Covert Dreams by Michael Meyer

Covert Dreams
by Michael Meyer

Genre: Suspense/thriller/mystery 

Book Description:
Imagine waking up remembering intimate details about a country in which you have never traveled and fluently speaking a language that you have never spoken. B.J. is living the ideal life. He has a great wife, a wonderful job. And yet he is experiencing life-like vivid dreams of Munich, a city he has never visited.

Stan Halsey is a professor in Saudi Arabia, who sends for his wife to join him. She arrives, and, in the blink of an eye, she vanishes, leaving no trace of ever being alive in either the United States or in Saudi Arabia.

COVERT DREAMS is a fast-paced international suspense thriller that moves from Munich to the burning sands of Saudi Arabia. What is real, and who is responsible for the terrifying nightmare?

INTERNATIONAL SUSPENSE COLLECTION BOOK ONE - AN INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED SUSPENSE THRILLER - from the author who involves you in a thrilling Caribbean mystery in Book Two, DEADLY EYES.

#2 on Recommended Thriller/Suspense list at Goodreads

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 ____________________

Excerpt

The Munich all around her was bustling with activity. She could hear it from all directions. Munich was a wonderful city, a fun-loving place, the live and let live ebullience of the city emanating from its every nook and cranny. She had had a lovely stay here. All of it had been so adventurous, so new, so unlike life back home in Arizona. She could vividly recall the first time she had ventured into a Munich beer garden, where the liter mugs had been so huge that she had had to lift hers with both hands, and the giggles, from him, until he too had had to use both hands.

The fumbling noises he had been making came to an abrupt halt. He began stroking her cheek again. Gus looked so happy, so young, so full of life. It was so hard to imagine that he could be so heavily involved in all this horror.

Gus smiled at her once more. His eyes were soft, so gentle, so caring, so loving.

Maybe this was some kind of huge mistake. Maybe he wasn't going to kill her after all. Maybe everything would turn out happily ever after. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe.

But then suddenly she saw it clearly. It was no fairy tale. There would be no maybe. This was real, as real as the mixture of sadness and fear that now flooded her brain.

And then she died, with her eyes wide open, challenging, piercing his to the end.   ____________________

 

About the Author:  
I have resided in and have visited many places in the world, all of which have contributed in some way to my own published writing. I have literally traveled throughout the world, on numerous occasions. I have lived in Finland, Germany, Thailand, Saudi Arabia (where COVERT DREAMS - INTERNATIONAL SUSPENSE COLLECTION BOOK ONE - is set), and the U.S. Virgin Islands (where DEADLY EYES - INTERNATIONAL SUSPENSE COLLECTION BOOK TWO - is set). I gained the wanderlust to see the world, to experience other cultures, at an early age, and this desire has never left me. If anything, it has only gained in intensity as I have aged. I try to travel internationally at least once a year. In the interim, I spend lots of time traveling around both my home state of California and other nearby states.

I spent my early years in the small town of Lone Pine, California, the home of almost every western movie, in addition to a wide variety of other genres, made in the 30's, 40's, 50's, and 60's. In fact, Hollywood still films parts of big-time movies there today. My dad, the town's lifeguard at the time, personally knew John Wayne, Lloyd Bridges, and Lee Marvin, all of whom came to the town's pool, the Memorial Plunge, at times to cool off after a hectic day of working in the sun. I was even an extra in a movie filmed there in 1957, MONOLITH MONSTERS, a B-cult favorite even today. I was ten years old at the time. Even though I resided in a small town hours from the big city, I was exposed to the excitement of action and heroes at a formative age, and, thus, my interest in writing novels of suspense such as COVERT DREAMS and DEADLY EYES was born. I am particularly proud of the fact that these two international suspense thrillers are rated #1 and #2 on the Goodreads Recommended Thriller/Suspense list.

As a recent retiree from a forty-year career as a professor of writing, I now live in Southern California wine country with my wife, Kitty, and our two adorable rescue cats.

Social Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Michael-Meyer/e/B005E7M8CW/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/674626.Mike_Meyer

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelMeyersWritingLife/app_191387770912394

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/temmike/#

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Ethereal Influence: The Inquisition (Ethereal Influence #2) by Lana Bradstream

Ethereal Influence: The Inquisition 
(Ethereal Influence #2)
by Lana Bradstream


Genre: Christian Fiction/Contemporary Fantasy

Book Description:  
The Inquisition is a time of turmoil and fear. It is a time of horror and atrocities, when the faith of people waiver. Inquisitor Nikolaus is experiencing a lack of faith as he orders torture and death for scores of people - some of whom he believes were innocent. Lorenz, an angel of God, is sent to restore his faith and bring him back to God. But, the fallen angel Jakob is intent on capturing Nikolaus' soul with the aid of Ayla, a real witch who has surrendered her own soul.

 See Ethereal Influence on Goodreads and Amazon.

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Q & A with Lana Bradstream Q:  Tell us a little bit about your main characters.  A:  Lorenz is an angel of God, sent to Earth to save souls. Nikolaus is an inquisitor who has seen so much devastation and atrocities that his faith is shaken. Jakob is an angel of Lucifer sent to take souls back to Hell. Ayla is a teenage girl who becomes ensnared by Jakob after her father is wrongfully killed in the Inquisition. Q:  What is your favorite thing about being an author? A:  I just love the act of creating. I get excited when I write and the story starts to take me away. It does not happen all of the time, but when it does - it's amazing! Q:  Who designs the covers for your books and what is that process like for you as an author? A:  My friend Andy Jacobs designs my covers. I worked with him at the Rapid City Weekly News and was a big fan of his weekly cartoons and weekly cover art. I give him a rundown of what the story is about. I give him an idea of what I would like included in cover art and then I let him run with it.  Q:  What is the best advice you have been given? A:  The best advice I have been given is do not give up because you will not succeed right away. A number of big authors had a stroke of luck when they got published. Yes, they had the talent, but it also takes that push of luck.  Q:  What do you see as the biggest challenge for new authors and what have you been doing to overcome that?  A:  The biggest challenge for new authors is trying to make yourself stand out in a sea of other new authors. Thanks to self-publishing online, there is flood of new authors. The best thing you can do, and I have done, is to keep trying. Keep writing. Get out there and do some marketing. Make some friends with other authors and with readers online.  Q:  If you could have any superpower, what would you choose? A:  I would choose telepathy. I love information (it's the reporter in me). But, I know when to keep my mouth shut, so if I had the power, it would not benefit me much, other than to provide me with entertainment and intrigue.  Q:  What book are you reading now? A:  I am currently reading The Thirteenth Tale.

 About the Author: Lana Bradstream has spent 11 years as a newspaper reporter, columnist and freelance reporter for the Timber Lake Topic, the Mobridge Tribune, the Custer County Chronicle, the Rapid City Weekly News, the Box Elder Horizon, the Rapid City Journal and Demand Media Studios.

Her work has garnered her numerous awards, such as the South Dakota Newspaper Association (SDNA) First Place Best New Story (2001) and SDNA Second Place Outstanding Young Journalist (2001). She was also a featured poet at the Medora Cowboy Poetry Gathering.

Mrs. Bradstream has been a Type 1 diabetic for 23 years. She has been married for seven years with one beautiful 6-year-old daughter and an infant son.

Social Links:
http://lana-bradstream.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/lana.bradstream

https://twitter.com/LanaBradstream

http://www.pinterest.com/lanabradstream/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5353687.Lana_Bradstream

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Equinox by Bryan W. Dull

Solstice (Solstice Chronicles #1)
by Bryan W. Dull

Genre: Horror/Paranormal 

Book Description: In Gavin Moxley's world, there is no thin line between right and wrong. In a personal crusade to help sever a line of disease carried by a clan of vampires; Gavin has no choice to be ruthless. The Vampires are purposely infecting the human population…waiting for humans to actively pass it on to each other. Gavin takes no chances and executes them one by one. Not strong or powerful, finding humans before they turn into full vampires is ideal and Gavin’s best bet. Yes, this is Gavin’s life… …And nothing ever changes it until a young half breed vampire with special abilities, Solstice, attaches and makes herself a fixture in his life when she asks for his help and protection and when a reluctant Gavin agrees he joins a dangerous game of cat and mouse. There is no safe place and the pair are constantly watching their backs. Torn between his hate and his love for Solstice Gavin is thrown into a moral dilemma that only he can figure out but two things are clear… His faith and Humanity are being tested and the past is not always forgotten.

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4 out of 5 stars
I received this book as an ARC from the author.  

Gavin is a vampire hunter. He hunts humans who have been 'infected' and kills them before they fully turn. Gavin, like any good main character hero sort, has a past that continually haunts him. Gavin's past has made him a bit cynical, but he is overall a good guy. When he meets Solstice, he can't just turn her out on her own, no matter how much he would like to. Gavin is the sort of guy that makes a great main character, and he might just be getting his second chance at life.

Solstice is a half vampire, half human. She is alone in the world, and all she really wants is to be normal. She appears sweet and innocent, but there is a danger lurking underneath the surface that we only get a very small glimpse of in this book. I love the mystery surrounding Solstice. Even though she is the book's namesake, we really don't know very much about her, but just enough to peak interest.

I enjoyed the author's writing style. The story flowed smoothly and was easy to read. Gavin's sarcastic wit and humor was refreshing in this dark story. Really the only thing that brought this book down for me was the prologue. The scene itself was powerful, and I really liked the potential there but felt it just didn't deliver. I can't really put my finger on what is bugging me about it, though. It very well could be the third person narration, which I'm not a huge fan of, but I just think it could have been given more force.

As I said above, I received an unedited ARC, so there were many grammatical errors and a few timeline issues in this book. I heard that Solstice was picked up by a publisher, so going through that process and an editor should fix all of those issues. Overall I really enjoyed this story and am looking forward to see where the author takes it. Thank you to Bryan Dull for letting me read your book!


Equinox (Solstice Chronicles #2)
by Bryan W. Dull

Genre: Horror/Paranormal 

 
 

 Book Description: Confined in an old plantation home with Vampires lying in wait Gavin and Solstice are forced to wait them out until sunrise that is perilously approaching. Unbeknownst to them the remnants of the house are even more terrifying than what is lying in wait outside. Solstice is coming into her own and her feelings for Gavin begin to come to light. Gavin is stuck in the memories of his deceased family, but the apparition he sees that resembles his dead daughter doesn’t help. Lying in wait to escape at the first chance possible, will they make it through the vampires and the supernatural creatures that have inhabited the home for a very long time? “Equinox” ups the ante in the Solstice trilogy, and no one involved will come out the same.

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4 out of 5 stars
The first thing I have to say about Equinox is that cover is just a tad creepy.  I love it!  Continuing the story right where the first book left off, Gavin and Solstice find themselves hiding out in an abandoned plantation home, waiting out the vampires who are trying to break down the door. 

There was so much going on in this book, and the story was taken to a completely new level.  Besides the vampires trying to get Solstice, they also have the phantoms of the home they are taking shelter in causing trouble and making Gavin question his sanity (who wouldn't faced with a haunted house?).  Additionally, Solstice is growing up and growing into her abilities, and it is a struggle for her as she learns how to use those abilities.

To make things even harder for them, the relationship between Solstice and Gavin is constantly changing.  Where he used to see Solstice as a daughter, a child who needed protecting, at some point he realizes she isn't so little anymore, and she is not as sweet an innocent as she once appeared to be.  Solstice herself went through a lot of changes in this book, growing up emotionally and becoming more self aware. 

The author took a different approach to this story, writing it in third person narrative rather than first person from Gavin's point of view.  While it seems odd to switch narrative styles from book to book, I can understand why he did it, and it works here.  There was a lot going on in this book and seeing things just from Gavin's point of view would have been limiting.  Although I missed being in his head, we still got his wit and humor in this book as well, bringing a bit of fun to the story. 

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Excerpt

Gavin threw down his imaginary cigarette in a hateful manner and proceeded to walk in the deep snow towards the shed. In the back of his mind he knew that any chance for escape is minimal given the height of the snow he had to tread across; it would slow him down. He had to quick on the draw if vampires emerged. Dammit it all to hell, I should have brought my halogen light to make an escape easier.

As he got closer to the dilapidated shed, unaware, ghostly children started to emerge to the windows of the house from inside. They watched as this pit of rage of a man started to march down to beat of his own drum and possible death. The children started placing their hands on the windows. One child occupied each window facing the back yard. They knew something was about to happen.

About the Author:  Currently living in Cincinnati, OH with his wife (and fellow author Brandy Michelle) and their daughter. Bryan W. Dull goes leaps and bounds to get away from the norm and be his own person; with himself and his writing. Since middle school he has always known what he was good at: entertaining and telling stories. He has been consistently writing and coming up with plots for the last twenty years, but just recently decided to share one with the world. His first novel, "Solstice" is a vampire book inspired by his daughter and noir literature. Born in Anderson, IN, Bryan has also lived in Ohio, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina (where "Solstice" is based). Being a lover of all things art and pop culture "nerdism"; his interests lie in film, television, comics, games, anime, and books. For a short while, Bryan dabbled in voice acting work only to shift his focus to his family and writing. His favorite authors include; Chuck Palahniuk, Robert Kirkman, Clive Barker, Ernest Cline, and Neil Gaiman

Social Links:
Blog: http://bryanwdull.blogspot.com/

Webpage: www.Bryanwdull.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Solstice.Chronicles

Twitter: BWDull

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/bwdull/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5829383.Bryan_W_Dull

Equinox by Bryan W. Dull

Equinox by Bryan W. Dull
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The first thing I have to say about Equinox is that cover is just a tad creepy. I love it! Continuing the story right where the first book left off, Gavin and Solstice find themselves hiding out in an abandoned plantation home, waiting out the vampires who are trying to break down the door.

There was so much going on in this book, and the story was taken to a completely new level. Besides the vampires trying to get Solstice, they also have the phantoms of the home they are taking shelter in causing trouble and making Gavin question his sanity (who wouldn't faced with a haunted house?). Additionally, Solstice is growing up and growing into her abilities, and it is a struggle for her as she learns how to use those abilities.

To make things even harder for them, the relationship between Solstice and Gavin is constantly changing. Where he used to see Solstice as a daughter, a child who needed protecting, at some point he realizes she isn't so little anymore, and she is not as sweet an innocent as she once appeared to be. Solstice herself went through a lot of changes in this book, growing up emotionally and becoming more self aware.

The author took a different approach to this story, writing it in third person narrative rather than first person from Gavin's point of view. While it seems odd to switch narrative styles from book to book, I can understand why he did it, and it works here. There was a lot going on in this book and seeing things just from Gavin's point of view would have been limiting. Although I missed being in his head, we still got his wit and humor in this book as well, bringing a bit of fun to the story.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

View all my reviews

Firebolt by Adrienne Woods

Firebolt by Adrienne Woods
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Elena Watkins never had a normal life. Constantly on the move, from town to town and school to school, she is ready to settle down and be an ordinary teenager. However, fate has other plans for her. Elena's dreams for a normal life come crashing down the night she witnesses her father being killed…by a dragon.

Elena is a great lead character. In the beginning of the story she is scared and defenseless, but as the story goes on she finds herself and is able to show her true colors. She had some overused phrases throughout the story that got a bit annoying after the first couple of chapters, but overall she was a fun character to get to know.

I thought the author did a great job creating the dragons and the world they lived in. They were very detailed, each kind having different abilities. Firebolt was a fun story, full of adventure and a few surprises. By the end of the story there were still enough unanswered questions which will make me want to continue with this series. I'd love to see more of Blake in the next book!

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

View all my reviews

Pods by Michelle K. Pickett + Giveaway

 

 PODs (PODs #1)
by Michelle K. Pickett

Genre: Science Fiction>Dystopia, Young Adult, Zombies, Romance

Published: June 4th 2013 by Spencer Hill Press

Page Count: 312

Seventeen-year-old Eva is a chosen one. Chosen to live, while others meet a swift and painful death from an incurable virus so lethal, a person is dead within days of symptoms emerging. In the POD system, a series of underground habitats built by the government, she waits with the other chosen for the deadly virus to claim those above. Separated from family and friends, it's in the PODs she meets David. And while true love might not conquer all, it's a balm for the broken soul.
After a year, scientists believe the population has died, and without living hosts, so has the virus. That's the theory, anyway. But when the PODs are opened, survivors find the surface holds a vicious secret. The virus mutated, infecting those left top-side and creating... monsters.
Eva and David hide from the infected in the abandoned PODs. Together they try to build a life--a new beginning. But the infected follow and are relentless in their attacks. Leaving Eva and David to fight for survival, and pray for a cure.

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Q & A with Michelle K. Pickett

Thank you Michelle for taking the time to answer our questions! We are glad to have you here today!

Q:  Tell us a little bit about your main characters.
A:  Eva is my main character in PODs. The story is told through her eyes. We follow her journey beginning just before news of the virus through the selection of the POD residents, her stay in the PODs, and the struggle she faces trying to rebuild her life after the PODs are opened. Some readers have found her very likeable, and that is my intention—likeable, intelligent and kind. Other readers haven’t cared for her as much, and that’s okay. Not everyone will like every character. The main thing I hope people realize when they read Eva’s character is that she is just seventeen and she has just lost her entire world. So the way she acts and behaves is going to be frustrating at times. There are times she just doesn’t know how to cope. I don’t think any of us would in that situation.

The male main character is David. He is a good guy. Intelligent and kind. He and Eva have an instant bond, but it isn’t an instant “love.” Some readers have mentioned that they would have liked to see it grow a little more. I wish I could have spent more time on that. But the book was getting too long. But if you read the sections in the PODs, you’ll see mention of them talking and spending time together throughout their stay. They become almost inseparable and their friendship does turn into love. There is one spot in the story, after they have exited the PODs, that David does something that shocked many readers. I’m not going to tell you what (you have to read the book!) but when you read the book, you likely know what I’m referring to. Anyway, in order to describe David, I have to reference that scene. (listen to “Can’t Let You Go” by Adam Lambert for the inspiration behind David’s actions) It shows his sacrifice. He’d give up everything and everyone he loves to keep them save—even when it devastated him to do so. He’s just a really good guy.

Q:  What was your favorite scene to write?
A:  It probably sounds horrible, but my favorite scene (it’s actually broken up into two scenes, one’s a flashback) was when Eva has to leave her parents. I really felt the emotion while I wrote it. I actually cried thinking of how hard it would be to leave my parents and then I thought about my own children and how hard it would be to watch them leave me. It was just very emotional to write. If you’re interested in the song that I listened to for inspiration while writing the scene, listen to “I Miss You (slipped away),” by Avril Lavigne.

Q:  Who designed the cover for PODs and what is that process like for you as an author?
A:  My editor and I designed the cover together. It was a fun process picking out the photo and fonts and I think my editor (who pulled it all together) did a great job. My understanding is at other publishing houses authors don’t have much, if any, say in their cover design, but at Spencer Hill Press the author is very much involved. A cover won’t be used if the author is 100% happy with it.

Q:  What is the best advice you have been given?
A:  Don’t stop. Anything worth having is worth working for. That was from my dad. He was probably my biggest supporter. PODs is dedicated to him. He died six months before PODs was released. He never got to see it.

Q:  What do you see as the biggest challenge for new authors and what have you been doing to overcome that?
A:  The biggest challenge is getting noticed. There are so many talented authors and so many books for readers to choose from. It’s hard to get your book noticed in the sea of books. This is especially true now with the explosion of self-publishing. I think self-publishing is a great outlet for authors. There are so many wonderful self-pubbed books on the market. I’ve read many and have self-pubbed authors that I follow. But, it does make it very hard to get noticed.

To overcome the problem is to do exactly what I’m doing here. Get on as many blogs as possible to promote my book, but also to connect with readers. That’s my goal. I want to connect with readers, not just push a book in their face. I think building a relationship with readers is very important.

Q:  In a post-apocalyptic world, what three things could you NOT live without?
A:  Considering my family is a given, I would have water purification tablets, guns and ammo, and as many canned goods as I could get my hands on.

Q:  If you could have any superpower, what would you choose?
A:  The ability to never need to sleep. I definitely need more hours in the day.

Q:  What book are you reading now?
A:  I’m reviewing:

“The Elect” by Rachel Van Dyken and “Addicted for Now” by Becca and Krista Ritchie.

Both are really great books and I’m enjoying them a lot.

Thank you so much for having me. It was fun answering your questions. I love to hear from readers! If anyone wants to contact me, I’d love to hear from you.

Buy Links for PODs:

Amazon ׀ Barnes&Noble ׀ Books-A-Million The Book Depository

About the Author:  I'm a wife, mother, author, reader, although not always in that order. I've been an avid reader since a young child. I began writing for personal enjoyment in college, where I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in accounting. Why I chose a degree that didn't encourage creativity is a mystery to me.
I'm addicted to Reese's peanut butter cups and eat way too many while I write. I have a weird obsession with hoodies and can't write without wearing one. I hate to cook, but love to watch cooking shows.
I'm an unabashed romantic and love swoon-worthy happy endings that give me butterflies for days.
Born and raised in Flint, Michigan, I now reside in a small community outside Houston, Texas with my incredibly supportive, not to mention gorgeous, husband, three amazing school-aged children, a 125-pound lap dog, and a cat that thinks she's queen.
I write adult and young adult Sci/Fi, urban fantasy and paranormal romances.
I love to hear from readers and other authors, so drop me a note and say "Hi!" 

Social Links:
Website: www.Michelle-Pickett.com

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5448974.Michelle_K_Pickett

Blog:  http://www.michelle-pickett.com/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/michelle_kp

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/MichellePickettAuthor

Amazon:   http://www.amazon.com/Michelle-K.-Pickett/e/B008QWUA5O/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

Shelfari:   http://www.shelfari.com/michellepickett

Pinterest:  http://www.pinterest.com/michelleauthor/

Linkedin:  http://www.linkedin.com/in/michellepickett

 

Check out all the stops on the PODs blog tour hosted by the Making Connections group on Goodreads!