Author Archives: authorcamilson
Spotlight – Radio Underground
About the Author
Alison Littman lives in San Francisco where she’s a writer by day and standup comedian by night. A former journalist in New Mexico, she covered politics and education while also contributing articles on John F. Kennedy and The Beatles to various specialty magazines. Her feature stories focus on listening to rock ‘n’ roll behind the Iron Curtain and Cold War politics. Radio Underground is her first novel.
Website Address: https://www.readalisonlittman.com/
Twitter Address: https://twitter.com/AliMcShpiel
Facebook Address: https://www.facebook.com/readalisonlittman/
About the Book:
Title: RADIO UNDERGROUND
Author: Alison Littman
Publisher: Last Syllable Books
Pages: 354
Genre: Historical Fiction
BOOK BLURB:
After years of suffering under the communist regime in Cold War Hungary, Eszter Turján—fanatical underground journalist—would sacrifice anything, and anyone, to see the government fall. When she manipulates news broadcasts on Radio Free Europe, she ignites a vicious revolution, commits a calamitous murder, and is dragged away screaming to a secret underground prison.
Her daughter Dora, then a teenager, cowers in her bedroom as the secret police arrest her mother. Haunted and hurt, Dora vows to work against everything Eszter believes in. But, it’s not that simple.
After nine years, Dora meets a strapping young fan of Radio Free Europe and is unwittingly drawn back into Eszter’s circle. She finds her mother, driven mad by years of torture, is headed for death.
On the brink of losing Eszter again, Dora must decide if she should risk her life to save the mother who discarded her—or leave it to fate.
“A propulsive read and a timely reminder that maintaining our humanity requires courage as much as love.”- Kim van Alkemade, New York Times best-selling author of Orphan #8 and Bachelor Girl
“Littman’s debut novel is a delectable blend of history and heartstrings, sure to please the palates of literature lovers everywhere.”- Selene Castrovilla, award-winning author of Melt and Luna Rising
5 out of 5 star review from Readers’ Favorite
“Radio Underground reads like a movie…A revolutionary tale written with style.”- Readers’ Favorite
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Book Excerpt:
A black Zis-110 idled ahead of me, the car’s curtains drawn on its passenger windows. I shivered at the sight of the secret police’s hallmark car, thinking of all the friends who had disappeared for no reason, taken away by henchmen in the middle of the night, never to return. It was no coincidence the Zis looked just like a hearse. I scurried onto a side street, dodging the car and the poor captives I assumed sat, trembling, inside of it.
I tiptoed past the Ministry of Interior, where red geraniums lined the building’s windows. In the secret prisons below, police tortured people with whips, limb crushers, nail presses, and scalding and freezing baths. Or else they just executed them. But the geraniums were always fresh.
I slid my fingers across the building’s dusty exteriors, imagining I could somehow transfer my nerves onto the cold, unfeeling brick. I had snuck through the streets after curfew for years, but tonight was different. I could feel the regime sensing our newfound courage, like a dog pushing its nose high into the air, catching the subtle perfume of a rabbit nearby.
After walking several blocks, I spied smoke unfurling in the path before me, like a languid snake expanding as it digests a fresh kill. Following it, I found Antal, his eyes closed, relishing in a cigarette.
“Antal, it’s me,” I said, coughing on the smoke now choking me.
Antal smiled and opened his eyes, his cataracts reflecting the glow of the street lamps. “Eszter, it’s good to see you.”
“It’s good to see you too.” I kissed Antal on both cheeks, feeling his dry skin against mine and wondering how long he’d been outside waiting for me in the cold.
“Tell me, what information do you have for me today?”
“It will happen tomorrow,” I said. “Today, technically.”
It was already past midnight.
“So it’s here, isn’t it?” Antal said.
“Yes,” I said. “I went to their meeting. The students decided they’re going to march. I heard them talking about gathering arms.”
“How many people are participating in this … this march?” Antal asked as he stamped his cigarette into the ground and lit another one.
“Hundreds, thousands, maybe. I can’t be certain.”
“It doesn’t take a genius to predict how Gerő will react.”
“Gerő will slaughter them,” I said, feeling dizzy as I said aloud what we both knew. Hungary’s leader, Erno Gerő, was a Soviet puppet with an arsenal at the ready. “Without enough people hearing about it and organizing, it will just be a bloodbath.”
Antal fell back against the brick wall, suddenly losing his breath. He was always so levelheaded, so much so it often drove me to even greater heights of anxiety as I tried to compensate for his indifference. His fingers, still clutching the cigarette, quivered as his eyes searched the space behind me.
“The state radio will probably ignore this and just keep spewing out its propaganda,” he said.
“Exactly. We’re going to print with this too. But Realitás won’t reach enough people in time. An announcement on Radio Free Europe is the students’ only hope.” I held on to Antal’s shoulders to steady him. “It has to happen first thing in the morning, so people will have time to plan.”
The closest Radio Free Europe outpost was in Vienna. If Antal left now, he would get there by four in the morning.
“I already have meetings scheduled in Vienna for today,” he said. “I’ll visit our Radio Free Europe contacts as soon as I get there and cancel my other meetings to get back in time for the march. Gerő will think I cut short a routine visit to be by his side.”
Our lives by day were lies—Antal’s more than most. He served as the regime’s Deputy Interior Minister. After being forced to coordinate the executions of his friends—communists who threatened the power structure when they became too popular—he resolved to undermine the regime in any way possible. He began relaying intelligence to the American-run Radio Free Europe. With the freedom to travel at will and deep knowledge of the government’s inner workings, he also became an asset to Realitás, the underground newspaper I ran.
“It’s already one in the morning,” I said. “What will you do when they ask you why you’re crossing the border so late?”
“This is normal for me. I go to Vienna at all times of the day and night, just to keep them guessing. Just in case I run into a situation like this.”
“Smart. Well, you better leave now before Gerő tries to get in touch.”
We both knew Antal’s phone could have been ringing right then. I wondered what it would cost him—or his children and grandchildren—if he wasn’t there to answer it.
“I’ll be back,” Antal said, coughing into his hands, still shaking from what I knew was the fear we all shared.
“Wait.” I pulled out a tattered piece of paper, wincing as the cuts in my hand protested the sudden movement. “Take this with you. A student gave it to me yesterday. It’s a coded list of meeting points and times for the march. You have to get this on air too.”
Antal nodded as I slid the paper into his coat pocket, making sure to secure the meticulously crafted plans of the brave, hopeful students. They probably didn’t even realize that at this moment, Soviet troops were almost certainly readying their tanks at a base nearby.
Spotlight – Jack Jetstark’s Intergalactic Freakshow
Jack Jetstark travels the universe to seek out the descendants of superpowered freaks created long ago by VesCorp scientists. The vibrations encoded in a particular song transform the members of Jack’s crew into a firebreather and an angel, a wildman and telepathic conjoined triplets, so they hide the truth of who they really are with the theatrics of a carnival.
The song plays every night through the receptor Jack carries with them, but when one night it has a different ending and their temporary powers become permanent, Jack believes the change is a signal from the woman who sent him on this quest in the first place. He and his freaks must navigate a universe at war to protect the love of his life.
But does the ruler of VesCorp really need protecting?
Buy Links: Amazon Barnes and Noble iTunes Kobo
Author Jennifer Lee Rossman is a disabled and autistic freak, and proudly so. Her work has been featured in many anthologies and her debut novella, Anachronism, was published by Kristell Ink in 2018.
She blogs at http://jenniferleerossman.blogspot.com/ and tweets @JenLRossman.
“First thing you’ve got to know,” I said, brushing my hair from my face as the wind began to pick up, “is that we’re all freaks. Everyone in the whole universe, for one reason or another. Most try to hide this fact. A few of us embrace it, not so much because we want to but because there’s nothing else for us. So we show people the terrifying and unseemly parts of us no one wants to see, and we charge ’em good money to see it.”
Lily stepped forward and knelt to display her shoulders and back, all bare, featherless skin down to the dangerously low neckline of her sequined dress. “See? No wings.”
“But you flew,” Cara insisted. “If it isn’t costumes and harnesses, then what?”
I held up the receiver, a small wooden box the size of my hand with a speaker on one side and images of galaxies and solar systems carved into the others. Not the most advanced technology, but I wouldn’t have anything else.
I checked the time. Soon.
I debated how much to tell her. No matter how many times I tried to explain it, it never sounded remotely plausible, but I had to warn her. Seeing the end result was one thing; seeing it happen before your eyes was another matter entirely, though the complete truth was an ancient burden none of them deserved to be saddled with.
“The music plays,” I said. “Same song, same time every night, and it triggers something inside us. That feeling you had, like you were made of magic? That’s what it feels like when your DNA recognizes a song, even if you’ve never heard it before.”
She stared at me in eager anticipation, nodding slowly. Whether she actually believed me or was just humoring me, I couldn’t say, but it was a nice change from the usual interruptions of “that’s impossible” and “science doesn’t work that way.”
I cast a sideways glance at Theon, who had given me more trouble than the others, and continued. “Makes you feel alive, like there’s a purpose to your existence and you can do the impossible, and that ain’t just in your mind. We’re all freaks, but we—” I motioned to my crew. “Well, we’re different. Our bodies hear that song, and it triggers our genes to change, to grow into… I don’t know, the true selves that live in our heart or some sentimental crap like that.”
“How poetic,” Lily said with a laugh. She looked up at Cara. “I know it’s hard to understand. It happens to me every night, and I still have no idea how it works, but I can fly, Merulo becomes the feral wildman, Parthen and the boys really can read each others’ minds and feel each others’ pain… Jack breathes fire and gains the ability to give impassioned speeches without sounding like an uninterested jerk.”
I checked the time again.
“So what changed in you?” Pneuman asked with earnest interest. “During the music, I mean?”
Cara hesitated, almost like she was afraid of hearing the absurdity out loud.
“I turn into a wild beast,” Merulo pointed out quietly. “And these three grow into one, psychic organism. Whatever you’re about to say will probably be the most normal thing we’ve heard in months.”
After another moment’s thought, Cara rolled up her sleeves. Her arms, though pale peach and freckled like her face, gleamed in the diminishing sun.
I reached out to touch her. Cold, almost metallic. That explained how she opened the lock.
“You’re a cyborg,” I said, tapping my nail on her forearm to hear the clinking sound. They just couldn’t get the texture right, no matter how hard they tried.
Her moon didn’t seem like the type of place to have a neurologist trained in bio implants, and I doubted anyone there could afford to travel to see one.
“Fancy. Who wired it into your brain?”
“I did it all myself.” She held up a hand and demonstrated the various functions and attachments installed in her fingers, glossing right over the fact that she had just admitted to performing brain surgery on herself. She yanked her sleeves down. “And I’m not a cyborg,” she clarified. “I’m just good with electronics and I like gadgets. My dad says it’s bad to be a cyborg.”
“Well, I tell you what, kid. You can’t make a person change by pointing out their flaws, but you can be the one person who doesn’t try to.”
“I’ve always had a connection to electronics,” she said, shyly extending a hexagonal wrench from her forefinger, “like I could talk to them. But when I heard the music… something happened.”
I checked my watch. Not long now. “Yeah, something always happens. What matters is what happened to you, kid.”
“They… talked back.” Her words came slow at first, her reluctance to being different still holding her back, but as she talked, she grew more excited, more animated. “I could hear the messages stored on the phones of everyone around me, could see the last videos that played on their contact lenses. I could see the blueprints of your ship in my head. She’s an Aldebaran cargo ship, Highwire model. Superluminal capability, more weapons than she came out of the factory with, and she has a capacitor that should be repaired soon. And I felt like, if I wanted to, I could touch any source of power on the ship and control everything remotely.”
“Ready to feel that way again?” I asked, holding out the transmitter as showtime approached.
And passed.
It was time, but the music didn’t play. The music didn’t play.
Why didn’t the music play?
Tell us about you
I’m a disabled and autistic geek from upstate New York, and I’m basically like if Dr. Temperance Brennan from Bones was a Disney Princess.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
All of the fun things I have to write.
If you could hang out with one famous person for one day, who would it be and why?
I feel like I would get along with Neil deGrasse Tyson, because I too annoy people by pointing out scientific errors in movies.
What’s the story behind your latest book?
I was inspired by two of my favorite shows, Firefly and Heroes, to put people with superpowers in space. They work in a traveling carnival ship, and they might be the only ones who can save the universe from war.
Tell us your writing process
The first draft, I don’t edit at all. It’s full of plot holes and notes that say [research this]. Then I read through the whole thing, making notes about what needs to be changed. Repeat about ten times.
What tips can you give other authors who are looking to get the word out about their book?
Make friends with other writers. I think my friends promote each others’ books more than their own.
When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?
When I realized my disabilities were going to make it hard for me to pursue a career in paleontology. So… around the age of ten or so?
Tell us about your main character:
Jack Jetstark. Firebreather, Han Solo wannabe, hopeless romantic.
What are you working on next?
A time travel novel about a girl who can’t remember when she’s from, teaming up with people who can’t get home to make sure time travel is invented.
Do you have any special/extraordinary talents?
I can say the alphabet backwards and am really good at memorizing long lists.
Who are your favorite authors?
Seanan McGuire, Sarah Gailey, and Douglas Adams.
What do you like to do with your free time?
I cross stitch and crochet.
Tell us about your plans for upcoming books.
I have stories coming up in a few anthologies, but I’m not sure I can talk about them yet.
Where can people find you on the web?
My blog: https://jenniferleerossman.blogspot.com/
My Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenLRossman
Any final thoughts?
I hope people enjoy my book. I’ve tried to make it as inclusive and welcoming as possible for people of all races, genders, orientation (or lack thereof) and abilities.
VBT – Song of the Boricua
About the Author
Olivia Castillo is a New York native. After going to the prestigious Fiorello H. Laguardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, she went on to study graphic design at Otis Parson’s College in Los Angeles. Along with being an entrepreneur, she is the mother of three children, and grandmother of two. When not writing or spending time with her family, she travels the world and paints. Song of the Boricua is her first novel.
Website Address: www.oliviacastillo.org
Blog Address: https://www.oliviacastillo.org/blog
Twitter Address: https://twitter.com/oliviacauthor
Facebook Address: https://www.facebook.com/songoftheboricua/
Goodreads Address: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14629912
About the Book:
Title: SONG OF THE BORICUA
Author: Olivia Castillo
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 335
Genre: Fiction
BOOK BLURB:
Puerto Rico an island of contradiction, serves as an enchanting backdrop following three generations of women.
Elena: Resilient and ambitious, but trapped by duty to her children.
Maria: Passionate and headstrong, but married to a man she does not love. Josephina: Optimistic and romantic, but in love with an alcoholic.
Isabella: Clairvoyant and spiritual, but denies her heritage and roots.
Like the land these women are held hostage, unfulfilled and unable to find their happiness. Each generation like the land is cursed. Can they defy the powerful bond of the curse and free themselves to find love everlasting?
New Author, Olivia Castillo, like the jibaros of the past weaves a tale of sorrow and joy. Castillos’ fiction is timely, offering a glimpse into the islands rich history and offering insight into the story that has plagued women for all of time, the search for true love and acceptance of self.
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Book Excerpt
Catala wanted her Elena to be educated and help fight for the revolution—for the independence of Puerto Rico. She firmly believed the tiny island should stand on its own two feet. She would read to her from many books, and as Elena grew older, she occasionally read from the Journal of the Liga Feminina, the Feminist League of Puerto Rico. The journals were published by the league to address issues faced by women and promote women’s right to vote. La Liga Feminina was a feminist organization founded by Ana Roque de Duprey in 1917, who was also one of the founders of the University of Puerto Rico. “A Puerto Rican woman, if educated as a man, is capable of intervening if it is God’s will, in the workings of her country’s government,” Catala would read aloud to Elena passionately.
Elena also belonged to La Treinta, a group of the Creole elite that consisted of writers, professors, and intellectuals that had a base at the University of Puerto Rico. Catala, had joined La Treinta a few years back and had encouraged Elena to join: La Treinta wanted Puerto Rico to have its own identity and to keep its connection to Spain, the mother country.
She had met some of the writers when they came to visit the University of Salamanca, Spain. Catala also read to Elena from the books handed to her by her own mother from Spain, favorites like El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha, by Miguel Cervantes. Elena was committed to arming her daughter with knowledge and power to better herself, and one day, her country.
Book Trailer:
VBT – EYES BEHIND BELLIGERENCE
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. K.P. Kollenborn will be awarding a physical copy of Eyes Behind Belligerence to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Told in five parts, this novel unravels the challenges between two unlikely Nisei friends, Jim and Russell, into adulthood during the Second World War. As restrictions are imposed, (even in the safe, rural community of Bainbridge Island,) as harassments escalate, (including the F.B.I. invading their homes and deporting their fathers to Montana for espionage trials,) the fated day arrives: evacuation of all Japanese civilians. Rounded up like cattle, tagged, they are hauled to the fringes of Death Valley: Manzanar. Together they must survive racism, gang violence, and the harsh elements of the environment. Together they must prove their loyalty, especially after a tragic riot on the eve of Pearl Harbor’s anniversary. While Russell enlists in a segregated army, becoming part of one the most decorated units in U.S. history, Jim is sent to a different camp for the “No-No” boys: those who are marked disloyal. Removed from their families, they are forced to reevaluate their identities and discover, most importantly, what it means to forgive.
Read an Excerpt:
Russell gawked at the barrack, appalled. No walls. No furniture. No kitchen. No radio. What kind of place was this? It looked like some sort of solitary confinement. He walked over to one of the cots and pressed down. It felt firm and rigid. No pillows. No mattresses. Everyone frowned; except the twins who were more interested in the stoves‘ bellies by swinging the doors. Gertrude slapped both their hands, and complained about their unruly behavior.
Meito removed his hat, brooding over their bad luck. He sold his twenty acre farm, not knowing if he could afford the taxes without income, in exchange for this? He left his house, his possessions, and his pride for an empty space in the middle of nowhere? If he had known it was going to be this disgusting he would had loaded his shot gun and fought like hell! But no. He packed his bags instead, feeling obligated to protect his family. He knew his actions would embarrass them by provoking the authorities, and possibly make things worse. A good citizen never defied leadership; even if the men in charge were terribly wrong.
Gertrude shrieked. She began to gag, her face turning red, pointing to George. In between his fingers George held the tail end of a scorpion. Meito flew to his son, dropping his hat. He instantly grabbed the scorpion and catapulted it out the door. Then he sprinted to the door to slam it shut.
“That was a big no-no!” he barked, his voice trembling. “That was a very dangerous creature! When you boys see it again, run away! Do you boys understand?”
Horrified, both nodded their heads, not fully comprehending why their father hollered at them. George started to sniffle. Gertrude went to him, draping her arms around her confused son. She rocked him back and forth, telling him that everything was alright, and that Daddy didn‘t mean to yell at him. That he was only protecting them.
“Let‘s see if we can get some sleep,” Meito wearily sighed. Turning to his mother, he spoke in Japanese, “Mama, do not worry. The sun will rise higher tomorrow.”
About the Author:
Currently I have three books published, two historical fiction and one children’s book. Although I’ve been writing since childhood, I have a BA in History. I love studying history as much as wanting to evoke stories. I like to believe that after decades worth of introspection we have learned, hopefully more wisely if not conscientiously, what happened yesterday with a critical eye. Aside from a history degree, I also have a graphics art degree. My husband and I once owned a music store, a pizza delivery business, and several internet businesses. I also have dabbled with real estate and am grateful I got the heck out right before the crash! Sadly, history tends to repeat itself in important ways. Currently my family continues to live outside of Kansas City and will always have roots tied to Kansas. I am in the process of working on two more books, another historical fiction and one non-fiction.
https://www.facebook.com/kollenborn
https://twitter.com/KPKollenborn
http://kpkollenborn.blogspot.com
https://www.amazon.com/Eyes-Behind-Belligerence-K-P-Kollenborn-ebook/dp/B0067QWWTS
K.P. Kollenborn will be awarding a physical copy of Eyes Behind Belligerence to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour
Spotlight – Shelter Island
About the Author
John Paul Tucker holds degrees in Theatre and Theology and has many years experience as an Ontario Certified English Language Teacher, in addition to teaching mime, puppetry and Drama to teens and children. His unique journey has furnished him with an eclectic head of ideas.
He is currently celebrating his 50th article on www.thewriterslessonbook.com, an educational website he created for writers, featuring writing tips and techniques harvested from the books we love to read. He has published poems in the Toronto Sun, Little Trinity Print Magazine and Imago Arts e-magazine. His poem City Sidewalks won first prize in a Toronto wide poetry contest. Two of his short stories, The Crooked Tree and The Debt Collector have each won a prize awarded by The Word Guild and The Prescott Journal respectively. You will find one of his fantasy stories recently published in the popular Hot Apple Cider anthology Christmas with Hot Apple Cider. JP has been busy polishing up The Rooster and the Raven King & The Rise of the Crimson King, Books II & III of The Song of Fridorfold trilogy, pursuing Cary, Clarisse and Gregory on their fantastic adventures.
John Paul is excited to be putting the final touches to his fourth novel, a YA fantasy inspired by the remarkable storyteller, George MacDonald. Gather the latest news about JP’s upcoming novels, enjoy a book trailer, dive into some free stories and poems, contribute some art work, take a peek at some photos, or for no other reason drop by to say hello at his official author website www.johnpaultucker.com.
John’s latest book is the middle grade fantasy adventure, Shelter Island.
Website Address: https://www.johnpaultucker.com
Facebook Address: https://www.facebook.com/johnpaultucker.author/
About the Book:
Title: SHELTER ISLAND
Author: John Paul Tucker
Publisher: Brownridge Publishing
Pages: 224
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy Adventure
BOOK BLURB:
Thirteen-year-old Cary and his sister Clarisse must return home every day after school to mind their eight year old brother, Gregory. “It’s a non-negotiable,” insist their work-obsessed parents. There is another problem. Clarisse and Gregory don’t like Cary much, and Cary doesn’t much like anything, especially being tagged with his gummy-fingered little brother. But their troubles are about to grow talons.
While bickering over the contents of a small, intricately embroidered pouch, the siblings unintentionally summon three mail-clad birds, who hasten their three young conscripts to Shelter Island, refuge to a long divided realm hidden from the children’s homeland for hundreds of years. Spotted above enemy territory, the small company is attacked. Clarisse and Gregory escape to the caves of Husgard. Cary’s captors dispatch him to Vangorfold, a centuries old stronghold sworn to Husgard’s destruction. Entangled in a centuries old conflict, the children’s own blur of problems comes into sharp focus, hastening the fortunes, for good or ill, not only of a forgotten civilization of birds, but of the children’s homeland.
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Book Excerpt:
Clarisse hovered over the tiny artifact the same way
her parents would have conducted their research. The letters
on the scroll were written in the same spidery golden
threads of the embroidered feather on the pouch.
She hesitated to check a word.
Three fair feathers travellers are,
Bearing friends or foes afar.
Bound together, by bearers three,
Summons three bearers to bear ye.
“It’s a riddle,” said Gregory, his eyebrows climbing with
each new revelation.
“Maybe,” said Clarisse, who had recalled a passage
from a story she had read. “It sounds more like an enchantment.”
Watch the Trailer!
VBT – FINAL NOTICE
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Van Fleisher will be awarding a $50 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
The year is the very near future. A brilliant young doctor and mathematician, Vijay Patel, has invented a new health/sport watch that monitors blood chemistry so accurately, it can actually predict when someone will die – within 10, 20, or 30 days. The intention of this “Final Notice,” as it is called, is to allow people to get their affairs in order and reach out to loved ones before it’s too late. But when those notified have easy access to a gun, the result is sometimes lethal for more than just the watch-owner.
These are the stories of several people who receive their Final Notice and their very different reactions … including a desire to get revenge with impunity. They range from an 89-year-old resident in a retirement home to a U.S. Senator…from a benevolent widow to a crass tycoon to a noted climate change scientist.
But in this fresh, fast-paced page-turner, their stories are all set against the all-too-recognizable backdrop of a guns-gone-wild America, and the relentless push by the NRA and their surrogate politicians to make guns even easier to acquire.
There is plenty of dark humor and political satire in FINAL NOTICE, as well as touching scenes and outright suspense. So expect to laugh out loud, dry some tears, and bite your nails (not necessarily in that order).
Read an Excerpt:
“But in the case of the elderly, aren’t you concerned about an increase of accidental shootings? You know, forgetting to use the safety mechanism or not seeing clearly?”
“We get some of that, even with younger people,” LaPlant replied with a laugh. “Our studies have shown that with adequate training, almost anyone can be a responsible gun owner. That’s why we introduced the NRA Armed Seniors Discount Program. If more old-timers packed heat, it might make thugs think twice before bullying them.”
About the Author:
“After 21 years with an airline, and 30 years in management consulting, I retired and found that my phone didn’t ring and the only emails I got were asking for money. So, since I was at my computer, I decided to write a novel.”
This is only half the story. (Van is notoriously modest.) The author was Director of International Marketing with TWA, and an International Management Consultant – taking him behind the closed doors of boardrooms and executive offices around the world. He knows how business works, which gives the slightly “sci-fi” premise of Final Notice a realistic feel. Moreover, his two careers led him to live abroad for much of his life. After growing up in New Jersey and Florida, where he never thought much further than the length of a football field, and going to college in New Mexico, he wound up living in England, Scotland and France, travelling frequently to the Middle East and Asia. He even spent a year living in India. And his first-hand experience with – and respect for – other cultures is apparent in this book.
“Final Notice is meant to highlight, my concerns with America’s handling of three important issues: gun control (not anti-gun), ageism and the importance of immigration. The book won’t fix these issues, but there are a number of great organizations with even greater people working on our behalf to right these wrongs. Proceeds from sales of Final Notice will help support those efforts.”
http://www.finalnoticebook.com
https://www.facebook.com/finalnoticebook
https://www.amazon.com/FINAL-NOTICE-What-would-certain-ebook/dp/B0798XNY6P
Van Fleisher will be awarding a $50 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
VBT – PRESENTING THE MARRIAGE OF KELLI ANNE AND GERRI DENEMER
Presenting the Marriage of Kelli Anne & Gerri Denemer
by PD Alleva
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GENRE: Literary Fiction/Romance/Dark Fiction
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BLURB:
The Denemer’s had it all: Fame, fortune, family, and the American Dream. But tough times have landed on their doorstep— Gerri’s acting career is mired in controversy, financial decline is strangling the family bond, and his marriage to Kelli Anne is on the rocks. He’d rather die than face another catastrophe, something the Devil is more than eager to assist. On the night Gerri attempts to end his suffering, his plan is thwarted by a voice in his smart TV, pulling him into a dimension where past, present, and future collide, and the fate of the human race hangs in the balance. But Gerri is not alone. The Devil’s minions are nipping at his heels and Kelli is right behind them, determined to save her family and put right what has gone wrong. Will they be successful? Is the bond between husband and wife strong enough to defeat evil? Will they prevent World War III or will evil’s plan triumph? Presenting the Marriage of Kelli Anne and Gerri Denemer: A Horror Story, is a tour de force thriller of dark fiction, romance, and horror in an epic battle between good and evil.
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EXCERPT
She was reluctant to climb those stairs. The thin stairway to the third floor, dark and gloomy, held inside it an ascent to a new life.
Kelli Anne had a feeling in her gut.
Your world’s about to change.
Her breath was heavy and constricted. She pursed her lips to force the air down into her lungs.
Whatever was beyond that door, she did not know.
Perhaps I want no part in it.
In her mind, she saw goblins and devils jumping up and down inside that room, in some devilish parade of victory. A sinister face, thin, long with a goatee and dark, black eyes, stood prominent in her mind.
She stood at the bottom of the stairs, unmoving.
Something in the air coming from the top of the stairs, simply frightening and unknown, dark and contemptuous, wanted nothing of her presence
Where is your husband, Mrs. Denemer?
She ascended, the air turning thick, like struggling through a vat of jelly. She pushed through it, climbing the staircase and pushing forward. Her jaw quivering, her hand on the doorknob.
It was locked.
Only, she’d removed the lock a few days ago, when concern over Gerri’s wellbeing had pushed her to take dire precautions.
She tried again.
Locked.
She coughed through the thick air, now like billowing smoke in her throat.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
P.D. Alleva is an author, psychotherapist and hypnotherapist specializing in trauma, addiction and mental health. He is the author of several books, including fiction novels, Indifference and A Billion Tiny Moments In Time…, Seriously Twisted; These Gods of Darkness (Poetry), Let Your Soul Evolve (1st and 2nd ed), and Spiritual Growth Therapy: Philosophy, Practices and Mindfulness Workbook (non-fiction). He has developed behavioral protocols for addiction and mental health and teaches mindfulness, Buddhist meditations and manifestation techniques to his patients as a means and alternative to using pharmaceuticals. He is currently in private practice with his wife, Lisa. He lives with his wife and children in Boca Raton, Florida.
Follow the Author:
Instagram: pdalleva_author
Twitter: pdalleva_author
Facebook: @Paul Alleva
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HFJGJQR/
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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
PD Alleva will be awarding a $75 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Enter to win a $75 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Thanks for being my guest today. Tell us about you.
I’m a highly distracted, in my own world, gazing off into the distance, living on another planet type of person. I’ve had my head in the clouds my whole life and don’t want to come down. This reality thing is a bummer.
If you could hang out with one famous person for one day, who would it be and why?
Stephen King. Why? He’s the King.
What’s the story behind your latest book?
It’s a journey into darkness to find the light with an overall theme of unity and finding redemption through the light of love.
What is your writing process?
Always listening to music. Headphones on so I can stay in the book’s world without outside distraction. The story and genre choose the musical playlist. At the moment I’m writing book three in the series, a dystopian scifi while listening to Pearl Jam Radio on Pandora. Being a 90’s grunge kid Pearl Jam radio teleports consciousness to my old teenage rebellion frame of mind. Highly needed for this book. Also, although it’s a 90’s station, a lot of Led Zeppelin is played. Oddly enough every time Kashmir is played I’m in the middle of another fight scene. The song perfectly sets the tone for these scenes.
Tell us about your main character.
There are two main characters, Kelli and Gerri and they’re going through truly difficult times. Gerri can’t let go of the past and Kelli wants to move forward. As so many married couples who experience financial hardship and a dire need for change, the Denemer’s relationship is on the brink of collapse. But where there is love there is hope. Sometimes we have to confront our fears in order to reach the light.
If your book was to be turned into a movie, who would play the lead role and why.
Gerri: Ed Norton. Despite the fact that he’s an amazing actor who can pull off the depths required to play Gerri, he fits the profile too. Jim Carrey is another possibility. After watching many of his YouTube inspirational videos and the documentary Jim and Andy on Netflix, his understanding of spiritual practices would be a great match to play Gerri.
Kelli: Scarlett Johansson. Fits the profile and can pull off Kelli’s tough no holds barred exterior.
What are you working on next?
Book Three in the series, a dystopian scifi titled The Rose. The title is taken from a mediation used by Alchemists. The book focuses on a race of alien vampires in cahoots with human aristocracy to develop a drug that turns human beings into zombies. Not literal zombies, just mindless human beings who follows orders and can be turned into slaves without any concern or an uprising. This book is a prelude to The Indigo Trials, a scifi trilogy that will delve further (much further) into the alien vampire race and the alien/human conspiracy.
What advice do you have for other writers who want to get the word out about their book?
Virtual Book Tours are a must. Don’t be shy tell everyone about your book and be proud of your accomplishment. Talk to three people a day about it, as time goes by you’ll build a large audience. Also, connecting with other authors on Facebook is a great way to go, there’s so many author support groups to be a part of.
What is your favorite book on your shelf right now?
The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. It’s an old hardcover that’s been passed around over the years and read by many people. The spine is all torn and coming off but I love it. Old books, new books, I’m more of a hold the book in my hands reader than an e-reader, although I’m getting used to my kindle. Unfortunately, I’ll be passing it on to the next reader soon.
Do you have any special/extraordinary talents?
I’m an excellent hypnotist. Works like a charm.
You are given the choice of one super power. What super power would you have and why?
Moving objects with a single thought. Star Wars had a large impact. I’m still attempting to master this power every time my twin boys ask for another PB&J after I literally just sat down.
List 5 things on your bucket list:
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Travel to New Zealand and Easter Island
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Take a trip to the moon
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Meet the Dali Lama
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Meet Babaji (although I think I accomplished this one. Never can truly be certain, he appears in so many forms)
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Nobel Prize Winning Author
Where can readers find you on the web?
Instagram: pdalleva_author
Twitter: pdalleva_author
Facebook: @pdallevaauthor
Any final thoughts?
Yes, thank you for hosting and for supporting indie authors. Also, a special thank you to those who took the time to read through this post. I’m grateful for your time.
VBT – THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. K. S. David will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the otherh stops on the tour.
From the author of A Promise Kept and Every Single Wish, comes an exhilarating romantic suspense for the holidays.
As Center City and its quirky residents get ready to ring in the holiday with merriment and good cheer, Calista Tate is forced to make a terrible decision? Does she stay and fight for the life she’s created or – does she run away? One man could be her angel – her saving grace. And, the promise of love may be strong enough to make her hold her ground. The wrong decision could put them both at risk.
Calista Singletary decided it was finally safe to settle down. She opened a small bakery, has a new home and life is good. That is until she gets arrested for killing her elderly neighbor. It doesn’t help that she chased the old man out of her house with a rolling pin two days earlier. The same rolling pin is found under his bruised and bloody body. Calista thinks some trickery is underfoot. Good thing her sexy attorney, Marc Collins, thinks he can get the charges dropped.
But Calista knows that when the authorities start digging, they’re going to uncover her true identity. That’s when the real horrors will begin. She usually stays packed and ready to blow town at the first sign of trouble – assuming a new name, a new look, a new story. But she’s growing close to Marc and just once, she wants to feel normal. Will the cost be too high?
Three years earlier, the man Calista loved sucked her into a world of indescribable horror. She’s the only one who can testify to the atrocities he committed by Thomas Langston. She stole three million dollars of his money and maimed him the day she left. In return, Thomas made her a promise. He would always love her. He would never stop looking for her. And the next time he saw Calista – he was going to kill her.
Read an Excerpt:
“He walked in on me in the bathroom!”
I had been taking a well-deserved bath. After a sixteen-hour day in my bakery, my hands felt like rubber, my ankles were throbbing, and my back felt like I’d been beaten with a baseball bat. The break would feel like a week-long vacation, and I intended to take advantage by sleeping in, eating junk, watching a little football and reading a good book. A hot, steamy bath had been on my too-do list all day. Love ballads filled the halls of my house, and I planned to polish off a bottle of Chablis.
“Way to go, Fred.”
I rolled my eyes to the night sky annoyed. Fred’s encouragement came from another neighbor who shared the center of our cul-de-sac with a man who’d been a thorn since the day I moved in. I didn’t know his name – didn’t care either, but I knew his taste in music, women and the brand of beer he preferred. Loud music boomed from his backyard nightly. He wore aged denim and a t-shirt so old the letters had started to peel. A soiled black bandana was pulled low over his brow and tattoos covered visible skin – except his hands, his neck and his face. I could always tell when he was coming or going because the motor in his Harley made my windows shake. I squinted up at the man. Streetlights barely illuminated his face and his bandana made it impossible for me to get a good look at him, but he had a firm jaw and full lips. Catching my examination, he winked. I sneered at him. I didn’t do grimy and I didn’t do assholes – at least, not anymore.
About the Author:K. S. David lives in the Mid-Atlantic with her husband, their three children and a menagerie of pets. New storylines are constantly running through her head. She keeps notebooks tucked in pockets of the car, the nightstand and makes voice recordings just about all day long. She’s addicted to true life mysteries and crime shows, both of which marry well with a great romance. Some of her favorite things are long walks, reading in bed, baking and of course, writing her next novel.
https://www.amazon.com/K.-S.-David/e/B00BP1U4BI
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6979268.K_S_David
https://twitter.com/ksdavidromance
https://www.facebook.com/ks.david.52
https://www.amazon.com/Night-Before-Christmas-K-David-ebook/dp/B07K7151P1 The book is on sale for only $0.99.
K. S. David will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
