Labor Day Weekend

Seeing Ghosts Release Day

Hello, Paranormal Enthusiasts. Yes, I said it again. I just can’t help myself now.

Today is the day.

I won’t take up any more of your time with teasers or anything else regarding my new e-book. I’m not going to explain how the book came about, how the book took its shape or how the wonderful and multi talented author Maria Zannini crafted the fabulous traffic-stopping cover. The time for all of that is over. Perhaps I’ll revisit some of these things in the future. Just know that Seeing Ghosts is very special to me. It is scary, but not pure horror; romantic, but not gushing or erotic. I call it a paranormal romance because it is firmly defined by all things paranormal – with a healthy dose of romance. I hope you’ll like it as much as I do.

My thanks to all who take a chance on it, and to all who’ve encouraged and cheered me on as we’ve come to this exciting and nerve-wracking moment in time.

You can find the e-book here on Amazon.com or you can find it here on Goodreads in order to put it on your shelf for another time. If you like it, I hope you’ll tell the world. *high fives and hugs*

Paul Herrera finds himself bequeathed a mysterious old house near the California central coast by a deceased aunt he never knew. The woman who shows it to him is the spitting image of his wife, taken from him three years before in a senseless car accident which also took his unborn son. While he deals with the ghosts of a past he cannot let go, there are new ghosts Paul must deal with - alone for the week in the expansive two-story house that he will soon discover holds many secrets. Eventually, he will see that he is surrounded by ghosts as he struggles to hold onto the only thing that he has left in this world - his sanity.

We’ll talk soon.

   

A Few Good Reads

Hello, Fire Enthusiasts.  Once again I feel the need to apologize for taking so darn long to get anything read around here. With my impossible schedule I just don’t have the time. If you only knew how many days and weeks I have brought my trusty Kindle to work never to open it. On the upside, if I start reading your novel, rest assured that your cover will be prominently displayed on my blog for weeks! *laughs* That’s good free promotion, my friends!

In any event, I have read some real good books of late which I think you’ve probably already heard about. They seem to be doing very well for as far as I can tell, and their respective authors have been making the rounds.

For the past couple of years I have almost exclusively read Independent or brand new authors. I think there is something about discovering great up and coming or as of yet undiscovered authors that really interests me. I hope there’s a bit of that in you as well.

The first novel I would like to share with you is The Book of Paul by author Richard Long. Here’s the synopsis:

"Everything you've ever believed about yourself...about the description of reality you've clung to so stubbornly all your life...all of it...every bit of it...is an illusion."

In the rubble-strewn wasteland of Alphabet City, a squalid tenement conceals a treasure "beyond all imagining"-- an immaculately preserved, fifth century codex. The sole repository of ancient Hermetic lore, it contains the alchemical rituals for transforming thought into substance, transmuting matter at will...and attaining eternal life.

When Rose, a sex and pain addicted East Village tattoo artist has a torrid encounter with Martin, a battle-hardened loner, they discover they are unwitting pawns on opposing sides of a battle that has shaped the course of human history. At the center of the conflict is Paul, the villainous overlord of an underground feudal society, who guards the book's occult secrets in preparation for the fulfillment of an apocalyptic prophecy.

The action is relentless as Rose and Martin fight to escape Paul's clutches and Martin's destiny as the chosen recipient of Paul's sinister legacy. Science and magic, mythology and technology converge in a monumental battle where the stakes couldn't be higher: control of the ultimate power in the universe--the Maelstrom.

My Review: In the tradition of Clive Barker, Author Richard Long has created a world that is something like we have rarely seen. Joining science, magic and religion, and bridging this world's beginning to its terrible end, he has done something incredible. The Book of Paul is an astounding achievement with incredible characters of great depth, a body of near-perfect prose, wonderful pacing and a "voice" that will entice you through short chapters that prove to be a satisfying way of story-telling. Long takes us on a journey that is sometimes complex but at most times brilliant. He doesn't dazzle us with words, but with real dialogue and a plot unlike one we've ever seen. Prepare yourself reader, for having your mind blown is just the beginning.

Recently, I just completed reading Wishbone by author Brooklyn Hudson. Here’s the synopsis:

A Manhattan power couple survive a tragedy and attempt a fresh start only to be plagued by unexplained and disastrous occurrences...be careful what you wish for.

Kings Hollow is a quaint town, nestled in the serene Catskill Mountains of upstate New York. At first, their new home appears to be the miracle they prayed for, until a traditional children's game begins to destroy their bliss; Rachael is no longer herself and Julien is experiencing a string of bad luck and unfortunate accidents.

At the center of it all is seventeen-year-old Sarah, a part-time caretaker on the property.
Can Julien and Rachael escape the nightmare of Kings Hollow...or is this just Wishful thinking?

Wishbone is a multi-layered thriller incorporating several sub-plots; in the vein of Pet Sematary, What Lies Beneath, Misery and Stir of Echoes. Dramatic horror at its best, Brooklyn Hudson takes you on a suspenseful roller coaster ride of emotional turmoil and shocking events.

My Review: This book was two parts Twilight Zone and one part Stephen King’s Misery. I found the writing to be very good with top notch narration; I wasn’t tripping all over fancy description or decorative prose, but was just consistently led by the hand and taken on a ride well worth the effort. The main character is French and I found him so refreshing as we got to see as he slipped into his native tongue on many occasions, and watched him struggle with English as his anxiety or stress level spiked. Hudson did a very nice job in using the French, as well as figuring out ingenious ways of explaining him to us so we knew what he meant or was thinking.

The plot itself was quite gripping and different. I could never really guess where we were going, which was wonderful. The work was loaded with twists and turns that kept me guessing and willing to be led along. I hear there is a Wishbone 2 in the works which also leaves me guessing since I don’t see where we could possibly go from here. I guess I will just have to take Hudson’s able hand in mine and allow her to lead on. I think you will happily volunteer to be led once you have read Wishbone as well.

Lastly, I would like to tell you about the diary I just finished. That’s right. Diary. It is a novella that is entitled, 100 Unfortunate Days. It was written by Penelope Crowe.

The synopsis:

If you stumbled upon the diary of a stranger you might be compelled to read. If you stumbled upon the diary of a madwoman--how could you turn away?

"100 Unfortunate Days is a narcotic head-trip to the dark side of the narrator's mind. I've read books that gave me the creeps, read books that gave me nightmares, but until 100 Unfortunate Days, I'd never read a book that made me certain that the act of reading was inviting the attention of raw evil. Crowe delivers a blistering look into the furnace of madness, and does it with aplomb."

"Crowe has crafted a journal of 100 days that can make you laugh, sigh, and frown all in one "day". Theological, anti-spiritual, psychological, just plain weird... Crowe has a grasp of the reality and truth of this world and life that many others could never put into words - though they understand it to be true. 100 Unfortunate Days reads like the inner-workings of a dream - lyrical, powerful, and full of lessons, if you only know where to find them."

My review: Have you ever watched the film Pink Floyd’s The Wall? If not, you must at least be familiar with some of the songs. We get to see what Pink says and does, but have you ever wondered just what he was thinking? At first glance, Crowe’s work here might seem random. I assure you it’s not. Read it again. You will see a thread here and there, a method to the madness, as it were. This really is a brilliant piece, loaded with substance. Enter the mind of a madwoman. You’ll see glimpses, I think, of how she got there. I believe you’ll find traces of truth as well as slivers of insanity, and perhaps far worse. You may even find it dangerous to read this book – especially during three very particular times per day. If you have a cat, keep a steady eye upon it. It knows far more than it’s letting on.

We’ll talk soon.

A Giant Celebration

Hello, Fire Enthusiasts. I want to thank everyone for helping to make the release of my latest book last week as successful as it could be. It was a long road, and I thank you. I really couldn’t have done it without the help of a great many of you. For now, however, let’s talk about something else, shall we? I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of talking about me all the time.

Sadly, what I bring you today doesn’t give me that much pleasure either. You might think I would be pleased, being from California, but I’m not. I’m certainly happy for the 2012 World Champion San Francisco Giants baseball team and their fans. Being a Chicago Cubs fan, I was just really happy that a certain other team from our division didn’t win it again this year. I wish my team didn’t always have vacation plans for October, but what can long-suffering Cubs fans do but look at the Giants – and their incredible run this October – and dream of what might be one day. One miraculous day.

It really is shocking to see what the Giants accomplished. So many times they were down to their last breath, only to rise up and rise above themselves. They had great pitching, timely hitting and made few, if any, mistakes.

I told my wife on the morning of game 4 that I would be shocked if the Giants didn’t sweep. They just looked to be on a great run that no one could stand in the way of. I also thought the Tiger’s fans must be mystified. They are used to seeing powerhouse teams come into that stadium; teams like Texas, Anaheim, New York. Do they even know who the Giants are? I bet they know now, huh?

Anyway, all I can do is tip my Cubs hat to the new world champions. Congratulations.

Hopefully one day it will be us, Chicago. One miraculous day.

If baseball isn’t your thing, I visited several places this past week or so, thanks to some really cool and special people. I certainly want to thank them for having taken the time. I was over at Author Lorelei Bell’s place, where she gave me the opportunity to share my new book. I was over at Author Jane Isaac’s place, where she interviewed me and made cruise plans for some future day. ;) I was also over at Michele Chiappetta’s place for a guest post on finding time to write. The awesome Nicole Ducleroir also shared my release with her part of the world without any prompting from me. She just did it out of the kindness of that big heart of hers. I was also included in the November Issue of Supporting Authors One Read at a Time Magazine, thanks to Author Eri Nelson. The last week or so has gone that way, where awesome, talented and very busy friends took time out of their hectic schedules to offer me a part of themselves. It was very humbling, and I adore each and every one of them for it. If you have a few moments, I would love it if you dropped by those places. Hugs to them.

We’ll talk soon.

Where Are The Readers?

Hello, Fire Enthusiasts. I come before you this week a bit perplexed. I didn't scramble to get my debut vampire novel listed on Amazon this summer - after losing my small publisher - with the thought that once it was accomplished that I could sit back, sip Brandy and puff cigars as I awaited money to come flooding in. For the record, I don’t smoke. Nor did I start writing books as some get rich quick scheme. However, I had hoped that I would sell some books…

I have been on the social networks now since early 2010. I started in Blogger and then created a Facebook page. From there I soon joined Goodreads, Twitter and then Google Plus, with several other sites and groups spread amongst them. I have a good number of followers on every site which is very nice, but what does that really tell me? My hope is this is the calm before the storm. After all, I currently only list one book on Amazon and am exclusive with them. You might suggest that I discontinue KDP select and get back on all of those other outlets, but I was there before for a couple of years and it wasn’t "all that" either. Again, I only had the one book…

Why I have had but one book is a long story. I will be rectifying this in the coming weeks when I release Dance on Fire: Flash Point. When that has been completed in both ebook and paperback, I will immediately turn my attention toward a paranormal romance novel that I began writing this past spring. My aim is to have three books listed on Amazon by next spring. But what then? Will they sell?

I have spent a lot of time working to increase my reach and my numbers; however, I have come to realize as many of you have as well that all we are doing is networking with other writers. I have spent the time in those Facebook groups where we like each other’s pages, etc., but to what end? Those writers are just like me with limited time and money to be buying the works of other writers, and spending most of their non-writing time trying to extend their reach.

I have enjoyed my time reaching out to other writers and watching my numbers climb, but I am no longer going to spend chunks of my week or weekend just accruing more numbers or followers who really aren’t my fans or even friends for that matter. Do you know what I mean? Does that make me sound callous? I want to help other writers and make friends - and will continue to nurture any and all relationships that I establish along the way - but if all we're doing is knocking on doors and saying hello to people that we'll never see again, then no thank you.

I love dropping in periodically on blog posts, catching up on Facebook feeds, and having conversations on Twitter. That won’t change. I adore the friendships that I have in this community of writers and want to not only continue to nurture those, but discover new ones. However, I need to spend time reaching out to the readers. Otherwise all of this time that I have spent married to my trusty laptop and away from my family will have been for naught.

So, I ask you, have you managed to find the readers? Where are they? Is my problem that I am marketing to the Horror Community while the big market is the Paranormal Community? Those of you who have multiple books listed, did you find it slow going until you released more books? I have tried very hard not to let myself become negative in this thing, but I would be lying to you now if I didn’t say that I have already wondered whether I might need to prepare myself for shutting this down at some point next year.

I did not pen this post this week because I wanted to hold a pity-party or because I knew a post like this one might garner multiple comments from encouraging writers. Do I need some encouragement? Absolutely. I really think that things are going to improve this fall once I get that second book out and begin to promote it both in the shops and on the web. But what if it doesn’t? I really hope it doesn’t come to that eventuality.

 

So, I ask again: Where are the readers? I have done interviews and been profiled and reviewed. My novel is getting very good reviews, and has been for two years, but very few seem to know it exists. What have you guys found to work? I appreciate any and all advice. Thanks for your time and assistance. 

We’ll talk soon.

Blog Ring of Power interview & Lucky 7's

Hello, Fire Enthusiasts. Thanks for dropping by. It always means the world to me when you do. I will be monitoring from the day job since my blessed two weeks of vacation have now ended. That means 3 am alarms, and shifts of eleven hours or more and a company cell phone that rings and rings and rings... On the other hand, air conditioning isn't cheap. Has it been dreadful where you live, my friends? It's been solid triple digits here in the California Central Valley, so I'd better get back to work if I want to be properly shielded from that.

I was tagged by friend and talented author Linda Cassidy Lewis this week. If you aren't familiar with Lewis, you really ought to follow the link. You might recall my telling you about her delightful novel, The Brevity of Roses. Anyway, I had told her that I would schedule my response in another week. However, instead of offering any updates on novel or publishing progress, I thought I would go ahead and do it now. It would give me an opportunity to offer a taste of what's coming with book 2. According to the rules of the Lucky 7 Meme, I'm supposed to start at page 7, travel 7 lines down and then offer the next 7 sentences to you. Unfortunately, there was little "meat" there, so I skipped to page 77 instead.

First, a bit of back story. Steve and Angie Rosen make their home in Morro Bay, California. Before that, they had been next door neighbors to the main heroes of Dance on Fire back in Kingsburg, California. They hadn't seen their only child, Tiffany, since the week a fire took their former home. That was five years ago. In that time, Steve had neither had any contact with his former neighbor, (then Detective and now) Police Chief Michael Lopez. Due to escalating tensions, Steve has since reached out to Chief Lopez. Ok, that's a spoiler enough, so ask me no further questions. ;)

Steve trudged into the kitchen without turning on a light, his mind going a mile a minute. By this point, he just knew that Ashley had disclosed to Tiffany about her having discovered him snooping in their bedroom. Whether the subject of her being topless in his presence had come up, he was unsure just what he should think about that; and just what might Tiffany say, if anything, to her mother.

He walked over to the sink and placed his hands on each side of it to steady himself. He looked out the window at nothing in particular, wondering suddenly just what it had been that he had come into the kitchen for. And then he thought about the chief just as instantly as he had contemplated his purpose in being in the kitchen. He considered his instructions on the message that he had left about exactly when to call and began to half-pray that the chief might disregard them and call right this moment. Hell! he thought. Walking in the door might be better. Steve was surrounded by family and yet he felt so utterly alone.

I know, I know. You have questions. You probably will want to read Dance on Fire first. Everything else will become clear later this year when I release Dance on Fire: Flash Point.

A few weeks ago I was interviewed for a group of cool people that collectively are known as the Blog Ring of Power. It was quite the extensive interview and not always easy to answer. I was challenged by it, and I hope you'll find it interesting and informative. It will be broken up into five parts and the first part was posted this past Friday. If you have the time, I hope you will surf over and show the different bloggers some blog love. Below you will find the necessary links.

Part 1 @ Em - Friday, August 10th Realms of a Fantastical Mind.

 

Part 2 @ Sandra - Monday, August 13th Sandra Ulbrich Almazan. 

 

Part 3 @ Dean - Tuesday, August 14th The Write Time.

 

Part 4 @ Terri - Wednesday, August 15th Home of Author Terri Bruce. 

 

Part 5 @ T.W. - Thursday, August 16th T.W. Fendley, Author. 

 

I hope you guys all have a great week.

 

We'll talk soon. 

Jerry W. McKinney

Greetings, Fire Enthusiasts. I've been reading again; at least trying, anyway.

Last year I raved about a short story that I had read from Author Jerry W. McKinney. It was entitled Feed, and although I am pretty terrible about recalling plots long after finishing a story, I do recall the surprise ending on that one being quite good. I won’t reveal it, but I swear I do remember. I had this to say at the time: "I just read the short story 'Feed' by Author Jerry W. McKinney that restores my faith in horror's potential when it comes to the subject of vampires... With an unexpected twist and writing that reminded me of the best of Clive Barker, McKinney surprised me and made me an instant convert. Beware reader, 'Feed' might mean more than you think it means."

I have had the privilege recently of reading two more of McKinney’s works that I think are worth your time.

The first one is Lie Canthropy. The synopsis reads: "What mystical force is released by the twirls and undulations of a dancing girl? And what power does she exert over a captive audience in a town built on secrets? Is it worth the soul of a child?"

Show More

Show Less

As I have mentioned before I don’t have much time for reading, so very often I find myself rushing through stories. With that in mind, I found myself not quite catching on with the pacing of this one, but it being so short, I went back a second time and it made more sense. It was probably me. I can tell you that I thought the title was very interesting. I had to look it up, although many of you may already know that Lycanthropy means. According to Wikipedia: "It is the professed ability or power of a human being to transform into a wolf, or to gain wolf-like characteristics." Now that you are armed with that knowledge, you can take another look at this title and see the prominent use of the word "lie" as part of the twist on this one.

I made sure that I gave myself time to properly enjoy Flesh & Blood, and I'm so glad I did. The synopsis reads: “Gotta take care of your own, boy.” Those words from his Pa didn't dampen the sting of having to put down his rabid dog. A loyal friend that was suffering from a disease that turned him into an unrecognizable monster. Jessie had no idea that there would be a lot of 'taking care' in the next few months. When neighbors show up on the farm dazed and bloody, Jessie and his Pa do their best to help their friends, but soon find that there is no way to help those that are already dead. Jessie must make the transition from boy to man in an instant as the dead rise and try to take over the farm that was to be passed from father to son when the time was right. As Jessie and his Pa make their way through this new and frightening reality, one phrase rings as true as ever.
'...life goes on, remember that.'”

Once you see how the story begins you will probably figure out what the eventual outcome will be, considering the title. I know I did. I should tell you that although I am more vampires and serial killers than I am the particular antagonists in this piece, and the fact that I had my suspicions how the story would end, I thought it was a brilliant story. It held my attention throughout and I think it will yours as well.

If I may, I really would like to convince the horror enthusiasts among you to make some time to check out Mr. McKinney’s writing. He has not failed me in three attempts. I may have guessed one outcome, but I can tell you that he often surprises, amazes and even shocks me at other times.

He’s worth the time, my friends. I’m just sorry that it took me so long to come back to him. You can find out more information or purchase his work at his author's page on Amazon.


We’ll talk soon.

Friends

"Friends will be friends, when you're in need of love they give you care and attention. Friends will be friends, when you're through with life and all hope is lost, hold out your hand 'cause friends will be friends, right 'til the end."

Hello, Fire Enthusiasts! Any Queen fans out there? *raises hand* Yeah, I love them, and weeped like a baby when Freddie passed away. I have nearly every record, had nearly every cassette, have all of their cd's and my trusty iPod is full of each and every one of their songs. So, Queen Management Team, please don't sue me over that chorus I just printed. I promise to continue to praise them and convince new fans to fall in love with Freddie, Brian, John and Roger as community service.

Now, as many of you are aware, we had some drama and I am without a publisher now. I have made some decisions and am working on multiple fronts as to how I go about moving forward. Rest assured that I am moving forward. I am just not yet prepared to reveal how I am going about doing that. But I will.

I did not leave you with the lyrics to that Queen tune because I was in mental trouble last week or anything, but rather to share how wonderful it was to have my pals, buddies, peers and secret crushes descend upon me, showering me with love and encouraging me to "carry on as if nothing really mattered". *pushes luck with the Queen lyrics*

I have said this before, but better than any success with writing is the group of wonderful friends that I have been lucky enough to amass while endevoring to put my thoughts and stories down on "paper". I hope that I can be an encouragement to you each and every time that you need it, too.

"The Show Must Go On", and it will. Hopefully soon I can begin revealing what I have been up to this past week and where I'm going. I love you guys. Have a great week.


Before I go, I was given a shout-out on the Tweep Nation Podcast by one of my newest buddies, Amber "Rockin Red" Norrgard. She does that show each and every week with another pal, Dionne Lister. They were joined on the show by Ciara Ballintyne. They are all very talented, hysterical and very easy on the eyes. If you have yet to give them a listen, check them out on iTunes. I know I do. They are my guilty pleasure. Yes, the material can get r-rated, so pour yourself a drink before you listen. Pour me one, too. ;)


We'll talk soon

Getting the Chills

Hello, Fire Enthusiasts. It's so good to have you stop by. I do so love your visits and, no, this isn't some Hotel California kind of moment. You can check out and leave any time you'd like. Trust me.

Chilling Films:

I finally watched The Woman in Black Saturday night and loved it. It did everything for me that I wanted it to do, much like the promise of a good roller coaster. I love a good Haunted House/Ghost story, as I've reported in the past. I started the film at 9:00 pm and turned out most of the lights in the living room/kitchen area. My poor wife fled immediately. She was reading her Kindle, so she headed for the master bedroom. School is out for the teachers, too, don'tcha' know, so my teacher-wife will be doing as much reading as she can during the summer.


Now, many of you might be saying, "C'mon, the film wasn't scary at all!". Remember, I really don't watch that many horror films, due to my family not appreciating the genre, so I have to enjoy 'em while I can. Although, I should say that this might be changing. My oldest took his brother to see the big Prometheus film on Friday, along with a bunch of his buddies, and is hoping to take me today (Sunday afternoon). They all watched Alien before they went. For those of you just back from a half year vacation on another planet and unaware of the significance, Prometheus is an unofficial prequel. Director Ridley Scott will not confirm it, but it is. So, perhaps my boys shall soon join me on the dark side.

In any event, The Woman in Black gave me a solid 10-12 real chills, and I love that. Some were expected and I suppose some might say came with too much warning, but they were good. For you Potter fans, I thought it was a good step beyond the Harry Potter series for Mr. Radcliffe. I don't like it when actors get type casted, so hopefully the performance will allow him to have a career beyond the wand. And, no, I didn't once think he would whip it out in order to do battle with that dreadful woman in black.

Chilling Research:

For those of you who have been by recently, you are aware that I have just completed the first draft of a new project involving ghosts. I was able to write the thing without doing a boatload of research first; however, I did realize that I would need to do some, delving into some dark subject matter in order to get specific about some of the plot. I started doing this Saturday morning. I had to research black magic; Satanism; rituals; and ritual items such as black candles and singing bowls to name but a few. Usually, I have my lap top in plain sight of others; however, not this time. I was seated at the head of the dining room table with my back against a wall, in order to hide what I was viewing. Some of the visuals were unpleasant.


With that being stated, have you had to do any research that made you uncomfortable? Anything unsavory? It doesn't have to be in the darkness either. Do you recall the Aaron Sorkin television series Sports Night that he did before The West Wing? Do you remember the episode where the reporter had to accompany a group of hunters on a deer trip? He was so upset because he thought hunting wasn't a sport, but just plain mean. Your research could have been like that. Have you had to research subjects that made you uncomfortable that way?


I'm just curious. You see, I would much rather talk to you than get back to my research... ;)


By the way, the boys and I did see Prometheus Sunday afternoon. I wrote this post earlier and have just gotten home after the film. I liked it. It was gripping, pretty well done and did everything that it needed to in order to be a fitting origin story. I only wished that I had sat with those high schoolers and watched Alien again on Friday. It might have helped my memory. That and, of course, it would have gotten me out of work at my day job.

We'll talk soon. 

A Long Weekend, A Short Week & Two Graduates

Hello, Fire Enthusiasts. How is everyone? I am good. Monday is Memorial Day here in the States, so I will not be at work, but home. For those of you who are also on holiday, I hope you are enjoying it. For those of you in places where the holiday is not celebrated, or in a position where you have to work it, I hope the week is treating you well. It is in that spirit that I have come to you with very little more than just a thank you for stopping by.

You see, I have been doing more writing these days, and at the time of this writing (Sunday night), I am very close to completing the first draft of my new novel. I haven't read much lately as I have really enjoyed writing down the scenes which have been playing rapidly, one after the other inside my head. With any luck, I may finish by the time you are reading this post sometime Monday...

...On the other hand, I have both of my sons graduating this year and we have much to do to be prepared for the party that we are throwing next weekend, and only so many days to get it done. Now, I say "we", but in all actuality it is my saint of a wife who is doing much of the work. I merely assist and do some of the heavy clean-up/prep work. If I don't get this first draft of the novel finished just yet, it will be because I have a high school and junior high school graduates that I need to attend to.

If you have a graduate this year, high five them for me and offer them my congratulations for a job well done.

Let's also take a moment to remember those who have served to protect the peace, especially if they have had to pick up arms to protect it with force.

We'll talk soon.

Dance on Fire 2 Teaser

Hello, Fire Enthusiasts. How have you been? I'm well. I survived last week, which was our stressful yearly audit for food safety at the day job. I hear we did very well. For those who recall me talking about the left knee, it continues to improve. I have been getting great workouts in, 4-6 days a week. I have lost 14 lbs or so and feel great. I eat more fruit, watch my portions and drink light beer. *grins* If I overdue it over a weekend (Food, not alcohol), I know how long I have to run in order to burn off those calories.

Now, many of you may have noticed that I haven't been promoting much of Dance on Fire, nor has much been said about Flashpoint, it's sequel. There have been some bumps in the road, but those appear to be over. 'Nuff said! I will tell you that it shouldn't be long now. It's in that spirit that I would like to offer you this teaser of the forthcoming novel. This will be edited once more before it's published, but it's pretty close. Many thanks for all who have continued to ask for the next book. Now, allow me to quickly set it up...

It is about five years later since the events of Dance on Fire. Michael Lopez is now the Chief of Police. He has started his workday just as he always does. He gets to work and turns on his computer to find a note from Nathaniel. The vampire has moved away to a place of solitude and introspection, hoping to find out whether there might yet be a place for him in God's plans. Being a creature of the dead, he had assumed there was not.

            As soon as his Hotmail account had downloaded, something three mails down in his inbox on the left side of the screen jumped to his attention. The width was not long enough to see the entire message, but he understood the gist of it.

            Facebook. New message from NathanielL...

            The look on the chief’s face that presented itself there upon reading the line was neither a frown nor a look of glee. It was one of interest to be sure. Without pause, Michael opened another window and logged into his Facebook account. As it downloaded, the chief took a glance toward the open door and into the hallway beyond. He felt a pang of guilt as he waited. All but the cadets and Community Service Officers had access to the internet in the Police Department, and yes, he would be upset to find that his officers and detectives spent department time and resources fooling around on networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter or even the new Google Plus, just as he was doing now. He continued anyway.

            When the page came up, a snapshot of he, Barbara, Jerod, Robbie and Rebekah posing merrily before Snow White’s castle at Disneyland taken this past Christmas stared back at him. It was a ten month old picture, and although the twins looked as if they were a full two years older by now and Jerod had begun shaving, he loved it because it was a beautiful time that he did not want to take for granted.

            He moved his mouse to the top left corner of the page and clicked the Messages Icon. He then went to the new message and opened it. The tiny photo at the top left hand corner of the message was not a face but a vista of what appeared to be a tranquil water garden somewhere. He guessed what it was because he had visited it once before, although then it had been in the middle of the night, and it had been a rushed visit.

            Michael, how is everybody? I trust all are well. I am well. I still struggle at times with demons, as you well know, but for the most part things are going well for me here. Tell Barbara to continue praying. Her prayers have been extremely effectual. It takes me forever to use this contraption, but I have the time. That is a joke. Was it amusing? How is the town? Quiet? I hope so. How is Mark doing? I fear his relationship with Vanessa cannot stand, but I would not want him to know about this. What of their child? Thank you for the photographs that Barbara sent to me. They just arrived. I believe that I was the one who asked for a remote location, is that right? Another joke. The photographs are glorious to behold and I do so often. Jerod reminds me of you. Do I detect a shadow of growth on the young man’s face? It is very faint, but please do not tell him that I said this. Tell him I cannot even look upon his face by candlelight because his dark beard blinds me. Joke#3. How do the young ones like school? I am particularly intrigued to hear how they do there. They have such spirit, those two. I do not wish to take up too much of your time. The monks tease me that I take so long at the computer. They say that they could rewrite whole books of the Bible by dipping a feather into an inkwell and writing on parchment before I could but answer one tiny e-mail. They are extremely fortunate that I do not believe in shedding human blood or else they would not be so cruel to me. Joke#5. Very well, my friend. Blessings to both you and your family. Nathaniel L.

            Joke number 6, Michael thought as he reread the message one last time before closing it and logging out of the Facebook page. Nathaniel used an additional “L” at the end of his user name as if his full name had been Nathaniel Lopez and he was their eldest child and away at college. Michael shook his head with a grin as he closed down the internet and reached for some police reports and duty logs that needed his approval and final signatures. He planned to reply to the message before he went home for the day. He had time. After all, it was 8:30 am and the vampire would not be up for another thirteen hours or so.


We'll talk soon.

Vlogging again, Can You Believe it?

Hello, Fire Enthusiasts. *Said in my best (read worst) old European accent* Velcome to my home...

We'll talk soon.

Doing the Number Seven Meme Again

Hello, Fire Enthusiasts. Thank you so much for stopping by. It’s always a pleasure to have you visit.

In the last week or so, I have been tagged with the number 7 meme once again, or a variation of the similar theme which has been making the rounds this year. I don’t have the time to participate in a lot of meme’s or hops, although I hope I will as this year progresses and as I once again re-evaluate what I spend my time doing.

The last time that I was tagged with this, I offered a piece of my second novel, sadly still stuck in pre-production. This time, I am offering a piece of my current work in progress. Since it is barely the first draft, I don’t want to give away too much, lest someone steal the idea and do it much better than I could. Suffice it to say that it deals with ghosts – both the ethereal as well as the ones that haunt our pasts.

In the story, a recent widower is left an old house by his dead aunt. He and his brother visit, with the main character deciding to stay for a week. While he is there, he is haunted by the same aunt who left him the house, as well as a host of others. The woman who showed him the house and took care of the paperwork happens to be a ringer for his dead wife, who he has yet to really let go.

My thanks to the lovely Anne Nowlin, Michelle Franco and Paul Dail (That's right, Paul. You, too, buddy!). In all seriousness, these three are truly wonderful people who have brightened my days and offered encouragement in their subtle ways. They were kind enough to consider me when they were recently tagged. I hope you like the following unedited snippet from the 77th page of my current WIP, Ghosts:

     The hours ticked by as I wandered about the place, searching for inspiration. I ate something and even snacked a bit, but nothing seemed to satisfy. I stuck my iPod into my pocket and began to dust and clean; anything to get my mind off of the week’s events. I ate an early dinner of frozen burritos and a beer because I just didn’t feel hungry. I took my Kindle outside with me to the porch and sat down on the bench, but ended up falling asleep once again as I awaited the sunset.

     My rest was no rest at all. I cannot recall the subject of my dreams with any specificity, but I recall the nature of them. They were dark and sinister and I was almost always afraid. Sometimes I was being hunted and other times I was made to watch terrible things. When I eventually awoke with a start, darkness had nearly completely descended and Patricia was standing before me.

   “You’re a trusting one,” she uttered without emotion. Her words were not playful or threatening, but I recoiled, taking her very presence before me as threatening. I said nothing. “Good,” she continued. “Your silence suits you. You’ve said and done too much already.”

   “What have I done?” The words were out of my mouth before I could muster the strength to halt them.

   “He speaks,” she crossed her arms and teased. It was no kind of teasing that I ever want to endure again. Beside her on the ground was some of her equipment. She was setting up for the night’s events.

   “I didn’t ask for any of this,” I stood and continued, bolstered by her response. “I was given a house. That’s all I knew. I came here, gratefully, and have done nothing to bring dishonor to the memory of Victor and Flora’s life together. What you two have been up to is none of my business.”

   “It is your business now!” Patricia said, punctuating it by setting her hands upon her hips. “Flora needs you!”

   “Flora’s dead, Patricia!” I screamed at her, saliva like venom spewing from my mouth. “She’s dead, and so is Victor! There is no bringing any of that back! Flora took what apparently was once a beautiful and remarkable love and twisted it into something vile and heartbreaking! She needs to find rest for her soul!”

   “I have no soul!” A new voice suddenly yelled back.

     It was Flora. She was behind me and to my left. I turned just in time to see the bench roar to life as it was dragged without help across the porch. It swept me into the air and onto the ground beyond the steps easily as if I were one solitary bowling pin. The bench rolled and I felt my back scream as I went over the back of it and struck my head. I caught the blur of Patricia as she danced out of the way in the nick of time, unharmed. When I rolled to a stop, Flora was standing above me. She said nothing further, but simply held me in her wide and burning eyes.




Thanks for taking the time to visit. Have a great week.




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.

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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.