Saturday, October 30, 2010

Happy Halloween ~ to our Ghoulish Fiends and Readers!

 

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Happy Halloween, Samhain,  All Saints, All Souls, and Dia de los Muertos! ~ One of the best times of the Year.

We love Fall; never mind that it’s still 90 degrees here in the desert. We can  still imagine the fall weather that exists almost everywhere else in the Northern Hemisphere.

And what a perfect excuse to dress up, party, eat candy, and make a grand fool of oneself whatever your age. So much fun and so many wonderful historical holidays revolve around this seasonal event with its most prevalent theme – DEATH, zombies, witches and more.

Which brings me to the picture on the left where I am if fact being courted by death. His fingers creeping upon my head and his wanton smile as I stand ignorant to his grasp. Yikes!  (I do have to admit he was a very cute death – with a nice English accent, so I did not mind too much. Shh,,,,Just don’t tell John. *giggle*)

The above picture was taken in the ancient market town of York, located in North Yorkshire England. John took this as we were standing in line for a horror tour on our last trip to the UK this August; and yes, it was raining! 

This spooky fellow lured us into descending into the recesses of the ancient underground bowels of an old building. It is common knowledge that York is loaded with them and  according to legend, torturing and all sorts of atrocities occurred in these tunnels.  During the tour one actor singled John out and attempted to use an ancient iron device which, shall we say, “removes” male body parts.  We were all in hysterics – except John!


Moving on here we have some more scary stuff.

Below are a few pictures from our last year’s post and a link so that you can create one of  yourself.   Link to our 2009 Halloween post.

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How would you like these two to chase you for their personal culinary enjoyment?  Gosh I look happy. Perhaps I just ate?


Now for a summary of our creepy, scary, and horror-related posts for this season:


We end this Holiday post with a bizarrely creepy song.  We have John to thank for it with his 1970’s/60’s rock and roll interest. It has a witchy theme.

 

 

Enjoy ~ Have a fun, horror filled, and safe weekend!

Friday, October 29, 2010

Review by Shellie: Haunted Legends ~ edited by Ellen Datlow and Nick Mamatas

 

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A diverse collection of ghost stories based on actual legends, making it all the more interesting, fun, and just plain scary. 

This book was a complete pleasure to read, and what a perfect time of year to do so.  Part of the reason that I got so excited about this collection is that each of the stories is prefaced with a bit about each of the authors, and then concluded with a little snippet by the author about how he/she has come to write the story and the legend it was based upon. I clamor over stuff like this.

The fact that these stories have a foot in reality and are set currently is even more appealing to me. I do like horror which I can personally relate to.  Better yet is that it is a fairly diverse collection, taking legends from South America and Mexico, the UK, US/Native American, Japan, the Caribbean, the Ukraine, Vietnam, and India. Its diversity is an aspect which has an immense appeal for me.

Now onto the good bits!  Here are a few sentences (with no spoilers) on each of the stories based on ghost legends from around the world, with my personal favorites designated with asterisks.

"Knickerbocker Holiday" ~ by Richard Bowes.  This story is based upon the headless horseman. It is set currently and feels like it may be a chapter from a book which the author may be publishing. It is GLBT.

*** "That Girl"   ~  by Kaaron Warren. ***   Based around a local urban legend of a young woman who appears in local taxi cabs. Eerily it has links to an insane asylum making it all the more disconcerting.

"Akbar"  ~  by Kit Reed.  Based on a legend from India, it is set in an ancient abandoned settlement built into the desert walls of a canyon. It has a haunting of sorts.

“The Spring Heel”  ~  by Steve Pirie.  This is a very dark tale about a homeless woman set in the locale of England and based upon the legend of a “Spring Heel”.

“As Red as Red"  ~  by Caitlin R. Kiernan.  This story is a bit more atmospheric than horrific and yet is very good. It is also GLBT.

*** "Tin Cans"  ~  by Ekaterina Sedia. ****   Based on an actual horrific character from Russian history which has some very interesting social ramifications, specifically on those whom assisted this “monster”  with his base behaviors.

“Shoebox Train Wreck” ~  by John Mantooth  A psychologically horrific tale about guilt and its connection to a train wreck. This is a heart wrenching story.

"15 Panels Depicting the Sadness of the Baku and the Jotai," ~  by Catherynne M. Valente.  An unusual story with an amazing premise, which is around a bizarre and interesting myth from Japan. Valente has a writing style which is akin to poetry, and considering the subject this writing style is perfect for the story.

“La Llorona”  ~  by Carolyn Turgeon. The legend of the weeping woman from Mexico and South American is a prevalent one and forms the basis for this story. It is very sad.

“Face Like a Monkey”  ~ by Carrie Laben.  Based upon an urban legend set in the border towns of the US of a bird/bat/monkey-like creature that is said to haunt the area and Mexico.

*** "Down Atsion Road"  ~ by Jeffery Ford. ***    A story the author created from his own experiences in the area where he lives. So it’s based upon a truth of sorts, and on local Native American legend which has fused into the local history.

"Return to Mariabronn"  ~ by Gary A. Braunbeck.  There are urban legends of ghosts roaming rural US highway all around the country. This is one, and is read below via podcast link. The reader has an incredible voice and is perfect for the season.

*** “Following Double-Faced Woman” ~ by Erzbet YellowBoy. ***  A very sad and powerful tale which links a local Native American legend with drug addiction.

“Oaks Park”  ~ by M.K. Hobson  A personal tale set around a girl whose ghost haunts an old amusement park.

“For Those in Peril on the Sea”  ~ by Stephen Dedman  The author has taken reality shows to a new high in this story set on a cursed boat.

“The Foxes”  ~ by Lily Hoang.   Based upon a personal family legend which the author turns into a story. This is a very unusual telling and set in Vietnam.

*** "The Redfield Girls"  ~  by Laird Barron. ***  A group of middle aged women visit a lake cabin on their yearly summer get together. The legends attest that it is haunted or has demons in its murks. I had heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and goose pimples while reading this story. I would have to say that this was my favorite of the collection.

“Between Heaven and Hull”  ~ by Pat Cadigan.  This short story is set in England and is at once creepy and funny. It has a link to one of the editors. Having driven in the UK “on the wrong side of the road” and thinking about Americans attempting it makes this story particularly terrifying.

“Chucky Comes to Liverpool”  ~ by Ramsey Campbell.   This was not my favorite of the bunch, since Chucky creeps me out beyond annoyance. This is nothing to do with the author’s abilities and creativity, and the fact that the author connects the story to actual incidents occurring in Liverpool regarding censorship makes this story very poignant.

"The Folding Man"  ~  by Joe Lansdale.  I do have to say this is probably the most graphic/gory of the tales. It is also mind bending, the stuff of childhood nightmares, and very American.

All in all this is a wonderful collection. It is on the top of my list of favorite read this year at 4.5 stars. The best part is now I have 20 more authors to include in my list of books to search out and read. As I have mentioned, I have become a fan of Ellen Datlow since Spring of this year, and now have Nick Mamatas on my list as well.


We also have a special treat which includes no candy or calories - courtesy of Tor. Thank you Alexis! 

In this audio clip, as mentioned above,  is one of the stories read in a deep and atmospheric voice. Its so perfect for Halloween! You can download it to your computer to  iTunes. Please enjoy:  "Return to Mariabronn" ~ by Gary A. Braunbeck. 

Attributions: The above podcast/audio file was created by Ohio State University’s CSTW Writers Talk interviews.  I am not sure how long this link will be available so check it out soon!


If you would like more information on this freshly released book please see Layers of Thought’s preview for Haunted Legends.  Amazon purchasing links for US|Canada|UK.

This review will be included in the RIPV Challenge, The Speculative Fiction Challenge and The Basics.

Enjoy your Halloween weekend, and please stay tuned for one more post related to the fright season and then we change gears for the Fall.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Reviews by Shellie ~ Scary Shorts, Movies, and Book Contest Links

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Swamp Thing?  ~  Nope.

But its so campy,  and I liked the spooky picture.  So with a play on words and the fact that I may be “swamping” readers with these multiple mini horror-ish reviews –  with that in mind skim and skip to those bits of your liking or interest. Be sure to check the bottom of the post since I am linking a huge blog hop where you can win Halloween related books all designed for those who want a chill for the season. 

Now on to the reviews.


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Short Story:  Recrossing the Styx  ~ by  Ian R. MacLeod 

This was an intriguing short by Ian R, MacLeod; I have not read anything of his writing prior to this. I  will definitely be looking out for more or his writing. This short is a dystopian with an element of horror. But what dystopian doesn’t have a scare factor? 

The setting is in a future US where the landscape has become environmentally sterile. Many of our current practices are still in place, such as those nasty “consumeristic” tendencies. Things have changed just every so slightly, and there now exists a section of the population - which are referred to as the “dead” – who have been re-animated thanks to medical advances which have allowed some body parts to be replaced. The availability of this treatment is based upon the ability to pay for it. 

This has created a large population of wealthy, old, rickety, piecemeal people who spend their time on cruise ships floating on a lifeless sea having body parts replaced, including the frequent “jump starts” when things really do completely give out.  But here's the really creepy bit - where do these spare parts come from? I’m not telling….. *giggle*

I do have to say that MacLeod is an exceptional writer. His writing is easy to read yet his wording and message are complex. This particular story has that dry twist which is darkly funny and so very entertaining. The ending is great and unexpected making this type of short are my very favorite. Highly recommended.


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Short Stories:  Dark Faith ~  edited by Maurice Broaddus and Jerry Grodon

Basis for the collection ~ Editor’s Quote:   ….we all believe in something. So I invited horror, science fiction, and fantasy writers to riff on the idea of faith. Who we are, artists and people of faith, expressing our theology, whatever it may be, in our writing. And with the challenge to take it to another level: art is never for its own sake, but for people’s sake. I believe that art should be engaged with—and, in its own way, explore—truth; and we shouldn’t be afraid of truth, no matter where it takes us.

Thoughts around several stories/poems from this collection:

While the editor is deeply committed to his personal faith, I like the fact that in a search for horror/art and mind bending stories he has included the varying beliefs that each author has represented in this collection. So these stories display diversity and many belief systems.

“The Story of Belief-Non” (Poem) by Linda D. Addison ~  A lovely poem where the writer holds science as her belief system.

“Ghosts of New York” by Jennifer Pelland  ~  This particular story is based on a ghost who is doomed to repeat her jump from one of the two towers on 9-11. This is a difficult and sad read, and pulls in some history from New York and its older tragedies which are also paralleled within the story. It questions what occurs after death and why would one become a tethered ghost, as is the main character. It leaves the reader with an uneasy sense of disquiet and wondering about how our lives really end.

“I Sing a New Psalm” by Brian Keene   ~  This is a poem written in the format of a modern psalm, which tells a horrific and sad story, and recounts the teller’s loss of faith.

“He Who Would Not Bow” by Wrath James White ~ This is a very scary story about the Angel of Death and an unforgiving and cruel God who takes over Earth and demands fealty.

There are twenty odd stories in this collection and what better way to find a new favorite author. Here are the titles for a few other stories in the collection, with authors that I recognize:

“The Last Words of Dutch Schultz Jesus Christ” ~ Nick Mamatas
“You Dream” ~ Ekaterina Sedia
“Mother Urban’s Booke of Dayes” ~ Jay Lake
“Days of Flaming Motorcycles” ~ Catherynne M. Valente

This book comes very highly recommended from several friends on Goodreads. I do have to agree so far and for $4.99 you cannot beat it. The Smashwords link for purchase is in the title above.


Movies:

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The Cave ~ In the hopes of exploring a legendary cave a group of professionals looking for unknown life forms find its opening in the mountains of Transylvania. As this expert team gets trapped below the surface they find they are not alone, and its not just bats. US/UK/Canada - The Cave

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We watched this several years ago and had forgotten until the very end. It tells you how memorable the story is. Fortunately there is another movie released close to the same time which occurs in a cave as well. I would opt for it. US/UK/Canada  - The Descent

 

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 Vampyr ~ This is touted as one of the first movies to have had sound and was filmed in the 1930s. It is very atmospheric and has very little or no gore; it is worth the watch just to see the differences in techniques for making movies when the options for editing and special effects were very limited. I liked it. Quite funny in bits actually, and it would be suitable for most children.

One bit of trivia, the financier who funded the movie did so on agreement that he could be one of the main characters. US/UK/Canada  - Vampyr

 

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Jacob’s Ladder ~  Now this movie gets a five star in our book. It is one of the best horror flicks I have seen and would even count it as one of my favorite movies. It is based upon the terror a man feels after he returns from Vietnam… or perhaps not. This eerie, surreal, horrific, and mind bending film is very highly recommended. US/UK/Canada  - Jacob’s Ladder

 

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Pandorum ~ If you like science fiction and horror this will be a movie you love. If you don’t then I would skip it. The movie settings are incredible and the monster is very very creepy. They did some fancy art work and incredible makeup in this movie. I do have to say the martial arts are a bit over the top but a good movie never the less. US/UK/Canada  - Pandorum

I have to credit a few new friends on twitter from #SciFiChat who recommended this several weeks ago.  We loved it.

Do note that with the possible exception of Vampyr I do not recommend any of the above movies for children.


Link Up to Win Books:  A huge number of giveaways is being offered via the Spooktacular Blog Hop which I have joined for the season. The books which are offered from Layers of Thought are:

  • Fire Burn & Cauldron Boil and To Kill a Warlock ~ by HP Mallory (urban fantasy romance ebooks)
  • Bood Song and Siren Song ~ by Cat Adams (scary vampire series)
  • The Half-Made World ~ by Felix Gilman (steampunk western)
  • Dying Light ~ by Scott M. Meek (futuristic sci fi vampire)

You do not need to be a subscriber to enter any of the above giveaways and two are international. These giveaways can be found with the 87 other blogs who are hosting similar books at the Spooktacular Blog Hop post.

You have until October 31st 12 pm EST to enter most of the contests. Good Luck!


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This review list was specifically created for the RIP V Challenge for the movie and short story portion. And although this scary challenge is almost over stay tuned to Stainless Steel Droppings for the Once Upon a Time challenge in the spring which is based upon fantasy and fairy tales. I can’t wait.

Until then enjoy your chills and thrills ~ Happy Almost Halloween!

Monday, October 25, 2010

Review by JD: Buying Time ~ by Pamela Samuels Young

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This book is part or a book tour from Pump Up Your Book! tours.


An easy to read and fast-paced thriller which will particularly appeal to those who like mysteries with a legal angle.

A Bit On The Plot:  A few key characters in the story are lawyers who are greedy, corrupt, power-mad and pretty much devoid of integrity; and one of them is about to become the U.S. Attorney General. Helping to put the legal profession in a better light, there is one “good apple in the bunch”, and she struggles against the odds to do the right thing and to catch the bad guys.

In the middle of the plot is Waverly Sloan, a lawyer who is in the process of being disbarred. Seemingly by coincidence he is approached to join a business venture which provides cash to terminally ill people in exchange for them handing over the rights to their life insurance. In theory this could be a virtuous business, but the problem is that it’s in the best interests of these investors for the terminally ill people to die sooner rather than later; and there are some indications that rather too many of those poor souls are dying shortly after finalizing the deals; sometimes under somewhat suspicious circumstances.

In short order Sloan is making huge amounts of money, but he seems to have lost what little moral compass he used to possess. Soon he becomes the target of a US Attorney’s Office investigation. It is an investigation which becomes more complicated when it transpires that Sloan has arranged for the sale of a policy belonging to the sick wife of a candidate to become the next U.S. Attorney General. She too dies shortly thereafter, and a can of worms is opened up. Soon both the investigators and those being investigated are in deep trouble.

John’s Thoughts:  The book has a cool and interesting plot, and Young propels the story along at a high pace.  It is easy to read, enjoyable, and an excellent book for an escape. I found some of the characters to be somewhat unbelievable – though maybe that is down to my good fortune in managing to avoid the legal system since moving to the the U.S.!  But it doesn’t really matter - this isn’t one of those novels where you are not looking for detailed, complex, nuanced characters; it is the twisty, turning plot that counts, and on that score the author has done a fine job.

According to the author and much to my surprise, it seems that this odd-sounding insurance broking business that targets terminally ill people does actually exist. This is very scary!  It’s also kind of surprising that Young herself is a practicing attorney; while this is a work of fiction she certainly has not portrayed her profession in a very good light.  I’d rate this book 3.5 stars and I’d recommend it to anyone who likes mystery thrillers with a legal bent to them.


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Author Bio:   Corporate attorney Pamela Samuels Young has always abided by the philosophy that you create the change you want to see. Fed up with never seeing women or people of color depicted as savvy, hot shot attorneys in the legal thrillers she read, Pamela decided to create her own characters. Despite the demands of a busy legal career, Pamela accomplished her ambitious goal by rising at four in the morning to write before work, dedicating her weekends to writing and even spending her vacation time glued to her laptop for ten or more hours a day.

The Essence magazine bestselling author now has four fast-paced legal thrillers to show for her efforts: Every Reasonable Doubt (BET Books, February 2006), In Firm Pursuit (Harlequin, January 2007), Murder on the Down Low (Goldman House Publishing, September 2008) and Buying Time (Goldman House Publishing, November 2009). New York Times bestselling author Sheldon Siegel described Buying Time, Pamela’s first stand-alone novel, as a “deftly plotted thriller that combines the best of Lisa Scottoline and Robert Crais.”

Pamela has achieved a successful writing career while working as Managing Counsel for Labor and Employment Law for a large corporation in Southern California. Prior to that, she served as Employment Law Counsel for Raytheon Company and spent several years with the law firm of O’Melveny & Myers, LLP in Los Angeles. A former journalist, Pamela began her broadcasting career as a production assistant at WXYZ-TV in Detroit, where she was quickly promoted to news writer. To escape the chilly Detroit winters, she returned home to Los Angeles and worked at KCBS-TV as a news writer and associate producer.

Pamela has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from USC, a master’s degree in broadcasting from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and received her law degree from UC Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Southern California Chapter of Mystery Writers of America and is the Fiction Expert for BizyMoms.com.

Pamela is a frequent speaker on the topics of discrimination law, diversity, writing and pursuing your passion. She is married and lives in the Los Angeles area. To contact Pamela or to read an excerpt of her books, visit her website, or her My Space page.


  • Paperback: 370 pages
  • Publisher: Goldman House Publishing (November 1, 2009)

Amazon purchasing links for US/UK/Canada.

As always John (aka JD) will be addressing the comments for this post, so please don’t forget to check the follow up box for his response.

Thanks for reading!

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Win a Book via the ~ Spooktacular Book Blog Giveaway Hop ~ October 25th –31st

 

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Welcome Readers and Contestants!  ~ Do you want to win a book?

The miracle is this ~ the more we share, the more we have.   Leonard Nimoy

We have a blog hop which will be happening for the next week. Some of you may ask “What the heck is a blog hop?” ~ It’s a way to share posts via one blog linking many others, and in this case with books to win. This is all generated from our host – I’m a Reader, Not a Writer (badge above links to the original post for the event.) 

So scroll down, since in addition to Layers of Thought’s giveaways there are 87 other blogs, all sharing Spooky Book Giveaways. All of which you can hop to and enter, and the more you enter the better your chances are of winning a book.

What's more fun is that you just may find some new and interesting books, perhaps a new friend, and/or blog to read – even if you don’t win. That’s the best part of a hop.


The Spooktacular Give Away Blog Hop

Starts ~ October 25th at 12:01 am and end October 31st at 12:00 pm (EST)

4 ~ Giveaways at Layers of Thought:

Each giveaway post is linked to a book cover. Please see directions for each.


Give Away 1:

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Two Ebooks ~ Urban Fantasy and Romance in ebook format, so these are international giveaways. (There is an option to print these books if you do not own an ereader.)

To Kill a Warlock and Fire Burn & Cauldron Bubble  ~ by H. P. Mallory. 

The right hand book cover will link you to a guest post and excerpt for Fire Burn & Cauldron Bubble. The left cover links directly to Layers of Thought’s contest post.


Give Away 2:

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The first two in the Blood Singer series. They are both scary vampire urban fantasy books. They are available in the US and Canada.

Blood Song and Siren Song ~ by Cat Adams. To link to the contest for this book click on the green cover of Siren Song.


Give Away 3:

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This book is a steampunk/western with a touch of magical realism. This giveaway is international

The Half-Made World ~ by Felix Gilman.

Gilman is an award winning author and this is a very hot book right now. Cover links to contest information.

 

 

 


Give Away 4:dyinglightcover

 

This is a futuristic vampire sci fi story. It is available in the US and Canada.

Dying Light ~ by Meeks.

Its cover links to an excerpt and contest information.

 

 

 


Now for our fellow blogger’s links ~ click on the blog names below to access each blog and give away.

  • Posts including the giveaways should be located some where at the top of the blog designated with the badge that is included at the top of this post.
  • If there is a problem please let me know in the comment. Our host is very organized so I am sure it can be remedied.

Please stay tuned for another Book Giveaway Blog Hop via this same host near Thanksgiving. So if you have a book you would like to include in the giveaway, stop by I’m A Reader, Not A Writer and join!

Happy Hopping and Good Luck!

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Previews of Fiction and a Memoir ~ Sunset Park; Bury Your Dead; Strangers at the Feast; Tears of the Mountain; The Tapestry Shop; Fight for Your Long Day; and Phantom Spies, Phantom Justice

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Welcome to Our Teetering Pile of Books ~ One can never be too thin or have too many books, or so the adage goes. (Okay I did change it, but only a little.) *giggle*

I thought we would switch gears a bit since we have done a lot of speculative posts for the “horrific holiday”. We do need to prepare for the up and coming fall since the scary posts will come to an end… well mostly. So here's a huge list with the hope that you may find some interesting fall additions.

A note on previews:  A way to tell our readers what we will be reviewing. Giving you publisher’s blubs, author info, and purchasing links. I do the work so you don’t have to. Personal thoughts will come in our review for the book.

This preview list contains:

  • Sunset Park ~ by Paul Auster
  • Bury Your Dead ~ by Louis Penny
  • Strangers at the Feast  ~ by Jennifer Vanderes
  • Tears of the Mountain ~ by John Addieco
  • The Tapestry Shop ~ by Joyce Elson Moore
  • Fight for Your Long Day ~ by Alex Kudera
  • Phantom Spies, Phantom Justice ~ by Miriam Moskowitz

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Sunset Park ~ by Paul Auster

About:  In the sprawling flatlands of Florida, 28-year-old Miles is photographing the last lingering traces of families who have abandoned their houses due to debt or foreclosure. Miles is haunted by guilt for having inadvertently caused the death of his step-brother, a situation that caused him to flee his father and step-mother in New York 7 years ago.

What keeps him in Florida is his relationship with a teenage high-school girl, Pilar, but when her family threatens to expose their relationship, Miles decides to protect Pilar by going back to Brooklyn, where he settles in a squat to prepare himself to face the inevitable confrontation with his father that he has been avoiding for years.

Sunset Park is as mythic as it is contemporary, as in love with baseball as it is with literature. It is above all, a story about love and forgiveness – not only among men and women, but also between fathers and sons.

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Author Bio:   A traveler and  a Columbia University graduate he wrote articles and reviews while anti-Vietnam protests and riots raged around him. He published a crime novel pastiche, Squeeze Play, written under the pseudonym Paul Benjamin (who would later appear as a blocked writer in his screenplay for the film Smoke.) Auster wrote his most celebrated work, The New York Trilogy in 1987. Paul Auster is the bestselling author of thirteen novels, including Travels in the Scriptorium, The Brooklyn Follies, Oracle Night, The Book of Illusions, and Timbuktu. His work has been translated into more than thirty languages. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.

(Cover to the left is one of for UK and Canadian soft bound.)

  • Hardcover: 320 pages
  • Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (November 9, 2010)
  • Contemporary Fiction

Amazon pre-purchasing links for US/UK/Canada.

Layers of Thought: I have not read anything by Paul Auster yet, but the premise sounded good and it has a mythic element which I just love.

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Bury Your Dead ~ by Louis Penny ( Armand Gamache  #6)

Publisher’s Blurb:  It is Winter Carnival in Quebec City, bitterly cold and surpassingly beautiful. Chief Inspector Armand Gamache has come not to celebrate but to recover from an investigation gone hauntingly wrong. But violent death is inescapable, even in the seemingly peaceful Literary and Historical Society--where an obsessive historian's search for the missing remains of the founder of Quebec ends bizarrely in murder. Injured himself and in need of rest, Gamache cannot walk away from a crime that threatens to ignite long-smoldering tensions between the English and the French.

Meanwhile, he receives letter after letter from the village of Three Pines, where beloved Bistro owner Olivier was recently convicted of murder. "It doesn't make sense," Olivier's partner writes every day. "He didn't do it, you know." Despite the overwhelming case against Olivier, Gamache sends his deputy back to Three Pines to make sure that nothing was overlooked.

Through it all, in his painstaking quest for justice, Gamache must relive the terrible events that killed one of his men before he can begin to bury his dead.

Mini Bio:   Louis Penny lives with her husband, Michael, and a golden retriever named Trudy, in a small village south of Montreal. Find out more by linking to her website.  Many of Louise Penny's books are published under different titles by UK/Canada and US publishers. 

Here is the list from first to the latest in chronological order.

  • Still Life - Amazon purchasing link for US/UK/Canada.
  • A Fatal Grace/Dead Cold - Amazon purchasing link for US/UK/Canada.
  • The Cruelest Month - Amazon purchasing link for US/UK/Canada.
  • A Rule Against Murder/The Murder Stone - Amazon purchasing link for US/UK/Canada.
  • The Brutal Telling - Amazon purchasing link for US/UK/Canada.

Number 6 in the series:

  • Bury Your Dead Hardcover: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Minotaur Books (September 28, 2010)
  • Literary Crime Mystery

Amazon purchasing link for US/UK/Canada.

Layers of Thought: This title interested me because it has a fall theme and it is literary. The publicist mentioned that she had started it and said it was beautiful. The first in the series (Still Life) is also a great fall and Christmas read.

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Strangers at the Feast  ~ by Jennifer Vanderes

About:  On Thanksgiving Day 2007, as the country teeters on the brink of a recession, three generations of the Olson family gather. Eleanor and Gavin worry about their daughter, a single academic, and her newly adopted Indian child, and about their son, who has been caught in the imploding real estate bubble. While the Olsons navigate the tensions and secrets that mark their relationships, seventeen-year-old Kijo Jackson and his best friend Spider set out from the nearby housing projects on a mysterious job. A series of tragic events brings these two worlds ever closer, exposing the dangerously thin line between suburban privilege and urban poverty, and culminating in a crime that will change everyone's life.

Author Bio: Jennifer Vanderbes received her B.A. in English Literature from Yale and her M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Her first novel, Easter Island, was named a "best book of 2003" by the Washington Post and Christian Science Monitor and was translated into 16 languages. Her second novel, Strangers at the Feast, will be published by Scribner in August 2010.

She has received numerous awards, including a Guggenheim Fellowship and a New York Public Library Cullman Fellowship. She is currently at work on her third novel. To find out more about the author link to Jennifer’s website, and her Goodread’s authors page.

  • Hardcover: 352 pages
  • Publisher: Scribner; 1 edition (August 3, 2010)
  • Contemporary Fiction

Amazon purchasing links for US/UK/Canada.

Layers of Thought: This book too has a fall theme which will be great for November. Since it was released in August it should be available at local libraries.

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Tears of the Mountain ~ by John Addieco

About:  Tears of the Mountain chronicles a single day in one man's life July 4, 1876 along with a series of flashbacks that all lead up to an eventful Centennial Independence Day celebration in Sonoma, California. Over the course of this surprisingly pivotal moment in his life, Jeremiah McKinley prepares for the celebration and for a reunion with old friends and family. However, as he reflects on past love, the hazardous pioneer journey of his youth across the continent from Missouri, and the many violent conflicts of the West, voices of the long dead come to him, while old wounds and enmities resurface, threatening everything he holds dear. Furthermore, a series of mysterious notes and messages follow him throughout the day. When a visiting senator is found dead, suspicion leads to his old mentor, Professor Applewood, whose sudden disappearance from the festivities makes McKinley a suspected accessory to a fugitive. John Addiego fills this tale of America’s coming of age with wit and lively prose, seamlessly moving back and forth through time in a novel that recognizes both our darker side and our promise.

Author Bio:  John Addiego has published numerous stories and poems in literary journals and is a former poetry editor at the Northwest Review. Raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, he now lives with his wife, Ellen, and daughter, Emily, in Corvallis, Oregon, where he teaches students with special needs. The Islands of Divine Music was his first novel.

  • Hardcover: 400 pages
  • Publisher: Unbridled Books (September 7, 2010)
  • Historical Fiction

Amazon purchasing links for US/UK/Canada.

Layers of Thought: I chose this title since I am from the area that John Addiego has written about (actually the next valley to the East ~ Napa Valley). It should be interesting as long as I don’t get homesick!

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The Tapestry Shop ~ by Joyce Elson Moore

Blurb:  A historical novel based on the life of Adam de la Halle, a poet/musician who left behind a vast collection of secular compositions. While researching Adam's music, Moore discovered a little-known fact; the earliest version of the Robin Hood legend may have been Adam's play, Le Jeu de Robin et Marion. Because Adam was patronized by royalty, his play was probably performed in English courts, and would have changed, as legends do. In the retelling, Robin became an English hero, and Robin's companions became the Merry Men.

The book draws the reader into the Middle Ages, where women joined the crusades and students held discourse on the Street of Straw, but the overriding appeal of The Tapestry Shop may be Adam's connection to the popular legend of Robin Hood, the celebrated outlaw who was immortalized in later ballads, and who continues to draw fans around the world to films that center on this elusive hero.

Author Bio:   After a brief teaching career, Joyce turned to writing full time, and has reached a widening audience with her books. Along with previous awards and contest wins, she was first place winner of the 2009 PRLA award for best published romance.

Joyce lives on the gulf side of Florida with her rescued boxer dog, rabbits, tree squirrels, a resident coyote, and several gopher tortoises that call her wooded three acres their home. She is an unabashed Francophile who also enjoys ballroom dancing, RVing, overseas travel, yoga, visiting with her family, and taking classes in almost anything she has not tried. For more visit her website.

  • Hardcover: 328 pages
  • Publisher: Five Star (November 5, 2010)
  • Historical Fiction

Amazon purchasing links for US/UK/Canada.

Layers of Thought: A historical novel which links Robin Hood is very interesting, and I suspect that it will be of great interest to John since it is set in England. Perhaps we can get homesick together?

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Fight for Your Long Day ~ by Alex Kudera

About:   Fight for Your Long Day is a day-in-the-life satire that follows the eventful unraveling and misadventures of Cyrus Duffleman--''Duffy''-- a portly, down-and-out adjunct instructor who teaches at four urban universities, and then works the night shift as a campus security guard.

But today, Duffy's routine isn't quite so predictable. The cryptic mumblings of a possibly psychotic student. A bow-and-arrow assassination. A small government
protest, then, a very large and violent one. Lunch with a homeless woman who claims to have been a 1950s film star. Frenzied attempts to spare his sanity (and safety) – all while a female coed quietly eyes him.

After a morning of student outbursts, political protests and threats of bodily harm, Duffy witnesses a tide-turning event that would bring most people's day to a halt, only he's too preoccupied to notice.

With his overstuffed book bag and perversely cynical thoughts, Duffy battles corruption, staple-wielding zealots and chaos every step of the way. Until the novel's frenzied end, it's anyone's guess who will escape sane--no less alive.

Part A Confederacy of Dunces (John Kennedy Toole), part Straight Man (Richard Russo), Fight for Your Long Day is a promising debut from a new literary talent. It will resonate with anyone who has ever known, been taught by, felt sorry for, or lived the life of an adjunct professor. Fight for Your Long Day is an original, witty, uncompromising expose´of how we live now

Author Bio:   Alex Kudera is a native Philadelphian. He comes from a family of educators, and after surviving a decade of adjunct teaching overloads, he now teaches literature and writing at Clemson University in South Carolina.

  • Paperback: 264 pages
  • Publisher: Atticus Books (October 1, 2010)
  • Literary Fiction/Satire

Amazon purchasing link for US/UK/Canada.

Layers of Thought:  It has an interesting cover and I am thinking this may actually be fun.

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Phantom Spies, Phantom Justice ~ by Miriam Moskowitz

Blurb:  Miriam Moskowitz spent two years, 1950-52 in Federal prison in West Virginia as a supposed atomic spy and menace to the United States. Harassed by the FBI following her release, it took her eighteen years to pay the $10,000 fine that had also been part of her sentence, and she has spent thousands of hours since digging up the documents that brought about her indictment and contributed to the judicial misconduct that prevailed at her trial. Hundreds of FBI communications and thousands of pages of trial and grand jury transcripts form the backbone of this sordid tale; and the lessons that they teach remain pertinent in our current era of renditions, secret prisons, and burgeoning prison population. November 8, 2010 marks the 60th anniversary of Miriam Moskowitz's trial.

Bio:  Miriam Moskowitz was born in Bayonne, NJ, 1916. The eldest of four children, she attended local schools and worked as a clerk for the Immigration & Naturalization Service. After graduating from City College of New York (now City University of New York) in 1942 with a degree in Education, Moskowitz worked as a clerk for the Social Securities Board and the War Manpower Commission.  She later worked as a secretary at A. Brothman & Associates.

During the McCarthy Era in the 1950s, Moskowitz was wrongfully convicted for conspiracy to obstruct justice and sentenced to two years in prison at the Federal Penitentiary in Alderson, WV.

  • Paperback: 312 pages
  • Publisher: Bunim & Bannigan Ltd (October 1, 2010)
  • Memoir

Amazon purchasing link for US.

Layers of Thought: John is often interested in political intrigue and injustices, so will be snatching up this book very shortly.

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This is a long list so the teetering pile is very appropriate. I have been collecting them for several months, actually since prior to our trip to England.

Now for the usual questions: Which titles are of interest to you? and which book would you read first?

Happy Fall Reading!

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Review by Shellie: Dracula ~ by Bram Stoker (audio version)

 

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"I am Dracula, and I bid you welcome . . . "

An enduring classic with an extremely charming, truly evil, yet almost human monster. I suggest leaving the lights on.

Synopsis:   With a Victorian setting in the late 19th century, a newly practicing attorney/solicitor from England is commissioned to visit a new client for his firm. He is to meet with this wealthy gentleman and stay at his castle in the mountains of Transylvania, while giving him advice on property acquisitions within the UK. The journey starts out decently for Jonathan Harker, but “red flags” pop up as he is warned by the locals and experiences eerie events during his journey to the Count’s country estate.

When he reaches his destination things are not as he was lead to believe. He finds that the Count himself is misleading and extremely intelligent, with a business savvy to match. Most disturbing is when Harker realizes the castle has no servants, parts are in complete ruin, he sees the count doing not very human things, and it appears that he is in fact a prisoner with in the castle. When he finally returns home, the young lawyer is beside himself, and worse yet it appears that he may have been followed. This scary story has only just begun.

Thoughts:   This is a wonderful tale which deserves to be read by anyone interested in classics, horror, and evil vampires. That it was written over 100 years ago and the emotions it incurs are still heart quickening, attest to the universal nature of this horror story and make it an enduring classic.

Set partially in Whitby, an amazing town on the East coast of England with iconic structures which still exist today, the story includes a variety of interesting and well developed characters, with our main character the Count, who is the evil embodiment of a sociopathic killer.

It is all told in letter format - epistolary or diary entries with each character well developed and interesting. Listening to the book in audio format, the telling is done via various voices and is close to perfect - old English accents, changing for each of the characters. I enjoyed it immensely. 

As for rating this classic I would say 4.5 stars. I recommend this version if you decide audio is the way to go for you.

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Some Information about Whitby via travel pictures.

Below are pictures which John and I took in 2009 on one of our many visits to England where he is from.  When experiencing this book in its audio format these images helped it come alive for me. I could not help visualize this setting as it was described by the author. Also included below are several links to festivals based in the area, and a picture of our brother in law in full Dracula regalia at one such event which occurred last year in the town.

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Whitby is on the Eastern side of Northern England. Set on the North Sea. The water is wild and choppy and very cold even in summer. This picture was taken from the pier which is located at the bay/river mouth and is a Southern outcrop of highland. Making this a perfect spot to watch incoming ships or marauders in this ancient  port city. It is also the spot where the gorgeous abbey is located,

This was taken during the summer June 2009. It was truly cold and windy, the norm for the area. Further to right on the mesa  you can actual see the little bits of the abbey’s spires. It is a key feature in several of the settings described in Dracula.

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Above are two pictures of the ancient abbey. They are described in the book exactly as they are pictured here. It was lovely walking through and inside the abbey, looking up at the architecture. Here is the historical setting for the spot:

The first monastery here was founded in AD 657 by King Oswy of Northumbria. An Anglo-Saxon style 'double monastery' for men and women, its first ruler was the formidable royal princess Abbess Hild. Here, Caedmon the cowherd was miraculously transformed into an inspired poet; here, the future of the English church was decided by the Synod of Whitby in 664; and here the relics of Northumbrian kings and saints were enshrined.

from the non profit site – English Heritage.org.

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These are pictures of the hillside town walking down from on top of the plateau where the abbey is situated. We walked down on the cobbled streets from a very very old cemetery that is West from the abbey. On the left you can see across the channel and to the left the man made water breaker, which prevent the wild waters from coming into the river/bay. This water way is an  important setting within the book as well.15137_328923465230_904925230_9798285_6353174_n

To the right is my English brother in law, dressed as Dracula at a local festival held in Whitby, which the entire family attended.

If you are interested further, there is a gothic blog called Dracula in Whitby which gives you up to date information on a variety of festivals happening in the area.

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  • Audio CD
  • Brilliance Audio on CD Unabridged; Unabridged edition (September 25, 2005)
  • Genre: Classic Horror

    Amazon purchasing links - US/UK/Canada or The Book Depository - AUD and Euro.

    This book will be included in The Speculative Fiction Challenge, Fill in the Gaps, New Author, The Basics, and I am going to sneak it into the RIP V challenge even though it should have been included last year since I think all would love to see the Whitby pictures.

    Happy Almost Halloween Everyone!

  • Tuesday, October 19, 2010

    Review by JD: The Devil’s Star ~ by Jo Nesbø

     

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    A dark and brooding detective novel set in modern-day Oslo. This is one of those gritty crime stories where the “hero” is a smart and driven character but has flaws; lots of them.

    John’s Blurb:  Harry Hole is an insightful and brilliant detective, but he is an alcoholic and his personal life is a total disaster. So far his boss has put up with Hole’s waywardness and unreliability, even though it infuriates him and has caused him to have to go out on a limb defending Hole. The fact is that he gets results. But now Hole has gone too far and is in the process of being fired.

    Meanwhile, a woman has been found murdered in her flat and this does not seem like a “regular” murder case; one of the victim’s fingers has been cut off, and a small star-shaped diamond is found under her eyelid. With the investigation going nowhere fast, five days later another woman disappears, only for her severed finger to turn up wearing a similar star-shaped diamond. Desperately short of staff, Hole’s boss reluctantly lets him spend his last few days as a detective working on the case; even though that means that Hole has to work under a colleague he both loathes and distrusts. Hole is convinced that his colleague is crooked.

    With a serial killer on the loose and the case getting more complex and puzzling by the day, Hole has to go into hiding, fearful for his own life. Or, more to the point, fearful that he will be unable to solve the case in whatever time that he has left.

    John’s Thoughts:  I liked this book. The characters (and Hole in particular) are richly developed and have a lot of depth; life is complicated and things are very human and messy; the plot twists and turns and I certainly never guessed how things would unfold; it’s kind of quirky with some unusual connections; it’s nice and dark and macabre without being too over the top; and it’s got a nice pace to it that keeps you hooked. It’s also the first book I’ve ever read where Iggy Pop gets a few name checks – and that can’t be a bad thing!

    This is the second book I’ve read recently which was a translation from a Scandinavian language. While very different, both could be described as being very gritty and both were fine reads. I’d rate this book as 4 stars and highly recommend it to anyone who loves thrillers and crime mysteries.

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    • The Devil’s Star
    • by Jo Nesbø
    • Published in Norway, 2003; first U.S. edition 2010

    This particular novel is the 5th in a series by this author (though it stands on its own). Apparently a movie or TV drama is in the works for one of his book, but sadly I lost the darn link.

    For publishers information on The Devil’s Star please see Layers of Thought’s preview.  Below is a link for the author’s site which is particularly mind bending.

    Check out Jo Nesbo’s incredible website. This is really cool!

    Here are the purchasing links for the first 3 books published in English. I do believe the whole series is now available:

    • Amazon purchasing links are for US/UK/Canada for The Devil’s Star
    • Amazon purchasing links are for US/UK/Canada for The Nemesis (Nemesis in Canada and UK)
    • Amazon purchasing links are for US/UK/Canada for The Redbreast

    This book will be included in several challenges – The Scandinavian Challenge, The New Author Challenge and the RIP V.

    John (aka JD) will be answering all comments around this book so please don’t forget the check the follow up box to get his response.

    Have a great day!

    Monday, October 18, 2010

    Giveaway and Excerpt: Dying Light ~ by D. Scott Meek

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    More Vamps?  ~ Yes but with a futuristic sci fi twist and they’re perfect for Halloween!

    We have an excerpt, and a giveaway for Dying Light. Labeled as a “post dystopian”  it is set in the 24th century.

    Below is a taste of D. Scott Meek’s writing in an excerpt from the book.

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    Excerpt “The Alley”  ~  from Dying Light

    The alley was dark and quiet. This far down, at the street level, under the various sky bridges, awnings, balconies and architectural anomalies, there was very little rain – only a steady mist. But it soaked her clothes, and the synthetic fabrics clung to her small form. She pulled at them to free herself, but with each step down the alley, they clung more tightly. Perhaps the mist held them close – perhaps the raw fear that gripped her even now was pervasive and had worked its way into the very fibers of her clothing.

    Looking back, the entrance to the alleyway and the street beyond seemed to retreat of their own accord. And looking forward, the alley seemed to extend into the distance and shadow, unending and daunting. There was no way to know what was ahead, what was lurking in the darkness there, but she was sure that turning back was not the answer. Back there, somewhere, she’d seen them – the shimmering blue eyes in the distance staring at her.

    Turning the corner had been the only reasonable thing to do, and she knew that to keep moving was to stay alive. And that meant continuing down the alley to who knew where and who knew what. The blue eyes would find her soon enough. There was no way around it. And there was nowhere else she could have gone. The alley was the only choice she’d had; only now she wasn’t so sure it had been a good choice.

    The blue eyes would peak around that very corner soon, and they would be fixed on her because they knew. They knew who she was and what she wanted. They knew what she had done and what she would do given the chance. But finally, it seemed, they had her right where they wanted her – exposed, vulnerable, alone. Soon they would round that corner, and then what?

    She spun back around and ambled forward, clawing at her robes, the way her dress tangled up her legs. How could she get away if her own damned clothes were conspiring against her? And yet, there was nothing she could do. The mist was heavy, and her heartbeat was heavier, thudding in her chest as she scrambled ahead. Behind her, there was only the emptiness of the street, but soon, she thought, soon those eyes would be there, peering around the corner, searching.
    The cobblestones were slick, and she almost fell twice within a few steps. Looking down, she navigated around the pile of trash threatening to block the alley. Stepping over the boxes and refuse, she avoided the jagged metal beams and broken glass. But only then did she realize that her feet were bare……..and bleeding!

    A gasp escaped from her throat before she could stifle it, and her hands clamped over her mouth, as she spun and slammed up against the wall, her back pressing reassuringly against the cold metal. Could the eyes hear that? She couldn’t take a chance. She couldn’t make a noise. Looking back again, she searched for them, but they were nowhere to be found. Not yet, she thought, not yet.

    No eyes, but suddenly she could see there was something far worse. Blood. A trail of bloody, misshapen footprints, extending from the street down the alley, leading directly, imminently, accusingly to her. The footprints literally glowed in the dark, a brilliant illuminating crimson, a nearly neon trace of her passing, each step a condemnation of her existence.

    She swallowed and gasped for air as her eyes traced the steps down the alley. She stared in disbelief, her mouth open now trying to pull in air, and she took in each bloody print until they stopped inches away. And there, below her, the warm blood pooled, oozing from the slashes and tears in her skin where the brutal cobblestones and shattered glass had assaulted her.

    There was nothing to do now, she thought – nothing. The eyes would find her easily now. They would come upon the alley and see the bloody footprints leading right to her. There was no way around it, and nowhere left to run.

    Still staring in disbelief at her mutilated feet, she slowly slid down the wall, huddling in the cool mist, her arms wrapping around her knees for warmth and comfort, what little there was to be had. It was only a matter of time now. And there was nowhere to go when she would only be leaving a trail to any hiding place. It was too dark and too cold and all just too much. It was hopeless. It was over. The eyes would come, and they would find her, and they would take what they wanted. And she could do nothing about it.

    It was only a matter of………..she froze in mid-thought. Down at the entrance to the alley, the eyes stared back at her. Hovering there in the mist and darkness, they waited, watching.

    She tried to turn away, to turn and stand, to scramble away, but she was frozen. She could only stare back at the eyes. They had her now, and there was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Inching forward, they seemed to pause and hover over each of her bloody steps, to savor the crimson feast that lay pooling between the cobblestones. As they moved forward, each of the bloody footsteps disappeared, fading away into the darkness that held sway just behind the electric blue of the oncoming eyes.

    She was mesmerized, falling into the cool blue pools. As they gradually drew nearer, she could see them more and more clearly, discern the detailed outline of each orb – a hint of cobalt fire where there should be eyelashes, a raging sea where there should be an iris. And with each step, she could feel the power of the eyes, feel her heart slowing, feel the cold seeping into her toes from the cobblestones, mixing with the warm blood there. The numbness crept slowly, gradually into her body, past her feet now and into her legs, paralyzing her muscles and drawing out goosebumps across her skin. She tightened her grip, pulling her knees in closer, but there was no warmth to be found. The cold creeping sensation was flooding her body now, spreading steadily through her abdomen and into her torso, threatening and then engulfing her arms. Her fingers tingled as the sensation slipped away, and the eyes came on, until they were inches away.

    She opened her mouth to scream, but she couldn’t breathe. Her lungs were frozen. Her chest was numb. There was only the oh-so-faint hint of a heartbeat, and it continued to slow until she could no longer feel it. Fixed on the blue eyes only a hair’s breath away, she wanted to scream out, to cry, to push them away, to flee, but she was helpless.

    The eyes stared back unmoving and yet growing larger before her. Her mind broke free of their spell for a second, and the words poured forth in her mind: ‘Who are you and what do you want’?

    The answer thundered in her head, shaking her entire body. ‘You know who I am.’
    Then suddenly the eyes shrunk, fell away into rounded sockets, blue pools part of a worn and weathered face, dark, grayed hair falling over them, a gaunt body draped in flowing robes kneeling only a breath away. The small mouth opened, and fangs gleamed in the darkness. “I want what you want,” said the husky voice, whispering as it leaned closer, it’s warm, acrid breath falling on her cold, frozen neck. And suddenly she knew the face, knew the voice, knew exactly what and who it was that had her there. And she screamed as the fangs bit deeply, clamping down on her exposed neck. She could feel the blood flow again, leaving her body, feel the last beat of her heart, and her final thought, as the crimson darkness engulfed her, drifted through her mind: the face she had seen with the shimmering blue eyes was her own.

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    Author Bio:   Baltimore resident, D. Scott Meek spent the first 18 years of life growing up in the Deep South and the next 20 years being educated by the world as a member of the U.S. Navy. After a childhood spent writing adventure stores, he moved on to Navy cryptology and deployed to the Persian Gulf 12 times in 20 years. Meek currently teaches at the National Security Agency. Dying Light is his first novel.  For information link to Meek’s blog, his Goodreads author page, and twitter.

    About ~ Dying Light:   In the near future, a new world order society mercilessly eradicates the last victims of the Blood Virus. "Vampyres", constantly in fear of discovery and persecution, live and walk among humans as ordinary people with an extraordinary reality and a haunting past; a deal to save the last vampyres is struck, but intrigue and betrayal ensure that while the sun will rise tomorrow, no one knows who will live to see it.

    Dying Light is the first in the new sub-genre of science fiction entitled "post-dystopia". Author Scott Meek deals with the science of stem cell research and blood borne diseases, the future as it might have been, and takes the reader into the realm of a new society.

    • Paperback: 236 pages
    • Publisher: Canonbridge LLC (July 1, 2010)

    Amazon purchasing links for US/UK/Canada

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    The Giveaway: 

    Since the book will be sent by the publisher - you do not need to be a “reader” for this giveaway. Anyone can enter, but the book is only available for mailing inside the US and Canada. US and Canada

    Contest Info:

    To enter you must:

    • comment
    • include in the post your email so that I can contact you

    For optional extra points you can do any, or all of the below for 1 entry point each: (All entries may be included in one single comment.)

    1. Be a subscriber of Layers of Thought – google or facebook. (I need to be able to see you – to get updates in facebook feed and add me as a friend otherwise it does not count.)
    2. Blog it - side bars are great - please provide links
    3. Tweet it – provide links please
    4. Friend on Twitter
    5. Friend on Goodreads
    6. Friend on Book Blogs
    7. Friend on Glue  - new to glue? have questions? let me know.

    As stated above, this giveaway is for the US and Canada only.

    Contest ends Sunday November 21, 2010 at 12 pm US Pacific time. Winner will be posted and notified on Friday November 26, 2010.

    Please note unlike other posts we do not respond to comments for giveaways. If you have a question or concern (like a typo or bad link) please email me via my profile – Shellie.

    In case you cannot wait to win this book here are the links to purchase this début novel - Amazon purchasing links for US/UK/Canada

    Thanks for entering! 

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