Laurisa White Reyes's Blog, page 19

WINNER OF ONCE LAST DANCE ANNOUNCED!

CONGRATS to LINDA B. for winning ONCE LAST DANCE by Linda Weaver Clark!


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BOOK REVIEW: NO ONE CARES ABOUT CRAZY PEOPLE by Ron Powers

NO ONE CARES ABOUT CRAZY PEOPLE
Ron Powers
Hachette Books
Non-Fiction

From the centuries of torture of "lunatiks" at Bedlam Asylum to the infamous eugenics era to the follies of the anti-psychiatry movement to the current landscape in which too many families struggle alone to manage afflicted love ones, Powers limns our fears and myths about mental illness and the fractured public policies that have resulted.

Braided with that history is the moving story of Powers's beloved son Kevin--spirited, endearing, and gifted--who triumphed even while suffering from schizophrenia until finally he did not, and the story of his courageous surviving son Dean, who is also schizophrenic.

A blend of history, biography, memoir, and current affairs ending with a consideration of where we might go from here, this is a thought-provoking look at a dreaded illness that has long been misunderstood.

MY REVIEW:

Powerful! Ron Powers' life seemed pretty normal during his two sons' formative years, but then in adolescence, both boys began to exhibit signs of mental illness and were eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia. One boy committed suicide at the age of twenty. The other, now in his 30s, still struggles with his disease. Mental illness turned the Powers' lives upside down, and the author uses his tragedy as an opportunity to inform the rest of us of the urgent need to do something about the growing problem in our society.

Against the backdrop of his family's story, Powers explores the often shocking history behind mental illness as well as the successes and failures of society in trying to treat it. This book is a scathing indictment of government's lack of interest, but more so, of society as a whole and our tendancy to "look the other way" rather than seek viable solutions to so much suffering.

A must-read for everyone, in my opinion.

$20 GIVEAWAY - THE DEVIL'S FINGERS by Hunter Shea

The Devil's FingersOne Size Eats All #3by Hunter SheaGenre: Horror
“Old school horror.” —Jonathan Maberry

WHAT HAS LONG PINK FINGERS AND SMELLS LIKE ROTTING FLESH?It is a slime-covered fungus known for its pinkish red tentacles and pungent odor. It is indigenous to Australia but has spread to North America. Its Latin name is Clathrus Archeri, also known as Octopus Stinkhorn. Most people call it The Devil’s Fingers . . .
I DON’T KNOW BUT IT’S GROWING ON YOUR NECK.Deep in the woods of Washington, botanist Autumn Winters stumbles onto a field of the luridly colored fungi. Two of her fellow campers make the mistake of touching it. Now it’s growing on them. Fleshy gelatinous pods. Sprouting from their skin. Feeding on their blood . . .
AND IT’S STILL GROWING.Autumn watches in horror as her friends are transformed into monstrosities—grotesque, human-fungal hybrids as contagious and deadly as any virus. Autumn knows she must destroy these mutations before they return to civilization. But if there’s one thing that spreads faster than fear, it’s The Devil’s Fingers . . .


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Hunter Shea is the product of a misspent childhood watching scary movies, reading forbidden books and wishing Bigfoot would walk past his house. He’s the author of over 17 books, including The Jersey Devil (Pinnacle 2016)), Tortures of the Damned (Pinnacle 2015), and We Are Always Watching (Sinister Grin). Hunter’s novels can even be found on display at the International Cryptozoology Museum. The Montauk Monster (Pinnacle 2014) was named one of the best reads of the summer by Publishers Weekly. He was selected to be part of the launch of Samhain Publishing’s new horror line in 2011 alongside legendary author Ramsey Campbell. His video podcast, Monster Men, is one of the most watched horror podcasts in the world. Living with his crazy and supportive family and two cats, he’s happy to be close enough to New York City to see the skyline without having to pay New York rent.
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$15 GIVEAWAY - A PIRATE'S CALLING by Darren Simon

The Dangerous LegacyA Pirate's Calling Book 1by Darren SimonGenre: YA Historical Fantasy

Thin, pale, awkward, bullied, Sam Every is a thirteen-year-old who finds comfort among his friends and his days at the beach. The ocean beckons to him. It is where he feels safest. Fitting in no longer matters when he is near the Pacific’s rolling waves. Gazing toward the endless blue where it touches the horizon, he imagines the ports he might someday reach and ponders his future.


Little does he know an apparition—a hauntingly beautiful girl from the sea—will lead him farther from his home than he could ever dream, for destiny has given him a dangerous legacy

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Deadly WatersA Pirate's Calling Book 2
Thirteen-year-old Sam Every has traveled back in time to the Golden Age of Piracy to face Captain Jem Slayer, master of the dark arts. Deceived into handing Slayer the ultimate weapon, the Sword of Zel-Kar, Sam has lost his hands, sliced off in his first clash with the evil pirate.


But all is not lost.
Sam’s friends have found their way back in time, and with the help of the pirate hunter, Benjamin Hornigold, have rescued him from the island where Slayer marooned him. Now, aided by a new band of rogues and a mystery friend, Sam must rise above his injuries and find the strength to again face Slayer before it is too late—before the future is forever shattered.


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Darren Simon is a former longtime newspaper journalist who now works in government affairs on California water issues and teaches college English. In his spare time, he is a freelance magazine writer. Guardian’s Nightmare is his first novel. The second book in the series is also under contract with Divertir Publishing. He resides in California’s desert southwest with his wife, two sons and two crazy dogs.
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$20 GIVEAWAY - DAMNED BY THE ANCIENTS by Catherine Cavendish

Damned by the Ancients
Nemesis of the Gods #3
by Catherine Cavendish
Genre: Horror Pub Date: 10/23/18

Infinity In Death
Vienna, 1908Gabriele Ziegler is a young art student who becomes infatuated with charismatic archeologist Dr. Emeryk Quintillus. Only too late does she realize his true designs on her. He is obsessed with resurrecting Cleopatra and has retained the famed artist Gustav Klimt to render Gabriele as the Queen of the Nile, using ashes from Cleopatra’s mummy mixed with the paint. The result is a lifelike portrait emitting an aura of unholy evil . . .
Vienna, 2018The Mortimer family has moved into Quintillus’s former home, Villa Dürnstein. In its basement they find an original Klimt masterpiece—a portrait of Cleopatra art scholars never knew existed. But that’s not all that resides within the villa’s vault. Nine-year-old Heidi Mortimer tells her parents that a strange man lives there.
Quintillus’s desire to be with Cleopatra transcends death. His spirit will not rest until he has brought her back from the netherworld. Even if he has to sacrifice the soul of a child . . .

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Waking the AncientsNemesis of the Gods #2

Egypt, 1908 University student Lizzie Charters accompanies her mentor, Dr. Emeryk Quintillus, on the archeological dig to uncover Cleopatra’s tomb. Her presence is required for a ceremony conducted by the renowned professor to resurrect Cleopatra’s spirit—inside Lizzie’s body. Quintillus’s success is short-lived, as the Queen of the Nile dies soon after inhabiting her host, leaving Lizzie’s soul adrift . . . Vienna, 2018 Paula Bancroft’s husband just leased Villa Dürnstein, an estate once owned by Dr. Quintillus. Within the mansion are several paintings and numerous volumes dedicated to Cleopatra. But the archeologist’s interest in the Egyptian empress deviated from scholarly into supernatural, infusing the very foundations of his home with his dark fanaticism. And as inexplicable manifestations rattle Paula’s senses, threatening her very sanity, she uncovers the link between the villa, Quintillus, and a woman named Lizzie Charters.
And a ritual of dark magic that will consume her soul . . .

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Wrath of the AncientsNemesis of the Gods #1

DESTINY IN DEATH

Egypt, 1908

Eminent archeologist Dr. Emeryk Quintillus has unearthed the burial chamber of Cleopatra. But this tomb raider’s obsession with the Queen of the Nile has nothing to do with preserving history. Stealing sacred and priceless relics, he murders his expedition crew, and flees—escaping the quake that swallows the site beneath the desert sands . . .

Vienna, 1913

Young widow Adeline Ogilvy has accepted employment at the mansion of Dr. Quintillus, transcribing the late professor’s memoirs. Within the pages of his journals, she discovers the ravings of a madman convinced he possessed the ability to reincarnate Cleopatra. Within the walls of his home, she is assailed by unexplained phenomena: strange sounds, shadowy figures, and apparitions of hieroglyphics.

Something pursued Dr. Quintillus from Egypt. Something dark, something hungry. Something tied to the fate and future of Adeline Ogilvy . . .

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Following a varied career in sales, advertising and career guidance, Catherine Cavendish is now the full-time author of a number of paranormal, ghostly and Gothic horror novels, novellas and short stories. She was the 2013 joint winner of the Samhain Gothic Horror Anthology Competition, with Linden Manor, which was featured in the anthology What Waits in the Shadows. Cat’s novels include The Pendle Curse, Saving Grace Devine, and Dark Avenging Angel. She lives with her long-suffering husband and black (trainee) cat. They divide their time between Liverpool and a 260-year-old haunted apartment in North Wales.

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WRITER 2 WRITER: 5 SURE-FIRE FUN-SUCKERS

HOW TO WRITE A REAL-PAGE TURNER, PART II

The sub-title of this post is “5 Sure Fire Fun-Suckers.” This is what my son calls books that are too boring to read all the way through.

As authors, we don’t want our books to be boring. We want readers to feel excited about our stories, to keep turning those pages. So, what can we do to make our books real page-turners? Well, first we should know what NOT to do.

Here are the top 5 fun-suckers:

1. EXCESSIVELY LONG CHAPTERS
My 11-year-old daughter was once assigned a Newbery Award winning book to read for class. It’s a great book. I know because I’ve read it. But she is slogging through it, groaning the whole way. I asked her why she didn’t like the book. Her answer: ”The chapters are so looooooong!”
While many readers do enjoy long, detailed chapters, the fact is that shorter chapters create the illusion, if not the reality, of a faster read. Every time a reader gets to the end of a chapter he feels like he has accomplished something, that progress is being made. When the chapters are short, a reader will be more willing to read on into the next chapter, and the next.

2. WAKING AND SLEEPING
When writing scenes, new writers often fall into the trap of starting a scene when a character wakes up and ending it when they go to sleep. Boring. In essence, if your character falls asleep, so will your reader. This also holds true for going unconscious. Nothing is more aggravating for a reader than when there has been all this build up to a climactic moment only to have the protagonist black out and wake up when the action is over. Don’t cheat your reader that way.

3. TIDY CHAPTER ENDINGS
While closure is good at the end of a novel, too much closer at the end of chapters creates the sense that this is a good point to stop reading. Page-turners do not have tidy chapter endings. They are messy. They are exciting. They leave you hanging. The goal is for readers to reach the end of a chapter and feel compelled to turn the page to see what happens next. We will discuss this in greater detail when I post Part 3 of this series.

4. UNVARYING PACE
Reading a novel is not like long distance running, where the runner sets his pace and keeps that same rhythm for miles and miles. Nor is it a sprint to the finish line, one quick heart-pounding dash. If a story is slow and detailed and thoughtful all the way through, the reader will get bored. But the reader will also get burned out if there is nothing but action-packed thrill on every single page. You want to vary the pace, with some chapters being fast and exciting, and others slower and more introspective. These slower scenes allow your reader to catch their breath, so to speak, to recharge for the next adrenalin surge.

5. TOO MUCH DESCRIPTION
Long ago authors used to be paid based on the word count. The longer the book, the more money they earned. So, books were tomes of lengthy descriptions that really had nothing to do with the plot. Times have changed. We live a fast-paced society where we are used to getting what we want right now. Many readers expect to get to the heart of the story without having to slog through pages of unnecessary description. Of course, some description is important to set the scene, but where authors once would expound about a woman’s dress or the architecture of a building for pages on end, now a line or two, or even in some cases a few words, will do just as well. Leave the rest up to your reader’s imagination.

So, there you have them. 5 Sure Fire Fun-Suckers, and some tips on how to avoid them.

What are some of the most boring books you’ve ever tried to read?

$20 GIVEAWAY - THE JONAH TRILOGY by Anthonly Caplan

SaviorThe Jonah Trilogy Book 1by Anthony CaplanGenre: Science Fiction
A father and son stumble into the secret world of the Santos Muertos, a crime cartel bent on global domination. The son must find his father and keep the secret of the ancient Mayan code underlying the creation of matter in the universe from falling into the wrong hands.

A story of sacrifice and love.
Editorial Reviews:
“Set in a dystopian near-future, Savior is genre-breaking reading at its best . . . a fascinating combination of high adventure and interpersonal relationships that keep Savior an exciting, unpredictable read right up to its emotionally charged (and satisfying) conclusion.”–Diane Donovan, Midwest Book Review
“The story opened strong and it kept that level throughout…This is definitely a story of love and sacrifice.” —Highway-YA 
“The author did a superb job on creating the characters, going deep into the psycho analysis of their behavior. The plot is very well constructed….The plot is very intense and it is guaranteed that you will be hooked from the first page on this incredible adventure, showing that a love between father and son has no limits. I recommend this book to the permanent library of all readers that enjoy a very well written novel and want to be entertained.”—Roberto Mattos, Books and Movies Reviews 
“The use of language is intelligent, and unexpected in today’s thriller/dystopian genres, with turns of phrase that startle with their elegance without ripping the reader away from the plot or descriptions . . . It is exemplary in its stellar use of language, its complex plot and characterizations, its ability to derive truths and fallacies and the thin veil separating them.”—Diane Nelson, Sand in My Shoes Reviews
“I enjoyed the characters very much and the development of the plot line kept me interested to the end. The Canadian connection made it even more exciting.” —J.C., Rockwood, Ontario


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The Victor's HeritageThe Jonah Trilogy Book 2
"Is this the future of America?""Excellently uncomfortable and engaging.""A fast paced read that takes you places.".An intricately woven, futuristic tale, The Victor's Heritage parallels contemporary events. It is 2045. America has been shattered into two countries. Democravia and the Republican Homeland. Peace between the two continental rivals is always fragile.˃˃˃ Rebellious teens seek to forge their own path, but is that always so terrible?Corrag is one such teen who has been forced into a world that she is ill-prepared for and yet is ready to embrace new ideas and concepts far from the standard "party" lines.˃˃˃ In this latest installment of Caplan's The Jonah Trilogy, he captures the force of youth, of coming of age, of new awareness that is put together into a tale that never lets up!Drunken Druid Book Awards
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The Saints of David The Jonah Trilogy Book 3
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN IS NOW!
WILL CORRAG AND BEN REACH DAVID'S TOWER? WILL THE AUGMENT SURVIVE?FIND OUT IN THIS FAST-PACED, PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER


Corrag and Ben are on the run along with members of their renegade theater group -- the last of the free brained creative folk against the enslaved people of the Augment and their elite Republican Homeland overlords.  It is 2072, and falling creative information flows in the Augment system mean there is little time to reach full power status and launch the planetary cover before the incoming Oort Cloud asteroids destroy civilization. Corrag and Ben make a run for David’s Tower, an alternative society built on the democratic power of individual stories. Corrag's father Ricky sets out to find his father’s book that he is sure will answer the deep-seated root of humanity’s evil. These are just a few of the individuals on a quest, drawn to the utopian world of the Tower, built by the man known to his followers as the Saint. David Shavelson, a former owner of a Brooklyn bookstore, is a charismatic visionary leading a community in resistance against the mental enslavement of the Augment system. The Augment leaders know they must crush the Tower or lose control of their destiny. The battle lines are drawn. All the answers will be found in the thrilling roller-coaster finale that is The Saints of David.
The Saints of David, the final book in the Jonah Trilogy series, is recommended for new and prior fans alike, who will find this wrap-up volume a powerful conclusion to Anthony Caplan's thriller/sci-fi tale.

Old connections are revitalized against the backdrop of disaster in this 2072 story of strange romances, half-humanoids, free thinkers and slaves, and the unAugmented people living outside the new norm who may prove the last bastions of true humanity.
Readers new to this world, as well as those who have imbibed of the previous Jonah Trilogy titles, will all find The Saints of David packed with a flavor of doom and hope that makes it hard to put down and an exquisitely compelling story that leads readers to question many beliefs before they are through."
Diane Donovan -- San Francisco Relocated



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A former journalist who has worked on three continents, Anthony Caplan lives in New Hampshire with his family, a small flock of sheep and several dozen carefully tended apple trees. He writes books and teaches high school Spanish. He is a graduate of Yale University and has also worked at various times as a taxi driver, shrimp fisherman and telephone salesman.



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$25 GIVEAWAY - ASTRAEUS by Haley Cavanaugh

Astraeusby Haley CavanaghGenre: SciFi Romance
One pre-apocalyptic Earth. One desperate space mission to find a solution. One unexpected alien. When Dr. Sakota Thorell signed onto the mission to scout out a new, habitable planet, she knew discovering extraterrestrial life was always a possibility. But she never expected to find an alien adrift in space, nor for that alien to be so intriguing. Sakota feels an instant and undeniable attraction to Astraeus, but he represents a million possibilities, and just as many threats.There are others hunting Astraeus, and his rescue may cost Earth its last hope. 
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Haley Cavanagh is a military veteran, wife, and mother. She is an alumna of Columbia College, a musical theater nut, and she loves to dive into any book that crosses her path. Haley resides with her family in the United States and enjoys spending time with her husband and children when she's not writing. She loves to hear from her readers, and encourages you to contact her via her website and social media. She also writes under the name Roxanne D. Howard.



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$15 GIVEAWAY - DEADLY RISING by Jeri Westerson

Deadly RisingA Booke of the Hidden Novel #2by Jeri WestersonGenre: Paranormal RomancePub Date: 10/23/18
Things were quiet in Strange Herbs & Teas. For about a week. Add to Goodreads
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Booke of the HiddenA Booke of the Hidden Novel #1
“Westerson creates an utterly believable history of witches, demons, and magic for her claustrophobic New England village including a heroine with enough spark, smarts, and stubbornness to keep both the bad guys and the deliciously dangerous love-interest on their toes.” —Kat Richardson, author of the Greywalker series

To get a fresh start away from a bad relationship, Kylie Strange moves across the country to open a shop in a seemingly quiet town in rural Maine. During renovations on Strange Herbs & Teas, she discovers a peculiar and ancient codex, The Booke of the Hidden, bricked into the wall. Every small town has its legends and unusual histories, and this artifact sends Kylie right into the center of Moody Bog’s biggest secret.
While puzzling over the tome’s oddly blank pages, Kylie gets an unexpected visitor—Erasmus Dark, an inscrutable stranger who claims to be a demon, knows she has the book, and warns her that she has opened a portal to the netherworld. Kylie brushes off this nonsense, until a series of bizarre murders put her, the newcomer, at the center. With the help of the demon and a coven of witches she befriends while dodging the handsome but sharp-eyed sheriff, Kylie hunts for a killer—that might not be human.


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Los Angeles native and award-winning author Jeri Westerson writes the critically acclaimed Crispin Guest Medieval Mysteries, historical novels, paranormal novels, and LGBT mysteries. To date, her medieval mysteries have garnered twelve industry award nominations, from the Agatha to the Shamus. Kirkus Review said of her latest Crispin Guest Medieval Mystery A MAIDEN WEEPING, “Once again Guest’s past misdeeds actually help him in the present in a case that includes plenty of red herrings and an interesting look at medieval jurisprudence.” Jeri is former president of the SoCal chapter of Mystery Writers of America and frequently guest lectures on medieval history at local colleges and museums. She lives in southern California with her home-brewing husband, a complacent tortoise, and 40,000 bees.

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$15 GIVEAWAY - A PIRATE'S CALLING by Darren Simon

The Dangerous LegacyA Pirate's Calling Book 1by Darren SimonGenre: YA Historical Fantasy

Thin, pale, awkward, bullied, Sam Every is a thirteen-year-old who finds comfort among his friends and his days at the beach. The ocean beckons to him. It is where he feels safest. Fitting in no longer matters when he is near the Pacific’s rolling waves. Gazing toward the endless blue where it touches the horizon, he imagines the ports he might someday reach and ponders his future.

Little does he know an apparition—a hauntingly beautiful girl from the sea—will lead him farther from his home than he could ever dream, for destiny has given him a dangerous legacy

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Deadly WatersA Pirate's Calling Book 2
Thirteen-year-old Sam Every has traveled back in time to the Golden Age of Piracy to face Captain Jem Slayer, master of the dark arts. Deceived into handing Slayer the ultimate weapon, the Sword of Zel-Kar, Sam has lost his hands, sliced off in his first clash with the evil pirate.

But all is not lost.Sam’s friends have found their way back in time, and with the help of the pirate hunter, Benjamin Hornigold, have rescued him from the island where Slayer marooned him. Now, aided by a new band of rogues and a mystery friend, Sam must rise above his injuries and find the strength to again face Slayer before it is too late—before the future is forever shattered.


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Darren Simon is a former longtime newspaper journalist who now works in government affairs on California water issues and teaches college English. In his spare time, he is a freelance magazine writer. Guardian’s Nightmare is his first novel. The second book in the series is also under contract with Divertir Publishing. He resides in California’s desert southwest with his wife, two sons and two crazy dogs.
Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for exclusive content and a giveaway!
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