Tag Archives: Kindle

What’s Going On? (Reading, Writing & Editing Updates)

I’ve been busy slaving over Blood Chord edits and haven’t had the chance to post much lately, so I thought I’d give a quick little run-down of what been going on behind the scenes here at Quirky Gurl Media.

First, I decided to polish up a short story from a few years back and release it as an ebook. Right now, it’s only available on Amazon, as I’m still on the fence about taking it Select exclusive. The story, titled Just Desserts, is about a woman coming to grips with the death of her abusive husband. This isn’t your typical survivor story. Rather, it’s the story of a woman angry that she was robbed of the chance to defend herself by a stupid twist of fate. It takes a conversation with her dying Aunt to help her move past the anger that’s been holding her back. Check it out if you get a chance.

I’ve been working on edits for Blood Chord and I can honestly say that the end is nigh! On top of that, I added another 10,000 words to it as part of the Kindle Boards 60k Feb writing challenge. The additional words furthered the plot, but they’ve also given me fodder for future books in the series. One of which goes straight back to 16th Century Italy and the Medici family. That one should be delish!

I’m currently reading Hush, by Anne Frasier. It took me a few pages to get into (but that may be the head-cold talking) but once I found my rythem I’m clipping along nicely with it. So far, so good. I’ll share my full impression when I’m done. 

That’s all folks. I’m off to work on that writing challenge before Theraflu and bedtime!

Hetaera–Suspense in Ancient Athens (Agathon’s Daughter) by Susan Tyrpak- Book Review

I just finished another book and it was so good I had to review it immediately~  Hetaera–Suspense in Ancient Athens (Agathon’s Daughter), by Suzanne Tyrpak.

I received a copy of the ebook after entering a giveaway on LibraryThing (I think)-my memory isn’t what it used to be. Some of you may remember that I reviewed Susan’s other novel, Vestal Virgin, some time ago, and after seeing that this novel was historical in nature too (and because Susan writes that sooo well) I just had to read it.

Unlike Vestal Virgin, Hetaera is a bit tamer, and the steamy moments mostly happen off-camera. But this second novel of Tyrpak’s is just as full of suspense, intrique and carefully constructed (i.e. real and flawed) characters as her debut novel. Like any good suspense novel, there are bad guys and good guys, guys that are good but do dumb things, meddlers and other unfortunate obstacles, and of course a heroine down on her luck.

But Tyrpak does more than just craft a page-turning read– she brings ancient Athens to life through her prose. So much so, that I could practically see it in my head. (Ok, so occasionally Spartacus tried to worm his way into my mind-movie too. What can I say, I’m a Blood and Sand fan :-) ) My only gripe is that I have to wait for the next book in the series to be released. Hope it comes out soon!

Five Daggers,uh, I mean Stars!

FROM AMAZON —-> “Agathon’s Daughter is a tale told by a writer who deserves your attention, a writer who certainly captured mine.” New York Times bestselling author, Tess Gerritsen–Foreword, Hetaera

Product Description
Hetaera–suspense in ancient Athens, is Book One of the Agathon’s Daughter Trilogy.

Born a bastard and a slave, Hestia has a gift: the power to read people’s hearts. And yet, the secrets of her own heart remain a mystery. Hestia’s keen intellect makes her a match for any man. But even a literate slave has little control over destiny. Sold to a prominent statesman with sadistic tendencies, Hestia becomes his hetaera (consort). As her wealth and fame increase so does her despair. She dreams of freedom, but she faces enemies at every turn. When Hestia is accused of murder, the mystery of her past unravels and fate takes another turn.

Hetaera: Agathon’s Daughter was awarded third place in the Maui Writers Rupert Hughes writing competition.

Friday Freebies – Free Kindle Books

Thought I’d start the (almost) weekend off with a bang and announce two of our books that are FREE today on Amazon as part of the Select program. Earlier in the week, I let Memories For Sale, SKIN, and Reflections of Motherhood go free for a day and the response was great!

That prompted me to go ahead and pull the ebook Still Life Paintings from Smashwords and B&N so that I could put the story collection into the program as well. So, today and tomorrow (Jan. 13th and 14th) only, Still Life Paintings is free for download on Amazon. It’s my hope that offering the book for free will encourage more reviews. The book has gotten great reviews, but what it needs now is more volume. Crossing Fingers!

Also, since I screwed up the previous freebie for Reflections on Motherhood (supposed to be free for two days, but the special only ran for one day) I’ve decided to go ahead and run another One-day-only freebie today (Jan 13th) for Reflections as well.

As usual, I’m blogging about the freebies, and I plan on posting on FB and Twitter, but I could always use the help spreading the word!

More Freebies! Two from Author Gabriel Beyers

In addition to the limited-time FREE promo for my short fiction collection, SKIN over on Amazon, I’ve just discovered that an author I featured here several months back also has FREE books on Amazon today, so I want to help spread the word for him.

Some of you may remember my feature of Gabriel Beyers a few months ago. If not, you can read his post here. Both of his books are Free today over on Amazon!

First up is Guarding the Healer:

Product Description
When Silas Walker is endowed with the power to heal, he soon discovers that no gift comes without a price.

A man possessed by an ancient evil is taunting the healer with photos of victims brutally murdered and marked with the crude image of an angel, and for Silas the slain are growing more familiar.

After he is given an ominous warning and an unbearable ultimatum, Silas sets out to draw his enemy away from those he loves, and discover the true purpose of his gift, which leads him inexplicably to a troubled young drifter named Tommy.

The Stalker is close on the healer’s trail, bringing with him an army of demons. Silas’s only hope rests in the hands of a guardian angel he doesn’t even know exists.

The Guardian is doing all within his power to save the healer, but he is certain Silas is heading into a trap. Time is running out. War is at hand.

But there is no turning back. For even an angel can’t alter a man’s destiny.

And then there is Contemplations of Dinner also FREE today as well!

Product Description
A secret hidden in a freezer. A lonely woman takes solace in an ancient cat. A boy is trapped in a barn with a gang of killers. An open grave awaits an occupant. A man is encouraged to kill by a long lost love. And more.

Here lies ten eerie tales from the mind of author Gabriel Beyers.

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So what are you waiting for? Go get yourself some Free Books why don’tcha!

(Don’t forget to snag a FREE copy of SKIN while you’re over on Amazon too!)

Rock ‘n’Roll is Undead by Rose Pressey – Book Review

So, my holiday hiatus from reading has finally ended. I’ve read two books in less than twenty-four hours and I’m churning to start another one. (This would be about the time that my dear husband starts to remark “I wish you’d put those books away for five seconds” followed by a distinct huff.) Before diving into another novel though, I thought it best to at least review the two I’ve read first.

First up is Rock ‘n’Roll is Undead (Veronica Mason Series, Book 1) It’s about a Rockabilly Witch (though a mostly failed one) who is the lead singer in a band. Just about the time her career is taking off, a fellow band member is killed, launching her into a race against the clock to figure out who the Big Bad guy is before he comes calling for her.

Overall, it was a compelling novel with interesting, quirky characters and a decently complicated plot. The writing was smooth as expected and I’d recommend this novel to anyone who likes their paranormal novels to be a unique amalgam of mystery, suspense and light romance. I wasn’t 100 % satisfied with the ending, as I felt one of the curve-balls was a little too out of left field, though I still felt satisfied in the end. All-in-all, a great paranormal novel and I’m adding the series to my list of those I want to continue reading. Four Stakes, um, I mean Stars. 

In my next post I’ll offer my thoughts on the second book, SEED by Ania Ahlborn!

Post-Christmas Updates

I hope everyone out there had a great holiday and I’m sorry I didn’t get around to wishing you all the best sooner! Other than the holidays, I’ve had several things sucking my time away over the last few weeks. Finding a replacement vehicle for my husbands totaled truck. Unloading our house. Finding a new house. Packing and moving right before Christmas. Two kids that need a mommy who is in the Holiday spirit. Hopefully, things are going to get back to normal soon.

I finally selected a new book to read. After weeks of no reading, I was itching to get my nose stuck in a proverbial e-book. I settled on Walking On Broken Glass, by Christa Allen. Originally, I added the book to my samples pile in my Kindle because I adored the cover. I didn’t even know what the novel was about. I’m quirky like that sometimes. At any rate, so far, so good. I’m getting into the book and I’ll report back to let you know my thoughts after I finish it.

Otherwise, I’m dying to get back to the edits on Blood Chord and to finish the other few books I’ve been working on. Now, if it would just snow several feet– enough to keep me locked in the house for a few days, maybe I could catch up on all the work I have to do!

Always Late For The Party or, Reading List Catch-Up

Of the few constant thing in my life, no is more true than this: I am always late for everything. I can leave early. I can leave on time. It doesn’t matter really. I will always arrive five to ten minutes late. A dead car battery, a chain of creeping tractors in the road. Something always comes up.

I’m hoping that applies to my funeral as well, so at least some smart-assed relative can say, “See, I always told you she’d be late to her own funeral. Hand over the five-spot.”

But I digress. I seem to do a lot of that on here. My brain does tend to spurt off on tangents… see there I go again. What was I talking about? Oh, yes. Catching up on my huge list of To-Be-Read books. Or I was getting there at least.

So always late to the party, I am reading a Halloween themed book just a few weeks before Christmas. It’s probably my unconscious’s way of tempering the sticky-sweet feel-good holidays with something of the darker variety. What ever my motive, I’m really enjoying my latest read. It’s The Halloween Collection by the fantastically creative people at Indie Eclective.

So far I’ve read Ralphie the Special Werewolf by P.J. Jones (fantabulously hilarious!), Sunwalker’s Kiss by Shéa MacLeod (I want to see more of Jackson- a lot more :-) ), Haunting in OR 13, by Alan Nayes (creepy, spooky and expertly crafted), and To Taste of Shimmering Revenge by Jack Wallen (witty, greusome and buckets of fun) but I’m sure the rest of the stories are just as good. I’ll include the Amazon product desctiprion below for all the slightly-twisted Gurls and Boyz out there.

As of this writing, the collection is actually FREE over on Amazon. It’s a great way to sample some of the hottest Indie Authors out there and won’t cost you a dime (for now anyway) so what are you waiting for? Go check it out!

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION FROM AMAZON:
The Indie Eclective: What is it, who are they, and why can they spell neither “eclectic” nor “collective” correctly? The Indie Eclective is an ensemble of authors operating under the assumption that Readers like Good Books. The Halloween Collection showcases spooky reads from nine very different authors. Whether you enjoy light or dark paranormal, YA or adult-themed genres, there’s bound to be a story to suit your tastes. Thanks for reading!

Rhyn Trilogy: Origins, by Lizzy Ford: Gabriel’s fate as an assassin seems set until he meets a courageous half-demon child named Rhyn, whose plight rekindles the humanity he thought he’d lost.

Ralphie the Special Werewolf by P.J. Jones: Ralphie doesn’t want to get snipped, but his pack is tired of watching him defile the sofa cushions. Now, he’s got to find a mate by Halloween night—or else.

Sunwalker’s Kiss by Shéa MacLeod: While searching for a magical bloodline, Sunwalker Jackson Keel discovers magic of a different kind.

The Village of Those Who Touch The Dead by M. Edward McNally: “All obligations will be paid. There are no exceptions.”’

Haunting in OR 13, by Alan Nayes: Halloween never frightened Sara McCaffe, until she stepped into Operating Room 13!

To Taste of Shimmering Revenge by Jack Wallen: A vampire is awakened after four hundred years only to find his kind embarrassed and shamed by the rash of shimmery, hunky vampires on the big screen. His revenge will be sweet and tasty.

Magickal Vendetta by Heather Adkins – Revenge is a dish best served up in a pink saucepan for accident-prone blood witch, Gretchen. By harnessing the power of Halloween, she hopes to break the bond with the soulmate who did her wrong.

From the Keegan’s Chronicles series: Haunted House by Julia Crane – Keegan, Lauren, and Anna find much more than they bargained for during an innocent trip to a commercial haunted house. Someone long dead awaits them on the second floor…

From the Gifted Teens series: Mind-Blower by Talia Jager – Kassia and Daxton’s romantic picnic is interrupted by the arrival of creatures bent on her destruction. Will her powers fail her when she needs them most?

Book Review – The Temple by Heather Marie Adkins

I was looking for a good, witchy, paranormal read over the Halloween Holiday, and boy did I find it. Admittedly, life sidetracked me a little and I didn’t get around to reading The Temple until after Samhain, but that hardly matters.

The story kept me sucked into it until the very end, leaving me tired and with a stiff neck this morning. Not only is the plotting in The Temple original and well-paced, but the writing is tight and clever, with just the right amount of snarky wit. The witch/ Wiccan details throughout the book never feel homogenized or stereotypical, and that is very hard to accomplish these days.In addition, I was particularly enamored with the sections pertaining to The Goddess and the descriptive way the author handles things.

Author Heather Marie Adkins is a practicing Wiccan and Independent author (Indies Rock!) so I’m not surprised at how polished and authentic the novel is. And the life she breathes into each and every character… very impressive! Equal parts mythology and mystery, with a dash of romance– The Temple is a stellar fist novel and I’m excited to read more from Adkins!

Product Description From Amazon:

Vale Avari has a mysterious past and a laundry list of super-powers, but that’s nothing compared to what she finds upon moving from small town U.S.A to jolly-good England.

A chance dart throw lands her in Quicksilver, an off-the-map place with a big problem – people are dying, and word is, it’s supernatural.

At her new place of employment, a temple dedicated to the ancient Mother Goddess, Vale learns something even more shocking – women guards are disappearing at an alarmingly patterned rate; women who possess special gifts like her own.

Supernatural powers aside, Vale isn’t ready to believe in the Wild Hunt as the culprit, and she’s determined to prove the deaths are acts of human violence.

Plagued by a brute with a history of domestic violence and lusting after a dark-eyed man with a secret, Vale has a limited amount of time to discover the killer before he strikes again. In the process, she’ll learn things aren’t always what they seem and the supernatural might not be so extraordinary after all.

The Hunt could ride for her.

Reading ADD; Or My Inability To Pick My Next Read

Maybe it’s the fact that I’m disgraced trying to plan my daughters belated Birthday/ Halloween party. Or maybe it’s the staggering amount of books loaded into my Kindle, Nook and iBooks apps. Or maybe, just maybe there are too many books out there to choose from, stalling my selection of the perfect book to spend the next several hours of my life with.

Wait, did I just utter the phrase “too many books” for real? Ye, Gods! I didn’t mean it, I swear!

But back to my dilemma at hand. What to read next? In keeping with the season, I’d love to read something spooky. Bonus points if the book is witchy, original and an exceptional read. So tell me, do you know any good books that fit the bill? I’d love to hear your suggestions. Let me have ‘em!

Perhaps something along the lines of one of these:

Book Review – Diary of The Displaced by Glynn James

I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect when I downloaded this book, but whatever my preconceived notions were, Mr. James blew them out of the water.

Reading this novel felt a bit like falling down Alice’s portal. Given the nature of the plot, it couldn’t have been written any other way. As the main character, James Halldon, wakes up in a strange foreign place, the story begins. We learn more about his predicament as he does. Of course I had to keep reading to figure out where he was and if he’d ever escape.

Diary of The Displaced is a well-written, uniquely crafted, one-of-a-kind book. Part horror, part sci-fi; totally entertaining. On a side note, I’m already reading book two of the series, Chasing Spirits now!

Book Review – Cage Life by Karin Cox

I snagged this book while it was offered for free over on Amazon, mainly because I’ve seen the author around on a few boards and I was curious about her work. After reading Cage Life, I felt a little girl-crush coming on. Cox writes with such beauty and insight that I found myself jealous. She writes like I aspire to. She writes like people think, even when they don’t realize it.

Evocative. Haunting. Powerful. – I could be describing the story collection or the author’s gift for the written word. In fact, I am describing both.

You should scoot on over to Amazon now, check out Cage Life and Karin Cox’s other works. Maybe you can still snag it for free!

Product Description From Amazon:

What happens when life doesn’t turn out as planned? This collection of two evocative stories (each with a surprising twist) explores the choices and compromises we make in life and in love, and how they can trap or liberate us, depending on our mindset. Each story comes with an unexpected twist that makes reading all the way to the end imperative.

In “Cage Life,” first published by [untitled] in 2010 as “Still Life”, a young mum feels like a prisoner in her own home. Her decision to escape the bonds of marriage and motherhood, just for a few hours, has unexpected consequences that force her to a re-evaluate what it really means to be loved, to be married, and to be free.

In “The Usurper,” unconditional love is explored within the boundaries of age and longing. Basil is in his eighties, with an illustrious career in law enforcement behind him, when he meets Carla — a beautiful, energetic and much younger mistress. But when Simon appears on the scene, can Basil keep her or does she, in fact, keep him?

Book Review – Craved by Stephanie Nelson

I won this book through a LibraryThing giveaway and read it promptly. The cover is beyond gorgeous and the blurb compelling, so I thought, “Why not sign up for the drawing?” I’m glad I did. Craved by Stephanie Nelson is a perfectly tasty morsel of paranormal goodness, and I do hope the book manages to garner the attention it deserves.

As far a paranormal books go it’s withing the genre norms so as not to be off-putting to die hard fans. This book does have several nuggets of originality and quirkiness and we all know I like things with the big “Q”. Imagine, a town solely inhabited by Supernaturals. What fun! I can’t wait to see where the author takes the town and the characters within its invisible boundaries in further books of the series.

The writing is tight througout, though the first page or so felt a little overly descriptive. Once the author found her sea legs the book clipped along nicely. So nicely, in fact, I gave myself a stiff neck from hunching over my ipad to finish it :-) There’s a host of compelling characters and hunky love interests and the main character Gwen has some unusual abilities that end up making her a hot commodity. Fabulous first start to a series, and I’m sure the series will become one that I have to read in entirity. Sigh –> That list is getting long! But I guess a girl could have much worse problems on hand…

Book Review – Whispers In The Sand by Barbara Erskine

My daughter calls me a “word nerd” often, and unlike other choice things she has to say about me, with this I am not offended. I freely admit I’m addicted to books. It’s an addiction, like many others that can lead to financial ruin if left unchecked. Which is why I adore signing up to win free books on sites like LibraryThing and GoodReads. I’ve kept food on the table by feeding my addiction with many won books. This book, Whispers In The Sand is one of them.

As an American, I had a little trouble getting into the book, since it’s written from the viewpoint of an English woman. But looking at that gorgeous cover I just couldn’t give up. And I’m glad I hung in there, for the book totally sucked me in. I completely missed my kids bedtime, so oblivious was I. Thank goodness my husband was on the ball. But I digress.

Cloaked within a modern mystery is an ancient one, and the two story lines are melded expertly and with finesse. Erskine ramped up the tension steadily until I just had to know what happened next – with both the present line and the historical one. Ancient Egypt, cursed relics, rampant madness and evil-afoot. How could I not have loved it?

Now on to my few, minor nitpicks… Several times a few of the characters irritated me and I found myself wondering if someone would really respond to such obnoxious behavior with meek and proper manners. But then I remembered I’m American and social graces are not the same here as they are “across the pond” in many ways.

Also, I’m a little chaffed at the ending. I can still feel myself dangling just a little and I hate that. Perhaps there will be a sequel? One can hope.

Overall, Whispers In The Sand is potent, mystical, in some ways tragic and has a healthy dose of suspense and mystery. Erskine is a lyrical writer who is able to imbue genre fiction with literary flavor. I’d recommend the book whole-heartedly despite my minor complaints.

If you’ve read this book I’d love to hear your comments!