Today we have author Emily Kimelman visiting. Welcome!
What would you like to tell readers about yourself?
* Emily Kimelman is the author of the best-selling Sydney Rye Series including UNLEASHED, DEATH IN THE DARK, INSATIABLE, STRINGS OF GLASS, THE DEVIL'S BREATH and INVITING FIRE. This series feature a strong female protagonist and her canine best friend, Blue. It is recommended for the 18+ who enjoy some violence, don't mind dirty language, and are up for a dash of sex. Not to mention an awesome, rollicking good mystery!
* Emily splits her time between the Hudson Valley and traveling the world with her husband and dog, Kinsey (named after Sue Grafton's Kinsey Milhone), researching exciting locations for the Sydney Rye Series. You can follow along on their adventures through Instagram, Facebook, and on Emily's blog.
* The first book in the Sydney Rye series, UNLEASHED, is available as a free download on all major ebook retailers.
* If you've read Emily's work, and enjoyed it, please let her know. You can reach Emily via the links at the bottom of the post.
What are you going to tell us about today?
* My story Inviting Fire.
* Vigilante crime mystery with a dash of romance, early readers call INVITING FIRE “Excellent”
* Emily Kimelman's best-selling Sydney Rye series feature a strong female protagonist and her canine best friend, Blue. It is recommended for the 18+ who enjoy some violence, don't mind dirty language, and are up for a dash of sex. Not to mention an awesome mystery with tons of action that will keep you reading late into the night!
* New to Sydney Rye? The first book in the series, UNLEASHED, is FREE.
* The Sydney Rye Series:
* UNLEASHED (A Sydney Rye Novel, #1)
* DEATH IN THE DARK (A Sydney Rye Novella, #2)
* INSATIABLE (A Sydney Rye Novel, #3)
* STRINGS OF GLASS (A Sydney Rye Novel, #4)
* THE DEVIL'S BREATH (A Sydney Rye Novel, #5)
* INVITING FIRE (A Sydney Rye Novel, #6)
A look into the story
~ Blurb ~
* Recovering from a near fatal attack that has left her with residual trauma, including haunting dreams and flashbacks, Sydney Rye is regaining her strength at the jungle training camp of Joyful Justice, the vigilante network inspired by her now legendary acts of vengeance. However, when a routine reconnaissance mission goes horribly wrong Sydney Rye looses the trust of the leadership of Joyful Justice.
* Her good friend and trainer, Merl, warns that if she wants to be in the action she’ll have to follow orders like everyone else. Never good with authority, Sydney struggles to suppress her independent streak for the greater good.
* When she runs up against an old adversary he blows apart everything she has gained. With her and Blue’s lives at stake, as well as the future of Joyful Justice, Sydney must push aside her fears and take a leadership role before it's too late.
~ Excerpt ~
* Blue barked and I knew the man was still alive and coming my way. My eyes were stinging from the smoke and the sweat. My thighs burned from crouching and my right arm throbbed from its wounds. I thought I heard him moving away from me. Maybe he was just trying to escape. It was possible the man didn't want to face me. I stayed still, waiting to see him. Then I heard Blue growl, a body hit the ground. A gun went off. I was flying toward the sound. My fear for Blue stronger than any other instinct.
* There was movement in the grasses ahead and I was suddenly upon them. Blue had the man's arm in his mouth. The gun pointed in my direction. The man was wailing at Blue's body with his free fist, grunting with the effort. The man spotted me and was about to pull the trigger when I brought my machete down onto his wrist, almost severing his hand. Blood spurted out of the wound and I felt it land, warm and wet, on my hands and forearms. Droplets splattered my cheeks and forehead. He screamed, piercing and hardly human.
* Blue held onto his forearm as the man struggled. His face was growing paler. His blood soaked into the dust. I walked up to the man and aimed my gun at his forehead. He went to speak but I pulled the trigger. The bang was loud. His eyes were open, the wound between them oozing blood slower than the severed hand.
Buy Emily Kimelman's books here...
Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes
Find Emily Kimelman here...
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter | eMail
Thank you for joining us here today, Emily Kimelman! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your story.
ANNOUNCEMENT! Emily will be awarding 8 separate prizes to randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour: a Sydney Rye coffee mug, a $25 Amazon or B/N GC, 2 signed paperback copies of Unleashed, 2 personalized letters from author Emily Kimelman and 2 audiobook copies of Unleashed! So be sure to use the Rafflecopter below. Also, visit the other tour stops (find them here: goddessfishpromotions-blurb-blitz-inviting-fire) for a greater chance of winning!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Those who know me know I'm an eclectic writer and reader, and along with romance, I love a dark, gritty read whether it comes in the form of horror, mystery, suspense, etc. I'm sure I'm not the only reader/writer like this, and it's one of the reasons I have guests of varying subjects visit my corner of the web.
Today I'm happy to welcome author Alan Brenham. Alan Brenham is the pseudonym of Alan Behr, an American author and attorney. He served as a law enforcement officer before earning a law degree. He worked first as a prosecutor then defense attorney for the next twenty-six years. His travels took him to several European and Middle Eastern countries, Alaska and almost every island in the Caribbean. While contracted to US military forces, he resided in Berlin, Germany for a few years. Alan and his wife, Lillian, currently live in the Austin, Texas area. He has authored two crime fiction books, Price of Justice and Cornered, and is working on a third titled Rampage.
So, Alan, what inspired you to become a writer?
* Inspiration came from a few different sources - the first being my experiences as a police officer and from cases I prosecuted or defended as an attorney. Police report writing about offenses was like drafting a non-fictional account of an event. As an attorney in a jury trial, a story had to be told to the jury using facts gleaned from testimony and exhibits. The next would be from the knowledge
that other attorneys, such as David Baldacci and John Grisham, left law careers to write fiction. Reading novels by the former LA Times police beat writer, Michael Connelly, also inspired me.
* But the better question is who inspired me and the answer is my wife. She is my biggest supporter and cheerleader, encouraging me daily to write fiction.
When did you attempt your first story? What length was it? What's become of it?
* My first fiction writing experience happened in 2010. It was a novel-length story that ended up buried deep inside a box stored under a stack of boxes in the garage, never to see the light of day.
How many stories did you complete before you sold your first?
* In addition to the above attempt, I made a second effort at a fiction novel that’s sitting on a shelf. I may revise it and offer it for publication sometime in the future.
What are the best and worst pieces of writing advice you ever received?
* The best piece: Write the first draft out to completion. Read it through without doing any revisions. Once done, go back through it and revise until the manuscript is as perfect as you can get it.
* The worst piece: Write your novel without an outline or character profiles. Basically you’re writing by the seat of your pants with no complete idea who your characters really are.
The book you’re promoting, is it a stand-alone story or part of a series? If it’s part of a series, please list the order the books need to be read in for maximum reading enjoyment.
* Price of Justice is the first book in a series about Detective Jason Scarsdale and attorney Dani Mueller. The second book in the series is titled Rampage and is being written now.
What sparked the idea for the story/series?
* The core idea for Price of Justice arose from three cases I worked as a police officer and as an attorney. When I was a police officer, I caught an adult male in an alley, soliciting a teenager for sex.
* As an attorney, I represented a grandfather accused of child sexual assault. The case ended up being dismissed after the complaintant admitted to state officers that he had lied about the entire matter. The other case involved a pedophile who molested a very young girl.
*** Now for some fun info… ***
Would you/have you own(ed) a snake or some other exotic pet?
* The only exotic pet I ever owned/raised was a baby raccoon. He’d lay on his back, holding the small baby bottle with his paws (like hands) for his three daily feedings of milk.
Which do you prefer: rain or sun & warm weather or cold weather?
* I actually prefer cold weather at least for the summer months. Texas summers are like living in an over-heated sauna.
If you could live anywhere in the universe, where would it be and why?
* The best place to live, in my opinion, would be Alaska in the summer and the Garmisch area in Germany in the winter. The scenery in both locations at that time of the year is magnificent. The temperatures are tolerable and the food is great.
If you were stranded on a desert island and were only allowed to have five modern conveniences with you, what would they be?
* 1. Solar-powered phone/satellite phone; 2. A hunting rifle with a scope; 3. A solar-powered watch with day/date; 4. A solar-powered desalination unit; 5. A solar-powered lantern
*** About Alan Brenham’s book… ***
~ Blurb ~
* His focus is on solving the murders—until the unthinkable happens…
* Recently widowed, Austin Police Detective Jason Scarsdale works to solve the murders of two pedophiles, while trying to be both mother and father to his five-year-old daughter. During his investigation, Scarsdale is forced to navigate between the crosshairs of two police commanders out to get him. Drawn to Austin Police Crime Analyst, Dani Mueller, who has also suffered tragedy, Scarsdale fights both his attraction and his suspicions that something just isn’t right…
* She is hiding a secret, one that could not only cost her a job—it could end her life…
* Dani hides a deadly past. After her daughter was brutally murdered, Dani exacted her revenge then changed her name and fled to Austin. But if her secret ever gets out, she knows there is no place she can hide from the murderer’s vicious family.
* Pulled into a web of malice and deceit, Scarsdale and Dani discover the value of breaking the rules. Then just when they thought things couldn’t get worse…they do.
~ Excerpt ~
* Scarsdale trudged into the courthouse, flashing his badge so he could bypass security. He stopped at the rear of a throng of people maneuvering to get an elevator. He checked to see where the four elevators were—one was stopped on floor three, another just arrived at the fifth floor and two seemed stuck on Eight. People elbowed their way closer to the doors—even he got jostled. A distinct odor of alcohol, mixed with cheap perfume and a trace of marihuana, made him sneeze a couple of times.
* Looking around, Scarsdale didn’t recognize anyone connected with his dreaded hearing. He leaned against the wall and let his thoughts drift. The events of the past five years flashed through his mind. The wedding Marcy refused to attend. Then Charity’s funeral—the second time Marcy had seen Shannon since she was born—gushing over her granddaughter, telling Shannon how much she missed her. Scarsdale stopped outside the big wooden courtroom doors. He stared at the brass door handles. What will the judge decide?
* His heart hammered against his chest. Taking a couple of deep breaths and swallowing hard, he pulled the courtroom doors open.
***Buy Price of Justice here***
Black Opal Books | Amazon
***Find Alan Brenham here***
Website | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Google+ | Pinterest
Thank you for joining us here today, Alan Brenham! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your work.
There's a contest where Alan is awarding a $50 Amazon Gift Card to a randomly drawn commenter. (Comments on this blog do not count toward entry.) Visit the official tour stops (find them here: goddessfishpromotions-tour-price) for directions on how to enter to win.
Today we have author Lane Heymont visiting. Welcome!
What would you like to tell readers about yourself?
* Lane earned a BA in Liberal Arts with a focus on literature and history. He also holds a double minor in psychology and business. He is a literary assistant with The Seymour Agency, and also has several short stories. He is a member of the Horror Writers Association, Historical Novel Society, and International Thriller Writers.
What are you going to tell us about today?
* My story The Freedman and the Pharoah’s Staff.
A look into the story
~ Blurb ~
* Jeb, a former slave, rescues his brother-in-law Crispus from the Ku Klux Klan, only to be drawn into a world of Creole Voodoo, racism, time travel, and redemption.
* Verdiss, the leader of the Ku Klux Klan has gained possession of the Pharaoh's Staff, a magical artifact from ancient Egypt and concocted a diabolical plan far more insidious than himself.
* In the end, Jeb and Crispus must stop an entire people from eradication and each find redemption for their own past sins.
~ Excerpt ~
* Verdiss ran his fingers over the cauldron’s lips, still amazed at what he’d discovered there. He’d been studying the Oera Linda Book, a Frisian manuscript discussing the mythologies, histories, and religions of long lost civilizations. The most prominent was Thule, a land ruled by a blond, blue-eyed race far superior to mankind. Scholars placed it near Norway. The Geist Führer’s voice had called Verdiss to the grove of grim, leaning trees. He spoke of leading the world back to the glorious age when Thule dominated the world. The Geist Führer promised Verdiss those of tainted blood would be eradicated. There’d be peace among the worthy.
* “Geist Führer.” Verdiss waved his bulbous hands over the boiling water, pulling the magic from his very will. He hated performing these accursed rites, but they were a necessity. “I seek your counsel.” The wind picked up, his robes rustling. An unnatural wind. Power tingled in the air. The charge grew hotter as Verdiss came closer to contact.
* “Dear Verdiss…” came the unholy voice, seething from within the cauldron.
Buy The Freedman and the Pharoah’s Staff here...
Sunbury Press, Inc. | Amazon | B & N
Find Lane Heymont here...
Website | Twitter | Facebook
Thank you for joining us here today, Lane Heymont! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your story.
There's a contest in which Lane will be awarding a $25 Amazon Gift Card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. (Comments on this blog don't count toward it.) Please visit the official tour stops (find them here: http://goddessfishpromotions-super-book-blast) for directions on how to enter.
Like I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, those who know me know I'm an eclectic writer and reader, and along with romance, I love a dark, gritty read whether it comes in the form of horror, mystery, suspense, etc. I'm sure I'm not the only reader/writer like this, and it's one of the reasons I have guests of varying subjects visit my corner of the web. Today I'm happy to welcome back, Hawk MacKinney.
What would you like to tell readers about yourself?
* With postgraduate degrees and faculty appointments in several medical universities, Hawk MacKinney has taught graduate courses in both the United States and Jerusalem. In addition to professional articles and texts on chordate neuroembryology, Hawk has authored several works of fiction.
* Hawk began writing mysteries for his school newspaper. His works of fiction, historical love stories, science fiction and mystery-thrillers are not genre-centered, but plot-character driven, and reflect his southwest upbringing in Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma. Moccasin Trace, a historical novel nominated for the prestigious Michael Shaara Award for Excellence in Civil War Fiction and the Writers Notes Book Award, details the family bloodlines of his serial protagonist in the Craige Ingram Mystery Series… murder and mayhem with a touch of romance. Vault of Secrets, the first book in the Ingram series, was followed by Nymrod Resurrection, Blood and Gold, and The Lady of Corpsewood Manor. All have received national attention. Hawk’s latest release in the Ingram series is due out this fall with another mystery-thriller work out in 2014. The Bleikovat Event, the first volume in The Cairns of Sainctuarie science fiction series, was released in 2012.
* "Without question, Hawk is one of the most gifted and imaginative writers I have had the pleasure to represent. His reading fans have something special to look forward to in the Craige Ingram Mystery Series. Intrigue, murder, deception and conspiracy--these are the things that take Hawk's main character, Navy ex-SEAL/part-time private investigator Craige Ingram, from his South Carolina ancestral home of Moccasin Hollow to the dirty backrooms of the nation's capital and across Europe and the Middle East." ~ Barbara Casey, President of Barbara Casey Literary Agency
What book are you sharing with us today?
~ Blurb ~
* In the spacious den of Moccasin Hollow, his ancestral South Carolina home, part-time PI, exNavy SEAL Craige Ingram examines a platinum brooch designed like a dragonfly inside a jeweler’s box that he has discovered at the crime scene of Corpsewood Manor. It is a remarkable piece of art…its wings and body worked in exceptional detail. Focusing toward the expected bulbous round eyes, his suspicions jar full throttle. Instead of a head, the empty sockets of a skull leer at him. His gut feelin’s tell him his SEAL buddy Grayson MacGerald’s investigation is considerably more than arson and a double murder trying to hide the theft of classic automobiles. The smoldering rubble of secluded Corpsewood Manor leads Ingram and another of their SEAL Team, Colorado Aspen ski buddy Spinner Krespinak, into a seedy tangle of smuggling crisscrossed and an unexpected encounter with a dead assassin from one of Spinner’s “closed” cases.
~ Excerpt ~
* “You been told to stay away from Corpsewood.”
* Kenyon said, “Ain’t got no other place ‘cept them leaky sheds out behind the garage. They don’t leak much. Least before the fire I had a place to sleep. Got kicked out of my other place. They let me sleep here.”
* “I’ll just bet they let your sweet cheeks sleep-over. You’re just the kind of meat they liked to sucker in.”
* “Now I got no place, an’ nights are gettin’ colder.”
* “They the ones that hooked you on crystal?”
* “I told you. I don’t do drugs.”
* “Cut the crap…I heard all the stories. Nothing out’a your mouth ever made sense—only a bunch of your twisted whining.” Somewhere between a snarl and a chuckle, “I’m suppose to believe you never done meth,” raven-black stab of a look. “Sure…you’re clean all right except for pushing crank or whatever up your nose or stoking it in your arms,” glanced at the needle tracks on both arms. “Got a problem? Run out’a veins in your arms? Using the ones in your ankles? Clean yourself up. Wash your greasy stringy hair and get it cut. Stop acting like some fool animal that needs to be caged. Take a bath. Get a job. Quit blowing your money, you’d have a place of your own.”
* “I don’t snort crystal or Nazi dope,” Kenyon griped. “You’re like ever’body else, judging someone by the way we live.”
* “I don’t care what you’re on, but anyone fool enough to supply you is askin’ for trouble. We got enough trouble with the Corpsewood fire and that goddamn homicide Lieutenant MacGerald nosing around with his friggin’ PI SEALmate Ingram helpin’ him dig.”
Buy The Lady of Corpsewood Manor here...
Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Find Hawk MacKinney here...
Website
Thank you for joining us here today, Hawk MacKinney! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your story.
ANNOUNCEMENT! One randomly drawn commenter will win a $20 Amazon Gift Card! Comments on this blog do not count toward the contest. So be sure to visit the official tour stops (find them here: goddessfishpromotions-book-tour-lady) to comment for a chance of winning!
Today we have author Cynthia Vespia visiting. I had the pleasure of meeting this wonderful woman at a readers' conference in Las Vegas in October and am happy to host her here on my blog now. Welcome, Cynthia!
What would you like to tell readers about yourself?
* Cynthia Vespia, "The Original Cyn," has a background as a certified personal trainer; licensed private security guard; award winning video editor, and graphic designer. But the creative outlet of novel writing has always remained her first love. Today Cynthia continues to write character driven suspense and fantasy novels. With a plot pace to stir the adrenaline and keep the pages turning, Cyn likes to refer to her novels as "Real life situations that you could find yourself in but hope to God you never do." In her spare time she enjoys reading, movies that involve a strong plot/characters, and keeping active through various forms of martial arts and fitness.
What are you going to tell us about today?
* My story Lucky Sevens.
A look into the story
~ Blurb ~
* Luca “Lucky” Lucazi is a man who lives for the job, until the job starts to threaten his life. A former Navy Seal, Lucky is ideal as the head of security for Lucky Sevens Casino. But when major names at the casino start falling victim to deadly and suspicious "accidents" Lucky must fight his way through a cast of eccentric characters only Las Vegas could spawn, and his own battle with alcoholism, before his lover Brooklyn - the sweethearted stripper - becomes the next victim. But when Lucky faces off with illusionist Christopher King, endowed with real magic powers, will his luck finally run out?
~ Excerpt ~ Copyright © 2013 Cynthia Vespia All rights reserved.
* Predict, prevent and protect. The same words he’d learned as a Navy SEAL bled over into his job as head of security very well. But as Luca “Lucky” Luchazi stared down at the body of his friend and former mentor Charles Vega he didn’t feel as though he’d honored those words at all.
* More than a dozen police vehicles converged on the scene. The black and whites of Las Vegas Metro were scattered everywhere. Their flashing light bars washed everything in red drowning out the mix of neon colors that came from the casinos neighboring Lucky Sevens.
* Charles had come to Vegas in its infancy and built his empire from scratch. Even while the others came crashing down to make way for the new mega resorts with their elaborate designs and theme park style attractions, Lucky Sevens remained standing as one of the last legendary casinos on The Strip.
* Lucky had always admired the old man for remaining true to his ideals even when the casino was taking a pounding in the pocket book. Now he was nothing more than a sack of meat splattered all over the sidewalk.
* Personnel from the county coroner's office had also responded to the scene, but not soon enough. The vision of good old Charlie lying with his robe open exposing his wobbly bits to the world, and lying in a pool of his own blood, would haunt Lucky for the rest of his days. Even now as they draped him in plastic and wrapped him up tight for his last ride all Lucky could see was the blood. He’d witnessed his fair share of death during war but this time it was different. This was Charlie. He’d been like a second father to Lucky ever since he set foot in sin city. So when he overheard two Metro officers disrespecting Charles’ death with their blown out theories Lucky set them straight.
* “Hey ease up,” Lucky said walking in between the two officers. “I never thought you were the type to spread gossip, Mel.”
* Lucky had known Mel Harrison for many years. They'd done favors for each other multiple times. Harrison was the only guy on Metro that Lucky held any respect for. He'd always assumed the feeling had been mutual.
* “Sorry Lucky, I know how much Charlie meant to you.” Harrison motioned to his partner. “Get the coroner over here to finish up.”
* Harrison put a reassuring hand on Lucky's shoulder and the two officers went on about their business. Lucky let them walk. He let them scrape Charles Vega off the sidewalk like road kill. He just stood there as a blast of hot wind rolled in off the desert and struck him like a blow dryer on high speed.
* Damn weather had turned on a dime. What were they calling it? El Nino? Something Spanish – go figure. Name somewhat brought to mind hot sand beaches and girls in Brazilian cut thongs.
* There would be questions about Charlie's death, inquiries, maybe accusations but then they’d put everything to bed wrapped in a nice little bow. To the police, the papers, and the tourists (who even now posed for pictures in front of a real life Las Vegas crime scene) it would all be dusted off as just another gambling related suicide.
* For Lucky the question would gnaw at his insides for eternity.
* How could he have let this happen?
Buy Lucky Sevens here:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Find Cynthia Vespia here:
Website | Facebook | Twitter |
Amazon Author Page
Thank you for joining us here today, Cynthia Vespia! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your story.
Contest not valid on this blog but feel free to visit the goddessfishpromotions link for blogs where you can enter for the prizes. (Cynthia will be awarding an eBook copy of one of her backlist books to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, and a Grand Prize of a T-Shirt (US ONLY) to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour! So be sure to leave your name and email with your comment, visit the other tour stops (find them here: goddessfishpromotions~virtual-blurb-blitz-lucky-sevens) for a greater chance of winning!)
Today I'm happy to welcome Hawk MacKinney on my blog.
What would you like to tell readers about yourself?
* With postgraduate degrees and faculty appointments in several medical universities, Hawk MacKinney has taught graduate courses in both the United States and Jerusalem. In addition to professional articles and texts on chordate neuroembryology, Hawk has authored several works of fiction.
* Hawk began writing mysteries for his school newspaper. His works of fiction, historical love stories, science fiction and mystery-thrillers are not genre-centered, but plot-character driven, and reflect his southwest upbringing in Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma. Moccasin Trace, a historical novel nominated for the prestigious Michael Shaara Award for Excellence in Civil War Fiction and the Writers Notes Book Award, details the family bloodlines of his serial protagonist in the Craige Ingram Mystery Series… murder and mayhem with a touch of romance. Vault of Secrets, the first book in the Ingram series, was followed by Nymrod Resurrection, Blood and Gold, and The Lady of Corpsewood Manor. All have received national attention. Hawk’s latest release in the Ingram series is due out this fall with another mystery-thriller work out in 2014. The Bleikovat Event, the first volume in The Cairns of Sainctuarie science fiction series, was released in 2012.
* "Without question, Hawk is one of the most gifted and imaginative writers I have had the pleasure to represent. His reading fans have something special to look forward to in the Craige Ingram Mystery Series. Intrigue, murder, deception and conspiracy--these are the things that take Hawk's main character, Navy ex-SEAL/part-time private investigator Craige Ingram, from his South Carolina ancestral home of Moccasin Hollow to the dirty backrooms of the nation's capital and across Europe and the Middle East." ~ Barbara Casey, President of Barbara Casey Literary Agency
What book are you sharing with us today?
* My story Vault of Secrets.
A look into the story
~ Blurb ~
* Vault of Secrets is a compelling tale of intrigue, murder, deception and redemption that leads retired Navy SEAL/part-time private investigator Craige Ingram in search of the connection between seemingly random murders and a banking conspiracy. Working with the local homicide investigator, who just happens to be a former Navy buddy, Craige Ingram's attempts to protect a lonely widow and solve the case before another person dies are only thwarted by a psychotic killer whose motivation is based on pure pleasure. The instincts and skills Ingram and his buddy acquired as Navy SEALS are tested to their limits.
~ Excerpt ~
* Before the forensic team videoed the kill zone, they took painstaking wide-angle photos and close-ups, made a detailed sweep of the area, packaged possible physical evidence and tagged the zip-locks. The heavy, thick plastic body bag was zipped shut. The woman’s remains were then hoisted into the van with County Morgue stenciled on the side—slaughtered meat on a gurney. It was ready for storage and probably a pauper’s grave.
* In one desolate corner of the garage, beyond the yellow marked area and oil splotched parking slots, the two bag ladies tried to be inconspicuous, waiting where they’d been told to stay. Her drab gray-blond hair twisted into a bun, Sallie Mae Drutherferde darted distrustful glances at the clusters of police. She squinted a sky blue eye, didn’t like cops one iota, and gave a dubious, all-knowing look at Agatha Ruth. Together, the two were often pushing their rickety grocery cart with its one lopsided wheel.
* Sallie Mae asked, “A’gatha, you not gonna tell ‘em anything?” Her eyes were cocked big and round. Sallie Mae always called her A’gatha ‘cause that’s the way Agatha Ruth Hutchers said it. Didn’t matter what others said. A’gatha nervously adjusted her dumpster-discard, hairbare, blond wig twisted askance, which made her look like she was staring sidewise.
* A’gatha shook her head, “Ain’t sayin’ nuthin’ ‘bout nuthin’—‘bout no big, show-off, black see-dan automobile that pulled in here last night. Right off the bat, they’d be askin’ why we was where we didn’t supposed to be. We end up havin’ to find us another place to skitter in out of the weather. No sirree. Ain’t sayin’ nuthin’.”
* “Gonna have to find us another place anyhow,” Sallie Mae muttered as she crooked one finger to scratch her curls. “‘Sides, I didn’t hear no scuffle.”
* “Whole lot of ‘em drunk as hoot owls,” A’gatha said. “Was all set to have a wing-ding party long ‘fore they showed up here. Poor thing yonder in that amb’lance wadn’t no innocent church mouse. She was more’n willin’.” She then added with a snap of her head, “Lordy mercy. Tsk-tsk. More’n willin’ and a cagey type, too. The type who makes sure to be paid ‘fore puttin’ a foot in anyone’s big, long car. Scandalous tight dress showin’ off her wares, and a skimpy blouse didn’t hide nothin’—poochin’ out her chest for any fancy man long as they brung money. Even if she was a harlot, ain’t no bizness a ours.” Her face softened. “Ain’t tellin’ nobody nuthin’. You know how cops be.”
* “The likes a her endin’ up dead in some alley ain’t no surprise t’me one bit,” Sallie Mae said.
* “Sallie Mae!” A’gatha eyed her. “You hush up ‘bout us seein’ them in that alley. Bankers that works in this building won’t bat nary an eyelash payin’ some low life to dump us off the Fifth Street pier. We end up gator bait stuffed amongst swamp sycamore tree roots.” Truth glimmered from her eyes like a cornered rabbit. “Them kind got money to buy their scutwork done.”
* The police finally got around to them. “What were you two doing in here that hour of the night?” the beat cop asked.
* “Passin’ through,” Sallie Mae said, her head up proud.
* “Passing through …” the cop snorted. “Up here on the upper deck?”
* A’gatha scowled, “We got lost.” Her lips were tight as she glowered, “We ain’t done nuthin’ wrong.”
* “This is private property,” he said. “Nobody’s supposed to be in here unless you got business with the bank, and nobody’s supposed to be in here at night.”
* “We didn’t bother nuthin’, didn’t see nothin’.” Sallie Mae wasn’t about to let no cop push A’gatha around.
* He knew he was getting nowhere. He turned to the lieutenant, “We’ve dealt with these two before. The only arrests they have is when some owner found them sleeping in his garage or in the back of an unlocked delivery van.” He knew they were tough, weren’t about to crack, but finding them here meant an extra patrol for him and his partner. There was no point in pushing further, so he closed his notepad and shoved it in his pocket. “You two can’t loiter here,” he said. “The bank don’t like it.”
* A’gatha bristled, “Ain’t loiterin’.” She wasn’t going to put up with being called a bum neither.
* “Don’t let me catch you two in here again,” he said and walked away.
* “Let’s git.” They scurried away. A’gatha knew they didn’t amount to anything to any of these cops. They were nothing more than dust in a world that passed them without ever seeing them. “Might be a good time to take us a Florida vacation,” A’gatha said. “Ain’t never comin’ back near this here place.” She could feel the spirits hovering about. “Not ever.”
* “Cops don’t scare me none,” Sallie Mae said.
* “Tain’t the cops,” Agatha said, eyeballin’ the shady darkness ‘round abouts them. “They be a evil smell to this place. A hoary breath of death abouts. I can tetch it. You best listen t’me. Be like about that other time when I said things wadn’t safe,” she said, directing a sidewise glance at Sallie Mae and sensing the murky gloom behind the midday brightness. “I’m rollin’ the bones this night. Death be here.” Her eyes were big with fear. “Ain’t stayin’ where demons walk the night mist.”
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Thank you for joining us here today, Hawk MacKinney! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your story.
ANNOUNCEMENT! One randomly drawn commenter will win a $20 Amazon Gift Card! So be sure to visit the official tour stops [comments on this blog do not count toward the contest] (find them here: goddessfishpromotions~super-book-blast-vault-of-secrets) for a greater chance of winning!
Today we have author Gregory Delaurentis visiting. Welcome!
What would you like to tell readers about yourself?
* Gregory Delaurentis spent his adult life roaming from job to job, working for Lockheed in California, various law firms in New York, and financial firms on Wall Street. Throughout this period of time, he was writing—unceasingly—finally producing a large body of work, albeit unrecognized and unpublished . . . until now.
What are you going to tell us about today?
* My story Cover of Darkness. Cover of Darkness is the first in a series of upcoming books that include Edge of Darkness, Pale of Darkness and Cries of Darkness. These novels follow the lives of three individuals who do battle bringing criminals to justice, while they struggle to understand the complex relationships that exist among themselves. This intriguing trio has absorbed the attention of Mr. Delaurentis for the past year and a half, so much so he decided to self-publish their stories to bring them to a wider audience. [AUTHOR’S DISCLAIMER: These are works of fiction. Name, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.]
A look into the story
~ Blurb ~
* A high profile murder of a Wall Street executive in Westchester pits three people against the criminal underbelly of Manhattan nightlife. The key players are two ex-cops turned private investigators—Kevin Whitehouse, whose sharpest tool is his keen analytical mind, and David Allerton, a former Special Forces operative—and Margaret Alexander, Kevin’s lover. In their search for a killer, they are forced to travel to the edge of sanity and morality, while stumbling onto their own confusing secrets as well. The Cover of Darkness is a gritty noir saga that untangles a web of deceit in the course of tracking down a brutal murderer.
~ Excerpt ~
* David stopped pacing, and then started working on a rock embedded in the dirt with the toe of his shoe. “I wonder why MacDonald didn’t say anything in the interview about the cops being present. He should have told us that there were cops in the Midnight for protection—making sure the dealers were selling and not using.”
* “Maybe,” Kevin ventured, “he didn’t want to drop a dime on his cop friends. Maybe he was frightened.”
* “Maybe. That would have helped us a lot,” David said, his eye caught by a shapely girl on a bike riding nearby.
* Margaret sat up. “That would also explain how the killer got past the gate and simply walked into the house. He could have been flashing a badge.”
* “That makes some sense,” Kevin said. “And certainly cops can kill.”
* “They make the best assassins, don’t they?” David quipped.
* “So now this is a cop hunt?” Kevin asked.
* “I would rather it end here, guys,” Margaret said.
* David approached the two and stood over them. “The question is now how to hunt the most dangerous thing in New York. Crossing the thin blue line is not going to be fun or easy.”
* “Fun?” Margaret said. “It’s downright dangerous.”
* “We can’t go to Ferryman and Reynolds,” Kevin said, nervously running his fingers through his hair, and retrieving his arm from around Margaret as he sat up. “They’ll only go on the defensive. And if the case starts turning in that direction, they’ll only deflect it.”
Buy Cover of Darkness here...
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Thank you for joining us here today, Gregory Delaurentis! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your story.
ANNOUNCEMENT! One randomly chosen commenter will win a $50 Amazon/BN gift card! So be sure to visit the official tour stops (find them here: goddessfishpromotions-book-tour-cover-of-darkness) for a greater chance of winning! (Please note: comments on this blog won't count toward the prizes but feel free to leave one if you like.)
Today we have author Emily Kimelman visiting. Welcome!
What would you like to tell readers about yourself?
* Emily Kimelman lives on a boat in the Hudson Valley with her husband, Sean and their dog Kinsey (named after Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone). Kimelman has a passion for traveling and spends as much time as possible in the pursuit of adventure.
* Her "Sydney Rye Series" are dark murder mystery novels which features a strong female protagonist and her rescue dog, Blue. This series is recommended for the 18+ who enjoy some violence, don't mind dirty language, and are up for a dash of sex. Not to mention an awesome, rollicking good mystery!
* The first three books in Kimelman's series, UNLEASHED, DEATH IN THE DARK, and INSATIABLE are available in the Kindle store individually and in a box set. The fourth book in the Sydney Rye series STRINGS OF GLASS is due out Mid-Summer 2013.
* If you've read Emily's work, and enjoyed it, please let Emily know. You can reach her via email: ejkimelman@gmail.com
What are you going to tell us about today?
* Books 1-3, The complete Series Box Set (Value Pack)
* The Sydney Rye series of mysteries features a strong female protagonist and her rescue dog, Blue. This series is recommended for the 18+ who enjoy some violence, don't mind dirty language, and are up for a dash of sex. Not to mention an awesome, rollicking good mystery!
* This box set includes all three of the Sydney Rye Books.
A look into the stories
~ Blurb for UNLEASHED (A Sydney Rye Novel, #1) ~
* When the series begins Sydney Rye is named Joy Humbolt. She does not like people telling her what to do, so it comes as no surprise that she was just fired from her last job. When she buys Charlene Miller's dog-walking business on Manhattan's exclusive upper east side, it seems like the perfect fit: Quiet environment, minimal contact with people.
* But then one of her clients turns up dead, and Charlene disappears. Rumors say Charlene was having an affair with the victim--and of course, everyone assumes Joy must know where she is. Joy begins to look into the crime, first out of curiosity then out of anger when there is another murder and threats start to come her way.
* When police detective Mulberry is assigned to the case, Joy finds a kindred spirit--cynical and none-too-fond of the human race. As they dig deep into the secrets of Manhattan's elite, they not only get closer to the killer but also to a point of no return. One last murder sends Joy Humbolt hurtling over the edge. Her only chance of survival is to become Sydney Rye.
~ Blurb for DEATH IN THE DARK (A Sydney Rye Novella, #2) ~
* At the beginning of Death in the Dark we find Joy Humbolt hiding, not only from the law, but also from her past and the mistakes she's made. Living this isolated life doesn't last long though when a visit from Mulberry brings Joy to accept her new identity as the Private Detective, Sydney Rye. To complete the transformation, Joy must learn to control her emotions as well as her giant aggressive dog, Blue. With the help of an expert trainer, Joy learns to fight with her mind as well as her body. However, when the daughter of a close friend is brutally murdered in the desert, Rye turns away from her mentor to seek revenge. Sydney's quick temper and deadly intentions lead her into a trap that she will need all of her new skills to survive.
~ Blurb for INSATIABLE (A Sydney Rye Novel, #3) ~
* The third book in the series begins with private detective Sydney Rye living a simple, disciplined life in London, but when a dangerous man from her past calls, Rye finds she cannot turn him away. Robert Maxim explains that the daughter of a powerful friend has gone missing and he wants Rye to find her. In exchange he offers her something she had given up hope of ever having; freedom from her past.
* With her dog, Blue, at her side, Rye meets up with her new partner, a handsome man she's not sure she can trust. Heading for Mexico City, they go undercover, posing as husband and wife. After meeting with the bereaved parents, Rye starts to sense that there is more going on than just a missing girl. But it isn't until they arrive in the Yucatan Peninsula, hot on the girl's trail in Paradise, that all hell breaks loose. Sydney has to reach out for help from old friends and deal with the consequences of her past, if she's going to find the girl and keep them all alive.
~ Excerpt from Death in the Dark ~
* It was pouring rain, and my headlights barely cut the darkness when I rolled across the border between Arizona and Mexico. No one ventured out of the warmly lit hut serving as border control to check my I.D. They waved from the window at my RV to just keep driving. So I did. My relief was so intense that once the lights were no longer visible in my rearview mirror, I had to pull over. I climbed out into the storm, held my arms out to the side, and cried out into the void, “I made it!”
* “What the fuck are you doing?” Mulberry pulled alongside me, leaning out of his open window, scowling. “Get back in the fucking RV. We’re not there, yet.” He rolled up his window and waited, looking straight ahead into the darkness. I climbed back into the sturdy old RV, and, soaked to the bone, started to drive again.
* For three hours, we continued on the same road. Florescent-lit low buildings slid by in the darkness, advertising gas and tacos. My night vision made shadows into monsters, and the empty desert filled with motion. Part of it was the rain, so rare to that region that it seemed to delight in all the open space. Drops fell thick and straight, and then they came from the left, and suddenly from the right. My headlights, like a stagnant spotlight on a troupe of dancers, caught the movements in brief glimpses.
Buy the Sydney Rye series here...
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Thank you for joining us here today, Emily! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your story.
ANNOUNCEMENT! Emily will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC! So be sure to visit the tour stops for details! Find them here: goddessfishpromotions-book-blast-sydney-rye-series. [drawing not valid on this blog]
Today we have author Christine Amsden visiting. Welcome!
What would you like to tell readers about yourself?
* Award-winning author Christine Amsden has written stories since she was eight, always with a touch of the strange or unusual. She became a “serious” writer in 2003, after attending a boot camp with Orson Scott Card. She finished Touch of Fate shortly afterward, then penned The Immortality Virus, which won two awards. Expect many more titles by this up-and-coming author.
What book are you going to tell us about today?
* Cassie Scot: Paranormal Detective
A look into the story
~ Blurb ~
* Cassie Scot is the ungifted daughter of powerful sorcerers, born between worlds but belonging to neither. At 21, all she wants is to find a place for herself, but earning a living as a private investigator in the shadow of her family’s reputation isn’t easy. When she is pulled into a paranormal investigation, and tempted by a powerful and handsome sorcerer, she will have to decide where she truly belongs.
~ Excerpt ~
* My parents think the longer the name, the more powerful the sorcerer, so they named me Cassandra Morgan Ursula Margaret Scot. You can call me Cassie.
* I've been called a lot of things in my life: normal, ordinary, and even a disappointment. After the Harry Potter books came out, a couple of people called me a squib. Since I haven't read them, I have to assume it's a compliment.
* Personally, I prefer normal, which is why the sign on my office door reads: Cassie Scot, Normal Detective.
* You have to understand that around here, when your last name is Scot, people are easily confused. Not only are my parents powerful practitioners, but I have six talented brothers and sisters. Plus, my family hasn't always been known for its subtlety. When weird stuff happens around here, the people who are willing to believe in magic are prone to suspect the Scots.
* The day I opened for business I got a call from an old woman who swore her cat was possessed by the devil. She also swore she'd read my web site, which clearly stated the types of work I did and did not do. Exorcisms were on the No list, and while I hadn't specified pet exorcisms, I would have thought it was implicit.
For more excerpt goodness, visit the buy links below. :)
Buy Cassie Scot: Paranormal Detective here...
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Thank you for joining us here today, Christine Amsden! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your story.
ANNOUNCEMENT! Christine will be awarding a $10 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour! So be sure to leave your name and email with your comment and visit other tour stops (find them here: goddessfishpromotions-book-blast-cassie-scot) for a greater chance of winning! [comments on this blog do not count toward the contest.]
Today we have author D.J. Williams visiting. Welcome!
What would you like to tell readers about yourself?
* With the DNA of a world traveler, Williams was born in Hong Kong, has ventured into the jungles of the Amazon, the bush of Africa, and the slums of the Far East, to share stories of those who are overcoming incredible odds. He is the co-author of Restoration Road with Mitch Kruse and has produced and directed over 140 television episodes syndicated on NBC, ABC, FOX and various cable networks worldwide. Currently, he lives in Los Angeles, California with his wife.
What book are you going to tell us about today?
* Disillusioned
REVIEW SOUND BYTE: “A fast-paced mystery…you won’t put it down until you’ve unlocked the secrets and lies to find the truth.” Judith McCreary, Co-Executive Producer -- Law & Order: SVU, Criminal Minds, & CSI
A look into the story
~ Blurb ~
* A mother’s suicide threatens to destroy a family legacy. Her sons, Sam and Daniel, are forced to leave their comfortable worlds behind and search for a woman they believe can unlock the secrets that have remained hidden. They are propelled into separate journeys from Los Angeles to the heart of the Zambezi where they are forced to confront a man known as Die Duiwel, the Devil. On their adventures they will find themselves in a place where death is one breath away, where thousands of children are disappearing into the darkness, and where the woman they are searching for is on the hunt for revenge. When they stand face-to-face with the forgotten slaves of Africa they will fight to redeem what has been lost.
~ Excerpt ~
* Ten years later I had my hands full with two young boys while John was busy traveling the world. I went with him on occasion, but for the most part I stayed home and watched my babies grow into young men. At times it was as if I were a single parent. I could’ve spoken up. I could’ve objected to the sacrifices we made in the name of God. Maybe I should have, but I didn’t. Instead I enjoyed the comforts of being a wife, our beachfront home, a private jet leased by the church, a cabin in Lake Isabella, John’s seven figure salary, as well as his book royalties. A bonus was the respect given to us whenever we entered a room by those who didn’t know us. It was flattering, and addicting.
* This isn’t my life anymore.
* I’ve been locked up here for one thousand and ninety five days. I’ve had time to think about the choices I’ve made. I’ve thought about what is best for everyone. I’ve become a burden. I know it. I feel it. I hate it. The whispers inside tell me there’s only one decision to make, undoubtedly the hardest one of all. It goes against everything I’ve believed.
* But nothing is the same as it once was.
* God forgive me.
Buy Disillusioned here...
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Thank you for joining us here today, D.J.! It was a pleasure getting to know you and your story.
ANNOUNCEMENT! D.J. Williams will be awarding a $30 Amazon gift certificate to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. So be sure to visit the official stops of the tour at the link that follows & leave a comment at each of them for a greater chance of winning! (This blog is just an extra stop courtesy from C.R. Moss & does not count toward the tour contest and AGC prize.) Find the official tour stops here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot-tour-disillusioned-by-dj
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