E.J. Stevens's Blog, page 86

Spirit Storm Giveaway: Tote Bag Stuffed with Prizes!

Fall in love with the Spirit Guide series... Valentine's Day is right around the corner and we're celebrating here at From the Shadows with a Spirit Storm Giveaway!






















**Spirit Storm Giveaway**

We are giving away a Spirit Storm tote bag stuffed with Spirit Guide Series prizes including a signed copy of She Smells the Dead, signed copy of Spirit Storm, "I Smell Dead People" t-shirt (size XL), She Smells the Dead bookmarks, Spirit Storm poster, and Spirit Guide Series postcards.

To enter, leave a comment on this post including your email address (so we may contact you if you win).  You do not have to be a follower to enter (though I always appreciate a follow).  This giveaway is to US mailing addresses only (click here to enter the Goodreads giveaway for a signed copy of Spirit Storm open to US, UK, and Canada).  Giveaway ends March 11th midnight EST.

Bonus entries:

+1 Follow on GFC (Google Friend Connect)
+1 Follow E.J. on Twitter
+1 Share the love!  Spread the word on any social network (Twitter, Facebook, Blog, etc).  Good for one bonus point only.
+1 Add Spirit Storm to your TBR list on Goodreads

Guest Author Interview: Vone Savan + Bookmark Giveaway

Please welcome today's guest author Vone Savan!  Vone is the author of Soul in Love.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Vone:  The majority of my life. But I began seriously writing about three years ago after reading a few original ghost stories during a camping trip and getting excellent reception from my family and friends.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Vone:   My natural interest—even as a little kid—in ghosts, goblins, and most things paranormal.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

Vone:   That's easy—to fly. The sensation to soar through the sky on a warm, breezy, spring day would be absolutely amazing; very freeing.

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Vone:  It's a different take on paranormal romance—based on the YA novels I've read so far. The romance is between a girl and her dead boyfriend's lingering ghost. Also, I think my book is full of controversial surprises—all the way to the end.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

Vone:  For Amber Olive, I would cast Mia Wasikowska. Her face is simple, beautiful, and elegant; and her acting skills are sublime. For London Bliss, it would have to be Aaron Johnson. He has bright eyes, translucent skin, a sexy appeal, and he also acts amazingly well. In addition, I think these two would have great on-screen chemistry. I would also love the movie to be directed by Ang Lee. 























Soul in Love by Vone Savan.

Soul in Love is a fictitious paranormal romance that centers on a seventeen year old girl named Amber Olive. One evening, after spending time together, Amber and her boyfriend, London, end up in a horrible car accident in which she somehow survives, but her boyfriend does not. Then, while Amber mourns his death, she begins to see and feel London again. At first, she questions her sanity, but then starts to believe in him. Through this newfound belief, she takes a metaphysical journey which ultimately answers the questions to London's appearances and her own reality. This book deals with the issues of loss, grief, and love. It challenges the idea of how far we will go to try and get back the person we once loved; even after something as profound as death. Soul in Love also raises questions relating to what each of us will truly believe after something tragic happens-spiritually and otherwise.


Thank you Vone for joining us here today at From the Shadows !

To learn more about Vone Savan and his books, please visit his website.






















**Soul in Love Bookmark Giveaway**

We are giving away Soul in Love bookmarks to three lucky winners!

To enter, please leave a comment on this post including your email address (so we may contact you if you win).  This giveaway is to US mailing addresses only.  Giveaway ends February 25th midnight EST.

Legend of Witchtrot Road: Sneak Peek

Here is a sneak peek from Legend of Witchtrot Road, the third book in the Spirit Guide series by E.J. Stevens.

Legend of Witchtrot Road...

     I heard the harsh, grinding creak of a ship's hull straining against stormy seas just as I felt the vertiginous tilt and roll of the waves beneath me.  I considered letting the motion lull me back to sleep, but one thought kept creeping in to ruin my slumber.   I wasn't on a boat.     With a jolt I tried to leap upright, but up was down and down was up, causing a searing pain to shoot through my shoulder as I dangled from the car safety belt.  I needed to get a look around, but turning my head didn't seem like an easy option.  My neck was stiff, like the time I fell asleep with wet hair, and my head was pounding a rhythm that matched the vampire bats gnawing in my stomach.  Come on Yuki, you can do this.     Reaching up to grab the safety belt, I steadied myself and drew in a deep shuddering breath.  It did nothing to calm my racing heartbeat, but the pain in my head momentarily lessened.  Forcing my eyes to stay open, I turned them to my right and flinched.  A ghostly pale face stared back at me and it took a moment for my sluggish brain to realize that the spectral form was only my reflection looking back at me.  I examined the sickly face suspended in the darkness and knew one thing for sure.  I looked like hell.     For a moment I closed my eyes and gathered another steadying breath, remembering to breathe in the way I'd been taught during the numerous yoga classes that Cal had dragged me to over the years.   Determined to get to the bottom of the mystery of why I was hanging upside down from a car safety belt, I pulled my eyes to the left.  A golden amorphous shape hung glowing beside me and I nearly jumped when it moaned.     "Emma?" I asked.  My voice was dry and raspy and started a series of painful coughs that nearly made me pass out again.     Emma didn't answer me, but with a rush of memory I knew that it was my friend beside me.  Emma's blond hair cascaded past her face to dangle above the glowing instrument panel.  Pale skin, golden hair, and white blouse sleeve were marred only by a dark stream that trickled from her scalp along her arm to drip slowly, tap tap tap, off her fingers onto the windshield.     How did we get here?  It had to be the curse.  I clenched my fist in frustration as my eyes filled with tears.  We had known better.  Emma with her research and me with my psychic gift to sense the dead; we knew the risks of messing with the curse, but that hadn't stopped us.  Our curiosity had won out over common sense and now we were paying the price.  Son of a dung beetle.  I just hoped we survived long enough to benefit from the lesson learned.  Never mess with a curse and never, ever travel on Witchtrot Road.
copyright 2011
Don't miss these books in the Spirit Guide series:

She Smells the Dead (Spirit Guide #1) print, kindle, nook, other ebook formats, and internationally at The Book Depository.
Spirit Storm (Spirit Guide #2) print, kindle, nook, other ebook formats.

Character Interview: Neev and Romy (Eye of the Wizard)

Please welcome today's returning guest author Daniel Arenson and special guests Neev and Romy!  Daniel is the author of Flaming Dove, Firefly Island, The Gods of Dream, and Eye of the Wizard.

Today we welcome Neev, a young wizard, and Romy, a demon girl.  Both
are characters from the fantasy novel Eye of the Wizard, by Daniel
Arenson.  Neev will be interviewing Romy.

Neev:  "Oh dear.  They have me interviewing Romy now?"

Romy:  "Hiya!"

Neev:  "I thought now that Eye of the Wizard is written and done, I'd
be rid of you."

Romy:  "You're never getting rid of me, Mommy."

Neev:  "Will you stop calling me that?"

Romy:  "Why?  You're a wizard.  You summoned me from Hell.  So now
you're my mommy."

Neev:  "Romy, how can I be your mommy?  I'm a boy.  Just because I
summoned you to Earth doesn't mean that--"

Romy:  "Can I have a lollipop?  Please please PLEASE?"

Neev:  "For Heaven's sake, you're a grown demon.  You've tortured
sinners for a living.  What kind of demon goes around begging for
lollipops?"

Romy:  "A HUNGRY demon.  Me want foooooood."

Neev:  "Romy, how old are you again?"

Romy:  "207.  I'm big!"

Neev:  "And you still act like a baby."

Romy:  "I'm not a baby.  Don't call me a baby.  Just because I like
lollipops, and just because I have a teddy bear named Floofie, and
just because I decorate my pitchfork with ribbons, and just because I
suck my thumb, and just because I sometimes wear a bonnet, and just
because--"

Neev:  "Romy, I get it.  Can we just get this interview over with?"

Romy:  "All right!  And after that, will you play marbles with me?"

Neev:  "No, Romy.  No more marbles."

Romy:  "Tea party?"

Neev:  "No."

Romy:  "Hide and seek?"

Neev:  "No more games, Romy!"

Romy:  "Chess?  I always beat you at chess."

Neev:  "No more chess."

Romy:  "Sour loser.  You cried when I beat you last time."

Neev:  "Romy, I told you already.  I had something in my eyes.  Look.
We have to do this interview already.  I want to go back to my
spellbooks.  First question:  What do you feel the main themes of Eye
of the Wizard are, and how does the author illuminate them?"

Romy:  "Howza what now?"

Neev:  "The literary themes.  The moral purpose of the narrative.  How
does your character's story arch illustrate them?"

Romy:  "Illu-whose-it?  Neev, are you all right?"

Neev:  "Tell us about your character development throughout the novel.
 How does Romy grow and change as the plot unfolds?"

Romy:  "Oh!  I get it.  There was this time in Chapter Twenty, when I
drank some growth potion, and I became a hundred feet tall!  Do you
remember, Neev?  You looked like a little ant to me.  I could have
crushed you!"

Neev:  "Not that kind of character growth, Romy.  I mean:  How did you
develop as a person?"

Romy:  "I'm not a person.  I'm a demon, remember?  You summoned me
from Hell.  You should know that, Mommy."

Neev:  "Stop calling me Mommy!  Are you going to answer these
questions intelligently, or not?"

Romy:  "I'm smart!"

Neev:  "Lovely.  So tell us, Romy.  Do you feel the climax of Eye of
the Wizard presents a moral dilemma, which can only be resolved by
making a personal sacrifice, and if so, how is this choice
foreshadowed, and how does it solve the conflict presented at the
plot's onset?"

Romy:  "Uhm... yes?"

Neev:  "Yes what, Romy?"

Romy:  "I like turtles!"

Neev:  "That is irrelevent."

Romy:  "Can I have my lolli now?"

Neev:  "*sigh*  Here you go, Romy."

Romy:  "Mmm, yum yum, strawberry.  Thank you, Mommy Neev!"

Neev:  "I'd like to apologize to our readers for this travesty of an--
Romy, Romy, you're not supposed to eat the stick too!  Romy!  Stop
putting the candy in my hair!"























Eye of the Wizard by Daniel Arenson.

When you can't run or hide, you fight back.

On the longest night of the year, a dark wizard murders a knight and his wife.  The knight's children survive and swear revenge. Sam and Jamie vow to become knights like their father. Neev, the middle child, vows to become a wizard.  Five years later, things look grim. Sam is useless with the sword. Jamie is denied knighthood because she's a girl. Neev cannot cast a spell without growing donkey ears, a monkey tail, or an elephant trunk. The siblings feel like failures.  That's when the dark wizard strikes again.  Are the siblings powerful enough to defeat him? Or will they too die at his hands? 


Thank you Daniel (and Neev and Romy!) for joining us here today at From the Shadows!

To learn more about Daniel Arenson and his books, please visit his website. 

Don't miss Daniel's author interview here, Daniel's interview of Eliven from The Gods of Dream here, and E.J.'s review of Flaming Dove here.

Guest Author Interview: R.A. McDonald

 









Please welcome today's guest author R.A. McDonald!  R.A. is the author of Rock Climbing in Oman and Ada Legend of a Healer.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

RA:  I realized my passion for writing about ten years ago, and have been working at it ever since. It wasn't until college that I really focused on education so it's been quite a learning process.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

RA:  I love hearing and thinking about unexplained occurrences, where even the most skeptical person has to shrug their shoulders because there is no scientific explanation. People have the power to do amazing things.

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?
 
RA:  Out of all of the supernatural talents I would want the power to heal myself and others at a super human level, because the possibilities are endless.

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

RA:  I think readers will enjoy Ada because, like most of us, she struggles with life. Her power to heal adds serious chaos but also helps her to keep a step ahead of her stalkers. Ada's life is intense, fast paced and at times dark. She's a girl that likes to run full speed at all obstacles.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

RA:   If my book was made a movie and I had a say in the casting, I would choose all unknown actors, because there's a lot of undiscovered talent out there.























Ada Legend of a Healer by R.A. McDonald.

No sickness, No injuries, No pain, No limits.  If you had the power to heal, what would you do?

For fifteen-year-old Ada discovering that she can heal feels more like a curse than a gift. When she learns of the mystery surrounding her mother's disappearance, and sees the indifference of so-called friends, she sets out for Paris to find her.  The power to heal protects her, but also has her hunted by a man who sees her as nothing more than his fountain of youth. Ada realizes her true power is her will to survive, and that her only chance at freedom is to become the best at escaping.


Thank you R.A. for joining us here today at From the Shadows !

To learn more about R.A. McDonald and her books, please visit her website.

Book Review: Night of the Loving Dead

Night of the Loving Dead (Pepper Martin, book 4) by Casey Daniels.

Introducing sleuth Pepper Martin...And now, in her fourth hip, quirky mystery, she's all ours.  Pepper Martin, heiress-turned-cemetery- tour-guide, often has her hands full with two hotties and the ghosts who won't let her rest or work, or shop in peace.  Now the specter of a young woman in a lab coat wants Pepper's help. Before the woman died, she worked with a sexy, mysterious doctor who coincidentally once saved Pepper's life and who the woman claims is now in danger. But Pepper doesn't know that there's more to the story, including a devious doctor and an obsessive, crazy love.


Looking for a fashion-conscious detective to the dead?  Pepper Martin is a fun, spunky character with a penchant for getting in way over her curly red tresses.  Night of the Loving Dead is the fourth book in the Pepper Martin series, a book I grabbed from the bargain bin, and it was such a fun read that I'll be going back to check out the other books in this series.  Pepper can speak with the dead and uses her gift to solve mysteries for the ghosts she encounters.  Since she's not dead herself, she tends to get a bit distracted by the hot men she attracts with her good looks and unique style.  Who said you can't wear stiletto boots and a mini skirt to a cemetery...during a snowstorm?  A lighthearted blend of mystery, supernatural suspense, and paranormal romance.

I recommend Night of the Loving Dead (Pepper Martin, book 4) to readers of paranormal romance, urban fantasy, paranormal suspense, and especially to fans of paranormal mysteries.  Night of the Loving Dead may appeal to fans of the Weather Warden series by Rachel Caine and the Cassandra Palmer series by Karen Chance.

Sensitive reader warning: mild violence, sexual situations.

Source: This book was purchased by E.J. for review.

Night of the Loving Dead on Amazon.
Night of the Loving Dead on Goodreads.

Guest Author Interview: Lisa Papademetriou

Please welcome today's guest author Lisa Papademetriou!  Lisa is the author of Sixth-Grade Glommers, Norks, and Me, the Accidentally Series, The Wizard, the Witch, and Two Girls from Jersey, How to Be a Girly Girl in Just Ten Days, Drop, Chasing Normal, M or F?, and coming in August Siren's Storm.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Lisa:   It's funny--when I give talks on writing at schools, I always ask, "Who here is a writer?" and, generally, almost everyone raises a hand. Even as a kid, I saw myself as a writer, and I think that even if I didn't earn a living putting words on a page, I would still see myself as a writer. So, in that way, I guess I started writing the minute I learned the alphabet. It's still amazing to me that so many stories and concepts, so many thoughts about the world and life, can be expressed with only 26 letters.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Lisa:   I've always loved fantasy--I used to sit in my room and draw maps of fantasy worlds, and come up with characters to inhabit them. I read fantasy nonstop: LeGuin, Lewis, Tolkien, Cooper, Alexander, L' Engle. I always thought I would grow up to write high fantasy. A few years ago, I published my first fantasy novel, a parody called The Wizard, the Witch, and Two Girls from Jersey, which was an homage to some of my favorite books and authors. Siren's Storm was born out of a dream I had, in which I saw a group of children treading water in a river, singing. Every now and again, one of the children would put a face in the water, and then look back up at me, and it slowly dawned on me that the children were waiting for something...something monstrous. I woke up and knew I had the beginning of a new story.

EJ:  If you could have any paranormal or supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

Lisa:  Actually, I would despise having a paranormal or supernatural talent. It seems like a horrible responsibility, a frightening and lonely experience. I'm currently working on a sequel to Siren's Storm, and a lot of the story is about that.

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Lisa:   Siren's Storm is a thriller, with both romance and action, but it also has a lot of humor. I hope readers love the characters as much as I do!

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles? Why?

Lisa:  I'd cast Emile Hirsch as Will. He's able to portray the right kind of brooding vulnerability that I think Will needs. Emma Stone--if she had black hair--has the right look for Asia, although I've never seen her do anything that wasn't a comedy. I'd like to see Gretchen played by someone like Emma Roberts. She's a natural beauty in that girl-next-door way.






















Siren's Storm by Lisa Papademetriou.

Nothing has been the same for Will ever since what happened last summer. One day, on an ordinary sailing trip with his brother, there is a strange accident. When Will wakes up, he learns his brother has disappeared, presumed drowned. Worst of all, Will can't remember what happened—his family finds him unconscious, with no memory of the accident.  Now Will and his best friend and neighbor, Gretchen, are starting a new summer. Gretchen seems troubled—her sleepwalking habit is getting worse, and she keeps waking up closer and closer to the water. Will is drawn to Asia, the exotic new girl in town. Nobody knows where she's from—all Will knows is that her beauty and her mesmerizing voice have a powerful effect on people.  Then there is another mysterious drowning, and Will and Gretchen begin to wonder: Is Asia just another beautiful, wealthy summer resident? Or is she something entirely more sinister . . . and inhuman?


Thank you Lisa for joining us here today at From the Shadows !

To learn more about Lisa and her books, please visit her website.

Truly, Madly: Lucy Valentine Giveaway

It's February and here at From the Shadows we are celebrating with fab guest authors, reviews, and giveaways!  A few titles on my TBR pile this month are Love Is Hell, Night of the Loving Dead, A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend, Dracula In Love, Jekel Loves Hyde, and Soul in Love.  Don't miss the Bloody Valentine Giveaway ending 2/14 or the chance to receive a signed Spirit Guide Series Valentine's Day Card from E.J. (while supplies last).






















**Truly, Madly: Lucy Valentine Giveaway**

Enter to win a copy of Truly, Madly (Lucy Valentine, #1) by Heather Webber.

Lucy Valentine is as smart as can be, as single as you can get, and so not qualified to run a matchmaking service. But when her parents temporarily step down from the family business, Valentine, Inc., it's Lucy's turn to step up and help out—in the name of love.

Plus, her rent is due.

Here's the problem: Lucy doesn't have the knack for matchmaking. According to family legend, every Valentine has been blessed by Cupid with the ability to read "auras" and pair up perfect couples. But not Lucy. Her skills were zapped away years ago in an electrical surge, and now all she can do is find lost objects. What good is that in the matchmaking world? You'd be surprised. In a city like Boston, everyone's looking for something. So when Lucy locates a missing wedding ring—on a dead body—she asks the sexy private eye who lives upstairs to help her solve the perfect crime. And who knows? Maybe she'll find the perfect love while she's at it…

To enter, please leave a comment on this post including your email address (so we may contact you if you win).  This giveaway is international (to anywhere The Book Depository ships)!  Giveaway ends February 28th midnight EST.

Bonus entries:

+1 GFC follower (old or new)
+1 Follow E.J. on Goodreads
+1 Follow E.J. on Twitter

Guest Author Interview: Brindle Chase

Please welcome today's guest author Brindle Chase!  Brindle is the author of That One Night In Vegas, Gothic City Lights, Diva-licious, My Snow White, and The Grass Is Always Greener.

EJ:  When did you begin writing?

Brindle:   I started a novel about 20 years ago for a creative writing class in college. An epic fantasy, if I recall. Never finished it. Then about 10 years ago, started another one, a paranormal, didn't finish. Then when I turned 40 (4 years ago) I decided, screw it. I love to write but always let real life get in the way. For christmas, I went out and bought me a laptop and started writing every day on my lunch break at work. I started with re-writing that paranormal I started way back when. I Finished it a year later. Sent it off to 60 agents. All rejected me. *sniffle* But I knew then, I had more to learn about writing. So I hit the author forums and found out many of my mistakes. My muse fed me the premise for Gothic City Lights 2 years ago, so I took that on next. It was to prove to myself I was publishable. To exercise what I had learned from other authors and a year later, it was finished. I sent it off to 30-35 agents. Got several nibbles, but ultimately no offers. My test readers were established writers, so I trusted in them and tried this time with publishers. I sent it to 4 publishers and received 1 request for more, 2 rejections and 1 offer. I took the offer and Loose Id published Gothic City Lights this last June! Yeah!!! Oh, um, so the answer is, for real? About 4 years ago.

EJ:  What brought you to the paranormal genre?

Brindle:   This is going to sound very geeky. I was playing Vampire: the Masquerade, Live Action version with a group of players that met on weekends to role play our vampire characters. The storyline I used for that character, was the foundation for the paranormal story I rewrote (and plan to rewrite again soon)

EJ:  If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?

Brindle:   This is hard. Up front, my pick leans heavily towards being a vampire. But it would depend on which kind. I'm not a fan of bloodbank or small animal feeding, sparkling in sunlight, wussy vampires. I would be more like Lestat, but less sinister and callous. I would prey on two types of victims. Beautiful women (to sate my own desires, obviously. I never claimed to be a gentleman *lol*), but I would not drain them or cause them death. And then for hunting, I would seek out the worst of humans. The most evil, greedy and selfish, drain them until death claimed them. Depending on their crimes, I might torture them instead, force them to provide me finances and make serious amend to the world they have corrupted/blighted…. Etc… Basically a vigilante vampire. Hehehe.

EJ:  Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.

Brindle:   My upcoming release, Trading Up, is a touching contemporary erotic romance. Its about two sisters, one dating a great guy, but she doesn't really love him. He's fun at the moment. The other sister is head over heels in love with her sister's boyfriend. When the two sisters discover this, they plot a switch in the dark, one giving over the guy to her sister, when they realize he is Mr. Right, but for the other. Readers will enjoy the sexy eroticism of the switch. But the emotional depth, the vulnerabilities all the characters reveal and deal with, is very touching. Its not erotica… definitely a sweet, but extremely sexy romance! It releases in march 2011 from Breathless Press.

EJ:  If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?

Brindle:  My paranormal erotic romance would definitely end up as a porn, or at least a Cinemax or HBO movie. Gothic City Lights is a very erotic paranormal romance. Very. Lilith is the heroine and she is a drop dead gorgeous succubus, a real bombshell. Casting her would be difficult. She's half Chinese as well, limiting it further. I think a young Kelly Hu maybe? And Gabriel is a buff, strikingly handsome angel. I see him sort of a young prettier and buffer Russell Crowe, with longer hair, maybe? Why? These selections are based on how I see the characters looks. Not sure if they could pull off the personalities, but hey, they are actors, right? Hehehe.























Gothic City Lights by Brindle Chase.

It was just a fling. Lilith Templeton had no clue he was a human agent working for the angels. No big deal, but she got caught and Mother Superior, Portland's most powerful angel, wants penance. Or death, Lilith's choice. Being a lowly half-demon and therefore not a participant in the never-ending war for souls, she knows it's insane to cross the full-blood demons like Mother Superior wants. But opting out isn't an option: do or die. For additional penance, she's paired with an angel who not only ignites her lust but something more. Lilith wants to fall in love, to know what it was like to share herself with just one man. Yet since succubi needed to stay sexually satisfied, falling in love with the angel of chastity is a mistake she can't afford.

Gabriel would have never second-guessed his choice to ascend through the virtue of chastity. Until he meets Lilith. Now, his ascension would be forfeit if he cannot vanquish his need for her. Having no choice but to ignore the fire burning inside them, they work towards tempting the demon cult's human leader into revealing the hideout. Lilith, sexually irresistible half-succubus, is the perfect bait. Get in, send the signal and wait for the angel to rescue her. Oh and not get killed, or tempt the angel. Simple, right? 

Thanks Brindle for joining us here today at From the Shadows !

To learn more about Brindle Chase and his books, please visit his website.

Book Review: The Fall

The Fall (The Rift, book 1) by Robert J. Duperre.

An ancient evil, trapped in the ruins of a lost Mayan temple for centuries, has been unleashed. It takes the form of a deadly virus, one that causes violent insanity in the living and the recently departed to rise and walk. It spreads around the globe, throwing the world into chaos and war. As it progresses, those in the States who find themselves far away from the epicenter watch it unfold with unbelieving eyes. From Washington D.C. to Dover, New Hampshire, regular people are hurled into an existence outside their control, left to deal with catastrophic situations that they find themselves unprepared to handle. Life becomes a nightmare, and that nightmare is spreading.


Move over old-school zombies, there's a new evil in town.  The Fall is the first book in the epic horror series The Rift.  Duperre whisks the readers to an archaeological dig in Central America, but this is not your typical Indiana Jones adventure.  Things go terribly, irrevocably wrong and an ancient undead evil is unleashed on the world.  I should warn you that if you have any insect phobias you will be scratching away before the first chapter is over.  That scene *still* gives me nightmares...and that was only the beginning.  The author then pulls the reader into the lives of regular people experiencing the heart-pounding terror of discovering the undead that now plague the living.  The creatures of The Fall are fast, deadly, and leave a path of gore and fear wherever they go.  Duperre's new take on zombies and the undead is both refreshing and terrifying.  The Fall is a masterful work of horror that will have you sleeping with the light on for many nights to come.

I highly recommend The Fall (The Rift, book 1) to readers of urban fantasy, speculative fiction, paranormal suspense, apocalyptic, dystopian, and zombie fiction and especially to fans of horror.  The Fall may appeal to fans of Richard Matheson, China Mieville and Steven King.

Sensitive reader warning: contains violence, gore, and terrifying illustrations.

Source: Provided by the author or publisher for honest review.

Read more about author Robert J. Duperre in his interview here at From the Shadows.

The Fall on Amazon.
The Fall on Goodreads.