More Good Reads

Hello, Fire Enthusiasts. How is everybody? It’s good to see you. I thank you so much for stopping by. I realize everyone is so incredibly busy. Lord knows I am. I’ve been trying to visit everyone periodically. If you haven’t seen me for a while, please say hello and leave your link. I’ll be right over.

Lately, it seems that there has only been time for blogging and reading, so that’s what I continue to be up to. Soon, however, that will change as I transition over to writing once again. I haven’t written anything new since last year’s project which was Seeing Ghosts. More on that later…

I have a few more books to tell you about.

An Illusion of Trust by Linda Cassidy Lewis

In this sequel to The Brevity of Roses, Renee Vaziri discovers that even when your dreams come true your nightmares remain. When Renee Marshall locked the door on her dark past and married Jalal Vaziri, she hoped for a quiet life in a California coastal town. Now, with a sexy, adoring, wealthy husband, one beautiful child and another on the way, she dares to believe happily ever after could be her future. But doors don’t always stay locked. As the stress of living in Jalal’s high-society world increases, the traumas of Renee’s past begin to poison the present and threaten to destroy everything she treasures. Is it her imagination or is Jalal keeping a secret that will end their marriage and rip her children from her life? And could it involve Diane, the woman who reminds Renee too much of Jalal’s beloved first wife?

It’s not exactly horror, is it? No, but you may recall me telling you before that I like to mix things up that way. Lewis is a dear friend of mine. We’re practically neighbors, too, and I can’t wait to sit down with her and chat about writing. In any event, it was not difficult at all to get me to grab my copy of this book. Lewis’ writing is top notch and I really enjoyed this book. I wanted to strangle Lewis’ character Renee a few times, but her struggles are integral to the story and make perfect sense once you’ve taken this continued journey with her. Lewis spins a fine tale and I hope she continues to pick up her mighty pen and blaze trails like this one. I fear Lewis is uncertain of the talent she has, but she shouldn’t. Her writing is as good as anything out there in the market place. If this sounds up your alley, I hope you’ll give it a try.

Immaterial Evidence by Milo James Fowler

The vault door never opened. The bank went into lock down in less than a minute. Yet the security footage was unmistakable: a hundred silver bars had simply vanished. Ever since the city’s most dangerous crime boss put a price on his head, private investigator Charlie Madison has lived as an exile in Little Tokyo. But now an old friend and police sergeant has lured Madison back into the city to hunt down an invisible criminal—if he can. As Madison makes his clandestine return, high-profile people start disappearing. And when federal agents swoop onto the scene to take matters into their own hands, they offer Madison a deal he can't refuse—as long as he agrees to work with them. With Japanese freedom fighters and refurbished killing machines threatening to take the world to the brink of nuclear holocaust, the United World government needs all the help it can get. Embroiled in an unimaginable mystery, one private eye must rely on his wits to solve a case where the evidence is immaterial, and the odds are stacked high against him at every turn.

I really liked this story. It was a bit of crossover fun; a cross between Mickey Spillane and iRobot. Fowler really painted the classic noir/gumshoe world well with the typical seedy areas of town – warehouses, dark alleys, cultural inner city sections – as well as the great dialogue and narration/detective’s inner voice. The science fiction part of the story was a new twist I had yet to see, but why not? Why does everything in this genre have to be Maltese Falcon-ish?

The story was fairly short which I’m curious about. All in all, I had no complaints. It was different, well-written and completed submerged me in Madison’s world. It wasn’t a world I was expecting, but that simply made it one of those pleasant reading discoveries which is why we pick up a book in the first place.    

Before I go I want to thank everyone for allowing me to spend a good chunk of the year promoting Seeing Ghosts. It’s been a long year from teasers to cover reveals to event day to book tour, and I appreciate you allowing me to do that. I will attempt to back off from that now and talk about other things. Of course I’m still trying to sell it. I just don’t want to inundate you with all of that ad nauseum! I thank those of you who have picked up a copy, those who’ve added it to their GoodReads TBR piles, those who’ve reviewed it, and even those among you who have not yet decided. Everything’s appreciated.

Take care and have a great week.

We’ll talk soon.

This Post is About You, My Friends

Hello, Fire Enthusiasts. How are you? Well, I hope. You ladies and gentlemen have been awesome of late, and I really want to offer you a shout-out. In fact, I hope to demonstrate that commitment by not talking about myself this week.

Really? You ask. It’s true. I mean it when I say that I don’t like it always being about me. I know that you stop by to check in, as you are able. I’m very grateful for that, and adore your visits. However, this time it’s going to be about you. There will be plenty of time in the next month to update you on my latest book, or to offer new excerpts – and I will. Just not today.

Instead, I want to thank all of the writers and bloggers out there who shared their sites with me, whether it was revealing my cover; sharing my synopsis; promoting my sites; promoting my Facebook event page – or a combination of those things. You guys rock. I hope I managed to visit those posts and thank you and your readers there. Please tell me if I failed to do so, and I will launch right over. Unless I saw the tweet or Facebook status, I may not have known when it went live. 

Seriously, thank you.

Beyond that, I have been so busy with finishing this new novel, as well as working so hard at the day job as I transition to the new position, that I haven't had the time to visit your sites. Hopefully you have seen me drop by recently as I play catch up. If not, say hello and I'll head right over.

Lastly, I want to offer my pal and author Stant Litore a shout out. I haven’t had the time to do much reading of late, but during this hectic time I did manage to read his fabulous novel, Strangers in the Land. You may recall me saying in the past that I don’t care for zombie novels, but with Litore that’s okay - that isn’t what he writes. Oh, there are most certainly zombies in his stories (in fact, there are literally hundreds of them, if not more), but I defy you to call him a zombie writer. He is anything but that. As he told me recently, "it's always about the living more than it is about the dead."

There are so many good books out there that we cannot possibly read them all. Sometimes I like an author’s work, but too many other books keep me from going back to take another bite, as it were. When the writer is brilliant or doing work that shakes the foundations of what has come before, I find myself running back to them. This is the case with Litore. I loved Death Has Come Up Into Our Windows and continued to be impressed with What Our Eyes Have Witnessed.

However, just when one might have thought that the bar had been raised too high already, I read Strangers in the Land. My friends, this one is epic!

The Synopsis: Four must stand against the dead. The aging prophetess Devora. Hurriya, the slave girl. Zadok, a legend among warriors. And the widower Barak, who has sworn to defend his homeland from a migration of walking corpses greater than has ever been seen.

Devora is all too familiar with the unclean dead. She was there when her mother was pulled screaming from her tent by zombies. And when her mother rose, famished for flesh, it was Devora's hand that ended her hunger. Now Devora has struck an uneasy alliance with those she fears most among the living. Yet the strangers in the land must stand together if they are to rid the land of its curse.

Litore really outdid himself with this newest chapter in his Zombie Bible series. I’m not sure I have the words to express how utterly impressed I am with it. It is easily his best work, and as I said before – the bar had been raised pretty damn high. It is truly remarkable. The story is sweeping, gut-wrenching and heart-breaking. Anyone who absently calls it a "zombie" story deserves a slap to the head. That is only a small part of what this book truly entails. The prose is perfect, very often reading like poetry and I wouldn't have changed one word. I told Litore that I wished I had written down some of his sentences to show you, but I was too busy in the adventure that is Strangers. The work is on the long side, but you won’t notice.

Whether you enjoy zombie or not, if you like intelligent stories that are dark in nature, you absolutely must do yourself a favor and get into this series. This one reads as if it were one of the unearthed Dead Sea Scrolls or some lost tome to be discovered long hidden in the depths of the Vatican Library.

Convinced yet? Well, how about this: the author tells me that What Our Eyes Have Witnessed can be yours free if you sign up for Amazon’s Daily Kindle Deals e-mail. Follow this link and begin the adventure. I keep coming back. I think you will, too.

Once again, I thank all of you for your support and encouragement.

We’ll talk soon.

Vampires Hunting for an Audience

Greetings and Salutations, Fire Enthusiasts. So glad you could take a moment of your time to drop by. Life has been hectic, as I know it probably has for you as well. Work at the day job has continued to be crazy busy, but who wants to discuss that? Certainly not me. *frowns* I don't even want to think about that when I'm there. ;)

Thanks to my being on vacation for those two weeks at the holidays - and the little part about me eating and drinking everything in sight *laughs* - I have been hard at work dropping the extra ten pounds I gained in December. I have faithfully been climbing upon my trusty treadmill and am pleased to report that I am down to 182. Of course it takes 60-90 minutes (4.5 to 6 miles and 800 to 1000 calories reduced) nearly every day to get me where I want to be. How about you? Any of you fighting the month of December?

I have been getting more reading done. I just finished the second installment of author Stant Litore's wonderful Zombie Bible series. This one was What Are Eyes Have Seen and it was very, very good. You may recall that I don't care for zombie tales, but what my friend Litore is doing is not to be missed. One wouldn't think there could be anything beautiful in and around zombie action, but you'd be terribly wrong. Then on Friday, author Greg Sisco released the second chapter of his Blood Brother's saga: The Wages of Sin. The book was so good that I had it done on day two. I drank from it like a fledgling vampire takes his first drain. What's a "drain" you may ask? It's what Sisco's vamps refer to their victims. If you've never heard anything like this, I can assure you that what Sisco is doing is altogether new and there's nothing like it in the marketplace; and if he shortly reports that some big six publisher has made him an offer he couldn't refuse, it will come as no surprise to me at all.

I labeled this post the way I did because it has been very slow going it terms of sales. The past couple of years I spend much time on promotion, doing the blogs and sending out Tweets and Facebook updates, etc. on promotion with little to show for it. This year, I plan on letting the work do the promoting. The reviews are trickling in, but when they do form a pool, they are glorious. I just received one yesterday by the awesome Lindsey Clarke. Click on her name there if you wish to see it. Among other things, she said: "With edge of your seat action and nail-biting events, (Garcia) leads you on a chase around town, where you're desperate to find out where the evil will strike next, and as it turns out, the danger is always closer than you might think... These days when you can't turn the page without bumping into a hot sparkly vampire or a bit of paranormal erotica, it's refreshing to find a novel without either. What I liked about (it) is that it leans toward the original vampire legend where vampires are more likely to drain you dry and rip your head off than sleep with you."

Not too shabby, huh? The series is available on Amazon Kindle and can be had for $4.00.

Lastly, I have been hard at work on draft two of my paranormal romance ghost story. Now, before you start picturing scantily clad cover models, you can sit back down. I'm aiming for that audience, but at it's heart it is a ghost story that deals with love and loss. I wrote this a year ago and am making it priority one. If you haven't seen me around the blogs, this is why. I'm hoping to have it ready for beta readers next month sometime, and this is where you come in. I will leave you with the working blurb that I have for it. Last year I had a couple of people tell me they'd be interested, but I'm asking one more time as I build a list of potential readers. Please let me know if you might be available to read something in the 70k word range that I can have ready for my editor in the spring. I could really use the help.

Blurb for Ghosts:

Paul Herrera hasn’t worked, left town or done much of anything since the untimely death of his wife three years before. He suddenly finds himself bequeathed a mysterious old house near the California central coast by a deceased aunt that he never knew. The woman who showed it to him and handed him the keys is the spitting image of his dead wife, taken from him in a senseless car accident which also took from him his unborn son. While he deals with the ghosts of a past that he cannot let go, there are new ghosts as dead Aunt Flora is not content with eternal sleep, but continues her unholy quest to be rejoined with her dead husband on this side of the grave.

Flora isn’t the only ghost that Paul must deal with, alone for the week in the expansive two-storey house that he will soon discover holds many secrets. Eventually, he will see that he is surrounded by ghosts, both the ethereal and those that haunt his memories, as he struggles to hold onto the only thing that he has left in this world: his sanity.

Ghosts is the 72,000 word novel that mixes Paranormal, Horror and Romance to come up with a story that should appeal to everyone who likes their dark genres paired with reality that we can all relate to such as the feelings of terrible heart-wrenching loss and our search for a love that might outlive us.

We'll talk soon.

The Reviews Are In

Hello, Fire Enthusiasts. It's practically mid-November as I pen this post. Are we ready for the holidays? Are you a fan? I am. Definitely. You most likely will not find me on-line much the day after Thanksgiving because I will be decorating. Yeah, some horror writer, huh? You would have thought that Halloween was more my time of the year, but it isn't. No. I am all about Christmas music; decorative lights, both inside and out; drinking my coffee out of Christmas mugs; etc. Last year, my regular followers may recall how I was sick for two weeks. Hopefully this year will be different and I will be able to enjoy the time. I hope you will, too.

I’ve been doing a lot of promotion of late, since I have the second book in my Dance on Fire series just out and have been posting several teasers. I will be doing more of this as I attempt to convince thriller, suspense, paranormal and horror fans to come along for this ride. This week, I thought I would let some of my reviews do the talking…
 

“This truly was a spectacular read… The first thing that struck me about this book was the author’s prose. It’s beautiful, almost poetic, but not overly done. It has a wonderful flow and rich descriptions that will draw the reader in, immersing them in mood and setting. You won’t find one-dimensional characters here. Not only did I enjoy reading about each one, but I cared what happened to them. Dance on Fire is a mysterious page-turner that moves along at a fast pace. This story is a well-balanced blend of horror and suspense, and though it’s referred to as a Christian crossover, the religious undertones were subtle enough that they won’t encroach or offend those with…different views.” – Adriana Noir, Author of Requiem: Book of the Fallen.

“I cannot wait for the next book from James Garcia Jr. This book may have taken him 20 years to write, but it was well worth the time he put into it. I cannot recommend this book enough. If I could give it more than 5 stars I would.” – Author Lisa McCourt Hollar.

“What Author James Garcia has done is he’s taken two genres: horror and crime and blended them magnificently. It reads like a cop thriller yet has the special excitement that one can only find in a horror novel. Fans of both genres will be glued! I don’t want to give too much of the story away but I liked that the two vampires had a relationship as well as a past history which makes their depiction all the more interesting. I guess what I liked best of all was the theme of good and evil, and the inclusion of God in this well-written story. Too many times I feel this vital ingredient of good vs. evil is left out of many vampire novels. This is fast paced and tense. I liked the time element that the author uses because it tightens the pace even more. Lastly let me commend author James Garcia, because in his adept hands he has made this thoroughly engrossing novel an exceptional read.” – Carole Gill, Author of The House on Blackstone Moor.

“I loved how the author has you immediately pulled into the story. Though a good sized book…there is a wonderful pace to it which keeps you reading, drawing you into the story with every word. You’ll find yourself quickly immersed in the story…The plot is superbly written. I loved how it also took the form of a mystery while you follow the detectives trying to solve the bizarre murders. You won’t be disappointed in the growing tension which builds up to a dramatic climax. Don’t let the genre titles of horror or Christian put you off, if you love vampire stories, you’ll enjoy this book!” Jen Wylie, Author of Sweet Light.

“From the very outset I enjoyed this book. I liked everything that I read. As a writer myself, I would not have changed anything. I particularly loved the start. You do not need to be told that this guy is bad news. From there on it never lets up, and keeps you wanting to read right up the ending. Well thought out and well crafted. I look forward to more.” – Mathew Bridle, Author of Emun of Mor. 

“I thoroughly enjoyed Dance on Fire and found it totally absorbing, a terrific distraction from my ordinary life. The plot was skillfully developed and strung together with such grace, I wasn't really sure what was going to happen in the end until the conclusion. Garcia teases the reader in a variety of directions, and, like any good mystery, although you search for clues, nothing is revealed until the end. I liked the treatment of the vampire as both light and dark, and this book dealt with both sides believably.”  - Angela Love

“I originally was drawn to this book simply based on its setting. What I found, however, was that this author brings such a depth to his characters and a unique perspective to the storyline, it makes it difficult to find a stopping point! I loved the way he weaves vastly different genres together so harmoniously that, rather than being ridiculous, leaves you thinking outside the box. I can't WAIT for the sequel! – Trish Barbarick

“Mr. Garcia has taken the oft over-drafted "Vampire" story to a new level. I was enthralled with the storyline and characters. Being somewhat familiar with Kingsburg, I found myself drawn even deeper into the action as I could picture myself at the exact locations. The bridge between vampirism and Christianity was an intriguing twist in the book and I thoroughly enjoyed each and every page. I certainly look forward to the sequel and future works by James.” – Glenn Murphy

“I love what James Garcia, Jr. has done with Dance on Fire. The characters are drawn with depth and substance. Garcia has a gift for dialogue that “shows” more than “tells” the reader about the characters. I was also struck by the imaginative storyline which builds tension to the dramatic, bittersweet climax. Garcia mixes a horror thriller with deep suggestions about the nature of grace and providence and leaves you thinking about these concepts long after the book is finished.” – Pastor Ed Esaki, Kingsburg, Ca.

“Characters with substance that get inside your head and don't let go. A literary ride that was exciting and enjoyable. A must for lovers of the Vampire genre, anyone who has ever spent a day or more in Kingsburg, California, and those who just love a good book.” – Micheal Graham

“The book was captivating. I was drawn into the characters. Even within their mundane lives that were soon to be turned upside down, they had depth to them that really pulled you into their world. The scenes were very detailed as well: some of which you wish there would be more left to the imagination. But it wouldn't be a horror story if it didn't have the gory details. Great read! Looking forward to the sequel.” Cassia Pabis

“This book (is)…very different, very detailed and leaves nothing on the table, and Vampire enthusiasts will not be disappointed. The book brings Christianity and Vampires on a collision course and I loved it. The one trait I look for in a character or characters is determination. And Nathaniel and Vincent fill the pages with this purpose and the author does it brilliantly and not many can web together multiply themes and emotions. Garcia did it beautifully.” – Vince Considine, Author of the forthcoming horror thriller, Unable.

“I really got into this book because of the characters, they were well developed and believable. The action is intense and relentless. An epic tale of good vs. evil. I don't want to put any spoilers out there, but a "couple" of the characters had me baffled and I am hoping to read the sequel very soon to see what happens. Well done! I can't wait for book 2!” – Erik Gustafson, Author of Fall Leaves and the Black Dragon.

“What a pleasant, pleasant surprise. I truly enjoyed this book. James gave vampires an entirely different view to me. I immediately fell in love with Nathaniel; captured as a child, imprisoned and then turned against his will. His life changes the day he saves Barbara & her babies’ lives. This story not only showed how evil & despicable a vampire could be, but how wonderful, God worthy people they also are. You have drama, mystery, horror…just intense suspense, plus spirituality - nothing over the top - but just enough to make the story work really, really well. Highly recommended - will be thoroughly enjoyed.” – Liz Cabrejos

"Many thanks to all who have posted reviews. Everything helps. For those who are reading my work and will be posting reviews in the not-too-distant future, allow me to thank you in advance.

We'll talk soon.

A Tale of Two Reviews

Greetings and salutations, Fire Enthusiasts. I’m so glad to see you, and I can actually see you, you know? Some of you aren’t morning persons, I can tell. While we're on the subject, perhaps it's time to replace those frayed robes that some of you have been wearing. And for one of you, I'd just be happy if you wore any robe!

Just kidding. I can’t really see you. Or can I? *sports devilish grin*

Thanks so much for all of the kind advice and comments over last Monday’s post. I like to be real like that because I know that all of us go through much the same feelings and questions. Hopefully, by discussing it we all felt a little better; recharged even.

In any event, I have come before you this week to tell you about two very cool books that I read since my last review. Both of these are definitely worthy of your time; one might be new to many of you, while I believe that I am way behind the curve on the other.

The first is a book entitled, An Unfamiliar Murder. It was written my one of the nicest people that I have had the good fortune to meet, and a very promising and gifted author as well. Her name is Jane Isaac.

The Synopsis:

Arriving home from a routine day at work, Anna Cottrell has no idea that her life is about to change forever. But discovering the stabbed body of a stranger in her flat, then becoming prime suspect in a murder enquiry is only the beginning. Her persistent claims of innocence start to crumble when new evidence links her irrevocably with the victim... Leading her first murder enquiry, DCI Helen Lavery unravels a trail of deception, family secrets and betrayal. When people close to the Cottrell family start to disappear, Lavery is forced into a race against time. Can she catch the killer before he executes his ultimate victim?

I found Jane’s novel to be quite the lovely page turner. Due to circumstances beyond Anna's control, she finds herself swept up in a dangerous world of murder and treachery. In so doing, she undergoes a transformation. Much like a butterfly, emerging from its chrysalis, Anna is taken above and beyond the person that she knew herself to be. Many authors tell you a character has grown due to life-changing events, but Isaac did a wonderful job of “showing” that transformation. In the Star Wars prequels, for instance, we know that Anakin becomes Darth Vader, I just personally didn't believe it. Lucas is a genius at a great many things, but I just didn't think he did as wonderful a job with that character’s transformation from protector of the Jedi to murderer of women and children.

I didn’t mean for this to become a Lucas bashing. I admire the man a great deal. I just didn’t buy into the transformation. Here, Isaac does a splendid job.

Isaac also did a fine job of character-building with her supporting cast. An Unfamiliar Murder gives its readers several varying and multi-dimensional characters that we can readily believe and follow. You will find no cookie-cutter characters here. You'll find that the supporting cast's sole purpose is not to aid or thwart Anna, but very much have lives, hopes and dreams of their own.

I also enjoyed the pacing and the twists. One might suggest that the direction the novel took in the last quarter or so was a bit of a stretch, but I think it worked fine. I found myself hoping the family secrets went even darker and deeper than they did, but overall I found myself pleased with both the reveal and the resolution. I’m being purposely cryptic here since I don’t want to give anything away.

Author Jane Isaac is as cute as a button, has the most infectious giggle you've ever heard and, more importantly, is a serious and skilled author. I will very much look forward to whatever she's got planned next.  

The second novel that I'd like to share with you is Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs.

The synopsis:

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.

I saw this novel making the rounds through several blogs last year, and I could tell that readers were very excited about it. It just took me a while to clear through my TBR pile in order to get to it. Actually, my family gave it to me in March as part of my birthday gift. I'm so glad that they did because I, too, am happy to suggest it to the few remaining holdouts in the world who have yet to take the plunge.


One of my favorite all-time books is The Thief of Always by Clive Barker. This book reminded me so much of that classic. Much like a great animated film that is pleasing to both children and adults, this book reaches the entire audience. Nearly the entire book is centered around the young Jacob and eventually the "children" he meets at Miss Peregrine's Home; however, it never once feels like you're reading a children's book.


There's little point in my telling you what most of you have already discovered, having read the novel way before me: the characters are well designed, the writing is top notch and the entire thing is gripping from beginning to end. And perhaps making it the most brilliant piece of writing ever is the fact that Riggs first had to find the strange and mysterious photographs to inspire the story, rather than have them produced by a special effects team once the book was completed. This novel is incredibly imaginative and a real breath of fresh air. 

If you haven't read the book, you really ought to do so. It was a marvelous ride, and I am very interested to see what he has planned for the survivors in book two.

We'll talk soon. 

Creep!

Hello, Fire Enthusiasts. I thank you so much for stopping by. You know how much I love your visits.


My friends, I have read some very good novels this year and it’s only April! Just when I might have figured that my hot streak couldn't possibly continue, along came Jennifer Hillier and her gripping debut Thriller, Creep.


The word “gripping” gets thrown about quite a lot when discussing fiction. I have used it myself for some reviews, and have contemplated using it for others; but have held it back lest I be accused of its overuse. Well, let me tell you something. I read this particular book in two days! That never happens. During day two, I read every down minute that I had while at the day job, and then I got home and read it for 3.5 miles while power walking on my treadmill. I pushed that healing left knee of mine (which we discussed a few weeks ago - yes, it's getting better - thanks), extending myself that extra half mile because I simply could not put it down.


This book will grab you by the throat and squeeze it tight until it is done with you, much like protagonist Ethan Wolfe might do. The author Jeffery Deaver had this to say about Creep: "Jennifer Hillier's Creep is top-of-the-line thriller writing. You better call in sick, because you're not going anywhere until you finish reading..."


Here’s the synopsis:


Dr. Sheila Tao is a professor of psychology. An expert in human behavior. And when she began an affair with sexy, charming graduate student Ethan Wolfe, she knew she was playing with fire. Consumed by lust when they were together, riddled with guilt when they weren’t, she knows the three-month fling with her teaching assistant has to end. After all, she’s finally engaged to a kind and loving investment banker who adores her, and she’s taking control of her life. But when she attempts to end the affair, Ethan Wolfe won’t let her walk away.
. . . no one else can.


Ethan has plans for Sheila, plans that involve posting a sex video that would surely get her fired and destroy her prestigious career. Plans to make her pay for rejecting him. And as she attempts to counter his every threatening move without her colleagues or her fiancé discovering her most intimate secrets, a shattering crime rocks Puget Sound State University: a female student, a star athlete, is found stabbed to death. Someone is raising the stakes of violence, sex, and blackmail . . . and before she knows it, Sheila is caught in a terrifying cat-and-mouse game with the lover she couldn’t resist—who is now the monster who won’t let her go.



This novel is an amazing achievement for a debut author. We’ve all read good works from seasoned authors that did not do what Hillier does here. I have spent more time reading the Paranormal and Horror genres this year, but Hillier’s work makes me realize that my first love might very well be the Thriller. The pacing in this thing was a work of art, with no slow sections. I literally refused to put my Kindle down until the ride was over.



Another thing that impressed me was the deeply three-dimensional characters. From Sheila, to Ethan, to Morris the fiancé, to retired police officer/turned Private Investigator Jerry, Hillier did a superb job bringing these people to life for me. I would not be shocked to find out that they are all real people living quietly in Seattle, Washington, hoping not to be recognized. That’s how real they were for me.



Not only is Hillier a master of the suspense, but she is one in Psychology as well. She flexed great skill here, displaying troubled characters that populate her tale so believably that we never question it; capturing well the troubled people that surround all of us, whether in our neighborhoods and workplace, and, sadly, on the nightly news as well. She also did very well with props, police procedure and subjects like make-up effects, and she did so, not in a way to impress us with her impeccable research or knowledge, but to seal the deal; getting her readers to totally become engrossed with her tale.



This was a near-perfect work of art. Spoiler alert! My only gripe was getting a piece of information from a mysterious voice in the darkness at one point, late in the story. We were given a clue to the outcome that I wish we had not been given. When it was said, I knew immediately the twist, and I was saddened to know it too far in advance. I didn’t mind at all having the same hint revealed by the villain a bit later on. That would have been enough. Perhaps you will not find that to be true, but I’m one who likes to have his presents revealed on Christmas morning and not before. I would have preferred having the jaw-dropping moment come much later, and to find me unsuspecting.



Other than that, this novel owned me and would not leave me alone until I had finished the ride. If you love a good Thriller like I do, and you have not yet been introduced to the incredible talent that is Jennifer Hillier, I strongly urge you to crab a copy for yourself. The price was a bit higher than I was used to, for those of us who buy e-books, but I can guarantee you that this ride is worth both the cost and the time it takes to wait in line for it to begin. I already have my eye on her next release later this year. That one is called Freak.

The author can be found on Facebook as well as her website. She's been very approachable in my experience, which I adore her for, so say hello. Notice that I used the word "approachable" and not "stalked"! But you'd better hurry. Soon we'll be dealing with her staff. Yeah, she's that good. 


We’ll talk soon.

Asylum Lake

Hello, Fire Enthusiasts. I have something for you. It’s just a simple plastic bracelet. There’s nothing to fear about that, right? Here, allow me to put it on you. Thank you. That’s nice. It used to belong to me, but I’m giving it to you. Notice how you can hear my voice in your head now? Good. Now I have some things that I need you to do for me…

Oh, and you’ll do them. *laughs maniacally*

My friends, I just read a marvelous book. That’s why we read, isn’t it? It’s the potential to be amazed, surprised and very often blown away. Such a thing happened to me this past week as I (finally) opened my Kindle and began reading something that had been whispering to me for quite awhile. It is called Asylum Lake and it was written by the wonderfully demented and extremely talented R.A. Evans.

I’ll let him tell you about it first:

“The State’s second largest Psychopathic Hospital opened in 1917 on 600 wooded acres overlooking a small lake near Bedlam Falls, Michigan. Through its doors came the weak and the weary, the disabled and the discarded, the frail and the forgotten. But an open door is an invitation, and some visitors, once invited, are loath to leave. The hospital abruptly closed in 1958 under a cloud of mystery. It has remained empty and silent, save for the memories trapped both within its walls and far below the surface of the nearby lake that bears its name. At the bottom of Asylum Lake, the unremembered are growing restless.

Brady Tanner is trying to outrun memories of his own. After the sudden death of his wife, Brady retreats to the small town where he spent the summers of his youth. But he soon learns small towns can be stained by memories…and secrets, too. As Brady is drawn into unearthing these secrets, as he discovers a new love in an old friend, he is also drawn into the mystery of Asylum Lake and the evil that lies submerged beneath its sparkling surface. What is the source of this evil – and what does it want with Brady Tanner?”

The novel opens with a young man being found guilty of murder. We leave that scene and are introduced to our main character Brady Tanner. The book was nice and well-written during this time, and my first thought was that is was going to be an "okay" story. If you find that to be true as well, just hold on. It isn’t too long before we get to the chapter, entitled: "Crimes Against Humanity". From there, Evans blows the roof off, and if you’re anything like me, you won’t be able to put it back down again until you’ve consumed the entire book whole.

It was such a brilliant moment, as if the story was written by two different authors. We went from quaint story with a bit of creepiness to full-out horror. It’s tough in that house, if you happen to have a nervous stomach. I highly advice you to cover your face and read through splayed fingers. A subsequent chapter is entitled: "House of the Dead", if that's any indication.

I found the characters well written and conceived. If you read Patricia Cornwell’s Scarpetta series, you may notice a similarity between her Pete Marino and Evans’ retired sheriff Frank Griggs, but I liked him a lot, and eventually he made me forget all about Marino. The villains in this are also well-conceived, imaginative and memorable.

The pacing is done very well and is often told through flashbacks. I know this turns some folks off, but I found it easy enough to follow, thanks to time and date stamps before those chapters. Music plays a large part of what goes on and I loved that, being a huge music fan myself. The pieces selected were well chosen and not at all forced fed into the story (as some authors have done - as if the they simply wanted to use their favorite songs). I commend Evans here. He is also extremely witty and intelligent, and uses those attributes to pepper his story like a great chef would an otherwise fine dish, making it stand well above the rest.

Really, my only complaint had to do with formatting, and, if memory serves, those issues were being corrected.

This is a well written novel. It is as good and as gripping as anything that you might find on your local book shelves, and certainly deserves a spot there. What’s more: there is a sequel coming and I really am so impressed with this novel that I can’t wait for its arrival. This novel has everything: a great central plot, along with several meaty sub-plots; it is horror, paranormal and a great detective story as well. With a series, we can sometimes feel as if the story has been stretched in order to produce more books. In Asylum Lake, Evans doesn’t give us half a story, he gives us an entire story that he is telling in two parts.

Be warned. There are a few squeamish moments regarding children, but I highly recommend this fantastic novel. At first, I thought it might be good, but when that moment came - the moment when the afterburners were lit and everything just took off, I cursed happily under my breath, knowing at that moment that this ride was going to be something special. I think you will as well.

If you have yet to meet Mr. Evans, you can find him at his site here.

Get in the truck and he'll take you there. Remember: you’re still wearing that bracelet.

We’ll talk soon.

The Cellar and The Well

Hello, Fire Enthusiasts. How is everybody? I am great! I say this because as I pen this post on Sunday afternoon, I am anticipating one more day off as Monday is President's Day in America. Typically these posts are scheduled for midnight in California and I am at work as the first comments begin to come in. They make my day, by the way, so I thank you for that. Tomorrow, I will get to sleep in and then get some writing done as I begin to receive visitors.

I have entitled this post, The Cellar and The Well, because I wish to speak about two similar things which weigh heavily on my mind at the moment.

The Cellar:

Can you smell that? It's the smell of a freshly cut lawn. Well, not a lawn exactly, but grass anyway. How about the scent of chalk? No? How about peanuts, hot dogs and beer? Now perhaps you see what I'm getting at. I rarely speak of sports on this page, but with Spring Training starting this weekend, I just can't help myself. Baseball is in the air! My beloved Chicago Cubs have added another year since their last World Series Championship. That last one coming in 1908. In fact, they haven't even reached the grand stage since 1945. Pretty sad, isn't it? It doesn't stand to get any better this year either, I'm afraid. The team is rebuilding and may very well finish...(you guessed it) in the cellar of the division standings. It will most likely take a few years before the team is very good. However, we are under new management this spring, and when you are a Cubs fan, hope springs eternal.

The Well:

I just finished reading an utterly marvelous novel, The Well, by Author Peter Labrow. And when I write that I just finished it, I mean exactly that. It has taken me a bit longer to get through, but that was more to do with my schedule not allowing me time to read. So, wanting to finish the novel, I did not turn on Trusty Laptop Sunday at all, electing instead to shut myself in my bedroom to finish a most captivating book.

First, I will let the blurb speak for itself:

Trapped. Missing. Cursed. Fourteen-year-old Becca Richards and her stepbrother have fallen to the bottom of an ancient well. Their parents are away; they won't be missed for days. The predatory man who had been stalking Becca now switches his attentions to her best friend. Two women who know where Becca is trapped are desperate that she should never escape. Over the course of a week, family, friends and strangers are drawn together by a terrible shared fate - from which not all will escape. 'The Well' is a darkly gripping tale about how we respond to the hand fate has dealt us - and the consequences of our choices. The Well deftly intertwines a story of supernatural horror with a tale of one of the greatest fears of modern life. As the book progresses, the two stories become one - driving relentlessly towards a single, thrilling finale. The Well is a fast-paced, riveting story that will grip you - and keep you guessing - until the very end.

Show More

Show Less

The amazing tale is three very good works in one: it has Horror, it is a great Crime Drama and it is a Thriller that is immensely that. In the beginning, I sat down, preparing myself for horror. When it became a crime story, I was pleasantly surprised. I found myself slightly disappointed when it suddenly turned paranormal on me; however, in the end, it all worked together beautifully. Labrow could have settled for his story simply being a Thriller, and he would have had a very good novel. Yet he did not. He went for the trifecta, and nailed it.

 

The story is a tantalising tale, but it very well might be the many subplots that keep you flipping pages. They weave in and out, back and forth, as if the author had been sipping from the same fount as Dan Brown, but, dare I say, with a bit more substance to each chapter, not merely settling for stringing his readers along with one cliff hanger after another. Without revealing too much, I just loved the way that separate characters came together, not just for the missing Becca, but by the very determined young girl, Sammy, who refused to stand idly by and allow another to suffer.

 

This is a great story, as I have already alluded to; however, what makes it more than just a fun way to pass a weekend, are the brilliant characters. The phrase 'three-dimensional' gets tossed about a lot when writers discuss the craft of creating believable characters, but let me tell you something: Labrow nailed that, too. From the heights of leads such as trapped Becca and the "gifted" young Sammy; to the supporting cast of best friend Hannah, Sammy's mother Abby, Becca' s mother Sarah and boyfriend Jim; to even the creepy Randle, troubled Ed and members of the police force - this novel is the fabled Lost Ark. It raises the bar for all of us! You may submit for me a novel that contains a better story, but I defy you to list one that sports better characters.

 

 

 

I have mentioned recently how I have spent most of my reading time on Indie authors this past year or so, and have been pleasantly surprised and impressed with the quality of their work. If there was a part of me that was ready to get back to the big established authors, Author Peter Labrow and his incredible novel banishes and caps that thought right down inside The Well.

 

Have a great week, my friends.

 

We'll talk soon.    

Losing My Street Cred...Again

Hello, Romantic Enthusiasts… Wait! What? Pardon me a moment. Apparently I haven’t had enough coffee this morning as I pen this post. Let’s try that again, shall we? I mean, after all, this is a place of horror and fire, right? Romance? *nervous laughter* C’mon! Are you kidding me?


*clears throat*

Hello, Roman… Oh, hell!


Horror aficionados, I guess I’ll catch up with you next week...

My friends, once a year I disclose far too much. And today’s the day that I do it...Again.

You see, in spite of the fact that the book shelf that I showed you last week is filled with the likes of Barker, Michael Slade and Uncle Stevie (Mr. King for those of you out of the loop); my Kindle is filled with Greg Sisco, Andrew M. Boylan, Carole Gill, Timothy Hobbs, Ania Ahlborn and others; and my DVD library is stacked with Halloween, The Exorcist, Alien, etc. – you probably will be shocked to find out that it is another genre altogether which moves me the most.

Notting Hill, Love Actually, Somewhere in Time, An Affair to Remember, Possession; these are examples of the films that move me. I am already firmly on record as saying that my favorite novel is Pat Conroy’s masterpiece, Beach Music.

 

Having prepared you with all of that, please allow me to share with you the book that moved me this past week. It is entitled, Again, and it was written by the incredibly talented Diana Murdock.

Eryn and Bryce are a beautiful and accomplished couple, seemingly having everything. They have the total package of looks, money and career. What they do not have is real love. Eryn has lived her entire life for others, ignoring her aching heart. Suddenly, her senses begin to become assaulted by visions, dreams and recollections of some past-life that she could not have experienced, beginning to shake her foundations. Not one to believe in such things, Eryn finds herself questioning everything yet becoming caught up in the desires of those around her, with no one concerned with her own.

The Lady Catherine in the year 1501 lives the life of nobility. Servants take care of everything about her while she lives the life of a queen. Her father rules their lands in peace and the knights keep that peace, led by the greatest of all, Galen. Catherine has known Galen her entire life and it is only a matter of time before she consents to marry the handsome and wonderful knight. Although she adores Galen, she does not love him. When she meets the merchant Jonathan, who speaks of the freedom of the seas and living life to its fullest, her world is shaken, and she finds a love that she never thought possible. And one that she can never have.

Somehow, someway, could it be that the love for that embattled union was never extinguished, but instead has found Eryn five hundred years later to save her from repeating the same terrible mistakes that plagued Catherine and Jonathan?

Let me say that I started reading this novel, thinking that I would support a friend and give myself a break from horror novels, only to find myself caught up in a fresh and wonderful tale that would not let go of me, long after I read the last page. Murdock did a superb job of treating the duel story lines as if it had been two different authors that penned them. She really captured the essence of characters five centuries apart, never once failing to keep their mannerisms, speech and cultures clearly separated. Although I found a few typos (especially towards the second half of the book), I thought the writing was of the highest quality.

Were I the editor, I might have advised to back off on the “weak knee”and “butterfly” moments during the meet-cutes just a bit; however, it really was a minor thing. I could have also used a bit less of the bedroom scenes. I have been lucky enough to be in the bedroom a few times, so I know what goes on there and don’t need to see it. ;) Having written that, I want to be fair. Murdock wrote these scenes so well and so beautifully that we do end up in the bedroom with the characters and get swept along just as they do. The lovemaking wasn't robotic, nor were the scenes written as if by dancers who had never danced those steps before. One time, when the action finally goes to the place where the reader wants it to go, there toward the end of the story, I had to put down my Kindle and give myself a break. There were no cold showers to be had at my day job! I don't write that to bring embarrassment to myself. I do so, to speak of the quality of Murdock's words, pacing and richly created characters.

Having that little time to read each day, I found myself stealing more moments than perhaps I should have, but I couldn’t help myself. I loved this book! With great pacing; a fresh and imaginative plot that reminded me just a hair of the film, The Lake House; and several characters that I loved and rooted for – Again by Diana Murdock was just delightful.


You can find Murdock at her website here and the book here.  

Okay, I’m going back to horror books now…at least for a while. ;)

We’ll talk soon.

To Review or Not to Review...

This is my actual book shelf. Pretty soon I will have just as my books in my Kindle!

...That is the question that I pose to you, Fire Enthusiasts.

Greetings. I do not have a book review for you this week. Well, that is not entirely accurate. You see, I did complete a book this week and begin another; however, I have no plans to share anything about it with you here. Why am I being such a tease, you ask? It is because I thought that the book was merely only okay.

It would not be difficult for you to figure out which book I am referring to. We are all on many of the same sites, are we not? It would probably only take you a few moments to discover which book I'm referring to, but I hope that you won't actually attempt to figure it out. I would rather that you find the book and like it or not like it all on your own. The book didn't suck! Many of you might actually like it, and by all accounts, many have thought highly of it. I just thought it was a bit of a miss.

So, what's the big deal, you ask? The big deal is that although I do not really know the gentleman, I know of him. He's like me, and he's like many of you as well. No doubt he dreamt a lot about being a writer, and probably spent a lot of time dreaming up that book. He researched, outlined, wrote, rewrote, revised, edited and is now hard at work promoting the hell out of it, much like all of us. Knowing what I know about that whole process, I just don't feel the overwhelming urge to do anything but reach out and shake that man's hand, pat him on the back and wish him well.

I have one book written, and although it has received some pretty sweet reviews, I am quite certain that there are more than a few people who probably think I might be better off working my 11-12 hour day job and spending the rest of my evening watching television. *laughs* I also have my second book in the editing stages, as you know. Lastly, I started writing my third novel during Christmas vacation when that much publicized cold (read: whining blogs/Tweets) had begun to dissipate. I'll want lots of people to read all three of those books when they are all on a shelf together one day, virtual or otherwise, and not have someone go all negative on me.

Is that why I chose not to review that book, because of Karma? Absolutely not. I may write horror and listen to classic rock and 80's and 90's heavy metal on volume 20, but I also love to be moved by my books, movies and music. That means I have to have some feelings within me. And it is because of those feelings that I chose to be respectful and simply leave an "okay" review on one of the book social networks.

I want that author to keep writing, to keep perfecting his craft, regardless of what this guy thinks. What do you folks think? Should I have been respectful, but also specific? I know that some have gotten into it on the Internet due to negative reviews. I don't want any part of that. Probably no one does. Should I simply have pretended to "forget" that I had ever read that book and leave the reviewing to others?

What are your thoughts? I'd love to hear them.

Before I go, let's forgive Blogger together, cross our collective fingers and hope that you're able to leave a comment. I know things haven't been great in that regard, especially this past week. If you do have issues, you can always drop me a quick line on FB or Twitter. Sometimes that's much easier anyway.

We'll talk soon.