Giveaway – This Is Not A Werewolf Story by Sandra Evans

Posted on December 14, 2016 by fundinmental

Book Tour Launch for
This is Not a Werewolf Story
By Sandra Evans

We hope you enjoyed coming along with us for some fun mixed with mystery at this boarding school where everything isn’t quite what it seems! If you missed any of the stops, go back and check them out now…

Launch – Author Interview

2. What do you hope readers take with them after they’ve read it?

I hope readers will want to visit Whidbey Island and Fort Casey. I hope they’ll think about the importance of preserving our national parks and the animals that seek refuge there. I hope some kids will feel reassured that even if your family isn’t 100% normal and maybe your parents and the people taking care of you aren’t doing a great job 100% of the time, that you’ll be okay, that you’ll find your people eventually, and that sometimes they are already around you. Also that, yes, we change. We change all the time, but part of us stays the same. So don’t be afraid to grow up. You’ll still be there when you get there.

The Silver Dagger Scriptorium – Newsletter, Page 1

Wishful Endings – Review & Newsletter, Page 2

“THIS IS NOT A WEREWOLF STORY is a story not to be missed! Full of endearing characters, some science, a little magic, and a whole lot of heart, it’s sure to delight readers. A perfect story for tweens, especially boys ages ten to thirteen, but highly enjoyable for all. . . . This is probably one of the best middle grade books I’ve read.”

Wishful Endings – Excerpt

I can’t believe my eyes. No kid has ever come to the school on the back of a Harley. Not in all the years I’ve been here, and I’ve been here longer than anyone. The driver spins the back wheel and a bunch of gravel flies up.

Katie’s Clean Book Collection – Newsletter, Page 3

With Love for Books – Review

“This Is Not a Werewolf Story is a fun book filled with beautiful words and wonderful magic. I immediately loved Raul. . . . I really enjoyed reading the vivid descriptions of Raul’s adventures and his surroundings. The ending of the story is surprising and I liked the angle Sandra Evans has chosen. This Is Not a Werewolf Story is a fantastic book for both children and grownups.”

Moonshine Art Spot – Excerpt

But then I freeze. I feel someone looking at me. And I know who it is before I even see him. When I look he’s staring at me. Mr. Tuffman.

Maybe he didn’t hear?

His jaw moves. His eyes are small. He didn’t miss a word. And Mr. Tuffman doesn’t want any more.

Beck Valley Books – Newsletter, Page 4

Falling Leaves – Excerpt

Gollum lands on his shoulder and skitters to the floor. She’s a long black streak, but Tuffman’s quick. He sprints after Gollum. Everyone stops screaming. Tuffman to the rescue. Then, at the exact same moment, we all notice the hunting knife in Tuffman’s hand. It’s huge. Everyone starts screaming again.

Mel’s Shelves – Review

“I loved the ending! It wrapped up enough to satisfy me but there is also more story that can be told so I hope there is a sequel in the works. This is a thick book but a fast read as it was hard to put down once I started. I also loved reading the Author’s Note and learning more about where she got the idea for her story. This is a book I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys middle-grade fantasy and mystery!”

Letters from Annie (Douglass) Lima – Newsletter, Page 5

Life as Leels – Promo

100 Pages A Day – Review

” I loved how the mystery of the island and Raul’s transformative process took place and how it is loosely modeled after a twelfth century story called Bisclavret. Overall, an interesting and different middle-grade coming of age story with elements of beauty, forgiveness, magic and mystery that is anything but a werewolf story.”

Jessica and Gracie’s Tree – Review

“I am happy to say that I was sucked into the story after a few pages. The characters are memorable and all have their own quirks. The ending was awesome and unique. I actually did not see the story ending the way it did. This is a great read and I say everyone should read it at least once. I like it so much that I can’t stop telling my spouse and teenage daughter to read it as well.”

Books, Books the Magical Fruit – Newsletter, Page 6

Nish Homeschool Blog – Review

“The author Sandra Evans does a wonderful job of bringing Raul’s life to the hearts and eyes of the children that read this awesome story. . . . I recommend this book to other families and encourage all of you to purchase a copy today!”

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway below…

This is Not a Werewolf Story
by Sandra Evans
Middle Grade Fantasy
Hardcover & ebook, 352 pages
July 26th 2016 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

This is the story of Raul, a boy of few words, fewer friends, and almost no family. He is a loner—but he isn’t lonely. All week long he looks after the younger boys at One Of Our Kind Boarding School while dodging the barbs of terrible Tuffman, the jerk of a gym teacher.

Like every other kid in the world, he longs for Fridays, but not for the usual reasons. As soon as the other students go home for the weekend, Raul makes his way to a lighthouse deep in the heart of the woods. There he waits for sunset—and the mysterious, marvelous phenomenon that allows him to go home, too. But the woods have secrets . . . and so does Raul. When a new kid arrives at school, they may not stay secret for long.

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Book Depository

Sandra Evans is a writer and teacher from the Pacific Northwest. Her forthcoming middle grade novel, This is Not a Werewolf Story (Simon & Schuster July 2016), was inspired by her favorite 12th century French tale, Bisclavret, by Marie de France. Born in Washington state, Sandra spent her childhood on U.S. Navy bases from Florida to Hawaii, and returned to the Northwest as a teenager. Since then, she has lived and traveled in France and Europe, but has never strayed far for long from the Puget Sound region.

Website│Goodreads│Facebook│Twitter

Tour Giveaway

A hardcover copy of THIS IS NOT A WEREWOLF STORY by Sandra Evans plus Swag
Open internationally
Ends December 16th

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Teaser Tuesday #86 – Christmas Magic by Kathryn Meyer Griffith @KathrynG64

Posted on December 13, 2016 by fundinmental

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday hosted by The Purple Booker, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR, or just share what you are currently reading. It is very easy to play along:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.

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I come from a family of six children, so I can relate to Kathryn Meyer Griffith’s tale…to a degree…

I love her writing, so by sharing this with you at this time of year…I think it will show the power of love.

Such a sweet cover…

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Christmas Eve

You know Kathryn Meyer Griffith’s memories and feelings run deep, because her first novel, Evil Stalks The Night, is the story’s setting inspired by her family home.

Christmas Magic brought to mind many memories of my own. As child, I too was fascinated when I would awake in the morning and the world is blanketed in snow. I too loved visiting my Grandmother’s house, which was just down the road. It was like a mini vacation. I remember making paper and popcorn chains for the Christmas tree.

It is no surprise to me that Kathryn Meyer Griffith became a prolific writer, with her smarts, photographic memory and love of reading.

She may not have had much money, but she had lots of love.

What a vision…all nine of the family piling into the car and to Grandma’s house we go. They actually drove over the river and through the woods.

A heartwarming short story, with the highest highs and the lowest lows, love, happiness, sadness, giving and sharing…the human cycle.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB: Have you ever wondered what a writer’s early years were like and how it affected their future writing and the stories they would tell later in their lives? Have you ever wondered what their childhood Christmases, their early holidays, were like? Well, wonder no longer. This story is about one of my most cherished childhood Christmases…in 1959 when I was nine years old. After my beloved musician/singer/songwriter brother Jim passed away in 2015 from cancer I felt an intense need to write this short story about that special Christmas Eve I shared with him, my other siblings, mother, father and grandparents, and put it out there for everyone to read as a tribute to him and my family. This is my story, part of my childhood, and some of my fondest memories. Note: in the late 1970’s I did a series of illustrated (by me, because I’m an artist, too) short stories for my local newspaper and I’ve used one of my old drawings from 1978 for the first page of this short story.

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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A Holiday Murder Review – Bubba and the 12 Deadly Days of Christmas by C L Bevill #CLBevill

Posted on December 12, 2016 by fundinmental

Bubba and the 12 Deadly Days of Christmas by C L Bevill, is Book II of the Bubba Snoddy mystery series.

The fun looking covers make me smile every time I look at them. Be sure to scroll to the bottom and you will know what I mean.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Bubba and the 12 Deadly Days of Christmas by C L Bevill is Book II in this 7 book Bubba Mystery Series. If I knew that before I grabbed the book and started reading, I doubt I would have picked it up, especially because I haven’t read Book I, Bubba and the Dead Woman. But I do have it, so…

Even though I read this before Book I, it did not affect my rating.

The characters in this series are so much fun with weird and laughable names, and big personalities that get them in all kinds of trouble. Bubba is a good ol’ boy and the sanest of the lot, but does his best not to let others get too close.

It seems like there is always danger afoot at the mansion and Bubba is in the middle of it. With his trusty sidekick, Precious, a basset hound that sticks to him like glue and will do her best to take down anyone who messes with her human, they will unravel the mystery and keep him out of jail…hopefully. Precious has become my favorite character and when you meet her, you will see why.

What do you call people what are afraid of Santa Claus.

Claustrophobic.

Why doesn’t Santa have any children?

Because he only comes once a yeeeaar and it’s down a chimney.

This hilarious romp through the twelve days of Christmas had me laughing and pondering the mystery throughout.

I love these characters, the fun writing and dialogue, their antics and quirkiness, and the mystery that keeps me guessing. I was tempted to mark it down because of the cliffhanger, but I enjoyed it too much and couldn’t do it.

OH MAN, there is a bleep, bleep, bleep cliffhanger!!!!

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB: Bubba Snoddy’s got some problems. His family has descended for the Christmas holidays and not in a good way. His cousin wants to own the Snoddy Mansion, decrepit, falling down columns, termites, wood rot and all and isn’t above using manipulative behavior to achieve his ends. Miz Demetrice is up to nefarious and illegal activities while trying to entertain relatives. His cousin’s ten year old son is the personification of a demon and has hobbies of looking at medical photographs, making stun guns from scratch, and causing havoc wherever he roams. The woman of Bubba’s dreams, Deputy Willodean Gray, is still evading his romantic pursuits. Patients from the local mental institute are wandering over the town, ostensibly assisting with the Christmas Festival thanks to a program established by the mayor to cut costs. And Bubba has just found the dead body of a man dressed as Santa in the Christmas scene at City Hall. Oh, Pegramville, Texas is just the best place to be at Christmas if a fella has a bullet proof vest and a linebacker’s helmet. All the folks think Bubba might have done did it…again, even though it was proven that he didn’t done did it the first time, and Bubba has to move quickly in order to catch a murderer.

Book 2 of the Bubba series. This book has recently been revised.

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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Bubba and the Dead Woman, the first book, is FREE! The rest are $2.99 or less.

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Sherry’s Shelves #106

Posted on December 11, 2016 by fundinmental

Sherry’s Shelves #106 is my weekly update from December 4 – December 10, 2016.

Sunday Post #201 Countdown to Spring..

Stacking The Shelves {200}

Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga’s Reviews
Bought, Borrowed & Bagged is hosted by TalkSupe
**all images are linked to Amazon (I am an affiliate)**

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Hello fellow bloggers. Hope you had a great week. I have definitely gotten into the holiday decorating scene this week. I am still not done, but getting there. How about you? Do you add that one extra thing, then look around and see how you could add one more thing…and one more thing…and one more thing…By the time I’m done it will be time to take everything down. LOL

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LAST WEEK ON fundinmental

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THIS WEEK ON fundinmental

Sherry’s Shelves
Review – Bubba and the Twelve 12 Days of Christmas by C L Bevill
Teaser Tuesday #86 – The Extraordinary Journey of Vivienne Marshall by Shannon Kirk
Review – The Extraordinary Journey of Vivienne Marshall by Shannon Kirk
Review – Red Deth by Jeff Altabef
Giveaway – Guardian of the Way by Diane Moat
Friday 56 #112 – The Pied Piper by Ridley Pearson
One Sentence Review – Blythewood by Carol Goodman

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Hope you are having a wonderful weekend!

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You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
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One Sentence Review – After The Shock by Scott Nicholson @eScottNicholson

Posted on December 10, 2016 by fundinmental

After: The Shock is not my first Scott Nicholson story and it will not be my last.

The cover tells a lot about what’s inside.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I was so caught up in The Shock…An apocalypse brings out the best and worst in some people and Scott can make his characters shine as they step up and grow up after being thrown into turbulent and dangerous times…and I was pissed when it came to an end, leaving me needing the next book, and the next, to find out how it will end.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB: A massive solar storm erases the world’s technological infrastructure and kills billions. While the remaining humans are struggling to adapt and survive, they notice that some among them have…changed.

Rachel Wheeler finds herself alone in the city, where violent survivors known as “Zapheads” roam the streets, killing and destroying. Her only hope is to reach the mountains, where her grandfather, a legendary survivalist, established a compound in preparation for Doomsday.

Other survivors are fleeing the city, but Zapheads aren’t the only danger. Rogue bands of military soldiers want to impose their own order in the crumbling ruins of civilization. When Rachel discovers a 10-year-old boy, she vows to care for him even at the risk of her own life.

And the Zapheads are evolving, developing communal skills even as they lay waste to the society they will eventually replace.

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
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Friday 56 #111 – The Big Bad Wolf by James Patterson @JP_Books

Posted on December 9, 2016 by fundinmental

.
The Friday 56 is hosted by Freda’s Voice.The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and find any sentence or a few ( no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.

Please join Rose City Reader every Friday to share the first sentence or so of the book you are reading along with you initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.

Please include the title of the book and the author’s name.

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I don’t think there is anyone that hasn’t heard of James Patterson, but have you read The Big Bad Wolf? Another great thriller, suspense novel.

This is the cover I have for my 1st edition hardcover published in 2003, but the colors are more vibrant.

Amazon / Goodreads

My 56

“I’m Alex Cross, with the FBI,” I said to Brigid, who seemed tremendously self-assured for her age, especially during this crisis. “I think that your father is expecting me.”

(Page 56 in hardcover, published in 1999)

Book Beginnings

The Phipps Plaza shopping mall in Atlanta was a showy montage of pink-granite floors, sweeping bronze-trimmed staircases, gilded Napoleonic design, lighting that sparkled like halgen spotlights. A man and a woman watched the target – “Mom”- as she left Niketown with sneakers and whatnot for her three daughters packed under one arm.

GOODREADS BLURB: Alex Cross, Patterson”s black lawman hero, has left the D.C. police force for the FBI. But Cross was a star cop, so when the Bureau becomes aware that attractive white women are disappearing at an unusually high rate in the nation”s capital, Cross, despite still being in training at Quantico, is brought onto the case and is personally mentored by the Bureau”s director, earning the ire of some Feds but the support of others. Behind the disappearances is a sexual slavery operation run as a sideline by one of the more believable and most compellingly evil villains in the Patterson universe, the Wolf, a mysterious former KGB man who”s now the world”s top mobster. The narrative throughout is swift and varied, as Patterson cuts among the diabolical schemes of a Russian magnate who may be the Wolf, the plight of several kidnap victims, the dogged pursuit by Cross and company of the Wolf, and the hideous designs of the members of an encrypted computer chat room who pay the Wolf fortunes to snatch women who fit their fantasies. And there”s domestic drama, too, as the mother of Cross”s young son, Alex, decides that she wants her boy back. Full of plot surprises and featuring a balanced mix of intrigue, hard action and angst, the novel, on which Patterson notably does not share cover credit, grips from start to finish. The Alex Cross series remains Patterson”s finest, and this is the finest Cross in years.

To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.
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WHICH COVER WOULD YOU CHOOSE?

Giveaway & Review – Corporate Citizen by Gabriel Valjan @GValjan @NouveauWriter

Posted on December 8, 2016 by fundinmental

I have been reading my way through the Roma series and the mystery continues in Corporate Citizen.

We are back in Boston…but the danger seems to follow them wherever they go.

This is the best one yet and it was a punch to the gut.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I was one of the herd, led down the predictable path, forgetting to read between the lines…Slapped me in the face, woke me up!

The Roma Series continues in Corporate Citizen by Gabriel Valjan and I must say, this is the best one yet. We have action and murder from the opening pages.

I am so glad I stuck with this series. Gabriel Valjan’s writing style was difficult for me to read in the beginning, but now that we are on familiar ground it has become easier…more than that, it has become fantastic.

The complex characters have captured me as they struggle to have a normal life while solving dangerous mysteries. I am very concerned for all of them. I am afraid they may not all make it out of the book alive. Especially Nate, a new member of their team. What will become of him?

I am wondering who Loki really is…and the Magician? What are their objectives? Why are they feeding her info? And the bigger question…Is it good or bad?

Murder is always a component in the Roma series, but the conspiracy is what hooks me. Now…enter a designer drug…or two. Krokodiles. Barneys.

Bianca is the main character, but all the others are vital to the story. I do wonder if her love life will survive through all her and Dante’s trials and tribulations.

WOW. I am on page 236, approaching the end and everything is becoming clearer. I can see why things were so tangled and convoluted that I didn’t see where Gabriel Valjan was taking me.

I am thinking…I must reread this series and if you believe in conspiracies, like I do, and want to find out how misdirection and rogue government agents can affect your life, you will want to read this too!

Gabriel Valjan did an awesome job of leading me around in circles, so I didn’t see the outcome. I WAS one of the herd, led down the predictable path, forgetting to read between the lines. I was smacked in the face! Could this really happen? Is it happening now?

OMG…DAMMIT…I came to the end, but Bianca’s story is far from over. I’m ready for it! Where is it?

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Corporate Citizen from Gabriel Valjan.

5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Corporate Citizen

A call for help from an old friend lands Bianca and the crew back in Boston. On a timeout with Dante, due to revelations in the aftermath of the showdown in Naples, Bianca is drawn to a mysterious new ally who understands the traumas of her past, and has some very real trauma of his own. Murder, designer drugs, and a hacker named Magician challenge our team, and Bianca learns that leaving Rendition behind might be much harder than she thinks.

ABOUT GABRIEL VALJAN

Gabriel Valjan lives in Boston, Massachusetts. He is the author of the Roma Series, available from Winter Goose Publishing. Gabriel has also written numerous short stories and essays found online and in print.

Connect with the author: Website ~Twitter ~ Facebook..

GIVEAWAY

5 winners get a paperback copy of CC
5 winners get an ebook copy of CC
1 winner gets whole set of Roma series in paperback (signed)
1 winner gets whole set of Roma series in ebook format
12 winners total
Print copies open to USA and ebooks open international
Giveaway ends Dec 17

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You may see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
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My Reviews for the Roma series by Gabriel Valjan:

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Another Hit – Magnolia Moonlight by Mary Ellis #Mary Ellis

Posted on December 7, 2016 by fundinmental

I have been reading the Secrets of the South Mystery Series by Mary Ellis and was very excited to get my hands on another hit, Magnolia Moonlight. Thank you Mary and Harvest House Publishers.

I love the wonderful covers.

Cover by Lucas Art and Design

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Mary Ellis’ Secrets of the South Series is fantastic and I am happy to share another book from the series, Magnolia Moonlight, and travel the south with some familiar characters. Each book of the Secrets of the South series targets one of the couples. Their characters grow and develop as they learn to work together and get to know each other.

Beth and Michael work for Private Investigations and they have some issues with each other. Issues they will need to resolve in order to solve the mystery surrounding the suicide of the preacher.

Maybe the issues are more Beth’s than Michael’s. She holds a lot of resentment towards her mother. Is it because she only she’s her as her mom and not a person? Do you have that problem?

Beth had left Natchez under a cloud, but she had done nothing wrong. Would her investigation be stymied because of it?

When Mary mentions Castle, the TV show, the pieces fall into place. Beth and Michael could be Kate and Castle, especially with their verbal ‘foreplay’.

Mary Ellis has one of the characters asking themselves, ” Was guilt genetically hardwired into female DNA?” Food for thought, don’t you think?

Mary does a wonderful job of bringing her characters to life on the pages, making them believable and easy to relate to, though their work may be more glamorous than that of an assembly line worker or a waitress.

Beth and Michael both change and develop into deeper, more interesting characters.

WHOA, I’m on page 256, just reading along, thinking I know everything….then the story takes a wild twist. I think to myself, good one Mary, as I grin ear to ear. I love a surprise…in my books.

Murder, embezzlement, gambling, loan sharks…I am a bit of a gambler myself and love Texas Hold ’em, so Magnolia Moonlight has an extra element that sets it apart from other mysteries. And the mysteries do run rampant, as I twist and turn my way through the pages.

I love Mary Ellis’ stories because there is so much going on that, even though I don’t feel a sense of urgency and lurking danger, the writing keeps me going, wanting me to sate my curiosity of WHODUNIT.

I think I see the beginning of a new adventure for Price Investigations…

Coming soon…Sunset in Old Savannah.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Magnolia Moonlight by Mary Ellis.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

After being jilted by his fiancee, Michael Preston, a former accountant, pursues a new job as a private investigator. And, what better place to work than the new office of Price Investigations in Natchez, Mississippi? Unfortunately, Michael’s partner, Elizabeth Kirby–a crack shot ex-cop with a past she wants to escape–resents having to work with someone whose only surveillance experience comes from television and video games. Their boss and his wife, Nate and Isabelle, are two insanely busy newlyweds who are “forced” by their friends to finally take their honeymoon. However, their romantic trip to Alabama turns into an investigation when they bump into Izzy’s ex-husband, Craig, who seems to have taken up his gambling addiction once again. In an attempt to save Craig, Izzy discovers her ex doesn’t hold all the cards. Back in Mississippi, Michael and Beth are left to take on their first case when a preacher allegedly commits suicide. His widow suspects foul play, but things look grim when Michael discovers the Reverend may have been stealing from his congregation. Will Nate, his wife, and his employees be able to uncover the true face of deceit behind the masks that surround them?

ABOUT MARY ELLIS

Mary Ellis has written twelve award-winning novels set in the Amish community and several historical romances set during the Civil War. Her latest, Midnight on the Mississippi, first of a new mystery series, Secrets of the South, is set in New Orleans. Before “retiring” to write full-time, Mary taught school and worked as a sales rep for Hershey Chocolate, a job with amazingly sweet fringe benefits. Mary enjoys traveling, gardening, bicycling and swimming, and lives in Ohio with her husband, dog and cat. She can be found on the web at: www.maryellis.net or
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Mar…

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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My review for Midnight on the Mississippi

My review for What Happened on Beale Street

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Giveaway – When Blood Reigns by Barbara Cluster @NighttoDawn1 @XpressoReads

Posted on December 7, 2016 by fundinmental

Welcome to my stop for the tour.

How could I possibly pass on sharing this fabulous and creepalicious cover. 😈

When Blood Reigns
Barbara Cluster
Publication date: December 5th 2016
Genres: Adult, Horror, Science Fiction

Marked for death, Alexis accompanies her lover, Yeron, and four survivors of a zombie invasion on a search for the renegades who created a chemical that induces a zombie-like state. On the way, ravenous flesh-eaters attack Alexis’s team; one survivor turns on her. She realizes too late that the renegades have been tracking her every move. When officials capture her, she becomes deathly ill. Can DNA splicing save her? Will Yeron’s attempts at rescue jeopardize all their lives?

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

Teodon pointed toward Laurel and held a finger to his lip.

“Do not speak out loud. I will understand the answers you think.”

Okay, Yeron’s badly hurt and so am I. I can’t move him without making his injuries worse.

“All right, then I will levitate him. I know how and I will not see him die. Go ahead of us and lead me to Quyeba’s laboratory. You must forget your injuries and pain. It may seem impossible, but Yeron needs your help. I cannot carry two injured people safely, and if you stay, Laurel will come after you again.”

I understand. Alexis struggled onto her hands and knees.

Harsh chewing and slurping sounds issued from Laurel. Despite the pain wracking her body, Alexis crawled toward the door.

She had to find her way back to the lab. Yeron was moaning, and his cries were growing weaker. Teodon lifted him. He depended on her to lead the way. Any second, Laurel would tire of Woehar and come after her.

Never mind the pain. Find help.

Gritting her teeth, Alexis began her Bataan Death Crawl. Her incisions telegraphed bolts of stabbing pain with each movement. It doesn’t matter; Yeron’s life is on the line. She mind-opened the panel and led Yeron and Teodon through the exit.

Once in the hallway, Teodon hesitated.

“Left or right?”

Woehar had made a sharp right to enter the killing field, Alexis remembered. Left.

She edged along the long stretch of hall. The throbbing from her incision and back brought to mind the pain she’d felt from the rheumatoid arthritis during her job as a respiratory therapist. Her chest tightened at the prospect of navigating that long corridor the way it used to when she faced a heavy shift. No painkillers were forthcoming. She kept going.

It was simple. Woehar had guided right from the laboratory, and then a long stretch of hallway, past two sets of doors, before making her right into the death camp. So Alexis retraced Woehar’s steps and looked for steel doors on her left leading to the lab. Adrenaline would carry her. She’d once read a tale about a mother whose adrenaline rush allowed her to lift a car off her child’s injured body.

Agony bled into her incision with every shift of her knees. The pain was worse in her lower back, where Laurel had kicked her. Sweat rolled down her forehead, dripping on the grid floor. She was leaving bloody handprints and a ribbon of blood. None of that mattered. She strained her ears, listening for familiar voices.

Seconds later, she did hear Quyeba and Zoltar. A few paces further, ungodly spasms tore through her back. The black dots returned. She called for help. She last saw Teodon kneel over Yeron, placing something on his wounded shoulder. Behind them, Laurel emerged from the corridor, growling, her mouth opened wide. The dots swelled and the screams died in Alexis’s throat as the darkness took her.

Author Bio:

Barbara lives near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she works full time as a respiratory therapist. When she’s not working with her patients, she’s enjoying a fright flick or working on horror and science fiction tales. She’s published Night to Dawn magazine since 2004.

Other books by Barbara include Twilight Healer, City of Brotherly Death, Infinite Sight, and Steel Rose; also novellas Close Liaisons and Life Raft: Earth. She enjoys bringing her medical background to the printed page, and then blending it with supernatural horror. She maintains a presence on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, and The Writers Coffeehouse forum. Look for the photos with the Mylar balloons, and you’ll find her.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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Giveaway, Guest Post & Review – The Element Trilogy by Donna Galanti @DonnaGalanti

Posted on December 6, 2016 by fundinmental

I am so excited to share Donna Galanti’s Element series with you today.

Soooo…let’s start with A Human Element.

A Human Element is an amazing fantasy that left me screaming for more.

The beautiful cover is only a prelude to the amazingl story inside.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

A Human Element is about man’s inhumanity to man, man’s callous disregard of other’s lives, but also, the lengths some people will go to do the right thing.

When her parents are killed and she is left alone, she is committed to finding the killer.

I felt such tension, suspense, fear and dread for the characters, that I was talking to them. Shouting at them. Telling them to watch out. He’s coming.

I LOVE this book. The further into A Human Element I read, the more engrossed I become. My heart beats faster as my eyes race across the words…faster and faster. I just have to know what is going to happen. I read on and it gets creepier and creepier.

See my full review HERE.

GOODREADS BLURB: Evil comes in many forms…

One by one, Laura Armstrong’s friends and adoptive family members are being murdered, and despite her unique healing powers, she can do nothing to stop it. The savage killer haunts her dreams, tormenting her with the promise that she is next.

Determined to find the killer, she follows her visions to the site of a crashed meteorite in her hometown. There, she meets Ben Fieldstone, who seeks answers about his parents’ death the night the meteorite struck. In a race to stop a madman, they unravel a frightening secret that binds them together.

But the killer’s desire to destroy Laura face-to-face leads to a showdown that puts Laura and Ben’s emotional relationship and Laura’s pure spirit to the test. With the killer closing in, Laura discovers her destiny is linked to his, and she has two choices—redeem him or kill him.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I loved A Human Element by Donna Galanti, so to continue the story in A Hidden Element was a no brainer. This is Book II of the trilogy, which contains a mish mash of genres: science fiction, mystery, thrills and romance.

A Hidden Element does fill in some of the story from A Human Element, but for the full effect I recommend starting with Book I.

I knew bad stuff was coming and I was afraid for Charlie. He is an innocent, but will he be swayed to the dark side?

Some of the aliens want to just live among us, fit in with us, side by side.

Others want so much more.

Aliens or human, it seems like we all have the same wants and desires, motivations and ego, dark and light, good and bad.

Charlie: Tomorrow. He would tell her everything tomorrow.

Adrian: He couldn’t wait to see what tomorrow delivered.

Ben: Tomorrow. He would fix this tomorrow.

Donna Galanti can sure spin an amazing tale that will keep you reading. The characters captivated me as I journeyed along with them, trying their best to make the right choices. I struggled to figure out who was good and who was bad, who would be the betrayer and who would survive. There are plenty of surprises and suspense and food for thought.

What would we do if we found out aliens walked among us? I have a feeling it wouldn’t be good. Would it be like First Encounter or War of the Worlds? Would you be curious or afraid? Would you want them living next door to you?

I’m just saying….

5 Stars

ABOUT A HIDDEN ELEMENT: Evil lurks within…

When Caleb Madroc is used against his will as part of his father’s plan to breed a secret community and infiltrate society with their unique powers, he vows to save his oppressed people and the two children kept from him. Seven years later, Laura and Ben Fieldstone’s son is abducted, and they are forced to trust a madman’s son who puts his life on the line to save them all. The enemy’s desire to own them—or destroy them—leads to a survival showdown. Laura and Ben must risk everything to defeat a new nemesis that wants to rule the world with their son, and Caleb may be their only hope—if he survives. But must he sacrifice what he most desires to do so?

Writing Your Last Line by Donna Galanti

What makes you decide to buy a book? Do you open it open up to the first page and decide on the first paragraph, or even first line? I have one friend who studies first lines. She roams a library or bookstore and randomly selects books to read their first lines then dissects them based on how drawn in she is. Did it grab her attention? Did it raise a question? Did it introduce the main character? And most importantly, does she want to keep reading?

Those first lines. They either grab you or they don’t. As writers, we only have a few seconds to impress readers enough so they will buy our book.

But what about those last lines? Those lines that complete a scene, chapter, or THE END itself that propel you to turn the page and read on, or that keep the story alive in your mind long after you’ve finished it.

One early reader of A Hidden Element was intrigued by the last lines of my chapters. She actually typed them up and sent them to me because she was so thrilled with how each one ended like a cliffhanger and kept her reading.

Here’s a sampling:

Killing was useful in so many ways.
The dark took her anyway.
She would do anything to save her family.
And that scared him more than anything.
She welcomed Death, but he did not come for her.
The nothing took him.
She screamed and ran into a darker hell.
The last words he heard whispered were, “forever dead”.
And it was not of this Earth.
He drifted away in it.
He could live with that, if only he could be a father to his sons.
The old fear hit him again in the gut.
The words shattered through him like hammer to glass – not from Earth.
He was empty inside, as he had always been.
The first stone flew.
The scars of Rachel and his sons seared his heart forever.
He was just a kid suddenly terrified of his own dad – and his own destiny.
He looked up at the open door that welcomed him.
After fifteen years the nightmare had begun – again.
They marched on toward a hidden enemy who watched – and waited.

Would you turn the page to read the next chapter – and the next? When you read these chapter lines together do they tell a story to you?

And what about our last lines in life? They are the final cliffhanger we leave the world with, leaving those we leave behind to wonder about.

Here are some cliffhanger last lines from famous folks. Would you want to keep reading about their life? Would their life story resonate with you?

Let us cross over the river and sit in the shade of the trees. – General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson

I die hard but am not afraid to go. – George Washington, US President

Get my swan costume ready. – Anna Pavlova, ballerina

Go on, get out – last words are for fools who haven’t said enough. – Karl Marx, revolutionary

Why do you weep. Did you think I was immortal? – Louis XIV, King of France

I am about to take my last voyage, a great leap in the dark. – Thomas Hobbes, writer

It is very beautiful over there. – Thomas Edison, inventor

All my possessions for a moment of time. – Elizabeth I, Queen of England

What will be your last line?

PRAISE FOR A HIDDEN ELEMENT:

“Chilling and dark…a twisty journey into another world.” —J.T. Ellison, New York Times bestselling author of When Shadows Fall

“Fascinating…a haunting story…”—Rebecca Cantrell, New York Times bestselling author of The World Beneath

“Will keep you up long past your bedtime…a pulse-pounding read.”—Allan Leverone, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Final Vector

PRAISE FOR THE ELEMENT TRILOGY:

“Unrelenting, devious but full of heart. Highly recommended.” —Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of Code Zero

“Chilling and dark…a twisty journey into another world.” —J.T. Ellison, New York Times bestselling author of When Shadows Fall

“Fascinating…a haunting story…”—Rebecca Cantrell, New York Times bestselling author of The World Beneath

Purchase the Element Trilogy on sale through December 7th
Book 1 A HUMAN ELEMENT for $0.99
Book 2 A HIDDEN ELEMENT for $1.99

ABOUT DONNA GALANTI:

Donna Galanti is the author of the paranormal suspense Element Trilogy (Imajin Books) and the fantasy adventure Joshua and The Lightning Road series (Month9Books). Donna is a contributing editor for International Thriller Writers the Big Thrill magazine and blogs with other middle grade authors at Project Middle Grade Mayhem. She’s lived from England as a child, to Hawaii as a U.S. Navy photographer. She lives in Pennsylvania with her family in an old farmhouse that has lots of nooks and crannies, but sadly no ghosts. Visit her at www.elementtrilogy.com and www.donnagalanti.com.