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Book Tours: Author Interview The Red Hand of Fury

June 28, 2018 Leave a Comment

How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing stories since I learnt how to read and write in primary school. Most people grow out of it. I just carried on. I’ve been a published author since 2006, but I was writing seriously before that for decades. I sold some stories to women’s magazines in the UK when I was still a student, so that would have been back in say *coughs in embarrassment* 1980 or 1981. Those were my first paid publications.

What is your favorite genre to write?

I think it must be historical crime, or mystery, seeing as nearly all the books I’ve written are in that genre. I love the idea of working out an intricate plot and then building a rich, textured world for it to come to life in. There’s no doubt that it’s a challenge because there’s so much research involved and then you have to make the imaginative leap to bring it all to life. In some ways you have to put the research to one side, and hope that the important things have soaked into you by osmosis.

Which genre have you never tried before, but would you like to try out?

My next novel is a dystopian novel set in the future and it’s my first time writing something like that. But that doesn’t really answer your question! Maybe a ghost story, or a contemporary crime novel, or maybe something with a touch of fantasy in it. I like genres where the imagination has free rein. And also I do tend towards the darker edges of the spectrum, I’m afraid.

Please tell us about your book.

The book is a historical mystery called The Red Hand of Fury. It’s set in London in 1914, just on the eve of the First World War. Actually, war breaks out towards the end of the book. A series of sinister deaths occur, apparently suicides, but there are certain things linking the deaths. Silas Quinn is the head of the Special Crimes Department in New Scotland Yard and he sets out to investigate these deaths, but the investigation takes him back into the darkest chapter of his own personal life. I’m trying not to give away any spoilers!

Which character was your favorite, and why? Which character was your least favorite, and why?

I would have to say Silas Quinn, the main character, because he’s so complex and messed up. I’m also very fond of his two sidekicks, Detective Sergeants Inchball and Macadam. Inchball is very blunt and straight-talking. Macadam is a self-taught expert on all sorts of things. But they are both fiercely loyal to Quinn. My least favourite? I think there are probably quite a few contenders for that honour but there’s a colleague of Quinn’s called DCI Coddington who crops up towards the end of the book. He’s an idiot basically, but he has no self-awareness and thinks he’s really smart.

What was the hardest part about writing your book?

The hardest part of writing any book is just sitting down in front of that computer every day – or every opportunity you have – and making sure you put some words down. Keeping going I suppose. There are times when you think the story’s coming apart, or where you’re not sure you have the skills to do justice to the idea, or where you reach a scene that you know is going to be particular hard to write, because it’s a crucial scene, or one full of emotion and you have to somehow make sure it has energy and comes to life. You don’t know, in advance, how you’re going to do it. But somehow you do.

What is your writing routine? Are there things you absolutely need to start writing?

My only full writing day is Monday, as I have a day job that keeps me busy four days a week. I also try to get some writing done at the weekends, but there are generally other things to do, so I have to fit my writing around whatever else I have to do. (Chores!) On a Monday, I like to be at my desk by no later than 9.00 am with a full pot of black coffee. These days I drink decaffeinated because I was having trouble sleeping, I think because I was drinking too much coffee over the week. On a Monday I will aim to write at least 2,000 words, though I won’t stop at that if it’s going well. 2,500 is a good day. Any more than that is a gift. I work up until 1pm then stop to eat something and listen to the news on the radio. By 2pm I should be back at my desk. No coffee now, but tea. So it’s really just a case of powering through until I’ve reached my target. I find it’s good to break off mid chapter or mid-scene so I have something to come back to the next time, but that doesn’t always happen. At weekends, I just sneak away to my desk and work when I can. We have a room in the house that is my office. It’s pretty messy at the moment – it always gets messy when I’m in the middle of a book, then I tidy it up before I start the next one.

How long did it take you to write your book from start to finish?

I had a year to write it in. That was my deadline from the publisher but I seem to think it took me a little less than that. I think I delivered about a month or so early.

Can you tell us about your editing process?

Once I’ve finished the first draft I export it to a mobi document that I can read on my kindle. Then I read it through highlighting any passages that I think need reworking or that I can cut. I invariably over-write in the first draft and that cutting process really helps to tighten the story. Then the book goes to my editor. With this one, my commissioning editor was happy with the manuscript as it was – that’s to say she had no structural edits – so she passed it to the copy editor, who marked it up for any line edits or queries that she had. That tends to be a negotiation, because sometimes as a writer you have things which are true to your voice but may not be strictly grammatical. After the copy editor, it’s passed to a proofreader whose job it is is to catch any final snags.

Is this book part of a series? If so, how many installments do you have planned?

That’s a good question! I’m writing the next book now, and have story outlines for three more after that. Whether I will end up writing them all, I don’t know.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Keep at it. Perseverance pays off, or it did in my case. I would also say, read widely, and read actively. By that I mean, always have an eye open for what the writer is up to. You can learn from reading bad books as well as good books – or maybe it’s better to say from books that you don’t like as well as ones you do, because then you can work out what didn’t work for you. That’s as important as what does. Develop your own taste. From that will come your own voice – and that’s the thing that publishers are looking for.

Why should everyone read your book?

That’s a difficult question! I wouldn’t be so presumptuous as to say everyone should… But if you like twisty, dark, thought-provoking historical noir, then maybe this is the book for you! I think it’s a fascinating period too, the beginning of the twentieth century. In some ways a time of innocence and promise, when there were so many scientific developments and revolutions in art and politics. An exciting time to be alive. But we know with hindsight that there were terrible catastrophes to come. I think that sense of perspective that the reader has may add to the experience of reading it, adding a certain depth and extra darkness.

If you could meet three authors, dead or alive, which authors would you choose?

Fyodor Dostoevsky, although he might not be very happy to meet me as I wrote four novels featuring a character from one of his novels (Porfiry Petrovich from Crime and Punishment); I would like to meet Agatha Christie to ask her where she got to when she disappeared that time and to see what she thinks of all the film and TV adaptations of her books; and HG Wells, who wrote some amazing stories of course, but more importantly I based a character in The Red Hand of Fury very loosely on him, so I would like to see whether I came anywhere close – and also to ask him about the period because it would help enormously with the research for my next book.

What inspired you to write your book?

A fascination with that period of history and with the darker side of human nature.

Are you working on something at the moment? If so, can you tell us more about it? As I mentioned above, I’m working on the next in my Silas Quinn series. This one is actually set during the first months of the war. More than that, I cannot say!

The Red Hand of Fury

London, June 1914. A young man is mauled to death at London Zoo after deliberately climbing into the bear pit. Shortly afterwards, another young man leaps to his death from the notorious Suicide Bridge. Two seemingly unconnected deaths – and yet there are similarities.

Following a third attempted suicide, Detective Inspector Silas Quinn knows he must uncover the link between the three men if he is to discover what caused them to take their own lives. The one tangible piece of evidence is a card found in each of the victims’ possession, depicting a crudely-drawn red hand. What does it signify? To find the answers, Quinn must revisit his own dark past. But can he keep his sanity in the process …?

Links

Amazon (UK)

Amazon (US)

Author Bio

R. N. Morris is the author of eight historical crime novels. His first, A Gentle Axe, was published by Faber and Faber in 2007. Set in St Petersburg in the nineteenth century, it features Porfiry Petrovich, the investigating magistrate from Dostoevsky’s great novel, Crime and Punishment. The book was published in many countries, including Russia. He followed that up with A Vengeful Longing, which was shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger. A Razor Wrapped in Silk came next, followed by The Cleansing Flames, which was nominated for the Ellis Peters Historical Novel Dagger. The Silas Quinn series of novels, set in London in 1914, began with Summon Up The Blood, followed by The Mannequin House, The Dark Palace and now The Red Hand of Fury, published on 31 March, 2018.

Taking Comfort is a standalone contemporary novel, written as Roger Morris. He also wrote the libretto to the opera When The Flame Dies, composed by Ed Hughes.

Links

Twitter: @rnmorris

Facebook Page Red Hand of Fury

Website: rogernmorris.co.uk

Giveaway

Win a hardback copy of The Red Hand of Fury (Open Internationally)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

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Filed Under: Author Interviews, Book Tours Tagged With: author interviews, book tours, historical, mystery, thriller

Author Interview Her Name is Mercie by Chris Roy

June 27, 2018 1 Comment

How long have you been writing?

By Hook or Crook is a collection of short stories I penned from 2007 – 2010, my first works of crime fiction a friend and I self-published in 2012. One day I was talking with some friends – all of us on High Risk for escaping – about writing a book, the possibilities of it. Making enough money to buy our freedom. I just sat on my bed and began creating these two criminals, Razor and Blondie, and placed them in situations based on personal experiences, and even fabricated jobs from crimes I had read about or learned from other criminals in here. The hamdwritten stories were read by a handful of guys on High Risk and Death Row. Guys that have been, incarcerated for decades, read hundreds of books, and had no fear of pointing and laughing at a fellow convict. But they didn’t laugh. They liked the criminal ventures of Razor and Blondie. I’ve been studying the craft of fiction writing since.

What is your favorite genre to write?

Crime fiction. Creating criminal characters, a duo or team, with particular skills that, combined, can accomplish an impossible, illegal feat for the good of other people or even a community – that gives me exquisite pleasure.

Which genre have you never tried before, but would you like to try out?

Those who know my works of crime and dark fiction will likely not believe this. And my ex girlfriends and wife will probably burst out laughing (and pointing). I’ll tell you anyway: romance. It would have action, some dark plotting, though the primary subject in the storyline would be the relationship of a man and woman. I actually have an outline scribbled out. It’s terrible. It’s intimidating.

Please tell us about your book.

Her Name Is Mercie is a noir feature in a collection of short stories. Mercie is a college educated gas station attendant that lives with her parents in a small town in South Mississippi. In general she is content, has no ambition to become Someone, even if knowing her life has little meaning. Then her parents are shot to death by police officers during a traffic stop, and she discovers meaning through loss. Possessing no skills to take action she does anyhow, and finds the people responsible for her folks’ deaths are not innocent, they were not only doing their jobs – they were doing something else under the guise of legitimacy. Mercie loses control after the discovery.

Which character was your favorite, and why? Which character was your least favorite, and why?

The protagonist, Mercie, was initially based on someone I know and love. She did not care for the story. So I changed Mercie’s character and the events of the story. I made it darker. At that point the antagonists were in my head all the time, the main one for sure. Which is became my new focus, my new favorite, the orchestrator. A sneaky, unsuspecting one. Very innocent in appearance. Very deadly in reality. My least favorite? One of the police officers was, at points, hard to write. To get my thoughts aligned with. Sick dude.

What was the hardest part about writing your book?

Finishing it! The publisher loved Mercie and two other short stories I submitted, though wanted more to flesh out a book. I was given a deadline. My first one. I had to write Libby’s Hands and Hunger with that looming. I was feeling it, the time constraint. Felt the carrot dangling and the stick prodding. And did some good work, I think, for it.

What is your writing routine? Are there things you absolutely need to start writing?

I jot down ideas on paper. Sometimes it’s just a title and that takes shape into an event with a story surrounding it. Sometimes banter with other convicts seeds a story idea, and I’ll scratch out notes. I always write a first draft by hand, then type it on a phone. Google Docs are the center of my little world these days.

How long did it take you to write your book from start to finish?

There are five stories in Her Name Is Mercie. The first two were done in about a month during the 2016 holiday season. Mercie is longer and was done in bursts spaced out for about a year – I was attempting to market my crime thriller trilogies published with New Pulp Press and started a few other dark fiction projects. I completed the book Mercie in February 2018.

Can you tell us about your editing process?

It’s difficult to stay in Create mode and get the entire story out before Edit mode kicks in. I’ll write between one to five pages then go back through it. I’ll move on once I’m satisfied. Periodically I’ll read what I have of the story and make adjustments, get new ideas, scratch out others. When the story is done I proof it numerous times and ask family and friends to test drive it, hit me between the eyes with their opinions.

Is this book part of a series? If so, how many installments do you have planned?

I don’t know… I do know I would be grateful if anyone reads it and likes it so much they demand more works with the same characters. You know, the ones still, alive.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

I started writing because I need money for a lawyer. I wrote for all these years and have three publishing contracts. So far I’ve received one royalty check. It wasn’t enough to retain an attorney. It was enough to get some Nutty Bars and Ramen noodles.

Just because you get published does not mean you will make money. Most books don’t get published. A small percentage of published works make sales – the competition is vast and the books selling have money behind them, usually because the authors are very marketable and have cash to throw around. You can have a spectacular book on the market, on Amazon, etc… and no one knows it’s there.

To new authors, be prepared for this. If you are seeking status, it could be a long journey with nothing but disappointment. If you are a true Writer, then fulfillment through passion is yours to enjoy every single day.

Why should everyone read your book?

There’s something for everyone. Thrills, chills, kills, action and humor. The characters are varied and engaging. The plots are jabs in the face with an unseen tickle. My best works, this collection.

If you could meet three authors, dead or alive, which authors would you choose?

Elmore Leonard. I just finished all the seasons of Justified and have found myself daydreaming about talking to that guy, mostly listening. He’s the kind of person I would shut up and listen to.

Elka Ray – have you read her psychological suspense novel Saigon Dark? High impact crime fiction. She’s a serious writer, and I believe she’s going places.

Greg Barth. I was on his show Noir on the Radio in 2017 to talk about Shocking Circumstances, a thriller I wrote in first-person female. Very difficult. Greg wrote Selena, a successful violent, sexual noir series in first-person female. After the show he sent me books 1 and 2. They are very good. I saw similarities, and got ideas that made me want to rewrite mine, after some research and further character studies.

What inspired you to write your book?

I still need a lawyer…

Are you working on something at the moment? If so, can you tell us more about it?

Waste Management is up next. Not sure of the publication date, maybe next year. It’s very dark. I’ll let it speak for itself. Here’s an excerpt:

She refused to open her mouth.

The man’s head tilted, nostrils puffing. He shook an aerosol can, squinting. Rocks popped under boots darkened and creased with use, threads stretching. He sprang into a turn, legs like columns of stone thudding oversized Red Wings across the service drive to the waste management truck.

The utility box opened, gloved hand slipped in and retrieved an item. The compartment clicked shut. He returned to the girl.

Fright – pure and intense – pushed out her stare as he approached. He stopped close enough that she felt his breath, a foul, hot gas shrouding the cold tears on her cheeks. He held up a red straw and inserted it into the can without error. In a blink his leather palm rammed into her forehead, immobilizing her face. Vision swimming, she could no longer see him. She held her breath as the pressure of his increased, eyelids squeezed tight. She felt the straw enter, slide into her throat.

He pulled it out.

Her scream was muffled by industrial grade adhesive, dull yellow bubbles of foam glue roiling from lips working to eject it.

The man stood back. Slipped the can in a pocket of his coveralls. Light gathered on his irises, wicked pulse matching his puffing nose. He caressed her throat, thumb rubbing over the spiking carotids.

Her back rose sharply, locking into a stiff arch. Eyes stuck wide. The moment passed with his nostrils flared. A tremble passed over his skin. He squeezed, hard.

Blink.

His hand relaxed. The other clenched into a fist. A single blow to her chest made her pulse return. Her eyes closed.

He tore her loose and dropped her on the pavement next to a storm drain. The backs of her hands stuck to the service exit, foam blooming from pink skin like an exotic display at a high end art gallery.

From a sheath strapped to his leg he pulled a long pry bar. Opened the storm drain and looked in. The walls of the new office complex took on a hollow rush of water. He tapped the pry bar on the thick iron lid next to his boot. Straightened, pivoted to assess the infected target.

The girl folded her arms, violent shaking commandeering the muscles in her jaw, shoulders and legs. Hair plastered to one cheek, it matched the tones in the foam mounded on her lips, now hardened.

He struck her. The pry bar bit deep into her pelvis, shattering it. Her eyes shot open. The alley hummed with anguish, her throat swelling. He dropped the tool. The steel rang inches from her ear. Core consumed by fire of mortal trauma, her obscured awareness turned completely black. The man loomed, a mountain of darkness, boots creaking on the sides of her ruined hips.

Mucus sprayed as he sat down, can of adhesive once more in hand. He inspected the straw. Slid it deep into her nose and sprayed. His nostrils puffed in sync with the arteries in her neck, bulging under his thumb.

The violent shaking in her limbs became thrashing, spine jerking side to side. Her hands, dwarfed by his gloved grip, pushed at the can. Limited edition peep toes dug for purchase on the wet pavement behind him, heels grinding down.

Pry bar in hand, standing, he tossed the can into the drain. Then struck her again. Like a boxer finishing a punch drill, fists thundering into a heavy bag, the man battered her hips. Before she suffocated, her heart failed again. The rain of steel continued, eating away the joints.

His eyes moved to her shoulders. His arms adjusted, freakish mass swinging the tool hard. The roof above turned a deep violet, dusk passing into night.

The pace of the strikes never slowed. Slight turn of his boots, and he pounded away at her neck. He stopped as if completing a precise count. Sheathed his tool and stomped down on her chest. Gloved hands wound through her long hair and pulled up. Skin elongated. Snatch, cartilage, vertebrae crackling. Tossed it into the drain. Grabbed an arm.

Limbs washed away, he kicked the torso. Log rolled it over to the runoff of Spring rain. Picked it up, squishing, her bloody clothes rubbing on him, adding to the spatter layered up and down his old coveralls. Turning her vertical, he dropped the corpse into the drain.

***

From the wall next to the service exit, another girl watched. The tips of her fingers picked at the hard glue that bound her to the faux granite. Her lips wrinkled and spasmed, instinct fighting the poisonous invasion adhering to the soft tissue of her mouth and throat.

She kept looking to her right. A glob of hard foam mounted her head to the wall, though if she strained she could glimpse the door knob; she knew, any moment now, the manager would step out for a smoke and…

Save me! Oh my motherfuck, save me! Sasha… what just happened to Sasha? Oh my fucking Jesus!

Her eyes darted left. Rolled back as searing pain ripped up her arms, down her back. The man sacked her over a shoulder and looked around. He blurred into a fast walk.

The girl’s legs flopped against him, urine running off her heels, squiggly patterns darkening the pavement behind the truck.

About the Book

Title: Her Name is Mercie

Author: Chris Roy

Genre: Thriller, Noir, Horror

Purchase: Amazon

Roy delivers on the edge of your seat storytelling with rough edges, crooked cops and a tiny light at the end of the tunnel that is never quite extinguished.
— Tom Vater, co–founder of Crime Wave Press.
Her Name Is Mercie is a fast furious ride into an inferno of the highest tension you are likely to encounter this year. Where noir meets thriller, toss a coin. Dive in. And unplug your phones, pcs tablets and keep reading deeper and deeper, until the final pages.
— Richard Godwin, author of Apostle Rising.
Mercie Hillbrook lives a simple, quiet life working as a gas station attendant. Then her parents are killed. Her home is taken. The people responsible are excused for just doing their job. When an attempt to get justice her way lands her in trouble with the law, Mercie realizes she still has something to lose: her own life.
Then she finds reason to believe her parents were murdered… and she doesn’t care anymore

Filed Under: Author Interviews, Book Tours Tagged With: author interviews, book tours, horror, noir, thriller

Book Tours: Book Spotlight The Hanging Women

June 11, 2018 Leave a Comment

A historical crime thriller set in 1886 Chicago; the power house of America, a sink of corruption and vice which is haunted by riots and gangland killings. A story of weak men and strong women.

Jack Stevens discovers the bodies of two women, Philomena Blackstaff and Mary Walsh, tied together and hung by their ankles in a position resembling the symbol for treachery as depicted on tarot cards. Though retired and now wealthy, Stevens is an ex-sheriff and involves himself in the subsequent investigation.

As a result of Jack `stealing’ Philomena’s diary and his association with the Pinkerton detective agency, it is discovered that Mary Walsh worked undercover for the Pinkertons, investigating the Knights of Labour (the fastest growing workers’ rights movements in America of the late 1800’s). The women had been working together, tracing the man who was selling guns and dynamite to the more extremest factions of the workers movement. This led them to Ruby’s, a secret `nightclub for deviants’, where Stevens and Inspector O’Leary believe the pair fell foul of the man they were looking for, gang leader Joseph Mannheim.

With the May 4th Haymarket riots and bombings looming, Stevens must uncover the truth about The Hanging Women before it’s too late.

Purchase Link – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hanging-Women-John-Mead/dp/1912362058

Author Bio

John was born in the mid-fifties in Dagenham, London, on part of the largest council estate ever built, and was the first pupil from his local secondary modern school to attend university. He has now taken early retirement to write, having spent the first part of his life working in education and the public sector. He was the director of a college, a senior school inspector for a local authority, and was head of a unit for young people with physical and mental health needs. When he is not travelling, going to the theatre or the pub, he writes.
His inspiration for his debut novel came whilst attending a lecture in Denver about the history of the American midwest, describing a time and place that was very different from that espoused by popular culture, which started him thinking this would make a excellent period in which to set a crime story.
His book describes how Chicago was a prototype of much that we consider both good and bad in the current age, it had a vibrancy and decadence that allowed a few enterprising individuals to prosper whilst violence and intolerance held back many others. The situation for some African Americans and women was improving but it was still a time when to be anything other than white and male made you a second class citizen. The city was the manufacturing and transport hub of America, the vast influx of immigrants swelling its already booming population brought great wealth but also corruption and criminality. The midwest and Chicago typified a way of life, the ‘gun culture’ which is a euphemism for individualism, from which much of modern American social values have grown.

John is currently working on a trilogy of novels set in modern day London. These police procedurals examine the darker side of modern life in the East End of the city: a Whitechapel noir.

Social Media Links

Twitter

Goodreads

Amazon

Filed Under: Book Spotlight, Book Tours, Rachel's Random Resources Tagged With: book spotlight, book tours, historical fiction, thriller

Book Review My Name is Nelson

May 28, 2018 1 Comment

Title: My Name is Nelson

Author: Dylan Fairchild
Genre: Thriller
Rating: 4,5 stars
Purchase: Amazon
Review copy provided by Enchanted Book Promotions in exchange for an honest review.

President Andrew MacIntyre was having a pretty good first year in the Oval Office. Suddenly, during what should have been a peaceful Christmas season, he’s facing one of the worst national security crises in American history. And it’s being masterminded out of a sleazy, New Mexico strip joint? What the hell?

Is this a political thriller? Or is it science fiction? A zany comedy? Perhaps it’s a love story. Whatever it is, it’s a riveting page-turner with a little sex appeal, and a lot of laughs. If “Doctor Strangelove” can find the humor in nuclear war, then surely there’s a little bit of laughter lurking in unmanned aviation, as well as some serious, heartfelt moments.

It’s little wonder White House National Security Advisor Chet Addington* said this was, “Pretty much the best novel ever.”**

* Absolutely, positively, not a real person
** He’s been known to be wrong about stuff

“My Name is Nelson” is a mix of sci-fi, thriller and adventure, all mixed into one.

Nelson Troutman is a brilliant scientist. Yet, being bullied as a child, and now being considered “different” by everyone in his life, has sent him over the edge. Determined to get some payback, he leaves his job and sets up shop in his favorite strip club. There, he works on his master plan to create the ultimate weapon of mass destruction, all the while enjoying the company of Tiffany Golden, his almost-sort-of girlfriend.

Nelson is determined to get his revenge on all the bullies in the world, and does so in a brilliant clash of genres that leaves the reader at the edge of their seat. Despite Nelson’s tendencies for vengeance, he is an intriguing character that leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

Fast-paced and suspenseful, “My Name is Nelson” reads like an action movie.

Giveaway

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Filed Under: Action, Book Tours, Enchanted Book Tours, Reviews, Thrillers Tagged With: action, book reviews, book tours, enchanted book promotions, science fiction, thriller

Book Review: Her Name is Mercie by Chris Roy

May 26, 2018 1 Comment

Title: Her Name is Mercie
Author: Chris Roy
Genre: Thriller, Noir, Horror
Rating: 4,5 stars
Purchase: Amazon
Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Roy delivers on the edge of your seat storytelling with rough edges, crooked cops and a tiny light at the end of the tunnel that is never quite extinguished.

— Tom Vater, co–founder of Crime Wave Press.

Her Name Is Mercie is a fast furious ride into an inferno of the highest tension you are likely to encounter this year. Where noir meets thriller, toss a coin. Dive in. And unplug your phones, pcs tablets and keep reading deeper and deeper, until the final pages.

— Richard Godwin, author of Apostle Rising.

Mercie Hillbrook lives a simple, quiet life working as a gas station attendant. Then her parents are killed. Her home is taken. The people responsible are excused for just doing their job. When an attempt to get justice her way lands her in trouble with the law, Mercie realizes she still has something to lose: her own life.

Then she finds reason to believe her parents were murdered… and she doesn’t care anymore

In Her Name is Mercie, we get a few different stories to enjoy, the first and longest being “Her Name is Mercie” (same as the title of the book), but then we also get several shorter stories: “Re-Pete”, “Hunger”, my personal favorite “Libby’s Hands” and “Marsh Madness”.

While “Her Name is Mercie” is the longest story in the book and the other seem more like additions, I actually liked the shorter stories even more than the long story. I am a fan of short stories, so that could be one of the reasons.

In “Her Name is Mercie”, main character Mercie Hillbrook lives a pretty ordinary life until her parents get murdered, her home is taken, and the people responsible don’t get any type of punishment. Mercie has no choice but to take matters into her own hands and get some justice of her own.

The story has a very noir feel to it, and it’s definitely dark and troubling. “Libby’s Hands” has more of a horror feel to it, and overall, all the stories are omnious, atmospheric reads.

A great book to crawl under a blanket and read with the flashlight on.

Filed Under: Horror, Reviews, Thrillers Tagged With: book reviews, noir, thriller

Cover Reveal Blitz To Know A Killer

May 23, 2018 Leave a Comment

About the Book

Title: To Know A Killer

Author: Natalia Hale

Genre: Thriller / Suspense

It takes one to know one still rings true.

For years Luna Lis has been at the forefront of every trend in fashion, deciding what’s in style and what’s out. Cold, calculating, and downright manipulative, Luna fought her way to the top of the tower at the international fashion magazine L&L and is now editor in chief. She’s been written up as one of the most influential women of the world, and nobody is about to knock her off her pedestal. That is until a phone call from a detective makes her realize that there’s more to journalism than what’s hot or not on the runway.

Notorious serial killer Hannah Best has been in jail for over a year, but that hasn’t stopped her from influencing the world. Half a dozen reports have come out with perpetrators claiming they have killed for her. She wasn’t willing to speak out about it, but now she wants a tell-all book written about her life and the real story told. And she knows exactly who she wants to write it.

Luna Lis.

Author Bio

Natalia Hale is a journalism graduate with very little interest in writing news articles of any kind. A reader of the mysterious and morbid, she decided that it was time to start her publishing journey in 2015 with her novella It Takes a Killer. Focusing on short fiction, her stories delve into the disturbing tales that toe the line between acceptable to read in public and “if this is what you think about maybe you should talk to someone” (semi-joking advice from a friend). She is not as dark a person as her writing, but tends to get lost in existential thoughts.

Links

It Takes A Killer, the first book in the series, will be free on Amazon from May 23 to May 25.

It Takes A Killer on Amazon

Website: www.nataliahale.wordpress.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/halebooks
Twitter: www.twitter.com/natalia_writes

Giveaway

Win an ebook copy of “It Takes A Killer”, the first book in the duology.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Book Tours, Cover Reveals, Enchanted Book Tours Tagged With: book tours, cover reveal blitz, enchanted book promotions, suspense, thriller

Book Tours: Starter Day Party My Name is Nelson

May 21, 2018 Leave a Comment

I’m hosting the starter day party today for the book tour for thriller “My Name is Nelson”. The tour runs from May 21 to May 28.

Tour Schedule

May 21st: Starter Day Party @ I Heart Reading

May 21^st: Promo Post @ Author C.A. Milson’s Blog

May 22^nd: Book Excerpt and Giveaway @ Tome Tender’s Blog

May 23^rd: Promo Post @ Nesie’s Place

May 24^th: Author Interview @ Editor Charlene’s Blog

May 26^th: Promo Post @ Books are Forever

May 27^th: Character Interview @ The Book Daily

May 28^th: Book Review and Giveaway @ I Heart Reading

May 28^th: Promo Post and Giveaway @ Stormy Night Reviewing

About the Book

Title: My Name is Nelson

Author: Dylan Fairchild

Genre: Thriller

President Andrew MacIntyre was having a pretty good first year in the Oval Office. Suddenly, during what should have been a peaceful Christmas season, he’s facing one of the worst national security crises in American history. And it’s being masterminded out of a sleazy, New Mexico strip joint? What the hell?

Is this a political thriller? Or is it science fiction? A zany comedy? Perhaps it’s a love story. Whatever it is, it’s a riveting page-turner with a little sex appeal, and a lot of laughs. If “Doctor Strangelove” can find the humor in nuclear war, then surely there’s a little bit of laughter lurking in unmanned aviation, as well as some serious, heartfelt moments.

It’s little wonder White House National Security Advisor Chet Addington* said this was, “Pretty much the best novel ever.”**

* Absolutely, positively, not a real person

** He’s been known to be wrong about stuff

Author Bio

Dylan Fairchild is the pen name of a Virginia-based indie author. He usually lurks in a different genre.

“My Name is Nelson” is the author’s first thriller. It’s a genre-busting blend of humor, action, political-military intrigue, romance, and science fiction. “The Indie View” awarded it “five-plus” stars and said “in terms of sheer storytelling mastery, it’s one of the best books we’ve seen in a while.” The book is dedicated to “all the men and women who work so tirelessly to protect our nation.”

The author can be found on Goodreads.com, and he is happy to reply to any questions, comments, or witty ridicule of his photo.

Goodreads

Links

Buy from Amazon

Filed Under: Book Tours, Enchanted Book Tours, Starter Day Party Tagged With: book tours, enchanted book promotions, starter day party, thriller

Book Review: Skull Session by Daniel Hecht

May 9, 2018 Leave a Comment

Title: Skull Session

Author: Daniel Hecht

Genre: Mystery / Thriller

Rating: 3,5 stars

Purchase: Amazon

Despite his brilliance, Paul Skoglund hasn’t held a steady job for years, partly because of his Tourette’s syndrome. When his eccentric, wealthy aunt asks him to take on the repairs of her magnificent hunting lodge, he is in no position to refuse. But then he finds that the rambling old house has been savagely vandalized: he discovers a scene of almost superhuman destruction, a violence mirrored by a series of disappearances and grisly deaths haunting the region. Paul delves into the wreckage, wondering what dark passion—and what strength—could cause such chaos. As state police investigator Mo Ford pursues the mystery through official channels, escalating events force Paul deeper into his family’s past and into the darker aspects of his own nature.

Do you know the kind of book that starts out great, builds this wonderful, delightfully creepy plot, introduces you to these amazing characters with detailed, complex, three-dimensional personalities, all of them with their own quirks and characteristics? The suspense is so palpable you’re on the edge of your seat and you just can’t wait to see how it all plays out.

Until it does play out, and the big reveal is so shocking you can barely believe what you’re reading – and unfortunately, not in a good way. The big climax is weird, out of place, and seemingly comes out of nowhere. It’s also utterly ridiculous, even within the bonds of the world described in this book.

So, basically, an amazing, atmospheric, eerie read… Up until the last thirty pages which, as one reviewer on Goodreads adequately described them: “the last 30 pages ripped off my head and pooped down my neck”. That’s the most adequate description I’ve found of that horrible, out-of-place, surreal ending.

Anyway, back to hte plot. Paul Skogland, our main character, has Tourette’s syndrom and struggles to cope with his symptoms, and with keeping a job. When his wealthy aunt wants him to repair the old family estate which she has left vacant for the past six months, Paul jumps at the opportunity. But the mayhem wrecked in the manor doesn’t seem like something that could be attributed to a regular person.The force seems almost too strong for that.

Then, when a local police detective investigates missing persons reports of several teenagers who disappeared in the past few months, and the traces lead him to the house Paul is renovating, Paul realizes that to face the monster inhabiting his ancestral home, he might first have to face the monster inside himself.

Worth a read especially if you like psychological horror / neurological thrillers, but I’m giving you a fair warning – you will probably either like the ending, or absolutely hate it.

Filed Under: Horror, Psychological Thrillers, Reviews, Thrillers Tagged With: book reviews, mystery, psychological thriller, suspense, thriller

Author Interview Vicious Rumer

April 16, 2018 Leave a Comment

How long have you been writing?

As long as I can remember! I became obsessed by stories from a young age, and that quickly evolved into telling my own. I still have a collection of the books I wrote as a teenager – they’re in a box on top of the wardrobe and, every once in a while, I get them out and have a good giggle.

What is your favorite genre to write?

Anything with a little dash of horror. I think horror is a great genre because it’s a feeling. You can inject it into any story to give it fresh dimension and an element of danger. That’s what I did with Vicious Rumer, which is sort of a film noir-ish thriller with horror elements that, hopefully, give it a unique texture.

Which genre have you never tried before, but would you like to try out?

Comedy. It’s the hardest genre to get right because humour is so specific. If it’s wrong, it’s so wrong. Get it right, though, and it’s like fresh air. You can’t get enough of it. I’d definitely like to try my hand at comedy at some point, but it’d definitely be a horror comedy!

Please tell us about your book.

Vicious Rumer is a fast-paced, twisted thriller that takes a look at obsessed and how it can affect our lives. It’s about Rumer Cross, who believes that she’s cursed so anybody who gets close to her dies. Oh, and her mother was a mob assassin in the ’90s, which may or may not be relevant!

Which character was your favorite, and why? Which character was your least favorite, and why?

Would it be a cop out to say Rumer is my favourite? The book is told entirely from her POV, so I’ve spent the better part of two years inside her head. (Yeah, lots of weird stuff in there.) I love that she’s determined and aggressively goes after what she wants, no matter what. Least favourite… that’s a horrible question! Rose, who works for a detective, is sort of a cow. I enjoyed making her is unlikeable as possible.

What was the hardest part about writing your book?

Finding the right balance between reality and the supernatural. Rumer believes she’s cursed, but does that mean she actually is? I swung both ways throughout writing, and it was a fun challenge to find that balance. With a little help from my editor (hi, Craig!), I think I finally managed it.

What is your writing routine? Are there things you absolutely need to start writing?

Coffee! Or an enormous cup of tea. It’s also important that I find the perfect music for the book, which can take ages. When I started writing Vicious Rumer, I began listening to Stevie Nicks, and pretty soon I couldn’t write without Stevie on. She provided the soundtrack for Rumer’s story. (I’d recommend listening to her while reading Vicious Rumer, too!)

How long did it take you to write your book from start to finish?

The first draft took eight months, which is quick for me. I just sped through it. I sort of discovered the story as I went along, and I was hooked on that feeling of discovery. I went on the journey with Rumer and I loved every second of it – even when I hit a couple of narrative roadblocks.

Can you tell us about your editing process?

Read, re-read, re-read some more. Decide I hate it. Leave it alone for a month or two. Then go back with fresh eyes. I’m also a terrible fiddler, so I’ll often edit as I go along. That means the first draft is usually pretty strong, but it also means it takes twice as long. I love language and I want the prose to really sing, which is almost impossible during the initial writing stage.

Is this book part of a series? If so, how many installments do you have planned?

It’s definitely standalone… until I decide it isn’t! My first book, Sentinel, was the first in a dark fantasy trilogy. I wrote Vicious Rumer in between books two and three of The Sentinel Trilogy, partly because I found the idea of writing a standalone so appealing after the juggling act that is writing a series! That said, the more I think about Rumer and where her story might go after this, the more I think maybe a sequel would be fun. Maybe I’M the one who’s cursed!

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Write, write, write. Then write some more. Write so much that you get back ache and you develop a caffeine addiction (not that I’m speaking from experience here). Write because you can’t NOT write, even if you hate what you’re laying down. If you want to be an author, you have to keep training that muscle until you discover the best way to tell the stories in your head. Also, write for you. It’s a simple one, but try not to second guess what you’re writing. It may be that nobody ever sees your book, so always write for yourself.

Why should everyone read your book?

Because I’m genuinely proud of it and I want people to meet Rumer. I want people to try to figure her out, and perhaps even empathise with her a bit. Also, I tried to write something that was thrilling and breakneck and kept you guessing. I basically tried to write a page-turner, and I really want to know if I succeeded! So please read it and let me know.

If you could meet three authors, dead or alive, which authors would you choose?

Daphne du Maurier. She was before her time in terms of her portrayal of women, and I’d love to find out what she thinks of Rumer. Stephen King, because the guy’s a walking brain and I’d love to pick that brain (um, that came out sounding a bit gross). And Robin Jarvis. He’s my favourite author of all time, and the author responsible for me first putting pen to paper. Although I’d be terrified he’d hate me, so maybe it’s best not to meet your idols…

What inspired you to write your book?

I’ll level with you: Rumer is me. She’s obsessive and believes really horrible things about herself. That’s sort of how I am, too. Writing Rumer was a sort of spiritual exorcism. I got to have a conversation with myself through a character. So there’s that. I was also inspired by the question: can we ever change? Rumer’s world is very set in stone, but what if it wasn’t? I wanted to play around with that.

Are you working on something at the moment? If so, can you tell us more about it?

I’m currently finishing up the final draft of Splinter, the third and final book in The Sentinel Trilogy, which is being published by Peridot Press in July. So that’s exciting. But even more exciting/terrifying is the thought of starting something new. I’ve spent the better part of the past six months editing, and the thought of plunging into a new project is thrilling – although I’m terrified I won’t be able to come up with something I feel as passionately about as Vicious Rumer. Wish me luck!

About the Book

‘An exhilarating read’ – SFX
Rumer Cross is cursed. Scraping by working for a dingy London detective agency, she lives in the shadow of her mother, a violent criminal dubbed the ‘Witch Assassin’ whose bloodthirsty rampage terrorised London for over a decade.
Raised by foster families who never understood her and terrified she could one day turn into her mother, Rumer has become detached and self-reliant. But when she’s targeted by a vicious mobster who believes she’s hiding an occult relic, she’s drawn into the very world she’s been fighting to avoid.
Hunted by assassins and haunted by her mother’s dark legacy, Rumer must also confront a terrible truth: that she’s cursed, because no matter what she does, everybody she’s ever grown close to has died screaming.

Author Bio

Joshua Winning Sentinel Shoot 2014

Joshua Winning is an author and film journalist who writes for TOTAL FILM, SFX, GAY TIMES and RADIO TIMES. He has been on set with Kermit the Frog, devoured breakfast with zombies on The Walking Dead, and sat on the Iron Throne while visiting the Game Of Thrones set in Dublin. Jeff Goldblum once told him he looks a bit like Paul Bettany.
In 2014, SENTINEL – the first book in Joshua’s SENTINEL TRILOGY – was published by Peridot Press. The second book, RUINS, followed in 2015. Joshua’s short story DEAD AIR appeared in SPEAK MY LANGUAGE: AN ANTHOLOGY OF GAY FICTION and Joshua’s new novel, VICIOUS RUMER, will be published by Unbound in 2018. He also co-wrote ’80s teen horror CAMP CARNAGE.

Filed Under: Author Interviews, Book Tours Tagged With: book tours, enchanted book promotions, thriller

Book Tours: Taken

March 23, 2018 Leave a Comment

About the Book

A gripping thriller full of twists you won’t see coming… The next serial killer read from the author of Missing and Hunted. Perfect for the fans of Angela Marsons and Jeffrey Deaver.

It’s been two years since mass murderer, Giacomo Riondino, disappeared after killing Greta Alfieri… Dr Claps, devastated and guilt-ridden by Greta’s death has been on a man-hunt for Riondino ever since. Meanwhile, an American girl disappears on the 382nd step of the Cerro trail in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

No one saw her disappear. Who took her? And how?

When the US authorities contact Claps, he is certain that it must be Riordino. But, unlike Riondino’s other victims, the girl has disappeared into thin air…

Will Claps solve the puzzle, or will he lose his mind in the process, blinded by his own obsession?

Author Bio

Monty Marsden, a Tuscan by birth, grew up in Milan, where he studied medicine and still works. He lives in the province of Bergamo, with his wife and four children.