Cover Reveal - Revelations of Preston Black

Today it's a cover reveal for the newest novel by Jason Jack Miller.  I think it looks pretty cool - don't you?

THE REVELATIONS OF PRESTON BLACK BY JASON JACK MILLER
Coming June 2013 from Raw Dog Screaming Press

Cover Art by Brad Vetter

Preston and Katy face a new darkness.... Sometimes a battle between good and evil doesn't look much like the ones they show in movies. The good guys don't always wear white, and they don’t always walk away with the win.

And sometimes you're better off with the devil you know.

The last time Preston went down to the crossroads, his best friend died and he nearly lost his brother. But Old Scratch doesn't take kindly to fools, especially not those who come knocking at his front door. And before all is said and done, he's going to teach Preston a thing or two about what it really means to sacrifice.

LINKS: Read the first 100 pages of The Revelations of Preston Black - http://jasonjackmiller.blogspot.com/p/the-revelations-of-preston-black.html

Pre-order The Revelations of Preston Black at Raw Dog Screaming Press - http://www.rawdogscreaming.com/books/the-revelations-of-preston-black.html

It Has Begun

Well June has finally arrived!

After two months of preparation, my Tribute Books blog tour for Running into the Darkness begins in earnest this coming Monday, June 3rd.  It's very exciting, but also rather nerve-wracking.  I'm putting myself out there for a stranger's forthright comments about my work and exposing myself to potential ridicule.  But in the immortal words of the Lion King - it is time!

So if you also have time, please go over to the website created for my tour http://runningintothedarkness.blogspot.com/ and recommend the site to your friends and family.  Feel free to comment on each applicable blog site too.  There will be guest post topics, interviews, and reviews of RITD - so something new and different every day of the tour. 

Who knows?  You just might find out all sorts of interesting tidbits about little 'ol me and my writing habits.  Probably more than you wanted to know. :-)

Then (and this is the best part) be sure and click on the Rafflecopter link either on each day's direct blog page or at the bottom of the tour website to enter for a chance at a $25 Amazon gift card or PayPal cash.  This starts today and goes through the end of June. 

At the end of the tour, I'll also have some exciting news about another special give-away.  Stay tuned!

Now off to work on Rising from the Darkness.  The series is almost complete.

http://runningintothedarkness.blogspot.com

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Happy Memorial Day

On this Memorial Day, among the barbecues, picnics, and parades, let's take a moment to stop and remember our loved ones who've gone before us.  Celebrate those around us.  But most importantly, let's honor those who fought for and sacrificed their very lives for the freedoms we hold dear.

God bless America - let freedom ring!

Reviewing A Guilty Mind

My apologies for being tardy with today's review.  After a late night power outage and a "you don't want to know what else happened" kinda day, I'm finally able to get logged back into the blog and write this belated review.  Forgive me, Kellie, for not being able to give a full day promotion of your great book. 

Sometimes life throws us a bit of a curve around which we must drive. 

That summary also applies to the contents of Kellie Larsen Murphy's A Guilty Mind.  Join me in exploring this intriguing psychological mystery!

Book Summary:
George Vandenberg is a broken man with a volatile temper, haunted by the memory of the young woman he once loved and "accidentally" killed.  Wrestling with the guilt and pushed by his psychiatrist to confess the circumstances of her death, he teeters on the edge of a nervous breakdown.  The past collides with the present when the doctor turns up dead, brutally stabbed to death in his office.  Stunned and confused, George emerges as the primary suspect even as he becomes a target himself.  To prove his innocence, George must face the police, his manipulative wife, and the past he's been unable to forget.  When the truth is finally divulged, no one, including George, is prepared for the collateral damage or the shocking identity of the killer.

My Review:
The opening scene immediately grabbed my attention and made me want to explore "who done it" even further.  Dr. Michael is on the cusp of a breakthrough in helping one of his most troubling patients, staying in his office late at night to review audio recordings of his recent sessions.  Then the unthinkable happens as someone the good doctor knows sneaks in and murders him.

Several patients are immediately suspect, and Detective Cancini has his work cut out for him - particularly when the widow points a finger toward those patients who transferred over to her husband's care after the "murder" of her psychiatrist brother a year earlier.

One man eventually makes the top of the suspect list - one George Vandenberg, a successful, wealthy family man on the surface.  Underneath is a dark and painful past he attempts to placate with booze.  His marriage to his controlling and pretentious wife is a sham, as he pines for his younger days and the only woman he ever really loved.

The one he killed.

I found this story to be an intriguing read.  Pacing is at times fast and then slows down as we get to know the players on the field, but it never feels bogged down.  The characters are well developed with back stories full of secrets that have shattered them into the jagged-edged people they've become.  It's at times heartbreaking.

There are plenty of red herrings in the story, so don't expect to be able to pin-point the perpetrator right away.  However, if you're paying close attention, you'll probably figure out the "who done it" before the end.

And what an end!

I'd pretty much figured things out by the time of the unveiling - but I was unprepared for the completely unexpected twist at the end.  I'm still not sure how I feel about that one, but it DID take me by surprise.

That's something rather difficult to do, in my experience.  But it's also something that makes me like a book even more.  I enjoy being surprised in the end because it doesn't happen very often.

And that's where I give this novel very high ratings indeed.  So if you're looking for a great Memorial weekend read, pick up a copy of Kellie Larsen Murphy's A Guilty Mind.

Author Bio:
Kellie Larsen Murphy is a freelance writer who has worked in both the banking and publishing industries. In recent years, she has written on a variety of subjects and been featured frequently in several mid-Atlantic magazines. Her debut novel, A Guilty Mind, is the first in a series featuring Detective Michael Cancini. The second in the series, Stay of Execution, will be available in 2013. Kellie lives in Richmond, Virginia, with her husband, four children, and two dogs. She would be happy to hear from readers through her website, www.kellielarsenmurphy.com. 

Amazon Kindle eBook $2.99
http://www.amazon.com/A-Guilty-Mind-ebook/dp/B0091HRXSK/ref=tmm_kin_title_0

Amazon Print $11.44
http://www.amazon.com/Guilty-Mind-Kellie-Larsen-Murphy/dp/1478239069/ref=sr_1_1_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1368760869&sr=1-1&keywords=A+guilty+Mind 

EBook Versus Print - Why the Battle?

There's been ongoing discussion for years now in the publishing world concerning the validity of print books versus digital.  The debate continues and remains fluid, but I rather like my guest's viewpoint.  Why not enjoy a bit of both?  Please join me in welcoming to the blog author Kellie Larsen Murphy!

I read recently that printed books are for people who love printed books and digital books are for people who love digital books. It was written as though it was an either or decision. I disagree with that idea. Wholeheartedly. Yes, I know a few people who have turned to digital exclusively. I also know people who have never read a digital book in their life and don't intend to. But I truly believe most people will and do read both.

However, with the steady growth in ebook sales, there is growing concern that the printed book will disappear.  While I don't know the exact numbers of ebooks sold by Amazon so far this year, I do know that there are well over a million available. I know this because Amazon tells me every time I'm looking at a print version of a book. For a company like Amazon, digitally delivering the product is clearly more profitable than packing and shipping a physical item. It's no wonder the ebook is a favorite product.

Out of curiosity, I recently went to the website of a large publisher to see how they packaged or sold their ebooks. It came as a surprise to me that they didn't sell ebooks at all. You could purchase the hardcover version directly from the publisher but if you wanted the ebook version, you were directed to a list of 8 or 9 sellers including Amazon. I just couldn't understand this. The costs (minimal as they were) of producing that ebook had already been incurred. Why send your customers elsewhere? I do know, however, this is not true with all major publishers.

As a self-published author, I recognize the ease of e-publishing. A writer can use KDP exclusively or use Smashwords or employ a service to format their book. Either way, the process is relatively painless and within minutes after publishing, the book is available for sale. For the reader, hitting the "buy" button means you have a new book to read in minutes or seconds. Who doesn't love that? Of course, the popularity of ebooks is growing among readers and here's why:

·        Instant gratification (mentioned above).

·        No storage issues. You won't be on Hoarders because you have too many books.

·        Lower costs. Even best sellers are significantly lower than their hardcover counterparts. I do find it more difficult to buy a $12.99 ebook, however, than to pay $23.95 for a hardcover I really want. Why is that?

·        Easy to transport. It's easier to pack one Kindle on vacation vs. 5 paperbacks.

As an author, producing a digital version of your book is obviously a no-brainer. Yet, self-published authors still grapple with whether or not to publish a print version. Because I believe print books are not going away (at least not during the remainder of my lifetime), it wasn't a difficult decision for me. I love books and that includes printed books. Of course, like many other writers, I have a mother who would not be satisfied with showing all her friends the digital version.

The truth is, however, there are many practical reasons to publish in print:

·        You can keep signed copies in your bag or car to distribute and expand your audience. Several friends read my book last year and then ordered copies for me to sign as gifts.

·        Having a printed book lets authors participate in more book gathering events. In May, I will be participating in a "Celebrate With a Book" event that draws almost two dozen writers. Printed books are often necessary for conferences, too.

·        Speaking at book clubs is a pleasure and while many readers will download your book, some book clubs prefer printed books.

·        A printed book with a gorgeous cover (and the author's name in big bold letters!) is beautiful.

·        Your local independent bookstore might be willing to let you launch your book or hold a book signing there. That counts as publicity.

·        Nobody wants to get sand all over their Kindle, iPad, phone, etc. Sometimes print is the best option.

Although it's true that some famous authors have taken to advertising about saving printed books, the death of reading is not an issue. I know parents who have told me the Kindle and Nook are the reason their child is reading. The youth of today live in a digital world. They play games digitally, produce schoolwork digitally, and network digitally. Reading in a digital format is natural to them. The important thing is they are reading. And for me, that is really the point as a writer. Surely no writer of the past laments the death of tablets, or scrolls, or quill pens, or even the typewriter. The tools and instruments of publishing are only that.

The future of publishing as it exists today may be unknown, but reading is here to stay.

Many thanks, Kellie, for your insight into the realm of publishing.  For additional information, please visit her website at www.kellielarsenmurphy.com  It will sure be interesting to be a part of what the next ten years holds for authors and readers alike. 

And speaking of readers, be sure and pick up a copy of Kellie Larsen Murphy's excellent book, A Guilty Mind.  I'll be posting a review of it in a couple of weeks, so stay tuned! 

Amazon link:  http://www.amazon.com/a-guilty-mind-ebook/dp/B0091HRXSK/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&quid=1367268751&sr=8-1&keywords=a+guilty 

Assured Destruction - Or Has It?

It's time to trip back to high school with today's review.  This YA novel has twists, turns, and plenty of intrigue to garner your average teenager's attention.  So buckle up, grab your key, and let's go for a ride with Michael Stewart's novel Assured Destruction.  Oh, and don't forget to sign up for an Amazon gift card at the end!

Book Summary:
Sixteen-year-old Jan Rose knows that nothing is ever truly deleted. At least, not from the hard drives she scours to create the online identities she calls the Shadownet.

Hobby? Art form? Sad, pathetic plea to garner friendship, even virtually? Sure, Jan is guilty on all counts. Maybe she’s even addicted to it. It’s an exploration. Everyone has something to hide. The Shadownet’s hard drives are Jan’s secrets. They're stolen from her family’s computer recycling business Assured Destruction. If the police found out, Jan’s family would lose their livelihood.

When the real people behind Shadownet’s hard drives endure vicious cyber attacks, Jan realizes she is responsible. She doesn’t know who is targeting these people or why but as her life collapses Jan must use all her tech savvy to bring the perpetrators to justice before she becomes the next victim.

My Review:
I found this novel to be a delightful read once I got into the storyline.  Being very techno-challenged, I was quite lost within the scope of the earlier chapters, but soon found myself engrossed in the story and wanting to know for sure how Jan was going to get herself out of the predicament she waltzed right into.

Jan has no personal life.  After her dad left a few years before when her mother was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Jan has to rush home from school every day to help keep the family business afloat.  Being tied to her family means she doesn't have time when a cute guy asks her on a date.  Her only company consists of her "friends", hard drives she's stolen from the computers that should have been destroyed.  These she sets up around her command center console with personalities she creates.  They become her surrogate family.

Plus she's too smart for her own good.  She runs rings around her computer science instructor, who regularly flunks her assignments because she just can't bring herself to keep it simple.  Bogged down with too much responsibility (and that her free time is regularly spent around her console), she's pretty much struggling in all of her classes - and with that come threats from her ill mother to take away the only thing that keeps her sane.

One day the cyber world Jan has created comes crashing down.  All of the people related to the stolen hard drives begin having terrible things happen to them, from child pornography charges of a classmate to home robbery.  The cops soon come knocking on Jan's door.

If the police find out about what Jan's been up to with the hard drives, her mother's struggling business could be lost.  Then to Jan's dismay, her mom decides to begin a crash course in online dating.  Couple that with Jan becoming the target of one mean and nasty smear campaign - and it might include smearing out her life.  Complications ramp up as two completely different guys begin vying for her attentions.

But are all of these new people in Jan's life who they seem to be or are one of them the culprit setting her up for a dive?

There are plenty of red herrings in the story, but it was fun to see which one ultimately ends up being the bad guy.  Pretty much from the beginning, I was pretty sure I knew, but it was still intriguing how she was going to clear the air with everything going wrong.

Formatting and grammar was fairly clear - and the cover was really cool.  Overall a good read that should keep the YA audience guessing. 

Michael F. Stewart's Bio:

After crewing ships in the Antarctic and the Baltic Sea and some fun in venture capital, Michael anchored himself (happily) to a marriage and a boatload of kids. Now he injects his adventurous spirit into his writing with brief respites for research into the jungles of Sumatra and Guatemala, the ruins of Egypt and Tik’al, paddling the Zambezi and diving whatever cave or ocean reef will have him. He is a member of the International Thriller Writers and SF Canada, and the author of the Assured Destruction series, 24 Bones, The Sand Dragon, Hurakan, Ruination and several award winning graphic novels for young adults.  Visit his website at http://www.michaelfstewart.com/

Amazon paperback ($8.99)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/098126994X?tag=tributebooks-20

Kindle ($2.99)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BXRUYO6?tag=tributebooks-20

Follow the Tribute Books blog tour:

http://assureddestruction.blogspot.com/

Click to enter the Amazon gift card giveaway below

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A Measure of Grace from "The Grace Painter"

Today I have the pleasure of introducing you to author Mark Romang's novel, The Grace Painter.  It is a beautiful story of tragedy followed with that silver lining called grace.  I think I'll let the story speak for itself.  Onto the summary.

The Grace Painter Book Summary:
Sometimes the hardest person to forgive is the one reflecting back at you from inside a mirror. Matthew London can attest to this difficult truth. Ever since the former NYPD hostage negotiator changed his identity and fled New York City for the backwaters of Louisiana, regret has ruled his life.

For eight years London has lived like a hermit in a declining plantation house. Only his talent for painting Renaissance-style murals and paintings keeps the inner-demons from totally destroying him. Each day the disgraced hostage negotiator longs for a chance at redemption, never expecting it to actually happen. But then a down-on-her-luck FBI agent shows up on his doorstep one evening. It turns out Jean-Paul and Sebastian Boudreaux, two local brothers famous for lawlessness have inadvertently kidnapped a little girl.

London is quickly thrust into the starring role of a daring rescue attempt. But before he can rescue the child from the dangerous Boudreaux brothers, he first must find a way to forgive himself for a past misstep, a blunder that forever altered his once promising life. But in the Atchafalaya Basin swampland, nothing is promised. Grace cannot be purchased or earned. It can only be given.

My Review:
After witnessing the gruesome murder/suicide of his former partner and family, New York police negotiator, Matthew London, has nothing left.  Taking on the name of Jon Rafter, London escapes New York and lives off the grid as a Louisiana crawfisherman in a dilapidated southern plantation house.  All hours of the day and night he paints murals on the walls and ceilings by candlelight like a modern day Michelangelo in his own Sistine Chapel.  His world may be full of darkness, but his painting reflects the growing light of his tortured soul.

Annie Crawford is one tough, kick-butt FBI agent - but she also has a past that is rapidly catching up to her.  A little girl has been kidnapped by the notorious Boudreaux brothers, and everyone in the Atchafalaya Basin knows the Boudreaux clan is one dastardly family with whom they don't want to cross paths.  Annie's worst nightmares are rekindled as she sets off to rescue the girl from a fate she barely survived herself. 

And all as Hurricane Vera sets its eye upon the Louisiana coast.

When Annie's badly beaten body is left practically on Jon's doorstep, their paths are set together to do what they can to infiltrate the Basin and find the cabin where the Boudreaux's have taken their hostage.  That is IF they survive the triple-digit windforce, storm surge, and spawned tornadoes from Hurricane Vera.

The opening scene of this novel was heartbreaking to read.  You could immediately appreciate why Matthew/Jon goes underground to escape his pain.  As we jump ahead eight years to Louisiana, we see how people each have a right and wrong choice to make and how those with whom they surround themselves can easily lead them toward and over the cliff.  The action ratchets up and doesn't stop, with layer after layer of problems and bad choices presenting themselves in the midst of dangerous circumstances.

I'm really trying not to tell you too much!

The story moves very quickly all through the approaching hurricane and leading into its impact.  The hurricane's presence really upp'ed the tension and the stakes for all of the players in the game.

Speaking of players, the main complaint I had with The Grace Painter was the presence of too many cast members.  At times it got rather jumbled with so many varying characters who didn't seem to have a whole lot to do with the main storyline.  And this leads me to my only other complaint.

After the hurricane and aftermath of tying up all of the circumstances, it really got bogged down in the minutia.  The main character of Matthew/Jon was absent for about the last third of the book until the very end.  What happened to him was really pretty unbelievable, but miracles do happen.  Then it all felt at times very dragged out and then too rushed, like important scenes were merely skipped over then referenced later on in the push to just finish the book.  It made what had been a very enjoyable read up to that point a little disappointing.

That said, I would still recommend The Grace Painter.  It read pretty quickly and kept my pulse going through the majority of it.  As far as I remember too, it didn't contain offensive language, which is sometimes hard to come by in a good thriller/suspense.  I feel comfortable recommending for teens and adults.

Mark Romang's Bio:

I was born in 1967. Avid reader, suspense novelist, faithful husband, baffled father, factory worker, reformed head-banger, failed musician, contact sports lover, MMA enthusiast, distressed KC sports fan, Lord of the Rings geek, workout fiend, dog owner, nature lover, proud American, disgruntled voter, pistachio addict, caffeine-riddled, screw-up saved by grace, sojourner. This is me in a nutshell.

You can find Mark at http://www.markromangbooks.com/.  Follow the Tribute Books blog tour at:


http://thegracepainter.blogspot.com/

Price/Format: $0.99 ebook
Pages: 303
Publisher: self-published
Release: November 26, 2012

Kindle buy link ($0.99):
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ADWZ4M4?tag=tributebooks-20

Nook buy link ($0.99):
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-grace-painter-mark-romang/1113848026?ean=2940015785463

Smashwords ($0.99):
http://www.smashwords.com/b/259249

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