a fabulous adventure - Everything You Dream Is Real by Lisa de Nikolits

"An original, adventurous, and vital writer, Lisa de Nikolits holds up a cracked, kaleidoscopic mirror to our times. Everything You Dream Is Real thrusts readers into an extraordinary, disturbing future and takes them on a raucous, high-stakes, one-of-a-kind journey filled with hope, revenge, love, and tentacles." —Daniel Scott Tysdal, Wave Forms and Doom Scrolls

she the last person you'd expect to hack minds... - Deleted by Ruth Mitchell

"This book is brilliantly creative and fascinating! I found myself thinking of it often throughout the day and how these technological dangers could one day be a reality. The themes are so powerful and thought-provoking." Melissa O., Goodreads

Nothing is as it seems in... Limited Truth by Kay Bennson

WAR GAME XRI

YOUR SCHOOL. YOUR HONOR. YOUR DUTY.

It doesn’t take long for rules to be broken, for people to fight dirty...

They could hurt you - Break the Bodies, Haunt the Bones by Micah Dean Hicks

“Hicks has crafted a haunting story with multi-generational appeal, where the very real horror of poverty meets supernatural horror, and social issues like xenophobia, racism and economic anxiety are addressed organically through allegory and gripping storytelling.” ―Chris L. Terry, author of Black Card and Zero Fade 

Do The Dead Dream?: An Anthology of the Weird and the Peculiar by F. P. Dorchak

“F. P. Dorchak writes like a hot-rodder heading toward a brick wall. Edge of your seat entertainment! I pondered over each of these stories long after I’d finished reading them. That’s what great writing is all about!” - Dean Wyant, Co-Founder, Hex Publishers

everyone wants a piece of her - Superheroes Suck by Jamie Zakian

Now that Shay's in the mix with superheroes and crazed villains, everyone wants a piece of her. A super villain wants to devour her soul, a superhero wants to love her, and Shay just wants to go back to her normal life. It's not like in the movies. In real life, superheroes suck.

karmic ties and unconscionable crimes - Silent Meridian (Time Traveler Professor #1) by Elizabeth Crowens

"An intriguing take on the concept of time travel, treated more as fantasy than science fiction, with a goodly peek at intellectual movers and shakers of the late 19th/early 20th century."- Elena, Goodreads

this mission may well be their last - The Bloodprint (The Khorasan Archives #1) by Ausma Zehanat Khan

"Just wow! If all fantasy was this well written I would be a fan of the fantasy genre! [...] I cannot recommend this book highly enough and already I'm anxious for the next in the series!! [...] It is the classic tale of Good vs Evil but told in a cleverly written, marvelously detailed, surprisingly intriguinging manner. The writing is impeccable, the storyline is fascinating!" -Mackey, Goodreads

Careful what you wish for. It just might come true. - The West Woods by Suzy Vadori

"The West Woods, is really well written, evenly paced and a few entertaining moments slipped in here and there... I am going to recommend it and do not forget to read The Fountain too!" - Nadine, Goodreads

Witches of Wildwood: Cape May Horror Stories and Other Scary Tales from the Jersey Shore

"This captivating and commendable work had me immersed from the beginning. The stories flowed from scene to scene with ease, and the author shows exceptional ability when it comes to storytelling. There are plenty of attention-grabbing moments in this page turner that will take the reader on a spellbinding journey! It's difficult to pick a favorite from this collection of spooky 'tales of the unexpected'. Even if I was forced to, I couldn't. They were all very well written." - Piaras, Goodreads

an asset or a curse - d4 (46. Ascending #5) by Sherrie Cronin

"A clever title combined with an exciting plot make this book a "must read!" While my brain normally doesn't absorb scientific concepts, I loved this sci-fi book. The expansive setting, the unique characters, and the intrique plot captivated me." - Terie, Goodreads

Six hundred lightyears away - Fertility Pirates (The Abraham Project #1) by Lynn Donovan

Six hundred lightyears away, a dying civilization cries out in desperation. On Earth, a small band of faithful missionaries commit to bring reproductive technologies and the Christian gospel. The Abraham Project includes scientists, medical personnel, humanitarians, and philanthropist Austin Abraham.

Guest Post and Giveaway: Freakquency by Caddell Brown

Published: February 2014
Cover Artist: NomaBlack

Description: 18+

What southern-grown, rock star Rick Chamberland doesn’t know about his family’s dark past comes to light when he returns home to Louisiana at the request of his mother. Rick has spent the last fifteen years of his life dedicated to music, touring the world, completely oblivious to the secrets coded in his legacy. 

Meanwhile, Song Peters, a dutiful daughter taking care of a dying mother, dreams of the day she can break free of small town life and pursue her one true passion, singing. Rick meets Song and instantly sparks ignite. 

They make beautiful music together and soon find that they share similar upbringings. Rick comes to learn that their families are supernaturally intertwined and that the one denominator (a demon by the name Nova) connected to both families threatens to destroy them all if they do not obey.

GUEST POST

TOUR SCHEDULE

Character Interview

Hello Rick or shall I call you Richard?

Rick. Only those close to me call me Richard.

Okay. Well I’d like to thank you for your time—

My time is precious.

Yes, I know it is. You are a very busy man, especially now that your story is out.

Yes, I’m very busy.

I’d like to begin by asking you a few questions.

Yeah, go ahead.

The book about your life—

It’s not a book about my life, but about a moment of my life. There’s a difference.

Where were you at the start of the story?

On a private jet somewhere over the Atlantic.

What did you want, when the story started?

What did I want? The flight attendant. And I had her, too. The “Mile-high Club”, I’m a platinum member.

Who are your parents?

I only have my mom, Rose.

And your father?

Dead.

I’m sorry.

Don’t be. I didn’t know him much. Next question.

What was your education like?

Private tutors. My mother didn’t want me in public school or private school. She wanted me home.

Can you explain what you mean by your mother wanting you home?

Next question.

Do you make friends easily?

I have trust issues with most people, given my status and all. But yeah, I’m a fun guy. I have no problem with making friends, even if only for a night.

Do you have a best friend?

Best friend? No.

Can you get people to do what you want them to? If so, how?

Most times I can. How? Well, who am I? I’m Rick Chamberland, all I have to do is sing.

Do you have scars? Where did they come from?

No scars. I’m perfect.

Perfect. Okay, can you navigate without getting lost? To what degree?

I will admit I’m horrible at directions. I don’t drive much so I don’t have to pay attention to stuff like that. Usually someone else gets me to where I’m going.

Can you bake a cake?

I can have one baked. I don’t cook. I don’t bake. No.

Do you know how to perform basic maintenance on a car?

These are fan questions? Basic maintenance on a car. If there’s a manual I can figure it out. Stuff like that is taken care of for me. I don’t have time to change the oil.

Is there something you do that most other people don’t?

Interesting question.

Interesting, how so?

Not everyone can do what I do on stage, you know, sing, dance, and captivate a crowd.

What is the most formative moment in your past?

When my father died. That moment is fleeting but significant. I knew then that life was about me and my mother and that I would have to take care of her.

And you do take good care of her.

Of course I do. She’s my mother. Next question.

Do you have any phobias?

No.

What are some of your bad habits?

Bad habits? Um, I’m really bad at following through. At times I can be impulsive and at times I can be really indecisive. It just depends on what’s going in my life—you know, and how heavy things are.

You mean heavy as in emotions?

Yeah. I make rash decisions. And then sometimes I make no decisions at all.

Do you have a moral code? To what extent are your actions dictated by this code?

I have a moral code, yeah. There are some things I refuse to do anymore. But I had to learn first. You live and learn—that phrase is oh so, true.

Care to elaborate? Perhaps provide an example?

No. Next question.

Favorite Movie? 

Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith

Favorite Song?

Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen

Favorite Quote?

Uh, let’s see, there was this poem I had to memorize… What was it? Oh yeah, “dust thou art to dust returnest”. It’s just a quote from the poem, but I love it. “A Psalm of Life” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. I like the sing-songy vibe it has to it. It could be a song.

Favorite Food?

Beer and Bourbon.

Favorite Color?

White.

Favorite places in the world?

Brazil. I love it there.

Lastly, what are 5 things you want fans to know?

1. I had a best friend when I was eight. A girl. I can’t remember her name. Her family moved away after a time. I should look for her.

2. I’m not a murderer, so any gossip you might read in the newspapers or in the book is just that, gossip. Believe me, not what you read.

3. My latest album is dedicated to my mother because she told me ghost stories at night.

4. When I settle, it will be in Louisiana. I’ve already got a plot of land picked out. Until that happens, I keep touring and traveling.

5. Song Peters is deserving of all the success that comes her way. You read the book, she’s very talented. More people should appreciate her talents.

Isn’t she the woman who you were charged for assaulting?

Assaulting? No comment. I’m speaking of her as a singer, an artist like myself. She’s phenomenal. I won’t say more. Are we done here?

Yes, Mr. Chamberland… It’s been a pleasure.

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About the author:

Caddell Brown, born and raised in East Texas, authors a range of speculative fiction. Among her early influences are artist Rene Magritte, film director Andrei Tarkovsky and author Dan Simmons.

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Happy Release Day! Pendulum (The Neumarian Chronicles #2) by Ciara Knight

Description:

Haunting memories.

Terrifying dreams.

Crippling lies.

Trapped in a world of deception, my sanity rests with the love of Ryder Arteres and our renegade friends. Six months of scouring the ocean floor in a rebel ship fleeing our homeland, delivers us to a possible alliance with the opportunistic European Council. Our only hope is to utilize our forbidden gifts to free our people from slavery, proving our worth. But when a trusted ally turns traitor and a new breed of the queen’s weaponry is revealed, I’m forced to face the terror of my past to save our crumbling future.

Book #0.5

The Great War of 2185 is over, but my nightmare has just begun. I am being held captive in the Queen’s ship awaiting interrogation. My only possible ally is the princess, but I’m unsure if she is really my friend or a trap set by the Queen to fool me into sharing the secret of my gift. A gift I keep hidden even from myself. It swirls inside my body begging for release, but it is the one thing the Queen can never discover. Will I have the strength to keep the secret? I’ll know the answer soon. If the stories are true about the interrogators, I’ll either be dead or a traitor to my people by morning.

Book#1

Ten years after the great war of 2185 the queen’s reign is threatened by uprisings and fear. In celebration of my sixteenth birthday it is my duty as princess to sacrifice a slave to be initiated into the ruling council, solidifying my mother’s empire. When my own erratic powers surface I’m captured and tried for treason. Slaves hate me, my mother wants me executed, and my only chance of survival rests in the hands of a young man, Ryder Arteres, whose sister I sentenced to death.

EXCERPT:

Ryder tipped my chin up and pressed a kiss to my forehead. At feeling his suppressed desire and longing, I nuzzled his neck, seeking more, wanting to touch him, not through his uniform but his bare skin.

“Shh. You need sleep. Nightmares have been keeping you up. You’re exhausted. Wish I could be there to hold you through them, but we should arrive at the ENR base soon. It’s been too long.” His hand slipped to the nape of my neck. “Once we reach land, no one will keep us apart.”

Heat surged to my face and I leaned into his hands. “Nightmares? How did you…oh, your sister. Great. Guess Raeth can’t keep a secret.” I knew Raeth only told her brother out of concern, but I’d still chastise my best friend when I got back to my room.

“She just confirmed what I’d felt through our bond.” Ryder drew a circle around the tip of my nose with his. “What you been dreaming’ about?”

His closeness weakened my resolve to keep it from him. He’d think I was crazy.

“Tell me,” he urged, brushing his lips across mine in a feather-light touch.

My breath hitched and the memories of beatings and torture faded when his thumb glided down my cheek. “It doesn’t matter. Kiss me.”

His lips claimed mine with a too long-suppressed urgency. He needed and wanted me as much as I did him. If we didn’t make it to land soon, they’d have mutiny on their hands.

I inhaled his scent, absorbing it into my soul. Even after all this time beneath the sea, a hint of Earth remained and I savored the aroma. He’d always smell the same to me. A musky, earthy smell, with a hint of freedom. The aroma wrapped around my body like a shield of strength.

Steps thumped down the corridor and he broke the kiss. “Tell me. Before we have to go.”

I panted and shook my head. From the moment we’d met, he twisted me up inside until I’d share whatever he wanted to know. “Images mostly. My mother, my father. I never see his face, but I see hers.” I suppressed a shudder. “None of it makes sense. It’s almost like I feel physical pain, but I can’t see the memory.”

Ryder’s eyes narrowed. “What’s Gordon been doing to you during those sessions?”

“Gordon? Nothing. He’s been helping me remember things. He says I’ve been reprogrammed. He’s trained in opening the mind back up and he thinks I could remember something that would help the rebellion.”

Ryder glanced down the hall. “Maybe so, but I don’t like you suffering. Mighty easy for him to push you into helping. But you need to know when to back off. You been training so much and been working with Captain Gordon, you haven’t gotten any rest.”

“Maybe that’s because I don’t want to.” I stared up at him. “I’m frightened, Ryder. Terrified my mother’s programmed me into being some kind of weapon.”

“I won’t let that happen.” He kissed me again then rested his forehead against mine. “We, just the two of us, need to find some time alone.”

I struggled to stay calm, to not let my frustration and jealousy out. I failed. “The last time I tried to take some time off, you were busy with Mart and her training. Can’t you train with someone else, like me? Why does it always have to be her?”

“Jealous?” The side of his lip quirked up into a teasing grin.

Yes! “No! No more than you are of Gordon.”

He straightened, his hand moving down from my neck to my lower back. “Let’s not do this. It’s late. I don’t want to argue.” Hugging me, he lifted me into the air until I was at eye level then he nuzzled my neck. “Rather do other things with you than fight.”

A giggle slipped from my lips.

“Love that sound.” Ryder nipped my earlobe.

“What sound?”

“You happy. Someday, we’ll go to that Resort Territory of yours,” Ryder slid his nose down the side of my neck, “where we can laugh all day.” His tongue traced the path his nose had just made. “Swim naked in that lake of yours.”

A guard stomped along the metal grate floor and halted a few meters away. “Hey, you two. Lights out in five. Don’t make me throw you in the brig.”

My head still spun from Ryder’s words. He gently lowered me to the ground. My knees shook, but I managed to remain upright.

Ryder scowled.

“Now,” the guard ordered, his face grim and determined.

Ryder growled low in his chest then kissed my cheek. “Until later,” he whispered.

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About the author:

Ciara Knight began her writing career in 2008. She writes to ‘Defy the Dark’ with her fantasy, paranormal, and dystopian books. Her first Young Adult Series, Battle for Souls, will be published by Turquoise Morning press, with her prequel novella, Love’s Long Shadow, releasing in October 2011. Followed by Rise From Darkness (Book I) in March 2012, Fall From Grace (Book II), and Ascension of Evil (Book III).

Also in 2012, her adult fantasy, Curse of Gremdon will be published by Crescent Moon Press.

When not writing, she enjoys reading all types of fiction. Some great literary influences in her life include Edgar Allen Poe, Shakespeare, Francine Rivers and J K Rowling.

Her first love, besides her family, reading, and writing, is travel. She's backpacked through Europe, visited orphanages in China, and landed in a helicopter on a glacier in Alaska.

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Happy Release Day Seeds of Transition: Book One - The Genesis Project

Description:

Seeds Of Transition: Book One - The Genesis Project is full of gripping adventure, psychological thrills, and emotional conflict from start to finish. 

As the world's population approaches 10 billion people, and severe weather extremes impact crop and livestock production, the demand for and price of food is rising. The American government, as well as other powerful individuals, find themselves looking for intelligent, albeit unlikely heroes in the world of academia. 

Jarod Farra, a professor of agriculture at Cornell University, quickly finds himself at the forefront of both his longstanding dreams, and perhaps, some of his worst fears. Out of the turmoil and fear of an impending international food shortage, a range of characters come together to perform an experiment that will forever change the world as we know it, and provide new hope for generations to come.

EXCERPT:

Chapter 1 

Noakhali, Bangladesh 

2030 AD 

“Vows made in storms are forgotten in calm.”

 ~Thomas Fuller ~ 

The warm air enveloped the sleeping village as if the dawn would bring with it the start of a day like any other. Farmers slumbered, their bodies fatigued from the hard day’s work in the paddies. Mothers rose quickly and quietly to nurse crying babies, hushing them so their fathers could rest. The wind was picking up, ushering with it a blanket of clouds that blocked the light of the full moon, making the night very dark. The rain started to come down, softly at first and then more heavily as the night wore on.

The slosh of waves slapped against the hulls of fishing boats tied to submerged docks. The thumping sound of wood meeting wood as the swells pushed the boats against the quays was getting deeper and deeper as the rain filled the crafts, making them heavier and heavier. Soon they would sink, their tethers preventing them from reaching the muddy bottom. Oars and net staffs would soon float away.

Not so very far away the balmy, moist air was rising from the water’s surface and mounting the wind on its trek toward the sky. More warm air rushed in to replace it and then it too began to rise. The repeating cycle continued and went on through the night; air swirled in and up, over and over again.

Overhead, a platform of cool air waited to meet the rising warm moisture, the collision transforming the mist into heavy, thick clouds. The wind swooped in and the dance commenced, slowly at first but steadily gaining pace. It tirelessly whirled the new clouds around and around as the phase below repeated over and over again. The tempo swelled and the wind began to howl its delight as more clouds rose to meet her, whirling and churning, the action became more savage, more intense, building, and building until finally, she was delivered and the tempest was born; beautiful and exquisitely formed liked no other before her.

The rising warm air fed her, and the wind strengthened her and her rage grew more powerful with every passing hour. Soon, she would realize her full potential and she would be unstoppable and unforgiving as she fulfilled her destiny. All people would remember her name, she would never be forgotten.

Not so very far away, slumbering in their tiny homes, farmers rested from a hard day’s work and mothers gently placed their sleeping infants back in their beds. It was still hours from dawn; still time for sleep before the new day began.

Ghazi woke suddenly, startled as he shot straight up in bed, his heart beating so hard that he could hear it; a steady, deafening thump in his ears. A desperate look around the room assured him that all was well within the walls of his tiny home. Aala and Jarood were sleeping peacefully. He realized that he must have been dreaming although he could not remember it, his heart slowed to a normal pace but he was wide awake now and not likely to go back to sleep.

The sounds of rain falling hard outside and the gustiness of the wind caught his attention. It was still dark outside, at least two hours from dawn but he looked out the window anyway. Nothing; at least, nothing that he could see. He glanced at the small table in the corner which held the union VHF radio. Had a bulletin come across and awakened him? Something was wrong, he knew it, and he felt it. He watched the radio intently for a few minutes, waiting, and then it happened.

The cyclone warning came in a frantic voice, thick with the Noakhali dialect of the area. It said that the BMD, Bangladesh Meteorological Department had issued a cyclone warning at 4am. The storm had developed overnight and was expected to make landfall in the Noakhali district in the Upazila of Hatiya in two to three hours. Village units were to proceed immediately with warning and evacuation procedures. Maximum sustained winds had been recorded at 225 kilometers per hour, and the tidal surge was projected to be approximately 4.5 meters.

 Ghazi’s blood became ice in his veins. He looked over toward his bed and saw Aala staring back at him, wide eyed as the fear gripped her; she had also heard the alert.

He sprang into action, all of the volunteer training coming back to him now; he remembered what he had to do. He pulled on his day clothes hurriedly; Aala roused the boy and directed him to dress quickly while she went behind the curtain to do the same. Within seconds she was back in the center of the room. She held two bags, one she handed to her son and the other she filled with the most important items in the room. The boy gathered food from the shelves, knowing exactly what to grab as his father had performed this drill with his family many times; only this time it was not practice. Ghazi donned the sash and hat that identified him as a Red Crescent volunteer, and seized the megaphone that had been assigned to him.

Exactly three minutes had passed since the warning had come across the radio, and the Farra family was at the door ready to leave their tiny mud brick home. Ghazi quickly ran through what they were to do and where they were to go. He would meet them at the shelter as soon as the warnings were out to the people of the village. A quick look into each other’s eyes, and everything that needed to be said between them had been said. Ghazi opened the door and they entered the windy, wet darkness.

They separated; Aala and Jarood went in one direction, Ghazi in the other. Mother and son trudged through the water and sucking mud that had been the road just yesterday. She clutched at ...

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Smashwords coupon for 19-July Blitz is XE73A 73% discount to $1.02

About the authors:

Carolyn Holland grew up during the 70’s in the coastal wetlands of North Carolina in a small, rural fishing village. She married right after high school and started her family, in the same community where she grew up. Though life took her to other places, she lived in the Appalachians for a time and later in Alabama, she found herself drawn back to her roots in Coastal North Carolina. With her three children grown now, she resides there still with her husband James Holland, a retired US Marine.

Co-Author:

Kef Hollenbach was born and raised in Kentucky, USA. Going into business management after graduating from university yielded an eclectic set of experiences ranging from production work to mid-level management to business owner.

The very proud parent of a son and daughter and husband to a deeply appreciated wife, Kef revels in learning new things and visiting new places. With a strong propensity for sharing, he strives to weave his experiences and what he has learned into all of his writing.

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