D.E. Haggerty's Blog, page 91
December 20, 2015
To NetGalley or not to NetGalley? Is NetGalley the solution to getting reviews for indie authors?
When my first book was published, I immediately went in search of reviewers. As a voracious reader, I instinctively knew that reviews would help sell my book. Later, I learned that Amazon’s algorithm (which is more complicated than launching the Space Shuttle) takes the number of reviews into consideration when adding a book to the Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought area. Need. Reviews. Now. It didn’t take me much searching to stumble upon NetGalley.
What is NetGalley? The NetGalley website explains it best: “NetGalley is an innovative and easy-to-use online service and connection point for book publishers, reviewers, media, librarians, booksellers, bloggers and educators. NetGalley delivers digital galleys, often called advance reading copies, or ARCs, to professional readers and helps promote new and upcoming titles. Professional readers–reviewers, media, journalists, bloggers, librarians, booksellers and educators–can join and use NetGalley at no cost.”
Wow! Sounds like the perfect place to find reviewers for a book. But wait – there’s a catch. Of course, there’s a catch. It’s expensive as all get out for self-published authors. So I signed up as a reviewer and forgot about using the service as an author. Recently, however, several blog tour companies have added NetGalley to their list of services. And it’s affordable. I jumped on that bandwagon so fast I bruised my shins.
I placed my most popular book (highest rating, most reviews) on NetGalley for one month at a cost of $60. Was it worth it? Unfortunately, I’m going to have to say no and it’s a firm no at that. I was super excited the first week when I saw 46 requests to download my book. Yes! At first I didn’t understand why my contact had only approved 11 of those requests. It soon made sense because I waited and waited for the reviews to roll in. And then I waited some more.
I decided to do a bit of researching of other authors who had used the service to hear their thoughts and comments. I was more than a little bit shocked to read remarks from several bloggers/reviewers who admitted to downloading loads of books, which they never read. It’s now a few weeks after my month on NetGalley ended and only one-third of the reviewers have reported back. I’m not holding my breath waiting on the others.
Ten reviews for $60 doesn’t sound bad, though. Aaah, that’s because I didn’t understand what ‘feedback’ meant in NetGalley-speak. There is no requirement whatsoever to write an actual review. In fact, I had one person write in his ‘feedback’ that he couldn’t understand why anyone would ever be interested in the premise of this book. What? Why did you request it if you didn’t think the premise sounded interesting? And, by the way, can you be more obnoxious?
And even if a reader does write a review, there’s no requirement to place the review anywhere but on the NetGalley website. In fact, the vast majority of my reviewers did not upload their review anywhere other than NetGalley. A fat lot of good that does me. Thus far I’ve gotten four reviews on Amazon out of my month long stint on NetGalley. At a cost of $60, that’s a bit steep.
So NetGalley doesn’t appear to be the cure-all for getting tons of reviews. What is then? Stay tuned. I’ll talk about some other schemes I’ve tried next week. I’ll actually be flying in a big aluminum tube over the big pond, but lucky for you I’ve finally figured out how to schedule a blog post in advance. Go me!
December 17, 2015
Promo Blitz ~ The Holiday Killer by Holly Hunt
Crime / Thriller
Date Published: December 7, 2015
Happy Holidays…
Around the world, Christmas Eve is a time of joy, hope and new beginnings, where children open presents, parents smile, and all is right with the world.
Except in Matryville.
Holidays are dreaded, rather than anticipated. A killer is on the loose, and he strikes as parents hide their kids, fearing the bogeyman’s wrath…
Liz Rhodes, Special Detective at the Matryville Central Police Department, is heading the investigation of the Holiday Killer. She’s close on his tail, a suspect in her grasp…
… and then her son is taken.
Will Liz be able to track down the Killer before it’s too late? Or will Jamie pay the price for her arrogance? Only time will tell…
EXCERPT
A young boy, five years old, sat sleepily behind his mum’s recliner, watching the fireplace in front of him. On the clock behind him, midnight ticked slowly closer. The Christmas decorations around the room were gaudy, tired, and past their lifespan, but they were heirlooms and well-loved, so his mother continued to pull them out every year.
The boy tilted forward a little, yawning. It was well and truly past his bedtime, but he was definitely going to stay up to see Santa Claus.
The clock ticked over to midnight, and a rustling emerged from the chimney. Tom looked up, suddenly wide awake, and peered around the armchair to the chimney. Grains of soot dropped from the chimney into the fireplace below, and Tom hid a little more, watching the fireplace with trepidation.
Then the rustling stopped, and Tom watched the fireplace. But nothing happened.
He peeked out a little more, his heart starting to sink with disappointment. Maybe Santa didn’t come if you were waiting for him?
Suddenly the front door clicked open and Tom gasped, hiding behind the chair, watching. He could hear the door creaking open, and feel the slow gust of cold as the wind from outside crept into the warm house. A large, bulky man stepped into Tom’s view, dressed in a red suit, but lacking a beard or white hair. Tom watched him with one eye from behind the chair, and stared. Santa!
The man turned to look at him, smiling, and gestured for the boy to follow him. But Tom hesitated. This man was dressed like Santa, but his parents had taught him to be wary of strangers. Should he go? Or should he run upstairs and tell his parents about this?
The man gestured again, then reached into his large sack and pulled out a small present, perfectly wrapped, and held it out to him.
Tom emerged slowly from the chair, stepping slowly toward Santa. The bulky man smiled and headed for the front door, gesturing after him for Tom to follow. Tom looked at the present and cautiously followed the man to the front door, looking out. He couldn’t see the man, but that didn’t mean he was gone.
Suddenly something grabbed him from behind, pinning his arms to his sides and covering his mouth and nose with a large hand. Tom tried to scream, to wriggle out, but the man was much stronger than him, and he was cutting off his air.
The man carried him from the house, managing to steer him out without the kicking boy knocking anything over, and threw the boy into the trunk of his car. Winded, on the verge of passing out from oxygen deprivation, Tom weakly gulped in air as he watched a second shape carefully shut the door to the house, leaving behind no sign.
About the Author
Butcher by day, author by night, Holly spends her days off writing, playing in her garden and watching superhero cartoons. Holly lives with her husband Matthew and her cat Talia al-Kitty in a two-bedroom flat crammed with comics, video games, books and movie memorabilia. An active cosplayer, Holly and Matthew take time out of their days to entertain kids as various DC comics characters, and make their own costumes (when Real Life allows).
Contact Links
Website
Purchase Links
Amazon
Goodreads
Giveaway
eBook Copies of previous 6 novels.
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Betrayal, Healing Eden & Revenge
Title: Betrayal: Demon Hunters #3
Author: A.S. Fenichel
Release Date: December 8, 2015
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format: Ebook
In service to His Majesty, one must be prepared for Hell.
To survive as a scullery maid requires hard work, discipline, and a stiff upper lip. To survive as a Demon Hunter is something else entirely. Elizabeth Smythe learned this after she was captured by Demons and rescued by Hunters. Now a Hunter herself, Elizabeth’s first task in this new and strange world is to aid the recently wounded Lord Reece Foxjohn, and get him back into Demon-slaying shape. . .
Reece Foxjohn is used to defying convention. He enraged his family by becoming a Demon Hunter, and prefers eviscerating the spawn of Satan to mixing with the ton. He is a man who doesn’t hesitate when he knows what he wants, and what he wants is Miss Elizabeth Smythe. To watch her behead the progeny of Evil is to behold a thing of beauty—one he must claim for his at all costs. . .
A.S. Fenichel gave up a successful career in New York City to follow her husband to Texas and pursue her lifelong dream of being a professional writer. She’s never looked back.
A.S. adores writing stories filled with love, passion, desire, magic and maybe a little mayhem tossed in for good measure. Books have always been her perfect escape and she still relishes diving into one and staying up all night to finish a good story.
Multi-published in erotic, contemporary and historical romance, A.S. is the author of the Mayan Destiny series, Christmas Bliss and many more. With several books currently contracted to multiple publishers, A.S. will be brining you her brand of romance for many years to come.
Originally from New York, she grew up in New Jersey, and now lives in the East Texas with her real life hero, her wonderful husband. When not reading or writing she enjoys cooking, travel, history, and puttering in her garden.
Title: Healing Eden
Author: Rhenna Morgan
Release Date: December 8, 2015
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format: Ebook
In a world divided by war, falling in love is the ultimate betrayal.
Galena Shantos has never questioned her loyalty to Eden. As sister to the Myren king, she serves as a healer, one of the best in the army fighting to suppress the brutal Lomos Rebellion. She’s never doubted the importance of stopping the rebels bent on enslaving humans, until she spots a warrior across enemy lines—and knows instinctively that their destinies are entwined. . .
Rebellion warrior Reese Theron has nothing left to lose. He’s been forced to fight on the wrong side of a war he abhors in order to protect his family secret. His honor lost, as well as the trust of his own people, Reese has thrown himself into a battle he cannot possibly hope to survive. But after being rescued by a beautiful woman whose exquisite eyes seem to see him for more than the traitor he’s become—he may have just found a new reason to live. . .
~ My Review of Healing Eden ~
Healing Eden is the second book in the Eden Series. I loved the first book and couldn’t wait to get my hands on this one. It’s important to note that this book cannot be enjoyed as a stand-alone. You’ll simply miss too much of the back story. Although Morgan does a decent job of reminding the reader of important aspects, there are many clues in the first book, which are necessary to truly enjoy this one (some clues still haven’t come to fruition). FYI: Unexpected Eden totally rocked so it’s not a chore or anything.
I loved Reese and Galena. It took a while for Galena to come out of her shell, but when she did – watch out! You go girl! It took Reese a while (like years and years), but when he manned up – he manned up! I’m totally in love with the guy. Once he admits to his past mistakes, he makes it clear that he will do absolutely anything for those he loves. *Swoons* The sex is some of the best that I’ve read. Seriously sizzled.
The story is why I fell in love with the fantasy genre a few years back. It’s a whole new world to explore and forget about your own world for a few hours. Morgan is a great writer. The story flows well and is nearly unputdownable (yeah, that’s a word now). If you’re looking for a great read, full of romance, hot and steamy love scenes as well as an awesome story, you’ve found it.
ORDER INFORMATION
I write for the same reason I read—to escape reality.
Don’t get me wrong, my life rocks. I have two, beautiful little girls, a good husband, a steady job, and the kind of friends who will take you out back and beat you if you hurt me. But just like most other women, I’ve got endless obligations.
So, when the world beats me down, I slip into something…less realistic. Romance is a must. So is steamy sex. Nothing thrills me more than the fantasy of exciting new worlds, strong, intuitive men and the sigh of, “Oh, if only that could happen to me.”
So, if you’re picking up a book of mine, expect the unlikely. In the real world, most women don’t get swept off their feet by some billionaire Adonis or fall down the bunny hole into an alternate realm. In my fictional world, it’s a pretty safe bet.
Romantic Escape for the women who need it.
Title: Revenge
Author: Sonya Weiss
Release Date: December 22, 2015
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Genre: Young Adult
Format: Ebook
Their love is a ticking time bomb.
Juliet Sawyer was born to save the world. Gifted with incredible powers, she’s the only one standing in the way of The Great Extinction, the prophesied battle between Supernaturals and humans. In order to keep her sister safe and avenge her father’s murder, she’ll have to infiltrate the ranks of the Supernatural leaders who wish to destroy her. But the one thing she didn’t count on was falling in love…with someone who wants her dead.
The gorgeous and dangerous son of one of the Supernatural leaders, Riley West is in charge of training the group for war—now including Juliet, whose father is responsible for killing his family. But the more they train together, the more intensely their passion for each other burns. The deeper Riley is drawn in by Juliet’s beauty, the closer he gets to the secrets she keeps: one that will challenge everything he believes in—and one that could lead to her death. Together, can their forbidden love help stop the war? Or will one of them be forced to make the ultimate sacrifice?
ORDER INFORMATION
From the time she was a child, Sonya knew she was destined to be a writer. If she didn’t like the ending of a book or movie, she would write her own ending. When her children were young, she often wrote stories to entertain them. At the urging of one of her daughters, she submitted a short story and to her surprise and delight, it sold.
Sonya loves writing all things romance whether it’s writing contemporary adult or teen fiction and still hasn’t lost the wonder that she gets to do what she loves.
She enjoys reading, movies, chocolate, and laughter and credits her daughters as being the sweetest blessings in her life.
December 14
Books featured at Harmonious Publicity
December 15
Books featured at 3 Partners in Shopping
December 16
Books featured at Cover 2 Cover
December 17
Healing Eden Reviewed at Readsalot
December 18
Books featured at Erotic Romance News
December 21
Healing Eden Reviewed at Queen of All She Reads
December 22
Healing Eden and Revenge Reviewed at Lisa’s Louisiana Home
December 23
Books featured at Literal Exposure
December 24
Books featured at Review From Here
December 25
Books featured at The Dark Phantom
December 28
Books featured at My Bookish Pleasures
December 29
Books featured at Deal Sharing Aunt
December 30
Books featured at Voodoo Princess
January 1
Books featured at Crystal’s Chaotic Confessions
January 4
Books featured at Confessions of an Eccentric Bookaholic
January 5
Books featured at Reviews by Crystal
January 6
Revenge Reviewed at Confessions of a Perfect Mom
January 7
Books featured at Teatime and Books
January 8
Books featured at Write and Take Flight
December 15, 2015
A Most Inconvenient Wish by Eileen Richards ~ Cover Reveal
Title: A Most Inconvenient Wish
Author: Eileen Richards
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Publication Date: July 19, 2016
Genre: Historical Romance
Format: Ebook
The Best Laid Plans Come From The Heart…
Sophia Townsend has watched both of her sisters find love and settle into idyllic married lives. But raised to believe that her greatest purpose is to advance the family’s fortunes, Sophia has grander ambitions when it comes to choosing a husband. She’s never lacked for suitors, but now she finds herself running out of time. Her last and best hope is Lord Bateman—and she has only a few days to secure his proposal.
Ian McDonald has long been a friend of the Townsend family and has watched Sophia with amusement over the years. A Scot and sheep farmer, Ian has done well for himself, but holds little social standing. Yet just as he’s realized his love for Sophia, she has set her sights on another man. Nevertheless, Ian is determined to win her. He a bold plan in mind, but when he and Sophia encounter one another at the legendary Fairy Steps, a most inconvenient wish is accidentally made—and neither could possibly guess the happy outcome…
Eileen Richards has been writing for most of her life. Poetry, totally inappropriate answers to essay questions in school, and interesting error codes during her 30 year IT career has prepared for the manic world of publishing.
She writes sassy regency romps set in the small villages of England where the rules are bent a bit and gossip rules the day.
Eileen resides with her husband and their diva of a greyhound in North Carolina.
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December 13, 2015
How do I choose character names? How important are names in a novel anyway?
Anyone who knew me while I was practicing law will know that I’m just a tiny bit anal. And those who served with me when I was pretending to be G.I. Jane in my years in the U.S. Army will understand that I’m just a teensy bit obsessed with details. Even those who visited my B&B and were exposed to my detailed instructions for using the coffee machine – in three languages – possibly understands that I’m a stickler for detail. It’s probably not too much of a surprise then to learn that I’m just as obsessed with details in my novels. I even try to make character names sound authentic.
So, how do I come up with authentic character names, then? The first part’s easy. I just think of a name that in my mind matches the character. The manuscript I’m currently working on has a leading character who is sexy as all get out but a bit on the chubby side. When coming up with her name, I remembered a popular television character and voilà – her name was chosen. But I don’t stop there. It’s not enough that the character’s name matches in my head with her character. It also needs to meet society ideals and be historically accurate. Huh?
Society ideals. My husband claims that all the male characters in my novels are hot men. Well, yeah, that’s the idea. It’s not enough that I think their names are hot as well. I actually go online and research what other people think are hot names. Luckily, there are plenty of websites out there that have done the work for me already.
Historically accurate. There are several elderly ladies who have starring roles in my Gray-Haired Knitting Detective series. I initially just used names of my grandma and great aunts and their friends. But I don’t stop there. I also check to see if the names I’ve chosen were actually popular at the time period in which the character was born. You can’t have an American lady in her 80s running around being called Brooklyn since the name wasn’t popular at all until a certain football (that’s soccer for you Americans!) named his child Brooklyn.
Authentic. In addition to ensuring that a name is historically accurate, it has to be authentic as well. What the heck do I mean by that? My historical novel, Buried Appearances, has several flashbacks to the Netherlands during WWII. At that time, it was normal that a child’s name was dependent upon the parents’ religion. Certain names were used by Protestants, others by Catholics, and still others by Jews. Since religion is an integral part of the novel, I checked to make sure I chose names, which matched with the religion of the character.
Locality. First names in the U.S. are no longer linked to locality, but last names often still are. For example, there are certain parts of Wisconsin where Swiss names are predominant, but if you go more North in the state then Scandinavian names are more widespread. Although this isn’t often important for the story itself, I do tend to look at these issues as well (anal, remember?).
And you thought I just sat behind my computer all day merely making stuff up?
Perfect Ruin ~ Nashoda Rose ~ Review
Book Title: Perfect Ruin (Unyielding Book Two)
Author: Nashoda Rose
Genre: Erotic Romance
Release Date: December 14, 2015
Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions
The New York Times Best Selling author Nashoda Rose is back with the much anticipated story of Kai and London in the Unyielding series.
Kai
There is nothing I care about.
No attachments.
No connections.
Outwardly, I’m a perfect gentleman.
Until my target sees my knife.
I fear nothing, not even death.
In my world, death is considered a privilege.
But my life comes with unbreakable cruel strings and
when I met her, I should’ve walked away.
I didn’t.
I was too selfish.
And that sealed her fate.
Because one week with me led her into the hands of ruin.
London
We all have unique layers that make up who we are.
What makes us vulnerable or strong.
What we fear and what excites us.
But peel back those layers and you’re left naked and exposed.
They did that to me.
Each piece was slowly stripped away then burned.
I merely existed.
But there was one layer they overlooked.
The most important of them all—the tie to one man.
The man responsible for me being this way.
The man who found me.
And the killer who would do anything to protect me.
Perfect Ruin is the dark erotic story of Kai and London.
Their beginning.
And the continuing story of Vault.
Must be read in order:
Perfect Chaos (Unyielding, #1) Deck and Georgie
Perfect Ruin (Unyielding, #2) Kai and London
Perfect Rage (Unyielding, #3) Connor’s story
~ My Review ~
I loved the first book in the Unyielding series and already had Perfect Ruin on my TBR when the opportunity to review came around. Yes! Although Perfect Ruin is part of a series and there is definitely an underlying theme to the entire series, Rose does a good job of reminding forgetful readers of important details in the first book so that the store is easy to follow. No information dumps here! I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this book to a reader who hasn’t read Perfect Chaos (although I don’t know why you’d want to skip reading Chaos’ story).
Let’s talk about Kai. I really, really didn’t like Kai in Perfect Chaos. I was afraid the jerk was going to ruin this book for me! Well, let me tell you, I fell in love with Kai. Rose started the book out perfectly as well. We immediately see that Kai is willing to do ANYTHING for London. *Swoons* Initially, I didn’t get the whole attraction to London thing. I could take or leave her. But when she has to fight back, she starts to rock. I didn’t like her as much as Chaos (from Perfect Chaos) but I did grow to respect her.
I love that the back story to the Unyielding series is so in depth. It’s an entire world most people cannot imagine. Does such a world exist? Are we all naïve in not knowing what’s going on in the world? Despite this back story, each couple gets their own HEA in each book. I really like these types of series.
Perfect Ruin was well written, well edited (which seems to be such a rarity these days), and just plain well-rounded. I’d recommend the book to anyone who likes romantic suspense with a hot anti-hero who will make you pant.
Nashoda Rose is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who lives in Toronto with her assortment of pets. She writes contemporary romance with a splash of darkness, or maybe it’s a tidal wave.
When she isn’t writing, she can be found sitting in a field reading with her dogs at her side while her horses graze nearby. She loves interacting with her readers and chatting about her addiction—books.
On SALE for just 99¢ (for a limited time)
December 12, 2015
Dragon’s Heir by Kandi J. Wyatt
Dragon’s Heir by Kandi J. Wyatt
In the ten winters since Kyanos was defeated, Rider Braidyn and his dragon, Turqueso, have made a place for themselves in the sleepy Boeskay colony. But when two nestlings are stolen from the hatchling cave, Braidyn’s sense of justice leads him on a quest to find the person responsible.
After recovering one nestling, Braidyn recruits his old friends Ruskya and Carryl to help. The friends travel to a faraway desert colony where they find a group of riders with different customs, and meet a beautiful young woman who could be the key to finding the missing nestling. Can Braidyn learn to temper justice with mercy, or will he risk losing everything?
Journey along in this exciting fantasy world in the spellbinding second installment of the Dragon Courage series, Dragon’s Heir, by Kandi J Wyatt.
~ Excerpt ~
Two hands gently lifted the hood off to reveal a beautiful young woman with almost black eyes. Her hands shook slightly as she let the hood fall back to reveal long, black locks of hair that cascaded down her back. The deed was done. She couldn’t go back on her decision now. It was out of her hands.
Her father would have to accept her now. Even if he went back on his word again, she could provide the family with another dragon. She closed her eyes and imagined the look of surprise on his face.
“Daughter, how did you do this?” he would say.
She would reply, “It was simple really, Ahbah.”
With amazement in his eyes, her father would take her and accept her as part of the clan. No longer would she be an outcast; she would truly be an Agamid.
Author Kandi J. Wyatt
Kandi J Wyatt is a wife, mother of five, teacher, artist, and author. In her free time, she enjoys writing fantasy stories and Christmas programs, and drawing with graphite and colored pencils. Portraits are her specialty. Kandi also enjoys photography, thanks to her photographer husband who has let her join his journey as both his model and apprentice, and she occasionally serves as his assistant when he needs a “light stand with feet.”
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 12/29/15
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 and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
December 11, 2015
The Lightening Round by Bruce Stewart
Title: The Lightening Round
Author: Bruce Stewart
Published: November 1, 2015
Genre: Literary / Women’s Fiction
~ Synopsis ~
Did you ever wonder what it’s like to dare to fall in love with someone who literally isn’t on your level?
The Lightening Round is a fast-paced novel brimming with colorful characters, sinister plots of intrigue and revenge, and over-the-top antics.
Hannah More, a single mom with weight issues, assumes that her longtime boyfriend, Luke Havitt, is about to propose marriage to her. Instead, he proposes that in order for Hannah to take their relationship to the next level, that she needs to join a gym and to lose weight. Hannah soon finds herself entering the Ultimate Level, a highly controversial yet incredibly sought after San Francisco “fitness experience” known for not only having the latest in technology and fashion, but also segregating all of its members based solely on their weight and fitness levels.
This snappy novel ultimately questions whether true love can survive two individuals from different levels. Even if those levels are only found at a gym.
~ Excerpt ~
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Tonight out with Luke, I ate like a bird.” Hannah and Levreece both dusted off her filthy pink satin gown as they caught their breath on a bench fifty feet from where they had first started their journey.
“Aiya.” Levreece blurted out a Mandarin expression for Oh, My God. He looked straight into Hannah’s bloodshot eyes. “Hannah, Lady Love. Your To Go bag survived the crash—kinda like one of those black boxes they have on airplanes. And, you know, I took the liberty of poking around inside it. Well, let me tell you, girlfriend. From what I saw in that there bag, the only bird you ate like tonight was one of those Raptors hanging around inside the Jurassic Park. The ones that can polish off a whole cow in a single serving and then they’re on to the really big eats.”
“I’m going to lose him.” Hannah put her face in her hands.
“And that’s a bad thing? Losing Luke Havitt is like finding out that a swarm of locusts that had been camping out in your apartment has finally gotten pissed off ‘cause you didn’t feed ‘em well enough and decided to move in with your nasty nosy neighbor across the hall. This guy’s a complete user. He’d steal the gold fillings out of his own mother’s teeth and sell ‘em back to her. And as a man who likes other men, I can’t for the life of me see what turns you on about this whiter-than-white airbrushed airhead with literally no ass. I swear when I look at him from behind I can’t tell where his back ends and his legs begin. Couldn’t you at least land a dude with some booty?” He jokingly stood up and wiggled his large behind.
The edges of Hannah’s mouth initially turned up from her friend’s humorous motions, but she quickly allowed her smile to fall to the ground as reality set in. “You’re one of my best friends in the whole world, Levreece. Please help me.”
~ About the Author ~
Bruce Stuart is the founder of five previous books and is the founder of the popular serial fiction website, SerialTeller.com. The Lightening Round was previously seen in part as a serial on SerialTeller.com under the pseudonym K.T. Newman. Bruce lives and works in San Francisco.
Book Blast ~ Sabotage by Bryan Koepke
We’re happy to be hosting Bryan Koepke and his SABOTAGE Book Blast today!
Title: Sabotage
Author: Bryan Koepke
Publisher: Writers Cabin Press, Ltd.
Pages: 316
Genre: Thriller
Reece Culver and his friend Haisley Averton travel to Scotland with only one thing on their minds – fishing. After witnessing an automobile accident involving a freelance journalist they quickly realize that something far greater than a crash caused his SUV to sink into the frigid waters of the North Atlantic.
With increasing curiosity, Reece inserts himself into the complicated life of Marie Rhodes who is in the middle of her own crises as she watches her 20-year marriage crumble.
Realizing that they’ll never make it out fishing, Haisley uses his skills in computer forensics to find out who hacked into Karl Rhodes’ office computer at Draecon International and made it appear that he’d remotely accessed the dead journalists laptop. As Haisley combs through logs on the chief of strategy’s computer he stumbles upon an even bigger plot involving a secret drone factory somewhere in the United Kingdom, what looks like funds being embezzled out of Draecon International, and a plot that threatens the national security of the U.K.
Reece spends increasingly greater amounts of time with Marie Rhodes trying to learn what she knows and soon finds that he can’t resist the temptation of falling in love with the woman of his dreams. But as things heat up he questions her true motives.
When Karl Rhodes’ executive secretary is found dead Reece agrees to protect Marie’s soon to be ex-husband Karl. In a tricky game of cat and mouse Reece travels the globe as he tries to keep Marie, her husband, and Karl’s mistress out of harms way, and unknowingly puts himself directly into the crosshairs of a hired assassin.
For More Information
Sabotage is available at Amazon.
Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.
Book Excerpt:
Saturday June 8, 2013
Julian had been told the target would be traveling south along the coastal road. With a practiced hand he pivoted the stock of the Russian-made sniper rifle on its black steel swivel mount atop the bipod legs and aimed toward the highway below. The SUV would be passing right through his sight . . . there. A chilly breeze blew through the tent, rippling the damp cotton shirt that lay molded to his back. He wasn’t nervous, but he did tend to sweat as the killing hour approached. He regarded the unpleasant sensation as just part of the job. It wasn’t like anyone would ever find out.
Peering through the custom-made rifle scope, he adjusted the magnification between his thumb and index finger, zooming in on the worn white strands of the highway’s center line several hundred yards below. As he rotated the knob back out, he spotted the farthest flag he’d placed in the branches of a nearby tree. The strip of white plastic barely fluttered, telling him the wind was calm.
His square unshaven chin pressed firmly against the cold black stock of the Dragunov SVD, and he pushed upward, seating the steel magazine that housed multiple 7N1 steel-core sniper rounds. With its 151-grain projectile and velocity of 830 meters per second, it was perfect for this type of work.
A rifle was the best—precise, anonymous, and decisive. He ran the shot through his mind one more time. Envision what you want to have happen. He’d read about that in an e-zine, and he adopted it as part of his preparations, even though it was supposed to be part of his ten-year life plan. He didn’t need any plan. In ten years he’d be rich and retired on a private island in the Caribbean.
The tracking device he’d stuck under the rear bumper would tell him when the SUV was near. It would approach on its way south toward the city of Talbert. He’d picked the perfect spot. The narrow Scottish road curved left around a large hill, and the vast expanse of the North Atlantic Ocean spread beyond the guardrail.
Confirm the license plate BV-061-EK, lead the target, and pan upward to the windshield. He’d draw a bead on the man’s head, squeeze the trigger, and watch as the windshield filled with a fine red mist. He’d envisioned the heavy vehicle veering sideways and crashing through the flimsy rusted guardrail before plunging into the depths of the sea. The driver would be dead before he realized how freezing cold that water was.
As the assassin waited patiently enduring the wet chill that reminded him of his home on Bainbridge Island, he monitored the moving red dot on his cell phone. A young woman with a yellow scarf drove past in her blue Volvo sedan. His stomach growled, and he remembered the bacon he’d had at the inn. The slabs were thick and cooked only in patches. Typical British cuisine.
The dot was rapidly approaching, and he shifted his attention to a silver Nissan Pathfinder rapidly making its way up the road. It carried two occupants. Damn it, he thought as a maroon BMW X5 came around the corner. The Pathfinder would pass in front just as the BMW entered his field of fire.
He could feel a drop of sweat rolling down the knobs of his spine. He zeroed in the rifle scope on the BMW windshield. The cross hairs remained steady as the SUV slowed to make the curve. He saw the Pathfinder pass through in a blur. He had a split second of clearance as he squeezed the trigger. The windshield misted red and flashed beyond his line of sight.
About the Author
Bryan Koepke lives in the United States with his wife and dog. He grew up in the midwest, settled in Arizona, and then twenty years ago made his way north to Colorado. He’s a private pilot, Electrical Engineering Technician, and since 2009 has been employed as a Financial Analyst. Bryan has always had an interest in writing. He wrote his first stories at the age of 7. He started writing thrillers in 2010, and published his first book in 2014.
He holds an FAA Airframe & Powerplant Mechanic’s license, Pilot’s license, and has a BS in Finance. He’s also taken multiple graduate level engineering classes. His many hobbies include hiking, fishing, skiing, and travel. He’s an avid reader and enjoys watching television shows like 24, Homeland, Breaking Bad, The Blacklist, and Ray Donovan.
His latest book is the thriller, Sabotage.
For More Information
Visit Bryan Koepke’s website.
Connect with Bryan on Facebook and Twitter.
Find out more about Bryan at Goodreads.
Release Event ~ Vertical Lines by Kristen Kehoe
Welcome to the release event for Vertical Lines by Kristen Kehoe! Vertical Lines is a new adult contemporary and is now available for sale on Amazon.
About the Book:
An artist and a smart girl.
A staid family and a broken one.
She’s adorably literal; he’s big and quietly emotional.
Jordana Richards was determined to make the best of her post high school life, despite the fact that nothing about her current college experience was of her choosing: not the school or the major, and definitely not the place. But it wasn’t home, so that’s something. Yet, the harder she tried to fit in, the less she felt like she did.
Until the night she said screw it.
Until the night she walked out on her parents and bought her very own piece of cake.
The same night she met Brooklyn Novak: brooding artist, huge man, overall scary human being who took a keen interest in her.
Brooklyn was out of ideas. He had no art, because really, his subjects had no soul. When the girl at the convenience store clicked her way into his life on five hundred dollar shoes and the fumes of a tantrum, this changed. Jordana Richards: the rich girl with a mission who gave Brooklyn the spark he needed to create again.
Uncomfortable with their attraction, Brooks and Jordan strike a deal: he’ll help her have fun, she’ll be his muse for as long as he needs. Simple.
Yeah right.
The more time they spend together, the more both of them realize that what started out as a convenient relationship is now transitioning to vital, and neither knows how to deal with it.
When a truth comes to light that has the potential to break both of their worlds, Jordan and Brooks have to decide how deep their feelings really go, and just how much they are willing to sacrifice in order to be together.
Amazon | Goodreads
About the Author:
Mom, Wife, Coffee Addict, and Book Lover
I am a writer of YA/NA contemporary novels. I write about those crazy ages of 18-23 because there is nothing scarier than being told to grow up and decide what to do with your life and who to be so suddenly. I write about love because it’s my belief that love, in one form or another, saves us all at some point in our lives. I am married to a man who understands and believes in me, and mother to a beautiful baby girl and a neurotic Great Dane Puppy.
Website | Facebook | Twitter
GIVEAWAY:
Stella and Dot Tourmaline Necklace (US)
Ends Jan. 5th
Prizing provided by the author, hosts are not responsible. Must be 13 or older to enter and have parental permission if under 17. Void where prohibited. No purchase necessary to win.
This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.
