Darcia Helle's Blog, page 17
March 25, 2022
Spotlight on WHEN DARKNESS COMES by John Anthony Miller
Paris: 1942 Three lives intertwined in Nazi-occupied Paris: Paul, a brooding banker whose family was killed by the Gestapo, Rachel, a teenage Jew who leads her family’s escape from the Germans, Claire, a demure bookstore owner who finds courage and conviction – all confronted by an infamous Nazi collaborator.
In the sprawling network of catacombs underneath the Left Bank of Paris, they hide thousands of Jewish refugees, giving them new identities and leading them to safety. Together they move forward, outsmarting a ruthless enemy, overcoming obstacles, defying danger, moving farther and faster, almost invincible. Until an innocent bystander notices something amiss and their entire world collapses around them.
Author John Anthony Miller tells us his approach to writing! I asked the following: Do you outline first or take an idea and run blindly?
I definitely run blindly.
I write all things historical—thrillers, mysteries and romance—with settings that span from Normandy in the year 1216 to Cape May, N.J. in 1976. I have different concepts that I keep in a file, but when I know which book will be next—usually the time period, location, and overall plot—I start to research, reading several books, or parts of books, to prepare.
Almost anything can serve as inspiration. I recently finished a nineteenth century murder mystery inspired only by the photograph of a tranquil lane in Paris—which of course became the scene of the murder in my book. I saw that image on the internet and thought: ‘hmmm, I can have some fun with this.’
When I’m finally ready to start, I simply sit down at my desk and start typing. My first draft is a bit of a mess, but it’s a system that works well for me. I generally do six or seven revisions before I send it off to my agent.
I’m currently writing my thirteenth book, usually write two novels a year, and I’ve used the same basic process for each one. I suppose if you find something that works, it’s best to stick with it!
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March 24, 2022
Review — MISS KOPP JUST WON’T QUIT: Kopp Sisters, Book 4 by Amy Stewart
After a year on the job, New Jersey’s first female deputy sheriff has collared criminals, demanded justice for wronged women, and gained notoriety nationwide for her exploits. But on one stormy night, everything falls apart.
While transporting a woman to an insane asylum, Deputy Kopp discovers something deeply troubling about her story. Before she can investigate, another inmate bound for the asylum breaks free and tries to escape.
In both cases, Constance runs instinctively toward justice. But the fall of 1916 is a high-stakes election year, and any move she makes could jeopardize Sheriff Heath’s future—and her own. Although Constance is not on the ballot, her controversial career makes her the target of political attacks.
With wit and verve, book-club favorite Amy Stewart brilliantly conjures the life and times of the real Constance Kopp to give us this “unforgettable, not-to-be messed-with heroine” (Marie Claire) under fire in Miss Kopp Just Won’t Quit.
I love historical fiction featuring women who don’t fit the mold, and Miss Kopp Just Won’t Quit is exactly that.
This is the fourth book in the Kopp Sisters series, based on three real-life women who pushed all the boundaries set for females during the early 1900s. It works fine as a stand-alone, so you can jump right into the series.
Constance is a deputy sheriff, and the case she focuses on here involves a woman committed to an asylum by her husband. As with the previous books, the content made me angry and sad, as well as thankful for women like Constance who helped upend a dangerous, suppressive system.
This book serves as a turning point for Constance, and consequently I thought we got hung up in the local election and politics of the time. Still, the writing is fully immersive. I felt the frustration and fear of life controlled and dominated by men, but I also felt the power of breaking free.
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March 23, 2022
Book Review — SONGS BY HONEYBIRD by Peter McDade
Atlanta couple Ben and Nina plan to move in together, but their relationship unravels when Ben dismisses Nina’s surprising claim that her dog can talk. Songs By Honeybird follows the pair as they move on without each other. Doctoral candidate Ben dives into research on the tragic story of Honeybird, the South’s first integrated rock band, while spiritual savant Nina searches for the elusive truth about her father’s death.
Will the buried secrets of the past bring Ben and Nina back together—or send them down entirely new paths?
Release Date: March 29, 2022
My ThoughtsSongs by Honeybird is a unique book that’s difficult to review as a whole.
We follow Ben and Nina, a young couple in love, or so they thought. They break up early on, adapting to life without one another. Almost from the beginning, it feels like two completely different stories.
Ben is working on his dissertation for his Ph.D., which focuses on a sixties rock band called Honeybird that had brief success before a tragic ending. We learn about this band through Ben’s research and interviews with survivors. This is a love story and an exploration of racism, seen through Ben’s assumptions and changing viewpoint.
Nina is a young woman adrift, whose personal growth is in large part due to her talking dog. This is a story of finding yourself within all the noise, of not allowing the world to define you, of finding freedom and acceptance.
While the author does attempt to maintain a connection between Ben and Nina, the thread is tenuous, and I think each of their stories suffered somewhat from too wide a reach in a short span of time. My ARC is only 244 pages. I would’ve preferred a more expansive story, or one that focused solely on either Ben or Nina.
Still, the writing is beautiful and insightful, and I enjoyed the journey.
*I received an ARC from Mindbuck Media.*
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New Memoir — THE YELLOW HONEYSUCKLE IS THE SWEETEST: Hunting, Fishing, and Journeys with Family, Friends, and Nature by Bill Fentress
THE YELLOW HONEYSUCKLE IS THE SWEETEST is a salute by the author to a lifetime of outdoor experiences in eastern North Carolina and beyond. It encompasses 14 true short stories about family, friendships, and the emotions involved in hunting, fishing, and other outdoor-related topics. It is not a how-to book, nor just a compilation of hunting and fishing stories; it describes how simple family and personal interactions, with the outdoor sports and unmatched natural beauty as a backdrop, can result in treasured memories like perhaps no other pursuits.
If you hunt and fish, or grew up enjoying histories of family traditions and friendships revolving around the outdoors – whether it be in North Carolina, or elsewhere – THE YELLOW HONEYSUCKLE IS THE SWEETEST is for you.
Published by: Indie
Publication Date: February 3, 2022
Number of Pages: 257
ISBN: 979-8-9855598-1-1
Purchase Links: Amazon | Goodreads Here’s a word from our author:
Read an excerpt: There is something special about hunting, that sears in place our memories with others. Maybe it’s the vivid nature where our grand experiences take place or the team efforts we go through to make it all happen? Maybe it’s the getting up early, the black coffee, the smell of eggs and bacon in a cabin, the swoosh of ducks over decoys or the violent uprising of a big covey followed by the delirium of released bird dogs? Maybe it’s the sunrises, the sunsets, the gobbles at dawn, the split oak fires or the oysters? Maybe it’s the bonds we have over lifetimes? I’m not really sure. But I do know we’re blessed when these partners come into our lives.Like many boys, my first hunting partner was a dog, Pepper. I wish I could say Pepper was the granddaughter of King Rothschild’s Sire of Pepper Creek, but I cannot. Pepper was a fittingly, albeit not uniquely, named black and white pointer-mix stray who took up at Miss Jo’s house in Bayboro. Somehow, through either constant brow beating with her pathetic brown eyes or via her constant hanging around the back door looking for food, Pepper convinced Miss Jo to call me—not my mother, her friend—but me.“Billy,” she commanded, “I have a beautiful dog you would just love!”Of course, I immediately got off the phone and begged Mom to take me to Bayboro. “Miss Jo’s got a dog she says I need!” I always thought Miss Jo should have led many of the sales classes I attended in my banking career. Let me tell you, she talked directly to the buyer, and went right around the secretary. While I’m not sure how long it took for Mom to talk to her again, we came home with Pepper in the Chevy wagon and me with a smile as broad as the cuff on my dungarees. Pepper was one of the smartest dogs I ever owned. She followed me everywhere—from our store to Grandmamma’s house to the woods behind our house to the tractor shelter woods across the road, down Swan Point Road, and of course behind our neighbor’s house. Pepper was smart enough to look both ways before she crossed the road. Don’t smirk; I saw her do it a hundred times. She also knew how to be quiet as I planned a sneak-up strategy on the local robins and wrens. But her mind absolutely took the day off when it came to our neighbor’s chickens.—Excerpt from The Yellow Honeysuckle is the Sweetest by Bill Fentress. Copyright © 2021 by William C. Fentress. Reproduced with permission from Bill Fentress. All rights reserved.Interview with Author Bill Fentress
What was the inspiration behind this story?
Even looking back 40 years ago, I always wanted to write. I just never sat down and did the work to do it. Then I had an experience with a dog, about 20 years ago. It was so unusual; I told my wife… “I have to write a story about this!”. That story is the “Mack” chapter in the book. I sat down in our kitchen at the computer and banged it out in a few nights. The story is just how it transpired…with all the thoughts, emotions, remembering’s, and reflections. After I was done, I decided I would save the story until I wrote others …and one day complete what turned out to be The Yellow Honeysuckle is the Sweetest. It just took 20 years for it to happen.
Please share a few favorite lines or one paragraph.
Sometime during the walk to the cabin, I looked over at Herb through Sarah’s chattering and constant recounting that was going on between us, and we both laughed; we knew she was hooked on this eternal journey of a hunter. We had successfully passed it onto another; a good deed done in our waning years. Somehow, as if back in my own youth—even if just momentarily—the grass seemed greener, the clearing sky shouted a more vibrant blue, the sprouting buds busted forth stronger into the reviving spring woods and the glinting late afternoon sun illuminated all of us in a warmer glow.
“I guess we’ll go home now,” Susan happily proclaimed, turning her headlight toward the truck, a wide grin peeking through her balaclava. “Oh no,” I informed her. “Let’s see what’s flying.” Her reaction sent all the animals scattering like that old butter commercial when Mother Nature says it’s not nice to fool her.
What a spectacle to see hundreds of thousands of birds begin the grand passage up north, a Canadian frost on the peas and an orange sunrise as the backdrop. And topping it off, to have your dog in his prime, nestled close to you, groaning, and whimpering with excitement, as the flocks begin to cup up, searing the air above you. That’s a blessing right there.
“Let me get my mess right, Daddy,” she says, as I’m trying to get her hustled out the door so we can hear the first owl hoots. Kids are like regurgitating sponges. I reckon pretty soon she’ll be telling me I’ve “mommicked” something up.
How long did it take you to write this book?
Well, in actual hours, I have no idea. In total time to get my act together to get all the stories written and the experiences to take place that warranted a story, and finally for me to get inspired to get it down…took 20 years. But really that is not correct either, since I always wanted to do it…just never put my nose down to do it until a few years ago.
How did you come up with the title?
The title represents an important message in the book itself. One of the stories has the same title as the book. Within that story, the reader will see the significance of those words and how that message permeates throughout the book. The book was complete, and I was trying to come up with a title. It suddenly hit me what it should be. My wife agreed and we settled on it pretty quickly. I believe the title reflects the theme.
Tell us about your cover art and how it pertains to your story.
The cover is a picture of my daughter, Sarah, and me walking down the road between my family’s old country store and my grandparents’ house. The house was not occupied by them at the time; they passed away 35 years before this picture. But when I was a boy, I walked that road many times. Now, Sarah and I both have many memories around the area. The road and that house play an important part in at least 2 of the stories in the book. When the picture was taken, 14 years ago, I had no idea it would be on the cover of this book. But when I was deciding on what to choose for the cover, a few friends, said hands down, that is it. I agreed.
Of all the books out there, why should readers choose this one?
Perhaps many have never hunted, fished or spent time in the outdoors, and perhaps they have not seen the importance these experiences can play in one’s development as a person. Some may even disagree with the taking of animals itself. I can understand how some may feel that way. But I can honestly tell you that growing up, experiencing and learning about nature the way these pursuits require you to do, gives one a foundation to grow, both physically and psychologically. Time spent alone in the woods builds character, gets you comfortable in your own skin, and gives you time to reflect upon your life and upon the extraordinary creation all around us. One of my Launch Team readers relayed the following:
“The appealing way this book weaves together the importance of family, an appreciation of nature, value of community, and perspective on our human situation will appeal to hunters and non-hunters alike. The value of this book, for me, is its illustration of the building of bonds and the teaching of values across generations. Whether readers have urban or rural backgrounds they will see clearly the importance and the rewards of shared interests and shared, sustained efforts with their children and their elders. These valuable life lessons are delivered through colorful, entertaining, and sometimes tear-provoking stories. You will enjoy this book!”
Why do you write within your chosen genre?
I write about what is important to me. …what impacts me…what moves me emotionally. With me, that is my family, the outdoors, friends and my relationship with our creator. I am not sure my writing would even be worth reading if I did not write about the emotions, natural beauty and family and friend relationships that have been so important to me. I admire people who write fiction and think of the plot, characters, events, and all that stuff in their heads, then render a make-believe story that is interesting. I simply write about true characters…that impacted my life. I think that is relatively easy compared to fiction.
Describe your writing environment.
Quiet…5am…coffee…laptop…headphones and dictation while walking for the first draft. Once I get the first draft on paper, then it’s tweaking time for me. And that goes on forever, and background noise is not that important at that time. I typically do everything better from 4am to 10am…after that, my mind begins to deflate. I prefer to write by myself in our old country store depicted in the book…with a wood stove popping.
If you could go back to any place and time in history, where would you go and why?
1955 – I would like to go back and see my father on the farm when he was 35 years old, walk behind two bird dogs all day with him, talk with him, and get to know him. He died from cancer in 1962. I was two years old, so I never knew him. I would give anything to be able to do that.
What is your favorite material possession?
About the AuthorBy nature, I am not materialistic at all really. But this answer is easy. A gold Hamilton wristwatch. It was my father’s watch given to me by my mother when I graduated from college. It is described in the last chapter. But I do not really consider it to be “material”.
Bill Fentress is a retired banker and current Finance Officer in eastern North Carolina. A current resident of New Bern, NC, Bill grew up in Pamlico County, North Carolina, where many of his hunting and fishing experiences in The Yellow Honeysuckle is the Sweetest take place. He has enjoyed nature’s beauty and God’s gifts of family and the outdoors throughout his lifetime, in North Carolina and elsewhere.
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March 21, 2022
New Thriller — THE LYING CLUB by Annie Ward
Three women. Two bodies. One big lie…
A tangled web of lies draws together three women in this explosive thriller of revenge, murder and shocking secrets.
At an elite private school nestled in the Colorado mountains, Natalie, an office assistant, dreams of having a life like the school moms she deals with every day. Women like Brooke—a gorgeous heiress, ferociously loving mother and serial cheater—and Asha, an overprotective mom who suspects her husband of having an affair. Their fates are bound by the handsome assistant athletic director Nicholas, whom Natalie loves, Brooke wants and Asha needs.
But when two bodies are carried out of the school one morning, it seems the tension between mothers and daughters, rival lovers, and the haves and have-nots has shattered the surface of this isolated, affluent town—where people stop at nothing to get what they want.
THE LYING CLUB
Author: Annie Ward
ISBN: 9780778389408
Publication Date: March 22, 2022
Publisher: Park Row Books
Buy Links:
BookShop.org
Harlequin
Barnes & Noble
Amazon
Books-A-Million
Powell’s
Prologue
THE NECKTIE OF her ex was still clasped in her hand when Natalie woke. Her head was pounding, and her mouth tasted bad, like she’d fallen into bed without brushing her teeth. She had a horrible, cloudy feeling that she’d done something regrettable, but in that moment, she couldn’t remember what it was.
She wasn’t at home. Instead, she was upright, a seat belt crossing her chest. In front of her was the windshield of her own car, coated in a sheet of frost, and her I LOVE COLORADO! key chain was dangling from the ignition.
Natalie realized then that she’d blacked out. It had happened before, when she was much younger, and the memory of that awful awakening hit her with an electrifying jolt. After a frantic inspection, she concluded that all her clothes were on and nothing seemed torn or altered. She slipped the tie into her coat pocket.
Yanking the rearview mirror toward her face, she saw that her hazel eyes were huge, the pupils tiny pinpoints, and her mascara was smudged. A chapped crack ran down the bottom of her lower lip, but there were no other bruises or cuts. It didn’t appear that she’d crashed into a building or a tree. There were no sirens.
She rolled down her window, and a thin wall of ice collapsed into the car, dampening her plaid skirt. It was almost dark outside.
Work. She was at work. Across the snowy parking lot, she could see the back door to the east wing of the private school where she was an administrative assistant in the front office.
Pulling on her stocking cap and opening the car door, Natalie noticed footprints, slightly softened by snowfall, leading from her car to the rear exit of the school’s gym. Another set of identical prints returned from the door to the car, but not in a straight line. They zigzagged, and there was a large compression in the snow, just about the size of a small person like her. Gingerly, she lowered one boot into the first of the prints to make sure it was a match. It was. It seemed likely that the body-shaped spot in the snow was an indication that she’d fallen, and a quick pat down of her coat confirmed that it was wet.
Natalie stepped out of her car and squinted into the wind. Her legs felt weak, as if she’d just returned from one of her longer runs.
She retraced her own tracks, leading to the school. The sky was changing color from a grayish stormy dusk to night, and it struck Natalie, who loved art, that the swirling white flurries between her and the stars resembled a monochrome Van Gogh painting. Snow-capped peaks surrounded her on all sides. Down the mountain was the town center. Lights twinkled. Houses, vacation condos, and old-timey shops were piled like Christmas gifts on top of one another alongside a dark and twisting river.
The heavy back door was ajar. When she tugged on it, it groaned, scraped, and opened. Heart pounding, she went in.
During school hours, the sports pavilion would have been filled with the sound of bouncing basketballs, laughter, whistles, and sneakers squeaking on the gym floor. Now, there was distant, droning pop music playing up on the mezzanine, but no one was singing along or dropping weights to the floor with a crash.
Natalie walked with slow, hesitant steps over to the double doors that opened onto the basketball courts.
Normally those doors stood propped open by gray rubber wedges. Now they were closed, but each had a rectangular window. Natalie curled her hand and made a cup for her eyes.
It took a second to see anything at all. The court was dim, aglow only from the small green emergency lights situated over the doors and in the corners of the room. Her eyes were adjusting. Something was there.
She jumped away from the door as if the glass had burned her skin. Her hands flew up to cover her mouth. A scream almost escaped, but she stopped it in her throat with a choking noise.
Not far from the door was what looked like a crumpled pile of clothes and broken body parts, motionless in the middle of a spreading pool of blood.
What the hell did I do?
The security lights in the Falcon Academy parking lot flickered. It was early Monday morning and still dark. A beat-up Pathfinder left tracks in the snow as it swerved into a spot re-served for employees.
Harry Doyle climbed out and used his heel to squelch a cigarette into the ground. He grabbed a battered baseball cap from the dashboard and plopped it on his head, holding down what little was left of his hair. After slamming the driver’s door shut, he looked up at the sky, which was turning pink and orange to the east. An enormous blanket of fluffy white covered the parking lot. Last night had been the first big storm of the season, and some parents would call their kids in sick so they could hit the slopes with their friends.
The sixty-eight-year-old custodian shuffled towards the rear entrance of the sports pavilion. The automatic fluorescents in the back hallway glowed a sickly yellow. He hummed as he plodded down the hall to the boys’ changing room, where he put his lunch and jacket away in his locker before going to the storage closet. Harry grabbed the fiberglass handle of the deluxe wet mop and hauled it, and the bucket, out into the corridor toward the basketball courts. Pushing past the double doors, he activated all nine light switches with a swipe of his hand. The bulky, caged gymnasium overheads burst to life with a buzz.
“What the hell?” he exclaimed, dropping the mop.
The handle clattered against the maple wood planks. “Oh dear God.” The words came out strangled.
Harry scrambled for his phone in a zippered compartment of his slacks.
“Hello?” he managed to say, after dialing 911. He was having trouble breathing. “The Falcon Academy. Off Highway 70. Just west of Blackswift. Oh Jesus. Jesus Mary and Joseph. We need help. There’s a lot of blood.”
Excerpted from The Lying Club by Annie Ward, Copyright © 2022 by Annie Ward. Published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
About the Author
Annie Ward is the author of Beautiful Bad. She has a BA in English literature from UCLA and an MFA in screenwriting from the American Film Institute. Her first short screenplay, Strange Habit, starring Adam Scott, was an official selection of the Sundance Film Festival and the Grand Jury Award winner at the Aspen Film Festival. She has received a Fulbright scholarship and an Escape to Create artist residency. She lives in Kansas with her family.
Social Links:
Author Website
Twitter: @_annie_ward
Facebook: @anniewardbooks
Goodreads
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March 20, 2022
Book Review — THE INVESTIGATOR: A Letty Davenport Novel by John Sandford
By age twenty-four, Letty Davenport has seen more action and uncovered more secrets than many law enforcement professionals. Now a recent Stanford grad with a master’s in economics, she’s restless and bored in a desk job for U.S. Senator Colles. Letty’s ready to quit, but her skills have impressed Colles, and he offers her a carrot: feet-on-the-ground investigative work, in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security.
Several oil companies in Texas have reported thefts of crude, Colles tells her. He isn’t so much concerned with the oil as he is with the money: who is selling the oil, and what are they doing with the profits? Rumor has it that a fairly ugly militia group—led by a woman known only as Lorelai—might be involved. Colles wants to know if the money is going to them, and if so, what they’re planning.
Letty is partnered with a DHS investigator, John Kaiser, and they head to Texas. When the case quicky turns deadly, they know they’re on the track of something bigger. Lorelai and her group have set in motion an explosive plan . . . and the clock is ticking down.
Release Date: April 12, 2022
My ThoughtsI’ve been a fan of John Sandford’s books for decades, which makes this review especially difficult to write. I didn’t like The Investigator at all. In fact, I gave up halfway through.
I love that Letty now has her own series. She’s a great character, and I have high hopes for future books.
We immediately begin with a character dump. So many characters! Quite a few are interchangeable, and I found it difficult to keep track of who was doing what to whom and for what reason.
The plot is the kind of complex that becomes overly complicated. We spend a lot of time on oil fields, how they work, who does which job, and where the oil goes each step of the way. I was so incredibly bored because, quite honestly, I don’t care. I just wanted to get on with it already.
From there, we got into the ragtag militia group, more oil companies, and various government agencies. I just never connected with any of it.
I missed the character depth I’ve come to expect from Sandford’s novels.
Soon I was skimming, and by midway I saw no point in continuing.
Much of my disappointment here is a result of personal preference. The plot will no doubt work well for many readers.
*I received an eARC from the publisher, via NetGalley.*
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New Sci-Fi — BLACK SWAN EMPIRE: Book 3 of the Black Swan Planet Trilogy by James Peters
Raka Varoule, Maven Blackheart, and Marco return for one final adventure in Black Swan Empire!
When Maven nearly starts WWIII as a result of an international nuclear incident, she and Raka are forced to flee from Earth and return to the Galactic Empire, but they aren’t exactly welcomed with open arms. They are quickly drawn into a plot that just happens to involve the assassination of Emperor Caligula himself.
With the help of some old friends and a few frenemies, they face their biggest challenge yet when the entire Empire is on the line.
BLACK SWAN EMPIRE
James Peters
Publishing Company: Black Swan Productions
Cover Artist: Ali Hyder
Release Date: Tuesday, February 15 2022
ISBN: 979-8792541177
ASN: B09NSRV63P
Other Books in Series:
Book 1: Black Swan Planet
Book 2: Black Swan Antithesis
Buy Links:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
CHAPTER ONE
Swan Spawn
To my great surprise, I found myself on a warm beach watching the waves pound repeatedly against a rocky shoreline, while winds whirled around me making a repetitive and comforting pattern of sounds. I was completelyalone, yet I felt a sense of contentment just to be. Just to be here, just to be alone, just to be alive.
A lemon-yellow sun smiled down upon me, and a few cotton-candy clouds dotted a perfect blue sky. A wave washed up just far enough to tickle my toes; the water was warm and welcoming. I took a few steps into the ocean to see small fish schooling around my legs. When they looked up at me, they seemed happy.
A dolphin crested over a distant wave. It turned toward me, approaching quickly but I felt no sense of fear. The dolphin raised up out of the water in front of me and spoke, but not in Dolphinese, instead, he spoke in perfect English. “What do you do if you don’t have enough cash to buy a coffee mug?”
I didn’t waste my time considering the concept that an aquatic mammal was talking to me. Instead, I simply responded, “I don’t know Mr. Dolphin. What do you do if you don’t have enough cash to buy a coffee mug?” “You write a cup-check!” The dolphin said as it slammed its nose into my crotch with enough force to
shatter the side-window of an ’83 Escort.
I screamed and flailed to find myself snapped into reality, and it wasn’t a pleasant one. I was laying on my
back in a bed with dozens of electronic sensors connected to me, an IV line in my arm, a hospital-style light shining in my face, and a fat little fuck of a kid laughing at me. He was maybe twelve years old and he still had his hands on my junk. He had black hair, raging acne, a triple chin, thick glasses, and he repeatedly sniffed as if he were snorting black pepper.
“Now the stinky man is awake!” the kid said and made a snorting sound like he was hawking up a loogie. “Fifty buck says I can hit you in the eye with this.”
“Fifty bucks says if you don’t back away from me immediately, I’ll beat you into next year, you little shit.” I began ripping off the electronic sensor pads and tried to get up, only to find I didn’t have the strength.
“You think you’re a tough guy? My bodyguard could rip you in two long-ways and not even break a sweat.” He sniffed, then wiped his nose down his black shirt sleeve. An eight-inch-long trail of mucus glistened in the light on his shirt sleeve.
I grabbed Tubby McZitface by both arms where his biceps should have been and tried to shake him. “You ever touch me again you’ll regret it for what little is left of your sad, pathetic life.”
The kid’s eyes opened wide and his lip quivered in fear. Tears flowed freely down his cheeks, making a roundabout path between fat and pimple. His mouth opened for several seconds before any sound came out, but finally he screamed an ear-piercing wail of “Smiles!”
The door flung open, rattling against its stop. A huge gorilla wearing a perfectly tailored gray suit stepped inside. He had a scar across his cheek, and as he approached I smelled the pleasant fragrance of his shampoo.
“Rip the bad man in two!” Tubby said to the gorilla.
“I’m sorry, Master Filbert. I’m unable to harm Mr. Raka, as I’m sworn to protect him.”
“Can you at least give him a super-atomic wedgie?” Filbert wiped big wet tears from his cheeks.
“No,” the gorilla replied.
I felt a sense of relief. “General Smiles. It’s good to see you again. Be a sport and toss this evil little turd into the street, ideally into traffic. Thanks buddy” “I can’t do that either.”
“Why not?”
“I’m sworn to protect him as well.”
“Why?” I asked, as a deep sense of nausea and dread flushed through my body as if I were in a porta-potty in the act of being tipped over, balancing on its edge for just an instant before engaging maximum shitstorm.
“Because sir, he’s your son.”
About the AuthorJames Peters fell in love with Science Fiction at a young age, becoming hooked on the works of Asimov, Anderson, and Pohl (among many others), as well as the mixed bag of anything labeled Science Fiction on television or at the movies while growing up. While in grade school, he was given an assignment to write a journal about anything he wanted. He quickly filled the pages with a Buck Roger’s type adventure of robots, spaceships, and pew-pewing lasers, discovering his inner passion to write.
He writes with a gritty blend of character-driven action, wry humor, and social commentary that transports the reader through wild worlds of speculative fiction and fantasy. He’s known to cross the borders of different genres into new territory, along with an occasional ‘wink and nod’ to pop culture and other authors, then shock the reader with an unexpected turn of events.
Sit back, open your mind and enjoy the ride. Your adventure awaits.
Social Media Links:
Website
Facebook
Liminal Fiction
Amazon Author Page
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March 19, 2022
Spotlight on EARTHBOUND by Fynn Perry
Life is a game. He’s dying to play it.
John’s just met the love of his life when fate strikes a cruel blow. All at once, they’re both in hospital beds, unable to communicate. It seems they’re doomed to be apart. Until something extraordinary happens, and John realizes that he has left his comatose body and changed beyond all recognition. Suddenly, all that he holds dear might still be in his grasp—if he can adjust to his frightening new reality––an unseen world that is inhabited by an unexpected and impossibly powerful enemy.
Fast-paced and relentlessly surprising, Earthbound is a mindbending tale of suspense that is sweeping, intimate and profoundly human.
Author Fynn Perry tells us about the inspiration behind this story:
I suppose I have always been curious about life after death and the idea of spirits remaining on Earth. I wondered what the world would look if they existed and if someone could see them. What would they be up to? Haunting just the individuals that wronged them like in most novels? Or what if they had a greater agenda, collectively? What if they could influence how people acted? What if they were behind some of the greatest crimes against humanity?
Learn more about Earthbound by following Fynn Perry and By the Book VBP on Instagram!
The post Spotlight on EARTHBOUND by Fynn Perry appeared first on Quiet Fury Books.
March 18, 2022
New Christian Thriller — THE PILATE SCROLL by M.B. Lewis
An artifact with untold power. An unlikely protector. Can she prevent the past from being used to destroy the future?
Kadie Jenkins lost her faith long ago. Traveling to Egypt as part of a research team battling a lethal virus, the talented scholar’s already weakened beliefs take a deadly dive when her colleague and mentor is murdered. With the man about to share a shocking finding before he met his demise, Kadie frantically gathers his papers… and barely escapes when the killer returns.
Fleeing by plane and forced into an emergency-landing in Israel, Kadie questions who in her group she can actually trust. And as the murderers close in, she’s stunned to discover they’re all hunting for an ancient relic that could change the course of history…
Will this headstrong academic lean on powers from above to keep the wicked from wreaking havoc on Earth?
The Pilate Scroll is a pulse-pounding Christian thriller. If you like complicated heroines, stunning twists, and divine light shining through the darkness, then you’ll love M.B. Lewis’s breakneck page-turner.
Book Details:Read an excerpt:Chapter 1Genre: Christian Thriller / Action-Adventure
Published by: Satcom Publishing
Publication Date: April 27th 2021
Number of Pages: 346
ISBN: 1733098917 (ISBN13: 9781733098915)
Purchase Links: Amazon | Kindle Unlimited | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
Port Said, Egypt
The Market District
Samuel Jacobson was a dead man. Or at least he thought so. His phone call had been erratic, anxious—almost in a panic.
“Brian, we have to go.” Kadie Jenkins stood and slid her iPhone back in the pocket of her tan 5.11 cargo pants. She grabbed her purse and rose from the table in the back of the tiny restaurant, dragging her nineteen-year-old brother out before they had a chance to order their dinner. The restaurant sat tucked between shops selling hookahs on one side and women’s clothes on the other. The aroma of fresh bread and grilled meats dissipated, replaced by the pungent scent of car exhaust and camel dung.
“It’s only a fifteen-minute walk back to the hotel,” Kadie said. “I bet we can make it in ten.”
Brian stumbled behind her as they hurried along dusty streets. They turned into the souk, or open-air market, the brick-laid section of the market that was pedestrian-only this time of night. While many of the shops had their “roll-up” metal security doors pulled down, the market bristled with life.
Vendors waved items in their faces, children tugged on their pant legs, and beggars held their palms up hoping for a handout. Her eyes studied everyone who came close, gauging their intentions in a moment’s glance. She was one of only a few women in the market not wearing a hijab.
“Kadie slow down,” Brian said. His breathing came deep and awkward, despite being a regular participant in the Special Olympics.
“Sorry, Brian. We could get a cab at the other end of the market. But by the time we find one, describe our hotel, and negotiate a price, we could walk to the hotel.” While she relished the exercise, she worried her pace was too much for him. He was fit for a young man with Down syndrome, but she moved swiftly.
Their team had been in Egypt for almost three weeks. Starting in Cairo, the small group of seven from GDI, the Global Disease Initiative, had been scouring the city for clues to an ancient cure. Their quest had led them from the United States to Cairo, then to Port Said. Their four days here had not yet proven fruitful.
The goosebumps on her skin reminded her of Samuel’s phone call. His message was brief yet concise: his life was in danger because he knew what they were really searching for. What did he mean? Their team was one of four positioned across the Middle East in search of their goal. Now, for some reason, Samuel questioned what that was.
GDI had been contracted by the United States government to locate an ancient cure for an even older virus—the hantavirus. Kadie researched the topic before they left for Egypt. Rodents generally spread it, and this strain was a particularly virulent “Old World” virus that had proven resistant to modern medicine.
The Central Intelligence Agency learned that ISIS weaponized the hantavirus in aerosol form and planned to unleash it across the West. The virus was known at the CDC to cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. Initial symptoms include fever, chills, blurred vision, back and abdominal pain, and intense headaches known to bring a grown man to his knees. Later, those exposed would experience shock, low blood pressure, kidney failure, and vascular leakage—all in all, a nasty virus to thrust upon any population. The logistics involved in treating the virus were obvious.
The unique thing about the “Old World” hantavirus, was that it had predominantly appeared in Europe and Asia. GDI discovered that the virus had been eliminated in the Middle East, which was odd, as rodents were prevalent throughout the region.
Through one of their many connections, GDI learned of a legendary cure developed in ancient Israel around 30 A.D. The virus had a different name back then, but the symptoms were the same. The cure was a simple combination of plants and minerals. The formula was stored in a vase with Aramaic writing on the side and lay hidden for millennia. That was why she was here. Kadie was fluent in Latin, Greek, and Aramaic. The executive vice president for the Science and Technology Division of GDI had contacted her personally, telling her she was “uniquely qualified” for this job. Kadie was enthralled to join the team when the offer came.
Samuel was in his early sixties, and he and Kadie had struck up a friendship at the beginning of their journey. He became her mentor and father figure, occasionally giving her advice on what to do with her career. Samuel was the team’s expert on carbon dating. His equipment was state-of-the-art, but other than testing its functionality the day after they arrived, he hadn’t used it. So, what did he discover? What did he know that was worth killing for?
Halfway to the hotel, she mumbled something she shouldn’t have as she pulled out her phone and dialed. Her eyes darted toward her brother.
“Do not c-cuss,” Brian said between heavy breaths.
Brian. Her moral compass there to steer her back on course. She squeezed her brother’s hand. Brian always kept her grounded. What would she do when he was gone? But he was here now, and she needed to make sure he would be safe, something she had done for him since the day he was born.
“Sorry, Brian. I just remembered I need to call Curt. He’s probably on his way to the restaurant to meet us.”
“He is probably s-still wor—king.” Brian’s eyes darted back and forth. His speech impediment that made his ‘r’s sometimes sound like ‘w’s wasn’t nearly as bad as it was when he was younger, and his stutter only showed up when he was nervous.
Kadie grimaced. Curt didn’t answer his phone. He was GDI’s security man and the only full-time employee on their team. Kadie left a message, telling him she was sorry, but she had to leave the restaurant. They’d talk later.
Next, she called Samuel. He didn’t answer either. She slipped her phone back in her cargo pocket and glanced at her brother. He was doing all he could to keep up with Kadie and avoid the distractions of the numerous shops in the marketplace. Gasping, his jaw jutted forward, brow furrowed, and his eyes bulged. He had been reluctant to leave the restaurant; he must be starving. She had to plead with him to get him to budge.
“We did not stay—for food. I am hungry,” Brian said.
“I know. I’m sorry. I am, too.” Her eyes darted back and forth in search of something they could eat. A few moments later she smiled. Near the end of the market, a vendor baked and sold bread. They stopped next to the giant metal oven that extended back into a yellowing mud-brick building. The bread rolled out of the front like doughnuts at Krispy Kreme, and two men placed the warm food on a rack woven out of sticks to cool. Her limited vocabulary in conversational Arabic helped her in situations like this. Kadie bought two loaves of Aish Baladi, an Egyptian flatbread made with whole wheat flour, similar to a pita. Handing the bag of bread to Brian, they continued on their way.
The dust of the market peeled away as they rounded the corner, and their hotel came into sight. Well-lit against the black sky, it sat on the edge of the water where the Suez Canal merged into the Mediterranean Sea. An outdoor restaurant sat to her left; the numerous tables had their umbrellas open, lit candles centered on each table. To her right, a small mosque lay nestled amongst other buildings. This street was far less crowded than the souk.
“What do you think about Curt?” Her chestnut-brown hair bounced as she slowed her pace so Brian could keep up. She needed a conversation to take her mind off Samuel.
“He is okay.” Brian looked away when he answered. Kadie knew what that meant. Brian’s instincts on people were spot on, and he wasn’t very fond of Curt. She wasn’t sure why; she was still trying to figure him out herself. Curt was a few years older than her. He was handsome, dashing, and brave—former Delta Force. There was something to be said for that.
They entered the newly renovated hotel, leaving the Third World atmosphere behind them. Kadie sighed as they weaved through the crowded lobby and lumbered up the stairs to their room on the second floor. She dropped Brian off in their room before she went to check on Samuel.
“Don’t leave,” she said. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
“Okay.” Brian moved to the couch and pressed the big green button on the television remote.
Kadie closed the door; the hairs on the back of her neck bristled, and her heartbeat raced higher than usual. She hurried down the hall to Samuel’s room. Inside, she heard a loud crash and the sound of something hitting the wall, followed by a solid thud.
That’s not good, she thought.
Kadie tried the door handle. Locked. She pulled a small FOB out of her pocket. It was called a Gomer, a new device that opened almost any electronic lock. It had wreaked havoc on the hotel industry, but she had picked one up back in the States knowing she’d be living in hotels abroad for three months.
She was hesitant to use it. She shouldn’t just barge into his room. Then came a second thud, followed by a muffled cry.
Kadie swiped the FOB across the lock and pushed hard against the door. The door cracked open about two inches and abruptly stopped; the chain secured on the inside.
“Samuel?” She peered through the gap; a body lay on the floor. Oh my, he’s had a heart attack. Kadie lowered her shoulder and bulldozed the door. It started to give way. On the second try, the chain burst free from the wall and the door flew open.
Kadie gasped. In the center of the room, a large man stood over Samuel’s body, wearing a faded brown futa, the traditional Yemini male shirt, and black pants. A black keffiyeh covered his face, with only his eyes exposed.
The man stood over Samuel, the bloody knife in his hand dripping on the floor.
***
Excerpt from The Pilate Scroll by M.B. Lewis. Copyright 2022 by Michael Byars Lewis. Reproduced with permission from Michael Byars Lewis. All rights reserved.
Interview with Author M.B. LewisWhat was the inspiration behind this story?
In 2018, my wife on I went on a tour of the Holy Land with Governor Mike Huckabee and his Blue Diamond Travel group. It was one of the greatest experiences of our lives. I told my wife after a day or two, “There’s a book in here somewhere, I’ve just got to find it. Well, I never found it, it found me. I’m not sure when, or where, but it did. And when the story started to form in my mind, it flowed faster than any book I’ve ever written.
Tell us about your main character.
Kadie Jenkins is a young graduate student who’s taken a job with the Global Disease Initiative. Their job is to find a cure for an ancient disease…I don’t want to give too much away, but let’s just say she’s uniquely qualified for the job she has. So much so, that the corporation is willing to pay for her younger brother to tag along for the trip. You see, their parents were killed in a car wreck when Kadie was in college, which left her as the only family to her younger brother, Brian. What complicates things is Brian is Down syndrome…and there are a few other twists as well. But based on this information alone, you can tell the type of person Kadie is. She’s smart, athletic, determined, resourceful…definitely a character you can get behind. But she has her flaws as well.
If your book were made into a movie, who would you like to play the lead characters?
Kadie Jenkins – Naomi Scott – She has the range and athletic ability to do Kadie justice.
Duke Ellsworth – Lucas Till – You’ve seen him as an action hero on MacGyver, but he’s got serious talent, showcased on the film, Son of the South. He’s the real deal.
Brian Jenkins – This one would take some work. Brian is Down syndrome, so it would be a great opportunity for a young Down man to test his acting chops. If you’ve ever seen the film, The Peanut Butter Falcon, Zack Gottsagen, an actor who is Down syndrome, was fantastic. He’d be too old for this role, but I know there’s someone out there.
Curt Baxter – Garrett Hedlund – Has the essence to be the good/bad guy.
Samuel Jacobson – Stanley Tucci – he has the warm father-figure presence
Mac – Karl Urban – He’s the right age and toughness to be a senior mentor to Till’s Duke.
Isaac Abelman – Jon Voight – The wise man…how could we go wrong with Voight?
Patricia Hastings – Gillian Anderson – Agent Scully alone, no more. Gillian has a range unlike others (check out her work on The Fall and The Crown). Perfect for the twists at the end…or beginning.
Is there an underlying theme in your book? If so, tell us about it and why/if it’s important to you.
Don’t be quick to judge someone. It wasn’t intentional in the initial writing process, but it seems to play true for many of the characters. Brian is the most obvious, since he is Down syndrome, but whether it is Kadie, Duke, Curt, or Patricia, all of them are quickly labeled by someone, and all of them miss the mark.
Fiction can often provide powerful life lessons. What message do you hope readers get from your book?
This book is a Christian Thriller. Which means it is an exciting story with a pro-Christian slant. It is not meant for someone to read and convert to Christianity. To think so would be foolish. But it is meant for the reader to at least think about Christianity and what it means if it is true, which I believe it is. If someone reads the book and questions their non-belief, great! If not, that’s okay too. This book is enjoyed by believers and non-believers alike.
When you first begin writing a new book, is your main focus on the characters or the plot?
I start with the plot. Of course, I have an idea of who the characters may be, but the plot determines who they are, the relationships with each other, and how they fit into the story. I’m an outliner, so the characters come along after the story.
Why do you write within your chosen genre?
The Pilate Scroll was a calling. I believe it was a story God wanted me to write, mainly because it came to me so fast and so clearly. I have the sixth book in my Jason Conrad series fully outlined and ready to go, but I couldn’t get The Pilate Scroll out of my head. I wanted to write a clean, exciting, adventure that was entertaining for the whole family. I think I did that quite well.
Do you write a book sequentially, from beginning to end? Or do you sometimes write scenes out of order?
I write sequentially, although it may not stay in that order. There’s been many times when I’ve moved dialogue, sentences, paragraphs, even entire chapters around. Sometimes it’s not so obvious in outline form, but once the words are on the page, it’s clear when it has to be moved.
Do you edit as your write? Or do you write an entire rough draft before doing any edits?
When I first started writing, I edited as I went along. Mainly because I was teaching myself how to write. The problem with this technique, is that it takes forever. Now I push straight through without going back. Brad Thor gave some great advice years ago. He said, “Never be afraid to write a bad first draft.” And he’s right. Don’t get wrapped up in all the problems in your first draft. Keep pushing through until you’re done. Fix the problems in the re-write.
Have you ever received a negative review? If so, how did you handle the criticism?
About the AuthorOf course, every author does. It can be devastating to the new indie author, because most likely, friends and family are your initial audience, and they’re going to be nice to you. So, the first time you see it, it can be a shocker. But the truth is, in many cases, they are correct. Step back, digest what is being said. It might really help your writing, or you book. You must realize that your book doesn’t appeal to everyone, and sometimes when a reader gets a hold of a book they don’t like, the author will take his licks simply because the book didn’t resonate with that reader.
Michael Byars Lewis is an Amazon #1 International Bestselling Author, and his books have also been on the Bestseller lists on Barnes and Noble Nook and Kobo platforms. The author of the award-winning Jason Conrad Thriller series has been on numerous author panels at writer’s conferences such as Thrillerfest, The Louisiana Book Festival, The Pensacola Book and Writers Festival, and Killer Nashville. A 25-year Air Force pilot, he has flown special operations combat missions in Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan in the AC-130U Spooky Gunship. Michael is currently a pilot for a major U.S. airline. A proud Christian active in his community, Michael has mentored college students on leadership development and team-building and is a facilitator for an international leadership training program. He has participated as a buddy for the Tim Tebow Foundation’s “Night to Shine” and in his church’s Military Ministry program. Michael has also teamed with the Air Commando Foundation, which supports Air Commando’s and their families’ unmet needs during critical times. While his adventures have led to travels all around the world, Michael lives in Florida with his wife Kim.
www.MichaelByarsLewis.com
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March 16, 2022
New Release Spotlight — THE SUMMER GETAWAY by Susan Mallery
Already a worldwide success in mass market and trade paperback formats, Susan Mallery’s newest hardcover is an emotional, witty, and heartfelt story about a woman who takes a trip to California to figure out her life and get a break from her family…only to be reminded that life–and your children–follow you wherever you go. With a powerful mother/daughter relationship at its core, fans of Elin Hilderbrand, Susan Wiggs, Mary Alice Monroe, and Nancy Thayer will love this book.
Robyn Caldwell’s family is driving her crazy. There’s Harlow, her daughter, who’s engaged to a man she’s only known a short time and is rapidly turning into bridezilla. And her son, Austin, who would rather work with his dad’s family charter boating business than go to college. Her friend, Mindy, who’s playing with fire by contemplating an affair with her tennis instructor. And let’s not forget her ex-husband whose bad behavior has just crossed the line yet again.
Robin needs some time to catch her breath and figure out what her next step should be. So when her beloved aunt Lillian asks her to come to Santa Barbara for an overdue visit, Robyn jumps at the chance. Her aunt Lillian is working on settling her affairs and a distant relative is staying with her that stands to inherit the house. Trouble is the last thing Robyn needs, but she refuses to let her aunt be taken advantage of.
While staying in her aunt’s beautiful, quirky mansion and spending time in the Santa Barbara sunshine with the woman who’s like a mother to her, Robyn will see herself—and the people she loves most—with a bit more clarity. And it will push her to take chances she hadn’t dreamed of before.
But life has a funny way of following you wherever you go. What began as an escape soon becomes an unforgettable adventure…and Robyn is ready to dive in, feet first.
The Summer Getaway : A Novel
Susan Mallery
On Sale Date: March 15, 2022
9781335479990
Hardcover
$27.99 USD, $34.99 CAD
416 pages
BUY LINKS:
Bookshop.org
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ONE
“I’m going to sleep with Dimitri.”
Robyn Caldwell picked up her glass of white wine and briefly thought about swallowing the entire contents in one gulp. Mindy’s statement was certainly gulp-worthy. But she knew pacing herself through lunch was the responsible thing to do. A lesson her friend had yet to learn.
“You are not,” Robyn murmured, because shrieking wasn’t attractive. Especially at “the club,” where their friends and frenemies were also enjoying Thursday’s lobster salad. The dining room was filled with forty or so women, all dressed in Florida chic—diamonds sparkling, gold or platinum charm bracelets clinking, necklaces resting on tanned and toned skin.
“I might,” Mindy Krause said, picking up her champagne. “He’s gorgeous.”
“Of course. He’s a thirty-year-old tennis pro. What else would he be?”
Mindy, a petite brunette who was six months from turning forty, sighed. “I need a Dimitri in my life.”
“You have a great husband. Payne loves you and the kids, and never has eyes for another woman. Why would you screw that up?”
“Payne would never know.”
“There aren’t any secrets in this town. Not in our social circle.”
Something Robyn had learned the hard way herself. She’d been blissfully unaware of her ex-husband’s affairs until a “friend” had oh-so-sweetly informed her.
“Maybe just some kissing,” Mindy mused. “I want a little Dimitri action. The fantasies make me happy, so imagine what the real thing would do.”
“The fantasies are safe. The real thing could destroy everything you have. Knowing you’ve cheated would devastate Payne.”
Mindy’s mouth formed a pout. “I never see him anymore. All he does is work.”
Robyn stared at her friend-slash-boss. “You two talked about how that promotion would be more work for him but that it would be worth it. You wanted this for him.”
“I didn’t know how much he’d be gone.”
The unreasonable statement grated nearly as much as Mindy’s whine. “This isn’t a good look for you,” Robyn murmured. “You’re changing the rules without telling your husband. That never ends well.”
Mindy dismissed the warning with a quick shake of her head. “I’m not worried. Besides, if he does find out, I can just move in with you.” She laughed. “You’ll soon have that big house all to yourself.”
“You have four kids,” Robyn pointed out. “If things go south in your marriage, I’d rather have Payne move in.”
“Well, that would get people talking.” Mindy held up her empty glass to the server. “More, please.”
The server obliged.
Mindy took another sip. “My sister called, swears she found a Thomas Pister chest in a tiny shop in Wales. It’s dirt cheap, so I’m afraid it’s a fake. She’s looking for someone to prove authenticity. Wouldn’t that be a find?”
“It would. I’d love to see it.”
Thomas Pister had built beautiful chests and cabinets in the late 1600s and early 1700s. His intricate designs with stunning inlays sold quickly and for huge amounts. Depending on the condition and the materials, a good-sized chest of drawers could go for sixty or eighty thousand dollars.
Excerpted from The Summer Getaway by Susan Mallery, Copyright © 2022 by Susan Mallery, Inc.. Published by HQN Books.
About the Author
SUSAN MALLERY is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of novels about the relationships that define women’s lives—family, friendship and romance. Library Journal says, “Mallery is the master of blending emotionally believable characters in realistic situations,” and readers seem to agree—forty million copies of her books have been sold worldwide. Her warm, humorous stories make the world a happier place to live.
Susan grew up in California and now lives in Seattle with her husband. She’s passionate about animal welfare, especially that of the two Ragdoll cats and adorable poodle who think of her as Mom.
SOCIAL LINKS:
Twitter: @susanmallery
Facebook: @susanmallery
Instagram: @susanmallery
Author website: https://www.susanmallery.com
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