Scooby Doo and Marilyn Manson Collide!

Everyone, Monster Mash!!

Interview with John Knoerle, Author of A Despicable Profession: Book Two of the American Spy Trilogy

Please tell us a bit about your book, A Despicable Profession: Book Two of the American Spy Trilogy - characters, plot, etc.

Happy to. Here’s a brief synopsis:

May, 1946. America is basking in hard-won peace and prosperity. The OSS has been disbanded, CIA does not yet exist. Rumors swirl about the Red Army massing tanks along the Elbe in East Germany.

Former OSS agent Hal Schroeder gets an offer from Global Commerce LTD to be a trade rep in Berlin. He flies to New York to meet his new boss. Hal’s jaw drops when former OSS Chief Wild Bill Donovan strides in. Schroeder, who survived perilous duty behind German lines, says he is no longer interested in being a spy. General Donovan assures him that’s not part of his job description.

Hal comes to doubt that when he meets his immediate superior in Berlin. It’s Victor Jacobson, the case officer who sent him on repeated suicide missions in WWII.

If you could meet, in person, any of your characters, who would it be and why?

General Wild Bill Donovan, the legendary head of the OSS during World War II. A decorated hero in World War I, he was a man of action whose motto was ‘try anything.’ He would have tales to tell.

Do you have any particular habits that you do while writing? Places you write the best, foods, drinks, etc., that help set your "writing mood"?

My favorite writing haunt is Club Lucky, a great old Chicago restaurant and bar. I sit on the barstool nearest to the front window, order a Stoli martini with a twist, and set to work. I write by hand in a wirebound notebook like you used at school. I have written the better part of five novels there.

What are you reading right now?

Harlot’s Ghost by Norman Mailer. Now and forever. It’s a heavy going, and 1100 pages!

Who are some of your favorite authors and/or books?

Anything by Raymond Chandler and John Cheever. I cite dead authors because they have stood the test of time. Sad to say many authors I admired as a young man didn’t hold up when I read them again.

Okay, here are a few "get to know you better" questions:

Please describe a perfect meal - including menu and those present.

My wife Judie and I host an annual Superbowl party for our friends and neighbors. We cook up cold weather comfort foods – Yankee pot roast, chicken and dumplings, scalloped potatoes made with real Velveeta!
Great fun.

What are some of your favorite ways to relax?

Tennis, cooking and long walks through the many neighborhoods of Chicago.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

I have always fancied London. Or a charming English hamlet, maybe.

If you could only read books by one author, who would it be?

Raymond Chandler, though he only wrote six novels. All his books are good, but three of them – The Big Sleep, Farewell My Lovely, and The Long Goodbye – are superb.

What are some of your guilty pleasures?

An Office marathon starring Steve Carrel will keep me on the couch for hours.

If you could leave the world with one piece of advice, what would it be?

“Illegitimus non carborundum est.” Don’t let the bastards grind you down.


About John Knoerle:

John Knoerle was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1949 and migrated to California with his family in the 1960s. He has worked as a stand-up comic, a voiceover actor and a radio reporter. He wrote the screenplay for “Quiet Fire,” which starred Karen Black and Lawrence Hilton Jacobs, and the stage play “The He-Man Woman Hater’s Club,” an LA Time’s Critics Choice. John also worked as a writer for Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion.”


Knoerle’s first novel, Crystal Meth Cowboys, published in 2003, was optioned by Fox TV. His second novel, The Violin Player,won the Mayhaven Award for Fiction. Knoerle is currently at work on The American Spy Trilogy. Book One, A Pure Double Cross, came out in 2008. Book Two, A Despicable Profession, was published in August of 2010.

John Knoerle currently lives in Chicago with his wife, Judie.

You can visit his website at www.bluesteelpress.com.

About A Despicable Profession:

May, 1946. America is basking in hard-won peace and prosperity. The OSS has been disbanded, CIA does not yet exist. Rumors swirl about the Red Army massing tanks along the Elbe in East Germany.


Former OSS agent Hal Schroeder gets an offer from Global Commerce LTD to be a trade rep in Berlin. He flies to New York to meet his new boss. Hal’s jaw drops when former OSS Chief Wild Bill Donovan strides in. Schroeder, who survived perilous duty behind German lines, says he is no longer interested in being a spy. General Donovan assures him that’s not part of his job description.

Hal comes to doubt that when he meets his immediate superior in Berlin. It’s Victor Jacobson, the case officer who sent him on repeated suicide missions in WWII.

Excerpt:

“Sir, my special kind of cunning is real simple,” I said to my case officer. “I was doing a decent job in Freiburg and Ulm and Karlsruhe logging troop movements and transmitting weather reports for bomber runs. I figured if I was dead my effectiveness might suffer. And why get croaked carrying out suicide missions dictated by some asshole Case Officer who was snug as a bug in Bern drinking Allen Dulles’ wine cellar dry?” 

“I wasn’t,” said Jacobson, “but please continue.”

Please continue? They were shorthanded.

“I have only one job requirement sir. Survival.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” said Jacobson, drier than my swollen tongue.

Dare to Take Charge by Judge Glenda Hatchett - Book Spotlight

 
Dare to Take Charge: How to Live Your Life of Purpose
By: Judge Glenda Hatchett

Hardcover: 272 pages 
Publisher: Center Street (September 20, 2010)



About Dare to Take Charge:

For nearly ten years, Judge Glenda Hatchett has delighted TV audiences with a brand of justice that turns the everyday into something eminently watchable.


Her message can be distilled into the following two words: Dare Yourself. Whatever obstacles or fears one faces, Judge Hatchett’s prescription implores readers to write their own story in this life. With care and conviction, Judge Hatchett uses real life stories from the courtroom and her personal life to counsel readers. Shows them how to find their true purpose and gifts, to be real about their reality and its potential outside of challenging circumstances, and to always be true to themselves.

Interactive as well as inspirational, DARE TO TAKE CHARGE challenges the reader to ask self-reflective questions that lead to moments of self-discovery and a defined pathway to healing. Daring her audience to study the positive with the same interest and intensity that they study the negative, Judge Hatchett uncovers the potential for grace and success in lives that are now punctuated with despair and unfaithfulness.


About Judge Glenda Hatchett:

After graduating from Emory University School of Law and completing a coveted clerkship in the U.S. Federal Courts, Glenda Hatchett accepted a position at Delta Air Lines, as the company’s highest-ranking African-American woman. She served in dual roles as a senior attorney for Delta, litigating cases in federal courts throughout the country, and Manager of Public Relations, supervising global crisis management, and media relations for all of Europe, Asia and the United States. In fact, her outstanding contributions were recognized by Ebony Magazine, which named Glenda Hatchett one of the “100 Best and Brightest Women in Corporate America.” She made the difficult decision to leave Delta Air Lines in order to accept an appointment as Chief Presiding Judge of the Fulton County, Georgia Juvenile Court.


Upon accepting the position, Glenda Hatchett became Georgia’s first African-American Chief Presiding Judge of a state court and the department head of one of the largest juvenile court systems in the country. Glenda Hatchett is a graduate of Mt. Holyoke College and has been recognized as a distinguished alumni and awarded an honorary degree by the college. She also attended Emory University School of Law and because of her commitment to excellence and service within the community, Glenda was awarded the Emory Medal, the highest award given to an alum by the university. Currently, Glenda Hatchett presides over the syndicated show, “Judge Hatchett” currently in its 8th season (Sony Pictures Television), and is author of the national best-seller, “Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say” (HarperCollins). She has previously served on the Board of Directors of Gap, Inc. the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), and The Service Master Company.

Presently, Glenda Hatchett is a board member of the Atlanta Falcons Football Organization and serves on the Board of Advisors for Play Pumps International. She also serves on the Boys and Girls Clubs of America National Board of Governors and she resides in Atlanta, Georgia with her two sons.

Her latest book is Dare to Take Charge: How to Live Your Life on Purpose.

You can visit her website at www.glendahatchett.com.

*Please be sure to visit this other great blogs also on tour:

Wednesday, September 15
Book spotlighted at Examiner Thursday, September 16
Book spotlighted at The Writer’s Life
Friday, September 17
Book spotlighted at American Chronicle
Monday, September 20
Book spotlighted at Beyond the Books
Tuesday, September 21
Book spotlighted at As the Pages Turn
Thursday, September 23
Book spotlighted at BlogHer
Friday, September 24
Book spotlighted at Review From Here
Monday, September 27
Book spotlighted at Literarily Speaking
Tuesday, September 28
Book spotlighted at The Book Connection
Wednesday, September 29
Book spotlighted at SheWrites
Book spotlight at Book Tours and More
Thursday, September 30
Book reviewed at Three Boys and an Old Lady
Monday, October 4
Book reviewed at Sharon’s Garden of Book Reviews
Wednesday, October 6
Book reviewed at The Journey Back
Thursday, October 7
Guest blogging at The Writer’s Life
Tuesday, October 9
Interviewed at The Hot Author Report
Monday, October 11
Book reviewed at Taming the Bookshelf
Tuesday, October 12
Interviewed at The Hot Author Report
Wednesday, October 13
Book reviewed at What You Reading Now
Thursday, October 14
Guest blogging at Beyond the Books
Friday, October 15
Book reviewed at 4 the Love of Books
Monday, October 18
Interviewed at Pump Up Your Book
Tuesday, October 19
Book spotlighted at Cafe of Dreams
Wednesday, October 20
Book reviewed at Psychotic State Book Reviews
Thursday, October 21
Book spotlighted at Book Reviews by Molly
Monday, October 25
Book reviewed at Simply Stacie
Tuesday, October 26
Interviewed at As the Pages Turn
Thursday, October 28
Interviewed at Divine Caroline
Friday, October 29
Book reviewed at Pump Up Your Book

My Name is Not Isabella by Jennifer Fosberry

 
My Name is Not Isabella
By: Jennifer Fosberry, Illustrated by: Mike Litwin

Reading level: Ages 4-8 
Hardcover: 32 pages 
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky; Reprint edition (September 1, 2010)

My Name is Not Isabella is an amazing storybook that encapsulates the wonderment of childhood and endless imagination.  Jennifer Fosberry takes one day in the life of one little girl, Isabella, and with each encounter between daughter and mother, Isabella announces that she is someone new.  From Sally Ride to Rosa Parks to Elizabeth Blackwell and many other all-important woman - including mommy.  The illustrations are absolutely amazing and utterly breath-taking.  While you read, I absolutely dare you  not to smile in complete delight and abandonment. 

In addition to a delightful story and gorgeous pictures, the end of the My Name is Not Isabella addresses each woman included within the story, tells a bit about each one of them and then defines what they were known for.  Such as Sally Ride, an astronaut, and then goes on to describe what an astronaut is, after telling a brief biography about the woman herself.

I cannot express my love and delight with My Name is Not Isabella enough.  This book is a true treasure and deserves a spot in every household, library and school.  Magnificent and a perfect gift for girls young and young at heart!

*overall rating 5/5

About My Name is Not Isabella:

Just How Big Can a Little Girl Dream?

Ask Isabella…

She takes a wild ride—and discovers the sky's the limit!

Who Is Your Hero?

Isabella’s include U.S. Astronaut Sally Ride, activist Rosa Parks, and sharpshooter Annie Oakley—but there’s no bigger hero than Isabella’s own mommy!

Join Isabella on an adventure of discovery—and find out how imagining to be these extraordinary women teaches her the importance of being her extraordinary self.

A rollicking read-aloud and terrific “read-to-myself” story, My Name Is Not Isabella is capturing hearts and awards, including:

• Silver ForeWord Book of the Year Award for Picture Books
• Gold Moonbeam Children’s Book Award
• Gold Independent Publisher Book Award
• Amelia Bloomer List

Excerpt:

"Good morning, Isabella," the mother said. "It's time to getup and out of bed."

"My name is not Isabella!" said the little girl.

"Then who has been sleeping in my daughter's bed?" asked the mother.

"I am SALLY, the greatest, toughest astronaut who ever was!"

"Well, Sally, BLAST out of bed, put on your space suit and come downstairs for breakfast."

About Jennifer Fosberry:

Jennifer Fosberry is a science geek turned children’s book writer. Until recently, she worked as a project manager in Silicon Valley in the high-tech electronic field. She currently divides her time between the San Francisco Bay Area and Costa Rica with her husband and three children.
About Mike Litwin:

Mike Litwin combines a variety of media to create scenes that serve the imagination and education of women. A graduate of the East Carolina University School of Art and Design, he plays both designer and illustrator with an often wacky, always delightful style that uniquely blends playful innocence with devilish mischief. Illustrating and telling stories for children is his passion, his entertainment, and his dream. He currently lives in Greenville, North Carolina, with his wife and three daughters.

(74) Buying Time by Pamela Samuels Young

 
Buying Time
By: Pamela Samuels Young

Paperback: 370 pages 
Publisher: Goldman House Publishing (November 1, 2009)

*copy provided by publisher for Pump Up Your Book tour


Settling in with Buying Time, I was completely unsure what to expect.  This is my first work by Pamela Samuels Young and all I knew was that the synopsis sounded very interesting and intriguing.  Once I began reading, I was completely thrown into the story and before I knew it was nearly half finished with the book.  Yes, it was that engrossing.  Pamela Samuels Young writes with such an intensity that the characters quickly come to life and the storyline simply flows from the pages. 

Buying Time deals with a little known, though sadly realistic and true epidemic of taking advantage of the elderly, particular the terminally ill - both elderly and young, known as viatical investments   When a company sends people out to broker and convince terminal ill people to sign over their rights to their life insurance policies in return for a small upfront percentage, things seem unsettling enough.  When these same people die long before their time, big questions start to rise and startling realizations surface, bringing to light a horrendous practice and manipulation filled with blackmail and murder.

I honestly and highly recommend Buying Time for anyone looking for an engrossing and addicting read that will keep you hooked from start to finish.  The smooth flow of story is perfect and the characters realistic.  Buying Time is an excellently thought out, researched and plotted story of legal and moral suspense and intrigue.  I cannot wait to get my hands on more books by this author!

*overall rating 4.5/5 

About Buying Time:

Buying Time is a scandalous tale of blackmail, murder and betrayal, evoking John Grisham with a dash of Terry McMillan.

Waverly Sloan is a down-on-his-luck lawyer. But just when he’s about to hit rock bottom, he stumbles upon a business with the potential to solve all of his problems.

In Waverly’s new line of work, he comes to the aid of people in desperate need of cash. But there’s a catch. His clients must be terminally ill and willing to sign over rights to their life insurance policies before they can collect a dime. Waverly then finds investors eager to advance them thousands of dollars—including a hefty broker’s fee for himself—in exchange for a significant return on their investment once the clients take their last breath.

The stakes get higher when Waverly brokers the policy of the cancer-stricken wife of Lawrence Erickson, a high-powered lawyer who’s bucking to become the next U.S. Attorney General. When Waverly’s clients start dying sooner than they should, both Waverly and Erickson—who has some skeletons of his own to hide—are unwittingly drawn into a perilous web of greed, blackmail and murder.

Soon, a determined federal prosecutor is hot on Waverly’s trail. But when the prosecutor’s own life begins to unravel, she finds herself on the run—with Waverly at her side.

Excerpt: 

PROLOGUE
Veronika Myers tried to convince them, but no one would listen. Her suspicions, they said, were simply a byproduct of her grief.
Each time she broached the subject with her brother, Jason, he walked out of the room. Darlene, her best friend, suggested a girls’ night out with some heavy drinking. Aunt Flo urged her to spend more time in prayer.
Veronika knew she was wasting her time with this woman, too, but couldn’t help herself.
“My mother was murdered,” Veronika told the funeral home attendant. “But nobody believes it.”
The plump redhead with too much eye shadow glanced down at the papers on her desk, then looked up. “It says here that your mother died in the hospital. From brain cancer.”
“That’s not true,” Veronika snapped, her response a little too sharp and a tad too loud.
Yes, her mother had brain cancer, but she wasn’t on her deathbed. Not yet. They had just spent a long afternoon together, laughing and talking and watching All My Children. Veronika could not, and would not accept that the most important person in her life had suddenly died. She knew what everyone else refused to believe. Her mother had been murdered.
“Did they conduct an autopsy?” the woman asked.
Veronika sighed and looked away. There had been no autopsy because everyone dismissed her as a grief-stricken lunatic. When she reported the murder to the police, a disinterested cop dutifully took her statement, but she could tell that nothing would come of it. Without any solid evidence, she was wasting everyone’s time, including her own.
“No,” Veronika said. “There wasn’t an autopsy.”
The funeral home attendant smiled sympathetically.
Veronika let out a long, exasperated breath, overwhelmed by the futility of what she was trying to prove. “Never mind,” she said. “What else do you need me to sign?”
* * *
Later that night, Veronika lay in bed, drained from another marathon crying session. She rummaged through the nightstand, retrieved a bottle of sleeping pills and popped two into her mouth. She tried to swallow them dry, but her throat was too sore from all the crying.
Tears pooled in her eyes as she headed to the kitchen for a glass of water. “Don’t worry, Mama,” Veronika sniffed. “I won’t let them get away with it.”
Just as she reached the end of the hallway, a heavy gloved hand clamped down hard across her mouth as her arms were pinned behind her back. Panic instantly hurled her into action. Veronika tried to scream, but the big hand reduced her shriek to a mere muffle. She frantically kicked and wrestled and twisted her body, but her attacker’s grip would not yield.
When she felt her body being lifted off the ground and carried back down the hallway, she realized there were two of them and her terror level intensified. But so did her survival instinct. She continued to wildly swing her legs backward and forward, up and down, right and left, eventually striking what felt like a leg, then a stomach.
As they crossed the threshold of her bedroom, she heard a loud, painful moan that told her she had likely connected with the groin of one of her assailants.
“Cut it out!” said a husky, male voice. “Grab her legs!” he ordered his partner. “Hurry up!”
The men dumped her face down onto the bed, her arms still restrained behind her back. The big hand slipped from her mouth and Veronika’s first cry escaped, but was quickly muted when a much heavier hand gripped the back of her neck and pressed her face into the comforter.
Fearing her attackers were going to rape, then kill her, Veronika defiantly arched her back and tried to roll her body into a tight ball. At only 130 pounds, she was no physical match for her assailants. They easily overpowered her, forcing her back into a prone position. As one man sat on her upper legs, strapping her left arm to her side, the other man bent her right arm at the elbow and guided her hand up toward her forehead.
During the deepest period of her grief, Veronika had longed to join her mother. But now that she was face-to-face with the possibility of death, she fought valiantly for life.
That changed, however, the second Veronika felt something cold and hard connect with her right temple. She stiffened as one of the men grabbed her fingers and wrapped them around the butt of a gun. At that precise instant, Veronika knew with certainty that her suspicions were indeed fact. Her mother had been murdered and now the same killers had come to silence her before she could expose the truth. And just like her mother’s death, her own murder would go undetected, dismissed as the suicide of a grieving daughter. A conclusion no one would question.
As the man placed his hand on top of hers and prepared to pull the trigger, a miraculous, power-infused sensation snuffed out what was left of Veronika’s fear, causing her body to go limp. The heavy pounding of her heart slowed and she felt light enough to float away.
Completely relaxed now, Veronika closed her eyes, said a short prayer, and waited for a glorious reunion with her mother.

About Pamela Samuels Young:

Corporate attorney Pamela Samuels Young has always abided by the philosophy that you create the change you want to see. Fed up with never seeing women or people of color depicted as savvy, hot shot attorneys in the legal thrillers she read, Pamela decided to create her own characters. Despite the demands of a busy legal career, Pamela accomplished her ambitious goal by rising at four in the morning to write before work, dedicating her weekends to writing and even spending her vacation time glued to her laptop for ten or more hours a day.


The Essence magazine bestselling author now has four fast-paced legal thrillers to show for her efforts: Every Reasonable Doubt (BET Books, February 2006), In Firm Pursuit (Harlequin, January 2007), Murder on the Down Low (Goldman House Publishing, September 2008) and Buying Time (Goldman House Publishing, November 2009). New York Times bestselling author Sheldon Siegel described Buying Time, Pamela’s first stand-alone novel, as a “deftly plotted thriller that combines the best of Lisa Scottoline and Robert Crais.”

Pamela has achieved a successful writing career while working as Managing Counsel for Labor and Employment Law for a large corporation in Southern California. Prior to that, she served as Employment Law Counsel for Raytheon Company and spent several years with the law firm of O’Melveny & Myers, LLP in Los Angeles. A former journalist, Pamela began her broadcasting career as a production assistant at WXYZ-TV in Detroit, where she was quickly promoted to news writer. To escape the chilly Detroit winters, she returned home to Los Angeles and worked at KCBS-TV as a news writer and associate producer.
Pamela has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from USC, a master’s degree in broadcasting from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and received her law degree from UC Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Southern California Chapter of Mystery Writers of America and is the Fiction Expert for BizyMoms.com.

Pamela is a frequent speaker on the topics of discrimination law, diversity, writing and pursuing your passion. She is married and lives in the Los Angeles area. To contact Pamela or to read an excerpt of her books, visit www.pamelasamuelsyoung.com.

Support a great cause, have tons of fun and get a great book by Joel M. Andre!

Would you like a chance to help a good cause and have a spooky time doing it?

 

Joel M. Andre, author of, The Black Chronicles: Cry of the Fallen, will be teaming up with Ghost Tours Phoenix in an event that will chill you and help to support the Children with AIDS Project. It takes place on October 27, 2010 at 8:30 PM. The tour begins promptly at the San Carlos Hotel, located at 202 North Central Ave. in downtown Phoenix, AZ. Be sure to bring your digital camera as many visitors have caught apparitions on this tour.

The cost of the event is $25, which covers the historic Ghost Tour in Downtown Phoenix, AZ. In addition, you will receive a copy of The Black Chronicles: Cry of the Fallen.

This will be a great way to help out children that have been affected by AIDS, while having some frightening fun just in time for Halloween.

If you would like more details, you can go to any of the following links:

For Event Information

www.ghostsofphoenix.com, www.joelmandre.com or you can e-mail Joel M. Andre at darkcountry@hotmail.com. If sending an e-mail be sure you put “Children with AIDS Project” in your e-mail header.

Information on the Charity

To learn more about the Children with AIDS Project go to www.aidskids.org.

(73) The Stoker Sisters: Daughters of Dracula by Kailin Gow

 
The Stoker Sisters: Daughters of Dracula
By: Kailin Gow

Reading level: Young Adult 
Paperback: 270 pages 
Publisher: The EDGE (October 12, 2010)

*copy provided by author for review on Pump Up Your Book Tour

Okay, I am going to do a bit of gushing.  I was first introduced to Kailin Gow's work with The Phantom Diaries, which I instantly fell in love with.  I then went on to read Bitter Frost, which I greatly enjoyed and now with her newest series, The Stoker Sisters, Ms. Gow has won a place in my heart and library as one of my absolute favorite authors.  Her ability to take a well-known classic story (in this case Bram Stoker's Dracula) and create an amazing story which includes bits and pieces of the original well-known stories, intertwining them with her own mind-blowing imagination and creating a "what-if" scenario that will leave the reader racing through pages to see what happens next, is magnificent. 

The Stoker Sisters: Daughters of Dracula, is the first in a new series which focuses on two sisters, who are as different as night and day.  There is the innocent and very "human" younger sister, Sadie, and then there is the bit older and very non-innocent and seductress-y sister, Alexis.  Both are vampires, Sadie turned to saved her life, while Alexis turned on her own will.  Sadie does everything in her power to lead a normal life, not becoming the monsterious stereotypical vampire by feeding and murdering, but choosing her food sources while trying to clean up the lesser desirables of the world - though never going as far as draining and killing them.  Alexis, however, takes her feeding too far one night, draining a victim and becoming a vampire who must constantly feast, draining and leaving victims dead in her wake. 

As if being a vampire isn't difficult enough, Sadie falls for a handsome boy in school, Keegan.  She must deal with her sister trying to sink her fangs into Keegan, while at the same time watching as her sister tries everything in her power to seduce him.  How can Sadie ever compete with her sister's sultriness and determination to get whatever she wants.  As the truth about Keegan comes to light, the lives of both girls change forever and Sadie must prove that she is not of the evil vampires.  Can she do it before it's too late and can she help her sister before she loses her forever to the dark and brutal side of vampirism?

Though geared toward the young adult genre, The Stoker Sisters is a book that easily transcends that age group and will be adored by adults as well.  This is a story that has suspense, romance, urban fantasy, and an all around intriguing appeal.  Kailin Gow does an amazing job in her characterization of the girls.  I honestly found myself not being able to stand Alexis and adoring Sadie.  Both sisters are strong, however Alexis is the perfect antagonist that adds conflict to the story, thereby making it increasingly interesting and never dull.  I also found myself being pulled toward Keegan, who holds great spirit and appeal. 

I truly cannot express my love of this story enough and I cannot wait to get my hands on the second in the series, The Stoker Sisters: Angels and Hunters, due for release February 8, 2011.  As a side note, I do want to emphasize the fact that, though Kailin Gow's stories may stem from the idea of a classic book (this one, Dracula and The Phantom Diaries from Phantom of the Opera) those books and the knowledge of them are not needed to fully appreciate and enjoy Ms. Gow's books.  However, after reading Ms. Gow's works, interest in the classics may rear it's head, lol.

If you have not read Kailin Gow, I truly hope you do so very soon.  You are truly missing out on a wondrous author.  The Stoker Sisters: Daughters of Dracula is the perfect place to start and with the holidays coming up, what an amazing gift to bestow upon someone!

*overall rating 5/5

About The Stoker Sisters: Daughters of Dracula:

Two sisters… Born during the time of Jane Austen… Set to marry for advancement, but escaped their fates by becoming vampires. Now vampires in the 21st century, hunted by a sect of rogue hunters, the sisters live in a small beach town of California where they meet Keegan Knowles, a mysterious boy. For hundreds of years they’ve shared clothes, books, and their home, but will they share the same boy or is it there going to be war? 

Excerpt:

“I see you enjoy reading.”
Startled, Sadie set her book down on the small table of the library and rose only to quickly bow before Lord Ashwin.
“Please. I’d hoped you’d feel a little more at ease with me by now.”
“I am,” Sadie lied. Though they’d shared the same roof for well over a month, the sight of him still rattled her and left her breathless.
“It’s a lovely day and I was hoping for some company as I stroll by the water’s edge.”
Her hand immediately found its way to her chest. “With me?”
“If you wouldn’t mind.”
“No, of course not.”
With the self-assured stride of a man who knew where he was going, he guided Sadie outside and headed towards the ocean’s pounding surf.
“I take it your business dealings are going well.”
“I’m quite satisfied, yes. The mayor has been more than receptive of my ideas and I believe we may even break ground sooner than I’d anticipated.”
“How thoroughly exciting it must be.”
“And what gets you excited, Sadie.” He turned to gaze at her while he offered his hand to help her over the craggy stones that descended to the beach.
You, she wanted to say. “I’ve become a great fan of everything Jane Austen has ever written. I finished Pride and Prejudice a while back and have now begun Sense and Sensibilities. I’d love to write one day.”
“I certainly don’t see why you couldn’t.” His hand still held out for her, he waited.
Her heart pounded as she gazed into his eyes then at his hand.
“I assure you, my touch will go no further than in keeping you from falling off this rock.”
She knew her cheeks were blazing with an adolescent blush, but she couldn’t contain the brewing emotions that swept over her. Being so close to him, alone, it was enough to make her swoon. This past month Alexis had been around him constantly, never allowing her a moment to speak to him.
“I trust you completely, Lord Ashwin.” The moment her hand touched his, she knew she never wanted to let him go. But the two steps it took to get her past the rock went by all too quickly and, as promised, he released her.
“You’re seventeen, right?”
Wanting desperately to hide how insulting she found his remark, she tried to find something mature and womanly to say. “I’ll be eighteen quite soon, but I imagine for a man of your age that makes me appear rather childish, though I assure you…”
His boisterous chuckle quickly caused her to press her lips together and gaze quizzically up at him.
“I apologize, but first of all, I’m not that old.”
“Mother told us you were twenty-two.”
“Well, that hardly makes me old. And secondly, my comment was certainly not meant to offend you. If anything, I’ve marveled these past weeks at just how strong a young woman you are. You’re intelligent and have a genuine warmth about you that is rather charming.”
“Now you’re just trying to make up for your faux pas.”
His smile was instantly wicked and wild. Sadie wanted to throw herself into his arms and have her heart crashing against his just as the waves pounded the shore. Her gaze dipped down to his lips and she wondered how he tasted.
Under her steady gaze, his tongue slipped out to swipe the salt off his lips.
“I’m doing no such thing. I find you wise beyond your years and have at times questioned if I’d understood correctly when told of you and your sister’s respective ages.”
At this Sadie smiled. It wasn’t the first time she’d been found more mature and reasonable than Alexis who was well over a year older than her. Enchanted to hear him say it, she skipped over the sand and led the way to the water’s edge.
They followed the rocking of the waves for well over a mile, playing tag with the frothy waves that brought salty bubbles to the cracks and crevices of the stones, only to recede leaving the foam to dissipate.
Finally finding a comfort level she never thought she’d have with him, Sadie spoke of everything that came to mind. She pointed out the lighthouse on the jagged cliff top that jutted out into the water and told him of its haunting keeper. She giggled and laughed as she told him of her childish antics as she and Alexis had fought over a rag doll they’d both wanted to play with as young girls.
“And this would be when? Last year?”
Frowning she turned to him and quickly laughed as she saw his teasing eyes. Taking advantage of the coming wave, she kicked a spray of water at him. “You are the most dreadful man I’ve ever met.”
“That’s a risky game to play, young lady.” With one strong motion, he swept her up into his arms and walked into the rippling waves.
Gasping, she clung to his neck for support while kicking her demand to be set down. “What are you doing?” she shouted with a giggle.
“You’ve no idea what happens to young ladies who dare to splash a lord.” For a moment his eyes were hooded with darkness and she worried she’d truly angered him.

About Kailin Gow:

Kailin Gow is the author of over 40 books. She has traveled all over the world, conducting research, and collecting stories. Some of the more interesting places she’s been to are: Dracula’s Castle in Transylvania where she was presented with a sketch of Dracula, The Stanley Hotel in Colorado where she saw something quite odd, the lost city of Pompeii where both her cameras were drained of battery, St. Petersburg where she held an hour-long conversation with a Russian soldier who didn’t speak English and she didn’t speak Russian, and the orphanages of Thailand where she distributed toys, books, and hugs to hundreds of disabled orphans. As a teenager, she was a voracious reader, who always had one or two books with her at all times. She was on her newspaper staff, participated in drama productions, was on the yearbook staff, played sports, competed in kung fu, played violin, and yes, was even on the pep squad at one point.

Her books include the bestselling Gifted Girls Series, The Frost Series, The Phantom Diaries Series, The Stoker Sisters Series, PULSE Vampire Series, Queen B Superheroine, The Wordwick Games Series, The Alchemists Academy, Harold the Kung Fu Kid, and Shy Girls Social Club. Her books have been recommended by PBS Kids, the PTA, US Mental Health Association, homeschooling organizations, and mother-daughter book clubs.

She is also a filmmaker and radio host. Her short short of The Stoker Sisters recently screened at the prestigious 14th Annual LA Shorts Film Festival, officially accredited by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. She has written for and produced television series with Emmy-award-winning producers and directors. As a radio host, she was recognized and featured by The Los Angeles Times as a young Asian American Journalist.

She holds a Master’s Degree Communications Management from USC’s Annenberg School of Communication, and Bachelors Degrees in Drama and Social Ecology from UC Irvine. Kailin loves reading, writing, watching old and new movies, filming, playing video games, playing board games, traveling, and location scouting for settings in her books and films. In her past life, she was a news journalist, talk show host, tour director, and corporate executive. She is a mother, a mentor for young women, and the founder of the social group for teen and young adult girls called Shy Girls Social Club at http://www.shygirlssocialclub.com where girls can develop positive friendships and skills in the creative field. Members of Shy Girls Social Club can get a chance to win prizes, scholarships, and internships.

You can find Kailin Gow at the following:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/YA-Books-from-Kailin-Gow/104549539596369
Twitter: http://twitter.com/kailingow
Book club and Group Discussion Questions for All YA titles here: http://www.theedgebooks.com
Website and Blog: http://www.kailingow.wordpress.com

*Please be sure to check out these other great blogs also on tour!

Monday, October 4
Book reviewed at Paranormal Literature Examiner
Tuesday, October 5
Book reviewed at Ramblings of a Teenage Bookworm
Wednesday, October 6
Book reviewed at The Neverending Shelf
Thursday, October 7
Guest blogging at Blogging Authors
Friday, October 8
Book reviewed at Patricia’s Vampire Notes
Monday, October 11
Book reviewed at Bitten By Books
Tuesday, October 12
Book reviewed at Diva’s Bookcase
Wednesday, October 13
Book spotlight at Examiner
Thursday, October 14
Book reviewed at Acting Balanced
Guest blogging at YA Book Reads
Friday, October 15
Book spotlighted at Review From Here
Book reviewed at Cafe of Dreams

 

(72) Jane and the Damned by Janet Mullany

 
Jane and the Damned
By: Janet Mullany

Paperback: 304 pages 
Publisher: Avon A; Original edition (September 28, 2010)

*copy provided by publisher for review on TLC Book Tours


I am truly loving all of these vampire twist stories that are running rampant in today's literature.  Jane and the Damned is no exception.   As a person who enjoys the writing of Jane Austin, I found this story to be very compelling.  Janet Mullany takes one of the most beloved authors, Jane Austin, and puts a vivid and wild fantasy/paranormal spin on her life.  How fun this must have been to write and, from my personal standpoint, it was a true delight to read.

Jane and the Damned is a story that is quick, easy to get into and read and simply irresistible.  Readers will have no trouble sinking their teeth into this lively (or shall we say deathly) portrayal of Ms. Austin.  Janet Mullany has such a talented and delightful way of writing that this story flows flawlessly and the characterization is absolutely amazing. I can't wait to read more by this author!

*overall rating 4/5

About Jane and the Damned:

In 1797, when aspiring novelist Jane Austen becomes one of the Damned, the beautiful, fashionable, sexy vampires of Georgian England, her family insists she takes the waters at Bath, the only known cure. But the city becomes a blood bath when the French invade and the Damned are the only ones who can overthrow the French and save England. Jane now regards her creation as a vampire as a gift. She rejects the cure and discovers a world of freedom, love, and adventure as a vampire. But as an immortal, she loses her ability to write and must sever ties with her beloved sister Cassandra and the rest of her family. Under the shadow of the guillotine, Jane will have to decide whether eternal life and love are too high a price to pay for the loss of what means most to her as a mortal.

Excerpt:

She gazed at his neck, at the pale skin with a hint of stubble where his razor had missed a spot. She had never been so close to a gentleman before—but of course she had, when William had created her, although she remembered it only as a swirl of confusing, startling pleasure.

“Don’t be afraid,” Luke said. “You decide when you are to bite. Slowly. Allow your canines to sink in; it’s easier than a wrist, the skin is softer. Ah, very good.”

She whimpered as his blood flowed onto her tongue, a sweet flood of power, before pulling away. She breathed on his neck, licking the last drops. “I can’t drink any more from you.”

“What’s wrong?”

“You’re so sad.”

He grinned and wrapped an arm around her waist. “On the contrary, my dear, I am quite cheered at the moment.”

“Consider the gravitas of your position as my Bearleader, sir.”

“You are quite right. I am behaving disgracefully.” He released her, and pulled his shirt front straight.

“Not a drop spilled,” she said, cheered by her success.

“Excellent. Now remember that if the person is excited, which invariably he will be, the blood will pulse. Take care not to choke and pray he has not eaten onions recently.” He handed her her fan.

“How will I know when to stop?”

“You’ll know. If you seem a little too, ah, enthusiastic, I shall let you know. I shall be nearby.”

He rose and, pulling his coat on, walked to the sideboard where a decanter of wine and wineglasses stood. “Some Madeira? Now, others will be dining when you enter the drawing room. Pray do not express too much interest; it will be considered excessively vulgar. In particular you must avoid meeting the eye of one who dines, for he or she will consider it a request to join. Since you are a fledgling it would be monstrously improper of you to solicit an invitation thus, and you should await for one senior to you to make a proper introduction—”

“Good heavens!” cried Jane, nearly choking on her wine. “It reminds me of a Basingstoke assembly!”

“As I was saying–if, on the other hand, another of us invites you to join, it is considered proper to accept, for it is a high honor. If you wish to decline, you may do so by bowing your head and dropping a curtsy.”

“And at what point should I remove my gloves?” Jane asked, struggling to keep a straight face.

Luke shot her a stern glance. “If one of the mortals requests you dine from him or her, you must be careful they do not ask to stir up trouble between us. Some of our group are jealous of mortals they consider their own.” He added, “Unless it is Ann, for she is with the household, although Clarissa tends to regard her as her property. Apparently Ann has a certain way of darning stockings that is most rare.”

“I see,” Jane said, again suppressing a smile. “But she does not darn stockings while one dines upon her, I think.”

About Janet Mullany:

Janet Mullany was reared in England on a diet of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer, and now lives near Washington, D.C. She has worked as an archaeologist, waitress, draftsperson, radio announcer, performing arts administrator, proofreader, and bookseller.

You can find Janet at the following:

• On her website
• On Twitter: @Janet_Mullany
• On Facebook



*Please be sure to visit these other great sites also on tour:


Wednesday, October 6th: excess baggage
Thursday, October 7th: Til We Read Again
Tuesday, October 12th: Scraps of Life
Wednesday, October 13th: Café of Dreams
Thursday, October 14th: The Book Faery Reviews
Monday, October 18th: Psychotic State
Tuesday, October 19th: Stephanie’s Written Word
Wednesday, October 20th: Wordsmithonia
Tuesday, October 26th: Books Like Breathing
Wednesday, October 27th: Savvy Verse & Wit
Thursday, October 28th: Life in the Thumb

(71) The Black Chronicles: Cry of the Fallen by Joel M. Andre

 
The Black Chronicles: Cry of the Fallen
By: Joel M. Andre

Paperback: 224 page
Publisher: CreateSpace (August 21, 2010

*ecopy provided by author for review for Pump Up Your Book tour


Darkness and evil intertwine, forming an unbreakable strength, a strength that can only be broken by one. 

The Black Chronicles: Cry of the Fallen, is the story of the most evil of evils coming forth, taking what he believes to be his and leaving behind torture, pain, decay and eternal hell.   This evil can only be stopped by one person, a woman whose life is anything but calm and collected and who is suffering a fiery hell of her own.  Lauren Bruni's marriage is over, her career as Detective is crumbling around her and the sudden onset of brutal murders are about to push Lauren to the brink.  When she discovers that she is the key to saving the town from damnation, will she be able to come through or will she, too, be gripped in the purest of demonic evil, until the end of time?

For lovers of horror, Cry of the Fallen is, quite frankly, a devilish delight.  Joel Andre has the incredible talent to bring the reader right in to the midst of the story and his magnanimous use of description will leave the reader reeling.  This is a story whose shock value runs high and will definitely leave the reader wondering which way is up.  As I read, I felt as though I was watching a movie playing out around me.  The story runs amazingly smoothly, consistently and never has a "down" time.  With constant action and a continuous "creep factor", Cry of the Fallen is a story that screams to be read quickly and without interruption. 

Not being familiar with this author, the synopsis of this story immediately caught my attention.  In all honesty, I love a good horror book/film, but to be blunt, they are rare and a bit like finding a diamond in an ocean of coal.  So many stories and plots are so amazingly far fetched and just plain not scary (leaning more toward ridiculous) that they end up being a disappointment.  Cry of the Fallen was a delightful surprise and did manage to raise a few goosebumps, as I read.  The common thread of good vs. evil is played out within this storyline, however in this instance, it was a bit on the unique side.  I say this because the twists and turns are numerous and just when you think you may have some reasoning figured out, it is tossed out the door.  Admittedly, there were a few times where I questioned why the author was throwing something in. One such instance being a scene in the morgue, that will remain stamped within my mind for a very long time.  This seemed to pop in the story a bit out of the blue, but Mr. Andre does tie in these moments to bring clarity to the scene.  I also want to mention that when I first began to read Cry of the Fallen, I ached for more character depth, particularly of Lauren.  However, I was very pleased to discover this does come about as the story progresses. 

For me, the biggest thing that stands out, in Cry of the Fallen, is the amazing visualizations used from the first page to the last.  I wanted to share a couple of samples that I feel capture this essence. 

Walking around the body, Maureen moved to the head of the corpse. Inspecting the eyes her face drew close enough to make Lauren uncomfortable. As the woman spread open the eye lids of the deceased, it appeared that the eyeballs were bulging to the point where they might just pop out.

“Have you ever had an eyeball pop out of the socket?” Lauren asked. 

“On occasion,” Maureen smiled. “We just push ‘em right back in.” 

Standing up straight, the Medical Examiner grabbed the scalpel and began to make an incision around the scalp of the deceased. With careful accuracy, she held a slab of skin in her hand. Looking up at Lauren, she yanked hard, tearing back the scalp. 

“Sorry, there is no gentle way of doing this.” 

Lauren nodded in understanding, and felt the nausea begin to start in her stomach. No matter how many times she saw that happen, she would never get over to how grotesque it was. 

Grabbing the bone saw, the Medical Examiner lowered a mask onto her face. Motioning for Lauren to step back, she began to remove the top of the skull. 

Although she was a good distance back from the actual procedure, Lauren watched as blood and bone began to splatter. A piece of flesh struck her cheek, leaving a bloody trail down the side of her face. 

Around her, the room began to spin. Lauren fought hard to keep this incident from causing her to vomit. It was no use. Flying over to the trashcan Lauren shoved her head in and emptied the contents of her stomach.

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

Pushing through the heavy door, he stepped into the autopsy room. His body was covered in a light blue set of scrubs, covering them was what appeared to Beth to be a large white apron. Blue gloves covering his large hands, and his hair tucked up in a pinkish cap. A surgical mask covered his face. But peeking out around the eyes she could see the tell tale signs of age.

"Good morning sunshine," He said to her, his eyes appeared annoyed. Carefully he slipped on a pair of protective glasses made from plastic.

"Please, I'm not dead," she tried to say. But the words wouldn't part from her icy blue lips.

Around her, Beth watched as he drew scalpels, drills and medical saws to the table. They looked wicked and evil. Beth wanted to pull away and show the slightest sign that she was still alive. But she knew it would be to no avail.

"Now, we just need to do a handful of tests to verify you are truly no longer with us so we can start," his voice was conversational, but empty.

Taking a large needle he shoved it hard into her left index finger, as he pushed hard with his thumb and index finger he verified there was no blood flow coming from continued circulation. In excruciating pain, Beth wanted to slap the doctor on the spot. Her hand throbbed with pain, no matter what the tests said, she was sure as hell still alive. Placing several metallic orbs on her, he turned on a digital monitor and waited to see the results on the screen.

"No pulse," his words more for his own benefit than they were for hers. "You are doornail dead Ma’am."

Behind him the heavy door swung open again and a tiny thing dressed in match to the man came in. a stray strand of blonde hair slipped from her cap but she took no notice to it.

"You know, I keep looking at them like they are mannequins, like you suggested," she whispered. "But they still look like waxy dead people to me."

"Shut up Kim," he snarled. "You're really getting on my nerves right now."

"Alan, I'm just saying," but looking at him she knew the time for talking was over.

Grabbing the scalpel, she handed it to him. "Shall we proceed then?" his eyes looked hard at her, daring her to say something, but her lips remained closed.

Placing the scalpel between Beth's breasts, he pressed down hard. Beth stared forward blankly and no blood oozed from the wound. Still in her mind, she felt the pain. Every nerve shot signals to her brain. The parting of the flesh and the ripping deep into her violently throbbed throughout her body. Every angle the blade turned, she felt it in its violent run along her body. If she was dead, why was she still enduring all this? Wasn't the entire system supposed to shut down? The pain was agonizing and there was little concern for how she felt. When would the pain finally leave her? Why was she not in heaven where she belonged?

Anyone looking for the perfect Halloween read, I highly recommend picking up The Black Chronicles: Cry of the Fallen.  You won't be disappointed.  The blend of horror, dark humor and dark subject matter will have you flying through pages.  I greatly look forward to reading more by this author and am very pleased to add Cry of the Fallen to my list of great horror stories.

*overall rating 4/5

About The Black Chronicles: Cry of the Fallen:

All around her Lauren Bruni is faced with destruction. Her marriage has ended, and her professional life is at the breaking point. For Lauren, this is only the beginning of her pain.

In the small town of Cottonwood, AZ everything seems to be headed in the same direction. A serial killer is on the loose, and his trail of victims holds no connection. His rampage escalates and becomes far more brutal with each murder he commits.

As Lauren attempts to prevent her own life from collapsing down around her she must stop a killer with supernatural strength. But there is something far more sinister in the works than she could ever imagine. In the end it is up to Lauren to make the ultimate sacrifice to save a community from the purest form of evil.

Excerpt:

Ashen smoke covered the, once radiant, blue skies of the Verde Valley. Controlled burns were in full swing as the summer season quickly approached. The heat of Arizona this time of year could prove to be deadly, especially in the thirsty desert foothills.
From her front porch, Lilia Sanders looked at the clouds of smoke that rose in the air. The purple mountains, covered with patches of green, always amazed her.
This was the whole point of her moving to Cottonwood, Arizona. The clean, dry air and amazing views were truly a Godsend. With her horrific allergies, the desert had proven to be the perfect place for her to seek refuge.
Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply, as the smell of mesquite tickled her nose. In this area, there were so many different plants that she could enjoy. The Saguaro cacti were, in her mind, animated versions of Gumby she remembered as a child. At dusk, they would be there to guard her from the dangers that the night can bring. At their base, a number of prickly pear cacti, mesquite bushes, and native grasses littered the ground.
Certainly, there was no reason she couldn’t own a home with a yard, but one of the benefits of living in the desert was that gravel and a natural feeling were okay. Especially with the cost associated with keeping grass.
Standing up for a moment, she dusted off the back of her blue jeans. One downfall of the desert was the amount of dirt that seemed to get everywhere. As she passed the window, she took a look at herself. Her once raven black hair was now streaked with strands of gray and her emerald green eyes weren’t as bright as they had been when she first arrived in the Verde Valley.
Smiling a wrinkled grin, it was all okay with her. She was alive, and that was all that truly mattered. Getting older was a part of life. This is the part that most people forget to enjoy, but not Lilia. She relished being able to watch the beautiful sunsets and the mysteries of the desert that the monsoons created as the water surged across the land.
An old white mail truck slowly made its way down the street toward Lilia’s home. Taking a quick glance at it, she just shook her head. The old man waved his hand slightly at her. Smiling, she nodded her head warmly. At that moment, she didn’t have thirty minutes to talk foolishness with Carl the mailman. There was an appointment she must get to; however, her gentle nature prevented her from being rude. Walking out to the mailbox, she met his eyes and smiled again.
“I’ve missed you Lilia.” He winked at her. “You are the most important stop on my mail route.”
“I’m sure Carl.” Her words were even-toned. “Is your day going alright?”
“It remains the same as usual.” He laughed as his brittle yellow teeth appeared from behind his caked lips.
“You look thirsty Carl.” Lilia sighed. “When did you last have some water?”
“You know I hate the stuff,” he scoffed and playfully pushed her. “Maybe I can come in and get some.”
“Some water perhaps,” she quipped, and turned, while Carl playfully slapped her on the rear as she made her way back toward the porch.
“Carl,” she growled. “I don’t have time for your games today. I am sorry for being short, but I have a very important appointment.”
“Aww, come on Lil. Why do you keep playing hard to get,” he demanded. “Don’t you see how excited you have me?”
“I’ll give you some water and a swift kick in the ass,” she chuckled.
“Tell you what my sweet little Lil, I’ve got a package in the back of my truck. When you bring me the water, I’ll give it to you.” He winked at her devilishly.
As she turned once again towards the house, she rolled her eyes. Carl was certainly harmless, but she didn’t appreciate the attention he gave her at times. There was nothing wrong with being friends, she just couldn’t understand why he continued to harass her.
From the south, a warm breeze smacked the back of her neck, and she could feel the sweat begin to bead up. She made her way for the old wooden door that was in desperate need of paint, and pushed it open.
Cool air blasted her face as she entered her home. The smell of furniture polish and stale smoke made her eyes water. She hated the way that the smoke smelled, but quitting wasn’t an option at all.
Turning to look behind her, she noticed that Carl had gotten back into his mail truck and was nervously looking around. The man was all talk and no action, but this pleased her to no end.
Walking to the kitchen, she opened a wooden cupboard and dug through the glasses in it. There were a number of chipped and cracked glasses, she didn’t mind using herself, but she tried to avoid giving them to company. In the back, she found a decent sized glass with a blue hue to it.
Pulling it out, she walked over to her freezer and began to fill it with ice cubes. Counting out exactly ten, she dipped down to her refrigerator, pulled out a bottle of spring water and filled the glass.
Water was scarce in the desert, and the nearby wells were loaded with minerals and heavy metals that were native to the area. Bottled water was the one luxury that Lilia afforded herself.
With glass in hand, she stepped out of the air-conditioned home and was immediately welcomed with a blast of hot air. Sweat once again began to bead around her neck. It seemed hotter now and she felt her skin begin to moisten under her white tank top.
Making her way over to Carl, she noticed he was staring straight ahead. His knuckles were pure white against the black steering wheel in his hand. He remained unmoving even as she approached.
“Carl,” she called out to him.
No response. The unmoving man left a sense of dread in Lilia’s stomach. Was he another victim of dehydration, or could it be a case of heat stroke, like what happened to those poor immigrant workers in Phoenix the other day? Perhaps he was just slightly overheated. Quickly picking up the pace, she scampered over to the side of the car and placed a hand on his shoulder. His head did turn, but, she could barely hear him breathe.
“Are you okay,” she demanded, and shoved the water in his face. “Drink this Carl, you’re overheating!”
Again, there was no response. As she placed a hand on his shoulder, she then noticed for the first time his right eye and the tears that were seeping from it.
“Why are you crying?” She anxiously demanded.
Pain paralyzed his face, and although Lilia tried to figure out what the problem was, he sat there frozen. His eyes remained unmoving.
Finally, she shook him hard and his head bobbed enough for her to see the trickle of blood seeping down his left side. Taking a step back, she watched as he convulsed slightly and moaned.
As she embraced her friend, she grimaced at the sight. Where the left side of his face had once been, his left eye just hung swaying in the wind. The muscle and tissue now exposed with the cheekbone poking out. Lilia screamed a horrified cry, as she felt the waves of nausea flow over her.
“Carl? What happened?” she demanded.
Turning, she began to run toward her front door. She knew she needed to call 9-1-1. If he stood a chance of living, it would be up to her.
As she grabbed the front door, she felt herself being flung back. It seemed surreal, as the front door began to blast backwards until she felt her body slammed hard against the mail truck.
The crack of her bones and muffled cries filled her ears. Around her, the world began to spin around in violent waves, and she fought to remain conscious.
Move Lilia. She thought. If you don’t move, you’re going to die.
Giving it all she had, she attempted to push herself forward. However, all she could muster was only enough to cause her body to scream in pain.
As blood seeped from her mouth, she began to look around. Her house was intact. There had been no explosion, and no apparent reason for the incident.
Then, she noticed the polished, black cowboy boots to her right. Trying to look up, she couldn’t see anything past the stranger’s knees.
“Who are you?” she demanded. “Why are you doing this?”
Among fits of coughing and struggling to breathe, she couldn’t hear a sound from the man before her. He was simply standing over her. It was almost liked he enjoyed the chance to watch her die.
Giving it all she had, she reached for the cowboy boots and weakly clawed at them.
Finally, he spoke. His words were as cold as the distant San Francisco Peaks.
“Don’t fuck up my boots.”
The muscled legs moved back and then slammed down hard on her hand. The bones inside crushing, and pain shot through her body. She wished she was dead now. Lilia knew that death would be far less painful.
Almost as if the man understood, he took a step closer to her, and he let the steel toe of his boot finish the job.
Darkness began to enclose Lilia, and soon there was nothing more for her to feel, as Death welcomed her into its’ loving arms.

About Joel M. Andre:

Joel M. Andre was born January 13, 1981. At a young age he was fascinated with the written word. It was at fourteen that Poe blew his mind, and Andre began to dabble with darker poetry.

Between the years of 1999 and 2007 Joel was featured in various poetry anthologies and publications. In 2008 he released his first collection, Pray the Rain Never Ends.

Knowing there was something deeper and darker inside of his soul, Joel decided to take a stab at commercialism. Releasing the dark tongue in cheek, A Death at the North Pole, created a dark world among the death of Kris Kringle. Ultimately providing a tale of redemption.

October of 2008 saw Joel release his second book, Kill 4 Me. A tale in which a woman is haunted by a vengeful spirit through text messages and instant messaging.

Taking some time off and doing a lot of soul searching, Joel took things in a new direction and dabbled in the Fantasy Genre with, The Pentacle of Light. The tale dealing with five major races battling for control of Earth, and the acceptance of their God.

Finally, after missing his detective Lauren Bruni, he released the book The Return in October 2009, this time moving the action from the North Pole and placing it in the small Arizona community he was raised in.
Andre’s latest book is The Black Chronicles: Cry of the Fallen about a dead man who seeks revenge on the woman that tormented him in peaceful Northern Arizona.

Currently, he resides in Chandler, AZ.
You can visit his website at www.joelmandre.com.

*Please be sure to stop by these other rockin blogs, also on tour!

Monday, October 4
Guest blogging at Literarily Speaking
Tuesday, October 5
Interviewed at Blogcritics
Wednesday, October 6
Guest blogging at The Book Faery Reviews
Thursday, October 7
Interviewed at Literarily Speaking
Friday, October 8
Guest blogging at The Writer’s Life
Monday, October 11
Book reviewed at Cafe of Dreams Book Reviews
Tuesday, October 12
Guest blogging at Beyond the Books
Wednesday, October 13
Guest blogging at Moonlight, Lace & Mayhem
Thursday, October 14
Interviewed at As the Pages Turn
Friday, October 15
Book spotlighted at Examiner
Monday, October 18
Book reviewed at A Bookish Mom
Tuesday, October 19
Interviewed at Divine Caroline
Wednesday, October 20
Book reviewed at Confessions of an Overworked Mom
Thursday, October 21
Book reviewed at From the TBR Pile
Friday, October 22
Interviewed at The Hot Author Report
Monday, October 25
Book reviewed at Rundpinne
Tuesday, October 26
Book reviewed at The Cajun Book Lady
Wednesday, October 27
Book reviewed at CuzinLogic
Thursday, October 28
Book reviewed at WV Stitcher
Friday, October 29
Interviewed at Tomes Devotee
Monday, November 1
Book reviewed at The Cajun Book Lady
Tuesday, November 2
Book reviewed at Marilyn’s Musings
Wednesday, November 3
Book reviewed at A Room Without Books is Empty
Thursday, November 4
Book reviewed at Books and Thoughts and Adventures
Friday, November 5
Guest blogging at Murder by 4
Monday, November 8
Book reviewed at Busy Moms Who Love to Read
Tuesday, November 9
Book reviewed at The Book Faerie Reviews
Wednesday, November 10
Interviewed at Examiner
Thursday, November 11
Book reviewed at You Have How Many Kids?
Friday, November 12
Guest blogging at A.F. Stewart’s blog
Monday, November 15
Book reviewed at Psychotic State Reviews
Tuesday, November 16
Interviewed at Pump Up Your Book
Wednesday, November 17
Book reviewed at Lucky Rosie’s
Thursday, November 18
Book reviewed at Reading, Reading & Life
Friday, November 19
Book reviewed and giveaway at Janet’s Treasures
Monday, November 22
Book reviewed at Emeraldfire’s Bookmark
Tuesday, November 23
Guest blogging at Night Owl Reviews
Wednesday, November 24
Book reviewed at Pick of the Literate
Friday, November 26
Book reviewed at Donna’s Blog Home