J.C. Martin's Blog, page 6

Cover Reveal: BEASTS OF BURDIN by Alexander Nader

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Beasts of Burdin

Demon hunter Ty Burdin hung up his guns, knife, trench coat and fedora a year ago. Bags packed, hands washed of all demon politics, he’s done. Forever.

In fact, to get far far away, he dragged Nora, his rockabilly secretary, from Miami to the Tennessee mountains where he’s lived a life of peace — if peace can be defined as drowning in scotch and taking private eye jobs to keep the lights on. Jobs for real people. Not demons.

No demons.

He’s retired from that. Remember?

Demon hunters aren’t a dime a dozen, though, and when Ty’s brother asks him for a favor—just one—what’s a brother to do? Agreeing to take down one hillbilly demon shouldn’t take that long. In. Decapitate. Out. Favor complete. Back to the office where Nora and his bottle of whiskey are waiting.

Unfortunately for Ty, staying retired doesn’t seem to be in the cards, and an avalanche of bad luck draws him right back to an agency he despises and the career that nearly cost him his sanity.

This time, Ty has no way out and will have to face his own demons just to survive.

Beasts of Burdin will be released on February 10, 2014.

About the Author

Alexander Nader

Alex lives in the tourist infested hills of east Tennessee with his amazing wife/muse and three superb children. He would tell you more about how awesome they are, but you probably wouldn’t believe him. When he’s not hanging out with them he’s making pizzas. When he’s not doing that he’s working at a bookstore and occasionally he jots a few words down. He’s a big fan of good music, good storytelling, and mixed martial arts.

He once wrote a short story about pirates to his wife via text message that blossomed into a full length novel and never stopped after that.

Contact: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

What do YOU think of Alex’s cover and blurb?

Source: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer

BBF Round-Up, Votes & Contest

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Today’s the final day of the Blogger Book Fair! For those of you who have been following it, I hope you’ve discovered some new reads or some new bloggers to follow.

Here is a round-up of everything that I’ve been involved in all week:

There’s still time to vote for your favourite books in the Readers’ Choice Awards, so here’s one final shameless grovel to vote ORACLE for Mystery and THE DOLL for Short Story — Horror! It looks like a really close race in the Mystery category, so every vote counts! Thanks guys for your continued support!
Sara Jay hosted an excerpts fest on her blog, and you can find an excerpt for ORACLE here.
Kirstin Pulioff held an event asking our characters the question: if you found a magic lamp, what would your three wishes be? Find out Detective Kurt Lancer’s three wishes .
Have you read the world’s greatest story ? It’s the brainchild of A. Jarrell Hayes, who wrote an entire story using sentences from books of various authors! Can you spot my lines form ORACLE and THE DOLL?

The purpose of BBF is cross-promotion. So here are some blogs I visited during the Fair:

I stopped by Brandon R. Luffman’s blog to discuss 5 Common Qualities Between Successful Writers and Martial Artists .
I guest-posted on AReCafe, a romance-centric blog, and talked about 5 4 Reasons for Incorporating Romantic Elements in Other Genres .
At Barbara Billig’s blog, there’s a short intro of my protagonist entitled “ Kurt, the Kung Fu Fighting Cop “.

Likewise, these writers have appeared on my blog. Here are their posts:

Barbara Billig introduced her survival novel, THE NUCLEAR CATASTROPHE .
Kathryn Lively of AReCafe told us about Finding Books to Read .
Horror writer Brandon R. Luffman guest posted on Why Happy Endings Matter in Horror .

Today’s the final day to enter the giveaway for an e-book copy of ORACLE. Just enter your details in the Rafflecopter below, and once again, good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And finally…

Did you enjoy the Blogger Book Fair? What was your favourite thing about BBF? What would you like to see more of?

I for one had fun meeting new writers and bloggers, added lots of new books on my Kindle, and have quite a few new titles on my TBR list.

Looking forward to the next one!

Source: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer

BBF: Why Happy Endings Matter by Brandon R. Luffman

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I hope everyone’s enjoying the Blogger Book Fair!

Today’s guest is supernatural horror writer Brandon R. Luffman, who surprised me when he suggested writing about happy endings — in horror fiction!? But then I read his post, and … well, let’s just say I hope you enjoy the piece as much as I did!

Why Happy Endings Matter in Horror


by Brandon R. Luffman

One of the first things we learn about stories is that they have a beginning, middle, and an end. These are the basic parts that make a story work, whether it’s a single paragraph scrawled beneath a crayon illustration by a grade-schooler, or the latest magnum opus from a New York Times bestselling author.

The beginning sets the stage. It creates the world the story takes place in, and it gets the reader into that world. The middle is where the meat of the story is. It’s where conflict builds and characters get their chance to change and overcome, or falter and face defeat. Then there’s the ending, where it all comes together. That’s the payoff; it’s the finish line the reader has been striving toward. If it’s a good story, it may be a bittersweet accomplishment, but the ending is the goal the reader sets out in search of from page one. Endings are what I’m on about here — particularly how they apply to the horror genre.

We all know endings aren’t always happy. Sometimes, the good guys fail, the bad guys win, and all is lost. In horror, this is a frequent occurrence. Even if the protagonist survives the events of a horror novel, his life may be a shattered ruin littered with the broken bodies of family and friends.

With regards to horror stories in particular, endings are special. Consider why we read horror. At its most basic, the horror genre is fun because it lets us play with those dark and primitive fears we’ve harbored since the days we first came down from the trees and took up residence in caves. The fear of the unknown, the flashing teeth that come in the dark, the things we see in the world around us that are simply beyond our understanding. Horror stories let us face these fears and even enjoy the adrenaline rush they bring, all in the comfort and safety of our well-lit, modern homes with their locked doors and security lights.

I see the happy ending as an important part of this genre. They can’t all be happy, of course. Sometimes, the story simply has to end in ashes and ruin, blood and tears. If nothing else, if every story had a happy ending, there would soon be no thrill. There must be stakes, risks to the characters the reader is invested in, or there’s no true fear, no adrenaline rush. When you write stories of the horrific, horrific things are going to happen to your characters.

But, when it plays out in such a way that the protagonist can overcome the horrors he or she has faced, then you have a shot at a happy ending. When that happens, you see that those fears are there for a reason. Sometimes there is something out there in the dark. Sometimes that sound wasn’t just the wind sighing under the eaves. But, sometimes you can face those demons and overcome.

And that, to me, is a big part of what horror fiction is about. It’s not just the thrill of terror, but the hope-filled heart that tells you, yes, there can be evil in the world, but sometimes the good guys win through in the end.

We all need more of that in our lives.

About the Author

Brandon R. Luffman

 Born in Statesboro, Georgia in 1976, Brandon Luffman was raised in rural North Carolina from the time he was old enough to walk. In the sixth grade he discovered The Chronicles Of Narnia. Soon after that, he was on to Stephen King and Arthur C. Clarke. At the same time, he was making his first forays into writing fiction. After creating a series of short fantasy pieces for a class assignment that were received with praise, he was hooked on writing fiction for the entertainment of others. Now Brandon writes supernatural horror as well as fantasy, science fiction, and other genres. His short fiction is available online in various formats. Brandon still lives on the family farm in northwestern North Carolina with his wife and family. Taking inspiration from his homeland, he brings southern sensibilities and a modern flair to these classic genre themes. His first novel, Frostwalker, was released in May of 2013.

Contact: Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Brandon’s Books
Frostwalker

There’s something in the woods behind Jake Marsden’s house – and someone wants him to find it. A strange dream shatters his sleep, night after night, and a compulsion to find the dark presence in the forest wars with his logical and ordered nature. What’s a geek to do?

When his small hometown of Wynn, North Carolina falls under an ancient curse, Jake will find himself in a battle against creatures worse than any he’s faced in a game. Playing for keeps, it will be geek versus god in the fight to stop an evil force bent on destroying everything he holds dear.

The Geek Shall Inherit The Earth – If They Live Long Enough.

Click here for more info and to read excerpts from the book.

Read the first third of the book for free at Smashwords!

Purchase Links

E-Book ($3.99 $2.99): Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords |  Kobo | Sony | Diesel | Versent | iTunes

Paperback ($7.99): Amazon | CreateSpace

The Card

When a strange tarot card appears in a friend’s deck, Jason assumes it’s just a prank done in poor taste. But, when terrible events befall those around him, he must face the possibility that something sinister is afoot.

Death is closing in, along with a suspicious detective who believes that Jason may be the killer he’s stalking. With his life turned upside down, Jason finds that there are worse things to be hunted by than the authorities.

This 4,500 word short is a supernatural horror story in the spirit of the pulp era, but with a modern feel.

Purchase Links ($0.99): Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Kobo | Diesel | Sony | Versent

Brandon is holding a giveaway for a paperback copy of FROSTWALKER. To enter, all you have to do is fill in the Rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Source: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer

Protected: An Audience with the Oracle: The Olympics in London

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BBF: Finding Books to Read by Kathryn Lively

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Welcome to day 2 of the Blogger Book Fair!

I’m over at Brandon R. Luffman’s blog today with a post on 5 Common Qualities of Successful Writers & Martial Artists. Here at the Fighter Writer, we have Kathryn Lively, who runs AReCafe.com, talking about something I’m sure many of you will find interesting: how she discovers new books worth reading.

Finding Books to Read
by Kathryn Lively

Hello, my name is Kathryn Lively and I have one of the best jobs imaginable for a book lover. I maintain the AReCafe.com, the news/review arm of All Romance eBooks, the leading romance eBookstore. My job revolves entirely around books, and every day I assist readers in finding something new to enjoy.

I have been asked by authors over the years what makes a book attractive to readers – what do you have to do to get somebody to click that buy button? I’ve always maintained that if you write a solid story, one that resonates with you, the readers will follow. Of course, it helps to do other things to ensure good exposure. Just a few things you want to consider when preparing a book to sell:

1) A catchy title. If a reader hears your book’s title out of context (e.g. without seeing a cover or website), they should have a good idea about the content. A title should not only define your book, but catch a reader’s attention. Many times I’ve picked up a book based solely on the title, without even checking the back cover blurb!

2) Quality cover art. A professional cover that aptly conveys the spirit of the story can help with sales. Whether you write romance, science fiction, horror, or mystery, the design should feature something important from the story that also appeals to the eye. You may be tempted to take on design yourself, but you want to watch for elements like font size and color, and how they’ll look in thumbnail sizes on websites.

3) Informative blurb. I hear from authors often that the blurb is their least favorite part of marketing. It involves writing the “pitch” that gets readers to buy. How do you condense a 300-page book into a paragraph? Yes, it’s a challenge, and it may take a few tries to get the right verbiage done. Don’t be afraid to experiment.

Combine an attractive cover with a compelling title and summary, and you have a solid formula for attracting readers to your books. To learn more about adding your work to ARe, feel free to contact me at arecafe at gmail dot com.

About the Author

Kathryn Lively is manager of AReCafe.com, a social news and review site for romance readers and authors. She is also a published author – visit KathrynLively.com for her backlist.

Source: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer

Blogger Book Fair is ON! Giveaways Plus Vote for ORACLE

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*NOTE: This is a sticky post. For newer posts, please scroll down.

It’s here! And there’s so much to see and do! Where should you start? Well, after you’re done here (of course), pop on over to the main BBF site to check out what else is on! For a list of participants, freebies, giveaways, and more, we have the official directory.

And of course, there’s the BBF Readers’ Choice Awards! Go there to vote for your favourite book/short story in each category.

Dare I entreat my lovely blog readers to consider voting for my crime thriller ORACLE in the Mystery category, and THE DOLL (which is FREE, by the way!) in the Short Story — Horror category?

Pleasepleaseplease and thankyouthankyouthankyou!

Speaking of ORACLE, there are two more meetings with the man himself before he is locked away forever. Because these meetings contain story spoilers, the entries are password protected. Here’s a reminder of the password for those who need it (highlight the area below with your mouse):

quentingordon

And … here’s your chance to win an e-book copy of ORACLE — good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Source: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer

BBF: Barbara Billig

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Today’s the first day of the Blogger Book Fair, a five-day long extravaganza of books, freebies, and giveaways! I hope everyone who attends will discover a new favourite book/author!

Look out for my guest post on author Barbara Billig’s blog, BilligReadersandWriters, today, entitled “Kurt, the Kung Fu Fighting Cop”, all about Detective Kurt Lancer, my protagonist in ORACLE.

Speaking of Barbara, I’m hosting her on my blog today, so without further ado, take it away, Barbara!

THE NUCLEAR CATASTROPHE, a fiction novel of survival (3rd edition)

A new FICTION NOVEL for EVERYONE – written for your entertainment & to raise nuclear awareness.

THE NUCLEAR CATASTROPHE is set in Southern California and deals with characters caught in a disaster that they thought could NEVER happen. Ben, head of Whitewater Nuclear Power Plant & his pregnant wife Sara live in San Mirado, near the ocean. One fateful day the unexpected happens…..Ben and Sara, the plant workers, the people living in San Mirado and those in adjacent cities all have to make decisions as to what to do, where to go. Their choices have both good and bad consequences.

This fictional story brings home the reality of what would or could happen. History has shown us time after time that……what can go wrong….will go wrong. What would YOU do? Your answers may be different after reading this novel. Read how these characters faced difficult choices – and decide what you would have done – or will do.

This book is available at Amazon.com as an ebook (Kindle version) or in paperback. Kindle books can be downloaded to The Kindle or to a PC or Tablet, Notebook, or Smartphone. Visit Amazon.com to download a free Kindle app that allows this book to be read on a PC, Tablet, Notebook, or Smartphone.

This fiction novel is meant to entertain and to educate. Very little has been written on this subject that is not a deep non-fiction book. And now that we have experienced the nuclear disasters of Fukushima and Chernobyl we know how dangerous these power plants can be. As of 2011 there were 442 nuclear power plants operating or under construction in the world. The United States has 104. Whether it is a terrorist dirty bomb or a nuclear melt down – we should know what is happening and be prepared. I hope you will take the time to read this fictional story. 50% of the proceeds from the sale of the E book in 2013 are being donated to a charity to support the forgotten victims of the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

What some of the readers have said:

“I enjoyed this book because it could happen. I think anyone living in a state with a nuclear reactor exists should read this.”

“A frightening tale of survival. You never really think about the events that take place after you have been stripped of normal day to day resources. No police, hospitals, you are your own 911 and now have to protect yourself against the world.”

“A worthy read! This is a book whose vivid, thought-provoking images have stayed with me even months after reading it! It helped me to better understand the potential repercussions of a nuclear disaster.”

Barbara Griffin Billig Thanks You For Your Interest!

Web Page:http://mysite.verizon.net/resrrmof/

Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/BarbaraBilligTheNuclearCatastrophe

Follow on twitter: @Barbarabillig

Available for Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004WDRWXY

On Pinterest:/http://pinterest.com/barbarabillig/nuclear-catastrophes/

Read an excerpt now:http://bit.ly/pY8HxX

Available also as THE DISQUIET SURVIVORS of The Nuclear Catastrophe in Paperback

Source: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer

Book Shout-Out: DATELINE: ATLANTIS by Lynn Voedisch

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Dateline: Atlantis
by Lynn Voedisch
on Tour July 1 – July 31, 2013

Book Details:

Genre:  Contemporary Fantasy

Published by: Fiction Studio Books

Publication Date: April 2, 2013

Number of Pages: 277

ISBN: 978-1-936558-57-5

Purchase Links:

Synopsis:

DATELINE: ATLANTIS is a contemporary fantasy featuring a female Indiana Jones who dives underwater and accidentally discovers what just might be the lost world of Atlantis. After she and her photographer document fabulous pyramids and other structures under the Caribbean sea, they return to their newspaper in the Los Angeles area, only to have all their evidence stolen. The sea rolls back and reclaims the buildings, and the photographer is kidnapped by unknown criminals.

The simple news assignment becomes more complicated with each turn and takes the Amaryllis Lang (pen name: Amy Quigley) to Chicago, Florida, Mexico and the Bahamas.

An ever-skeptical reporter, the Amaryllis Lang finds that her search for humanity’s first family (in the possible Atlantis) dovetails with her own search for her own lost roots. Long ago someone murdered her archeologist parents—and they may be the same villains who are working against her own efforts to bring the Caribbean discovery to light.

In the midst of the tension, a testy romantic triangle develops. Plus, the pressure never stops as editor Noel Wright III keeps badgering her for a Pulitzer Prize-winning story. After escaping the villains’ traps with her life intact, Amaryllis emerges a more open-minded adventurer, a better journalist, and an adventurer who is never afraid to let a historical find change written history.

Read an excerpt:
She dives underneath the waves. Next to her is the tip of a giant stone structure. It widens as it plunges down to the ocean floor, filling her line of sight. She surfaces and swims toward the top of the rock. Amaryllis fights for breath as the waves roll up toward her chin and away. She dives again. The structure is a pyramid, without a doubt. It can’t be a natural formation. Its lines are too regular. The stones used to fit the pyramid together are huge—twenty-ton boulders at least—yet they are meshed with knife-edge precision. She can’t get her fingernail between them. Another thing occurs to her: this pyramid is not built in steps, but is smooth-sided like the monuments of Egypt.?She bobs up and down, diving and surfacing for a quarter of an hour, finding more impossible things. These walls, unlike those of the Maya structures they found on land, are still smooth. They are weathered and pitted, but not covered over with barna- cles and seaweed. She sees the remnants of writing carved into the rock near the top, but can’t tell what language it is. It has neither the pictorial intricacy of Maya glyphs nor the simplicity of Roman characters. It has a modern aspect, clean and stylized, proportionally balanced, as if it were a font designed by an adver- tising agency. Yet, some of the figures recall the ancient themes of the American Indians: swirling vortices, men with large heads, hunting dogs. The most prominent of all symbols is a cross in- scribed with concentric circles.

Amaryllis’ strength is nearly gone, but she dives once more if only to give the fullest of reports to her cohorts sleeping back onshore. She slips below the surface and feels along the eastern wall, pulling herself down. She is looking for a dark square she glimpsed before, gaping and black. It yawns at once before her, its edges wavy in the ocean swells. A sea turtle darts in front of her, and she constricts her lungs. She streaks to the surface, gulps a huge lungful of air and immediately she’s at the opening again. Seconds disappear as she measures the portal. It’s just big enough to slip through, but will she be able to get back out? A shining gem illuminated by a sun ray catches her eye. She swishes inside.

With lungs screaming, she scans a tiny chamber, carved from top to bottom with ancient writing. Gold glints from porticos on the sides. A painting is still visible on the ceiling. A carved hand, claw-like and strong, rests on a pedestal in the center of the space. The red hand holds a stone so beautiful, she can’t bear to leave it. In the filtered sunlight that passes through the door- way, the gem dazzles like Venus in the night sky. The morning star—the guide that Amaryllis can rely on. She grabs the jewel.

Through the door, up to the surface, sucking in the air—she’s free.

Author Bio:

Lynn Voedisch is a Chicago writer who had a long career as a newspaper reporter and worked for 17 years at the Chicago Sun-Times. She also freelanced for many other publications, both in print and online. She lives with her husband and pet cat three blocks from the Chicago border. Her son, a new attorney, lives in the city. Her hobbies are tennis, tai ch, an promoting the appreciation of literature.

Catch Up With the Author:

Tour Participants

Source: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer

Protected: An Audience with the Oracle: History of the Olympics

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Happy Birthday to My Blog

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My Blogoversary button is telling me that today’s the 2nd birthday of the Fighter Writer, so…

Have a cupcake on me!

As I’m still busy planning our eventual trans-Indian Ocean move, I’m afraid I’ve not really planned anything celebratory. But stick around for the Blogger Book Fair next week where there’ll be an e-book copy of Oracle up for grabs!

In the meantime, if you’re in the mood for a giveaway, how’s about a Kindle Fire giveaway organised by I Am A Reader and a host of other bloggers?

This is a joint AUTHOR & BLOGGER GIVEAWAY EVENT!

Bloggers & Authors have joined together and each chipped in a little money towards a Kindle Fire HD 7″.

Kindle Fire HD 7″ Giveaway

The winner will have the option of receiving a 7″ Kindle Fire HD (US Only)

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Or $199 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)

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Or $199 in Paypal Cash (International)

 

Sponsoring Bloggers & Authors

I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
Feed Your Reader
New Adult Addiction
Jessabella Reads
The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Somthing Year Old Girl
Books Unhinged by StacyHgg
S.A. Larsen – Writer’s Ally
Author Inger Iverson
The Geeky Gamers
annakyss
Everyday Word Magic
Candance’s Book Blog
Page Flipperz
SMI Book Club
Laurie Here
Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Phantasmic Reads
The Book Bellas
Please Don’t Remove MarGreat’s Glasses
Author Jennifer Laurens
J.C. Valentine
Holly Hood
Young Adult Novel Reader
Author Heather Bixler
Literary Meanderings
Suspense Author Kim Cresswell
Mother Daughter & Son Book Review
Meredith’s Musings
Auggie Talk
Author Camelia Miron Skiba
Author Lena Sledge
LoriTheAuthor
Author Dianne Venetta
Curling Up with A Good Book
MyLadyWeb
Fae Books
Bea’s Book Nook
Girls with Books
Ketch’s Book Nook
Turning Pages
Bookhounds
Karey White
My Devotional Thoughts
Author Talia Jager
Author Helen Smith
Sher A Hart: Written Art
Author MK McClintock
Word to Dreams
Buku-Buku Didi
Tasty Book Tours
Readerlicious
Romance Bookworm’s Reviews

Giveaway Details

1 winner will receive their choice of a Kindle Fire 7″ HD (US Only), $199 Amazon Gift Card or $199 in Paypal Cash (International).

There is a second separate giveaway for bloggers who post this giveaway on their blog. See details in the rafflecopter on how to enter to win the 2nd Kindle Fire.

Sponsor a future Kindle Fire Giveaway by signing up HERE.

Ends 8/15/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the participating authors & bloggers. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Source: J.C. Martin, Fighter Writer