FREE Cinema of Shadows by Michael West

 From Azure Dwarf and

Michael West

Harmony, Indiana Novel

Cinema of Shadows

FREE October 31 and November 1

at Amazon 

Welcome to the Woodfield Movie Palace.
The night the Titanic sank, it opened for business…and its builder died in his chair.   In the 1950s, there was a fire; a balcony full of people burned to death.  And years later, when it became the scene of one of Harmony, Indiana’s most notorious murders, it closed for good.  Abandoned, sealed, locked up tight…until now.
Tonight, Professor Geoffrey Burke and his Parapsychology students have come to the Woodfield in search of evidence, hoping to find irrefutable proof of a haunting.  Instead, they will discover that, in this theater, the terrors are not confined to the screen.

Michael West a member of the Horror Writers Association and serves as President of its local chapter, Indiana Horror Writers. A graduate of Indiana University, West earned a degree in Telecommunications and Film Theory, and since that time, he has written a multitude of short stories, articles, and reviews for various on-line and print publications. He lives and works in the Indianapolis area with his wife, their two children, their bird, Rodan, and turtle, Gamera. His children are convinced that spirits move through the woods near their home. For further information, please visit Michael's site at www.bymichaelwest.

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb Free October 29th, 2012

 

From MJ Ware

Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb is Free at Amazon Today only. It's a cross-over Middle Grade/Young Adult book that will get anyone in the Halloween spirit.
http://www.amazon.com/Super-Zombie-Juice-Apocalypse-ebook/dp/B005LDJDHM/
Don't have an e-reader? No problem, read it online with Amazon's cloud reader.

This book details the interaction of a teenager boy and girl and some horrid, disgusting zombies.

Nate and Missy’s adventures are utterly preposterous and imminently entertaining. Their relationship is refreshing and contrary to what is normally presented in teenage literature. The relationship should resonate with “real” teenagers who most frequently do not resemble the cast of Twilight.

The action was well done and graphic without the overtones of reality. This book was a treat to read and I will follow up with a post of what my thirteen associate has to say as he really is in the target market demographic. The book poses no intellectual challenge nor does it demand any moral attachment, it is entertaining and fun to read and frankly teens need to have something fun to read.

This is an excellent addition to the YA genre.

I highly recommend the book.

Body of work of Body of work of M.J.A.Ware

Web Site: http://www.mjaware.com/

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Spook House by Michael West (His new Harmony novel)

A haunted house in the tiny town of Harmony turns out to be less than harmonious.  Halloween turns out to be a truly otherworldly experience.

Sheri Foster and Robby Miller become unlikely protagonists in this very spooky thriller.   Sheri is exposed to something that defies her imagination and strains her creditability with the first responders.   Robby Miller, whose personal nightmares provide him with a different frame of reference, is the only first responder to believe her.

The author does a great job with setting the scene and providing an appropriately frightening environment.  I would have preferred a bit more back story on Robby but that lack was not a detriment to the plot. 

Cayden’s cheerful fanaticism accompanying his likeable façade was the most frightening aspect of the book.   I prefer my evil villains to be obviously evil.  

I’m not a fan of horror stories but I really liked this rendition. 

I enjoyed the book. 

Body of work of <a type="amzn"> Michael West </a>

Web sites: http://www.bymichaelwest.com/category/spook-house

The dates and sites for the Spook House Blog Tour are as follows:

10/25     Great Minds Think Aloud
10/26     Bookishly Me
10/27     Red Headed Bookworm
10/28     Book and Movie Dimension
10/29     Azure Dwarf Horde of Science Fiction & Fantasy
10/30     Reading Aways the Days
10/31     Ginger Nuts of Horror
11/1       WTF Are You Reading?
11/2       Darlenes Book Nook
11/3       JeanzBookReadNReview
11/4       The Independent Review
11/5       Fictional Candy
11/6       Book Den
11/7       Vilutheril Reviews
11/8       Beauty in Ruins
11/9       Beagle Book Space
11/10     Bunny’s Review
11/11     Splash of Our Worlds
11/12     A Book Vacation
11/13     A Daydreamer’s Thoughts
11/14     Crossroads Reviews
11/15     Bee’s Knees Reviews
11/16     From the Bootheel Cotton Patch
11/17     Sheila Deeth
11/18     Kayla’s Reads and Reviews
11/19     The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia
11/20     I Smell Sheep
11/21     Ali’s Bookshelf
11/22     Full Moon Bites
11/23     The Cabin Goddess
11/24     Stuck in Books
11/26     The Rabid Fox
11/27     Jess Resides Here

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Judgement at Proteus by Timothy Zahn

 

This is the final book of a five book series and I’m not sure it is the best because it is a better book or because it ties up everything so neatly.  Frank Compton, galactic troubleshooter is back with his assorted sidekicks from all four previous books.   He makes some startling discoveries and has to closely look at his alliances and enemies.  

Frank is an engaging character who shows signs of being an somewhat inept James Bond combined with a somewhat more slick MacGyver.  He creates his bag of tricks as he goes along and tends to shoot from the hip somewhat inaccurately.   This book provides a bit more insight into the costs of war.  Too many action books ignore the butcher bill.  Zahn does a nice job pointing out that success in war frequently involves sacrifice and casualties. 

Avoiding spoilers, there is plenty of action, some new villains, new allies and some nice plot features.   I liked this book the best of the five.

I recommend it.    

Body of work of <a type="amzn" >Timothy Zahn</a>

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TimothyZahn

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Kingdom by Anderson O'Donnell

This is a story of a near dystopian future rooted in genetic manipulation.  Corrupt science runs amok in this thriller.

Set primarily in and around Tiber City, a contemporary Sodom or Gomorra, I’m not sure which, the taste of sulfur lingers in your mouth as your read the description of this sewer of a city.   Dylan Fitzgerald is an unlikely and unlikeable protagonist in the story.  Morrison of Morrison Bio-Tech and his minions are the chief villains in this piece.  In a future with business assassination seen as just part of doing business, Morrison Bio-Tech is attempting to make the perfect leader with genetic manipulation.  Jonathan Campbell once Morrison’s associate becomes his arch enemy when he discovers the lengths that Morrison has gone to meet his self center goals of world domination. 

This story is a real morality play focusing on what is acceptable to move man forward.  Religion doesn’t play a part but God certainly plays a hand in the formulation of the plot and the directions it goes.  Is man a random collection of genetic material or a plotted course from a deity?  Is the search for something outside of reality an end in itself?  Does man have a soul?  

There are some extremely controversial and heady topics encountered in this novel.   It isn’t as entertaining as it is thought provoking.   What lengths do you go to succeed? Who are Megan and Dylan?

I recommend it.    

Body of work of <a type="amzn" > Anderson O'Donnell </a>

Website: http://www.tibercitynoir.com/

 

About the Author

Anderson O’Donnell presents a biopunk, dystopian noir-esque thriller in this amazing read,

KINGDOM. Most people are familiar with the term “cyberpunk,” but “biopunk” is harder to nail

down. In many ways, biopunk is similar to the cyberpunk genre, and shares many of the same

themes and archetypes: the dystopian future; the overreliance on technology; mega-corporations;

a constant and overwhelming flow of data; the anti-hero—these elements are integral parts of

both genres.

Both genres are fueled, to some extent, by the sense of rebellion and desire for individual

freedom expressed by the original punk rock revolution. But the main difference—the most

important difference—is that while cyberpunk focuses on invasive technological modification of

the human body, biopunk explores the dehumanizing consequences of biological modification, of

re-arranging our DNA in the pursuit of perfection.

Anderson lives in Connecticut with his wife and 2 sons. Anderson himself deems Kingdom as “a

thrill-a-minute, bio-punk myth that manages to wrestle with the most pressing issues of the new

millennium. O’Donnell has crafted a kickass novel of tomorrow night, when the big party gets

raided by the monsters we’ve been building for the last half-century.”

His debut novel, Kingdom, a dystopian, biopunk thriller, is now available in paperback and ebook

format. Kingdom is the first part of the Tiber City Trilogy. Look for part two, Exile, in the summer of

2013.

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

The Domino Pattern by Timothy Zahn

Zahn apparently is fascinated with trains.   This story takes place exclusively on the Quadrail, a intergalactic train.   Ex-Westali agent Frank Compton and  faithful side kick and engineered schizophrenic Bayta are involved in a closed room murder mystery.   Beings are being murdered on the Quadrail where it is impossible to have weapons. 

The Modhri, group mind omnipotent evil opponent plays a slightly different role in this the fourth book of the series.  Frank and Bayta grow closer and more interdependent but still refuse to acknowledge their feelings.   That is as close to a spoiler as I intend to get.  

There is a broad cast of characters with idiosyncrasies abounding.   Who knew aliens would have so many hangups?  There is sufficient action to keep you interested but it isn’t a barn burner.   You can put it down and pick it up later without feeling panic over the time differential.

Again, the series continues to grow on me and I enjoyed this book more than the last.

I recommend it.    

Body of work of <a type="amzn" >Timothy Zahn</a>

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TimothyZahn

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Wake of the Bloody Angel by Alex Bledsoe

 This is an Eddie LaCrosse novel.  Eddie is a sword jockey or fantasy appropriate private eye type of hero except no tommyguns or molls. 

Eddie is a sword for hire with a conscience.  I like the qualities that Bledsoe provides his main protagonist.  Bledsoe’s world is a harsh one with interesting qualities.   It has room for privateers and pirates, ghost and sea monsters and sell swords.   He paints good scenes and better characters.

This is a quest but not your typical dwarf, magic user, warrior type of quest.   This is more of a missing person private eye quest taken with swords and monsters.   It is a formula that works well for Bledsoe.  

I like tough protagonists who aren’t afraid to have ethics and a few soft spots.   Cap’n Jane is a thoroughly female sidekick who doesn’t hesitate to use all her assets in her work.  This was a very good story and I plan on seeking out the other Eddie LaCrosse novels.

I highly recommend it.

Body of work of <a type="amzn"> Alex Bledsoe </a>

Web Site: http://alexbledsoe.com/

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Hardy Belch & The Bully

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Changeling by Kelly Meding

In a world of mutants (my word not the author’s) there are allies and enemies but if changelings are involved how do you tell the difference?  

This seems to be the second book of a series.  I was not fortunate enough to read the first book, Trance.  This book paints a picture of immature semi-super hero’s making mistakes and enemies while trying to do the right thing.   Morality is fairly fluid as to the rule of law and biblical justice (old testament) seems to be favored.  

The characters are naïve but likeable.   Dahlia wears her heart on her sleeve and she seems almost a stereotype of a lonely teenager.   The relationships between Dahlia, Noah and her team are complex which mirrors life in general.

I would have liked a little more back story as to the events leading to the re-emergence of Metas and what transpired in the relevant past.   The story stand alone without a back story but I think it would be improved with one.   Super heroes, werewolves, vampires are all very popular at this point, I think this book will do quite well.  

I recommend the book. 

Body of work of Body of  work of <a type="amzn" > Kelly Meding </a>

Web Site: http://kellymeding.com/wordpress/?p=3

 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Spook House Revealed! Scary Blog Tour Coming!

For Immediate Release

You have got to love this cover!

October 8, 2012

Cover Art Reveal, Limited Hardcover Offer, and Blog Tour Announcement for Michael West's Spook House!

Seventh Star Press is proud to unveil the cover art and illustrations created by Matthew Perry for Spook House by Michael West, as well as announce sites and dates for the book’s upcoming blog tour.  A pre-order window for a limited edition hardcover is also open in advance of the book’s official release.

and you think an author's life is easy?

The latest Harmony, Indiana novel following 2011’s Cinema of Shadows arrives just in time for Halloween, exploring the places in this world that go far beyond any normal definition of “haunted.” These places are so evil, so diabolical, that they become gateways to Hell itself. The Fuller Farm is one such place.

It is said that old man Fuller conducted unspeakable acts, blood rituals and human sacrifices, all in an attempt to gain the ultimate knowledge, the ultimate power. And then, he was killed–horribly murdered on his own lands, leaving the house to stand as a vacant monument to his wickedness. But once a door is opened, it can never really be closed.

Now, the stars are right. The gateway is ready to once more unleash unspeakable horror upon the town of Harmony, Indiana. And this will be one Halloween that they will never forget!

The softcover and eBook versions will be released following the launch event for the novel at That Book Place in Madison, Indiana on October 27th. 

Spook House is now available for pre-order in a beautiful hardcover edition that is strictly limited to 75 copies.  The limited hardcover edition will be signed and numbered by Michael West and includes a bonus illustration from Matthew Perry not included in other editions. It will be accompanied by an assortment of collectibles, including a set of glossy art cards and bookmarks. Those interested in securing one of the 75 copies can place a pre-order now at: http://www.seventhstarpress.com/pre-orders/

The Spook House Blog Tour will feature 33 events, beginning October 25th and running through November 27th. The tour will feature a number of activities, including reviews, interviews, podcasts, guest blog posts, and contests/giveaways.

The dates and sites for the Spook House Blog Tour are as follows:

10/25     Great Minds Think Aloud

10/26     Bookishly Me

10/27     Red Headed Bookworm

10/28     Book and Movie Dimension

10/29     Azure Dwarf Horde of Science Fiction & Fantasy

10/30     Reading Aways the Days

10/31     Ginger Nuts of Horror

11/1        WTF Are You Reading?

11/2        Darlenes Book Nook

11/3        JeanzBookReadNReview

11/4        The Independent Review

11/5        Fictional Candy

11/6        Book Den

11/7        Vilutheril Reviews

11/8        Beauty in Ruins

11/9        Beagle Book Space

11/10      Bunny’s Review

11/11      Splash of Our Worlds

11/12      A Book Vacation

11/13      A Daydreamer’s Thoughts

11/14      Crossroads Reviews

11/15      Bee’s Knees Reviews

11/16      From the Bootheel Cotton Patch

11/17      Sheila Deeth

11/18      Kayla’s Reads and Reviews

11/19      The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia

11/20      I Smell Sheep

11/21      Ali’s Bookshelf

11/22      Full Moon Bites

11/23      The Cabin Goddess

11/24      Stuck in Books

11/26      The Rabid Fox

11/27      Jess Resides Here

For further information on Michael West, Seventh Star Press, and its titles, please visit www.seventhstarpress.com, or the author’s site at www.bymichaelwest.com

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Angels Ink by Jocelynn Drake

This book fills in all the background information that I wanted when I read Asylum Interviews:Bronx.   Another title could be warlock on the run as the protagonist is rougue warlock operating as a tattoo artist whose ink conveys more than just symbols. 

I mentioned in my review of Bronx that I really liked Ms. Drake’s characterizations.  I like them even better in a book where she has the space to bring them to full fruition.  Stories of camaraderie are among my favorite.   The willingness of friends to sacrifice all in the name of love is eminently laudable.  

Trixie was mesmerizing.  Ms. Drake painted a breath taking picture of allure.  Frazetta could have painted a show stopper with Ms. Drake's description.  Bronx, the troll, is a companion we would all like guarding our back.    Ink power is a concept that hopefully will fuel many stories to come.  In addition to the heart warming, flawed protagonists there were some great characters as villains.  

Add in a deliciously complicated plot, a bit of powdered sugar for a brief but steamy love scene, swirl with complex and bombastic violence and you have a memorable recipe for a terrific book.   I liked the short story that featured Bronx but I loved the book defining Gage as the main protagonist.   In the vein of Jim Butcher but with plenty of differences this author should have a hit series on her hands!

I highly recommend the book. 

Body of work of <a type="amzn"> Jocelynn Drake</a>

Web Site: http://www.jocelynndrake.com/

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

William Bentrim Featured on Story Plant Blog

Check it out! I’m featured on Story Plant blog today.

http://tinyurl.com/9x8yaer

Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown

With all the vampire books out, it was refreshing to read about mermaids and mermen.   These are not your disneyesque merfolks, these merpeople are bad, bad and more bad.

The story is probably most appropriate for a teenage girl as it has suspiciously romantic overtones.  As an aged male, I enjoyed it but I suspect a teen girl would love it.   The main protagonist is the moderately outcast sibling in a dysfunctional family who is seeking revenge for a decades old slight. 

The relationship between Lily, semi-normal and Calder, not normal at all, provides the fuel for this tempestuous and yet platonic relationship.   Aside from some vague violence, there isn’t anything in the book to prevent mature elementary kids from reading it.   There is no gratuitous sex or anything remotely repugnant for the young, after some of the stuff I have read lately, that too was refreshing. 

The book documents a relationship in true Romeo and Juliet fashion with the protagonists not only from different families but also from different species.

I enjoyed the book. 

Body of work of <a type="amzn"> Anne Greenwood Brown</a>

Web sites: http://annegreenwoodbrown.com/

 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Sands of the Solar Empire - New from author, Ren Garcia, the creator of the League of Elder Universe FREE 10/1/12--10/2/12

Sands of the Solar Empire - New from author, Ren Garcia, the creator of the League of Elder Universe

FREE 10/1/12 & 10/2/12

FREE

Sands of the Solar Empire, the first book in The Belmont Saga, begins a new adventure in the universe of the League of Elder. Can a masked Paymaster, a thief, a coward and a once great warbird face the unknown gulf of the Sands of the Solar Empire?

Title: Sands of the Solar Empire

Author: Ren Garcia

ISBN#: 978-0-9850817-6-8

Retail Price: $14.95 Paperback, 300 pages

Genre: Science Fiction, Space Opera

Publishing Date: August 2012

Publisher: Loconeal Publishing, Amherst, OH

Contact:  James O. Barnes, (216)772-8380 james@loconeal.com www.loconeal.com

About the book:

Sands of the Solar Empire, the first book in The Belmont Saga, begins a new adventure in the universe of the League of Elder.

GET THE BRANDY TO BAZZ . . .

That’s all Paymaster Stenstrom, the Lord of Belmont-South Tyrol, has to do and the old warbird Seeker is his. He has dreamed of captaining a Fleet ship his entire life.

Little does Paymaster Stenstrom realize that he is in the grip of an old Vendetta and the short trip to Bazz might very well be his last.

Faced with a dead ship and a lost crew, Paymaster Stenstrom finds help in the strangest places: the thief Marine and the milquetoast young man from the Admiral’s office, and, though he just became acquainted with these two strangers, he discovers they have been influencing each other’s lives for a very long time.

Something sinister hovers over Paymaster Stenstrom and his two new friends, something they are only now becoming aware of. The SANDS OF THE SOLAR EMPIRE stretch out before them in an endless gulf brimming with the unknown. Can a masked Paymaster, a thief, a coward and a once great warbird face what awaits them?

About the author:

Ren Garcia is a Science Fiction/Fantasy author and Texas native who grew up in western Ohio. He has been writing since before he could write, often scribbling alien lingo on any available wall or floor with assorted crayons. He attended The Ohio State University and majored in English Literature. Ren has been an avid lover of anything surreal since childhood, he also has a passion for caving, urban archaeology and architecture. He currently lives in Columbus, Ohio with his wife, and their four dogs.

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.