Stitch by Samantha Durante is FREE for four days only – June 7-11, 2013. Be sure and pick up this fascinating novel of the paranormal, sci-fi, romance and dystopia.
Stitch is an awesome debut novel by Samantha Durante. To see my 5 STAR Review, go HERE.
To get your copy, find an interview link for Samantha or enter the giveaway, scroll down to the end of the post.
Her heart races, her muscles coil, and every impulse in Alessa’s body screams at her to run… but yet she’s powerless to move.
Still struggling to find her footing after the sudden death of her parents, the last thing college freshman Alessa has the strength to deal with is the inexplicable visceral pull drawing her to a handsome ghostly presence. In between grappling with exams and sorority soirees – and disturbing recurring dreams of being captive in a futuristic prison hell – Alessa is determined to unravel the mystery of the apparition who leaves her breathless. But the terrifying secret she uncovers will find her groping desperately through her nightmares for answers.
Because what Alessa hasn’t figured out yet is that she’s not really a student, the object of her obsession is no ghost, and her sneaking suspicions that something sinister is lurking behind the walls of her university’s idyllic campus are only just scratching the surface…
The opening installment in a twist-laden trilogy, Stitch spans the genres of paranormal romance and dystopian sci-fi to explore the challenges of a society in transition, where morality, vision, and pragmatism collide leaving the average citizen to suffer the results.
To learn about Samantha Durante, go HERE for the Q and A with Shut Up and Read.
To get your copy of Stitch, simply click on the cover.
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I love the cover. It lends an aura of creepiness that makes me want to investigate further. A serial killer and the paranormal, what more could you ask for?
Read on for an excerpt and be sure to enter the Giveaway at the end of the post. Good luck and thanks for checking out Shadow of Danger by Kristine Mason.
Four women have been found dead in the outskirts of a small Wisconsin town. The only witness, clairvoyant Celeste Risinski, observes these brutal murders through violent nightmares and hellish visions. The local sheriff, who believes in Celeste’s abilities and wants to rid their peaceful community of a killer, enlists the help on an old friend, Ian Scott, owner of a private criminal investigation agency, CORE. Because of Ian’s dark history with Celeste’s family, a history she knows nothing about, he sends his top criminalist, former FBI agent John Kain to investigate.
John doesn’t believe in Celeste’s mystic hocus-pocus, or in her visions of the murders. But just when he’s certain they’ve solved the crimes, with the use of science and evidence, more dead bodies are discovered. Could this somehow be the work of the same killer or were they dealing with a copycat? To catch a vicious murderer, the skeptical criminalist reluctantly turns to the sensual psychic for help. Yet with each step closer to finding the killer, John finds himself one step closer to losing his heart.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
The Heroine
Fingers clawing at the sheets, tearing them from the mattress, Celeste Risinski woke with a scream. Panicked, disoriented, she shoved at hands she swore still gripped her. As she struggled, she knocked the alarm clock from the nightstand. When it hit the hardwood floor, the radio blared. The loud music, laced with crackling static, startled her.
She whipped open her eyes, relief slowed her racing heart as she looked down at her body, to where her arms and legs were tangled in the thin sheets and comforter. Brutal hands weren’t holding her down. She wasn’t in the woods. She wasn’t fighting for her life. She was in her bedroom, waking up from another nightmare, another look into hell.
Dragging in a deep breath, she pulled herself to the edge of the mattress, bent and retrieved the clock. After turning off the radio, she placed it back on the nightstand, then wiped tears from her face she didn’t remember crying.
No, not true. In her nightmare, she’d cried and screamed, begged and pleaded, while trapped in the body of another woman. She hated the way her mind had been sucked into the woman’s soul. She’d experienced every ounce of the terror, and even the pain the woman had endured. She rubbed her neck where the phantom cord had been wrapped during the dream. Even though she was blessedly free of the nightmare and sitting in her bedroom, claustrophobia wrapped tightly around her, making it difficult to breathe.
I didn’t pick up my first romance novel until I was in my late twenties. Immediately hooked, I read a bazillion books before deciding to write one of my own. After the birth of my first son I needed something to keep my mind from turning to mush, and Sesame Street wasn’t cutting it. While that first book will never see the light of day, something good had come from writing it. I realized my passion, and had found a career that I love.
When I’m not writing contemporary romances and dark, romantic suspense novels (or reading them!) I’m chasing after my four kids and two neurotic dogs.
A year after a barbaric childbirth, complete with a near-death experience and an encounter with her guardian angel, Angie Edmonds is just happy she and her son, Jake, are alive.
She’s finally in a good place: clean, sober, and employed as a defense attorney.
But at the end of a long work day, she finds herself in a parent’s worst nightmare: Jake has been kidnapped and taken across the Mexican border by a cult leader who believes the child is the “Chosen One.”Stymied by the US and Mexican legal systems, Angie is forced to ask the head of a Mexican crime syndicate for help.
Much to her chagrin, she must work with Alejandro Torres, a dangerously attractive criminal and the drug lord’s right-hand man.
Little does she know Alejandro is an undercover federal agent, equally terrified of blowing his cover–and falling in love with her.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sharon Buchbinder
I’ve been writing fiction since I was in high school and have the rejection slips to prove it.
After I graduated with a BA in Psychology and no job, I realized my dreams of working in the attic writing great prose would have to take a back seat to the simple pleasures of eating, drinking, and having a roof over my head.
Fast forward a few decades, and I had a career path that would make all but the kindest say, “What were you thinking?” After working in health care delivery for years, I became a researcher, then an academic. I had it all– a terrific, supportive husband, an amazing son, and a wonderful job. But that itch to write (some call it obsession), kept beckoning me to “come on back” to writing fiction. I spent one whole month away doing nothing but writing fiction, the first of many drafts of my first novel.
My genres include horror, mystery, romance and weird blends of the three. For a sampling of my work (fiction and nonfiction), click on “Stories and Links“.
When not attempting to make students and colleagues laugh, I can be found herding cats and dogs, golfing, deep sea fishing, or writing.
To keep updated on the latest happenings here on fundinmental, follow by email.
If you were following me on my old blog, but have not subscribed here, on my new blog, you will need to follow by email again. I lost all my follower information when I moved. Thanks and I look forward to seeing you.
Marny Copal nominated me for the Sunshine Award. Marny has written Freeblood, vampires and witches, oh my. You can learn about Marny at her blog or Goodreads. To check out her book on Amazon, just click on the cover.
Thank you for the award Marny. I love it. Isn’t it pretty?
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The Sunshine Award is presented to “bloggers who positively and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere.” I love spreading the word about the books I read, the authors I meet and whatever else I think is interesting. I am surprised and humbled by the award.
Here’s how it works (and feel free to adjust as necessary):
1. Announce your win and link back to the person who nominated you.
2. Display the award logo on your blog.
3. Answer the list of questions. (You have two choices here: Kimberly’s questions or Honoré’s. Or feel free to mix and match.)
4. Nominate ten bloggers for the award and link to them.
5. Let the bloggers know you’ve nominated them.
Kimberly’s Questions
What inspired you to start blogging?
My sister Laura at fuonlyknew. She introduced me to Goodreads and the blogging came right behind it.
How did you come up with the name of your blog?
I wanted something simple and a play on my name, thus fundinmental.
What is your favorite blog that you like to read?
I would have to say it is Laura’s, my sister. She always has a new book or author to expose me to. She is great with interviews and very creative with her questions. There is always something going on over there. Be sure and stop by to check her out after checking out Marny.
What is your dream job?
Retirement, so I have the freedom to do whatever I want. I love wandering, whether it is on location or in my own backyard. I never go anywhere without a camera and book on hand. I love sitting on the patio, reading or blogging, taking a dip now and then to cool off.
Is your glass half full or half empty?
Half full. I love my life.
If you could go anywhere on a week’s vacation, where would you go?
I love the Caribbean, but have been wanting to go to the Keys for a very long time.I don’t have a lot on my bucket list, but the Keys is somewhere I feel a kinship to.
What food can you absolutely not eat?
Shellfish. I have an allergy to them. That’s funny, living on the Gulf Coast and can’t eat shellfish. ^_^
Dark chocolate or milk chocolate?
Milk chocolate is my favorite, but there is no such thing as bad chocolate. M&M’s. MMMMMMMMMMMM
How much time do you spend blogging? In other words, are you one of those lucky people who can dash off a blog post in no time, or do you take forever on one post to get it just right?
It usually takes me a while. I tweak and tweak. I want it just right and always feel a little flutter in my tummy when I push the publish button and run to the post to check it again. LOL But, if I need to get it done and quickly, I can do that too.
Do you watch TV? If so, what are some of your favorite shows?
All right, I confess. I am a TVaholic. I am watching NCIS as I write this and it is 8AM on Memorial Day. I’ve probably only seen this episode once or twice. lol I love sitcoms, like Big Bang Theory, 2 Broke Girls, 2 1/2 Men….The Mentalist, CSI, all of them, Perception, Person of Interest, Supernatural…..
Honoré’s Questions
Favorite color: Probably my favorite would be blue, but I love red,. I do plant a lot of red flowers.
Favorite animal: I’m a dog lover, but don’t want the pet commitment at this time. No critters allowed.
Favorite number: 9, It is variations of 3 – 3×3,6+3,3+3+3…..
Favorite non-alcoholic drink: Water.
Facebook or Twitter: Superbrain, my hubby, started me a Facebook account a while ago. I don’t do a lot on Facebook, so I’d have to say Twitter.
Your passion: Reading and photography, not necessarily in that order.
Grey Heron by Sherry J. Fundin. All Rights Reserved.
Giving or getting presents: I am awful about both. I think you live every day and I don’t feel a need to celebrate gift giving only on holidays. If I want to give someone something, I don’t need a reason.
Favorite day: A sunny and warm one.
Favorite flowers: I love a profusion of color and a faint aroma that rides on the breeze. I seem to pick mostly red. No specific favorite.
Drum roll, please. My nominations for the Sunshine Award are:
Donna L Sadd
Please accept the nomination in the spirit in which it was given. Some prefer not to post awards on their blog or have already received this award. No problem! I’m simply happy to share your website with others.
To keep updated on the latest happenings here on fundinmental, follow by email. If you were following me on my old blog, but have not subscribed here, on my new blog, you will need to follow by email again. I lost all my follower information when I moved. Thanks and I look forward to seeing you.
Download CATHARSIS ebook on: Amazon USUKDE. Available on all international Amazon sites.
NOTE: You can also read CATHARSIS free with #AmazonPrime trial membership! Download today!
Karma can be a beautiful maiden or a bitch… Lemurians…Atlanteans…Hidden origins of humanity…
Before recorded history, before Humanity, since times immemorial, the Earth Keepers have been watching over our planet. Marked at birth and endowed with supreme powers, the nine chosen ones are the Earth’s record keepers and moderators, and when the time comes, ultimate decision makers. This is the first of their chronicles.
Legend of the Lemurians
The population of the red planet Catharsis, on the outskirts of the Andromeda Galaxy, is exceedingly beautiful. But Catharsians harbor a terrible secret: they have to share the planet with another race, which they call the Uglies, although the Uglies themselves prefer to be called Lemurians. Alas, no one on Catharsis cares what the Uglies prefer. Being ugly is considered a contagious disease, and the Uglies are herded into a reservation called Camp Ugly, where they live out their drudgery behind an electric fence. But the Uglies don’t seem to fret as they raise their young, guard the planet’s Crystalline Engine, and sing their heart-stopping songs to the Goddess of All, Mother Mu. And so, both races co-exist without much interaction, until the ultimate disaster strikes.
Morf is a seventeen-year-old Ugly who finds himself in the middle of it all. He is thrust fatefully into the leadership position when no one else can fill its shoes. Will the catastrophe bring to light everyone’s true beauty and true ugliness? Will planet Catharsis survive? What destiny lies in store for the Uglies? We are about to find out…
This metaphysical YA fantasy/scifi novelette is prequel and companion to THE EARTH SHIFTER, and first in the new Earth Keepers series.
This top-rated read, containing powerful and timely messages, is great for readers age 12 through adult.
Genre: YA crossover, visionary/metaphysical, fantasy, dystopian sci-fi, alternative history
Lemurian Crystal & Atlantis (Earth Keepers 2 & 3) ebooks are coming soon! Also, this enchanting 3 part mini-saga will soon come out as one novel, entitled: EARTH KEEPERS CHRONICLES: ORIGINS (ebook & paperback). Stay tuned!
Download CATHARSIS on: Amazon USUKDE. Available on all international Amazon sites.
You can grab any of her books by clicking on the cover below:
To see my 5 STAR Review of Stepford, USA, go HERE.
To keep updated on the latest happenings here on fundinmental, follow by email. If you were following me on my old blog, but have not subscribed here, on my new blog, you will need to follow by email again. I lost all my follower information when I moved. Thanks and I look forward to seeing you.
The 29th annual Mullet Toss is held the last full weekend of April and this year was as great a party as ever. If you are not familiar with this athletic competition, let me tell you about it.
WHAT IS THE FLORABAMA MULLET TOSS?
A bunch of rednecks were looking for a reason to have a party and thought, what the heck, we got all this here fish, so let’s say we throw them from Alabama across the state line to Florida. Oh, let’s invite all our friends, and their friends, and their friends………………….. Hey ya’ll, we’ll probably get hungry and thirsty, so we need lots of food and plenty to drink. Thus, The Mullet Toss was born.
WHAT IS A MULLET?
A mullet is an indigenous fish to our area. There are tons of them and they are considered a delicacy here. On the east coast they are considered a trash fish used for bait. It is also the only fish with a gizzard and is said to have mystical powers. So beware and treat the fish with respect.
WHAT ARE THE RULES FOR COMPETING?
Wear as little as possible, so it does not hinder your toss.
The cost is $15, but heck you get a T-shirt.
You choose your mullet from the bucket, no sand and bare-naked, I mean bare-handed.
You must throw from within a ten foot circle and end up in the circle after your throw.
The Green Man made an appearance, demonstrating the correct way to throw your fish.
Chocolate Brown shows how to retrieve your fish.
You must retrieve your fish. If you feel the need to pose for your fans, by all means, do so.
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For photographic instruction, please study the collage.
No harm is done to the fish, because they are dead. Besides tossing them, the mullet have other duties to perform. For each fish thrown, a portion of the proceeds go to local youth charities.
But, rednecks do not waste anything, so the birds are invited to the party.
Other events are The Flora-Bama® Mullet Man Triathlon and the Flora-Bama® Mullet Swing Golf Classic. There are daily bikini contests, culminating in the Ms. Flora-Bama® Bikini competition. There are more competitions, some of them created by the partiers themselves. Bands play all day and night, everywhere throughout the Florabama. Tons of great food just waiting to be eaten. Be sure and get your oysters and crawfish.
These are a collection of my wonderfully tacky trophies that are on display in the main bathroom for your viewing pleasure. I’m sure you won’t miss that tour when you are visiting Chez Fundin.
To see the individual trophies up close and personal, click HERE.
For more information, photos and to plan your trip to the Redneck Riviera………..go to Florabama and check it out. It will be worth your while and good for some chuckles.
To keep updated on the latest happenings here on fundinmental, follow by email. If you were following me on my old blog, but have not subscribed here, on my new blog, you will need to follow by email again. I lost all my follower information when I moved. Thanks and I look forward to seeing you.
This book will grab you from the first page and not let you go. Feelings of frustration, disgust, and anger will leave you panting for more. I kept wanting to yell, don’t open the door.
He was watching Dawn from his car, thinking of how she teased him. She was a sinner, not very bright, and she would be his fourth Absolution in New Orleans. He knew the police and FBI were after him but he felt God was watching over him .
The citizens were up in arms, wanting action. Racial tensions were high and they had just arrested a black man for being near the murder scene. Rona knew they were trying to pin it on a black guy, so she told Renzi about Kitty, her informant. She took Renzi to talk to her. Kitty claimed to be a psychic. He arranged for her to do an identikit, but before he left, she told him she thought the guy was a priest. He had made a sign, as if absolving her of her sins.
When Rona published the story stating a witness had escaped the Tongue Killer and described him as white and a priest, all hell broke loose and Renzi was in the middle of it. What would that mean for the witness?
Father Sean was very upset about Lynette. All the victims had been Catholic and he had told his housekeeper, Aurora, about seeing her talking to a young priest at the mall. When Father Sean approached him to talk to him, he had been very rude. She thought he should go to the police, but he had secrets of his own. The police and FBI would begin to question him, and his secrets would come out.
Father Sean Daily was doodling with the killers sketch while thinking of what would happen if he was exposed. Suddenly it dawned on him, it looked like………
5 – Would Buy It For Them (lol)
I guess I must be a pretty sick person, because I love to read about serial killers. I feel they must be some of the most depraved animals, that are considered to be part of the human race. Murder and death are fascinating to me.
I feel the media tends to inflame the killers, by giving them the attention they crave. Giving them names – Son of Sam, BTK, Green Mile Killer, just to name a few. I think the media will go to any lengths to increase their bottom line. The reporter will lie and make things up to break a story, win a Pulitzer.That is only one of the evils involved. There are plenty more to go around.
Politics. What can I say about politics? High profile cases are used to climb the ladder of advancement. Some can only be promoted to the level of their incompetence. It is seen everywhere and in every walk of life.
This book includes all of the above. It will piss you off, as you read about Norris. And the media naming the serial killer – Tongue Killer. Susan seems to hit on a lot of the problems going on today in her books. I like that it makes it more real and stirs my emotions, sometimes to a fever pitch.
The Killer – he studied serial killers and liked that he had a name, because so many of them did. Of course, he thought he was smarter than the press, police and FBI. He had a mission. He had to expose the evil women. His goal for them was Absolution.
Norris is the biggest dick. Arrogant, know it all. A man I love to hate. He is disrespectful, bigoted, racist, and the boss. He will climb the ladder, by stepping on you. If you don’t get pissed off when you read about him, then you must be a better person than I.
Renzi and Norris are constantly butting heads. Renzi has to bite his tongue and watch Norris take the credit for his work. On top of that, his father is a judge and his expectations for Renzi are high.
Kenyon Miller, his partner, “Didn’t your daddy tell you never to pick fights with guys bigger than you?” Renzi, “Hell, no. When a damsel’s in distress, my father expects me to slay the dragon, no matter how big it is.”
What can I say about New Orleans? They don’t call it The Big Easy for nothing. You can tell that Susan loves the town and her years spent there. She also manages to work her love of Jazz into her stories. I have spent many a day – and night – in New Orleans and there is no other place like it.
Shotgun house – can shoot through the front door and out the back without hitting a wall. I had never heard of that, until I moved down south. I actually lived in a shotgun house, but it had been remodeled and a wall built to block the bullet. lol
I received this book from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Music & Mayhem is my game. Started my trumpet career in my teens, got into the mayhem later. My print journalist father taught me how to play pool in the police station. Maybe that’s how I discovered my dark side.
I survived Katrina, but moved back to Boston in 2010. On my website I post profiles of women musicians and just began a blog, DARK DEEDS, about serial killers, stalkers and domestic homicides. Please come visit!!
To purchase any of Susan Fleet’s books, simply click on the cover below.
GIVEAWAY
Susan Fleet is offering for the Giveaway, 2 (two) ebooks for your reading pleasure. International. Easy entry as always, just leave your email address and answer the question:
Susan has a love of New Orleans. Have you ever been there and what was your favorite thing about your visit?
WINNERS – Stephanie and Ari.
Happy Reading. Thanks to all who stopped by to comment and enter the Giveaway.
Susan is offering Natalie’s Revenge for FREE this week. Go HERE to see how to get your copy.
To see my 5 STAR Review of Natalie’s Revenge, go HERE..
To keep updated on the latest happenings here on fundinmental, follow by email. If you were following me on my old blog, but have not subscribed here, on my new blog, you will need to follow by email again. I lost all my follower information when I moved. Thanks and I look forward to seeing you.
Marcia Andrews is a freelance psychic consultant. Sick of living hand to mouth, she accepts a contract with Raleigh Police. A new gang called The Cardinals is terrorizing The Triangle, and Marcia gives the department an edge in tracking them. Help that she is, one cop isn’t so keen on her involvement, and makes sure she knows it.
Detective Nat McCoy would rather see Marcia in his bedroom than the bullpen. The gorgeous Scotsman isn’t the typical chauvinist pig, though. He’s keeping a secret that even the psychic doesn’t anticipate.
A close encounter with a Cardinal’s bullet knocks Marcia off her game when the police need her most. She loses hours to trances and ghosts haunt her sleep. She can hardly function, and everything she thought she knew about playboy McCoy suddenly seems questionable. McCoy thinks he knows the cure for what ails her—him. But can she trust him?
For more information about Love by Premonition, go HERE.
Holley Trent is a Carolina girl gone west. Raised in rural coastal North Carolina, she has Southern sensibilities, but her adventurous spirit drove her to Colorado for new experiences.
She writes contemporary and paranormal romances set in her home state. They’re always a bit cheeky, sometimes sensual, and occasionally erotic. She enjoys creating diverse casts, which almost always contain a sassy grandmother.
Her works are inspired by real life, and her psychic romance Love by Premonition actually spawned from a petrifying encounter one evening when she was trying to sleep. Like her protagonist Marcia, she might be a bit of a medium…and like Marcia, the idea terrifies her.
Holley lives in Colorado with her ad guy husband, two kids, and two cats. Her romances are available from Calliope Romance/Musa Publishing, Crimson Romance, Rebel Ink Press, and she has works under contract by Lyrical Press. She’s currently working on a few paranormal romances, including a spin-off from Love by Premonition.
To keep updated on the latest happenings here on fundinmental, follow by email. If you were following me on my old blog, but have not subscribed here, on my new blog, you will need to follow by email again. I lost all my follower information when I moved. Thanks and I look forward to seeing you.
Eighteen-year-old Tanzy Hightower knows horses, has grown up with them on Wildwood Farm. She also knows not to venture beyond the trees that line the pasture. Things happen out there that can’t be explained. Or undone. Worse, no one but she and the horses can see what lurks in the shadows of the woods.
When a moonlit ride turns into a terrifying chase, Tanzy is left to question everything, from the freak accident that killed her father to the very blood in her veins. Broken and confused, she turns to Lucas, a scarred, beautiful stranger, and to Vanessa, a charming new friend who has everything Tanzy doesn’t.
But why do they seem to know more about her than she knows herself?
“Virginia’s trees look like they’re burning. Most of them blaze crimson or gold, but some still have a chokehold on their green. I wish they’d give it up already. Leaves are more beautiful when they’re dying.”
And so Moonlit begins. From here the story rolls from one twist to another with many vivid characters whose motives are hard to predict. I found myself being suspicious of everyone, wanting to tell Tanzy to be very careful. The deeper I fell into the plot, the more questions kept rising to the surface. But not to worry, all of my questions were answered. Appropriate for all ages, if you love paranormal fantasy mixed with suspense, mystery and other-worldly romance, you’ll love this novel!
~Author Julie Ford
PROLOGUE
The first anniversary of my father’s death was even harder on my mother. Back then, I thought she was haunted most by what she didn’t know. I refused to blame her when she raged above me on our staircase that night, drunk and sad and angry. When she made me promise I’d never ride again. When she hurled a half-full bottle of vodka at my face and it exploded on the wooden stairs at my feet. I hadn’t tried to get out of the way. She had just missed.
I wanted to tell her that knowledge was no solace, that what you know can burn inside you until there’s nothing left but guilt and ash. I also wanted to protect her from losing the only piece of him she had left. So I didn’t say a word.
AUTHOR JODIE JONES
Georgia native Jadie Jones first began working for a horse farm at twelve years old, her love of horses matched only by her love of books. She went on to acquire a B.A. in equine business management, and worked for competitive horse farms along the east coast. The need to write followed wherever she went.
She currently coaches a hunt seat equitation team that competes in the Interscholastic Equestrian Association, and lives with her family in the foothills of north Georgia. When she’s not working on the next installment of the Moonlit series, she is either in the saddle or exploring the great outdoors with her daughter. Moonlit is her first book.
Kristine Mason
To read more, click on 
Marny Copal 
Music & 
Susan Fleet is offering for the Giveaway, 2 (two) ebooks for your reading pleasure. International. Easy entry as always, just leave your email address and answer the question:
Holley Trent is a Carolina girl gone west. Raised in rural coastal North Carolina, she has Southern sensibilities, but her adventurous spirit drove her to Colorado for new experiences.
