Thursday, October 31, 2013

Book Review: No Shelter From Darkness by Mark D. Evans ( Book Tour & Giveaway)

By  at 4:30 AM  , , ,  1 comment
No Shelter From Darkness
The Cruentus Saga
Book One
Mark D. Evans

Genre: Paranormal, Horror

Publisher: Booktrope

ISBN: 978-1620151396
ASIN: B00D5C9IJ4

Number of pages: 304

Cover Artist: Greg Simanson

Book Description:

“Her hands began to shake as she looked down wide-eyed at the blood-soaked cotton that covered her.”

London emerges from the Blitz, and every corner of the city bears the scars. In the East End—a corner fairing worse than most—thirteen year-old Beth Wade endures this new way of life with her adoptive family. She also suffers the prejudice against her appearance, an abiding loneliness and now the trials of adolescence. But with this new burden comes a persisting fatigue and an unquenchable thirst that ultimately steals her into unconsciousness . . .

What happens next is the start of something Beth will fear more than the war itself. She begins to change in ways that can’t be explained by her coming-of-age, none more frightening than her need to consume blood. The family who took her in and the former best friend who’s taken refuge in their house can never know. Aware of the danger she poses to everyone around her, Beth has never felt more alone. But someone else knows Beth’s secret . . . someone who understands just how different she really is. He alone can decrypt her past and explain her future. But he’s been sworn to destroy her kind, and as Beth grows ever more dangerous, he’s forced to take sides.

Can Beth keep all of the secrets? Can she trust a man sworn to kill her? And can she stop the vampire within from taking her humanity?




War is a horrible thing. What if you had something more to fear beyond the War itself? I couldn't even imagine facing what Beth had to face. This book was so much more than I expected, and I know that I keep saying it, but every time I dive into a historical read, I go in thinking I'm not going to like it, and am continually surprised that I do!

No Shelter From Darkness is one of these reads! I loved it! This story is so well written that you have no choice but to be sucked in. The characters are fantastically developed and you feel a connection to Beth immediately. 

Craving blood? Could you even imagine if this happened to you? You've known nothing except disappointment, secrets and now, things begin to happen to you that you can't even begin to fathom. You'll see what I mean in a second.

 The details to the story and characters is just mind blowing, and I can't wait for the next book to see where it's going to go.

I was ultimately surprised by this read and the author's writing is fantastic! I'm thrilled to have been introduced to Mark and will definitely be adding him to my "Authors To Watch" list.





Check Out This Short Excerpt:

Beth breathed furiously. She was exhausted, but the air she breathed had a new scent to it. It stopped her short. Her insides jumped in excitement at the rusty metallic scent. Her jaw twitched and her body flinched. She spun her head around, toward the aroma. Oliver had felt his way back to the uneven wall and leant against it cradling his arm. He sobbed and whimpered, while looking aimlessly at it. Beth could see what he couldn’t: a jagged edge of bone poking out from his forearm. He was slightly sheltered under the broken floorboards above him, and the rain wasn’t washing away the blood that now oozed freely. Beth didn’t need to see everything. She could smell it.
Beautiful, delicious, unparalleled and unbeatable human blood.
Her head tipped forward. Her nose flared involuntarily and her lips snarled into a sadistic smile. She felt the four pointed canines being pushed out; unsheathed. The tip of her tongue curled under one of the two fangs that slid down. Her heart deafened the rain and the approaching bombers. Almost subconsciously, she lowered herself into a half-crouch, ready to pounce, and though her nails were trimmed short, her fingers curled into claws. She couldn’t even feel the hole in her palm any more. She felt nothing at all except raging bloodlust. Her brother leant there sobbing, oblivious to the bloodthirsty creature no more than a yard away that wanted nothing more than to cover everything with his precious life force. To swim in his blood.
Beth could almost taste it.






About the Author:


MARK D. EVANS was born near London, England. He graduated university with a degree in something not even remotely connected with writing and went on to become a successful consultant. Then he threw it all away to chase his dream of being an author, via a considerable amount of travelling. Today, his life largely resembles that of a nomad, and he can currently be found typing away in a tiny flat in north London, sustained by coffee.

He is the author of two short stories, one of which made it into a Kindle Top Ten.

His latest work is his debut novel, No Shelter from Darkness, which is the first book in his series, The Cruentus Saga.

Visit Mark online:





Twitter: @TheMarkDEvan








Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Someone Has Taken My Place by David Snow (Book Tour & Giveaway)

By  at 4:00 AM  , , , , , , ,  1 comment
David-Snow-Long


Someone Has Taken My Place
by David Snow


About The Author

David Snow 1David Snow has been working in the private security and financial investigation arena since 1989. He was one of the first graduates and members of the Institute of Irish Investigators. He obtained the "youngest student award" from the Institute in 1989. In 2013 he was awarded Investigator of the Year by the Europe Middle East and African chapter of the International Association of Financial Crime Investigators. He was also presented with the International Investigator of the Year Award in Denver Colorado by IAFCI – North America and donated his winnings to the Wounded Warrior Project, which supports American troops injured at war.

He was initially employed by Sleator Carroll Investigators and then Pinkerton Security & Investigations. Pinkerton is the world’s oldest and largest Private Detective and Security agency with operations on every continent. He joined Pinkerton in 1993 and became the General Manager of the Irish operation in 1996, leaving in 2001 to pursue a career within insurance fraud investigation.

Today he is employed as the Head of Special Investigations for the Irish operation of a multi-national insurance company. He is a member of the International Association of Special Investigation Units (IASIU), the International Association of Financial Crime Investigators (IAFCI), the Association of Irish Risk Management (AIRM) and was one of the first Europeans to obtain the Certified Insurance Fraud Investigator (CIFI) from North America. He has lectured on identity theft and financial crime in Ireland, North America and Europe. He is also a member of the Irish charity A Little Lifetime Foundation, formally known as ISANDS, obtaining an award in 2012 for his efforts in the prevention of the identity theft of dead Irish baby’s.

He lives in Dublin, Ireland with his wife and two children Olivia and Sarah.

Website - www.davidsnow.ie  


About The Book

Genre - True Crime (Based on a true Story)
A Financial Thriller / Fraud and Identity theft – International Investigation
Publisher – Createspace
Release Date – March 2013
Buy - Amazon


Someone Has Taken My Place CoverBook Description:

Inspired by a true story and written by the real Irish Investigator who won the acclaimed award of Financial Investigator of the Year EMEA 2013 and International Investigator of the Year – IAFCI North America “for the true case, in which the book is based.” Someone has taken my place is an epic account of the identity theft of Irish babies who died in the 1970’s. Irish Fraud Investigator Andrew Stone is on the trail of the serial fraudster known in Ireland as the Texan. The fraudster is inventive and elusive as he evilly masquerades in the identities of dead babies for fraudulent gain. Stone is obsessed with obtaining justice for the vulnerable Irish parents whose babies identities have been taken by the American professional conman. Follow his personal international chase across Ireland, Europe and the United States of America as, with the help of the FBI, former KGB Agents, the United States Secret Service, Interpol and the Irish police, Stone pieces together the international conman’s tortuous spider’s web of illegal aliases and criminal intent.    


Praise for Someone Has Taken My Place:

  It reads, when you think of it like something out of a Hollywood Movie” Ryan Tubrity, RTE

Ireland, The Late Late Show "A thinking man's thriller, crime in the modern era.” Amazon Review

 “Extremely interesting book that shines a bright light on identity theft." Amazon Review "Brilliantly
written by David Snow! I could not put this book down. Gripping and well worth the read! Very well
done, and a highly recommended book!” Former FBI Agent

"This book is an excellent mystery ...non-stop ride through the ruthless world of identity theft ...smart and emotional novel." Irish Police Detective

Excerpt:

What's Underneath the Water....
One of the names that Cochran had used to make claims against Irish insurance companies was John Martin. Snow checked with the Births/Deaths and Marriages office in Dublin for this name, and was told that John Martin was born in 1976 and had died shortly after. Snow immediately referred the case to the Irish Police speciality fraud unit, the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation, and was able to present the police authorities with a comprehensive file.
Further investigation revealed that Cochran had obtained multiple Irish passports using the identities of deceased infants. Insurance policies had been issued to these names, followed by personal injury insurance claims. Cochran also had opened bank accounts, set up email addresses, and was using mobile phones in the names of these various stolen identities.
A Happy Ending
As a result of the investigation, Cochran was arrested at the Dublin airport in January 2011 while attempting to board a flight to Poland. When arrested, he was in possession of a child's death certificate and a completed official Irish passport application form. Cochran was convicted of these offences and is serving a prison sentence of four years.
Snow expressed his thanks to all involved. "Following his arrest and conviction, Jeremy Cochran is currently serving his sentence in an Irish prison. This was thanks to the efforts and cooperation of the SIU teams, the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation, the Irish Passport Office, International Association of Special Investigation Units, the district attorney's office in Durant, Okla., the sheriff 's department in Texas, the Durango Police Department and others."
Snow also gave a special thanks to the Irish charity "A Little Lifetime" (www.alittlelifetime.ie), which provided support to the bereaved parents of the infants, whose identities were misused by Cochran.
Epilogue
In May 2012, the charity "A Little Lifetime," took the opportunity of providing Snow and two detectives from the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation with an award for their efforts in the "detection and prevention of past Irish babies being used for identity theft and insurance fraud."
In April 2013 David Snow, will be presented with the Financial Investigator of the Year Award 2013 in Cyprus, by the International Association of Financial Crime Investigators EMEA (www.iafci.org)

David has since written a book, “Someone has taken my place” which is a novel based on the case and is available at www.davidsnow.ie or Amazon. A percentage of the sale of the book is being passed to the Irish charity A Little Lifetime. 



  David-Snow-Long    

Follow The Tour Here





Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Journey To Jazzland by Gia Volterra de Saulnier (Children's Book Tour & Giveaway)

By  at 8:29 AM  , , , , , , , ,  1 comment


About The Author:

Born and raised in Fairhaven, Massachusetts and attended University of Lowell (now University of Massachusetts, Lowell). It was there that I learned to love jazz. I have been performing jazz and other kinds of music for over 20 years, throughout the New England area. I live in North Reading, Massachusetts with my husband Richard, and my son Charlie.












Genre: Children's Book
Publisher: Flying Turtle Publishing
Release Date: July 1, 2013

Book Description:

Join Windy Flute, Spitz Trumpet and their friends as they travel to a legendary place where music is joyous, creative and free.










Excerpt:

One day during an orchestra rehearsal, Windy Flute was playing a piece of music and her mind started to wander. Over and over, she had practiced this piece and played this piece. Feeling bored, she felt that she wanted to be a little different.
Then something special happened. She began to hear notes that weren’t on the page of sheet music on her stand! When she started playing what she heard, Windy realized these new notes made her feel better. The harmonies and the melodies were the same, but the music moved differently. Before she could figure things out, she was interrupted by a stern voice.
“Excuse me, Ms. Flute, do you mind playing with the rest of us? Where do you think you are — Jazzland?” said Mr. Conductor, scowling down at her.
After the rehearsal, Mr. Conductor gave Windy a severe look and stomped off the stage.
Windy turned to her friends in the woodwind section. “What’s Jazzland?” she asked. She was still thinking about the good feelings she got from playing different notes.
“It’s a myth,” said Mr. Bassoon.
“That’s right,” said Mr. Oboe, “It’s a legend. It doesn’t really exist.”
            “I think it exists,” said Spitz Trumpet.










Tuesday, October 22, 2013

The Return by Melissa Douhit (Author Interview & #Giveaway)

By  at 4:30 AM  , , , , , ,  2 comments


About Melissa Douhit:
Melissa Douthit grew up in North County of San Diego, California. After graduating with a Computer Science degree in Southern California, and working for a summer at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in New Mexico, she moved to the Bay Area to work at NASA Ames Research Center for a year and then at Lawrence Livermore National Lab for another four years. From there, she moved to Monterey, California, to work at the Naval Postgraduate School on a government project for two years.
She currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, working as a software engineer. Since high school, she has been a voracious reader of books of all genres, with an emphasis in fantasy and science fiction. Her literary work is strongly influenced by her professional experience and includes many elements of her scientific background. You can find out more about Melissa on her website: http://melissadouthit.com
Interview:

Welcome to BK Walker Books Etc. I'm so happy you could join me today at your home. Melissa is offering you a chance to win an ecopy of her book (comment), PLUS she's giving you a chance to win an extra special giveaway for an ereader and gift card (rafflecopter below). 



BK: Looking out the nearest window, describe the scene you see.
Snowcapped peaks of the Wasatch mountains against a cloudless Utah sky.

BK: Tell us about your office. Is it a mess like mine, or is everything in its place?
Don’t really have an office. My favorite spot to write is at the living room table, right next to the fire, with Copper, my Coonhound, curled up under the table. He keeps my feet warm while I write.

BK: What is a must-have, such as coffee or a favorite pen, that you need to write?
My Macbook and a cup of tea with honey. And Copper. :)

BK: Do you like to write in silence, or do you need music or background noise?
I write in silence. I envision my scenes while listening to music.

BK: Tell us a bit about your hero/heroine, and their development.
In book one, Chalice, the main character, finds out who she is and about her world and her relation to it. The second is about her discovering the underground world and her powers, and then going on a journey to free some very important creatures. In the third book, Chalice finishes what she started and really pushes the envelope to the point where she finds herself in hot water.
As a character she is very stubborn, hot-headed, and impulsive, but she is also fiercely protective of the people she loves. She has an unbreakable sense of duty, and a cleverness that gets her out of difficult situations. Outwardly, Chalice is a beautiful girl and she knows it, but she doesn’t care. The only thing she really cares about is saving her world and the people in it, even if it means her own life.

BK: As a writer myself, I'm always curious how other writers get through stumble blocks. When you find a story not flowing, or a character trying to fight you, how do you correct it?
I usually put it aside for a while until the solution hits me and then I sit down and write it all out of my head before I forget it.

BK: Using the letters of your first name as an acronym, describe your book...
Magical
Exciting
Lively
Intense
Surprising
Shocking
Adventurous

BK: How did your writing journey begin?
It began when my favorite author died in 2007. I’d been thinking of writing a story and had written pages and pages of notes about a story I was formulating years earlier. When I found out he had died, I sat down and began writing the Raie’Chaelia.

BK: Using the letters from the word, Summer, how would friends and family describe you?
Shy
Utilitarian
Mature
Multi-faceted
Endearing
Reserved

BK: What is the craziest thing you've ever written about, whether it got published or not?
I wrote a silly poem when I was a teenager about my sister who was always gone from home because she was out partying with her friends. She was always in trouble for it, too. Unfortunately, I’ve lost the original copy of the poem, but I still remember some of it.

BK: Tell us one thing you've done in life, that readers would be most surprised to know.
I swam 8 miles across Lake Tahoe in 2009, which is very surprising given the shape I’m in now. :) Need to start a new exercise routine.

BK: What can we expect from you in the future?
I’ve had so many ideas for new books. Some came to me when I was finishing up The Raie’Chaelia. Whenever I get an idea for a new book, I write it down and put it in its own file folder on my computer, hoping to revisit it later. I have about 10+ folders like that, so I’m trying to choose which one to pursue first. Right now, it’s a toss up between a love story/fantasy set in the Old Norse world, a paranormal crime thriller, and a teen romance that deals with the serious issues of high school bullying and teen suicide.


This or That...

Coke or Pepsi?
Coke

Night Owl or Early Bird?
Night Owl

Fantasy or Mystery?
Both

Pen/Paper or Computer?
Computer

Pizza or Burger?
Both

Rock or Country?
Rock

Chocolate or Vanilla?
Chocolate

Beach or Mountains?
Mountains


Thank you so much for having us as one of your stops today. It has been great getting to know more about you and your book, and wish you the best of success!


BK Walker

About The Book


Publisher: Couronne Press (August 1, 2013Series: Legend of the Raie’Chaelia, Book Three|
Category: YA Fantasy, Futuristic Fantasy, Fantasy
Tour Date: Mid October-November
Available in: ebook, 300 Pages

After the fall from the Maaldan cliff, Chalice is reunited with her friends on a journey that takes them to the coastline of Ielieria.  Little do Vlaad and his Fierain know what is in store for them as, bit by bit, their plans are thwarted by this blond-haired, blue-eyed beauty.
The small band of rebels then travels across the Realm, preparing it for war, while Chalice herself is brewing plans of her own that may just land her in the hot seat.  What will happen when she returns her father to the throne?  What will happen when he finds out what she has done?  And … what will happen once Dar’Maalda learns of the rebels’ location?
In the third and final novel of the trilogy, The Legend of the Raie’Chaelia, you find out.  It is a dramatic finish to an epic story of action, adventure, betrayal, forgiveness and love.
Praise for Legend of the Raie’Chaelia, Book One:
“Douthit’s love of words is apparent and her use of language highly inventive. She has a firm grip on believable dialogue.”-Kirkus Reviews
“Lively, fast-paced and satisfyingly complex! Can’t wait for the second in the trilogy!”- Diane Donovan, eBook Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
“I really liked this book! If you love adventure books and romance books this is the story for you!!! First off, the romance between Jeremiah and Chalice is super cute! They are really such a good couple. I like how after all the time that they hadn’t seen each other they still had feelings for each other. I also loved Buney! He’s so cute, he reminds me of a little stuffed animal. As for the adventure, this book is full of it! There are many twists and turns throughout the book that always keeps you wanting more. This is an adventure that will definitely keep you reading with a little romance thrown into the mix also. I can seriously see this as a movie.”-Books Ahoy Website
“This was SUCH an epic fantasy. I felt that same “childhood” feeling I’ve felt while reading countless fantasy books, such as C.S. Lewis’ and J.R.R. Tolkein.
This story was so original! Loved everything about it. I fell in love with the characters, the setting was INCREDIBLE, and the background story was so magical. You immediately get pulled in by the mystery and the curious feeling you get that there’s more to this story…
I really loved how Douthit described the scenery. I could imagine myself in the “ghost town” which Chalice travels to first, or the Chinuk village that they stay in overnight. Love the detail, you can really feel a part of the journey which Chalice and her friends take.
The Raie’Chaelia is an amazing journey of which one girl, with the help of her friends, finds out about her past. The ending, was AMAZING. God, I really want to find out more now! That was such a big cliffhanger. The Firelight of Maalda, the second book, will be coming out in maybe around October 2011. Can’t wait!”- Rabiah, I Live For Reading Website
“I really enjoyed The Raie’Chaelia. I liked both Chalice and Jeremiah. Especially Jeremiah. I’m not really sure why I think so highly of Jeremiah other than he is just a really great guy and an incredibly likable character. Chalice is quite likable too although she did do a couple of things that I thought were a little silly at times. The supporting cast were all very cool too.
The Raie’Chaelia is definitely a really intriguing story and I had a lot of fun reading through it. 
 I definitely enjoyed reading The Raie’Chaelia and I had a little sneak peak at the next book in the series in the back of The Raie’Chaelia and it definitely looks interesting. I really enjoyed The Raie’Chaelia and I think that any fans of fantasy would definitely enjoy it.”- Rebecca, Everything To Do With Books
Praise for The Firelight of Maalda, Raie’Chaelia, Book Two:
“What I really like about these books is the amount of fantasy. It reminds me of (and I know I said this in the review of the first book) childhood fantasy stories, like C.S. Lewis. Completely magical, and Douthit has really created a fantastic world. You don’t see that too much in YA these days.
The romance in this book has improved since the last one! Chalice and Jeremiah develop even more from the first book, and I found it really sweet and not-rushed-into at all. The action and thrill of what’s to happen next is really amazing too. I had to keep reading to find out what happens next.
 I found that the story was great. Lovers of fantasy, with plenty of action, suspense and of course, the blooming romance, will definitely need to pick this one up. A great follow-up from the first book, this one will leave readers hanging on for more. Looking forward to reading book 3!” – Rabiah, I Live For Reading Website
“The Firelight of Maalda: A story that unites the real with the fantastical and turns science into magic. It is a tale of intrigue and wonder where two opposite worlds collide in an explosive journey that leads Chalice and her friends to the dark islands lurking just beyond the horizon of Ielieria, where the Firelight of Maalda sits … and waits.
This is a YA series for age 13 upwards. Having said that, I’m sure many ‘older’ readers will enjoy it as much as I did. The story continues the story begun in The RaieChaelia and reveals more of the characters and the wonderful world Melissa Douthit has created. I really enjoyed reading the first book, The Raie Chaelia, as well as the sequel.
This story continues Chalice’s journey to fulfil her destiny, and the growing romance between her and Jeremiah. She and Jeremiah knew each other as children, and meet up again at the beginning of The Raie Chaelia. Their friendship has grown into something deeper and in The Firelight of Maalda both characters, but especially Chalice, have grown and matured emotionally and I found it particularly satisfying that their love is not only acknowledged but their sweet romance seems completely natural and uncontrived. There is a touching tenderness between them, they are both strong characters but neither feels complete without the other and their love and respect for each other shines through even when they are not entirely in agreement.
There is a lot more to this story than romance though, there is plenty of action and suspense. There is a large cast of characters, and some of those from the first book make a welcome re-appearance. 
The story moves at a fast pace to the nail biting climax and a cliffhanger of an ending – I’m really glad Melissa gave us a taste of the next book to answer at least one of my questions, and I can’t wait for the third in the series.”-  Hywela Lyn Website
“After reading The Raie’Chaelia last year I was so excited to be able to read the second book, The Firelight of Maalda. Needless to say, I loved The Firelight of Maalda just as much as I loved The Raie’Chaelia.
The story was really good and I had a lot of fun learning more about the world and the goings on. There were the highs and lows in the book and I was really excited to see the return of some really awesome characters from the first book.
Then there was the ending. Oh my goodness! I don’t want to spoil anything but can I just say, that is one huge cliffhanger. UGH! Can I have the next book now please?
I absolutely love The Firelight of Maalda and the entire Raie’Chaelia series. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy story and I know I definitely can’t wait to continue the series.”- Rebecca, Everything To Do With Books

Follow the Tour:
So Many Precious Books Oct 14 Spotlight & Giveaway
Peeking Through The Pages Oct 16 Interview & Giveaway
Peeking Through The Pages Oct 17 Review
DWED Oct 18 Review
Joy Story  Oct 21 Review

BK Walker Books Oct 22 Interview
Hywela Lyn Oct 24 Review
Hywela Lyn Oct 25 Interview
MY Book Boyfriend Oct 29 Review
MY Book Boyfriend Oct 30 Interview
Wormhole Oct 31 Review
Wormhole  Nov 1 Interview & Giveaway
My Devotional Thoughts Nov 1 Review
My Cozy Corner Nov 4 Review
Paperback Writer Nov 4 Guest Post
Ordinary Girlz Nov 5 Review
Serendipity Nov 6 Review
Giveaways & Glitter Nov 8 Review & Giveaway
Two Kids & a Migraine Nov 12 Review
Butterfly-o-Meter Books Nov 13 Interview
Tracy Riva Books & Reviews Nov 15 Guest Post
Winterhaven Books Nov 18 Review
Roses & Beps Blog Nov 19 Spotlight & Giveaway
Green Mountain Couple Nov 20 Spotlight
No Wasted Ink Nov 20 Interview
Ashley’s Bookshelf Nov 21 Review
Diane ‘s Book Blog Nov 22 Review
Diane ‘s Book Blog Nov 25 Guest Post & Giveaway
Up In the Bibliosphere Nov 26 Review
Rhythempoets Nov 27 Review
Rhythempoets Nov 27 Interview