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Wednesday, August 31, 2016

The CEO Came DOA by Heather Haven Virtual Book Tour and Giveaway


The CEO Came DOA by Heather Haven

    

the ceo came doa large banner640

The CEO Came DOA
by Heather Haven



CEO-Silver Silicon Valley copy
The CEO Came DOA
(The Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
The Wives of Bath Press (September 1, 2016)
Print Length: 306 pages




ASIN: B01HSMVBDCgoodreads-badge-add-plus

Synopsis

Lee Alvarez takes a job ferreting out the saboteur of a start-up company’s Initial Public Offering in the heart of Silicon Valley. Little does she know early one morning she will find the CEO hanging by the neck in the boardroom wearing nothing but his baby blue boxers. Was it suicide? Or was it one of the many people who loathed the man on sight, including his famous rock singer ex? Enter the world’s scariest drug, Devil’s Breath, and the bodies start piling up all the while she’s planning her very own Christmas wedding. Ho, ho, ho.
Heather_115114102_std



About The Author
After studying drama at the University of Miami in Florida, Heather went to Manhattan to pursue a career. There she wrote short stories, comedy acts, television treatments, ad copy, commercials, and two one-act plays, which were produced, among other places, at the famed Playwrights Horizon. Once, she even ghostwrote a book on how to run an employment agency. She was unemployed at the time.
Her first novel started the Silicon Valley based Alvarez Family Murder Mystery Series.  Murder is a Family Business, Book One, won the Single Titles Reviewers’ Choice Award 2011, followed by the second, A Wedding to Die For, 2012 Global and EPIC finalist for Best eBook Mystery of the Year. Death Runs in the Family won the coveted Global Gold for Best Mystery Novel, 2013. DEAD….If Only won the Global Silver for Best Mystery Novel, 2015. Her fifth novel of the series, The CEO Came DOA, debuts September, 2016. She loves writing this series mainly because she gets to play all of the characters, including the cat!
Heather’s other series, The Persephone Cole Vintage Mystery Series, is set in Manhattan circa 1942, during our country’s entrance into WWII. The Dagger Before Me, Book One, was voted best historical and mystery novel by Amazon readers in October, 2013.  It was followed by Iced Diamonds. Book Three, The Chocolate Kiss-Off, is a 2016 Lefty Award Finalist Best Historical Mystery.
On a personal note, her proudest award is the Silver IPPY (Independent Publisher Book Awards) Best Mystery/thriller 2014 for Death of a Clown. The stand-alone noir mystery is steeped in Heather’s family history. Daughter of real-life Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus folk, her mother was a trapeze artist/performer and father, an elephant trainer. Heather likes to say she

brings the daily existence of the Big Top to life during World War II, embellished by her own murderous imagination.
Heather gives lectures, speaks at book clubs, and moderates author panels in the Bay Area, as well as teaching the art of writing. She believes everyone should write something, be it a poem, short story or letter. Then go out and plant a tree. The world will be a better place for it.
Author Links
Web – http://www.heatherhavenstories.com/
Amazon – Heather Haven
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/HeatherHavenStories 
Twitter@HeatherHaven
Purchase Links
Amazon – http://amzn.to/29WQyfr





Tour Participants
September 1 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT
September 2 – Community Bookstop –

September 3 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST
September 4 – Island Confidential – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
September 5 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW
September 6 – deal sharing aunt – REVIEW, INTERVIEW
September 7 – A Blue Million Books – GUEST POST
September 8 – Christa Reads and Writes – GUEST POST
September 9 – Bookjunkie’s Book Blog – REVIEW
September 10 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
September 11 – Author Annette Drake’s blog – INTERVIEW
September 12 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW
September 13 – Cozy Up With Kathy – INTERVIEW
September 14 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST






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To Follow Her Heart by Rebecca DeMarino Book Tour and Book Review





About

Duty and love are powerful forces. Only one has the power to make her life complete.
It is 1664 and Patience Terry is devastated to learn that Captain Jeremy Horton's ship has been shipwrecked off the coast of Barbados. There were no survivors. She had hoped that Jeremy would someday give up the sea and settle down with her in Southold, Long Island.

Unaware his memorial service is being planned, Jeremy sails aboard a British warship with secret orders to attack New Amsterdam and claim it for the British Crown. When he makes his surprise return to Southold--and to an overjoyed Patience--it's not quite the happily-ever-after his beloved had hoped for.

With a finely tuned sense for authentic historical characters and settings, Rebecca DeMarino plunges you into a world of tall ships, daring journeys, and yearning hearts.


Rebecca DeMarino is the author of The Southold Chronicles, a series based on the lives of her ninth great-grandparents, Mary Langton and Barnabas Horton. She inherited her love of baking and gardening from her mother; a love of horses, reading, and writing from her dad; and the wanderlust gene from both parents. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, New England Historical Genealogical Society, and the Southold Long Island Historical Society. Learn more at www.rebeccademarino.com.

The Author

  1. Rebecca DeMarino
    © Something Blue Photography

    Rebecca DeMarino

    Rebecca DeMarino is a historical romance author and lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, The Southold Historical Society, and the New England Historic Genealogical...
    Continue reading about Rebecca DeMarino

Reviews

Praise for Rebecca DeMarino"A masterful weaver of history and heritage, Rebecca DeMarino laces tender love stories with vibrant threads of history and hope, wooing the heart and waking the soul in this rich New World saga."
--Julie Lessman, award-winning author of The Daughters of Boston, Winds of Change, and Heart of San Francisco series


Praise for A Place in His Heart
"This debut novel by Rebecca DeMarino, based on her ninth great-grandmother's extraordinary story, will pull you into love and loss, then sweep you across the English sea to the rolling landscapes of Long Island. Be prepared to have your heartstrings plucked to the music of God's song of love in sickness and in health, and in times of richness and want. Mary and Barnabas have been obedient to family and their faiths, but they discover that all in life does not go as planned; but with God there is always hope and abundance. A Place in His Heart is a satisfying and compelling historical romance sure to win fans early for the entire series. Bravo, Rebecca!"--Jane Kirkpatrick, bestselling author of The Memory Weaver
"A tenderly told story enriched by the author's own heritage, A Place in His Heart is sure to win readers' hearts too. Rebecca DeMarino weaves a lovely spiritual message as old and new worlds collide and love thrives amid the challenges of early America."--Laura Frantz, Christy Award finalist and author of The Mistress of Tall Acre
"DeMarino's lovely prose and engaging characters make for a promising debut."--RT Book Reviews
My review;

"To Follow Her Heart" by author Rebecca DeMarino is a wonderful story about history, love , hope and family. Patience Terry has been waiting to have a future with Captain Jeremy Horton when she is told that his ship has gone down and all on it are dead. Jeremy is not dead though and he has no idea that people think that he is. When he does return things are not what they thought they were going to be. What has happened in the time they were apart? Will they have their future the way they wanted? Will they find each other again? I really liked this story. I give this book a 5/5. I was given this book by Revell Publishing and all opinions are mine.
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Fish Wielder by J.R.R.R. (Jim) Hardison Book Tour and Giveaway








Fish Wielder

J.R.R.R (Jim) Hardison




YA Epic Fantasy

Fish Wielder Series (Book 1)

Publisher: Fiery Seas Publishing, LLC

August 23, 2016 




Book Description:




Fish Wielder is kind of like Lord of the Rings, set in Narnia, if it was written by the guys who made Monty Python and the Holy Grail while they were listening to the music of They Might Be Giants. 




In ancient times, the Dark Lord Mauron cooked the most powerful magic chocolate dessert ever made, the Pudding of Power.




One thousand and two years later, the evil leader of the Bad Religion, the Heartless One, is trying to recover the lost pudding in order to enslave the peoples of Grome. Only the depressed barbarian warrior Thoral Might Fist and his best friend, Brad the talking Koi fish, have a chance to save the world of Grome from destruction, but that's going to take a ridiculous amount of magic and mayhem.




Thus begins the epically silly epic fantasy of epic proportions, Fish Wielder—book one of the Fish Wielder Trilogy.

Excerpt:
 
“Come on, pal. Let’s get out of here,” Brad suggested, fanning himself with a fin. “We’ll
fight a monster or go on a quest or steal the jeweled eye from an idol or something. It’ll be fun.”
“My heart is too…” Thoral trailed off. “What is that word that means when something
has substantial weight?”
“Heavy,” the fish supplied. Thoral always had trouble remembering that one.
“Heavy. Yes. My heart is too heavy for adventure,” Thoral complained.
“Well, maybe if we pick something really hard, you’ll get killed,” the fish offered.
“A hero’s death?” Thoral asked, perking up just a bit.
“Yeah, sure. A hero’s death.”
“And then I couldst be done with this world,” Thoral murmured.
“Exactly,” Brad affirmed.
“Then let us go,” Thoral said, “this very instant.” He slammed his drink down on the
table so hard that some of the ale sloshed out of the tankard, splashing at the fish. The koi danced
back, just missing a soaking.
“Up to bed first and we’ll hit the road in the morning,” Brad countered, stepping around
the puddle of spilled drink.
“No, we will leave now.” There was a dangerous edge to the warrior’s tone that drew the
attention of everyone in the room even though he had not raised his voice. The bar went silent.
“Look, Thoral,” the koi answered, “it’s getting late. I’m tired. You’re drunk. We could
both use some sleep. Let’s not make a rash decision that might lead to all kinds of unexpected
complications.”
Every eye turned to see the barbarian’s reaction.
“We will leave now,” Thoral insisted. The warrior and the fish stared at each other.
“Be reasonable,” Brad tried again. “Just give me one good reason why we shouldn’t wait
until morning.”
“We will leave now,” the barbarian declared, “because I am Thoral Mighty Fist!”
Everyone gasped. Brad sagged, defeated. Once Thoral noted that he was Thoral, there
was no point in arguing further. Everyone knew it. That’s just how it was.




Book Videos:















Fish Wielder Praise:




“This is one wild romp! I'm not sure I've seen such preposterously determined critic-baiting parody since Xanth or Asprin's Myth-Begotten series. I recommend it to anyone.” ―Piers Anthony, New York Times Bestselling Author 

 

"Fast, fun, fantastic! Fish Wielder is hilarious and unpredictable, like a drunk bear playing whack-a-mole." ―Logan J. Hunder, author of Witches Be Crazy

 

"A great time. Fast and funny, it races along in a self-aware tone that should appeal to anyone who loves fantasy but has ever found themselves thinking, huh, that was a little melodramatic." ―Clay Johnson, author of OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD (Ravenswood Publishing, 2016)

 








About the Author:

 

Fish Wielder is J.R.R.R. (Jim) Hardison's first novel novel (He wrote a graphic novel, The Helm, for Dark Horse Comics). Jim has worked as a writer, screen writer, animator and film director. He started his professional career by producing a low-budget direct-to-video feature film, The Creature From Lake Michigan. Making a bad movie can be a crash course in the essential elements of good character and story, and The Creature From Lake Michigan was a tremendously bad movie. Shifting his focus entirely to animation, Jim joined Will Vinton Studios where he directed animated commercials for M&M’s and on the stop-motion TV series Gary and Mike. While working at Vinton, he also co-wrote the television special Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappy with actor Paul Reiser.

Jim has appeared on NBC's The Apprentice as an expert advisor on brand characters, developed characters and wrote the pilot episode for the PBS children's television series SeeMore's Playhouse and authored the previously mentioned graphic novel, The Helm, named one of 2010's top ten Great Graphic Novels for Teens by YALSA, a branch of the American Library Association. These days, Jim is the creative director and co-owner of Character LLC, a company that does story-analysis for brands and entertainment properties. He lives in Portland, Oregon with his lovely wife, two amazing kids, one smart dog and one stupid dog.

 

















Tour Giveaway: 5 ebook copies of Fish Wielder 1 paperback (US only) copy of Fish Wielder 1 hardback (US only) copy of Fish Wielder


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Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Zeus : Lost Gods Book 1 by LaVerne Thompson Book Tour and Giveaway







Zeus: Lost Gods Book 1

LaVerne Thompson



Genre: Fantasy romance



Publisher: Isisindc Publishing, LLC



Date of Publication: pre-order 8/2 release 8/16



ASIN: B01JK41N2A



Number of pages: 156

Word Count: 49,948



Cover Artist: Fiona Jayde



Book Description:



What if you woke up one day and found out you used to be a god? But you don’t care when you can’t save the one you love. Unless you claim your legacy and your powers, even if you have to kill your father to do it.



Ze found he would do whatever he must to make sure Kassia lived. She was an innocent.



Kassia lived her life for the last year under a death sentence. She had an end date of three months. This was her last chance to save herself against the thing killing her from the inside. Even accepting the will of a god. He could save her life but at what cost to her soul?



When survival is everything, would you do anything to ensure that you do?



*WARNING* This is not an erotic romance. It does however, have sex when warranted and lots of violence and cussing. You have been warned.







EXCERPT CHAPTER 1





Five figures stood like statues partially around a pool of water.

“He can never remember.” The collective entity making up the Fates warned Kratos.

Kratos never raised his head to look at the four identical beautiful beings. Shrouded in shimmering white cloth from head to toe, with the planes of their faces barely visible, even the little of their features he glimpsed were ever changing. Seemingly to represent all the peoples of the world. At times, all four appeared feminine, but he was not so sure all were female. It mattered not. “Tell me nothing of what can or cannot come to pass. Would that I could have that gift, or curse to forget. Forget we no longer have the powers we once did. Have been all but forgotten. Lost in the grains of time.”

“It is as the world should be Kratos. You know this. Humans must make their own decisions, be the makers of their own will. Not that of the gods. No matter how powerful.”

He couldn’t tell which of them spoke, the voice came into his mind. Not even a voice exactly, more a thought that they wanted him to know. He scoffed. “Yes. The gods.” He placed his hand in the water swirling it, it was cool to the touch, and dispersed the image they’d been looking upon. At someone who in another age, other times had been the most powerful amongst them. Reason enough for the Fates to fear and condemn Zeus. The Father of them all, and a god he himself had killed, dispersing his body down to dust, carried off unto the four winds and mixed amongst all matter. Yet, never completely destroyed, pieces of him being reborn over the ages. God no more, each time just a man.

A fate worse than death for one once a god. Unfortunately, for them all, Zeus’ destruction created a chain of events opening the world to chaos, the fall of Olympus and everything they had once known. The Fates had no choice but to take control and punish them all. Perhaps their plan all along, and the excuse they needed to destroy all the gods. There could be none more powerful than the Fates. Still, Zeus must be called forth once more. Rather, what was left of him, hopefully it would be enough.

Kratos, pulled the black hood over his even darker locks, walked out of the obsidian hall into the crumbled ruins of what had once been Olympus, home of the gods. Even with his eyes open, he could still see the opulence of the buildings as they once stood. The gleaming golden doors twelve feet tall, the marbled hall, where one could hear music that lulled and pleased ones senses filling the halls. Now gone. All of it. The place reeked of age. And he no longer had the power to change any of it.

He would wish the Fates to a mortal hell, but they’d already placed him there and there was no release for his soul. His body melded into the dark matter making up the night, and he returned to the nothingness he was.

****

The four who remained behind continued to watch the water in the pond as it settled. Returning to its calm state and the vision came once more.

“He cannot remember…everything.” The husky whisper came from the center form.

“No. That would not bode well for what he must yet do,” the tallest of the four stated.

“As the son destroyed the father, so too must the father destroy the son,” one whispered.

“For all the powers the All Father had, he too came to his inevitable end. Death comes for all, even a god,” the final sister pronounced shaking her head.

“All the gods are dead. Long live the gods,” the cry came in unison vibrating with the power of the Fates.

****

“Hey Ze, you ready, man?”

Eyes the color of a summer storm zeroed in on the tall man standing at the office door. “Sorry, Linc.” Ze shut his laptop, pushing his chair away from his desk, as he stood. All six foot five of him, situated on a solidly built frame.

“Is that the Chinese?” Linc asked

“Yeah.”

Linc, his president of operations and right arm, referred to the latest deal his company, Lightning Enterprises was working on. He stepped into the room and glanced at the laptop. He stood a just a couple of inches shorter than Ze, wasn’t as broad in the shoulders, more like lean muscle. Under the veneer of the tailored trappings of his civilized suit was a body covered in a roadmap of tattoos. He also carried a knife sheathed at his ankle. You can take the boy out of the Greek slums, but some habits you never get rid of. But this boy now had an MBA from one of the best universities in the world.

Ze trusted him to run his company when he wasn’t around.

Linc would be shocked if he knew not only had Ze not been working on any last minute tweaking of their deal, but he hadn’t been working on anything related to business, legit, or otherwise. Since at times, they straddled the gray—another reason for the metal strapped to Linc’s calf. Instead, Ze had been dreaming. With his eyes wide open.





About the Author:


LaVerne Thompson is an award winning, best-selling, multi-published author, an avid reader and a writer of contemporary, fantasy, and sci/fi sensual romances. She also writes romantic suspense and new adult romance under the pen name Ursula Sinclair.



She is a certified chocoholic and is currently working on several projects. Some might even involve chocolate. But writing helps maintain her sanity.



Sign up for her newsletter for sneak peeks and advance info on new releases as well as a few freebies exclusive to subscribers. http://bit.ly/1hA7C9W

















Tour giveaway



2 PDF downloads of Zeus- Lost Gods








1 $10 Amazon GC


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In Every Way by Amy Sparling Cover Reveal and Giveaway

Today is the cover reveal for In Every Way by Amy Sparling. This cover reveal is organized by Lola's Blog Tours.

In Every WayIn Every Way
By Amy Sparling
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age category: Young Adult
Release Date: 13 September, 2016

Blurb:
It's the start of summer and Josh Graham will be working at his parent's surf shop. When his best friend Colby goes on vacation, Josh is stuck working with Bryce—and all of Bryce's terrible ideas for summer. They make a list of what the “perfect girlfriend� would be like, and now they plan to find her. It shouldn't be too hard, since Josh is one of the hottest, most popular guys in school. Right?

Bess Navarre would rather read a book than go outside. She's chubby, dorky, and a self-proclaimed loser. But when her grandmother volunteers her to work at a jewelry kiosk on the beach, Bess has to comply, no matter how humiliating it is. Bikinis and Bess do not go together, and now she feels even dorkier than ever.

When Bess and Josh’s paths collide, sparks fly. But it won’t be that easy. Bryce wants Josh to date a supermodel. And although Bess might just fit all of the things on Josh’s list, she won’t give herself a chance to figure it out.


You can find In Every Way on Goodreads


Amy SparlingAbout the Author:
Amy Sparling is the author of The Summer Unplugged Series, Deadbeat & other awesome books for younger teens. She lives in Texas and has an addiction to sparkly nail polish, taking photos of her cute dog, and swooning over book boyfriends.

You can find and contact Amy here:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Instagram
- Goodreads

Giveaway
There is a cover reveal wide giveaway for the cover reveal of In Every Way. These are the prizes you can win:
- a signed paperback of In Every Way by Amy Sparling (US only)
- a 10$ amazon gift card (International)

For a chance to win, enter the giveaway below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Happy Homicides 4 : Fall Into Crime Anthology and Giveaway

Happy Homicides 4: Fall Into Crime

HAPPY HOMICIDES fall into crime large banner 640 1Happy Homicides 4: Fall Into Crime

by Joanna Campbell Slan, Linda Gordon Hengerer, Carole W. Price, Lesley A. Diehl, Nancy Jill Thames, Teresa Trent, Maggie Toussaint, Anna Celeste Burke, Randy Rawls, Nancy J. Cohen, Terry Ambrose, and Deborah Sharp

Happy Homicides 4: Fall Into Crime

COMING AUGUST 29

  Joanna Campbell Slan / Vendetta: A Cara Mia Delgatto Mystery – The House of Refuge on Gilbert’s Bar is known for its 150-year history as a way station for shipwrecked sailors. But when Cara Mia visits, the museum becomes the scene of a crime. Linda Gordon Hengerer / Dying for School Tea: A Beach Tea Shop Novella – Chelsea Powell and her sisters are providing treats for Citrus Beach High School’s freshman orientation. Can they solve the murder of the beloved softball coach before someone else dies? Carole W. Price / The Glass Birdhouse – Glass artist Bella hopes to find clues about her student's death in the woman's unfinished glass birdhouse. Lesley A. Diehl / Bobbing for Murder – A visit from Darcie’s family is always chaotic, and this time the relatives bamboozle Darcie into having a Halloween party. It's a decision that definitely comes back to haunt her. Nancy Jill Thames / Raven House – When a reporter is murdered after a fundraiser at the historic Raven House, the police call on Jillian and her Yorkie Teddy to help them investigate. Teresa Trent / Falling for Murder – Helpful hints columnist Betsy Livingston is an expert at household organization but her skills are put to the test when she’s called upon to conduct an efficiency review for a haunted house. Maggie Toussaint / Dead Men Tell Tales – In this third installment of the Lindsey & Ike romantic mystery novella series, things don’t add up after a suspicious hunting accident. The more Sheriff Ike Harper and newspaper editor Lindsey McKay dig, the more questions they find. Anna Celeste Burke / All Hallow’s Eve Heist – Date night for Georgie Shaw and handsome detective Jack Wheeler goes terribly wrong. A botched heist at Marvelous Marley World has everyone scrambling as trigger-happy bad guys head for the Halloween celebration in Arcadia Park. Randy Rawls / Accident, Suicide, or Murder – Retired policeman Jonathan Boykin’s primary interest is improving his golf, but a grieving father's request to investigate his son's suspicious death is an entirely different ballgame. Nancy J. Cohen / Haunted Hair Nights – As a new stepmother, hairstylist Marla Vail hopes to win brownie points by helping her daughter with a school haunted house project. Marla has her work cut out for her when she stumbles over a corpse on the spooky estate grounds. Terry Ambrose / Spirit in the Rock – An invitation to a museum's grand opening turns into a showdown with the spirit world for amateur sleuth Wilson McKenna. Deborah Sharp / Haunting in Himmarshee – When a ghost comes to call, Mace must sort out the haunted from the homicidal in Himmarshee, Florida. Bonus Story— Joanna Campbell Slan/Kiki Lowenstein and the Doodoo – A fun family outings turns into a fearful fright, but Kiki Lowenstein is good at sniffing out bad guys.  

Comes with a bonus file of recipes and craft tips!

All for just 99 cents! 

Pre-order Links Coming Soon! 

Great Escapes Book Tour – August 29 – September 11, 2016 

Find out about the authors on their webpages below. 
a Rafflecopter giveaway Tour Participants August 29 – Reading Is My SuperPower - SPOTLIGHT August 30 – Cozy Up With Kathy - GUEST POST August 31 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – SPOTLIGHT August 31 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT September 1 – A Holland Reads - GUEST POST September 1 – fuonlyknew - SPOTLIGHT September 2 – The Girl with Book Lungs - SPOTLIGHT September 2 – My Funny View of Life – REVIEW September 3 – Bibliophile Reviews - REVIEW, INTERVIEW September 3 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW September 4 – Book Babble - REVIEW September 4 – Sleuth Cafe – GUEST POST September 5 – Laura's Interests - REVIEW September 6 – StoreyBook Reviews - GUEST POST September 6 – Victoria's Pages of Romance - SPOTLIGHT September 7 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW September 8 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW  September 8 - Queen of All She Reads – GUEST POST September 9 – Brooke Blogs - REVIEW, GUEST POST September 10 – Island Confidential - INTERVIEW September 11 – Shelley's Book Case - REVIEW, GUEST POST September 11 – Kaisy Daisy's Corner - REVIEW Have you signed up to be a Tour Host? Click Here Find Details and Sign Up Today! Additional Banners
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Mud Man The Golem Chronicles Book 1 by James A. Hunter Audio Book Blitz








MudMan

The Golem Chronicles

Book 1

James A. Hunter



Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy



Publisher: Shadow Alley Press



Audiobook Date of Publication: August 10, 2016



ASIN: B01BX7PT7M



Number of pages: 415

Word Count: 111,000



Cover Artist: Lou Harper



Book Description:



Levi Adams is a soft spoken, middle-aged Mennonite man—at least he tries to be when he’s not murdering people.



Levi’s a golem, a Mudman, crafted from the muck, mire, and corpses of a World War II concentration camp—killing is just a part of his DNA. He doesn’t like it, but unfortunately he’s been saddled with a divine commission to dole out judgment on those who shed innocent blood. After seventy years as a cold-blooded murder machine, however, Levi’s trying to change his grisly nature. And the AA meetings and church services are helping. A little. But when he runs across a wounded girl, Sally Ryder, during one of his “hunting expeditions,” he realizes self-help may have to go on the back burner.



Someone is attempting to revive a pre-Babylonian murder god, and the road to rebirth is paved with dead bodies. Lots and lots of them.



Now, Levi must protect Ryder—the key to an unspeakable resurrection—and defeat a Nazi mage from Levi’s murky past. But the shadowy mage holds a terrible secret about the Mudman’s unorthodox birth, one offering insight into Levi’s morbid compulsion for bloodshed. It’s a secret Levi would pay anything to uncover: maybe even Ryder’s life. If Levi isn’t careful, he may end up turning into the monster he always imagined himself to be.




ZERO:

Awakening

June, 1943

He blinked his eyes open for the first time: a newborn stealing his first look at the world, which, in a way, is exactly what he was. Except no squealing, rosy-cheeked infant had ever been so big, so ugly, or so filled with blood-boiling rage. Never had a child been so appalling. He squinted at first, letting in only the merest trickle of light because even the wan illumination from the moon, which loitered over the world like a fat thumbnail, was harsh to his virgin eyes.

Smells came next: the scent of musky earth, the harsh tang of powdery slaked lime—used to mask the reek of decay—and buried beneath that, the sour stink of rotten flesh and burnt hair.

The sky spit down a misty drizzle, fine droplets of cool water that turned his gray skin slick. After a few moments more his eyes adjusted fully, allowing him, at last, to survey his surroundings. Mud and muck, deep brown and goopy, lined everything. It squished beneath his shoulder blades, clung to his arms and legs, and liberally coated the corpses crudely piled to his right. Despite the mud, the bodies appeared almost white, like angry specters waiting for him, welcoming him to this new hell with silent screams and vacant eyes.

How he knew anything was beyond him, since this was the first day of his life, the day—or rather night—of his unnatural birth. Surely, no baby pushed and fought its way into the world with dark and grisly thoughts of murder and death lingering in its mind, with knowledge of mass graves, heinous experimentation, and hasty executions. But he knew such things. Fragments of memories floated and swirled inside his skull, dancing a slow funeral dirge, parading incoherent snatches of imagery through his head.

The Wehrmacht march through the streets in their black spit-shined boots and high-collared, gray wool uniforms. Smart and dashing, those uniforms, dressing up the face of murder in civility and pageantry …

The Luftwaffe soars overhead. The buzz of the single-prop Focke-Wulf and the thunderous roar of the colossal Messerschmitt transport planes fill the air with their racket …

He clutches a small boy to his chest, his body trembling as he hides, holding his breath for fear of being heard. Terror and panic wriggle in his guts as the black-garbed Schutzstaffel—the SS—make their way from door to door, fists rapping on wood, rifle buttstocks smashing out windows, booted feet kicking their way inside …

Then, train cars, loaded to capacity, roll through his thoughts. Bodies press up against one another so tightly he can’t breathe—except he isn’t a he, but a she. And she is searching for her sister. They’d been separated in all the chaos …

So many images, circling around, each screaming more loudly than the last, each demanding he lend them an ear or an eye or a hand. He clutched at either side of his head. Broad, fleshy palms pressed in as though he could simply pulverize the images and send them back to whatever nightmare they’d come from. But they kept coming, and as they came—faster and faster, like a hail of automatic machine gunfire—his chest began to itch and burn. It felt like someone had taken a cherry-red fire iron and jabbed it into the meat covering his breastbone.

A huge hand flew to the pain, his fingers finding crude markings etched directly into the skin, cut deep into the muscle below. As he touched the mark, the jagged wound, the voices and visions coalesced into a single demand. A demand for retribution. The anger came next, flowing from the brand like gasoline pumping through his veins, scorching his insides and propelling him to action. He lumbered to his feet, the muck squishing around his thick toes, and made for the muddy wall of his earthen womb. In reality, an open grave. He dug his digits in and used his flabby, though powerfully built, arms to pull himself upward and free.

He lay on the edge of the pit for a long beat, charting the lay of the land, eyes scanning the dark, which covered everything like a velvety blanket. In the distance, not so far off, he saw a squat building. Some sort of bunker, outlined by the faint glow of light bulbs. He wasn’t surewhat he was. Where he was. Or how he’d gotten there. But, as the brand burned in his chest, he was certain of one thing: someone—or, perhaps, lots of someones—had quite the butcher’s bill to account for, and he was ready to collect.



About the Author:


Hey all, my name is James Hunter and I’m a writer, among other things. So just a little about me: I’m a former Marine Corps Sergeant, combat veteran, and pirate hunter (seriously). I’m also a member of The Royal Order of the Shellback—’cause that’s a real thing. I’ve also been a missionary and international aid worker in Bangkok, Thiland. And, a space-ship captain, can’t forget that.



Okay … the last one is only in my imagination.



Currently, I’m a stay at home Dad—taking care of my two kids—while also writing full time, making up absurd stories that I hope people will continue to buy. When I’m not working, writing, or spending time with family, I occasionally eat and sleep.



You can visit me to find out more at www.JamesAHunter.wordpress.com











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