C.A. Milson's Blog, page 163
March 22, 2018
VBT – White Witch
WHITE WITCH by Larry D. Thompson, Thriller, 291 pp., $14.95 (Paperback) $5.95
(Kindle edition)
Title: WHITE WITCH
Author: Larry D. Thompson
Publisher: Story Merchant Books
Pages: 291
Genre: Thriller
Jamaica is a place where the surreal is simply everyday reality. When
a ruthless American aluminum company plans to strip mine the Jamaican
rainforest, they send former Navy SEAL Will Taylor to Montego Bay to
deal with local resistance on their behalf. But he’s unaware that the
British had signed a treaty deeding the rainforest to the Jamaican
Maroons, descendants of escaped slaves, over 300 years ago. The Maroons
fought and died for their land then, and are more than willing to do so
now, whether it’s the British or the Americans who threaten them this
time around.Upon Will’s arrival, a series of inexplicable murders begin, some
carried out with deadly snake daggers that were owned and used by Annie
Palmer, a voodoo priestess better known as the White Witch. She was
killed 200 years prior, but is said to still haunt the island at night,
and the local Jamaicans are certain she’s responsible for the gruesome
murders, her form of retaliation against the new turmoil taking place in
the rainforest.
And Will has been forced directly into the middle of it. After a few
close calls, he’s finally convinced to leave his company and join forces
with the Maroons, headed by Vertise Broderick, a Maroon who resigned
from her position at the New York Times to return to Jamaica to
stop the mining. Together they hire a Jamaican attorney to prove that
the Maroon/British treaty is still valid to stop the mining, and they
take it upon themselves to solve the White Witch murders, because the
legend of the White Witch can’t possibly be true…
Order Your Copy!
Will returned to his room, too wound up
to sleep. He stripped to his
underwear and flipped channels on a
large screen HD television until he ran
across First Blood with
Sylvester Stallone. Having lived that life for a few years,
he never passed up the opportunity to
watch it again. He settled back and had
drifted off to sleep when his cell
chimed. He glanced at the television to make
sure it was not coming from there and
found Fred Astaire waltzing Ginger
Rogers around a ballroom. He turned off the
television and reached for his
phone.
“Taylor.”
“Will, Alexa here.” It was nearly three
in the morning and Alexa was still at
her desk. Smoke drifted from a
cigarette in her ash tray while she sucked on a
Tootsie Pop. She was on the speaker
phone. When Will answered, she walked to
her window and stared at the lights of Baltimore.
Will turned on the nightstand light,
glanced at the clock, and swung his feet
into a sitting position on the side of
the bed. “Yes, ma’am. Little late for a booty
call.”
“Cut the crap. Kaven was just found at
Rose Hall. He’s dead.”
“What? Are you sure? I just saw him a
few hours ago.” Will got to his feet
and began pacing the room. “Shit.”
“Must be those goddamn Maroons. He
called me last night once he got
back from Accompong. He told me about
what happened up there. By the way,
they let the pilot go. They said they
had no beef with him.”
“So I heard. What was Kaven doing at
Rose Hall? When I saw him, he was
going to his room.”
“How the hell should I know? I got a
call from some local detective. They
found his employee identification in
his wallet. When the detective called here,
the operator knew I was still in my
office and put the call through to me. You need to get to Rose Hall now.
“Yes, ma’am,” Will agreed.
“And I’m flying down there tomorrow
before this gets any more out of
hand. See if you can keep anybody else
from being killed until I get there.”
Will’s cell went dead. He put it on the
nightstand and picked up the hotel
phone. Pleased to find it working, he
punched the key for valet parking.
“Good evening, Mr. Taylor. How can I be
of assistance?”
“Bring my company Land Rover to the
front as quickly as possible.”
Getting assurance that it would be
there when he got downstairs, Will hung
up and walked to the bathroom. Five
minutes later he was met at the hotel
entrance by a valet.
“Can I give you directions, Mr. Taylor?
It’s a little late at night.”
“No thanks. I know exactly where I’m
going.” Will got in the car, fastened
his seat belt, and left the hotel.
When Will got to Rose Hall, he turned
onto the road they had just come
down the evening before. At the top of
the hill he could see the mansion, now
well lighted. He dodged tree limbs and
utility wires and parked among several
other vehicles. Police cars were
positioned so that their headlights focused on the
steps of the mansion where Will could
see the yellow police crime scene tape. He
walked up a path from the parking lot
between the police cars that faced the
mansion to the yellow tape where an
officer stood watch. The officer came to
attention as Will approached.
“Sorry, mon. I can’t let you past here.
We’re investigating a murder.”
Will kept his voice even but
controlling. “I know, officer. That’s why I’m
here. Name’s William Taylor. I’m head
of security for Global American Metals.
Here’s my identification.” Will tried
to hand him an ID. The officer just shook
his head. “Officer, the dead man is one
of Global’s employees. Can you get
someone in authority to let me up
there?”
Before the officer could reply, Miles
Harper, the St. James Parish Chief of
Detectives, approached. Harper was a
lean, fit man with a shaved head and a no
nonsense manner. He was dressed in a
brown suit, yellow shirt, and matching
tie. He looked like he just stepped out
of GQ Magazine, even at three in the
morning.
“Mr. Taylor, I’m Miles Harper, Chief of
Detectives in this parish. I was
told by your company to expect you.”
Will extended his right hand. Harper
ignored it. Instead, he nodded at the
officer and motioned for Will to follow
him. Harper went up a dozen steps and
turned to Will as he stood beside
Kaven’s body, sprawled on his back with dagger in his chest. Will bent over for
a closer look and found that the handle of
the dagger was in the shape of a snake.
At the top of the handle was the snake’s
head. The snake’s eyes were two bright
rubies.
“Shit,” Will muttered, “He was almost
killed because of one snake on the
road today and now someone finished the
job with a, what would you call this, a
snake dagger?”
“That’s as good a name as any, Mr.
Taylor. My officers reported what went
on up in Accompong and the incident
with the boa.”
Will continued to study the body.
“Looks like he’s been dead a couple of
hours. I last saw him about ten last
night. Who found him?”
“The hotel has a security guard that
roams the mansion grounds and up to
the club house in a golf cart. He
spotted the body.”
“Where’s your coroner?”
“He’s a local Justice of the Peace, not
a medical doctor. He won’t set foot on
these steps until morning. My men here
won’t go past the tape either. They
believe the White Witch did it.”
Will shook his head in disbelief. “Come
on, Chief, this is the twenty-first
century.”
“Old beliefs die hard, Mr. Taylor. Come
on. Let me show you something.”
Harper stepped around the body and
climbed the steps with Will behind
him. Entering the ballroom, Will said,
“I was just in this room yesterday evening during the storm.”
Harper turned to study Will. “Would you
care to explain?”
Will covered the details of the
previous day and their time in the mansion
while they waited out the storm. “You
know a woman named Vertise?”
Harper nodded his head. “She’s a local.
Works for the paper and tends bar
for the hotel. Since you were in this
room a few hours ago, come over here.”
Harper led Will to a glass display
against one wall with pictures of two snake
daggers above it along with the history
of the daggers. The glass had been
broken and the daggers were gone.
“You see this case when you were up
here?”
Will studied it and thought back to the
day before. “Can’t say I did, Chief.
It was pretty dark in here, lit only by
candles since the storm knocked out
power. I wandered around the room but
never glanced toward this case. And I
don’t believe anyone else mentioned it.
Now that I think about it, Vertise told
us the legend of Annie Palmer and her
using a snake dagger to kill an overseer.
evening during the storm.”
Harper turned to study Will. “Would you
care to explain?”
Will covered the details of the
previous day and their time in the mansion
while they waited out the storm. “You
know a woman named Vertise?”
Harper nodded his head. “She’s a local.
Works for the paper and tends bar
for the hotel. Since you were in this
room a few hours ago, come over here.”
Harper led Will to a glass display
against one wall with pictures of two snake
daggers above it along with the history
of the daggers. The glass had been
broken and the daggers were gone.
“You see this case when you were up
here?”
Will studied it and thought back to the
day before. “Can’t say I did, Chief.
It was pretty dark in here, lit only by
candles since the storm knocked out
power. I wandered around the room but
never glanced toward this case. And I
don’t believe anyone else mentioned it.
Now that I think about it, Vertise told
us the legend of Annie Palmer and her
using a snake dagger to kill an overseer. Surprising that she didn’t show us
these daggers when she was telling the story.”
“Interesting,” mused Harper. “You have
any idea why your man would
come up here in the middle of the
night?”
“Not a clue. Have you checked his cell phone?
He always carried it.”
“Yeah. The last calls were with you
yesterday afternoon and one with Ms.
Pritchard later in the evening.”
Will nodded. “He called me from
Accompong, warning me of trouble up
there. I should have gone with him.”
Harper shook his head. “Whether you
were there or not wouldn’t have
made any difference. Just would have
been one more person that was in my
police car that rolled, assuming, of
course, you didn’t take a bullet up on the
mountain.”
“Understood.”
“How did you get in the mansion?”
“Vertise said she knew where a key was
hidden and let us in.”
“Strange that she could get into the
locked mansion. It was my
understanding that only the manager of
Rose Hall had a key. He locked it and
left when the storm was hitting. The hotel
spent a fortune on period pieces to
recreate how it looked two hundred
years ago. One of his jobs is to make sure
they are not stolen.”
“Any signs of a break-in?” Will asked.
“This is not for publication, you
understand, but when I got here the
mansion was locked and the lights were
off.”
“So, you’re saying that someone got
into the mansion, stole two daggers, let
themselves back out, killed Kaven, and
left no trace.” Will paused to absorb all
that he had just said. “Wait a minute.
If someone wanted to kill Kaven, why not
just use a gun? Why go to all the
trouble of getting that dagger to do it?”
“I’ve been wrestling with that very
question,” Harper said. “It’s illegal for a
private citizen to own a gun in Jamaica, but that doesn’t mean they are not
available if you know the right people.
My working hypothesis is that the killer
or killers wanted the public to think
voodoo was involved, or maybe even the
White Witch. The only other possibility
that comes to mind is that the Maroons
are trying to send a message to Global.
They tried to kill Tillman in Accompong
and failed. Maybe the message is that
they finish what they start. Either way,
someone is trying to make trouble for
your company. I have another problem
that may not be apparent.”
Will looked quizzically at the
detective.
“As you can see, there were two snake
daggers in this case. One’s accounted
for out on the steps. The other is
gone. Nearly everyone around here thinks that
they are voodoo daggers with magical
powers. They were found in an overseer’s
grave during the restoration of the
mansion thirty years ago.”
“Does ‘everyone’ include you? Looks to
me like the killer or killers are just
trying to mess with the minds of my
co-workers, maybe keep some locals from
hiring on with us.”
Harper stuck his hands in his pockets.
“Not up to me to decide if they’re
magic or not. I’ve got a murder with
one of those daggers. My job is to solve the
murder and along the way, find that
other dagger before someone uses it.”
Will’s eyes searched the room in a
futile effort to see any clues to the crime.
Then he focused on the chief. “Look,
I’m going to need a gun. My company is
obviously under attack. I’m licensed to
carry back home.”
“No way, Mr. Taylor,” Harper exploded.
“Foreigners are not permitted to
have guns in Jamaica. For that matter, as I just told you,
neither are Jamaicans.
And I want you to stay the hell out of
my investigation. We don’t need your
help. Understand?”
“Yeah, I understand. You know that each
of our mines on this island is
permitted a certain number of guns for
our guards. I’ll just get one of those.”
“The hell you will. Don’t you dare go
behind my back. Those guns never
leave mine property. I have an officer
that inventories them. If one turns up
missing, I’ll confiscate every damn
weapon that Global has and put you under
house arrest. Clear, Mr. Taylor?”
Will clinched his fists and tried to
hold back the anger that was apparent in
his face. Without another word, he
turned and stormed out of the mansion,
pausing only to gaze at Kaven and say a
prayer for him and his family. At the
bottom of the steps, he got in his car
and glanced toward the mansion. The
lights from his car somehow caught the
ruby eyes of the snake, making them
appear briefly to be alive. Will shook
his head, put the car in reverse, and
returned to the hotel.
Book Trailer:
After graduating from the University of Texas School of Law, Larry
spent the first half of his professional life as a trial lawyer. He
tried well over 300 cases and won more than 95% of them. Although he had
not taken a writing class since freshman English (back when they wrote
on stone tablets), he figured that he had read enough novels and knew
enough about trials, lawyers, judges, and courtrooms that he could do
it. Besides, his late, older brother, Thomas Thompson, was one of the
best true crime writers to ever set a pen to paper; so, just maybe,
there was something in the T hompson gene pool that would be guide him
into this new career. He started writing his first novel about a dozen
years ago and published it a couple of years thereafter. He has now
written five highly acclaimed legal thrillers. White Witch is number six with many more to come.Larry is married to his wife, Vicki. He has three children scattered
from Colorado to Austin to Boca Raton, and four grandchildren. He has
been trying to retire from the law practice to devote full time to
writing. Hopefully, that will occur by the end of 2018. He still lives
in Houston, but spends his summers in Vail CO, high on a mountain where
he is inspired by the beauty of the Rocky Mountains.
His latest book is the captivating thriller, WHITE WITCH.
WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:
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March 21, 2018
VBT – For This Moment
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Holly Bush will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
1871 – Born to privilege and duty in Virginia, Olivia Gentry comes of age as women begin to find their social and political independence. She has been raised and educated to carry on the Gentry family’s successful horse breeding stables with her brothers at Paradise, their family home. Having been deceived in love as a young woman and unsure of her instincts, she is wary to commit to a marriage, but she cannot deny her long-buried feelings for a family friend.
Jim Somerset has been in love with Olivia Gentry from the moment she gazed up at him as a young girl. A farrier by trade like his father before him, he and his business’s future are inexorably entwined with the Gentry family. He has watched her be courted by statesmen, and considers her and her goals out of the reach of a common workman, like himself. But he is fearful that he will never rid Olivia from his mind and from his heart. Has the moment come for him to reveal his passions for her? Find out in the third installment of the Gentrys of Paradise.
Enjoy an Excerpt:
“You must tell me,” Jim Somerset said finally when he could no longer be silent. “Has someone hurt you? What has happened? Shall I take you to Matt or Adam?”
Olivia’s face reddened and she shook her head. But her eyes stopped and widened at something over his shoulder. He looked back and saw Richard Armsworth staring at her.
“Do not bow your head. Look up at me and smile even though it’s not what you wish to do,” he said softly.
She responded to him with a tentative smile, her hand quivering against his palm. She was a singularly beautiful woman. She was dressed in a gown the color of honey, accentuating her dark red hair and matching the pale freckles across her nose. It was then he noticed a tear in the fabric of her dress, a few threads sticking out at odd angles, at the corner of her squared neckline. She looked down to where he was looking and peered up at him with panicked eyes. He danced her right out of the large, open double doors at the back of the hall, and to the deserted side of the building.
“Why is your dress torn? What has happened?”
“Nothing . . . I can’t . . . nothing.” But she was gulping for breath and did not finish her words.
“Armsworth? It’s Armsworth, isn’t it. Has he hurt you?”
She grabbed his forearms. “Don’t do anything. Please.”
His skin itched with the desire to do violence. His heart was beating hard in his ears and his fists were clenched. But she was pleading with him, and he didn’t have the heart to deny her anything, especially when she was in such a state.
About the Author:
Holly Bush writes historical romance set in the U.S.in the late 1800’s, in Victorian England, and and occasional Women’s Fiction title. Her books are described as emotional, with heartfelt, sexy romance. She makes her home with her husband in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Connect with Holly at www.hollybushbooks.com and on Twitter @hollybushbooks and on Facebook at Holly Bush.
http://www.twitter.com/hollybushbooks
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Holly-Bush/247399131941435
http://www.amazon.com/Holly-Bush/e/B006ZDTQ1A/
Buy the book at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
March 19, 2018
Spotlight – Into the Moonless Night
A. E. Decker hails from Pennsylvania. A former doll-maker and ESL tutor, she earned a master’s degree in history, where she developed a love of turning old stories upside-down to see what fell out of them.
This led in turn to the writing of her YA novel, The Falling of the Moon. A graduate of Odyssey 2011, her short fiction has appeared in such venues as Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Fireside Magazine, and elsewhere.
Like all writers, she is owned by three cats.
Come visit her, her cats, and her fur Daleks at www.wordsmeetworld.com or catch up with her on Twitter @moonfallmayhem
Catch Starthorne has spent a lifetime running from the prophecy that names him as the one who will save the shifter race, but now that he has returned to his home in Clawcrags, he may have to face his destiny. Determined to slip through fate’s fingers, Catch sows confusion, making friends from foes, mixing up the occasional sleeping death potion, and matching wits with an overbearing lion-shifter, who appears to have plans of his own.
While Catch schemes, Ascot works to retrieve him with the help of a witch and a pair of madcap shifter rebels. But every attempt to reach him earns her fresh enemies and embroils her ever deeper in the conspiracies surrounding the prophecy. After five hundred years of repressed tension and social strife, the Clawcrags are ready to explode—and it sometimes seems someone’s working hard to see that they do!
Grab your copy here! Goodreads Amazon World Weaver Press Kobo iBookstore
“What’s the Moonless Night?” asked Dmitri. Beside him, Moony had worked up to a rude place in his washing, tail slapping the ground hard enough to raise dust.
“Supposedly, it’s when Magden Le Fou’s prophecy will be fulfilled,” Jolt replied. “It’s a lunar eclipse occurring three nights after the vernal equinox.”
The prophecy, thought Ascot. The frabjacketing prophecy. Something about a golden star and—well, Catch hadn’t elected to tell her much else, save that the shifters of the Clawcrawgs thought he was the golden star. Which was ridiculous. Had any of them ever looked at scruffy, roguish Catch? Heard him lie with a straight face, or seen him guzzle more coffee than anyone’s kidneys could stand?
Frabjacket, how she missed him.
Dipping his head, Dmitri scratched the ground. Abruptly, his nostrils flared. “That’s only nine days from now.”
Ascot’s throat turned into a stretch of dust. “Nine days?” It came out as a dry squeak. She worked some saliva into her mouth and swallowed. “What will become of Catch if nothing happens on the Moonless Night?”
She didn’t want to hear it: the confirmation of her worst fears. Had to hear it, just so she’d know. Jolt lifted a brow, seeming surprised that she’d even ask. “If he’s not the golden star, then he’s just another slipskin. There’s only one penalty for slipping your skin in the Clawcrags.” Jolt gave his earlobe a final tug. “Execution.”
Ascot fell away inside herself. The world, shadowed and dark, floated at a distance, as if she stared at it through the cavern of her own skull. Every sound droned and echoed. Only the bloc, bloc of yet another cicada came to her, crisp as the ticking of some mocking clock.
She almost didn’t hear Jolt speak again. “Want us to help rescue him?”
Some praise for the series…
“Falling of the Moon is a fantasy fairytale like nothing I have read before. Mystery and secrets take you to a fantastic mystical world sure to have a book two. It is Pirates of the Caribbean meets Cinderella. Looking forward to Ascot’s next adventure. Strong and determined with her loyal friends she will certainly make the Moonfall Mayhem a great series of books. I am ecstatic that this is just the start to what will be a truly great trilogy.”
— Girl + Book
“I’d say it’s like Shrek meets The Wizard of Oz if Dorothy were Wednesday Addams and Toto a talking cat with bat wings. Fun and funny with many laugh-out- loud moments. Can’t wait for the next book in the series!”
— Susan Abel Sullivan, author of the Cleo Tidwell Paranormal Mystery series
“A unique and clever fantasy, The Falling of the Moon is a thoroughly entertaining read from first page to last. Very highly recommended and certain to be an enduring favorite.”
—Midwest Book Review
“If you’re looking for a great Autumn and Halloween read then look no further, this series has everything you need for a cozy fall evening spent reading. This one is 5/5 stars for me, it’s absolutely perfect and a must read!”
—Hollie Ohs Book Reviews
Interview With …
Thanks for being here today. Tell our readers about you
In no particular order, I’m a history buff, an amateur cook, a cephalopod enthusiast, a gamer, a cat-lover, a knitter, a dreamer, a reader, and, of course, a writer.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
Optimism. Every day, there’s a chance for something wonderful to happen. This could be the day you get the story idea that will become a bestseller. You could win an award, get on the bestseller list. Even barring such extreme examples, there’s always chocolate to eat and cats to pet. They keep discovering new facts about octopuses! The world’s full of treasures, if you just put your mind to looking for them.
If you could hang out with one famous person for one day, who would it be and why?
Neil Gaiman. I think I’d feel intimidated hanging out with most famous people, but at least with Neil, I could at talk writing. Also, I could ask him a lot of questions about Terry Pratchett.
What’s the story behind your latest book?
My latest novel is Into the Moonless Night, and it’s the third book of the YA fantasy Moonfall Mayhem series. Each book in the series inverts tropes from a different variety of fantasy literature. The first book tackled fairy tales, the second one, Gothic literature. Into the Moonless Night is a twist on Tolkien tropes, which means there’s a grand quest, a significant ring, lots of songs, and a reluctant hero.
Tell us your writing process
I stick to a schedule of writing every single morning from about eight or nine o’ clock to twelve-thirty or one o’ clock. So, I get three to four solid hours of writing in every day. I believe keeping a routine helps establish good writing habits; a day doesn’t seem entirely complete unless I’ve written something.
As for “how I write,” I’m a bit of a terrible re-writer. I can put down a lot of words in a single session—I’ve written as many as two thousand words in an hour—but the next time I sit down to write, I’ll often find myself editing and re-writing what I have rather than forging ahead. This is my bad habit, which I’m trying to break. It’s best to finish the story and revise afterwards.
What tips can you give other authors who are looking to get the word out about their book?
Actually, I wouldn’t mind some tips myself! No, seriously, there’s no formula that I’ve discovered that produces guaranteed results. Definitely contact blogs, like this one, and ask if they’ll do an interview. Do Goodreads and Amazon giveaways, tweet, put out the word on Facebook. Contact friends. If you’re willing to put money into advertising, try Bookbub. If you’re good with videos, put something together on Youtube.
But the most important thing is to keep writing. Sometimes, it’s just a game of numbers, and the more books you have, the more likely it is that people will pick one up and read it. And, if they read and like one, they’ll go back and read your others as well as tell their friends about your work. I suppose my best advice would be: don’t get so caught up in social media you neglect your stories.
When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?
I first attempted to write a novel when I was five years old. I didn’t have the attention span to stick it out, but I figured I would, one day. Turned out I was right. How about that?
Tell us about your main character:
The Moonfall Mayhem series’ main protagonist is Ascot Abberdorf, a young woman from the dark country of Shadowvale, but each individual book’s perspective is split between her and one of the other characters. Into the Moonless Night features Catch Starthorne, rogue and Smilodon-shifter. All his life, he’s been running from a prophecy that names him the saviour of the shifter race. In this book, the hour of the prophecy is coming due, and he’s finally been dragged back to his home country to either face his destiny, or prove that such a thing doesn’t exist.
What are you working on next?
I just completed a draft of book four, A Trick of the Moonlight, and handed it in to my editor, Laura Harvey. After she finishes looking at it, it will require rewriting. In the meantime, I’m working on the third book in my yet-unpublished urban fantasy series featuring a tomato-obsessed hitman of the supernatural. I also have a few short stories in the works.
Do you have any special/extraordinary talents?
I can recite the entirety of The Pirates of Penzance. Also Les Miserables. Probably The Mikado as well, and definitely several Shakespeare monologues.
Don’t ask me to get started. It’s very tiresome.
Who are your favorite authors?
Terry Pratchett is my favorite author. I love his thoughtful brand of humor. I also enjoy V. E. Schwab’s writing, Neil Gaiman, of course, Susannah Clarke, Kim Newman, Hilary Mantel, and Brian Kesinger’s delightful Otto and Victoria picture books.
There’s also quite a few classic writers I go back to, such as Austen, Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy, and the Bronte sisters.
What do you like to do with your free time?
I enjoy cooking and reading, but perhaps my favorite way to waste time is playing video games. The ones I like best are Bloodborne, the Dragon Age series, the Dark Souls series, and Don’t Starve.
Tell us about your plans for upcoming books.
Mostly, finish the Moonfall Mayhem series for World Weaver Press. That’s still one and a half books away. I’ve also started/outlined another stand-alone YA novel as well as a more adult steampunk book, and wrote a few stories in a dark fantasy Weird Western world that might develop into a novel.
Where can people find you on the web?
Website: http://www.wordsmeetworld.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MoonfallMayhem
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6461875.A_E_Decker
Any final thoughts?
Thank you for having me on your blog. To all my readers, thank you. And, to all the writers out there, keep working and persevere. Someone wants to read your stories.
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VBT – One for the Price of Two
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Howard Weiner will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Fraternal twins are raised by an ambivalent aunt who provides an unusual childhood experience. One twin leaves home to join the armed forces and is ultimately assigned to a Special Forces unit conducting clandestine operations in North Korea. The death of one his unit members produces an introduction to an organized crime family specializing in murder for hire. The funeral for the family’s son and an interest in their daughter brings new blood and methods to the family business.
Enjoy an Excerpt
Opening the leather bag, he removed a smaller explosive device and a metal strap designed to hold it firmly in place beneath the bottom of the tank. The thick, blast-proof strap had tightening bolts at each end. By turning the bolts clockwise, Bell removed what little slack there was. When he could turn the bolts no further, the taut metal straps pushed the device firmly against the metal shell of the gas tank.
When he was finished and the leather bag much lighter, he paused before sliding out from underneath the vehicle. His intent was to exit from the same side he entered. But then he heard DeFaeo’s unmistakable voice.
He was trapped.
Bell could hear DeFaeo and Lenny disagreeing about some aspect of the new office. They came to a stop directly behind the rear liftgate.
“Boss, I’m only telling you what you already know.”
“Which is?” DeFaeo asked.
“The car is a safer place to work—all things considered.
“Lenny, you’ve already made that argument. Let me see if I can recall? Oh yeah, we have a 360-degree field of vision. We can see anyone come and go. Right?”
DeFaeo was no more impressed with this argument now than when he first heard it. The irony wasn’t lost on Bell as he lay prone beneath the SUV and only feet away from both of them.
“Look, I’m hungry. We’re late as it is. Let’s go, now, please?”
Lenny lead the way to the rear passenger door. The car floor above Bell’s head crept an inch or so closer as DeFaeo’s weight was transferred to the thick, upholstered seat. Lenny closed the door and moved to the back of the vehicle on his way to the driver’s side.
Bell knew he had to make his move now, or risk being discovered—and worse.
As quietly as he could, Bell slithered to his right side—away from the garage’s exterior wall and in the direction of the Honda in the adjacent parking stall. Lenny opened his door and took his seat, starting the engine.
The engine noise prevented Bell from hearing the conversation inside the car. Lenny took the opportunity to look at his employer in the rearview mirror to continue his arguments against the new office space, but not before placing the transmission in reverse. The car lurched rearward for a foot, trapping Bell’s pant leg at the cuff beneath the tire.
About the Author:
Howard Weiner is a recent addition to the literary genre of fiction. Writing mysteries, thrillers, crimes—with a touch of romance—an approach described by one reader as “one bubble off.” Many authors sharing the genre have characters whose fortune is determined by others. They literally have dodged the bullet that otherwise would have killed them. Weiner’s characters make their own fortune—good or bad—and they live with the results.
Weiner’s own experiences are blessed with no small number of noteworthy characters and events. He brings these slightly off-kilter individuals to life, complete with their own stories and dramas. Like the child prodigy in his first novel, “It Is Las Vegas After All”, who comes to the starting edge of adulthood and then loses the approval of his doting parents, the sponsorship of one of America’s great institutions of higher education, and gains the enmity of his girlfriend’s father—an international arms dealer—to become a home-grown terrorist operating on U.S. Soil.
A survivor of rich, nuanced bureaucracies in the public and private sector, Weiner writes about characters whose career choices and decisions are morally questionable. A student of personal behavior in complex circumstances, Weiner brings these often cringe-worthy characters to life. Some are amoral, others immoral in a narrow slice of their lives, yet they otherwise look and act like people we all know from work or even childhood. Like one of the female leads in his novel, “Serendipity Opportunity”, an out-of-the-box thinker who flunks most of life’s basic relationship tests, yet she is someone you never want pursuing you in the cause of justice. There’s a former foreign security official who uses his protected status as a witness for federal prosecutors to provide cover for his own mayhem and murder in Weiner’s third novel, “Bad Money”.
Many of Weiner’s stories are born out of real life events: The mix-up in luggage claim at the airport in, “Bad Money”, the chronic high school slacker in “Serendipity Opportunity” whose one stroke of good fortune creates his opportunity to perpetrate a complex series of frauds, or the brilliant student in “It Is Las Vegas After All” who uses his prodigious talents toward an evil end.
As a former federal official, Weiner can neither confirm nor deny having the highest security clearances in classified security programs. Yet, his knowledge of the dark web, criminal organizations, and security organizations takes stories from the popular press to the next level.
Amazon Author Central Web Site: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001KE771A
Author Web Site: https://www.hdweiner.com
The book will be $0.99 during the tour. https://www.amazon.com/One-Price-Blood-Relations-Book-ebook/dp/B07BC6GHDW/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
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March 18, 2018
VBT – Guarding Her Heart
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Guarding Her Heart
by Jade Webb
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GENRE: Contemporary Romance
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BLURB
Trust me, even though I’ve had a silver spoon in my mouth since I was a fetus and have a world-famous pop diva as a sister, there is nothing I want more in the world than to fade into the background and live out my Law & Order fantasy of becoming a public defender.
The only problem is my dad won’t bankroll law school unless I spend the summer following my older sister on her arena tour, keeping her out of trouble and making sure she doesn’t have yet another embarrassing public meltdown. Now relegated to a glorified babysitter, I am stuck lugging my ten-pound LSAT prep books through hotel lobbies and taking practice tests in my sister’s dressing rooms.
Then I find myself caught in a love triangle with my sister’s arch nemesis, bad boy popstar Jordan James and Liam, my sister’s confusing and irritatingly gorgeous Scottish bodyguard. Too bad I’ve sworn off love after seeing my own parent’s train wreck of marriage end with heartache and misery.
I’m tired of living under my family’s careful rules and law school is my way out. I won’t let anything get in my way. I won’t let anyone close enough to break down my walls. I have to guard my heart.
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Excerpt:
The sound of the door opening behind me sends a shiver of fear down my spine. I drop the hairbrush and fumble to hang the dress back with the others on the clothing rack. I step backward and let out a loud gasp as I feel a hard, thick wall hit me from behind. Turning slowly, I take a nervous step back, sweeping my eyes up and down the giant man looming in front of me.
I feel my breath catch as I take him in. He easily towers over me, and is definitely over six feet tall. His body is literally radiating heat, and a quick glance up to his face reveals that it is not the good kind: he looks pissed. His eyes are narrowed into an intimidating glare, and his brow is deeply furrowed as his steel-grey eyes pin me in my place. We stare at each other for a few long moments, neither one of us uttering a word. His eyes flicker up and down my body and I swear I can feel my skin scorch under his assessment. I am so overwhelmed by his presence that I take another staggering step backward. My tactic doesn’t work and only seems to annoy him further.
“Who are you and what are you doing here?” His voice is loud, authoritative, and surprisingly, unmistakably Scottish. Although I try to fight it, my mind instantly travels to my secret stash of Scottish highlander romance novels I read when I need to unwind after a long day. God, this guy would look amazing in a kilt.
At that thought, I feel heat instantly rush to my cheeks. God, why am I so awkward? Just calmly explain who you are and send him on his merry way. I open my mouth and inwardly cringe at how high-pitched and mousy I sound. “I- I’m here to see Daphni.” He stares at me blankly, his eyes narrowing even more in annoyance.
“My sister,” I clarify, my voice a bit more even.
He rolls his eyes at me and swears under his breath. “Great,” he mutters, “Another crazy fan.”
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AUTHOR Bio and Links
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I am a lover of romance novels that feature strong heroines who know that the loves that may come into their lives are always the icing, and never the cake.
I have loved romance novels since I was a teen, sneaking them into my Bible studies at my all-girls Catholic school. I love strong heroines who know that the men that may come into their lives are always the icing, and never the cake.
Thanks to my own marriage, I have learned that the challenges of life can only help to make love stronger and I am grateful to my partner for embodying all the magic that love can offer.
When I am not writing or dreaming up new love stories, I am working in a retirement community outside of Boston that provides me with enough writing material for ten lifetimes.
You can find me at:
JadeWebb.com
Twitter http://twitter.com/authorjadewebb
Facebook http://facebook.com/authorjadewebb
Instagram http://instagram.com/authorjadewebb
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17629762.Jade_Webb
Guarding Her Heart is available exclusively on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited.
$0.99 during the tour
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0796JHS2W/ref=as_li_tl
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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
Jade will be awarding a $30 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Enter to win a $30 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jade will be awarding a $30 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Trust me, even though I’ve had a silver spoon in my mouth since I was a fetus and have a world-famous pop diva as a sister, there is nothing I want more in the world than to fade into the background and live out my Law & Order fantasy of becoming a public defender.
The only problem is my dad won’t bankroll law school unless I spend the summer following my older sister on her arena tour, keeping her out of trouble and making sure she doesn’t have yet another embarrassing public meltdown. Now relegated to a glorified babysitter, I am stuck lugging my ten-pound LSAT prep books through hotel lobbies and taking practice tests in my sister’s dressing rooms.
Then I find myself caught in a love triangle with my sister’s arch nemesis, bad boy popstar Jordan James and Liam, my sister’s confusing and irritatingly gorgeous Scottish bodyguard. Too bad I’ve sworn off love after seeing my own parent’s train wreck of marriage end with heartache and misery.
I’m tired of living under my family’s careful rules and law school is my way out. I won’t let anything get in my way. I won’t let anyone close enough to break down my walls. I have to guard my heart.
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VBT – A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Eileen will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly chosen winner via Rafflecopter. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour and more chances to win.
BLURB:
J.P. O’Neill is in the fight of his life. A legendary agent with the DEA, he’s uncovered a conspiracy in his own agency. The only problem is he’s been arrested for the murder of his partner. If he goes to jail, he dies.
There’s only one solution—escape. The only way to do that is to kidnap his defense attorney. Lauren Taylor is a high-priced attorney doing a favor for a friend. Suddenly she finds herself on the run with the most dangerous man she’s ever met. Will she survive with her heart intact?
“Ms. Korbel generates an incredible chemistry between her two immensely appealing lovers that will set your heart on fire.” ~ RT Booklovers
J.P. O’Neill is in the fight of his life. A legendary agent with the DEA, he’s uncovered a conspiracy in his own agency. The only problem is he’s been arrested for the murder of his partner. If he goes to jail, he dies.
There’s only one solution—escape. The only way to do that is to kidnap his defense attorney. Lauren Taylor is a high-priced attorney doing a favor for a friend. Suddenly she finds herself on the run with the most dangerous man she’s ever met. Will she survive with her heart intact?
“Ms. Korbel generates an incredible chemistry between her two immensely appealing lovers that will set your heart on fire.” ~ RT Booklovers
Read an Excerpt
The DA cackled that he had an open and shut case. A slam dunk with clusters. J. P. O’Neill, once a virtuoso of undercover agents had finally stepped over the line and gone rogue, turning on his own people rather than be reeled back in. The DEA had lost track of him some five weeks earlier. It was their suspicion that the mercurial star of undercover had finally succumbed to the life-style he’d imitated for so long and gone spinning off into his own personal orbit. His partner had been sent in to retrieve him.
Something about those eyes, though, contradicted the idea that he’d done anything in cold blood. Something about those eyes made Lauren think twice when a personal request from the senior partner in her firm to represent this man might not have.
“So, what do you think?” O’Neill asked. “Am I a worthless maggot with antisocial behavior who couldn’t withstand the lure of filthy lucre?”
Startled by the tone of his voice, Lauren looked up. Amusement. She’d heard it in the question, and now saw it in the eyes. They glinted with it, a dark, knowing challenge that made her somehow sorry.
Those eyes. Blue, green, changing like the water off the Bahamas on a sunny day, so startling against that grime not for the color but for the intelligence. The sharp, sudden flashes of humor and even more stunning glitter of grief.
Wild eyes. Eyes that promised surprise, that mesmerized with energy, with the wicked wit that lurked behind. Eyes that made her wary, that taunted her like a peek into a forbidden room. Eyes that should have belonged to the devil himself.
“I don’t know what you are, Mr. O’Neill,” she finally admitted, leaning back in her chair.
Lauren was tired. She’d already put in a full day when Tom Paxton had called in his favor from New York where he was taking depositions.
For a friend. Well, if this was the friend, then there was a lot about the senior partner of the firm Lauren wanted to know. For now, though, she ignored the ache in her back and the stale feel of a suit too long worn.
“I’m dead if I don’t make bail,” O’Neill assured her, picking off yet another strip of foam and carefully folding it into the disintegrating cup. “If you don’t believe anything else, believe that.”
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About the Author:
New York Times bestselling, RWA Hall of Fame author Eileen Dreyer has published 31 romance novels in most genres, 8 medicalforensic suspenses, and 10 short stories.
2015 sees Eileen enjoying critical acclaim for her foray into historical romance, the Drake’s Rakes series, which Eileen labels as Regency Romantic Adventure that follows a group of Regency aristocrats who are willing to sacrifice everything to keep their country safe. She is also working on her first nonfiction book, TRAVELS WITH DAVE, about a journey she’s been taking with a friend’s ashes.
A retired trauma nurse, Eileen lives in her native St. Louis with her husband, children, and a large and noisy Irish family, of which she is the reluctant matriarch. She has animals but refuses to subject them to the limelight.
Website: http://eileendreyer.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EileenDreyer
Twitter: https://twitter.com/eileendreyer
Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Wild-Side-Korbel-Classics-ebook/dp/B079Y9PB9D/ref=sr_1_1
BN buy link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-walk-on-the-wild-side-eileen-dreyer/1127971511
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March 15, 2018
Book Spotlight – I Am Me
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I Am Me
by Kai Strand
#YA #Contemporary
Despite—or perhaps because of—her fancy car, private school education, and life of privilege, Lola Renaldi has become a volunteer junkie. Feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, visiting the elderly—if it’s a good cause, she’s done it.
Lola’s favorite stint, building affordable houses, puts her directly in the path of Rodney. He refuses to discuss why he’s doing community service, but it’s clear he’s hiding something dark about his past. As their friendship grows, Lola begins to question the true reasons for her obsessive volunteerism and her view of those she has pledged to help.
She is only beginning to understand how lucky she truly is when her life falls apart. After losing friends, her boyfriend, even Rodney, Lola finally recognizes which parts of her life she wants to hang on to and what specifically she wants to go after. But with all she’s been through, will she be able to hang onto who she wants to be? Or will she lose all that defines her?
Excerpt
Is it my imagination or are me and my figure-hugging pencil skirt getting the evil eye from more than half of the girls stuffed into the room? Maybe it’s my doe-in-the-headlights expression. I feel like I’m in some sort of awkward-girl spotlight.
“Excuse me,” I mutter several times until I finally stumble into the hall and find myself surrounded by more kids who all seem to zero in on me as soon as I’m among them. I’m still trying to convince myself it’s all my imagination until I make eye contact with several people who look less than welcoming. Guess I should have tagged along with the other girls after all.
I’m temporarily turned around and start in the wrong direction. When my panic fades a bit, I realize I’m headed away from the auditorium and spin around. I smack into a boy’s chest and stumble backward. My purse slips off my shoulder, and I only just manage to grab it before it falls to the floor, but it swings up and hits the boy on the side when I yank the strap.
The kid grabs me to stop me from falling. I clutch his arm in return.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have turned so suddenly. Are you okay?” I rub my nose, its impact with the boy’s chest still stings. When I look up I’m surprised to recognize him. I place my hand on his chest as I exclaim, “Rodney!”
He goes still, which doesn’t really make sense, because he hadn’t actually been moving before I said his name. His eyes scan me, but his expression doesn’t change, and he remains mute.
I realize I might look different being that I’m clean and dressed up, so I clarify. “Lola. We worked together on Saturday. I taught you how to caulk.”
His eyes quickly scan the passing students like maybe he’s checking to see if anyone’s listening. Or maybe watching?
“Are you okay?” I repeat, only just stopping myself from rubbing the spot on his chest where my nose made contact.
One of his hands slides down the back of my arm and cups my elbow. The touch is so light, little shivers of expectation resonate through me. He lets me go without warning and walks away.
I spin and watch his head bob down the hall, my mouth hanging open. “That was rude,” I say to no one. Finally, I turn in the direction I need to go, reposition my purse on my shoulder, and return to the auditorium.
Get your copy:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks
About the author
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When her children were young and the electricity winked out, Kai Strand gathered her family around the fireplace and they told stories, one sentence at a time. Her boys were rather fond of the ending, “And then everybody died. The end.” Now an award winning children’s author, Kai crafts fiction for kids and teens to provide an escape hatch from their reality. With a selection of novels for young adult and middle grade readers Kai entertains children of all ages, and their adults. Learn more about Kai and her books on her website, www.kaistrand.com.
Mailing List| Facebook| Twitter| Instagram|Amazon|
March 14, 2018
Release Blitz – The Mage Heir
About the Book
Traitor: that’s what Tatsu is now. On the run from both Runon and Chayd, Tatsu and Yudai’s only hope for survival is to disappear into the wilds. However, when the siphon’s deadly curse returns, they have no choice but to travel into the desert kingdom of Joesar in search of a cure.
Battling the unforgiving elements of the sands, Tatsu starts to realize that the path towards destroying the siphon may claim Yudai’s life. Time is running out as Nota’s fury—and the siphon’s hunger—begin to spiral wildly beyond their control.
As their options slowly fall away, the only thing Tatsu and Yudai can count on is each other.
Author Bio
Kathryn didn’t major in creative writing, but never stopped believing. She survives on books, strong coffee, craft beer, puppies, and the Oxford comma. She currently lives in Japan with her husband and teaches high school English to shape the next generation of young minds. She also comma splices like it’s going out of style.
Links
The Mage Heir on Amazon
Book One (The Life Siphon) on Amazon
Book Excerpt
Tatsu didn’t mind sleeping under the leaves, but Yudai’s agitation seemed to grow as the sky darkened. He paced back and forth between two ancient tree trunks with his hands clasped behind his back, over and over, until the stars came out.
“You’re going to have to sleep eventually,” Tatsu pointed out, voice mild, once the moon was high overhead. It earned him a growl in reply. “Please just sit down.”
“This clearing will be dead by morning,” Yudai snapped. When he turned to retrace his steps again, Tatsu could see the twist of his fingers clenched together in tight fists.
“You can’t do anything about it, so there’s no point in blaming yourself. It’s probably just making the whole thing worse.”
The look Yudai threw him was dubious at best, but evidently, the possibility was difficult to ignore. Yudai eventually settled himself down between two patches of yellow-green weeds, and he ran his finger over his lip a few times before his eyes flickered up towards Tatsu. “Distract me.”
“You could ask nicely,” Tatsu said.
One corner of Yudai’s mouth quirked upward. “I could,” he agreed, and said nothing more.
“Did you know that my mother had other children?”
Yudai blinked and sat back, face slackening. “Good distraction.”
Giveaway
Giveaway for 5 eBook copies of “The Mage Heir” to celebrate the release day.
Subject Excellence Award
David was awarded Subject Excellence Award today. Way to go!
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