He’s the boy next door. She’s a princess. But when blood and war reach their doorstep, will they unite or be forever pushed apart?
Young and ambitious Earmon has climbed up the ladder in Levitor city to become the Queen’s topmost advisor. He seems to have everything he’s dreamt of but for one thing: princess Zenithia’s love.
When he witnesses an intruder inside the city and decides to keep it quiet, he unwittingly unleashes a terrifying chain of events. His friend, Turak, has an episode that results in a fracture in Levitor’s shield, and the horde of Reavers prowling outside the city advances.
In a world of intrigue, blood, and war, Earmon must battle for survival against savages and beasts.
His hardest trial is yet to come, and he will have to face a choice no one should ever have to make: protect the life of the one he loves the most at the risk of losing his own.
In the end, will he be enough to save her and the city?
Shackles of Guilt is a page-turning young adult sci-fi novel packed with suspense and a touch of romance and fantasy.
Venice, 1865: Sixteen-year-old Ayanda Draculesti doesn’t remember her early life—all she knows is that she was found as a small child, wandering the streets of Venice with an intricate medallion and a mangled left arm. She knows that she’s an Unnatural, an alchemical being created with strange abilities. She knows that if anyone finds out, she’ll die at the hands of an angry mob.
But Ayanda is unique even among Unnaturals–even though she’s alive, she has the powers of a vampire. She has the strength and speed to battle them, and most importantly, the will. She won’t let another child die.
Ayanda isn’t the only young Unnatural in Venice. Ghostly Yurei is in hiding, fleeing the captors determined to turn him into an assassin. Jette Jekyll and Belle Frankenstein are on the run from alchemists who want them dead and dissected. Their paths and Ayanda’s collide when a brutal enemy surfaces that threatens them all: one of the Greater Dead, a vampire that slithers through Venice murdering everyone she encounters.
This vampire isn’t on the hunt. She has plans, more sinister and dangerous than anyone can imagine.
Ayanda is determined to stop this Dead creature before she kills again. Yurei, Jette and Belle aren’t. Why should they risk their lives to save people who see them as monsters? All they’ve ever known is hate and fear. They owe the world nothing.
“Perhaps one reason we are fascinated by cats is because such a small animal can contain so much independence, dignity, and freedom of spirit.” Lloyd Alexander
Delve into the world of all things feline in this anthology of tales of whimsy, courage and wonder.
All proceeds will go to Tenth Life Cat Rescue a wonderful shelter that saves stray cats and kittens in the St. Louis area, prioritizing those with special needs.
The anthologies includes stories and poetry from: Debbie Manber Kupfer Stephanie Barr Jen Ponce Debra Kristi Indigo Leigh Henry Herz Holly Hook Marlena Frank V.M. Sang Diana Dawn Kressel Housman
A brilliant programmer is targeted by cyber predators! Jacob Michaels, computer network security-tester extraordinaire, tries to settle into a quiet life of work to polish his cyber security skills after the death of his mother. Jacob is unaware that his growing reputation makes him a person of interest.
Cyber-criminals are hunting for new recruits. They target this brilliant programmer to seduce him into joining their cause. More people are hunting him than just the Russian cyber kingpin.
Jacob sets off to find those who are targeting him. He discovers he’s in the crosshairs of previously unknown global experts. Of course, having his identity erased puts him front and center above anything else.
Buzz, when looking for the easy way, makes a ghastly judgement error and inadvertently crosses the line to the darknet. He pleads to his best friend Jacob for help. Jacob, brilliant as he is, doesn’t have enough experience to help Buzz on his own.
Jacob battles against global cyber masterminds using his knowledge of programming, identity theft, and hacking. He is pulled up short when his security knowledge is dwarfed following his introduction to the distractingly beautiful encryptionist Petra.
Jacob’s challenge is how to keep ahead of the criminals and learn who to trust.
MY REVIEW:
I’ve always liked tech, to a certain degree, which I’m told by my siblings at 63 is not normal for our age range. So, I thought I’d give this techno thriller a try.
The book ended up being a bit more than I anticipated as it was written like a programming guide. I take cyber security classes for work, so some of the terminology made sense to me, but so much of it went over my head. Still, I did find the information interesting and somewhat informative. Made me realize how the average person has no clue how vulnerable they are as they lay their lives out on social media.
As for the actual story, you have to break through tons of ponderous code to hack your way to the actual plotline. Within that is a romance, intrigue, though most of that is pretty obvious, and some danger. Even though the characters are as one dimensional as you can get, I still felt for Jacob and even Buzz. Having your world turned upside down wouldn’t be fun.
It definitely needs an editor as the writing and dialogue is stilted and mostly exposition. Which would also remove all the needless side stories and over explanations. I also felt there were unbelievable events that happened and not relatable at all.
If you’re a coder or geek/nerd, you might enjoy the story. Otherwise, 95% of normal readers will get lost in the tale. I give it 2.5 stars rounded to 3.
With my retirement right around the corner, I’ve been thinking about some of my old and new stories I haven’t touched for over a year. I’m getting excited about working on them again. I just commissioned a cover for Time Stones which is a brand new story and maybe that will inspire me to finish the damn thing. And then there’s Nightmare Storm. It’s a short story I’d published before and just never put back up after moving to Norns. That one is first on my To Do list. Bob had titled it Bear of a Storm, and once you read it, you’ll understand why. But I didn’t like the name. IDK. Maybe he was right? You’ll have to let me know after you read it.
Not in a million years did I think I’d ever say that. How can retirement be scary? Well, it sure as the hell is.
I’ve been with the same company for 45 years, which is almost unheard of in today’s work environment. In that time, I’ve dealt with insurance agents and even sold Medicare Supplements to people starting their Medicare Part B. And one recurring comment has been that they’re on a fixed income and need to watch their budget. And I always felt like, Yeah, you and me both.
I mean, it’s not like as a working person we’re rolling in money.
We get paid the same amount twice a month and we have the same bills coming out of that pot. And a pay raise?
Oh, you mean that 2% or 3% cost of living raise that doesn’t even cover inflation?
So, yeah, I didn’t quite understand. Until I decided to take early retirement.
Now I have to worry about insurance, which is so much cheaper as an employee. Whether I’m screwing myself for taking my Social Security benefits early instead of waiting another three years. Learn how to roll my 401K over to an IRA. Will I have enough money to last until I die?
So, yeah, I get it now. No more steady income which could’ve only be taken away if I’d quit/lost my job. Now I have to depend on the government not sucking all the funds out of Social Security. Yikes!
My stress level has gone through the roof as I just HATE the company that bought us out 12 years ago. I’ve been counting the years since then, so once I hit 62 it’s become more compelling. I also want to shift my energy and focus to Norns Triad. I have lots of courses to take to improve our marketing and also video creation.
And then there’s the whole world going to hell in a hand basket. A world-wide food shortage in the next year, a pending WW III with Russia/China, and possibly nukes.
So why not grab the bull by the horns and reap whatever I can, while I can? October 1st, here I come.
It’s been ten years since the event scientists dubbed The Glitch left Earth unrecognizable. Entire cities disappeared—over night. New species appeared on Earth while others vanished.
The New Earth Initiative has banded together to regain control and stabilize the regions of Earth that are still habitable. Their crown Jewel and the first of their walled cities opens its gates today to register new citizens.
New Boston is meant to be a beacon of hope after a decade of fear and uncertainty. Governor Amelia Chase has teamed up with visitors rights committees to encourage anyone with powers to apply for citizenship and receive an immediate upgrade to first class citizen as an incentive. We are finally regaining a sense of normalcy. That is until our exploration units found two identical pods in different parts of the world with technology way beyond our comprehension. Nothing surprises me anymore
A fast-paced look of modern horror by Canadian author, Joel McKay
The book is published by Birchwood Press and is available worldwide in print and e-book format
All Charlotte Deerborn wanted was a nice Thanksgiving dinner with family and friends. Too bad for her no one else wanted to be there. By the time the turkey is carved, old grievances, bad behavior and crass remarks have transformed her dinner party into a disaster. And then a werewolf shows up to do some carving of its own.
Wolf at the Door is a fast-paced, absurdist take on modern creature horror, levering humor and action to highlight how one family comes to grips with what really matters in life.
About Joel McKay:
Joel McKay is an economic development professional, author and former public relations executive and journalist. He is based in Prince George, B.C. where he is the CEO of Northern Development, and sits on the boards of the University of Northern B.C. and Destination B.C.
Joel is passionate about British Columbia, especially its vast and relatively misunderstood north. His writing focuses on the people, places and issues relevant to northern and rural communities, typically with a healthy dose of the absurd or supernatural. His short story ‘Number Hunnerd’, a fish tale set in B.C.’s Cariboo, was published in Tyche Books anthology Water: Selkies, Sirens and Sea Monsters in 2021. His novella, Wolf at the Door, was published in the spring of 2022 and focuses on a disastrous family Thanksgiving dinner. His forthcoming fiction, a short western horror story titled ‘Hands’, will be published by Brigids Gate Press in the summer of 2022.
Joel was previously Director, Communications at Northern Development. During that time he led the creation and publication of the ‘Small Town PR Playbook’, a first-of-its-kind how-to book for rural public relations in Canada that won the Don Rennie Award from the Canadian Public Relations Society for excellence in government communications. Prior to that, he was Assignment Editor at Business in Vancouver Newspaper where his journalism earned him a Jack Webster Award for Business, Industry and Economics in 2011, and a nomination for a second Jack Webster Award for Multimedia Reporting in 2012.
He has received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Kwantlen Polytechnic University for his professional achievements, and in 2021 was awarded the Chairman’s Award from the B.C. Economic Development Association for his contributions to rural development. He has been named a Top 40 Under 40 by the Prince George Chamber of Commerce, and in 2021 and 2022 was named one of the 500 most influential business leaders in British Columbia by Business in Vancouver Media Group.
To request additional review copies or an interview with Joel McKay, please contact Mickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity: mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com / 403.464.6925.
Cyber Warfare is Unleashed in this critically acclaimed technological thriller by the writing duo of Charles Breakfield and Rox Burkey
The book is published by ICABOD Press and is available worldwide across all platforms!
A brilliant programmer is targeted by cyber predators! Jacob Michaels, computer network security-tester extraordinaire, tries to settle into a quiet life of work to polish his cyber security skills after the death of his mother. Jacob is unaware that his growing reputation makes him a person of interest.
Cyber-criminals are hunting for new recruits. They target this brilliant programmer to seduce him into joining their cause. More people are hunting him than just the Russian cyber kingpin.
Jacob sets off to find those who are targeting him. He discovers he’s in the crosshairs of previously unknown global experts. Of course, having his identity erased puts him front and center above anything else.
Buzz, when looking for the easy way, makes a ghastly judgement error and inadvertently crosses the line to the darknet. He pleads to his best friend Jacob for help. Jacob, brilliant as he is, doesn’t have enough experience to help Buzz on his own.
Jacob battles against global cyber masterminds using his knowledge of programming, identity theft, and hacking. He is pulled up short when his security knowledge is dwarfed following his introduction to the distractingly beautiful encryptionist Petra.
Jacob’s challenge is how to keep ahead of the criminals and learn who to trust.
In their debut TechnoThriller, The Enigma Factor, award-winning authors Breakfield and Burkey weave a complex tale of danger, intrigue, and international cyber combat. They use a relevant technology foundation, then layer on travel, romance, humor and mystery.
What Readers Are Saying:
Kirkus – A complex thriller with a hacker-centric plot and polished technological descriptions that may attract new fans.
“Move over David Baldacci, Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum, and Clive Cussler. Burkey and Breakfield have created a storyline for the new millennium.”
Even if you’re not that computer savvy, you will really like this series! I listened to book 1 on Audible. Kept me guessing and makes me even more nervous about cybersecurity for my devices!?” “The story was extraordinarily true to life. if what this story narrated is close to being real, then the world is helplessly under siege.”
Other Books In The Series:
About Charles and Rox
Charles Breakfield is a technology expert in security, networking, voice, and anything digital. He enjoys writing, studying World War II history, travel, and cultural exchanges. Charles is a fan of wine tastings, winemaking, Harley riding, cooking extravaganzas, and woodworking.
Rox Burkey is a technology professional who excels at optimizing technology and business investments. She works with customers all over the world focusing on optimized customer experiences. Rox writes white papers and documentation, but found she has a marked preference for writing fiction.
Together these Texas authors create award-winning stories that resonate with males and females, as well as young and experienced adults. They bring a fresh new view to technology possibilities today in exciting stories. Visit their website for more information and free stuff. Https://www.EnigmaSeries.com
To request additional review copies or an interview with Charles and/or Rox, please contact Mickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity: mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com / 403.464.6925. We look forward to the coverage!
The Epic Jackrabbit Junction series continues by USA Today Bestseller, ANN CHARLES!
When someone is dead and buried, they’re supposed to stay that way … Aren’t they? Claire Morgan thought so, but now she suspects the dead guy whose treasures she’s been digging up is not only breathing, but spying on her, too. Crap!
When someone is divorced from a pain in the ass, they’re supposed to stay that way … At least that’s what Ronnie Morgan had hoped when she dumped her husband. But then he rolled over on some bloodthirsty criminals. With him tucked away in prison, they’ll settle for taking their revenge on her. Fudge!
When someone is temporarily insane—Kate Morgan is not crazy, dang it! A few twitches and some mad laughter aside, she has a gut feeling her family is in danger. Big danger. The kind that ends with a lot of blood. Now, it’s her job to keep them alive.
The Morgan sisters are back for another round of twisty tussles and rollicking romps!
(Available in EBOOK and PRINT. The AUDIOBOOK will be available in late September 2022)
More books in the Jackrabbit Junction series:
Praise for the Jackrabbit Junction Series:
You give me sassy women who stick their noses in things they probably shouldn’t. You give me old folks who give me a giggle with their candid observations on life and the women they want to bed. You give me danger and mayhem and kisses that steam up the pages” _ Kelly, Reviewer at Reading The Paranormal
“So refreshing! This author’s voice is different and you can just feel that she had fun writing her words. In fact, many times they made me wish I’d come up with the line”_ Mimi Barbour, New York Times and USA Today Bestseller
AboutAnn Charles:
USA Today Bestselling author, Ann Charles, writes spicy stories full of mystery, comedy, adventure, suspense, romance, and supernatural mayhem. When she’s not dabbling in fiction, she’s arm wrestling with her two kids, attempting to seduce her husband, and arguing with her sassy cats
To request additional review copies or an interview with Ann Charles, please contact Mickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity: mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com/ 403.464.6925.
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