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Excerpt: Crescendo of Darkness

5/16/2018

Music has the power to soothe the soul, drive people to obsession, and soundtrack evil plots. Is music the instigator of madness, or the key that unhinges the psychosis within? From guitar lessons in a graveyard and a baby allergic to music, to an infectious homicidal demo and melancholy tunes in a haunted lighthouse, Crescendo of Darkness will quench your thirst for horrifying audio fiction.

HorrorAddicts.net is proud to present fourteen tales of murderous music, demonic performers, and cursed audiophiles.

Please enjoy an excerpt below from Crescendo of Darkness.

“Audition” by Naching T. Kassa

This could be a guitarist's ticket to the big time, if he survives auditioning in a ghoul-protected graveyard.

Jim found himself blinded by California sunshine. The dirt road crunched under his tires and trees whooshed by as he sped along. These sounds, along with the hum of the Mustang’s engine, were the soundtrack to his thoughts.

Where had Langham sent him? And to who? He shouldn’t have ended with the blues rift. If he’d gone with a more traditional coda, he might’ve passed the audition. Now, he was out in the sticks on a wild goose chase
.
Ahead of him, an old fashioned wrought-iron gate stood dark and skeletal against the pink sky. Jim slowed. Brass numbers were fixed to the bars and they matched the address he’d been given. He parked, pulled his phone from his pocket, and dialed.

Langham answered on the second ring.

“There must be some mistake,” Jim said. “Nobody lives here.”

“There are people there,” Langham answered.

“Yeah, they’re six-feet under. It’s a cemetery.”

“Good. You’re there.”

“You must be joking.”

“He’s waiting inside. Look for Ezra Morgan’s marker and you will find him.”

“Ezra Morgan? The last student of Ike Zimmerman? The one he taught after Robert Johnson?”

“Yes.”

“Ezra Morgan is dead.”

“So they say. Why don’t you go in and see for yourself?”

“I can’t talk to a dead man. What kind of fool do you think I am?”

“The student kind. This is a lesson, boy. If you want to be in the band, you must finish what you start.”

“All right. I’ll play along, but if I find Sharp in there with a sheet over his head, I’ll beat the hell out of him.”

“Fair enough. By the way, after the lesson comes the initiation. Survive it and you’re in the band.”

“Survive? Wait, what?” A loud beeping sounded for a second before the line went dead.

Jim dialed Langham’s number again, but the call went straight to voicemail. He tried a second time and a third. When the voicemail message sounded again, he tossed the cell phone into the passenger seat and peered out the window.

Squat stone walls surrounded the graveyard and did little to block the view of the interior. The place was a mass of purple needle grass and towering oaks. A few white tombstones glimmered in the last rays of sunlight.

Jim stepped out of the car and approached the unlocked gate. Hinges screeched in protest as he pulled it open. He stepped inside.

The cemetery lay before him. Most of the headstones leaned at odd angles or lay crumbled in the yellow grass.

Jim remembered his cell phone then. It was still in the car. He retraced his steps.

The moment he stepped through the gate, a scream split the still air. He turned to see something rush toward him. It wasn’t human.

The creature moved in a strange hunched gait. Dark shreds of clothing hung off its body. Large lidless eyes and sharp teeth dominated its gruesome face.

Jim stepped back into the graveyard and slammed the gate. As soon as it shut, the creature vanished.

Jim blinked. He pushed the gate open a few inches.

The thing appeared a few yards away. This time, it was armed with a large butcher’s knife.

Jim released the gate and it clanged shut. He backed away from the iron bars, his heart thudding in his chest. Grass tangled about his feet and he fell against a gravestone.

The creature stood on the opposite side of the stone wall, perhaps fifteen feet away. A fiendish grin twisted its face.

*********************************
To read the rest of this story and thirteen
other horror music shorts, check out:

Crescendo of Darkness
Direct link:
ttps://www.amazon.com/Crescendo-Darkness-Jeremiah-Donaldson/dp/1987708156
Edited by Jeremiah Donaldson
Cover by Carmen Masloski
HorrorAddicts.net Press

Let music unlock your fear within.

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Mike's Gear Reviews: 7 Survival Tactics That Will Get You Killed

5/19/2017

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6. Hunt for food

If worse comes to worst, fresh meat is back on the menu. However, this same goes for other people. Suddenly, everyone is hunting for food. Then, there will be scarcity of food. Other people will be looking for deers and other animals to eat.

What to do:

Stock up on food and supplies. Competition will be fierce during a zombie apocalypse. People will not only fight the undead, but other people as well, for survival. Learn about other sources of food like edible fruits and vegetables. It will be helpful to know which plants are poisonous. This type of knowledge is beneficial for survival.

7. Going outside alone

When we are fighting for survival, we often think that other people will weigh us down, but when we are sick or need to defend ourselves, we realize that we need others. The worst scenario could be coming face-to-face with zombies alone.

What to do:

We often hear, “there is strength in numbers” and “no man is an island”. We need others in order to survive. Go in groups wherever you go. Learn from RPG games to make a party, surround yourself with people that could be helpful to everyone’s survival. For example, one might be an expert in designing and using weapons, the other is a nurse or a doctor, and another could be a cook.

Experts claimed that zombie apocalypse is not entirely impossible despite it sounding like from a fiction novel. Since there is a possibility, it is best to know which strategies will work on your advantage and which will lead to your untimely death.

Visit Mike’s Gear Reviews to learn more on how to survive a zombie apocalypse and other survival kit essentials.

Today, I have the pleasure of hosting Mike of Mike's Gear Reviews, who's speculated real-life tactics should the end of the world actually come. Dystopian or post-apocalyptic, your future might ultimately depend upon your survival skills.... Enjoy!

Since the influx of zombie films and TV series, several survival tactics are found online to keep you safe in case of emergency. Various websites give different survival tips. However, the main questions remain the same: where to go and what to take?

In a state of panic, you may make hasty decisions that will worsen the situation. Below are the seven popular survival tactics during apocalypse that will get you killed. These hacks are not exclusive for zombie-related incidents but to other emergency situations as well.

1. Going to the gun store

In case you didn’t know, zombies die by destroying their brains or removing their heads. Thus, you need high powered artillery that can do the task. Getting a gun on the day of the zombie apocalypse will not work as most people will think the same thing! Hundreds of desperate people will run to the gun store to grab a weapon. You may not be killed by a zombie but by other people trying to survive.

What to do:

Preparation is key! Stack up on your weapons and ammo. It pays off to be prepared so you have weapons at hand whenever the undead (or other disasters) strike. It is important that you do not buy guns only. It is best to acquire knives, hatchet, and even baseball bats for when the ammo runs out.
Make sure that you have weapons for different fighting ranges. Long range arsenal may include machine guns and crossbows. Close range weapons could be handguns and shotguns, while knives are perfect for hand-to-hand combat (check out our review on the Top Ten Survival Knives).

2. Evacuate immediately

One of the biggest mistakes that most people make is panicking when in an emergency. Even if it is a zombie apocalypse or an earthquake, try to remain as calm as possible. If zombies are attacking your city the first thing might will come to your mind is to leave and escape the city. Everyone will think this way and there will be a huge traffic jam as cars will leave the city through the main roads. People trapped in traffic are like a buffet for zombies.

What to do:

Have an evacuation strategy with your family. Put together a survival kit, that includes essential items like food, water, clothes, first aid kit, and tools. Make sure your car has enough fuel to get you to your safe location.

Do not leave immediately. Wait for the commotion to die down before escaping. Make sure your home is well-stocked with food with long expiration dates, while strengthening your home defenses. When the time is right, be prepared to leave.

3. Staying indoors

When zombies arrive, the initial reaction is to lock the doors and to shut the windows. Some people decide to turn their houses into a fortress and strengthen their home defenses. They will most likely stay indoors for as long as they can until help and rescuers arrive. But, your supplies will not last forever.

What to do:

Zombies are almost immortal unless you aim on the right place. Learn the back roads to escape the city when the time is right. All family members must learn this escape route.

4. Confronting the zombies

While it is true that zombies are limping and crawling and do not have good reflexes, confronting zombies might not be the best idea. Eventually, you will get tired from fighting them or a swarm of zombies will mob you.

What to do:

There is one thing to do – run! Learn from Rick in “The Walking Dead,” avoid confrontation with the zombies as much as possible. Rush to a safe place. It is best to start doing cardio exercise so you will be prepared when you need to run for your life.

5. Aim for the head

Everyone knows that the zombies’ weak spot is the head. However, it is hard to aim and shoot for the head unless you are an expert shooter. If you keep aiming for the head, you will run out of ammunition to ward off the zombies.

What to do:

Aim for the pelvis or legs. The hip bone is bigger making it easier to aim. Shattering the hips or legs will disable the zombie from walking.

Source and Infographic: http://mikesgearreviews.com/

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Lori Safranek: FREAKED OUT

11/4/2016

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As the tents go up and another side show prepares to open, images of the strange and exotic swirl through our minds. Posters give us a preview of a man swallowing sharp swords, throwing knives at a woman tied on a spinning wheel! A woman charming snakes to do as she commands! Watch the world’s fattest woman strut the stage, showing off her gorgeous 500-pound body with pride. Catch a glimpse of a hypnotist who wants to invade your brain and take over your life! And look over there! A tattooed man, whose tattoos fade away, and then randomly reappear somewhere else on his body! And last but not least, there’s a contortionist whose body twists and turns and ultimately fits inside a small box!

Keep walking forward, past all the posters and take your seat in the tents. You now have a front-row seat for the famous Steiner’s Freak Show, one of the finest in the land. Steiner moves his show from town to town and has proved to be a genius at finding true freaks, no fakes in his little freak family!

But lately, strange things have been happening at the Freak Show. Things no one understands. Dangerous things, things that will freak you out!

The six stories collected in Freakshow: The Complete Freaked Out Series relate the exciting experiences of the fascinating characters in Steiner’s Freak Show. So step right up, the show is ready to begin!

You can find the complete series box set on Amazon.

About the author:

Lori Safranek's Freaked Out series takes a creepy look at life in the circus sideshow. Marie, the tale of the Fat Lady in the sideshow, was the first book in the series, followed up with Mesmer, a hypnotist gone bad. Lily Dean explores the life of a snake charmer with special skills. Smudge is about a tattooed man whose tattoos have a mind of their own! More twisted tales of freaks on the sideshow coming soon.

Lori spent several years as a newspaper reporter in Nebraska before deciding to try her hand at fiction writing. In addition to her Freaked Out series, she contributed to the Fifty Shades of Decay: Zombie Erotica anthology; Dead Harvest anthology; Cellar Door II; Slaughter House: Serial Killer Edition; and had a story published in Tim Baker's novel Unfinished Business.

Lori lives in Omaha, Nebraska, with her husband and two dogs. She can be found on Facebook at Author Lori Safranek.

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Brandon Zenner: The After War

11/2/2016

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Today, I have the pleasure of hosting author Brendon Zenner, who is promoting his dystopian novel, The After War. He'll be giving away a $20 Amazon or B&N gift card to one random reader, so be sure to enter using the Rafflecopter box below.

Zenner: In the back matter of all of my books, I like to share with my readers a bit of the background information on the novel they had just read, and I like to include small things, like any alternate titles I might have been working on. I would like to share with you now a section from my Acknowledgments, where I explain some of the inspiration behind The After War.

Back when I was sixteen, and some of my older friends were getting their driver’s licenses, we used to drive out to a nearby park to spend our afternoons walking miles of trails and gazing at the large, calm reservoir smack in the center of the woods. Perhaps my teenage mind still clung to a portion of childhood creativity, but I soon began to envision the creations of a story that would take over a decade to develop into this novel. The distant hills were swarming with soldiers and the open fields were places of war. I knew back then that I wanted to be a writer, with much thanks to authors like Kurt Vonnegut, who showed me at a young age that fiction could truly be anything that the writer wanted it to be.

A year later, when I was seventeen and had a driver’s license of my own, I went to the park by myself day after day, walking the same trails and plotting out the story and characters. Originally, this novel was titled Chaos, but that name didn’t seem to fit as the years went by. I did try to sit and write the novel in my early twenties, but two things happened: 1) I wasn’t a good enough writer at twenty years of age. 2) The story wasn’t there yet. Years passed, and when I was twenty-eight, I forced myself to hammer out the words. I didn’t care how they came out; I just couldn’t put it off any longer. So I finished the manuscript, and low and behold … it stunk. It was hard for me to swallow that it would have to be rewritten from scratch. To ease my mind, I started writing longhand, an idea that had only come to me a few days previous.

That idea would develop into my first novel, The Experiment of Dreams. Months passed, and when I had sent The Experiment of Dreams out to be edited, I decided to sit and give The After War another shot. I had dreaded the thought of having to start the novel all over again, thinking the task would be impossible. But once I began to type, and the words started flowing, I realized how much I missed the characters, and wanted to live in their shoes once more. I wanted to get Simon out of the cabin safely, and I wanted to witness again the struggle between Brian and Steven as it developed. I also included a new main character, and it seemed impossible that he wasn’t there from the beginning: Winston. This time, the manuscript came out the way I had intended, and my writing was much more polished. It still took years to finish, and in the interim, as the manuscript was being edited and proofread, I finished another shorter novel, Whiskey Devils. It is strange to still be working on my first novel, despite having published two others. It brings me immense happiness to be done with The After War, but I’m also terribly sad to see these characters go. They came to be when I was sixteen, and now, twenty years later, it is like losing my best friends. I grew up and aged with them, and their characters developed much as my adolescent mind matured into adulthood. Goodbye Simon and Brian, you will always be with me. Winston, you’re such a good boy.

-Brandon Zenner

About the novel:

Two years have passed since mankind faced extinction. Brian Rhodes and his cousin, Steven, are leaving the protection of their underground bunker for the first time, after a cataclysmic war and unrelenting disease ravaged the earth.

On the other side of the North American continent, young Simon Kalispell is leaving the safety and seclusion of his cabin deep in the woods, traveling with his aging canine companion, Winston.

For individual reasons, these men are traveling east, where the fragmented lives of a small number of survivors will soon be decided by the choices of a corrupt few.

Simon Kalispell and Brian Rhodes are not yet aware, but the strength that resides inside them will soon be tested, and destiny will call for their fates to be forever intertwined.

Excerpt:

A procession was heading down the main street of town. Two columns of savages marched in near unison. But these men were no soldiers. They were ragged and filthy, and carried with them a wide array of weaponry—rifles, machine guns, pistols. Many held sledgehammers, machetes, various swords, and large and small pry-bars, some the size of walking sticks. These improvised weapons were scoured at the ends to reveal the steel of which they were made, gleaming like silver, and were muddied with earth and gore. The men looked as if they had marched out of some dismal pit of hell that had vomited them forth, seeming to defile the very earth of which they trod. They wore a vast array of military clothing of no particular origin and had adorned themselves and their weapons with torn pieces of red cloth, like flags, along with garnished trophies of war—what looked like dried, brown human ears and tanned hides. They cast about them a red and brown hue, as if they wore these shades as part of a collective uniform.

About the author:

Brandon Zenner is an American fiction writer and an Amazon bestselling author. His short fiction has been published in both print and online publications, the first being submitted when he was 19 years old. The Experiment of Dreams, his debut eBook thriller, has reached Amazon's best seller list many times. His second novel, Whiskey Devils, was released in early 2016. The After War, a dystopian thriller, is available now as a pre-order, at 80% off the final sale price. You can follow the author on his Amazon page, or through his email list on his website. All email subscribers will receive his futuristic short story, "Helix Illuminated," for free as a thank you. His genres of choice are thrillers, crime, dystopian, and science fiction.

You can find Brandon on Facebook and Twitter. The After War will remain $0.99 throughout the blog tour. You can pre-order your copy now on Amazon.

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Patricia V. Davis: COOKING FOR GHOSTS

10/6/2016

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Today, guest author Patricia V. Davis spreads a little October cheer with her magical realism novel, Cooking for Ghosts. She sill be giving away a $30 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card, so be sure to enter using the Rafflecopter box below.

About the novel:

A Vegas cocktail waitress. An Indian herbalist. A British chemistry professor. An Italian-American widow. Four unique women with one thing in common: Each is haunted by a tragedy from her past. The women are surrounded by ghosts long before they step aboard, but once they do...

Excerpt:

Once they were gone, Sarita hastily tucked her shirt into her jeans. Stupid, stupid, stupid. You’re so stupid, Sarita, she scolded herself. Who in their right mind tries to lose their virginity just to spite their mother?

She used the blanket to wipe at her eyes before she folded it and stuffed it into the backpack. She was about to blow out the candles, when she realized that would leave her in total darkness. Glancing about for the flashlight, she saw that it had fallen from where Emilio had propped it and rolled to the opposite side of the hold.

Right near where she’d seen the little book slide down into the gap between the horizontal wall beams and the flooring of the hull. Had she imagined it? Should she find out?

Staring across at the spot, she stood where she was, gnawing on her thumbnail.

Decision made, she inched her way toward that side. Retrieving the flashlight, she held her breath and, aiming the light behind the curved edge, she peered down.

Something was there, but she couldn’t see it clearly.

Please don’t let it be a dead rat, please don’t let it be a dead rat, she prayed, as she reached down gingerly and pulled whatever it was up.

It wasn’t a rat. It was the book.

About the author:

Patricia V. Davis is the author of the bestselling Harlot's Sauce: A Memoir of Food, Family, Love, Loss and Greece, and The Diva Doctrine: 16 Universal Principles Every Woman Needs to Know. Her latest work, Cooking for Ghosts: Book I in The Secret Spice Cafe Trilogy, first of three novels set aboard the RMS Queen Mary, is due to be released in October 2016. Despite the diversity of Patricia's writing projects, they share the universal theme of "female dynamism," a term she's coined which signifies women taking positive action to support each other and better the world around them. To that end, Patricia also founded The Women’s PowerStrategy™ Conference.

You can learn more about Patricia and her work at her website. You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads. Cooking for Ghosts is available through Amazon and other book outlets.

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John Molik: THE FIDUCIARY DELUSION

9/20/2016

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Today, guest author John Molik is promoting his new thriller, The Fiduciary Delusion. He'll be giving away a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card, so be sure to enter for your chance to win using the Rafflecopter box below.

About the novel:

An unambitious young man finally finds himself, only to nearly lose everything in an apparent web of international economic terrorism and intrigue. But, as his world begins to unravel, has he become genuinely delusional? Or is he really on to one of the most dangerous global conspiracies of all time? Against all odds, only love and a true friend's faith can save both him and the world as we know it from the abusive power of evil.

Excerpt:

There was that strange odor again of sweet burnt beans and paint thinner. Jeremy Hughes had started noticing this strange aroma about a week ago. The location of his lecture hall at UC Davis was just a stone's throw from the Coffee House, the local student dining hall and entertainment venue, so he was not immune to the unexpected food smells fit for starving students. But this odor was different. Hopefully, it wasn't wafting down from the Chem lab. There were rumors going around that with the UC budget cuts, some of the filters at the lab were not being replaced regularly. Surely, these aren't some sort of carcinogens, for heaven's sake. Nevertheless, he made a mental note to ask around.

As Jeremy had only been a lecturer at UC Davis for just over a year, this placed him near the bottom of the academic employment hierarchy. He had little hope of surviving the next round of budget cuts. Last year had been a real drag too. The Department Chair had left after the second term to work in the private sector and Brigitte Sheen, his interim replacement, was a haughty cold bitch who had no qualms about showing who's boss by playing mind games with her faculty. Brigitte Sheen was an imposing, solid, nearly six foot tall Korean American woman who, at first glance, looked like a cross between the gorgeous Moon Bloodgood and the Chinese Hercules. When Jeremy first met her, he looked carefully into her eyes. Someone had told him that if you could hold eye contact with her long enough, you could verify that she did in fact have horizontal pupils. Brigitte's straw-thick, tea-colored bangs appeared to be cut with a 4 stroke line trimmer. Her solid, thick, musculature was formidable, and was built from 15 years of Olympic style weightlifting at the University of Washington, where she routinely lifted the equivalent of a completely loaded fridge/freezer over her head dozens of times per day.

Last year, on Jeremy's first day, he received his first taste of venom.

'You make a problem for me, I will make your life a living hell. If you are not prepared or call in sick to take day off to go Tahoe or something, it's over. Just get in your car and drive away. Fast. I'll do the paperwork,' she had snarled. Brigitte was definitely a woman to avoid by strategically flying under her radar.

About the author:

John grew up in Rancho Palos Verdes, California and graduated from UC Davis with a B.A. Degree in Economics and has worked in numerous corporate finance and project management jobs in the consumer electronics and IT industries. In 1990, after taking an extended backpacking trip of the South Pacific before attending graduate school, he met his would be wife and in 1991 was married. They settled back in Irvine and South Orange County area of California. In 2003, he and his family (now with two kids in tow) relocated to Christchurch, New Zealand.

John's interest in writing began when he was a student at UC Davis, having worked as a Feature Writer for the California Aggie Newspaper. Possessing the desire to write again, and with a bucket list goal of eventually trying his hand at thriller novels, he took the plunge, and in 2014, began writing his first novel, The Fiduciary Delusion. John's interests also include: science, existential philosophy, health, and both western and eastern holistic medicine. John also plays guitar, piano, sings and writes music. In addition, John is an admitted “gym rat” and can be regularly found lifting weights, trudging up hills, sea kayaking, and getting out and about enjoying the beautiful wild outdoors.

The Fiduciary Delusion is available at Amazon and AmazonUK. Check it out at Goodreads. You can learn more about The Fiduciary Delusion at Ask David.

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Joan Hall Hovey: THE DEEPEST DARK

9/12/2016

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Today, I have the pleasure of hosting Joan Hall Hovey, who is here to promote her suspense/thriller novel, The Deepest Dark. She will be awarding a 10 1/2' x 8" still life laminate print by Jean Baptiste Oudry from Metropolitan Museum of Art (US and Canada only) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Check out the end of this post for more details.

About the novel:

Following the deaths of her husband, Corey, and ten year old daughter Ellie in a traffic accident, author Abby Miller sinks ever deeper into depression. She contemplates suicide as a way to be with them, and to end her unrelenting pain.

In a last desperate effort to find peace, she drives to Loon Lake where they last vacationed together, wanting to believe they will be waiting for her there. At least in spirit. Barring that, the pills Doctor Gregory gave her to help her sleep, are in her purse.

The cabin at Loon Lake was her and Corey’s secret hideaway, and not even Abby’s sister, Karen, to whom she is close, knows where it is.

But someone else does. He is one of three men who have escaped from Pennington prison. They are dangerous predators who will stop at nothing to get what they want - and to keep from going back to prison. Having already committed atrocious crimes, they have nothing to lose.

Unknowingly, Abby is on a collision course with evil itself. And the decision of whether or live or die will soon be wrenched from her hands.

"...Joan Hall Hovey knows suspense. She keeps it simmering in every scene she writes and knows just the right moments to turn up the heat and bring it all to a boil. THE DEEPEST DARK is a terrific suspense novel." --James Hankins, author of Brothers and Bones and Shady Cross

"...readers will be chilled as they root for Abby to take back her life and escape the Loon Lake cabin alive and breathing. Once the first page is read in this one, nothing will be able to draw your attention away..." --Amy Lignor, author of "The Charlatan's Crown."

Excerpt:

The three dark figures moved quietly among the shadowy, rain-dripping birches, pines and alders toward the old farmhouse where amber lights glowed in the two lower windows. They crept with the stealth of foxes intent upon the chickens in the hen house, hungry and deadly, already tasting blood. And the Nichols’ actually did keep a few chickens of their own, mainly for the fresh eggs, but not altogether for that reason. They liked seeing them clucking and pecking about the yard; they were good company and cost only a bit of seed. Once, they had operated their own farm, and a fair sized one it was, too. These days they kept a small vegetable garden and Ethel Nichols tended the flowers that grew along the walkway and in her window boxes, mainly morning glories in heavenly blue and pansies in shades of lavender and sun-yellow.

In their early eighties now, and in relatively good health, they were enjoying the fruits of their labor in these latter years, including the big screen TV on which they were presently watching an old rerun of All in the Family, one of life’s pleasures that Hartley and Ethel shared. …

When the commercial came on, Ethel rose from the big stuffed chair across from her husband’s Lazy Boy. She was white-haired, ample of figure, and quick to smile. “Cup of tea, Hartley?”

He looked in her direction and grinned mischievously. Though his own hair had long gone and he walked with a limp, to Ethel he was as handsome as the first time she saw him walking into Mr. Biggar’s class in grade nine. She could still see him as he was then, tall and lean, with a thatch of fair hair fallen over his brow.

“Wouldn’t mind having just a tiny slice of that apple pie you baked to go with my tea.” An affectionate coaxing twinkled in blue eyes that had faded only a little over the years.

Looking at him, she mentally shook her head. He knew he had trouble getting to sleep if he ate after he’d had his supper. “Sure,” she said. And it will be tiny, Mister Nichols, you can bet on that. She had started for the kitchen when she stopped in the doorway between the living room and kitchen, thinking she’d heard a noise outside. She listened. Heard it again. A squeaking of the porch swing chain?

“Did you hear that?” she called into the living room.

“Hear what? Didn’t hear nothin’, Ethel.”

“I’m not sure. Sounded like... oh, I’m sure it’s nothing. The wind.”

About the author:

Joan Hall Hovey is the definition of an ‘artist’. From her writing that has taken the form of suspense novels, as well as short stories and articles, this woman has not only taken the suspense world by storm, but also dabbles in the theatre community. In addition to it all, Joan takes the time to work with other authors, giving them the information and help they need to embrace their talent and become a part of the literary world.

Born and raised in Saint John, New Brunswick, Joan has a family she adores; including, Scamp, the family dog. She is blessed to look out every day at the tall pine trees and the stunning view of the Kennebecasis River. But although that view is certainly inspiring, her fans will tell you that it is Joan’s view – the scenes and characters within her own creative mind – that is truly unforgettable. This is a talent who brings vibrancy to the page, creating locations that, even in the light of day, chill fans to the bone.

An insatiable reader, the works of Poe, King, and other masters of the mystery world, inspired Joan to write. And now, with her latest novel – THE DEEPEST DARK – she once again hits the nail on the proverbial head, drawing readers into a world of fear that will leave them absolutely breathless.

Available at most online bookstores including Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
Published by Books We Love Inc.

Visit the Official Website of Joan Hall Hovey, check out Joan on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.

Other Suspense Novels by Joan Hall Hovey:
Tragic Spawn
The Abduction of Mary Rose
Night Corridor
Chill Waters – winner of the Bloody Dagger Award
Nowhere To Hide – winner of the Eppie Award
Listen to the Shadows

Enter below for your chance to win a laminate print of this painting. (US and Canada only).

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Ronald Chapman Book Blast

9/5/2016

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Today, guest author Ronald Chapman is here to promote two books: A Killer's Grace and My Name Is Wonder. He is giving away a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card to one reader, so be sure to enter using the Rafflecopter box below.

About A Killer's Grace:

From the high desert of New Mexico comes a tale of mystery, murder and redemption. When journalist Kevin Pitcairn receives a disturbing letter from a serial killer, he is drawn into a compelling journey with profound psychological and spiritual implications, not just for the murderer, but for himself and society as a whole. As he tries to investigate and then tell the story, he finds himself battling his own inner demons and sordid history. Events conspire to propel an isolated matter to a national stage and audiences that are increasingly hostile. Forced to explore the roots of human psychology and sanity, Pitcairn must navigate moral and philosophical realms. What is the nature of evil? What powers of choice do humans actually possess? How may we be redeemed? And in the end, how do we reconcile with ourselves?

About My Name is Wonder:

My Name is Wonder chronicles the transcendent adventures of a little goat with big dreams. Join Wonder and his wisecracking guide, the mysterious crow Mac Craack, on a journey through the scenic landscapes of the American Southwest and into the heart of a mindful presence. Along the way, you’ll meet an unforgettable cast of creatures, each with an important lesson to teach.

Excerpt from A Killer's Grace:

As a freelance journalist and columnist for the local afternoon newspaper, the Albuquerque Chronicle, Pitcairn often received unsolicited mail. In this case, he immediately recognized the name of Daniel Davidson. He knew all about the case. Davidson was convicted for the murder of four of his six Texas victims after protracted delays for psychiatric evaluation. During that time, the state of Oklahoma had opted not to prosecute him for the murder of a seventh victim. But after those many lengthy delays, he was remanded to the custody of the state of New Mexico for trial in the murder of a seventeen-year-old Santa Fe high school girl.

That final proceeding was notorious for ending without a conviction two weeks before. Unlike the Texans, this jury had bought the psychological evidence. Their decision was greeted with derision and accusations of racism from the northern New Mexican, Hispanic community to which the young woman belonged. The police had to quell a near riot. Now Davidson was to be returned to Texas to await execution.

Davidson’s case was unusual. Despite the efforts of anti-death penalty agitators to appeal his case in Texas on psychiatric grounds, especially in light of the New Mexican decision, the murderer requested that his sentence be carried out as soon as possible. It was reported that he understood he had broken society’s covenants and actively sought his own death.

About the author:

Ronald Chapman is owner of an international speaking and consulting company, Magnetic North LLC. In addition to international accreditation as a speaker and national awards for radio commentary, he is the author of two novels, My Name is Wonder (Terra Nova Publishing, 2016) and A Killer's Grace (Terra Nova Publishing, 2016 and 2012), two works of non-fiction, Seeing True: Ninety Contemplations in Ninety Days (Ozark Mountain Publishing, 2008) and What a Wonderful World: Seeing Through New Eyes (Page Free Publishing, 2004) and the producer of three audio sets, Seeing True: The Way of Spirit (Ozark Mountain Publishing, 2016, 2005), Breathing, Releasing and Breaking Through: Practices for Seeing True (Ozark Mountain Publishing, 2015), and Seeing True – The Way of Success in Leadership (Magnetic North Audio, 2005).

Ron provides a wide array of social media content at www.SeeingTrue.com, content for people in substance abuse recovery at www.ProgressiveRecovery.org, and other content from his master site, www.RonaldChapman.com. He holds a Masters in Social Welfare from The University at Albany (New York.) Prior to his relocation to Atlanta, Georgia in 2008, he was a long-time resident of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Note: A Killer’s Grace is one of two novels by Chapman being released simultaneously by Terra Nova Publishing, the other being My Name is Wonder. The publisher commented, ““It is remarkable that these two books can be so very different but somehow speak to the same messages.”

Links:

You can find A Killer’s Grace on Goodreads and Amazon.

Find out more at Ron Chapman's Websites:
http://www.RonaldChapman.com/ for other information from the author.
http://www.SeeingTrue.com/ for ongoing social media content including blogs, v-logs, graphical materials, etc.
http://www.ProgressiveRecovery.com/ for materials relevant to those in recovery from substance abuse.
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/seeingtrue/

Note: A Killer's Grace and My Name is Wonder are being released simultaneously by Terra Nova Publishing. The publisher commented, “It is remarkable that these two books can be so very different but somehow speak to the same messages.”

My Name is Wonder Amazon is available for pre-order.

Praise:

“…a book for the ages, with profound truths simply stated. First there was Jonathan Livingston Seagull and then Yoda—Now there is Wonder…” ---Beverly Molander, Minister and Radio Host of Activating the Power of Yes

“…an exploration of human nature and into the allegorical realm that shows us how to be wise teachers and guides…”
--Paula Renaye, Author of Living the Life You Love

“Clarity is an aspect of love, it is seeing clearly. Ron Chapman sees with those eyes. He pays attention as few do to the miracles around us.” --Stephen Levine, Author and Teacher

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Jason Werbeloff: DEFRAGMENTING DANIEL

8/25/2016

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Today, I have the pleasure of hosting Jason Werbeloff, who is promoting his new release, Defragmenting Daniel. The author will be giving away a $15 Amazon or B&N gift card, so make sure to enter using the Rafflecopter box below.

About the novel:

7 stolen organs.
1 vengeful victim.
A gruesome sci-fi thriller.

Organ scrubbing was a bloody job, but somebody had to do it. Daniel, an orphan from the Gutter, was put to work scrubbing kidneys at aged twelve. The job had its perks: a warm bed, Law and Order reruns, and an all-you-can-eat Mopane worm buffet.

Until the Orphanage stole Daniel’s parts, and sold them on the organ market.

Now Daniel has grown up, and yearns to become whole again. The cybernetic organ replacements just aren’t the same – he needs his parts back. But the new owners of his organs won’t give them up. Not without a fight.

Just how far will Daniel go to regain his missing pieces? And how much more of himself will he lose along the way?

Defragmenting Daniel is a cyberpunk crime thriller that will unnerve you. Every part of you.

“A work of great imagination. Powerful and gripping.”
“A stark and moving experience.”
– ReadersFavorite.com, 5 Star Review

Excerpt:

“You feel that, son?”

“No siw,” Daniel mouthed. His tongue was numb. Had been numb since they’d replaced it with the generic a year ago, but it felt more swollen than usual. Clumsy against his palate.

“That’s good. Try to relax.” The surgeon’s voice was deep and quick. Like a scythe. “Music, nurse.”

With Daniel’s head turned the way it was, he looked directly into the surgeon’s crotch. He tried to turn away, but his head had been immobilized.

A beat Daniel remembered from somewhere rolled through the operating theatre. The bass vibrated along the legs of the steel table, up, into the brace that pierced his skull, down, through its metallic fingers, and into his brain. It tickled.

The surgeon shifted. A nurse’s masked face replaced the crotch. “Don’t move.” Only her eyes showed above the mask. The doctors and nurses all looked the same with their masks on. How do they tell one another apart?

A grainy woman’s voice hissed through the beat.

We had you cleaned

We had you eat

The high-pitched whine of a bone saw echoed in Daniel’s skull. “We’ll have you open in no time,” said the surgeon.

Daniel felt pressure against his temple, above his right ear. The whine of the blade morphed to a lower, choppy grind.

We had you bathed

We had your feet

Yes, he remembered the song now. It was all the rage in the cafeteria on Friday nights, when they cleared the chairs to make room for an ad hoc dance floor.

“How the kids?”

“Good, thanks doctor. Jordan’s starting school next week.”

“Already?”

Daniel tried to swallow, but lying on his back with his head fixed at this angle, most of the saliva dribbled onto the operating table.

We ate your lungs

We heart your beat

The bone saw slowed to a toothy stop.

There was a hollow metal twang, as something red dropped into a metal bowl on the edge of Daniel’s vision.

“You doing okay there, boy?”

“Yeth, ma’am.”

The surgeon bent down. Peered into Daniel’s eyes.

“We’re in. Won’t be too much longer now.”

About the author:

Human. Male. From an obscure planet in the Milky Way Galaxy. Sci-fi novelist with a PhD in philosophy. Likes chocolates, Labradors, and zombies (not necessarily in that order). Werbeloff spends his days constructing thought experiments, while trying to muster enough guilt to go to the gym.

He's written two novels, Hedon and The Solace Pill, and the short story anthology, "Obsidian Worlds." His books will make your brain hurt. And you'll come back for more.

Subscribe to his newsletter to receive a free novel, and a lifetime of free and discounted stories: http://smarturl.it/werbeloff

**Amazon Author Page – http://smarturl.it/AuthWerbeloff - download all of Werbeloff's fiction from Amazon.

**Newsletter – http://smarturl.it/werbeloff - subscribe to get 'The Solace Pill' free, as well as VIP access to Werbeloff's latest fiction.

**Soud Cloud – http://soundcloud.com/jason-werbeloff/ - listen to stories from Obsidian Worlds narrated by the inimitable Marc Ryan Rees.

**Goodreads – http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7340789 - read and submit reviews of Werbeloff’s fiction.

**Facebook http://www.facebook.com/solaceseries and Twitter https://twitter.com/JasonWerbeloff – follow Werbeloff for release date information on upcoming shorts and novels.

**Website - http://www.jasonwerbeloff.com/ - read about the author, and the philosophy behind his fiction.

Purchase link for Defragmenting Daniel: The Organ Scrubber - The book will be free on Amazon for 4 days, August 24 – 27 2016.

http://smarturl.it/OrganScrubber

The Organ Scrubber is the first fragment of the Defragmenting Daniel trilogy:
Fragment 1 – The Organ Scrubber
Fragment 2 – The Face in a Jar
Fragment 3 – The Boy Without a Heart

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M. A. Phipps: TYPE X

8/19/2016

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Today, I have guest author M. A. Phipps here to share about her new release, Type X, book two in the Project W.A.R. series. As a special promotion, the first book, Ultraxenopia, will be free to download and Type X will be launching at a special price of $0.99 from August 19-21.

About the novel:

No matter what I do, no matter what steps I take to avoid it, I'm always playing right into somebody's hand.

Playing the role I was destined for.

Two years have passed since her willing return to the DSD, and Wynter Reeves is no longer the timid girl who only wanted to blend in. Strong, confidant, and in control of her once debilitating powers, the world trembles at her feet while news of what she’s capable of spreads like fire among the State’s enemies. As the death toll rises and Dr. Richter further warps her into a weapon of war, Wynter is forced to embrace the daunting reality of what she’s become. With the remnants of her humanity hanging on by a shoestring, she must choose between the one sacrifice that could lead to her salvation or the dark path of destruction from which there can be no return.

Torn between two sides of a war she never asked for, will Wynter find her freedom, or will she be doomed to remain a monster forever?

Excerpt:

“Please . . .” he mutters.

A single tear slides along his dirtied cheek. As it does, the faint flicker of my humanity responds.

The vision hits me like a flash of lightning, placing me in a new scene of destruction. Everything is ruined. There are no people. No lights. There’s only me.

Me and him.

I scrutinize the man, trying to make sense of why he’s familiar. I must know him. Otherwise, why would I be seeing this?

The stranger meets my gaze, and an emotion I can’t comprehend in my inhuman state burns in his eyes. Something tells me I might not want to understand it.

A few stray tears rush down his cheeks, and a single utterance expels from his lips a moment later.

“I’m sorry, Wynter.”

My heart clenches at the sound of his voice, but the scene around me reverts to the death-filled battleground before I have the chance to react. Blinking away the vision, I lock eyes with the soldier still cowering on the ground. His expression lights up with hope, but I can’t give him what he’s asking for. I can’t give him anything except the one service I was created to provide.

“Please . . . .” In spite of my desire to spare him, I only hear the voice from my vision when he speaks. It beats through my head like a raging drum, haunting me.

Taunting me.

A flush of anger shoots through my body, and my head shakes in wild jerks as my hands dart to my hair. My fingernails dig into my scalp as if I’ll be able to make sense of my crumbling sanity by doing so. As if I’ll be able to manage my thoughts and end this madness, once and for all.

Irregular, shallow breaths pour from my lungs as I peer into the eyes of the soldier at my feet. Except, it’s not him I’m seeing. It’s the man.

I see his face.

I hear his voice.

My fingers grip my skull even harder, and the familiar pressure climbs up my throat like vomit. The anger follows behind it until I can no longer hold what I’m feeling at bay.

I stare at him, but there’s nothing I can do to stop my emotions from taking over. As I focus on his face, seeing only the man from my dream, I allow them to destroy what little humanity I have left.

“Get out of my head,” I breathe.

The soldier’s eyes widen in the exact moment I snap his neck.

About the author:

M. A. Phipps is an American author who currently resides in the picturesque English West Country with her husband, daughter, and their Jack Russell, Milo. A lover of the written word, it has always been her dream to become a published author, and it is her hope to expand into multiple genres of fiction. When she isn’t writing, you can find her counting down the days until the new season of Game of Thrones.

Social Media

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bEvsef
Official Webpage: http://maphipps.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/authormaphipps
Pinterest: https://uk.pinterest.com/authormaphipps/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00U7ET67M
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormaphipps/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormaphipps/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13682371.M_A_Phipps
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkOGI201TU2Z1r0ZRW_aFog

Book Links

Amazon Links: http://smarturl.it/TypeX or https://amzn.com/B01KLCZRLI
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30626391-type-x

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/7q6mELKlR08
Merchandise: http://smarturl.it/ProjectWARswagshop

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Excerpt: Crescendo of Darkness

Mike's Gear Reviews: 7 Survival Tactics That Will Get You Killed

Lori Safranek: FREAKED OUT

Brandon Zenner: The After War

Patricia V. Davis: COOKING FOR GHOSTS

John Molik: THE FIDUCIARY DELUSION

Joan Hall Hovey: THE DEEPEST DARK

Ronald Chapman Book Blast

Jason Werbeloff: DEFRAGMENTING DANIEL

M. A. Phipps: TYPE X

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