Ken La Salle Writes Of #Zombies, #Romance, #Love, #Art, #Cookies, #Fantasy @KenLaSalle

Posted on March 3, 2019 by fundinmental

GUEST POST BY KEN LA SALLE

I am so excited to have you here today, Ken. I have read books from you that have dealt with cookies, zombies, personal success, magic, fantasy and love. I have enjoyed each and every one. You are here to share your thoughts about your Heaven series. So…let’s begin.

Grief is Funny

(Emotional Honesty in Heaven Denied)

So, I’m sitting in a radio-show studio, just before going on the air – this was a couple of years ago – and one of the hosts asks me a question I’d been hearing a lot that still took me by surprise. Were we going to see a sequel to Heaven Enough?

I say the question took me by surprise because, ever since the day I put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) to write my first novel, I always had sequels in mind. Most of my brainstorming for any novel includes some strategizing as to where I take that story next.

But Heaven Enough was a different kind of novel for me. The idea sprang forth fully self-contained. For a novel about a man who had lost his wife to later find love on the Pacific Crest Trail; what more was there? I had even taken my wife on a drive through Warner Springs, telling her about the characters and pointing out where they would go, finishing with a definite conclusion – Heaven Enough would be a stand-alone story.

As so often is the case, life had other plans. The story of Matt Murphy and Heather Brooker and this unlikely pairing of one broken man who insisted he wasn’t with one indominable woman who bore a tragic secret caught on rather unexpectedly. Here and there, readers would inquire after a sequel. Until the day came when I was sitting in that studio and I realized that my readers were right: Heaven Enough needed a sequel.

… As it turned out, my publisher wasn’t interested. Too much time had passed since the first book’s release, I was told. I’d be smart to move on.

But if I was smart, I wouldn’t be a novelist. I had spent too much time thinking about a sequel to let it go – not just one but two! My publisher, Limitless, while not interested in the sequels, released me from my contract so that I could self-publish all of the Heaven novels. All that was left was to write them.

The smart move would be to follow that sad tale of Heather and Matt with a more upbeat chapter. Everyone was asking about Neal and Babette, the flamboyant cross-dresser who appeared towards the end of the first novel. Perhaps, some suggested, I focus more on them.

While I knew that might make for a more marketable title, I also knew Matt wasn’t finished with Heather. Babette and Neal will have their moment, of this you can be sure, but I couldn’t move on until Matt could move on. Only… how could Matt move on? Heather’s story was wrapped in a tight bow. Where could Matt turn to share his awful grief?

In Heaven Enough, I made it clear that Heather was not only alone in the world, she’d also never married and was still a virgin. That is ironclad. But that doesn’t mean she didn’t have a life, that she didn’t love. And, if the Heaven novels are about anything, they are about love and opening ourselves up to love. And, so, I planted an imaginary photograph on an imaginary Internet for Babette to find, a photograph of a much younger Heather with a much younger man posing outside of a chapel in Las Vegas.

That was all Matt would need. I knew Babette wouldn’t be able to keep his mouth shut, especially with a little help from Neal and Babs, Matt’s mother. Once he knew some strand of Heather’s life remained out there, somewhere, Matt would step onto the pages of a new novel, a more complicated novel than Heaven Enough. Part Bromance, part romantic comedy, part road trip, the new novel would touch on missed opportunities and regrets, love in all of its forms and coming to terms with who you are after who you are is almost unrecognizable.

That novel, I titled Heaven Denied.

Heaven Denied is now available in ebook and paperback, with an audiobook on its way. You can also pick up Heaven Enough in ebook, paperback, and audiobook. Look for the third novel in this series, Heaven For Now, coming late this year.

Congratulations, Ken, for having written a love story that has stuck with me, making me look inside myself, not just along for the ride. I am happy we will have a third book, and I hope you will put me at the top of list when it becomes available for review.

See My Reviews:

I didn’t realize I had read so many, each unique in their own way. I have laughed and cried my way through them, and I eagerly wait for the next one…

Take a look at these fabulous covers:

Wormfood Island Cookies: Sluts of the Snack World Once Removed False Starts: Mistakes & Missteps Growing Up In The 70s Work of Art: An Intention of Flowers Climbing Maya Max Dedge in The Time of The Uniborg Heaven Enough Heaven Denied

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Kindle Giveaway – Mosaics: A Collection of Independent Women

Posted on March 8, 2016 by fundinmental

Today’s the day, all the excitement, all the anticipation, and now it’s finally here. And don’t forget to enter the mega giveaway, including a Kindle Fire, a $50 gift card, and a paperback library, at the end of this post!

A project focused on bringing women’s voices to readers and celebrating the stories they have to tell. Including stories by Keyan Bowes, Carol Cao, Chelo Diaz-Ludden, Sarina Dorie, Naomi Elster, Jordanne Fuller, Ari Harradine, Karen Heuler, L.S. Johnson, Tonya Liburd, Kelsey Maki, Julia Ray, Patty Somlo, P.K. Tyler, Deborah Walker, Keira Michelle Telford, Kim Wells, Elizabeth Wolf, and Sylvia Spruck Wrigley

Mosaics: A Collection of Independent Women Vol 1

Buy Your Copy Now!

Mosaics: A Collection of Independent Women will inspire and shock you with its multi-faceted look at the history and culture surrounding femininity. If gender is a construct, this anthology is the house it built. Look through its many rooms, some bright and airy, some terrifying- with monsters lurking in the shadows.

Mosaics Volume One features twenty self-identified female authors writing about Intersectionality, including women of color, and members of the disability, trans, and GLB/ GSD* (Gender and Sexual Diversities) communities. We have curated amazing short fiction, flash fiction, poetry, essays, and art. It’s personal, political, and a great read.

This collection includes Hugo Award Nominees, Tiptree Shortlists, Pushcart Prize Winners, USA Today Bestsellers, indie superstars and traditionally published talents alike. The anthology combines leading and new voices all proclaiming their identity as Women, and their ability to Roar.

Buy Your Copy Now!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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What Am I ~ Answer

Posted on April 18, 2015 by fundinmental

I have been super busy for the past six weeks and don’t see a time of relaxation coming for a while…yet.

I have been doing my best to keep you entertained and was curious to see what your imagination would come up with for this up close and personal photograph.

Here is the original pic:

What Am I? (c) Sherry Fundin

I was in Vegas and saw this. It sparked my imagination and I am glad it did yours.

It was her nipple. LOL

Thanks to those who chose to guess. I may be doing more of these, in the very near future, maybe even make a weekly meme. What do you think?

Have a super weekend.

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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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Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Lost Art, Nazis & More – Not In Time by Shawna Seed Review & Giveaway

Posted on February 18, 2014 by fundinmental

After reading Shawna Seeds debut novel, Identity, MY 5 STAR REVIEW for Identity, I have been eagerly anticipating another story from her.

Not In Time (Lost Art Investigations) was born.

Not In Time is about more than lost art. We may do a little time traveling and falling in love while we are investigating. Join me and we will find out together.

Not In Time was released at a great time. Monuments Men, the movie about art stolen by the Nazis, is now out. It’s almost like Shawna Seed has a touch of the clairvoyant about her, don’t you think? Read Not In Time is about one family’s search for their stolen art.

My Review for Not In time by Shawna Seed.

He felt something special, something magical, when he touched her.

They were both after the same thing – the drawing that was stolen by the Nazis in Paris.

As soon as he entered the Gallery I knew it. He knows her and I am wondering if he is up to no good. Shawna Seed keeps me guessing as I travel through time trying to avoid the pitfalls that are awaiting Genevieve and Julien.

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Not In Time starts out as a normal mystery, find the stolen drawing. But when Genevieve and Julien come in contact, there is a paranormal element that emerges. I love the combination. I am eager to begin my journey through time, because Genevieve’s flashbacks would prove to be so much more than flashbacks.

Shawna took the suspense to a very high level and kept it there. I was waiting for something to happen. I knew something was coming. Where would it come from?

So much of the world feels temporary, but a really great piece of art is timeless.

Genevieve had lost her job at the museum. With a push from her best friend, D, Genevieve find herself on an adventure that starts in Vegas and travels to places she could never have foreseen. They were opposites, Genevieve sensible and reserved, while D was adventurous and outgoing. I felt a kinship with D and think we could all use a best friend like her. I would love to learn her story. Could there me a book there for her, Shawna?

Genevieve is hired to find a lost drawing and she would be working with Julien. His family owned the drawing before it was lost in Paris during the war. She can’t help but notice Julien’s smile and her attraction to him continues to grow. I knew Genevieve was paranoid when it came to relationships and mistrusted men, so, it was no surprise to me that she doubted him. But, I doubted him too.

There are things going on that neither Genevieve or Julien foresee. Forces were determined to stop them and danger lurked.

I am not a person that likes to know, for sure, the ending of a book. I do not skip ahead,, but it was so very tempting. No, just a peak, no, NO! I waited until I got there through reading, I did not peek. And it will be worth it for you to wait too.

Shawna Seed’s writing is fluid and easy to read. Her stories have depth of plot and characters. She draws you in and keeps you there. You will not want to quit until the last page is read.

5 STARS – Would Buy It For Them (lol)

I received this book in return for an honest and unbiased review. I have been eagerly awaiting another novel from Shawn Seed after her debut novel, Identity. MY 5 STAR REVIEW for Identity. What’s next on your plate Shawna?

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Shawna Seed is a writer and editor whose career has taken her to both coasts and several spots in between, working for organizations that include The Dallas Morning News and ESPN.com.

Originally from Kansas, she’s lived in seven states and every continental U.S. time zone. She and her husband now call Dallas home.

When she’s not writing, her interests include cooking, travel and watching college basketball. (Go Jayhawks!)

Identity is her fiction debut. Her next project, Not in Time, is a suspense novel about looted art.

Visit her website, where the goodies include her blog and a discussion guide. You can also listen to a playlist based on the record collection of Sharlah Webb, the heroine of Identity, and see Sharlah’s bookshelf.

To learn more about Shawn Seed, follow the links below.

Website Facebook Twitter Goodreads

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I read her debut novel, Identity by Shawna Seed, and was blown away.

MY 5 STAR REVIEW for Identity

To grab your copy of a Shawn Seed novel, click on the cover.

Cover Reveal for exciting new novel, Not in Time by Shawna Seed

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GIVEAWAY

Shawna Seed is offering 5 (five) ebooks of Not In Time for five luck commenters. International. Entry is easy, just leave your email and answer the question:

“If you could travel through time, where would you go?”

Giveaway ends March 4, 2014.

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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 below or on the right sidebar at Home and let’s talk.

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Cover Reveal for exciting new novel, Not in Time by Shawna Seed

Posted on November 11, 2013 by fundinmental

I feel honored to be able to share Shawna Seed’s new novel, Not In Time, with you.

This is what Shawna Seed has to say:

You know how they always say something is “ripped from the headlines?”

My novel Not In Time is about looted art, and just this week the world learned of a trove of art stolen by the Nazis found in Munich. You can read more HERE.

The ebook will be released Dec. 17 on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords and Kobo. The paperback will be released in January.

I will be revealing the first chapter on my website, shawnaseed.com, on Sunday, Dec. 1.

SYNOPSIS

Art historian Genevieve McKenna, who just lost her museum job, lands an exciting assignment: Trace the path of a drawing the Nazis stole in wartime Paris and restore it to the rightful owners.

Plus, there’s Julien Brooks, whose family claims the drawing. She’s eager to get to know him better — a lot better.

But someone — could it be Julien? — is very determined to thwart her investigation.

And why does she keep having bizarre flashbacks to a place she’s certain she’s never been? Are those moments a sign of the same mental illness that plagued her mother’s life?

On a research trip to Paris, Genevieve must confront her growing attraction to Julien and the truth about her destiny. What she learns might crack the case — or cost her and Julien their lives.

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I read her debut novel, Identity by Shawna Seed, and was blown away.

MY 5 STAR REVIEW

To learn more about Identity, Shawna Seed, or to get your copy now, click on the cover.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Shawna Seed is a writer and editor whose career has taken her to both coasts and several spots in between, working for organizations that include The Dallas Morning News and ESPN.com.

Originally from Kansas, she’s lived in seven states and every continental U.S. time zone. She and her husband now call Dallas home.

When she’s not writing, her interests include cooking, travel and watching college basketball. (Go Jayhawks!)

Identity is her fiction debut. Her next project, Not in Time, is a suspense novel about looted art.

To learn more about Shawn Seed, follow the links below.

Website Facebook Twitter Goodreads

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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.

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

Awards and Recognition From One of My Favorite Followers

Posted on February 22, 2013 by fundinmental

Blog of the Year Award banner 600

It is always nice to be noticed and know the words I print and the posts I make are read by others. Thanks to everyone who follows me or stops by to take a look. I hope you enjoy your visit.

Thanks to Emily Guido for all these wonderful awards. She always stops by and is one of my most loyal followers. She is the sweetest, nicest person you would ever want to meet. Be sure and stop by her BLOG and check her out and her Light-Bearing Series of books with Charmeine and Tabbrius.

reality-blog-award

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very-inspiring-blogger-award

There are rules to these awards and I hope you will forgive me in choosing my own way to present them.

5parasaward

I have been challenged to name three traits I love and hate about myself. So here goes:

1. I love the convenience of the cell phone I own. I love that I don’t need to remember anyone’s number. I know you might think I am lazy because of that; but really, I have so many other things I would rather remember and sometimes it seems like there isn’t enough room in there for more. I love being able to talk to anyone, anywhere at any time.

I hate cell phones. People pull them out at the check out counter, when they are in their car and pulling into traffic while making a left hand turn. While driving they weave back and forth, sometimes driving outside of their own lane. They talk louder, do they think the person they are talking to is deaf or do they just want us know what they are talking about? As if we care. Phones are ringing everywhere, so many people talking at the same time – Noise Pollution. I hate not knowing anyone’s number; when my SIM card goes bad and I lose all my information.

2. I love the beach. I love the sounds and smells of the water and watching the waves rushing up the sand. I love walking on the sand and feeling the water wash over my feet. I love looking for beach glass, shells and cool rocks. I love feeling the sun as it beats down on me and warms my skin. It makes me feel so alive.

I love watching the people, but I hate it when they are too close to me. I don’t like their kids screaming and yelling and kicking sand in my face. I hate the feel of the salt and sand on my skin. It acts like sandpaper. Thank goodness there is a shower on the boardwalk, so I can wash it off, before I go into the bar for my margarita.

3. I hate that I am perfect. It is so hard to be humble when I am so – beautiful, intelligent, athletic, sexy, brilliant, funny, magnificent, intriguing – well, you get the drift.

I love that I am able to be anything and everything, do anything and everything. I love that everyone loves me and want’s to be a part of my life. I am so much fun to be around that people can’t get enough of me. I love that I am so HOT, a goddess, that men fall at my feet, professing their love and wanting my hand in marriage, or whatever I will give them. I am so brilliant that President Obama calls me when he is stuck for a solution to anything and everything. It is hard to be humble because I am so perfect.

WOW. I can’t believe I am going to share all this personal information with you guys; but hey, it’s not like it’s my pin number or anything.

I have been working on this post for a while, but I wanted to make sure it was perfect. LOL

I am passing on this challenge to three of my favorite authors. I am selfish, I want to see what they can come up with to WOW me and you, my followers and readers. I hope, and think, they will enjoy the challenge as much as I did, and I hope you do too.

MY NOMINEES ARE:

Vickie McKeehan

Anne Hargrove

Patrick Jones

Please accept these awards in the spirit they were given. If your blog is award free or you do not post awards, just know I am happy to share your site with others.

Fanged Mania #10 – Giveaway and Review of Charmeine: The Light-Bearer Series, Book I by Emily Guido (fundinmental.wordpress.com)
Awards From My Fellow Blogger Ella Medler (fundinmental.wordpress.com)

Dissolution Blast

Posted on February 20, 2013 by fundinmental

KICKSTARTER PROJECT LIVE LINK: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1027835983/dissolution-volume-one

Information from the Dissolution: Volume One project page.

Summary:
Exploring the questions of life after death, the realm of the supernatural, and how characters’ lives unexpectedly interweave.

Project Write-Up:

What is Dissolution?

What if there is another world, just beyond our own? It’s there, it’s footfalls are in sync with ours, but just slight enough that we fail to notice – and if we do, it’s a barely-perceptible scratching noise that makes our hair stand on end. A shadowy movement out of the corner of our eye. The smell of roses where there is no reason for them to exist. A heartbeat whose source cannot be traced by our human ears. A world we fail to notice – but most definitely notices us. Now, imagine the veil being lifted and that world revealed at last – would you cling to your sanity or feel it slip between your fingers?

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2012 saw a creative flowering of several projects in which I was involved as an illustrator. I decided that I needed to make time for Dissolution, which I first wrote as a 300+ page novel in 2005. I wanted to see it in color, in images, give the characters faces to go with their names, and above all, SHARE the story so that others could see it too. I established a website in September of 2012 where I could share comic pages (and random thoughts/recipes) weekly.

Can I see any samples of your work?

Samples? Heck, you can go see exactly what you’ll be getting! Well, the first half of it or so. Visit Dissolution, I update weekly with a new page! The printed version you are backing encompasses the first 48 pages of the story, far more than the website currently displays, but it’s all set and ready to go and you hopefully will be able to tell from what’s already available if it’s a story that piques your interest! There are also several pages shown below, at the bottom of this write-up. Warning: There IS some mature content (language, violence, nudity) in this story!

What is the money going to be used for?

I will print a run of at least 200 copies of Volume One – the first 48 pages of Dissolution. If I get more backers, I will print more copies! That may seem like a small amount, but I am excited to even start with that. In addition, funds will cover merchandise included in tier level rewards – t-shirts, stickers, mini-buttons, and art prints. If there is a little left over, it will be funneled into purchasing an artist’s booth at one of our local (or close-to-local) conventions (Shooting for one of the following: April 6-7, 2013 – Planet Comicon (in Kansas City); June 21-23, 2013 – Trek Expo ; or July ?? 2013 – Tokyo in Tulsa).

Why should I pay for it when it’s free online?

This is a savvy question, and one that I struggled with in creating this Kickstarter. It’s true, Dissolution is free and viewable online – there aren’t even any ads on the website. However, I can think of three reasons why you might choose to back this project in spite of that!

Dissolution: Volume One will cover the first 48 pages of the story.You will notice that there are nowhere near 48 pages on the site yet. This is because I’ve been building a backlog in preparation for this printing, and yet have kept my online updating to once-weekly. Backers will be WAY ahead of online readers when it comes to knowing what happens and where the story is going!!
By supporting this project, you are also supporting the continuation of the story in all its forms. Being able to print and market Dissolution is a dream come true – and it means that the website will be going strong for a long time in the future! A successful project here tells me that enough people are interested in the story and art that it is vital to continue.
You are an amazing person who likes to support authors and illustrators by purchasing their work. This can’t be overstated. People who choose to back art and literature in spite of it being available online are among my favorite people (along with Jacques Cousteau, Michio Kaku, Georgio Tsoukalos and Neil deGrasse Tyson – what a list to join!). Seriously though, it’s a big deal – your decision to back my project humbles me, and I thank you.

“But wait,” you may say. “I WILL be ahead of the story – but then I’ll have to wait SOOOOO long for the website to catch up!” Ah, but I’ve got you covered! If this Kickstarter is successful, I’m considering moving to faster updates – updates aiming for the reveal of the end of Volume One online (page 48) to correspond to the offer of Volume Two in the future. Backing this project will mean faster reveal of the storyline in TOTAL, for those online and in print. EVERYBODY wins! But especially you. Because you get to hang out with Kaku, deGrasse Tyson, Tsoukalos and Cousteau in my head.

Who are you?

Hi! My name is Indi Martin. I write, I illustrate, I don’t sleep as much as I should. I’ve been drawing and writing all of my life – I actually have several completed novels, but am generally too much of a perfectionist to be happy enough with them to shop them around. Though I’ve done a lot of illustrating for projects, I still consider myself amateur simply because I have never been paid – or paid much – to complete them. My largest and longest dream has always been to someday make a living – even a super-meager one – through my creative endeavors!

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I love to Geocache in my spare time (I’m “Starbuck2011” in the Tulsa Area Geocachers group!) and really bliss out when I find high terrain-high difficulty caches first! I don’t consider myself an “avid” hiker, but I’d love to be. I took some time out from life to hike the Appalachian Trail a few years ago and completed about 1000 miles of it – considering I had never actually camped out more than one night at a time prior to that, I’m glad the risk paid off and I grew to love it!

Do you have any of those nifty Stretch Goals?

I DO!!!!
$4,000: ALL BACKERS (no limit!) will receive a PDF File of the Novel-So-Far – see how the graphic novel differs from the actual written version, and read everything that didn’t make it in.
$5,000: Character cards! All backers above $15 will also receive trading cards of the characters that have been revealed so far – their profile and description, their connections and potential motives.
$6,000: TO BE REVEALED if we break $5k!

Explain these tier level rewards, would you?

I’d love to!

PDF Copy of Dissolution: Volume One – All backers at all levels receive this, and you don’t have to wait for everything else. I’ll send this to all backers’ emails as soon as funding is successful. This is a high-resolution digital copy of the first 48 pages of the story – and I’m so excited to share it with you!
Printed Copy of Dissolution: Volume One – This will be a 48 page full-color perfect-bound comic book printed on 60# high-bright pages with a 80# glossy full-color cover. I will cry tears of joy when I first hold one in my hand, no lie. But I promise I won’t send you the tear-stained copy. Unless maybe you want it. Weirdo.
Signed Print Copy of Dissolution: Volume One – Exactly what it sounds like!
Sketch-Cover Variant Copy of Dissolution: Volume One – These are limited (only 25 available), and have a slightly longer fulfillment date. This is because I will hand-draw and hand-ink each cover myself. You will have a one-of-a-kind (not even one of 25, because every one will be different!) item, and I will work tirelessly to fulfill these on time. As I mentioned, I don’t sleep as much as I should. ^_~
Mini-Buttons – 1.5 inch buttons with a cool Dissolution splatter-logo
Stickers – 4.5 x 3 inch tri-color vinyl stickers so you can sport your Dissolution swag anywhere that you can stick a sticker!
T-Shirts – 100% pre-shrunk cotton men’s style tees
Art Prints – 9×12 inch matte print of the Dissolution cover
Custom Art Prints – Whatever you want, I will pencil, ink, and color, then send to you in a lovely 9×12 inch matte print!

Tier Level Rewards:

Pledge $1 or more
0 backers
Pay what YOU think it’s worth! Backers at this tier receive a PDF copy of all 48 pages in Volume One! You’ve backed my project and I am eternally grateful!
Estimated delivery: Mar 2013
Pledge $6 or more
0 backers
PDF copy + sweet Dissolution sticker! Swag on!
Estimated delivery: Apr 2013
Add $3 to ship outside the US
Pledge $12 or more
0 backers
Enjoy a PDF + print copy of Volume One! I will also send you a personal thank-you email and list you as a backer on my website!
Estimated delivery: Apr 2013
Add $5 to ship outside the US
Pledge $18 or more
0 backers
PDF copy + print copy of Volume One + awesome mini-button + sticker! Show off your Dissolution swag! I will also send you a personal thank-you email and list you as a backer on my website!
Estimated delivery: Apr 2013
Add $6 to ship outside the US
Pledge $25 or more
0 backers
PDF copy + SIGNED copy of Volume One + mini-button + sticker, and a personal thank-you email! You’ll be listed as a SILVER backer on my website!
Estimated delivery: Apr 2013
Add $6 to ship outside the US
Pledge $50 or more
0 backers
PDF copy + a SIGNED copy of Volume One + awesome T-Shirt + mini-button + sticker + a personal letter from me thanking you for your support! AND you’ll be listed as a GOLD backer on my website! WHEW!
Estimated delivery: Apr 2013
Add $10 to ship outside the US
Pledge $75 or more
0 backers
PDF copy + a SIGNED copy of Volume One + awesome T-Shirt + mini-button + sticker + 9×12 matte art print + a personal letter from me thanking you for your support! AND you’ll be listed as a GOLD backer on my website!
Estimated delivery: Apr 2013
Add $10 to ship outside the US
Pledge $125 or more
0 backers Limited (25 of 25 left)
PDF copy + SKETCH COVER VARIANT of Volume One + standard print copy + sweet T-Shirt + mini-button + sticker + 9×12 matte art print + personal letter from me thanking you for your support! AND you’ll be listed as a PLATINUM backer on my website!
Estimated delivery: Jun 2013
Add $10 to ship outside the US
Pledge $250 or more
0 backers Limited (5 of 5 left)
PDF copy + signed print copy of Volume One + sweet T-Shirt + mini-button + sticker + CUSTOM REQUEST 9×12 FULL COLOR matte print of whatever you request! + a personal letter from me thanking you for your support! AND you’ll be listed as a SUPER DOUBLE UNOBTANIUM backer on my website! (Fulfillment on all pieces except the custom art will be completed separately in May 2013).
Estimated delivery: Aug 2013
Add $12 to ship outside the US

Page 20 - Example of Page Art.

Page 28 - Example of Page Art

Dissolution Splatter Logo Design for Merchandise Rewards

Risks and challenges Learn about accountability on Kickstarter

I’m very happy to say the risk on this project is very small. I ensured that ALL 48 pages were ready to go before I launched this project – ditto the merchandise designs for t-shirts, stickers, buttons, and cover! So, the only risk for delays is that which might arise from receiving shipment from Ka-Blam (who have been very awesome in responding to my queries about their printing!) and the vendors printing the merchandise.

I’ve worked very hard to get to this point, and I am not about to ruin this first impression by failing to deliver to my backers! In fact, it is possible you may receive your shipments a few weeks ahead of schedule, but as printing and shipments are not ENTIRELY within my control, I played it safe and set the estimated delivery dates to months that I felt very comfortable promising.

FAQ

Have a question? If the info above doesn’t help, you can ask the project creator directly.

Ask a question

Report this project to Kickstarter

Blog Tour – The Dragon Empire by Heather McCorkle

Posted on February 6, 2013 by fundinmental

Today we’re celebrating the release of Heather McCorkle’s fantasy novel, The Dragon Empire! For today’s stop Heather is answering the following question:

Are the dragons in your book shapeshifter?

Heather: No. While they can take other forms it is only with the use of magic, only temporary, and not all of them can do it. I figured there are enough great shapeshifter stories out there and not enough stories about just dragons, so my dragons are ‘all’ dragon. 🙂

B&N / Amazon / Goodreads

Here is a bit about it:

On Yacrana dragons are the advanced species. But advanced doesn’t always mean civilized…

There’s trouble in the Dragon Empire, the kind that could start a war between dragons and the races of people. Hidden factions of dragons believe they should rule the lesser races, not simply stand aside and allow them to develop as they will. Having lived so long in peace, the Emperors turn a blind eye, many oblivious that such attitudes even exist.

Despite being only an architect class, emerald dragon, Grendar is willing to risk banishment and death to stop that which his rulers refuse to see. The hope of peace lies not within the scaled breast of a dragon however, but within the hands of a group of people. But if the hidden factions have their way, these people won’t live to fulfill such a destiny. With a reluctant seer at his side, Grendar must leave his precious Empire for the outside world to save those that will one day save his kind.

While The Dragon Empire is for ages young adult and up, it does contain mild violence and some difficult subject matter.

Why not hop on over to HEATHER’S blog and see what’s shaking?

Giant Komodo dragon injures two in office attack (itv.com)
G-Dragon shares photo set of himself compared to hamsters (allkpop.com)
Komodo dragon wanders into office, attacks two wildlife park employees in Indonesia (cbsnews.com)

Is that a Chupacabra in the Tree?

Posted on October 24, 2012 by fundinmental

Shadow of the Oak by Eric Kent Edstrom

I find Eric’s writing to be fascinating and entertaining. His characters and worlds come from someplace else, not always sure from where, but I do enjoy visiting them.

Me, Bill and Becca were meeting at the dam to discuss our business – a comic book series we were writing .Chrissy, Becca’s younger sister, had tagged along, but that was okay. She sat by the water reading her book.

We heard Chrissy’s terrified scream and ran to where she had been on the riverbank. No Chrissy.

l ran, looking for her, following her screams. I spotted her near the top of a tree. How did she get up there? Then I saw it. It had orange eyes, big fangs and wings wrapped around its body.

Chrissy fell and I tried to catch her. Becca ran to her to see if she was hurt. Chrissy didn’t know how she got up in the tree, so I told them what I saw. Nobody believed me.

Kizmo, my online friend, helped me find the creature – it was a Chupacabra.

English: Picture of chupacabra. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The information read – Nicaragua, three-foot wing span, myth. Kizmo asked me if I lived in Mushkobewun. When I told him yes, he went on to tell me about an Indian dig and a famous murder that happened in 1977 or 1978 in our area. A body had been found in a tree.

Chrissy fell ill and I knew we had to find the Chupacabra in order to save her.

5 STARS – Would Buy It For Them (lol)

I received this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Eric’s books always have some really awesome book covers. The title for this book is descriptive of the adventures of the trio in trying to solve the mystery of Chrissy’s illness.

Even though the book is very short and can be read within a couple of hours, I found it to be detailed and thorough in the plot and with the characters. Sal became my hero and I will be curious to see how he grows and develops into the young man he is becoming. Eric is currently working on the second Sal Van Sleen book and I can hardly wait to go on his next adventure with him.

I have also read Undermountain (my review HERE) and Afterlife (my review HERE), from Eric’s Undermountain Saga and loved them. I still think of them often and they bring a smile to my face as I remember them. Book III is in the works and I am eagerly anticipating getting my hands on it. With Shadow of the Oak, Eric does not disappoint.

ABOUT THIS AUTHOR

Eric is an author, songwriter, husband, father, and guitarist. He is the author of Undermountain and Afterlife, the first two entries in YA science fiction series The Undermountain Saga.

Eric loves working out with kettlebells and eating pretty much anything with peanut butter.

To find out more about Eric Kent Edstrom, follow the links below.

Goodreads

Website

Twitter

taiwan flag smiley animated gif Pictures, Images and Photos

Giveaway – Eric is offering up two paperbacks of Shadow of the Oak. This giveaway is U S only. As always, it is easy to enter. Simply answer the question – WHAT CRITTER SCARES YOU THE MOST? – and leave an email address. This giveaway will run 10/24/2012 – 11/7/2012. Closed.

. My favorite time of any giveaway is announcing the winners. So without further ado, the winners of Shadow of the Oak are:

Laura

ramheaded

Thanks to all of you for the wonderful comments. I hope you will continue to follow fundinmental.

To order any of the books below, simply click on the cover.

FOR MY REVIEW OF ERIC’S UNDERMOUNTAIN SAGA, GO HERE.

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

To keep updated on the latest happenings here on fundinmental, follow by email.

Dark Dealings Review

Posted on August 30, 2012 by fundinmental

Dark Dealings by Karen-Victoria Smith

. Dark Dealings

Micaela was driving to Bridewell to visit her Una when she saw Reece, the son of Chief Deerfield of Pokanoket, on the side of the road. He appeared bloody and beaten, maybe dead. She stopped and went back to check, but there was nothing there. Had her visions returned? Samhain was approaching and was the time of year when Spirits and people could move between worlds. Was Reece a spirit?

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Peggy, Reece’s wife was Yankee. She was at the house when Micaela arrived and told her Reece was missing. Because of her “gift” , Micalela had been treated as a pariah but now that they needed her help, they wanted her to use her “gift” to find Reece. She had buried it deep when she left Bridewell and wasn’t sure if she could pull it out at will. As she held Adam’s hands, she found her way to Reece. It was if she was really with him, not sitting on the porch with Adam. The horror was more than the mind could imagine and she told Reece to hold on, Peggy was pregnant and they were coming to save him.

Micaela returned to New York just in time for the party at the Metropolitan Museum. While she was there she met Francois Leveque, who tried to get her alone. She could tell he was afraid, but they were interrupted by Baron Vasilievich before they could talk. She arranged to meet him in a couple of days at his hotel.

She had a recurring nightmare for the past four years. She was fleeing something and ran into a clearing. Her Una and mother were there and told her they were glad she had come to take her rightful place, but there had never been a beast before.

Micaela was meeting Francois in his hotel room, but there was no answer at the door. As she knocked again, the door opened on its own. The living room was in a shambles. The bedroom was covered in blood, it was everywhere. Even though she didn’t want to, she went to the bathroom thinking he could still be alive. When she saw him in the tub, his throat and chest had been ripped out. As she fought the scream, she fumbled with her cell phone trying to dial 911.

Thank God her friend responded with the others. Nikki was a cop and her friend, there to help. She had accumulated time and said she was taking it. Micaela was determined to find out what happened and Nikki was going to help.

At first she was surprised when she looked across the room and saw Francois. They were having his wake at the Salmon Run Inn. What was he trying to tell her?

She headed back to Bridewell for some leisure time. She needed to regroup. She stopped at a diner for a quick bite. When she felt a tingle, she looked around to see why. Lately she had been having more and more psychic events and tried her best to control them. She spotted a Hummer she thought was following her. When he rammed into the back of her car, she thought of Francois. The road was abandoned and the police were too busy to respond to her call for help. When she gunned the Porsche to outrun the Hummer, two motorcycles took over the chase. She managed to lose them. The only thing watching her now was a large bird, black as night, as she headed to Bridewell and Una hoping she wasn’t bringing the bad to her.

When she arrived and was leaving the car, she saw a black feather on the dashboard and took it with her. It felt like it was humming to her and she looked up to see the Raven above her parents bedroom.

Everyone was there, Nikki, Liam, Una, Reece, the Pokanoket Ethan Lowell, Sons of Danu, Sean Murphy… What was going on? Whoever had been after Francois was now after her.

Liam and Micaela walked to the creek to talk, he told her she should come to the gathering in the Grove, that plans for Beltaine were set. She said no, she never came to the Grove but she would be at the Ceili.

She felt her gift was out of control, she had to talk to Una before she left again. Micaela told her about seeing the entire Grove when Reece was missing, seeing Francois beat up and dead, and how at the dance she was there, yet somewhere else. Una told her to remember what her father used to tell here while they were out sailing. “Don’t fight the currents or the wind, use them.” Una assured her the Grove was there to help her.

3 STARS – Would Recommend to Others

I won this in a Goodreads First Read Giveaway. Karen was gracious enough to sign my copy for me. Thank you Karen.

I liked the cover and the title. I always like a simple, clean look, with a little mystery. I like it when they make me think what the book might be about before I read the book blurb. I thought the cover and title both were relevant to the book.

Events start happening at the very beginning of the book. The suspense and mystery continue through the book, keeping you on your toes while you try to figure out what is going on. Karen doles the story out in small pieces so you can’t quite be sure of what will happen next.

Characters were interesting. Really had me wondering about Lowell and Ivan. Couldn’t quite figure out who was good or bad. Even when I thought I had them figured out, it kept twisting and turning making me unsure again.

“When she thinks the spirit world is a much a part of her childhood as the NE Patriots and the Boston Red Sox”, it made me smile. My husband is an avid Red Sox fan and his brother is a Patriots fan. It makes the story feel more real when I can relate to it in a personal way.

Other than a few editing errors, nothing that interfered with the flow of the story in any way, I thought it was well written and easy reading.

To order this book, simply click on the cover.