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Thursday, November 30, 2023

TIPS FOR TAKING GOOD CARE OF YOUR PET WEREWOLF with Sean R. Frazier #UrbanFantasy



So, you got yourself a pet werewolf, but you didn’t think this through and now you’re wondering just what you got yourself into and now you’ve no idea what do to. Don’t fret because caring for your werewolf might be easier than you think!

First of all, is said werewolf secured? Like, in a cage or chained up in a basement or something? Because you can’t just let that creature roam free. A fence, you say? No, that won’t do…unless you don’t like your neighbors. Wait, no, never mind that. Definitely make sure your werewolf is safely contained.

Werewolves enjoy the finer things, however, so you can decorate and provide squeaky toys and maybe a plush bed. They may be animals, but they’re not animals.

Next, you want to make sure your pet has plenty of food. Werewolves eat a lot, and you can’t just throw dog food in there and expect them to be happy. If you don’t want to end up as their next meal, you should find some good quality food. Sure, you could let your werewolf out to find its own food, but it probably won’t come back. The local animal shelter won’t be too thrilled with your pet neglect…if they survive.

Like the T-Rex, werewolves prefer to hunt, and this is where it gets tricky. See, that means you’ve got to find live food for it. I hope you’re a morally gray person. A hot tip is to lure your enemies to your house and then lock them in the same room as your pet. How you do this is up to you but inviting them to dinner always works. Just don’t tell them what’s actually for dinner and who’s eating it.

If your werewolf doesn’t take care of itself, you’ll want to groom it. Make sure to get a sturdy brush since their hair is usually coarse and thick. Past that, I have no advice because you’re probably not going to survive the ordeal if I’m being honest.

Finally, and this is something very few werewolf owners think about, your goodest boy or girl is only going to be a werewolf for a fraction of the time. If they’re not in werewolf form, then you end up with just some dude or lady in a cage in your basement which, when you think about it, is pretty disturbing.

Try not to let this eat at you too much. They’ll beg and plead to get you to let them out but, remember, they’re your pet. Maybe make sure they have some clothes to wear, though, and remember to feed them human food since humans don’t hunt and eat other humans.

Usually.




Mage Breaker
Mage Breaker Saga 
Book One
Sean R. Frazier

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Creative James Media
Date of Publication: November 28, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-956183-56-6
Number of pages: 350
Word Count: 95,030

Cover Artist: Dark Angel Graphic Design

Tagline: Magic isn’t a gift, it’s a prison.

Book Description:

The planet Seralune runs entirely on magic, a powerful force regulated by an Alien race known as the Kithrak. An ancient prophecy predicts their downfall at the hands of the most powerful mage ever to live.

Ellyne is a gunslinger who reluctantly agrees to assist a woman named Nicole, who is the answer to the prophecy, when the Kithrak discover that Nicole is the Mage Breaker.

Their quest to bring down this powerful threat leads them to the discovery of magic's dark secret. How will they cope when their mission must shift from one focused on their survival to one that must ensure the endurance of the entire human race?


Excerpt: 
Ellyne gently closed her eyes and breathed deeply, listening to the man mutter his incantation. His deliberate and careful pronunciations were a stark contrast to Nicole who simply teleported on a whim—as effortless as blinking her eyes. The Kithrak, too, were more skilled at certain types of magic, though their ability came nowhere close to Nicole’s. For a brief moment, Ellyne wondered if Nicole really could have beaten everyone here.
                It was an interesting thought—a thought that was interrupted by hot, searing pain erupting from every part of her body. She opened her eyes and screamed, feeling as if she would be torn apart.
                “What’s wrong?” someone asked.
                “I … I don’t know!” Torval replied. “The spell failed! Why’s she screaming?”
                “What the hell is going on?” someone else shouted.
                Ellyne would’ve liked to see the looks on their faces, but she only saw spots across her vision as the pressure within her mounted, came to a head, and burst outward with a deafening explosion.
                The hands supporting her fell away and she slumped to the ground, her vision dark and her ears ringing. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed, her trying not to pass out, and she was fully prepared for someone to hoist her back to her feet and drag her away at any moment.
                But as her vision began to clear and her hearing returned, she neither saw nor heard movement. There was no magic battle, no shouts or yells, no flashes of light from spells being cast—nothing. The sound of her own breathing was deafening by comparison.
                As she struggled to her feet, standing on shaky legs, she began to see what transpired and wasn’t sure whether to laugh or be appalled. She staggered forward, stumbling but catching herself on the bench she’d just a few minutes ago used as cover. It was now bent, the metal having been twisted and shattered by the car that fell on it mere moments ago.
                “It’s like the Metro all over again,” she muttered.



About the Author:

When Sean Frazier was growing up, he never really paid attention to the written word. It wasn't necessarily something he enjoyed at the time. Once he graduated college, however, the spark ignited and he decided to write something and try to get it published. And it was...well, not-so-great. Truly, it wasn't the highest caliber material ever produced. But the spark was still there, even if it was simply buried deep within.

Eventually, that overly-loquacious, meandering work of wordsmithing became his first book, "The Call of Chaos". It took many, many years, but Sean finally rekindled that drive and found that he did, indeed enjoy writing.

When he's not writing, Sean enjoys running, playing video games, and spending time with his family. He is a bona fide Halloween zealot, loves hot wings, is a grand master at telling terrible jokes and, oh, his cat can beat up your cat.(He's a total dork.)








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Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Supernatural Dating Tips with Frank Zanca #GraphicNovel #Vampires #Horror



The trick with dating vampires is to have either a pint of blood ready to go, or a scarf or turtleneck prepared for the next morning for those unseemly hickeys. In addition, help them mix the dirt in their coffins with the best scented potpourri. You can’t be seen with someone smelling like they just died yesterday. 

With werewolves, however, it’s all about stowing the good China and place settings. Bring out the cheap stuff or even plastic silverware when dining. It also might be a good idea to go visit your aunt in Wisconsin once per month. Especially during those pesky full moon nights. Joining him or her during a quiet stroll under a full moon is not advisable. 

Witches are another subject all together. The first date should be something simple, like going out for coffee. The reason for this is elementary. There is the question that needs to be asked and the truth must be sought before any further dates may be planned. Ask the question concisely, “Are you a good witch or a bad witch?” Glenda had it right, and we have all followed her glowing rule. If they hesitate or openly reply with, “Bad.” Then you may want to terminate the date immediately and abscond with your life intact unless you like living on the edge. If you’ve forgotten to ask the question, then while they are sleeping, take the opportunity to look through their pockets or purse for a wand or other magical items that might control your mind and your bank account.

Ghosts have intimacy issues with the fact that they can’t touch you. So, unless you just like to sit and talk, ghost dating may not be for you. In addition, there is never any privacy, as you never know when they are watching or not. Possession gets even worse whether it’s you or some stranger knocking on the door telling you that they love you. It’s all just a bit strange. This one group you might want to steer clear of. Your friends and family might become concerned and institutionalize you for constantly talking to yourself.

Lords of LA #2
Frank Zanca

Genre: Graphic Novel, Action/Horror
Publisher: Destiny Horizons, Inc.
Date of Publication: 11/5/23
Number of pages: 48
Cover Artist: Joe Sanchez

Tagline: Vampires, the Mob, 1950s Hollywood = Awesome

Book Description: 

Lena Morgan was an exotic-looking lounge singer with hopes of achieving the Hollywood dream in 1952. Here dreams were dashed when she became entangled in a lust triangle between the two mob bosses who ruled the city. She found herself turned into a vampire and was forced to leave her newborn son behind for fear of losing control and hurting him. She spent sixty years training to live among humans, building a fortune, and learning not only to fight, but to dominate. Returning to LA, she has one thought, one goal – revenge on both crime families.

Back this Project on Kickstarter 

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/yE_UTGba3NE




About the Author:

Frank Zanca is an award-winning writer and producer with over 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry. Frank’s first published work was the Shadow Raven comic book in 1995. He has since created the Destiny Aurora franchise, which has been wildly successful in both novel and graphic novel forms. It also spawned a board game, and the audiobook is now available on Audible. Also available on Amazon is Frank’s acclaimed WWII biography Escape from Berlin based on the life of Diane Jacobs.

Frank wrote and produced Six Gun Savior, the Supernatural/Western, starring Eric Roberts and Martin Kove (Cobra Kai), along with Star Trek: Renegades.










Tuesday, November 21, 2023

Author Interview- Homecoming Chaos by D. W. Brooks #RomanticSuspense #AfricanAmericanFiction #AuthorInterview


- If you wrote a book about your life what would the title be?

Grateful, Fortunate, Blessed

I have been fortunate over my entire life. I was fortunate with the parents I was born to. They were incredibly supportive of what I wanted to try and of what I wanted to do. My father made sure that I was exposed to as many potential career opportunities as he could. They supported me through college, medical school, and business school—even when they didn’t understand what my end goal was. 

I met my husband almost by accident. A friend’s mother thought that we needed to get out there and find our spouses. She convinced (badgered) us to go to a ski club party. At least my friend had been skiing at some point in her life, but I had not. We reluctantly went and almost left before we went in. We enter and a handsome man comes up to me and asks me if I knew how to salsa dance. I was a dancer and actually been looking into taking some lessons before I met him. I said yes and our love story began. FYI: We did a salsa dance at our wedding.

When my kidneys failed and I was placed on the transplant list, my husband aggressively helped look for a living donor. My kidney problem is genetic and there are many people on my mother’s side of the family who have the condition. I am also an only child. The doctors said that it could take up to seven years to find a donor. So, we got to work. Fortunately, I found a donor through my FB page. It took a year to get everyone in optimal physical shape for the transplant. But I was also fortunate my donor was also aggressive about making the surgery happen. She called the transplant office and pushed them to complete the tasks they needed to.

I am very grateful for the things in my life.

- What is the hardest thing about being an author?

Marketing. There are so many marketing options out there. You can spend money or not to help promote your book. Deciding how to market, how much to spend—we all have a budget—and where to direct your money is difficult.

- What is the best thing about being an author?

Getting to tell the stories that I want to and letting my imagination run wild.

- What book changed your life?

The book Roots by Alex Haley. I watched the TV program before I read the book. My father had also gone to DC and searched for some of our ancestors while he was there. When I finally sat down to read the book for myself (I think I was around 12 years old), I understood the importance of learning your history. I became curious about what my father had been looking for in DC. It’s one reason I did an ancestry test to see where I came from.
A tidbit: Alex Haley came to my hometown when I was nine to give a lecture and sign copies of his book. My mother wouldn’t let me get in line to get an autograph (that event remained a sore spot between us for years!). 

- What were some of your favorite books growing up?

I am a mystery girl, so I loved the Nancy Drew, Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie, and Perry Mason series. By the time I got to high school, though, I became a fan of reading all the classics. I read several Charles Dickens novels (A Tale of Two Cities, Oliver Twist) Alexandre Dumas (The Three Musketeers), Robert Penn Warren (All the King’s Men), and Flannery O’Connor (The Violent Bear It Away, Wise Blood, Everything that Rises Must Converge) books among others. I have returned to the mysteries again, but I would love to have the time to go back and reread some of those classics again.

- What books are currently in your to be read pile?

I have spent so much time working on this book and the marketing that my to-be-read pile is tiny. I need to read the latest six of the Stephanie Plum series and the last four of the Women’s Murder club novels. But I was looking at my bookshelves a couple of months ago and realized that I would love to take all the series and books that I own and start again at the beginning and read them straight through. I think this comes from streaming on TV, where you can watch an entire series in one sitting. I would love to read book sequels in that way!

- Which do you prefer ebooks, print, or audio books?

I like the feeling of a printed book in my hands. I enjoy flipping the pages back and forth while I am relishing a scene or a conversation. I can read an ebook if pushed, but I don’t enjoy that as much. My mind wanders with audiobooks, and I would have to rewind too often to make it worthwhile.


Homecoming Chaos
A Model MD Novel
Book One
D. W. Brooks

Genre: Romantic Suspense/ Contemporary Fiction/ African American
Publisher: Life: The Reboot LLC
Date of Publication: October 31, 2023 
Cover Artist: 100covers.com

Book Description:

Jamison Jones Scott has been out of the country and out of contact with most of her family for four years. Distraught, she had left the States previously to join a physicians’ relief organization after canceling her wedding and turning down a cushy job offer.

Now Jamie is back. It’s a homecoming where she is unsure of her family’s reception—especially her mother’s—and she walks into a murder mystery at her family’s business and a big birthday soiree. While trying to navigate her return and learning more about this case, she runs into a tall, handsome detective who is working to solve the mystery and who finds her a sexy challenge even when she interferes.

Can Jamie survive the chaos and protect her family’s business, deal with her family, and handle the dance with the hot detective without managing to get herself killed?

Amazon      GooglePlay     Goodreads     Bookbub

 

Excerpt

The sound of the flight attendant on the loudspeaker startled Jamison Jones Scott out of her light sleep. Despite having traveled frequently in her lifetime, she still couldn’t sleep comfortably on a plane. The seat location— first-class or economy—didn’t make a difference. The plane was nearing its destination, so the passengers needed to finish filling out their declaration cards. Jamie was returning to Atlanta to stay at her parents’ home with only the clothes on her back, a computer bag, the few items of clothing in her duffel, and a stethoscope. She had nothing to declare.

Her seatmate appeared to be sleeping through the announcements. Jamie was jealous. The four-year-old in front of her turned around and started babbling excitedly in French. She must have noticed that Jamie was finally awake. With her head still fuzzy from her nap, Jamie couldn’t completely follow the child’s rapid words, but the gist was that she wanted something from Jamie. Something about a playdate? Jamie smiled at the girl and hoped the girl’s mother would intervene. No such luck; she was asleep as well. The child eyeballed Jamie expectantly. Jamie realized she and the seatmate had started this situation by playing with the dark-haired child while they were over the ocean. Now, when she didn’t agree to the latest request, the little girl scrunched up her face to cry.

“Nous atterrissons bientôt. Elle ne peut pas aller avec vous,” Jamie’s seatmate answered, eyes still closed. “Mais vous pourriez être en mesure de visiter. Je suis sûr qu’elle tu aimerait garder les enfants.” He grinned.

Jamie gasped while the young girl clapped. This guy had just volunteered her as a babysitter!

“Je suis désolé, mais il se trompe. Je ne serai pas disponible,” Jamie stated. “Je parie qu’il a une surprise, pour toi.” The child looked at Jamie’s seatmate for her present and clapped again. This reply made him open his eyes.

“Qu’est-ce que c’est? Qu’est-ce que c’est?” the child asked. Startled, her pregnant mother woke up and turned around in her seat sheepishly.

I’m sorry, she mouthed. She made her eager daughter turn around in her seat and asked her to leave the other passengers alone. The girl was disappointed, but her mother handed her a shortbread, which made her forget the people behind her.

Her seatmate smiled, opened his eyes, and said, “I could have given her the stuffed bear I bought. I have a daughter the same age.” He stretched gingerly. “I can’t wait to get home. I’ve been traveling for too long. What about you? Looking forward to getting home?”

Jamie thought about her return to Atlanta. She hadn’t been home in a while, so she wasn’t sure how she felt.

Revel in the chaos.

Revel in the chaos.

Revel in the chaos.

Jamie tried to live by this motto for most of her life because her life seemed to invite chaos. She learned to expect—and sometimes encourage—complications. As the plane taxied to a halt, she repeated her motto to herself. This phrase, tattooed on her right hip, particularly applied now.

The international terminal of Hartsfield-Jackson Airport had changed since she was last there. Her brother, Jonathan, would pick her up at the baggage claim—alone, she hoped, and not sporting a clingy girlfriend. Time to re-acclimate and re-establish family bonds. Dealing with an unknown woman in her face when she wanted to spend time quietly with her brother wasn’t at the top of her to-do list.

As she waited in line to get through passport control, she thought about how she got to this point—back in Atlanta after several years abroad. She had spent two of those years working with the non-profit organization Doctors Overseas. Jamie worked in several locations, including the Central African Republic. She had her reasons for joining the charitable organization; not all were altruistic, and she kept those to herself during her entrance interview. The horrors she witnessed overseas helped her put her personal chaos into perspective. She realized her issues were nothing compared to what people endured in other parts of the world. This realization allowed her to embrace her job and enjoy what she was doing, despite the frequent threats of bodily harm. To help maintain her sanity while overseas, she traveled a lot and spent six months in Italy working with a designer friend.

The agent summoning her snapped her out of her reverie. Handing over her passport, she said, “Nothing to declare. Coming back home for my mother’s birthday and Christmas.”

At the check-in counter, the inspector carefully examined her and her passport photo. Jamison understood the scrutiny. At the time of that picture, she had been at the height of her glamor phase with a history of modeling and a resulting, above-average concern about how she looked. In medical school, she often showed up at rounds with perfectly coiffed hair and more than a swipe of mascara and lip gloss.

But in Africa, those concerns fell away. Right now, Jamie was makeup-free, and a baseball cap covered her hair. She was still beautiful, but now it was a girl-next-door beauty. Jamie had high cheekbones, almond-shaped dark brown eyes, a straight nose, a square jawline, and her golden-brown skin was still smooth. She wasn’t stomping down runways anymore, as in her past life, because she had shifted her priorities.

Her mother would hate it.

“Welcome to Atlanta,” the inspector said as she stamped her passport. “Have a pleasant stay.”


About the Author:

The author lives in Texas with her husband and children. She enjoys trying to stay in shape, sporadically cooking, reading (still), writing, and working on her blog. She is eternally grateful to the woman who donated a kidney to her over 5 years ago and continues to advocate for organ donation as much as she can.






Tuesday, November 14, 2023

Mariah’s Success Spell with Mariah Stillbrook #WitchTips #Spells #Magick



The opportunities I’ve wanted most in this life have been the hardest to achieve. While I was in the writing trenches, in that agonizing game of rejections and false hope, my husband and I were trying to create new life. I should also insert this here: I hadn’t wanted a child until I met my husband, but as every witch may know, timing is a thing. As soon as I saw his face, I knew he was my husband, and as we grew closer, I realized we would have a child. A couple of years into trying to conceive, I saw my spirit child. She whispered one word to me: patience. I understood this, but still, I wasn’t getting any younger and nothing was happening—pertaining to both my writing and trying to get pregnant. But guess what? There’s always magic.

My favorite spell is one that I’ve done a couple times. In fact, I believe my Book of Shadows opens right up to it. I love it because it brings me closer to the divine and yields confidence. It brings me strength. And there are props . . . witches love props. Though it took time for both things to find me—both did. I now have a beautiful daughter who was well worth the wait, and five books releasing between now and 2025 (and many more if I have anything to do with it).

Mariah’s Success Spell

Ingredients:

One green candle
One purple candle
A meaningful piece of jewelry

Instructions:

Ground yourself. When you are ready, hold the jewelry in your dominant hand and the lit purple candle in the other. As you walk across the room to where your unlit green candle is waiting, chant: I walk forward without doubt and fear, drawing success near. Repeat the mantra three times on your walk. Light the green candle with the purple candle, then have a seat before the flames. Close your eyes and meditate (while holding your jewelry to your chest) about the success you desire. Meditate for as long as needed and ensure that your candles burn all the way down. Your new amulet will now be charged and ready for you to wear whenever you need a little boost of confidence or a bit of success. 

Sidenote: I believe if your intent is there, the magic will work. Just remember that timing is a thing. Heed my spirit child’s message—be patient.




In The Pines
Mariah Stillbrook

Genre: Paranormal Fantasy
Publisher: Creative James Media
Date of Publication: November 14, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-956183-50-4
Number of pages: 374
Word Count: 110,334
Cover Artist: Triumph Covers

Tagline: These witches have one month to end the spiritual threat to their bloodline. And not kill each other.

Book Description:

Two witches, two secrets, and a curse that could tear a family apart.

Olivia and Ellie have lived their lives knowing a dark entity is stalking their family, determined to kill them all. After the death of Olivia's son, she abandons her magic and her family, leaving Ellie in a nightmare of heartbreak, her marriage crumbling and her sister gone. 

Determined to save their mother Arianna from a spell that left her comatose, the two sisters must come together to unravel the riddle of the curse that has haunted their family for generations.

But as they delve into the past, the truth they uncover is more twisted and treacherous than they ever could have imagined. Will they be able to break the curse, or will it consume them all?

Amazon     Books2Read     Goodreads

Excerpt:

The sound of the waves crashing down below, the impending fog rolling in, the wind sending curses past my cheeks, streaked with salt water—all of it seemed to have been put into slow motion as I stood there, full of rage and powerless against this demon as she held my daughter’s life in her tainted, dead hands. Eight words were all I was afforded in the two seconds that followed. “You were the one who let me in.”

And then it all happened at once. There was a "uttering of feathers, the sensation of a stick being forced into my hand, and the sound of my own screams as my daughter’s body fell; but then I just as quickly lunged forward, standing on air and pointing my bit of willow down at her body just before it was about to make contact with the jagged rocks below.

Maddie, now in possession of her own body, stared up at me with wide eyes and a gaping mouth as I floated over her like the witch I once was. And before she could utter a single word, before I could make out the laughter that seemed to be drifting back into the fog, I used my wand to lift her back up to the cliff and set her down before landing back on solid earth myself.



About the Author:

Mariah Stillbrook, originally from Iowa, lives in Colorado with her white German shepherd, husband, and little girl. She graduated from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. She spends most of her days writing, reading, and enjoying the occasional hike. In her late twenties she realized that her writing was missing something, magic. She now focuses her writing on horror and urban fantasy in both adult and young adult genres.










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Monday, November 13, 2023

David Vorhees Top Ten Favorite Horror Novels


TOP TEN FAVORITE HORROR NOVELS

10. Cycle of the Werewolf - I am starting this list with one of my favorites, and is in fact, my absolute favorite werewolf story. Stephen King takes the old, outdated, and worn-out werewolf lore and updates it into a unique horrifying and scary tale. Month to month the story builds on the tension it creates with deep characters. Although it is a novella, the length of the book only enhances it’s greatness. It leaves you wanting more without overstaying it’s welcome.

9. Memnoch the Devil – This was the fifth entry into the Vampire Chronicles series by Anne Rice and the last one I read. Although I enjoy Rice’s writing a lot, especially the Vampire Chronicles as you will see later in this list. The one part I could gripe about is the heavy reliance on romance. The books have always been supernatural romance and an open love letter to her dark character Lestat. However, in this chapter of the series she delves into the religious aspects of the vampire and even introduces the idea that the term Devil is more of a title and has had many demons carry it starting with Lucifer, that it’s a job created by God to give balance and choice to mankind. This allows the reader to wonder if God truly wanted free will for mankind did he instigate Lucifer’s fall from grace to give us a options to choose from?

8. Interview with a Vampire – The Vampire Chronicles may be Rice’s best works, it surely is my favorite, and this book is the best one in that series that I have personally read. She completely redefines the vampire and changes them from the stuffy old count types like Dracula and King’s Barlowe and gives them a modern flare while rooting them deeply in the lore surrounding the vampire. They retain who they are when they were human after there transformation by the dark gift and even though they search for blood to quench their over controlling thirst they also want to live life to the fullest and they also Want to love and be loved. In their own way, love is at the heart of their desires more so than blood like the vampires of old. Lestat Changes Louis because he loves him, he Changes the child Claudia to try and make Louis happy. The aspect that the Vampire is also out in the world living and enjoying the night life to it’s fullest instead if hiding away in a dilapidated old castle was fresh and new for its time. Rice’s interview began a whole to found romance for vampires that changed how they were viewed for all time.

7. Masque of the Red Death – This is the first entry for Edgar Allen Poe, but it will not be his last. I love how Poe uses the veil of a person as the embodiment of disease. I like how it shoes that no matter how rich  or important a person is they can not hide from death and disease. Poe has a knack for creating short stories that make you think long after you are done reading them. 

6. The Stand - Another story about disease, this one from King. This one has recently been on a lot of people’s minds since Covid has breached our world in a similar the super or captain trips did in this book. However, King take post disease apocalyptic world and make it a battle of good versus evil. I love how he shows how the disease spreads  but the character development and the reality of what it would take to re-establish society needs such as water and electricity. 

5. The Tell Tale Heart – This is my favorite Poe story. I wrote a story for my first collection about a man who kills his wife on New Year’s Eve in hope to start a new life with the start of the new year. When the police show up the murderer begins hearing the sound of his wife’s cell phone. This is not just a direct nod to the Tell Tale Heart, but in my own way, a celebration of that story. I love how the heinous act of killing weighs so heavily on the murderer’s mind that he hears the heartbeat of the man he killed until so wracked with guilt and fear he confesses to the police his horrific deed. In this day with death and murder so prevalent in movies and television, one forgets how unnatural it is to kill and how heavy it would weigh ion one’s mind and soul.

4. The Shinning – I remember the first time I read this book. I had just previously introduced my ex-wife to Kubrick’s version of The Shinning. Of all the King Books I read, this one alluded me for some reason so I headed to the library and checked it out. It was summer and very hot, especially in the trailer we lived in that had no air conditioning. I recall laying on the couch on a blistering Saturday afternoon, reading this book and feeling cold chills run across my skin and the hairs on the back of my neck stand straight up. TO say this book was frightening is to sell the effect of King’s masterful storytelling short. This book had me engrossed and scared. I would hear noises outside wondering if it was the wind or something more sinister at work. I loved this book instantly and understood exactly why King dislikes the movie so much and ever since then I have agreed with him and have nit been ale to re-watch that movie since.

3. Billy Summers – This is my favorites book of the modern King era. As you may already be able to tell Stephen King is my favorite author and although some of his stories are drawn out needlessly, tend to get a bit boring at time, and the endings, especially to happily ever after ones, seem to come out of nowhere, he is a master storyteller that always follow where the story leads him no matter what. This story is no different. Much like Misery you get two stories for the price of one. Billy Summers is ex-military currently working as a hitman. Although Billy has a code, he only kills bad guys. He also has the intelligence to down play his intelligence to his employers and because f this he stumbles onto the conspiracy that after the hit is done his employer plane=s on killing him. While waiting for the hit order he poses as a writer in the town he is staying in and begins to s=write his life story. He makes the hit, survives the attempt on his life, rescues a girl, escapes and begins to hunt down his actual employer through the handler that hired him directly and along the way finds out the horrific truth about his employer. The adventure, the action, and the suspense makes this book stand out from King’s more normal works. This could be the basis for a James bond or Mission Impossible type of film. This stand apart is one of the reasons this book has quickly become one of my favorites of his. Not a classical horror but still has plenty of horror moments in it,. It also has a reference to the Overlook hotel, placing it firmly in the same universe as The Shining and Doctor Sleep. 

2. IT – This book has been a part of my psyche ever since I read it back in High School. Many have come to know and love Pennywise because of the old ABC miniseries or the recently released two-part film and I understand that completely. I my first introduction to the evil clown was the min-series I jus spoke of, but it wasn’t until I read the novel that I became engrossed with IT. I read this book nonstop, except for school and work, for less than two weeks. U was enthralled with it. I struggle to put it down at night to go to bed and on the weekends I fell asleep reading it into the early hours of the morning. My favorite parts were the ones that took place when the cast were children. The scariest parts for me didn’t involve Pennywise though, it was the bullies. As a child I was bullied form time to time myself and I understood their fear, if not their pain. No one ever carved their initials into me. although there were a few scenes that became increasingly uncomfortable, like the kids in the sewer after they defeated Pennywise the first time, the overall book was a masterpiece. The way he interconnected themes from childhood to adult almost perfectly describes how we grow and yet some of the things that defined us as children are still very much present in our adult selves. It was scary and even if I didn’t understand all the adult themes back when I originally read IT, I do now.

1. Pet Sematary – Those that know me know I am not a big fan of zombies. The idea of corpses being reanimated hungry for the flesh and brains with the ability to move without muscle and tendons seem unfathomable to me. The one exception is King’s Pet Sematary. Though not many connect this with zombies, much like Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, that is exactly what it is. King’s zombies are more than reanimated corpses but living breathing vessels of pure supernatural evil. These members of the walking dead not only have the memories of the their lives before death, but they also use them to terrorize and kill. The characters are so well written and the more you read the more you tend to care about these doomed people. This book didn’t scare me like The Shining, but it raised the bar so high for zombies that no one has been able to come remotely close top. It changed the whole sub-genre for me. 

As you can tell by this list King and Poe are my absolute favorite authors of all time. I have read other authors, but none have had the same affect on me and I have no doubt that if and when ou read my works you will see their influence peppered throughout. 

Brother’s Keeper
David Vorhees

Genre: horror, thriller, family drama
Date of Publication: October 31
ISBN: 9798849162690
ASIN: B0CKYGKPL1
Number of pages: paperback 355
Word Count: 89595
Cover Artist: Myers Taylor

Tagline: Families love. Families support. Families betray.

Book Description:

Shea receives a call that completely upends her existence and forces her to return to Sundown, the town she thought she had left behind. Tensions increase as she deals with her brother Donovan’s untimely death, and long-buried family dynamics start to show again. Shea’s return brings back memories of a town with a troubled past that is racially divided as she makes new connections with her childhood friend Marcus, the town’s new police chief, and her elder brother Jay, who is now mayor. The repercussions of the past challenge the ties between family and friends.

Angelo, Andy to his friends, a Navy Veteran who retires from his civilian job of 35 years and decides to return the San Francisco Bay area to see the places he never saw while he was stationed there. Andy meets a beautiful woman who runs the bed and breakfast and almost instantly falls for her. As they grow closer Andy grows closer to unveiling a horrifying secret about this woman and her sick son in A Mother’s Love.

Quarantine tells the story of a Father and Husband who goes to great and horrific lengths to save his family from the ravages of a new and mysterious disease. These and many more tales of family, love, and betrayal await you.

Brother’s Keeper is a gripping collection of love, loss, and the enduring power of family ties. These stories will leave you captivated and emotionally invested in the characters’ journey, making it impossible to put down. Don’t miss these compelling narratives that tackle pressing social issues while delivering heartfelt and engaging stories.  A must-read that will linger with you long after the final page is turned.

Don’t miss out on this emotionally charged tale that challenges societal norms and leaves you craving more.

Dive into “Brother’s Keeper” today and get ready to confront your own assumptions and biases as you become engrossed in a world where love and loyalty are put to the ultimate test.


Excerpt – Sundown

“Coffee?” the young pretty waitress asked, holding a pot of coffee.

“Oh, yes, thank you, Shelby,” Jay said and she turned his cup over for her to fill.

“Do you want your usual?” Shelby asked, smiling brightly.

“Please,” Jay said, smiling back.

Shelby turned and looked towards Shea, and without smiling at her, said, “And you?”

Just coffee please,” Shea said, feeling a little uncomfortable. “Uncle Jeb made me eat a big breakfast before I left.”

“Shelby, you remember my sister, Shea?” Jay said.

“Your sister?” Shelby said, finally looking at the young woman sitting in the booth across from Jay. “Oh my God! Shea! Honey, I didn’t recognize you. Get up here and give me a hug.” Shea stood up and hugged her.

“Hi, Shelby,” Shea said. “It’s good to see you.”

“It’s good to see you. How long are you back for?”

“Till tomorrow. I will be leaving after the funeral,” Shea replied.

“Oh, yes, I am so sorry about your brother. Everyone loved Donovan,” Shelby said. “He truly was a good man.”

“Thank you,” Shea said, then Jay cleared his throat intentionally.

“Ok, Mr. Mayor, I hear ya. Let me go and put this order in and I’ll let you guys visit.

We’ll talk later,” Shelby said and walked away.

“You know, I think she has a crush on you,” Shea said slyly.

“You think? I hope so since we have been dating for the past year,” Jay said, laughing.

“Really!? That’s wonderful. I always liked her,” she said.

“She always liked you too,” Jay said.

“So, do you see this going somewhere? I mean, you’re getting a little long in the tooth, don’t ya think?” she said jokingly.

“Yeah, maybe,” he said, smiling. Then his smile faded. “But we’re not here to talk about my love life. We’re here to talk about your husband and kids.”

“Oh, so your love life is off the table but mine is the topic of conversation?” Shea asked sternly, looking at him with a hardened look.

“Don’t look at me like that, Shea. I am just trying to say that maybe it’s not the best idea for them to come to the funeral,” he said.

“Why? Because my husband is white and my kids are mixed?” she asked coldly.

“Yes,” he stated bluntly. He had never approved of her marrying a white guy. Daniel was nice enough but he was white and Jay could not let that go, especially after who killed their parents and now who killed Donovan.

“Uh-huh, I see,” she said. “You have hated Daniel since the very first time you saw him.”

“I didn’t hate him, but you have to understand how wrong it is,” Jay said, trying to reason with her. It was difficult to reason with her when she got mad and, even after all these years, he could tell she was getting angry.

“Oh, you’re so full of shit. I had been dating Daniel for almost a year. I never brought him home because I knew how you would react to him, and then one day, you and Marcus show up at my school unannounced. You yell at me and get in my face because you caught me kissing a white man, and Marcus gets in Daniel’s face and threatens him. You embarrassed yourself, me, this family, and this whole damn town that day. I never forgave either of you for that and I hoped that maybe because of Donovan, we could get past that and become family again, but I guess not.”

“Well, we wouldn’t have had to come to your school to find out what or who you were hiding if you would have just told us,” Jay said. “I still can’t believe you would even consider dating a white guy after what happened to Mom and Dad.”

“Told you? Why, so you could come up there and threaten to kick his ass if he didn’t leave me alone? Oh, wait, you did that anyways. Besides, what happened to Mom and Dad was an accident. It could have been anybody driving that other car drunk, it just happened to be a white guy. You can’t hold Daniel responsible for that,” Shea said.

“A white guy that got what… two years’ probation and a stint in a rehab?” Jay said, getting angry himself now. “And every white person is responsible for that.”

“The white guy didn’t pick his punishment, that was the system and the system is broken. We all know that,” Shea said.

“And who set up the broken system? White guys.”

“And we are trying to fix it. Daniel and Donovan were—are—trying to fix and change the system and ya know Donovan liked Daniel and loved those kids. He would want them there, and maybe if you got over your racist bullshit, you’d see how wonderful they are.” She stood, getting ready to leave.

“It ain’t about that. You know how this town is and you know what could happen,” he said.

“I know what could happen, huh?” she said. “I know what should happen. This town you so dearly love should join the rest of us in the 21st motherfucking century. That’s what should fucking happen!” Shea said, turning to head for the door.

“Shea!” Jay tried to say.

“Nah, fuck you. You don’t get to threaten my family and try to justify it,” Shea said. “Fuck you and fuck this town. This kind of shit is why I stayed away for so long, and after tomorrow, I ain’t never coming back again.” She turned and walked away.

“Shea! Shea!” he called after her as she left the diner.

“I don’t know what happened, but I am pretty sure you need to apologize,” Shelby said

“Yeah, I know, and I will after she gets back home. I promise,” Jay said as he sat back down. Everyone in the diner had stopped to watch them and now they turned their attention back to their food and their conversations.



About the Author:

Horror and drams are passions to David as a Book Author at Amazon Direct Publishing. He has published three books, The Feast and Other Horrifying Tales and Abigail’s Odyssey, and Brother’s Keeper that explore different themes, scenarios, and characters in these genres. 

David’s writing skills are also rooted in journalism education and experience.  He studied Journalism at the University of Phoenix, which he completed online while working as an Assembly Line Worker at Addecco Staffing. Before becoming a Book Author, he worked as a Reporter at The Wapakoneta Daily News, covering local news, events, and stories, as well as taking photos and designing pages. David enjoys learning new things, exploring different perspectives, and creating engaging and original content.

David lives in Ohio with his wife and family.










Friday, November 10, 2023

Potion Master by Sam Fairburn #DarkUrbanFantasy #MMFRomance


Dream Movie Cast –

Erick = Ben Barnes

Finn = Alex Pettyfer

Riley = Rose Leslie, but with long black hair.

Evie = Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Bree = Kiernan Shipka, but with long red hair and freckles.

Eleanor = I couldn’t find someone that would fit perfectly Eleanor’s character. The closest I got was a younger version of Gina Carano with long blond hair.

Albert = Gerard Butler

Victor = Nikolaj Coster-Waldau

Potion Master
Fate Cycle Series
Book One
Sam Fairburn

Genre: Urban Fantasy Romance
Publisher: Sam Fairburn Publishing
Date of Publication: November 16, 2023

ISBN: 978-1-998204-01-4 
ASIN: B0CJ8DVMNT 
Number of pages: 340 pages.
Word Count: 93976 words
Cover Artist: Erick Robillard at Kinos

Tagline: Moderation is key… That being said, when not one but two enigmatic liars creep into my life, what’s a witch to do?

Book Description:

Riley

All I want is to start this new chapter of my life in peace, brewing beer and mixing potions at The Drunken Sailor. Simple. Safe. Single. But when my skills as potion master and healer are noticed by a mysterious stranger, the stalking that ensues leads me to ask more questions than I should. Things take a dark turn as the secret I fought all my life to protect gets uncovered by the deadliest magical mob boss in the city. Now, my best chance at survival is down to a cocky criminal and a bookman that is too clever for his own good. As their presence haunts my every waking hour and the situation gets dire, I don’t know if I can keep fighting this relentless pull between us.

Finn

I have focused on only one thing for the last three years—work. But when Riley comes into my bookshop, searching for a way to undo the tracking spell placed on her, I am caught up in a journey that ushers me right back to the one man I am trying to forget. I was his to cherish, his to punish, yet the worst wound he gave me was not a physical one. And she might be my salvation.

Erick

My blood is made of hunger and fight, which serves me well on my side of the law. No one but him knows who I am or where I come from. And I have all the intentions for it to stay that way. But when witches start to disappear in the city and no one, not even the Sennex, does a damn thing about it, I make it my business to investigate. Grave mistake. My efforts only lead me to desires I should steer clear of and discoveries darker than I could ever fathom. I fought to keep them away, to keep them safe, but life is never as kind as to bring hope without taking something in return.    

Witchy meets steamy in this tale of soul-wrenching magnetism, dreadful secrets, and magic that could wreck the world.

Potion Master is a slow burn dark urban fantasy MMF romance. It’s book 1 in the Fate Cycle series.


Excerpt from Potion Master :

The blue liquid is shimmering like its magic is trying to get out. One of my better cocktail recipes, I would say. The Siren, I call it, in honor of Evie. Even though she is not one of those long-extinct creatures, her voice bewitches her crowd all the same. Her tales captivate the audience with their rhythm and poesy.

“Hey! Will you give me my drink or not?” the patron shouts over the buzz of the crowded room.

Keeping hold of the glass, I swiftly glide it over the wooden bar toward him. “I don’t know, Carl. Maybe a little more respect and a smile now and then could do miracles for your shitty personality and help you get what you want.” I look the bastard straight in the eye, drink the shot myself, and take the money he had put on the bar top to pay for it. The liquid goes down like the charm that it is, giving me a boost of strength and energy in its wake.

Carl seizes my gloved forearm, “Listen, girl, I know that you’re new here, but when I ask—”

His touch is gone in an instant. A big, burly man hauls Carl by the collar of his shirt toward the pub’s door. Albert’s gray-brown ponytail sways in time with Carl’s feet off the ground as he carries Carl out the door. If I didn’t hate being manhandled by drunk pieces of shit so much, I would be laughing at the sight.

Albert grunts as he throws Carl on his ass out in the street. “Take the rest of the night to cool off,” Albert says, his voice deceptively calm. “The next time you touch one of my employees, you will lose your hand. Is that understood?”

Carl has the good sense to shut his mouth and skitter off. The patrons all shout in triumph and merrily raise their glasses to Albert. When he turns from the door, Albert’s green eyes find me. His face is all red under his thick beard. I nod my head once to show him that I am okay and can handle myself. It’s not my first rodeo, after all.

I don’t have much time to dwell on what happened, though. The Drunken Sailor is packed tonight. Every sticky table and disparate chair is in use. A small crowd has already gathered before the stage in the corner where my best friend will perform tonight, sipping their drinks. The decor is no different than any other Irish pub in Québec City. The only noticeable distinction really is the customers themselves—the vast majority of them have magical abilities or ties to the magical world.

My long black hair annoys me tonight, so I quickly tie it up in a messy bun before filling another pint of my first batch of beer to give to Albert as he passes behind me in the bar area. Then I go back to the steady flow of orders coming in. I am very proud of my first brew. It’s a white ale with faint notes of lavender and rosemary. The balanced taste of the herbs makes for a bittersweet lightness that, contrary to popular belief, doesn’t taste like perfume.

Being potion master and lead brewer are both my pride and my passion in life. It also allows me to work anywhere, in any magical establishment I want, since there are a lot of people that seem to either want to get drunk or out of a hangover—or another predicament—at some point. My healing balms and potions are particularly good if I do say so myself.

Healing is my specialty, after all, and I was well taught. Diane. A sharp pang of grief makes my eyes water at the reminder of my mentor’s passing. They say that home is where the heart is. Well, it feels like my home vanished with her last breath. Throughout the years, she’d always been there for me—be it to kick me in the butt for acting stupid or to help me regain my footing after yet another failed attempt at making something of my life. Her passing is too fresh for me to be able to recall the good memories of her with fondness or a smile. I am still at the anger stage, where every fiber of my being wants to cry hysterically and punch a wall about it, hating death, hating myself for not being able to heal her. I wipe furiously at my eyes and wrestle my mind into a better headspace.

I was lucky to get this job. The Drunken Sailor is one of the best breweries in the province, and its owner is allowing me carte blanche to do with the product creation as I please. All the equipment is state of the art despite the pub’s building being more than a century old—and looking it.

Perfect work arrangements, awesome new apartment, my best friend nearby—it’s all I need, really. This time, I will plant roots. This time, I won’t bolt at the very first mild inconvenience—I can’t. I have no one left to catch me from a fall. I am here to stay, and I mean it.

At the table by the door, four casters are playing at levitating objects in the air while arm wrestling. The first to either lose the strength contest or lose their concentration and drop their object pays for the next round of alcohol. A stupid game if you ask me, but still fun to watch and good for the tip.

Evie pokes her head out from the kitchen door with a mouthful of I don’t even want to know what. “Hey, Ry! I’m on in a couple of minutes,” she says while finishing chewing. “Do you need anything before I get up there?” She motions toward the stage with her head. The movement makes her silver dress sparkle in the dim light, contrasting nicely with the soft coffee of her skin. She recently buzzed her hair close to her head, which accentuates the graceful curve of her neck.

Her hazel eyes drift to the liquid I am currently mixing. She looks fascinated and with good reason. As soon as I sprinkle my last ingredient into the potion—dried hibiscus flowers—red fire seems to emanate from it, although it’s not hot to the touch. Passion is a difficult thing to capture, and it’s always mesmerizing when it’s encapsulated successfully. It’s easily the most expensive thing we sell here. Only one swig is needed to fuel your inspirations and fantasies, allowing you to create at will. Although it cannot put ideas into your head, it will allow you to birth your ideas into the world. Well, until it wears off, that is. I pour the liquid into a small vial and hand it over to the young woman who ordered it.

“I’m fine,” I tell Evie over my shoulder. “I don’t need you mothering me.” I wink at my best friend and turn back to the clientele at the bar. I hear her huff and puff before letting the kitchen door swing behind her. Not a minute later, she swaggers onto the stage, her generous hips swaying as she walks. The usual auditory chaos of the pub falls to whispers.

We’ve always been complete opposites, Evie and I. Where my best friend shines bright on stage, I prefer the darkness at the back of the room. She is all heat and sensuality, while I am all frost and contrast. My moonlight skin, she calls it. Which is a nice way of saying that I am ghostly pale.

As soon as Evie opens her mouth to sing, the crowd starts to sway in time with the rhythm of her voice. The ones closest to the stage are completely enthralled by her story of epic love. They smile and huddle closer together, not aware that they are moving. The casters abandon their game to stare in fascination. As far away as I am, I only feel a small wave of fullness and happiness, but it’s still very nice. I have not experienced the brush of love for a very long time.

I pour the next beer directly onto my gloved hand, which then splashes onto my black tank top and jeans. I curse and shake my head slightly. I must have been more affected by her singing than I thought. Taking off my gloves and wiping them on a dish towel, I smile to myself. I have not been exposed to her kind of powers for some time now. I’ve lost part of the endurance I had built for it.

When I finally succeed at mostly drying my clothes, I throw the rag in the sink and lift my head to take the next order, but most of the patrons have now moved from the bar to the tables closer to the stage, listening quietly.

Most, but not all.

 


About the Author:

Sam is a Canadian author of dark fantasy romance and dark urban fantasy romance with a healthy dose of spice (because why not?). She loves daydreaming about new characters and can often be found staring into the abyss of the great nothingness, completely lost in thought. She also dislikes talking about herself in the third person. Hence, I’m going to stop this author bio here. 

I am deeply grateful for every reader who takes time out of their day to lay their eyeballs on one of my books. I couldn’t be an author without you.