Lynn Hallbrooks's Blog, page 10

A Variety of #eBooks for #99cents each via #TeamMysteryThriller

Cross-promotional event featuring a variety of eBooks by Team Mystery Thriller members being sold on 14-15 January 2017 Since May 2016, Renee Pawlish has shared a variety of mystery and thriller eBooks written by fellow authors on her website. Team Mystery Thriller, a term I coined for this collection of authors, comes together once a month to offer up their books with the hopes of gaining new readers.   So if you happen to come across this post during the weekend of 14 - 15 January 2017 and are looking for new books to read, please visit Renee Pawlish's promo page. Who knows there may be something on there that tickles your fancy. This month's featured eBooks, including Call Sign: Wrecking Crew Storm Warning, are only 99 cents USD.

Please feel free to share this post with anyone else but especially those who love to read mystery and thriller eBooks. 

Have a great one,

Lynn Hallbrooks
author/founder of Call Sign Wrecking Crew LLC

Cover art for Call Sign: Wrecking Crew Storm Warning by David McKoy & Lynn Hallbrooks

#Review of Brainrush #BoxSet by #Author @Richard_Bard

Cover Art for Brainrush Box Set written by Richard Bard Many years ago, I was part of Independent Authors and Writers (IAW), the website no longer exists but many of the authors have gone on to do well. Richard Bard is one of those authors. I remember that I was intrigued by the premise of his first book. When I finally read it, I was captivated. Over time I read the rest of the series. As a fan, I was recently given an opportunity to read this box set. I must say reading them all together was so much better. 

To me, each book in the series is a mixture of Science Fiction, Military, Paranormal (not the ghost kind), and Thriller genres. There is also a hint of Romance. 

A Brief Overview:

Brainrush - Jake, a former USAF pilot, goes in for a MRI and comes out a changed man. Unfortunately those changes come to the attention of a "wolf in sheep's clothing".

Enemy of My Enemy - When terror hits home, Jake gets help in some unexpected ways.  

Beyond Judgment - Not the man he once was, Jake is faced with the results of some things he put into motion, six years prior.

My thoughts: Jake is in an MRI at a VA hospital in the opening chapter of Brainrush. That scene triggered my own memories and feelings of a similar situation. 

Jake has friends who are willing to go to the ends of the earth for him and he is willing to put his life on the line for them. He and his friends share a wicked sense of humor that possibly not everyone will understand. I'll just call it a warrior's way.  Even though I know in my head the main characters are not living beings, I could not help feeling in my heart that they were real to some degree. I admire and, in a way, envy their bond.

I can see these stories being on the big screen one day. I suspect they would each be their own movie.

More information:

For those that are unaware, originally there were only going to be three books in the Brainrush series - the two other books written by Mr. Bard were separate. Then a decision was made, to add these books into the fold and the titles were renamed. The book once called Everlast, is now entitled Brainchild, book four in the Brainrush series. The one previously called Ephemeral is now Smoke & Mirrors, Brainrush book five. If you'd like to know more about Mr. Bard, his current books, and upcoming events, I invite you to visit his website.

Brainrush, which is currently free, can be found in the following locations:

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
iBooks
Kobo

The Box Set of books 1 - 3 is available here:

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
iBooks
Kobo

If you like, you can visit YouTube to see a video about the whole series.

Thank you for taking the time to read my review of the Brainrush Box Set and to learn a little more about Richard Bard.

In my days with IAW I often signed off with "Bestsellers", like an actor would say "break a leg" meaning good luck, but Richard Bard took it to heart and he now has multiple bestsellers. In honor of him and his accomplishments, I will dispense with my more traditional farewell.

"Bestsellers" to all and may your dreams come true,

Lynn Hallbrooks
​Author/founder of Call Sign Wrecking Crew, LLC







 

#BookReview of The Killers Amongst Us by @DeclanConner

Cover Art for The Killers Amongst Us by Declan Conner I was first introduced to Declan Conner's work while visiting KBoards. That's when I began collecting his books. This one is a little bit different than the others I have read. 

Brief Summary of Book One of the Chimera Dawn Chronicles - The Killers Amongst Us: Brett Shaw, a former LAPD detective turned small town sheriff, is inundated with unusual events. There's a murder, missing teenagers,  medical outbreak that was fatal to some townsfolk, and some strange sightings. Brett has two deputies, no forensics team, and some uproar from the town's mayor. His investigation takes him to the outskirt of town where he finds more than he bargained for.

My thoughts: There is so much going on in this story that I slowed down my reading a little in order to make sure I was getting all the pieces.  Even still, the final reveal was not what I had expected.

Warning: There is violence, adult language and situations. For those who do not like reading about supernatural things, I would defer to another book by Mr. Conner. 

You can connect with Declan Conner on his website or via twitter. Plus you never know when you may see one of his books pop on KBoards' Book Bazaar. 

Have a great one!

Lynn Hallbrooks
​author/blogger/founder of Call Sign Wrecking Crew, LLC

A Winner: #BookReview of Eternal Frontier by Anthony Melchiorri

Eternal Frontier by Anthony Melchiorri I thought I would end the year with a review of a book that was among The 50 Best Indie Books of 2016​. It was voted on by Read Free.ly customers during a contest which ended in the middle of December. All participants were provided a list of 100 books that were broken down into several different genres and asked to narrow it down to two favorites in each. Science fiction was not only one of them but led and ended the count down. Number 50 was Eternal Frontier . I had read this book before the voting began but due to other commitments I had to wait on sharing my thoughts.

Eternal Frontier , in my humble opinion, is a mixture of First Contact, Space Opera, and Military Science Fiction subgenres . 

My Synopsis: This story began with a space ship, SNES Argo, on a peaceful scientific mission to explore a solar system that was still a mystery to their home base. In the midst of exiting hyperspace, the ship was struck by an unseen force. 

Lieutenant Commander Tag Brewer was among the crew of SNES Argo. While trained in other areas, his main responsibility was that of Chief Medical Officer. After all was said and done, he became the sole survivor of a stranded ship in a strange solar system. Using his skills, the training he was provided, and a determination to honor those who were lost, he undertook something quite venturesome.  

My views: I have read science fiction, but not that often. I have watched many science fiction movies and television shows with family and friends. During all of this, I do not recall any scenarios putting a chief medical officer in this particular kind of situation. 

I really enjoyed the story overall. I was awed by some of the imagery and analogy that Mr. Melchiorri wrote. I look forward to reading what happens in the next book.

To that end, I encourage you to connect with Anthony Melchiorri. I know from personal experience that if you sign up for his newsletter, you will get periodic updates on upcoming books and events. He won't bombard you with lots of them, after all, he has a pretty cool "day job" as well as a full writing schedule. You can learn more about him and his newsletter on his website .  You can also follow him on twitter and Facebook .

Happy New Year!

Lynn Hallbrooks
​author/founder Call Sign Wrecking Crew, LLC

Past, Present, and Future

I was watching Disney's A Christmas Carol last night. It got me to thinking about this past year. There have been lots of changes in 2016. One was the switch to being exclusive on Amazon. We think overall that has worked out well and we plan on continuing with that into the new year.

Another change was creating this website complete with blog. While reflecting on that, I'd like to take a moment to thank all the authors who have allowed me a chance to share reviews of their books. In case you're interested the slideshow below shows what books have been reviewed on here the past year. If you missed a review or two, just click on an image and it will take you to it. Thanks also to those sharing promotional events with us. We hope to see you again next year. Next, I'd  like to thank Charley Langer for allowing me to share about his music. I hope that all goes well with his new album, Happy Hour. 

Speaking of happy, there are multiple holidays celebrated this time of year and Call Sign Wrecking Crew, LLC wishes that no matter how you celebrate you have nothing but joy now and throughout the coming year.

Next week and into the future, I plan to post more book/series reviews. Before you ask, I am not taking  requests. Plus, I'll post more about promotional events. Who knows what else will be on here. So stay tuned. 

Have a great one!

Lynn Hallbrooks
author/founder of Call Sign Wrecking Crew, LLC

From Around the Globe: #Free #eBooks via #TeamMysteryThriller #Authors

December 2016 Team Mystery Thriller (graphic by team member) Team Mystery Thriller is comprised of authors from around the globe. Whether they are from Africa, Australia, the UK, or the USA, they all write stories they'd love people to read. That's one reason why on the 10th and 11th of December 2016 they are coming together to share their works for free.

If you want to check their books out, then visit this link:   http://reneepawlish.com/promo/

By the way, you won't always be able to tell their nationality by their book cover. You'll have to do some sleuthing of your own to find that out. ;)

Feel free to share the link with a friend or two who might love a mystery, thriller, or suspense book of their own.
​
Lynn Hallbrooks
Author/founder of Call Sign Wrecking Crew, LLC

Free eBooks on 10 - 11 December 2016 (graphic by team member)

Why a #Book is a Great Way to #MakeAMemory this #HolidaySeason

A place to buy a book to make a memory this holiday season As many of you know, I lived with my godchildren and their parents for four years. In that time, my godson and I read many books to each oter. When he was 3, I read to him. During his favorite books, you'd almost swear he could read them himself because he knew the words by heart. When it came time for him to learn to read, a couple years later, he read to me. Sometimes struggling with the words but once he mastered reading on his own, he became as voracious a reader as his mother.  He is way ahead of his grade level in reading. I'd like to think that I played a small part in this. I was happy to make a memory while sharing the love of reading and books.

If you have a little one who loves reading or being read to in your immediate or extended family, please consider buying a print book. Why is that important. Print books can be touched and held by both reader and listener without fear.  Children, especially the male version, often do not have an ingrained respect of books. So while it is being taught, print books often suffer in the process. A dropped eBook reader could result in a lot more damage than a few torn pages or covers, which is bad enough in this author/book lover's eyes. 

Another reason to buy a print book is they can be wrapped by the giver. When it is unwrapped, the giver can see the absolute joy on the receiver's face. You could go to a brick and mortar store and look through thousands of books but may I suggest you start your search online with these authors  who have taken the time to come together and offer their children's print books for you to browse through. They hope you will find something that is perfect for your little one. If not, they hope you will find what you are seeking elsewhere.

I sincerely hope that you are able to make a memory with a child this holiday season and throughout the coming years.  

​In case you had trouble with the link above, here it is  again, and if you still are having issues, you can copy and paste it in your browser:

http://www.lazysaturdayreads.com/promo/childrens-books-indie-authors-print-editions.html

Many thanks to Lazy Saturday Reads for making this event possible.

Lynn Hallbrooks
Woman of many hats including godmother, author, and founder of Call Sign Wrecking Crew, LLC
http://cswcllc.weebly.com/

#SmoothJazz #Music Helps Me Concentrate

Smooth Jazz Musician - Charley Langer I noticed that many people can concentrate with all kinds of music playing in the background. Many can even read and write while lyrics are sung. As a rule, I prefer quiet when I read, but I have discovered that smooth jazz music played by Charley Langer helps me to concentrate. To me, his music is like birds singing or cows mooing in the distance - natural and soothing. With his music in my headphones, I am able to read what I'm proofreading or add more to my writing. I suppose it keeps all the voices in my head happy while waiting their turn. :)

So if you are like me and find it difficult to read with music but need a little something to keep you going, I highly recommend Charley Langer. If you hurry, you can get his newest album with some special additions. Just click this link to learn more:  https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/charley-langer-happy-hour-jazz#/

Have a great one!

Lynn Hallbrooks
author/founder of Call Sign Wrecking Crew, LLC
Lover of music, books, art, and chocolate

Sharing the Love - #SmallBusinessSaturday2016

Sharing the Love I have been known to support many independent authors. Did you know that many of them are also small business owners? They run the show from writing the books to marketing. It is no easy task. Many have 'day jobs' and others survive on the kindness of others. 

With Black Friday on the majority of Americans' minds - what with all kinds of ads for all kinds of businesses its hard to miss - a lesser known day often gets missed. That day would be Small Business Saturday. Help out an Independent/Self-Published/Small Press author by purchasing one of their books.

If reading isn't your thing, then there are many other small businesses out there. Restaurants, flower shops, gift shops, and even places like the AT&T store in the mall. Never forget that many of the huge businesses you know well, once started out in a garage, small store, and some even online. That is something that made America great. So please, go by and share the love not only on Saturday but year round. 

If you are a member of the Small Business community, then leave a comment with your company name, what you do, and a link to your website. Remember, no Spam-bots or Spamming allowed. 

Lynn Hallbrooks
David McKoy
authors/founders of Call Sign Wrecking Crew, LLC
​

Rare event - #99centSale continuing for a limited time

It has been decided to extend the 99 cent (USD) sale for a little while longer. It might be until 19 November 2016. It could be shorter or possibly longer. So please don't delay, check out these books today.

Note: the slide show to the right is linked to the web page that features each book. You will see all the links around the globe where the 99 cent equivalent has been applied.

Thanks for stopping by and we hope you have a great one!

Lynn Hallbrooks
David McKoy
authors/founders Call Sign Wrecking Crew, LLC