Host: I Am a Reader Not a Writer & Reading in Twilight
Prize: A .mobi or .epub copy of Me Vs. PTSD by Scott Moore
Form:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Follow:
Showing posts with label giveaways. Show all posts
Showing posts with label giveaways. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Mental Health Giveaway Hop
Host: I Am a Reader Not a Writer & Reading in Twilight
Prize: A .mobi or .epub copy of Me Vs. PTSD by Scott Moore
Form:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Follow:
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Eyrie Book Blast & Giveaway
Society of Feathers #2
Somewhere between falling and flying...you will find the truth.
The truth is being unveiled and Iris’ past is unlike anything she ever could have guessed. For Stryx, finding your missing half doesn’t always mean finding your mate. Iris has been missing a part of herself for so long that no one is sure she will be able to put the pieces back together and her ever reliable dreams may be forcing her astray. Coping with the death of someone she loved, she is forced to face the truth and break free from the lies that have caged her.
Excerpt
Iris lost herself in Falcon's arms, feeling the world drift away again as her lips melted against his stronger, larger ones. The warmth spreading through her body felt like electricity filling very part of her, pooling at the tips of her fingers where she touched his shoulders then traced along his arms. The tension that had worked its way up her back and through her own shoulders released as his hand brushed lightly down the length of her spine, sending sparks through every nerve.
"Please," she whispered softly, centimeters from his lips as they breathed in each other's warm breath. She felt herself lean towards him, this time not holding back as she moved his arm to her waist, making him wrap both arms around her fully. His secure hold on her was the only thing keeping her upright.
"Anything," he whispered into her ear a few moments later after she had caught her breath.
"Be the one beside me when I enter the masquerade. Be the one by my side when I change it all. I know I can do it on my own or with Nestor but...I don't want to. I want you both there with me,” Iris said.
The look on Falcon's face, the light in his eyes, showed her the joy he found in her invitation. "I was waiting for you to ask. Waiting for you to want to need me, even if you never will. It would be my pleasure, Izzy. I will always be there for you. Nothing could pull me away." He didn't say the words but they still hung silently between them, the knowledge that anyone who tried to pull him away from her would die trying. She knew she should be afraid, but somehow he was the only person she knew she could trust, the only one her heart was perfectly sure about, like a tether tied them together, connecting their lives.
"I do need you. Even if I don't, I still need you." She whispered and kissed him harder, forgetting the world outside their doors, ready to explore the man that the boy she had known had become. The man who felt like such a part of her now that she had accepted him. She didn't know what she’d do if she ever lost him. She had never felt a connection this powerful, this all consuming.
"I love you." He whispered, his eyes gazing into hers, their intensity only pulling her further into the joy of just being close to him, just letting herself forget the world she wanted so desperately to help, to change. "I want to do something for you."
"What is it?" Iris almost pulled back, not wanting to lose the moment between them but instead she leaned the side of her face against his chest so that she could hear his heart beating.
"I want to show you what it’s like to run without hesitation, without taking away the one part of running that makes it so magical̶the freedom. I want to show you that freedom." He bent and traced his fingers along the back of her legs. They buckled but he lifted her, taking it as an invitation.
She smiled and leaned against his chest. This time he wasn't carrying her because something was wrong. It was like when they were kids and he wanted to show her he was strong enough to support her, that he could be that person who would pick her up even if she hadn't fallen. He walked to the door and she turned the doorknob for him. They found Autumn in the hallway.
"Wanna go for a run?" Falcon asked Autumn, his voice a conspiratory whisper.
"Sure!" She said and smiled lightly when she realized what Falcon was planning. "Every girl should get to feel the aves inside of her come alive."
Iris smiled feeling like she had her team. They were the people she needed and wanted by her side. They were the ones who kept her human and kind, protecting her at all costs. Nestor was upstairs with Nathaniel preparing for his duties in their upcoming plans. The rest of her family was downstairs. As they jogged by, they passed Jarem on the way, heading up to meet Diana. "We’re going running, wanna come?" Falcon offered and Iris laughed.
"If you invite everyone we may as well all go." Iris giggled and smiled widely, looking forward to it, not caring who decided to come. Iris knew that no matter how people surrounded her and Falcon, somehow they were always alone. They were the only two people in on the secret. That was their unusual type of love. It would only grow with time and trust as long as it was never betrayed.
"Sure, why not." Jarem said and smiled. He opened the door to Diana's room and hollered, "We’re going running with Falcon, wanna come?"
"Absolutely!" They heard Diana yell back. She joined them even though she was wearing a short dress. Not bothering to change, she threw a pair of high-tops on with it.
As they jogged through the house David joined them, leaving the fort to Neal, Garah and Griffin so as not to disturb Nathaniel and Nestor. When they went out the door, Diana led them to the back of the house, going through the garden to a strange trail beyond it. "Is this the fairy trail?" Jarem asked. When Diana nodded, he smiled and looked at Iris. "It's perfect."
"Wooooo!" Diana shouted, crying out like a hawk soaring through the sky. Jarem and even Autumn joined in and Iris realized it was for her and Falcon, egging them on. Falcon set her on her feet and knelt down the way he once had to offer her a ride on his back. She blushed feeling like that same little girl for one beautiful moment, attaching herself to his back and holding onto him tightly.
The bird calls got louder and louder until Falcon got ready and whispered, "You ready?"
"Yes." She whispered next to his ear and then looked straight ahead realizing, she really did need him. Falcon knew what she needed even before she did. As he started running, she shifted her weight and realized, she fit so well against his back, like they had been molded for just this moment, for him to give her the freedom that her body robbed her of. Suddenly her grudges against her body for being made the way it was disappeared as the wind whipped her hair away from her face. She arched her back ever so slightly to get the full effect and to keep her weight manageable for Falcon as he ran faster and faster. Her heart felt like it was soaring for the very first time. There was nothing like it, the faster he went the more amazing it felt. All she could feel was the earth around her and the link to her aves.
She couldn't help but giggle with glee as she watched Diana pass them, holding her arms out at her sides like wings. The wind was pushing her arms behind her, and her face was lifted toward the sunlight shining through the trees. Jarem sped to catch up with her and they started to race each other, getting competitive each time one of them would pass the other.
Autumn was at Falcon’s side as she called out, "Oh come on, go for it. She'll love it!"
"Faster!" Iris squealed like a little kid, the sheer joy of movement giving her a rush she had never felt before. As she leaned her face against Falcon's, she could feel that he was smiling as he gained speed. He wrapped his arms behind her, entwining his fingers at her back like he was stretching as his position formed a brace for her. She leaned into it and as he went faster and faster. She slowly let go of his shoulders and held her arms out at her sides like Diana. The sun beat down on her face and arms. As she closed her eyes, she felt like she was flying, really and truly flying.
Author Emma MichaelsEmma Michaels is a multi-talented bookish girl. Not only is she the designer of beautiful covers, but she has many other accomplishments under her belt. She started book blogging in 2009 and was first published in 2010 (The Thirteenth Chime). She started The Writers Voice in 2011 as a way to help readers get to know authors on another level.
She moved to Washington at seventeen to be with the man that she loves, who asked her what she secretly wanted to be when she grew up. Naturally, she told him that she wanted to be an author, but at the time she thought "it was a pipe dream." He encouraged her to pursue her dreams and taught her that "sometimes reaching for the impossible can make a world of difference in your life." Now she is published and reaching well beyond what most people can imagine.
Book 1 is now 99 cents on Kindle!
Add Book 3 to your Goodreads list!
coming October 13, 2014
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Add Book 3 to your Goodreads list!
coming October 13, 2014
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Monday, July 1, 2013
Freedom to Read Giveaway Hop (USA & Canada)
Host: I Am a Reader Not a Writer & Bookhounds
Prize: World Book Night edition of City of Thieves by David Benioff
Form:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Follow:
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Hoppy Easter Giveaway Hop (US/Can)
Host: I Am a Reader Not a Writer & Read Now, Sleep Later
Prize: Used The Secret Saturdays Vol. 1: The Kur Stone
Form:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Follow:
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop (US/Can)
Host: I Am a Reader Not a Writer, Books Complete Me, & Author Cindy Thomas
Prize: Used ARC of Just One Wish by Janette Rallison
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Follow:
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Leap into Books Giveaway Hop
Host: I Am a Reader Not a Writer & Jinky Is Reading
Prize: Used ARC of Three Seconds by Anders Roslund & Borge Hellstrom
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Follow:
Monday, February 4, 2013
Follower Lover Giveaway Hop
Host: I Am a Reader Not a Writer & The Reader's Antidote
Prize: Used ARC of A Mind of Winter by Shira Nayman
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Follow:
Sunday, February 3, 2013
It's Game Time Somewhere Spotlight and Giveaway
Guest Post:
Cards on the table – yours truly is not quite right.
How else could you explain the fact that I spent a year of my life attending and writing about 100 uniquely different sporting events involving 50 separate sports? But that’s what I did, and literally thousands of readers helped me keep score. And when it was done, we all knew more about sports in America than it was thought to be humanly possible. Or at least I did, anyway.
“But why?” you ask. Well here’s my story and I’m sticking to it…
As Bill Cosby once said, I started out as a child. A child inexorably drawn to sports – the organized kind and especially the disorganized kind favored by my circle of friends. Consequently I grew up chasing a ball. It didn’t matter what size or shape, I chased them all. I was fortunate enough to have come of age in a time when kids themselves scheduled their own games and “officiated” them via the kid’s code of sports ethics – an arcane collection of arguments, declarations, and insults that inevitably led to the Do Over. Or somebody taking their ball and going home.
On those occasions when a quorum wasn’t available for even the most streamlined of games, I played them solo. Some might call it “practicing”, but I knew it as “having fun”. And as is the case with many things one repeats endlessly, I managed to develop some level of skill. So it came to be that I went to college on a basketball scholarship.
Annoyingly enough, they don’t let you just major in Basketball – well, not in 1977 anyway, and not in any conference that, like mine, did not start with the word “Big”. So I chose to pursue a degree in Psychology. Don’t ask me why. And when my undergraduate days ended, I decided to obtain an MBA, because, well…because.
The ironic thing was that neither Psychology nor Business Administration would have even been in the race had Sports Management been an academic option. Ubiquitous now, at the time that I entered college there was no such degree program. And so, a career match made in heaven went by the boards…for the time being, anyway.
In my mid-30’s, having acquired over a decade of experience in Corporate America, I became vaguely aware of the fact that people were getting paid to work in sports! Having thus discovered the existence of what was rightfully MY chosen field of work, I spent the next several years alternating between a state of agitation over having been born a decade too early, and thoughtful rumination on how I could still pull off a second half rally and transition to my natural calling.
At the age of 40, the confluence of a certain set of circumstances, not the least of which is the most understanding wife in the cosmos, enabled me to take the plunge. I enrolled in an accredited four semester program that rewarded me upon completion with an Associate’s Degree in Professional Golf Management. I was on my way – a little late out of the gate, but with a full head of steam and ready to use my transferrable skills to claw my way to the top of the sports business.
Nearly a decade later, having come to know quite well the good, the bad and the ugly about pursuing a second career within the sports industry, I was innocently confronted one day with the following question: ”After working in the industry for ten years, do you still love sports?”
Hmmmm…great question. One I honestly didn’t have an answer for. As you can imagine though, it became critically important for me to find one. And thus began germinating the idea of a “sports walkabout” – an effort to reconnect with my ball-chasing, sports-loving roots.
I went to a game. And then another. And another. Big games, little games. Tournaments, matches, meets and bouts. Men’s games, women’s games. Professional. Amateur. High School. College. Games that I was intimately familiar with. Games that I didn’t have the faintest idea as to their rules.
To those that virtually accompanied me I offered to share everything that I found – both positive and…not so positive. I promised to keep it light-hearted, and they in turn agreed to laugh, learn and share the link with others. This blog, this portrait of Americans at play, became a love letter to sports, warts and all. My friends at Google Analytics tell me that it has been read by thousands of people all over the world.
I hope it brings a smile of pleasure and recognition to your face as well. Because it’s always game time somewhere.
To read more of my stories, please visit:
http://itsgametimesomewhere.com/the-igts-tour/the-stories/
It's Game Time Somewhere Book Summary:
Tim Forbes was like many Americans: painfully unsatisfied in his corporate job but making too much money to walk away. But then, one momentous day, he and his wife struck the Deal, leading to a career in the one field he loved more than anything: sports.Years later, having carved out his place in the sports business, he was surprised when a friend asked, "Do you still love sports?"...And stunned when he didn't know how to reply. Of course he still loved sports! Didn't he? Was it possible that walking away from a perk-filled Corporate American life had all been for nothing?
His year-long quest to find that answer started with a single game. But what he discovered there soon led to an unlikely coast-to-coast “sports walkabout” involving 100 more games and 50 different sports—from major-market events to the smallest of the small. Poignant, irreverent, and ultimately inspiring, It’s Game Time Somewhere chronicles one man’s search for the love of the game.
YouTube Tim Forbes video interview HTML embed code:
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="169" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/IyKX7cDLirU" width="300"></iframe>
YouTube video book trailer HTML embed code:
Alternately blessed and cursed by the notion that everyone should do what they love for a living, Tim Forbes creates and writes about the games that people play.Tim grew up in the farmlands of northern Connecticut, and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from Ithaca College—where he played Division III basketball in front of literally tens of people. He received an MBA from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and an Associate’s Degree at the Professional Golfers Career College in Temecula, CA. Yes, in that order.
After 15 years spent meandering about in Corporate America, Tim went on to work for three professional golf tours: the Symetra Futures Tour, the LPGA Tour, and the PGA Tour. He also served as general manager for golf clubs in Nashville, Tennessee and Orlando, Florida. In 2009, he founded Outside the Mode, a sports marketing and production company based in his adopted home of Los Angeles.
Tim lives in Redondo Beach, California with a perennially underachieving fish named Halo, a cat, and a wife he fondly calls Bird.
Format/Price: $15.95 paperback
Pages: 304
ISBN: 9781938008122
Publisher: Bascom Hill
Release: February 12, 2013
Barnes and Noble buy link ($15.95):
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/its-game-time-somewhere-tim-forbes/1113793386?ean=9781938008122
MyBookOrders.com buy link ($15.95):
https://secure.mybookorders.com/Orderpage/945
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop
Host: I Am a Reader Not a Writer & Martha's Bookshelf
Prize: ARCs of R. Crumb: The Complete Record Cover Collection & Drawn Together by Aline & R. Crumb
Form:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Follow:
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Scam Factory Spotlight and Giveaway
Guest Post:
SCAM FACTORY started out as a dream I had about a job interview with a high-end consulting firm. I initially thought that my dream would make a great movie, but I decided to write a book instead. As I began to develop the plot and storylines I realized I could tie it all in with, past and current, real life events in the U.S. from 2001-2009. It was also relatively easy to combine some of my business experience, and people I have run across over the years, into this story. I grew up in Las Vegas and lived there for about thirty-five years so knowing about Scams, or coming up with my own for this book, wasn’t so hard. The TRUE events that led to the U.S. financial crash, mass business failures, and declines in property values in late 2007 were nothing but ammunition for this novel.
SCAM FACTORY is
not a story about the guy in the white cowboy hat saving the town and riding
off into the sunset. It is fiction based on reality with a ‘true to life’
outcome. The characters in this story get away with White-Collar crimes just as
the real life participants did. The characters are sadistic and have a knack of
getting away with almost everything, just like the in real world. It is as
simple as that. One of the messages I wanted to convey in writing this story
was to show what kinds of professionals were out there exploiting our
businesses and citizens without legal retribution. The characters are mostly cold,
calculating, and narcissistic.
I figured that using a first person narrative was the best
way to tell the story. There are many subjects involved in this story so I
divided SCAM FACTORY into four parts
to further make it easier to read and understand. Loyalties are lost and
revenge is certainly in the plot, but figuring out how to write about it was
the key to the story. There is no mention of any existing, or real life,
companies-only industries and fictional business entities. Another challenge
was making the fictional writing seem realistic. Several of the initial book reviewers
were asking if some of the events in the story actually took place. The answer
is probably yes, except that only a hand full of people knows how those events
really took place.
The consulting firm in (TierGroup) in this story, that
represents the seventeen major industries, is politically neutral. The idea is
that if your money is green then TierGroup, and its clients, do not really care
what your political affiliation is. This is also very relevant in the real
world, but it seems to be changing for the worst. Although SCAM FACTORY contains many dark sides, it strongly reflects a
‘behind the closed door’ characterization of the reality we have faced over the
last six years. The lessons we are still learning as a country are obvious and
it may take many more years to recover. Control, perception, manipulation, and
greed are still the number one driving forces in the business world today, but
on the other hand, there are always two sides to a coin. Only time will tell.
Enjoy SCAM FACTORY
and become a fan on Facebook.
Interview:
Please tell us about
your current release.
SCAM FACTORY is a
modern day White-Collar Crime Novel that begins in 2001 and continues into
2009. The 4-part story tells about the events that led to the U. S. Financial
Crash that started in late 2007. The
story’s main character, Michael Crayter, begins a new career, in mid-life, with
an ultra-private Washington D.C. Consulting Firm. The Consulting Firm
(TierGroup) represents seventeen of the worlds’ largest and most powerful
industries who are making tremendous financial gains with no end in sight. SCAM FACTORY is also a story that takes
its reader to Iraq, New Orleans, the Caribbean, and other major US cities. I
believe I have described the story well in the Back Cover Copy and Prologue.
Can you tell us about
the journey that led you to write your book?
The journey for writing SCAM
FACTORY started with a dream I had one night about interviewing for an
executive position at a major Consulting Firm. I landed the job in my dream,
but after I woke up, I still had no idea what they did. I thought to myself: That
was not a legitimate company, it was a Scam Factory. Then I further thought to
myself that it might make an interesting book or even a movie. The war in Iraq,
Hurricane Katrina, and the U.S. financial crash, which all occurred within the
last 12 years, were also a perfect fit for this story.
Can you tell us about
the story behind your book cover?
I designed and created the book cover with help of an
associate. The title says it all: SCAM
FACTORY. There is a silhouette of
Washington D.C. in the background on the bottom of the cover, with the
Washington Monument broadly standing out almost like a smoke stack from a
factory, and sub tittles give the reader added information about the story. The
font colors are also mean to stand out. I may add a light watermark of
hurricane Katrina in the background later.
What book on the
market does yours compare to? How is your book different?
That is a very good question. I had to do some research on
this since SCAM FACTORY is a work of
fiction. I only found one white-collar fiction book being
sold today to compare it to: “RUDIGER” by David Lender. It had
some of the same types of crimes committed in parts of my book. Several modern
Nonfiction books, currently on the market, also include many of the same types
of crimes that I wrote about. I didn’t have much luck, but it could be that I
don’t know where to look. Maybe someone
out there will find other comparable books and share them with us.
What would you say is
your most interesting writing quirk?
Over all I can say that writing SCAM FACTORY is the biggest quirk because I only type with two
fingers! I was not using the ‘Tab’ key where needed and hit the ‘Hard Return’
key too often, which made more than double the work for editing and formatting.
This is my first novel and I am almost surprised that I was able to accomplish the
challenging task of writing it.
Open your book to a
random page and tell us what’s happening.
SCAM FACTORY -PART
3- Chapter 20 –Failure Is An Option:
During a private meeting with the three largest U.S. bank
owners Michael Crayter (the CEO of TierGroup) speaks privately with Henry
Strassburger (the secret owner of 100 independent banks) against the strong
advice of his legal team. Michael knows that now is the time to take advantage
of a very lucrative opportunity, find cracks in the system, and manipulate
Strassburger. Their ‘mutual’ goal is to keep Strassburgers interest in the 100 independent
banks a secret while acquiring the TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program) funding
from the US Treasury Department. The amount Strassburgers’ banks need is about
$125 million for each bank (or $12.5 billion total). Michael Crayter does not
trust Strassburger at all. He senses Strassburger is hiding the 100 banks loses
and making false statements about their true financial condition to the
government. What Henry Strassburger does not realize is that Michael Crayter
does not intend to help him keep the banks from taking major loses or closing…
Do you plan any
subsequent books?
I am not sure about that right now. I have two or three
other fictional book ideas in mind, but want to see how this one goes. I have
been told that SCAM FACTORY would
make a great movie, so a movie script may be in the works in the near future.
Tell us what you’re
reading at the moment and what you think of it.
I am not an avid reader, but I am always interested in new
documentaries, news, and events that help me stay connected to current events.
I watch programs on public television, cable and learning channels, and other
major media outlets. I am usually going over Business and Real Estate opportunities
being offered by others. Sometimes I am doing the actual business planning,
modeling, and research for others, which requires a ton of evaluation, writing,
and revisions.
G. Gordon Dean is a Real Estate agent and Business Consultant currently living in Arizona. He has been a media buff for over two decades. As a media buff he has kept himself well aware of past and current events in business, government, and politics. He lived in Las Vegas, Nevada for over 30 years. This is his first novel.Sunday, December 30, 2012
2nd Blogoversary!
Reading Challenge has been around for 2 years! So that means, it's giveaway time! There will be 1 winner, and that winner will get a book of choice $11 or under from The Book Depository. The only rule is TBD must ship free to your country. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Midwinter's Eve Giveaway Hop
Hop: Midwinter's Eve
Host: I Am a Reader Not a Writer & Oasis for YA
Prize: eBook of Angel Diaries Volume One by Larissa Hinton (gifted through Kindle, Kobo, or Nook)
Form:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Follow:
Host: I Am a Reader Not a Writer & Oasis for YA
Prize: eBook of Angel Diaries Volume One by Larissa Hinton (gifted through Kindle, Kobo, or Nook)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Follow:
Friday, December 7, 2012
The Devil's Garden Spotlight and Giveaway
Guest Post:
The fog of war is a place where confusion rules, innocence
dies and demons are born. Sometimes these demons come back to haunt a man and
other times they simply come back to kill him. Few men would welcome the fight,
which is to say, a proud and terrible few. The
Devil’s Garden twists a Recon Marine’s worst nightmare into a deadly
reality.
There is a saying in Recon: There is no life after Force.
The lack of adrenaline and ensuing boredom will kill a warrior’s spirit.
However, former Recon Marine Brandon Colson has a different kind of death to
fear. After years spent in remote deserts and jungles on the other side of the
planet dreaming of a quiet, civilian, family life, he finally has it. The
problem is he has a large price on his head that even his family doesn’t know
about: He is wanted by terrorists he worked to bring down. With revenge in their hearts and murder on
their minds, Colson’s enemies plan to revisit his sins
upon him, his wife and his children. When a heavily armed squad of assassins
arrives at his home in the middle of the night, he quickly dispatches the men,
but knows the identity he buried deep in his past is no longer a secret. With
his family in hiding, he makes it his personal mission to eliminate the threat
to his family and reclaim the life he’s made.
The Devil’s Garden captures the irreconcilable
thoughts and trepidation of a military man turned family man who must now fight
to protect his family. As Colson’s crucial mission leads him to the Devil’s
Garden of Florida, a forgotten wasteland of swamps, collapsed shacks, and lost
souls, he finds that the midnight attack on his home was simply an omen of what
is to come. With his fate in the balance until the last second, Colson must
navigate a trail littered with bloodshed and revenge.
Interview:
Please tell us about your current release.
My book is titled The Devil’s Garden. It will be available
on Veteran’s Day, November 11, which is appropriate because the book is
dedicated to the veterans of The War on Terror. The story is centered on two
main characters who are military veterans, both of whom participated in such
military campaigns.
The first is Brandon Colson, who is from the wilds of
Kentucky and served as a Recon Marine. The other is Sam Collier who is from
Atlanta, served in the Army’s Military Police in Iraq, and then later became a
detective. The two men’s paths cross unexpectedly when heavily armed Muslim
terrorists from Colson’s past come back to pay him a visit in the dead of the
night. Following the aftermath at his residence, and subsequently at the local
airport, Colson finds himself being interrogated by Collier while the
authorities are trying to sort out and understand the night’s events. The
problem is Colson isn’t talking because the event is directly connected to his
past service.
Due to the circumstances, the two men are diametrically
opposed at first. In fact, they don’t even like each other. Colson soon decides
Detective Collier takes too much pleasure with interrogating prisoners and
Collier quickly decides he doesn’t like Colson’s cocky, uncooperative attitude.
Of course, Collier comes to the realization that if a man is going to swim with
sharks, run with lions, or fight with those special forces Recon types, then
they are going to have to possess a certain kind of confident swagger about
them. On the other hand, it is only after Colson discovers the detective is an
Iraqi War veteran that he begins to appreciate Collier’s potential as an ally.
With the stage set, the two combat veterans quickly find themselves joined at
the hip and fighting for their lives.
Can you tell us about the journey that led you to write
your book?
I suppose the journey started when I was 17 years old and
looking to join the military. I knew I wanted to serve in a specialized warfare
unit like the Army Special Forces or the Navy Seals. So I did some research and
talked to the recruiters. That was when I discovered the Marine Corps had this
unit called “Reconnaissance.” To make a long story short, the Navy and the Army
guaranteed me a spot in whatever specialized unit I wanted and offered me a
hefty enlistment bonus. The Marines, on the other hand, guaranteed me nothing
and I guess they decided to keep the bonus money. They only guaranteed that I
would first have to prove myself against all the other Marines before I could
even have a chance to try to become a Recon Marine. These words did little more
than wave a red flag at a bull and dare it to charge. The Marines have a unique
way of taking a young man’s pride and turning it into a work of art. Of course,
I must admit not all art is pretty or pleasing.
So I went, I made it into Recon, I served and got out. After
that it was the typical college, career, family scenario. Then a few years ago,
a Department of Veterans Affairs laptop was stolen. It contained the names,
addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth and social security numbers of every
veteran who served this country since the Vietnam conflict. The “missing”
laptop was not recovered until about a month later, which was an eternity for
someone to copy the information and sell it. There is a market for such
information. In fact, according to the news it is not uncommon for some
military personnel to sell their identification cards to people off base in
order to get some extra cash. Of course, most do so not knowing to what end
their identification cards will be used. Although common sense would dictate
that nothing good could come of it, there are still those who do it anyway even
though the military has harsh penalties for such conduct.
Considering these events and weighing them against the fact
that there are those in the military services whose identities are protected —
and they are protected for good reasons — the potential for disaster becomes
painfully apparent. Combine all of this with one slightly paranoid, socially
gruff, former Recon Marine and the story almost wrote itself.
Can you tell us about the story behind your book cover?
The Devil’s Garden is not just the title of the book. It is
also an actual place in the wilderness of south-central Florida. It is a large
geographic area with an old name that no longer appears on any modern maps. For
the book’s cover I tried to visualize what kind of garden the Devil would keep.
Instead of the Devil tending a field of crops, I see him fanning a field of
flames and watching in delight as they grow toward the sky. Hence, the book’s
cover is a field of flames reaching upward for its title.
What approaches have you taken to marketing your book?
The book’s website is at www.thedevilsgarden.us . There you can
read excerpts and order it directly from me. The book
will also be available through online retailers and bookstores. We are sending
out press releases and setting up book signing events. We are also using social
networking as well as my own personal network of friends who are either still
in the military or are veterans of the military services.
What book on the market does yours compare to? How is
your book different?
The book could be compared on many levels to any popular
action-packed mystery thriller that involves a highly-trained military
operative or agent who is pitted against a powerful enemy. However, I wanted to
introduce a hero unlike any other, who is much more simple and yet, much more
complex at the same time. I wanted him to be exceedingly more colorful,
realistic and human. As such, Colson is a man of many faults, with a unique
flair that is only amplified by his intelligence and the confidence that is
required to obtain the title of United States Marine. He is impulsive,
compulsive, and confrontational and yet has the capacity to be loyal, loving,
gentle and kind. Moreover, I believe the most significant defining difference
is Colson’s pure, unadulterated killer instinct which is only balanced by his
unwavering faith.
What would you say is your most interesting writing
quirk?
I cure writer’s block by target practicing with my knives. I
can spend hours throwing them. Focusing on the target helps focus my thoughts.
Not to mention the fact that it is both fun and effective.
Open your book to a random page and tell us what’s
happening.
Page 151. Colson and Collier are patrolling through a
forested area to the location where two fugitive Palestinian terrorists are
hiding out. Colson is advising his new “hunting buddy” as to the dangers of the
Floridian woods and wetlands such as the native predatory animals, poisonous
snakes and spiders, as well as the dangers associated with booby traps when
infiltrating a bomb maker’s lair. Needless to say, this is a matter of great
concern to Collier who quickly decides he would have been better off not
knowing.
Do you plan any subsequent books?
Yes. I do have a sequel in the works. In rough draft form,
it is about a third of the way done.
Tell us what you’re reading at the moment and what you
think of it.
I am nearly finished reading Biblica, which is a social and historical treatise on the many
lands and cultures of the Bible. It is a wonderful and detailed work which only
fuels my desire to take my family on a tour of the ancient world from Rome to
Constantinople to Jerusalem to Cairo. I’d like my family to experience the
lands of the exodus, the lands of promise, and the Kingdom of David, the paths
of the Apostles John, Peter and Paul, but most importantly, to see where Jesus
journeyed, preached, suffered, died and arose again into glory.
Brady Christianson's Web Site:
http://www.thedevilsgarden.us/
Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-Books-Blog-Tours/242431245775186
The Devil's Garden blog tour site:
http://the-devils-garden.blogspot.com/The Devil's Garden Book Summary:
http://www.thedevilsgarden.us/
Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-Books-Blog-Tours/242431245775186
The Devil's Garden blog tour site:
http://the-devils-garden.blogspot.com/The Devil's Garden Book Summary:
A Marine’s past is never far behind him, but sometimes it’s a lot closer than he thinks . . .After years of enjoying the soft, quiet, civilian, family life, former Recon Marine Brandon Colson still has a large price on his head…only his family doesn’t know it. That is, until a heavily armed squad of terrorists breaks into his house and tries to kill him and his family.
After swiftly dispatching the would-be assassins, Colson realizes the ghosts from his past have somehow managed to come back to haunt him. His worst nightmare has come true. His identity—a secret until now—has been mysteriously compromised. Something he did years ago, while on a recon mission during his tour of service, has kept anger burning in the hearts of powerful Arab adversaries. And the men who attacked his house are simply an omen of what is to come.
With his family in hiding, Colson and local detective Sam Collier set out to locate and neutralize the remainder of the terrorist cell. It’s a race against time, and the plot they uncover along the way defies all expectation.
Their fates in the balance until the last second, the two men must fight for their lives as they navigate a trail littered with bloodshed and revenge that leads straight to hell on earth: The Devil’s Garden.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Monday, December 3, 2012
Book Lover's Holiday Giveaway Hop
Host: I Am a Reader Not a Writer & Chapter by Chapter
Prize: Surprise Box of 3 used MG ARCs
Form:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Follow the Hop:
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Gilded Wings Spotlight & Giveaway
Read Along:
Anya smiled at the stranger who was sipping coffee from his steaming mug. “Yes, he is very hungry. We’ve only just arrived.”
“Hard trip, I s’pose?”
“Very,” Anya replied between bites. Her head finally began to clear and her nerves began to calm, as she reveled in the long forgotten beauty of a full stomach.
“Did you make it through?”
“Yes,” Anya whispered. “Just barely.”
Looking over his shoulder, the man stared out the window at the Lady in the harbor. His eyes glazed over as unspoken memories seemed to cloud his brain.
“And you?” Anya spoke loudly, trying to get the man’s attention away from his obviously depressing thoughts.
Turning back to her, he stuck out his hand and smiled. “Name’s Joe. And I did make it through, in a way. Have to sit it out here for a while longer, is all. Brought a couple of illnesses off the boat with me.”
Anya glanced at his forehead quickly, wondering what chalk marks had been erased.
Joe laughed. “Not to worry—it was nothing bad. My family will be coming to get me on Thursday.”
“Oh,” Anya sighed with relief. Turning back to her meal, she handed Gregori a napkin to wipe the milk from his lips. “I’m glad. No one deserves to stay here.”
Guest Post:
Forever…?
There are two very difficult
issues for a writer when it comes to creating a series. One: You want to make
the next book even better than the first. Two: You don’t ever want to stop. Of
course with number one, you can only try your best. It’s a fact that when you
look at any book series, each and every reader has their own particular
favorite; whether it be book one or book six - it is a personal choice.
When it comes to issue number
two, the basic thing to learn is that…you have to. Characters can’t (and
shouldn’t) go on forever. Eventually their adventures have to end, their
mission has to be realized, their romance has to be chosen, etc. Now, I’m not
speaking about characters that appear in ‘single story’ books, such as Sherlock
Holmes. He can go on for all time if he wants to, with a new mystery and a new
villain each and every time. But a series, a trilogy that follows the
characters through various aspects of their lives where one adventure has a
bearing on the next, eventually has to come to an end.
The word ‘forever’ is a big
word. It’s a monumental word, actually, when it comes to books. The writer
wants the books to last in the reader’s mind forever, but they - as the writer
- need to move on as well and walk through other doors that have opened inside
their minds. Basically, they have to say goodbye to a beloved character which
is a lot like burying a loved one.
Gilded Wings marks the second journey of Matthew and Emily - a
journey that was thrilling for me to take because of the twists and turns that
appeared out of nowhere, and the very cool location they were a part of this
time around. As Matthew and Emily’s creator, I’m actually honored to watch them
grow up, change, and have to make choices that would be extremely difficult for
anyone to make - even adults, by the way.
When it comes to the literary
world, the word ‘forever’ has been used in a great many titles that have
touched the hearts of readers. For this writer,
Forever by Judy Blume - a truly controversial book when it arrived
on the seen - is the one I remember the most. Whereas the word ‘forever’ is
usually used nowadays when speaking about demons that will never die, Blume
used it to introduce the subject of teenage sexuality which had her novel
become a target of censorship and one of the most challenged books of its time.
Her words seem tame in this day and age, but I’m quite sure that Blume thinks
about that book and is extremely proud of the story she wrote.
Forever may appear at the end of Emily and Matthew’s journey,
but whatever the title, cover art, or plot may be - my mornings and evenings
with them while having a cup of coffee, will be sorely missed. And although
there’s only one more tale to tell on paper, for me, Matthew and Emily will
most definitely live on forever…inside my mind.
Until Next Time, Everybody,
Amy
Giveaway:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)