There are more than animals in the water, and they want YOU.
How do you protect yourself?
A little mystery and plenty of danger, as the four kids try to survive and make good their escape. I enjoyed this novella, but I was never really scared, just curious.
What is it? Who and how will they survive?
3 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Four teenagers. A cottage by the sea. Something comes at night. Something comes with the tide …
They Come at Night was originally published in Danish, but is now available in English.
Happy Monday everyone and welcome back to Music Monday! Let’s share
some songs we’ve been enjoying lately! If you would like to play, and I
really hope you do, please see the rules and link up below.
Rules:
Every Monday share a few songs you’ve been enjoying lately. It doesn’t
have to be a specific genre, new, or one of your favorites – just
something you’d like to share with others. If possible, share a music
or lyric video of the song and your thoughts on the song(s), artist(s),
and/or music video(s).
If you would like to participate in Music Monday, please join the link up by sharing your post’s url HERE
I have always loved that Cyndi Lauper dances to her own drummer.
I love to love a bad guy and Alpha Prime is one I would never want to cross paths with unless….I loved this complex novella of good and bad, but is anyone all good or all bad, not these fabulous, unique characters.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Born a demon, it took humans to transform him into a monster.
Tracy Hardwick is a wodnik, a water demon who absorbs his
victim’s souls. His parents used his gifts for their own gain. They made
him kill until he landed on death row.
The prison sold him to an
evil corporation who wiped his mind and surgically altered him to be
the perfect killing machine. He became their ultimate weapon.
Now,
Tracy’s mind is busting through their wipe. He’s waking up. And so are
all the souls of his victims. They’re talking to him, telling him what
to do. They don’t want to go back to sleep. He doesn’t want to kill
anymore.
But if he doesn’t kill, the corporation will wipe his mind again.
Tracy’s going to have to listen to the voices in his head.
Or he’ll remain a monster forever.
Download Voices of Reason now and enjoy some time with a madman.
Connect with Gwendolyn
Visit www.gwendolyndruyor.com for more about the author and her many diverse endeavors. And her dogs. Don’t forget to check out her dogs.
Jolie was three when she found she was ugly and deformed.
She was five when she found she was a sub-human and an outcast.
She was seven when five boys and two girls dragged her out of the
orphanage and beat her unconscious, leaving her lying bleeding and
broken in the street.
She was content to lie there and die, tired of being hated and abused.
But a frail old man with wispy white hair and a long beard wasn’t
content to let her die. He not only saved her, but he adopted her and
passed on his unique martial art to her.
She was twenty when she headed to Delphi, the center of the United
Systems of Perileos (USP) and the planet of her birth-father to find
her place in his society.
Based on her unique upbringing, she decides to join the USP military,
requesting to be assigned to the Tasmanians SFG, an elite all male
unit. The military brass is reluctant to deny her request and admit
their enlistment contract permits bait-and-switch assignments.
Instead, they agree to let her enter the school, thinking she
couldn’t possibly succeed–a Chihuahua competing against
Rottweilers–and plan to make an example of her when she fails.
Although Jolie is small, she is not what she appears. But can her adopted
father’s art enable her to survive the treachery of the military
brass, the grueling of the school, the prejudices of the instructors,
and the testosterone of an all-male class?
And if she succeeds, can she thrive in the high-octane and all male
environment of the Tasmanians?
Clem Daems is a native of Chicago, Illinois and a graduate of the
University of Arizona. He served twenty-two years in the US Air
Force. Since then, he has worked as a software engineer, course
developer, and adjunct professor, teaching mathematics and Computer Science.
He has always been an avid reader of Science
Fiction/Fantasy but never had an interest in writing or being an
author. So, it was surprising when he began his first novel, several
years after his retirement, at age seventy. His first novel,
co-authored with Jeanne Tomlin, “The Talon of the Raptor
Clan”–recently reissued as the “Talon of the Unnamed
Goddess”–was a 2010 EPPIE finalist in Fiction/Fantasy.
Clem is an award winning author and an active member of the Science
Fiction Writers of America.
His hobby–a life-long one–has
been Kung Fu and Tai Chi. Clem is currently retired and living in
Tucson, Arizona.
He would enjoy hearing from you at
clemd@comcast.net on any topic: his books, the characters, writing
with a co-author, Kung Fu, his website
(http://clemd.home.comcast.net/~clemd/JC/Index.html), life after
retirement, or…
The Knowing by Brit Lunden is part of the Bulwark Anthology, a collection of nine novellas. Brit’s debut novella, Bulwark, gave birth to this collection that takes place in the quiet little town of Bulwark in Georgia, USA.
The novella I am sharing today is The Knowing by Brit Lunden. I am anxious to revisit Bulwark and see what will happen today.
The Knowing, the feeling that you are going to meet someone special.
Brit Lunden recaps the happenings from the first novella, Bulwark, and I always like that refresher. Sometimes it’s a long time between readings.
We met JB in Bulwark and now, his mood turns to the past and the love of his life, Ellie. He had known he would never leave Bulwark. Farm work it will be, not a football hero, even though he was that good, Bear Bryant wanted to recruit him. I love that addition to the story. I don’t believe there is a soul alive in Alabama who doesn’t know who Bear Bryant is.
So not what I was expecting, but it turned into a wonderful tale of love, second chances and maybe a little bit of magic.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Knowing by Brit Lunden.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Bulwark- a wall or stockade that protects or sometimes hides the truth from the outside world.
Bulwark, Georgia, isolated, hidden. Who knows what strange things can happen when the rest of the world can’t see you? JB Stratton is alone in the world, and all he has left are the memories of his beloved Ellie. Dirt poor JB and wealthy Ellie feel an instant connection that is as intense and primal as the blood red earth of their home. Unseen roots connect them, pulling them into an impossible relationship. Will the memories of past lives help or hinder the path of their love? Based on the original novella Bulwark, by Brit Lunden, The Knowing continues the story of a town isolated from the rest of the world where the impossible becomes plausible, and logic is determined by reality.
ABOUT BRIT LUNDEN
Brit Lunden is a prolific author who’s written over 50 books in assorted genres under different pen names. Bulwark was her first effort in adult fiction and was chosen by several of her fellow authors as the basis for a new series, A Bulwark Anthology. Using her characters, they are creating new denizens in spin-off stories to this bizarre town. Brit Lunden lives on Long Island in a house full of helpful ghosts.
Like the Wild Geese of Old Ireland, five boys grew to manhood despite
hunger, war, and the mean streets of New York
The War had left him blind to beauty…
Kieran Donnelly is a gifted artist who has sworn never to paint again. He
saw and did too many things during the war to extinguish the ugliness
that lies in his heart. But a chance to work with some of the most
magnificent paintings brings him close to the world he still
loves…and an extraordinary woman who sees his true heart.
Darkness couldn’t extinguish the light in her heart.
Blind from the age of four, Emily Lawrence yearns to experience the outside
world. When she hires Kieran Donnelly to catalogue her father’s
paintings, he offers her a glimpse at life outside her exquisite
home…and a chance for a future.
Can Kieran and Emily emerge from the darkness to find happiness and love?
I believe I was destined to be interested in history. One of my distant
ancestors, Thomas Aubert, reportedly sailed up the St. Lawrence River
to discover Canada some 26 years before Jacques Cartier’s 1534
voyage. Another relative was a 17thCentury “King’s Girl,”
one of a group of young unmarried girls sent to New France (now the
province of Quebec) as brides for the habitants (settlers) there. My
passion for reading made me long to write books like the ones I
enjoyed, and I tried penning sequels to my favorite Nancy Drew
mysteries. Later, fancying myself a female version of Andrew Lloyd
Weber, I drafted a musical set in Paris during WWII.
A former journalist and lifelong Celtophile, I enjoyed a previous
career as a reporter/editor for a small chain of community newspapers
before returning to my first love, romantic fiction. My stories
usually include an Irish setting, hero or heroine, and sometimes all
three!
I am a member of the Romance Writers of America, Hearts Through History
Romance Writers, and Celtic Hearts Romance Writers. A lifelong
resident of Montreal, Canada, I still live there with my own Celtic
hero and our two teenaged children.
Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those
neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread. If you are anything
like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in
your stacks.
Briana Fox is the
wildest girl in school. She and Kyle have been close for a long
time…almost lovers. But Kyle is afraid that if he pushes her, he’ll
have his heart broken and lose his best friend. When Briana challenges
him to a swim across the lake, she’s injured in a horrific accident, but
she discovers a mysterious substance in an underwater cave that saves
her life. What seems to be a magical yet harmless “power drug” invokes
superhuman abilities, and Briana soon becomes dependent on it for her
very survival. When two government agents learn of the discovery, they
will stop at nothing to find the source and turn Briana into a human
experiment. Is Kyle willing to risk everything to protect his love?
Readers of all ages will enjoy this gripping, fast-paced story.
Book blogger reviews:
“Worth a serious read…incredibly gripping and heartwarming.” – Halinor Everdeen Cipriano, Assortments
“A fast, suspenseful thriller with an ending I never saw coming.” – Jessica Willis, The Tales Compendium
“Very exciting and gripping, leaves you wanting more.” – Becky’s Barmy Book Blog
“If anything, you should read it for the unique ending.” – Rachel’s Book Reviews
“You should give it a try. It’s really different and interesting.” – Brielle, Awesome Bookworm
“A great story of murder, mystery . . . and well-developed
characters.”—Margie Hager, Netgalley Reviewer on A Drop of Magic
“A Drop of Magic is a damned fun and original read, with sass,
action, hot men, and a whole lot of magic.” —Diana Pharaoh
Francis, author of the Diamond City Magic, Magicfall,
and Horngate Witches series
Deeper into the shadows. . .
The paranatural community isn’t done with Alex. She’s been summoned
to the fae court, and she’s got her hands full trying to prepare.
But her date with the fae will have to wait. There’s been a death
at the gallery, and the man she hoped would be a part of her future
is the prime suspect.
Bitter enemies pull her into the middle of a paranatural war for territory
that has her dodging police, swords, teeth, and claws—not to
mention the truth. The deeper she digs, the more secrets she
uncovers, and the less certain she is about the innocence of the one
man she wanted to trust.
She thought she was done with murder and monsters, but she’ll have to
enter the belly of the beast if she hopes to save her friend.
With the world clinging to a fragile peace forced on the Fae by humanity
after the Faerie Wars, metalsmith Alex Blackwood is plunged into the
world of the half-fae who traffick in illegal magical artifacts. Her
best friend’s murder and his cryptic last message place her in the
crosshairs of a scheme to reignite the decade-old war between humans
and fae.
Worse, violent attacks against her and the arrival of a fae knight on a
mission force Alex to face a devastating revelation of who
and what she is. To catch a killer, retrieve a
dangerous artifact, and stop a war, Alex will have to accept that
she’s an unregistered fae “halfer” with a unique magical
talent—a talent that would change everything she believes about her
past, her art, and her future.
Her world is crumbling around her, and Alex will have to decide who to
trust if she and the world are going to survive.
“A Drop of Magic is a damned fun and original read, with sass, action,
hot men, and a whole lot of magic.”
—Diana Pharaoh Francis, author of the Diamond
City Magic, Magicfall, and Horngate Witches series
Born and raised in
Colorado, L. R. BRADEN makes her home in the foothills of the Rocky
Mountains with her wonderful husband, precocious daughter, and
psychotic cat. With degrees in both English literature and
metalsmithing, she splits her time between writing and art.
Calling all creature feature lovers out there in cyberspace. I read these Chupacabra stories back in 2015, but never reviewed them. Me bad, but, better late than never…huh Michael?
I purchased Night of the Chupacabra, I believe it was gifted from Michael Hebler, through Amazon on 9.11.13, but finished reading it on 12.13.15.
Michael Hebler designed the fabulous cover himself.
I had Night of the Chupacabra hanging around for a long time and when I finally read it, I wondered why I waited. I loved it. Night of the Chupcabra got my attention early on and really pissed me off about the wagon train.
The story is so sweet, so cute, so savage, so brutal. The past, present and future slam together with good and bad consequences.
I feel really bad for Drake. Will he survive? Will he find what he is looking for? He doesn’t deserve the bad things happening to him and I am hoping he finds what ever he is searching for and finds peace. But, he also surprised me and I didn’t see it coming. I sure want to know more about him, about the chupacabra.
Sheriff Dillmore is not a sheriff you want running your town. To say he is mean is not saying enough. He deserves to be hung up to dry, burned under the jail. I hope he gets his!
I knew the ending…sort of…but won’t know for sure until I meet the Chupacabra in the next story. The series consists of four books and you will need to read them in order and in their entirety to know the complete story.
5 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
WINNER OF THE 2014 NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE AWARD FOR BEST HORROR NOVEL – No one ever disputed that the deserts of the American West were treacherous for the wandering man. Hot and desolate conditions give a home to many dangerous creatures, including one elusive beast which no traveler had ever laid eyes upon until the night Drake Byrne passed through with his family. Their encounter becomes a gruesome attack that rips the Byrnes apart, expected never to reunite. Now, five years later, Drake’s search finally comes to an end when he stumbles upon the unique town of Dillmore Valley. Hidden in the hills, the walls that protect the populace, and its secrets, quickly become their prison when the cunning creature that has been shadowing Drake terrorizes the town and feeds on the blood of anything that poses a threat.
ABOUT MICHAEL HEBLER
Prior to his tween years, Michael used to “borrow” Stephen King books off his mother’s bookshelf. Although he has not been clinically evaluated, Michael is positive that his adolescent self-introduction into adult horror had an impact on his dark sense of humor and love for Jason Voorhees. On the upside, Michael has found an outlet in which to put his twisted thoughts to proper use, and thanks to a college degree which proves that he had studied the importances of plot, characters, conflict, themes, and interactions, he is able to give his stories the attention they deserve.
But life
wasn’t always about the written page. Once Upon A Time in Hollywood,
Michael had a career as a international film publicist, working on
multiple titles for Walt Disney, Pixar, Lionsgate, Lakeshore
Entertainment, Warner Bros., Summit Entertainment, as well as the 2013
Academy Award® Best Foreign Language film, “La grande bellezza” (The
Great Beauty). Sounds exciting, right? Michael thinks so, too.
Currently,
in his spare time, Michael also enjoys volunteering in his local
community. Organizations he has supported include Meals on Wheels, Get
On The Bus, as well as helped protect our animal population by aiding in
the capture/spay/neuter/release feral program.
To date, Michael’s publications include the first four (of six) books in his Chupacabra Series: NIGHT OF THE CHUPACABRA, CURSE OF THE CHUPACABRA, LEGEND OF THE CHUPACABRA, and DAWN OF THE CHUPACABRA, a couple of short stories, as well as my first publication, THE NIGHT AFTER CHRISTMAS, a holiday picture book for believers of any age.
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Michael Okon will be awarding a $50 Amazon Gift Card, then 5 signed copies of the book (US ONLY) to randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
MY REVIEW
Michael Okon writes some great novels and I am excited to read Witches Protection Program. I am a sucker for a great cover and that gun has me very curious. What do you think it contains?
Wes is the black sheep of the family. Is it because of his reading disability? It made him seem slow and he had to work harder just to maintain what others found so easy.
Now…he was being sent to DUMBO at the Witches Protection Program, having to abandon his dream job. He doesn’t believe in witches, elves or anything magic, but I have a feeling that is about to change.
Enter Morgan…who denies her legacy as a witch and heir to Pendragon, a very successful make-up company.
I can’t help but laugh at Wes and Alistair. A comedy of errors…or should I say ego. Wes needs that chip knocked off his shoulder.
Morgan’s best friend is not a witch, but she aspires to be. Her spells made me think of Charmed (a TV show) and I couldn’t help but laugh at the wording of her spells. The question is…will they work?
Will the frog turn into a prince or will the prince turn into a frog? I laughed my way through the entire scene. Michael Okon’s ability to make me visualize the scene as it unfolds, makes it uproariously funny and sticks with me throughout the story.
Witches Protection Program by Michael Okon is Charmed. The magic and romance runs AMOK. The serious and humorous collide in this wickedly fun paranormal story of greed justice and romance.
4 Stars
Wes Rockville, a disgraced law-enforcement agent, gets one last chance to prove himself and save his career when he’s reassigned to a 232-year-old secret government organization.
The Witches Protection Program.
His first assignment: uncover a billion-dollar cosmetics company’s diabolical plan to use witchcraft for global domination, while protecting its heiress Morgan Pendragon from her aunt’s evil deeds. Reluctantly paired with veteran witch protector, Alastair Verne, Wes must learn to believe in witches…and believe in himself.
Filled with adventure and suspense, Michael Okon creates a rousing, tongue-in-cheek alternate reality where witches cast spells and wreak havoc in modern-day New York City.
Read an Excerpt
The narrator filled in more information. “It wasn’t until this land became my land that the government decided to create an organization to protect women at risk. The Davina Doctrine went against everything that the Willas stood for. Even though they ran the risk of persecution, the Davinas chose to work with law enforcement to expose the evil deeds of the rival sisterhood. President George Washington established secret legislation under Title VI of the Control Act of 1792. The law was enacted to protect the good witches that exposed the evil deeds of their sisterhood.”
The screen went dark. There was only a chair in the center of a dimly lit stage. A single spotlight focused on the top of the blond actress’s head. Wes was right; it was the actress he’d suspected. She had a hit sitcom and two Emmys, and there was some recent Oscar talk about her last movie.
“Yes. There are witches. Living among us. They are women who believe in using their power to protect love and life. And then there are some who use their powers for all the wrong reasons.”
The camera came to rest on her beautiful face. She winked saucily as she placed a triangular witch’s hat on her head. “Welcome to the Witches Protection Program.”
Alastair smiled broadly. “I love that part.”
“That was Jennifer Anis—”
About the Author:
Michael Okon is an award-winning and best-selling author of multiple genres including paranormal, thriller, horror, action/adventure and self-help. He graduated from Long Island University with a degree in English, and then later received his MBA in business and finance. Coming from a family of writers, he has storytelling in his DNA. Michael has been writing from as far back as he can remember, his inspiration being his love for films and their impact on his life. From the time he saw The Goonies, he was hooked on the idea of entertaining people through unforgettable characters.
Michael is a lifelong movie buff, a music playlist aficionado, and a sucker for self-help books. He lives on the North Shore of Long Island with his wife and children.
