Giveaway – Falling Awake by Debrah Martin

Posted on November 17, 2015 by fundinmental

FALLING AWAKE:

Magic or madness? Can your dreams really take over your life?

Falling Awake is the story of a book and the power of imagination to turn two lives upside down.

When Mary Parker finds an unusual book everything in her life changes. As she reads, she dreams, and the quiet, repressed woman is transformed.

She gives the book and the phenomenon a name, ‘falling awake’. The existence of the book seems to make others act out of character too. Joe’s usually dour father gambles with the factory where Mary works, and Joe, the romantic daydreamer, engages in a sexual eternal triangle to keep the dull routine of the accounts department at bay. The dominant partner in the triangle is Clem; dark and dangerous.

Extricating himself from Clem, Joe meets Mary. They fall in love and marry in haste when Mary falls pregnant, but this is no happy ever after tale. Their joy turns to misery when Mary miscarries and she turns inward to her darkening ‘falling awake’ world. Then Joe’s father dies, and he has to fight for control of the factory. He falls into Clem’s clutches again, and to make things worse, he believes Mary is going mad, and the people and places she remembers all just dreams dreamt inside her insanity. But then how can Joe remember them too?

Magic or madness?For Mary and Joe, the impossible – or the deadly – might only be a breath away.

Falling Awake is a brain teaser, an atmospheric mystery, an exposition of madness; an examination of the impossible, a fantasy, a ghost story, a psychological thriller, a love story, and a story of intrigue and sudden death. It will keep you awake at night, wondering, and pausing during the day, questioning …

One editor has already described it as:

“In the best traditions of Audrey Niffenegger and Carlos Ruiz Zafón…”

And others comment:

“…one of the most original, quirky manuscripts I’ve read for a long time…”

“…I especially like the fairy-tale and myth undertones that creep in from time to time throughout the novel: Sleeping Beauty clutching her book with echoes of Snow White in her glass coffin, the transformative red mac with its Red Riding Hood connotations, Mary’s Cinderella transformation from emotionally abused child to confident woman, the mermaid dress, Mariam’s Scheherazade dance, and especially the gambler as Rumpelstiltskin…”

“…a light, authoritative touch with both …story and characters.”

Debrah Martin is a British author writing under three different pen names and in three very different genres. She plots fast-paced thrillers as D.B. Martin, with the first in the Patchwork trilogy, Patchwork Man, having been recently awarded a coveted B.R.A.G. Medallion. Her YA teen detective series is penned as Lily Stuart – THE teen detective; irreverent, blunt, funny and vulnerable. Webs and Magpies are the first two books in the series. And as Debrah Martin she writes literary fiction. Her first literary fiction, Chained Melodies, a startling transgender story to rival The Danish Girl, and described pre-release as “…a beautiful book about love, acceptance and self-discovery…” was also released earlier this month.

Net Galley reviewers can access an ARC of Falling Awake there from 27th October, and all reviewers can obtain a copy and more information about Debrah’s other works by contacting her at the email address below.

For the first thirty reviewers to post a review of Falling Awake on Amazon, if you email Debrah with a link to the review, she’ll send you a bumper bundle (digital) of her other adult fiction books, including the award-winning Patchwork People series. Reviewers are also invited to contact Debrah for review copies of any of her books.

Debrah Martin can be emailed on info@debrahmartin.co.uk;

Her website is www.debrahmartin.co.uk

And she is on:

Twitter: @StorytellerDeb

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeborahMartin.Author?ref=hl

Pinterest: http://uk.pinterest.com/Debrah_Martin/

And Sign up to Debrah’s mailing list for news and special offers: http://eepurl.com/3-965

Read an excerpt from Falling Awake –

‘What is life? An illusion, a shadow, a story.’

Pedro Calderon de la Barca

Prologue

No-one could sleep forever.

But apparently she could. It was the unusual challenge to the premise that had brought him here against the inclination to evade responsibility and slip home to his own dreams. She’d slept continuously for days now, without the need for water or sustenance; her only requirement, seemingly, a book. He peered curiously through the viewing panel as the attendant hovered behind him.

‘That’s her,’ the attendant announced as if pulling a rabbit from a hat. ‘Mary Parker.’

‘She’s very pretty,’ the tall young man declared, deep blue eyes narrowing to slits as he studied her. The woman’s long red hair cascaded over the side of the bed like blood streaming to the floor, her face a marble effigy of life. She reminded him of Millais’ Ophelia as she floated downstream on her layette of wild flowers – except this frozen beauty was merely asleep, not dead. He wondered what she was dreaming about. She seemed very familiar in a strange half-forgotten way.

‘Yeah, she is – and quiet now, but she weren’t once. Blimey – you should have seen her then, screaming and hollering. Wasn’t until we found that old book and gave it back to her that she shut up.’ The attendant picked at his nails and watched the tall young man lean in closer still. The corner of a book poked out from under the tightly clasped hands. ‘Then she just slept,’ the attendant added, shrugging his shoulders.

‘What’s its significance?’ the young man asked. He could just make out a title scrawled longhand across its spine. He wondered if the woman had written it on herself. He could only decipher the first word – ‘Falling’.

‘Not a clue, Mister; it’s just an empty book.’ The attendant shifted impatiently, as if tired of waiting, then asked, ‘How’d you know her again?’ He flipped the visitors’ page back to read the tall young man’s entry.

22nd Sept ’92: Time in – 5.45pm. John Hathorne, Director: Geo. Tooley & Sons.

‘I don’t really. She worked at the factory, that’s all. We have to be seen as caring employers so I’m here to check on her before we sign her off the books.’ He paused. Now he came to think of it he might have met her once. There had been a girl with bright red hair like hers the day he’d been shown round the factory. He’d been surprised by her scarlet mac because of the colour clash. He dragged himself from his reverie.

‘You said she had no family?’

‘Nope, apparently the mother died a while back and the neighbours say she’s been a bit odd ever since. Before they brought her in here she was wandering the graveyard down the road babbling about how she couldn’t find herself any more. Shame – when you got no-one.’

‘How do you think she can do it?’

‘What?’

‘Not eat or drink for so long – just sleep.’

‘Beats me. Maybe she’s not really there and we’re just imagining her.’ The young man stared at him. The attendant laughed. ‘Only joking. You done then?’ The attendant looked expectantly at him, and the young man found himself involuntarily offering his business card before collecting his briefcase and coat.

‘I suppose I could see if I can do something to help her if she comes back to the land of the living.’

The attendant turned the card over and read aloud, ‘Bespoke leisure wear and stage costumiers; themed event supplies a speciality.’ He studied the tall young man. ‘Versions of reality, huh? You’ll be getting a lot of custom soon, then.’ He sniggered. Outside the midweek rush hour traffic distantly hooted on its way home. The light had dimmed to the half-dusk of early autumn, but fallen leaves and skeletal trees said winter was already in the air.

The tall young man had spotted the now redundant leather straps on the side of the bed when he’d been trying to decipher the title of the book. The reddening round her wrists indicated where no doubt they’d been clasped until recently. ‘Halloween does tend to be a busy time,’ he agreed, suddenly uneasy. The place was oppressive and the sight of the comatose and confined woman depressed him. ‘Such a waste. Will she ever recover, do you think?’

‘Don’t know, mister. Not sure if she’s actually ill. Probably just the stresses of life – grief and disappointment. They do strange things to us, don’t they? Perhaps if she had someone to look after her, she’d get well again, but then who knows when anyone recovers from life.’ He laughed mirthlessly. ‘Maybe it’s better to just dream?’ The tall young man considered the idea for a while.

‘No, reality is always better, no matter how hard.’

He went back to the viewing window and studied the young woman for a few minutes more before gathering up the Essex County Gazette he’d brought with him and stuffing it under the arm carrying the briefcase. The pages creased and he made to flatten them, but stopped abruptly and tossed the paper back on the table the attendant had been sitting at when he’d arrived. He peered at his hand as if there was something wrong with it before shaking his head. The attendant cleared his throat meaningfully and opened the unit’s outer door.

‘I hope her dreams are sweet,’ the young man added sadly as the attendant ushered him out. The attendant flicked the light off and the room behind them sank back into shadow.

Neither saw the frozen figure thaw, stir, and open her eyes – deep green pools of luminescence. They fixed on the door and she listened intently to the low rumble of the tall young man’s voice as he made his goodbyes. The marble features creased to a frown and the slack body tensed. The book still clutched in her hand shivered.

‘No!’ she murmured. ‘No, no, no!’

——————————

GIVEAWAY:

Two (2) print copies of Falling Awake by Debrah Martin (INT)

Ends November 19th

Prizing is provided by the author, hosts are not responsible.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

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Another Killer Hit – The Murderer’s Daughter by Jonathon Kellerman

Posted on August 29, 2015 by fundinmental

Jonathon Kellerman’s books, like his latest, The Murderer’s Daughter, are always on my must read list. No second thoughts, no hesitations, just, yes, please.

Add me to Goodreads now.

The Murderer’s Daughter by Jonathon Kellerman

MY REVIEW

I was very surprised at Jonathon Kellerman’s twisted novel, The Murderer’s Daughter. I loved the rollercoast ride of emotions as I struggled to understand Grace. I wonder, did she have a brother named Dexter? For those of you who don’t know, Dexter is a book and TV series characters that walks on the dark side of suspense, as does Grace. I love to read of a flawed protagonist, a hardass female and Grace appeared.

Grace is a complex character, a bit twisted, to say the least. She was born and raised in violence and death. All she had ever known is surviving, so she had a knack for figuring things out quickly. She grew up to be Dr Blades, a psychologist, and she was special at that. She was a prodigy and fast tracked through her PHD. She even took a seminar taught by Alex Delaware, you could say he was her inspiration. (For those of you who don’t know him, Alex Delaware has his very own series, courtesy of Jonathon Kellerman) She’s a loner and likes it that way. She keeps tight control of her life. Is she a psychopath? Well…she does have feelings, though they are buried deep to hide any vulnerability. She will not show weakness.

I love a strong female protagonist with flaws and Grace has her share. I liked how Grace developed from a severely traumatized child prodigy, neglected and abused, to a fully functioning adult trained in a complex profession as psychology, using her experience and knowledge to help others.

In matters of healing, the body initiates and the mind follows.

This is an ARC, so the phrase may change, but I loved it, so I shared it.

The Murderer’s Daughter did not go where I thought it would, but took me to a scary place all the same. Man can be evil, but…

The mention of the good and bad side of Child Services sounded all too read, as does the greed and corruption of the Elite. Then, as the cherry on top of the sundae, we have a psychopath on the loose that revels in the evil he does.

Jonathon Kellerman has a wonderful ability to twist and turn a story so it keeps me alert and on edge, waiting for the next shoe to drop or the next monster to pop up on the horizon or from around the corner.

The twists and turns, beginning with the flawed character, stirred up deep emotions. Feelings of anger, rage and sorrow are overcome by pride, confusion and hope for Grace. I wonder, will she have a relationship, you know, meet a man, marry… I can’t say and if you asked her, she would tell you she is doing just fine.

I do believe we have moments in time where we can make a difference in someones life, whether its with a simple smile or a word or two in passing. We never know what small gesture could turn a person’s life around.

Jonathon has the ability to create characters that touch me and feel real. I felt Grace’s fear, but when on those rare occasions she smiles, maybe even laughs, I want to laugh with her. It is so much better to laugh with someone than alone. Makes me think she is lonely, her life empty and all she craves is knowledge, absorbing it like a sponge. If you have ever watched the TV show Scorpion, where the main character is above genius and cannot relate on a “human” level with others, allowed me to easily spend time with Grace.

I guess you can tell by now, that my focus was on Grace. She grabbed me by the throat and never let me go. The Murderer’s Daughter is dark and suspenseful, with everything you could want in a thriller. The story unravels and the pacing builds, so don’t think this will be a cozy mystery.

I received an ARC of The Murderer’s Daughter by Jonathon Kellerman from the publisher in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 5 Stars

SYNOPSIS

1 New York Times bestselling master of suspense Jonathan Kellerman delivers a riveting standalone thriller featuring the unforgettable Grace Blades. Master psychologist by day, seductive adrenaline junkie by night, Grace has a very dark past—one that’s about to bleed into a terrifying present.

ABOUT JONATHON KELLERMAN

Jonathan Kellerman was born in New York City in 1949 and grew up in Los Angeles. He helped work his way through UCLA as an editorial cartoonist, columnist, editor and freelance musician. As a senior, at the age of 22, he won a Samuel Goldwyn Writing Award for fiction.

Like his fictional protagonist, Alex Delaware, Jonathan received at Ph.D. in psychology at the age of 24, with a specialty in the treatment of children. He served internships in clinical psychology and pediatric psychology at Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles and was a post-doctoral HEW Fellow in Psychology and Human Development at CHLA.

IN 1975, Jonathan was asked by the hospital to conduct research into the psychological effects of extreme isolation (plastic bubble units) on children with cancer, and to coordinate care for these kids and their families. The success of that venture led to the establishment, in 1977 of the Psychosocial Program, Division of Oncology, the first comprehensive approach to the emotional aspects of pediatric cancer anywhere in the world. Jonathan was asked to be founding director and, along with his team, published extensively in the area of behavioral medicine. Decades later, the program, under the tutelage of one of Jonathan’s former students, continues to break ground.

Jonathan’s first published book was a medical text, PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF CHILDHOOD CANCER, 1980. One year later, came a book for parents, HELPING THE FEARFUL CHILD.

In 1985, Jonathan’s first novel, WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS, was published to enormous critical and commercial success and became a New York Times bestseller. BOUGH was also produced as a t.v. movie and won the Edgar Allan Poe and Anthony Boucher Awards for Best First Novel. Since then, Jonathan has published a best-selling crime novel every year, and occasionally, two a year. In addition, he has written and illustrated two books for children and a nonfiction volume on childhood violence, SAVAGE SPAWN (1999.) Though no longer active as a psychotherapist, he is a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics and Psychology at University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine.

Jonathan is married to bestselling novelist Faye Kellerman and they have four children.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook

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WOW! Debut novel blew me away – Method 15/33 by Shannon Kirk

Posted on July 9, 2015 by fundinmental

The fantastic book trailer for Method 15/33 only gives you a glimpse of what is to come. As she sits on the bed and raises her head, I thought of Poltergeist. I expected her to reach out and…

Method 15/33 by Shannon Kirk is an amazing, top shelf, must read suspense thriller that will have you wondering, will the prey become the predator. I can hardly believe Method 15/33 is a debut novel for Shannon Kirk, it is so damn good!

Winner Of 2015 National Indie Excellence Award For Suspense!

Finalist in the 2013 William Faulkner-William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition as novella 15/33. Method 15/33 is now a full-length novel coming from Oceanview Publishing.

Add me to Goodreads now.

ABOUT METHOD 15/33

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Published by: Oceanview Publishing

Publication Date: May 5, 2015

Number of Pages: 258

ISBN: 1608091457 (ISBN13: 9781608091454)

Purchase Links:

MY REVIEW

I heard about Method 15/33 by Shannon Kirk through a friend and reached out to her. The novel sounded like one of my favorite type of reads and I could hardly wait to pick it up. The suspense had me holding my breath, rooting for her, then afraid of her.

She is a pregnant teenager, abducted and held captive. Her mother had filled her with self esteem and confidence. Is she a sociopath? She is able to turn her feelings on and off, like a light switch. As Shannon describes her attempts to mimic feelings and doing the right thing, it makes me think of Sheldon on the Big Bang Theory.

The vivid detail of the trip to her cell makes me able to picture the wild daisies and devil’s paintbrush on the side of the road. I felt the breeze as she prepared to exit the van. I could smell his stale body odor and his sewer breath.

No matter, she loves her baby and will not give up. She has hope. Her hurt and rage would help her to do what is necessary to exact her revenge. Escape wasn’t enough. They would pay and pay dearly.

My first asset is terra firma…thus begins her plotting – Escape/Revenge Plan 15.

It had been 20 days, but she was constantly thinking, planning. As she runs through scenarios, it made me think of the computer in Person of Interest, going through scenarios, changing them, ruling one out and trying another. She knew she could outwit him.

Alone, locked in a cell, praying the butterfly in the window will calm her, save her. She doesn’t know what loneliness feels like, is this it?

Butterfly (c) Sherry Fundin

She may have her issues, but I love her. My empathy is such, that I want to wrap my arms around her and offer her comfort. She tries and means well…sometimes. Isn’t that what we all do? Even dysfunctional families have their moments of humor, love and togetherness.

Shannon Kirk’s words allow me to feel HER pain, HER loneliness, HER anger and HER rage. I want to scream, yell and cry with her.

FBI Special Agent Roger Lui and partner, Lola were assigned the case. They have been together for five years and know each other better than a spouse would. He is a flawed hero, carrying heavy baggage with his failure to find Dorothy Saluce, an abducted, pregnant teen, deja vu. Lola is someone I can relate to, a tough, no nonsense, one of the guys kind of woman.

She counts seconds, minutes, steps, inches, plotting, planning…a piece of elastic, a pail handle…She didn’t know what would be valuable, so she collected it all. I wonder if she used to watch MacGyver too.

The kidnappers…a fantastic surprise. Twisted. Evil.

She makes herself sick and Shannon Kirk’s mastery of words makes this so gross and disgusting it makes me want to puke too.

33 is water. You will be surprised at its use and importance.

They escape, but OMG, Shannon, you didn’t. My heart fell. I can’t believe it. What an awesome twist. I felt complete terror for her, wanted to yell, hurry, hurry, what the hell are you waiting for? As if it isn’t bad enough, Shannon makes it even worse. How can that be? It just keeps coming and coming, the badness rolling over me like a tsunami wave. Overwhelming, the pacing gripping me as if I’m on a runaway train and hanging on for dear life.

Method 15/33 keeps getting scarier and scarier, the badness goes on and on…out of the frying pan and into the fire.

I love the characters, right to the end, especially HER. This 16 year old sociopath stole my heart.

I don’t know what to say about the emotion roiling inside me as I reach the end. I can’t help but just sit…thinking…thinking…

Shannon wove an awesome story that has left me screaming for more.

To love someone so much you are heartbroken just to look at them.

This, is to have a child.

5+++++

I received a copy of Method 15/33 from Shannon Kirk in return for an honest review.

GUEST POST

I am so excited to have Shannon Kirk here today. I love her debut novel, Method 15/33 and I could not help but fall for the main character, Lisa Yyland. I also, would like to congratulate Shannon on Method 15/33 is being devloped for a feature film. How cool is that? I, for one, can hardly wait to see it!

LET’S TALK ABOUT PSYCHOPATHS

-By Shannon Kirk

Let’s talk about psychopaths. Or, maybe you prefer sociopaths. I’m no psychiatrist, so what I’m talking about are persons whose brains are physiologically wired in such a way that they do not experience emotions as others feel joy, fear, excitement, happiness, remorse, guilt. I’m not talking about people who may be deemed “sociopaths,” not from the physical construction of their brains, but because of environment, a traumatic childhood for example.

What I understood from reading the non-fiction book, The Sociopath Next Door, is there are persons who simply do not understand the sensation of effervescent bubbles rising in your chest when a baby giggles at you, and you giggle back. They might, however, understand the action of smiling in reaction to a baby smiling, the simple physical learned act of social parroting, which is very different from feeling the urge to giggle or smile because of that elusive thing called happiness.

As a lay person, far from being a licensed psychiatrist, I had to read articles and books of the very real medical condition of psychopathy so as to form some basis for the main character in Method 15/33. She holds the traits of a clinical psychopath; for example, she disassociates, lacks empathy, feels no remorse, and plans actions in a way to benefit herself and minimize risk. She’s exceptionally practical in all she does and thinks.

We see this type of character all over popular culture. Hollywood just loves the psychopath. But psychopaths are very real, and indeed, as suggested in The Sociopath Next Door, could be living right next door. The book suggests that some folks who seek out management and politics might hold the common traits of the psychopath or the sociopath. Is this any surprise? How could a billionaire business baron axe 25,000 jobs and the next day be golfing in Tahiti, a smile on his face, and a mai tai with umbrella in his hand? I’m not saying all bosses and all politicians are psychopaths, but when I’ve raised this premise to any group, someone always raises their hand and says, “Oh damn, that’s my boss. He totally fits those traits.”

What got me thinking after reading articles and books on psychopaths was how this condition can exist simply by how someone’s brain is constructed. And if that is so, what natural variations exist in our population? We know that not all psychopaths are “evil,” not all kill women for sport, and not all stalk and kill bad guys according to some “code” (Dexter). So is there a spectrum of psychopathy? On one end you would have Heath Ledger’s Joker or Christian Bale’s American Psycho, on the other you’d have Ms. Whiney Crybaby. You know, the girl who cries at every Kleenex commercial, who yells and stomps and throw pillows and jewelry if her man so much as looks at another woman. No emotion vs. Too much emotion. So what’s in the middle of the spectrum? Normalcy? There must be a middle and ripples from there. This idea, I got stuck on this idea.

I wanted to explore the idea of a spectrum of psychopathy in a fictional way. For example, what if a psychopath was wired in such a way that she could choose to feel emotions? If a person can be wired in a such a way that they physically cannot feel emotions, then why couldn’t a person exist who can control when they feel certain emotions? Also, what if there are people who sometimes slip into a form of psychopathy, while at other times are fully emotionally functional. Have you ever been so absorbed in a work project that you cannot understand why a person is crying in your doorway about the same work project until you stop what you’re doing, calibrate your mood, take a minute to absorb, and then when you take a breath or two, you finally empathize? If that is possible for most everyone, then what if such moments of disassociation are prolonged in certain people? I have to believe this is possible. In the very least, the idea, this spectrum of possibilities with psychopathy, is a breeding ground for fiction.

In my novel Method 15/33, I chose to contort the medical condition of psychopathy and create a character that controls emotions. She often chooses not to feel any emotions, and because of this, like true psychopaths, has had to “learn” appropriate social reactions. I then wanted to meld with this condition another condition in psychology having to do with “cross modal neuroplasticity”—essentially, how a person who loses one sense, gains a “super” sense in something else, such as how a deaf person might have exceptional eyesight. What I wanted to explore, again entirely on a theoretical fictional basis, basically I just made it up, was a psychopath character, who controls emotions, and her emotions are “senses”, such that since she often lacks them, her other senses are somewhat enhanced. For example, although she is blindfolded, because she is not experiencing fear or any other emotion, her smell of the air and her feel of the temperature, the precise weight of her steps on the ground, tell her the type of terrain she’s on, how long a stretch of forest is through which she is forced, what specific trees scrapes her arms, and what the nature, climate, look, and use of the land is where she is taken, as if she were seeing it with her very eyes.

So while any psychiatrist could probably poke a thousand million holes in my writer’s theory, I do actually believe that in our world, there is a wide spectrum of psychopathy, of cross-modal neuroplasticity, and that emotions just may be some form of “sense.” Who knows if we’ll ever crack the code to our brains, and frankly, I hope we don’t. It’s just too much fun to make up stories, twisting the boundaries of psychology we think we know.

SYNOPSIS

Kidnapped, pregnant teen turns the tables. Who is the victim and who is the aggressor?

Imagine a helpless, pregnant 16-year-old who’s just been yanked from the serenity of her home and shoved into a dirty van. Kidnapped…

Alone…Terrified.

Now forget her…

Picture instead a pregnant, 16-year-old, manipulative prodigy. She is shoved into a dirty van and, from the first moment of her kidnapping, feels a calm desire for two things: to save her unborn child and to exact merciless revenge.

She is methodical—calculating— scientific in her plotting. A clinical sociopath? Leaving nothing to chance, secure in her timing and practice, she waits—for the perfect moment to strike. Method 15/33 is what happens when the victim is just as cold as her abductors.

The agents searching for a kidnapped girl have their own frustrations and desires wrapped into this chilling drama. In the twists of intersecting stories, one is left to ponder. Who is the victim? Who is the aggressor?

Praise

“Method 15/33 is crowded with fascinating characters—even the spear carriers pop off the page—but the standout is the kidnapped pregnant teenager. Her captors want her baby. Little do they know they’ve brought an insanely brilliant, angry, vengeful, borderline sociopath under their roof. Somebody’s in big trouble… and it isn’t the teenager.” —F. Paul Wilson, New York Times best-selling author of Santa Jack

“Completely original and totally kick ass! Shannon Kirk pulls no punches in this adrenaline rush of a thriller where the victim is the one to watch, while the kidnappers learn to fear. Loved it!” —Lisa Gardner, New York Times best-selling author of Fear Nothing

“What happens when infant traffickers kidnap the wrong pregnant teen? You get Method 15/33, a cross between The Lovely Bones and Silence of the Lambs. Shannon Kirk’s debut thriller is a dark, literate page-turner, utterly compelling. I read it in one sitting.” —Leonard Rosen, Award-winning author of All Cry Chaos and The Tenth Witness

“Wow. Ridiculously good. Crazy good. Brilliantly heart-stoppingly nail-bitingly original, this is a true thriller tour de force. Shannon Kirk is an instant star.” —Hank Phillippi Ryan Agatha, Anthony winning author of Truth be Told

ABOUT SHANNON KIRK

Shannon Kirk is a practicing attorney and a law professor. She attended West Virginia Wesleyan and St. John’s Universities, is a graduate of Suffolk Law School, and was a trial lawyer in Chicago prior to moving to Massachusetts. She has been honored three times by the Faulkner Society in the William Faulkner-William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, a physicist, and their son. Method 15/33 is her first novel.

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GIVEAWAY

ALERT: Due to illness, I was unable to promote this properly so I am extending the giveaway for another week. Be sure and enter know for your chance at a copy of Method 15/33 by Shannon Kirk.

Shannon Kirk is offering a a print autographed copy of Method 15/33 to a US or Canadian resident. To enter, leave your email and answer the question:

What would be your first response if you were kidnapped?

Giveaway runs from July 9 – July 23, 2015.

FOLLOW THE TOUR BELOW

Learn More About This Awesome New Thriller & Author At these sites!

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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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Was this review helpful? If so, please consider voting for it on Amazon or like it on GoodReads.

Teaser Tuesday #27 – Clay by Tony Bertauski

Posted on October 14, 2014 by fundinmental

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• 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!

CLAY by Tony Bertauski

MY TEASE

(9% on Kindle)

They’re not men and women.

They’re bricks.

Fabricated men and women – black skin, white skin, Asian, Hispanic – ignore the onlookers and gather at the front door.

It’s possible Nix could have fooled them.

SYNOPSIS

Jamie wants to be a halfskin.

Her life has become dull and pointless. If she had more biomites, the synthetic stems cells that promise hope and healing, she could take control of her life. But Jamie’s body is already 49.9% biomites. The rest is clay—her God-given organic cells. Anymore biomites and she becomes a halfskin. And halfskins are shutdown.

But there is a way.

Black market biomites, called nixes, can’t be detected by the government. She’d have to sacrifice her clay, but nixes can make her halfskin without anyone knowing. But first, she has to find them.

Nix Richards can help. He’s the first halfskin to escape the government and Jamie has something he wants. He’ll need her to help him find a fabricator to build a human body. He’ll betray anyone to get it, even those closest to him.

This psychological thriller will keep them second-guessing every move while they elude Marcus Anderson and the governing agency that seeks to rid the world of biomites. But in the end, they’ll all discover just how deep the betrayal goes.

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Review & Giveaway for White Lady by Jessica Bell

Posted on October 8, 2014 by fundinmental

GUESS THE TRUE STATEMENT & WIN JESSICA BELL’S THRILLER, WHITE LADY! (Statement #68)

To celebrate the release of Jessica Bell’s latest novel, WHITE LADY, she is giving away an e-copy (mobi, ePub, or PDF) to the first person to correctly guess the one true statement in the three statements below. To clarify, two statements are lies, and one is true:

One of Jessica Bell’s idiosyncrasies is that she …

a. hates having water on her face

b. can’t wear the same clothes two days in a row

c. must wash her hands every time she touches a door handle

What do you think? Which one is true? Write your guess in the comments, along with your email address. Comments will close in 48 hours. If no-one guesses correctly within in 48 hours, comments will stay open until someone does.

Want more chances to win? You have until October 31 to visit all the blogs where Jessica will share a different set of true and false statements on each one. Remember, each blog is open to comments for 48 hours only from the time of posting.

If you win, you will be notified by email with instructions on how to download the book.

Click HERE to see the list of blogs.

Add to your GOODREADS TBR list here.

MY REVIEW

White Lady by Jessica Bell is a psychological thriller that starts out slow. It seems as if the people are your normal, run of the mill people, just trying to get through life but, WHOA! I sure did not see that happening! The ending caught me off guard and left me speechless.

We start out with all the issues teenagers have – bullying , weight gain, friends, desertion by a parent……

The more I read, the tension rises. These people are seriously fucked up.

Mia – I used to be hot, now I’m not. She used to be the school slut, but since her mother left she has become a chubette. She has self esteem issues and loathes what she has become.

Nash is Mia’s dad and a teacher at her school.

Celeste is the mother who deserted her and her father.

Sonia is also a teacher at the school.

Mick is her son. His father has deserted their family too. He is way out of control. I thought he needed a slap up side the head.

Kimiko is an exotic beauty, a fellow student.

Who the heck is this Ibraham that everyone’s talking about?

I had a feeling about Sonia, but is anybody sane?

All the characters come together and things that seemed like the usual life and death dramatics in a teen’s life, change to real danger.

I went back and forth with this book. Twenty per cent through, I was ready to quit. I kept reading and by thirty percent it began to capture my attention . By sixty percent I’m hooked. And the ending…WHEW! That is why I try to finish every book I read. I cannot anticipate what secrets are hidden in the pages and I don’t want to miss anything good. 😆

The book changed from the growing pains of teenagers to an adult psychological mystery. The characters are manipulated and the push and pull as they try to find their way takes them down a path that will have severe repercussions.

I received a copy of this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.

3 Stars – Would Recommend To Others

ABOUT THE BOOK

*This novel contains coarse language, violence, and sexual themes.

Sonia yearns for sharp objects and blood. But now that she’s rehabilitating herself as a “normal” mother and mathematics teacher, it’s time to stop dreaming about slicing people’s throats.

While being the wife of Melbourne’s leading drug lord and simultaneously dating his best mate is not ideal, she’s determined to make it work.

It does work. Until Mia, her lover’s daughter, starts exchanging saliva with her son, Mick. They plan to commit a crime behind Sonia’s back. It isn’t long before she finds out and gets involved to protect them.

But is protecting the kids really Sonia’s motive?

Click HERE for purchase links.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jessica Bell, a thirty-something Australian-native contemporary fiction author, poet and singer/songwriter/guitarist, is the Publishing Editor of Vine Leaves Literary Journal and the director of the Homeric Writers’ Retreat & Workshop on the Greek island of Ithaca. She makes a living as a writer/editor for English Language Teaching Publishers worldwide, such as Pearson Education, HarperCollins, MacMillan Education, Education First and Cengage Learning.

Connect with Jessica online

Click here to get your Amazon affiliate copy for White Lady by Jessica Bell.

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Friday 56 #25 & BB #1 – White Lady by Jessica Bell

Posted on September 19, 2014 by fundinmental

The Friday 56 hosted by Freda’s Voice.

The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader and find any sentence, or a few (no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.

Please join Rose City Reader every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author’s name.

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Halloween is coming up, so I wanted to help you get in the mood.

Check out White Lady by Jessica Bell.

Does this cover get your attention?

Add to your GOODREADS reading list now!

Book Beginnings

The road is cold and rough against my left cheek – the white reflection of the moon ripples in the pool of blood between me and Dad.

Friday 56

(56% on Kindle)

“He’s a criminal. A fuckin’ drug lord.”

My eyes flick open, but I don’t move.

Mick swallows. “He’s hiding behind an alias since the cops almost caught him in the middle of a fucked-up deal. I guess now I know where he is.” Mick laughs. “He used to always say that no one ever thinks to look in their own backyard. Guess I’m as big a fuckwit as everyone else.”

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SYNOPSIS

“Edgy, pacy, and chillingly real. A book you’ll sink your teeth into and never forget.” JJ Marsh, author of The Beatrice Stubbs series

Sonia yearns for sharp objects and blood. But now that she’s rehabilitating herself as a “normal” mother and mathematics teacher, it’s time to stop dreaming about slicing people’s throats.

While being the wife of Melbourne’s leading drug lord and simultaneously dating his best mate is not ideal, she’s determined to make it work.

It does work. Until Mia, her lover’s daughter, starts exchanging saliva with her son, Mick. They plan to commit a crime behind Sonia’s back. It isn’t long before she finds out and gets involved to protect them.

But is protecting the kids really Sonia’s motive?

Note: This story is told from multiple perspectives.

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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.

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

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Who Killed Me? Behind You by Carly M Duncan Review

Posted on September 17, 2014 by fundinmental

ADD ME TO YOUR GOODREADS TBR LIST NOW

Title: Behind You
Author: Carly M. Duncan
Publisher:
Pages: 208
Genre: Mystery
Format: Paperback/Audible

Purchase at AMAZON

MY REVIEW

I have to figure out who killed me.

The cover for Behind You by Carly M Duncan is appealing. The red stripe jumps off the cover, making it hard to miss.

The synopsis really made me curious.

I was looking forward to reading Behind You by Carly M Duncan.

Behind you is a psychological thriller that may have you questioning your own family’s secrets.

Who knows what your husband, your wife, your mother, your father……is really thinking?

Heather would envision where the next catastrophe would come from, even though there was never a first, until now.

She has a wild and vivid imagination.

Heather loved to get in the car and drive. That struck home for me. I have always loved to get in the car and hit the road, with no destination in mind. It was the journey that was important to me. I would roll down the window and crank the radio (or tape player – am I dating myself?), singing at the top of my lungs.

Have you ever let yourself free – just let the moment dictate your actions?

I was a bit disappointed, but would recommend reading it, especially if you are a fan of psychological thrillers.

I like novels written with different points of view and this book has a few. At times, I found myself a bit confused.

Perhaps it was the characters – Heather, Steven, Elizabeth, Katherine, Susan and Richard. That is quite a few points of view to follow, but it was important to the story to ‘hear’ their version of the story in their own words.

The ending was a surprise and, to me, that alone makes the book worth reading. It’s not often I am surprised and I like it. 😀

I received a copy of Behind you in return for an honest and unbiased review.

3 Stars – Would Recommend To Others

SYNOPSIS

When a mysterious attack lands Heather in the hospital on the brink of death, her family rushes to her side. Through an inconvenient maze of shadowed memory and family secrets, Heather can trust only herself to discover if her husband, parents, sister or aunt tried to kill her. During the course of their own narratives, each character confesses to their various crimes of passion, envy and ignorance, weaving Heather’s mystery into an untraditional tale about seizing the opportunity to start over.

For More Information

Behind You is available at Amazon.
Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.
Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.

EXCERPT

I do a bad thing to myself. When contemplating death I always consider my own sadness, devastation and defeat at losing a potential someone. I imagine the pain and the wreckage. I test what it might feel like to experience such heartbreak. I dream up the words I wish I had said and, also, what I might say in their honor.

I never think I’ll be the first to go. If I did I wouldn’t be forced to reflect on my own potential misery. It’s utter torture and I don’t know why I do it. I must be a masochist, though that label should warrant me more invincible, fearless and probably angrier.

Why would I put myself through the imaginary emotional journey of loss? Why force the looming and possibly non-existent future pain? Does the contrast between happiness and sorrow somehow, sickeningly, make me feel more alive? Or do I believe I’m preparing myself for future grief, as though building up a tolerance for pain might save me from myself later?

I do this a lot. I imagine a shattering loss and once I reach a certain level of true despair, I somehow force myself back to reality and mentally slap myself across the face for walking down a path that I didn’t have to wander in the first place. Afterwards, though, the imaginary misery always lingers and I’m left wandering through various realities for the rest of the day, inexplicably inconsolable.

As a twenty-seven year old woman and a Columbia educated social worker, I should have both a natural and learned understanding of the human condition. In my own life, I’ve experienced minor forms of sorrow, and in my career I’ve both caused and mended various types of suffering. I should be able to manage my own head better.

My job isn’t one that you fantasize about having when you’re young and everything seems possible, when you refer casually to dreams in passing conversation and actually believe in the potential that they can become true. I fell into my career as an adoption counselor by mere chance and pure coincidence, the way most of life’s twists and turns grab you. While attending Columbia I did what most good students approaching graduation do and scrambled to find internships anywhere I could. An internship led to certain comforts and certain comforts led to friendships, and certain friendships led to employment opportunities, and, throughout that whole meandering course, life happened. Today, I find myself performing a job I never hoped for in a field I never pursued, both crushing dreams and providing joyful occasions for strangers daily.

Each and every day I meet or speak with families who are either hoping to adopt a child or who must, for some reason, put their own child up for adoption. Sometimes my days are dangerous and sometimes they’re incredibly beautiful, but I suppose it’s like anything else. My days are rewarding, but I wouldn’t say they’re always joyful.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Carly M. Duncan is a television producer by day and a writer whenever there is time. Her first short story was published when she was in high school after a writing group prompted her to begin blogging before it was cool. Carly’s debut novel, Marcie, was released in 2013. Though she’ll forever be a California girl at heart, she now lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband, two children and beloved Westie.

Her latest book is Behind You.

Visit Carly M. Duncan’s website.
Connect with Carly on Facebook and Twitter.
More books by Carly M. Duncan.
Contact Carly.

Click on the cover to get your Amazon copy of Behind You by Carly M Duncan.

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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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A Psychological Thriller – Calculated by R S Novelle – Book Blast Giveaway

Posted on June 12, 2014 by fundinmental

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Renee will be awarding a $10 Amazon gift card to two randomly drawn commenter. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

SYNOPSIS

An investigative journalist gets an unlikely tip from a mysterious informant. Dismissing it as impossible, she disregards the information and drops the story. Until the informant turns up dead, as predicted.

Plunged into the murky waters of a seedy underground prostitution ring, this psychological thriller provides twist upon dark twist in a story that would ultimately pin the church and several government officials in the largest murder cover-up the city has ever witnessed.

But is it true, or has the journalist merely been used as a pawn in a greater scheme? And how many people is she willing to sacrifice trying to figure it out?

Buy Links: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iTunes, or Smashwords.

EXCERPT

When she arrived at the little facility her building provided, a quick look around confirmed she was the only one there. Just as she’d hoped, and exactly how she liked it to be. Smiling in satisfaction, she flipped on the television that was perched on the wall, and turned up the music on her iPod as loud as she could handle it. The multiple distractions would help her get through the extra mile she was planning to conquer. With chilled water bottle in place, she cranked up the treadmill to a nice brisk pace.

As her breathing picked up speed and her muscles began to warm, Ana’s eye caught a red flash along the bottom of the screen. Breaking News filled the bar, and the too-chipper-for-their-own-good reporters were suddenly getting serious. Since the volume was still muted, Ana couldn’t understand exactly what was going on, only that they were showing the wide stretch of river that ran along the outskirts of the city. She wiped the first beads of sweat from her brow, and used the remote to turn the volume of the television higher while simultaneously adjusting her music.

As the reporters spoke, home-video footage of something floating in the water rolled before her eyes. The camera zoomed in, the frame ever so shaky, and it became clearly apparent that the “something” was a person – face down with long brown hair spread out like a Catholic halo. It appeared another victim had been pulled out of the water; the count was quickly tallying up. A young woman this time, and possibly one who had gone missing the night before.

Ana’s pulse skipped a few beats as they replayed the video over and over. There was something familiar about the long, lean body. Slowing the treadmill to a stop, she ripped the ear buds from her head to give the segment her entire attention.

…it appears at first glance that the victim suffered from a deep cut to the throat, and received multiple stab wounds to the chest…

The beads of accumulated sweat turned cold on Ana’s brow. She immediately reached for her phone and dialed Kylie’s number.

“What the hell, Ana?” Came her friend’s groggy voice.

“Turn your TV on. Channel four. Hurry.” Ana said, eyes transfixed to the screen in front of her. “Recognize that face?”

…It’s thought the victim may be one of the young girls recently reported missing. The screen flashed candids of three possible women. All brunettes. All tall and thin. All roughly the same age. Among them was a photo of Mara, just as Ana had expected there would be.

But the body was too bloated and disfigured to be absolutely certain, and an autopsy would be needed.

… The body will be taken in for processing where officials hope to shed more light on the case in the near future. In the mean time, they’re cautioning residents to avoid….

“Did you see that?” Ana’s voice escaped in more of a demand than a question. “Please tell me I’m seeing things.”

“Oh my god…” Kylie whispered into the receiver, confirming the dread that was building in Ana’s stomach. “Do you really think it’s her?”

“I know for a fact it is.” Ana declared, the pull in her gut getting stronger by the minute. “The autopsy will confirm it.”

“So, what does this mean exactly now?”

“That maybe I should have been listening a little closer when I was talking to Mara.” She said with regret as she swiped her forehead with the back of her hand. “And maybe I should have asked more questions. There’s a story here, I’m sure of it now.”

“What are you going to do?” Kylie’s voice was decidedly more alert now.

Ana shook her head. “I have no idea.”

Though if she were to be truthful with herself in that moment, she’d already made up her mind. Ana flipped off the television, and left the little gym to get started.

About the Author

Formerly a freelance journalist, Novelle has found placement of her pieces in both online and print publications since 2008. Additionally, she has written multiple screenplays, and contributed her writing to many non-profit and for profit organizations. She has launched several blogs over the years, which garnered international attention.

In 2013, Novelle returned to her first love – fiction. Writing under the names Renee Novelle and R.S. Novelle, she has a publication schedule that includes Psychological Thrillers, Suspense, Paranormal Fiction, Contemporary Women’s fiction, Chick Lit, and New Adult.

Though she received her Bachelor’s of Science in Communication, summa cum laude, she considers herself a constant student of the written word. She’s an avid reader, an enthusiastic quote poster, and rarely takes “no” as a final answer. She has an unhealthy obsession for theater, dance, music and art, and strongly believes that wine is simultaneously the beginning of, and resolution to, all of life’s problems. She believes in following dreams, and that in the end, you always end up where you’re meant to be.

You can find out more about her books and connect with her here:

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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Click on the cover below to get your copy of Calculated by R S Novelle.

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GIVEAWAY

2 ( two) $10 Amazon gift card to two randomly drawn commenters

Let us know what you think of the excerpt, cover or blurb.

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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

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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 at Home and let’s talk.

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Friday 56 #11 – New cover for Sierra by Taylor Dean

Posted on May 23, 2014 by fundinmental

The Friday 56 hosted by Freda’s Voice.

The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader and find any sentence, or a few (no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.

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Taylor Dean has been revamping her covers for the novels.

New Lancaster House and The Middle Aisle covers with a Giveaway

I am going to share my Friday 56 for the Sierra novel. Taylor Dean has a way of ending books that will blow your mind. It’s not what you think it will be and your emotions may overwhelm you. Be prepared.

My favorite book of hers – so far – Sierra, also has a new cover and it is fantastic.

I am curious – which one do you like the best and why?

New Cover for Sierra

(Page 56 of paperback)

Alyssa slowly stretched out her index finger and rested it on the trigger.

“Do it,” he said roughly.

If she pulled the trigger, then Pa won. She wanted revenge.

5 Star Review of sierra by taylor dean

Old Cover for Sierra by Taylor Dean

You can pick up your copy of a Taylor Dean novel by clicking on the covers below.

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To check out all my reviews for Taylor Dean’s books, click on the links below:

Tag Team Giveaway – A sweet romance – Joshua’s Folly by Taylor Dean

Book Trailer of Joshua’s Folly by Taylor Dean

Awesome Book Trailer Video of sierra by taylor dean – Come on over and take a peek

Missing Any Memories? i have people by taylor dean Review

Review of sierra by taylor dean

Fanged Mania #7 – Review of the middle aisle by taylor dean

Is he a ghost? A vampire? Is he even real or just a figment of her imagination?(Lancaster House Review)

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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 at Home and let’s talk.

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Warning!! Turn on the lights before reading – Too Dark To Sleep by Dianne Gallagher

Posted on July 24, 2013 by fundinmental

I am so happy to share with you this awesome debut novel and a new author that I will be keeping my EYE on. We have a giveaway, review and some questions answered by the author along with an update on what is happening in her world of writing. So come on in and sit a spell. Let us entertain you. ^_^

A psychological thriller that will not leave you in the dark, because you will be turning on every light in the house to keep the terror at bay. Even the cover creeped me out. lol

Add To Goodreads

Too Dark To Sleep by Dianne Gallagher

Not only is this a story of a serial killer, but it is also a story of a woman’s descent into madness after the death of her child.

Maggie had tried to commit suicide and there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that she had meant business. The scars went from wrist to elbow. She entered the Darkness and could not seem to find her way back to the light.

She was approached to act as a consultant on the case she was working before she had tried to commit suicide. Two young women had been murdered, and she believed it was the same killer. Now there was a third.

She thought for some time, before she made the decision to take it on.

They teamed her up with a rookie, Nick Dublowski, who seemed to smile his way through life.

Would the case save her, or finish her off?

5 STARS – Would buy it for them (lol)

I won this book in a Giveaway on I Read A Book Once. I received the signed paperback and couldn’t help but start to read it immediately. I mean, look at the cover. And the title, so descriptive of the book. Thank you for the wonderful Giveaway.

Dianne Gallagher did an excellent job of making her psychological terror seem as if the dark were a physical being stalking Maggie. The details had chills running up and down my spine as I got up and turned on the lights. What was that flash out of the corner of my eye? I swear I keep seeing something. Goosebumps make the hair on my arms stand up as if by static electricity.

The suspense kept me engrossed in the book, unable to put it down.

I loved her description of Maggie:

“Everything about the woman should’ve read frail, but it didn’t. It was like looking at a knife blade in the sun. Cold. Hard. Sharp.”

I think the book did a great job of addressing depression, showing how it can dominate and take over a person’s life, leaving them feeling as if there is only one way out. BUT I don’t want you to think this book is only about depression.

It’s also about Maggie’s determination to make a serial killer pay for his crimes. It becomes her life’s mission, after he makes it personal. When you think it can’t get any deeper or darker, it does. It is a thriller of a highest caliber.

The ending blew me away. I would love to tell you about it, but you will have to read the book. If you like thrillers, this is one you don’t want to let pass you by.

This is Dianne Gallagher’s debut novel. If this is the beginning of her writing career, I can hardly wait to see what the future holds. Well done Dianne.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dianne has learned one big lesson. Life is never a straight line.

Starting in theatre with a BFA from the University of Minnesota, Dianne focused on performance intially, but then discovered playwriting with several of her competition-winning plays being performed at the University. A move to Los Angeles gave her the opportunity to do a little screenwriting. While working on her own spec material, she formatted, edited, critiqued scripts… and even wrote a redux of that B-movie classic, The Crawling Eye.

Now in the Chicago area, Dianne has put her energy into novels. After increased success in ghosting and editing, she started writing for herself. The result is the debut novel, Too Dark to Sleep.

FAQS ABOUT DIANNE:

When do you write?
When I have time and ideas. I’m a ruminator, so I usually have to walk around with an
idea for a while before I put anything on paper. I’m also not as disciplined as I should be.
I’m easily distracted unless I’m burning with a really good story. Of course, I could make
myself write, but I’d just end up with a lot of useless pages. When the stars align and I’m
in the groove, I can pop out 20 or more good pages at a sitting and that’s the best kind of
writing.

What kind of research do you do?
For Too Dark to Sleep, I used Practical Homicide Investigations by Vernon
Geberth, Techniques of Crime Scene Investigation by Barry Fisher and David Fisher, the
DSM-IV, some forensic psychology articles and a variety of other sources including, early
on, a Chicago police officer. I also spent a fair amount of time researching the Outfit and
their role in Chicago. Once my head is filled with the hard core stuff, I basically put it
aside and just write. Research is great, but a compelling story is better. It’s awkward to
read something that sounds like someone quoting what they learned, so much of the
research I do never makes it specifically to the page. The idea is not to read the facts, but
read the affects the facts have on the story.

Where do your ideas come from?
For Too Dark to Sleep, it all started after a conversation in which one question stuck with
me. What would you do if you lost everything? The conversation lasted hours and I’m sure
too much wine was consumed, but one question was the seed. There was this great
character floating around in my head who needed someplace to go, so I put the two
together and things just kind of fell into place.

For Indigo, my agent at the time suggested I come up with something new, so he threw
out a few suggested hot topics. Honestly, it’s really hard to write to market, but one of the
ideas led me to a twist in the approach… which led me to days of research and nothing
even remotely interesting or fun to write… but it did give me an interesting new
protagonist. There’s nothing quite so frustrating as a good character with no place
to play. Then one day I was watching this, well, silly show about psychic kids… which led
to me stumbling across Indigo children… which led to reading a ton of books and articles
on various subjects that seemed kind of connected… then, things just kind of fell into
place.

How long have you been writing?
A long time. My first “novel” was in fifth grade. My teacher, Mr. Zimmerman, was very
supportive. I might have pursued writing more had I not gotten bitten by the acting bug. I
did competitive speech and drama all through middle school and high school, majoring in
theater in college. About a year in, I realized I was a competent performer, but nothing
amazing. I decided to enter the university’s one-act play competition and won three years
in a row. Thought about getting a masters in that area. However, much to my
chagrine, Charles Nolte, who was teaching at the time at the University of Minnesota and
who loved my plays, told me I was really a novelist… not a playwright. I tried to prove him wrong for many years. When my husband decided to go to film school in California, I tried my hand at screenwriting. When we moved back to the Midwest, I switched to editing, critiquing and ghosting fiction while we raised two kids. Then after some successes in the ghosting and rewriting field, I realized it was time to stop selling my work to my clients and start writing for myself. So here I am. Even though Too Dark to Sleep is my first novel… I’ve got a lot of writing under my belt.

Who do you read?
Oddly enough, I don’t read in my genre. I’m a huge sci-fi geek. Bradbury’s Illustrated
Man got me started at a very early age. I also love William Gibson, Larry Niven, Asimov…
you know the standards. Love the Year’s Best Science Fiction anthologies. When I need a
really good laugh, Christopher Moore is a huge favorite. Honestly, when I read, I read to
get away and to relax.

WIP

I’m working on the first book of a new (and slightly less noir) mystery series. Indigo should be ready for release later this year.

Synopsis:

A sleepy Illinois suburb is rocked when one of its children doesn’t come home. And not just any child. An Indigo child. Psychologist Sid Adler is contracted to interview the Indigo children and their families. And she’s sure here’s something even more dangerous than a child abductor lurking in the quiet town.

I’ve got about a hundred pages of the next Maggie Quinn book and hope to release that some time next year.

Feel free to stalk Dianne at the links below:

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook / Pinterest / LinkedIn

To purchase Dianne Gallagher’s debut novel, simply click on the cover below.

GIVEAWAY

Dianne Gallagher is offering for the Giveaway two signed paperbacks to domestic (US) winners and two signed ebooks (mobi, epub or pdf) to international winners.

Easy entry as always, just leave your email address and answer the question:

What would you do if you lost everything? I chose this question because it was Dianne’s inspiration for this book, Too Dark To Sleep.