Wednesday, July 31, 2019

The Marijuana Murders Review Tour

Blurb:
Nostalgia City executive Kate Sorensen finds the body of a mechanic crushed under an automobile hoist in the theme park’s garage. Accident or murder? Will it impact Kate’s decision to become an advisor for one of two competing campaigns to legalize marijuana in Arizona?

When the death is ruled a homicide and the DEA stages a surprise raid, park cab driver Lyle Deming is recruited to help solve the murder and find out if the park’s garage is being used to smuggle drugs. The anxiety-ridden ex-cop is soon poking around a Mexican border town looking for a park contractor who might be a drug mule. Or he might be dead.

Meanwhile, Kate, a 6-2 former college basketball star, is in the middle of a heated clash between potential corporate control of pot marketing and a laid-back, grow-your-own approach. As Kate wonders whether she should mediate or advocate, she’s forced to dash for her life. Amid setbacks and threats, she and Lyle must sort through interwoven crimes, a tangle of evidence, and dark suspects.

Then there’s another murder.

The Marijuana Murders is the third novel in this mystery series set in Nostalgia City, a theme park that re-creates—in every detail—a small town from the 1970s.


Excerpt:
From Chapter 6


“Legalization’s a good idea,” Lyle said. “Not what you might expect to hear from an ex-cop, but I think you can guess how successful our war on drugs has been. That’s one reason. But listen, I need to tell you what happened. It’s why I came over. At the garage last night—”

“I know all about the accident, Lyle,” Kate said. “I was there this morning when someone found the body. Then Channel Nine arrived and—”

“It was no accident. At least that’s pretty much what Rey Martinez thinks. ”

Kate’s eyes grew large. “Crap. What then?”

“Murder. As soon as I found out, I knew you’d need to know.”

“Murder?” Kate remembered the garage scene that morning and felt a shiver. She would not soon forget the gruesome image. She leaned back in her chair. “It was awful. Horrible. And now…” She imagined getting a flood of excited media calls as soon as the word murder got out. “Who knows about it? Is the sheriff going to announce something? Does security know it was murder? Who killed him?”

When Lyle opened his mouth to speak, Kate interrupted.

“Sorry. One question at a time, right?”

After a year of working with Lyle, off and on, Kate knew the solid, professional side of their relationship. She trusted his judgment—most of the time. He did wear a rubber band on his wrist for his anxiety issues. But she could always rely on his support and counsel, particularly in situations like this when the priorities of law enforcement and park security might differ from Kate’s responsibility to maintain NC’s public image. Personally, she and Lyle were also close, but their nascent relationship moved ahead slowly—as a result of reticence on both sides, for a collection of reasons.



My Review:
4 stars

This was an unusual mystery, and I mean that in a good way. First, the setting is a 70’s theme park, which was a lot of fun to read. Second, the main topic being fought over behind the mystery (marijuana legalization) is a current hot topic, and I enjoyed how the author handled it. Rather than making it a fight between supporters and detractors, it was instead a fight between two different groups of supporters, which added a different spin on the issue and upped the tension. Plus, I could tell the author had researched this issue, as not only was there information about the movement to legalize marijuana, but also on the history of it, which was an interesting side note to the mystery.

Speaking of the mystery, the plot kept twisting and turning, keeping my guessing as the story jumped between various characters side stories, which then wove together to form the overall solution to the mystery. I wish I had gotten to know Kate and Lyle a bit more, which I feel might have been because I started with this book (third in the series). Overall though, I greatly enjoyed this mystery, and look forward to reading the other books in this series.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*


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Author Bio and Links:
Mark S. Bacon began his career as a Southern California newspaper police reporter, one of his crime stories becoming key evidence in a murder case that spanned decades.

After working for two newspapers, he moved to advertising and marketing when he became a copywriter for Knott’s Berry Farm, the large theme park down the road from Disneyland.  Experience working at Knott’s formed part of the inspiration for his creation of Nostalgia City theme park. 

Before turning to fiction, Bacon wrote business books including Do-It-Yourself Direct Marketing, printed in four languages and three editions, named best business book of the year by the Library Journal, and selected by the Book of the Month Club and two other book clubs.  His articles have appeared in the Washington Post, Cleveland Plain Dealer, San Antonio Express News, Orange County (Calif.) Register, and many other publications.  Most recently he was a correspondent for the San Francisco Chronicle.

The Marijuana Murders is the third book in the Nostalgia City mystery series that began with Death in Nostalgia City.  The first book introduced ex-cop turned cab driver Lyle Deming and PR executive Kate Sorensen, a former college basketball star.  Death in Nostalgia City was recommended in February for book clubs by the American Library Association.

Bacon is the author of flash fiction mystery books including, Cops, Crooks and Other Stories in 100 Words.  He taught journalism as a member of the adjunct faculty at Cal Poly University – Pomona, the University of Nevada – Reno, and the University of Redlands.  He earned an MA in mass media from UNLV and a BA in journalism from Fresno State.   He gets many of his ideas while walking his golden retriever, Willow.

Website: https://baconsmysteries.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/baconauthor
FB: https://www.facebook.com/markbaconmysteries/

Buy Links:
Amazon    |    B&N (e-book)   |    B&N (Print)    |    Apple     |    Smashwords

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Fear Justice VBT

Blurb:
Seventeen-year-old Rena Mason counts the days until she can leave for college. Every night her father drinks himself to sleep, leaving her to care for her younger brother. When her father is kidnapped by terrorists, her dreams of freedom become a nightmare.

Stunned that her father has a history with these terrorists, Rena knows she must run or be their next victim. She learns the tough guy at school has a reason to look after her - he's working for a government agency with the same goal as the terrorists: find a woman who disappeared eighteen years ago. Time is running out since only this woman's special gift can save the world from a looming nuclear attack.

Rena can't trust anyone, especially not the stone-cold agent she's falling for. Can they save the world before Rena's feelings trap her in an agent's fight for justice?

Fear Justice contains elements of fantasy, sci-fi, and paranormal, with a clean romance. It's the first book in an exciting new series called The Fear Chronicles.


Excerpt:
Tony cleared his throat. “You said your dad was kidnapped?”

“Last night. Coach and my dad were friends. They joined the Army together.” Why was I babbling? Tony didn’t need to know my life story. “I showed up this morning because I thought he might know why these people were after my dad.”

“Did either of them tell you?”

I shook my head and looked at Tony. “The man who beat up Coach Andrews—he said he’d give me a head start before hunting me down.”

Again, Tony glanced in the mirror. “He didn’t happen to say he drives a black Lincoln, did he?”

As I spun in the seat and leaned over the headrest to see, the belt cut into my neck. Behind us, a black car crept closer with every second. Someone in the passenger seat leaned out of the window with a gun. “There’s a man with a gun following us and I’m not freaking out. At least, I don’t think I am.”

“No, you’re cool.”

With a bitter laugh, I turned back around and dropped down on the red vinyl seat. “Cool? When are you going to ask why I’m not afraid?”

Tony hit the brakes and made a turn that left me choking from the belt’s grip. “Right after you ask why I picked you up.”



Do you ever wish you were someone else? Who?
I’m actually pretty happy being me with the family I have. I worked hard to earn an engineering degree and have enjoyed putting it to use. I always wanted to write books. After almost two decades, I reached my goal.

What did you do on your last birthday?
I had a stiff drink and tried my best to pretend I wasn’t a year closer to forty. Typically, I try not to celebrate my birthdays. The idea of getting older makes me sad, although not as much since I started publishing my books. I used to stress over never getting my work into the world. Now I stress over watching my girls grow up way too fast.

What part of the writing process do you dread?
Typing the words. Counting every ten thousand until I’m done. Although I took typing as a teen, I have a love/hate relationship with my keyboard. I once tried software to convert my words to text but quickly realized this program couldn’t translate a Southern accent.

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?
All the time. I always have several works in progress. If I get hung up on one story, I jump to another.

Tell us about your latest release.
Fear Justice is the story of Rena Mason, a seventeen-year-old who grew up in a camper. Since her mother died and her father wastes his nights drinking, she provides most of the care for her younger brother. All Rena can think of is a scholarship, which could mean a new life.

If only she knew her life is about to change forever.

When her brother disappears and her dad is kidnapped by terrorists, Rena’s alone for the first time in her life. The new guy at school has a plan to protect her – she has no idea he’s working for a government agency. She must face her dad’s past with this agency and figure out how to unlock a power the terrorists are willing to fight for.


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Author Bio and Links:
C.C. Bolick grew up in south Alabama, where she’s happy to still reside. She’s an engineer by day and a writer by night—too bad she could never do one without the other.

Camping, fishing… she loves the outdoors and the warm Alabama weather. For years she thought up stories to write and finally started putting them on paper back in 2006. If you hear her talking with no one to answer, don’t think she’s crazy. Since talking through her stories works best, a library is her worst place to write… even though it’s her favorite!

C.C. loves to mix sci-fi and paranormal—throw in a little romance and adventure and you’ve got her kind of story. She’s written nine books including the Leftover Girl series, The Agency series, and The Fear Chronicles.

www.ccbolick.com
https://www.facebook.com/CCBolick/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15857316.C_C_Bolick
https://www.instagram.com/cc_bolick/
https://twitter.com/ccbolick

The book is on sale for $0.99 during the tour.

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Mrs Murray's Hidden Treasure Review Tour

Blurb:
There is a hidden treasure in the grand old mansion on Piccadilly Street, in a place called London, but not the real London of English fame. There’s also a lot of mystery and a murder that’s been unsolved for decades. But it’s the treasure that captures Mary’s interest. Mary lives in this house along with her family, her Brownie friends and a ghost. When the ghost reveals her secret about the hidden treasure, there’s no stopping Mary, her Brownie friends, or her enemies from searching for this treasure. Why the intrigue? Apparently there’s a little bit of magic connected to this treasure. And so the adventure begins. Who will find the treasure first?


Excerpt:
Once the house settled down for the night, Mrs. Murray, the resident ghost, was out on her nocturnal prowl. Satisfied that the house was safe and secure for the night, after all the musical vibrations that shook the rafters earlier, she took her place at the end of Mary’s bed and waited patiently for the girl to stir from her sleep and take note of her presence.

“What?” Mary groaned, pulling her eyes open as she emerged from a deep sleep. “What now?”

“We need to talk.” The wispy figure of what was once a very distinguished looking lady, sat down at the end of Mary’s bed and looked the girl firmly in the eye.

“Now?” Mary groaned. “It’s the middle of the night. What time is it?”

“What difference does it make? Sit up and let’s talk.” The ghost was not going to take ‘no’ for an answer. And, it would appear, feigning sleep would not send her away either. So, Mary pushed herself into a sitting position and rubbed her eyes again, hoping to eradicate the sleep that threatened to make them close.

“Where are the others? Where’s Brunny?” she asked.

“Asleep in their little space. And it’s not a natural sleep either. They’re all in the deepest of sleeps, all except Elizabeth, who slipped out of the house a few hours ago, just after the lights went out and your family snuggled in for the night.” Mrs. Murray slid a little closer to Mary. “She’s still not right, that Elizabeth. She’s good and well shackled by that witch.”


My Review:
4.5 stars


Going in, I did not realize this was Book 2 in a series, but it works as a standalone, though I would recommend reading the series in order so as to fully enjoy it.

This was a cute, middle grade fantasy (and mystery). I loved the world this is set in, as it's detailed and fun to get lost in, full of magical creatures from dragons to witches and everything in between. In addition, the characters were fantastic, especially Mary. I also greatly enjoyed seeing the friendship between Rosie and Mary and how valuable it was to the story.


The book was fast-paced, with Mary going through a lot to solve the mystery and find the ring. The only downside to this was because there was a lot happening back-to-back, it came off a tad rushed at times, but overall, I greatly enjoyed this story, and recommend it to anyone looking for an engaging fantasy or middle grade story.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*


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Author Bio and Links:
An avid gardener, artist, musician and writer, Emily-Jane Hills Orford has fond memories and lots of stories that evolved from a childhood growing up in a haunted Victorian mansion. Told she had a ‘vivid imagination’, the author used this talent to create stories in her head to pass tedious hours while sick, waiting in a doctor’s office, listening to a teacher drone on about something she already knew, or enduring the long, stuffy family car rides. The author lived her stories in her head, allowing her imagination to lead her into a different world, one of her own making. As the author grew up, these stories, imaginings and fantasies took to the written form and, over the years, she developed a reputation for telling a good story. Emily-Jane can now boast that she is an award-winning author of several books, including Mrs. Murray’s Ghost (Telltale Publishing 2018), Mrs. Murray’s Hidden Treasure (Telltale Publishing 2019), Queen Mary’s Daughter (Clean Reads 2018), Gerlinda (CFA 2016) which received an Honorable Mention in the 2016 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards, To Be a Duke (CFA 2014) which was named Finalist and Silver Medalist in the 2015 Next Generation Indie Book Awards and received an Honorable Mention in the 2015 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards and several other books. A retired teacher of music and creative writing, she writes about the extra-ordinary in life and the fantasies of dreams combined with memories. For more information on the author, check out her website.

Website    |    Facebook    |    Twitter    |    Goodreads

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Kill Shot Review Tour

Blurb:
Invited to speak for the United Nations, International Attorney Ashe Marcille is on the fast track. However, everything changes when she finds her law partner dead. Left with no option but to abandon her hard-earned career, she goes on the run.

Walker Knight, owner of a high-tech security firm, left the spy games years ago. A former agent for J8, he had no intention of returning to that life until the agency calls in one last favor. It should have been an easy job—pick up then drop off a lawyer with no questions asked. But, best laid plans…

Attracted to the attorney from the minute he laid eyes on her, Walker sets out to solve her case. Until he can figure out who wants her dead, he’ll have to keep her close…very close.


Excerpt:
As he stepped onto the wraparound porch to unlock the door, he promised himself to make this visit a quick in and out. J8 wanted Ashe released into their custody. If the agency didn’t have a history of turning and burning their targets, he would have given her up willingly a few weeks back.

Walker reached for the ancient lock and opened the front door to the blue-colored wood home. A full-on assault of rich tomato sauce intermingling with the ocean breeze smacked him in the face.

It had been closed off for the better part of a decade, so Walker hadn’t stepped into it since his teen years. Before Ashe’s arrival, sheets had covered the furniture. He took in the bright tones of blue and cream that warmed the house.

Following the sound of voices toward the patio, he noted the changes she’d made to the cottage since he’d stashed her there. Once furnished in thick fabrics and dark tones, the light and airy ambience enhanced the feel-good energy of his old summer haunt.

The sound of Ashe’s laughter drew him into the kitchen, where pots boiled and bubbled on top of the stove. His stomach rumbled from the heady aroma, but the sight of Ashe shook him to his core. Walker hadn’t felt this type of attraction to a woman in years.

Clad in a bikini and a skimpy cover-up, she stood outside the French doors. Wild, reddish-brown curls streamed down her back. He’d suggested she change her appearance, but he’d had no idea Ashe would resemble something out of a 1950s B-movie.

The absolute best genre ever!

“Are you looking to replace that flooring upstairs?” Nosey neighbor Tom’s nasally tone snapped him back to reality. “Dan, two streets over, is a whiz with carpentry.”

Ashe raked stray leaves from the pool with the cleaning pole. “Not sure. I’ll have to check with—” She stopped mid-sentence. “Speaking of the devil.”

Walker stepped out of the house, and she greeted him with a smile.

“Walker!” Tom scrambled to get up from the lounge chair. His nosey-ass neighbor had built his deck above eye-level of the fence, a fact that hadn’t gone unnoticed by his grandparents. “What’s it been…ten years?”

He waved for the old man to take a seat before he fell over. “I haven’t been able to get out this way much,” he admitted. Without his grandparents around, he’d felt no need to visit.

“Military, right? Then what? Private work for the government?”

Walker didn’t answer. He could tell the man didn’t know anything.

“Your fiancée here has been quite the hit around the neighborhood.”

“How so?” he asked, intrigued about Ashe’s title, among other things. She’d remodeled his grandparents’ home, cooked and flirted with his lusty neighbor. Apparently, the gorgeous attorney had been bored.

“What am I going on about? You two haven’t had a proper greeting. Go on and give your fella a smooch hello.”

“We’re fine. We don’t need to—” Walker began.

Ashe’s soft lips cut off his next word. Against good common sense but not his will, he put his hands around her waist and deepened their kiss.

A warm ball of lust spread through his body. Revved up, he wanted more, but she pulled out of his grip with a wink. “I’ve got dinner going. We’ll catch you later,” Ashe said to Tom.

“Oh, okay. Yeah, I’ve got a new Jeopardy to watch anyway,” Tom muttered.

Walker grabbed her hand and led her into the house.

With a sexy laugh, she hurried to close the double doors. “Sorry about that. The snitch would have ratted us out to the whole neighborhood by the time the ten o’clock news hit the air.”

Walker bit back a smile. “So, we’re engaged now…”


My Review:
4 stars

Adventure, action, spycraft…what more can a girl ask for? Kill Shot had it all, along with snarky banter and fun characters. The chemistry between Ashe and Walker was off the charts, and I loved how badass Ashe could be at times in the most mundane, laidback ways. And the ways she'd takes Walker for a loop and make him rethink his world? Rocked.


The only issue I had was with some convenient, but not realistic, plot devices. Yes, suspension of disbelief is necessary, but some of the elements seemed heavily contrived. Like, why would you wait this long to do something about this if it was such a threat to you? Especially when that doesn’t match with the backstory I’ve read on you? (Note: I’m being vague to be as spoiler-free as possible).

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*


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Author Bio and Links:
Amber Malloy dreamed of being a double agent but couldn't pass the psyche evaluation. Crushed by despair that she couldn't legally shoot things, Amber pursued her second career choice as pastry chef. When she's not writing or whipping up a mean Snickers Cheesecake, she occasionally spies on her sommelier. Amber is convinced he's faking his French accent.

Buy links:
Amazon     |     B&N

Friday, July 19, 2019

Magic, Mayhem, and Murder Blurb Blitz

Blurb:
Book one in Manitoba Tea & Tarot Mysteries series

Charm McCall, armed with a library full of Agatha Christie stories and her unique witchy gifts, knows how to solve a small-town murder…

Charm McCall, the oldest of the McCall triplets by a whole day—or one minute before midnight if one’s being picky—is the designated driver for her whole town. Why, if it wasn’t for her, Snowy Lake would incinerate or fall into Hudson’s Bay. With her unique abilities, she’s all set to keep her family and town safe and on its proper course.

That is, until a hot Mountie moves into town, a busload of strippers breaks down on Main Street and Mrs. Hurst goes and gets herself murdered with poisoned jam. Jam crafted by Charm’s family at the Tea & Tarot café. Now it’s up to her to solve the murders—yes, plural, when another local business owner ends up dead.

Charm knows just what to do. What’s breaking a few laws if she can sleuth out the culprit? She knows the people of Snowy Lake better than any new lawman possibly could. So why can’t he just leave her be to get on with things?

And why does he have to be so darn hot?


Excerpt:
There came a loud snapping of branches. Darn it, unwanted company. My fingers grasped at the aerosol spray bottle at my waist. I waited for another sound to alert me to the direction of the intruder. The sun in my eyes, I squinted to survey the landscape, swiveling my head back and forth.

There.

I caught the movement of a humongous upright creature headed straight for me, plowing through the thick undergrowth and overhead canopy as though he had just one intention—to do me harm. I didn’t care if it were a huge black bear or the legendary Bigfoot. Either way, I’d strike first, with the sharp knife hidden in my boot if it came to that. I sprayed the noxious substance from the hip, directing the wide stream from my belt holster.

A loud grunt of surprise sounded. “Aww, why did you do that?” More moans of human agony followed.

Oops.

Out of the bushes stumbled a very large man—not Bigfoot, but darn close. Dressed in a black windbreaker, black jeans and extra-large combat boots, he wore a very nice black Stetson, accompanied by a full-on grimace. And oh my, when he pinned me with a look from his haunting brown eyes under that spectacular bad-boy hat, my insides somersaulted. Wow.

“Oh, my goodness! I’m so sorry! Thought you were a black bear. If I’d known you were—well, you, I’d never have sprayed.”

The tall hunk of a man was too busy flushing his face with a water bottle to give me an answer. I waited, chewing on my lower lip and wishing I could just sink into the ground. But who rumbled through the bushes in such an obvious way? A bear, that was who. A land predator unafraid of humans and wanting to take a bite right out of me.

“Ma’am, I was coming to warn you. There’s been a bear sighted not far from here. I heard you caterwauling and thought you might be in trouble. Didn’t expect to be pepper sprayed for my trouble.”

I looked around warily. Maybe it was time to head back to town and bring a group of people to pick berries another day when I could assign someone to keep a lookout. I had filled four buckets. Not too shabby.

Wait.

What did he just say?

“I do not caterwaul. I was singing. And it sure beats crashing through the bush like Bigfoot.”

“If you say so, darlin’.” Was that a twinkle in his eyes? The rest of his handsome mug remained inscrutable, launching another fussy crop of butterflies into my body, looking to land. He came closer and the acrid stench of the protection spray on his clothes made my eyes water in sympathy. Oh, my.

He caught my grimace. “Not so pleasant an odor to be around, I agree. I’m Constable Ace Collins, by the way.”

“As in RCMP?” My voice came out in a high-pitched squeal. Darn it. Of all the people to mace, how did I manage a lawman?



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About the Author:
January Bain has wished on every falling star, every blown-out birthday candle, and every coin thrown in a fountain to be a storyteller. To share the tales of high adventure, mysteries, and full blown thrillers she has dreamed of all her life. The story you now have in your hands is the compilation of a lot of things manifesting itself for this special series. Hundreds of hours spent researching the unusual and the mundane have come together to create books that features strong women who live life to the fullest, wild adventures full of twists and unforeseen turns, and hot complicated men who aren’t afraid to take risks. She can only hope her stories will capture your imagination.

If you are looking for January Bain, you can find her hard at work every morning without fail in her office with her furry baby, Ling Ling. And, of course, she’s married to the most romantic man! Who once famously remarked to her inquiry about buying fresh flowers for their home every week, “Give me one good reason why not?” Leaving her speechless and knocking her head against the proverbial wall for being so darn foolish. She loves flowers.

If you wish to connect in the virtual world she is easily found on Facebook. Oh, and she loves to talk books…

Blog    |    Twitter    |    Facebook    |    Goodreads
Amazon Author Page    |    Totally Bound Author Page
Email address for fans - januarybain@xplornet.com

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Metrofloat New York Blurb Blitz

Blurb:
A Post-apocalyptic Sci-Fi thriller.

Several hundred years in the future, Earth is a different planet. Antigravity has been invented and “flying” has given way to “floating”: giant platforms with cities remain above the growing surface temperatures as enclaves of the privileged. A global pandemic has wiped out 80% of those on the ground, and a virulent, flesh-eating disease, necrofasc, has left most with artificial body parts. Insects are the main food staple. A utopia for some, a dystopia for others.

Metrofloat New York, a futuristic city of thirty million, is run by an oligarchy of five rich and powerful people. An unknown assassin, working from within the system, attempts to seize control and declare himself dictator by methodically removing all rivals. Detective Matthew Heart of the Metropolitan Police must deal with his partner, a cyborg policewoman, his unofficial family, a transgender woman and her one-legged daughter, and a mysterious assailant bent on taking over the world by killing anyone who stands in his way.


Excerpt:
Alan and Terry were skinny enough to slip through the security perimeter into the antigravity zone. Already, they heard the pounding of the AG machines. Workers in the area often wore ear protection, as the constant noise could damage their hearing, but when one is young and foolish, protection is for wimps. They climbed down to the lowest scaffolding and looked out over the panorama below. The ground was a good kilometer down, speckled with the twinkling lights of the settlement. Each light was a potential target for a jump-and-grab, so tonight looked to be an excellent opportunity.

Rumors had been circulating around the high school for over a year about thrill seekers doing the unthinkable: bungee jumping from the metrofloat. Alan and Terry had pooled their money and bought the latest in equipment, including a controllable elasticized cable, a double-safety ankle harness, and a precision-positioning system with automatic height detection. The flexible anchor allowed them to set up the bungee in any location in record time, so they could get in, jump, and get out before the authorities knew they were violating restricted areas.

Alan would make the first attempt. He had decked himself with various tools attached to his belt and a helmet with a lamp. He had double-checked his ankle connectors and made sure the safety harness was in place. Terry gave him the once-over, enumerating each item out loud so they both knew they had checked everything. Alan climbed over the railing and held on as Terry fed out the cable so it was free and clear of the scaffolding.

Quivering with excitement, Alan looked over at his friend. Terry grinned and gave him a thumbs-up. Alan turned back to the open space, took a deep breath, and spread his arms out. He bent his knees and pushed off into a swan dive.

Alan had ten seconds of free fall before the cable slowed his descent — ten seconds of weightlessness as the wind whistled by his head. It was peaceful. And surreal. It wasn’t every day somebody jumped from a height of a thousand meters.

Looking toward the ground when he jumped, Alan twisted as he now fell, upside down, and brought his head up to look off into the distance. The light from his helmet flashed on something. He swept his head back and forth until the object was visible again. There was a human body three meters from him, free-falling at the same rate. It tumbled in the air. Judging by the looseness of the limbs, Alan guessed the person was unconscious. Or dead. Wouldn’t somebody falling to their death be thrashing about?


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About the Author:
William Quincy Belle is just a guy. Nobody famous; nobody rich; just some guy who likes to periodically add his two cents worth with the hope, accounting for inflation, that $0.02 is not over evaluating his contribution. He claims that at the heart of the writing process is some sort of (psychotic) urge to put it down on paper and likes to recite the following, which so far he hasn't been able to attribute to anyone: "A writer is an egomaniac with low self-esteem." You will find Mr. Belle's unbridled stream of consciousness floating around in cyberspace.

Buy Link

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Tuesday, July 16, 2019

The Gift Review Tour

Blurb:
Tucker Littlefield is a liar, a thief, a con-man. In an attempt to take advantage of a party thrown by the King, he becomes involved in a kidnapping – the King’s niece, Elizabeth, to be exact. Because of his fear of the dark as well as heights, and a good many other things, he finds himself stabbed and bleeding to death. To save him, a Shaman for the Jonda – Daneba – turns him into a soul bearer for the Kindred. In an effort to find Lizie, Littlefield finds the Norha instead and their leader Tahki - a cannibalistic tribe the lives under a volcano that will leave no stone unturned to find Lizie. Littlefield is blackmailed into her recovery. Will the help of his companion, Enon, help them save Lizie...and themselves?

"Transformed by a primitive magic beyond a civilized man's understanding, I was given a horrible gift that no man should possess... It held me, twisted me, turning me at its bidding. I was enslaved by its power, compelled to devour the souls of the dead until I became the monster of my fears. I have seen things I wish never to see again. I have done things of which I wish never to speak. Yet I must if I am to find the answers to fulfill my hope. I have walked upon blue ribbons of molten stone to peer into the depth of a man's soul. I watched as a promise made at birth brought my friend Enon to sacrifice everything to become whole again - all in an effort to save the life of his child. I have cried without shame for the loss of all I hold dear and for fear that the future will hold more than I can bear. I am Tucker Littlefield. Know all that I say now is true-spoken."


Excerpt:
The wind howled louder as the clouds darkened, deeper and deeper. Lightning flashed wildly overhead, coming closer with each new strike. Thunder roared, crushing the air, pushing me down tightly to the ground. The fire strained to its limits, jumping to me and then suddenly to Enon’s heart and that of the dog. Both screamed in agony, as did I. The howl of that wind shrieked louder, drowning out the others. Pain racked every inch of my body.

I was overwhelmed with all that was taking place about me and then she did the unthinkable. She summoned from each, a wisp of themselves, their spirits, their souls, tore free from them to enter me through the hole in my palm.

A stir of Enon’s mind filled me, for a moment, a rush of memories and images not my own. For that instant I was engulfed with anguish, a loneliness that reached far beyond my own. The images of his life raced by in torrents, every pain, every rejection from his people as well as mine.

I was overwhelmed, filled with the images of every soul he had seen into. Every life, every lie, every deceit, every ugly thing man and Jonda alike had tried to hide from him. Even my own. He was an outcast in both societies, befriended by none and yet his sorrow was for them all.


My Review:
4 stars

Fin and witty dialogue, plenty of action and adventure, intriguing characters, and a well-written and engaging plot…this story has it all. Complete with a complicated hero who’s not very heroic (I’m still not sure how I feel about him even now). The only downside is since the story was short, the world building wasn’t as detailed as I feel the story deserved. All in all though, this is a fun start to an interesting new series, and I look forward to reading the remaining books.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*


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Author Bio and Links:
I was raised pretty much the same as everyone else... devoted mother, strict father and all the imaginary friends I could conjure.

The first thing I can remember writing was for my wife. For the life of me I can't remember what it was about... something about dust bunnies under the bed and monsters in my closet. It must have been pretty good because she married me shortly after that. I spent a good number of years chasing other dreams before I got back to writing.

It wasn't a deliberate conscious thought it was more of a stepping stone. It was the eighties, my wife and I had joined a dream interpret group and we were encouraged to write down our dreams as they occurred. "Be as detailed as you can," we were told.

I was thrilled. If there is one thing I enjoy it's making people believe me and I like to exaggerate. Not a big exaggeration or an outright lie mine you, just a little step out of sync, just enough so you couldn't be sure if it were true or not. When I write, I always write with the effort of "it could happen quirkiness" very much in mind and nothing, I guarantee you, nothing makes me happier.

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Buy Links:
Amazon    |    Tirgearr Publishing

NOTE: The book is on sale for $0.99.