Pure Vision by Perri Birney

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Author Name:  Perri Birney

Author’s Website: www.purevision.us

Genre:  Fiction, Action/Adventure, Thriller

The Spear of Longinus is stolen . . .

An ancient document is moved . . .

A journey to find the Grail unfolds . . .

New York Times reporter Maggie Seline has written an explosive book that offers a controversial solution to the Middle East crisis. During a live radio interview, a kidnapping attempt is made and Maggie vanishes. Her disappearance sets in motion a worldwide women's march toward Jerusalem that threatens the status quo and parallels a frantic race to possess ancient talismans.

The Spear of Longinus and the Holy Grail are sought by men who will stop at nothing to increase their power—over religion, governments, and the planet's energy sources. An upcoming peace conference hides the true motivation of Giovanni Mabus, outgoing president of the European Commission, who intends to exploit an ancient mythological connection between the two legendary treasures. In league with the clandestine pseudo-Masonic group, Propaganda Due, he sets in motion events aimed at furthering political and military chaos in the Middle East in order to accomplish his aims. Meanwhile, Maggie and Dead Sea Scrolls scholar Michael Sonada race to thwart the sinister plot. Spurred to action by the journal writings of Walter Stein, the Viennese philosopher who worked with British Intelligence against the Nazis, their race takes them into the forbidden regions of Nepal to make an earth-shattering discovery.

Bio:

PERRI BIRNEY is the writing team of Angelina Perri Birney and Lawrence Birney.

With a Master’s degree in English Education from NYU and a B.A. in Writing and Communications, Angelina Perri Birney has also been trained in the Tibetan Buddhist lama tradition and completed a three-year retreat. While traveling extensively throughout Tibet, Nepal and India, she experienced the rich cultures and spiritual traditions practiced in these lands. She received teachings on the various myths explored within Pure Vision, in particular that of Shambhala, from several eminent teachers including the Dalai Lama. Angelina is also an alumna of the White House Project, an organization which promotes women’s advancement and leadership. She is the author of Powerful Women Changing the World, a blog dedicated to women’s influence on world affairs. Angelina’s work has also been published in the McGraw-Hill anthology, Women: Images and Realities (2011).

Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Lawrence lived there for ten years before moving with his family to Libya. In Tripoli, surrounded by antiquities from the Roman era through World War II, he gained first-hand knowledge of Arab culture and its historical position on the world stage. His exploration of the underground tunnels used by Erwin Rommel’s Panzerarmee Afrika is a foundational element within Pure Vision. Lawrence studied Modern European History and Economics at the Institute for European Affairs in Lugano, Switzerland before returning to the U.S. and pursuing a degree in Electrical Engineering from Bridgeport Engineering Institute in Connecticut. He is a student of both Christian and Eastern mysticism.

Agents of Change by Guy Harrison

   Kindle Price: $2.99 USD
   Available from Amazon, Smashwords
   Website: www.GuyMHarrison.com
   Twitter: @GuyMHarrison
   Facebook

 Review Quotes:

 "Agents of Change is action-packed and exciting. The plot escalates quickly and    keeps a good pace to the end of the book. The love story is complicated and emotional, not just lust-driven and superficial." — Julia Peterson

"I love the narrator's voice that comes across, I mean, really love it. Additionally, there were some really great moments where I felt the author did a good job of upping the stakes." — Nikki McCormack

An amiable corporate manager by day and a fledgling matchmaker whenever he can get around to it, Calvin Newsome’s new dream job falls into his lap when he’s recruited by a secret worldwide organization whose agents use uncanny abilities to empower and influence everyday downtrodden individuals. Disaster strikes, however, when an elaborate scheme leaves Calvin as a prime murder suspect…and his new employer is presumably to blame.

With the authorities on his heels and his life left in ruin, Calvin uses his new powers to blend in until a journey for freedom becomes a quest for peace. As the agency’s rival organization threatens the security of all of earth’s inhabitants, Calvin teams up with unlikely allies and battles startling enemies hellbent on unleashing their power in a twisted version of justice, innocent lives be damned.

Bio: Guy Harrison is a Phoenix area-based author raised in Philadelphia. Once an aspiring sportscaster, Harrison has worked in media relations in higher education. He currently lives in Chandler, Arizona with his wife Lindsay and their two cats.

Hamelin's Child by D.J. Bennett

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Author's websites:

www.debbiebennett.co.uk

Michael Redford died on his seventeenth birthday , the night Eddie picked him up off the street, shot him full of heroin and assaulted him.

Now he’s Mikey and he works for Joss. With streaked blond hair and a cute smile, he sleeps by day and services clients at night. Sometimes he remembers his old life, but with what he’s become now, he knows there is no return to his comfortable middle-class background.

Then he makes a friend in Lee. A child of the streets, Lee demands more from friendship than Mikey is prepared to give. But the police are closing in on them now and Mikey’s not sure anymore who he really is , streetwise Mikey or plain Michael Redford.

Time’s running out and Michael has to find some answers .

A thriller set in the seedy world of London's drug rings, this book contains strong scenes and adult material.

Author Bio 

Debbie is a middle-aged boring civil servant with a secret life as a writer...

She's worked in law enforcement for over 25 years, in a variety of different roles, which may be why the darker side of life tends to emerge in her writing. If she makes enough money selling books, perhaps she'll be able to afford counselling instead.

Excerpt

Michael Redford died on his seventeenth birthday , the night Eddie picked him up off the street, shot him full of heroin and assaulted him.

Michael had been drinking steadily all night, matching Jenny’s Breezers with export-strength lager, and when he saw Jen wrapped around his mate’s brother across the dance floor, he didn’t feel at all inclined to slow down. Totally oblivious to observers, they were all hands and lips , a human octopus of limbs on the red chesterfield sofa with Jenny’s long dark hair covering both their faces. She’d dropped an E in the toilets; he could tell by the shine in her eyes and the way she moved when they’d been dancing earlier , she always came onto him when she was high, then pulled away when he got interested. Michael kicked the pillar next to him in disgust. He hated nightclubs anyway.

‘She came with you, didn’t she?’

Michael turned to see a man standing next to him. Blond hair, cream chinos, polo shirt and too much jewellery. He seemed older than the rest of the punters.

The man waved his hand in Jenny’s direction. ‘The girl,’ he added, by way of explanation. ‘I was watching the two of you earlier.’

Michael nodded. ‘Don’t think she’ll be leaving with me.’

‘Girlfriend?’

‘Ex.’

‘Evidently.’ The man smiled sympathetically. ‘Women are bitches, aren’t they? He’s a dealer, by the way , saw him outside the bogs before. What’re you drinking?’ He pointed at Michael’s empty glass.

Michael shook his head. ‘No, thanks.’ Now fuck off, creep. Something about the stranger made him uneasy.

‘Suit yourself.’ The man shrugged and went off to the bar, returning a few moments later with a pint and what looked like a whisky chaser. He held the pint out. ‘Got you one, anyway. You look like you could use it.’ He had an impressive assortment of gold rings on his hand, which suggested serious money, even if the guy was a poser.

Oh, what the hell. ’Cheers.’ Michael emptied half of it immediately. He had less than a fiver left from the eighty quid his dad had given him earlier that day and not enough for a taxi home. Still, he couldn’t complain , there weren’t many parents who’d let their underage son celebrate his birthday in a club, and it was largely due to the intervention of his elder sister Kate that they’d let him go at all. On top of that, she’d even managed to talk them into giving him enough money to enjoy it in style. The money had come with strings of course, but listening to the ten-minute evils of drink and drugs lecture had been a small price to pay for his freedom.

Interview with D.J. Bennett

What will readers like about your book?

It’s tense and fast-paced but the characters are human and vulnerable. Yes, there are some not-very-nice scenes in there, but I’ve been told that the readers care enough about the characters to go through them and that they are necessary to the plot and not gratuitous in any way.

Why did you self publish?

Because I’ve been told over the past few years that my writing is excellent and my book is publishable, but I’m not commercially viable as a debut author. Since I haven’t got any immediate intentions to sleep with a celebrity, go on a reality TV show or have a very large boob job (which seem to be the pre-requisites now to be commercially viable), I thought I’d better go indie or leave my ms languishing on my computer forever! Having said that, I might book an appointment with a plastic surgeon if the sales don’t add up..

What is your writing process?

I write in my head first. Over and over again. It takes me a long time to start a project , to find a way into a plot. Once I’ve got a foot in the door, so to speak, I can generally get started and then it’s often a case of getting home from the day-job (I work in IT), sorting out family, house and food, kicking teenagers off computer and getting stuck in for the evening. I’ll often print stuff out and take it to work to mull over at lunchtime.

How long does it take you to write your first draft?

Forever. I wish I was a first-draft person. Unfortunately I like to have the previous chapter as near-perfect as possible before I can move on to the next one!

The Black God's War with Moses Siregar III

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Authors Website: 

sciencefictionfantasybooks.net

Against the backdrop of epic warfare and the powers of ten mysterious gods, Lucia struggles to understand The Black One.

Her father-king wants war.

Her messianic brother wants peace.

The black god wants his due.

She suffers all the consequences.

King Vieri is losing his war against the lands of Pawelon. Feeling abandoned by his god, he forces his son Caio, the kingdom’s holy savior, to lead his army. Victory ought to come soon.

To counter Caio’s powers, Pawelon’s prince enters the conflict. Rao is a gifted sage, a master of spiritual laws. He joins the rajah to defend their citadel against the invaders. But Rao’s ideals soon clash with his army’s general.

The Black One tortures Lucia nightly with visions promising another ten years of bloodshed. She can no longer tell the difference between the waking world and her nightmares. Lucia knows the black god too well. He entered her bed and dreams when she was ten.

The Black One watches, waiting to see Lucia confront an impossible decision over the fates of two men—and two lands.

Interview with Moses Siregar III 

What will readers like about your book? 

I'll tell you what my early readers have said they liked. They've told me it has a satisfying ending, good pacing, interesting worldbuilding, characters with depth, and a complex plot. Of course, they're all pathological liars.

Why did you self publish? 

Hey, could you not ask that? That question really strikes a nerve. Seriously though, I lost a bet.

What is your writing process? 

Mainly, I need loud music. After that, lots of time.

How long does it take you to write your first draft? 

This one took me a little more than three months. The first draft was around 115,000 words. The final version is around 121,000 words.

What inspired you to write this particular story? 

Homer's Iliad and a cartoon series I watched when I was a kid, called Robotech.
  

THE TRAZ (BackTracker Series) by Eileen Schuh

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Author's website: 
www.eileenschuh.com 

Eileen's Blog

THE TRAZ is as daring, raw, and spirited as the young heroine.

It’s exhilarating entertainment but it also contains a vital message for those on the cusp of maturity and for the adults who guide them.

This novel addresses head-on the issues behind juvenile delinquency and exposes the adults who exploit these troubled teens.

Schuh’s young readers, however, do not have to face these complicated and unsettling issues alone. THE TRAZ is released with a Teaching Guide to give youngsters, parents, educators, law enforcers, and other community leaders an opportunity to discuss and explore the darkness that at-risk teens are both facing and fleeing.

What is the captivating story through which these life-lessons flow?

Katrina is thirteen, wealthy, grieving, and alone. But she is more than that. She's intelligent, beautiful, and intrigued by the dangers of street life.

Shrug's a giant of a man with a voice of thunder and eyes of granite. He has tattoos, The Traz gang patch, and a motorbike. When he asks Katrina if she wants a ride, she makes a decision that will change her life forever.

Katrina quickly discovers the violent side of life on The Traz compound. However, there is no way for her to escape until she meets Chad—an undercover cop with rich brown eyes, a gentle chuckle, and a plan to rescue Katrina from the clutches of the gang. However, there's a problem.

Somebody is keeping dangerous secrets from them both.

THE TRAZ is netting superlative reviews from some of Canada’s top authors.

"Raw and emotional with fast-paced, gripping tension, The Traz is a must-read for 'tweens, teens and parents."
--Cheryl Kaye Tardif, bestselling author of Children of the Fog

"Schuh creates complex characters and raw dialogue. This is a fast paced novel where redemption is found on the saddle of a Harley."
--Garry Ryan, author of the Detective Lane mysteries

Excerpt 

PROLOGUE

Cambridge Bay, December 1986

"How's my girl with the sunshine curls?" Dave Buckhold asked as he swung Katrina over his head. His young daughter squealed. He hugged her to his chest and her laughter subsided.

"Daddy! Daddy! Give me a kiss!" He nuzzled his lips to her tiny ear and gave her a million kisses. Beyond a doubt, Katrina was his reason for living. He pried her from his neck and set her down. 

"Where's Mom?"

A scowl replaced her smile. "I don't know."

"What do you mean, you don't know?"

Katrina reached for his hand. "She's somewhere."

Dave picked her up. She was four but so tiny. It was as if he had a toddler in his arms. He headed down the hall, flicking on lights as he went. "Tanesa?" he called. He frowned at his wife curled on the sofa. 

"Why are you lying here in the dark? You have a child to look after."

Tanesa kept her eyes shut. "She looks after herself fine."

Dave hugged Katrina tighter and cast the woman a long, silent gaze. His wife was nothing like their daughter. She was dark, in both skin tone and mood, and had none of the fine features that defined Katrina. Her straight black hair contrasted with Katrina's amber curls, and Tanesa was tall, matching him in height at five foot ten. At one time, he'd loved both her vulnerability and coarse beauty.

"Aren't you even going to say hi to me?" he eventually asked.

Tanesa slowly opened her eyes. "Hi."

"Katrina's too young to look after herself. Where's supper?"

"Ever since my dad and you bought her that computer…" 

Tanesa swung her legs over the edge of the couch and stared at her stockinged feet. She wiggled her toes into the thick gold carpet. 

"All she does is sit and play on the thing. I can only stand watching that for so long. Supper's in the oven." She rose and brushed past them to the kitchen.

"What did you have for lunch?" Dave whispered to Katrina.

"I look after myself fine," the child whispered back. "Don't fight. Please don't fight with Mommy."

Supper started in silence except for the clink of silverware against china. Dave was wiping up the last of his gravy with a bun when the mantle clock struck six o'clock. As the last chime faded, Tanesa spoke. "Dave, you promised me that we'd...."

Interview with Eileen Schuh

What will readers like about your book? 

The complex characters engaging in fast-paced, illicit, and dangerous activities. Adult readers (and perhaps the younger readers, too) will like the Teaching and Discussion guide that comes with it.

Why did you self publish? 

I chose to self-publish The Traz to establish a readership and promote myself as a writer prior to the August release of my tradtionally-published novel, Schrõdinger's Cat, by WolfSinger Publications. Having more than one book available is a great asset for a writer. If someone likes one of my books, they will search for and buy other books I have written--effectively doubling my sales.

What is your writing process?

I have many different process, from setting out with a specific story and readership in mind, to outlining and researching science, to working a story around a theme or life-lesson. The Traz, however, (as all other books in the BackTracker series) came about when a cast of characters appeared and began dictiating to me their stories. While writing this novel, I often did not know what was going to happen next, why things were happening as they were, or what the results of the characters decisions and actions would be. It was as fun to write as it is to read.

How long does it take you to write your first draft?

I seem to have a special 'in' with the crime fiction muses as my novels in that genre are written very quickly. My sci-fi novels take me longer to write and involve more research. My juvenile novels are somewhere inbetween. The first draft of THE TRAZ was done about 4 years ago and took me about a week to write. [I had little else happening in my life at that dark and lonely time. The Traz characters kept me company, entertained me, and prevented me from self-destructing.]

What inspired you to write this particular story?

THE TRAZ was actually written as a prequel to my BackTracker series of Crime Novels. I had written three or four books in the series when I became insatiably curious about how my characters met. About that time, as well, law enforcement officials and social service agencies were pleading for community help in preventing youngsters from joining gangs. THE TRAZ is my literary response to that plea. As well, The Traz satisfied my need to understand the BackTracker characters--where they were coming from and what was driving their relationships.

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In Between Lies by Shawna Hill

Kindle Price: 
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Author Website: 
www.shawnarhill.com 
www.shawnarhill.blogspot.com

After a devastating break up with her cheating fiancé, Savannah Summers delves into her work as the Assistant to the VP of Production in a marketing/production company. Finding refuge in work and her best friends, Savannah finally decides to try her hand at love one more time. Wanting more than ever to close the wounds of lost love and against her better judgment, she falls for Kevin Styles. This time around she vows to not give her whole self as before and keep her heart closer and guarded more than ever before.

Kevin Styles, a smooth, handsome Meteorologist at a local news station is somewhat a local celebrity in his own right. When it comes to women and playing the field, he holds all the cards. Being suave, having the right timing and patience is his forte and he is just the man to wine and dine her. However, a known player to his heart and in his not so distant past, he's looking for the right woman to tame his wild player ways.

Just when things are going perfect, Naomi Sanders, a blast from Kevin's past hits the scene. Naomi, now a revamped diva and budding actress, creates an entry into Kevin’s life and bed, reigniting a first unwanted and secret rendezvous that threatens his budding relationship with Savannah. For a short while, Kevin delights in having his cake and eating it too until Naomi decides that she wants more. Spurned, Naomi stops at nothing to stake her claim on what was once hers, bringing lies, destruction, and deceit, even if it means death. Naomi is bent on a sweet revenge targeted at anyone that lies within her path. Shattered trust and betrayal is inevitable. Can Kevin and Savannahs’ relationship withstand Naomi's tactics?

Excerpt: 

Still exhausted from the previous night at The Blue Horizon, Savannah flipped over in her bed and slammed the alarm clock off. Even though it was her daily routine to run everyday, she opted to skip this one. The early morning sun shone through her hand crafted horizontal blinds, promising yet another unusually nice but late Indian summer day. She reached over to close them and in the process knocked her clock to the floor. Her tongue still thick from the numerous drinks she had the night before, screamed for a glass of ice cold water. Her head throbbed with each movement like the very sound of pins dropping to her carpeted floor could magnify and echo in her ears. Thoughts of Kevin passed through her mind. She’d never even seen him the whole time they worked on the commercial for the club. It was Luther that handled everything. No mention of his name anywhere. Well, he did say a partner. Could have been lying though, she thought.

Tremors waved through her as she remembered his handsome face, strong hands and sexy bald head. She was never one for bald men, but this one was different. He oozed sex appeal. The kind that was really un-definable, untouchable, but defiantly there. He was smooth and had without doubt made a good impression on her. He was a gentleman in every sense of the word…as far as she could remember. After scooting out of bed her thoughts continued and one point of last nights conversation replayed over and over in her head….

“Where is your woman? She’s got to be around here somewhere.” Savannah looked around as if she knew who she was. She tried to call his bluff to his earlier comment about being single.

“Don’t have one right now…” He had many…but he told her the truth. He was not committed to any of them. “I have friends but that is all they are,” he continued. They both were sitting in his car. The sunroof was open and invited the full moon in. Shadows of light danced across his face exposing his strong jaw-line as he clenched his teeth as if in deep thought.

With the alcohol fully embracing her, she found heart enough to ask questions she otherwise would not have asked had she been sober. Jasmine crept in the back of her mind as well, giving her more courage to drop her guard and open up a bit. “C’mon…a man as fine as you has to have someone somewhere…even if she is in the shadows. You got it going on and single?! I don’t believe you…and does your “friends” know they are just friends?” Her voice slurred. She rubbed her eyes.

“Nope, but thanks for the compliment.” He looked at her. She was beautiful. Her soft features glistened between the shadowed moonlight as he drove her to her car. “And yes, they know they are just friends.” At three o’clock in the morning, Michigan Avenue was still bustling with energy, which made Kevin pay a bit more attention to the road than to her. “Where did you say you parked?” 

About Shawna Hill 

As an avid reader, Shawna Hill always loved the idea of writing a novel. Her first ventures were in short story format where she found her knack and was published first in confessional magazines. Later she moved on to create and publish an online romance magazine that eventually went into print. Her first novel, In Between Lies, is a result of numerous engaging conversations with her girlfriends.

Always one to want to explore ideas, explanations, and scenarios, Shawna decided to pen the stories that questioned situations. What is commitment… and when in a relationship does it take place? What is the price of being friends with benefits? Is it worth being that “friend” and taking the risk to maybe being the “one” later? How about the women that think they are in committed relationships only to find out he’s not committed at all? Once you find out he is not with just you, what lengths do you go through to try to be the only one? Or do you even want to? Do you run or stay and claim what you want?

Shawna Hill was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. She holds a BS in Business Administration from Ohio Dominican University. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Marketing and Communications @ Franklin University. For several years, she’s been an avid reader and at the urging of friends and family, decided to pen her own stories. She is currently at work on her next novel that will yet again question situations and ideas. 


Interview with Shawna Hill

N.L. Earnshaw: What will readers like about your book? 


Shawna Hill: They will like the drama and suspense that it brings. One of my main characters seem to have captured an audience of her own and people seemed to really love her attitude, confidence, and strong sex appeal that she brings to the story.

N.L. Earnshaw: Why did you self publish? 


Shawna Hill: I chose to self- publish after seeing that even if you are able to go the traditional way to get published, you still have to really get out there and push your product. The major publishing companies, from what I have seen, don’t give many unknown authors the backing in marketing their books and all efforts fall on the author anyway. Why kill yourself pushing your books and have the publisher, distributor and any other middle man cut your profits when you can do the work yourself? I do have to admit, it’s a lot of work but it is worth it and no one will push and see your works’ vision as you do. You know what you have and you believe in it completely and you will do what needs to be done to get it out there in readers hands.

N.L. Earnshaw: What is your writing process? 


Shawna Hill: I really don’t have a process. I just know where the story starts and have a general idea where I want it to end. The middle writes itself as the characters talk to me.

N.L. Earnshaw: How long does it take you to write the first draft? 


Shawna Hill: Usually, I can only write in short spurts…about 20 to 30 minutes at a time so it takes me some time to write. If I am consistent, it takes me about 2 months, a little more or a little less.

N.L. Earnshaw: What inspired you to write this particular story? 


Shawna Hill: After sitting around and talking to my girlfriends (and male friends) about the state or the lack of wholesome, committed relationships today, this was a result.

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Shattered Soul by Jennifer Snyder

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Author's websites:
jennifersnydersblog.blogspot.com

Hellish Nightmare...

If seventeen-year-old Seth Bradson were to describe his life in two words, those would be the two he’d choose. Seth prefers to cope with his crappy existence by spending his days in a drug-induced haze. But when Ali Carson steps into his life, Seth finds something he’s subconsciously been seeking—a new drug, one that consumes his mind unlike any other.

Love.

In a moment of unforgivable weakness, Seth allows Ali to try crystal meth, his most addictive temptation. This single event begins the unraveling of both their lives and forces Seth to learn the definition of regret the hard way.

About Jennifer Snyder

Jennifer Snyder lives in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina with her husband and two children. She finds great joy in blank notebooks and a smooth writing pen.

Interview with Jennifer Snyder

N.L. Earnshaw: Why did you self publish?

Jennifer Snyder: To me it was all about making my novel available at a low cost. I'm a book worm myself and in this economy I found myself more often than not putting the book I really, really wanted back on the shelf because I had other things to buy which were more of a necessity. That's the thing that really stood out to me, that as an author I can price my novel at a low cost for readers.

N.L. Earnshaw: What will readers like about your book?

Jennifer Snyder: Shattered Soul is a touching Edgy YA novel about teens and drug addiction. There is a lot of raw emotion, love, hardship, and violence mixed together for suspense.

N.L. Earnshaw: What is your writing process?

Jennifer Snyder: I write any scenes, ideas, or clips of dialogue that come to me in a spiral bound notebook. Then I begin on hand writing the chapters out. Once a chapter is completed, I then move over to my laptop and type it up.

N.L. Earnshaw: How long does it take you to write your first draft?

Jennifer Snyder: Usually about three months.

N.L. Earnshaw: What inspired you to write this particular story?

Jennifer Snyder: Honestly, I have no clue. The idea came to me on a Sunday afternoon while folding laundry. But what I would like people to gain from this story is that addiction can be a serious issue among teens even. And there are flip sides to it. For some, sadly, they are raised around drugs and often view them as an escape from life. For others, one moment changes their life and addiction 

WARNING: Adult content in excerpt from the book.

Concerto by Sandra Miller

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Author's websites:
www.sandra-miller.com


"I see you."

Three simple words from her telephone in the dead of night send violinist Chrispen Marnett's life spiraling in directions she never imagined. The chance to work with the greatest violinist alive drew her to Newton, but nothing could have prepared her for what she found there. Terror lurks in unexpected places--a ringing phone, a late-night rehearsal, unexpected flowers.

And what could have prepared her for Alexis Brooks: symphony concertmaster, international superstar, and accused murderer? Withdrawn and moody, Alexis is cut off from everyone around him; his colleagues in the symphony, his fans, even his own father. Everyone from her mother to the Newton Police has warned Chrispen against Alexis, but as her own danger increases, he may be her only ally.

Join Chrispen on the journey of a lifetime as she fights for her sanity, her happiness, and her life. To survive, she must unravel the layers of the past and learn the secrets the Newton Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra hides.

Excerpt

The dream was always the same.

I was running, running as fast as I could, running for my life--and for someone else's. Cold sweat pasted my clothes to me, and my feet screamed in painful protest. My throat made ragged choking sounds as I struggled to pull in air.

But I knew it didn't matter. I knew I was too late.

A building loomed up ahead, a brick building with climbing ivy, a building I had to get inside. It was so close, and yet so impossibly far away. Still, it was in sight. I felt a doomed hope rush through me, and I did what I would have sworn couldn't be done--I ran even faster.

I was holding nothing back now, my muscles working so frantically there was no time for pain. One of my blood-spattered canvas tennis shoes worked itself completely off my foot on the stairs. I didn't slow down, really didn't even notice. My attention was fixed on the third-floor landing, coming into view. Just around the corner now....I had to go faster....

I heard a woman scream, but I couldn't have told you if it was me or her.

The door was cracked open. But even as I pushed it open I knew I was too late; even as I first saw her lying bleeding on the living room floor I knew I couldn't save her....

And then I heard the footsteps, and I knew I couldn't save myself.

About Sandra Miller

Sandra Miller is an author. She's that girl you knew in school who always had a notebook in one hand and a pen in the other, and spent every spare second experimenting with ways to put them together.

She's also a violinist who has performed with the Las Vegas Symphony Orchestra, the UNLV Symphony Orchestra, and played in the band for a Kenny Rogers show. She's done productions of Oklahoma!, Le Nozze di Figaro, Madame Butterfly, and too many others to list. She's been playing and teaching music for nearly thirty years.

Her fiction works have previously appeared in Alienskin Magazine, Long Story Short, and Bewildering Stories.

Her poetry has appeared at Storyhouse, and one of her poems won the Grand Prize in the FictionAddiction 2002 poetry contest.

Her non-fiction articles have appeared in Writer's Journal, Music for the Love of It, Antiques & Collecting Magazine, Writing World, Vision for Writers, and Writer's Forum, a Writer's Digest publication.

Interview with Sandra Miller

N.L. Earnshaw: What will readers like about your book?

I think Bobbie Crawford-McCoy said it best:

"...it is an easy read that grabs the reader's attention and holds it to the very last page."

Sandra Miller: Concerto also provides an interesting view into the lives of working musicians. I have played the violin since I was ten years old, and for quite a few years was a working musician in various venues. But I found that even the family members of musicians usually have very little idea what it's really like; what it's like to play music, as a soloist or with others; what goes on at rehearsals, etc. Concerto gave me a way to make a window into that life, for those that would care to take a peek.

N.L. Earnshaw: Why did you self publish?

Sandra Miller: I think the writing has been on the wall for our current form of traditional publishing for quite a few years now. I'm not sure what form that industry will ultimately take when this all shakes out, but in the meantime, it seems to be the most promising place for new books right now is the self-published arena. The opportunities offered right now to writers who are willing to step up and learn the ropes are very exciting--nothing like it has ever existed in publishing as we know it.

N.L. Earnshaw: What is your writing process?

Sandra Miller: Some days I'm not even sure I have one! I have a full time job, so I have to make time for writing outside of that. And I have found that, at least for me, doing the homework like plotting and world-building before I start writing results in a much more solid end product. I try to document and share the things that work for me on my website and my blog. It can be difficult to pin down certain aspects of the process, though--there are parts of it that always seem like magic to me. I suppose that's why I keep coming back. :)

N.L. Earnshaw: How long does it take you to write your first draft?

Sandra Miller: That depends heavily on the story. I have had first drafts that took months, and first drafts that stretched into years. Epic fantasy novels (like the series I am currently working on) can take years for me to do, around everything else I do. Concerto, being a modern-time suspense thriller, didn't require all that world-building and other work that can really stretch out the process. It only took a few months.

N.L. Earnshaw: What inspired you to write this particular story?

Sandra Miller: Two things. It isn't common knowledge, but the stalking storyline that forms the basis of Concerto is based on some things that actually happened to me years ago. Of course it has been changed and reformed into the story, so there is little connection now to the events that actually did take place. And second, I wanted to write a story that was infused with music, where music was so important to the story it is almost a character itself. For me, the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto is wound so tightly through the story, it as practically another character.



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Hollywood Swinging by Chicki Brown

Kindle Price:
$2.99
Available from:
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Author's websites: 

www.chicki663.webs.com

Newlywed author Shontae Nichols Burke is trying to adjust to
her life in Hollywood as the wife of actor Devon Burke, one of the film industry’s brightest upcoming stars. She’s left her home and her friends and moved to Los Angeles.

They both have blossoming careers.  She’s attending movie premieres and living a life she only dreamed of. 

Unknown to Shontae, someone else also believes Devon Burke is the love of her life. When this disturbed woman insinuates herself into their lives, Shontae learns that all Hollywood drama isn’t scripted and finds herself in a fight for her marriage that’s worthy of the big screen.

Excerpt: 

Chapter
One

Devon came up behind her, wrapped one arm around her tiny waist and lifted her hair from her neck with a tender hand just like he’d done to me countless times. 

“You don’t know how much I missed you,’ he murmured into the soft spot just below her earlobe.

“I don’t believe you,” she teased, with her back arched and her breasts straining against the thin fabric of her top.  Her curvaceous rear undulated against him in a slow wave.My hands curled into tight fists, and I blinked a few times to be certain the scene before me was really

happening. What could be more devastating than a newlywed seeing her husband in an erotic situation with another woman? Another incredibly beautiful, younger woman. He seemed to be completely absorbed, as if nothing else in the world mattered. My breath hitched, and I froze.

“Oh, you don’t?” he said, his sexy baritone rough with desire. 

“I guess I’ll just have to show you then.”

 With parted lips and half closed eyes, Devon looked spellbound. He ran his long, strong fingers down the indentation in her back before letting his hands slither over her hips and down her taut thighs. In one swift motion his hands were under her flimsy top. 

“I’ve been away for two months. The whole time I was gone all I could think about was coming home and making love to you.” She giggled and I gagged when he yanked the top up uncovering her perfect breasts. 

“Fake!” my mind screamed. I squeezed my lips together to keep from making a sound when Devon forcefully pulled her back into his crotch. My tooth broke the skin of my lower lip, and I licked away the metallic taste of blood. Her arms spread out to the side with her fingers splayed on the wall. Devon trailed slow kisses down her spine, dropped to his knees and eased her pants down leaving her standing in a tiny black thong. His breathing was labored and the muscles in his back and powerful thighs strained with tension. Thankfully I was in the shadows where neither of them could see the abject horror on my face. 

Feeling like a voyeur, I forced down the sick churning in the pit of my stomach as Devon unzipped his pants and let them fall to the floor. A lump formed in my throat when I recalled how that morning I’d watched him put on the black silk boxers I’d bought him for our honeymoon. I’d shamelessly wished I could take them off him, but knew he was expected at work at six and didn't have time for any pre-dawn fun and games.

“And cut!” A voice rang out from the shadows near me. I rocketed back to reality, thankful for the momentary reprieve. My lungs suddenly refilled with air as if someone had removed the hand they’d had clamped over my nose and mouth.

INTERVIEW from Chicki Brown

N.L. Earnshaw: What will readers like about your book?

Chicki Brown: I think they will relate to Shontae. She is an average woman who marries an up-and-coming movie star. Without giving away too much, the story is about the joys and heartaches she experiences in her new Hollywood lifestyle.

N.L. Earnshaw: Why did you self publish?

Chicki Brown: After writing for ten years, signing with two different agents and still not getting a bite from a New York publisher, I decided to go it alone. For several years I had been reading author Joe Konrath’s blog, and followed with fascination what he called his “Kindle experiment.” His results astounded me, and I figured if he could pay his mortgage with his Kindle royalties, I could at least buy some shoes with mine!

E-publishing is the future and the future is now. All of the numbers for the last quarter of 2010 and the first quarter of 2011 show the amazing increase in e-book sales. Rather than sit around and allow this author-positive change in the industry to pass me by, I decided to jump in. So far, it’s been great ride, and it gets better every month.

N.L. Earnshaw: What is your writing process?

Chicki Brown: I am a plotter. My books always start with an idea, so I begin by making general notes on plot points the story might contain. As I go through this process, the characters begin to gel in my mind. My next step is to find photos of people that resemble my idea of the major players, what they drive, where they live, etc. and create a collage, which I post in my office. Seeing them makes it so much easier to write physical descriptions.

Although I work with a general outline, I give the characters free rein to take the story where they want it to go.

Since I belong to a critique group, I submit each finished chapter for their comments while I move on to writing the next chapter. When I get their critiques back, I immediately revise keeping their suggestions in mind.

N.L. Earnshaw: How long does it take you to write your first draft?

Chicki Brown: Usually three to four months because I typically write single title, long contemporary books that average around 400 pages. The editing and revision process takes another two to three months.

N.L. Earnshaw: What inspired you to write this particular story?

Chicki Brown: I think every female in this country has, at one time or another, imagined herself married to a movie star, most likely a particular movie star.

To be honest, I’ve often wondered what it might be like to be married to a big screen wonder. In reality, I know that the average Hollywood marriage is challenging to say the least and has the life span of a fruit fly. Hollywood Swinging is about a Tinseltown couple that is madly in
love and find themselves faced with an external threat, which begins to take a toll on their happy marriage. The story tells how they defeat this threat and get their happily ever after.

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Valentine's Cafe by Anthony Schmitz

Kindle Price: 

$3.99

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Website

The higher powers send the God of Love, Victor Valentine, to a frozen northern wasteland. His mission: spread the love.

Valentine's strategy is to open a restaurant. The food and wine, the potions at Valentine's disposal, the music, the waiters — all of it is directed at inspiring libidinous feeling among the clientele. Valentine's partner in scheming is his chef, the towering and volcanic beauty, Elevana Natasha Demidova. Nats. Together they succeed too well in turning the cafe into a wildly popular destination.

Inevitably, Valentine and the former Russian Mafia moll launch a tempestuous relationship of their own. Betrayal isn't far behind. By then, love trouble is just one of Valentine's problems. The minister across the street is eyeing Valentine's Cafe as a site for his mega-church. Picketers are on the sidewalk, the city councilman is aligned against him, and even the Governor has reason to help bring Valentine down.

The conclusion is a showdown between Valentine, Nats and her mobster pals, the councilman, the governor and half the neighborhood, all within the richly appointed confines of Valentine's Cafe. In this novel, if not in life itself, everyone gets approximately what they deserve.

jesus freakz + buddha punx by M.E. Purfield

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$4.99

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Website
Meet Patty Gee – Pentecostal teen living with her grandmother and widowed father. Patty finds happiness in her religion that keeps her close to her father, her recently deceased mother, and God. Her perspective is clear. It has to be if she’s going to survive freshman year in a new urban school.

After violent incident that leaves her beaten, she meets Miggy Perez – Dominican Buddhist punk who takes pictures off dog poop on the sidewalk. Yes, Miggy is weird. But Patty feels God sent Miggy to her for a reason. Plus, she’s one of the first people in school who doesn’t call her a Jesus Freak.

Late Summer Thunder by J. Jacen De La Garza

Available Free from:
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The sound of distant thunder ushers back memories of murder and redemption. Twenty years after the fact, Sam can no longer suppress the recollection of a night he had tried so hard to forget. Late Summer Thunder brings him back to the night of the storm, the night he witnessed a miracle.

Salt Bowl Death by Cypher Lx

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$4.99
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In 1876 on the Salt Flats of Utah, a prehistoric bacterium came to life when it entered the bloodied wounds of a small posse of lawmen and spread like wildfire. Two years later, the territories are overrun with the walking dead. Salt Bowl Death begins with a bounty hunter called The Reaper by those who have encountered him. Dressing in all black and riding a steed with a hellish spirit, The Reaper cuts down the undead population…for a price. No normal person feels at ease around him, whether it’s due to his reputation or the fact that he keeps his face covered. The town of Fortuna, Arizona becomes the one place where he finds that he is not alone in his quest.

Forgotten April by Robyn Bradley

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For April Sullivan-LaMonica, the last ten years have been hell: her husband and young son were killed in a car accident, and soon after, her mom descended into the darkness of Alzheimer's. So when broadcast journalist Maggie Prescott shows up claiming to be April's half sister and tries to capture their reunion on film, April outwardly regards Maggie with much suspicion. In reality, she's simply afraid to grow close to someone again, only to have that person leave—or worse.

Ringing True by Robert Morrow

Ringing True takes place during the years 2005-2006, a time when the Culture Wars are at their peak and America is fighting two shooting wars on the other side of the globe. The novel begins on a late summer night in Seattle where we find Justin Raines alone, stretched out on the living room floor of his apartment, his face bathed by the glare from an open laptop. Justin appears to be mindlessly passing the time, but in truth is deeply troubled by the current state of the human race. He sees clearly that people around the world are consumed by self-interest that will invariably lead to self-destruction, but has no idea what he can do about it.

As luck would have it, his soul mate, Shelby Mirabeau, returns from an aborted voyage to the South American backwoods and helps him clarify both the idea and the direction they must take: