tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63002005686635954002018-03-06T02:04:32.987-08:00Black Haven ReviewsNatasha Bennetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15268473130664413353noreply@blogger.comBlogger255125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300200568663595400.post-9095757747049108032017-06-10T08:08:00.004-07:002017-06-10T08:08:29.275-07:00Game Review: Outlast 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EOrTuPljfPU/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EOrTuPljfPU?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><br /><br /><i>Outlast 1</i> is a brutal game that focuses quite a bit on cringe-worthy and gory scenes. I did note at the time that women and children were conveniently missing from the game which is explained in a throw-away line that might as well be 'um, they're around somewhere, probably behind the camera'. In <i>Outlast 2</i>, it seems that they have overcome this hurdle and now we get to see women and children getting killed or tortured. So...yay for progress?<br /><br />I'm not really going to touch much on the controversial scenes in the game, besides the fact that <i>Outlast 1</i> was already trying to push this envelope (full frontal male nudity in the first few levels, and a REALLY cringe-worthy torture scene in the DLC), and everyone suffers equally in the second. There's a reason why this is 18+, and it fully deserves this rating. Surprisingly however, when I think of this game, I don't think of 'controversial and edgy' but usually 'boring and annoying'.<br /><br />You play as Jack, a reporter who has crashed landed near a cult-village and the people seem to think your arrival will bring the apocalypse. Jack cannot fight and has to run or hide (similar to the last game) but this happened so often it soon became a chase simulator more than anything else. The stealth section feels cheapened as there are some enemies that are able to catch you for no other reason than they are pre-programmed to do so, because there is no way they can otherwise spot you from half a town away. There was a fair amount of running in Outlast 1, but this was often broken up by the atmosphere, exploration, and the friendly NP's. It wasn't always clear whether or not the inmates would attack or try to help you or just act crazy. But in this town? One friendly resident who is quickly killed off.<br /><br />We do go into Jack's past memories of a school in order to break up the chasing every now and then, and while it is admittedly terrifying and atmospheric in the better parts of the game, it doesn't tie into the main game at all. The idea is that Jack is gradually losing his sanity and can't tell the difference as the game progresses. It gets to the point when he thinks he is still a child, and calls his wife a different name. But in the next scene involving the main plot, Jack suddenly snaps back to reality and sounds perfectly sane without explanation. Even with the religious overtones of the flashback, it doesn't really connect to the main ending at all.<br /><br />FINAL GRADE: 3 out of 5: Good atmosphere and ideas don't work well with the characters, the flashbacks, and the gameplay. The antagonist is a religious zealout, but isn't compelling in the slightest. Crushed Toys Productionshttps://plus.google.com/113655354120883680805noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300200568663595400.post-27060470433523490172017-01-08T09:14:00.001-08:002017-01-08T09:20:32.346-08:00Book Review: From the Shadow by Jessica Jesinghaus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-glyvI8YQ9Q4/WHJp18T8rsI/AAAAAAAABFg/nfh2r-FiKWsDQrgpXj8L2kxaJenFe6YCQCLcB/s1600/fromtheshadow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-glyvI8YQ9Q4/WHJp18T8rsI/AAAAAAAABFg/nfh2r-FiKWsDQrgpXj8L2kxaJenFe6YCQCLcB/s320/fromtheshadow.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><br /><i><br />What makes a man a monster? <br /><br />For too long Jacob has lived in isolation. Forsaken by God and cursed by a Shadow, he is doomed to a eternity of solitude with only the demons of his past for company. For nearly two hundred years, he has longed for that which he knows he can never have: forgiveness, love, and redemption. <br /><br />A chance encounter could hold the key... <br /><br />When Jacob meets Lynn, she shines a ray of hope across his bleak existence. But will she be strong enough to shoulder the truth of his past? Can she forgive the horrors he has wrought? Can she help him come to terms with his past and move with him into a brighter future? <br /><br />An old nemesis threatens... <br /><br />Confronted by an ancient enemy, Lynn and Jacob travel halfway around the world. There, they face the daunting task of sifting through ancient history for clues to their tormentor's weaknesses and a way to loose his grip on their future. <br /><br />What good can come From the Shadow?</i><br /><br />Blogger's note: Minor spoilers for the book.<br /><br /><i>From the Shadow</i> is a unique book in that a great deal happens in it, especially within the first few chapters. Jacob is a monster who tears into Lynn's friends (literally!) who are in the woods camping. Shortly after this Lynn is turned into a similar monster herself. This by itself could be enough plot material to fill a significant portion of the book-how Lynn deals with this new transformation, how she deals with what Jacob has done to her friends, etc. It's a very interesting situation that appeals to my love of complex monsters. I would have liked to see Lynn given more time to deal with this in the woods, but like I said a lot of things happen in this book quickly, a majority of which goes into Jacob's past and why he was turned into a monster to begin with. Without going too much into spoiler territory, I also really liked the character of Johanna, a woman from Jacob's past. She has an interesting backstory and it was neat to see how it developed over the years which made her into a complex character.<br /><a name='more'></a><br />If there is one criticism I have, is that because a great deal happens in <i>From the Shadow</i>, a great deal also tends to get resolved neatly and almost right away, besides the main conflict of the book. Characters may misunderstand something, for example, and it is resolved within a page or two. I would have personally loved to see the more minor conflicts stretched out. For example, Lynn is a strong and independent woman and can be a touch on the reckless side as a result. Because this character goes through so many changes within the first chapter, I would have loved to see that stretched out to making poor decisions or mistakes which the main antagonist can capitalize on.<br /><br />FINAL GRADE: 4 out of 5. Overall <i>From The Shadow</i> has an interesting plot, characters, and a fast-paced plot. A little more internal conflict would have made this perfect.<br /><br /><i>From the Shadow </i>can be found <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Jessica-Jesinghaus-ebook/dp/B01IOKRNIY">here</a>. <br /><br />Blogger's note: I received this book for free in exchange for a review swap. Crushed Toys Productionshttps://plus.google.com/113655354120883680805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300200568663595400.post-78442197250294147882016-12-24T10:31:00.001-08:002016-12-27T07:58:27.963-08:00Book Review: The Human-Undead War Dark Intentions by Jonathan Edward Ondrashek<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i9o3P7UK-bc/WF67COvpjVI/AAAAAAAABFE/AjPg_RYLgooYEvQ05da75-UMAqwDysVDACLcB/s1600/humanwar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i9o3P7UK-bc/WF67COvpjVI/AAAAAAAABFE/AjPg_RYLgooYEvQ05da75-UMAqwDysVDACLcB/s320/humanwar.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><i><br /><br /> In 2041, vampires are discovered and humanity is thrust into a blood-soaked battle for supremacy. <br /><br />Seven years later, the Human-Undead War rages on. Brian Koltz, the lead scientist and negotiator for the Undead Relations Committee, believes he holds the solution to peaceful cohabitation. However, he is unable to recreate the platelet mushroom due to its mysterious origin and government disapproval of using a human body as its engine.<br /><br />When Brian is kidnapped and introduced to the Undead Patriarch, Barnaby, the seemingly caring vampire makes offers Brian can't refuse if he wishes to achieve his vision of peaceful coexistence. Reluctant yet hopeful, Brian agrees to the offers and befriends the misunderstood Undead leader.<br /><br />But as the war takes on new heights and Barnaby's dark intentions become exposed, can Brian find it in himself to forsake peace and undo a sinister plot before the world is plunged into darkness forever?</i><br /><br />Blogger's note: Moderate spoilers below.<br /><br />The cover is good but doesn't quite catch my eye too much. I do like that it's somewhat mysterious what the monster is and the color balance works fine. But at the same time, he is in a typical monster pose and the background isn't that striking. Overall it works, but it isn't really that unique. <br /><br />There is a great deal to like at the start of <i>The Human-Undead Wa</i>r. A man (John Ashmore) who is struggling with marital problems goes on a diving adventure with his friends and ends up in a mysterious cave with strange creatures. He manages to kill one of them, which inadvertently starts the human-undead war. From there, the book splits into two different stories-the scientist Brian's point of view and the overall war between humans and vampires (good news if you like a high-paced action plot). There are also some great character actions with Barnaby and John as well, who survives to become a pawn to Barnaby.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a>Unfortunately I do have a few issues as the book went along, and a great deal of that centers around the main character, Brian. In order to explain this fully I am going to have to reveal a few things in the first half, so spoiler warning!<br /><br />A few chapters in Brian is captured by Barnaby, a vampire lord who offers him immortality in order to continue his research towards a mushroom-based food that would sustain vampire life. Brian agrees to this. I don't have a problem with this as his background is adequately explained to justify this decision. However, what I don't understand is most of Brian's choices afterwards. For whatever reason, Brian trusts Barnaby a great deal despite there being a war between vampires and humans. Soon afterwards he is attacked by three seemingly rogue vampires. He decides not to tell Barnaby (who made it very clear that Brian was under his protection) about the attack because...the plot needs him not to, I guess. Then a few chapters later, he decides to leave and have a chat with his old human friends, who are literally killing vampires at the same time. At this point I went <i>wait, what</i>? Why does Brian think his human friends wouldn't kill him? And why does Barnaby let him leave his Kingdom? Physically he was away at this point, but he didn't have any safeguards to prevent Brian from leaving? And why don't the rogue vampires try to prevent him from leaving? There are a few moments like this which are scattered throughout the book which might have been explained with more internal dialogue. This is the first book in the series so hopefully character motivations will be better in the next.<br /><br />FINAL GRADE: 3 out of 5. Interesting ideas and premise, and a great read if you're a fan of action in a supernatural war setting. However, there are a few frustrating times when characters do something when it feels like logic suggests they would want to do something else. I would have also liked to see more things for Brian's female companion and love interest Ruby to do as well, as a lot of her scenes seem to be in the background.<br /><br /><i>The Human-Undead War Dark Intentions</i> can be found <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Intentions-Human-Undead-War-Trilogy/dp/0692695222">here.</a> Crushed Toys Productionshttps://plus.google.com/113655354120883680805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300200568663595400.post-9170672063841073552016-11-22T07:28:00.001-08:002016-11-22T07:36:56.184-08:00Book Review: The Marian by Taylor Hohulin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fgyR6R6DG_o/WDRkdW0e7II/AAAAAAAABC4/nERZaZpTzF8eoE-qXsTwHQwhnvp2AF_xQCLcB/s1600/marian.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fgyR6R6DG_o/WDRkdW0e7II/AAAAAAAABC4/nERZaZpTzF8eoE-qXsTwHQwhnvp2AF_xQCLcB/s320/marian.JPG" width="208" /></a></div><br /><br /><i>Fifteen-year-old Ethan Denby doesn’t know how he got on the Marian. He just woke up one day inside the body of its captain.<br /><br />The Marian is unlike any ship Ethan has ever seen. It crawls on long, metal legs over dunes of salt in search of water, despite laws granting exclusive harvesting rights to a corrupt organization known as HydroSystems Worldwide.<br /><br />HydroSystems is closing in, tensions are mounting aboard the Marian, and on top of all that, Ethan is beginning to think the dreams he's been having aren't completely harmless. If he doesn’t get home soon, Ethan could die inside someone else’s body in this wasteland of a world. The only way back seems to be through the Cloud, but how can he convince the crew to take him there when it means confronting a dangerous cult and venturing into a place where the very fabric of reality has worn thin?</i><br /><div><i><br /></i></div><div>Blogger's note: Minor spoilers for the book<br /><div><i><br /></i></div><div>I am not usually a fan of black and white covers, but in this case it works, especially with the font choice and the contrast to the second book (which has a younger version of Ethan and red text).</div><div><a name='more'></a></div><div><br />Overall there is a great deal to like in the Marian, especially if you are a fan of pirate stories. There is descriptive and unique content, colorful characters, and a mystery involving a place called 'the Cloud', which I found to be the funnest part of the book by far. Ethan is a reactionary hero (in other words, everything he does is usually in reaction to something happening) but that fits given that he is only fifteen years old and completely out of his league. Percy is one of the more interesting characters, as it is not fully clear if he will turn out to be a hero or a villain. </div><div><br /></div><div>The Marian does drag a bit towards the second half and could have used a few scenes trimmed, but that's a minor issue. It does end on a cliffhanger, which normally is an annoying trend in books and can turn off the reader. However it ends at a good part and there is enough unique ideas that I would fully recommend picking up the second. This is a good time to get into the series as well, as the final book is also scheduled to be released at the end of November. </div><div><br /></div><div>FINAL GRADE: 4 out of 5. A unique story, plot and characters helps to forget the occasional pacing issue. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Crushed Toys Productionshttps://plus.google.com/113655354120883680805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300200568663595400.post-53238321235537847172016-11-12T10:50:00.000-08:002016-11-12T10:50:11.334-08:00DelaysHi everyone,<br /><br />You might have noticed that I haven't posted anything in what...three weeks?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5MMsFr0OfKU/WCdgA_KgKhI/AAAAAAAABA4/T_BR9KvcLDgVNj6AzucQwmFeWAaj3wlQwCLcB/s1600/ohno.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5MMsFr0OfKU/WCdgA_KgKhI/AAAAAAAABA4/T_BR9KvcLDgVNj6AzucQwmFeWAaj3wlQwCLcB/s1600/ohno.gif" /></a></div><br />Unfortunately, sometimes life gets in the way of this blog, and I have a bad habit of just falling off the grid. Rather than let that continue, I thought I would take the time to explain why that is. Some reasons are deeply personal and I won't get into very much, others I will.<br /><br />2016 has not been a great year overall, despite the release of my book. There has been significant personal problems during this time, and I have also had some professional set-backs in the form of rejection letters. And just when I thought I couldn't be hit with anything more, in came the election results.<br /><br />I won't get into my political opinions too much-it's pretty obvious on my facebook at any rate. But once the results were in, I am sure many people felt like they suddenly lost their best friend, the big brother who is always was a good person and would always have their back. Now that pillar of strength is suddenly cracked. America might not be such a great neighbor, after all. Maybe they'll be something bad. I have had plenty of pro-Trump supporters explain to me why that is not the case, and they make a convincing argument. But everyone can agree that the world is living in a very uncertain time, and the negativity on facebook is beyond incredible. People are tearing themselves apart. For that reason, I am severely limiting my time on facebook just to avoid it.<br /><br />I am genuinely trying to avoid a 'woe is me' post, but this has resulted in delays as a result. When this month started it was very hard to get a good night's sleep, and every day was spent either receiving more bad news or worrying about something. Some days it was even hard to get up in the morning, let alone do anything else.<br /><br />But...I am healing. And so is the world, after receiving the election news. The best way to describe it is going through a bad breakup. Everyone is dealing with it in a different way. Some people will take a long time, others no time at all. Some people are happy, some don't care, others are rioting, others are quietly despairing in their homes. And some people may never recover. Speaking personally, today is the first day I was able to write something new. I have a review video that is 99% completed. I can only dust myself off and try to continue as best as I can. But please bare with me in the meantime.<br /><br />-Natasha<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Crushed Toys Productionshttps://plus.google.com/113655354120883680805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300200568663595400.post-68954172294876969722016-10-17T12:37:00.001-07:002016-10-17T12:39:07.099-07:00Book Review: The Vigilant Schism by MG Sanders<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7fuEb0DXg_g/WAUhABmb0fI/AAAAAAAAA8c/fgSuXBUioW0Fzl9k0GExlKA-fElbg-ZMQCLcB/s1600/schism.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7fuEb0DXg_g/WAUhABmb0fI/AAAAAAAAA8c/fgSuXBUioW0Fzl9k0GExlKA-fElbg-ZMQCLcB/s320/schism.jpg" width="204" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><i>A hated bully’s ghastly - yet deserved - decapitation. </i><br /><i>An eccentric siliconaire's one million dollar reward. </i><br /><i>An otherworldly cast of suspects screwing everything else up. </i><br /><i><br /></i><i>A justifiably grisly crime begs to be solved in THE VIGILANT: SCHISM, the first book of a psycho-thriller serial where the paranormal interact with the living - usually without their knowledge. A horrific murder sets sixteen-year-old Beth and others on a riveting quest to find the killer, yet instead they discover that no one is what they seem, especially Beth. As they explore the unseen lives of those around them, it becomes evident that something sinister - something irrevocable - is happening in Beetle Oaks.</i><br /><i><br /></i><i>Someone is righting wrongs. </i><br /><i><br /></i><i>A psycho-thriller populated with a bizarre cast of characters, THE VIGILANT serial will appeal to those unafraid to consider the revolting depths of the shadows crawling behind friends and neighbors</i>.<br /><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Blogger's note: Minor spoilers for the book</i></div><div><br /></div><div>The cover is simply beautiful, and I could gush about it all day. Since one of the main characters is the spirit of someone horribly murdered, the cover is very fitting as a ghost could spend a great deal of time behind the curtain. Well done!</div><div><a name='more'></a></div><div><br />As a reader I am not really enthused about stories where the main character might be in the wrong body, or a different plain of existence. It's not normally my cup of tea. However, I did enjoy the book more because the main character (Beth) soon becomes an active participant in the events which happen in the book, even as a ghost. There are also a great collection of characters which make the set-up and mystery interesting. I did appreciate the amount of diversity and detail that went into establishing each character. </div><div><br /></div><div>That being said, it also feels like the <i>Vigilant</i> has a collection of ideas, some of which tie into the overall arc better than others. The character Fiammetta suffers for this the most. She is a mystery woman who can see Beth and helps her throughout the book. But when Fiammetta's true identity is revealed, it's a very WTF moment. It comes out of nowhere, doesn't really contribute to the mystery and isn't really resolved. I am assuming this will be resolved in the later books, but it perhaps would have been a better idea to keep parts of her identity a secret as well. In this case, less might have been more. Around the same time, Beth also has to deal with another spirit who is a bully, and I would have loved to see this continue until the end of the book instead of the half-way mark, as this spirit could have certainly made Beth's investigation more difficult. </div><div><br /></div><div>The mystery of who the killer is will likely keep the reader guessing until likely the two-third mark. I would have preferred to see one small scene removed to make it more challenging, but overall it's a good enough mystery to keep the reader guessing for a while.</div><div><br /></div><div>FINAL GRADE: 3.5 out of 5. A fun read with well-developed characters. A few ideas do not connect very well with the main plot. Presumably they will be more important in the sequels. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>The Vigilant</i> <i>Schism</i> can be found <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Vigilant-Schism-Original-Psychothriller-Serial-ebook/dp/B01CC3AQAQ/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8">here:</a> </div>Crushed Toys Productionshttps://plus.google.com/113655354120883680805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300200568663595400.post-25294847735353355812016-10-11T18:53:00.002-07:002016-10-11T19:06:46.150-07:00Author Interview: CK Stone and Tia Tormen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iT_6wjqOdzU/V_2Wn-EJhKI/AAAAAAAAA70/6HhaVQDkRi8TzBEogqFIACvEdDPiNNOJQCLcB/s1600/0537-4x6-08a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iT_6wjqOdzU/V_2Wn-EJhKI/AAAAAAAAA70/6HhaVQDkRi8TzBEogqFIACvEdDPiNNOJQCLcB/s320/0537-4x6-08a.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="text-indent: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="text-indent: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="text-indent: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold; line-height: 115%;">Natasha: Tell me about yourself. How long have you been writing? When you are not writing, how do you like to spend your spare time?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">CK: I'd love to say I've been writing since I was able to pick up a pencil and put words on paper, but that might be a bit of an exaggeration. I've written stories since I was a kid and kept a journal since I was in college. Oy, a long time… As to what I do when not writing--I do all the rest of the things that keep my life interesting: Tang Soo Do, Haidong Gumdo, Parsec - a sf/f/h group here in Pittsburgh, Confluence - our annual SF/F/H conference, eating, sleeping, and working my day job. As to spare time--that's really funny. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">TIA: I always wanted to grow up and become a writer, but my priorities were to my five children first. I used to make up bedtime stories to tell them and envisioned myself becoming a children's book author someday. After the children were old enough, I started attending a writing and critique group and learned a lot about the craft of writing. Then along came CK and Hidden Design and we've been working on that together for quite a few years. I have been taking Tang Soo Do Karate since 1992, but took a 19 year break and only started studying again a couple years ago. I also take Haidong Gumdo sword classes, attend and help run a writing and critique group, I work as a make-up artist and photographer on the weekends, do video editing when I have time, and work a PT day job. Any spare time I have available is spent promoting Hidden Design, the Prophecy and learning how to professionally publish books. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D9Q-faklqFo/V_2W5X_LI-I/AAAAAAAAA78/RTN-znblKakflsAHHkXwCQFEEGGmQq1wQCEw/s1600/Tia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D9Q-faklqFo/V_2W5X_LI-I/AAAAAAAAA78/RTN-znblKakflsAHHkXwCQFEEGGmQq1wQCEw/s320/Tia.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Natasha: <span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Tell us a little about your book series Hidden Design, the Prophecy. What was your favorite scene to write? What was your least favorite scene?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">CK: I think one of my favorite scenes to write was the dinner party scene. Mikki Daneen, our main character, has dinner with a local TV Celebrity and his producer/girlfriend. There is a little friction and a lot of wine, sake and beer. A lot of fun. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Least favorite? I would have to say my least favorite scene is the initial meeting between Jacques, a prospective client who is manager for another client/friend of Mikki's and Mikki. She is trying to be business-like, mostly because she has some other things on her mind and he has heard too much about how Mikki works and wants to find out if it's true. Let's just say I didn't find him a particularly sympathetic character in that scene. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Natasha: Do you have any other exciting projects coming out?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">TIA: Always! Right now we're working on the second book for Hidden Design, sub title TBD, and a novella titled, "The Write Lovers." We have had The Write Lovers on the back burner for some time now but it is almost completed. The novella should be available by summer 2017. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Natasha: </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Do you have any advice for other authors trying to get published?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">CK: Keep writing! Don't lose heart! Help is on the way! We all get discouraged and we all feel like we're beating our heads against the proverbial wall. The best piece of advice, and one I give to myself all the time: keep writing and keep submitting. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_aReXo0PCCE/V_2W40WXgJI/AAAAAAAAA74/YI0dzxF5N94qBxNuQRV_yhx5ML7R6kg3ACEw/s1600/CK%2BStone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_aReXo0PCCE/V_2W40WXgJI/AAAAAAAAA74/YI0dzxF5N94qBxNuQRV_yhx5ML7R6kg3ACEw/s320/CK%2BStone.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Natasha: What genre is your book?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">TIA: Hidden Design is listed as a Contemporary Fantasy-Thriller, but is a bit more cross-genre than that. It has been described by readers as a paranormal fantasy, urban fantasy, magic realism, erotic thriller and paranormal thriller. We had a hard time settling on a genre because there really are so many different elements written into the story. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Natasha: What is the best way for readers to reach you?</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(links for twitter, facebook, etc)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Tia Tormen</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">can be found on:<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Her website: <a href="http://www.tiatormen.com/">www.tiatormen.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Facebook: </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/tiatormen"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; text-decoration: none;">https://www.facebook.com/tiatormen</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Goodreads: </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://https/www.goodreads.com/tiatormen"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; text-decoration: none;">https://www.goodreads.com/tiatormen</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Twitter: </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://https/twitter.com/tiatormen"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; text-decoration: none;">https://twitter.com/tiatormen</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Amazon author page: </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/author/tiatormen"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none;">http://www.amazon.com/author/tiatormen</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">CK Stone </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">can be found on:<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Facebook: </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/authorckstone"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://www.facebook.com/authorckstone</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> , <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Goodreads: </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15604775.C_K_Stone"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15604775.C_K_Stone</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Our Blog</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">: </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://thewritelovers.blogspot.com/p/hidden-design.html"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">http://thewritelovers.blogspot.com/p/hidden-design.html</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l0u-ymt0nA4/V_2V8WxaOmI/AAAAAAAAA7s/B3CULmGbTu8WfQq0LKWWurFujhsp9aCgQCLcB/s1600/Book%2BCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l0u-ymt0nA4/V_2V8WxaOmI/AAAAAAAAA7s/B3CULmGbTu8WfQq0LKWWurFujhsp9aCgQCLcB/s320/Book%2BCover.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Synopsis:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">An ancient Prophecy, foretold millennia ago . . . <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Child of the traitor<br />Conceived in betrayal<br />Shall pierce the veil<br />And destroy the hidden <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Mikki Daneen is living the life she's always dreamed but she hides an extraordinary gift--the ability to perceive her clients' most intimate desires. A secret liaison brings death and destruction to Mikki's life, but she's not the only one in danger. Mikki must uncover the secrets of a culture she never knew existed, and expose the true betrayer. <br />Hidden Design, The Prophecy, is a full-length contemporary fantasy/thriller novel that contains elements of romantica.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The story is set in New York City where Mackenzie Daneen is a successful interior designer, in part because she can psychically link into the most secret desires of her special clients and give them exactly what they want. Mikki is on top of her world until an old boyfriend/FBI agent asks her to glean details on a kidnapping suspect, Seth Harkinson, by using her psychic ability. When she learns more than she bargained for, her life starts falling apart. Through Seth, she uncovers the truth; she may be the child the prophecy speaks of. She runs for her life from a demon-possessed beast that is hell-bent on hunting down and killing the innocent children who possess magical gifts; children of whom the prophecy may speak.</span><br /><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />While she and Seth fight for their lives, they discover they have a connection that runs deeper than either of them imagined. Will her psychic visions be able to help them find the evil that is driven relentlessly to slaughter, before it's too late?<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>Crushed Toys Productionshttps://plus.google.com/113655354120883680805noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300200568663595400.post-72861659362723985122016-10-08T13:40:00.005-07:002016-10-11T19:07:15.708-07:00Book Review: The House That Death Built by Michaelbrent Collings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eUpNVIfrn0M/V_lURia2-EI/AAAAAAAAA7U/fTQuwhTDi38fp1IiIWpI3usY8mtBSaPKQCLcB/s1600/housethatdeathbuilt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eUpNVIfrn0M/V_lURia2-EI/AAAAAAAAA7U/fTQuwhTDi38fp1IiIWpI3usY8mtBSaPKQCLcB/s320/housethatdeathbuilt.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br /><br /><i>Getting in was easy. Getting out... will be another matter.<br />***<br />It was supposed to be just one more job: in, out, and millions the richer. But when four thieves break into THIS house, they discover the owners were ready. And waiting.<br /><br />Now, the thieves find themselves in a deadly maze of traps. Traps designed not only to steal their lives, but their sanity.<br /><br />The only way out is the front door.<br />The only way to get there is to survive.<br />And the only way to survive is to be willing to do anything, to suffer all... and to lose everything.</i><br /><br />The cover is pretty simple, but overall I like it. The old 'less is more' holds true in this case, and the font and splash of red work very well here.<br /><i> </i><br />I really enjoyed this book from start to finish. MichaelBrent Collings is a bestselling author, and there are plenty of quotes in the first few pages from various review sites praising this book. Is he the next king of horror as Media Mikes claims? Eh, time will tell. But I can firmly say that this is a book that almost excels at every turn.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a>One of the book's biggest strength is in the characters. Of the four thieves, one is a psychopath who is only interested in the big score, the second is a decent man who is trapped into helping the group, and the other two are brother and sister who are varying degrees of crazy. When an initial job goes wrong, the four are at odds with each other, and there is a great deal of time dedicated into exploring their personalities and struggles as they cope with their sudden bad luck. That all changes, however, when a new job surfaces, the next 'big score'. Unfortunately for the thieves, it is a deathtrap, and the reader will be kept guessing as to who the mastermind truly is. On a sidenote, I just have to say I love reading how the mastermind is described for the first time as he meets the thieves. It was a fantastic scene. <br /><br />My only minor critique is that the masterminds have a firm belief as to who will survive until the very end and set up particular riddles and scenarios for that person, even though I suspect in real life the outcome could have been very different. The reason given is that the masterminds have studied each thief in great detail, but that didn't mean the four couldn't have all blundered and died on the first trap (but of course, it would have been a short book if that happened!)<br /><br />FINAL GRADE: 5 out of 5. Strong characters in a mysterious deathtrap make this book a real page-turner. Definitely an enjoyable read from start to finish.<br /><br /><i>The House That Death Built </i>can be found <a href="https://www.amazon.com/House-That-Death-Built-ebook/dp/B01C398A4I">here. </a>Crushed Toys Productionshttps://plus.google.com/113655354120883680805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300200568663595400.post-26284808655264838462016-09-26T07:02:00.007-07:002016-10-11T19:08:46.916-07:00Novella Review: Empty by Ty Arthur<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CsszDqgBpO4/V-iGNyqV1SI/AAAAAAAAA54/DVrl1Gj2M-UiggqXJE9eRhv4vJJWwgQvACLcB/s1600/empty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CsszDqgBpO4/V-iGNyqV1SI/AAAAAAAAA54/DVrl1Gj2M-UiggqXJE9eRhv4vJJWwgQvACLcB/s320/empty.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br /><br /><i>There are terrors still waiting to be discovered in the vast emptiness of space. After millennia of travel through the void, man has convinced himself he is master of the stars. <br /><br />Down-on-his-luck, stuck performing punishment duty in the lower levels of the Penrose, Junior Engineer 3rd Class Hansen wants nothing more than to see the wreckage of a newly discovered ship dating back to man's earliest deep space explorations. <br /><br />The engineer is about to get his wish, and in the process come face-to-face with a long-dormant horror waiting patiently for the perfect vessel. What he'll uncover in the darkness will threaten to consume him, body and soul. </i><br /><i><br /></i>I really like the cover on this one-the artist did a great job with a scene that could easily fit in the novella, with perfect detailed coloring and shading. Judging by the expression on the man's face, however, a small part of me wonders if this cover would have worked even better tied to a comedy, which <i>Empty</i> is certainly not. That is a minor opinion however, and it certainly works a million times better than the cover on my ARC copy (which was a big white page of nothing!)<br /><a name='more'></a><br />I'll start with the positive on this one. It is a refreshing to see a science fiction novel where the focus is on a junior engineer instead of any of the main officers, whom the reader will almost never, ever see. The entire ship is very large, pitch-black, and atmospheric, and it is almost impossible for one crew member to see another without the aid of a hovering light. Overall the author puts a great deal of descriptive language in this which the setting very claustrophobic.<br /><br />Since there is not a great deal of character interaction, most of the novella is focused on Hansen, a junior engineer. And, unfortunately, we don't get a great deal of background about Hansen, save that he has a bit of a rebellious streak in the beginning, when one of his pranks gets him in trouble and forced to do isolated duties below decks. A little bit more background would have been appreciated, especially when he makes some questionable decisions. He also seems to have free reign of the ship in the second half, and while I did say it was interesting not to have any command staff involved, having more idea of what they were up to in order to stop Hansen would have also been interesting. It might have even added to the atmosphere as Hansen sees the black shadows of security looking for him.<br /><br />From a technical side, the novella<i> </i>could have also used some more editin<i>g</i>. <i>Empty </i>has a great deal of descriptive language, but also has a great deal of prose as well. Having someone trim this down and also fix the occasional past/present/future error tense would have made this read far more enjoyable. <br /><br />FINAL GRADE: 2.5 out of 5. Some ideas were interesting, but another round of editing and more internal dialogue would have given this a higher grade. This is a short read (about 90 pages) so if you would like an atmospheric novella with some interesting ideas this would be a good one to check out.<br /><br /><i>Empty</i> can be found <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Empty-Ty-Arthur-ebook/dp/B01AK3NEH2">here</a>.<br /><br /><br />Crushed Toys Productionshttps://plus.google.com/113655354120883680805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300200568663595400.post-3025528270581269392016-09-25T19:15:00.000-07:002016-09-25T19:16:34.656-07:00Promo: Halloweenpalooza IV<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AJrcYeom2Lk/V-iDI0SKDJI/AAAAAAAAA5s/bA2dvNY8XS8PVeTeL1VXSgh4qBZ7wrqqQCLcB/s1600/halloween.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AJrcYeom2Lk/V-iDI0SKDJI/AAAAAAAAA5s/bA2dvNY8XS8PVeTeL1VXSgh4qBZ7wrqqQCLcB/s400/halloween.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />Official article <a href="http://halloweenpalooza.blogspot.ca/2016/09/stalking-moon-author-announcement.html">here</a> and posted with permission: <br /><br />October. It’s the month when the smell of pumpkin is in the air and the crunch of leaves underfoot makes it awfully difficult to creep up on someone and wield a chain saw, but don’t worry! Until the snow falls and muffles the approach, stay inside with us! We have 31 brilliantly twisted authors that are ready to dish out all you can handle in the thrill department and more. Our promise? Relentless horror guaranteed to freeze your brain and make your tongue fall off! And we mean it, too! <br /><br />This is HALLOWEENPALOOZA IV: The Stalking Moon, and if you’re a lover of horror, you’re in the right place. We have 31 authors … did I say 31 again? No! Not 31 … this year we have 33 authors that are ready to blow the top of your head off! That’s right! We’re so jam-packed with talent that we’re starting this event in September, but that’s not the only surprise! Ready for it? Hope you’re sitting down! <br /><br />This year I’m honored to announce that … Mr. Jack Ketchum will be participating in this rodeo! YES! The scariest guy in America (according to Mr. Stephen King) will be here to offer up his brand of scary and it’s spelled t-e-r-r-o-r-i-f-y-i-n-g! It’s fair warning, and to the legion of fans that love standing knee-deep in his kind of psychotic, he’s giving away some awesome prizes! <br /><br />Prizes? Yes, prizes! Every author participating in this scarefest will be giving one or more of their books away! This is in addition to other giveaways occurring throughout the month! And in case you're new to this event, this is how to enter to win. <br /><br />DAILY PRIZES: From September 29th through October 31st, I'll be posting a link to this blog on the Official FB Event Page every single day (as in “every single day”!) The post will be an interview, blog, or original short story written by the author featured on that day. The post will also reveal the title of the book being given away, how many copies, and what format are up for grabs. To enter, click back over to the FB Event Page (the Halloweenpalooza IV picture at the top and/or bottom of the page is linked to the FB event for easy navigation), and follow the instructions. Most times, it's as easy as commenting "I WANT TO WIN!" You have all day to enter--we draw the winners in the evening. If your name is selected, the prize is yours! It's that simple. <br /><br />MONTHLY PRIZES: In addition to the daily prizes, there will be two monthly drawings as well. The first is the GRAND PRIZE. It includes a prize package that will be revealed on October 1st. The second contest is TWO AUTOGRAPHED BOOKS (one a galley proof) by a certain uber fantabulous author that will also be announced at the start of this event. Until then, I’ll let you guess who it is! *wink wink* Both contests will be offered through Rafflecopter, and will have options for you to increase your chances to win! The contests will run the length of this event, and the lucky winners will be chosen on October 31st. <br /><br />For the full article please click <a href="http://halloweenpalooza.blogspot.ca/2016/09/stalking-moon-author-announcement.html">here</a>. Please check the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1707136679540777/">facebook link </a>for more updates.Crushed Toys Productionshttps://plus.google.com/113655354120883680805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300200568663595400.post-84191040596569307622016-09-24T09:00:00.000-07:002016-10-11T19:09:16.717-07:00Game Demo Review: Resident Evil Beginning Hour<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bbYBBehB-WQ/V-ae2eSXU4I/AAAAAAAAA5Q/aGc9VNoeChAHK2FgrzQuRRN0N3vh83toACLcB/s1600/Resident-Evil-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bbYBBehB-WQ/V-ae2eSXU4I/AAAAAAAAA5Q/aGc9VNoeChAHK2FgrzQuRRN0N3vh83toACLcB/s320/Resident-Evil-7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br />I'm of two minds when it comes to the playable teaser for <i>Resident Evil Beginning Hour</i>. On the one hand...it's scary. Really scary. As in, edge-of-your-seat-terrified-to-see-behind-the-next-corner kind of scary. You play as a cameraman who is investigating a supposedly abandoned house with two other filmmakers. Bad things happen, and you need to escape the house while being chased by a madman who wants to 'welcome you to the family'. There are also clues left around the house that will either take players a really long time to figure out, or are currently not in play until another update to expand the demo (based on the fact that additional items have been added since E3, I'm guessing it's the latter)<br /><a name='more'></a><br />On the other hand....it's not <i>Resident Evil</i>. Not really. This game borrows heavily from ideas done in other games, but most notably in <i>PT</i>-the player wakes up on the floor like <i>PT</i>, the girl ghosts looks a lot like the ghost in <i>PT</i>, there is an occasional blur effect like in <i>PT</i>, mannequins turn around like <i>Condemned</i>, player is able 'go back in time' essentially by turning on a video in a VCR like in <i>Slender the arrival,</i> and etc, etc. For the record, I have no problem with this demo shamelessly ripping from <i>PT</i>-that game pretty much fell on its own sword when Kojima Productions ripped it from playstation network never to be downloaded again just because they were feeling petty.<br /><br />But there is the one thing I don't really see in this demo. All the things that would make it <i>Resident Evil</i>. Where are the zombies? Where is Chris punching borders or Leon's ridiculous hair? I would love this game to be made, but I wish it had its own identify and wasn't tied to the <i>Resident Evil franchise</i>. Also, apparently this demo has no part of the official game, so what is the point? Why couldn't it have been two separate games? I love what the development team is doing, but it's pretty frustrating to see this happen again (because, yes, the <i>PT</i> demo also had no connection to the Silent Hills sequel it was eventually supposed to be)<br /><br /><br />FINAL GRADE: 3.5 out of 5. Beautiful graphics and extremely terrifying, but lacks a self-identity and appears incomplete with some items currently beng a mystery.Crushed Toys Productionshttps://plus.google.com/113655354120883680805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300200568663595400.post-47754794484457540052016-09-17T17:22:00.000-07:002016-10-11T19:10:04.927-07:00Book Review: Dark Gods of Alter Telluria by Barton Paul Levenson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4C9QJ6o4UiA/V93QWy2Fw6I/AAAAAAAAA40/z9M-SUFfKew7Y6_pCqsUdIM7WPDw77P8ACLcB/s1600/darkgods.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4C9QJ6o4UiA/V93QWy2Fw6I/AAAAAAAAA40/z9M-SUFfKew7Y6_pCqsUdIM7WPDw77P8ACLcB/s320/darkgods.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><i><br /><br />Pittsburgh astrophysics professor Milo Stanford finally had it good for a change. A one-year sabbatical to teach in London and a beautiful new girlfriend. No worries to speak of—until the day he lost it all.<br /><br />Caught outside in a freak thunderstorm, Milo is struck by lightning and wakes up on the parallel world of Alter Telluria. Unable to return home, Milo must adjust to life on a new planet of nation-states that are ruled by supernatural beings, a strange, pseudo-Victorian culture, and a pantheon of dark gods who delight in wreaking havoc on the lives of the local denizens.<br /><br />While struggling to adapt to his new situation, Milo is offered a position in the Scholar’s Tower by the vampire ruler Sania, Mistress of Lake Gulia. Despite his abrasive personality and lack of deference, he quickly rises to become one of her most trusted advisors.<br /><br />When the ruling wizard of neighboring Carthusia kidnaps Sania in an attempted coup, Milo is chosen to lead a hazardous rescue mission into the stronghold of the wizard’s indomitable magic—where the dark gods are certain to test his mettle.<br /><br />Can Milo rescue Sania and restore her as ruler of Lake Gulia, or do the dark gods of Alter Telluria have other plans?</i><br /><br />The cover is very pretty. Great lighting, imagery, and the scene takes place in the book as well! This is the type of cover that will easily stand out on a bookshelf.<br /><a name='more'></a><br />The style of writing is very unique in this book. Milo comes off as a very believable character who suffers a break-up due to discussing marriage after only one month of being with his girlfriend (youch!). When he is hit by a lightning bolt, he is mysteriously transported to another world, something that has been known to happen in that world from time to time. Alter Telluria itself is very interesting place to explore, as one faction is controlled by Sania, the fourteen year old vampire queen and another faction is controlled by an elderly wizard who has an interest in her.<br /><br />The relationship between Milo and Sania is a tough nut to crack. Milo tries to earn his way into her favor, while fighting off her advances at the same time. Sania comes across as a very unpredictable girl, either sobbing in his shoulders one moment or scheduling the execution of another young girl the next. While this does keep things extremely interesting, it does lead to a few minor head-scratching moments. For example, when Sania is kidnapped, another leader is elected in her place, one who does not partake in ritual human sacrifice. So if Milo rescues Sania, there is a likelihood that someone else could die, and I don't feel this dilemna is explored nearly enough. Plus, when Sania is kidnapped, she apparently sends a message to another woman Milo is pursuing, even though Sania has never met her before and comes across as the jealous type. In other words, that seems like a very 'un-Sania' thing to do at that point. Overall I think this could have been explored with a bit more internal dialogue, especially from Sania's end. She is an extremely interesting character, and I would have loved to see a few things from her point of view. But like I said it's a minor nitpick.<br /><br />FINAL GRADE: 4 out of 5. Overall, this is a great read with a very interesting dynamic between Milo and Sania, one that I would love to see develop over the years. Hopefully there is a sequel.<br /><br />Dark Gods of Alter Telluria can be found <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Alter-Telluria-Barton-Levenson-ebook/dp/B01GYAWBKQ">here</a>.Crushed Toys Productionshttps://plus.google.com/113655354120883680805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300200568663595400.post-52298037087309257742016-09-13T07:18:00.001-07:002016-10-11T19:10:22.563-07:00Author Interview: MG Sanders<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bwmY6rM-JS4/V9gKgrI7fEI/AAAAAAAAA4Y/67jZHrVFj64-fDHxe9xvM-Z_gKFdBvI3QCLcB/s1600/bio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bwmY6rM-JS4/V9gKgrI7fEI/AAAAAAAAA4Y/67jZHrVFj64-fDHxe9xvM-Z_gKFdBvI3QCLcB/s320/bio.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>Natasha: Tell me about yourself. How long have you been writing? When you are not writing, how do you like to spend your spare time?</b><br /><br />MG: My two greatest passions have always been travel and writing. I've been doing both since I was a child, including scribbling out scary stories while traveling in the back seat of my parent's car. My earliest stories were about people who became lost in their own minds, which (excuse the pun) went right over the heads of my elementary school friends. When I'm not writing I tend to do a lot of exercise to offset the sedentary nature of the career. Favorites are hiking, swimming, walking and yoga.<br /><br /><b>Natasha: Tell us a little about your book series Vigilant<i>.</i> What was your favorite scene to write? What was your least favorite scene?</b><br /><br />MG: The Vigilant serial is a psychological thriller about a teen who refuses to watch others be victimized and takes matters into their hands. One by one, the teen single handedly eradicates the deserving from the foggy northern coastal town where they live. As the reader delves into the haunted town of Beetle Oaks, a host of challenged characters who are not what they seem interact with each other in their quests to identify the killer.<br /><br />I really enjoyed discovering the history of one of the more tortured characters, Fiammetta – a siren who lives as a fish in the ocean by day and walks the earth at night. Due to the curse put upon her centuries before, each full moon she is compelled to kill a man - causing no small amount of chaos as her body counts grow. Definitely my least favorite scene was the abuse and murder of one of the more sweet and tortured characters by a truly evil gentleman.<br /><br /><b>Natasha: You mentioned this is a new genre for you to write in. How has that been challenging?</b><br /><br />MG: I have a successful memoir series under my real name, Marlayna Glynn, which was fairly effortless to put together. The five book series is a collection of true stories and I'm a natural storyteller. However, my four children and three stepchildren created the main characters in The Vigilant serial and I was very challenged to weave a story around such a complex and disparate set of characters. It was great fun though because my immediate family doubted I could pull it off! I've really enjoyed working with characters I did not know or create and being able to tell their stories.<br /><br /><b>Natasha: Do you have any other exciting projects coming out?</b><br /><br />MG: In Game of Thrones style, I'm continually killing off characters in The Vigilant. As new characters are introduced in each book I get to lose myself in creating their histories. I envision side books about some characters and investigating just how they came to be what they are.<br /><br /><b>Natasha: Do you have any advice for other authors trying to get published?</b><br /><br />MG: I have tons of advice! Arguably the most important is to get comfortable with marketing yourself and your works. You'll be doing a lot of it – more than you could ever realize.<br /><br /><b>Natasha: What is the best way for readers to reach you? (links for twitter, facebook, etc)</b><br /><br />website: <a href="http://www.mgsanders.us/">www.mgsanders.us</a><br /><br />facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/authormgsanders/">https://www.facebook.com/authormgsanders/</a><br /><br />twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/rrmaewa">https://twitter.com/rrmaewa</a> <br /><br /><i><br />MG Sanders has always questioned the line between what's real - and the unseen world around her.<br /> <br /> An award winning photographer and writer, she spent two years traveling the world to photograph religious ceremony, burial sites and ancient grounds haunted with history.<br /> <br /> Author of psychological thrillers, MG's work has unleashed an unconventional cast of characters to the world. Her nightmare-inducing collection of psycho thrillers is sure to chill even the most seasoned horror and paranormal readers. Her first book of THE VIGILANT serial is exclusive to Kindle and soon to be in paperback.<br /> <br /> Beyond reading and writing, MG enjoys hikes through the forest, travel to any new destination, and settling down late at night with a good ghost story. You name it, she's either read it or watched it, cutting her teeth on masters such as Stephen King, Robert Bloch and HP Lovecraft.<br /> <br /> She resides with her soulmate, Allen, seven children and two cats.<br /> <br /> Find out more at mgsanders.us, and score the not-for-sale-to-the-public Prequel to THE VIGILANT series.<br /> <br /> THE VIGILANT: SCHISM Book One and THE VIGILANT: CHASM Book two -- now available on Amazon!</i><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>Crushed Toys Productionshttps://plus.google.com/113655354120883680805noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300200568663595400.post-81427254368148274722016-09-10T17:37:00.001-07:002016-09-10T17:49:25.073-07:00Game Review: Asemblance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bkCtQeuNFkI/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bkCtQeuNFkI?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div><br /><br />I originally ordered Asemblance since the trailer looked pretty spooky. But when it came down to it...there was only one spooky scene, and the game itself is not really a horror game. What it is, however, is a very interesting puzzle game. One that would be very difficult to win without tuning into a walkthrough online. When it originally came out, it took weeks for one hardcore gamer (TheBlueRanger) to find all of the endings, and even then I'm not 100% convinced all the secrets have been discovered yet. And in this case, even if a player looks at the walkthrough for the tough-as-nails 'white' ending, chances are they'll still need several tries to get it right. <br /><a name='more'></a>You play as a nameless protagonist who is reliving his own memories, with the help of a computer AI who gives off a creepy Stanley Parable vibe. The gameplay really only boils down to three levels, but each can change as the player discovers certain clues. In a very unique twist, the timing of some of the levels can change, allowing further clues to be found. However, the AI might also interfere with finding some of these clues-for example, making the memory fast-forward as you are trying to listen to an important taped message. This also can move the clock once again, creating even more clues. As I said, it's all very unique.<br />So who is the player? That is something one could spend days trying to figure out. There is a list of six names, some of which are crossed out in different time streams. There is some kind of tragedy involving his wife, and perhaps his child as well, but from there it is pretty unknown, and not even the complete ending answers all of these questions.<br /><br />Overall, your enjoyment of this game will depend on what you look for in a game. A person who likes puzzles and plotlines which are not fully spelled out will likely enjoy this the most.<br /><br />FINAL GRADE: 3 out of 5. A game that has more questions than answers, but it's definitely worth the $9.99 price on the playstation networkCrushed Toys Productionshttps://plus.google.com/113655354120883680805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300200568663595400.post-57254315691526638652016-08-31T07:37:00.005-07:002016-10-11T19:11:08.833-07:00Book Review: Trillingham by W.Potocki<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f4zkD0IFMdI/V8bliQc3fJI/AAAAAAAAA2o/Ro5bRD9t2qkYBaoFS-IqbGQ7g1Dls8V2wCLcB/s1600/TRILLINGHAM_UPDATED%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f4zkD0IFMdI/V8bliQc3fJI/AAAAAAAAA2o/Ro5bRD9t2qkYBaoFS-IqbGQ7g1Dls8V2wCLcB/s320/TRILLINGHAM_UPDATED%2Bcopy.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><i><br />A monster proves a legend true. <br /><br />Jen Nichols is living large and ready to enjoy the summer. Riding the unemployment train, a chance encounter with Hillboro’s newest resident alters her plans. While Jen insists the attack could have been fatal, everyone, including her boyfriend Phil, minimizes her claims. Even the police dismiss her account of what they consider a skirmish until a dead body surfaces. Half-eaten and discarded in a ravine, it’s the first clue that someone very evil is hungry. But who or what that someone is remains a mystery and shrouded in folklore. <br /><br />A vandalized cemetery located hundreds of miles away may hold the key to solving the crime. The digging up of that unmarked grave has awakened more than the creature put to a permanent rest. But only a mother still grieving over the loss of a child understands the implications. As she sets out to stop more murders from happening, the only question for her is, will she be too late. </i><br /><div><i><br /></i></div><div>There are two covers available for <i>Trillingham</i>, and neither really catch my eye. The graveyard is the more accurate presentation of the events happening in the book (having a monster waking up from the gave and all) but the photo itself looks a bit blurry and ordinary. Having the text font be a dark shade might have made it more visually eye-catching, or having a splash of color in the picture itself might have worked, such as an unnatural glow of some sorts. The author has written other books where the cover is far more eye-catching. This is unfortunately is not one of them. </div><div><br /></div><div><a name='more'></a></div><div>Overall, the second half of Trillingham caught my attention more so than the first half. During the first half of the story, several people in the town were killed by Trillingham, and then the next scene will typically shift to Jen and her friends at lunch or a diner discussing either the news of the murder or about life in general. I think the main issue is that Jen herself is attacked by Trillingham in the beginning, but is not really connected to Trillingham again until the end. This might have been solved if Trillingham's point of view was more of a stalker, fixated on finding the one that got away. That would have added quite a bit of tension to the first half. And while Trillingham does eventually have that desire, again, it's not really towards the end that this occurs to him. And since Jen and her friends are not really invested in Trillingham's plot until the second half as a result, it was much harder to get invested in the first half for this reason. </div><div><br /></div><div>However, things pick up in the second half as Jen is more involved with the monster and the idea of Trillingham itself is very inventive and terrifying. Protagonist Jen is likable enough, and both Jessie and Mary are standout characters. Both were aged females attempting to solve the problem of Trillingham, just in different ways. All of their scenes were vital to the story.My favorite character out of everyone had to be Mary, who had quite a bit of depth to her role. </div><div><br /></div><div>FINAL GRADE 3 out of 5. Some of the scenes in the first half could have been edited out to tighten up the story a bit. It does get more interesting in the second half. </div><div><br /></div><div>Trillingham can be found <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Trillingham-Wendy-Potocki-ebook/dp/B00M6H3LJ2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1472653813&sr=1-1&keywords=Trillingham+by+Wendy+Potocki">here</a>. </div><div>W.Potocki's interview can be found <a href="http://blackhavenreviews.com/2016/07/author-interview-wendy-potocki.html">here</a>. </div>Crushed Toys Productionshttps://plus.google.com/113655354120883680805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300200568663595400.post-50244662653123792052016-08-28T08:15:00.004-07:002016-08-28T08:15:45.911-07:00Game Review: Layers of Fear<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/CyDs5UJfvks/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CyDs5UJfvks?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><br /><br /><i>Blogger's note: Sorry for the lack of updates, everyone. Busy month!</i><br /><br /><i>Layers of Fear</i> can be considered as not really a game but an experience of how many jumpscares you can withstand at once. Ths game is extremely terrifying and keeps the horror fresh by introducing an element of madness at every turn. One moment you may be walking down a hallway, the next you may be repeating the same hallway over and over again while a phone rings that you can't answer. Scraps of journals inform the player that the main character certainly deserves some of the horror which occurs in the household.<br /><br />But is it really a game? This game seems to borrow heavily from PT, which involves a lot of wandering around more than anything else, (not to mention the main character has a problem with alchohol and there is a psycho wife trying to kill you). As in PT, it is impossible to actually die in this game, as the player will simply wake up later. The puzzles are rare and there are three possible endings, depending on whether or not you try to follow your wife in the game. But besides a good element of exploration, that will be pretty much the only gameplay features in the game. And it's certainly difficult to explore when there are jumpscares happening at every turn!<br /><br />FINAL GRADE: 4 out of 5. This game is simply terrifying, but won't be a challenge to go through. I guess after the success of PT we should expect more games to follow this same trend?<br /><br /><br />Crushed Toys Productionshttps://plus.google.com/113655354120883680805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300200568663595400.post-4990292186997425942016-08-16T21:11:00.001-07:002016-10-11T19:10:45.714-07:00Book Review: Harvest Night by D. A Madigan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RudDDHuoiUo/V7PjDnTLl4I/AAAAAAAAA1Q/Orf7p5E1APMpuJsqVt2TylyfZ3xWwhc5gCEw/s1600/harvestnight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RudDDHuoiUo/V7PjDnTLl4I/AAAAAAAAA1Q/Orf7p5E1APMpuJsqVt2TylyfZ3xWwhc5gCEw/s320/harvestnight.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div><i>Life is good in Redhaven -- taxes are low, schools are safe, crime is nearly non-existent. People say 'hi' to each other when they pass on the street, everyone has a smile for everyone else, and people still leave their doors unlocked at night. <br /><br />Except during Harvest Time. For the affluent local families who actually run this lovely little town, the days between Hallowe'en and Thanksgiving weekend are the most wonderful time of the year... it's time of celebration and festivity, when Redhaven honors and memorializes its three hundred year old traditions with quaint, old fashioned ceremonial events and revels. <br /><br />And if a few houses in Redhaven seem to mysteriously turn up empty at the end of Harvest Time every year, well, that's no problem at all. Nothing to worry about -- the Bank of Redhaven is always ready to extend low interest mortgages and business start up loans to any newcomers ready to settle down in this pleasant, friendly, comfortably old fashioned little town. Those houses never sit empty for very long... just as no one ever regrets moving to Redhaven for very long, either...</i><br /><div><br /></div><div>There are two covers to this book, and we're going with the one I like more. Everything in this cover is eye-catching and will certainly grab my attention in a bookstore. The moon and the symbolism get visual top marks from me. The alternate cover, with a tree against the moon, feels like it's missing something, and that certainly isn't the case here.<br /><br /></div><div>As to the writing itself all I can say is......wow. </div><div><br /><a name='more'></a></div><div>This book pretty much hooked me from start to finish. In a very rare setting, we get to read about a whole town consisting of very evil people who are forbidden to kill each other until the titled 'Harvest Night' which happens once a year. Of course that isn't a guarantee that they won't break the rules every now and then. The idea of a neighbor that can smile and invite you over for bridge one night and then try to murder you the next is a very interesting topic, and perhaps would be interesting enough by itself. But there are a few other topics in this book. Another one being the supernatural as most of the people in this town are occult worshipers. As soon as I read about the supernatural my first instinct was 'Noooo! It's overdone!', but D.A Madigan writes them in the perfect way-part of the backdrop, and not usually taking center stage until absolutely necessary, and even then he avoids the standard cliches. </div><div><br /></div><div>A note to the more gentle reader-this book is not for the squeamish. There are a lot of adult themes on this, particularly towards child abuse, which is also a third theme in <i>Harvest Night</i>. There is a point to the abuse happening in the town, but unfortunately that is also a slight criticism I have-due to the nature of the town it is pretty hard to find a likable good character in the town of Redhaven, and even then they are not really focused on until about the halfway mark. Until that point I did get a bit of 'reader fatigue' as I read about the people in the town going through the same history of abuse over and over again, until finally a glimmer of hope arrived. Given that this is a very long book (some 170,000 words) that could take a while. Fortunately the personal relationships between most of the characters kept me invested until then, particularly between Sharon and Randy, who are each fighting for control of the town.</div><div><br /></div><div>FINAL GRADE: 4.5 out of 5. This is definitely a page turner. There are a lot of interesting characters and themes from start to finish. It is a tad hard to find a likeble character for a while, but there is a great conclusion in the end. Overall I would really recommend this book. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>Harvest Night</i> can be found <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Harvest-Night-American-Horror-Novel-ebook/dp/B00JLYEX6I">here. </a><br />D.A Madigan's interview can be found <a href="http://blackhavenreviews.com/2016/07/author-interview-da-madigan.html">here</a>. </div>Crushed Toys Productionshttps://plus.google.com/113655354120883680805noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300200568663595400.post-28038631605167851392016-08-09T17:44:00.005-07:002016-08-09T18:10:11.229-07:00Book Review: Fright Tales by Eddie Morales<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HmFpvRvdc80/V6pxMMxd2dI/AAAAAAAAAz8/VjrN3i9bWl42yTE2B3_RcWQDhv5QowUIwCLcB/s1600/fright-tales.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HmFpvRvdc80/V6pxMMxd2dI/AAAAAAAAAz8/VjrN3i9bWl42yTE2B3_RcWQDhv5QowUIwCLcB/s320/fright-tales.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><br />The cover is pretty nifty, although a small voice in the back of my heads wonders, 'Hm, should I be censoring this for its graphical content?' I don't believe that is the case, but kudos either way for an eye-catching cover.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a>There are a lot of stories packed into 132 pages-thirteen in total. Rather than go through them individually I think it would be better to discuss the book as a whole, as several stories carry over the same strengths and weaknesses.<br /><br />One thing that I liked in <i>Fright Tales</i> is how some of the stories have a serial nature to them, meaning they will end at one point in the book and pick up later after a few stories. This comes off pretty naturally and I wish more books like this would consider doing the same.<br /><br />However, the style of writing was very hard for me to read at times, and it boils down to the old 'show, don't tell' rule. There is a lot of things established as a narrative in some of the stories, which could have easily been done away with and would have been far stronger as a result. This can even reach the point where characters simply could not know things except for the fact that the author says they do-one example being 'Bite of the Female Vampire'-how the heck did the main character know there were vampire hunters on the same train, especially since they barely spoke to each other in the story?<br /><br />My favorite stories out of the collection were 'A Shopaholic Killer', and 'The Lady is a Bug', as that has the least amount of narrative spoilers and a good antagonist-in fact, if the whole book was about 'a shopaholic killer' (a cannibal that also has a shopping addiction and a son she cares about), I would have enjoyed it quite a bit more. My least favorite stories were probably 'The Hunched Monkey' just for the sheer amount of background narrative, and 'The Burning Sorceress'-just because I generally didn't enjoy the story due to how witches are portrayed. But that's more of a personal impression than anything else.<br /><br />FINAL GRADE: 2.5 out of 5. This book has some great content, but the technical details of the book need to improve before I can score it higher. My advice to the author is to cut back a significant amount of the establishing dialogue which will also increase some of the mystery and appeal of the book.<br /><br /><i>Fright Tales</i> can be found <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Fright-Tales-Collection-Horror-Stories/dp/1532772025/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1470789560&sr=1-1&keywords=fright+tales+by+eddie">here</a>.<br />Eddie Morales' interview can be found <a href="http://blackhavenreviews.com/2016/07/author-interview-eddie-morales_11.html">here</a>.Crushed Toys Productionshttps://plus.google.com/113655354120883680805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300200568663595400.post-89573298743063784752016-08-04T20:33:00.001-07:002016-08-04T20:33:36.277-07:00Game Review: Outlast and Outlast Whistleblower<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6ULu7aMtXaM/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6ULu7aMtXaM?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Rated M warning for the trailer. And this was the least disturbing one I could find!</div><div><br /></div><i>Outlast</i> and the <i>DLC follow-up Outlast Whistleblower</i> are hands down my favorite horror games to play in the recent years. In the first game, you play as an investigative reporter breaking into an insane asylum after receiving a lead, and in the second, you play as the person who gave the reporter said lead, who later becomes a patient at the hospital. In both cases you are armed only with a camera and...well, just a camera really. You cannot fight at all in the game. So when bad things come at you, the only option is to either run or hide. <div><a name='more'></a></div><div>Your enjoyment of these games might depend on your squemish level, as Outlast holds very little back (especially in <i>Whisteblower</i>). There is full-frontal male nudity, torture, cannibalism, and lots of blood and gore. Even a hardcore horror fan might be disturbed by a few images they see. And in case anyone is wondering, nope, there are no women or children in this game. Only the men get to suffer in this one.</div><div><br /></div><div>Overall, the gameplay is pretty basic. You need to use the camera to both see in the dark and record events into your notebook, adding a shaky-cam element to the game. Sometimes running and hiding involves some strategy, but it can get repetitive after a while. One annoying habit I found was that sometimes the music sting will alert me that someone is chasing me well before I had even seen him. However, since this is an insane asylum there are several patients who will either help you or hurt you, giving the opportunity to shake up the gameplay and lead to some crucial scary moments. </div><div><br /></div><div>The story is pretty basic as the main character does not speak and any internal thoughts are recorded in his journal. I do like <i>Whistleblower</i> a bit more than the original game, as the pacing is a bit better and Gluskin is the most memorable villian out of the series by far (long story short, he is a man who wants a wife and children. And since there are only men in the insane asylum...Gluskin gets a little creative. The man is the perfect combination of sick and twisted, but also tries to be a perfect gentleman when he's chasing you with a knife)</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UMMIp74P9GQ/V6QF8l5WmDI/AAAAAAAAAzk/j6tLvyHK07wbJtFuixJd5C-b9xEihI8dwCLcB/s1600/gluskin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UMMIp74P9GQ/V6QF8l5WmDI/AAAAAAAAAzk/j6tLvyHK07wbJtFuixJd5C-b9xEihI8dwCLcB/s320/gluskin.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>FINAL GRADE: 5 out of 5. Despite the nitpicks I mentioned, this game does horror amazingly well. The locations are varied, the atmosphere is perfect, and all the jumpscares and suspenseful scenes are used perfectly. If you're looking for a game to keep you awake at night, this is the one.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sadly, <i>Outlast 2</i> has been delayed to Spring 2017, but I am eagerly awaiting this one. The fact that it's an indie releaes without a large studio backing is even more impressive. </div><div><br /></div>Crushed Toys Productionshttps://plus.google.com/113655354120883680805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300200568663595400.post-9063151745940741512016-07-30T07:57:00.004-07:002016-07-30T08:05:29.228-07:00Book Review: Strangely Twisted Vol 3 by RG Austin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-afEJOci-eDg/V5yygbrgQVI/AAAAAAAAAzM/t4YVf6hezOsknEmPZE3yLfiAp6yTQT-DwCLcB/s1600/strangely%2Btwisted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-afEJOci-eDg/V5yygbrgQVI/AAAAAAAAAzM/t4YVf6hezOsknEmPZE3yLfiAp6yTQT-DwCLcB/s320/strangely%2Btwisted.jpg" width="221" /></a></div><br /><br />The cover is...oh dear. Given that some of these stories features people in an 'out of world' setting, I would have expected having an atmospheric piece-perhaps something foggy with unknown creatures in the distance, or perhaps an eerie empty-looking building. What I did not expect was someone who arguably looks like a reject from Cirque Du Soleil to be on the cover. To be fair to the author, her previous books do have a more fitting picture on the cover. It just really misses the mark on this one.<br /><br />Since this is a collection of stories I will be reviewing them on their individual merits.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a>Soul Takers: A kidnapper has taken a young girl in the woods, but discovers two ladies hiking nearby who strangely know a lot about him. Overall, this is an enjoyable first story. The relationship between Bee and Pat is interesting and there is a great deal of mystery between these two characters. I do wish there was some a bit more development between them as well, but overall it was fun to read. 3.5/5<br /><br />Suspended Bardo: A woman has lost her memory and is trapped on the streets while it seems that few want to help her. I like this as a good atmospheric story and the world she is trapped in by itself is very interesting. I do have to question why she didn't go to police when she realizes she has lost her memory. The author explains that she is too terrified, but doesn't go into detail why. But it's a minor nitpick. 4/5<br /><br />Pine Hill: A mental patient is writing about other patients while the doctors ask her where her Grandma is. I did enjoy her description of other patients, but the ending is a bit confusing. The author has a twist ending, but having it more developed would have gone a long way towards a satisfying conclusion. 3/5<br /><br />Cleaning for Jesus: A woman with an alcohol problem is hired to clean an empty building at night. But something else seems to be in the building with her. By far this is the best story out of the collection. Gladys is well developed and her being trapped in an empty building is very atmospheric, particularly since she doesn't have a chance to leave if she loses her keycard. The ending is also very enjoyable and clever. 5/5<br /><br />Mara Luk Thep: A man who has lost his daughter buys a doll in an attempt to comfort his wife. This is a pretty good story with a satisfying beginning and end as the man tries to determine why the doll is talking to him. I do wish for more of the conflict between Thomas and his wife, as that was by far the most interesting part of the story for me. I know why his wife left part-way through the story, but when she did the rest of the story didn't quite grab me anymore. 3/5<br /><br />Misdiagnosed: This story focuses on two women living together-one who is a murderer and the other who is too terrified to leave her house. I actually think this story might have been far more interesting and stronger if the two women interacted, but instead it's split between them. The ending also has an 'aha' moment but is more of a head scratcher. Overall I didn't enjoy this as much as the other stories, as it could have been more. 2.5/5<br /><br />The Head in the Window: A man sees a woman holding a head in the corner of his bedroom, even though others can't. For some reason, the writing on this story can be a tad confusing, which pulled me out of the story. For example, at the start of the story his girlfriend, Lizzy, had asked him to meet her before going out with the guys. One paragraph later she is gone and he is drinking at home. So he didn't go out with the guys? Or had that already happened? The story is somewhat interesting towards the middle, but the ending requires careful reading to understand it fully. 2.5/5<br /><br />The Imposter: A man is seeking his wife who ran away from him, who has taken the position of a psychiatrist. So why does the psychiatrist look nothing like his wife? This is definitely an interesting story from beginning to end. The ending also has a satisfying conclusion, although there was a bit of confusion as to who was currently in the house and where in the last scene. 3/5<br /><br />The Chimera and the Blonde: A husband and wife play a cat and mouse game as the husband is slowly poisoned. This is a great read from start to finish as I loved seeing the wife's spiteful plan slowly unfold. And the ending has some great horror elements. 4.5/5<br /><br />OVERALL GRADE: 3/5 out of 5. The stories which had a developed ending usually worked better for me than the ones having a 'ah ha!' conclusion, which could sometimes be confusing. This is an author which definitely has a writing voice which can draw the reader in, as long as the story is sufficiently developed.<br /><br />Strangely Twisted Vol 3 can be found <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Strangely-Twisted-Crazy-Short-Stories-ebook/dp/B01G7JWM76/ref=pd_sim_sbs_351_4?ie=UTF8&dpID=51YbhxfKN9L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_UX300_PJku-sticker-v7%2CTopRight%2C0%2C-50_OU01__BG0%2C0%2C0%2C0_FMpng_AC_UL160_SR111%2C160_&psc=1&refRID=6B397FPARN0TGT1AZY2Z">here</a>.Crushed Toys Productionshttps://plus.google.com/113655354120883680805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300200568663595400.post-7795769425495840882016-07-14T08:32:00.001-07:002016-07-14T08:59:49.546-07:00Book Review: Conjesero the Supernatural Serial Killer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m-IKt9Y2KCE/V4ewfCAMA1I/AAAAAAAAAyM/n0R8h0EPaI8aYW8Q4NdLko5iD13SVeDtQCLcB/s1600/Capture.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m-IKt9Y2KCE/V4ewfCAMA1I/AAAAAAAAAyM/n0R8h0EPaI8aYW8Q4NdLko5iD13SVeDtQCLcB/s320/Capture.JPG" width="216" /></a></div><br /><br /><i>San Francisco homicide detective Kevin Russell has arrested serial rapists, murderers, and more sadistic thugs than he could remember. Nothing he has ever accomplished can prepare him for Conjesero, a supernatural serial killer who has been terrorizing the Americas for centuries. Conjesero—a creature with extraordinary intelligence and a vicious nature that has created a trail of bodies from Mexico to San Francisco—has always made law enforcement cower in fear and pretend that he doesn't exist. Only Kevin is willing to stand in its path. His desperation takes him on a journey inside the killer’s twisted world. There is nothing that he is unwilling to do, even if it means making a deal with the devil, to stop Conjesero or die trying. </i><br /><br />The cover of the book is good, but not quite good enough to be eye-catching for me. I think the problem might be the coloring in the reflection of the monster. Darker hues might have made it stand out more, or given what we know of the monster in the book, perhaps wings or snakes? This cover also seems to imply to me that there might be some kind of mental split or disagreement between the monster and the man, which actually isn't conveyed in the book.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><i>Conjesero the supernatural serial killer</i> is going to be a mixed bag for me. I'll start with the positives. The author has a great writing voice which is capable of drawing the reader in. The story is an easy read and there are plenty of characters to like in the book-Kevin is charismatic but overworked, Wendy is supportive but also overworked, and the most interesting element in the book for me was Alex, a small boy in the middle of an escalating gang war at school. There are also a great deal of fast-paced action and mystery to keep the reader guessing, at least until the last quarter of the book or so. Who is Conjesero? Why does he want to kill?<br /><br />With monster-type books there is a danger of following cliche plots. Conjesero is able to avoid this, but at the same time, I wish it had taken more chances, especially with Kevin. I think that could still happen if a sequel was being considered. Without going too far into spoiler territory, in order to discover Conjesero's weakness (something which should have been pretty obvious to try for anyone who has ever seen a monster movie, but I digress) Kevin agrees to do a very bad thing for a Mexican gangster. It would have been great to see him break the law due to this deal, become a bitter man for it, and perhaps have the weight of having to deal with another supernatural creature in a follow up book. Kevin is portrayed as the golden boy of the police department, and he doesn't stray too far from that throughout the book. I would have loved to see him proven wrong more, or have more internal dialogue in his character. Towards the end, Kevin is pretty easy-going about killing the monster in cold blood, something which could forever damage his career as few currently believe his story. He also agrees a little too easily to have his friends help him towards the end, an act which seems to conflict with his 'lone wolf' attitude throughout the book. Like I said he isn't a bad character, but I wish there was some more flaws or internal conflict to help flesh him out a bit more.<br /><br />I have to mention that there is also a lot of stilted or repetitive dialogue in the book, which seemed more noticeable to me in the first twenty pages or so. Given more practice and decent editing this issue can be fixed in future novels.<br /><br />FINAL GRADE: 3 out of 5. Overall, I really think this author can write a standout book. A little more risk-taking and editing would elevate his future books from 'good' to 'amazing'.<br /><br />Conjesero can be found <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Conjesero-Supernatural-Serial-Carl-Alves-ebook/dp/B01AYV604Y">here. </a>Crushed Toys Productionshttps://plus.google.com/113655354120883680805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300200568663595400.post-5886315225079685192016-07-13T07:14:00.000-07:002016-07-13T07:14:13.265-07:00Author Interview: Wendy Potocki<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zqGDfpkUjwA/V4ZJ1fQq5EI/AAAAAAAAAxc/C99-E_PLUQ8nvUsSfSPeKlf5K4MOryGmwCEw/s1600/bio_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zqGDfpkUjwA/V4ZJ1fQq5EI/AAAAAAAAAxc/C99-E_PLUQ8nvUsSfSPeKlf5K4MOryGmwCEw/s320/bio_2.jpg" width="292" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>Today I interview Wendy Potocki, an author of several books with lots of exciting things coming up!</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>Natasha: Tell me about yourself. How long have you been writing? When you are not writing, how do you like to spend your spare time?<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Wendy: Let me first thank you for allowing me to present myself and my work. I am jazzed to be here.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As for writing, I’ve been grinding out stories out for about ten years now. It doesn’t seem that long, but when you’re doing what you love, time flies. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In my spare time, I love to read, lounge at Starbucks and inhale coffee, watch movies, take long walks, and help pets get adopted on FB by sharing their info. But as to what I really do when not writing, I believe this pic says it all. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m2aDcFPNTM8/V4ZK1nA_wsI/AAAAAAAAAxY/9R_a4l28RJIzo6RoAMPbnUYkjB88go0bgCLcB/s1600/squirrel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="259" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m2aDcFPNTM8/V4ZK1nA_wsI/AAAAAAAAAxY/9R_a4l28RJIzo6RoAMPbnUYkjB88go0bgCLcB/s320/squirrel.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"/> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"/> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"/> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"/> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"/> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"/> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"/> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"/> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"/> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"/> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"/> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"/> </v:formulas> <v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"/> <o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"/></v:shapetype><v:shape id="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:255.75pt; height:207pt'> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\nbennett\AppData\Local\Temp\OICE_94696340-AB41-4D3C-80D7-86C42C628C6B.0\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg" o:title="CeB3fj5XEAQaVQ-"/></v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>Natasha: Tell us a little about your current project. What was your favorite scene to write? What was your least favorite scene?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Wendy: My current project is FREEDOM IN THE BEAST. It’s a werewolf story that was accepted into the FULL MOON SLAUGHTER anthology coming out later this year. FULL MOON SLAUGHTER will be published by J. Ellington Ashton Press and will include some of the most imaginative, fun, wicked tales of lycanthropy that twisted minds can conceive. Here’s the awesome cover designed by Michael Fish Fisher: <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OXo1hOdU12A/V4ZJnXKqxBI/AAAAAAAAAxM/ywwhHQI_BM8LShk7QayfKPfZ3TQWr-d2wCLcB/s1600/13590246_302247126778328_5198552822939440884_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OXo1hOdU12A/V4ZJnXKqxBI/AAAAAAAAAxM/ywwhHQI_BM8LShk7QayfKPfZ3TQWr-d2wCLcB/s320/13590246_302247126778328_5198552822939440884_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_i1026" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:337.5pt;height:243pt'> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\nbennett\AppData\Local\Temp\OICE_94696340-AB41-4D3C-80D7-86C42C628C6B.0\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image003.jpg" o:title="13590246_302247126778328_5198552822939440884_n"/></v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I pretty much enjoyed writing the entire short, but the scene I enjoyed most was one where Annabelle Hinton explains her dreams to a detective hired to track down a werewolf terrorizing the community. (Don’t you hate when that happens?) I love when I can just soar and spread my wings, and describing the vivid dream gave me license to submerge in that particular lake. Ever see a bird in a birdbath? That would be me. The one I liked least was the one with her husband. It will become apparent why I didn’t like it when you read the story, but suffice to say he’s a pill. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>Natasha: Do you have any other exciting projects coming out?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Wendy: Oh, I have tons of things coming up! And, yes, they’re all exciting and I’m more than stoked. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have two completed works awaiting editing. They’re entitled THE DEVIL’S HOUR and GLOW. I keep putting off the editing because: (1) I hate editing; (2) I keep getting ideas that pull me away from doing the yoeman’s job of turning the finished novels into English; and (3) I hate editing. As for works in progress, there are too many to mention, but check my author page for updates. I tend to just publish with no advance warning. I like my stories to creep up on people. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I’ve also begun working on HALLOWEENPALOOZA. my yearly tribute to my most favorite holiday ever. It’s thirty-one days of authors, original horror shorts, giveaways, and general chicanery. It’s a lot of work putting together, but I love it so much that I experience withdrawal symptoms when it’s over. Each year there’s a new theme and this year it’s STALKING. Our motto? <i>What’s Halloween Without A Little Stalking?</i> It’s hosted on FB and a sister blog and I’ve included the links below. I hope to see everyone there, but in the meantime, you can read all the great short original stories and blogs from the previous three years. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>Natasha: Do you have any advice for other authors trying to get published?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Wendy: My best advice is to keep writing. Understand that writing is the only way you’ll get better and the first step to achieving whatever your goal happens to be so get your work out there and be open to feedback. My other advice would be to learn the business of writing. By that I mean, attend webinars and read all that dull stuff about FB ads and marketing. It’s important to know and helps round you out. Oh, and network. Network, market, write … write, market, network ... repeat until successful. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>Natasha: What is the best way for readers to reach you? </b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I’m splattered all over the web so it’s easy to find me. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Twitter: @WPotocki<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Author Blog: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1707136679540777/?active_tab=posts">https://www.facebook.com/events/1707136679540777/?active_tab=posts</a><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Amazon Author Page: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wendy-Potocki/e/B002BRGIP6">http://www.amazon.com/Wendy-Potocki/e/B002BRGIP6</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Facebook Author Page: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/authorwpotocki/">https://www.facebook.com/authorwpotocki/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Join FB Halloweenpalooza: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1707136679540777/?active_tab=posts">https://www.facebook.com/events/1707136679540777/?active_tab=posts</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Halloweenpalooza Blog: <a href="http://halloweenpalooza.blogspot.com/">http://halloweenpalooza.blogspot.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thanks again, Natasha! I don’t get out much so this is a real treat. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>Thank you, Wendy!</b></span></div>Crushed Toys Productionshttps://plus.google.com/113655354120883680805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300200568663595400.post-91253136974629990962016-07-11T07:31:00.002-07:002016-07-11T07:32:10.359-07:00Author Interview: Eddie Morales<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HwtCDg6wqrg/V4Or4DrKQvI/AAAAAAAAAwk/g5N1AML_bnMwmJlkXywsJoCH3W5Gv8VIgCKgB/s1600/axb-f0VK_400x400-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HwtCDg6wqrg/V4Or4DrKQvI/AAAAAAAAAwk/g5N1AML_bnMwmJlkXywsJoCH3W5Gv8VIgCKgB/s320/axb-f0VK_400x400-1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><i><br /></i><i><br /></i><i>Today I interview author Eddie Morales, author of Fright Tales.</i><br /><i><br /></i><b>Natasha: Tell me about yourself. How long have you been writing? When you are not writing, how do you like to spend your spare time?</b><br /><br />Eddie: I was born in Puerto Rico and moved to the United States when I was 10 years old. I currently live in New Jersey along the Hudson River across from New York City. I have been writing on and off since high school back in 1977 when I wrote my first short horror story, The House of Death, which I re-wrote and have included in my collection of Fright Tales. During my spare time I like to read, travel, watch television, and go to the movies especially to watch horror movies.<br /><br /><b>Natasha: Tell us a little about <i>Fright Tales</i>. What was your favorite scene to write? What was your least favorite scene?</b><br /><br />Eddie: Fright Tales is a collection of 13 short horror stories ranging from 1977 to 2016 published April 18, 2016 which is currently available as an eBook and paperback on Amazon. The stories cover everything from zombies, a vampire, creatures, ghosts, ghouls, and psychos. I don't want to give much away on which was my favorite scene to write, but it involved an encounter between a stiletto shoe and a zombie. My least favorite scene to write involved the separation of a Dad and his young son and the heartfelt emotions between them.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ql1YjaUh0Uc/V4OsBPqUvLI/AAAAAAAAAwk/f9nLMGj0DO4t3GJyzpKzkcpK38aP2eoYACKgB/s1600/CmDDFbnWEAAZo7x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ql1YjaUh0Uc/V4OsBPqUvLI/AAAAAAAAAwk/f9nLMGj0DO4t3GJyzpKzkcpK38aP2eoYACKgB/s320/CmDDFbnWEAAZo7x.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><b>Natasha: Do you have any other exciting projects coming out?</b><br /><br />Eddie: At this time, I do not have any other exciting projects coming out but I do keep busy writing short horror stories to be included in the follow up to Fright Tales to be completed and published sometime in the late summer of 2017.<br /><br /><b>Natasha: Do you have any advice for other authors trying to get published?</b><br /><br />Eddie: My advice to other authors trying to get published is to enjoy what you do, believe in yourself, and try not to get discourage especially when rejected. Always seek feedback from others especially individuals that do not know you. Embrace the criticism, keep your head up, and eventually you will succeed in accomplishing your goals.<br /><b><br />Natasha: What is the best way for readers to reach you? </b><br /><br />Eddie: The best way for readers to reach me is to follow me on Twitter under <a href="https://twitter.com/morales_ej">@morales_ej </a>where they can join me in discussing the wonderful world of horror among other great topics.<br /><b><br />Natasha: Thank you Eddie!</b>Crushed Toys Productionshttps://plus.google.com/113655354120883680805noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300200568663595400.post-91497747906166465282016-07-09T06:43:00.000-07:002016-07-11T06:16:15.460-07:00Author Interview: D.A Madigan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XlFm5_M_WBY/V4D_AfHGgfI/AAAAAAAAAvk/2OwxbCambMwMvm6PZ1FnS0GY_ZNXEXJoQCLcB/s1600/dmhwa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XlFm5_M_WBY/V4D_AfHGgfI/AAAAAAAAAvk/2OwxbCambMwMvm6PZ1FnS0GY_ZNXEXJoQCLcB/s320/dmhwa.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div><br /></div><div><i><br /></i></div><i>Today I interview D.A. MADIGAN, author of the upcoming novel EARTHGAME. </i><br /><br /><b>NATASHA: Tell me about yourself. How long have you been writing? When you are not writing, how do you like to spend your spare time?</b><br /><br />D.A MADIGAN: I've been writing pretty much since I knew how. I've always loved to read and I've always wanted to tell my own stories. When I was a little kid, I'd write my own (pretty short and, no doubt, godawful) stories about the heroes of various books I liked, on the inside front and back covers, and the blank front and back pages, of the books themselves. I'm sure I defaced several different copies of THE THREE INVESTIGATORS and TOM CORBETT, SPACE CADET this way. As to what I like to do when I'm not writing, well, writing is generally what I do in any spare time left over from a full time job, a wife, and three daughters. However, occasionally I read, play boardgames and RPGs (I currently GM a homebrew sword and sorcery fantasy roleplaying campaign named WORLD OF EMPIRE that I've been running for 30 years). I'll also watch geek movies and TV shows when I get a chance. Netflix's adaptations of DAREDEVIL and JESSICA JONES have surprised me with how good they are.<br /><div><br /></div><div><b>NATASHA: Tell us a little about your current project. What was your favorite scene to write? What was your least favorite scene?</b><br /><br />D.A MADIGAN:: My current project is called EARTHGAME. It's the final installment of a trilogy featuring a hero named Webster Madison, Hired Gun. In the first book, ENDGAME, Webster, a 40ish comic book fan and gaming geek, got kidnapped and transformed into his favorite superhero RPG character by a bunch of scheming aliens. In the second book, EARTHQUEST, Webster has to fight his way back to Earth through a hostile galaxy. In EARTHGAME, Webster finally gets back to Earth and has to settle up with some old enemies, including the scheming aliens. So far, my favorite scene in EARTHGAME is the opening, in which we reveal that one of the transformed female characters from ENDGAME was actually a trans girl, who had been treated horribly by pretty much everyone she knew... until she woke up in the super powered, biologically female body she'd always dreamed of having. In ENDGAME, Webster and a few other characters had made the presumption that this character was actually a guy in real life who liked to play female characters, so revealing the truth was very satisfying for me. My least favorite hasn't been written yet. I hope I don't have to write it, but I strongly suspect my hero isn't going to survive all the way to the end. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>NATASHA: Do you have any other exciting projects coming out?</b><br /><br />D.A MADIGAN: My last project, THIS SLAUGHTERHOUSE EARTH, is about to go up on my Amazon page, as soon as my wife can Photoshop up a cover for it. My wife does nearly all my covers and she designs wonderful ones. THIS SLAUGHTERHOUSE EARTH is a 30,000 word novella in which human-eating aliens land on Earth and start, well, eating every human they can get their claws, pincers, tendrils, tentacles, and/or hideously articulated flippers on (it's not just one alien race, it's dozens or hundreds). Turns out, humans are an artificial race designed long long ago by some supergenius aliens, specifically to be not only a perfectly nutritious food for virtually all carbon based life forms, but utterly delicious, too. The patent on human meat is owned by one particular interstellar corporation and they rigidly enforce their rights, but every once in a while someone discovers a 'feral' human planet, and generally, before the patent owners can show up and take possession, every other race within light years that hears about the find will show up and poach. Anyway, one particular race of alien lizardmen invades an office building in downtown Louisville KY and starts eating everyone inside. Two of the people who work there, Lloyd and Megan, manage to escape from where they've been locked up in a conference room and fight their way down to the first floor... where they discover that apparently the entire Earth has been invaded by horrible hordes of many different types of man eating aliens. But they also discover that the lizardmen have parked a spaceship on the roof of their office building. They manage to steal the spaceship, and... well, I'm not going to say any more. But I think it's a fun, pulpy sf/horror action romp with a pretty good romantic arc. </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6BCKnEDRNq8/V4D_BXUqXyI/AAAAAAAAAvo/fxNhaW7Lao0jNFPjh7kUvtHJnhc0UON1ACKgB/s1600/peppermintpatty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6BCKnEDRNq8/V4D_BXUqXyI/AAAAAAAAAvo/fxNhaW7Lao0jNFPjh7kUvtHJnhc0UON1ACKgB/s320/peppermintpatty.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>NATASHA: Do you have any advice for other authors trying to get published?</b><br /><br />D.A MADIGAN: Not really. I certainly haven't been very successful at it. Most of my stuff is self published and the vast majority of that has sold very poorly. I have one horror novel, HARVEST NIGHT, which has sold about 3000 copies over three years... it still generally generates about forty bucks a month for me, which isn't much, but pays for my gas to and from work. In the last 12 months or so I have gotten some traction selling a few stories to anthologies and webzines. I think to date I've sold four stories this way, for about $200, all in. So I'm certainly not in a position to give up my day job. If I had any advice to give, I guess it would be, kiss a lot of ass. Eventually, if you kiss enough ass, you've got to get lucky and kiss the right one. But until you do that -- or, to put it in a less vulgar fashion, make the right contact -- you're simply never going to get published by a mainstream publisher. Never. Publishers have always had slush piles for unsolicited manuscripts, but in the past thirty years, since social media and email have shown up, it's become so difficult to get a publisher to look at anything they didn't specifically ask for that, well, it's just impossible. You can't even get an agent any more unless you know someone inside the business, much less get your work looked at. Of course, if somehow you get that big break, then publishers will be clamoring for your stuff. A lot of really really terrible writers have made a lot of money starting out, basically, writing fan fic. 50 SHADES OF GREY started out as TWILIGHT fan fic, and THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS began as fan fic, also. And TWILIGHT somehow got plucked out of a slush pile, so it can happen... but I have no idea how to make it happen. Certainly it hasn't happened to me yet. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>NATASHA: What is the best way for readers to reach you? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="mailto:damadigan@gmail.com">damadigan@gmail.com</a>, @damadigan on Twitter, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/damadiganpage/">https://www.facebook.com/damadiganpage/</a></div><div><br /></div><div>D.A. MADIGAN has milked cows, washed dishes, checked student IDs Saturdays nights at Syracuse University's only all girls' dorm, ground lenses, blown shit up real good with an M203 grenade launcher, typed insurance forms and City Council minutes, and done a lot of other stuff, much of which was even less interesting than any of that nonsense.<br /><br />While doing all this to pay the bills, he has also written a collection of short stories and 14 novels.<br /><br />He currently resides in Louisville, Kentucky, with his gorgeous and brilliant wife and his three awesome and amazing daughters. He is working on his fourth or fifth childhood at this point.<br /><br />He is fully committed to making fetch happen. </div>Crushed Toys Productionshttps://plus.google.com/113655354120883680805noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6300200568663595400.post-24590351921254572632016-07-08T06:02:00.002-07:002016-07-08T07:26:04.209-07:00Book Review: Bloodwalker by L.X Cain<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JvlTNwNy3i4/V375x58FF9I/AAAAAAAAAvM/W1Ghgt8h7GIEqCg6H241Vrhl3361Qy5OACLcB/s1600/bloodwalkr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JvlTNwNy3i4/V375x58FF9I/AAAAAAAAAvM/W1Ghgt8h7GIEqCg6H241Vrhl3361Qy5OACLcB/s320/bloodwalkr.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><i>When Zorka Circus performs, its big top roars with laughter and cheers, but when it moves on, there are fewer children in the European towns it leaves behind.<br /><br />Circus Security Chief Rurik suspects a killer hides among the international performers, but they close ranks—they’ve always viewed lightning-scarred Rurik as the monster. Nevertheless, he's determined to find the culprit and stop them before anyone else dies and the only place he can call home is ripped apart by the murders.<br /><br />Into Zorka Circus comes the Skomori clan, despised as gravediggers and ghoulish bloodwalkers. A one-day truce allows bloodwalker Sylvie to marry. Instead, she finds a body. Alerting others will defy her clan’s strict rules, break the truce, and leave her an outcast.<br /><br />When more bodies turn up, the killer's trail becomes impossible to ignore. Rurik and Sylvie must follow the clues—even if they lead to something unimaginable.</i><br /><br />The cover is simply fantastic. It's eye-catching and fits both the setting and the theme quite beautifully, as the plot is divided into two different branches-one being a murder mystery about a clown who kills children, and the other is from the point of view of a mystical woman who is hated for being a ghoulish bloodwalker. Rather than distract from each other, these two plot threads work together quite well, as the background of a bloodwalker is slowly developed and not revealed entirely from the start.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a>This is a very engrossing book to read for several reasons-the detail, the characters, both the mystery of the murder and the mystery of the bloodwalkers, and the horror scenes are also written quite well. I did enjoy Sylvie's storyline a tiny bit more, as the mystery of the mystical tends to draw me in a little more than a gritty crime drama. But Rurik's relationship complex relationship with the rest of the circus community was almost equally as compelling.<br /><br />I really wanted to give this book a perfect score, but there was one small detail I couldn't ignore. It occurred to me around the 150 page mark that the two main characters really haven't interacted with each other that much, and I think Sylvie suffers a bit as a result. She considers herself a klutzy character who tends to get things wrong, and she doesn't really grow any internal strength until almost near the end. I couldn't help but think that she might have developed that sooner (and her plot might have been a bit more relevant) if she had joined the circus and entered Rurik's storyline a lot sooner. There were a few ways this could have been accomplished, such as if Rurik was trying to find the killer, and happened to stumble across her being hunted. Overall though, this is a very detailed horror book with a mystery that will likely keep people guessing as to who the murderer is up until the very end.<br /><br />FINAL GRADE: 4.5 out of 5. Fans of horror and mystery will find something to love about this book, but unfortunately the two plots do not overlap that much, making it a bit disjointed.<br /><br />Bloodwalker can be found <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bloodwalker-L-X-Cain/dp/1939844258/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467941295&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=bloodwalker+by+lx+cain">here</a>.<br /><br />Crushed Toys Productionshttps://plus.google.com/113655354120883680805noreply@blogger.com1