

About the Book

Review

Author Interview

“DARK MOON”

Set in the romantic city of Cape Town, Stormtries to force a proposal from Trevor, and instead, she meets Jarred. Trevorhas been preparing himself for what he plans for Storm, which is not quite whatshe expects. When she tells Trevor that she is carrying Jarreds baby, shereleases true evil in Trevor. Storm, feeling that he ruined her life, refusesto have anything to do with Jarred, but he pursues her relentlessly. Donna,Storms roommate, bears the brunt of Trevors anger. Elle, Trevors sister, a factunknown to them, makes it her mission to catch Trevor and bring him to justice,but he draws power from her for his evil purposes. Their mother senses whatTrevor is doing and she uses her considerable knowledge and experience as awitch to curtail him. For a while it works, but he soon gathers his power,which he uses to his unfair advantage on Storm. Would Sybil and her helpers getthrough to Storm before she makes the mistake of her life?

REVIEW of “DARK MOON”

by Books4Tomorrow

Yet again I was pleasantly surprised, andsuitably impressed, with the writing of another South African author. MaggieTideswell has done what only a handful of others have been able to do beforeher - and that is to prove that South African authors can compete on aninternational level with the best out there.

“Dark Moon” is a splendidly written novel whichtakes the reader on an unforgettable journey full of twists and turns and keepsyou guessing until the end. The author introduces all the characters at thestart of the book and develops their stories throughout to tie together in anexplosive ending that will surprise even the most hardcore of readers. In thisnovel she expertly blends romance, mystery, fantasy and the occult; andexplanations are given out of every angle and for every situation thecharacters are faced with, so that the reader isn’t left hanging at theconclusion of the story. It is clear that Ms Tideswell has thoroughlyresearched every element that is used to make this a great novel.

The book is written in a unique South Africanvoice and the dialogue reflects this accordingly. I have to applaud this authorfor being one of few who successfully uses the more-showing-less-tellingtechnique. Not many have mastered this.

Set against the breathtaking backdrop of theSouthern African landscape, any reader who hasn’t visited the country beforewill feel like they are taken on an explorative journey to the spectacularsights, sounds and colors of this strikingly beautiful tip of the African continent.The author doesn’t hold back on the descriptions of the characters’surroundings and thus lets readers immerse themselves into the real-life worldthe story is based on.

Even though I had reservations when I startedreading this novel, I am now a dedicated reader of this author’s work and amlooking forward to what Maggie Tideswell will surprise us with next.

READ more REVIEWS

“Dark Moon” by Maggie Tideswell has 1 review onGoodReads. Read it here - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12564180-dark-moon

WATCH the VIDEO TRAILER

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvFqnD20-IE

INTERVIEW with author MAGGIE TIDESWELL

Q: What inspired you to write “Dark Moon”?

A: First meetings between men and women have always fascinated me. Willthey only remain platonic, or might there be far reaching effects, like thechance of a long term relationship? And another theme I could not resist, arepeople really what they seem? One might fall in love with a person – the wayhe/she portrays him/herself, but is that the real person you see? So you couldsay that I am inspired in all my writing by relationships between men andwomen. What makes them notice each other in a romantic way in the first place,what keeps them together, what makes them drift apart. Fascinating stuff.

Q: How did you come up with the title?

A: Dark Moon has had many working titles, most of which I don’t rememberanymore. The last one was Storm’s Choice, which came from the fact that Stormhad a weighty decision to make. The title seemed apt, although it had the booksound like a soppy romance. Dark Moon is a romance, but a soppy little lovestory it certainly is not. Then during the edit, my editor suggested changingthe title to Dark Moon, as the final scenes of the book takes place at thedark/new moon. My instant reaction was - why hadn’t I thought of that?

Q: Who designed the cover and how much input did you haveregarding the design?

A: MarkKnox of Knoxworx designed the cover and the book trailer for Dark Moon. Markinterpreted my ideas and he did a wonderful job. He is very talented. For thevideo I told Mark how I saw it and he told me what was doable and what not.Mark came up with a stunning cover and fantastic video that was perfect forDark Moon.

Q: Which of your characters in “DarkMoon” are your favorite and why?

A: Jarred, without a doubt. He is the tall, dark and handsome, reliableman all women want to fall in love with. He is determined and strong and notafraid of his own emotions. The adage “men don’t cry” does not apply to Jarred.

Q: Is “Dark Moon” your first book?

A: I havewritten seven complete novels, but Dark Moon is the first to be published. Ittook a while to find the right publisher, and I shall never look back. AllThings That Matter Press is like a familyand I am happy to say that my second book, titled Moragh, will be published bythem as well later this year. The others will follow, hopefully one a year.

Q: What was the hardest part of writing “Dark Moon”?

A: The end, oh yes the end. It had to be right, with a combination of thewitchcraft element in the book coming to a head without seeming ridiculous orlike Harry Potter characters wafting wands all over the place. And the romancehad to come together and still feel real.

Q: Did you learn anything from writing “Dark Moon” and whatwas it?

A: Yes, writing Dark Moon has taught me one valuable lesson, and that wasto write what you know. If you don’t, you can get so entangled in nonsense thatthe story just doesn’t work. One has to write from the heart, and you as thewriter, have to love the characters you create – even the baddies. If you don’t,nobody else will either.

Q: If you had to do it all over again, would you changeanything in “Dark Moon”?

A: No, to me, Dark Moon is as close to perfect as it could be. I love it.

Q: What are your current projects?

A: I am putting the final touches to Moragh, my 2^nd book to goto print, getting it ready for the editing process. My 3^rd book, theworking title of which is Roxanne, is needing a lot of attention and as soon asMoragh is edited and released, it will receive my full attention.

Q: Can you share a little of your current work with us?

A: Of Course. Dark Moon is a romance and it involves what I like to call alove square (as opposed to a love triangle). Storm loves Trevor, Jarred lovesStorm, Elle loves Jarred, and Trevor loves nobody but himself. There are strongelements of witchcraft in the novel, but nobody can come to harm from ritualsand spells as none are fully described. This is not a text book on the Craft,but a love story. It involves an unwanted pregnancy which terminatesspontaneously. There are close, real friendships that carry the story, betweenStorm and her roommate, Donna, between Storm and Cecily, Jarred’s mother. Andthe reuniting of a broken family. In total, Dark Moon deals with life as weknow it, here and now.

Q: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

A: Yes, I do, and it is simple – persevere anddon’t take no for an answer. If one publisher doesn’t like your work, there aremany, many more who might. Don’t give up. You know the saying, if at first youdon’t succeed, try, try again. And in this business, it is truer than most. Itis not easy, but you may never give up your dream. If you do, a part of youdies.

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon.com – http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Moon-Maggie-Tideswell/dp/0984651764/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329603341&sr=1-1

Barnes &Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dark-moon-maggie-tideswell/1033872538?ean=9780984651764&itm=1&usri=maggie+tideswell

AUTHOR LINKS

@lunamags
http://maggiestorm.blogspot.com/
http://allthingsthatmatterpress.com
http://tinyurl.com/3tl3bqu
http://www.kalahari.com/books/Dark-Moon/632/42728694.aspx

http://www.kindlegraph.com/authors/LunaMags

QUICK REVIEW: "Witch Hunt" (Book 2 of the Hayle Coven novels) - by Patti Larsen

2012-02-18T15:00:00.001-08:00

“WITCH HUNT” (Book 2 of the Hayle Coven Novels)

by Patti Larsen

REVIEWED BY:Ellen Fritz

OVERVIEW

Teen witch Sydlynn Hayle finally did it. Despitethe fact she's a social outcast, Syd finally made friends. Even the captain ofthe football team wants to be her boyfriend. When an ancient power is freed toravage her new town, Syd does her best to help her family fight. Too bad themysterious Chosen of the Light don't see things her way. Their interferencecould lead to her family's destruction.

REVIEW

If I thought the first book in thisseries was an absolute must read, then “Witch Hunt” must be something like adouble must read!

Six months along and Sydlynn Hayleis still in the same town and the same school but now has a circle of friendsand even a boyfriend. She is learning to use her magical powers, enjoyingher life with her friends and going to parties like any normal teenagegirl.

One of the parties turns into adisaster when an ancient power arises to start feeding on kids with latent magicalpowers. When the mean cheerleader Suzanne are possessed, and town folk andcoven members start disappearing, Syd’s coven has to step in and do somethingabout it. That is when things get out of hand.

Syd's crazy grandmother, who canonly be subdued by a constant supply of chocolates and tequila, continues withher antics in this book, entertaining the reader to no end. And let's notforget another contributor who adds to the magic of this story - the silverPersian cat, Sassafras, who is really something else imprisoned in the body ofa cat.

Once I started reading Witch Hunt, Isimply couldn't put it down. The nonstop excitement, action and drama keptme sitting on the edge of my seat. As I had become very fond of many ofthe characters when reading the first book in the series, “Family Magic”, I wasreally concerned that something bad may befall one of them during thisstory.

The dialogue is extremely wellwritten but most enjoyable, and often hilarious, is the inner dialogue andthoughts of the main character, Syd. When she thinks of the bad guy assomebody with two god-complexes and a serious multiple personality disorder, I wasshouting with laughter.

Patti Larsen brilliantly combinesjust the right amount of action, warmth and humor in this book - somethingwhich I always admire greatly in authors. I would strongly recommend thisyoung adult novel to readers of all ages. Once again this gifted writerhas given her readers a beautiful, warm-hearted and very suspenseful 5 star readto enjoy.

READ more REVIEWS

“Witch Hunt” by Patti Larsen has 3reviews on GoodReads. Read it here - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13088838-witch-hunt

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Witch-Hayle-Coven-Novels-ebook/dp/B006AGT9XM/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329600156&sr=1-7

SmashWords – www.smashwords.com/books/view/106598

Barnes& Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/witch-hunt-patti-larsen/1107878297?ean=2940032880172&itm=8&usri=patti+larsen

ABOUTauthor PATTILARSON

Patti writes a lot of middle grade and YAparanormal books for someone who is afraid of the dark. And she wonders why shehas to sleep with the lights on. Sometimes life is a teenaged B horror movieand she’s the one who investigates when the scary music is playing. But thevoices are calling and resistance is… Yes. She is a Star Trek geek, too. And afan of RPG’s. With a slight coolness factor since she's been told she's allowedto join the pops. At least, she likes to think she’s cool...

AUTHOR LINKS

www.pattilarsen.com

www.pattilarsenbooks.blogspot.com

www.pattilarsen.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/pattilarsenauthor

www.twitter.com/#!/PattiLarsen

GUEST POST: "Why I Love Reading and Writing Science Fiction" - by Karen A. Wyle

2012-02-18T15:00:00.000-08:00

“Why I Love Reading andWriting Science Fiction”

by Karen A. Wyle

I'llstart with a caveat. I do not always write science fiction. For many otherwisefallow years, I wrote picture book manuscripts. More recently, between mycurrent release and the sequel (still in rough draft), I wrote what I supposeis general fiction, if a novel in that category can take place in my fancifulnotion of an afterlife.

Thatsaid, I am proud to write science fiction.

Idon't remember when I started reading science fiction, but I'd guess I wasaround ten or eleven. I have been reading it ever since. The day I met myhusband, twenty-five years ago, we talked for two hours about Robert A.Heinlein and assorted other SF authors. As you might suppose, our marriageexposed me to even more of the genre.

Howdo I love science fiction? Let me count the ways. . . .

Sciencefiction explores how human beings – whether acknowledged as such, or in any ofinnumerable disguises – react to the unexpected. How do they – how would we –cope with the fulfillment of anything from dream to nightmare? How will thefuture we anticipate surprise us? How will we surprise ourselves when weconfront it?

Sciencefiction's imaginative settings allow us to examine familiar themes and problemswith a fresh eye. (Star Trek, despite its flaws, was often excellent at usingthe trappings of science fiction to explore issues like racism, war and peace,patriotism, gender identity, ambition, love versus career, et cetera.) I am alawyer; I am writing a series of short stories which will eventually includelegal issues raised by certain future technologies. I have long been fascinatedby twins: my novel Twin-Bred featuresfraternal twins (carried by host mothers) belonging to different species. Ihave been deeply interested in parenthood since becoming a mother: I can createaliens for whom parenthood is in many ways different, and in some fundamentalways the same.

Sciencefiction paves the way. Its authors, often scientists themselves, extrapolatefrom current technology and knowledge, and make educated guesses about what wewill be able to invent. Often they guess correctly. It might be easier toidentify the scientific advances of the last sixty years that were notpredicted in science fiction than to list those that were. By working withinthe constraints of scientific theory, science fiction honors those who havespent their lives helping us understand our universe (and any meta-universewhich may include it).

Finally,science fiction gives the would-be builder of worlds a place to play. Whilefantasy does the same, science fiction imposes certain constraints – and asmany a poet would testify, some constraints can actually spur creativity. Atany rate, I find satisfaction in knowing that what I have imagined, or whatanother author lays before me, could possibly exist. Science fiction authorsdiffer in how hard they strive to ensure that the physical features of theirplanets, aliens, and technologies fit within our current scientific theories(or at least, scientific hypotheses held by at least one adventurous scientistout there). No scientist myself, I still try fairly hard. I use my husband,whose scientific knowledge runs broad and deep, as my technical adviser – butif I really want to make the sky green, or put multiple sails on the sailboat,or whatever, and he is skeptical, I just keep researching until (with luck) Ifind some more or less plausible basis to do so. On the other hand, unlikehistorical fiction, where the possibility of error lurks behind every detail,the amount of research need not be too intimidating.

I'dlove to see comments about what visitors to this blog like most about sciencefiction -- or about any problems they have with the genre.

ABOUT author KAREN A. WYLE

Karen A. Wyle was born a Connecticut Yankee, buteventually settled in Bloomington,Indiana,home of Indiana University. She now considersherself a Hoosier. Wyle's childhood ambition was to be the youngest everpublished novelist. While writing her first novel at age 10, she wasmortified to learn that some British upstart had beaten her to the goal at age9.

Wyle is an appellate attorney, photographer, politicaljunkie, and mother of two daughters. Her voice is the product of almost fivedecades of reading both literary and genre fiction. It is no doubt alsoinfluenced, although she hopes not fatally tainted, by her years of lawpractice. Her personal history has led her to focus on often-intertwinedthemes of family, communication, the impossibility of controlling events, andthe persistence of unfinished business.

“TWIN BRED”

by Karen A Wyle

Can interspecies diplomacy begin in the womb? Afterseventy years on Tofarn, the human colonists and the native Tofa still knowvery little about each other. Misunderstanding breed conflict, and theconflicts are escalating. Scientist Mara Cadell’s radical proposal: thathost mothers of either species carry fraternal twins, human and Tofa, in thehope that the bond between twins can bridge the gap between species. Maralost her own twin, Levi, in utero, but she has secretly kept him alive in hermind as companion and collaborator.

Mara succeeds in obtaining governmental backing for herproject Ã¢â‚¬â€œ but both the human and Tofa establishments have their ownagendas. Mara must shepherd the Twin-Bred through dangers she anticipatedand others that even the canny Levi could not foresee. Will the Twin-Bredbring peace, war, or something else entirely?...

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Twin-Bred-Karen-Wyle/dp/1463578911/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329597567&sr=1-1
Amazon kindle - http://amzn.to/u2OtVP

Barnes &Noble -http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/twin-bred-karen-wyle/1035146826?ean=9781463578916&itm=1&usri=twin+bred

AUTHOR LINKS

www.facebook.com/KarenAWyle

www.facebook.com/TwinBred (withoutthe hyphen)

Twitter handle: @WordsmithWyle

Blog: Looking Around, at http://looking-around.blogspot.com

5 FEATURED AUTHORS

2012-02-11T13:46:00.000-08:00

“BLUESDAY”

by Adrienne Thompson

REVIEWED BY: EllenFritz

OVERVIEW

Bobbie Brooks is living the life she's alwaysdreamed of. A life full of music, success, and love—or so it seems. Suddenly,her perfect world shatters, leaving her alone, broken, and penniless. In orderto heal, Bobbie must confront the demons of both her past and present. Will shebe strong enough to move into her future and make a new start with an oldflame?

REVIEW

Icannot remember when last had I enjoyed a good romance as much as I did thisone.

“Bluesday”is a truly beautiful and inspiring love story - the kind of book you can readthrough in one relaxing evening and enjoy every moment thereof.

Setin the African-American community, this book is delightfully unique and highlyinformative about their culture. I really liked the characters and found itrefreshing that the two main characters are not the usual stereotypicalblue-eyed blonde girl and tall, dark and handsome boy.

FromMamma, the strict family matriarch to the more modern Bobby and the two amusinggranddaughters; I was quite sad to say good bye to them at the end of thestory.

“Bluesday”is not only a love story, but also a tale of healing and overcomingtribulations

suchas alcoholism, bitterness, guilt and dealing with the harsh realitiesthereof. The romantic relationshipbetween the main characters is truly beautiful and tastefully described, but ofcourse, not without a few complications. It was refreshing to read a love story where the emphasis is on the lovebetween the characters rather than the possible conflict they might experience.

Ofcourse there are also moments of suspense - not the blazing guns type, but thetype where you wonder whether the love between the main characters will survivethe odds. The dialogue is engaging and extremely well written with subtle humorin all the right places.

Iwould highly recommend this attractively written romance to anybody who loves agood, gentle love story and I happily give “Bluesday” a 5 star rating, hopingthat we will see more books similar to this one from Adrienne Thompson in thenear future.

READ more REVIEWS

“Bluesday”by Adrienne Thompson has 5 reviews on GoodReads. Read it here – http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12631823-bluesday

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Bluesday-Adrienne-Thompson/dp/0983756902/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1328698233&sr

Barnes & Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bluesday-adrienne-thompson/1104173383?ean=9780983756903&itm=1&usri=bluesday

“THREE STEPS TO HEAVEN”

by Pam Howes

REVIEWED BY: Books4Tomorrow

OVERVIEW

It's the 1960's and Eddie Mellor is unhappy inhis shotgun marriage; hates his boring factory job and is not unduly botheredwhen he is sacked. His young son Jonny, and his dreams of becoming a famousrock drummer with The Raiders, a career he was forced to shelve when he marriedAngie, are the two things that keep him going. But Eddie's luck is about tochange for the better... Three Steps to Heaven is the first novel in a trilogyspanning forty years and the lives and loves of the Mellor and Cantello families.

REVIEW

WARNING:you’ll have difficulty putting this book down!

Everythingabout this book screams 5 star read. The characters are realistic and theireveryday lives are what we can relate to – until they become famous, that is. Ifor one can’t relate to being a rock star, but it doesn’t mean I can’t go alongfor the ride! The plot flows well and keeps you hooked and the author’s writingis simple and straightforward. She calls a spade, a spade and doesn’t shy awayfrom controversy. You’ll find yourself nodding your head in agreement from timeto time, or smiling because you can relate to a certain event or just wipe atear at times because you can feel what the characters feel, especially whenthey are faced with every parent’s worst nightmare.

“ThreeSteps to Heaven” has a distinct British flavour to it which I enjoyed for achange. It also has its own soundtrack and if you grew up in the sixties, thiswill certainly take you down memory lane. If, like me, the nineties is moreyour thing, you’ll have the second book in this trilogy to look forward to. Nomatter what your age though, you’ll love this story and feel you’ve made newfriends, once you finish the book.

Iofficially deem myself Pam Howes’ number one fan and can’t wait to get my handson every book she’s ever written!

READ more REVIEWS

“ThreeSteps To Heaven” by Pam Howes has 4 reviews on GoodReads. Read it here – http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8503345-three-steps-to-heaven

PURCHASELINKS

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Three-Steps-Heaven-Pam-Howes/dp/1907461981/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1328698783&sr=1-1

Barnes & Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/three-steps-to-heaven-pam-howes/1101160674?ean=9781907461989&itm=3&usri=three

“THE UNWILLING BRIDE”

by Candy Ann Little

REVIEWED BY:Ellen Fritz

OVERVIEW

Beautiful and high-spirited Caitlin Gallagherhas no desire to be married, especially to someone born in England. Her familywas forced to flee Ireland and move to America because of the war with England.This arranged marriage is stripping her freedom away.

Gentle Dillon Cade has lived a quiet life forthirteen years in Norfolk, Virginia. When he agrees to marry a young maiden soshe can stay in America while her parents are deported back to Ireland, he getsmore than he bargains for. He must now deal with an unwilling bride, whodisturbs his peaceful life.

Can Caitlin work through her anger, findingfaith in God and love in Dillon’s arms? Can Dillon tolerate her behavior longenough to win her trust?

REVIEW

This historical romance had meriveted to my chair for hours at a time and I read through it in just two days.Set during a time of war and political upheaval, this book tells the story ofsome of those not directly involved but still deeply touched byit. Caitlin, the main character and the very unwilling bride of DillonCade, at first struck me as a spoiled little girl who was used to getting herway by stamping her foot, pouting or sulking. However, as the story progresses,her character develops into that of a responsible but still spirited youngwoman.

The author accurately writes about the way of life in late eighteenth centuryAmerica. Even the dialogue between the characters is accurate to thattime. The descriptions of homes and country scenes combined with the historicalfacts of the time, made me feel as though I was there living the story withCaitlin and Dillon.

I was touched by the gentleness with which Dillon treats his unwilling brideand often felt like all Caitlin needed was a good lesson - one which shegets when a jealous woman and her mother-in-law make a combined effort to wreckher marriage, as well as her life. Believe me, Dillon's stepmother is thepersonification of evil stepmother and horrible mother-in-law rolled in one.

The romantic relationship between the main characters develops slowly, but whenadversity strikes and they need to support one another, they become the embodimentof marital unity. This story is not without its moments of suspense which,several times, made me wonder whether the story can end in anything other thandisaster. Of course, that is what the reader has to find out.

For all of us who love a really good and tasteful romance with a strong elementof intrigue and excitement, “The Unwilling Bride” is an absolute must read andwell deserving of its 5 stars.

READ more REVIEWS

“The Unwilling Bride” by Candy AnnLittle has 8 reviews on GoodReads. Read it here – http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10588106-the-unwilling-bride

PURCHASE LINK

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/The-Unwilling-Bride-ebook/dp/B004LLJ1RW/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1328697988&sr=1-1

“SPELL CHECKED”

by C.G. Powell

REVIEWED BY:Books4Tomorrow

OVERVIEW

Broken relationships were a constant in Mae’slife, causing her to swear off men forever. Unwittingly lured to Ireland, Maefinds herself knee-deep in a hidden world she never knew existed and head overheels for the very man that tricked her to coming there. His deception iscomplicated by his own feelings for the one person that holds the key tomerging the ancient races that once ruled the ancient word.
Mae finds herself in an underground world ofwitches, and vampires, which are half-breeds of aliens long gone. She learnsabout her own unique parentage and powers, which she must study in order tocontrol, before they consume her.
Beck and Helen’s love for one another spansacross a millennium, her human soul reincarnated to match Beck’s ownimmortality. This time however the body she occupies is of a being that cannotbe eclipsed by her return. After waiting two hundred years, Beck finds himselftormented by Helen’s inability to return and his growing love for her new host.
Some of the underworld creatures welcome herwith open arms as a savior, while others seek to destroy the abomination theybelieve her to be. Will the knowledge of her existence cause a race war whenthe true power of her blood is discovered? Or will love become her ultimatedownfall?

REVIEW

Spellchecked? I think not.

Ihave no idea where to start with this review. I somewhat enjoyed the book, butthere were so many things “wrong” with it, it’s actually quite sad. The onething I can say with certainty, is that a good editor would’ve made a world ofdifference. But instead of droning on and on about the things which brings downthe value of this book, I’ll give you a quick run-through of the points thatbugged me. Just humor me and let me have my little rant here, about a book thathas so much potential to be a bestseller if the author is willing to make a fewchanges to it.

Let’sstart with the first major point which I found quite annoying: the author’sfear of using the apostrophe in all the right places. Do not; has not; was notand are not, contributed to throwing the rhythm of the book off balance. Once Istarted reading it as don’t, hasn’t, wasn’t and aren’t, the story read smootherand suited its characters and setting much better.

Thesecond issue I had was the grammar errors. It wasn’t overwhelming, but it wasnoticeable.

Thewhole book is written in such a way as to make it an easy read suitable foryoung adults, but time and again the intimate scenes between the charactersended up being pure erotica with unexpected crude language at inappropriateintervals - thus making it unsuitable for younger readers. It also succeeded increating the impression that the author wasn’t sure whether it should be a youngadult novel, or a read suitable for more mature readers.

Magicwas used as a scapegoat to fix every situation to which the author couldn’tfigure out a solution. Abracadabra and the characters got out of stickysituations in a jiffy.

Therewas no point to the plot and not an ounce of suspense. No, really! The blurbhinted at some action and danger for the main character, but nothing happened.Mae - the main character - was trained throughout the book to use her magicalgifts to protect herself and others from harm; creating the impression that sheis preparing for a big battle scene or something similar. All she ended upusing her magical gifts for were to heal one or two characters and to knock herlover off his feet while they were chasing after each other naked down thepassages in their mansion. It was such a disappointment!

Thecharacters were somewhat flawed, in an effort to make them believable, but itwas still hard to identify with them when all the difficulties they faced wereeasily solved with truckloads of money and magic, thus making it hard to feelany sympathy for them whenever they went through rough patches.

Asthis is the first book in this series, I’ll rather believe that it served as avery (unnecessary) long introduction to the characters who will be the mainrole-players in the next books in the series. But other than that, there wasreally no point to this story other than character development.

Sowhy am I recommending this book with 3 stars? Because despite everything I found“wrong” with this book, I couldn’t put it down. There’s definitely something inthe author’s writing that is captivating enough to grab the reader’s attentionand keep it until the end of the book. This alone is testimony that CG Powellis a talented author who knows how to engage her readers, but just has to findthe right rhythm for her writing style and some good advice (or a bettereditor) on how to add that extra “oomph” to this book. She certainly impressedme with her knowledge on technology and she has an imagination that can charmreaders out of their socks! Now if only she can find a way to apply it in amore-showing, less-telling manner...

READ more REVIEWS

“SpellChecked” by C.G. Powell has 18 reviews on GoodReads. Read it here – http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11422831-spell-checked

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Spell-Checked-Uncertain-Logic-ebook/dp/B005BYJN76/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=13286978

SmashWords – www.smashwords.com/books/view/70974

Barnes & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/spell-checked-cg-powell/1104215278?ean=2940012844491&itm=1&usri=spell+checked

“NOT TO US”

by Katherine Owen

REVIEWED BY: EllenFritz

OVERVIEW

The roller coaster ride of Ellen Kay"Ellie" Bradford's story begins when Ellie-a successful editor, adoting mother, and a loving wife-discovers her perfect world has been rocked byher best friend Carrie who is having an affair with her husband Robert. It'sbeen the two couples-Robert and Ellie; Michael and Carrie-since college.Ellie's world unravels further, when she learns she has breast cancer fromMichael, the brilliant surgeon determined to save her. Both Ellie and Michaeladmit to their long-held feelings for one another; and, with an unexpectedpregnancy further complicating Ellie's cancer treatment, the two marry. Intenton building a perfect life together with their blended families, Michael andEllie's intense bond is soon tested like never before. Not To Us is aninsightful look into one woman's personal journey in discovering the only wayto keep her one and only wish is to trust the ones that count, beginning withherself.

REVIEW

Isn’tit true that when horrible things happen to others, we are quick to think thatit won’t happen to us? That’s exactly what “Not To Us” is centered on.

Friendssince college, Ellie, her husband and their mutual friends had it all. Eachwith successful careers, children and living comfortable lives, when out of theblue divorce, infidelity, breast cancer, death and betrayal swoops down on allof them, especially Ellie - cutting a swathe of destruction on many levelsthrough her life.

Atone point I was asking myself: what else can go wrong in these people'slives? To add to all the upheaval in herlife, Ellie meets a man who means well but causes the ultimate complication inan already out of control situation. It thoroughly baffled me that so much cango wrong between two couples - including a complete partner swop - while theystill try and hang on to their friendship.

Theromantic relationships in “Not To Us” are masterfully described. In fact, thesweet parts as well as some of the almost poignantly sad moments often broughttears to my eyes. The romantic involvements of especially the main character isput under the microscope with the main relationship being put to the testmultiple times until I thought that there was no way in which any relationshipcan withstand this much trial. You will have to wait right up to the end to seewhether this happens or not.

Thestory is written in the present tense and from the first person perspective ofthe main character, which deeply involves the reader in Ellie’s thoughts, emotionsand moral struggles. This makes the whole story just that much more realisticand believable. The problems addressed are those that happen to people all thetime: Ellie's best friend betraying her again and again, ensuing divorce; theonset of breast cancer; an unexpected pregnancy - and all of that within thegroup of friends who had been together for twenty years and more.

Readingthis book was quite an emotional roller coaster ride for me, as things don’t endwith these trials and tribulations but declines further into more betrayal and sorrow.This is not your average quick-read romance, but a book to be read at leisureso as to enjoy every moment thereof. It touches you on different emotionallevels and forces the reader to face many truths; that we have no control overour lives, no matter how hard we try. What makes the difference though, is howwe deal with it.

Excerpt:

“It's true; my mindhas already begun the slow descent into disbelief. It races with this onepervasive thought: this can't be happening, not to us.”

READmore REVIEWS

“NotTo Us” by Katherine Owen has 12 reviews on GoodReads. Read it here – http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11477116-not-to-us

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Not-Us-Katherine-Owen/dp/0983570701/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1328697755&sr=1-1

SmashWords – www.smashwords.com/books/view/57241

Barnes& Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/not-to-us-katherine-owen/1100170258?ean=9780983570707&itm=4&usri=not+to+us

FEATURED AUTHOR: "Yesterday's Daughter" - by SALLIE LUNDY-FROMMER

2012-02-05T01:45:00.000-08:00

“YESTERDAY’S DAUGHTER”

by SallieLundy-Frommer

REVIEWED BY: Books4Tomorrow

OVERVIEW

Yesterday’s Daughter is an emotionally ladenvampire romance novel woven with layers of betrayal, love and loss. GraceStone, who later learns her true identity is Sapphira, is a loner who survivesabuse in the foster care system after being abandoned as a child.

A brilliantstudent, she escapes from her brutal foster parents as a teenager and creates alife for herself. But, her life is little more than existence; plagued withquestions about what she really is, a family that she has never known and the never-endingneed to keep her differences hidden. She is alone and lonely, believing it willalways remain so until Malachi appears in her life.

Malachi, a Guardianof the vampire communities, has searched for his life mate, Sapphira, fordecades. He refuses to cease searching for Sapphira even though she is believeddead by all. Conflict arises over the decades between Malachi and his familybecause of his refusals to accept another mate. But his very soul drives him onto continue his search, knowing that he could not exist if Sapphira were not inthe world, somewhere.

REVIEW

Firstoff I have to say that the cover of this book is absolutely stunning. And guesswhat? So is the book!

Fromreading the blurb, I thought to myself “oh geez, not another vampire love story”. Surprise, surprise! It is another vampire story, but not justany vampire story. It’s a unique tale with a different set of vampires whichbreaks away from the norm and takes the reader into a wonderful new world withan unusual culture and set of rules, unlike any other vampire novel I’ve readin the past few months.

Thisauthor’s writing style is much different to that which I’m accustomed to, andit took me about two or three chapters to get into it; but for me it addedto the beauty and style of the book. She also efficiently alternates betweenthe different viewpoints of characters, and thus successfully avoids confusingthe reader.

Themain character, Grace (Sapphira), lives up to her name and really is a very “graceful”character. She has emotional boundaries that few other characters in the bookcan breach, but she lets the reader in on her thoughts and feelings, and intoher world from page one. The second main character - and Grace’s love interest- Malachi is the epitome of everything we dream to see in the love of ourlives. If you’re sick and tired of reading about perfect vampires, then this isthe one that will have you falling madly in love with “perfect” all over again.I’m not going to spoil it and tell you why...

Whatalso stood out for me and kept me turning the pages at a steady pace, was thebackground stories for each of the main role players. I found it fascinating,informative and it helped shape the characters so I could really get to knowand understand them as I was following the story.

Whyshould you purchase this book or add it to your wishlist? Because it’s anaction-packed, fast paced, sweet paranormal romance with unforgettablecharacters and a gripping plot with an ending that makes every minute spentreading this book worth it. And if that isn’t enough, the reader can also lookforward to nail-biting intrigue, mystery, tons of secrets and the devil of itall – betrayal. The dialogue is superb and suits the characters and tone ofthe book perfectly. I won’t think twice giving this book to my dearest friendsand family as a gift.

Takinginto account that “Yesterday’s Daughter” is Sallie Lundy-Frommer’s debut noveland how splendidly it’s written, I am looking forward to seeing what she willoffer her readers next. I found her elegant writing style unique andrefreshing, and was left for days after finishing the book, with the samethought going through my mind again and again – this lady can write!

READ more REVIEWS

“Yesterday’s Daughter” by Sallie Lundy-Frommer has 5 reviews onGoodReads. Read it here – http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12878796-yesterday-s-daughter

MEET author SALLIE LUNDY-FROMMER

"I can’t remember a time when vampires have gotten more attention.With shows like True Blood, The Vampire Diaries and Being Human and popularbooks like the Twilight and Dark Series, it’s seems like they’re everywhere.Vampires have always been my favorite supernatural characters. But why? Why amI fascinated with these fantasy beings? Why are you? My interest drove meto write a book, Yesterday’s Daughter. But I could have written about anything,werewolves, cat people or some other paranormal beings, but I chose vampires.Why, I wrote about vampires? I’m not sure I can fully explainwhy. Maybe I chose vampires because they exude prowess andmajesty. But, that would be an all too simple answer. And when I thinkabout it, I know it’s not a complete answer. But it’s a start. What do youthink? Why are so many people so interested in these mythical creatures.

As for me, I was born on a farm in the rural South of the USA to afamily of migrant farm workers. At an early age, my family moved to the urbanNorth-East. Now I live in the suburban North-East with my husband and avery large assortment of plants. I hold bachelors and masters degrees inHuman Resource Management and currently work in the health care industry."

INTERVIEW with SALLIELUNDY-FROMMER

Q: What sparked the idea for “Yesterday’s Daughter”?

A: I wish I had an interesting story to tell about how I came up with theidea of writing Yesterday's Daughter. But, in truth, the answer is simple. Forquite some time, over a period of perhaps four or five years, I had dreamsabout these characters. I dreamt aboutSapphira and Malachi. What was interesting about the dreams is over time thedreams built on each other, in sequential order, like chapters in the book. Fora longtime I ignored the dreams. I didn’tknow what to do with them. I didn’tthink of myself as a writer and didn’t accept the dreams for what they were,inspiration. I was busy with my nine tofive job; and I was afraid to try to write a book. I thought of writers as a group of individualsthat I wouldn’t and couldn’t be a part of. But then my employment situation changed; I had more timeavailable. And the characters wouldn’tbe quiet so I started writing, unsure of where it all would lead.

Q: What was the easiest part of writing “Yesterday’sDaughter”?

A: Everything was easy about writing yesterday's daughter once I actuallybegan writing. I think, because the story was in my mind for so long, I’ddreamt about Malachi and Sapphira and their world for so long, that when Istarted writing it was cathartic. Thisstory was just waiting to be told and when I started writing, it poured out asif a dam had burst.

Q: If you had to do it all over again, would you changeanything in “Yesterday’s Daughter”?

A: No, I wouldn’t change anything about the story. How could I? I wrote the story as it was told to me. Itwasn't mine to finagle with or change. Malachi and Sapphira trusted me with their story. My job was to reportit, to be their scribe. So, again, I sayno. The story is as it was shown to mein my dreams, as it was meant to be.

Q: If you can have dinner with any of the characters in“Yesterday’s Daughter”, who would it, be and why?

A:I’d like to have a get together with allthe characters. They all have a specialplace in my heart, but a dinner sounds more intimate, smaller. So in a more intimate setting I’d just haveMalachi and Sapphira over for dinner with my husband and me. Malachi and Sapphira have been through a lotlately. They deserve a quiet eveningout, carefree, without having to look over their shoulders. And we all have something in common, a lovefor music, blues in particular....

Q:Could you tell us more about your next book?

A: WhatI can tell you is that it's a continuation of Malachi and Sapphira’s story.There are still a lot of questions needing answers. I think the readers wouldbe interested in finding out what happened to Sapphira during the decades thatshe was believed dead. There's just a lot more to tell. I've barely touched thetip of what adventures, both good and bad, lay ahead for Sapphira and Malachi.

Q: What is your workschedule like when you're writing?

A: I haveto admit it, I don't have a strict writing schedule. I know most writers do,but even when I was writing Yesterday's Daughter, I didn’t. I just wrote whenever I could. When I began writing Yesterday's Daughter, Iwas still working a full-time job. So finding time to write was difficult,evenings, early mornings, weekends; you get my meaning. Although I didn't havea strict schedule, it didn't impede or stymie my ability to produce. Eventhough I now have more time available to me, I find that setting specific hoursto work just doesn't work for me. I've tried that. So, in a nutshell, mywriting schedule is I write when it moves me. I don't try to force it, I justwrite when it comes to me.

Q: Whatdo you like to do when you're not writing?

A: I lovetravelling, although I haven’t done much of it lately. When I’m at home, I like to garden. I have tons of plants and each one has aname. And yes, I do talk to them. I enjoy going to bookstores, even if I’m notplanning to buy anything. I just enjoybeing around tons of books. It makes mehappy. Also, I love going to the moviesand Broadway musicals.

Q: List four"Good to Know" facts about you.

A: Fourfacts about me that are good to know, hmm, well the first fact I'm serving upis that I had an “outie” bellybuttonuntil I was about seven or eight years old. My mom taped a half-dollar piece onmy belly button for months. I'm not sure how long. Anyway, when she took thetape off I had an “inie” bellybutton. Who says old-fashioned remedies don’t work....

My secondfact to share is one of my favourite childhood memories. We lived in a house that had a huge grapevinein the backyard. I loved the grapevine. The green grapes were sometimes sweetbut more often sour, which is exactly how I like them, sour, so you have topucker… I hope someday, I live somewhereI can have another grapevine.

Anembarrassing memory is of something that happened when I was about 11 or12. I asked my mother if I can go tothe park with my best friend, Betty. She said no. I don't remember why shewouldn't let me go, but the answer was no. I snuck to the park with Betty andwe were playing around on the swings and guess what happened? I passed out andwhen I woke up, I’d hit the ground and my knees were scratched up. One of my shins was badly cut. There was no way I could sneak home, no way Icould hide that from Mama. I paid for my disobedience, the hard way....

And last but not least, when I was ateenager, more than anything I wanted to be an ice-skater. I wanted to be like Dorothy Hamill. But I was a complete spaz with two leftfeet. I never learned to ice-skate, butI do love watching the sport on TV...

Q: Doyou have a favourite quote you want to share with your readers?

A: Psalm46:1 (NIV) God is our refuge and strength,an ever-present help in trouble.

Q: Do you have any advice for other writers?

A: I’m noexpert! Yesterday’s Daughter is my firstnovel, but the best advice I would give an aspiring writer is to write with allyour heart. Get to know other writers.Surround yourself with those who know the craft. Join writers’ blogs and websites and thenwrite some more.

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Yesterdays-Daughter-Sallie-Lundy-Frommer/dp/1460925238/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327867330&sr=8-1

SmashWords – http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/93318

Barnes & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/reviews/Yesterdays-Daughter%2FSallie-Lundy-Frommer/1105680374

AUTHOR LINKS

Blog: http://yesterdaydaugher.blogspot.com/
Website: https://sites.google.com/site/yesterdaysdaughter/
Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Yesterdays-Daughter/252655401443654
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ Slfrommer
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/574122214

SHOWCASING: “A Rush of Wings” & “Black Heart Loa” – by Adrian Phoenix

2012-02-05T01:43:00.000-08:00

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

with

ADRIANPHOENIX

GIVEAWAY!!!

“A RUSH OF WINGS” (Book One of TheMaker’s Song)

by AdrianPhoenix

OVERVIEW

Set in the brooding New Orleans area longestablished as the best location for all things vampiric, Phoenix's livelydebut has it all: Rogue [FBI] agents, Bureau-ordered hits, mad-scientistexperiments in psychopathology, vampires and fallen angels and a slicing-dicingserial killer. Smart, sexy FBI Special Agent Heather Wallace has been trying tocatch the Cross-Country Killer for three years when the trail leads to NewOrleans and Club Hell, where Dante Prejean performs with the Inferno, anindustrial/goth rock band. Dante is a Cajun and a born vampire whose memoriesof his terrible past have been erased, leaving him vulnerable to thepsychopathic killer, E, who knows all that Dante has forgotten. As E beginstargeting Dante's loved ones, Heather must swallow her skepticism and work withDante's vampiric friends and family to save him. Phoenix alternates romantichomages to gothdom and steamy blood-drinking threesomes with enough terse,fast-paced thriller scenes to satisfy even the most jaded fan.

“BLACK HEART LOA”

by AdrianPhoenix

OVERVIEW

“An eye for an eye isnever enough.”

Kallie Rivière, a Cajun hoodoo apprentice with a bent for trouble,learned the meaning of those ominous words when hoodoo bogeyman Doctor Herontargeted her family for revenge. Now, while searching for her still-missingbayou pirate cousin, Kallie finds out the hard way that someone is undoingpowerful gris gris, which means that working magic has become as unpredictableas rolling a handful of dice. The wards woven to protect the Gulf coast areunraveling, leaving New Orleans and the surrounding bayous vulnerable just asan unnatural storm—the deadliest in a century—is born. As the hurricane powerstoward the heart of all she loves, Kallie desperately searches for the cause ofthe disturbing randomness, only to learn a deeply unsettling truth: the culpritmay be herself. To protect her family and friends, including the sexy nomadLayne Vallin, Kallie steps into the jaws of danger . . . and finds a loupgarou designed to steal her heart—literally.

READ the REVIEWS

“A Rush of Wings” by Adrian Phoenix has 247 reviews on GoodReads. Readit here – http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2081569.A_Rush_of_Wings

“Black Heart Loa” by Adrian Phoenix has 64 reviews on GoodReads. Read ithere – http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9686423-black-heart-loa

MEET author ADRIAN PHOENIX

As a writer, a person, and a mother, I’ve always believed in followingyour dreams, following your heart. It’s also important to keep yourheart, so I also believe in being prepared for zombie attacks and can’t stressenough the importance of having regular family drills so every member of thehousehold is zombie-ready. One never knows. Make sure the sofa is ready to pushin front of the door. Be clear that if a member of the family is on the wrongside of the door when the zombie action goes down. They remain on the wrongside of the door. The greater good, etc.

I live in Springfield, Oregon in a zombie-free home (except when meetingdeadlines) with four cats, Amiga, Diabla, Keats, and Ember and have two sonsand three grandchildren and two granddogs. I’m the author of The Maker’s Song (ARush of Wings, In the Blood, Beneath the Skin, Etched in Bone) and Hoodooseries (Black Dust Mambo, Black Heart Loa) and short stories.

INTERVIEW with ADRIANPHOENIX

Q: Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

A: Oh, it started when I was a kid, with my love of reading, of books ingeneral. But by the time I was twelve or so, I knew I wanted to be a writer. Iwrote short stories for fun all the time, sharing them with my sisters and myfriends and my teachers. By the time I was in junior high, I was in love withwriting.

Q: What inspired you to write your first book?

A: Up until I wrote A Rush of Wings, I’d written only short stories. Don’tget me wrong, I wanted to write a novel, but at the time I felt like novelwriting had to be complicated , a mysterious process that only the initiatedunderstood. Kind of like the Freemasons of verse. LOL. So, basically, I let myown fears stop me. Then I attended a story structure workshop taught by DeanWesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch, two pro writers that I deeply respect,and I learned that I was so wrong.

Novel writing is not complicated nor mysterious and you don’tneed to be initiated into the club via an arcane ritual. All you have to do iswrite a story. It’s a bigger story, yes, but it possesses all thecharacteristics of a short story—a character in a setting with a problem—butwith more arcs. Duh. Angelic choir in the background. Light bulb over my head.So simple. Tell the story. I went home and started on A Rush of Wings.

Q: Howmany books have you written? Which one did you enjoy writing the most?

A: I have written seven novels so far. Six of those are for the two seriesI have with Pocket, the seventh is a humorous urban fantasy novel (very tonguein cheek) that I plan to e-pub under a pen name because it’s so different fromwhat I usually write. It’s short and funny. I’m working on book five for thefirst series right now, then on to book three of the second series.

The book I enjoyed writing the most was A Rush of Wings. Itwas purely for myself and I was pushing all boundaries and exploring. I enjoyedthe process very much.

Q: Is there anything you find particularly challenging inyour writing?

A: My plots tend to be complicated with multiple sub-plots, so as theseries progresses, it becomes more of a challenge keeping straight who knewwhat and when and how. LOL. I’m now keeping a bible to make all that a biteasier. Also with nightkind (vampires), Fallen, and loups garous (werewolves),the scent of smell is a highly attuned sense, so included in that bible is howeach individual smells—the personal scent that identifies them. Annie smellslike cigarette smoke and vanilla, for example.

Q: Are there any new authors who have grasped your interest?

A: Sad to say, I’m usually so busy that I only have time to read atbedtime, so I’m way behind on new and exciting work coming out. My TBR pilekeeps growing because I keep adding to it. LOL. I haven’t had a chance todiscover new authors yet, though I have some of their work in my ever-growingpile.

Q: Who are your favourite authors and what is it that reallystrikes you about their work?

A: I love Stephen King, for one. His characterization captured me frombook one. He makes his characters three-dimensional (even the villains) withflaws and ideals and hopes and fears.

I also love PatriciaBriggs for the same reason. I love her Mercedes Thompson series. Briggs givesreaders a female protagonist who is warm and loyal, who fights for those shecares about, and although she’s a shapeshifter, she has limits and knows them.Mercy is someone you would want as friend.

Rob Thurman—I adore her urban fantasy Cal Leandros series(talk about compelling stories and fascinating, riveting characters!). In fact,she has two other series and a stand-alone paranormal thriller coming out soon.She never disappoints.

Jeri Smith-Ready, her WVMP vampire series and her YAparanormal series are both great. Again, compelling stories withthree-dimensional characters. Actually all of her books are well worth pickingup.

I also love readingJames Lee Burke, Janet Evanovich, Elmore Leonard, Kristine Kathryn Rusch,Jeaniene Frost, C.S. Harris, I know there are more, many more, but my mind iscurrently drawing a blank. Dammit.

Q: Do you ever experience writer's block and how do you dealwith it?

A: Not writer’s block, per se, but I have had dealings with falling intocritical mind set. When that happens, it can stop my progress cold. It’s whenyou slip out of creative into critic mode. You can’t write while incritic/editor mode. It stifles creativity and saps your confidence. This iscrippling for a writer. When it happens,when the critic takes over and my work slows to a stop, I take a deep breath,then mentally gag and duct tape the critic and toss it into a closet. Then Ikeep start moving forward again, allowing the creative to flow down into myfingertips again.

I have to remind myself whenever the urge to edit, back up,or delete comes over me: Just keep moving forward. You can fix things duringrevisions. You need to lay down the story bones completely before you can goback and add in muscle and flesh. Dare to be bad. Let the creative genius flowand trust yourself.

My advice for all writers (including myself) is this: Writeonly for yourself. Screw perfection—nothing is perfect. TRUST YOURSELF and GETOUT OF YOUR OWN WAY. Keep it fun. Listen to your heart, not your inner critic.

Q: What would your ideal career be, if you couldn't be anauthor?

A: A tough question! I have so many interests and I’m not sure what wouldmake an ideal career. Nursing might be good (I worked in a nursing homepreviously as a certified nurse’s aide), working in the FBI’s behaviouralsciences department would be intriguing (I was majoring in psychology incollege), I think being a bartender would be fun and fascinating, I loveanimals, so working at a shelter would be another choice too.

Q: If you were to do your career as an author again, whatwould you do differently, and why?

A:I think the only thing I would dodifferently would be to have faced my novel-writing fears and doubts sooner.Much sooner.

Q: Whatdo you like to do when you're not writing?

A: Ilove to read. I also love to go watch movies at the theatre. The whole buy aticket and popcorn thing is something I’ve enjoyed since I was a kid. I enjoyhiking and hanging out with friends. I love road trips and riding the train todifferent cities.

Q: What are your current projects and can you share a littleabout it with us?

A: I’m currently finishing up book five of The Maker’s Song series, OnMidnight Wings. It picks up where book four, Etched in Bone, leaves off withboth Dante and Heather in dire situations. Here’s a little bit about it:

AsDante Baptiste’s true identity as both True Blood and Fallen ripples throughoutNew Orleans, he and Heather struggle for their lives against different foes,fighting their way back to each other. To free herself from her father’streachery, Heather accepts help from an ally—and steps into even greaterdanger. Dante, lost to his brutal past, wavers between his own sense of selfand the Bad Seed-programmed S that lurks within, between the never-ending Roadand the Great Destroyer. And the danger of becoming both.

Then it’s on to book three of the Hoodoo series featuringfiery Cajun hoodoo Kallie Rivière, Black Moon Mojo. I’m also planning anotherseries about a pair of brothers who aren’t quite human fighting the forces ofevil, called Sons of Darkness. It’s like Sons of Anarchy meets Supernaturalmeets Call of Cthulhu. LOL.

Q: Do you have any advice for other writers?

A: Alwaystrust yourself and follow your heart. Discipline is important also. Sit yourbutt in the chair and write every day, even if it’s only for fifteen minutes. You’llmake progress each and every day. And have fun doing it!

Thanks somuch for having me! It’s been a real pleasure.

Youcan read a chapter from the book that opens The Maker’s Song series. Here the first chapter of A Rush of Wings.

Here’sthe first chapter of Black Dust Mambo. (Hoodoo Book 1)

Andthe first two chapters of Black Heart Loa. (Hoodoo Book 2)

Ialso have my first indie published short story “Caught Forever Between” up on Smashwords, Amazon, and BN.com .It’s a tale set in the bayou world of my Hoodoo books, but you don’t need toread the books in order to enjoy the short story.

Youcan also find me at:

PURCHASE LINKS

“A Rush of Wings”

Amazon.com – http://www.amazon.com/Rush-Wings-Book-Makers-Song/dp/B005Q79KYY/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327849268&sr=1

Barnes & Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rush-of-wings-adrian-phoenix/1030024410?ean=9781416593652&itm=4&usri=adrian+phoenix

“Black Heart Loa”

Amazon.com – http://www.amazon.com/Black-Heart-Loa-Adrian-Phoenix/dp/1439167923/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327849268&sr=1-4

Barnes & Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/black-heart-loa-adrian-phoenix/1101116711?ean=9781439167922&itm=1&usri=adrian+phoenix

FIND author ADRIAN PHOENIX here

Website, Facebook, Facebook Fan Page, Twitter, MySpace, Goodreads

Dante'sClub Hell Forum

Dante's Club Hell Yahoo Group

Pocket After Dark

GIVEAWAY!!!

Adrian Phoenix has generously offered to give two lucky winners each aprinted copy of their choice of ANY one of her books!

Each series in order:

The Maker's Song:

- A Rush of Wings

- In the Blood

- Beneath the Skin

- Etched in Bone

The Hoodoo series:

- Black Dust Mambo

- Black Heart Loa

All you have to do toenter the giveaway:

1. “Like” the Adrian Phoenixauthor page on FB and comment on her page with “Books4Tomorrow sent me” - Facebook Fan Page.

2. Join this blog using GFC.

3. Leave a comment on thispost with your email address where we can contact you if you are one of the twolucky winners, as well as the book you would like to win!

The giveaway is open internationally.

The winner will be selected using random.org.

Giveaway ends Saturday, 11 February 2012

Good luck!!

GUEST POST: “Bullying: A Social Plague” – by Nathan Squiers

2012-02-05T01:19:00.001-08:00

NATHAN SQUIERS, author of “DEATH METAL” shares his view on “BULLYING: A SOCIAL PLAGUE”

It doesn't seem toolong ago that I was a schoolboy and facing the cruel elements of my fellow peers.While teachers and other figures of authority did what they could to keep theseverity of the situations under control, bullies still got to flex theircollective muscle. At that time--and all times before that--the internet wasn'tthe driving social tool that it has become, and while bullying was a painfuland wretched reality that every child, myself included,had to face, it nevertheless faded at the end of the day when I and my peerswere released from school and able to go home. Once safe-and-sound at my home,like a professional boxer retreating to their corner at the end of a round, Iwas able to wind down. After a few hours of homework and television/videogames, the mental aches-and-pains from that day's harassments were little morethan a clouded nightmare that I had endured and awoken out of.

And so, day-after-dayI, and many others like me, endured the cycle; tolerating it with the awarenessthat there was only so much the bullies could dish out before that last bellrang and we were on the bus.

Also, for me atleast, I was permitted five "mental-health days" per school quarter.While I couldn't collect these to gain a full school-week off, they did do thetrick of further healing from a particularly bad day if needed.

But with the blossomingof new technologies and the constant potential attachment with the entire world(like it or not). Unfortunately (an incrediblyinappropriate-yet-all-too-often-used-word in regards to the subject), forvictims of bullying--which, sadly, is most who attend school or any othersimilar establishment--there is no longer an escape when school lets out.Nowadays, kids get to head home not just with the residual sting of that day'storment fresh on their mind, but the ever-growing anxiety of what publicly-availablehell awaits them when they log on.

While I don'tconsider myself "old" or "behind the times" it seems to methat this is not only an atrocious way to treat one's peers, but an incrediblyimproper way to use a technology that has such vast and monumental potentialfor good. Facebook, and other such global networking sites, provide a means foranybody at any location to reach out and make a difference in the lives ofanybody else, anyplace else in the world. And how do we react to such anetworking treasure?

By torturing oneanother?!

Are we as a speciestruly so wrapped up in our own petty selves that the happiness and comfort ofour fellow man is as easily destroyed as an insect on the wall? Have we trulylost all decency? Have we truly become so blind?

Albert Einstein oncesaid, "It has become appallingly clear that our technology has surpassedour humanity" and no truer words could be said on the subject (I'll allowa tremor of dread to now pass as you realize that this quote is more-than sixdecades old; more than enough time if you ask me for us to further build ontechnology and further lose our humanity).

Just imagine, we havea means of providing soothing words, powerful advice, or life-changing wisdomwith eager and deserving minds all over the world and most would rather use itto ridicule somebody in their math class because they're a little different(because, let's face it, you're nobody if you don't look and act like everybodyelse).

Meanwhile, ratherthan owning up to years-upon-years of slacking and turning away from anever-worsening issue, schools feel the need to, rather than owning up to theirresponsibilities and showing some real effort, insist that nothing is wrongwhile we're forced to sit and read and/or watch stories of youth across thecountry forced into a mindset that actually drives them to commit suicide--notjust contemplating hurting themselves, but actually taking their own livesbecause of an inability to further stomach the torrents of harassment that havebecome a hellish routine!

We are, as we alwayshave been, human beings--mammals with a mentality dedicated to the"herd" like most other warm-blooded creatures on this planet--andit's coming dangerously close to the point where we as a species figure outwhat herd mentality means or suffer a self-destructive extinction. People seemto have some instinctual apprehension to the comparison between the species andthe behavior of a virus--an entity that exists only to spread and destroy tomaintain its own existence--and yet, studying the social patterns that we'retaking, it's difficult to see any sort of natural instinct to follow a mindsetof "protect the herd". We've become so calloused to the simple needsof others; needs like love, affection, compassion, dignity, and respect. We mayvery well be too damn selfish and stubborn to help the little guy up, but do wereally--REALLY--have to go out ofour way to crush them body, mind, and essence?

Is it truly so hardto NOT be cruel?

Is it really sopleasurable to destroy others?

I have seen firsthandthe depths that this problem has dug itself into our lives. Several monthsback, an Upstate New York high school student took her life because of thebullying she faced at school and online. To try and spread awareness and memorializetheir lost loved one, the friends and family of this poor girl created aFacebook page in her honor. When I learned of this, I promptly"Liked" the page and offered my condolences as best I could to thebereaved in the form of a post on the page's wall. Not soon after being postedI was notified of a response to the comment. Please note that not one word ofthis is an exaggeration or a lie (I'm a fantasy author by trade and I couldn'timagine making up such monstrous events), but as I scanned the rapidly growingresponses to my supportive post, I saw that only one-in-every-three werepositive and/or grateful for my sentiments. The majority of the responses camefrom the very bullies who had driven the girl to suicide, and rather thanshowing remorse--rather than hiding in the shadows where they belong--theygathered like vultures and urged both myself and all other supporters to killthemselves as well, citing that a world filled with cultural, sexual, andreligious diversity was not a world worth being proud of.

"You shouldthink about killing yourself."

They'd turned it intoa mantra of hate; one that they used repeatedly--an opening and closingstatement and often laced in every other sentence of their hate-driven rants.

"You shouldthink about killing yourself."

Believe me when I saythat most kids nowadays DO think about killing themselves, and it rarely stopsat thought if something isn't done!

The floodgates ofhopelessness have burst and the new generation is already at risk of drowning inthe inevitable flood and, well aware that the bully will not soon cease and theschools will never admit fault the responsibility falls into the hands of us;those that SEE the monumental threat for what it is: a social plague that cannow travel the globe in a blink of an eye. And while this certainly presentsitself as a terrifying responsibility I can assure you that you're more-thanequipped to fight back. These victims, starved for affection and desperate forunderstanding, need only know--need only FEEL--that they have a purpose and aright to be here. These brave-yet-tortured souls that hold such promise for ourcombined futures--brave souls, brilliant and unique, that will no doubt be thedefining members of our society if given the opportunity to see tomorrow--needand deserve to see that being blessed with consciousness and awareness is not apunishment.

If somebody you knowis the victim of bullying--be it your child, your sibling, your friend, etc. .. .-- in any way, shape, or form, it is your job to not do more damage byignoring their situation. We are getting glimpses of what escape means to thesekids and what lengths they'll go to to achieve it and that is all the warningwe're going to get. Set aside the time to show them their company is valued andcherished--that they are valued and cherished--and give them a reason to fightagainst the darkness growing inside their hearts so that they can see tomorrow.

A tomorrow that holdsthe potential to be better than today for all of us.

ABOUT author NATHAN SQUIERS

Bornin Massachusetts in 1986, Nathan grew up in Andover where his affinity forstory-telling flourished due to a love of books and movies as well as anoveractive imagination. At the age of 13, Nathan and his mother moved toupstate New York to be closer to their family.

Aftersurviving public school, where he spent most of his days locked away in the AVroom watching old 80s movies on Laserdisc and planning out his next videoproject, Nathan began a shaky college career. A love of inventing and tellingstories was motivation enough to pursue an education in English, and, as luckwould have it, a series of phenomenal professors were presented to get himpointed in the right direction. It was in his first years of college thatNathan began to actively pursue a writing career, starting his first literaryjourney with a piece that would become Crimson Shadow (due for release summerof 2012 by Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing).

Likeany good story, a chaotic turn of events brought Nathan from the very brink ofinsanity and loneliness to the warm, comforting embrace of Megan, his bestfriend, lover, kindred spirit, and--more often than not--personal handler. Itwas with Megan at his side that Nathan was able to continue his writing(sometimes solely motivated by the young lady's threats of dismemberment if hetried to stop). With Megan's help, Nathan was able to see Death Metal, hisfourth manuscript, through the publication process.

Nearlyten years later, Nathan continues to invent stories and put them into aliterary sequence that he hopes will be somehow decipherable by other readers.As a lover of all things creative, he works in both novels, novellas, shortstories, as well as comic book scripts (just don't ask him to draw something ifyou don't like stick figures and poorly-executed shapes).

BOOKS by NATHAN SQUIERS

“DEATH METAL”

OVERVIEW

Lifewas good and the future was bright for up-and-coming heavy metal band,Bloodtones. With a steadily-growing fan-base, the five members looked forwardto a promising career in the music industry.

Andthen things went to hell.

Soonafter a strange sighting, the Bloodtones' lead singer, Bekka, finds herselfcapable of the impossible and in mortal danger from otherworldly forces thatcatch even the non-human members of the band off guard. With their rock-solidfuture rapidly crumbling before their eyes, the Bloodtones find themselvesstruggling for not only their music...

buttheir very lives.

CrimsonShadow (series)

*available Summer 2012

Comicbooks

*in progress

Death Metal is available for purchaseon Amazon.com at:

http://www.amazon.com/Death-Metal-Nathan-Squiers/dp/1466290706/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327972301&sr=8-1

Reviews can be found on Goodreads at:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12817158-death-metal

And a Death Metal trailer, made by MeganParker, can be seen on Youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdGOHF30Km4

AUTHOR LINKS

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

Author page onFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/Nathan.Squiers

Death Metal onFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/Death.Metal.Novel

Google+: "NathanSquiers"(NSquiers0615@gmail.com)

Blogger: http://visceral-vices.blogspot.com/

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

Tumblr: http://visceral-vices.tumblr.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Visceral_vices

Vampirefreaks: http://vampirefreaks.com/visceralvices

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/visceral_vices

Personal author page: http://www.nathansquiers.com/

QUICK REVIEW: "House on Plunkett Street" - by Lorena Bathey

2012-02-05T01:19:00.000-08:00

“HOUSE ON PLUNKETT STREET”

by Lorena Bathey

REVIEWED BY: Ellen Fritz

OVERVIEW

Phoebe Bertram is boring, bland, andunexciting. She works a job that is inadequate of her abilities. She has aboyfriend that is a dud. She is on the treadmill of her life and doesn’t knowhow to get off.

With changes in her job and her apartment goingcondo, she must find a new place to live. Her friend Meghan brings her to theperfect apartment and the moment Phoebe steps in the door she knows there issomething atypical about this perspective residence.

What she never expects are the three ghosts thatarrive on her couch to teach her how life is really meant to be lived.

Author of Beatrice Munson, Lorena Bathey, hasbrought us another great example of character study combined with a moral atthe end of the story. This book will make you laugh, cry, and look at yourworld with new eyes.

REVIEW

“House on Plunkett Street” is not atall your usual, creepy, haunted house ghost story. In fact, it is acheerful story full of friendly people and, yes, unusual ghosts.

When Phoebe, the main character, moves into an apartment in what used to be thehouse on Plunkett Street, she senses that it is a building filled withhappiness and good memories. Three ghosts, on a mission to help her,make their appearance one by one, and Phoebe's life changes dramatically.

First there is Isolda - who wasinvolved with the first suffragettes and who made the house available as arefuge for women who needed to start over - who convinces Phoebe that she needsto get rid of her boring boy friend and find her niche in life.

Next comes the jolly, perky Polly,formerly a singer and dancer in a twenties club, who sweeps Phoebe alongto buy a new, colorful wardrobe and encourages her to crawl out of her dullexistence and enjoy life.

Lastly there is Hazel the down toearth African American lady who teaches Phoebe about relationships.

When the owner's nephew causes Phoebe to spill coffee on herself and shortlythereafter she backs her car into his truck, one would think that thepossibility of a romance between them is remote. But enter the three ghostladies, who have other ideas, and you’re in for a treat. This story has itsfair share of sadness and drama. With ghosts from different time periodsacting as life coaches to a modern woman, there is bound to be some hilariousmoments.

All the characters, including the ghosts, are brilliantly original and the kindof people all of us would love to have as friends. In dialogues the author usedthe language and vernacular of the time period in which each of the ghostslived, while they were coaching Phoebe, which added a very pleasant and uniquetouch to the eloquence of this book. I read “House on Plunkett Street” in onelong sitting; not for the mundane reasons of suspense and action but justbecause I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.

There are pearls of wisdom in thisbook which will appeal to every kind of reader, so do yourself a favor and gograb this gem of a book. It is more than deserving of its 5 stars!

READ more REVIEWS

“Houseon Plunkett Street” by Lorena Bathey has 4 reviews on GoodReads. Read it here –http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13159654-house-on-plunkett-street

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/House-on-Plunkett-Street-ebook/dp/B006IEBOIY/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1326738895&sr=1-1

SmashWords – www.smashwords.com/books/view/110098

Barnes & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/house-on-plunkett-street-lorena-bathey/1107875370?ean=2940013457393&itm=1&usri=lorena+bathey

AUTHOR LINKS

Lorena@LorenaBBooks.com

www.LorenaBBooks.com

www.facebook.com/pages/Lorena-B-Books/1138014032926011 www.twitter.com/lorenabbooks

QUICK REVIEW: "Compulsion" - by Kymberlee Burks-Miller

2012-02-05T01:18:00.000-08:00

“COMPULSION”

by Kymberlee Burks-Miller

REVIEWED BY: Books4Tomorrow

OVERVIEW

After Lilyann Moon's grandmother dies undersuspicious circumstance,she and her eleven young family members are thrown intothe world of witchcraft and the paranormal. A world they know nothing about,and need to learn fast! Lily's the most powerful witch in over five centuries,but she's untrained and uninitiated. Now the vampires have found out that theMoon line didn't end with her grandmother and they're coming to claim theirprize, Her Blood! The only bright spot in this nightmare was meeting Mason, butis she in love with the enemy. She's in a race against time to save her coven!Will Lily survive with her heart and neck intact?

REVIEW

Although the new cover of “Compulsion” isn’treally my taste, the blurb did entice me to sit down and see what the story isall about.

I finished the book in no time, as the author’swriting is very simplistic and uncomplicated. She takes you into the lives oflikeable characters who each discover their powers, grow as persons trough outthe book; and a family whose bonds strengthen as they work together to face thedangers that threaten their lives and their very existence as a coven.

The author isn’t sparse with details on thecharacters’ every move, emotions and their surroundings which allow the readerto experience the warmth and closeness of the Moon clan firsthand. Lily, themain character, has a personality perfectly suited for the role she is given todefend her coven. She is strong, assertive and brave, but at times alsoemotionally vulnerable. Mason, who would give his life in a heartbeat toprotect Lily, is every girl’s dream guy, and by himself a great reason to graband devour this book. My favourite of course was Izzy the cat!

“Compulsion” is Kymberlee Burks-Miller’s debutnovel and is an enjoyable, easy read which will appeal to the imagination ofyoung adults across the spectrum. After finishing the last chapter of thismagical book, the reader is left eagerly anticipating the release of theauthor’s next novel in this series.

READ more REVIEWS

“Compulsion” by Kymberlee Burks-Miller has 16reviews on GoodReads. Read it here – http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11995849-compulsion

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Compulsion-Moon-Coven-ebook/dp/B00727M13S/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1328370164&

SmashWords – www.smashwords.com/books/view/100967

Barnes &Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/compulsion-kymberlee-burks-miller/1106524451?ean=9781849030939&itm=8&usri=compulsion

AUTHOR LINKS

Author page – http://www.facebook.com/KymberleeBurksMillerAuthor

Compulsion – http://www.facebook.com/CompulsionSeries

QUICK REVIEW: "NorthWest" - by JH Glaze

2012-01-28T14:38:00.001-08:00

“NORTHWEST”

by JH Glaze

REVIEWED BY:Books4Tomorrow

OVERVIEW

John Hazard is back on the trail of danger! Aftera life-altering event, he has resigned from the police department in small townAmerica and enrolled in a Paranormal Investigation course at Bay University, acommunity college in San Francisco. For their final grade, the class venturesto the Pacific NorthWest to film a documentary on a mysterious phenomenon theycall “The NorthWest Triangle,” where scores of small aircraft and people havegone missing without a trace. Professor Macy Renner believes the answer lies inan unsolved mystery from her own past and is determined to discover it, nomatter the cost. Emily Sparks has her own reasons for going, and it’s not justabout the money. She is about to jump from the frying pan into the fire as shesigns on for a journey that will transport her into the veritable jaws of hell.Can a rag-tag team of misfits succeed in uncovering the source of thesupernatural anomaly, or will the terror that lies in wait consume them in theprocess? Come along on an adventure where you will learn that you don’t have tooutrun the creatures behind you. You only have to run faster than the personbeside you!

REVIEW

Ifthis book had to be made into a big screen movie, I would be running fasterthan the person next to me to get myself front row tickets for the show. I’mnot a fan of science fiction, but having read the first book in this series bythe same author, a little over a month ago, I didn’t hesitate to jump right inand tear through “NorthWest” page after adrenaline-spiking page. Once again, JHGlaze did not disappoint. I thought ‘The Spirit Box” was a high-wire suspense readthat glued me to the edge of my seat, but “NorthWest” just blew me away!

Inthe previous John Hazard novel I had difficulty in deciding whether I liked hischaracter or not, as he was a bit rough around the edges. In this book however,John’s character has matured into one I now like considerably more. Thetransitioning from small town detective to big city PI (ParanormalInvestigator) in-training, was skillfully done and a believable explanation wasgiven for his fresh start - one that made complete sense.

Thestory is made up of a colorful and diverse array of characters, which makes itvery entertaining. The first half of the book is spent detailing the characterspersonalities and giving the reader more insight into their lives and backgrounds.It is done in such a fashion as to by the time the real action starts in the secondhalf of the book, you’re well acquainted with the characters before they meettheir inevitable demise - and the suspense just kills you by then, because you knowsome of the characters are going to die a horrible death, but which ones?That’s when you realize how cleverly the author cornered you into therecurring, yet unavoidable “oh shit” factor.

Thefirst chapter of “NorthWest” serves as an introduction of things to come. Andboy is the reader in for quite the ride. While reading the rest of the chaptersand getting to know and like the characters, I tried, and failed miserably, notto feel too close to them as the author regularly hints at the horrors to come.This technique builds up and prolongs the suspense and served as a reminder to whyI’m so addicted to JH’s writing. He trusts his own intelligent writing as wellas the astuteness of his readers, to put two and two together, without thenecessity of having to spoon-feed the obvious to them. And just when you thinkyou have it all figured out, he surprises you with yet another shocking twistand a moral dilemma or two!

Thesubtle, but dark humor scattered throughout the book, is another reason why Ilove reading this author’s books. You knowyou’re going to laugh-out-loud somewhere in the book, whether you want to ornot, because it catches you off guard and leaves you amazed at how much it addsto the dreadfulness of the situations the characters find themselves in, butalso how fittingly true some of it is to our everyday existence.

Overall,“NorthWest” is an impressive, stylishly written novel, which will satisfy manya reader’s taste. Whether you’re a science fiction or horror fan, you’re in fora treat. The author doesn’t mince his words and has no qualms about plungingthe reader head first into the deep end of the fear-pool. The monsters in thisbook are shockingly frightening and will have you think twice before going onthat next camping trip into the woods.

“NorthWest”can be read as a stand-alone novel, but because it follows the adventures ofJohn Hazard, I’d strongly advise you to read “The Spirit Box” first and thenimmediately follow it up with “NorthWest”, so as to fully experience andappreciate the innovative and masterful writing of JH Glaze.

READ more REVIEWS

“NorthWest”by JH Glaze has 3 reviews on GoodReads. Read it here - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13175466-northwest

ABOUTwriting “NORTHWEST”

by JH Glaze

First I wish to thank Angie and Books4Tomorrow for invitingme to write a guest blog post. Since the review that is accompanying this isfor my book, NorthWest, I thought I might give you some background on theorigin of the story.

NorthWest began its life more than 10 years agowhen one day, I found myself unemployed. I had scanned the newspapers and founda listing for a position as a limo driver. Thinking that might be a cool job,and the tips might be significant, I made copies of my resume and headed out totry to get a few interviews.

Unfortunately, after my first interview, I lostthe newspaper containing the ad. I seemed to remember the address of the placefor the limo driver position, so rather than head home; I made an attempt tofind the address. As I was walking down a main street in downtown Atlanta, Isaw a place that had several limos parked around it.

I assumed that was the place, even though therewere no signs, so I went in to see if I could talk to someone about the job. AsI walked through the door, I was standing in a room full of men in dark suits,deeply involved in some kind of meeting. They didn’t notice me and I feltstrange about the situation, so I just turned around and left.

As I was walking down the sidewalk toward thetrain station, my imagination kicked in. I imagined that these guys could havebeen gangland types. Then, I thought, what if they had seen me? What if theycame after me and I had to run to the train station? When I entered thestation, I saw a bridge that spanned the tracks and a train was just pulling out.

I thought, what if I were being chased by thoseguys and had to jump on top of that train to escape, and what if they followedme home? The ideas just kept coming, if I had to leave town where would I go?

By the end of the day I had built quite a storyin my head; a story that I never did anything with, until I started writingNorthWest. As I started the story, I realized that there were elements of thatstory I might be able to use. So as I began writing, I kept in mind thoseelements.

Ultimately, I found the place to insert thatcharacter, that story, and it led me to a very strange place in the end. Whenyou read the story you will recognize what I just described, though you may besurprised who ended up playing the part.

The name of the story when I had the originalidea was ‘Job Hunt’. It’s funny how it came together so many years later. Luckyfor my fans and me, the ideas are backing up now and I have a lot of storieswaiting to be written. If I had to say what the moral to this story is, itwould be this. Never give up on an idea, save it for the time when it is readyto be used and you are ready to use it. In the end, Job Hunt turned out to be akick-ass tale of extraterrestrial proportions and I am happy I am able to shareit with all of you now.

PURCHASE LINKS

“NorthWest”

Amazon.com - http://www.amazon.com/NorthWest-JH-Glaze/dp/0983906912/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324692543&sr=1-3

“The Spirit Box”

Amazon.com – http://www.amazon.com/Spirit-Box-JH-Glaze/dp/0983906904/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324691952&sr=1-1

AUTHOR LINKS

Websitesand Pages

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/JHGlaze.author?sk=wall

https://www.facebook.com/thespiritboxbook

https://www.facebook.com/northwestbook

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Send-No-Angel/291363574212234?ref=tn_tnmn

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Authors-Publishing-Collective/146329598799821

Goodreads:

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5198413.JH_Glaze

AmazonAuthor Page:

http://www.amazon.com/JH-Glaze/e/B005SWFQGI/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1324346000&sr=8-1

AuthorWebsite:

http://www.jhglaze.com

Blog:

http://jeffglaze.wordpress.com/

Websiteunder construction: coming first quarter 2012!

http://www.authorspublishingcollectve.com

“THE SPIRIT BOX”

by JH Glaze

OVERVIEW

When Walt Turner's mother died, he inheritedher apartment and the antique shop below. After losing his job due to thetreachery of a co-worker, The Spirit Box calls to him from the darkness of theshop with an offer of revenge.

Lured by the promise of ultimate power andeternal life by the prisoner inside the box, Walt agrees to help it gather thefinal spirits it requires to return to human form.

John Hazard is investigating a series of murdersand missing persons in this otherwise quiet town. His perceptions of realityare about to be altered in a life changing confrontation that will force himbeyond the boundaries of darkness and ancient evil.

It is a spiralling descent into madness, whereyou may have everything you desire, if only you are willing to sacrifice allthat you believe.

When you look into The Spirit Box, be preparedto have more than your breath taken away.

Seealso “Featured Author”, interview with author JH Glaze and review for “TheSpirit Box” by Books4Tomorrow here - http://bookstomorrow.blogspot.com/2011/12/featured-author-spirit-box-by-jh-glaze.html

QUICK REVIEW: "Cat Point and Them Dang Oyster People" - by Richard Edward Noble

2012-01-28T14:38:00.000-08:00

“CAT POINT AND THEM DANG OYSTER PEOPLE”

by Richard Edward Noble

REVIEWED BY: David Fritz

OVERVIEW

In 1976 my wife and I decided to celebrate theAmerican Bicentennial by taking a tour of the United States. We cashed out ofour conventional lives and hit the road … Hobo-ing America. We landed inFranklin County on Seafood Festival Day in the early 80’s. We bought a boat anda motor and began our apprenticeship exploring the depths and the shallows ofCat Point and East Bay in beautiful Apalachicola Bay on the Florida Panhandle.We joined the ranks of them dang oyster people in the tiny town of Eastpoint.Whether they be homeez, mill hogs, townies, local-yokels or them dang oysterpeople the current indigenous population of a community always seem to rallyunder a banner of ridicule and snobbery from the la-di-da class of wherever itis they live. It has been no different here in Eastpoint, the oyster catchingcapital of Florida. Them dang oyster people have always been the malignedunderdogs of Franklin Country which made Eastpoint the perfect fit for me andCarol. This book contains a variety of the stories that I wrote and publishedin a local Eastpoint newspaper. The stories were good enough to garner me afirst place award for humor from the Florida Press Association.

REVIEW

In1976 Richard and Carol Noblecashed out of their conventional lives and embarked on a life-long "hobo-ingAmerica" tour of the States. On Seafood Festival Day in the early 80's,they ended up in Franklin County, where they got stuck, up to today. Theysettled in Eastpoint, bought a boat and outboard motor, and joined the ranks ofthe local seafood workers, working the oyster beds in the area.

Meet Ronald the Redneck, a so-calledcountry song writer who had never written a song, Jack Sprat, Fritzie Fred andmany other colorful characters and enjoy Richard's refreshing descriptions. Forexample, talking about an old timer holding a straw basket in his tremblinghand, Richard describes it as "his straw basket was giggling in hishand". Join Richard and Carol out oystering in summer and winter, or atthe local eateries, bars, and later in their own ice cream parlor in Carrabelle.

This book contains a selection ofaward winning stories of their lives in Franklin County, first published in alocal newspaper, and which earned Richard a first place award for humor fromthe Florida Press Association. Less than 200 pages and with short chapters,“Cat Point and Them Dang Oyster People” is a convenient and quick read idealfor doctors- or dentists waiting rooms, or to read on a long bus or train trip,as well as when flying. It will appeal to a wide audience of readers.

Living in times where hardly a newbook can be found without profane language, this book is like a cool breeze ona hot summer’s day. Ahighly recommended 5 star read!

ABOUT author RICHARD EDWARD NOBLE

I wasborn in Baltimore, MD, raised in Lawrence, MA, and lived the last thirty plusyears of my life in Eastpoint, Fl. I consider the tiny, costal, fishing villageof Eastpoint on the Florida Panhandle as my second home.

My wifeand I chose Eastpoint because we wanted to become a part of the seafoodindustry and make our living on the water as so many of America’s originalsettlers.

We hada unique opportunity to become a part of a tradition. We joined the fishingcommunity and harvested oysters from Apalachicola Bay as has been done in thearea for over a century. We fished, caught oysters, layed crab traps, tossedhandmade cast nets, smoked mullet, learned to work on outboard motors, repairedwooden boats and joined in the native customs and traditions.

Comparedto the rugged, hardscrabble mill town where I was raised, Eastpoint is aparadise. As tough and difficult as Eastpoint is my hometown of Lawrence,Massachusetts was tougher and considerably more difficult.

Eastpointhas been a picnic. Our time working on Apalachicola Bay has been a pleasure anda joy. Carol and I are both happy that we stumbled upon the Eastpoint communitywhile on our “Hobo-ing America” adventure. It was our good fortune. And likethe damn Yankees we both are, we’re staying.

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon.com – http://www.amazon.com/Cat-Point-Them-Oyster-People/dp/1466356464/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327750971&sr=1-1

Barnes & Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cat-point-richard-noble/1034208288?ean=9781466356467&itm=1&usri=cat+point

QUICK REVIEW: "The Last Incarnation" - by J.A. Giunta

2012-01-28T14:37:00.000-08:00

“THE LAST INCARNATION” (The Ascension, #1)

by J.A. Giunta

REVIEWEDBY: Ellen Fritz

OVERVIEW

The son of a trapper, raised by elves, befriended by animals, entrustedwith magic, Barr was but a boy on a journey that had taken many, manylifetimes. Seeking to avenge his father’s death, he would cross into Lumintor,home to shapelings of all manner and size.

Little did he know, Revyn, the God of Change, had plans of his own, plans setin motion long before Barr was ever born. It was what Revyn had been waitingfor, the time when one of the new races bore a child on its final lesson, asoul on the verge of enlightenment.

It was what Markus had awaited as well, enduring centuries of enchanted slumberso that he might one day rule all of Taellus - in Revyn’s name. The Emblemswould no longer be hidden, and his revenants would stop at nothing to findthem.

It had finally come, the journey’s end…

The Last Incarnation.

REVIEW

“The Last Incarnation” is apleasantly refreshing old fashioned fantasy novel with all the rightingredients; elves, orcs, trolls, fairies, sages and even a big, badwolf. What struck me from the start was the neatness of this author'swriting; his careful, almost poetic use of language and an organized plotline. Despite the large cast of characters in this book, I never gotconfused between them. The story is set in a fantasy realm in which the authorexpertly weaves the descriptions and explanations of his world into the book sothat I never felt that I was getting a history or geography lesson, but insteadcould sit back and learn about the characters’ surroundings as the storyprogresses.

When his adoptive father is killedby an unnaturally big wolf, Barr, the main character, is found by elves andtaken to their tree city. Here Tuvrin becomes his new father and histraining as a sage begins. As Barr gets visions from past lives, he hasto learn how to control them but also to use the knowledge from those pastlives to aid him in his quest. I found the way in which the author slipsthese visions into the storyline very informative about where Barr got hispowers from and what exactly they are.

The story is full of action andadventure which builds up gradually towards a very exciting and dramatic ending. Although there are many antagonists or just simply dodgy characters in thebook, the author successfully keeps the real villain hidden in plain sight upto the end. Of course, as in all great fantasies, there is a prophecy. Aprophecy which those who now live in the Guilding Mists would like to interferewith - something which the higher powers would not allow as a prophecy must runits course.

As “The Last Incarnation” is thefirst book in the Ascension trilogy, the author takes his time to build thefantasy world which will be used in future books. I found thedescriptions and characteristics of this realm and it’s people veryoriginal. Mr Giunta integrates known paranormal theories like lei lines,magical artifacts and psychic visions with his own extremely creative theories.

I highly recommend this book as avery enjoyable read for all ages. “The Last Incarnation” will definitelymake you look forward to reading the rest of the Ascension trilogy and anyother books written by J.A. Giunta.

READ more REVIEWS

“The Last Incarnation” by J.A Giunta has 11 reviews on GoodReads. Viewit here – http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13070885-the-last-incarnation

ABOUT author J.A.GIUNTA

J.A. Giunta was born in Brooklyn, New York, inNovember of 1969. Though he spent most of his childhood growing up on LongIsland, he has been living in Arizona for more than twenty-five years.

Joe started writing stories at an early age,creating adventures for his pen and paper Dungeons & Dragons campaigns on aCommodore 64. Spooled from a dot-matrix printer, that first stapled manuscripthas not survived, but it has evolved over the years to form The Ascensiontrilogy.

His first Fantasy novel, The Last Incarnation,was published in February of 2005. With a Bachelor of Arts degree in Englishfrom Arizona State University, he is both an avid reader and gamer. Hecurrently writes full-time.

He currently lives with his wife, Lori, andsix-year old daughter, Ada Rose, in the perpetual summer that is centralArizona. He credits all of his work to the advent of air-conditioning.

PURCHASELINKS

Barnes & Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-last-incarnation-ja-giunta/1019363221?ean=2940013624825&itm=2&usri=j.a.+giunta

Amazon.com – http://www.amazon.com/Last-Incarnation-Ascension-ebook/dp/B0066DJRDG/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327750076&sr=1-1

AUTHORLINKS

Website – http://www.jagiunta.com

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/JAGiunta

Blog – http://www.jagiunta.com