K.N. Lee's Blog, page 46

When Darkness Creeps Upon Us- a poem

When Darkness Creeps Upon Us K.N. Lee
When darkness creeps upon usIt's usually not at nightTrue darkness creeps inside usSilentAnd out of sightWhen the walls fallAnd mountains crumbleA little ray of hopeFlutters inOr stumblesOne might smileFor love brings lightBut when one rips it awayOr gives up the mighty fightThe heart may weepThe soul may cryWhen darkness creeps upon usYou'll now know why For true darkness stems from heartacheA wretched loverCruel and coldOne who'll not you downAnd watch you fallTrue darkness comes fromInner pain Not the switch on the wall

From Darkness: A Short Horror Collection (Review)

    Book Description Publication Date: January 9, 2014 A Victorian age girl is pursued by a mysterious suitor.

Deep in the backwoods a pair of hunters become the hunted.

The great dreamer travels through the void searching for his final resting place.

A group of revelers head to the ultimate club, but, what is the door charge? D R Gordon’s Debut horror collection “From Darkness” is filled with monsters. Monsters of the flesh and the mind. You will find ghosts, demons, and gods of old within these pages; a myriad of fiends born from Darkness. In the tradition of the grandfathers of short horror fiction Poe, Lovecraft, Blackwood and Le Fanu D R provides snapshots of the human mind at its most fiendish, its most terrified, its darkest.
His sharp style takes us from a fifteenth century village, as a witch hunter comes to town, to the grimy back-streets of modern cities, where ladies of the night ply their wares, with the skill and ease of an accomplished wordsmith.
Beware those who enter the world of D R Gordon, you will not come out the same.


My Review:5 out of 5 stars:This collection of short horror stories is well written and will make your skin crawl! Try not to read it in the dark...or alone...or an empty house. I enjoyed every story, especially the one about the painter. It reminded me of the Curse of Dorian Gray. Within this collection you'll be faced with demons, ghouls, vampires and more. I felt that the author's style was reminiscent of H.P. Lovecraft. I have a feeling that I'll be thinking about these stories for quite a while.   Available on Amazon

Dark Prophet Cover Reveal **Coming Soon**

I hope you're all excited! Finally, book two of The Chronicles of Koa series is almost upon us. So, let's have a huge cover reveal and prepare for the release date! Hooray!

Description: What would you do if a demon threatened your mother's life? If you're like Koa, you'd sharpen your enchanted sword and go after him.
That's just what Koa did...and what she learned will change everything.
Agent Koa Ryeo-won just had her entire life change when she discovered the truth of her past. How will she react when she finds that the prophet that she was sent to break out of a prison for supernatural creatures is the first man she loved? None of that matters when a vampire king and his demon sidekick strike out against the Netherworld division and destroy the entire Vampire Registration System. The people of the world are finally given proof that they are being targeted by the escaped creatures of a different world. Who will protect the humans from this new breed of vampire? Will Koa ever break her mother's curse?

Chain of Title **Book Blast & Review**

Chain of TitleBy, Robyn Roze Book DescriptionPublication Date: September 28, 2013

Sex, love, lies, and killer secrets . . . and that's only the tip of the iceberg.
SYNOPSIS:
Shayna Chastain has ended her marriage and is ready to move forward with her life. That’s hard to do when her ex wants her back and their angry daughter has taken his side. However, Shayna rediscovered herself during the separation, and she isn’t easily persuaded. She’s entered a new stage in her life, and she’s enjoying her freedom.
Now, Sean Parker, the new younger man in her life, is determined to make sure she doesn’t look back. Their attraction is instant but the fallout will last a lifetime. Ultimately, their chance encounter will not only change Shayna's life, but will have a profound effect on those closest to her. As Sean and Shayna fall deeper, secrets surface that will ultimately have far-reaching, deadly consequences.
How well do you know the people you love?
Even the one's you've known most of your life...
**Mature themes and content for 18+**My Review:5 out of 5 stars  Within the first page you can see that this is not your customary romance novel. No, the author is a literary magician. Her writing is so engaging that she sucks you into Shayna's psyche and life within moments, and you have no choice but to greedily gobble up every page in this book. The characters are so well rounded that they jump off the page. And the dialogue...wow! It's very realistic and not stale and forced like many other romance novels. But wait, Chain of Title is not just a romance novel. There is a great deal of suspense and intrigue as Shayna starts a new life as a single woman. And Sean...oh yes...he's awesome. I cannot wait to read more from this author!Available on Amazon

The Chronicles Of Koa Video Trailer!

The Chronicles Of Koa

Armageddon and the 4th Timeline (Book Blast & Review)

  One of the best books I’ve ever read! I’m Speechless … This really is an amazing story. I haven’t seen such creative expression from an author in a very long time. WOW!!! This book was wonderful … it kept me alive.  Book Description Publication Date: November 22, 2013 In a world faced with violence and the potential of cataclysmic annihilation, what if the only means to save mankind existed in an alternate reality? We live in uncertain times. The underlying threat of nuclear proliferation and the probable spread of weapons of mass destruction exist throughout the world. Add to that a collective consciousness that doesn't always agree on religion and the nature of existence, and you have the potential for conflict ending in disaster. Author Don Mardak wrote Armageddon and the 4th Timeline to convince mankind that we do have the power to prevent such an outcome. Armageddon and the 4th Timeline, is a fast-paced mystical fantasy with three thought-provoking themes: the war on terror and the potential of a nuclear holocaust; travel through time to alter future events; and new-age spiritual principles that affect the way mankind coexists.
Armageddon, Don Mardak's second exciting novel, is a fast-paced adventure through time and space, as mankind faces the enormous specter of uncontrollable and calamitous extinction. The book is a must-read for Truth seekers and those who have been searching for answers to the most basic questions about life and the nature of ultimate reality.  Editorial Reviews From the Back Cover While the United States' military and intelligence communities pull out all stops in an effort to prevent a nuclear holocaust, one man--encouraged by his enlightened Tibetan Master--strives to rise above this arena of conflicting forces.Can he find a place in the past where altering a key event could change the future and prevent Armageddon? Don Mardak's second exciting novel, Armageddon and the 4th Timeline, is a fast-paced adventure through time and space, as mankind faces the enormous specter of violent and cataclysmic annihilation. About the AuthorDon Mardak has been a student of Christian mysticism and the Infinite Way writings of Joel S. Goldsmith for more than four decades. He also has conducted classes on Living the Mystical Life, and has been a successful entrepreneur for most of his working years. As the President, CEO, and Chairman of a small public company-International Monetary Systems, or IMS Barter-Mr. Mardak always tried to apply the mystical principles outlined in his books and on his website in his business dealings and relationships. The results have been quite astonishing as, very often, without taking thought, or striving for a specific result, the proper person appeared, or a meaningful event occurred, which made each day a divine spiritual unfoldment. Mr. Mardak tries to communicate these principles in his three books: An Adventure In Mysticism, Armageddon and the 4th Timeline, and Spiritual Healing for Today, Tomorrow, & Beyond. His greatest desire is that those of you who truly are receptive to this message will open yourselves up to the inflow of the Spirit. In that process, you will find answers to your deepest questions which, then, will lead you to your own search for Truth, and ultimately, your personal spiritual destiny. Mr. Mardak lives with his wife Judy in Wisconsin and Florida. They have two grown children and four grandchildren.  My review:  
You quickly realize that the author of this book is incredibly intelligent and definitely did their research when writing this incredibly entertaining book. Religion, history, science, and fantasy combine to create one remarkable piece of work. Fast paced and full of action and suspense, you'll be wrapped in a tale of impending doom. And to top it all off...there's time travel! I found myself held in captivated attention from beginning to end and am feverishly looking for more work from this author. A must-read!!!   Available on Amazon

Plague of Angels (Review)

Plague of Angels John Patrick Kennedy Book DescriptionPublication Date: November 26, 2013 
Nyx is Queen of Hell and ruler of the Angels who were banished there – the Descended.
And when the rest of the Angels are called home, Nyx finds herself stuck on the Earth with the Son of God. To her surprise, she learns that he is no happier than she. God's son thought he was sent down to judge humanity. Instead, he becomes a sacrifice for a cause he does not believe in – their redemption.
After his mortal body dies, the Son of God makes Nyx an offer: a new paradise on Earth if she will help him destroy humanity.
With two of her fellow Angels by her side, Nyx launches a thousand-year campaign of violence, sex, betrayal and intrigue to bring down God's people and have them worship her instead. From the back streets of Jerusalem to the palaces of Rome, from the temples of Egypt to the Pope's bedchamber, Nyx and her companions work to destroy the worshipers of God.
But not all is as it seems. And the Son of God has bigger plans than any of them imagine...
My review: 5 out of 5 stars Plague of Angels is a book so well written and engaging that I found myself completely engrossed from the beginning to the end. Each chapter is full of intrigue and imagery. I enjoyed the tale of Nyx, a fallen angel, that calls herself the Queen of Hell. In this story, she hopes that Lucifer, whom she describes as inferior to her, will return Hell back to her. For now though, she will haunt the human race in her many forms. The author crafts this story so skillfully and full of biblical mythology that you find yourself wanting to reference the bible for some of the fascinating tales spun in this novel. Nyx is a dynamic character. You want to find her evil, and yet you relate to her when she feels pity for the suffering of innocent children. There are so many levels in this story, that you will dwell on the words for long after you've completed the final chapter. Highly recommended. This book is intelligently written, and a true treasure.
Available on Amazon

Plague of AngelsJohn Patrick Kennedy Book Description ...

Plague of Angels John Patrick Kennedy Book Description Publication Date: November 26, 2013  Nyx is Queen of Hell and ruler of the Angels who were banished there – the Descended.
And when the rest of the Angels are called home, Nyx finds herself stuck on the Earth with the Son of God. To her surprise, she learns that he is no happier than she. God's son thought he was sent down to judge humanity. Instead, he becomes a sacrifice for a cause he does not believe in – their redemption.
After his mortal body dies, the Son of God makes Nyx an offer: a new paradise on Earth if she will help him destroy humanity.
With two of her fellow Angels by her side, Nyx launches a thousand-year campaign of violence, sex, betrayal and intrigue to bring down God's people and have them worship her instead. From the back streets of Jerusalem to the palaces of Rome, from the temples of Egypt to the Pope's bedchamber, Nyx and her companions work to destroy the worshipers of God.
But not all is as it seems. And the Son of God has bigger plans than any of them imagine...
My review: 5 out of 5 stars Plague of Angels is a book so well written and engaging that I found myself completely engrossed from the beginning to the end. Each chapter is full of intrigue and imagery. I enjoyed the tale of Nyx, a fallen angel, that calls herself the Queen of Hell. In this story, she hopes that Lucifer, whom she describes as inferior to her, will return Hell back to her. For now though, she will haunt the human race in her many forms. The author crafts this story so skillfully and full of biblical mythology that you find yourself wanting to reference the bible for some of the fascinating tales spun in this novel. Nyx is a dynamic character. You want to find her evil, and yet you relate to her when she feels pity for the suffering of innocent children. There are so many levels in this story, that you will dwell on the words for long after you've completed the final chapter. Highly recommended. This book is intelligently written, and a true treasure.
Available on Amazon

Curse The Moon (Cold War Rising) Blog Tour

Blurb:
His code-name is Atcho. He leads guerrilla fighters through the US-supported insurgency that rages at the Bay of Pigs in the early days of Fidel Castro’s Cuba. Captured and cast into the island’s worst dungeons, Atcho learns that a phantom-like officer of the Soviet KGB shadows him. Inexplicably released from incarceration and still dedicated to his country, he battles through the bowels of the Kremlin in Moscow, into the granite halls at West Point, and finally to highest levels in Washington, DC. Atcho’s rise opens doors into US National Defence even as the seemingly omniscient KGB officer holds unflinching sway over his actions. His public life clashes with secrets that only he and his tormentor share, isolating him in a world of intrigue among people whom he is determined not to betray – and then he finds that he is the trigger that could spark thermonuclear war. 

Bio:
I write Historical Thriller Fiction - particularly surrounding the Cold War. Having lived in Morocco, Germany, Costa Rica, and of course in the United States; and, having been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan for a combined 38 months, I've been up-close-and personal with many different cultures. I graduated from West Point and Boston University, resulting in a front row seat on many pivotal events. I live in Texas with my wife. My first novel, "Curse The Moon" is due out on 5 December 2013. I publish under my own name, Lee Jackson. Buy Links:
Amazon : http://myBook.to/CurseTheMoon 
Barnes & Noble : http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/curse-the-moon-lee-jackson/1117661583?ean=9780989802574


Social Media:
Website: AuthorLeeJackson.com
Facebook: facebook.com/AuthorLeeJackson
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+LeeJacksonAuthor/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7406574.Lee_Jackson
Twitter: @Stonewall_77
Amazon: http://Author.to/LeeJackson 
EXCERT:
In this chamber, Atcho reflected on the comparative merits of life and death. He decided that death had a greater advantage. Every hope he clung to now came with a price so high it seemed impossible to pay.  Death became a morbid fascination. He longed to welcome it, and imagined various ways he could achieve his demise. But there was no escape. In his torment, Isabel came often to his mind, and he obsessed over her well-being. But Govorov had been clear in what his suicide would mean for Isabel and her husband.By the end of the first week, he was gaunt, his clothes hanging loosely on him. His body began to devour itself. Why not allow my darling daughter absence from suffering? He though. If I die, I will end her misery as well. Since he felt a profound sense of having failed her, the thought comforted him. From the day she was kidnapped nearly twenty years ago, he had been excluded from her life. But now, he could expedite her passage to a state completely free of strife and pain. Through his delirium, he snickered at having upset Govorov’s plans while advancing Isabel’s welfare. He exulted over the Russian’s imagined rage, and an image of the Lubyanka fracturing at its base.

Diane Donovan from Midwest Book Reviews

Curse The Moon: Atcho RisesLee JacksonStonewall Publishers, LLC9780989802574    Price: Print: $15.95; eBook: $2.99http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H3HHXMG/?tag=viewbookat0e-20
Curse The Moon: Atcho Rises centers around a West Point graduate and guerrilla fighter (code named Atcho) who leads revolutionaries at the Bay Pigs during the early days of Castro's Cuba, and opens with his imprisonment and subsequent release, where his political encounters with Moscow and the U.S. become key to his brand of warfare - and to a mystery overshadowing his struggles.
Trained to overthrow Castro and his regime, Atcho seems to hold the upper hand; but Soviet agent Govorov is equally determined not to let this happen, and holds Atcho's young daughter hostage. Now it's a personal as well as a political struggle that tests Archo's limits and commitment.
Curse the Moon is loosely based on the life of Jackson's Cuban-born father-in-law, who fought during the rise of Fidel Castro. The history behind Atcho's struggles is impeccable, weaving facts and insights based on a pivotal point in history and injecting the characters of Atcho, his comrades, and his oppressors with realistic components that personalize the struggle.
A quick overview of the novel's cast of characters, an explanatory prologue of history, and a map of Cuba deftly introduce background and setting, paving the way for a survey steeped in political intrigue and the atmosphere of 1960s Cuba.
It's this attention to the details of atmosphere and setting that contribute to Curse the Moon's realistic, you-are-there feel: "Atcho could still scarcely believe that he was cutting sugarcane by hand with a machete. He had been in the fields many times here at the family plantation in Camaguey, on horseback, racing with his father through the rows of cane, even while field laborers swung their sharp, steel tools during the harvest. Fidel Castro, worried about losing the crop while the country was still in chaos since his coup, had issued an edict that all citizens would go into the fields to help harvest."
Combine this with a dual focus on how personal lives become entwined with political purpose and social change and you have a historical novel packed with not just intrigue and tension, but with the ability to understand social change, the roots of revolution, and how one insider's struggles can affect not just one nation, but the world.
Curse the Moon has it all, packaging its tense thriller in the cloak of understanding motivations both political and personal. Interplays between protagonists assume chess-like proportions as goals change, obstacles rise and fall, and emotions run deep.
It's all about danger, sacrifice, and how even would-be romance bows to the pressure of a covert operator's obligations. In the end the personal moves into political realms and comes full-circle to promise Atcho a life he could barely have imagined at the novel's beginning. The warrior's façade may soften, but can it transform to something more than constant struggle and fighting?
Curse the Moon charts this change and promise and is a powerful read for any who enjoy political intrigue tempered by personal transformation.
Our Midwest office will also archive the review on our web site for 5 years and will send it to Cengage Learning for inclusion in the Book Review Index that goes out to thousands of school and community libraries throughout the US.