Urban Fantasy Author
Book Bling Blog
![]() An everyday man, living less than ordinary life in New York City, simply makes his way about his work life and one at home. A kind heart and an empathetic soul, who tended to think of others before he thought of himself. With his childhood totally left behind and gone with the final resting of his father, Nathan has come to terms with his past as he forges his life in the present, unaware of what lies ahead. An unlikely friendship, a random act of violence, a budding romance, all part of a life changed. “When it’s your time, there’s nothing you can do to change that outcome. The only thing you can do is meet it head on. You have to hope that the life you had with others, while you were here, has made a positive impact.” – Brian Devron “Where there is darkness, you are light. Where others know fear, you will be brave. When there are setbacks, you will persevere. Where others find weakness, you bring strength. Where there is despair, you are hope. Where cowardice falls, you rise courageously. Where others do not have the ability to believe, you have faith. You will suffer, so that others will endure. You will triumph where others would fall." - Cici Johnson “This is it; it all changes tonight. Anything I do tonight, at a minimum, is going to at least expose all of this to the world." - Nathan Devron. Nathan Devron, like many people, has known loss. He has compassion and a strong sense of justice. It's easy to see him as an ordinary guy--until he isn't. When suddenly endowed with super powers, it's no surprise that he feels he must pursue justice and right wrongs. What is less obvious is the fact that he takes his power seriously without feeling it makes him better than others. If you like larger than life heroes (AKA superheroes), you will love this novel. From an old woman who turns out to be a witch bearing a mystical gift of a bracelet that can invoke the Greek Gods of Olympus, to Nathan's superhero t-shirt collection, this story contains all the elements one expects from a superhero story. Fans of Superman, Spiderman, and Batman will find much to like about this plot-driven adventure. ![]() Jason has been working in the information technology field in one form or the other since 1996. He is currently employed full time at Bloomberg LP as a Systems Engineer in the R&D group. Jason lives in Wallingford Connecticut, with his wife Renata. He is the father to four children, three boys and 1 girl - 11 years (Andrew), 9 years (Angela), 7 years (Adam) and 6 years old (Alex). You can keep up with Jason on Facebook via his author page at https://www.facebook.com/jzandri You can FOLLOW Jason on Twitter via https://twitter.com/gunderstone You can ADD Jason to your circles on Google+ via https://plus.google.com/+JasonZandri/
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![]() A man without faith shares his views as the end of life approaches. The views are reflections on religion, morality and death. The deeply religious will find little of interest here and may find some of the material incomprehensible. Some moderates who have noticed twinges of doubt or discomfort in certain beliefs may find some explanations for those feelings. The faithless will probably understand it all. It is the author's hope that for them, it will be a pleasant read. Doomed Soul by Robert Boomsliter is a series of essays. He seems to write these essays as a form of self-actualization. Though he has submitted some of these essays to newspapers and even posts some of the back and forth dialogue he's had with readers, they sound at times as though he's trying to convince himself as well as his audience that he's right. One might suspect that like Anne Rice, he has deep-seeded conflict with some Catholic or other bureaucratic religious experience in his youth. But this is just speculation, and this book is worth a read whatever your beliefs as it will cause you to do just that, speculate. Just as radical Muslims seem to blame the problems of world civilization on America's political bureaucracy, Boomsliter blames religious bureaucracy. There doesn't seem to be a differentiation between religion and individual faith in a higher being, which requires no religion at all. In fact, it is somewhat difficult to understand how an atheist can believe in hell, let alone that their soul will go there. For that matter, why does an atheist believe they have a soul? What would be the point? Why would it matter? Love it or hate it, this book is short enough to read in one sitting, and interesting enough to make you shake your head, or your first. But whatever you think, you will not be bored. ![]() I am a retired electrical engineer, my career of 41 years spent mostly in Silicon Valley, California. I was one of those extremely fortunate individuals who enjoyed their work so much that it seemed unfair that I should be paid to perform it. My profession required some technical writing but I never aspired to author anything that would be interesting to the general reader. Doomed Soul is my first attempt to do so and I hope that its introduction is a clear explanation why I chose to do it. I currently live in Florida with my wife Babs and two bichon frise dogs named Boomer and Gabby. I can be reached by e-mail at [email protected] and would welcome any communication regarding my virgin effort. Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Sign up below with your name, blog and email and share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet of your writing on Sunday. Your post needs to be live between 12:00 noon on Saturday 08/29/15 and 9:00 AM on Sunday 08/30/15. Visit other participants on the list and read, critique, and comment on their 8sunday posts. WIP: Daughter of Ancients, a New Adult Supernatural Romance.SETUP:
What I'm working on is weaving supernatural abilities into the text in such a way that they seem natural to the world/character I am developing, while making sure the reader understands what is happening. I realize that happens over time and with consistency, but it is especially difficult in the beginning. Below is a scene in which I am revealing the characters' telepathic abilities while building suspense and weaving in information necessary to the plot development. EXCERPT: Instinct drove me, and I pushed gently into his thoughts. Danger. Not what he appears. This man is a threat to Stefanie. I must protect her, at all costs, Hunter was thinking. Surprised, I turned to consider Abasi, my lifelong friend, more seriously. He must not-- What the hell just happened? My quick access to Abasi’s thoughts had been cut off as though guillotined. Hunter. Again. I glanced at Hunter and caught him with his amiable facade down for a moment. Though he didn’t look at Abasi with hatred, his look was calculating and guarded. You Must be the "I" in Your Own Happiness!Pessimists like to claim that they are realists. If you consider that worst case scenario isn't a 100 percent fact in anyone's lifetime reality, that claim isn't very logical. Pessimism is a learned point of view, which means it can be unlearned. Or, rather, optimism is a happier point of view that can be learned. It takes making the conscience choice to have a rosier world view, practicing it with mindful observations, and being consistent.
If you don't think this can effect your overall mood, then try this for just one day, all day, no matter what you observe or do. If you would like a little motivation, consider the fact that a recent study from the University of Pittsburgh found that women who expect good things to happen have a 30% lower risk for heart disease. Still not convinced? Optimism was also linked to a lower risk of stroke in a University of Michigan study. The Canadian Medical Association journal found that as they age, optimists tend to get fewer disabilities and live longer than pessimists. Hm, I guess one does reap what they sow. Daughter of Ancients: New Adult Supernatural Romance“En garde!” I warned. A flash of silver. He parried. With sleek precision, a flick of his wrist. Slash, a backward step and then another, a long slide of his blade against mine. I shoved away, using the momentum to tilt back on my heels and then pivot on the balls of my feet and reach out to feint left, engage, and then parry. He swept his sword arm up and then down, snapping against the gleaming metal held firmly in my right hand. My arm began to tire. He advanced and engaged until the clang of our clashes echoed through the rafters. **WeWriWa guidelines**
Sunday 9 AM EST, your WeWriWa/8sentence post must be what appears when the linky link is clicked. Your WeWriWa intro/greeting and 8 to 10 sentence excerpt must be at the top of the post--nothing before. Eight to ten sentences for the story excerpt, please-- Links will be deleted without prior notice for excerpts going over ten. For poetry, limit the word count to 150 words. A link back to www.wewriwa.com must be included visibly on the page. Promotions for your own books, book release announcements, music videos, awards, personal photos, announcements, news and videos etc. are permitted after the wewriwa excerpt. ![]() The Secrets of Yashire: Emerging From the Shadows is a young adult fantasy adventure that occurs within the framework of a young girl’s subconscious mind. The main character, Brianna, finds herself thrown into a world called Yashire where she is forced to deal with circumstances that are threatening Yashire’s existence. Against her will, she is sent on a journey to restore unconditional love back to the land while also contending with the evil force in the land, Zolan. Brianna is sent on her mission by Libban, Keeper of the Land. Along the way, Brianna travels with the mystical tiger, Angelos; a huge, whitish-tan tiger with thick black stripes who sings only the purest songs of love, and the wondrous little one-eyed bird named Abiba. During the journey, Brianna is also preparing to meet her soulmate—the one she longs to be with and the one who will bring complete healing back into her life. Together they travel through fantastic lands filled with magical creatures that could only exist in the wildest of imaginations. Through her treacherous brushes with danger and heartwarming experiences of love and acceptance, Brianna discovers many things. It is here, amidst the powers and phantasms of the mind that Brianna receives life lessons and virtues to help her. Will one of her greatest triumphs be achieved as she learns to believe in herself? For only then can she truly see all of the wondrous things that life has to offer. Who doesn't like some well-done personification? In the same vein as Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of OZ, Lavendar takes a golden rule theme and personifies such delightful characters as Angelos, a mystical singing tiger, and a one-eyed bird named Abiba to accompany the main character, Brianna, on a fantastical journey toward coming of age. Brianna, a young adult who has made some bad decisions in life is in a terrible car accident, a fit metaphor for the self-destruction she is wrecking on her life. She "wakes" to find herself in a magical world where she is sent on a mission by Libban, Keeper of the Land. She must battle the evil Zolan, but also has some wondrous adventures as she prepares to meet her one true soulmate. Only then will the land, and her body and soul be healed. Though the story begins a bit slowly, happily ever after finds a fitting home in Yashire. Brianna discovers that self-worth and self-respect are necessary to get her own life on track. Only once she loves herself will she be capable of loving another. Great YA lessons in a fun and imaginative fantasy genre. Book Bling give this novel FOUR STARS! Diamante Lavendar lives in the Midwest and enjoys gardening, cooking, reading, art and spending time with family and friends. She is also an animal lover and she greatly enjoys swimming and connecting with nature.
![]() When friends fail and cities fall, when enemies grow strong taking every thing you treasure, what can you do? Strike back. Sebastian and Melanie crusade against the cyborg enemy risking everything against betrayal’s cruel bite. The steam academy is rebuilt, but the city is not the same. The fortress of science, the last sanctuary from the marauding cyborg army sweeping the land, is being twisted by refugees as they flood to the city for protection. The world changes, power corrupts and the enemy becomes harder to identify. Dark deeds are afoot, and friends are not who they appear to be as Sebastian and Melanie embark on an adventure leading them into the very heart of the enemy’s territory where they must face their darkest fears and lose everything important. Decay is a dark and moody Steampunk. The tone is well set and the characters well developed. To make sure the cause of hopelessness and despair don't lack purpose, there is an endless supply of cyborgs for the humans to defeat when they aren't struggling against food shortages and each other. In outback Australia, the humans have built a walled city. Sebastian and Melanie, are young residents who attend the Steam Academy there, or they would if they weren't involved in a dangerous adventure that makes them doubt their very belief system and suspect even their most trusted allies of duplicity. The fortress of science is no longer the refuge it was before it was overrun with refuges. Unemployment, limited resources and malcontent fuel desperation and the search for scapegoats. It soon becomes evident that there is a traitor. Someone is feeding information to Cyborgs and helping them sneak into the city itself. Sebastian and his cohorts risk everything to sneak into enemy territory and end the war. This Young Adult Steampunk is bound to be a success. Book Bling gives this novel FIVE STARS! ![]() Mark was first published at the ripe old age of eight, when a local newspaper published his review of Disney on Ice. The next time his name was in print was a life time later at the age of fifteen, when a national magazine ran his review of the Commodore 64. It was downhill from there, picking up a weekly column in the Sunday Times which funded a rather noncommittal path through university, studying a wide range of topics from Robotics, Anthropology, Philosophy, Computer Science, and Psychology. In fact so many subjects were studied he was eligible for graduation at the end of his second year, based purely on attendance. He finally left and joined the corporate world before realizing work isn't that much fun, and going back to study. Further writing followed with regular columns for various technology magazines and newspapers around the country. Then as the reality of permanent food and shelter began to bare its teeth, another attempt at the corporate world beckoned as a technical writer, which turned out okay. Shifting from technology companies to resource companies provided the opportunity to travel and live in some desolate and exotic locations where the locals don't like you much. ![]() Reese Tarrant is an L.A. cop pursuing a serial killer. His chase ends with a dead murderer, his own retirement, and a bunch of loose ends pointing toward Cirrus Industries, the world’s largest supplier of medical blood products, owned by the mysterious Ajax Rasmussen. On the other side of the world, archaeologist Rusty Webber, hired by Ajax Rasmussen to look for the resting place of Vlad Tepes, descends into a tomb in Transylvania, unaware that her project is about to come under attack. In the wake of the chaos, both Reese and Rusty find themselves drawn back to Santa Marina, where the reclusive billionaire’s fortress home overlooks the seaside town, and where old corpses and new disappearances are piling up and beginning to draw attention. Their investigations focus on the original Spanish mission that the town grew around, which Rasmussen seems to have an old connection to. The ex-cop and the archaeologist are determined to uncover the truth… and the mounting evidence suggests that Rasmussen may be a vampire. A police procedural that segues into a vampire horror novel? Yes. Strangely, it works. Most of the time. Trolson's novel may defy genre classification (a marketing nightmare), but his writing style and storytelling talent save the day for his readers. Main protagonist, Reese Tarrant, an LA cop without enough legal "evidence" to get a serial killer convicted goes rogue retiree. Enter a series of gory crime scenes dripping with evidence he no longer wants to bag and tag. He does, however, want to follow the clues to a serial killer, and they continue to point to Cirrus Industries, the world’s largest supplier of medical blood products, owned by the mysterious Ajax Rasmussen. Billionaire Ajax Rasmussen likes to sink his teeth into more than corporate blood products. He hires archaeologist, Rusty Webber, to find the tomb of Vlad Tepes. Through a string of converging events, both Reese Tarrant and Rusty Webber end up in the small town of Santa Marina, where Rasmussen has a fortress home that overlooks the seaside town. They are drawn to the ancient Spanish mission and the clues that suggest Rasmussen may have a connection to the religious icon the town grew up around. Against all logic, but in the face of irrefutable evidence, they have little choice but to admit that Rasmussen must be a vampire. Were I to shelves this novel, I would have to place it in the thriller/horror category. Though a thread of suspense and investigation runs though the central theme, the delightfully complex plot and subplots scream explicit paranormal gore at its finest. Book Bling gives this novel 4 stars. ![]() C.R. Trolson lives in Northern California with his wife and a Norwegian Elkhound named Bird. The dog, given her genetic propensity for the darker themes of Ibsen and Hamsun, enjoys listening to the author's work and often howls with delight at the prose, especially after eating a page or two. ![]() Winner of the Sunday Times' Best Crime novel of the year, Desmond Cory returns with a near-perfect mystery novel , written with intelligence and laced with wit. For John Dobie, absent-minded maths professor, the death of a student provokes bewilderment, but little else. Who was Sammy Cantwell, after all? But being drugged, tied up and made witness to another murder forces his usually dormant curiosity, especially when the murdered woman turns out to be his errant wife. With the discovery of a second murdered woman in his bed in the space of a few hours, it is obvious he needs help. The police? No, help from someone with sense. Who better than the ex-student's agreeable landlady, pathologist Kate Coyle, to mould him, albeit unwillingly, into amateur sleuth? "Rich in wonders of computers and intangibles. Wry, scatty with a decisive byte" SUNDAY TIMES "A gas - even for high-tech dunces" THE GUARDIAN "Cory goes in for complex plots, but the joy of the book lies in the wit of its writing" TABLET The main character of this story reminded me of the Tell-Tale Heart narrator. Not that math prof John Dobie is crazy (or the killer), but Shaun McCarthy (aka Desmond Cory) gets the reader so solidly into his head they can actually experience the intellectual genius personality of a man who is so engrossed in his mathematical world-view he is out of step with the rest of the world, or the norms by which others perceive and react. It makes him the perfect logic-only amateur sleuth, and his no-clue bumbling and odd social quirkiness.
When one of his students commits suicide, he can't even recall the student, but finds it interesting that there seems to be no logical reason for the act. The total irony of how and why he is motivated reflects nerd to today's audience. Though this book was published in 1991, readers can still relate to the mystery and plot. Some characterizations may seem a bit outdated, but when one recalls Cory wrote during the reign of the 007 series, it makes sense. Cory did, in fact, help spawn the "Spy Novel" genre, with his Johnny Fedora novels - spy thrillers set in the world of the secret agent. His Lindy Grey novels - detective puzzlers featuring a charismatic protagonist were preceded by his Mr. Pilgrim novels - which introduced Cory’s readers to life behind the Iron Curtain during the Cold War. Then there were some of my favorites, his Psychological thrillers – which achieved great success, some being made into TV series and movies by 20th Century Fox (featuring international celebrities such as Michael Caine in "Deadfall"). Which brings us to his Prof. John Dobie series- a Mathematics professor embroiled in many ingenious (and humorous) mystery murders. Cory wrote over 45 thriller/detective novels published in over 10 languages (winning accolades such as the Sunday Times' Best Crime novel of the year, and Crime Critic’s choice of the year). The Strange Attractor is the first in Cory's 3 book Prof. John Dobie mystery series. It's witty dialogue, and entertaining nerd sleuth have me eager to read the next two. Book Bling gives this FIVE STARS! ![]() Meet Rolland Wright - a seventeen year old orphan living out of his car in rural Woodland Hills, California. Aside from grappling with the fact of being abandoned by his drunken father two years previous, following his mother's mysterious murder, his life mostly revolves around finding a warm place to sleep at night. When one day he is attacked by men claiming to have killed his father, Rolland discovers a strange ability to slow the flow of time around him, beginning a journey that takes him to places outside of time, space, and eventually to the early 19th century to fight the sinister General Andrew Jackson. With the help of a rag-tag group of historical and mythical figures with various supernatural abilities of their own (Joan of Arc, Jesse James, etc) known as the Knights of Time, Rolland solves the mystery behind his mother's murder, falls in love, battles the evil Edward Vilthe - reaper of souls, and finds a home of his own in the paradise known as Eden. A novel Kirkus Review calls a 'blend of X-Men and Doctor Who with a side of historic fact' Time is Relative for a Knight of Time is fantasy fiction at its finest. The Time is Relative series chronicles the origin story of the mythical figure Father Time, beginning with the award winning first novel, Time is Relative for a Knight of Time. All dates and events are historically accurate. The participants... maybe not. TIME IS RELATIVE FOR A KNIGHT OF TIME (a mouthful of a title that might have been Time Knight) is about a boy who, like the novel's legendary "father time" is a keeper of time. His present, the past, there are no limitations for where, when, or with whom he will show up. With his sometimes motley, but always funtastic crew of fellow time travelers, Rolland Wright takes coming of age to a whole new dimension. Literally. Abandoned by his father after his mother is murdered, the young Rolland tries to survive on his own, living in a car, struggling to hang onto the everyday remnants of his former life. It did not kill him, but when his father's murderers seek him out to do the same to him, he is strong enough for the test. He discovers in a moment of desperation, of instinctive survival, that he can bend time, slow it down or speed it up at will. When Rolland discovers that he can indeed travel through time, he joins such heroic and unlikely fellow knights as Joan-of-Arc and Jesse James, to battle "bad guys" such as Andrew Jackson. Add to this action a horrific villain, with the fittingly dastardly name of the Reaper of Souls, and it sometimes seems all must be lost despite Rolland's ability to bend time as though it were indeed made up of wrinkles. Though it starts off a bit slow, it does indeed build up speed to become a full-fledged, action packed, fantasy tale filled with adventures and love and good triumphing over evil. It begs for a sequel. Book Bling gives this 4 Stars! ![]() Brett Matthew grew up with a passion for both film and history. He began his career fresh out of high school as a Production Assistant & football player on NBC Universal's television series Friday Night Lights (of which he can be seen in the first two seasons as a member of the championship team - Go Panthers!). He quickly moved on to serve as an Original Series intern with the USA Network in Studio City, California. Following work on shows like Monk, Psych, and Burn Notice, Brett returned home to Texas to continue his education, graduating with his degree in History from Texas State University. A proud Master Freemason, Brett thoroughly enjoys fantasy fiction, watching Netflix, running, baseball, Shakespeare, and spending time with critters. |
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