Friday 56 #53 & BB #29 – Galilee by Clive Barker

Posted on September 4, 2015 by fundinmental

The Friday 56 is 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 you initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.

Please include the title of the book and the author’s name.

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I have tried to come up with a way to make things simpler for myself when it comes to choosing my next novel to share. This is what I have come up with.

I am starting with the first author on *this* bookshelf and…

now I am moving on to Galilee by Clive Barker

2015-07-23 03.12.21

As you can see from my bookshelf, I have numerous books by Clive Barker and revel in his fantastic adventures into the unusual. I try not to add more books to my shelves, so I keep updated on his current releases through my wonderful library, for the most part.

Galilee by Clive Barker

Add me to Goodreads now.

MY FRIDAY 56

“There’s nowhere for us to go,” Kekmet told the young man.

“My father saw the city of Samarkand,” Zelim replied. “He told me it was like a dream.”

“That’s exactly what it was,” the man working alongside Kekmet said. “If your father saw Samrakand it was in his sleep. Or when he’d had too much wine…”

(page 56 of a hardcover)

MY BOOK BEGINNINGS

At the insistence of my stepmother Cesaria Barbarossa the house in which I presently sit was built so that it faces southeast. The architect-who was no lesser man than the third President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson-protested her desire repeatedly and eloquently. I have the letters in which he did so here one my desk. But she would not be moved on the subject. The house was to look back towards her homeland, towards Africa, and he, as her employee, was to do as he was instructed.

SYNOPSIS

Rich and powerful, the Geary dynasty has reigned over American society for decades. But it is a family with dark, terrible secrets. For the Gearys are a family at war. And their adversaries are the Barbarossas, a clan whose timeless origins lie in myth, whose mystical influence is felt in the intense, sensual exchanges of flesh and soul. Now, their battle is about to escalate…When Galilee, prodigal prince of the Barbarossa clan, meets Rachel, young bride of the Gearys’ own scion Mitchell, they fall in love, consumed by a passion that unleashes long-simmering hatreds. Old insanities arise, old adulteries are uncovered, and a seemingly invincible family will begin to wither, exposing its unholy roots…

I love covers!

I have shown two different covers, which do you like best?

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Life is Life whether Dead or Alive – Onyx Webb by Andrea Waltz & Richard Fenton

Posted on September 3, 2015 by fundinmental

How do you feel about books that seem to go on forever? Many times I pass them over, because I figure I may never know the end, other times they look so promising, that I cannot help myself and just hope I remember to keep on reading and looking out for the next one. How do you keep track? Do you have a list?

Onyx Webb is one of those books and I am so glad I chose to give it a try.

Read on and you will see why, but first, I would like to welcome Richard Fenton and Andrea Waltz and let them share their thoughts with you.

Hi Richard and Andrea. I am so happy to have you here with us today.

Q: How did you come up with the subject matter and themes for the book?

We love paranormal stories and lots of twists. We also love stories that move quickly. We are inspired by paranormal movies like The Sixth Sense and The Others. We also love t.v. series like Downton Abbey with complicated stories about people and relationships. So we mash all that together in Onyx Webb. Some people have had a hard time coming up with an exact genre for us.

Q: Why did you choose to write in your particular field or genre?

We are business book authors and professional speakers. One of our books, Go for No! has sold around 300,000 copies. That book is actually a fable with a supernatural theme to it so we are not so far off, we’ve just moved more into the fiction realm for Onyx Webb. And while not business, as people read it, they will begin to see that Onyx Webb does have an underlying message as well.

Q: What are some of the references that you used while researching this book?

We are very proud of the research that has gone into writing the series so far. We have spent countless hours researching historical events such as the World’s Fair in 1904, the Ferris Wheel, trains, it goes on and on. We visited Savannah GA where part of the story takes place and took tons of photos to inspire us. We also spent a few days at Lily Dale, NY a spiritualist community featured in the book. One of our characters walks to the pet cemetery there. Writing that scene was so fun because we did it.

Q: What’s the greatest criticism of your book so far and the best compliment?

So far, probably the stories themselves. It sounds cliché, but the old ‘I could not put it down’ is what we are hearing a lot of and that is a great thing to hear. Writers don’t need readers putting the book down! The criticism is probably how the various characters and their stories are connected and yet the connections are unclear. Some readers seem annoyed not having all the answers. But we are hoping that by after reading Book One and them by Book Two they will be able to let the uncertainty go and really enjoy this crazy ride we are taking them on.

Q: What do you think most characterizes your writing?

Our model is more story over lots of words. We don’t write flowery language or in depth descriptions of things or even people for that matter. We are very story based, more like a screenplay. For example, we wrote just a few lines on the 1904 World’s Fair and we could have done pages about it. But if you give people just enough – we let the readers create everything in their imagination. And because we move so fast, it seems to work well.

Q: What was the hardest part of writing this book?

Deciding how to write Book One was the hardest because it is the foundation of everything that we are creating. We had an entirely different model of the first book almost two years ago that featured Onyx Webb both young and middle aged, back and forth. People got confused so we started her story from her young age and will continue it chronologically without also showing scenes of her living in the future. That was a tough decision that set us back months with re-writes but it was the right move. Luckily all that content we did write will work for the future books!

Add me to Goodreads now.

Onyx Webb by Andrea Waltz and Richard Fenton:

Publisher: Courage Crafters Inc. (March 17, 2015)
Category: Paranormal Suspense, Paranormal Romance, Supernatural Thriller
Tour Date: August & September, 2015
ISBN: 978-0990751816
ASIN: B00VIP8KLC
Available in: Print & ebook, 264 Pages

MY REVIEW

The tagline on the cover of Onyx Webb hooked me – Think life is precious now? Just wait until you’re dead – and I had to read Book I by Richard Fenton and Andrea Waltz. I am just hoping I made the right decision, because there are more books to come and I will not learn the ending here.

Onyx Webb is a paranormal thriller that will have you questioning the most important things in “life”. If you are a fan of character driven stories, this one is for you.

Richard Fenton and Andrea Waltz do a wonderful job of building complex characters that are well developed and I quickly found my favorites and the villains. As each characters story grows, so does my interest.

We have kidnappers and serial killers, ghosts and visions. What is real? You will have to read Onyx Webb to find out for yourself.

There is more than one villain walking the streets and you never know who you can trust. People are not always what they seem.

Onyx is not your average child and her life took a turn for the worst when she met him.

Men – they can be the life of you or the death of you.

Onyx Webb, Book I laid a solid foundation.There is so much going on, that I feel I will not be able to rest until I know the whole story. Thank goodness Book II is out and waiting for me to grab a copy of my own.

I received Onyx Webb by Richard Fenton and Andrea Waltz in return for an honest and unbiased review.

3 Stars

BLURB

The Onyx Webb series follows the unusual life of Onyx Webb along with a central group of characters in various locations and times. The billionaire Mulvaney family, piano prodigy Juniper Cole and her brother Quinn, paranormal show hosts Cryer and Fudge, and a few others make up the core of the series.

Written like a book version of a supernatural soap opera, each character’s story moves forward with most every episode. It may appear that the characters are entirely unrelated and yet episode by episode, the connections will become clearer. Like being an inch away from a spider web, with each book, the web will move further and further away revealing the full story of every character and most importantly, the stunning conclusion for Onyx Webb herself.

Praise for Onyx Webb by Andrea Waltz and Richard Fenton:

“There isn’t a page that doesn’t hold our attention.“-Grady Harp, Amazon Reviewer Hall of Fame

“There’s only one problem with the book Onyx Webb – it was over too soon. When I finished the last word, I was ready for the next book, but it’s not out yet – bummer for me and all the other readers who enjoyed this story!
The authors’ writing style is descriptive and visual, which makes the story flow well, and the characters are interesting and well developed. The author does a good job of capturing the essence of each time period so that the reader knows where and more importantly when the characters are living. The story so far covers the 1900s, 1970s and 2000s, so there are marked differences in most aspects of the characters’ lives. Even with the different years represented it’s not confusing for the reader, possibly because each character is so distinct, which lets the reader identify character with time period.
While this is billed as a ghost story, it’s more than that since the characters are so interesting, and I think this will appeal to a wider reading audience than just ghost story lovers or mystery lovers.
I will be eagerly awaiting the next installment to this compelling story.”- Robin Surface, Amazon Reviewer

“I loved this book! Couldn’t put it down. Great writing and totally believable characters. The story lines move along so well and in some form or fashion begin to tie into each other. I am anxiously awaiting the next book.”-Alicia, Goodreads Reviewer

“Wow! That’s an understatement, though. Onyx Webb is one of those books that you just don’t want to put down because it grabs you from the beginning and keeps you wanting more. Not only do you get one story, you get three! And they are all told in different times, like the 1900s, 1970s, and in the current, 2000s. So you get three different points of view, and at first you’re thinking “What does this have to do with that?” But then you see it, and it’s like, WHOA! Of the three different story lines, they all connect in some way, and it’s pretty cool to see how it does.
This is such a good book!! You just have to read it. It’s really cool how authors Waltz and Fenton bring all of the story lines that span over time, together to all fit.
I highly recommend this book! And it’s just Book 1, so I’m really hoping Book 2 is already in the works because I am anxious to see what happens next!!”-Ella Marie, Reading Is a Way Of Life

“Amazing! This is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time!“-Melanie, Fang-Freakin-Tastic Reviews

About Andrea Waltz and Richard Fenton:

Richard Fenton & Andrea Waltz are best known as the authors of the #1 Amazon Sales & Selling book, Go for No! They are professional speakers who travel internationally speaking to audiences about how to overcome fear of failure and rejection. Although they have written several business books over the last fifteen years, Onyx Webb is their first fictional series.

They are married and manage to write to together while staying happily married, a fact they are very proud of. Richard and Andrea live in Central Florida along with their cat, Courage.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest

Buy Onyx Webb by Andrea Waltz and Richard Fenton:

Amazon

Follow the Onyx Webb by Andrea Waltz & Richard Fenton Tour:

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Aug 4 Tour Kick Off & Giveaway

Rockin’ Book Reviews Aug 5 Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway

SolaFide Self-Publishing and Book Blog Aug 6 Guest Post

Books, Books, and more Books Aug 8 Review

Mallory Heart Reviews Aug 10 Review

Elizabeth McKenna Romance Author Aug 11 Interview

What U Talking Bout Willis? Aug 14 Guest Post

Deal Sharing Aunt Aug 18 Review & Giveaway

Penny For Them… Aug 19 Review

Open Book Society Aug 21 Review

JBronder Book Reviews Sept 2 Review

Fundinmental Sept 3 Review & Interview

fuonlyknew Sept 8 Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

Infinite House of Books Sept 9 Interview & Excerpt

Totally Addicted to Reading Sept 10 Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway

Room With Books Sept 18 Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway

My Tangled Skeins Reviews Sept 21 Review & Guest Post

Sunshine book Promotions Sept 28 Review & Excerpt

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

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

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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

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

Posted on September 2, 2015 by fundinmental

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

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

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

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

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

Cover: Greg Simanson

MY REVIEW

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

5 Stars

SYNOPSIS

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

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

Buy on Amazon

Author Interview

What has inspired you to become a writer?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Do you plan on writing any other genres?

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

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

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

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

Getting to Know the Author as a Person

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

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

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

What relaxes you when you need to unwind?

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

What are your favorite foods?

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

Have you ever had any paranormal experiences?

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

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

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

About Jason McIntyre

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

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

Amazon Author Page

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

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

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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

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Book Trailer and Cover Reveal – A Whisper of Death by Paul Barrett

Posted on September 1, 2015 by fundinmental

Flat Bewitching Cover Reveal

A Whisper of Death

The Necromancer Series

Book 1

Paul Barrett

Genre: YA Dark Fantasy

Publisher: Fiery Seas Publishing, LLC

Date of Publication: December 22, 2015

Cover Artist: Jess Small

Add me to Goodreads now.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Born with the power of ultimate evil, he is the world’s only chance at survival.

Erick Darvaul is a Necromancer, a descendant of the original sorcerers who turned against their dark masters and exiled them. Now these beings have returned, it falls upon Erick and a cadre of newfound allies to rally against these powerful entities and defeat them again.

Through fire, ambush, and betrayal, Erick and his companions claw their way to Broken Mountain to reunite with others who share his ability. There, Erick battles the mortal foe of his ancestors pushing the limits of his Necromantic magic, a force that seeks to corrupt him every time he summons it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paul has lived a varied life full of excitement and adventure. Not really, but it sounds good as an opening line.

Paul’s multiple careers have included: rock and roll roadie, children’s theater stage manager, television camera operator, mortgage banker, and support specialist for Microsoft Excel.

This eclectic mix prepared him to go into his true love: motion picture production. He has produced two motion pictures and two documentaries: His film Night Feeders released on DVD in 2007, and Cold Storage was released by Lionsgate in 2010.

Amidst all this, Paul has worked on his writing, starting with his first short story, about Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, at age 8. Paul has written and produced numerous commercial and industrial video scripts in his tenure with his forcreative agency, Indievision. He has two published short stories (As You Sow and Double Cross) and one self-published novel (Godchild). He lives with his filmmaker/graphic artist partner and their three cats.

Website / Twitter

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

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

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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

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Giveaway & Excerpt for The 52nd by Dela

Posted on August 31, 2015 by fundinmental

The52ndBlitzBanner

Just looking at the creepy cover, I knew I had to share.

What does it say to you?

Add me to Goodreads now.

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Book & Author Details:

The 52nd by Dela
Publication date: October 27th 2014
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

SYNOPSIS

Not one of the sacrifices chosen over the long history had survived–until now.

On the tip of the Yucatan peninsula, the immortal Castillo family gathers in Tulum. Weary and haunted, they receive the names of fifty-two human sacrifices chosen once every fifty-two years for the Underworld, a tradition thought to have disappeared with the fall of the Aztec and Mayan empires.

Driving home one night, college freshman Zara Moss swerves to avoid hitting a ghastly figure in the road. Lucas Castillo witnesses the car crash, but when it comes time to supervise her abduction from the wreckage, he intervenes. Something is different about Zara: Lucas has been having dreams of her arrival for five hundred years.

As Lucas and Zara come together to put an end to the bloody sacrifices, they discover that the ancient tradition isn’t so easily broken. The gods are angry, and they have until the Winter Solstice to drag Zara to the Underworld.

Purchase: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

EXCERPT

“LOOK OUT!” she screamed, pointing to the front window.

A black figure stood in the beam of our headlights. I slammed my foot on the brakes, but they locked and the car began to skid. The smell of burning rubber filled the car as we screeched across the asphalt. The man didn’t move, and as we neared him, I cranked the wheel to the right as fast as possible to avoid him. We screamed as the car spun out of control.

As we skidded closer to the unmoving figure, I thought he was done for. I expected him to bounce up onto the windshield and shatter the window into thousands of tiny pieces. But the briefest second before impact, my door rushing directly at him, I saw—

It was not a man.

—-

AUTHOR BIO

Dela is the debut author of THE 52ND saga, a multicultural paranormal for young adults. Before tracing the minds of Aztec gods, Dela worked as a paralegal and could be found snowboarding at Brianhead, Utah. She currently lives in Las Vegas with her husband, three kids, and two exceptionally fat Chihuahuas. Her website is www.delaauthor.com.

Author links: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

GIVEAWAY

One (1) ebook copy of The 52nd Open internationally.

Sherry’s Shelves # 50 – Books & Fun

Posted on August 30, 2015 by fundinmental

Sherry’s Shelves is my weekly update for August 23 – August 29, 2015.

Happy to have you join me for some books & fun.

Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga’s Reviews

Bought, Borrowed & Bagged is hosted by TalkSupe

**all images are linked to Amazon (I am an affiliate)**

**The small amount helps keep my blog running**

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Mr Wonderful buys me flowers, just because he is wonderful. LOL
(c) Sherry J Fundin

Thanks, so much for dropping in and have a super day!

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FREE BOOKS

Still free at time of posting, but check for the “0”.

How wicked is the cover for Hell is Coming by N P Martin?

A Cold Dark Place

Check out Toni Anderson’s blog for her Fifty Days of Giveaways: 4/50

Love this wonderful cover for Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn

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AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE

I love libraries, big and small. You never know where you will find that hidden gem.

Creative little libraries

7 Stunning Libraries

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NEW to fundinmental

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FOR REVIEW

Writing a lot of reviews and enjoying the summer.

My itchy fingers are craving MORE…books.

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WINNINGS

I have been remiss in visiting all my fellow bloggers as I write, write, write reviews. When I get in the zone, I hate to change tactics, but I will be by soon.

Hope you had some goodies come your way. 😀

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LAST WEEK ON fundinmental

I got a bit carried away, but there were so many good books, I just had to share them with you. Be sure and look for the reviews and giveaways.

Sherry’s Shelves #49 – Books & Fun

Giveaway – The Vampire, The Hunter and The Girl by Martin Lastrapes

Giveaway – Shadow in the Sea by Sheila A Nielson

Weather Update: There is a Tropical Depression by Jeff Lindsay Giveaway & Review

Mystical Romance – Mortal Musings by Aria Glazki Giveaway & Review

I am outraged – Read Cargo by DV Berkom and you will know why

M9B Two for Thursday Book Blitz: The Pretty Dark Nothing Series by Heather L. Reid with Giveaway #T4T

M9B Friday Reveal: Fall For Fantasy Blitz with Giveaway #M9BFridayReveals

Friday 56 #52 & BB #28 – The Damnation Game by Clive Barker

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

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THIS WEEK ON fundinmental

Sherry’s Shelves

Book Trailer reveal for A Whisper of Death by Paul Barrett

Teaser Tuesday

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

Review – Life is life whether Dead or Alive – Onyx by Andrea Waltz and Richard Fenton

Friday 56 & BB – Galilee by Clive Barker

Review – You Can’t Run from A Killer Past by Maris Soule

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

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Hope you are having a wonderful weekend.

What have you been reading?

Have you any plans for the upcoming week? 😆

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

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Fabulous Book Trailer for the Class Heroes by Stephen Henning

Posted on August 30, 2015 by fundinmental

Hello my wonderful peeps.

I have a super treat for you today.

I am a huge fan of Stephen Henning and his Class Heroes series and you don’t want to miss this fabulous book trailer, giving you a glimpse into his fantastic word of these twin super heroes.

I can see this as a movie or TV series, so be sure and check it out.

I have read and reviewed all the books…so far. Check out the links below.

This is a 2-minute trailer, introducing the characters of Samantha, James and Lolly; and giving a flavor of the first four Class Heroes books.

Lolly is the villain that you love to hate or hate to love. You decide.

Here is the first book in the series, A Class Apart, that is free on Amazon.

Now is the perfect time to check it out.

Amazon US / Amazon UK

MY REVIEWS FOR THE CLASS HEROES SERIES

Review of A Class Apart, Book I

Review of What Happened In Witches Wood, Book II

Review of Where’s Lolly, Book III

Review of London Belongs to the Alchemist, Book IV

I love the creative and fun covers.

Click on the covers below to get your Class Heroes book, or to learn more about Stephen Henning.

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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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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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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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Friday 56 #52 & BB #28 – The Damnation Game by Clive Barker

Posted on August 28, 2015 by fundinmental

Please include the title of the book and the author’s name.

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I have tried to come up with a way to make things simpler for myself when it comes to choosing my next novel to share. This is what I have come up with.

I am starting with the first author on *this* bookshelf and…

now I am moving on to The Damnation Game by Clive Barker

2015-07-23 03.12.21

I have read a lot of his work and love this horror author.

The Damnation Game by Clive Barker

Add me to Goodreads now.

MY FRIDAY 56

Marty nodded, and downed his whiskey; it ran down his gullet like quicksilver.

“Tomorrow…”

(page 56 of hardcover, 1st American edition, published in 1987)

MY BOOK BEGINNINGS

The air was electric the day the thief crossed the city, certain that tonight, after so many weeks of frustration, he would finally locate the card-player. It was not an easy journey. Eighty-five percent of Warsaw had been leveled, either by the months of mortar bombardment that had preceded the Russian liberation of the city, or by the program of demolition the Nazis had undertaken before their retreat. Several sectors were virtually impassable by vehicle. Mountains of rubble-still nurturing the dead like bulbs ready to sprout as the spring weather warmed-clogged the streets. Even in the more accessible districts the once elegant facades swooned dangerously, their foundations growling.

SYNOPSIS

Marty Strauss, a gambling addict recently released from prison, is hired to be the personal bodyguard of Joseph Whitehead, one of the wealthiest men in the world. The job proves more complicated and dangerous than he thought, however, as Marty soon gets caught up in a series of supernatural events involving Whitehead, his daughter (who is a heroin addict), and a devilish man named Mamoulian, with whom Whitehead made a Faustian bargain many years earlier, during World War II.

As time passes, Mamoulian haunts Whitehead using his supernatural powers (such as the ability to raise the dead), urging him to complete his pact with him. Eventually Whitehead decides to escape his fate after a few encounters with Mamoulian and having his wife, former bodyguard, and now his daughter Carys taken away from him. With hope still left to save Carys, Marty Strauss, although reluctant to get involved in the old man Whiteheads deserved punishment, decides to get involved and attempt to save the innocent gifted addict from being another victim to the damnation game

I love covers!

This is the Kindle version.

Which do you like best, this one or the hardcover at the beginning of the post?

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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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M9B Friday Reveal: Fall For Fantasy Blitz with Giveaway #M9BFridayReveals

Posted on August 28, 2015 by fundinmental

Welcome to this week’s M9B Friday Reveal!

This week, we dare you to

Fall For Fantasy

featuring titles to satisfy your fantasy cravings,

presented by Tantrum Books/Month9Books!

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

Nobody's-Goddess-Cover

In a village of masked men, magic compels each man to love only one woman and to follow the commands of his “goddess” without question. A woman may reject the only man who will love her if she pleases, but she will be alone forever. And a man must stay masked until his goddess returns his love—and if she can’t or won’t, he remains masked forever.

Seventeen-year-old Noll isn’t in the mood to celebrate. Her childhood friends have paired off and her closest companion, Jurij, found his goddess in Noll’s own sister. Desperate to find a way to break this ancient spell, Noll instead discovers why no man has ever chosen her.

Thus begins a dangerous game between the choice of woman versus the magic of man. And the stakes are no less than freedom and happiness, life and death—and neither is willing to lose.

About-the-Author

Amy McNulty

Amy McNulty is a freelance writer and editor from Wisconsin with an honors degree in English. She was first published in a national scholarly journal (The Concord Review) while in high school and currently spends her days alternatively writing on business and marketing topics and primarily crafting stories with dastardly villains and antiheroes set in fantastical medieval settings.

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

To Bear an Iron Key is the first in a new and exciting series from acclaimed author Jackie Morse Kessler.

Five years ago, the young witch Bromwyn refused a gift from the powerful fairy king. Tonight, on Midsummer, that decision comes back to haunt her. When her best friend Rusty picks the wrong pocket, he and Bromwyn are all that stand between their village and the rampaging fairies who have pushed through the World Door. If they cannot outwit the fairy king and queen before the World Door closes at sunrise, the friends will lose everything—their village, Bromwyn’s magic, and Rusty’s life.

From To Bear an Iron Key by Jackie Morse Kessler: “Bromwyn turned to face the burning fields. Reaching deep inside of herself, she closed her eyes and touched the core of her power, the place where her magic lived, where it connected her to all of Nature. She held onto that magic, let it fill her almost to the bursting point, and then she cast it out onto the fields. It blanketed the rows of spelt, and she felt as it rode the wind—Air—and then touched the grain—Earth—and then sizzled around the fire.”

About-the-Author

JMK

Jackie Morse Kessler grew up in Brooklyn, NY, with a cranky cat and overflowing shelves filled with dolls and books. Now she’s in Upstate NY with another cranky cat, a loving husband, two sons, and overflowing shelves filled with dragons and books (except when her sons steal her dragons). She has a bachelor’s degree in English and American Literature, and yet she’s never read any Jane Austen (with or without zombies). She also has a master’s degree in media ecology. (The living study of technology and culture. Which is cool, but she still can’t figure out how to use Tweetdeck.)

Jackie spends a lot of time writing, reading, and getting distracted by bright and shiny new ideas. (She just came up with a new idea right now.) She has a weakness for chocolate and a tendency to let her cat take over her office chair.

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads |

The-Emissary-Cover

For hundreds of years, dark clouds covered the skies of Adamah, and an ageless king ruled. Those who emerged with one of six extraordinary Shay powers were forced into the king’s army, an unmatched force with inhuman Strength, Speed, Accuracy, Perception, Empathy, and Healing. With the army behind him, the king—a man who wields all six abilities—was invincible and unquestioned in his rule. To most, serving the king was an honor. But for others, it was a fate worse than death.

When seventeen-year-old Nolan Trividar witnesses the transformation of his brother from kind to cruel after entering the king’s army, he vows never to follow the same path.

So when his own power—the Shay of Accuracy—comes upon him at the Tournament of Awakening, Nolan conceals his emergence instead of joining the king’s ranks. For years, he traitorously hides his power, pretending to be only a gifted scribe. But when Nolan comes face -to-face with a deserter, the man discovers his secret.

To evade detection and a death sentence, Nolan escapes with the deserter and flees into a night filled with dark creatures who steal both powers and souls. He joins a resistance, a village hidden deep in the forest, filled with others who secretly wield a Shay. But his peace is short-lived when they discover that the dark clouds, undead creatures, their own decreasing powers, and even the king, are all connected.

About-the-Author

Kristal Shaff

Kristal Shaff grew up with books (and used to drive her mom crazy when she wouldn’t leave the library); her first job was even shelving books at the library. She loves anything creative, and you can often find her exploring strange and fantastical worlds in her choices of movies and fantasy fiction. Kristal resides in Iowa with her farmer husband, numerous pets, and 3 awesome kids (plus one more on the way though the journey of adoption). When she isn’t writing, she is a professional face painter who enjoys making children smile.

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Crown-of-ice-Cover

Thyra Winther’s seventeen, the Snow Queen, and immortal, but if she can’t reassemble a shattered enchanted mirror by her eighteenth birthday she’s doomed to spend eternity as a wraith. Armed with magic granted by a ruthless wizard, Thyra schemes to survive with her mind and body intact.

Unencumbered by kindness, she kidnaps local boy Kai Thorsen, whose mathematical skills rival her own. Two logical minds, Thyra calculates, are better than one. With time rapidly melting away she needs all the help she can steal. A cruel lie ensnares Kai in her plan, but three missing mirror shards and Kai’s childhood friend, Gerda, present more formidable obstacles. Thyra’s willing to do anything – venture into uncharted lands, outwit sorcerers, or battle enchanted beasts – to reconstruct the mirror, yet her most dangerous adversary lies within her breast.

Touched by the warmth of a wolf pup’s devotion and the fire of a young man’s desire, the thawing of Thyra’s frozen heart could be her ultimate undoing.

About-the-Author

Vicki Weavil 11

Vicki Lemp Weavil was raised in a farming community in Virginia, where her life was shaped by a wonderful family, the culture of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and an obsession with reading. Since obtaining her undergraduate degree in Theatre from the University of Virginia, she’s gone on to acquire two masters degrees, living in places as diverse as New York City and rural North Carolina. She’s currently the library director for a performing an visual arts university. Vicki loves good writing in any genre, and has been known to read seven books in as many days. She enjoys travel, gardening, and the arts. Vicki lives in North Carolina with her husband, son, and some very spoiled cats.

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Tumbler

Serpentine-Cover

SERPENTINE is a sweeping fantasy set in the ancient Kingdom of Xia and inspired by the rich history of Chinese mythology.

Lush with details from Chinese folklore, SERPENTINE tells the coming of age story of Skybright, a young girl who worries about her growing otherness. As she turns sixteen, Skybright notices troubling changes. By day, she is a companion and handmaid to the youngest daughter of a very wealthy family. But nighttime brings with it a darkness that not even daybreak can quell.

When her plight can no longer be denied, Skybright learns that despite a dark destiny, she must struggle to retain her sense of self – even as she falls in love for the first time.

“Vivid worldbuilding, incendiary romance, heart-pounding action, and characters that will win you over–I highly recommend Serpentine.” Cinda Williams Chima, best-selling author of the Seven Realms and Heir Chronicles fantasy novels

“Serpentine is unique and surprising, with a beautifully-drawn fantasy world that sucked me right in! I love Skybright’s transformative power, and how she learns to take charge of it.” ~Kristin Cashore, NYT Bestseller of the Graceling Realm Series

“Serpentine’s world oozes with lush details and rich lore, and the characters crackle with life. This is one story that you’ll want to lose yourself in.” ~ Marie Lu, New York Times bestselling author of Legend and The Young Elites

About-the-Author

cindypon_highres-200x300

Cindy Pon is the author of Silver Phoenix (Greenwillow, 2009), which was named one of the Top Ten Fantasy and Science Fiction Books for Youth by the American Library Association’s Booklist, and one of 2009′s best Fantasy, Science Fiction and Horror by VOYA. The sequel to Silver Phoenix, titled Fury of the Phoenix, was released in April 2011. Serpentine, the first title in her next Xia duology, will be published by Month9Books in September 2015. She is the co-founder of Diversity in YA with Malinda Lo and on the advisory board of We Need Diverse Books. Cindy is also a Chinese brush painting student of over a decade. Visit her website at www.cindypon.com.

Website • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads • Tumblr

Nameless-cover

Four clans have been at war for centuries: the Kodiak, the Raven, the Wolf and the Ram. Through brutal war tactics, the Ram have dominated the region, inflicting death and destruction on their neighbors.

Seventeen-year-old Zo is a Wolf and a Healer who volunteers to infiltrate the Ram as a spy on behalf of the allied clans. She offers herself as a Ram slave, joining the people who are called the “nameless.” Hers is a suicide mission – Zo’s despair after losing her parents in a Ram raid has left her seeking both revenge and an end to her own misery. But after her younger sister follows her into Rams Gate, Zo must find a way to survive her dangerous mission and keep her sister safe.

What she doesn’t expect to find is the friendship of a young Ram whose life she saves, the confusing feelings she develops for a Ram soldier, and an underground nameless insurrection. Zo learns that revenge, loyalty and love are more complicated than she ever imagined in the first installment of this two-book series.

About-the-Author

Jennifer Jenkins

With her degree in History and Secondary Education, Jennifer had every intention of teaching teens to love George Washington and appreciate the finer points of ancient battle stratagem. (Seriously, she’s obsessed with ancient warfare.) However, life had different plans in store when the writing began. As a proud member of Writers Cubed, and a co-founder of the Teen Author Boot Camp, she feels blessed to be able to fulfill both her ambition to work with teens as well as write Young Adult fiction.

Jennifer has three children who are experts at naming her characters, one loving, supportive husband, a dog with little-man syndrome, and three chickens (of whom she is secretly afraid).

Visit her online at jajenkins.com

Giveaway

Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

Titles not yet released will be upon its publication.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

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

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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

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

If you have a problem commenting, look for the twitter, facebook…buttons.

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!