Wednesday, July 24, 2019

New Crime Thriller! LITTLE GIRLS SLEEPING by Jennifer Chase


LITTLE GIRLS SLEEPING by Jennifer Chase, Crime Thriller


Title: Little Girls Sleeping: An Absolutely Gripping Crime Thriller (Detective Katie Scott Book 1)
Author: Jennifer Chase
Publisher: Bookouture
Pages: 377
Genre: Thriller/Crime



He looked down at the little girl, sleeping peacefully, her arms wrapped around a teddy bear. He knew he was the only one who could save her. He could let her sleep forever.

An eight-year-old girl, Chelsea Compton, is missing in Pine Valley, California and for Detective Katie Scott it’s a cruel reminder of the friend who disappeared from summer camp twenty years ago. Unable to shake the memories, Katie vows she won’t rest until she discovers what happened to Chelsea.

But as Katie starts to investigate, the case reveals itself to be much bigger and more shocking than she feared. Hidden deep in the forest she unearths a makeshift cemetery: a row of graves, each with a brightly coloured teddy bear.

Katie links the graves to a stack of missing-persons cases involving young girls—finding a pattern no one else has managed to see. Someone in Pine Valley has been taking the town’s daughters for years, and Katie is the only one who can stop them.

And then another little girl goes missing, snatched from the park near her home.

Katie’s still haunted by the friend she failed to protect, and she’ll do anything to stop the killer striking again—but can she find the little girl before it’s too late?

Compulsive and gripping crime fiction for fans of Lisa Regan, Rachel Caine and Melinda Leigh. Katie Scott’s first case will have you on the edge of your seat and gasping with shock.

Readers love Jennifer Chase!

‘WHAT A FANTASTIC READ! OMG! I just finished reading this book! It was an absolute thrilling, edge-of-your-seat read!… I couldn’t believe who the serial killer was; I thought I knew but was surprised! I could not put it down… BRAVO JENNIFER!!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘GREAT!!! Thoroughly enjoyed!!! Jennifer Chase has become one of my favorite crime thriller authors. She totally captures you from beginning to end!!!!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Fantastic read! The author kept me hooked from the first page till the last. I truly thought I knew the serial killer… Boy was I wrong. This is a fantastic read, it kept me on the edge of my seat for the entire time. Well done!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Wow!… Such a gripping tale… I couldn’t stop reading and found myself daydreaming about it while I was supposed to be working… A gripping thriller with multiple twists and turns. A must read!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Great book. I really liked it! Would like reading more of her books! This book keeps you involved and unable to put it down!! Great!!!!!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Action-packed… An adrenaline-packed book from start to finish. ’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Wow… This book will take you for a ride. Have you soaked right in till the end! Absolutely loved it and can’t wait to read another from this author!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘This is one of the best books I have read in a while.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars 

‘From beginning to end this is a non-stop thriller.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Real page turner. I read this book in two hours. I could not put it down. I never guessed who the killer was until he was revealed. Mind blowing.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Captivating from beginning to the last page. A “who did it” crime mystery that keeps you guessing, and then changing your mind!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘I loved this book and cannot wait for the next one. I could not put this book down. A real page turner full of suspense!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars


 
https://www.amazon.com/Little-Girls-Sleeping-absolutely-Detective-ebook/dp/B07PM81LJZ/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=Jennifer+Chase+Little+Girls+Sleeping&link_code=qs&qid=1555184588&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull


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The oversized tires obliterated the rural roadway before the large truck came to an abrupt stop. The driver stalled the engine. Dust rose in a curious flowering cloud, swirling in front of the vehicle’s hood and creeping toward the back of the camper shell. When the surrounding vicinity finally cleared, a dense forest landscape emerged.
The truck overlooked the sheer cliff and rugged scenery that had become a permanent roadblock. The usual silence of the deserted region was interrupted by the incessant and rhythmic sound of a cooling engine.
Tick… Tick… Tick…
The vehicle remained parked. No one moved inside the cab or got out. The truck stayed immobile as if an unlikely statue in the vast wilderness—a distinct contrast between nature and manufactured steel.
The truck sat at the ideal vantage spot, which was both mesmerizing and terrifying for any spectator; but still the occupant chose to wait. The intense high beams pierced ahead into the picturesque hills, leaving a hazy view of the area above the massed trees.
When the driver’s door finally opened, a man stepped out, his steel-toed leather work boots hitting the dirt. They were well-worn, reflecting the many miles he had walked and the many hours he had labored. Swiftly the door shut as the man, medium build and wearing only a plain dark T-shirt, walked to the back of the truck and, with a loud bang, released the lift gate. He moved with purpose and with a calm assertiveness, as if he had performed this particular task many times before. His weathered hands, calloused from years of working with heavy tools and machinery without the protection of leather gloves, had a certain agility and speed.
He grasped two well-used shovels, a large arching pick, and a bulky utility garbage bag. As he tossed the bag onto the ground, the top burst open and several medium-sized teddy bears spilled out. Their smiling faces accentuated the brightly colored ribbons tied around their necks, contrasting with the muted shades of their surroundings.
The man pushed the floppy bag aside with the toe of his boot. He worked in quiet solitude, no humming, no whistling, and no talk.
He flipped on the flashlight fixed to his baseball cap. Straight ahead and slightly arced, the large beam illuminated his path while he strode steadily toward a particular wooded area.
The surrounding thickets and trees remained still without any wind to rustle the leaves. The only audible sound was the man’s quick footsteps—never with any hesitation. He walked with the gait of a young man, despite his stature of someone older.
He hesitated as if he had forgotten something, standing motionless with his arms down at his sides and his head hung forward as he shone the bright light at the ground and the tops of his boots. He still held firmly to the tools. He mumbled a few inaudible sentences of a memorized prayer, which sounded more like a warning than a passage from the Bible, then he raised his head and continued to walk into the dense forest.
Dropping his tools, he carefully pushed a pine branch aside and secured it with a worn piece of rope that had been left for the purpose. An opening was exposed—a tunnel barely large enough for a man to enter.
He grabbed his digging tools once again and proceeded. The flashlight on the front of his cap brightened the passageway as it veered to the right. He followed, only ducking his head twice before the path opened to an area with several boulders sticking out of the cliff. Clusters of unusual rock shapes, some sharp, some rounded, made the terrain appear more like a movie set or backdrop.
A narrow dirt path of crude, sloping man-made steps dropped fifteen feet to a landing jutting out from the rock formation. A small yellow flag was stuck into the earth, marking a spot. A slight evening breeze picked up, causing the flag to flutter.
The man balanced the shovels and pick against the hillside and pulled a hunting knife from a sheath attached to his belt. Pressing the bone handle tight against his palm, he drew the blade through the packed dirt to mark a rectangular pattern on the ground.
He stared intently at the soil, then retrieved the pick, gripping it tight, and swung it hard against the dry, heavily compacted earth. It dented the surface, spewing chips of dirt in every direction. A few small rocks buried in the soil since the beginning of time hampered his progress, but after several more arced swings, the ground began to crumble, exposing the fresh earth.
The heavy pick was exchanged for one of the shovels. Soon there was a small pile of California soil, comprised of sand, silt, clay, and small rock. The repeated movements of dig, scoop, and deposit continued for more than forty-five minutes at a brisk pace. The hard work of manual labor didn’t deter him. It only made him more determined to create a work of genius—his ultimate masterpiece.

At last he stepped back and admired his handiwork, perspiring heavily through his shirt from the effort. Exhilaration filled his body, keeping his muscles flexed and his heart pumping hard. He leaned against the shovel, a smile forming on his lips as he waited for his pulse to return to normal, and marveled at the unmistakable outline of a freshly dug grave.























 










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.

Her latest book is the thriller, Little Girls Sleeping: An Absolutely Gripping Crime Thriller (Detective Katie Scott Book 1).

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

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 Author Blog: https://authorjenniferchase.com/

Book & Crime Talk:  http://blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-chase

Books: Compulsion   Dead Game   Dark Mind   Dead Burn   Dark Pursuit

Dead Cold  Scene of the Crime
Silent Partner   Body of the Crime   Screenwriting





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Monday, July 22, 2019

Book Blast: The Weapons of Light by Lairyck Beliveau



 

Inside the Book:


Title: The Weapons of Light
Author: Lairyck Beliveau
Publisher: XLibris 
Genre: Poetry
Format: Ebook

The Weapons of Light is a composition of sixteen interlocking poetic essays, five poems, and three short stories. The purpose of this book is to shed light on the condition and state of the fighting spirit within us all. This book is also a unique inspirational guide that combines poetry, spirituality, and fantasy to maintain the reader’s interest in an atmosphere of both fidelity and mysticism. The book is kept short with the rigors of daily labor in mind for those who like to read but are now unable to find time. The prerogative of any poet is to capture the times as best as they can: the feeling, the atmosphere, and the surge of human emotion. The author, Lairyck Beliveau, utilizes a method of combining poetic license and academic article writing to bring you a very deep and entertaining perspective of life and its emotional struggles

Purchase Here

Giveaway

Lairyck is giving away a $25 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 to receive one $25 Gift Certificate to the e-retailer of your choice
  • This giveaway begins July 15 and ends on July 26.
  • Winners will be contacted via email on July 27.
  • Winner has 48 hours to reply.
Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule

Tuesday, July 16, 2019

Book Blast: The Apocalypse Revisited by Dr. Reginald O. Crosley - Win a $25 Gift Card






Title: The Apocalypse Revisited
Author: Dr. Reginald O. Crosley
Publisher: XLibris
Genre: Poetry
Format: Ebook


After two thousand years of history in which we have faithfully expected the Second Coming of Christ, we have met with recurrent disappointments. Why is that? At the beginning of the end of the ages that is the first century of the Christian era, the apostles and the early Christians were living with the expectation of an imminent return of Christ. Jesus himself was expecting a quick return, but the Father had a different planning. At the end of the first century, the Father revealed to John the content of a scroll with Seven Seals. That scroll outlined the main events that will occur in every century of the Christian era. A thorough review of the manifestations of the Seven Seals in every century is exposed in my book. We also call attention to God’s judgments upon the whole creation in the visible and the invisible worlds. The Apocalypse Revisited introduces us to two realms of reality . It is written to make the symbols , the visions, the personalities and the time-table of historic events accessible to the readers. We should no longer establish dates for events that are kept secret by the Creator . Also some events described in the Apocalypse are already occurring in history. The very end of the cosmos and the earth is not around the corner. It is in the future probably after a thousand year following Armageddon.

PURCHASE HERE




GIVEAWAY

DR. REGINALD IS GIVING AWAY A $25 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 to receive one $25 Gift Certificate to the e-retailer of your choice
  • This giveaway begins July 15 and ends on July 26.
  • Winners will be contacted via email on July 27.
  • Winner has 48 hours to reply.
Good luck everyone! 

ENTER TO WIN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway









Monday, July 15, 2019

DARK SPIRAL DOWN - AUTHOR Q & A with MICHAEL HOUTZ


“Park remained in his position, looking into the easterly darkness and willing himself to catch a glimpse of light from the mainland. The tremble of the craft’s internal twin engines barking to life vibrated the soles of his boots. Moments later, the vessel moved forward. The last time he’d checked the nose of the forty-two-foot infiltration boat, his rescue craft pointed north in the direction of the intersection of China and at their borders.

I will not fail. The world will fear my name.”

--From Dark Spiral Down by Michael Houtz


After a career in medicine, Mike Houtz succumbed to the call to hang up his stethoscope and pursue his other passion as a writer of fast-paced thrillers. A rabid fan of authors such as Clancy, Mark Greaney, Vince Flynn, and Brad Thor, Mike loves series writing with strong characters, fast pacing and international locations, all of which explode into action in his debut novel, a 2017 Zebulon Award winner. When not at the keyboard, he can be found on the firing range, traveling for research across the globe, or trying out the latest dry-fly pattern on a Gold Medal trout stream.
He lives at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.

Book Description:

COLE HAUFNER is a reluctant superstar in the professional mixed martial arts world. After his latest fight, his wife and child perish in a car crash. His grief deepens when his brother, BUTCH, a Delta Force operator, is absent from the funeral and reported missing by two furtive strangers who show up unannounced at the burial. Despairing, and acting on a tip, Cole travels to his childhood home in southeast China, looking for his brother.

Butch and his teammate, HAMMER, are the sole American survivors of a gun battle between their unit and North Korean commandos, both sides fighting over possession of a stolen suitcase containing a miniaturized fusion device that could either provide unlimited clean energy or be
converted to an undetectable bomb seven times more powerful than a nuclear explosion. Leading the North Koreans is the sociopath, Commander PARK. Pressed into helping the Koreans is a disgraced former CIA operative, BARRETT JENNINGS.

Cole meets with the uncle who raised him, MASTER LI, and is warned to stop his search for Butch. Barrett discovers Cole’s identity (with the help of a genius computer hacker, LILLY), which opens a twenty-year-old wound when Barrett was blamed for the disappearance of Cole’s father, along with the man’s invention. Barrett enlists the 14K organized crime syndicate to help capture Cole. Hammer, separated from Butch during the fight for the device, thwarts the gang’s attempt to kidnap Cole, and the two then set off to find Butch and the device. All parties converge on the city library where Butch, now disguised as a monk, is attempting to communicate with the Pentagon. Barrett and Park capture Butch, while the 14K gang nabs Cole.

Danger mounts as Chinese authorities begin investigating foul play within their borders. Cole fights his way free of the gang and reunites with Hammer.  Both men find Barrett’s apartment and discover Lilly (the man’s stepdaughter), who divulges Barrett’s identity and plan. Cole clashes with Hammer, who is willing to sacrifice Butch in order to recover the fusion device. Lilly offers her help in exchange for her and Barrett’s rescue from Park’s grip. Meanwhile, Barrett discovers the true nature of the case the North Koreans are pursuing and, sensing he and Lilly are to be assassinated by Park once he has the device, frees Butch. Butch, trusting Barrett was sent to rescue him, leads the turncoat to the site where he hid the device. Barrett, hoping to make a quick fortune selling it, shoots Butch before escaping with the case.

Cole, along with Hammer and Lilly, arrives at the location of Butch and finds him gravely wounded. Butch fingers Barrett for shooting him and for stealing the case. Cole wants only to save his brother but Butch makes him promise to kill Barrett and recover their dad’s invention. The revelation that the device is his father’s scientific discovery propels Cole forward to fulfill his brother’s mission. Cole is forced to abandon Butch at a hospital. Cole pursues Barrett to a remote dock where the ex-CIA man is planning to escape China by boat. With the Chinese military now actively looking for Cole, Cole confronts Barrett and Park sparking a gunfight. Barrett kills Park. As Barrett turns the gun on Cole, Hammer kills Barrett. Cole, Hammer and Lilly escape via the boat, and the fusion device is safely returned.

Interview:

Welcome, Mike!  Your new thriller sounds thrilling! Can you tell us how you came up with the idea to write this book?
                
Mike: I’m involved with a number of Children’s organizations---particularly the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Coming across and article, I read of one dad’s heartbreaking story where his ex-wife took their son and escaped to South America. The two parents had joint custody in the U.S.  He spent every waking hour and his entire life’s savings attempting to recover his son from the illegal separation. By all accounts, he was a good father and not an abusive husband. The mother’s new boyfriend was an attorney and the courts were unsympathetic in that part of the world. With two young sons of my own, I could only imagine the pain and suffering of such a horrible act for both the dad as well as the son. I kept wishing someone would recover the boy, bring him home, and then let the rest play out in the courts. I imagined a book character performing that type of rescue. Though this first novel doesn’t follow that specific action, I wanted to establish the basis for what will come in future releases.

Can you tell us a little about the main characters?

Mike: The main protagonist, Cole Haufner, has led an interesting life. He was born in Massachusetts to a Chinese mother and German father. At the tender age of 6, he is stranded in China at a Shaolin monastery, along with his older brother. At the age of 15, he moves back to the U.S., finishes high school and college before embarking on a meteoric rise in mixed martial arts. Funny thing is he hates fighting. He prefers a quiet existence which brings him even more fame and attention. The dichotomy perplexes him.

Butch “Dragon” Haufner, the older brother, is a Delta Force team leader in the U.S. army. He’s part of a task unit that works primarily in the Pacific region and finds himself operating back on his old home soil. Unlike Cole’s introspective, calm self, Butch is aggressive and very much the protector—both suitable to his career choice.

Ron “Hammer” Thompson is Butch’s second-in-command. He’s a former linebacker for Univ. of Texas who gives up a possible career in the NFL to serve his country. He’s forced to teach Cole, on-the-fly, basic military tactics when the two meet on foreign soil. He’s the epitome of an east Texas boy.

“Lilly” is a 19 yo Chinese girl who is one of the world’s top computer hackers. She helps her adoptive father, a former CIA operative with various tasks. She’s sweet, naïve, and only wants to escape her existence in southwest China.

Barret Jennings, offspring of a wealthy railroad magnet, is a former CIA employee living in exile in southeast China because of a key failure twenty years ago. He groomed Lilly from an early age because of her extraordinary intellect and his multitude of illicit activities.

Commander Park is a notorious North Korean agent and sociopath bent on obtaining an invention capable of producing clean energy. He’ll kill anyone and anything in his way.


They say all books of fiction have at least one pivotal point where the reader just can’t put the book down. What is one of the pivotal points in your book?

Mike: People who read early copies frequently mention three spots with one clear leader among them. Without giving too much away, Cole has a scene where he’s captured by a local gang hired by the North Korean element. Initially, he hopes for a quick death. At some point he finds the desire to exact revenge before he’s killed. As one leading critic says in his review, “It was a scene I only imagined happened in movies.” I’ll just say, Cole puts his world-class skills to effective use.

Are you a detail freak when it comes to writing your books?

Mike: Not in the sense of outlining. I’ve found leaving myself plenty of wiggle room to let the story tell itself works the best for my style. Conversely, I’m obsessive with plot details. I fret over the tiniest details from scene-to-scene so that readers aren’t left with a question about something they read earlier. If a character places something in his right front pocket, I want to make sure any return action matches exactly with what’s been written before. I probably spend too much time flipping back and forth, but I don’t want to appear sloppy or oblivious for even the most in-tune reader. Attention to detail is something I’m keenly aware.

Writers are often associated with loner tendencies. Is there any truth to that? And do you need background sounds or silence when writing your books?

Mike: That varies quite a bit for me. I have very productive days when it’s just me and my German Shepard, Saber, at my feet with only the sound of a mouse click. If I have a particularly intense action chapter, I might crank up some aggressive music and beat the keyboard into submission. I’ve even pulled up pictures of my boys when they were young and imagined someone kidnapping them. I can pick out specific places in the book on those occasions. There are some bad ways to die and taking my children will bring out some very creative methods.


What did you want to become when you were a kid?

Mike: For the longest time, I wanted to play professional baseball. When I was 9, I played in the 12 yo league and was batting in the .570 range going into high school. I had it all set in my head—when I retired from baseball, I would become an anesthesiologist. I guess I didn’t mess around setting the bar too low.

Do your novels carry a message?

Mike: This release is a setup for the rest of the series where children are repatriated to their rightful caregiver and brought back to their home. I’m hoping to raise awareness that this happens nearly 400 times a year in this country. I do agree there are a few common elements/messages that naturally comes from my writing. Maybe I watched Star Wars too often back in the early days? The strength inherent in family, good vs. evil, and the power of singular purpose is something I subconsciously add to my pages. With those elements, the driving forces for all the characters are easily shown.

Is there anything you’d like to tell your readers and fans?

Mike: I can’t say enough how grateful I am for everyone’s support. I want everyone to know how seriously I take the reader’s choice in getting a copy and spending their personal time reading my material. I’ll never take for granted the decision to spend those hours with something I created. Just know I’m working for all of you, and I’ll strive to earn your satisfaction on your decision to join me. Hoping everyone finds good health and love this year.