Beware, things are not what they seem – Zed by Jason McIntyre Review

Posted on September 2, 2015 by fundinmental

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Zed by Jason McIntyre!

I love this cover and joined the tour because of it. I am very happy I did.

This was a great story that had me asking, is this paranormal, science fiction, horror? WTF is going on?

Zed…The title alone had me curious and I love what Jason McIntyre did with this unique story.

I have some great things to share with you, so grab your coffee, get comfy and let’s begin.

Cover: Greg Simanson

MY REVIEW

The unusual title, Zed, and the gorgeous cover hooked me. Zed is a wild ride on a wave of evil and horror that will have you questioning the evil that lurks around us.

In the opening pages, Jason McIntyre included a map of Dove Cove and I love that.

Right from the beginning, with the little old lady, Karen, Jason got me. I love it. He grabbed me by the hand and never let me put the book down until the last page was read.

Tom worked for her in the group home for the mentally disabled.

Zed, Zeke, what can I say about him. He was different than the others and I thought him very creepy.

Jason McIntyre amazed me with his characters, good and bad. They each have their distinct personalities. Sometimes, the least likely people are the ones that step up and do the right thing, regardless of the outcome. I loved them all.

It’s so hard to describe this book without giving away the good parts. A bit of horror, suspense, thriller and mystery, Zed kept me reading until the last page was read. A creepy mystery in Dovetail Cove.

This is a MUST READ for those of you who love mystery, the best and worst of humanity and an ending I never saw coming but left me feeling just fine.

I received a copy of Zed by Jason McIntyre in return for an honest and unbiased review.

5 Stars

SYNOPSIS

It’s the waning dog days of August, 1975 and Tom Mason’s in Dovetail Cove for the last few weeks of his summer job at the group home. His boss and the home’s owner is Karen Banatyne, one of the wealthiest folks in town. It seems like she’s got it in for Tom; she’s the only one standing in his way as he scrimps for a new camera.

But Karen has her own problems. A regulatory agency might cut off her funding, plus her hubby hasn’t been seen in a few weeks, and she’s not saying why. Most ominous of all, it seems as though something’s hiding in the hot spring north of the main beach and one of Karen’s ‘houseguests’ is about to come face to face with evil. Tom is too.

Buy on Amazon

Author Interview

What has inspired you to become a writer?

Inspiration to tell stories came early. I was the kid in the fourth and fifth grade sneakily reading Stephen King novels at 800 pages apiece behind my propped-up math text book. At eight, I was the editor of a short-lived school paper and we didn’t have enough content to fill the back page. I went home and hauled out my Mom’s old IBM typewriter to begin an epic serial about two young girls who are abducted by aliens in their backyard. I knew I had something when the other kids begged to know what would happen in part two. Alas, the teacher who managed the newspaper project got a transfer and part two of the saga never made it out. I guess, in a way, I’ve been writing towards the end of that tale ever since.

How do you come up with your characters and how do you make them so interesting?

I start in a very visual way. Without even closing my eyes, I can clearly see what’s happening and, as I noodle around on the ‘what’ of a story, I eventually start to form a visceral view of the ‘who’ in the tale. The people inside that vision have to become real to me, even before I start the first sentence. If they don’t then I don’t care about them. I have to care, or else I never haul them out of trouble. And, really, isn’t that what makes fiction great? Dumping someone you care about into a heap of worry and then methodically traipsing them out of said trouble in a believable and satisfying way.

My biggest conundrum is when a dazzling or lovely person gets in a trap and they aren’t pulled out in time. It’s the biggest challenge for me — I can’t save everyone and, sometimes, a character I adore needs to die so that things keep chugging for the whole story. Forgive me, readers. I will kill again.

What makes your stories and books different than other books you have read? Everyone has their own style, what is yours?

I mix and match genres, influences and types of stories. One major thrust of my writing life is to never repeat the same kind of book twice. I want to push myself to unearth new and different pieces of myself as I tell stories. So while a book like ZED has companion books that have a flow between them, there are nearly a dozen different genres represented among them. One might be a coming-of-age paranormal while the next might be a murder mystery and then I may discover that the next works best as a straight-ahead horror. There’s noir and crime books and even a western. Now, do they all look exactly like their home genres suggest? Not at a glance. They use the tropes from each genre but usually in a new mix. They meld into something that, I guess, looks and reads like a Jason McIntyre novel. Hopefully, readers enjoy the journey through all the different places I like to play. Oh, and I hope they get scared and a little upset along the way.

Do you plan on writing any other genres?

Future genres include something that no one who’s read my work will believe. I want to write a romance novel and a deeply historical fiction that is true to an extremely ancient time period. As always, I want to have fun with what I write, and produce something unique that interests readers, but pushes me into new territory.

Anything else you would like to discuss about you as a writer?

ZED is part of a mosaic novel. The only other writer I know who’s written this kind of a work is George RR Martin. His mosaic comprised of books written by a dozen different writers all working within one world and telling stories about the same characters.

DOVETAIL COVE works in a similar way. The characters flow in an out of the background of several books and the island setting is the same place, spanning a decade in the history of one place that has a succulent past and a lurid present. The difference between Martin’s mosaic and this one is that I’m writing all the pieces myself. Each DOVETAIL book stands on its own, with a distinct beginning, middle and end. But if you read more of them, the pieces of a much larger puzzle begin to fall into place. At present, ZED marks the fourth of ten books to be released. Others available now are BLED, SHED and DREAD. Look for new ones in 2015 and 2016.

Getting to Know the Author as a Person

What do you like to do when you are not writing?

I travel as much as I can and spend time with my crazy kiddos. Readers and friends from social media will likely remember all the posts about the nutty things my kids say. I won’t even mention my wife here. She has her own cult following among my Facebook and Twitter feeds.

I have built a lovely studio in my home and use it to write music, paint when I’m able and, yes, nap profusely when the spirit is not moving me otherwise.

What relaxes you when you need to unwind?

Creation of every sort is about the most relaxing thing I can imagine doing. I adore many forms of music and art and, when I’m in the middle of drafting a new book, it’s the greatest escape from life’s stresses. I peel back the page and transport to an entirely new place as I write. The process of uncovering a story is food for my soul.

What are your favorite foods?

I have always loved to travel and try new experiences and dishes wherever I go. Lately, I’ve been on a jag for Eggs Benedict and have been trying that in as many countries and cities as I can. Now, of course, lots of places don’t have that so I’ve broadened it to ordering eggs prepared in whatever style is most prevalent in the place I’m visiting. It’s really interesting to discover the different cooking methods — not to mention the different kinds of birds’ and lizards’ eggs that have been brought to my table!

Have you ever had any paranormal experiences?

I’ve had what I call ‘inconclusive’ paranormal experiences. Things have happened that, even after intense scrutiny, a rational person might not be able to form a judgment as to whether it was explicable by science or by para-science. Rest assured, all strangeness in my world (paranormal or just odd and intriguing) eventually finds its way into a story or two. Writing, I’ve discovered, has really become my own form of torture, er, I mean self-therapy. I write to understand the events of the world, of people and of my own life.

Tell us anything you would like your readers to know about Jason McIntyre.

I once shared a bottle of expensive red wine with a homeless man. The throat infection I developed the following week nearly put me in the hospital and my health insurance had lapsed so I couldn’t get a scrip for antibiotics. I went through six tubes of topical Polysporin. Yep, I gargled the stuff five times a day until I could see straight again.

About Jason McIntyre

JASON MCINTYRE is the #1 Kindle Suspense author of THE NIGHT WALK MEN, bestsellers BLED and SHED, plus the multi-layered literary suspense, THALO BLUE. His first novel, ON THE GATHERING STORM, earned a spot in the Top 20 Debut Authors for the Goodreads Choice Awards.McIntyre’s debut novel, ON THE GATHERING STORM was VOTED as one of the TOP 20 DEBUT AUTHORS — Goodreads Choice Awards

Learn more and connect with the author at www.theFarthestReaches.com

Amazon Author Page

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Giveaway – Shadow in the Sea by Sheila A Nielson

Posted on August 25, 2015 by fundinmental

ShadowInTheSeaBlitzBanner

I would like to welcome Sheila A Nielson to fundinmental. I love mermaids, so I am very eager to begin. What do you have to share with us today, Sheila?

Your newest book, Shadow in the Sea is a follow-up to the mermaid novel, Forbidden Sea, published by Scholastic Press. Do you have to read Forbidden Sea first in order to enjoy Shadow in the Sea?
Shadow in the Sea is more of a companion novel rather than a true sequel to Forbidden Sea. I knew this book would be the first time visiting Windwaithe Island for many readers—so I wrote Shadow in the Sea as a stand-alone. If readers decide they like Shadow in the Sea, they can always go back and read Forbidden Sea to find out what happened before.

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Why mermaids? Or should I say, mermaids and mermen—since one of the main characters in Shadow in the Sea is a handsome merprince.
I was first introduced to Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairytale, The Little Mermaid, as a child. My family had an illustrated version of the story and I used to look at the pictures in it again and again. I hated the whole lose-the-guy-and-turn-into-sea-foam-ending—so I would imagine my own mermaid stories to go along with the pictures. Ones with much better endings.
After I became a children’s librarian, I noticed that many girls who came in asked for mermaid books. We didn’t have a lot of them so the kids left looking very disappointed. I thought to myself, Someone needs to write more mermaid stories. That’s when I realized that person could be me. When I finally got around to writing my mermaid stories, I found myself revisiting some of the things I’d first imagined about mermaids back in my elementary school days.

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Do you think there are real mermaids out there in the ocean somewhere?
You would be surprised how often I get asked that question. I, myself, am a complete skeptic, though, nothing would make me happier than to be proven wrong. I will say this—while doing my research for Shadow in the Sea I discovered there are a lot of people who strongly believe in mermaids—both in present day and historically. In fact, the Orkney Islands have an extensive history when it comes to mermaid sightings. (Try Googling “Deerness Mermaid” sometime and see what you find!)

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What part of Shadow in the Sea did you enjoy writing most?
The Sea Prince, Araedyn, was the most complicated (and enjoyable) character to write in Shadow in the Sea. Because he speaks only merlanguage, I had to find other ways to communicate his story and personality to the main character, and the reader. As an author, I know a great many private details about my characters. Some of this information can’t be fit into the final story. In the first book, Forbidden Sea, I didn’t have time to flesh out Prince Araedyn the way I wanted to. Shadow in the Sea finally gave me a chance to bring the mysterious merprince front and center, the way I’d been dying to from the start.

Are any of your characters based on real people?
An author writes what she knows, so bits and pieces of real people do sneak in here and there. However, there is only one character in Shadow in the Sea who is completely based on reality. Dartemore, the horse. My grandfather owned an animal just like him while I was growing up. He was a one man horse who adored my grandpa and hated everyone else. If he could have slept at the end of my grandfather’s bed like a dog, he would have. When grandpa rode the horse, he lifted up his feet and let his tail fly high. When I got on him he tried to kill me. Every. Single. Time.

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Fictional characters often find themselves in situations they’re not sure they can get out of. Have you ever found yourself in a situation like that? What did you do?
I almost drowned when I was young. I was swimming in a lake all alone. (A really stupid thing to do!) I felt something swim into my legs under the water—either a good sized fish or a water snake—I ‘m not sure which. I panicked, started thrashing around, and quickly went under. I remember looking down through the water and realizing that I couldn’t see the bottom because it was so dark and deep. Luckily, I was able to calm down enough to stop flailing and float back up to the surface before it was too late. I’ve had a phobia of fish and deep water ever since. This made writing about merfolk who live fathoms beneath the surface of the ocean an interesting experience. There were times I had to take a break from writing because I would start to feel like I couldn’t breathe.

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You are a children’s librarian as well as an author. Do you find this affects your writing in any way?
Children want to share their joy when it comes to reading. I’ve had the plots of far too many novels spoiled for me by eager young library patrons who just wanted to tell me everything about their favorite book. I don’t mind one bit. This has given me a unique understanding of what kids do and don’t like when reading a book. Sometimes, I find myself thinking, What would the kids at the library like to see happen in this chapter? then I write the scene accordingly. Kids love fun little details that don’t necessarily have anything to do with the book’s main plot. The game of Quiddich is a great example of this. In Shadow in the Sea, the Sea Prince has eyes that change color based on his emotions and moods. I recently had a young fan write me an email to ask if I could please make a list of every eye color and its corresponding emotion and send it to her as quickly as possible.
There is one other perk to being a librarian author. Kids will sometimes come to the reference desk and ask me for one of my own books—never realizing I’m the one who wrote it.

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Have you written a book you love that you have not been able to get published?
A couple of years ago, I wrote a paranormal romance story about a haunted doll museum. It was much scarier and darker than anything else I’ve ever written. It was so creepy one member of my writer’s group decided they didn’t want to finish it. That book is one of my favorites despite the fact that it may never be published.

What would Sadelyn, Shadow in the Sea’s protagonist, think about you if she could meet you?
After everything I put her through in this story–she would probably refuse to even speak to me. Sade would forgive me in time, but then find some sneaky way to let me know she didn’t approve of my methods of entertaining readers at her expense.

A very entertaining interview. Thanks so much for sharing, Sheila.

Add me to Goodreads now.

Book & Author Details:

Shadow in the Sea by Sheila A. Nielson
Publication date: July 15th 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

SYNOPSIS

When sixteen-year-old Sadelyn Hanson washes up on the shores of Windwaithe Island, her beauty and the strange marks on her wrist make superstitious locals suspect she is a mermaid. Feigning amnesia, Sade hides a far worse secret: she was sailing to her own murder trial when she was thrown overboard by the real killer, the cunning and cruel Captain Westwood.

Sade’s quiet effort to rebuild her life on the island is threatened when she meets an actual young merman. Unable to speak his language, Sade still longs for the warm companionship he offers, despite the locals’ dire legends about merfolk and their dark magic. But her confused feelings for the impossible boy become the least of her problems when Captain Westwood’s ship docks at Windwaithe. With nowhere to escape, Sade must trust in the one person who doesn’t fear the merfolk. A woman who had dealings with them herself—years ago.

Purchase: Amazon / B & N / eBook Mall

ABOUT SHEILA A NEILSON

Sheila never did figure out what she wanted to be when she grew up. She graduated from college with a BFA in illustration, has worked as a children’s librarian for over eighteen years, and would eventually like to be a full-time author. Why pick one career when you can have many? Sheila lives with her two pets, a goffin cockatoo and a tiny toy poodle. She was born and raised in California but has come to also love her adopted home in Utah where she currently resides.

Author links: Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

GIVEAWAY IS OVER

(1) ebook copy of Shadow in the Sea. Open internationally.

Ends 9/8/15.

What was your favorite question/answer in the interview?

Winner is Laura Thomas.

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.

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Author Spotlight – Anna Albergucci

Posted on August 22, 2015 by fundinmental

Anna Albergucci

Anna Albergucci has always had a vivid imagination. When she was a child, she entertained her mother and anyone who would listen with the telling of her intricate dreams. Now she puts that inspiration to paper, weaving her stories into deeply passionate characters that live lives the rest of us only dream about.

Married to her high school sweetheart, Anna lives in Texas surrounded by her ever-growing family and her fur babies. She serves as president of Cisco Writers Club, and is the founder of a yearly writers’ retreat she hosts at her estate each fall.

She loves mornings, coffee, and sitting on the porch appreciating her life. She’s a sucker for hosting parties, especially historical costume parties. And in her spare time you can find her touring old mansions, shopping for antiques, or curled up reading a romance, paranormal, or thriller, whether historical or contemporary.

What is the hardest thing about writing?

Knowing when to pull away from my computer and live life. I am very driven, and I don’t know when to stop.

When you write, do you see yourself in the characters?

Absolutely. I accept that all of my characters—bad included—are in some way like me, even if it’s just a minute personality trait, but the ones I relate to most are the males. Yes, I know, that sounds weird, but it’s true. I’ve decided it’s because in general I make them suffer more than the females. To do that to a character, you dig deep to write the scene. I will say, that it was the character of Jinny in To Each His Own that did the greater amount of suffering. I put that poor girl through hell. She better be glad it was a novella. Had it been a full novel, she was looking at really bad times. :-\

Of all the characters you’ve written, which are your favorites?

Oh, wow, that’s like choosing a favorite child. I love different things about different characters. In To Each His Own, I love Douglass’s gratitude and his desire to please Jinny, and I love Jinny’s concern for others and her broadmindedness toward Douglass. In The Phoenix Decree, my time travel series, I love the protectiveness Devon and Elz feel for each other. Jarrett’s cockiness and Jaymi’s humor. Kyle’s intelligence and Pris’s innocence, etc…

Which famous person would you like to meet and why? – Famous person?

Well, that would be Jason Momoa. Not only is he the most beautiful man on the planet and total eye candy, he is hilarious! He seems the most genuine person—a man without ulterior motives. I like people like that—people you can trust.

What is your favorite quote?

Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia. ~ Kurt Vonnegut

Name ten things one can expect when reading one of your books?

Romance.
To be swept up into the scene and atmosphere around the characters.
At least one character to be filthy rich, so the doors are opened to that world.
To like the characters.
To discover the heart or mind of the characters.
They can expect characters that are deeply passionate about something, whether it is love, hate, loyalty, revenge, etc…
To be drawn to the villain at some point, as all my villains are charming.
They can expect the villain to be attractive—I don’t write ugly evil characters. In the real world many evil people are charming and physically beautiful, which is part of what makes them alluring and dangerous. In my books the bad guys are usually near and dear, and so who wants to hang out with a hideous ogre who smells like an outhouse, huh?
They can expect to feel strong emotion—to be surprised, shocked, aroused, and maybe even a little grossed out at times, especially in To Each His Own, as I always stay true to my characters. That book is not for the faint of heart.
They can expect a great story, filled with love, hate, jealousy, forgiveness, revenge, passion, fight scenes, love scenes, tender scenes—all the good stuff.

To Each His Own

by Anna Albergucci

Series: Falling In Deep CollectionGenre: Paranormal Romance with Horror Undertones

Release Date: September 1, 2015Buy links available soon!

The Phoenix Decree Saga

If you were given the opportunity to slip through time, would you? If so here’s your chance. This time travel series will allow you to break away from life as you know it. Join the characters and get to know each one first hand as you live every moment with them.

Book 1: The Phoenix Decree

Book 2: Phoenix Unbound

Book 3: Phoenix Under Fire

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.

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Author Spotlight – Lisa T. Cresswell with Giveaway #M9BFridayReveals

Posted on May 8, 2015 by fundinmental

The author, Lisa T Cresswell, sounds as interesting as her novel, Vessel.

Be sure and check her out below!

M9B-Friday-Reveal

Welcome to this week’s M9B Friday Reveal!

This week, we are featuring

Lisa T. Cresswell, author of Vessel

presented by Month9Books!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Lisa T. Cresswell

Meet Lisa T. Cresswell!

Lightening Round Questions

Twitter or Facebook? Twitter by far!

Favorite Superhero? Hulk

Favorite TV show? Um, I don’t watch tv anymore.

Sweet or Salty? Sweet

Coke or Pepsi? Pepsi before I gave it up; now its coffee 🙂

Any Phobias? Heights/fear of falling

Song you can’t get enough of right now? They play it way too much, but
I still like Uptown Funk.

Who is your ultimate Book Boyfriend? That’s tough. I’m sure Peta’s up
there. I’ll get back to you on that one 😉

What are you reading right now or what’s on your TBR? I want to read
the latest Neil Gaiman book. Always!

Fall Movie you’re most looking forward to? It’s really next winter,
but it’s STAR WARS!!

Lisa, like most writers, began scribbling silly notes, stories, and poems at a very young age. Born in North Carolina, the South proved fertile ground to her imagination with its beautiful white sand beaches and red earth. In fifth grade, she wrote, directed and starred in a play “The Queen of the Nile” at school, despite the fact that she is decidedly un-Egyptian looking. Perhaps that’s why she went on to become a real life archaeologist?

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Unexpectedly transplanted to Idaho as a teenager, Lisa learned to love the desert and the wide open skies out West. This is where her interest in cultures, both ancient and living, really took root, and she became a Great Basin archaeologist. However, the itch to write never did leave for long. Her first books became the middle grade fantasy trilogy, The Storyteller Series. Her first traditionally published work, Hush Puppy, is now available from Featherweight Press.

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Lisa still lives in Idaho with her family and a menagerie of furry critters that includes way too many llamas!

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

The sun exploded on On April 18, 2112 in a Class X solar storm the likes of which humankind had never seen.

They had exactly nineteen minutes to decide what to do next.

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They had nineteen minutes until a geomagnetic wave washed over the Earth, frying every electrical device created by humans, blacking out entire continents, and every satellite in their sky.

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Nineteen minutes to say goodbye to the world they knew, forever, and to prepare for a new Earth, a new Sun.

Generations after solar storms destroyed nearly all human technology on Earth, humans reverted to a middle ages-like existence, books are burned as heresy, and all knowledge of the remaining technology is kept hidden by a privileged few called the Reticents.

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Alana, a disfigured slave girl, and Recks, a traveling minstrel and sometimes-thief, join forces to bring knowledge and books back to the human race. But when Alana is chosen against her will to be the Vessel, the living repository for all human knowledge, she must find the strength to be what the world needs even if it’s the last thing she wants.

Title: Vessel
Publication date: May 2015
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Lisa T. Cresswell

Giveaway

Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

The book will be sent upon the titles release.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.

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A Meg(a) Hit ~ Review, Interview & Giveaway ~ Vostok by Steve Alten

Posted on April 1, 2015 by fundinmental

I am familiar with Steve Alten’s work, so I have been following his newsletter, waiting for this book to be released. Vostok is the sequel to The Loch and the prequel to Meg 5: Nightstalkers. I cannot get enough of his stories. (You can see the books and review links below)

AWESOME!! cover. It looks so real to me. I feel like the croc is swimming towards me, getting ready to open its mouth and eat me. Bring it on. (On the hardcover, it is embossed and looks 3D.)

Add me to Goodreads now.

MY REVIEW

Steve Alten writes some amazing creature stories that arise deep from the ocean’s floor. I have had Vostok sitting on the arm of my couch, where I couldn’t help but keep looking at it longingly, wanting so badly to pick it up and begin reading…but, I made myself wait. I wanted to savor the moment and bask in my anticipation. This creature story takes a wild twist that I never saw coming but I jumped aboard for the amazing ride through Steve’s creative and imaginative, out of this world, adventure.

In Antarctica, help is sparse, so when the Aussies asked for someone to check out something they discovered, Thomas Nilsson a marine biologist responded. They wanted him to identify not one, but two species of creatures. It’s over Thomas’ head, so who better to call in than, Zachary Wallace, the marine biologist who solved the mystery of The Loch Ness monster.

We will meet with some familiar characters from The Loch and Meg novels and I was happy to see them again. Welcome back, my friends. Of course, that doesn’t mean Steve might not kill you off. He is not afraid to make a character…disappear.

We will be going under the ice cap to Vostok Lake. When they drop the sub through the hole, I could imagine what that would feel like. I am very averse to small, tight places, let alone an under the water ice world that Steve describes so well I can see it. It made me think of Lost World, but instead of jungle and heat, picture ice, water and cold. His description of the mountain coming up from the water with the ice, like a sky, overhead make me scream MOVIE! The words opened before me as if I was watching the action. And, yes, there is plenty of that.

Thomas had died twice before, so imagine his terror facing it again…and again. He had dealt with drowning and giant creatures of the deep that wanted to eat him. How in the hell did he end up doing it again? LOL

Steve Alten has me engrossed, reading as if this is history unraveling before my eyes. Well, who knows what creatures dwell in the deepest oceans. New discoveries are being made all the time.

Throw in big business and the government, what chance does humankind have?

Now, comes the really, really, really nice spin – ALIENS. Who are they and what do they want? I did not expect this, but went with it and enjoyed the ride. Sometimes, an author will take a spin that ruins the book for me, but Steve pulled this off. I am curious how he will pull everything together in Meg 5: Nightstalker and eager to find out!

This quote sums up big business and government to me:

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“There exists a shadowy Government with its own Air Force, its own Navy, its own fundraising mechanism, and the ability to pursue its own ideas of the national interest, free from and checks and balances, and free from the law itself.

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Senator Daniel Inouye, Iran-Contra hearings

Do the elite work their hardest to keep the herd distracted? I feel there are some messages in Steve Alten’s stories, subtle, yet ones that should already be obvious to us.

If you could go back in time and change events, would you? What would it take for you to do it? This made me think of a Person of Interest episode where the machine ran through all the different scenarios, trying to find the groups best chance of survival.

There is so much more going on than I anticipated. It flows so smoothly at times I find myself relaxing too much, being jerked back into the story letting me know I wasn’t getting off that easy. If you found a UFO would you run toward it or away from it?

Steve Alten is a superb storyteller, weaving the genres together like water down a lazy stream, pulling me in, deeper and deeper (critters, aliens, conspiracy, betrayal, big business and government corruption, fantasy science fiction and horror) creating an amazing novel that will stick with you long after reading and will leave you anticipating the next book, Meg 5: Nightstalkers

Just two pages left and I read this:

“It’s a Nessie dildo so women like you can go –“

I busted out laughing.

I received this first edition hardcover of Vostok by Steve Alten for an honest review. Thanks so much, Steve and Rebel Press. It looks beautiful on my bookshelf, with the other Steve Alten books I own.

5 Stars

Buy Links: Amazon / Barnes & Nobles

I am so excited to have Steve on my blog today, sharing his thoughts on inspiration and writing.

INTERVIEW

How did you do research for your book?

You begin with a concept and hit the Internet.

Which was the hardest character to write?

Kwan Wilson in SHARKMAN. He’s a paraplegic. I spent time interviewing a neighbor who was also wheelchair bound.

The easiest?

Dr. Vincent Cope, Boca Raton gynecologist in my comedy novel, DOG TRAINING THE AMERICAN MALE (written under the pen name L.A. Knight). A man after my own heart.

In your book, VOSTOK you make a reference to JFK being assassinated because he was going to shutdown MAJESTIC-12. How did you come up with this idea?

By interviewing Dr. Steven M. Greer, the foremost authority on Extraterrestrial Intelligence.

What made you write a book about a subglacial lake in Antarctica?

The facts about Lake Vostok are just amazing. VOSTOK is located two-and-a-half miles below the ice cap in East Antarctica, the coldest, most desolate location on Earth. Vostok is a six thousand square mile liquid lake, over a thousand feet deep, left untouched for more than 15 million years. Marine biologist Zachary Wallace has been recruited to join two other scientists aboard a tiny 3-man submersible tethered to a laser which will journey 13,000 feet beneath the ice into this unexplored realm to discover Mesozoic life forms long believed extinct – and an Extraterrestrial object of immense power responsible for the evolution of modern man.

Where do you get inspiration for your stories?

TV, newspapers, dreams…

There are many books out there about….What makes yours different?

I wouldn’t say different, I’d say additive.

What advice would you give budding writers?

Don’t write about what you know, write about things you like to read and do the research.

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts, Steve. I look forward to reading more of your work…and soon. 🙂

SYNOPSIS

East Antarctica: The coldest, most desolate location on Earth. Two-and-a-half miles below the ice cap is Vostok, a six thousand square mile liquid lake, over a thousand feet deep, left untouched for more than 15 million years. Now, marine biologist Zachary Wallace and two other scientists aboard a submersible tethered to a laser will journey 13,000 feet beneath the ice into this unexplored realm to discover Mesozoic life forms long believed extinct – and an object of immense power responsible for the evolution of modern man.

In this sequel to The Loch and prequel to the upcoming MEG 5: Nightstalkers, New York Times best-selling author Steve Alten offers readers a crossover novel that combines characters from two of his most popular series.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Steve Alten is the New York Times and International bestselling author of fourteen novels, including the MEG series about Carcharodon Megalodon, the 70-foot, 100,000 pound prehistoric cousin of the Great White shark and Domain trilogy, a series about the Mayan Calendar’s 2012 doomsday prophecy. His work has been published in over 30 countries and is being used in thousands of middle and high school curriculum as part of Adopt-An-Author, a free teen reading program, which he founded with teachers back in 1999.

Connect with Steve: Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

GIVEAWAY

Prizes: One of 100 (or more) print copies of VOSTOK Open internationally. Ends April 18.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Giveaway & Interview ~ Heartsearch: Betrayal by Carlie M A Cullen

Posted on February 27, 2015 by fundinmental

I love the covers for the Heartsearch trilogy by Carlie M A Cullen.

They are a brand that is easily recognizable, labeling the books ‘written by Carlie’.

Betrayal_front_cover

Add Me To Goodreads

SYNOPSIS

One bite started it all . . .

Joshua, Remy, and the twins are settled in their new life. However, life doesn’t always run smoothly. An argument between Becky and her twin causes unforeseen circumstances, an admission by Samir almost costs him his life, and the traitor provides critical information to Liam. But who is it?

As Jakki’s visions begin to focus on the turncoat’s activities, a member of the coven disappears, and others find themselves endangered.

And when Liam’s coven attacks, who will endure?

Fate continues to toy with mortals and immortals alike, and as more hearts descend into darkness, can they overcome the dangers they face and survive?

INTERVIEW

I would like to welcome Carlie and share her thoughts with you, my readers. Enjoy!

Hi Sherry! It’s so lovely to be here today.

I love book covers. In the library, I will grab a book by its cover alone. How much input to you have when it comes to the cover? Do you have final approval?

I have a great deal of input. It’s one of the great things about being independently published. I can put forward my ideas to my wonderful cover designer, Nicole Antonia Carro, and she sends me back her interpretations. We work together to tweak it until I’m happy. And yes, I absolutely have final approval. I love the way she’s created a brand for my Heart Search trilogy where there’s something on every cover to link them all together.

I do love it when the author is able to create a ‘brand’ for the series. Makes it easily identifiable.

2. Do you have a favorite character in your books and why? How much of you is in the character?

It’s difficult because I love them all for different reasons, but I would have to say Remy is my favourite. She’s a complex character and I love her journey of self-discovery through the three books. Remy has grown so much as a person and it’s great to see.

Although Remy was loosely based on my daughter originally, I drew on some of my experiences to help mould her character. There’s probably more of me in her than I’d care to admit. I’ve gone through pain and heartache and emerged a stronger, more independent woman and that’s what Remy has done too.

I think most characters are a compilation of people an author knows or is familiar with. You did a wonderful job of showing us how Remy grew as a person and I enjoyed sharing the experience with her.

3. If you could be any character in any book you have read, who would it be and why?

Geez, this is so hard to answer as there have been many characters I’ve liked and admired for various reasons. As you’ve backed me into a corner on this, I think I’ll have to pick Aeolyn from the Tower of Bones series by Connie J Jasperson. She’s tough, feisty, a warrior, and doesn’t take any crap from anyone. However, she has a wonderful caring side. She has a fierce love for her husband and is very protective and loving toward her friends. Aeolyn is resourceful, creative, and has a good head on her shoulders. She can plan attacks, organise supplies in advance, and thinks outside the box when necessary. I just love the way she’s been created and can’t wait until the next book comes out to see what happens with her next.

I am not familiar with Aeolyn or the Tower of Bones, but I will surely be checking it out. 🙂

4. Tell us something funny about yourself. It can be anything at all – something you like, something you did, something that happened to you…

I went to the hairdressers as I wanted to look my best for my daughter’s graduation from university. The colours in my hair were fading so I asked them to renew my two colour highlights (bright red and blonde). Something went a little wrong and the red dye bled onto the blonde and vice versa. Consequently, I ended up with bright pink hair and no time to get it put right before I was leaving to make the 300 mile trip. It wasn’t exactly the look I’d hoped to see in my daughter’s graduation photos!

I love it! Sorry, but I couldn’t help but laugh, imaging the look on your daughter’s face when she first saw you with you new do. LOL

Fast and Loose:

Sweet or Sour:

Sweet, every time. Unfortunately I’ve inherited my Dad’s sweet tooth!

Hot or Cold:

Hot if we’re talking about the weather (I hate the cold), and hot if we’re talking about men, hahaha

Dog or Cat:

Dog. I used to have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and she was so lovely. I hope to have another one someday.

TV or Movies:

Movies. I love them. I can’t go to the cinema as often as I’d like to though.

Thank you so much for inviting me here today. I’ve really enjoyed answering your questions – even if one or two gave me brain-ache [laughs].

Then I did my job! I really enjoyed the interview and loved sharing some chuckles with you, Carlie!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Carlie M A Cullen was born in London. She grew up in Hertfordshire where she first discovered her love of books and writing.

She has always written in some form or another, but started to write novels in 2011. Her first book was published by Myrddin Publishing in 2012. She writes in the Fantasy/Paranormal Romance genres for New Adult and Adult.

Carlie is also a principal editor for Eagle Eye Editors.

Carlie also holds the reins of a writing group called Writebulb. They have published four anthologies so far, two for adults and two for children, all of which raise money for a local hospice.

Carlie currently lives in Essex, UK with her daughter.

Website / Twitter: @carlie2011c / Facebook / Linkedin / Amazon / About.me

Wattpad / Goodreads

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GIVEAWAY

These are a few of the awesome gifts! Aren’t they beautiful?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Find the Carlie Cullen Heartsearch series on Amazon by clicking on the covers below.

Review of Heartsearch: Lost, Book I

Guest post for Heartsearch: Found, Book II

Review of Heartsearch: Found: Book II

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Polar Day by Julie Flanders ~ Giveaway, Interview & Excerpt

Posted on February 20, 2015 by fundinmental

VBT_TourBanner_PolarDay

I am excited to be sharing Polar Day by Julie Flanders today.

I love learning about characters and Danny has graced us with his presence.

Take it away, Danny.

Hello and thank you for hosting me today! I appreciate the opportunity to be featured on your blog. I always enjoy character interviews so I am sharing an interview with my Polar Day protagonist, Danny Fitzpatrick. I previously shared an interview with the antagonist Jamie Dzubenko over at UnabridgedAndra, so I thought I would ask Danny the same questions I asked Jamie.

Character Interview with Danny Fitzpatrick

What can you tell us about your family?

I don’t really have a family anymore. I was an only child who was raised by my mother, but she is dead. I used to be married, but my wife Caroline was murdered a few years ago in Chicago, my hometown. Those two were my family and they’re both gone. I do have a dog now though, a mutt named Sox. I guess he’s my family.

What about friends? Do you have a surrogate family?

I don’t know that I’d call her a surrogate family member but I am friends with my partner Tessa Washington. She’s a loner like me so we get along well together. I’m also friends with a librarian I met while working the Aleksei Nechayev case over the winter. Her name is Amanda. I guess you could say Amanda and I are friends with benefits.

What do you do for a living?

I’m a homicide detective for the Fairbanks police department.

What did you want to be when you were growing up?

A cop

What are you passionate about?

Stopping murderers and other monsters

What do you hate?

Murderers and monsters. Namely, I hate Aleksei Nechayev and I hate the man who was my partner when I was a detective in Chicago. He’s the man who murdered my wife.

If you had to choose one word to describe yourself what would it be?

Bitter

If time travel was possible, would you go to the past or to the future?

To the past, but not too far back. I’d just go back to when Caroline was still alive. I’d make sure she wasn’t home the night my former partner came to our apartment and slit her throat.

Do you have a favorite book?

Not really. I’m not much of a reader.

How about music. What songs do you enjoy?

Darkness on the Edge of Town by Bruce Springsteen, Love Stinks by the J. Geils Band, Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd, I Am a Rock by Simon & Garfunkel, Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door by Guns & Roses

Add me to Goodreads now.

Polar Day

by Julie Flanders

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BLURB

The midnight sun bakes Fairbanks, Alaska as residents gather for the annual summer solstice baseball game. Amidst the revelry and raucous shouts of “Play ball,” a spark alights and a jogger bursts into flames. Detective Danny Fitzpatrick, still reeling from his near death at the hands of vampire Aleksei Nechayev, watches in horror as the man burns alive.

Someone is burning Fairbanks and its residents and leaving nothing but smoldering embers behind. As the city sweats under a record-breaking heatwave and unexplained fires claim more victims, Danny and his colleagues struggle to find an arsonist who can conjure fire out of thin air.

To Danny’s horror, the only one who may be able to help him stop the arsonist is his nemesis Nechayev. Will the vampire help in the hunt for a witch?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT

Danny flipped through the channels, stopping when he came to a Seattle Mariners game that had gone in to extra innings. They were playing the White Sox in Chicago and Danny felt a slight tug at his heartstrings as the familiar sight of Cellular Field filled the flat screen television. The time difference made it difficult for him to catch Sox games live. It was a welcome surprise to find one that was lasting so long into the Chicago night that he could watch it live as it happened.

It was dark in Chicago, but of course the sun was still high in the sky here in this strange frontier he had chosen as his new home. He squinted from the sun beaming through the window and cursed himself for not shutting the blinds before he sat back down. Next time he got up for a beer he would need to do that.

Danny rested his hand on his dog’s head as he finished one beer and started another, the bottles now lining up on the end table beside him. His eyes grew bleary as Sox’s gentle snoring mingled with the sounds of the faraway baseball game. When yet another inning ended and the game went to a commercial, Danny closed his eyes and rested his head on the back of the couch.

The noise of the television grew fainter as he slipped into sleep and his mind flashed images of fangs and bloodless bodies in an endless landscape of snow. As Danny drifted farther into unconsciousness, the snow was overtaken by fire.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

AuthorPhoto_PolarDay Julie Flanders is a librarian by day and a writer all the rest of the time. She is also a television show addict with a particular fondness for Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead and a slightly obsessive sports fan who cheers for the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Cincinnati Reds. Julie is an animal lover and animal rescue advocate who shares her home with her rescued dog and cat. She has written about the joys of pets for outlets such as Cat Fancy, Thrive in Life, and Best Friends Animal Society. Visit Julie at julieflanders.net.

Website / Blog / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Click on the cover to get your Amazon copy now.

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found below:

http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2014/12/vbt-polar-day-by-julie-flanders.html

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Zombies – Dead New World by Ryan Hill – Blitz Giveaway

Posted on October 13, 2014 by fundinmental

DeadNewWorldBlitzBanner

Dead New World’s cover made me do a double take.

I was trying to figure out what is wrong with his face.

Is he a zombie?

Read on and find out.

Also, check out Ryan Hill’s interview and enter the giveaway.

Add ME to your Goodreads reading list now!

________

Book & Author Details:

Dead New World by Ryan Hill
Published by: Curiosity Quills Press
Publication date: October 13th 2014
Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult, Zombies

SYNOPSIS

Zombies aren’t mindless anymore.

Before the world fell into chaos, the undead existed only in the imagination. Now, more of them walk the earth than living. Zombies move about freely, while humans entomb themselves inside concrete barricades to stay alive.

All that, while the leader of a powerful cult – known only as Reverend – becomes the next threat to the rebuilding United States. Believing zombies to be God’s latest creation, making humanity obsolete, he wants to give every man, woman, and child the chance to become one. With his combined army of humans and zombies, he may well get his wish.

Best friends Holt and Ambrose went up against the Reverend once. Holt lost a foot and a zombie bit Ambrose…though he survived the virus, only to become a human-zombie hybrid, reviled by the living and unwelcome among the dead. When the Reverend kidnaps the woman Holt loves, the race is on to save her from a fate worse than death.

Purchase: Amazon

INTERVIEW

It seems like everybody is writing about zombies these days. What sets yours apart from the herd?

DEAD NEW WORLD is full of large action sequences, thrills readers expect from a zombie novel, and even some hand-to-hand combat between humans and zombies. DNW also has one major caveat: a select few people can survive a zombie bite. These survivors become human-zombie hybrids, capable of communicating with and controlling zombies. The book also does not feature Brad Pitt running around in a scarf.

What is the novel about?

Holt, a seventeen-year-old soldier, must save the woman he loves from a cult leader bent on turning everyone into a zombie. Born shortly after the zombie apocalypse, this hellish world is the only one Holt knows. Before it’s over, he’s going to learn that zombies may not be the most dangerous thing in this… dead new world. Dun-dun-dunnnn! You like how I worked the title into my answer.

Sure. It was awesome. Moving on. Would you touch a zombie on a dare?

No.

What if you were offered a dollar?

Hm… is there a chance it could bite me?

50/50.

Let me think… yeah. For a buck, I can roll with those odds.

Were you inspired by any zombie tales when writing DEAD NEW WORLD?

Absolutely.

Can you elaborate? Please?

Fine, if you’re going to press…

Ryan, YOU are the one making up these questions. You’re only being difficult with yourself.

Fair point.

So?

So what?

Answer the question!

The one about zombie influences?

*slaps forehead* YES.

Actually, every zombie book, movie, or television show I’ve come across influenced me. I love a well-told zombie tale, and I’d sometimes find myself wishing they’d stretch the limits of the genre. Some people don’t like Isaac Marion’s WARM BODIES, but it’s certainly a unique take on the genre. For me, the biggest thing was “Why is the zombie virus, or whatever it is, 100% lethal?” I wanted to explore the possibility of someone surviving. Yes, 28 WEEKS LATER has some people who survive, but aside from an eye changing color and their fluids becoming contagious, what’s different about them? Nothing. I wanted to dig deeper into that idea, while also writing a story that had epic action and fun scares.

Is there anything else you’d like to see in the genre?

Honestly? I wish they hadn’t made a film adaptation of Max Brooks’s WORLD WAR Z. It’s by far the best zombie novel ever written (mine is a somewhat distant second), and while the film isn’t bad, it’s not WORLD WAR Z. That novel needs to be turned into a 13-15 episode miniseries for HBO, with each chapter being a different episode. It would be the greatest zombie story ever filmed. It can still be done too. Maybe if enough people buy DNW, I can go up to Brad Pitt and his scarf, and offer to put up the money to make it for HBO. It can happen.

No it can’t.

You’re right. But a guy can dream, right?

Sure. Have your dream. Is there anything else you’d like to say about DEAD NEW WORLD?

DNW is the first in a trilogy. The second novel is DARK NEW WORLD, and the finale is THE NEW WORLD. Each novel will dig deeper into this world I’ve created. They will also further explore the psychological and emotional impact of surviving the zombie virus. It’s all quite exciting!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Growing up, Ryan Hill used to spend his time reading and writing instead of doing homework. This resulted in an obsession with becoming a writer, but also a gross incompetence in the fields of science and mathematics. A graduate of North Carolina State University, Ryan has been a film critic for over five years. He lives in Raleigh, NC, with his dog/shadow Maggie. Ryan also feels strange about referring to himself in the third person.

Author links: Twitter / Website / Facebook

GIVEAWAY

taiwan flag smiley animated gif Pictures, Images and Photos

Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)

$25 Amazon gift card
Ends October 28, 2014

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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A New Intelligence – Dark Nights by Christopher A Gray – Interview, Excerpt & Giveaway

Posted on July 7, 2014 by fundinmental

The otherwordly cover had my imagination running overtime.

Then I read:

The machine believed it knew best how to save humanity… even if doing so meant destroying half the population.

It made me think of Person Of Interest and what would happen if machines are endowed with the ability to decide our lives for us.

INTERVIEW

I would like to take a moment to thank Christopher Gray for stopping in and sharing some his thoughts, insights and inspirations for writing.

1. Have you ever had an imaginary friend?

No, but I had an imaginary army of talking tigers.

HA HA HA! That is priceless, Christopher.

2. Do you have any phobias?

As much as I’ve tried to conquer it, I still have a fear of heights. I once used a ladder to fix a leak in my roof skylight. I got up all right, but when it came to coming back down the ladder, I froze. It was only the potential embarrassment of calling the fire department to rescue me in front of the neighbors that prodded me to get myself down.

I think a lot of us have this fear. Coming back down is definitely the hard part.

3. Ever broken any bones?

I was kicked in the ribs by a dentist. True story. Okay, it wasn’t in the dentist’s office, we were in the same martial arts class as sparring partners. He didn’t know how to reign in his kicks, and hit me full force with a roundhouse. Down I went, with a broken rib.

OMG. Sorry, but I couldn’t help but laugh, until I read it all. I never knew martial arts classes could be so dangerous.

4. What is your favorite quote and why?

“Fortune favors the bold” — without getting out there and taking risks, very few of us would accomplish anything of merit in our lifetime.

So true, Christopher.

.
5. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

Chocolate.

MMMMMM! Mine too.

Thanks Christopher for sharing some of you escapades and insights.

SYNOPSIS

The machine believed it knew best how to save humanity… even if doing so meant destroying half the population.

Astrophysicist Doug Lockwood’s unusual discovery during his observation of the sun kicks off a chain of events that nobody could have foreseen. The powerful political and military influences that compete to deal with his discovery set Lockwood on a course which will carry him across worlds, and into the grasp of a formidable new intelligence bent on accomplishing its goal at any cost. With Earth itself at stake and time running out, Lockwood and his team must find a way to counter this unprecedented threat before the powerful new enemy completes its plan. Two civilizations are pitted against each other in a desperate struggle for survival.

EXCERPT

I chose this excerpt, because the final sentence makes me wonder what happens next.

Bishop was wondering how long he could hold his position when he heard a noise behind him. He turned to see a floor plate rising. Two mechanical hands pushed up the plate from below, then tossed it aside. The RAKER used its powerful arms to quickly lever its bulk up from the floor beneath and climb out. Bishop stared at the RAKER, momentarily astonished at what he was seeing. He briefly considered shooting, but immediately realized his weapon would be next to useless against the armored android. The RAKER looked at Bishop and then deftly grabbed the pistol from his hand. Bishop, for all his training and experience, was startled. He had never seen anything that big move that fast. He just dropped his hands to his sides and took one step back. The RAKER ignored him and strode out into the corridor.

As soon as they saw the RAKER the tactical squad opened fire. The bullets were deflected off the androids advanced armor. It raised the handgun and fired expertly. Both soldiers fell to the floor, dead. The android picked up one of the assault rifles and tossed the Glock back along the floor to Bishop.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Christopher A. Gray is a professional freelance writer living in Toronto. He has been a sales agent, project manager, actor, filmmaker, comedy writer & performer and world traveler.

Amazon / Barnes and Nobles

Click on the cover below to get your Amazon copy of Dark Nights by Christopher Gray.