Monsterland Reanimated Virtual Book Tour Highlights

It's so sad to see our authors go, but in tribute we do a recap of the highlights of their blog tour with us at Pump Up Your Book.  Today we're highlighting Michael Okon and his Monsterland Reanimated Virtual Book Publicity Tour. A very big THANK YOU to all the amazing bloggers who helped make Michael's tour a success!

Meet the Author

Michael Okon is an award-winning and best-selling author of multiple genres including paranormal, thriller, horror, action/adventure and self-help. He graduated from Long Island University with a degree in English, and then later received his MBA in business and finance. Coming from a family of writers, he has storytelling in his DNA. Michael has been writing from as far back as he can remember, his inspiration being his love for films and their impact on his life. From the time he saw The Goonies, he was hooked on the idea of entertaining people through unforgettable characters.
Michael is a lifelong movie buff, a music playlist aficionado, and a sucker for self-help books. He lives on the North Shore of Long Island with his wife and children.
His latest book is the YA Fiction/Monsters/Thriller Monsterland Reanimated.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

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Inside the Book

 

Title: MONSTERLAND REANIMATED
Author: Michael Okon
Publisher: WordFire Press
Pages: 250
Genre: YA Fiction/Monsters/Thriller

BOOK BLURB:

After Monsterland has imploded, the entire world is thrown into chaos. World leadership is gone, economies have collapsed, and communications are non-existent.  Wyatt must go beyond the boundaries of his small town to reestablish contact with the outside world, and alert the government about a traitor-in-chief.

During his journey he discovers a new threat released from the bowels of the defunct theme park.
When an army of relentless mummies, a life-sucking ooze called The Glob, and a hybrid reanimated Behemoth rise from the depths of Monsterland, who will survive?

Amazon

 

Highlights

 

Pump Up Your Book Interview

"I was watching an classic 80s/90s movie marathon one weekend – The Goonies, Jurassic Park, Gremlins, Back to the Future – and the thought popped in my head, why isn’t there a theme park with zombies. I called my brother to tell him about the idea and he said, NO, it has to be a theme park with werewolves, vampires AND zombies. I started writing the story that night..."

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Sefina Hawke's Books Review

" Monsterland Reanimated began where the first book ended and I have to say my only complaint was how long it took for book two to come out as I have eagerly awaiting its publishing. It did not disappoint in the least! In fact I would say that I liked this one even better than the first because I got to really see Wyatt grow as a character and I loved the addition of mummies, The Glob, and the Behemoth! I only hope there is a third book in this awesome series and I would love it to become a movie in the future!!"

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Shannon Muir's Infinite House of Books Interview

"I’ve been writing since I’m five years old. I love the idea of creating a universe and inviting the reader to experience it."

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Blogger News Net Interview

"I was watching an classic 80s/90s movie marathon one weekend – The Goonies, Jurassic Park, Gremlins, Back to the Future – and the thought popped in my head, why isn’t there a theme park with zombies. I called my brother to tell him about the idea and he said, NO, it has to be a theme park with werewolves, vampires AND zombies. I started writing the story that night."

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The Avid Reader Review

"If you love monsters, vampires, zombies, werewolves then you are going to love Monsterland Reanimated. Pick your copy today! But if you have not read the first book Monsterland then let me suggest that you pick up a copy of that one to read before reading Monsterland Reanimated to find out how Wyatt’s story began and what happened at theme park Monsterland and the vampires, zombies and werewolves. "

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Lori's Reading Corner Guest Post

"When you’re writing a sequel, you want to continue the magic of the first, but set the characters in a new environment and give them bigger and worse obstacles to overcome. The battle in The Fellowship of the Ring was pretty intense. But set the same characters and put them in Helm’s Deep in The Two Towers, and BAM! You elevated the storytelling."

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Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers Review

"Sequels can be fickle beasts, and although I was ready to relinquish it to the land of part two's, I held on...I mean, this author's work has surprised me before, so yeah...I had high hopes.  Was it worth it?  In my opinion, yes because where he could have copped out and rode the same paranormal influenced train into the ground, he didn't.  He introduced NEW characters who were certainly worth their weight in proverbial gold.  He brought to light OLD characters we thought long lost and made them shine again.  He made new connections between those we thought we knew so well, but discovered we were only scratching the surface of.  In short, he reopened the gates of Monsterland for a new audience as well as the original fans, giving us a new perspective on just what could happen if those characters we THINK we know so well actually came to life..."

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Bri's Book Nook Review

"This book is definitely action-packed. It can be a bit gory at times, but I personally don’t usually mind that, so I loved it! It reminded me of playing the video game “Monster Madness Battle for Suburbia” where the characters just use random items to defeat the monsters. It really gives the book a personal feel because instead of having some sort of machine gun or magical weapon they are fighting with everyday items you would find on the street."

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Rising Indies United Review

"Okon has given the teenagers even more depth than before and we see them change and grow before our very eyes. One again, Ikon takes up on a real ride that once again asks, who is the real monster? This series is a joy to read, and anyone who loves a good story, horror or otherwise will love it.
Thankfully, there is going to be a Monsterland 3... cause we need it!!

Well done, Mr. Okon. Keep them coming!!"

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Books for Books Review

"Monsterland Reanimated was just as good as the first book in the series if not better! It reminded me a bit of Jurassic Park, but with monsters instead of dinosaurs. I loved how the book really went into how the world changed based on the park's collapse as the Jurassic Park movies generally do not touch the world effect at all. This book was a great read and I loved Wyatt  even more in this book!"

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fuonlyknew Review

"If you thought a theme park full of deadly monsters was bad, the aftermath when it all goes horribly wrong is even worse. Michael Okon cranks up the craziness in his second book in the Monsterland series. The characters have to step up when the world falls into chaos and they battle new and deadlier monsters while also contending with the insane plotting of some dastardly villains. I had such a blast reading this. It was fun to be back with the gang. I was really worried about one character in particular. He made quite the impression when he showed up again and quickly became a star in this follow up. I can’t wait to see what he’ll do next. Yes, there will be another book in this thrilling series and I’ll be first in line. I am huge on horror and thrillers and anything monsters and this has it all. Also liked the apocalyptic tones. Once the action begins it doesn’t slow down. And there are some wild scenes that I think I’m glad I couldn’t see. LOL Madcap fun through and through."

  
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A Room Without Books is Empty Review

"The world is in chaos after the events that happened in the first books of this series.  This is the second book in that series and it is non stop action from start to finish.  There are love stories and just like most teenage love stories once you have what you thought you wanted things change.  There are some unlikely pairings and some unlikely things that happen but like all monster movies you have to suspend your beliefs a bit. after all the monsters are what we are all here for after all.  There are some of the old monsters from the last book but there are some all new monsters in this book.  When things don't return to semi normal after Monsterland is destroyed Wyatt and his friends set out to find out what is going on.  Along the way the whole group encounter the new monsters and have to find out how to defeat them and the mastermind behind them.  I really enjoyed this book and I practically flew through it to find out what was going to be thrown at this group and how they were going to  conquer these monsters."

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Visit Michael Okon's Monsterland Reanimated tour page at http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/2018/04/05/%f0%9f%93%9a-pump-up-your-book-presents-monsterland-reanimated-virtual-book-publicity-tour-iammichaelokon/ to visit all the blogs who hosted him!

Scene of the Crime by Jennifer Chase @JChaseNovelist #puyb #mystery #vbt

SCENE OF THE CRIME by Jennifer Chase, Mystery, 300 pp., $.99 (Kindle)

Title: SCENE OF THE CRIME
Author: Jennifer Chase
Publisher: JEC Press
Pages: 300
Genre: Mystery Suspense

A calculating cold-blooded predator closes in…

When a community has barely recovered from a ruthless serial killer six months earlier; now two more horrifying murders hit the radar again. It leaves police burdened with two of the most shockingly contaminated crime scenes ever documented in California’s law enforcement history. The Slayer works behind the scenes as a sinister puppet master, precisely pulling the strings, taunting the police without leaving any viable evidence, and orchestrating his killer hit squads.

The sheriff and district attorney bring in the best investigators. Reunited again, Dr. Chip Palmer, a reclusive forensic expert, joins DA Inspector Kate Rawlins to sort through the crime scene aftermath in search of the truth—all without a probable suspect or a solid motive. Complicating the investigation—sparks reignite between the two.

Ratcheting up the suspense, Chip suffers a nasty fall hitting his head, impairing his perception and giving him a mind-blowing ability for specific detailed recall. Palmer and Rawlins assemble an unusual team including a rookie detective, a forensic supervisor, and an ex-military operative turned bodyguard. After one of their own is kidnapped and the investigation is taken over by the FBI, the now rogue team must pull together their own resources—alone—with a killer waiting to take each one of them out. Scene of the Crime takes no prisoners and leaves everyone fighting to stay alive.

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon

 

Chapter 1

NOTHING CAPTURED HIS ATTENTION. IT wasn’t as if he wasn’t looking for anything specific or that he didn’t care about anything, but everything became like white noise. Looking down, he spotted a couple squashed beer cans, which had resulted from the constant compression of car tires repeatedly running over them. Now they lay in the gutter unnoticed—as discarded litter. Out of boredom, he kicked the aluminum pancakes with his worn out running shoes. The compressed disks clattered a ways before landing back in a different part of the same gutter, just as his life.

Roger Case was in one of those moods where everything seemed futile. It was a time when his temperament plummeted; he entertained the spirit of defeat, which was becoming more common these days. His concentration slipped farther into the dwindling mindset of drugs and crime to the point of mania. Rationalizing his motives, he preferred to enact self-medication.

He needed something strong to take away his thoughts of negativity. The repetitive movements of his hands and arms worsened. He wanted anything that would take away his fears, his depression, and his unrelenting obsession for the next quick fix. Roger knew that even when he felt the most empowering high that there was a high price to pay—and it was predictable and inevitable—the hard, downward crash.

Roger hadn’t always been teetering on that slippery slope, dangling over the life of crime; in fact, he still remembered when things were normal and even mundane. He grew up in a typical middle class family with his mom and dad, along with his older brother and sister. Reflecting on those memories now, he would trade just about anything to have those times back.

Now he waited with anticipation for his contact. It was going to make everything better—at least for a while. He convinced himself that just a little bit of crystal meth would help him get back on track—to see things clearly again. It wasn’t as if he was a full-blown addict, he just needed something to help motivate and push him in the right direction.

He heard a hollow scraping noise and stopped to listen. Standing quietly, still straining to hear, but that sound never repeated. He looked around. Curious. The sound seemed to resonate in his head instead of around the street. Upon further inspection, he realized it came from inside the cement structure.

The old water treatment plant had been decommissioned by the county some time ago, now outdated, and was nothing more than an eyesore gathering the grime and deteriorating aspects of time gone by. Something loomed in Roger’s vision and waited in darkness—he strained his eyes looking into the long structure that seemed to lead to nowhere.

Maybe his connection made a change of plans and the meeting place was at the cement sinew, and out of sight from any onlookers, or cops happening by on their route. It was possible. At this point in Roger’s life, anything was possible.

Roger contemplated his options for a moment and then decided to check it out. He turned toward the water treatment plant and headed inside. The first thing he noticed was the temperature difference—cold and damp compared to the warmer street areas.

He slowed his pace, unsure if he should call out or announce his presence. Fidgeting nonstop with his hands, pressing his fingers tighter and then releasing them, Roger moved farther into the tunnel.

A shuffling sound came from the other end.

“Hello?” he finally said, his voice weak and tinny which made him unconsciously twitch.

A muffled dragging sound was the responded answer. It resonated from the back-left area.

“Hey, I don’t have time for this… you either want the money or not.” He tried to sound tough but his nerves were frayed. It wasn’t something he was used to feeling. In fact, Roger couldn’t remember the last time he felt scared, frustrated, angry or anxious.

The damp cement tunnel seemed to pull him closer to the heart of it—into the bowels of no return. Instead of turning around and leaving, Roger slowly moved deeper into the cavern. It was as if someone or something else had control over his body. His insatiable curiosity had put him in troubling situations throughout his life. It contributed to him getting into deep trouble with a growing rap sheet to prove it.

Most memories had a calming effect on Roger, which had initiated his fidgeting to cease and his hesitation to subside. He didn’t understand many people’s fears and phobias, most things were just benign and didn’t amount to anything remotely scary or debilitating.

There it was again—a dragging sound followed by what he thought were hushed whispers.

Kids.

He would smack a kid if they jumped out at him or gave him any crap. Most likely, they were tagging gang symbols and looking to get into trouble.

There was the distinct sound of two people whispering to each other.

Roger tried to sharpen his vision but the darkness played tricks on him with weird shadow figure apparitions. He blinked his eyes quickly trying to concentrate on the area and where the kids were hiding; his eyes began to water from the extreme effort. Wiping away the aggravated tears, Roger felt his surroundings close in tightly around him as his perception changed. The darkness seemed to give a strange rippled effect.

The voices became louder. There was nothing sinister about the voices, but they were speaking faster with more of an urgent tone.

“Hey, you little maggots, I know you’re here,” stated Roger.

He stopped and stood still.                                                         

The darkness still loomed around him, but there was a quietness that overcame him.

A brief hundredth of a second, a peculiar whizzing noise filled Roger’s ears and then a brutal blow struck his head and knocked him off his feet. With a ringing in his head and a groggy consciousness, he tried to sit up but more savage blows pummeled his body. It sounded as if a tree splintered just before it fell in the forest. His breath caught in his lungs. Everything went dark.

The anonymous whispers stopped.

All buzzing in his ears stopped.

Roger Case’s heart stopped too.

Jennifer Chase is a multi award-winning and best-selling crime fiction author, as well as a consulting criminologist. Jennifer holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master’s degree in criminology & criminal justice. These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent sociopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells. In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling.  She is an affiliate member of the International Association of Forensic Criminologists, and member of the International Thriller Writers.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

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Other Books in the Series

Visit us at Pump Up Your Book!

 

Jennifer Chase is a multi award-winning and best-selling crime fiction author, as well as a consulting criminologist. Jennifer holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master’s degree in criminology & criminal justice. These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent sociopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells. In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling.  She is an affiliate member of the International Association of Forensic Criminologists, and member of the International Thriller Writers.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

Visit us at Pump Up Your Book!

 

Fighter Pilot's Daughter by Mary Lawlor @marylawlor5 #puyb #memoir

FIGHTER PILOT'S DAUGHTER by Mary Lawlor, Memoir, 336 pp., $19.95 (paperback) $18.09 (Kindle)

Title: Fighter Pilot’s Daughter: Growing Up in the Sixties and the Cold War Author: Mary Lawlor Publisher: Rowman and Littlefield Pages: 336 Genre: Memoir Format: Hardcover/Kindle

Fighter Pilot’s Daughter: Growing Up in the Sixties and the Cold War tells the story of Mary Lawlor’s dramatic, roving life as a warrior’s child. A family biography and a young woman’s vision of the Cold War, Fighter Pilot’s Daughter narrates the more than many transfers the family made from Miami to California to Germany as the Cold War demanded. Each chapter describes the workings of this traveling household in a different place and time. The book’s climax takes us to Paris in May ’68, where Mary—until recently a dutiful military daughter—has joined the legendary student demonstrations against among other things, the Vietnam War. Meanwhile her father is flying missions out of Saigon for that very same war. Though they are on opposite sides of the political divide, a surprising reconciliation comes years later.

For More Information:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The pilot’s house where I grew up was mostly a women’s world.  There were five of us.  We had the place to ourselves most of the time.  My mother made the big decisions--where we went to school, which bank to keep our money in.  She had to decide these things often because we moved every couple of years.  The house is thus a figure of speech, a way of thinking about a long series of small, cement dwellings we occupied as one fictional home.

     It was my father, however, who turned the wheel, his job that rotated us to so many different places.  He was an aviator, first in the Marines, later in the Army.  When he came home from his extended absences--missions, they were called--the rooms shrank around him.  There wasn’t enough air.  We didn’t breathe as freely as we did when he was gone, not because he was mean or demanding but because we worshipped him.  Like satellites my sisters and I orbited him at a distance, waiting for the chance to come closer, to show him things we’d made, accept gifts, hear his stories.  My mother wasn’t at the center of things anymore.  She hovered, maneuvered, arranged, corrected.  She was first lady, the dame in waiting.  He was the center point of our circle, a flier, a winged sentry who spent most of his time far up over our heads.  When he was home, the house was definitely his.

     These were the early years of the Cold War.  It was a time of vivid fears, pictured nowadays in photos of kids hunkered under their school desks.  My sisters and I did that.  The phrase ‘air raid drill’ rang hard--the double-a sound a cold, metallic twang, ending with ill.  It meant rehearsal for a time when you might get burnt by the air you breathed. 

     Every day we heard practice rounds of artillery fire and ordinance on the near horizon.  We knew what all this training was for.  It was to keep the world from ending.  Our father was one of many Dads who sweat at soldierly labor, part of an arsenal kept at the ready to scare off nuclear annihilation of life on earth.  When we lived on post, my sisters and I saw uniformed men marching in straight lines everywhere.  This was readiness, the soldiers rehearsing against Armageddon.  The rectangular buildings where the commissary, the PX, the bowling alley and beauty shop were housed had fall out shelters in the basements, marked with black and yellow wheels, the civil defense insignia.  Our Dad would often leave home for several days on maneuvers, readiness exercises in which he and other men played war games designed to match the visions of big generals and political men.  Visions of how a Russian air and ground attack would happen.  They had to be ready for it.

     A clipped, nervous rhythm kept time on military bases.  It was as if you needed to move efficiently to keep up with things, to be ready yourself, even if you were just a kid.  We were chased by the feeling that life as we knew it could change in an hour.

Mary Lawlor is author of Fighter Pilot’s Daughter: Growing Up in the Sixties and the Cold War (Rowman & Littlefield paperback 2015); Public Native America: Tribal Self-Representation in Casinos, Museums and Powwows (Rutgers UP, 2006); and Recalling the Wild: Naturalism and the Closing of the American West (Rutgers UP, 2000). She lives in Allentown, PA and Gaucin, Spain.
Her latest book is the memoir, Fighter Pilot’s Daughter: Growing Up in the Sixties and the Cold War.

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Prayer, Marriage and the Leadership Roles of the Husband and Wife by Bishop Ken Giles & Pastor #ChristianLiving

PRAYER, MARRIAGE AND THE LEADERSHIP ROLES OF THE HUSBAND AND WIFE by Bishop Ken Giles and Pastor Sheila Giles, Christian Living, 98 pp., $19.95 (paperback)

Title: PRAYER, MARRIAGE AND THE LEADERSHIP ROLES OF THE HUSBAND AND WIFE
Author: Bishop Ken Giles & Pastor Sheila Giles
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 98
Genre: Christian Living

Marriage is an institution established by God. God ordains a man and a woman to be husband and wife to fulfill his purpose of expanding His likeness and kingdom through their rule and dominion over His creation. Within the institution of marriage, the man is responsible for carrying out and communicating God’s vision.  The woman enables, strengthens and encourages her husband to carry out God’s vision for himself, the marriage and family. The husband and wife become one flesh. No other human relationship, including that of parents and children, is to have priority or greater importance than that of the husband and wife to one another. The Leadership roles of the husband and wife are paramount to God’s plan of blessings in the marriage, family, generations and broader society. Therefore, obedience to God and His word establishes God’s order and facilitates the proper working and functioning of the marriage and family. Thus, establishing the peace, joy and increase the Lord has purposed in and through the marriage and family.

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon

Chapter 1

Lack of Prayer Invites Sin in the Marriage

Alack of prayer in the marriage invites sin (disobedience to God’s word and will) in the marriage. When there is sin in the marriage it creates conflict, contention, disorder, obstacles and barriers that otherwise would not exist. The marriage, on the other hand, that exist in obedience to God’s word will obtain benefits and blessings which are derived from prayer and the study of His word (Seeking and Knowing God and His will). It is absolutely paramount for prayer to be in a marriage just as it is paramount for prayer to be in an individual’s life. Keep in mind Genesis 2:23 reveals that the two become one flesh. Therefore, the marriage represents one person that is to go before the Lord in prayer. So be it an individual or two that have become one individual (via marriage), a lack of prayer invites sin in the marriage or an individuals life as a result of not having or failing to obtain God’s input (guidance/direction) in their lives. We can look to Genesis 3:1-5 which reads as follows: “Now the serpent more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And, he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?" The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, lest you die'.” The serpent said to the woman, “You surely shall not die! “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” From this scripture, verses one through five sets the stage for ultimately what happens in verse six. In verses one through five Eve makes the mistake of walking in the counsel of the ungodly (Psalm 1:1 and 6). However, in Genesis 3:6, the ultimate mistake was obeying the counsel of Satan over the counsel of God. (Romans 6:16). Any counsel, advice or thoughts that are contrary to the word and will of God is automatically to be identified as the counsel of Satan. Many times in our society, we obtain information and ideas via family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, television and radio or even the Internet, but we need to be mindful of the fact that there is a way which “seemeth” right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death (Proverbs 14:12). Therefore, it behooves us to always consult God via His word and through prayer if we are not certain what His will is for our lives at any given time and in any given area or situation. This is wise to do because God is our Maker and Creator and only wills and desires the very best for us. Even when it may be something that is painful to us or something we do not understand.

It is obvious that Eve did not pray before making her decision to eat from the forbidden tree and just as obvious that Adam and Eve failed to pray together prior to making the decision jointly to partake of the forbidden tree as a married couple (Genesis 3:6). If consistent and continuous prayer (Praying without ceasing - I Thessalonians 5:17) would have been undertaken by Adam and Eve individually and/or as a married couple sin would not have had the opportunity to enter their lives individually or their marriage and ultimately their family. The sin Satan purposed to plant in their individual lives, marriage and family would have been shut out of their paradise (place of peace, joy and plenty). However, because they failed to pray individually or jointly, the door for sin to enter was left wide open. All that remained was for Eve and ultimately Adam and Eve to do was to operate based on what they thought and how they felt. It should be noted here that everyone has an opinion, but the only one that matters is God’s opinion (I Kings 18:21). His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our way (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Bishop Ken Giles began full-time ministry in 1993 as an inner-city Missions Leader in Dallas, Texas, while at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship under Dr. Tony Evans. He later served there as Assistant Executive Director of their nonprofit corporation. In 1998, he returned to his hometown of Beaumont, Texas, and served as Pastor of Outreach at Cathedral of Faith Baptist Church and Executive Director of their nonprofit corporation. In 2000, Lincoln Bible Church was planted in the Beaumont/Port Arthur area and is now located in the Greater Houston Texas area where Bishop Ken Giles and his wife, Pastor Sheila Giles provide servant leadership. Bishop Giles has a Master of Education Administration from Prairie View A&M University and a Master of Theology from Southeast Texas Theological Seminary. 

Their latest book is PRAYER, MARRIAGE AND THE LEADERSHIP ROLES OF THE HUSBAND AND WIFE.

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Brimstone by John Allen @mystery #thriller #womensleuths #historical #suspense

BRIMSTONE by John Allen, Historical/Women Sleuths/ Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, 336 pp., $9.99 (paperback) $2.99 (Kindle)

Title: BRIMSTONE
Author: John Allen
Publisher: Allen & Allen Semiotics Inc.
Pages: 224
Genre: Historical Fiction/Women Sleuths/Mystery/Suspense/Thriller

Author John Allen has a theory about the creator of Sherlock Holmes:

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle did not create Holmes. It was Doyle’s wife, Louise Hawkins Conan Doyle, who gave birth to the beloved sleuth.

Allen has put his beliefs to the test, writing and publishing the first of a projected 12-novel series of Holmes mysteries titled BRIMSTONE. His detective is Louise Hawkins Conan Doyle, and Allen names her as the author of the tale he presents, set in 1879 Bristol, England.

In a previous book, SHADOW WOMAN, Allen set out to prove that Louise was the true creator of Sherlock Holmes. The inspiration for his startling and controversial theory of authorship was a 1980s essay by Martin Gardner called “The Irrelevance of Arthur Conan Doyle.” Gardner claimed that Arthur was “too gullible and to easily duped to have created Sherlock Holmes.”

Allen determined that Gardner was correct, but Gardner identified no alternative author. Allen continues, “So I decided to give it a try. I came to suspect Louise as the actual author, but I lacked the knowledge and tools to make a solid case.”

Then the Internet came along, giving Allen a valuable research tool. He became convinced that Louise did in fact create Sherlock Holmes. Allen presented his case in SHADOW WOMAN, which was published in 2017. To further advance Louise as Holmes’s creator, to give her the credit he believes she is due, he is now featuring her in a series of mystery novels, the first of which is BRIMSTONE.

As if Allen hadn’t set the bar too high already, he has added a subtext to BRIMSTONE that explores contemporary wrongful convictions through his Victorian thrillers.
BRIMSTONE brims with appeal to multiple audiences, from lovers of detective stories to those interested in justice for the wrongfully convicted. Sherlock Holmes would be proud.

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Amazon

LOUISE BEHIND BARS

Judge Blair modified the contempt penalty imposed on Louise to time already served. Detective John Reeves, eager to inform her that she was free, was surprised when she insisted on serving the entire seven-day sentence. He hesitantly asked if she would mind him calling on her, once matters settled, but she did not respond. He reproached himself for such an untimely and selfish intrusion, and vowed to never again disturb her, to spend his time instead searching for the man with the dent in his forehead.

Upon learning of Louise’s lack of appreciation for his mercy, Judge Blair declared her in trespass of Crown property and ordered that she be removed, with force if necessary. Three jailers tried, but she thrust her arms between the bars and interlocked her fingers. As the two men pulled Louise from behind, the matron attempted to pry apart Louise’s fingers, but stopped in horror at the snap of a knuckle and a scream of pain.

Dr. Daniel Weston arrived within the hour. After removing his silk-lined bowler and installing his pince-nez spectacles upon the bridge of his nose, he examined Louise’s injuries. He set the obviously dislocated small finger of her right hand, splinting it and taping it to the two adjoining fingers. He applied an ointment to the burns on her left hand, then rebandaged it. He told her that her ankle was healing more slowly than expected, that she might have broken a bone, and he wrapped the ankle tightly for her, advising that her foot should be in a cast and that she should keep off it as much as possible.

Her nose was definitely broken and must soon be set, he said, lest it be deformed forever. Informing her that the procedure would be quick but painful, he offered several doses of laudanum, which she accepted. Despite the sedative and her resolution to be stoic, she screamed for a second time when the doctor put his hands on either side of her nose and snapped it left, then right, to reset the bone and cartilage.

“It will be nearly perfect when it heals,” he told her. He suspected the renewed bruises around her eyes would be spectacular for several weeks.

John Allen is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

Terms & Conditions:

• By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old
• One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter
• This giveaway ends midnight July 27
• Winner will be contacted via email on July 28
• Winner has 48 hours to reply

Good luck everyone!

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John Allen was born in Long Beach, CA. An engineer “by education, training, and experience,” he describes himself as “a recovering engineer.”  He left engineering to become the junior partner in Allen & Allen Semiotics Inc., a corporation that his wife, Lynn, launched for their diversified home business. Their projects include designing databases for mid-sized companies. John Allen holds a BS from the United States Air Force Academy, an MS from the University of Southern California, and an MA from the University of California, Riverside.

You can visit his website at http://louiseconandoyle.com/.

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Book Trailer Blast: Nailed by Avery Daniels

About the Book:

Title: NAILED: RESORT TO MURDER II
Author: Avery Daniels
Publisher: Blazing Sword Publishing, Ltd.
Pages: 284
Genre: Cozy Mystery/Amateur Sleuth

BOOK BLURB:

Julienne is snow bound in the middle of the Rocky Mountains with a killer striking at will.

Julienne LaMere gets to attend a Resort Management conference at a prestigious ski resort in the Colorado Mountains. What should be an enjoyable getaway attending workshops by day and shopping and enjoying the resort by night comes to a screeching halt when a loud-mouthed guest is murdered plus the roads and town shut down for an epic blizzard.

In addition to attending the conference, dodging a smitten teen boy, and seeking clues among the gossiping - and increasingly tense - guests, her best friend’s heart has warmed to an unlikely man and may get broken. As if her mind isn’t already fully occupied, Julienne and her new boyfriend Mason are skiing down troubled slopes in their relationship. Will Julienne put the scant clues together and unveil the culprit before a murderer gets away?

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Book Excerpt:

Alpine Sun Resort had touches of the classic white exterior with alpine timber framing and balconies fitted with window boxes for flowers in spring and summer.  Aspens and evergreens surrounded the sides and back where a stream meandered past. The research I’d compiled hadn’t done it justice.  I felt like I’d been transported to a luxury version of a Brothers Grimm fairytale.

To the right of the entrance driveway stood a large snowman around six feet tall sporting a top hat, with a tree branch speared through its head, and a bright blood red scarf around its neck greeted me.  It seemed gruesome to me and a feeling of dread washed over me.

“A slice of Germany.  Feels quaint and cozy, don’t you think?  Hope they have a German hunk available.” Porsche smiled.

“If there’s one on this entire mountain, I’m sure you’ll find him.”  Porsche attracted men with her sense of assurance and she changed boyfriends as often as her nail polish.

“With any luck.”  She winked.  “You know me, I’ll find a diversion.  Don’t worry about me entertaining myself.”

A uniformed valet was opening my car door before I could register his presence.  At the entrance, I turned and drank in the view with a deep breath tinged with the scent of pine.  The snow-draped ski slopes to the one side and the quaint town on the other were idyllic. 

The ominous sky, roiling gunmetal and smoky gray clouds choking out the sun, was the only blemish in the lovely tableau stretched before me.  This storm system was setting up to give us a good dump of powder and the skiers would be thrilled.  I wasn’t too concerned.  The roads were usually the main issue.  Colorado is fortunate to only occasionally experience road closures.

About the Author

Avery Daniels was born and raised in Colorado, graduated from college with a degree in business administration and has worked in fortune 500 companies and Department of Defense her entire life. Her most eventful job was apartment management for 352 units. She still resides in Colorado with two brother black cats as her spirited companions. She volunteers for a cat shelter, enjoys scrapbooking and card making, photography, and painting in watercolor and acrylic. She inherited a love for reading from her mother and grandmother and grew up talking about books at the dinner table.

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