Giveaway – Shantallow by Cara Martin @CKKellyMartin @XpressoTours

Posted on May 26, 2019 by fundinmental

Shantallow
Cara Martin
Published by: Cormorant Books
Publication date: May 26th 2019
Genres: Horror, Young Adult

Tanvi isn’t the girl of Misha’s dreams; she’s the girl from his nightmares. She has appeared in his chilling dreams before he even meets her; when he DOES meet her, he falls for her.

Their relationship turns stormy, bordering on abusive, and takes a dramatic turn when they are held captive by a group hoping to extract money from Tanvi’s wealthy family.

But there is something more sinister at work, and the kidnappers and their victims find themselves struggling for survival as a supernatural force from Misha’s nightmares makes itself known in the real world.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

—

EXCERPT:

Keion came in his cab when I texted him, like an indie 911. He shook his head at me as I dove into the front seat next to him. “I’ve never seen you in this sorry ass state,” he said. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know,” I told him.

“Yeah, you do.”

“Yeah, I do,” I admitted. I’d walked too far out on the ice and realized it could crack under my feet. “But not now, okay? I need to get home.”

Keion nodded as we pulled away from the curb. “I can see that, all right.”

I leaned my head back against the headrest and shut my eyes; I’d downed too many shots to keep them open. Sleep curved its velvety black wings eagerly around me. I didn’t fight it.

In some other place, Tanvi stared at me with eyes like a starless night sky. “Shantallow,” she said, her cheeks slick with blood and her lips not moving. “Run.” My shirt was torn at the elbow. It flapped as I ran, my ribs twitching underneath my skin, clawing me from the inside.

“We should have reached a road by now,” Tanvi said. Misery bent her voice, like a branch drooping under the weight of too much snow. “How can there be no road?”

I jolted myself free from sleep. Keion’s eyes were on the road ahead. “Shantallow,” he hissed. “We shall all be changed.” Sharp fingernails scraped violently against the passenger side of the car. Keion grinned maniacally, his teeth broken and gray. Only he wasn’t Keion anymore. My father was at the wheel. Soil spilled from his mouth. Chunks of his skull were missing, the glare from a passing car illuminating the clumps of raw, uneven flesh left in their place.

“Hey, hey!” a voice called. “Wake up, Misha.” A car horn blared. It sliced through my fear, hurling me back to the world. My head knocked back against the headrest, Keion’s right hand closed firmly around my arm. “Whoa. You were having a night terror or something. I couldn’t wake you up. You damn scared me.” He promptly released his hold, his right hand joining his left on the wheel.

“I’m okay,” I said unconvincingly. “Must’ve been all the beer.”

We were back in Balsam, a couple of blocks from my house. Keion sighed through his teeth, his concerned eyes worse than any lecture. Thirty seconds later we veered onto my street. About six houses down from mine a guy with his hood up sat on a neighbor’s steps, hunched against the wind. He cocked his head in my direction as I exited the car, like we knew each other.

Keion called after me, “Be good, Misha. Call me if you want to talk.”

I was as shaky as hell, freezing on the inside. The dream had been so real that I easily might have thrown myself from the car to escape it. One of my hands flew instinctively up in the air to wave off Keion, my feet pausing until the cab was gone and then padding me over to the neighbor’s front yard like they had their own ideas about what was supposed to happen next.

“Thought that was you,” the guy said from the stoop. He tugged his hoodie down, revealing a familiar face.

Author Bio:

Cara Martin is the author of several acclaimed novels for young people published under the name C. K. Kelly Martin. Her most recent novel, Stricken, was released in 2017. A graduate of the Film Studies program at York University, Cara has lived in the Greater Toronto Area and Dublin, Ireland. Within the space of 3500 miles she’s worked a collection of quirky jobs at multiple pubs and video stores, an electricity company, a division of the Irish post office, a London toyshop, and an advertising analytics company. She’s also been an image editor for a dot-com startup that didn’t survive the 90s, and a credit note clerk for Canada’s largest national distributor of General Merchandise. Cara currently resides in Ottawa, Ontario with her husband and is still afraid of the Child Catcher from the film adaptation of CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG.

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Walk Into My Parlor Said The Spider To…Victoria by Jason Parent @AuthorJasParent

Posted on May 9, 2019 by fundinmental

Lovin’ this fabulous cover for Victoria, Book II of the What Hides Within series, by Jason Parent. Just seeing that spider…and it’s shadow…gives me the heebie jeebies. How about you?

Cover: Silent Q Design

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

It has been eight years since Chester moved into Victoria’s head. How’s that for creepy?

Victoria can be read as a stand alone novel, but I love Jason Parent’s wicked mind and do recommend What Hides Within, where I met Victoria for the first time.

“It’s wonderful to be back with Chester and Victoria,” I say facetiously.

I DO NOT LIKE SPIDERS…but I love reading about them for that very reason.

At times I felt terrible for Victoria, at other times she had me cracking up as she talked, sarcastically, to Chester.

And…when Chester tried to turn on the computer, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Jason Parent does an excellent job of seamlessly weaving horror and humor and of scaring the bejesus out of me while planting a mystery in my head. What is Chester’s ulterior motive? I’m sure he’s not hanging around for shits and giggles and to tour the world.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Victoria by Jason Parent.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos — 4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Victoria Menard has had a hard life. She’s an orphan and a thief… and perhaps even a murderer. Worst of all, her only friend is a talking spider named Chester that lives in her head.

For the last eight years, Victoria and Chester have traveled the world, seeing the sights, learning half a dozen languages, and terrorizing communities indiscriminately. Now sixteen, Victoria wants her independence. But the parasite inside her won’t let her go.

Chester has big plans, but Victoria’s brain may no longer be big enough for the both of them. How can a girl rid herself of an unwanted guest when that guest refuses to leave?

Victoria is a stand-alone novel set in the same universe as the novel, What Hides Within.

“The book is terrifying in the most fundamental way. I twitched and squirmed my way through each page.” – Pop Horror on What Hides Within

ABOUT JASON PARENT

In his head, Jason Parent lives in many places, but in the real world, he calls New England his home. The region offers an abundance of settings for his writing and many wonderful places in which to write them. He currently resides in Southeastern Massachusetts with his cuddly corgi named Calypso.

In a prior life, Jason spent most of his time in front of a judge . . . as a civil litigator. When he finally tired of Latin phrases no one knew how to pronounce and explaining to people that real lawsuits are not started, tried and finalized within the 60-minute timeframe they see on TV (it’s harassing the witness; no one throws vicious woodland creatures at them), he traded in his cheap suits for flip flops and designer stubble. The flops got repossessed the next day, and he’s back in the legal field . . . sorta. But that’s another story.

When he’s not working, Jason likes to kayak, catch a movie, travel any place that will let him enter, and play just about any sport (except that ball tied to the pole thing where you basically just whack the ball until it twists into a knot or takes somebody’s head off – he misses the appeal). And read and write, of course. He does that too sometimes.

Please visit the author on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJasonP…, on Twitter at https://twitter.com/AuthorJasParent, or at his website, http://authorjasonparent.com/, for information regarding upcoming events or releases, or if you have any questions or comments for him.

MY JASON PARENT REVIEWS

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Tag Team Event – DANGER DANGER – Dinosaur Lake V by Kathryn Meyer Griffith @KathrynG64

Posted on April 12, 2019 by fundinmental

This is where myself (Sherry at fundinmental) and Laura at fuonlyknew tag team authors and their books. We share our reviews and giveaways, giving you two views and two chances to win!

Dinosaur Lake V…what can I say? Kathryn Meyer Griffith had told me the series was over, but the characters wouldn’t quit talking to her. I LOVE THAT! And she blew me away with the fifth book in the series. How she keeps her stories fresh and original is amazing and that is why she is one of my go to authors.

I LOVE that fabulous cover. Doesn’t it draw you in, making you want to know more? Dawne Dominique does her covers and I would love to tell her she does an A+ job.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Woo Hoo! It has been five years since the Dino Wars and I have spent any time with Henry and Ann. I am so glad to visit and catch up on what’s been happening…and will happen.

The dinosaurs, at least most of them, are gone. BUT, knowing Kathryn Meyer Griffith, the horror is yet to come. They had lived through some interesting times. They were prepared, if the dinosaurs returned. My question is…many of the characters I got involved with in the early books are gone, so who is left to kill off, Kathryn?

I love that Anne has a money making blog. Seems a natural progression from the newspaper she had worked for, owned, then sold. It seemed Kathryn didn’t think dinosaurs were bad enough, she had to give her cancer too. But she was in remission and they spent a lot of their time enjoying their golden years from the front porch of their cabin and traveling. She even got Henry to let her use some of his photographs from their adventures.

Their home is not their beloved cabin at Crater Lake, but they worked hard to make it into one they love.

Henry had retired, but he was still ‘the man’ as far as the Rangers were concerned. He knew everything there was to know about Crater Lake, so when Oscar came knocking on the window, he was notified…ASAP.

How smart are the dinosaurs? Can they think complex thoughts? Do they hold grudges? Do they want revenge?

Henry had a small edge over other humans. His visitor, Oscar. He likes and respects Henry. He also needs ‘the sticks’ to help him. There are no such things as unicorns, demons, or evil dinosaurs. But, in my world, there is.

Oscar stole the show! You can’t kill him off Kathryn. He’s a hero, risking it all for his special friend, Henry, and his progeny.

Excellent tension and pacing. The feeling of impending doom oozes from every page. I wait. I fear.

WOW, I didn’t see that coming and I love it. Book surprises are the best.

My biggest question, Kathryn…will there be more? I love that some of the characters refuse to die, refuse to go away, haunting your dreams, demanding more. Is there more of the story to be told?

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Dinosaur Lake V by Kathryn Meyer Griffith.

GOODREADS BLURB

The predatory dinosaurs, amphibious, land-crawlers, air flyers, small and large, were dead; dead in all the forests, mountains, deserts, towns and cities of America and across the planet. They were still hunted, sought and exterminated when found, and these rogue beasts were becoming rarer every day. The humans’ dinosaur killing serum and extermination practices had worked far better than anyone had prayed and they had eventually freed the planet of its primordial scourge. The earth belonged to the humans once more and all its lands were safe–or so the world, Henry Shore, former Chief Park Ranger at Crater Lake National Park, and his wife, Ann, had believed…until one day years later two new dinosaurs, craftier than any the earth had ever seen, appeared. One of them was benevolent, a friend to mankind, and the other was not. It was blood-thirsty, eerily intelligent and unbelievably vengeful. This dinosaur wouldn’t be so easy to kill. *** Dinosaur Lake V: Survivors is the fifth book in the Dinosaur Lake series by Kathryn Meyer Griffith.

ABOUT KATHRYN MEYER GRIFFITH

Since childhood I’ve been an artist and worked as a graphic designer in the corporate world and for newspapers for twenty-three years before I quit to write full time. But I’d already begun writing novels at 21, over forty-six years ago now, and have had twenty-seven (nine romantic horror, two horror novels, two romantic SF horror, one romantic suspense, one romantic time travel, one historical romance, four thrillers, one non-fiction short story collection, and six murder mysteries) previous novels, two novellas and twelve short stories published from various traditional publishers since 1984. But I’ve gone into self-publishing in a big way since 2012; and upon getting all my previous books’ full rights back for the first time in 35 years, have self-published all of them. My Dinosaur Lake novels and Spookie Town Murder Mysteries (Scraps of Paper, All Things Slip Away, Ghosts Beneath Us, Witches Among Us and What Lies Beneath the Graves) are my best-sellers.

I’ve been married to Russell for over forty years; have a son, two grandchildren and a great-granddaughter and I live in a small quaint town in Illinois. We have a quirky cat, Sasha, and the three of us live happily in an old house in the heart of town. Though I’ve been an artist, and a folk/classic rock singer in my youth with my late brother Jim, writing has always been my greatest passion, my butterfly stage, and I’ll probably write stories until the day I die…or until my memory goes.

2012 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS *Finalist* for her horror novel The Last Vampire ~ 2014 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS * Finalist * for her thriller novel Dinosaur Lake.

Novels and short stories from Kathryn Meyer Griffith:

Evil Stalks the Night, The Heart of the Rose, Blood Forged, Vampire Blood, The Last Vampire (2012 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS*Finalist* in their Horror category), Witches, Witches II: Apocalypse, Witches plus Witches II: Apocalypse, The Nameless One erotic horror short story, The Calling, Scraps of Paper (The First Spookie Town Murder Mystery), All Things Slip Away (The Second Spookie Town Murder Mystery), Ghosts Beneath Us (The Third Spookie Town Murder Mystery), Witches Among Us (The Fourth Spookie Town Murder Mystery), What Lies Beneath the Graves (The Fifth Spookie Town Murder Mystery), Egyptian Heart, Winter’s Journey, The Ice Bridge, Don’t Look Back, Agnes,A Time of Demons and Angels, The Woman in Crimson, Human No Longer, Four Spooky Short Stories Collection, Forever and Always Romantic Novella, Night Carnival Short Story, Dinosaur Lake (2014 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS*Finalist* in their Thriller/Adventure category), Dinosaur Lake II: Dinosaurs Arising, Dinosaur Lake III: Infestation and Dinosaur Lake IV: Dinosaur Wars, Dinosaur Lake V: Survivors, Memories of My Childhood and Christmas Magic 1959.

Stalk Kathryn Meyer Griffith:

Twitter / Blog / Facebook / AuthorsDen / Goodreads / YouTube

Smashwords / Pinterest

GIVEAWAY

Kathryn Meyer Griffith is offering the first Entry is easy peasy. Each of our blogs is giving you the opportunnity to win one of 3 eBooks in any format, even a free Audible code for the first 27; any of my 28 Just answer the following question:

What animal or mythological creature frightens you the most?

For a second perspective of the book and a second chance to win, check out Laura’s review and giveaway at fuonlyknew.

Giveaway ends 4.22.19

MY KATHRYN MEYER GRIFFITH REVIEWS

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Giveaway – Spells, Salt & Steel by Gail Z & Larry N Martin @GailZMartin @SDSXXTours

Posted on March 16, 2019 by fundinmental

Spells, Salt, & Steel

Season One

by Gail Z. Martin & Larry N. Martin

Genre: Comedic Horror

“When all else fails, the ass end of a carp makes a damn fine weapon.”
Your new favorite monster hunter has arrived! Bubba the Monster Hunter has some competition in this horror comedy collection from best-selling author duo Gail Z. & Larry N. Martin!
By day, Mark Wojcik can be found elbow-deep in engine grease, making cars and trucks safe for the highway. By night, he can be found traipsing through the wilds of Pennsylvania, making the world safe for humans. He’s more than just a mechanic, he’s a New Templar Knight. He travels the backroads and byways fighting weresquonks, ningen, selkies, ghosts, and…gnomes? Is that gnome…naked? (sigh).

Season One collects the first four novellas in the Spells, Salt, & Steel series –
Spells, Salt, & Steel
Open Season
Deep Trouble
Close Encounters

Goodreads * Amazon

About the Authors

Gail Z. Martin discovered her passion for science fiction, fantasy and ghost stories in elementary school. The first story she wrote at age five was about a vampire. Her favorite TV show as a preschooler was Dark Shadows. At age 14, she decided to become a writer. She enjoys attending science fiction/fantasy conventions, Renaissance fairs and living history sites.

Larry N. Martin is the author of the new sci-fi adventure novel Salvage Rat. He is the co-author (with Gail Z. Martin) of the Spells, Salt, and Steel/New Templars series; the Steampunk series Iron & Blood; and a collection of short stories and novellas: The Storm & Fury Adventures set in the Iron & Blood universe. He is also the co-author of the upcoming Wasteland Marshals series and the Joe Mack Cauldron/Secret Council series.

The Martins have three children, a Maltese, and a Golden Retriever.

Website * Newsletter* Facebook * Pinterest *

Twitter * Twitter * Goodreads * Goodreads * Amazon

Author Links

Website: https://www.ascendantkingdoms.com/

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/dy_8oL
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WinterKingdoms

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/Gzmartin/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/gailzmartin

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lnmartinauthor

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Gail-Z.-Martin/e/B002BM8XSQ

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1637418.Gail_Z_Martin

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7845970.Larry_N_Martin

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Giveaway – Drop Dead Gorgeous by Donald Allen Kirch @Storywriter1967 @SDSXXTours

Posted on March 11, 2019 by fundinmental

Drop Dead Gorgeous

by Donald Allen Kirch

Genre: Horror

1# Wished for High Tech Science Fiction Novel in Japan!

The Sensational #1 All-Star Bestselling Kindle Novel!

“Would you like to hear a story?”

The man couldn’t help himself. His captor was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her powerful eyes held his attention and made him forget that she had him confined in a basement; his hands and feet bound with duct tape. His heart raced as he meekly nodded his head ‘yes’ to the question.

After getting past the terror and discomfort, he reasoned that there was nothing to worry about. He would be missed. He had loved ones who would call the police. All he had to do was wait. Letting this woman tell him a story was as good a stall as any.

The mysterious woman weaved a tale of betrayed love and unwanted, unnatural experiments placed upon her. Of a loving wife, working on a top secret government program. Of a husband searching for love in all the wrong places. The prisoner couldn’t believe what he was being told. A descent into insanity, fueled by a jealous rage, ended with using the tools of science for torture and revenge.

With every blink of her lovely eyes, licking of her full lips, and heaving of her perfect breasts, the captor entertained a story most bizarre. Of a woman bent on teaching her cheating husband a lesson.

The prisoner wondered….”Am I next?”

Goodreads * Amazon

DONALD ALLEN KIRCH lives in The United States of America. He is an avid reader of history, Sherlock Holmes Mysteries, the paranormal, and is a “hardcore” Doctor Who fan. After spending two weekends in the famous “Sallie House,” a “haunted house” in Atchison, Kansas, he is one of the only authors of his craft who can claim to have been attacked by a ghost!

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for exclusive content and a giveaway!

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Oh No…Spiders – My Hungry Friend by Daniel Barnett #DanielBarnett

Posted on February 26, 2019 by fundinmental

The cover wasn’t the only thing that had me eager to read David Barnett’s My Hungry Friend. The title makes me wonder…Who’s hungry and who will be eaten. LOL

Does the cover or title make you curious?

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Running the gauntlet of the homeless that are collected on the block, he makes the biggest mistake of his life.

“Everything’s got a price,” she said.

And he was going to pay it!

Is it real, or all in his head?

Will he take anyone down with him?

I wondered.

Spiders…one of the creepiest critters to crawl the face of the earth. Just thinking of, writing about them, makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck and chills run up and down my spine. That is the kind of scary I like. Not Jason coming at me with a chain saw.

The subtle creepiness and anticipation of what is to come gives me plenty of time to watch his world crumble.

The writing is great and the story is haunting.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of My Hungry Friend by Daniel Barnett.

GOODREADS BLURB

When Mike Roberts kicks over a homeless woman’s cup of change, she whispers a cryptic warning:

“Mind the cracks . . .”

Now the Boston he knows and loves is unraveling around him. But his life is not the only thing at stake. His mother, a once acclaimed writer lost in the late stages of Alzheimer’s, depends on him to have a home. And then there’s her caretaker, Cassie, who might want something more from Mike than the friendship they’ve long shared.

As his city balances on a razor’s edge, Mike will have to hunt down the daughter of the woman he wronged and uncover their terrible family secret . . . or be plunged into a world of crawling horrors and unspeakable hunger.

A world from which no one has ever returned.

ABOUT DANIEL BARNETT

Daniel Barnett lives in Portland, Oregon and is a lover of stories–especially ones where things go bump in the night. His work has appeared in Crowded Magazine, and his short story The Sadie Hawkins placed in the top 6 for the 2015 Aeon Award. When he isn’t writing or reading, he’s discussing fiction with others. Whether they want to or not.

Goodreads

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EEK! It’s A Spider – What Hides Within by Jason Parent @AuthorJasParent

Posted on January 16, 2019 by fundinmental

Jason Parent writes some scary stuff, just look at the cover for What Hides Within and you will see what I mean. Does it make you want to know want to know more? It does me.

Cover by Q Design

Publisher: Bloodshot Books

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Just looking at the creepy cover makes me cringe, yet I open it with sweet anticipation, looking forward to a great scare with same laughs, which I know Jason Parent is more than willing to provide.

With a name like Clive, I foresee some bad things coming his way. Will he be the victim or the perpetrator? We shall see.

The doctor cut open his head to remove…something…only to find everything is okay. He stitched him back up, offered an apology, and wanted him to go away. I’m sorry, but that wouldn’t work for me, and I don’t think it will work for Clive either. OMG! The nerve of the idiot moron doctor! If I was Clive, I probably would have killed him on the spot.

That is the present…NOW…let’s go to the past and find out how and why he got into this spot to begin with.

Detective Samantha Reilly was a hardened detective leading the investigation into a young girl’s death. She was inured to the brutality humans inflicted upon each other. Knowing Jason, I see more dead bodies on the horizon and a truly evil killer.

As soon as we went under the bridge, I knew where Jason was taking me. Now, I’m waiting for the twist.

Chester and Derek…OMG…I laughed so hard I cried. I love that Jason Parent packs so much action, along with the darkness and laughs, leaving me wanting more.

Chester, I wonder what’s going to happen to Chester. Every time I think about him, I try to imagine the details of his home, how and what he eats, and his dining accommodations. I wonder what Chester hopes to accomplish.

I shivered and freaked out a little. Spiders are one of my favorite critters to read about because they make me so uncomfortable. Talk about stepping outside my comfort zone.

Well, that didn’t go the way I thought and that is one of the reasons I love Jason Parent’s writing. He mixes genres seamlessly, dark horror and comedy with lots of action, and creates some amazing villains. Can’t hear so well? Have a stuffy nose? Well…

Jason, you did it again. Took me to a place filled with suspense and tension and a pace that kept me reading, wanting to know what was on the next page, and the next one…

I can hardly wait to get my hands on Victoria, Book II and the final book in the series.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of What Hides Within by Jason Parent.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

An award-winning horror/mystery with loads of dark comedy!

Inside all of us, there is darkness. Inside Clive, it’s tangible, and it’s aching to get out.

What Hides Within tells the story of a man held captive by an unknown evil. Clive Menard is a spineless slacker leading an ordinary existence. But when Chester enters his life, it becomes far from ordinary.

A disheveled Clive stands alone in a hospital waiting room. A series of incidences have led him to undergo unnecessary neurosurgery. A voice inside Clive’s head nags him to kill the doctor.

Weeks prior, a murder investigation and an unrelated kayaking excursion set the story’s interlocking events in motion. When a remorseful killer, a bomb-happy psychopath and a mysterious widow spider converge upon Clive, they bring with them destruction and death. Clive must discover who or what is steering his very existence before he, too, is consumed by the carnage around him.

With a driven detective following his every step and a vicious killer hiding within his circle of friends, Clive must walk a narrow and dangerous path, teetering between salvation and damnation. He must confront Chester and his own demons. But is he powerless to overcome them?

An EPIC Finalist, “Best Horror of 2013” read and eFestival eBook Award Runner-Up for Best Horror.

ABOUT JASON PARENT

MY JASON PARENT REVIEWS

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Teaser Tuesday #105 – Nightlight Poetry by Anthony Renfro @atothewr

Posted on January 15, 2019 by fundinmental

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday hosted by The Purple Booker, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR, or just share what you are currently reading. It is very easy to play along:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.

~~~~~~

Anthony Renfro writes some fantastic horror stories, but Nightlight Poetry is a bit different, a tasty treat of poetry and haikus.

Nightlight Poetry: Spine-Tingling Lines and Rhymes

MY TEASE AND ONE SENTENCE REVIEW

Entombed and 5 Deadly Senses are my favorites of Anthony Renfro’s poetry that is filled with thrills, chills, and fear in haikus and poetry that had me jumping at shadows and wanting to scream, and made me think twice about walking outside…in the dark…or snuggling up in bed.

GOODREADS BLURB

Poetry and Haiku about the things that lurk in the darkness and the fears in every human mind.

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Giveaway – Library of Absolution by Jennifer Derrick @JDerrickAuthor @XpressoTours

Posted on December 17, 2018 by fundinmental

Library of Absolution
Jennifer Derrick
(Legacy of the Book Mesmer, #1)
Published by: Crimson Tree Publishing
Publication date: December 17th 2018
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Alarick Brandon is the powerful wizard who operates The Keep, a refuge for magical people fleeing the persecution of the Ministry. A bitter realist, Alarick knows it’s only a matter of time until the Ministry succeeds in eradicating magic from the world—and exterminating all magical beings—so he has been careful to avoid any personal involvement with the people who pass through his sanctuary.

But when Elissa Stone arrives at The Keep, her village a smoldering ruin, and only her magical talent and a forbidden library left to her name, Alarick’s ordered world descends into chaos. Elissa is a Book Mesmer, a magical talent long believed extinct. She can enchant books, making them indestructible, unreadable…even deadly to unauthorized readers. But while her magic can secure a legacy for future magical generations, it’s not a skill that’s good in a fight, and certainly not one that Alarick sees any real use for. But there’s something compelling about a woman who defies the Ministry’s edicts against female literacy, and she seems determined to prove that knowledge is a weapon in its own right…

The first installment in an enticing new fantasy series by author Jennifer Derrick, The Library of Absolution is a compelling story of perseverance and determination in the face of persecution, in a Dark Age where hope is lost—and knowledge is the only thing left to fight for.

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EXCERPT:

“You told me you left to look for books,” Alarick said.

“I did, in part. That wasn’t a total fabrication. I figured if I was leaving I might as well make the effort. If I was going to get killed by the Ministry, it should be in the service of something larger than myself. Fool that I was,” she whispered.

Alarick ignored the last part. She was only stating a fact. There was no need for him to comment further on her foolishness.

“But you had no intention of returning?” he asked. “Because of something you found in my library?”

The thought of her leaving with no intention to return gutted him. It was bad enough she’d wanted to leave at all; to put her safety at risk for the sake of some books. It was bad enough that he had failed to keep her safe; to understand what she meant to do until it was too late.

But even at the worst of it, he’d believed she intended to return to him. To the Keep. That was why he’d gone after her, because he believed she still wanted to be here. That she’d intended to run away forever was unthinkable. That he’d risked his life for someone who had run from him, who wanted nothing to do with him, was galling.

He choked back his rage and sorrow, replacing them with cool disdain.

“Well, then, are you going to tell me just what was so terrible that it would make you flee and never come back? I’m aware that nothing in that library paints me in a flattering light, but you already knew of my unpleasantness. Surely the disjointed ramblings of a young man could not be quite so damning,” Alarick said.

Of course, he knew the truth. There were some secrets in there so damning he could imagine exactly why she wanted to run from him. It was why he kept that room protected. Damn her for finding it. Damn her for finding him.

She turned her head away from him. Not that it mattered. She couldn’t see him. But he wasn’t going to let her damn his soul and cast him out of her life without at least facing him while she did it. He reached over and with gentle pressure turned her chin toward him.

“If you expect me to forgive you for your trespass, you will at least face me while you tell me exactly what sort of monster you believe me to be,” he said.

“I’d rather you tell me the story as the man you are now, not the boy who did the things I read. Tell me there’s a better ending to your story. Tell me that you are not the monster.”

He laughed at that.

“Would that I could,” he said. “But since you read my books, I’m certain you know there is no redemption for me. That is why you left, isn’t it?”

“No. I didn’t leave because I feared you to be irredeemable. My time with you has taught me that there is more to you than the boy in those books. I left because I feared there was no place for me in your story. And that I could not bear.”

He was about to say something, but suddenly he couldn’t remember what it was. What had she said? She hadn’t left because of his past deeds, but because she was afraid he had no place for her? Was that possibly right? He struggled to make sense of it in his brain. He’d expected condemnation, not… Was it disappointment he heard in her voice?

Before he could sort out a proper response, she said, “I’ve read your grimoire. It’s terrifying. Start with why you took such an interest in dark magic and go from there.”

Alarick said nothing at first. Why had he taken an interest in dark magic? The question was better phrased as, “Why not?” He looked at Elissa. She might not be able to see him, but she had an uncanny ability to focus on his face as though she could. And something in her eyes compelled him to tell the story that he’d never told anyone in its entirety.

Author Bio:

Jennifer is a freelance writer and novelist. As a freelancer, she writes everything from technical manuals to articles on personal finance and European-style board games. Her interest in storytelling began when she was six and her parents gave her a typewriter for Christmas and agreed to pay her $.01 per page for any stories she churned out. Such a loose payment system naturally led to a lot of story padding. Broken Fate, her first novel, earned her $2.80 from her parents.

Jennifer lives in North Carolina and, when not writing, can often be found reading, trawling the shelves at the library, playing board games, watching sports, camping, running marathons, and playing with her dog. You can visit her at her official website: JenniferDerrick.com.

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