M.A. Comley's Blog, page 10
August 12, 2013
Read the first chapter of Sole Intention!
Here's the first chapter of Sole Intention which is due for release in a few weeks.
Sweat poured from her brow. Her clothes clung to her as she ran for her life through the ink-black forest. She’d already bumped into several tree trunks while looking over her shoulder for him.Why me? Why is he so desperate to kill me?She tripped over a half-hidden log and landed in a pile of autumn leaves, but she was up running again within a few seconds. Her life depended on it.Stop thinking and just run!She could hear him tracking her—the sound of crunching undergrowth getting ever nearer. She had no place to hide. Is that why he brought me here? Of course.The question was: would she ever leave this place alive?Another stray branch slashed her cheek, distracting her. As she tumbled over a large fallen tree trunk, her heart almost shuddered to a stop. She tried to get up and continue running but winced as a sharp pain shot up her leg. She looked down at her ankle. It hung at an odd angle. “Fuck! Damn and fuck.”The noise of leaves rustling just behind her made her turn her head sharply. She didn’t see the flat head of the shovel until it was inches from her face.“Run from me would you, bitch?”Stars danced through her terrified brain. She tumbled back into the damp undergrowth, but her attacker quickly yanked her upright again and placed her back against a wide tree. Everything was a daze, except the way he was glaring at her. She felt the rope slither around her torso, then groaned when it tightened, pushing the air out of her burning lungs. “Please don’t hurt me,” she whispered, fear tearing at her vocal chords.“You shouldn’t have run. Now I have no choice.”“Yes, you do. Everyone has choices.” She tried to reason her way to survival. Right then she would have done just about anything to save her life. “Please, I have money, savings in the bank. Take it. Have it all… but please don’t hurt me.” Saltiness from her tears slipped into the corner of her mouth.“I don’t want your money. I wanted you.”“Then have me. We’ll go away together. You scared me. That’s why I ran. Please, give me another chance. I won’t mess up again. I swear.” Her words forced confusion to travel his face.Is he debating setting me free? “We’ll be good together, once I get to know you properly. It takes me a little while to get used to people. Please give me that chance.”The confusion gave way to anger. His eyes creased up until they formed tiny slits in his tanned face and his lip curled with intent. “If I set you free now, you’ll only run to the police and give me away.”“I won’t. I promise. Give me a chance. Give us a chance,” she implored, desperation lacing her words.“You had your chance. Nobody makes a fool out of me. Many women have tried before, seen me as some kind of joke, to their cost. I thought you were different, but when it comes down to it, you’re all the same. Full of your own self-importance. Preening yourself to attract us men. Then, when you’ve snared us, you cast us away like a used tampon.”She had never thought of herself in that way and really wanted to challenge him. However, she was conscious that would only make matters worse. She turned her head to the side and mumbled an apology.His hand shot out and clasped her throat. “What did you say?”He had cut off her airway, so she couldn’t speak even if she wanted to. She could feel the air disappearing and felt light-headed as his grip tightened. Her eyes fluttered shut, and her family’s faces filled her oxygen-starved mind. Bye, Mum, Dad, and Cheryl. I’ll never be able to share good news with you all again. Please don’t grieve much for me. Go on with your lives. Never let the bitterness of what he’s about to do to me destroy your lives like he’s destroying mine. I love you all… until the end.He let go of her throat, and she gulped air as if it were an endangered commodity.He held her hand in his, touched it affectionately to his cheek, then looked her in the eye as he crushed her fingers between his. She’d never felt so much pain in her life, and she screamed until her voice dried up.“Scream all you want, bitch. No one will hear your desperate cries out here.”She sobbed and whispered through dry lips, “Get it over with. Kill me.”“Oh, I will. Not yet, I intend to make you suffer first. This is just the beginning of what I have in store for you, bitch.”He stood up and towered over her. Her gaze remained focused on the tree stump opposite. She could make out, formed in its bark, her mother’s beautiful smiling face, giving her the courage to be brave. When she looked around, she realised that he’d vanished, leaving her alone and vulnerable to the four-legged creatures of the forest. The sobs came and increased in tempo as she came to the conclusion that even though he hadn’t killed her, it wouldn’t be long before she died a horrible death out there. Alone.Lost deep in thought, she neglected to hear his return. She jumped when he taunted her with his vile words.“Say your prayers, bitch.” Something glinted in his hand, and her eyes opened wide before the object sank deep into her flesh. “Your life is about to end.”
She tried to scream, but her voice box proved to be raw and uncooperative. The third time he struck her, she drifted into a welcome unconsciousness. The blackness surrounding her quickly gave way to the brightest light she’d ever witnessed. She moved towards it and breathed a sigh of relief. I’ve arrived… He can no longer hurt me.
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Sweat poured from her brow. Her clothes clung to her as she ran for her life through the ink-black forest. She’d already bumped into several tree trunks while looking over her shoulder for him.Why me? Why is he so desperate to kill me?She tripped over a half-hidden log and landed in a pile of autumn leaves, but she was up running again within a few seconds. Her life depended on it.Stop thinking and just run!She could hear him tracking her—the sound of crunching undergrowth getting ever nearer. She had no place to hide. Is that why he brought me here? Of course.The question was: would she ever leave this place alive?Another stray branch slashed her cheek, distracting her. As she tumbled over a large fallen tree trunk, her heart almost shuddered to a stop. She tried to get up and continue running but winced as a sharp pain shot up her leg. She looked down at her ankle. It hung at an odd angle. “Fuck! Damn and fuck.”The noise of leaves rustling just behind her made her turn her head sharply. She didn’t see the flat head of the shovel until it was inches from her face.“Run from me would you, bitch?”Stars danced through her terrified brain. She tumbled back into the damp undergrowth, but her attacker quickly yanked her upright again and placed her back against a wide tree. Everything was a daze, except the way he was glaring at her. She felt the rope slither around her torso, then groaned when it tightened, pushing the air out of her burning lungs. “Please don’t hurt me,” she whispered, fear tearing at her vocal chords.“You shouldn’t have run. Now I have no choice.”“Yes, you do. Everyone has choices.” She tried to reason her way to survival. Right then she would have done just about anything to save her life. “Please, I have money, savings in the bank. Take it. Have it all… but please don’t hurt me.” Saltiness from her tears slipped into the corner of her mouth.“I don’t want your money. I wanted you.”“Then have me. We’ll go away together. You scared me. That’s why I ran. Please, give me another chance. I won’t mess up again. I swear.” Her words forced confusion to travel his face.Is he debating setting me free? “We’ll be good together, once I get to know you properly. It takes me a little while to get used to people. Please give me that chance.”The confusion gave way to anger. His eyes creased up until they formed tiny slits in his tanned face and his lip curled with intent. “If I set you free now, you’ll only run to the police and give me away.”“I won’t. I promise. Give me a chance. Give us a chance,” she implored, desperation lacing her words.“You had your chance. Nobody makes a fool out of me. Many women have tried before, seen me as some kind of joke, to their cost. I thought you were different, but when it comes down to it, you’re all the same. Full of your own self-importance. Preening yourself to attract us men. Then, when you’ve snared us, you cast us away like a used tampon.”She had never thought of herself in that way and really wanted to challenge him. However, she was conscious that would only make matters worse. She turned her head to the side and mumbled an apology.His hand shot out and clasped her throat. “What did you say?”He had cut off her airway, so she couldn’t speak even if she wanted to. She could feel the air disappearing and felt light-headed as his grip tightened. Her eyes fluttered shut, and her family’s faces filled her oxygen-starved mind. Bye, Mum, Dad, and Cheryl. I’ll never be able to share good news with you all again. Please don’t grieve much for me. Go on with your lives. Never let the bitterness of what he’s about to do to me destroy your lives like he’s destroying mine. I love you all… until the end.He let go of her throat, and she gulped air as if it were an endangered commodity.He held her hand in his, touched it affectionately to his cheek, then looked her in the eye as he crushed her fingers between his. She’d never felt so much pain in her life, and she screamed until her voice dried up.“Scream all you want, bitch. No one will hear your desperate cries out here.”She sobbed and whispered through dry lips, “Get it over with. Kill me.”“Oh, I will. Not yet, I intend to make you suffer first. This is just the beginning of what I have in store for you, bitch.”He stood up and towered over her. Her gaze remained focused on the tree stump opposite. She could make out, formed in its bark, her mother’s beautiful smiling face, giving her the courage to be brave. When she looked around, she realised that he’d vanished, leaving her alone and vulnerable to the four-legged creatures of the forest. The sobs came and increased in tempo as she came to the conclusion that even though he hadn’t killed her, it wouldn’t be long before she died a horrible death out there. Alone.Lost deep in thought, she neglected to hear his return. She jumped when he taunted her with his vile words.“Say your prayers, bitch.” Something glinted in his hand, and her eyes opened wide before the object sank deep into her flesh. “Your life is about to end.”
She tried to scream, but her voice box proved to be raw and uncooperative. The third time he struck her, she drifted into a welcome unconsciousness. The blackness surrounding her quickly gave way to the brightest light she’d ever witnessed. She moved towards it and breathed a sigh of relief. I’ve arrived… He can no longer hurt me.
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August 10, 2013
Interview with best-selling author Rosen Trevithick.1.&nb...
Interview with best-selling author Rosen Trevithick.
1. When and why did you decide to become an Indie writer?
I was on holiday in Fowey, an inspiring Cornish estuary town, when I read in an article that authors no longer needed at ISBN to self-publish for Kindle. I’ve always been a keen creative writer but found it difficult to reach my target audience. This was the push I needed to write and finish a novel.
2. What genre do you write in and what genre do you prefer to read?
I write in a variety of genres including crime and psychological fiction, but humorous fiction is the genre I feel most comfortable writing. This year, I’ve started writing humorous adventure stories for children but I am primarily a writer for adults.
I prefer to read comedy but I do like a bit of mystery and suspense. Ben Elton’s books epitomise what I like in a read – humorous mysteries with a bit of social commentary thrown in for good measure.
3. Where do you sell most books, USA or UK, Amazon or Barnes and Noble?
The vast majority of my sales are Kindle books. I tend to sell the most books in the UK, but the US is a close second. So far I’ve sold a grand total of … drum roll please … two books on Barnes and Noble (as opposed to tens of thousands on Kindle).
4. During your childhood who was your biggest influence?
Roald Dahl, hands down. He was the king of humour and grisliness. He had some great plots too. I read Matilda and The BFG over and over again. We had an audiobook of The Witches, which I never tired of hearing. I remember The Witches coming out on video. It was filmed in Newquay, Cornwall, which made it even more appealing to me.
Michael Morpurgo was also a big influence.
5. Are you fortunate enough to write full-time?
Alas, I am not even fortunate enough to work full time full stop. I have health problems which massacre any chance of regular employment. I do try to fit in writing whenever I can. Originally, I wrote fiction to add structure and focus to my life, but over the last year, self-employment has started to look like a viable long term option. I still have a long was to go, but things are moving in the right direction. This is a big deal for me because there were a number of years in which I thought I’d never work again.
6. If Hollywood came knocking who would you want to play your main character?
My only recurring characters are in my Smelly Trolls series and that’s based around the lives of three children. It’s hard to mentally cast child stars because they grow up so quickly – I do try and keep my wild fantasies realistic!
However, there are odd characters who seem well suited to certain actors. For example, both Maggie Smith and Stephanie Cole would be superb at depicting Muriel, the cantankerous mother-in-law from My Granny Writes Erotica. She has some great lines that I can’t help hearing read in Maggie Smith’s voice.
7. Name 6 people, dead or alive, you’d love to have as guests seated around your dinner-table.
Stephen Fry, Roald Dahl, Kay Redfield Jamison, Simon Pegg, Michael Morpurgo and Ben Elton.
8. What one piece of advice have you found the most important in your writing career?
It’s hard to narrow it down to one piece of advice. Being prepared for knockbacks and letting them wash over you is a useful skill to have. I’ve heard of writers who gave up publishing after their first negative review, but bad reviews happen to everybody and you have to be strong enough to keep going if you want a career in publishing.
9. What are your plans for the coming year?
I’ve just started writing a third Smelly Troll book, which will completeish my first ‘Trollogy’. I also plan to release a second short story collection – Seesaw Volume 2.
I’m hoping to do more work with primary schools. This summer I worked with a class of ten-year-olds to make their own short story collection. It was very rewarding and I’m keen to get stuck into similar projects with other schools.
10. And finally, if you were stranded on a desert island what three books would you choose to have with you?
101 Ways to Survive on a Desert IslandSharks and How to Tame ThemLong Distance Swimming for the Stranded
Rosen's website: http://rosentrevithick.co.uk/Rosen's most recent book: My Granny Writes Erotica http://rosentrevithick.co.uk/my-granny-writes-erotica/Rosen's facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rosen.trevithick
Rosen's twitter page: https://twitter.com/RosenTrevithick
1. When and why did you decide to become an Indie writer?I was on holiday in Fowey, an inspiring Cornish estuary town, when I read in an article that authors no longer needed at ISBN to self-publish for Kindle. I’ve always been a keen creative writer but found it difficult to reach my target audience. This was the push I needed to write and finish a novel.
2. What genre do you write in and what genre do you prefer to read?
I write in a variety of genres including crime and psychological fiction, but humorous fiction is the genre I feel most comfortable writing. This year, I’ve started writing humorous adventure stories for children but I am primarily a writer for adults.
I prefer to read comedy but I do like a bit of mystery and suspense. Ben Elton’s books epitomise what I like in a read – humorous mysteries with a bit of social commentary thrown in for good measure.
3. Where do you sell most books, USA or UK, Amazon or Barnes and Noble?
The vast majority of my sales are Kindle books. I tend to sell the most books in the UK, but the US is a close second. So far I’ve sold a grand total of … drum roll please … two books on Barnes and Noble (as opposed to tens of thousands on Kindle).
4. During your childhood who was your biggest influence?
Roald Dahl, hands down. He was the king of humour and grisliness. He had some great plots too. I read Matilda and The BFG over and over again. We had an audiobook of The Witches, which I never tired of hearing. I remember The Witches coming out on video. It was filmed in Newquay, Cornwall, which made it even more appealing to me.
Michael Morpurgo was also a big influence.
5. Are you fortunate enough to write full-time?
Alas, I am not even fortunate enough to work full time full stop. I have health problems which massacre any chance of regular employment. I do try to fit in writing whenever I can. Originally, I wrote fiction to add structure and focus to my life, but over the last year, self-employment has started to look like a viable long term option. I still have a long was to go, but things are moving in the right direction. This is a big deal for me because there were a number of years in which I thought I’d never work again.
6. If Hollywood came knocking who would you want to play your main character?
My only recurring characters are in my Smelly Trolls series and that’s based around the lives of three children. It’s hard to mentally cast child stars because they grow up so quickly – I do try and keep my wild fantasies realistic!
However, there are odd characters who seem well suited to certain actors. For example, both Maggie Smith and Stephanie Cole would be superb at depicting Muriel, the cantankerous mother-in-law from My Granny Writes Erotica. She has some great lines that I can’t help hearing read in Maggie Smith’s voice.
7. Name 6 people, dead or alive, you’d love to have as guests seated around your dinner-table.
Stephen Fry, Roald Dahl, Kay Redfield Jamison, Simon Pegg, Michael Morpurgo and Ben Elton.
8. What one piece of advice have you found the most important in your writing career?
It’s hard to narrow it down to one piece of advice. Being prepared for knockbacks and letting them wash over you is a useful skill to have. I’ve heard of writers who gave up publishing after their first negative review, but bad reviews happen to everybody and you have to be strong enough to keep going if you want a career in publishing.
9. What are your plans for the coming year?
I’ve just started writing a third Smelly Troll book, which will completeish my first ‘Trollogy’. I also plan to release a second short story collection – Seesaw Volume 2.
I’m hoping to do more work with primary schools. This summer I worked with a class of ten-year-olds to make their own short story collection. It was very rewarding and I’m keen to get stuck into similar projects with other schools.
10. And finally, if you were stranded on a desert island what three books would you choose to have with you?
101 Ways to Survive on a Desert IslandSharks and How to Tame ThemLong Distance Swimming for the Stranded
Rosen's website: http://rosentrevithick.co.uk/Rosen's most recent book: My Granny Writes Erotica http://rosentrevithick.co.uk/my-granny-writes-erotica/Rosen's facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rosen.trevithick
Rosen's twitter page: https://twitter.com/RosenTrevithick
August 6, 2013
Sole Intention - cover reveal
Well here it it the fantastic new cover for the brand new series I've started writing about a missing persons' bureau.
SOLE INTENTION will be available in a couple of weeks guys.
Will keep you up to date when I have more news on availability.
SOLE INTENTION will be available in a couple of weeks guys.
Will keep you up to date when I have more news on availability.
August 3, 2013
Blog hop winners announced.
DRUM ROLL PLEASE....
THE WINNERS OF THE 2013 SUMMER SPLASH BLOG HOP:
KINDLE: DENISE ZAKY
$100 AMAZON GIFT CARD: BUZEA LULIAN
$50 AMAZON GIFT CARD: SHADOW KOHLER
SIGNED BOOKS: SADIE LYMAN
GIFTED EBOOKS: JANICE HOUGLAND AND SAVANNAH MILLER
And the lucky winner of a signed paperback copy of Cruel Justice is:
Juana - Look out for an email coming your way, Juana, Janice and Savannah and CONGRATULATIONS to you all.
Drop by my facebook page to win other regular prizes.
Follow this link: Facebook page.
THE WINNERS OF THE 2013 SUMMER SPLASH BLOG HOP:
KINDLE: DENISE ZAKY
$100 AMAZON GIFT CARD: BUZEA LULIAN
$50 AMAZON GIFT CARD: SHADOW KOHLER
SIGNED BOOKS: SADIE LYMAN
GIFTED EBOOKS: JANICE HOUGLAND AND SAVANNAH MILLER
And the lucky winner of a signed paperback copy of Cruel Justice is:
Juana - Look out for an email coming your way, Juana, Janice and Savannah and CONGRATULATIONS to you all.
Drop by my facebook page to win other regular prizes.
Follow this link: Facebook page.
July 22, 2013
Summer Blog Hop! Prizes to be won!
The Summer Blog Hop is here!
It'll be running from 27-29 July with great prizes such as a Kindle Fire to be won.
Go to this website to win lots of great prizes from top selling Indie authors. http://splashhop.blogspot.fr/p/holiday-blog-hop.html Go on, hop around what have you got to lose?
For my part I'll be giving away a signed paperback copy of the best-selling thriller Cruel Justice. The ebook version will be on offer throughout the hop for only $0.99.
You can sign up to here about my new releases here. Newsletter
You can read a sample here - be warned it's not for the faint-hearted! :-)
CRUEL JUSTICE
Prologue
August 30, 2007
The pain intensified from the welts on her naked back. The woman had no concept of time, no idea how long she’d been tied up. Her hands, tightly bound to an old wooden chair, had lost all feeling.
Was this how her life would end?
She had finally grown used to the vile stench permeating her temporary cell.
Time, all she had was time. Time to think, time to ask herself the same questions, over and over. Who was her captor? And why was he holding her captive? What unspeakable thing had she done in her life to make a complete stranger treat her that way? I’m a kind and caring person, aren’t I?
What type of person keeps a woman locked up in a hellhole like this?
He tortured her with silence when he brought her food, if she could call week-old bread food. She had tried different ways to get a reaction out of him, shouting, reasoning—even her pitiful attempt at begging had fallen on deaf ears. His sneer, and the way his dark eyes roamed her naked body, made her skin crawl.
Her own thoughts had started torturing her. Her aching limbs cried out for warm lavender oil–filled baths, if only to wash away the urine stinging her legs and the faeces clinging to her behind. She felt utterly degraded, a far cry from her usual opulent lifestyle.
Every waking minute dragged into agonisingly long hours. Please, when will this nightmare end? How will this nightmare end? she repeatedly asked her Maker.
Water dripped constantly in the corner, adding to her torment. She blocked out the noise by reminiscing about happier moments, hoping the memories would help drive away the insanity threatening to seep into her mind. Fearing her life would soon come to an end, she prayed endlessly that her dead husband would be there to greet her when she finally passed over. How wonderful it would be to feel his arms comforting me now.
Her heart leapt into her throat when the hatch door swung open. The sudden rush of daylight hurt her eyes, causing them to water. She winced and was swiftly reminded that her right eye had doubled in size from the beating received a few days earlier.
The man gingerly made his way down the precarious ladder, followed by another person.
Her pulse accelerated, furiously gathering momentum. The man crossed the stone floor and stopped in front of her, while the other person disappeared into the shadows to her side.
“Please, please let me go,” she pleaded.
The man stared at her for a moment before the vilest of laughs escaped his lips. “Why? Tell me why I should let you go?”
“I beg of you, please, tell me what I have done?”
He smirked and circled her chair. “Ah, ignorance is a blissful thing.”
Bile rose in her throat, and she swallowed it back down. “Please, I’m begging you. Please tell me what I’ve done wrong?”
Through clenched teeth, he said, “If only you had done something, helped in some way; but you didn’t, did you? It was far easier to just leave us there, to let us rot in that shithole for years. Well, now you know how it feels.”
The venom in his voice made her flinch. “I’m sorry, but I have no idea what you mean. Do I know you?”
“You’re all the same. You avoid helping those who cry for help. Your kind makes me sick.” He jerked his head and spat on her face. “You and your ilk think you’re all so mighty. But you’re no better than the shite you’re sitting on. You’re all full of it!”
She cried as he ranted at her.
“You’re a filthy, whimpering bitch! What are you?”
She bowed her head.
“Look at me when I’m talking to you.”
She picked up her head.
“Now what are you?”
“I’m a filthy…”
“Yes? You’re a filthy what?”
Snot ran into her mouth as she said, “I…I’m a filthy…whimpering, bitch…” Her throat tightened.
His laughter filled the room.
“Please, could I have a drink of water?”
“Oh, madam would like to quench her thirst?”
“Please?”
“And how about something to eat? You must be hungry. No?”
“Yes.”
The man pulled a pair of rubber gloves from his jacket pocket and slipped his hands into them. He then moved to the back of the chair.
She couldn’t figure out what he was doing, but when he came to stand in front of her again, he smiled. She gulped at what he had in his hand. Her heart pounded.
“Open your mouth.”
“Please don’t…”
“But you’re hungry. Right? You said you were hungry. Now open your mouth. Wide.”
Eyes stinging, she opened her mouth, and the wider she did, the more her already-chapped lips cracked.
“Yes, your kind are full of it.” He moved closer and shoved a handful of faeces into her mouth. “Now chew and swallow it!”
Between gagging and sobbing, she consumed her own filth.
He looked down towards her pubic area. “You really are a filthy bitch.” He removed the gloves and tossed them on the floor.
Between bouts of hysterical laughter, he continued shouting obscenities, but his words seemed jumbled to her already confused mind.
Still very much amused, he turned and walked towards the ladder.
Oh, thank God, they’re leaving. She closed her tired eyes for a second, but when she opened them, he was on his way back. Then she noticed the metal bar in his right hand.
Oh, God. Is this the end?
He shuffled closer. “You disgust me!”
Covered in goose bumps, and teeth chattering, she peered up into the evil black eyes angrily eating through her flesh.
“Did you hear me?”
“I—I don’t understand. What have I done to deserve this?” she mumbled.
“I have had enough, you stuttering, smelly bitch.” He raised the bar.
The woman’s terrified scream pierced the tiny room, but her terror was lost in his madness. The bar crashed down, and in one blow, he smashed her skull wide open. Her life’s blood ebbed away.
He continued hitting her as images of his childhood ran through his crazed mind. Strike after strike, he punished her, unaware that her last breath had left her body five minutes before.
Satisfaction overwhelmed him.
A large saw lay in the cellar corner, and as though about to reach an orgasm, he grabbed it and positioned it on the woman’s lifeless neck. Back and forth, back and forth, he pushed it—faster, faster—and as he cut through the tendons and bones, he clenched his teeth until her head fell onto the floor.
The other person stepped out from the shadows from whence she’d silently observed the proceedings.
He turned to face her. He could tell, by the way her face lit up, she was pleased with the precision and the eagerness of his actions.
“The first part of the puzzle is now in place,” said the man.
“Yes, and we both know there’s no turning back, now.”
“Yes. This is just the beginning…”
Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon Canada Amazon France
Amazon Germany Amazon Italy Barnes and Noble KOBO Apple
It'll be running from 27-29 July with great prizes such as a Kindle Fire to be won.
Go to this website to win lots of great prizes from top selling Indie authors. http://splashhop.blogspot.fr/p/holiday-blog-hop.html Go on, hop around what have you got to lose?
For my part I'll be giving away a signed paperback copy of the best-selling thriller Cruel Justice. The ebook version will be on offer throughout the hop for only $0.99.
You can sign up to here about my new releases here. Newsletter
You can read a sample here - be warned it's not for the faint-hearted! :-)
CRUEL JUSTICE Prologue
August 30, 2007
The pain intensified from the welts on her naked back. The woman had no concept of time, no idea how long she’d been tied up. Her hands, tightly bound to an old wooden chair, had lost all feeling.
Was this how her life would end?
She had finally grown used to the vile stench permeating her temporary cell.
Time, all she had was time. Time to think, time to ask herself the same questions, over and over. Who was her captor? And why was he holding her captive? What unspeakable thing had she done in her life to make a complete stranger treat her that way? I’m a kind and caring person, aren’t I?
What type of person keeps a woman locked up in a hellhole like this?
He tortured her with silence when he brought her food, if she could call week-old bread food. She had tried different ways to get a reaction out of him, shouting, reasoning—even her pitiful attempt at begging had fallen on deaf ears. His sneer, and the way his dark eyes roamed her naked body, made her skin crawl.
Her own thoughts had started torturing her. Her aching limbs cried out for warm lavender oil–filled baths, if only to wash away the urine stinging her legs and the faeces clinging to her behind. She felt utterly degraded, a far cry from her usual opulent lifestyle.
Every waking minute dragged into agonisingly long hours. Please, when will this nightmare end? How will this nightmare end? she repeatedly asked her Maker.
Water dripped constantly in the corner, adding to her torment. She blocked out the noise by reminiscing about happier moments, hoping the memories would help drive away the insanity threatening to seep into her mind. Fearing her life would soon come to an end, she prayed endlessly that her dead husband would be there to greet her when she finally passed over. How wonderful it would be to feel his arms comforting me now.
Her heart leapt into her throat when the hatch door swung open. The sudden rush of daylight hurt her eyes, causing them to water. She winced and was swiftly reminded that her right eye had doubled in size from the beating received a few days earlier.
The man gingerly made his way down the precarious ladder, followed by another person.
Her pulse accelerated, furiously gathering momentum. The man crossed the stone floor and stopped in front of her, while the other person disappeared into the shadows to her side.
“Please, please let me go,” she pleaded.
The man stared at her for a moment before the vilest of laughs escaped his lips. “Why? Tell me why I should let you go?”
“I beg of you, please, tell me what I have done?”
He smirked and circled her chair. “Ah, ignorance is a blissful thing.”
Bile rose in her throat, and she swallowed it back down. “Please, I’m begging you. Please tell me what I’ve done wrong?”
Through clenched teeth, he said, “If only you had done something, helped in some way; but you didn’t, did you? It was far easier to just leave us there, to let us rot in that shithole for years. Well, now you know how it feels.”
The venom in his voice made her flinch. “I’m sorry, but I have no idea what you mean. Do I know you?”
“You’re all the same. You avoid helping those who cry for help. Your kind makes me sick.” He jerked his head and spat on her face. “You and your ilk think you’re all so mighty. But you’re no better than the shite you’re sitting on. You’re all full of it!”
She cried as he ranted at her.
“You’re a filthy, whimpering bitch! What are you?”
She bowed her head.
“Look at me when I’m talking to you.”
She picked up her head.
“Now what are you?”
“I’m a filthy…”
“Yes? You’re a filthy what?”
Snot ran into her mouth as she said, “I…I’m a filthy…whimpering, bitch…” Her throat tightened.
His laughter filled the room.
“Please, could I have a drink of water?”
“Oh, madam would like to quench her thirst?”
“Please?”
“And how about something to eat? You must be hungry. No?”
“Yes.”
The man pulled a pair of rubber gloves from his jacket pocket and slipped his hands into them. He then moved to the back of the chair.
She couldn’t figure out what he was doing, but when he came to stand in front of her again, he smiled. She gulped at what he had in his hand. Her heart pounded.
“Open your mouth.”
“Please don’t…”
“But you’re hungry. Right? You said you were hungry. Now open your mouth. Wide.”
Eyes stinging, she opened her mouth, and the wider she did, the more her already-chapped lips cracked.
“Yes, your kind are full of it.” He moved closer and shoved a handful of faeces into her mouth. “Now chew and swallow it!”
Between gagging and sobbing, she consumed her own filth.
He looked down towards her pubic area. “You really are a filthy bitch.” He removed the gloves and tossed them on the floor.
Between bouts of hysterical laughter, he continued shouting obscenities, but his words seemed jumbled to her already confused mind.
Still very much amused, he turned and walked towards the ladder.
Oh, thank God, they’re leaving. She closed her tired eyes for a second, but when she opened them, he was on his way back. Then she noticed the metal bar in his right hand.
Oh, God. Is this the end?
He shuffled closer. “You disgust me!”
Covered in goose bumps, and teeth chattering, she peered up into the evil black eyes angrily eating through her flesh.
“Did you hear me?”
“I—I don’t understand. What have I done to deserve this?” she mumbled.
“I have had enough, you stuttering, smelly bitch.” He raised the bar.
The woman’s terrified scream pierced the tiny room, but her terror was lost in his madness. The bar crashed down, and in one blow, he smashed her skull wide open. Her life’s blood ebbed away.
He continued hitting her as images of his childhood ran through his crazed mind. Strike after strike, he punished her, unaware that her last breath had left her body five minutes before.
Satisfaction overwhelmed him.
A large saw lay in the cellar corner, and as though about to reach an orgasm, he grabbed it and positioned it on the woman’s lifeless neck. Back and forth, back and forth, he pushed it—faster, faster—and as he cut through the tendons and bones, he clenched his teeth until her head fell onto the floor.
The other person stepped out from the shadows from whence she’d silently observed the proceedings.
He turned to face her. He could tell, by the way her face lit up, she was pleased with the precision and the eagerness of his actions.
“The first part of the puzzle is now in place,” said the man.
“Yes, and we both know there’s no turning back, now.”
“Yes. This is just the beginning…”
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Summer Blog Hop!
Not long to wait now folks for the great Summer Splash Blog Hop!
It'll be running from 27-29 July with great prizes to be won.
Check back soon.
It'll be running from 27-29 July with great prizes to be won.
Check back soon.
June 15, 2013
I first met this wonderful author on the writing site Aut...
I first met this wonderful author on the writing site Authonomy approximately four years ago. Since then I’ve been an ardent fan of all her books. If you haven’t discovered Poppet’s writing yet you’ve seriously been missing out my friends.
Here’s an excerpt of her latest release Master of Umbra, which is the second book in the Valhalla series.
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Title: Master of Umbra by Poppet
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Book description:
Deliah is in grave danger, running for her life from a man who needs her dead, when serendipity plants her in the path of the Master of Umbra.
Inducted into the mysterious Eagle clan of the Scottish highlands, Deliah is torn between her fate and destiny when kin clash for her affections. Falling for the scandalous villain who heads the Berserkers of the Hebrides, her fragile hope is snuffed out early by revelation and impending war.
The only mantra she can cling to is the one uttered in heartfelt promise; that love comes back.
Because that's what love does.
Link on Amazon US:http://amzn.com/B00D4E8UWE
Link on Amazon UK:http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00D4E8UWE
Excerpt:
“If I didn't know you were a nice guy I'd think you were a total creep.”
“I am a creep, I'm just nice to you,” he winks.
It's almost missed as we turn into the dim tunnel to the dining hall.
I shake my head, giving his arm a hard pinch, but his silent giggling which spams his hold on me worms under the armor and I laugh with him.
“Incorrigible prick,” I say into the echoing darkness.
“You put the noxious into obnoxious darling. Have you considered partaking in the occasional valium?” he teases, pulling me unsteadily closer to plant a peck on my temple.
“Stop flirting.”
“Or what?”
“I'll accidentally shoot you the next time I'm doing target practice,” I parry, apprehension gritting my teeth as we step into the dining cavern together.
Gunn is in here somewhere.
“Grab a seat, I'll get Lloyd to bring our dinner.”
I nod, looking around for an empty spot on the long benches either side of the tables. They're like two railway lines running the length of the cavern.
Seeing space on the right, I wing that way, glancing back at Ewan who's already marching to Lloyd while doing the crooked finger beckon. I met Lloyd at lunch and rather like him. He looks like a smithy, not a chef.
I suppose I should get used to the teasing. Being part of the Eagle clan is like being adopted by an army of brothers all wanting to take the piss.
Sitting down in the spacious gap on the bench, I lift my hair, smoothing it back and tying it up high so I don't end up eating it. It's cool without the insulation and I shiver, rubbing my arms and squirming on my seat, looking back for Ewan.
Adam catches my eye, giving me a smile and a lifted toast of his beer. I nod back, returning his smile, about to face front and center when I notice Gunn sitting halfway up our table on the opposite side. I catch him glowering at me with a baleful scowl which he averts the second he sees me looking his way.
What? Does he have the hots for Ewan and hates me for getting the attention that should be his? Speak of the devil, the charmer slides his hand down my back as he straddles the bench and parks next to me.
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June 5, 2013
New Release - Torn Apart
I'm thrilled to tell you that I've just released the first book in the Hero Series.
Everyone understands about the no-go districts--areas of the city so overrun with gang violence even the police stay away. In this book, the first in a new series, DI Hero Nelson sets out to combat the issue.
When Saskia Hartley and her nine-year-old son are run down outside a restaurant, DI Nelson knows it is no ordinary hit-and-run incident. He's looking at a homicide case... and the evidence points to the brutal Krull Gang. When two prostitutes are murdered, but little interest is given to the women on the Krull's payroll, Nelson connects the dots. DI Nelson has to decide whether he's dealing with a turf war or something far more sinister.
To celebrate the release of Torn Apart, Cruel Justice the first book of six in the Justice series is on offer for only US $0.99 or UK 49p.
I hope you enjoy this new thrilling series, be warned though, it's not for the faint-hearted.
Mel x
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Everyone understands about the no-go districts--areas of the city so overrun with gang violence even the police stay away. In this book, the first in a new series, DI Hero Nelson sets out to combat the issue.
When Saskia Hartley and her nine-year-old son are run down outside a restaurant, DI Nelson knows it is no ordinary hit-and-run incident. He's looking at a homicide case... and the evidence points to the brutal Krull Gang. When two prostitutes are murdered, but little interest is given to the women on the Krull's payroll, Nelson connects the dots. DI Nelson has to decide whether he's dealing with a turf war or something far more sinister.
To celebrate the release of Torn Apart, Cruel Justice the first book of six in the Justice series is on offer for only US $0.99 or UK 49p.
I hope you enjoy this new thrilling series, be warned though, it's not for the faint-hearted.
Mel x
Amazon US
Amazon UK
April 20, 2013
My week in a nutshell!
Well, as you probably know we're in the middle of renovating our French farmhouse at the moment. Since last August we've plasterboarded/dry walled and everything else that has been needed in six rooms. We're in the final stretch now, the master bedroom ensuite and dressing room should be completed in the next week or so. It's been hard work but we've thoroughly enjoyed the challenge, however, we've decided to leave the kitchen renovations until later on in the year, until our backs are better and our hands have recovered.
During the renovations I've been amazed that I've still managed to write three thrillers, two in the Justice series, Guaranteed and Ultimate Justice and also the first book in a brand new series titled Torn Apart. Maybe that shows how determined I am to succeed at this writing lark.
It's been a very exciting week for me this week in other ways too. A couple of weeks ago I pulled the Justice series out of Amazon's exclusive scheme called Select. As a Brit, living in France, I'm unable to upload my books direct to the other major sites such as, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and iTunes, instead I have to upload through a new site I've discovered which acts as a go-between called Draft2Digital. Boy, am I glad I came away from Smashwords, D2D have been wonderful and bent over backwards sorting out any problems I've had with my books on these sites.
This week I advertised Foul Justice at the reduced price of $0.99 and it romped up the B&N chart to #13, which I was over the moon about but then something very bizarre happened. The first book in the series, my best-selling thriller Cruel Justice suddenly took off on B&N too and shot up to #21 in the chart, instead of dropping however Cruel Justice has remained in the top #100 for the past four days.
Imagine my surprise to wake up to someone sharing a link on my Facebook page for this article on GalleyCat, in which Cruel Justice is named as one of the must read mysteries for April on the B&N site.
At this moment I'm feeling more than a little shell-shocked as you can understand.
What a year it has been, I'm physically and emotionally exhausted but elated beyond words at the same time.
Thank you to everyone for their support since this incredible journey began. It doesn't get better than this folks if you're an Indie author, and I'm without doubt proudly one of those.
Go Indies!
March 27, 2013
Ultimate Justice released today!
Read the first chapter of Ultimate Justice book 6 in the Justice series which has been released today!
Ultimate Justice
Prologue
The swell of the sea had doubled in size in the last thirty minutes.“Skipper, it’s no good. We won’t make it,” Taylor shouted above the thunder and the howling wind that surrounded them.The captain threw back his right arm, which connected hard with Taylor’s face. Taylor staggered unsteadily on his feet and landed heavily against the door to the tiny bridge. “Get away from me, you imbecile. I give the orders around here, not you. You hear me?”Taylor righted himself and surged forward, determined to make the captain change his mind. It would be foolish for them to try to enter the port in a storm like this. He watched out the starboard porthole at the waves continually bombarding the deck, and knew they wouldn’t have long before the sea welcomed them with open arms and sucked the life out of them. Thoughts of his wife, Sonia, and his three adorable children entered his mind and stayed there, as if mocking him for undertaking this perilous voyage, despite the huge risk involved. Unexpectedly, his family’s beautiful smiles and the shocking thought that he’d never see any of them again spurred him into action.He scanned the wheelhouse for a possible weapon. He saw a metal bar in the corner and pounced on it. “Skipper, stand away from the helm.”Captain Smythe, a man built like a heavy weight boxer, snarled at Taylor before his gaze drifted to the bar he was holding. “Think you can take me on, sonny? Fancy a bit of mutiny, do ya?”“Our lives are in danger, Skipper. Surely you can see that?” Taylor watched as madness seemed to settle in his aggressor’s eyes.“I see no such thing. It’s a storm, and a tiny one at that. I’ve been at sea longer than you’ve been out of nappies, lad. Now, let me bring this old girl and her cargo in. Have a day off from your foolishness for a change. Leave this job for a real man to handle.”The captain’s undermining of him incensed Taylor. He gritted his teeth and his knuckles turned white around the bar he was holding. Smythe turned his attention back to fighting the helm. “You fucking idiot.” Taylor ran at him, screaming like a banshee with the bar high above his head. “I’ll be damned if I’ll stand by and let you kill us all.”Smythe cried out in pain as the bar crashed against his skull, but he didn’t go down as Taylor had expected. “Ya bastard. Think you can take me on, do ya? You’re the fucking idiot around here if you think that.” Smythe’s iron-like hands connected with first the right and then the left side of Taylor’s face, leaving him dazed. The bar crashed to the floor, and stunned, Taylor held his head in his hands. He’d never been hit so hard by a man before, and he’d been in several fights over his thirty-odd years on Earth.The boat swayed violently as both men stood their ground, eyeing each other with caution and contempt, but at the same time unaware of the screams coming from the hold below.The captain beckoned to Taylor. “Come on, then, if you think you’re hard enough. Give me what you’ve got, you nancy boy, with your snooty redheaded wife and your two point four children.”The captain’s intentional goading worked, and Taylor charged him with all his might. The captain’s chest puffed out and his fists clenched into tight balls. Taylor was clobbered around both ears before he got within a foot of Smythe, but he kept up his charge, despite being almost knocked senseless. Taylor bowed his head low and charged into the captain’s portly stomach. Smythe only laughed at his inept attempt to bring him down.Taylor, his blood boiling with anger, stooped to the floor and retrieved the bar. He swung it like a golf club at the captain’s lower leg. With the boat being tossed in the high waves, the captain lost his balance and hollered as he went down. His head hit the side of the binnacle supporting the helm, and blood erupted from a wound above his right eye. Taylor tried to stop the wheel from spinning out of control, catching his hand several times in the spokes in the process. “Fuck!” he cried out as a bone snapped in his little finger.The captain, who was lying on the floor, laughed.Taylor glared at him, then turned his attention back to the helm, and, watching it intently, he waited for the opportune moment to come his way. Finally, he grabbed one of the spokes firmly with both hands while he anchored himself behind the wheel, his feet spread wide apart. Feeling calmer now that he appeared to have the vessel under control, he guided the ship out to sea and away from the port they had been heading towards.“Turn this ship around. If you don’t, we’ll go under for sure,” the captain insisted.“Shut your mouth. If I’d left things for you to sort out, we would have been smashed to pieces on the rocks by now.”“It takes decades of experienced sailing to become a captain. You’ve got neither the balls nor the stamina, sonny, to bring this ship home safely.”“We’ll see about that, old man.” Taylor focused fully on the task at hand and chose to ignore anything else the captain had to say. In the distance, he could hear the ghostly screams of their cargo riding on the howling wind. He gulped down the frustration building within him and steered the vessel through the tumultuous waves. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the captain struggle to his feet. But there was little Taylor could do about the captain’s impending attack. His back took the force of the captain’s strike. He gasped for breath as the air was driven from his lungs. Excruciating pain shot through his body.“Take that, you bastard. I’m taking control of my ship. My ship, you hear me?” The captain ran to the wheel.Taylor’s hand went in search of what was causing the pain in his back, and his heart sank when he discovered the six-inch blade embedded there. He crumpled to his knees as the blood started to drain from his body. The beautiful faces of his young family flashed before his eyes once again. He asked only one thing: “Why?”The captain took his eye off the sea for a split second to glance at Taylor, and that was when disaster struck. The wheel spun out of Smythe’s hand, and the force sent him reeling across to the other side of the bridge. The whole boat lurched sideways and water flooded through the open bulkhead door as it flew open. With his life slipping away, Taylor didn’t have the strength to stop himself from being swept out the doorway and onto the deck.Smythe did nothing to prevent his exit for, despite his hulking frame, the water dragged the captain through the doorway after Taylor. They both choked on the salt water as the mighty energy of the unforgiving, raging sea pulled their heads under the surface. Taylor watched his captain resurface three or four times, his body smashing against the taffrail a few times before being washed overboard and out to sea. Taylor finally succumbed to the sea’s beckoning call.It wasn’t long before the ship, in her last death throes, finally sank.The sea sighed with satisfaction at the devastation it had caused, yet no one was there to hear it. Even the ship’s valuable cargo had been silenced.
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Ultimate Justice
Prologue
The swell of the sea had doubled in size in the last thirty minutes.“Skipper, it’s no good. We won’t make it,” Taylor shouted above the thunder and the howling wind that surrounded them.The captain threw back his right arm, which connected hard with Taylor’s face. Taylor staggered unsteadily on his feet and landed heavily against the door to the tiny bridge. “Get away from me, you imbecile. I give the orders around here, not you. You hear me?”Taylor righted himself and surged forward, determined to make the captain change his mind. It would be foolish for them to try to enter the port in a storm like this. He watched out the starboard porthole at the waves continually bombarding the deck, and knew they wouldn’t have long before the sea welcomed them with open arms and sucked the life out of them. Thoughts of his wife, Sonia, and his three adorable children entered his mind and stayed there, as if mocking him for undertaking this perilous voyage, despite the huge risk involved. Unexpectedly, his family’s beautiful smiles and the shocking thought that he’d never see any of them again spurred him into action.He scanned the wheelhouse for a possible weapon. He saw a metal bar in the corner and pounced on it. “Skipper, stand away from the helm.”Captain Smythe, a man built like a heavy weight boxer, snarled at Taylor before his gaze drifted to the bar he was holding. “Think you can take me on, sonny? Fancy a bit of mutiny, do ya?”“Our lives are in danger, Skipper. Surely you can see that?” Taylor watched as madness seemed to settle in his aggressor’s eyes.“I see no such thing. It’s a storm, and a tiny one at that. I’ve been at sea longer than you’ve been out of nappies, lad. Now, let me bring this old girl and her cargo in. Have a day off from your foolishness for a change. Leave this job for a real man to handle.”The captain’s undermining of him incensed Taylor. He gritted his teeth and his knuckles turned white around the bar he was holding. Smythe turned his attention back to fighting the helm. “You fucking idiot.” Taylor ran at him, screaming like a banshee with the bar high above his head. “I’ll be damned if I’ll stand by and let you kill us all.”Smythe cried out in pain as the bar crashed against his skull, but he didn’t go down as Taylor had expected. “Ya bastard. Think you can take me on, do ya? You’re the fucking idiot around here if you think that.” Smythe’s iron-like hands connected with first the right and then the left side of Taylor’s face, leaving him dazed. The bar crashed to the floor, and stunned, Taylor held his head in his hands. He’d never been hit so hard by a man before, and he’d been in several fights over his thirty-odd years on Earth.The boat swayed violently as both men stood their ground, eyeing each other with caution and contempt, but at the same time unaware of the screams coming from the hold below.The captain beckoned to Taylor. “Come on, then, if you think you’re hard enough. Give me what you’ve got, you nancy boy, with your snooty redheaded wife and your two point four children.”The captain’s intentional goading worked, and Taylor charged him with all his might. The captain’s chest puffed out and his fists clenched into tight balls. Taylor was clobbered around both ears before he got within a foot of Smythe, but he kept up his charge, despite being almost knocked senseless. Taylor bowed his head low and charged into the captain’s portly stomach. Smythe only laughed at his inept attempt to bring him down.Taylor, his blood boiling with anger, stooped to the floor and retrieved the bar. He swung it like a golf club at the captain’s lower leg. With the boat being tossed in the high waves, the captain lost his balance and hollered as he went down. His head hit the side of the binnacle supporting the helm, and blood erupted from a wound above his right eye. Taylor tried to stop the wheel from spinning out of control, catching his hand several times in the spokes in the process. “Fuck!” he cried out as a bone snapped in his little finger.The captain, who was lying on the floor, laughed.Taylor glared at him, then turned his attention back to the helm, and, watching it intently, he waited for the opportune moment to come his way. Finally, he grabbed one of the spokes firmly with both hands while he anchored himself behind the wheel, his feet spread wide apart. Feeling calmer now that he appeared to have the vessel under control, he guided the ship out to sea and away from the port they had been heading towards.“Turn this ship around. If you don’t, we’ll go under for sure,” the captain insisted.“Shut your mouth. If I’d left things for you to sort out, we would have been smashed to pieces on the rocks by now.”“It takes decades of experienced sailing to become a captain. You’ve got neither the balls nor the stamina, sonny, to bring this ship home safely.”“We’ll see about that, old man.” Taylor focused fully on the task at hand and chose to ignore anything else the captain had to say. In the distance, he could hear the ghostly screams of their cargo riding on the howling wind. He gulped down the frustration building within him and steered the vessel through the tumultuous waves. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the captain struggle to his feet. But there was little Taylor could do about the captain’s impending attack. His back took the force of the captain’s strike. He gasped for breath as the air was driven from his lungs. Excruciating pain shot through his body.“Take that, you bastard. I’m taking control of my ship. My ship, you hear me?” The captain ran to the wheel.Taylor’s hand went in search of what was causing the pain in his back, and his heart sank when he discovered the six-inch blade embedded there. He crumpled to his knees as the blood started to drain from his body. The beautiful faces of his young family flashed before his eyes once again. He asked only one thing: “Why?”The captain took his eye off the sea for a split second to glance at Taylor, and that was when disaster struck. The wheel spun out of Smythe’s hand, and the force sent him reeling across to the other side of the bridge. The whole boat lurched sideways and water flooded through the open bulkhead door as it flew open. With his life slipping away, Taylor didn’t have the strength to stop himself from being swept out the doorway and onto the deck.Smythe did nothing to prevent his exit for, despite his hulking frame, the water dragged the captain through the doorway after Taylor. They both choked on the salt water as the mighty energy of the unforgiving, raging sea pulled their heads under the surface. Taylor watched his captain resurface three or four times, his body smashing against the taffrail a few times before being washed overboard and out to sea. Taylor finally succumbed to the sea’s beckoning call.It wasn’t long before the ship, in her last death throes, finally sank.The sea sighed with satisfaction at the devastation it had caused, yet no one was there to hear it. Even the ship’s valuable cargo had been silenced.
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