Nightmares and Dreamscapes discussion
This topic is about
Seeing Evil
2023 Featured Authors Archives
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Jason Parent - Featured Author - Seeing Evil - April 1, 2023 - April 30, 2023
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Count me in, please! :)
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You are counted! :)
Sounds awesome, I’m in! Thank you Jason.(Sorry, I’m not good at this stuff. How do I send him a private message?)
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(Sorry, I’m not good at this stuff. How do I send him a private message?)"
If you click on the link up in the main post it will take you to his author page - once you get there - under his picture you will see a button where you can follow him - next to the button is a down button - click on that and you will get a drop down box - in the box you will see something that says "send message". Click on that and it will open up the messages where you can send a message. :) Hope that helps. However that is the pc/laptop instructions.
If you are on the phone app and you bring up his author profile page there is something on there that says "more" if you click that a small box appears and in the box you will see "message". :)
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You are welcome! :)
Happy to be part of this and excited to hear what you all think - good, bad and/or ugly. It’s all good. I can take it. :). What are you all reading now? I am just finishing Black Mouth by Ronald Malfi.
Jason wrote: "Happy to be part of this and excited to hear what you all think - good, bad and/or ugly. It’s all good. I can take it. :). What are you all reading now? I am just finishing Black Mouth by Ronald ..."
Oh, Black Mouth (and several other Malfi books) are high up on my TBR for this year. I started the year off with Bone White and fell in love with his writing! Right now I'm reading a nonfiction, Code Talker: The First and Only Memoir By One of the Original Navajo Code Talkers of WWII by Chester Nez; and a collection of short stories by Max Booth III called Abnormal Statistics, which is expected to be released in just a few short days.
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What are you all reading now? I am just finishing Black Mouth by Ronald ..."
Hey Jason! :) So happy that you could be with us this month!
What is that you were saying about "ugly"?! lol That word doesn't exist in my vocabulary for your books! :) I have always liked books I have read by you! Your book "They Feed" is what started my Parent collection. :)
It has been awhile since I read Malfi though I have a couple of his books on my kindle that I need to get to with one of those being his book Snow. I have heard good things about that one. I have Black Mouth on my tbr as well.
I am reading this one at the moment: The Cursed Among Us by John Durgin which is really good and creepy. Just finished this one today: Through the Surface by Juliet Rose which was an excellent occult/demonic story.
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What are you all reading now? I am just finishing Black Mouth by Ronald ..."
I'm reading lots at once right now! Chasing Ghosts by Justin Boote, The Briars by Stephanie Parent, Five Demons: An Occult Detective Novel by Marc Layton and I have a beta that I'm needing to get done on a novella by Mia Dalia. Send snackies!!!
Well I needed a next book and since Jason sent me this one (thank you for that!) it was at the top of my kindle list so I started it last night. Already totally sucked in and loving the writing. Can’t wait to see what happens!
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Awesome Anne! :) I am going to be jumping in later this week. :)
Marie wrote: "Anne wrote: "Well I needed a next book and since Jason sent me this one (thank you for that!) it was at the top of my kindle list so I started it last night. Already totally sucked in and loving th..."Glad you’ll be jumping right in with me!
I’m a little past 50% and I have to make myself stop to go to bed. I can already see that a series makes sense and I look forward to reading more about these characters. I’m having trouble adding spoilers, don’t know what I’m doing wrong.
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Glad you’ll be jumping right in with me!"
I did jump - late last night and now I am up to 34%! lol :) I am having a hard time putting this one down! :)
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I will send you a pm and see if I can help with that on the spoiler code. :)
Marie wrote: "Anne wrote: "I’m a little past 50% and I have to make myself stop to go to bed. I can already see that a series makes sense and I look forward to reading more about these characters. I’m having tro..."Thanks! And I’m really liking this one!
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[spoilers removed]
(Yesss! Got it!)"
Awesome! Happy to help! :)
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How did this story come about?
I am already caught up in the story and love this story concept (view spoiler)
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Hey, this is pretty cool! I'll be reading via Kindle Unlimited, but it's super nice that Jason is offering his book gratis to group read participants. This will be my first read by the author, so I'm excited to try out a new-to-me author!I'm also pretty happy to see, as a fellow corgi parent, that Jason has a cuddly Corgi, Calypso!
Great, I‘m in! Since my kindle copy is waiting to be read for so long now (which I must shamefully admit), this is the perfect opportunity to start reading. Just re-read the summary and wonder why I haven‘t read it already…Currently I read The Bottoms which is great so far and should be finished just in time to start with this group read.
Also reading Things We Never Got Over which is fun to listen to while doing boring house work or driving. I usually read two or three books at once, depending on time, place and format.
Well I really couldn’t put it down and I finished last night. Phew, great read! (view spoiler) I thought the characters were well developed and I look forward to reading more of them. I’m interested to know more about Sam and her past. Jason, you really created an evil guy! (view spoiler)
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Wow! You flew through that book! lol It is addicting as I read some of it last night. :)
Theresa Wants to Read ALL the Books wrote: "Jason wrote: "Happy to be part of this and excited to hear what you all think - good, bad and/or ugly. It’s all good. I can take it. :). What are you all reading now? I am just finishing Black Mo..."
Black Mouth was fantastic, and I met Ronald Malfi this weekend at AuthorCon II - such a good guy as well. Looking forward to my next Malfi read.
Marie wrote: "Jason wrote: "Happy to be part of this and excited to hear what you all think - good, bad and/or ugly. It’s all good. I can take it. :). What are you all reading now? I am just finishing Black Mo..."
I also met John Durgin this weekend. That Cursed Among Us Cover is fantastic, but I picked up Inside the Devil's Nest
Sally wrote: "Jason wrote: "Happy to be part of this and excited to hear what you all think - good, bad and/or ugly. It’s all good. I can take it. :). What are you all reading now? I am just finishing Black Mo..."
Stephanie Parent? No relation, lol... I don't think
Marie wrote: "I have a question Jason. How did this story come about?
I am already caught up in the story and love this story concept [spoilers removed]"
I was a huge fan of The Dead Zone when growing up, but Johnny Smith didn't have any psychic abilities as a kid. So I started thinking about what kind of pressures he would have faced had he been a kid learning to live with his blessing/curse. Some impressionable, malleable. It isn't really a question that someone would exploit him? But how could he know who would use him? How could he even trust those that supposedly care for him? Would he keep himself separate and apart, or find a normal life with intimacy and trust? If you've ever felt like an outsider, and we all have at one time or another, it's easy to identify with him.
As for Sam, I was hoping to develop a strong female lead, with perhaps ambition and being walled up as her flaws, at least at the start. As their relationship grows, the two of them (hopefully) grow as well.
I write so many terrible people into my books that I wanted to good but far-from-perfect protagonists who want to walk the right path but sometimes stumble along the way.
Netanella wrote: "Hey, this is pretty cool! I'll be reading via Kindle Unlimited, but it's super nice that Jason is offering his book gratis to group read participants. This will be my first read by the author, so I..."Calypso passed away unfortunately, but she lived nearly 15 years. I do still have a corgi, Dakota, and a mini Aussie named Ryder. They are the loves of my life.
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How did this story come about?
I am already caught up in the story and love this story concept [spoilers removed]"
I was a huge fan of The Dead Zone when..."
Thank you for explaining the story concept. :) I love the characters in this book. I love Sam's character and how she is a "go-getter". The villain (view spoiler)
I am really digging this story - up to 81% now as I can hardly put it down! I have book two ready to go when I finish this book.
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Did you have to do a lot of research with the police procedural within this book and series?
I read some more during the night - getting closer to the end. Up to around 90% now. Planning on finishing it up today and jumping into the sequel. :)
Marie wrote: "Another question Jason. Did you have to do a lot of research with the police procedural within this book and series?
Yes, actually. So... not a lot of people know this, but... I started out my legal career interning as a Public Defender in Orlando. The Casey Anthony trial took place in the same court rooms I worked in just after I left. I have extensive legal experience from there, having practiced law for many years. So I have to chuckle a bit when I read something in a review about how I have no understanding of the law - keep in mind, i try to make it as authentic as possible, and what people see on TV just isn't remotely authentic. It's funny though - I never really fully used by legal background until my tenth novel, Unbalanced, which is in part a legal thriller and which takes place in the same universe as the Cycle of Evil trilogy. Same police department, different detective, though there are Easter eggs. What Hides Within , Victoria, and A Life Removed all take place in the same universe, too. You definitely do not have to read A Life Removed (takes place at least a decade prior) before reading Speaking Evil, but you may not want to read them in reverse, lol.
So my scattered brain took me off on several tangents there, but to answer you more directly - I engaged a couple of officers and a couple of correctional officers throughout the series. But of course, I took some artistic liberties, and in a few cases, may have gotten something wrong. I am always looking for officers who wouldn't mind serving as resources (if anybody knows any). Same goes for doctors, medical examiners, and practicing serial killers.
That brings up a question I have for the group or those who feel comfortable answering - and you should know I value both your praise and your criticism - but perhaps the biggest criticism about the book I have received or noticed is (view spoiler)
I just read one of the reviews from this group, and this character trait and The Dead Zone vibe were reasons why it didn't work for this person. I only comment because of the coincidence. If you are still following the group, I thank you for giving my book a try and for reviewing!
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Did you have to do a lot of research with the police procedural within this book and series?
Yes, actually. So... not a lot of people know this, but... I s..."
Even for a fiction story I can feel the authentic legal aspects coming off the pages of this book as that is why I asked you the question as I had a feeling that you did quite a bit of research.
I did know sort of that you use to be a lawyer as it is stated on your Goodreads profile that you use to do civil litigation. I think it is awesome when authors write stories wrapped around jobs that they have done in their lives.
As far as your question in the spoiler - my answer would be this:
(view spoiler)
Thank you for the detailed answer Jason. :)
Jason wrote: "Marie wrote: "Another question Jason. Did you have to do a lot of research with the police procedural within this book and series?
Yes, actually. So... not a lot of people know this, but... I s..."
Thanks for being here @Jason. I have to admit that I did think about the question you asked. My take (view spoiler)
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My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Marie wrote: "Jason wrote: "Marie wrote: "Another question Jason. Did you have to do a lot of research with the police procedural within this book and series?
Yes, actually. So... not a lot of people know th..."
I loved Minority Report! I believe one of the moral questions there was the probability that the crime would still have occurred if not prevented by good ol' Tom Cruise - people being sentenced without ever actually having committed a crime. I didn't really explore that in my series, but it is interesting and provokes all sorts of ideas... ;)
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Thanks to Easter holidays I was able to read/listen a lot and thus already finished Seeing Evil - and also because of the suspenseful story, of course :)Though the idea of 'Seeing Evil' seemed familiar, I couldn't name a special book or movie I was reminded of. Dead Zone - that was so long ago, but yes, of course I remember that one...
I appreciated the depth with which the characters were drawn. Even with the more brutal scenes I was more focussed on the people themselves than their deeds, if that makes sense.
Tessas father was a great specimen of a sick pychopath - at some point I even wondered if Tessa was so damaged that she would finally follow in his footsteps (and possibly become the next part's villain).
While I did not sympathize with Sam all the time, I respected her for her motives and why she overstepped legal boundaries and brought Michael with her. To have such a gift at your hands but not be allowed to use it - that must have been torture for Sam so I could understand why she did what she did. Especially while knowing a suspect was guilty.
Michael was thrown into cold water with his power, and I felt for him when he had those awful visions. But I also wanted to slap him over the head at times because of his almost childish reactions. After seeing what Tessa would do he immediately condemned her without thinking about possible good reasons for her deed or giving Tessa any 'benefit of the doubt'.
There was a constant level of suspense that kept me glued to the pages, and I am glad I finally took up the book for reading.
Hi Marie - I really only have two projects in the works right now, both collections. The first is about to come out, my short story collection, Down in the Deep, Dark Places, which compiles 13 of my best (non-Halloween) short stories over the past decade plus (published in various anthologies) and six all-new stories. The second will be out in time for Halloween, which compiles all my Halloween short stories and adds 4 new ones to that. This will have only 10 stories but most are novelettes in length. Halloween was such a special time for me growing up, and I think my passion for it comes across in those stories, which have made many best of lists and even a preliminary ballot for Stoker consideration.
I have one other Halloween novella that won’t be part of the collection as it came out in the Dark Tides series from Crystal Lake last year. That was a brutal piece of work (trigger warnings included). But I do have a second dark tides piece coming out with William Miekle and Curtis Lawson that features Celtic Horror novellas
@Jason I’m excited about that last spoiler!
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Nightmares and Dreamscapes
Books mentioned in this topic
The Bottoms (other topics)Things We Never Got Over (other topics)
Five Demons: An Occult Detective Novel (other topics)
Chasing Ghosts (other topics)
The Briars (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Mia Dalia (other topics)Marc Layton (other topics)
Justin Boote (other topics)
Stephanie Parent (other topics)
John Durgin (other topics)
More...
Synopsis of story:
Fate in plain sight.
Major Crimes Detective Samantha Reilly prefers to work alone—she’s seen as a maverick, and she still struggles privately with the death of her partner. The only person who ever sees her softer side is Michael Turcotte, a teenager she’s known since she rescued him eleven years ago from the aftermath of his parents’ murder-suicide.
In foster care since his parents’ death, Michael is a loner who tries to fly under the bullies’ radar, but a violent assault triggers a disturbing ability to view people’s dark futures. No one believes his first vision means anything, though—not even Sam Reilly. When reality mimics his prediction, however, Sam isn’t the only one to take notice. A strange girl named Tessa Masterson asks Michael about her future, and what he sees sends him back to Sam—is Tessa victim or perpetrator?
Tessa’s tangled secrets draw Michael and Sam inexorably into a deadly conflict. Sam relies on Michael, but his only advantage is the visions he never asked for. As they track a cold and calculating killer, one misstep could turn the hunters into prey.
Goodreads Author Profile link of Jason Parent:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Something special for the members who join this read.
Author, Jason Parent has offered to provide members with free ebook copies of the book that would be gifted through Amazon and to also have a giveaway for signed copies of his book, Seeing Evil for the members that participate in the read. :)
An announcement for the members - please send author, Jason Parent a message through his author profile on here your email address so that he can gift you the ebook. He will only use your email for sending the book.
Please welcome, author, Jason Parent!