KayCee K.: As Snow Falls Tour For Author Elle Klass

KayCee K.: As Snow Falls Tour For Author Elle Klass: -Elle Klass Bio- Elle was born into this world in Redwood City, California and spent her childhood growing up in the fabulous San F...

Madi Preda and How to Promote and Market Your Book

Today's review is about a book written by a lady who has been helping to market and promote books for years. As an author I find this book to be a good companion. As most authors in today's market have found out; no matter how good your book is nobody will know unless you work your butt off to promote.

Review

How To Promote and Market Your Book by Madi Preda is a great guide for authors, full of resources and ideas. Less than a year ago I published my first book and had no idea how to market and promote it. In fact I hadn't considered the entire marketing and promoting piece. Now I think about it daily and spend as much time with it as I do writing. I have learned a lot and have used a lot of the information in this book. These strategies work!

Madi gives tips on writing press releases, how use social media effectively, what not to do, and a host of resources. Just last night while reading I took short breaks to check into several of the resources she mentioned in the book.They are now bookmarked on my google tab for easy reference. For all authors indie or traditional this book is a godsend. I am so pleased and thankful that she put all this information into an easy to read, understand, and somewhat humorous book No doubt I will be referenceing various chapters and resoures as I continue my marketing and promotional campaign.

Thank you Madi Preda for sharing your knowledge!

Where to find Madi and her book
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Marcha Fox creator of Stars Trails Tetralogy

I just finished reading A Psilent Place Below by Marcha Fox. This is book three in the series. I know I should always start with book 1 but I was surprised at how easily it was to get into this book. There are clues spread throughout the novel and I didn't experience the 'I'm lost feeling'. I own and will soon be reading the other two books in the series as well as book four which is coming out soon.

My Reviews

Beyond The Hidden Sky by Marcha Fox is a brilliant sci-fi, young adult novel. Creena Brightstar a pre-adult who is a contradiction to her upbringing on Mira 3 where rules and logic dictate society. As a teen who is an Esheronian/ Miran mix she relies on intuition and emotion instead of logic more than is maybe good for her. The Brightstar family is on a transport from their home planet Mira 3 to Cyraria when Creena stumbles upon a pod which sends her on an excursion to Verdaris a planet full of vegetation with few settlements that is in the way of a bombardment of comets. Her father and brother head out for a rescue mission while her mother and youngest brother have to enter a new planet on their own.

The author's colorful and animated word sketches give the reader the feel of actually watching or being right in the mix of the story. She brings personality and quirks to the characters as they develop through expressive descriptions and dialogue. For the series, she creates a whole new language such as cylls- for sleeping, snurkles- a derogatory term, and time is measured in metrics which makes sense as science is based metrically. To go with the series I also definitely recommend the Star Trails Compendium; it's a wonderful reference for the language and Universe March Fox has created in the Star Trails Tetralogogy.


I am an author as well as having taught junior high science for a number of years and think this read would be a fabulous addition to classroom libraries as well as "the hungry for sci-fi lovers" personal bookshelf.

A Dark of Endless Days by Marcha Fox is volume two in the Star Trails Tetralogy. This segment picks up exactly where volume one stopped. The Brightstar family is living on Cyraria-a hot dismal planet with two suns. The blazing heat and high opps creeping up on them they build a cooling system for their ballome and consider heading for cooler ground. Merapa always one step above the law isn’t so fallible and Creena gets stuck on Earth. Her opinions about earth and the descriptions of Earthlings and our society sent me into fits of laughter. A couple new characters drop in on this volume, a bnolar and Win- a friend of Dirck’s to make this story an ever increasingly interesting read.

Fox once again does an exceptional job building character and making her created universe a reality. I can’t turn a page without picturing the story in my mind and visualizing each character. With each novel in this series I read I find myself cringing on the edge of my seat, laughing out loud, and worried for each character.  She gives the reader a bang for their buck.

 A well written book that will not disappoint.

A Silent Place Below by March Fox is an intriguing sci-fi, supernatural action packed read. Two brothers part of the Brightstar Clan must first save their father with the help of their uncle. Soon after they rescue their sister bringing everyone back to the magical tunnels they have sought refuge in. The tunnels give them special psi powers of communication and the ability to see the future. Together they work against INTEGRATION which is quickly sweeping the planet.

Fox’s words are vivid enough to imagine the whole story unfolding on a planet somewhere in the vast universe. She has created an entire world and its inhabitants along with various languages and races that each have unique abilities and qualities. Her extensive knowledge in science is evident in the explanations that are utterly believable. The best part is this book is only one in the Star Trails Tetralogy Series.


Great story for all ages!



            

Marcha's Blog
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Marcha's Bio and Books on Amazon
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As Snow Falls on Tour!

I published As Snow Falls almost a year ago. Now finally I have booked a blog tour and set up a rafflecopter giveaway where two lucky winners will receive an autographed copy of As Snow Falls. Check the giveaway below and enter your name and don't forget to share with your friends.

I will be updating this post each day with each new stop. On the menu for day one is: Caverns of my Mind with Terri Klaes Harper. She is also the proud author of Memoirs of an Ordinary Girl Series. Click on over to her blog and see what goodies she has posted!
Giveaway also posted on her page.

Blog stop day two is Authors Promotion. Madi Predda is the author of How To Promote And Market Your Book. What are you waiting for check it out!

Blog stop day three is The Coloured Book by Max E. Stone author of  The Bleeding . Hop over and take a look!

Blog Stop day Four is a young lady, Kaycee, is an aspiring writer, and a founding member of Double Decker Books. Here is today's post at Spilling Words.

Blog Stop Day five, another of  Kaycee's blogs, Wonder Struck. I encourage everyone to check out the post and Double Decker Books. They have a lot of cool stuff going on!

There will be no blog stops over the weekend but I encourage everyone to enter the giveaway! Visit any of the above blogs or scroll down The Troubled Oyster. Have a fantastic weekend.

Oops! I spoke too soon. I woke up to a wonderful surprise this morning. AS good friend of mine Poetess Jeniann Bowers included a surprise blog stop at The Scribble Writer.

Blog stop number 7 fabulous blogger is Megan Cyrulewski and her blog Authors Supporting Authors.

Last Blog stop with blogger Jane Peskara at My Novels, My World. 

Barnes and Noble

How to spend a rainy day

This morning I got busy finishing and completing a book review I've been working on. Which I will post here Tuesday. My next plans were to work on Baby Girl Book 4. Those plans were spoiled as a huge thunderstorm knocked out the electricity. So I started reading a Psilent Place Below by Marcha Fox and started this blog post.

As of recently I've gained some unexpected and well loved publicity. I want to share it with you. Yesterday, a short story I submitted to WISemag was published and released.

This morning I recieved not one but two new Amazon reviews on Baby Girl Book 1. One of these reviews by SB Morales is also posted on her blog. A huge thank you! I love reviews, most authors do. It's what drives us on in our endeavor to entertain. We want to know what you think and it doesn`t have to be in 200 words. A simple couple sentences will suffice. Link to the second review, click here to read.

As of a couple days ago I recieved a short review on As Snow Falls. I found myself smiling ear to ear.

Another huge, really huge event that happend just yesterday was my boyfriend for about a year started reading my Baby Girl 3 ARC. I was shocked! He never reads for fun. He didn't just read a few sentences either but an entire chapter or so and showered me with compliments after. I was flabberghasted and of course downloaded the mobi file to his Kindle reader.

All in all it's been a great week. Tomorrow starts the As Snow Falls blog tour. Check back here or on my website to keep up and enter into the rafflecopter giveaway! Below

The Big Multi-Author Event Starts Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is day one of the 5 Day Multi-author event Dream, Fantasies, Nightmares, and Visions. I have interviewed many of the authors here at The Troubled Oyster- J.D. Tucker (Dennis Rask), Lilo Abernathy, Amy Kessler, Susan Leist, Jason Wallace, and P.S. Winn. Many other authors will be there including my wonderful sister Terri Klaes Harper, John R. Dizon, Samantha Jacobey, Marcha Fox, Chris Birdie, our promoter Ashley Haines and of course myself as Storm (As Snow Falls) tomorrow from 8-10 p.m. EDT and Thursday as Cleo (Baby Girl Series) from 6-8 p.m. EDT. The event is open to the public so break out your laptop or tablet, get cozy and join in.

Scroll down below and join the Rafflecopter Giveaway. There are prizes from all the authors!

Tall, Dark, and Ever so Beautiful

I have been going through Baby Girl Book 3 City by the Bay edits all day. Only a few short chapters from releasing the book. In this segment Cleo has taken on a new identity, Shannu Nu, although she will always be Cleo. Introducing Fetch, love interest and super hot, somewhat quirky guy.

Their meeting...
Tall, Dark, and Ever so Beautiful, danced closer and closer until his sterling silver eyes caught me in an intense visual moment. Swirling my body in the opposite direction, my eyes trailing off him with the movement, I found myself dancing with Short, Dumpy and Pear-shaped instead. 

Later that night...
“You got moves.” Came a male voice directly behind me. His body heat radiated against my back. I contorted my body sideways to observe my admirer, his chest centimeters from my face. Tall, Dark, and Ever so Beautiful. In that second the world froze as my eyes traced the outline of his broad shoulders, slowly cruising up his neck, over his Adam’s Apple, lingering on the five o’clock stubble that danced across his chin, and finally resting on his silver bullet eyes. Our bodies coalesced into a single form undulating in waves of human lust. 

As the song wound down, he grabbed onto my hips, gyrating in sync towards the bar, a consuming, feverish wave drifted with us.

“Do you have a name?” The words played off his tongue.

“Shanna.” 

“Shanna, pleasure to meet you.” Grasping my hand in his he placed a gentle kiss upon it.

Really, the last thing I needed was another man in my life. I had finally realized my fate and freedom was my own.

“Thanks for the dance.” The edge in my voice clearly evident as I stood and exited the bar.

Approximately an hour later Kacy trudged into the apartment. 

“That was awesome! I had no idea you could dance like that. What happened between you and Fetch?”


“Fetch?” I had to ask. I mean, who names their kid Fetch? Was he a pet in a previous life?

Tricked into their first date...
“Ladies, I had two tickets to Candlestick cast into my possession this morning for Sunday’s game. I thought maybe Kacy, or Shanna,” I could feel his eyes resting on the top of my orange moppy hair sprawled across the bar, “would like to take advantage of this opportunity with me.” I could still feel his eyes. It was like they were penetrating inside my skull.

“Got a bar to tend and a boyfriend, remember?” Kacy said. The tone in her voice told me she was making an excuse, forcing me into the position of hanging out with this gorgeous man for an afternoon.

“Shanna?” The sound waves from his voice hovered just above me.
I raised my head and responded, “I’m busy too.”

“No, you’re not. I’ll pick you up around…” He glanced at the spot on his wrist where a watch might sit, only his was vacant, “eleven o’clock. That should give us some tailgating time.” With that he exited the bar, leaving me in a quandary.

“Did he really just do that?” I questioned Kacy as if she would actually know.


“He did,” she responded with a giggle. Her eyes lit up. “He fancies you,” she stated in a fake Fetch voice, raising her left eyebrow higher than her right.

If you haven't read the other books yet. Here they are, only .99 each.

                                   

Meet Dennis Rask star of the Rask trilogy by John Tucker

I will first say that John Tucker is merely the creator of Rask, since this time Dennis Rask has formulated his own ideas and opinions which John Tucker is not liable and shall be held harmless. On a personal note. Rask puts Dexter to shame. He is one squirrely psychopath. 

My Review on Divisive

Divisive by John Tucker is arguably one of the best cliffhangers I have ever read. Dennis Rask is a sociopath, who after winning the lottery has preyed on vulnerable families. He sabotages them from the inside out. In Divisive he chooses the Connors a highly dysfunctional mother and two daughters, Emily and Elizabeth. He wraps them all around his swarthy, scum ridden finger, then one by one dismantles their already deteriorated family. A year previous Mr. Connors had passed away and since the mother, Carolyn,  drowned the girls in torment and verbal abuse. Dennis Rask with his sweet words and kind gestures is an angel to the Emily and Elizabeth.

Tucker’s pacing of the novel  runs at a perfect momentum to keep the reader on the edge of their seat contemplating what will happen next, and who is more evil. There are all types of vile characters in this novel, Carolyn may be the most repugnant. The way she treats her daughters is enough for anyone to cheer Rask on. Twists lurk on every page guiding the reader’s emotions and curiosity. I can’t give away any spoilers you will have to read to find the unexpected twists which take this novel spiraling into a sequel.


Can’t wait to read the sequel, awesome read!

Meet Dennis Rask

Elle: Please tell who you are, a little background?    

Dennis: I'm nobody. Just a guy with a dream and a lifetime to do it.  My crazy mother packed my soul with dynamite, my aunt covered me with her filth and, well, when I won the lottery...that just ignited the hatred inside me. Abusive mothers need to die like the scum they are. I wish I had the time to kill every damn one of them. <He laughs.> It's a good thing I'm a decent guy with a pleasant outlook on life, now ain't it? 

Elle: You spend a lot of time traveling from city to city. What are some cities you have visited or want to visit?    

Dennis: I'm a drifter by choice. I love different places, assorted women, and various...games. Small towns make my dick hard. Hogansville, Georgia. Europa, Mississippi. Brownsville, North Carolina. Buckfield, Maine.  God forsaken places where I can find the best people in the world...and get to know them. 

Elle: What is your secret to staying calm even under duress? 

Dennis: I may be calm on the outside but, believe me, my mind's churning like crazy, figuring out how to make a bad situation my bitch. I've seen enough violent arguments to know when to keep my mouth shut, and when to sway the people involved to my side. They say the best way to get into a woman's...heart is to listen to her, and I do that. You get a bitch wrapped around your finger, make her fall for you, you've got that whore for life. She'll do anything you say, as long as it makes me happy. 

Elle: You are quite the ladies man, any advice for those not so fortunate in that department?      

Dennis: Women like three things in a man – confidence, charm, and a big dick. I've got all three.  It don't matter if they're sixteen or sixty. If you can sweet talk them into giving up the goods, they'll be your lapdogs for life. You can pet 'em, beat 'em, screw 'em,  chain 'em in the damn basement. At the end of the day, they belong to you...until you're ready to kick them to the curb.

Elle:  How did you come up with the name Junebug for Emily? 

Dennis: Emily was like a daughter to me.  When I first saw her big smile, her sparkling eyes, and her developing frame, I just came up with it – on the spot.  Women like their nicknames – Beautiful, Princess, Angel – they don't care.  You're paying attention to 'em. If you do it long enough, their legs spread apart like a knife in fresh, creamy butter.  

Elle:  Do you have a favorite food? 
   
Dennis: I'll eat anything. I do have a certain thing I call dessert.  Some dishes, despite their appearances, have their own flavor. I've had some yummy ones that taste like strawberries, cherries, and lemons. It's one of the few things I like about the variety of my existence. All in all, there's not a bad one in the bunch. I just get to attached to it. Know what I mean? 

Elle:  You spent a lot of time watching 7th Heaven with Emily but what is one of your favorite shows? 

Dennis: I like movies. The violent the better. Blood, guts, rape, death, execution – it's all the same.   I'm sorry to admit this but I get off on porn too. Not the damn cutesy ones with a storyline but the ones with slapping, bondage, strangulation, and whipping.  I think it's healthy to watch things you don't necessarily do in your private life, wouldn't you agree?


Elle:  What games do you like in your spare time?     

Dennis: The ones you put a great deal of time and thought into playing – like chess.  You get into your opponent's mind, study their moves, toy with 'em at times, and then lower the boom on their stupid asses. I admit, it gets boring when you play with idiots, but it makes the endgame and victory so damn sweet.  

You can find Dennis Rask here.
Divisive (The Rask Trilogy) at Amazon
Blog

Meet Amy Kessler author of In the Light of the Moon

I am proud to bring you Amy Kessler author of In the Light of the Moon. She is fabulous mother an author and will be part of the Facebook event Dreams, Fantasies, Nightmares, and Visions.

Interview

Elle: Tell a little about yourself.

Amy: I am a mother by day and author by night. I write paranormal romance mixed with urban fantasy and I dabble in steampunk. Most of my day is spent chasing around my toddler and tending to the animals. When I’m not writing, I’m reading or playing video games.

Elle: What can you tell us about In the Light of the Moon, book one in the Dark War Chronicles?

Amy: DWC is my baby, I’ve put a lot of heart into this series. The idea is that all supernatural creatures are at war with each other. It started long ago when the Father of all vampires was sealed in his tomb and was originally over land and power, now it’s about power and taking over the human world. Everyone has secrets and something that they are fighting for. It currently follows Lucius’ territory and the fight to keep the Father where he belongs, in his tomb.

In the Light of the Moon is book one of this series and follows the story of Kassity and Jaxon as they fight against two differen sides, Lucius and the Dark Moon Clan. Both Kassity and Jazon are shifters who think they know what they want, the problem is not everything is as it seems in Lucius’ territory. The two fight against all odds to fulfill their mating. 

Elle: Give an overview of the protagonist (s) and any quirks they may have?

Amy: Kassity is a panther lycanthrope who has been stripped of all her control. She comes from a clan of panthers who have killed off most of their members. She’s strong even without her control and reacts mainly on instinct. She’s a killer for Lucius and tends to eat parts of her victim.
Jaxon is a lone panther working as a mercenary in Lucius’ territory. He tends to think the best of people and the worst of vampires. He comes from a clan in Europe, but it’s never said why he left.

Elle:  What are some other works you have published?

Amy: I have several other published works. Including the second in DWC, Dance in the Moonlight. My other works include: The Touch of Night, Midnight Symphony, Of Souls and Steam (in Penny Dread Tales Vol 3), and Of Fate and Gears (Penny Dread Tales Vol 4)

Elle:  What items do you require while writing?

Amy: I need coffee, or some type of drink, music, and my notebook, either digital or my physical one. Coffee gives me something to drink while I’m trying to think, music can inspire me, each book has a different type of music I listen to and my notebooks are where I keep all my random thoughts.

Elle: If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go??

Amy: Egypt, Greece, Rome, Ireland and Scottland, I love the lore and mythology in all those places. They inspire me and I would love to visit and explore all of them.

Elle:  Do you have a favorite author or book?

Amy: Sherrilyn Kenyon is my favorite author, hands down, she’s an amazing woman and I love the world she has created. As for my favorite book…I have to many to list…if we wanted one in each genre I could probably do that for you, but just one in general is too hard to pick. 

Elle: Describe yourself in three words.

Amy: Positive, creative, coffee-fueled.



Amy at Amazon

Lilo Abernathy author of The Light Who Shines

I am tickled pink. I love indie authors and what they offer the literary world. No holds barred fantastic books that captivate my attention for hours on end. Today I bring you Lilo Abernathy. She will be present at the mega author Facebook event Dreams, Fantasies, and Visions June 18-22.

Interview

Elle:  Tell a little about yourself.

Lilo: I was raised in the heart of the Midwest in a blue-collar town. 
As an information hound I can hardly stop myself from typing questions into Google. 
I’ve read thousands of books so they often fall out of my head as soon as I’ve read them. 
At this very moment I’m jonesing for a cup of coffee.
 I have a dry sense of humor, which I embed in my stories. 
I’m a terrible editor so I have to contract that work out. My editor does not suck. 
Beyond all that, the most important thing you need to remember is that my favorite color is purple. 

Elle: What can you tell us about The Light Who Shines?

Lilo: It’s a gritty urban fantasy novel set in a world rife with tension between three different breeds of humans. There are regular people (Norms), people with magical gifts (Gifted) and Vampires (Light and Dark). In this story, Vampires are humans who have been cursed by the Great Demon Lilith. The plot centers on solving the crime of a horrifically tortured and murdered teenage boy.
Bluebell Kildare (a.k.a. Blue) is on the case as the primary for the Supernatural Investigation Bureau, Homicide Unit. At the scene of the crime she finds a powerful magical artifact that is tied to the very creation of the Vampire breed. The artifact acts as a key to an ancient grimiore that is so powerful it gives the ability to cross the boundaries between Earth and the Plane of Fire. With this artifact in her possession, Blue becomes the hunted as well as the hunter.
The world is full of magic and supernatural characters. The story is a large heaping of fantasy and mystery with underlying threads of romance and a dab of thriller. Yet, weaved into all this fun, there is some deeper meaning. The underlying theme for the book is prejudice and hate. It draws startling parallels to the social issues in our world and adds depth and richness to the story.

Elle: Give an overview of the protagonist (s) and any quirks they may have?

Lilo: Blue is a smart and driven investigator with intensely blue eyes, a blue streak in her hair, and a bright aura. She has the gift of being an empathy and a sensitive, which lends itself well to investigations as she is practically a walking lie detector. She can also sense souls. 
Blue is a true hero; a woman you can look up to. While not particularly skilled at hand-to-hand combat, her strengths of will, determination, and integrity will warm your heart. Her sense of honor and desire for justice drives her to jump into the middle some very sticky situations. Her sexy boss, Jack Tanner, sometimes has a hard time keeping her safe.  

Elle: What are some other works you have published?

Lilo: The Light Who Shines is my debut novel and is getting 4.8 stars on Amazon and 4.4 stars on Goodreads. I’m currently working on Book 2 of the Bluebell Kildare series and have just completed writing the prophecy that Blue is destined to fulfill. 

Elle:  What items do you require while writing? 

Lilo: I require a laptop and a cup of coffee. If the words start to stick I’ll add a little Baileys or perhaps switch to a glass of wine.

Elle:  If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Lilo: I live in the Smoky Mountains and after a soft rain, the “Smoke” rises from the trees, covering the mountains like a fluffy white comforter lays over a lover. Sometimes I can see the shadows of the clouds falling on the mountains through my picture window where I write. Would you want to go somewhere else?

Elle: Do you have a favorite author or book?

Lilo: I love Elizabeth Hunter’s writing style in the Elemental Mysteries world and Kim Harrison’s action in the Hollow’s series.

Elle: Describe yourself in three words.


Lilo: Intelligent, Eccentric, Compassionate

The True Nashville Story

I have now spent approximately 23 years in the southern U.S. and have found Southern hospitality is alive and kickin'.  

My best friend, a Nashville native, and I just spent 5 days in Nashville, TN. We have talked about making this trip for years. Our discussions finally came to fruition. As her friend I met many interesting characters with hearts of gold, and stories out this world. I was treated like rock star royalty, home cooked meals, a nice bed to sleep in, taken downtown, and out to eat. I don't believe I have met nicer people anywhere, and I have traveled from one end of the U.S. to the other. 

The people aren't all that's beautiful. The land itself is magic. I lived in Virginia for 8 years and was mystified by it's beauty. Tennessee is every bit as beautiful if not more so. The rolling green hills, yards that span across wide open green fields sheltered by trees. Lightning bugs glow in the grass, shrubbery and trees all night.Every state has a beauty all it's own, some are more fortunate than others. If you have never visited Tennessee what are you waiting for? 

Indie Book of the Day Baby Girl Book 1!

Thank you to the fans who nominated Baby Girl Book 1!

http://indiebookoftheday.com/baby-girl-book-1-by-elle-klass/

Jason Wallace author of Shattered: On the Edge of Insanity

For your reading pleasure I bring you Jason Wallace; an author brimming with character. He'll be at the Facebook event Dreams, Fantasies, Nightmares, and Visions June 18-22. This is an open event join in.

Interview

Elle: Tell a little about yourself.

Jason: I'm a man.  Is that short enough?  I'm from the Midwest.  I have an M.A. in American and European History, which influences some of my writing.  I write in multiple genres and don't like to pigeonhole myself with labels.

Elle: What book are you promoting at the event?

Jason: The novel that I'm promoting is "Shattered: On the Edge of Insanity."  The protonist, Richard Ratner, wakes up in a mental institution, accused of murdering his only daughter.  He cannot figure out how this has happened or why he is the only suspect?  He has a good idea who did it and why but doesn't know if can prove it.  He partners with his attorney to find enough evidence to free himself, though he has to escape to do it.  Chased by armed gunmen, he and his lawyer find that there is much more to it all than they had ever suspected, but there may be much more just within Richard's own mind.  He may not even know who he really is.  Imagine Edge of Darkness meets Identity meets Shutter Island.
I will also discuss some of my short stories during the event.

Elle: Give an overview of the protagonist (s) and any quirks they

may have?

Jason: Richard Ratner: attorney for the little man, believes in justice for the 99%, loving and devoted father, mentally unstable individual who cannot make sense of his life and has far more problems than he could ever realize

Elle: What are some other works you have published?

Jason: The Blade of Anslor - an epic medieval fantasy about an escaped slave and his quest to find a legendary sword that could end the tyranny of an evil king and save himself and his new friends
The Firstfruits of the Flesh - a horror short story about cannibalism in the Swiss Alps
Eternal Desire - a vampire romance about a woman that has been searched for for centuries but must come to terms with the reality that she must stop her evil pursuer or else damn all of mankind
Relentless - a contemporary, drama-filled romance short story about love, loss, and coping with both
The Legend of Arthur Tanner and Johnny Red - a western short story about a lawman's attempt to stop the most ruthless gunman the West ever saw 
The Swamp Fox and His Ragtag Militia - a novella about Francis Marion and the exploits of he and his men during the American Revolution, their interwoven tales, and the ruthlessness that prevailed on both sides of the war

Elle:  What items do you require while writing? 

Jason: Silence, sweet and brilliant silence.  Other than that, tea or coffee.

Elle: If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Jason: Anywhere that isn't where I live.

Elle: Do you have a favorite author or book?

Jason: Not really.  I like so many that I can't narrow it down like that.

Elle: Describe yourself in three words.


Jason: ambitious, persevering, calculating 

Shattered at Amazon

Jim LaTige Gritty and Blunt

Another character Cleo meets in Baby Girl 3 is Jim La Tige; remember his name from Book 2? His was merely a mention. In Book 3 he makes his first appearance when Cleo, now Shanna, goes to work for him at La Tige Detective Agency. He is gritty, blunt , and full color.

Excerpt:
My first order of business was getting a job, and I had my sights set on just the one. La Tige Investigative Services the title etched into a frosted glass door. Inside, the office was small and a wooden desk covered in clutter sat off in a corner. A large man with his back turned was talking on the phone. I patiently waited. Finally, he turned around and introduced himself. 

“Jim La Tige, may I help you?” He leaned back in the well worn leather chair.

“Yes, I’m inquiring about the receptionist position?”

“Yes, yes, my last receptionist left four weeks ago and as you can see I’m in need of another. Too many jobs going to keep the office neat, any recent job experience?”

“No, but if you give me a chance I will have this place organized and running smoothly in no time at all.” I had never worked a real job except some modeling as Justine but I needed a job and specifically this job so I turned on my charm and puckered out my chest.

“No experience. Can you answer a phone?” he replied. His eyes did a quick involuntary glance across my chest, then immediately back to my face. Well, at least he wasn’t being picky and from the looks he was in desperate need.

“Yes” I said with a sweet smile.

“Can you file alphabetically and numerically?”

What kind of idiot couldn’t? I thought. I picked up a file, went to the row of filing cabinets. They were marked with colored dots. The file had a colored blue dot. I found the cabinet with blue dots and looked at the drawers. They were labeled alphabetically A-G/ H-N/ O-Z. The file was labeled Garcia, Richard. I opened the A-G drawer and flipped through until I got to the G’s and then found other Garcia’s, Gomez, Jose, Mary and now Richard. 

“Impressive! You have the job. I just need to make a copy of your driver’s license and social security card. While I do that I have some papers for you to fill out.” He replied with a hint of rush in his voice.

“I don’t have a driver’s license, but I have a passport, will that do?”
He looked at me oddly then stated, “That’ll work.” I pulled it out of my purse. He took it in his hand and eyeballed it quickly. “Twenty two, how’s it you have no license?”

“Public transportation has always done me well and cars pollute adding ozone depletion and global warming.” A quick save which rolled off my tongue like melted butter.

“Humph…You’ll fit right in here in Frisco, lots of tree huggers.” 

His observation was correct although not in the way he assumed. San Francisco was a place of beauty and freaks. I did blend right in. At night it sparkled with magic and glowed with excitement. Everybody was unique and every corner of the city its own world.
He pulled a chair up to his desk, grabbed his piles and placed them on the floor. Then he handed me a pen, a form, and shuffled his approximately six foot bulk to the copy machine which made some loud swooshing, kerchunking noises. I had never filled out a tax form before. My name I got, but exemptions. What was an exemption? I just filled in 0’s and signed. I handed it back to him, he shook my hand and gave me back my passport, social security card, and the pile of files from the floor, “I’ll return in about an hour,” he grumbled and with that disappeared out the door which I found odd since he had just hired me.

I did it, now I had access to more information than I would ever be able to find on the internet. Officer La Tige would be assistance to my investigation as well. I didn’t feel as though I was using him after all he desperately needed someone to keep things organized and under control and I needed to know who I was so I thought it a fair trade. I found what I was looking for and went head first tumbling forward.


Officer La Tige was a large man of very few words. He stood about six feet tall with a bulky, muscular build, and a slight but noticeable limp coming from his left leg. Thick tufts of dark brown hair infused with gray spirals framed his head and accentuated his square shaped face. His eyes were a stunning blue, which offset his rhinoceros-like appearance. When he talked, he was straight and to the point, and didn’t talk much about himself or anything else, rather he barked orders. He was somewhat intimidating and had no social graces. I could see why he had a difficult time keeping a receptionist. I knew the only way to get anything personal out of him was to gain his trust. I came in everyday and did my job, nothing less but always more.

Later...
He would literally throw his cases open and closed on my desk making a slobbish mess of them. That I didn’t appreciate, “Really, do you have to throw them? You nearly knocked over my coffee! Your desk may look like a tornado rolled over it, but I like mine neat.”

“So I see, lunch?” he humphed.

“Yes, I would. Thanks,” I accepted and felt we were bonding. He took me to a Mexican joint where we stuffed our faces with mega sized burritos washed down with beer. Where else can a person drink on the job, paid for by the boss. As he ate, food stuck to his five o’clock shadow and dropped onto his tray. He was as messy an eater as everything else. 

“You are a man of many words,” I said sarcastically. He humphed with a mouth full of food some falling to his tray. I took that as a cue to continue, “We walked past an office supply store on the way here. We are going to stop there on the way back. There are a few things we need,” I ordered.


He swallowed his food this time and actually spoke instead of humphing, “Yeah OK”. Then he wiped his face displaying he had
some social graces.

Susanne Leist author of The Dead Game

Please welcome Susanne Leist another extraordinary author! She will be present at the Facebook event Dreams, Fantasies, Nightmares, and Visions June 18-22.

Interview

Elle: Tell a little about yourself.

Susanne: My name is Susanne Leist.  I have an M.B. A. in Finance. I’ve worked as a Financial and Budget Analyst. I love to analyze companies and spread sheets and find hidden mysteries. These mysteries I’ve written up in extensive reports. 
     My second career is as a writer. Since I enjoy murder mysteries and the supernatural, I decided to write a book that combines both genre. I hope my readers love my book as much as I do.

Elle: What can you tell us about The Dead Game?

Susanne: The Dead Game is a paranormal thriller/fantasy. It takes place in a small town, called Oasis, on the coast of Florida. During the day, this town is a paradise for its residents and abundant tourists with its picturesque streets, wide-sand beach, and warm waters. However, at night, the town turns dark and deadly. Dark shadows roam the streets. Tourists begin to disappear and bodies turn up dead on the beach. The evil in this town revolves around End House. The younger residents are invited to a mysterious party at the deserted house, and that’s when the fun and games begin.

Elle: Give an overview of the protagonist (s) and any quirks they may have?

Susanne: Linda is the protagonist and she’s my voice. She wants to live in a peaceful town and make friends. When she encounters dangers, she steps back and lets her best friend, Shana, make all the decisions. She has a crush on the antagonist, Todd. She’s too timid to actively pursue him. But she does learn to stand up to him.

Elle: What are some other works you have published?

Susanne:The Dead Game is the first book that I have written. The book resolves the murder mystery, but at the same time, opens a Pandora box of new mysteries. Its surprise ending will lead to more surprises and to a second book.

Elle: What items do you require while writing?

Susanne: The only thing I require is complete silence without any distractions. This is exactly how I studied in school. I give 100% of my attention to my writing.

Elle: If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go??

Susanne: I would love to travel everywhere in the world. The only countries I’ve visited so far are Canada, England, and Israel. There are so many places I would love to see.  At least I could visit them in books.

Elle: Do you have a favorite author or book?

Susanne: My favorite author is Brad Meltzer. It’s fun and easy to read his books. His words flow smoothly and keep me engrossed in the stories. I like his characters. He weaves his extensive knowledge of Washington into the story lines.
     I buy a book by the description on the back cover and not by the author’s name. This has led me to explore books written by a wide variety of authors. I found Brad Meltzer by his book’s description before I heard about him as an author. 

Elle: Describe yourself in three words.


Susanne: Honest, sensitive, and caring.
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