Monday, December 22, 2014

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Hannukah, Happy New Year...

I could go through the whole list of holiday greetings, but I'm lazy. We'll leave it at that, because I know you are all smart enough to figure out what I mean!

Holidays are good this year. I've been busy working and my schedule is a bit wonky, so haven't worked on revisions in two weeks. Once the holidays are over and things settle around here back to what we laughingly call "Normal", I can get back to it! So excited.

But I wanted to make sure that I wish you all a festive couple weeks, if you celebrate. If you don't, well, I'm sure you'll find a way to pass the time and ignore the rest of us. Still, whether you celebrate or not, be safe out there! Accidents don't care if or how you celebrate the season.

I'll see you all in the New Year! And I'll leave you with a couple funnies:



Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Book Review: The Curse Merchant by J. P. Sloan...

Title: The Curse Merchant

Author: J. P. Sloan

Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press

File Size/Book Length: 1716kb/256 pages

ASIN: B00NLFAYCA

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble (This book was free for a time on Amazon, which is where I got my copy.)


About:

Dorian Lake spent years cornering the Baltimore hex-crafting market, using his skills at the hermetic arts to exact karmic justice for those whom the system has failed.

He keeps his magic clean and free of soul-corrupting Netherwork, thus avoiding both the karmic blow-back of his practice and the notice of the Presidium, a powerful cabal of practitioners that polices the esoteric arts in America. However, when an unscrupulous Netherworker interferes with both his business and his personal life, Dorian’s disarming charisma and hermetic savvy may not be enough to keep his soul out of jeopardy.

His rival, a soul monger named Neil Osterhaus, wouldn’t be such a problem were it not for Carmen, Dorian’s captivating ex-lover. After two years’ absence Carmen arrives at Dorian’s doorstep with a problem: she sold her soul to Osterhaus, and has only two weeks to buy it back. Hoping to win back Carmen’s affections, Dorian must find a replacement soul without tainting his own.

As Dorian descends into the shadows of Baltimore’s underworld, he must decide how low he is willing to stoop in order to save Carmen from eternal damnation… with the Presidium watching, waiting for him to cross the line.

My Thoughts:

Okay, let me just say first of all, that my track record with getting free e-book listings from BookBub has not been the greatest. In fact, 90% of those books need a good editing job, or just need to be recycled.

With that being said, "The Curse Merchant" was NOT one of those books. Holy cow, I got sucked into this book from the start and didn't want to put it down.

Dorian Lake has the exact amount of snark and sarcasm that I love in characters. This book was dark, witty, funny as hell at times. Other times it made me feel something for the characters. I like when I can connect to a character(s)! Makes you feel like part of the story. That's good writing!

Dorian was a great character. I can't wait to read more. The other characters in this story were just as developed as Dorian and near the end, all I have to say is, Karma. You get what you deserve, especially if you ... well, I don't want to do spoilers in this review, so I will leave it at that. If you are looking for a good paranormal read, I highly suggest this! I'd give it more than 5 stars if it was allowed.

My Rating:

Totally 5 out of 5 Skull and Crossbones!

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

My Awesome, Talented Sister-In-Law...


Most of you know my sister-in-law, Cheri Chesley, is a writer as well. I love having a sounding board for stuff and she loves to bounce ideas off of me.

And, not that it's a competition or anything, but she does have a lot more out there than I do.

Darn it.

I'm kidding, I love that she has so much out there. I thought I would help her with a little promotional stuff and do a cover reveal for her Christmas short story that will be available on Friday. I'll reveal THAT cover at the end of this post. You'll have to get through some other links, first.

She has her Peasant Queen series going, which include:

The Peasant Queen:

"After running away from home, Krystal is transported to a faraway kingdom where an evil tyrant is bent on taking the crown - and Krystal's hand in marriage. But when she falls in love with the rightful heir to the throne, she must make an impossible choice: sacrifice her one chance at happiness or face the destruction of an entire kingdom."






The Wild Queen:

"In the exciting prequel to The Peasant Queen, Roweena is the crown princess of Norvallen, a tiny kingdom with only one thing of value—the Healer’s Grove. The trees in this small section of forest are enchanted, giving a sap that can be mixed into potions or salves to heal almost any wound.

And it’s in high demand.

Lucien, the young king of neighboring Demarde, comes to Roweena’s father seeking an alliance, but comes away with a marriage contract for young Roweena’s hand. Furious and stubborn, this untamed beauty vows he will never conquer her. But the contract purposely gives her time to come to terms with her fate.

Before Lucien can return, Roweena’s home is attacked and her parents are murdered. The Healer’s Grove is also attacked—burned to the ground. With nothing more than her horse and the clothes on her back, Roweena goes to the only person she knows can help her. Lucien."


The Tyrant King:

 "Krystal’s peaceful life as queen of Fayterra is shattered when a stranger arrives with a connection to Jareth that threatens to change everything. Soon her loved ones are threatened, her people are under attack, and Krystal must face a devastating loss.

As the future becomes bleaker and the mystery continues to unravel, Krystal’s enemies will learn just how far she will go to defend the people she loves."



She also has a short story called Ghost Bride:

 "Arianne died on her wedding night, but her ghost can't rest in peace."






 And now she has a new short story out called A Haunting Love:


 "When her fiancĂ©, Drew, suggests having their wedding at his family home in the Highlands of Scotland, Alita only thinks about the beauty and romance awaiting her. She’s unprepared for the frosty greeting she and her sister receive from each member of his family, particularly his domineering mother.

But nothing shocks Alita more than the odd, menacing dreams she begins to have her first night at MacColum House. Over and over again she dreams of a grisly murder—with herself as the victim"

She has a children's book out as well, called Lizzie Lilac and the Left Socks, which the proceeds go to the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Utah:

"Little Lizzie treasures her socks, especially the ones her mommy made. When some of her socks start to go missing, Lizzie is determined to find the culprit and get her treasures back. Author’s note: A few years ago, K.C. Rose and I got some devastating news: a sweet friend and mother had an extremely aggressive form of breast cancer. Since I had just launched my first novel into the world, I decided to donate all my royalties for a period of months to the family to help them fight this horrible invader. But it wasn’t enough—we knew we could do more. That’s where the concept of the Lizzie Lilac book was born. This book is not only dedicated to our friend (who is now cancer free!!) and her family, but also to all the families who struggle with this disease. K.C. and I make no profit from sharing this story—everything we raise will go to the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Utah to help them help others. Thank you for being part of our fight. ~Cheri Chesley"

Okay, finally, the one you have been waiting for! This is the cover reveal for her latest short story, which will be available on Friday!





So, see? She's pretty awesome and talented, that sister-in-law of mine. Hmm... now I just need to catch up!

Hope you are all having a good week. What new books do you have out? Please drop a link in the comments!