Books- Alex Owens

“Well written book with dark twisty tales. I recommend this book.” from KarenW on GoodReads.com

This collection is built around a common theme of “skin” and it crosses genres. The updated version of this collection weighs in over 12,500 words, including the bonus material. Readers have called it disturbingly fascinating, wicked fun and have given SKIN great reviews across numerous platforms.Featured stories include:The Tanner: A social outcast, Ari spends his days honing his craft. He is a Taxidermist, a Tanner, and quite possibly a Madman. One sweltering day, he takes his art to a new level by creating unique leather goods using the most exotic medium– Human Skin. *Warning- this story is graphic and contains brief nudity/ themes not suitable for children!The Terminal: A short work of fiction about the reality of aging, as told by the observant nursing assistant who spends 8 hours a day watching skin turn to paper.

The Tattooist: A unique short featuring the main character of the upcoming novel Blood Chord. Claire has been through a series of major life changes while attending a business conference in Orlando. On her last night in the steamy city, Claire goes in search of something to remember the time by– a tattoo. Little does she know, her journey of self-discovery isn’t quite over yet.

Bonus Material includes an excerpt from the collection Still Life Paintings, an excerpt from the novella Phone Play, and an essay from the collection Reflections on Motherhood.

 

Tentative synopsis:

Thirty-something Claire is normal to the point of boring. She has a child, a loathsome husband who’s leaving her, and a decent job. Heck, she’s practically living the American Dream.

How is she to know that not everyone is held captive by their dreams, or that the daily shocks when she touches things are more than random bouts of static electricity?

While at a music convention for work, Claire meets Bette, a captivating Italian woman with a haunted violin, an instrument that can only be played by the supernaturally gifted. Bette, a vampire with an eye on Claire’s untapped talents, tries to turn her into one of the undead. Only it doesn’t appear to have worked, at least not one-hundred percent.

Is Claire an empath, a vampire-hybrid, or something totally without a name? Unfortunately for Claire, she is not so easily defined by the laws of humanity. Can Claire trust Bette long enough to accept her help with finding answers, while also learning to be a single-parent with bills to pay and a child to protect?

The (admittedly not-so-well-done) Book Trailer for BLOOD CHORD can be see on YouTube .

And here’s a mock banner-ad for BLOOD CHORD: