Giveaway – The Torment of Rachel Ames by Jeff Gunhus

Posted on November 10, 2015 by fundinmental

The Torment Of Rachel Ames
Jeff Gunhus
Publication date: November 10th 2015
Genres: Adult, Thriller

Suffering from writer’s block, novelist Rachel Ames escapes to a lake cabin to calm her mind and regain a sense of herself. The location is perfect. Isolated. Beautiful. Inspiring. It even comes with a good-looking landlord who shows an interest in her. But she can’t shake the sense that something terrible has followed her to the lake, something just beyond her consciousness, something out on the edge where the sounds of a raging fire and sirens linger whenever she slows down to listen. Determined to make the cabin work, she tries to settle in and give her new life a chance. But when strange things begin to happen around her, she wonders if she’s made a terrible mistake. As the darkness that’s followed her manifests itself in inexplicable ways, her concept of reality is stretched thin and she realizes nothing at the lake is what it seems. As she fights to survive with her sanity intact, she understands too late that the location she’s chosen for herself is far from perfect.

Goodreads / Amazon

SEE MY REVIEW HERE

EXCERPT:

Rachel Ames knows she’s making a terrible mistake, but that’s never stopped her before. Even as she speeds down the empty highway, she’s certain nothing good will come of this trip. She can’t say why she has this belief, only that it’s deeply rooted, part of a visceral animal instinct clawing away at her insides. Call it intuition. Or call it common sense, doesn’t matter. Can’t change the fact that it’s the truth.

She refuses to change her destination, even if the rising sense of dread causes her heart to beat right out of her chest. She’s committed, this much is a fact, so she pushes aside all thought of turning around and focuses on the road ahead.

She checks the map on her phone, taking comfort in the little blue dot on the screen that symbolizes the exact spot in the world occupied by her aging Honda Accord with faded red paint, bad muffler and squeaking brakes. The dot sails along a straight white line surrounded by an ocean of green. She appreciates the simplicity of the image, the perfection of it. An object moving at a steady rate along a direct path toward a specific destination. No hurdles. No obstacles to navigate. Not even an intersection or a fork in the road. There are only two decisions to make. To continue forward or stop the car and go back.

And there’s no chance in hell she’s going back.

Her two gentlemen passengers are the perfect companions. Silent, good-looking and only there to cater to her whims and needs. They sit together in the seat next to her, sharing the seatbelt. That might have been overdoing it, but strapping them in together makes her laugh, so she forgives herself the indulgence. This is her journey, her time, so acting odd is her prerogative.

Besides, the two of them are the perfect complements. Daniels and Underwood. Booze and typewriter. Soul mates bound by common history and mutual reliance.

The Underwood typewriter was a great find her sophomore year in college, given to her by Professor McNeely’s widow soon after his very public death from a massive aneurism. It’d happened right in the middle of her creative writing class, just as the old bastard was finally saying something nice about her novel-in-progress. Mid-sentence, he’d slapped a hand to his head, made a small grunt and rolled his eyes back in their sockets. At first, she’d thought he was mocking her work, but then his back arched and he collapsed to the floor. After that came the convulsions, followed by the shit and urine filling his pants as her classmates screamed. Then, as the good book says, the lights went out and Elvis left the building.

But unlike Elvis, the man wasn’t much loved. A taskmaster who hated any writer beside himself, he used critiques as an assault rifle to mow down any young soul with the temerity to attempt the art that, in his mind, belonged only to him and a handful of his peers. Sure there were the appropriate candlelight vigils and the church service to honor the brave soul who died fighting the good fight in his ivory tower, but right under the surface, the humor rolled dark and furious.

I heard that the last pages he read really blew his mind.

You know that saying, would it kill you to say something nice?

Rachel guessed it had.

Author Bio:

Jeff Gunhus is the author of thriller and horror novels for adults and the middle grade/YA series, The Templar Chronicles. The first book, Jack Templar Monster Hunter, was written in an effort to get his reluctant reader eleven-year old son excited about reading. It worked and a new series was born. His books for adults have reached the Top 100 on Amazon and have been Foreword Reviews Book of the Year Finalists.

After his experience with his son, he is passionate about helping parents reach young reluctant readers and is active in child literacy issues. As a father of five, he leads an active lifestyle in Maryland with his wife Nicole by trying to constantly keep up with their kids. In rare moments of quiet, he can be found in the back of the City Dock Cafe in Annapolis working on his next novel.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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I think I broke her – Perfectly Toxic by Kristine Mason with Giveaway, Review & Excerpt

Posted on November 2, 2015 by fundinmental

I am so excited to share Kristine Mason’s Perfectly Toxic.

For all you hardcore thriller lovers, this is a MUST READ!

Sooo, buckle your seatbelts because this will be a wild ride into the mind of one of the most wickedly evil villains I have ever had the “pleasure” of meeting.

Add me to Goodreads

Perfectly Toxic by Kristine Mason

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GENRE: Romantic Suspense

MY REVIEW

Perfectly Toxic by Kristine Mason is a thriller that stars Melanie Scarlet. I love the CORE and am so excited to finally read Mel’s story. The language and sex scenes are pivotal to the story and I think Kristine handled them well.

“I think I broke her.”

With a start like that, I knew I was in for a horrific ride into the twisted psyche of Adeline. I can hardly wait to dive into all the creepiness to come, and I know there will be plenty of it. As I read along, mini movies played in my head. When I was done reading, I felt like I needed to take a shower.

Well, what can I say about Perfectly Toxic. I had three pages of notes, but it just wasn’t working for me. So…I tossed them out and here I am, just telling you about my feelings about this, hmmm, horrifying thriller and the sadistic, psychopathic, crazy as a loon villain, Adeline and her cohort, Rodney.

I laugh at Frankenstein. that was a comedy compared to what these two were up to. What they were doing goes so far past that, I am finding it difficult to put into words the events in Perfectly Toxic. The lives lost and the torture suffered under their hands remind me of the evil men behind human testing during the holocaust. Both of them belong under the jail, not in it.

The most repulsive thing of all, Adeline revels in it. She loves to watch her toys squirm. There is nothing she won’t do to get what she wants. Feelings…what are those? She sure doesn’t have any warm and fuzzy ones. She is ice cold and beware, to be near her could be hazardous to your health. She is very smart, well educated, manipulative and broken. Something is very wrong with her. OMG, she is not just a psycho, she is bat shit crazy and evil beyond words.

I love all the CORE characters, but I can relate well to Mel, an ass kicking, swamp raised, don’t look at me cross eyed kind of gal. She is the Ice Cream lady. She is also a cleaner. You need something to disappear, just contact Mel. She hides her girlie girlness behind a really sharp knife. She’s the type to stab you with the knife, then cook dinner with it. She is married to Cash, but it doesn’t seem to be going so well. They are both stubborn and have strong personalities. She hangs with men more than women and I do that too. I love that she goes to the dock when she has heavy thinking to do. The water calms her and it has the same effect on me. I have spent many a day Sitting on the Dock of the Bay…wasting time.

Mel’s cousin, Bobby turns up missing and the mystery begins.

When Mel takes Harrison to meet Cash for help, the scenario could be hazardous to Harrison’s heath, but it is laughable. The who’s dick is bigger scenario had me cracking up. Cash’s mantra to control his anger is Unicorns are magical. Imagine seeing a huge hunk of a man repeating those words over and over. His therapist had called his and Mel’s relationship – TOXIC.

Cash buys Mel flowers from the gas station just because. I can relate to that. Mr Wonderful, my hubby, brings home flowers from the grocery store. The element of realism is coming through loud and clear. I love their snarky and sensual dialogue.

Cash’s housemate is a German Shepherd named Dolly. They served in the Army together and she is the one who came home in a wheelchair. I love dogs, so I had to mention her.

Kristine ramps up the suspense as the search for Adeline takes on new meaning. Each of Kristine Mason’s stories read as the most twisted Criminal Minds on steroids episode. They are unique and original.

I am totally engrossed in the love story and then Kristine shocked me, woke me up and the pacing reached a level of urgency I hadn’t felt before.

I would love to be one of her characters, kicking ass, fighting evil and having some hot and heavy sex with a stud. What an adventure and one I only live through in Kristine’s words, hanging on each one.

NOW, we get to the best part, the last quarter of the book. I know how the story will end, villain 0 vs good guys 1 and the guy gets the girl, but, man oh man, the rollercoaster ride to get there leaves me breathless. The nail-biting, rapid breathing, sitting on the edge of my seat is the suspense reading an armchair junkie like myself lives for. I read a lot of mystery and suspense thrillers and it is books like Toxic and authors like Kristine that feed my need for thrills.

I can’t believe that the story lasted only six days. So much happened, so many emotions ran AMOK as I read, my head was spinning. I had to turn around and read it again. I would apologize for rambling on and on, but eh, I can’t help myself.

I received a copy of Perfectly Toxic by Kristine Mason in return for an honest review.

5+++++ Stars

BLURB

What do you get when you mix a mad scientist, a psychopath, an ice cream lady and a repo man? Something perfectly toxic…

Melanie Scarlet is a knife-wielding badass who knows how to dispose of a body, and make evidence disappear. But Mel, a.k.a., the Ice Cream Lady, draws the line at one thing: she refuses to live with her husband, Cash Maddox, unless he quits the repo business that nearly got him killed—no matter how much she loves him.

To thaw Mel’s heart and convince her to leave the Everglades and move back home to Tallahassee, Cash is finally ready to retire from his adrenaline-fueled job…until homeless men begin vanishing. As Mel investigates the disappearances, Cash’s temper goes into overdrive when he realizes his wife has been keeping a dangerous secret from him. She’s been doing more than scooping ice cream—she’s a cleaner for the underground criminal investigation agency, Above the Law.

Mel isn’t the only one with a secret. A scientist has created a drug that will cure psychopaths by deadening the urge to dominate, hurt and murder. To prove his chemical combination works, he uses the homeless as test subjects. He breaks and scrambles their minds, turns them into killers, then tries to fix them. But what if the scientist creates a killer he can’t fix? A true psychopath he can’t control? As Cash joins Mel and the ATL crew, they learn firsthand, the results could be…toxic.

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EXCERPT

“You’re seriously not staying here?” Since she’d left him, there hadn’t been a time that she hadn’t stayed with him when she’d returned to Tallahassee. And those times had been great, until the topic of their marriage and his job had come into play. Then they’d fight, she’d leave and they wouldn’t speak for weeks. A vicious cycle, but one he’d become familiar with—until now. She was changing things up on him, and he didn’t know how to react. He did, but his therapist would likely have a frickin’ stroke.

“Well, you’re seriously not going to change and I seriously want a divorce. So, yeah. I think it’s best if I stay at a hotel.”

He pulled her close. “Stay with me.”

Her gaze dropped to his mouth. “No.”

He pressed his body against hers and slid his hand along her rear. “Give me a few days.”

“I’ve given you two years,” she said, breathless, her gaze shifting from his mouth to his eyes.

She had him there, and he had nothing to counter her argument. She had given him two years, and he arrogantly figured she’d eventually come back to him.

“You’re right,” he said honestly.

“I’m right?”

He nodded and walked her backward. “I don’t want a divorce, but we can’t keep going on the way we’ve been.” He pressed her against the foyer wall. “Give me the time you’re here to prove we can make this work.”

“I’m here to find Bobby, not deal with our marriage.”

“I know, baby. We’ll find him. I promise. I’ve already put word out on the street that we’re looking for him.” He leaned closer. “Just give us a chance.”

Her eyes filled with tears again. “I can’t keep doing this. It hurts too much.”

Knowing he was hurting her left him hollow and shameful. “I’m sorry.”

She punched him in the arm. “You’ve said you’re sorry more times than I can count. Do something about it.”

He kissed her.

She pushed him away. “Not with sex.”

“That’s right. You have your period.”

“I lied.”

“And I just want to kiss you.”

She stared at him, her eyes unreadable. “Sometimes I hate you,” she said, then shoved her hands through his hair and captured his lips.

His therapist would tell him to end the kiss, that they weren’t solving anything, only prolonging the hurt. His therapist could go fuck himself. He had his woman in his arms and she was kissing him. Running her hands through his hair in that possessive way he loved. Pressing her breasts against his chest as if she couldn’t get close enough. Skimming her tongue along his in a way that him hard and ready.

The damned horn beeped again. Mel tore her mouth away from his, then gave him a push. “I’m leaving.”

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ABOUT KRISTINE MASON

Kristine Mason is the bestselling author of the popular romantic suspense trilogies, C.O.R.E. Shadow and Ultimate C.O.R.E. She is currently working on her next trilogy, C.O.R.E. Above the Law, along with a series of Psychic C.O.R.E. novellas.

Although Kristine has published a few contemporary romance novels, she focuses most of her energy on her romantic suspense stories, which she loves for their blend of dark mystery/suspense and sexy romance. She is fascinated with what makes people afraid, and is famous for her depraved villains whose crimes present massive obstacles for her heroes and heroines to overcome.

Kristine has a degree in journalism from Ohio State University and lives in Northeast Ohio with her husband, four kids, and two dogs. If she’s not writing, she’s chauffeuring kids, gardening, or collecting gnomes. Oh, and she makes a mean chocolate chip cookie!Connect with Kristine on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kristinemasonauthor, Twitter https://twitter.com/KristineMason7 or email her at authorkristinemason@gmail.com. You can also find out more about Kristine’s books at http://www.kristinemason.net

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GIVEAWAY

Kristine Mason will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN to two randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour.

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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Giveaway – Midnight Burning by Karissa Laurel

Posted on October 23, 2015 by fundinmental

Midnight Burning

by Karissa Laurel

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Red Adept Publishing
Cover Designer: Streetlight Graphics
Release Date: July 7, 2015

Solina Mundy lives a quiet life, running the family bakery in the foothills of North Carolina. But a nightmare of a vicious wolf devouring her twin brother changes everything. When Solina learns her dream was real, she journeys to her brother’s home in Alaska, the Land of the Midnight Sun, to search for answers.

Solina soon suspects her brother’s friends are more than they seem, and they know more than they’re willing to admit. Skyla, an ex-marine, is the only one willing to help. As Skyla and Solina delve into the secrets surrounding her brother’s death, Solina learns her own fate is tied to his friends, his murder, and a dark history of forgotten myths and legends.

Solina also discovers a powerful new ability. She must learn to control it if she’s to keep everyone safe. If she fails, a long-lost dominion will rise, and everything she knows will fall into darkness.

My brother, Mani, once told me Alaska was the first place he had ever traveled where he knew he was somewhere different—somewhere decidedly not home—before he ever set foot on the ground. I didn’t understand what he meant until now. Outside my airplane window, the glassy waters of Cook Inlet reflected a bright blue late-summer sky. Dark and looming, the Chugach Mountains encroached from the east. Far to the north, the ghostly, snow-crusted visage of Mount McKinley rose above the landscape, an ancient king, high on his dais, surveying his kingdom.

By comparison, Mani and I had been raised somewhere a little more commonplace. Home was a small town in the foothills of North Carolina, over three thousand miles away. And this was the first time I had ever left it. I probably should have eased into long-distance travel in the same way I eased into a cold swimming pool—one toe at a time. A trip over the border into Gatlinburg. A weekend visit to D.C. But no, I had taken a plunge from the high dive instead, and boy, was I in over my head.

The captain’s calm and assuring voice spilled across the cabin, announcing our approach and descent into Anchorage. Seatbelt signs chimed and flashed. A pair of flight attendants swept down the aisles, collecting trash and reminding passengers to raise seat backs and lock away tray tables. I closed my eyes, drew in a deep breath, and urged my heart to return to its regular pitter-patter pace, but it refused to obey.

I breathed in again and trapped the breath in my lungs. Chill, Solina, I told myself. It’s only a week. I could survive anything for one week, right? And I wouldn’t be on my own. My brother’s best friend, Val Wotan, was at the airport waiting for me. Val had texted me a dozen times to make sure I hadn’t missed my connecting flights or fallen out of the plane somewhere over Canada. Val was expecting me, and I was a glutton for fulfilling others’ expectations. I also owed this trip to my brother, to the honor of his memory. How could I ever look myself in the eye again if I gave in to my doubts? If I didn’t give Mani my absolute commitment?

Val deserved my loyalty, too. In the few years I’d known him, Val had risen from casual acquaintance to something I wasn’t quite ready to label, but just thinking of him made my heart beat a little faster, my breath come a little quicker. Val had earned my regard by being the sibling I couldn’t be for Mani after he’d left home. He had watched Mani’s back, made him welcome and comfortable in a strange and foreign place. He had even saved my brother’s life once.

I chuckled, remembering how Mani had loved to recount the story of the raging bull moose—deep in a rutting frenzy and crazed by the need to mate with anything female and fight anything that wasn’t. Not long after Mani had first arrived in Alaska, he and Val had gone off on a backpacking trip. They came upon the moose on the edge of a meadow and caught it off guard.

The moose turned its hostile gaze on Mani, lowered its rack, and charged. Stunned and uncertain how to react, Mani stood frozen in place and watched his life pass before his eyes. Meanwhile, Val calmly drew a .44 Magnum from the side pocket of his backpack and fired off a warning shot. The moose reconsidered his challenge and lumbered away into the woods.

If only Val and his gun had been there the night my brother died. Then I might be coming to Alaska for an entirely different set of reasons.

Red Adept Publishing

Karissa lives in North Carolina with her kid, her husband, the occasional in-law, and a very hairy husky named Bonnie. Some of her favorite things are coffee, chocolate, and super heroes. She can quote Princess Bride verbatim. She loves to read and has a sweet tooth for fantasy, sci-fi, and anything in between. Sometimes her husband convinces her to put down the books and take the motorcycles out for a spin. When it snows, you’ll find her on the slopes.

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M9B Friday Reveal: Author Spotlight – Michael Gibney with Giveaway #M9BFridayReveals

Posted on October 17, 2015 by fundinmental

M9B-Friday-Reveal-Bannernew

Welcome to this week’s M9B Friday Reveal!

This week, we are spotlighting

Michael Gibney

author of

The Three Thorns (The Brotherhood and the Shield #1)

a Middle Grade title from Tantrum Books!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Physical books or eBooks? Both.

Coke or Pepsi? Coke (I’m a sucker for the original)

Twitter or Facebook? Facebook.

Song you can’t get out of your head right now?

The Flamingos – I Only Have Eyes For You. (It’s such a cinematic song.)

Sweet or salty? Salty.

Coffee or tea? Tea.

Write on computer or notebook paper?

Computer. I’m left handed, so my handwriting is at a disadvantage, I’ve always felt.

About-the-Author

Michael Gibney began working in restaurants at the age of sixteen and assumed his first sous chef position at twenty-two. He ascended to executive sous chef at Tavern on the Green, where he managed an eighty-person staff. He has worked in the kitchens of Morgans Hotel Group, 10 Downing in Manhattan, and Governor in Brooklyn’s DUMBO, among many others. Over the course of his career, he has had the opportunity to work alongside cooks and chefs from many of the nation’s best restaurants, including Alinea, Per Se, Eleven Madison Park, Daniel, Jean Georges, Le Bernardin, Bouley, Ducasse, Corton, wd~50, and Momofuku.

In addition to his experience in the food service industry, Gibney also holds a BFA in painting from Pratt Institute and an MFA in nonfiction writing from Columbia University. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Connect with the Author: Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Three brothers born to a once powerful King were abandoned at birth and cast out into the old world as orphans – alone and unaware of the other’s existence or their royal heritage.

In the new world, by order of the false King, three of the most lethal assassins are sent to kill the children before they come of age and avenge their father’s throne.

But when the brothers find one another, Benjamin, Tommy and Sebastian must resist the temptation of magic and power if they are to defeat the unspeakable evil that has threatened them since birth.

The Three Thorns is book one in an exciting children’s fantasy series called The Brotherhood and the Shield from debut author Michael Gibney.

Giveaway

Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Giveaway, Book Trailer & Excerpt for Haunting Me by #Jody A Kessler

Posted on October 16, 2015 by fundinmental

Haunting Me

by Jody A. Kessler

Series: An Angel Falls, #3

Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance

Release Date: August 28, 2015

Angel of Death, Nathaniel Evans’, newest case sends him on a perilous and magical journey to the Irish countryside in search of one unattainable answer: How does an Angel of Death fall from grace and return to life?

Back in Colorado, Juliana’s mishaps with a book of spells and her well-meaning attempts to save her brother’s life could cost her more than a ghostly haunting and a deadly virus. It could cost her everything she loves – her family, her home and her relationship with Nathaniel.

While on the hunt for answers, Nathaniel finds himself imprisoned with fairies and fighting a battle of strength, skill, wit and sorcery to win his freedom back from a ruthless fallen angel. Nathaniel must survive the duel if he wants to change his destiny and fulfill his desire for mortality and a chance to be with Juliana forever.

I’m tender with her to the point of agony as I lower my lips to hers and brush soft caresses down her back with my hands. I know she’s delicate right now, and I can’t break this fragility between us. Any human going through half of what she has had to deal with would be too easy to shatter. I’m about to pull back and wrap her securely in my arms when she presses into me harder. We rise to our knees so our bodies are pressed together. Her hands explore places which have me nearly to the edge of no return. Down my arms and across my abdomen. She grips me at the waist and strokes the muscles running down my back as our tongues meet.

“In another second, I’m not going to be able to stop, Jules.”

“I don’t want you to,” she says.

Her breath is ragged. Her chest is rising and falling a little too quickly.

Who could resist that request? Not me. I taste her again. Her mouth is perfect. Soft, wanting, playful, and heavenly.

Her hand moves under my shirt and I feel light nails and the soft pads of her fingers trailing over my skin. A low groan of pleasure rumbles through my chest. It seems to encourage her and she moves to one of my nipples.

As difficult as it is, I break our kiss. “This isn’t the place,” I murmur.

“It’s a perfect place to me.”

Book 3: Haunting Me – 99¢ limited time

Book 1: Death Lies Between Us – 99¢ limited time

Book 2: Angel Dreams – $2.99 limited time

Jody A. Kessler’s debut novel, Death Lies Between Us, won the Readers’ Crown Award for Best Paranormal Romance and was a runner up for Best First Book. She also writes historical time travel fiction and contemporary romance.

When she isn’t navigating the terrain of her imagination and writing it down, she can be found exploring the wilderness of Colorado with her family, or in the kitchen baking cookies & brownies – and trying not to eat them all. She’s passionate about continuing to learn and reads anything and everything that catches her interest. Jody is a full time mom, a Reiki Master, and has taught Hatha yoga for over a decade.

Jody invites you to stop by her website and see what’s new at: www.JodyAKessler.com

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Giveaway & Excerpt for The House at Homecoming Cove by Ginny Baird

Posted on October 16, 2015 by fundinmental

For those of you needing to take a break from the horror of October, here is a romantic mystery set on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.

THE HOUSE AT HOMECOMING COVE by Ginny Baird

From New York Times Bestselling Author GINNY BAIRD

A breathtaking romantic mystery set at the Virginia Eastern Shore…

Seeking out solitude in which to work, New York City music composer Melissa Carter rents a century-old farmhouse on the Virginia Eastern Shore. There, she meets a loner with rugged good looks and smoldering gray eyes, who has long-term ties to the property. When strange things start occurring at the historic home, the handsome groundskeeper comes to her aid, but is Melissa really safer in his arms?

When Stone Thomas meets a pretty northerner with a musical gift, he’s immediately drawn to her. He’s also determined to protect her from the increasingly odd happenings at the fifty-acre farm where he’s employed. Soon, Stone finds himself wondering whether he and beautiful Melissa might share a future. Yet the secrets of Homecoming Cove threaten to drive them apart.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo

Excerpt

Her words came out in a whisper. “Thank you for everything. For coming to my rescue, for…” She was saying goodbye, yet her chin tilted toward his and she took a step closer, her lips barely parted, inviting. She peered up at him and met his gaze with a look that was surprisingly heated, decidedly predatory. There was no mistaking it. Melissa wanted him too. That was all the encouragement Stone needed to take her in his arms and bring his mouth down on hers with a hungry desire that surpassed all expectations.

Melissa gasped with delight and sighed into his kiss. Stone’s empty mug slid from her grasp and landed somewhere on the sofa. Stone pressed his eager body to hers and ran his hands up her back, threading his fingers through her hair. She was glorious, beautiful, her gaze sparking with reciprocal passion. Stone groaned and kissed her again, savoring the taste of her, delighting in the sweetness of her body molded to his, as his blood pumped harder and his heart beat like a kettledrum gone out of control. It was more than a kiss; it was like coming home.

“Stone,” she said breathlessly. He opened his eyes to find his cheeks nestled between her palms.

She looked up at him her face flushed with longing. “I think you’d better go.”

“Yeah,” he said, his pulse pounding. “I’d better go.”

Thunder boomed and rain slapped the windowpanes, while the fire hissed and moaned.

Neither one moved.

“Melissa,” Stone whispered, brushing his lips over hers. “You and me… It’s like… I don’t know.”

“I know,” she replied, meeting his kiss. “I feel it too.”

Praise for Ginny Baird Paranormal Ghost Romance

The Ghost Next Door (A Love Story)
“A fine suspense and you just won’t believe how it ends.” ~ Barbara Baker
“The twist at the end took me by surprise! Great job to the author!” ~ Melinda Burchett
“Wow…wow…wow!! I did not see that coming.” ~ Mary Ann
“This is a mind bender! Very well done!” ~ Sandra D. Griffin

The Light at the End of the Road
“A gripping tale with a hint of paranormal.” ~ Dawn Pearson
“New, refreshing twists and turns.” ~ Anna Gibson
“Ms. Baird has again exceeded any expectations.” ~ Dianna Plano
“Wow. I mean, WOW. This is not your normal romance…” ~ Anita Slaugh

Author Ginny Baird

NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling Author Ginny Baird has published novels in print and online and received screenplay options from Hollywood for her family and romantic comedy scripts. She writes heartwarming contemporary romance about single women facing everyday challenges. Known for featuring holidays and family themes in her work, Ginny frequently portrays the struggles of single parents or others who’ve given up on finding true love.

Ginny has two novella series, The Holiday Brides Series (holiday romance) and The Summer Grooms Series (summer romance), a Romantic Ghost Stories series (paranormal ghost romance), and additional single titles available. She is a NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling Author, a Top 10 Best Seller on Kindle, NOOK and iBooks, and a #1 Best Seller in several Romance and Women’s Fiction categories. Visit Ginny’s website www.ginnybairdromance.com to learn more about her and her books.

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BookBlast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 11/6/15

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Giveaway: The Ghost Host by DelSheree Gladden

Posted on October 12, 2015 by fundinmental

Blog Tour Schedule

I am happy to be participating in the tour for The Ghost Host by DelSheree Gladden.

Just take a gander at the beautiful and eerie cover and tell me you can resist this wonderful story about the haunting of Echo Simmonns.

The Ghost Host by DelSheree Gladden

Everyone thinks Echo Simmons is crazy, but being The Ghost Host isn’t just a YouTube hoax like people think. It’s the only way to control the ghosts haunting her…at least until the FBI shows up asking questions.

The first eighteen years of Echo Simmons’ life have been less than ideal. On more than one occasion her parents have considered committing her. They don’t believe she sees ghosts or that they harass her on a daily basis. So when a rogue ghost begins tormenting her, they’re the last people she’s going to tell. Her best friends Holden and Zara are doing their best to help, but ghost attacks are only the beginning of Echo’s problems.

Handling the ghosts by giving them a voice on YouTube through her webshow has been her saving grace—even if her parents think it’s all a hoax—but that gets a little complicated when the ghost of Madeline Crew reveals a little too much about her previous life and the FBI shows up at her door wanting to know how she gained access to long-buried government secrets.

It just keeps getting worse from there. Madeline’s message to her great grandson sparks a strange connection between Echo and Malachi, which leads to Georgia, secrets, mistakes, love, lies, and life changing revelations.

Amazon

EXCERPT

Somehow, I always knew the people I saw hovering around looking aimless were ghosts, and it never really bothered me. Sometimes I talked to them when I was little. They never talked back. Sometimes they would play with me, though. My mom used to tell people what a good baby I was, how I never cried or fussed. She thought she had just lucked out with an easy first kid. Really, I always had someone standing over my crib smiling at me or making silly faces. Ghosts really seem to like being around babies for some reason.

It wasn’t until I got a little older that I realized some of my ghostly friends were hanging around for a reason. A few of them were just lonely and either weren’t ready to move on or didn’t know how. I haven’t got a clue about how to send them on their way, so I figure the least I can do is keep them company.

Others, they had messages they wanted to pass on. At first, I didn’t know how to do that without getting into trouble. My mom refused to make phone calls or send my letters to who she deemed were random strangers. I found ways to get the letters in the mail, at least, without her knowing, but it wasn’t easy and they occasionally got sent back to us when the address proved inaccurate. Mom wasn’t happy when she found one and realized what I’d been doing.

Holden was the one who came up with the idea for the webshow. It made things a lot easier since my parents think it’s just a funny hoax we like to pull, and it gives us a hobby and keeps me out of trouble for the most part. That’s the biggest reason they let me do it. As I got older and more capable, more able to help the ghosts, they became more insistent. That’s when things got really bad.

Up until that point, I didn’t know the ghosts could affect my dreams, and not in a good way. The nightmares got progressively worse, morphing into full on night terrors. The headaches followed, though I’m still not sure if the ghosts were trying to talk to me, or just doing whatever they could to get my attention. Sometimes, their presence would become so oppressive as they tried to communicate that I would completely zone out… which sent my grades into the toilet and my behavior into the realm of unmanageable. The worst by far is when they try to touch me.

Author DelSheree Gladden

DelSheree Gladden was one of those shy, quiet kids who spent more time reading than talking. Literally. She didn’t speak a single word for the first three months of preschool, but she had already taught herself to read. Her fascination with reading led to many hours spent in the library and bookstores, and eventually to writing. She wrote her first novel when she was sixteen years old, but spent ten years rewriting and perfecting it before having it published.

Native to New Mexico, DelSheree and her husband spent several years in Colorado for college and work before moving back home to be near family again. Their two children love having their cousins close by. When not writing, you can find DelSheree reading, painting, sewing and trying not to get bitten by small children in her work as a dental hygienist. DelSheree has several bestselling young adult series, including “Invisible” which was part of the USA Today Bestselling box set, “Pandora.” The Date Shark Series is her first contemporary romance series, and her first book in her upcoming new adult series, The Ghost Host, will be releasing 2015.

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Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 10/29/15

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If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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Super Middle Grade Mondays Blitz: Author Spotlight – Steve Bryant with Giveaway #SuperMGMondays

Posted on October 12, 2015 by fundinmental

MGMondays-Bannernew

Welcome to this week’s Super Middle Grade Mondays Book Blitz
presented by Tantrum Books/Month9books!

Today, we get up close and personal with

Steve Bryant

author of Lucas Mackenzie and the London Midnight Ghost Show
from Tantrum Books.

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Steve Bryant

Steve Bryant is a new novelist, but a veteran author of books of card tricks. He founded a 40+ page monthly internet magazine for magicians containing news, reviews, magic tricks, humor, and fiction; and he frequently contributes biographical cover articles to the country’s two leading magic journals (his most recent article was about the séance at Hollywood’s Magic Castle).

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Middle School Thoughts

What is your favorite memory from school?

My favorite memory from middle school days was spending time at Verble’s Café, a hangout run by a classmate’s mom. It had snacks and a juke box, and we learned to slow dance with the girls we had grown up with, to songs by Johnny Mathis and Jimmy Clanton.

What is something you know now that you wish you knew in middle school?

I know to have paid attention to everyone, especially the shy or quiet kids who often turned out to be special adults. The most important was that girl with the blond ponytail, a seventh grader when I was an eighth. I eventually married her, but I hate it that we wasted what might have been an amazing school year.

Tell us your favorite book when you were in middle school.

I loved all the so-called Robert A. Heinlein juveniles, such as Time for the Stars and Tunnel in the Sky. If you had asked me then, I would have said I liked them because I liked science fiction. Years later I realized that I liked them because Heinlein always pitted boys and girls together against formidable odds, and romance ensued. I have always remembered to make romance a key part of any stories I write.

What was your favorite subject in school?

I equally liked math, because I was good at it, and English, because I loved it. All those books and poems were written for our entertainment. My eighth-grade English teacher lived to be 103, and to the end she would admonish us for spelling or grammar errors.

Any advice for kids heading back to school?

Enjoy every day. Middle school was my favorite time ever. Keep a diary or journal, and write down each night what you appreciated about that day. Even better, use your iPhone and take lots of photos and videos. How I would love to have those from my school days!

Lucas-Cover

Lucas Mackenzie has got the best job of any 10 year old boy. He travels from city-to-city as part of the London Midnight Ghost Show, scaring unsuspecting show-goers year round. Performing comes naturally to Lucas and the rest of the troupe, who’ve been doing it for as long as Lucas can remember.

But there’s something Lucas doesn’t know.

Like the rest of Luca’s friends, he’s dead. And for some reason, Lucas can’t remember his former life, his parents or friends. Did he go to school? Have a dog? Brothers and sisters?

If only he could recall his former life, maybe even reach out to his parents, haunt them.

When a ghost hunter determines to shut the show down, Lucas realizes the life he has might soon be over. And without a connection to his family, he will have nothing. There’s little time and Lucas has much to do. Can he win the love of Columbine, the show’s enchanting fifteen-year-old mystic? Can he outwit the forces of life and death that thwart his efforts to find his family?

Keep the lights on! Lucas Mackenzie’s coming to town.

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Scooby Doo meets Supernatural in Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper by J L Bryan – Review, Giveaway & Interview

Posted on October 1, 2015 by fundinmental

I am happy to be able to kick off the month of October with this wonderful story about Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper by J L Bryan for Kiss Off Book Tours.

Add me to Goodreads now.

Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper (Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper #1) by J.L Bryan

Publication Date: August 27th, 2014

Genre: Adult Paranormal Mystery

MY REVIEW

Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper by J L Bryan is an eerie tale that had me laughing and cringing as Ellie and Stacey investigate a haunted mansion. It made me think of the movie, The Ghostbusters and the TV show, Ghost Hunters. There are plenty of screams and chills that you will not want to miss.

Ellie had trained her whole life to be a ghost trapper. Now she is a senior investigator for Eckhart Investigations. She has a degree in psychology that comes in handy when assessing the legitimacy of her clients. Ellie felt she didn’t need any help, but her boss, Calvin, coaxed her into it. It was a good thing.

Stacey is just learning, but I love her snarky attitude.

All jobs start with research and the mansion has a sordid history.

Ellie and Stacey set up all their equipment and wait.

Imagine…sitting there, alone, in the dark, and watching the bolt locking the door slide open on its own, feeling a huge drop in temperature, knowing something is there but unable to see it. Loud voices, banging, screaming…

l loved the tone of the writing, it had me laughing out loud.

“Well, let’s go check out the dark basement of the abandoned insane asylum. Nothing could possibly go wrong down there.”

.

They have ghost pajama parties and a mock funeral. There was much more going on than they anticipated and it was becoming very dangerous.

.

Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper, started out in a Scooby Doo sort of way, but turned more Supernatural as the story went on.

“Let’s split up to save time”

“Isn’t that what they always say in a horror movie? Right before somebody gets killed?”

“Usually, yeah. So hurry.”

The characters had me yelling, don’t go in there, watch out, get out of there. I couldn’t help myself. I even felt sympathy for one of the ghosts. They are not all bad, are they?

J L Bryan’s writing had me hooked from the beginning. I liked the humor mixed with the danger of very unhappy evil spirits.

I loved the ending and couldn’t help but smile as I went to check out more of what J L Bryan has to offer. So if your house is haunted, be sure and call Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper. She will get the job done!

I picked up Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper, a while ago, so when I saw the tour, I decided this was the perfect time to review it.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos

4 Stars

Summary from Goodreads

Ellie Jordan’s job is to catch and remove unwanted ghosts. Part detective, part paranormal exterminator, Ellie operates out of Savannah, Georgia, one of the oldest and most haunted cities in North America.

When a family contacts her to deal with a disturbing presence in the old mansion they’ve recently purchased, Ellie first believes it to be a typical, by-the-book specter, a residual haunting by a restless spirit. Instead, she finds herself confronting an evil older and more powerful than she’d ever expected, rooted in the house’s long and sordid history of luxury, sin, and murder. The dangerous entity seems particularly interested in her clients’ ten-year-old daughter.

Soon her own life is in danger, and Ellie must find a way to exorcise the darkness of the house before it can kill her, her clients, or their frightened young child.

Amazon / Barnes / Kobo / iBooks / Smashwords

INTERVIEW

What inspired you to write Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper?

I was interested in writing about ghosts because, unlike pretty much any other kind of paranormal critter (vampires, werewolves, etc.) it’s not clear whether ghosts are real or not. I thought it would be fun to write a detective series about a character who deals with them all the time.

Have you ever had a ghost experience before?

One time my wife and I were staying with some friends who lived in an old house in Athens, Georgia. We slept downstairs and were the only people on the floor. We were both awoken at the same time by a deep male voice saying “shoo, shoo” just a few inches above our heads, like someone was leaning over us and talking. Nobody else was in the room. We didn’t tell our friends about it until they’d moved out of that house.

What made you choose to write in the paranormal genre?

I’ve always been interested in the supernatural and sort of looking into mysterious and unexplainable events. I also think that we can learn about ourselves through imagining human beings in extreme circumstances, whether that’s dealing with paranormal monsters or a dystopian future society.

What was your favorite scene to write in Ellie Jordan?

Probably the ghost ones, like early on when she’s first encountering the ghost in the house, or later when they have to visit the abandoned old insane asylum to look for clues.

Which character was your favorite to write?

I really enjoy writing both Ellie and Stacey and how they interact with each other. Their psychic friend Jacob is becoming more and more fun to write with each book.

Do you have a dream cast for any of the characters?

I don’t because I don’t keep up with newer actors very well. This would be a really interesting blog post if someone else wanted to do it, though (hint, hint!).

What is your writing process like?

I have a toddler, so I pretty much just write whenever I can. A lot of times that’s late night! I try to hit specific wordcounts, but it always goes slowest earliest in the first draft and gradually picks up steam. Then I go through a number of drafts before sending it for editing.

What kind of research did you have to do for this book?

I’ve actually done kind of a silly amount of research for this series, and I still do. First, I’ve read or listened to as many true (or supposedly true) ghost stories as I can find. I wanted to learn all about what real ghostly experiences were like, instead of following other fiction. I also researched the real technology and procedures used by ghost hunters and applied those to Ellie’s investigative process. My goal has been to make it is as realistic as possible as far as reflecting “ghost culture” in the real world.

How many books are you planning for the series?

Eight or ten right now.

When you were a kid, what was your favorite ghost story you heard?

There was an old house in an overgrown field near where I grew up. People would say it was haunted. I think that was the scariest one because it was so close and I could have walked inside the place if I wanted to (but I didn’t want to). I don’t even remember a specific story about it, people said different things. I did watch a lot of Scooby-Doo as a kid, too. And I was obsessed with the Nightmare on Elm Street movies, which are about a certain kind of ghost.

When did you write your first book and how old were you?

I was thirteen and wrote a book about a delusional kid who dressed up in a dog costume and tried to fight crime, despite his lack of any superpowers or anything. It was called Dogboy.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating Ellie Jordan?

How many real or supposedly real ghost stories are out there. I’ve read several books about ghosts just in the Savannah area alone. There are lots of books and websites that collect people’s ghost stories, and lots of people have personal stories if you start asking around. There are at least a dozen “ghost reality” shows on TV, where haunted buildings are investigated with technology or by psychics, or people recount experiences they claim to have had. The abundance of ghostly experiences by real people has made researching and writing the series much more interesting to me.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Read widely, not just in your own genre, read lots of books on craft, and write every day. Commercially, you want to write in a popular genre and make sure you have quality book covers that reflect the correct genre.

What is your favorite genre to read or watch?

I like to read historical nonfiction, biographies, things like that. Nonfiction is great fuel for your imagination.

If someone dared you, would you spend the night in the house in the story?

No! Not unless Ellie had cleared the place first.

Is there a genre you’d like to write but haven’t yet?

I actually write some science fiction on the side, but it hasn’t done as well as the supernatural stories so I don’t focus on it.

Why did you choose to have the book take place in Savannah, Georgia?
It was an easy choice for me because I live in Georgia and have visited Savannah several times (and I’m always willing to go back for more research!). Some of my ancestors were present at the founding of that city. So I wanted to write about a city with which I was familiar, and Savannah is a great setting, with lots of old mansions built in every style and centuries-old graveyards, plus the city is built on top of multiple native burial grounds. It’s believed to be one of the most haunted cities in the country among paranormal researchers and among people who live there. Most of the buildings in the Historic District have at least one ghost story attached to them. It seemed like a place where professional ghost hunters would really have their hands full!

About The Author

J.L. Bryan studied English literature at the University of Georgia and at Oxford, with a focus on the English Renaissance and the Romantic period. He also studied screenwriting at UCLA. He enjoys remixing elements of paranormal, supernatural, fantasy, horror and science fiction into new kinds of stories.

He is the author of The Paranormals series of horror novels (Jenny Pox, Tommy Nightmare, and Alexander Death) the Songs of Magic series for younger readers (Fairy Metal Thunder, Fairy Blues, and Fairystruck…so far) and other books. He lives in Atlanta with his wife Christina, their son, and some dogs and cats.

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.

If you have a problem commenting, look for the twitter, facebook…buttons.

Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

A Chilling Mystery – Dark Ice by Dave Stanton – Review & Giveaway

Posted on September 24, 2015 by fundinmental

Dark Ice by Dave Stanton took me to a slippery slope and I zigzagged my way to the end.

Genre: Crime, Murder Mystery, PI

Published by: LaSalle Davis Books

Publication Date: April 11, 2015

Number of Pages: 304

Series: Dan Reno Novel #4

ISBN: 098960313X (13: 978-0989603133)

Purchase Links:

MY REVIEW

Dark Ice by Dave Stanton has such a pretty cover and sounded a bit different, so I wanted to check it out.

I wondered if the author was an extreme skier, because he was able to vividly describe the terrain with all my senses involved. I saw the sparkling white snow, I smelt the crispness of the air, I tasted the snow on my tongue, I heard the soft hiss of my skis gliding through the snow, I felt the burn in my legs…

The body belonged to the daughter of General Raymond Horvachek and he had no faith in Captain Galanis’s ability or willingness to solve the murder. I would have no faith in him either. He was slimy, slutty and way to into himself.

The General wanted to hire Dan to solve it. Dan’s nickname, The Snake, made me think of Kenny Stabler from the Oakland Raiders football team. You can tell what time of year it is as I write this review. Football season coming up and I can hardly wait. Dan had that ball buster kind of attitude and was a party animal, until he met Candi.

His friend, Cody, on the other hand is still going strong and still quite the party animal. By the way, where is Cody? He just left, and with all the threats against Dan and his girlfriend, I would think Cody would be right behind them…but when the shit hit the fan, heeeeee’s back. I thought the book was too well written for Dave Stanton to forget about him, but I was surprised by how long it took for him to make another appearance. He is a great character and adds a bit more spice to the story.

The killer was no one I suspected, but there is a reason for that. I cannot tell you why, but it didn’t work for me.

I was curious and would not quit reading until I had the answers, but the road to get there seemed confusing and disjointed at times. I see why he kept two courses of action going, it did keep the suspense level up there, but It didn’t work very well for me. It kind of seemed like it was action for action’s sake. Or maybe it was just my mood. I finished the book in one sitting and it did keep me involved, so I would recommend you give this a try if you are in the mood for a “chilling” mystery on a cold winters night.

I received a copy of Dark Ice by Dave Stanton in return for an honest and unbiased review.

3 Stars

SYNOPSIS

Two murdered girls, and no motive…

While skiing deep in Lake Tahoe’s backcountry, Private Eye Dan Reno finds the first naked body, buried under fresh snow. Reno’s contacted by the grieving father, who wants to know who murdered his daughter, and why? And how could the body end up in such a remote, mountainous location? The questions become murkier when a second body is found. Is there a serial killer stalking promiscuous young women in South Lake Tahoe? Or are the murders linked to a different criminal agenda?

Searching for answers, Reno is accosted by a gang of racist bikers with a score to settle. He also must deal with his pal, Cody Gibbons, who the police consider a suspect. The clues lead to the owner of a strip club and a womanizing police captain, but is either the killer?

The bikers up the ante, but are unaware that Cody Gibbons has Reno’s back at any cost. Meanwhile, the police won’t tolerate Reno’s continued involvement in the case. But Reno knows he’s getting close. And the most critical clue comes from the last person he’d suspect…

EXCERPT

The cornice stretched three feet over the sheer face below. There was about fifteen feet of vertical drop before the snow covered slope angled out at forty-five degrees. I inched my skis farther forward, the tips hanging over the void. I was wrong—it was more like twenty feet of mandatory air. And that was the shallowest entry the ledge offered.

I blew out my breath and ignored the sickly sensation of my testicles trying to climb into my stomach. Turning back now would mean a long uphill hike, while the reward for leaping off the cornice was five hundred feet of untracked powder. A slight dip to the left marked the most forgiving launch point. I pushed myself back and sidestepped higher up the ridge. A couple deep breaths, then I released my edges and glided toward the dip.

In a second I launched over the precipice, my hands thrust forward, my knees tucked toward my chest. As I dropped, I could see the distant desert floor of Nevada fall behind the stands of pine and fir at the bottom of the bowl. I extended my legs in the instant before I touched down and absorbed the shock, blinded for a second by a blast of snow. Then I cranked my skis on edge, bounced out of the fluff, and made a second turn through the deep powder. It had snowed about a foot last night, but here the fresh coverage was at least two feet, maybe more. Bottomless under my boots.

Twenty turns to the glade below, my heart pounding, my body disappearing in blasts of powder, the white coating me from head to toe. When I reached the tree line, I skidded to a stop and caught my breath. Then I looked up and admired the S-turns I’d left on the otherwise unblemished slope. Not bad, I thought, smiling at the understatement. Most of the winter storms that blow through the Lake Tahoe region come out of the warm Pacific and dump wet, heavy snow, creating the notorious Sierra cement. But last night’s blizzard swept in from Alaska, bringing colder and lighter snow. As a result, I was in the right place at the right time.

I skated along the terminus of the bowl and turned into the trees when they became sparse enough to allow passage. This was the Nevada backcountry, unpatrolled, accessible by ducking the boundary ropes at the highest elevation of South Lake Tahoe’s ski resort, right at the California-Nevada border. Before me lay 4000 feet of descent to the high desert floor where I’d parked my truck, near Route 207 outside of Gardnerville.

It was slower going now, the terrain interrupted by tangles of deadfall and icy patches where the wind had scoured the surface. I picked my way through it, my skis alternately sinking in powder then chattering and scraping across slick bands of ice. Finally I spotted a clearing—a wide, sweeping snow bank that fell toward a collection of pines hundreds of feet below. I rode the section like a surfer on a wave, turning down off the lip then riding back up, staying high and avoiding a flat area that would likely necessitate a hike.

When I reached the trees below, I entered a broad glade, the trunks spaced at wide intervals, the snow as soft and uniform as a white pillow. The morning sun had just appeared from behind a swath of swift moving clouds, and the snow glittered with pinpricks of light. I took a long moment to take in the scenery, then I picked a line and pushed off into the mild grade. The pristine snow held no surprises, the powder light and consistent, making it easy to find a rhythm. Floating through the trees and leaving a wake of rounded tracks, I become immersed in the splendor of the moment, as if the setting had been created solely for my indulgence.

My grandiose thoughts came to a crashing halt when I came around a tree and my skis rammed into something solid beneath the snow. My binding released with a loud click, and I flew forward and face-planted in a poof of powder.

“Son of a bitch,” I said, wiping the snow from my goggles. I took a quick inventory of my body and found no injuries. Then I crawled back ten feet to where my ski lay. When I pulled it from the snow, the edge caught, probably on a hidden stump, I thought. Then the powder fell aside, and I saw a flesh-colored streak. I froze for a second, certain my eyes were playing tricks on me. Blinking, I used the ski to push away more snow.

“No way,” I whispered, my heart in my throat. A bare shoulder revealed itself, then a snarl of blond hair strung with ice. I reached down with my gloved hand and carefully pushed aside the hair. The face was half-buried, one eye visible, lashes thick with mascara, a blue iris staring blankly. Using both hands like a shovel, I pushed away the bulk of the snow covering the upper body. A sour lump formed in my gut. The body was naked, the skin that of a young woman, perhaps a teenager.

ABOUT DAVE STANTON

Dave Stanton is the author of five novels in the Dan Reno private eye series. They do not have to be read chronologically to be enjoyed, but for those who want to know, the order is: Stateline, Dying for the Highlife, Speed Metal Blues, Dark Ice, & Hard Prejudice.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1960, Dave Stanton moved to Northern California in 1961. He received a BA in journalism from San Jose State University in 1983. Over the years, he worked as a bartender, newspaper advertising salesman, furniture mover, debt collector, and technology salesman. He has two children, Austin and Haley, and lives with his wife, Heidi, in San Jose, California.

Stanton’s five novels all feature private investigator Dan Reno and his ex-cop buddy, Cody Gibbons.

Catch Up:

GIVEAWAY

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours for Dave Stanton. There will be one US winner of 1 $20 Amazon Gift Card. The giveaway begins on September 1st, 2015 and runs through September 31st, 2015. For US residents only.
Stop by the Tour Participants sites to get chances to win copies of Dark Ice & more!

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Tour Participants:

9/02/2015 showcase @ Bookalicious Traveladdict

9/03/2015 guest post @ Books Direct

9/03/2015 showcase @ The Pen and Muse Book Reviews

9/04/2015 showcase @ Bloody Bookish

9/05/2015 Interview, spotlight w/excerpt @ BooksChatter

9/06/2015 interview @ Suspense Magazine

9/07/2015 showcase @ Mythical Books

9/08/2015 review @ VicsMedia Room

9/09/2015 review @ Mallory Heart Reviews

9/10/2015 guestpost @ Writers and Authors

9/10/2015 review w/interview @ Deal Sharing Aunt

9/14/2015 review @ Marys Cup of Tea

9/15/2015 review @ A Fold in the Spine

9/15/2015 showcase @ Sapphyrias Book Reviews

9/18/2015 review @ Bloody Bookish

9/21/2015 review @ For Life After

9/24/2015 review @ fundinmental

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours

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To see all my Reviews, go HERE.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.

If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?

Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.

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