Zombiefied guest post

The Excerpt for the Cover Reveal

“Cassie, wake up.” He stood back up over me as I sat up and rubbed my eyes.

I noticed that Ted was not with him, and he looked defeated as he sat down on the floor beside me. I crawled over to wrap my arms around him, and he looked surprised at first but then he put his arm around me and we were silent for a little while.

“We are going to have to move soon.” Brett was speaking quietly as he rubbed my arm. “He knows where we are, so when he wakes up, he may come for us. I was too late to help him.”

I did not know how long Brett had been gone, but I assumed by his tone that he had found his friend in very bad shape. It scared me that if he turned into one of them then he would know where we were. I sighed as I leaned my head on Brett’s shoulder. Something struck me as odd as I inhaled his scent. I thought that he smelled tasty.

Tasty! I was alarmed. He smelled good, but tasty was not something that should describe my crush. Something bad was happening to me, and I could keep trying to fight it, but as I glanced at my finger, I knew in the back of my mind it was only going to get worse.

He was looking at me while I was having all these thoughts, and he was too close for comfort. He smiled as he took my face in his hands and brought his lips to mine. It was everything I had hoped for in our first kiss. There were fireworks, and my whole body felt alive. I allowed him to ease me down onto the tarp and welcomed his body weight on top of me. This felt right and I wanted him all over me just like this. I had dreamed of this moment countless times and it was finally happening.

Our kisses became more urgent, and he moved one hand down to slide up my shirt. I heard a low growl come from somewhere within me. Something wasn’t right. It happened very quickly, but before I knew it, I had reared back and bitten into his chin hard. He cried out in severe pain, and tried to push me off of him, but I was latched on. I felt the skin break in my mouth, and felt my hunger as I ripped the skin away from his face. When I realized what I had done, I was horrified.

I stood back thinking of how I could remedy the situation. He sat there with blood pouring from his face and a hurt look in his eyes. All I could think of was one word: tasty. I had to get out of there. What the hell had I done? How many times had I pictured my lips near his, and I manage to get them there by biting his face off? I had to get as far away from him as possible. I ran out the entrance and into the school hall. Tears were streaming down my cheeks as I contemplated where to go. I was changing into one of those monsters.

I had literally bitten my crush’s face off!

Brian Anderson

HOW “THE GODLING CHRONICLES” CAME TO BE

(BY BRIAN D. ANDERSON)

A couple of years ago, I was working on a rather dark project. The fact of the matter is that most of my writing was dark back then. I was at a crucial part of the story and had been laboring over it for hours. Suddenly, Jonathan (my son) burst through the door, home from school, excited; more excited than usual. When I asked him why, he explained that he had come up with an idea for a story, and was desperate to tell me about it. At first I was a bit irritated. I was on a roll and didn't really want to stop what I was doing. But, not wanting to be a “bad dad,” I smiled and listened.

If you want to know what he told me, you need only read the prologue of Book One. I wrote down action for action what he said. I naturally adjusted the language to a more adult tone, and added the dialogue, but the sequences were all his. By the time he finished, I had forgotten all about my dumb book and was captivated. He went on to explain the main character (including his name) and the general idea for the story. ALL THAT FROM THE MIND SEVEN YEAR OLD BOY!!!

Right then, I knew that an idea like that could not be left to waste. I abandoned my book and set to work. Admittedly, Jonathan lost interest soon after and moved on to things more fun than watching his old man type. Still, from time to time I would read it to him, and get his opinion. He loved watching it take shape, and relished the idea that other people would one day read it.

When my first publisher picked up what came to known as The Godling Chronicles, I was elated. I had never been more proud of my son, and I must admit...myself. The day the first copies arrived at our house and I looked in the back to see our picture, it really hit me what had happened. For years I had written dark, cerebral stories that only I and a few others might enjoy. Looking back I see my old work as less of a story, and more of an academic exercise in self-indulgence. And though I had always had a love of fantasy, I had never had been able to write it effectively. That is, until now. It was as if my son had unlocked something deep inside of me. Something I had always hoped was there, but had resigned myself to believing it was not.

Now I am free to write and create without the burden of doubt...and it is all thanks to my inspiration...the light of my life...my son. I know that one day, he will be something special. With a mind like his I see only success in his future. I'm certain that one day the world will know the name Jonathan Anderson.

AUTHOR BIO’S

Brian D. Anderson was born in 1971, and grew up in the small town of Spanish Fort, A. He attended Fairhope High, then later Springhill College where his love for fantasy grew into a lifelong obsession. His hobbies include chess, history, and spending time with his son.

Jonathan Anderson was born in March of 2003. His creative spirit became evident by the age of three when he told his first original story. In 2010 he came up with the concept for The Godling Chronicles that grew into an exciting collaboration between father and son. Jonathan enjoys sports, chess, music, games, and of course, telling stories.

THE GODLING CHRONICLES (BOOK ONE): THE SWORD OF TRUTH

It has been five hundred years since the Great War between Elf and Human ripped the world apart, and the Dark Knight of Angrääl has stolen the Sword of Truth. With it, he has trapped the Gods in heaven. If left unchallenged he will kill the Gods and reshape the world into an unimaginable hell. The only hope for all of creation is a boy named Gewey Stedding, the only being born from the union of two Gods. Aided by Lee Starfinder, the son of Saraf, God of the Sea, and a mortal woman, he must discover the true nature of his power. However, this will not be easy. He is bound to the earth a mortal man, and in many ways is very human. When Kaylia, a young elf woman, joins their party, Gewey discovers that perils of the heart can be as treacherous as any sword. Gewey, Lee, Kaylia and other friends they meet on their journey, must battle the Dark Knight, find a way to heal the hatred between elf and man, and restore heaven itself.

“THE GODLING CHRONICLES (BOOK ONE)” BUY LINKS:

AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/The-Godling-Chronicles-Sword-ebook/dp/B008WA4ZQA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1344718323&sr=8-3&keywords=the+godling+chronicles

CREATESPACE: https://www.createspace.com/3960958

BRIAN D. ANDERSON’S LINKS:

Brian’s Author Page: http://www.greatmindsindependentpublishing.com/#/brian-anderson/4566993174

Brian’s Blog: http://briandanderson.blogspot.com/

Brian’s Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/brian.anderson.39750

Brian’s Twitter:  @GodlingChron

Brian’s Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/TheGodlingChronicles

Deby Adair--Unicorn's Kiss

Deby Adair is an author, artist, graphic artist, environmentalist and past equestrian.  Deby Adair has always loved the purity and truth of unicorns and their archetypal majesty. Deby loves all animals and champions animal rights, the environment and human rights. She believes we must take care of our natural world.
A reader all her life, Deby began writing stories, poetry and prose from a very young age and the WISH trilogy is based on many works of writing and art which she produced as a girl but later embelished and created into her three novels.

Writing this trilogy and creating a vast collection of wonderful, exciting art works has occupied her for many years now. We hope you enjoy her much loved books and wonderful artwork as much as Deby enjoyed creating them! She is currently writing more books.

http://www.unicornkisses.com

Science Fiction & Fantasy, Nonfiction, Children's Books

During my 'travels' as a writer, as a follower of mystical
marvels, a dreamer who shapes words, and a believer in making
dreams come true, I have met unicorns.

I met them long ago, when I was a girl... a girl whom animals
followed through the streets, who sat under shady trees and talked to
the ethers, sending out her thoughts in happy, floating imaginings;
who deliberately touched trees as she passed them and climbed
rocky, red soiled and sun-struck hills, barefoot. A girl who cradled
her pet chicken for hours at a time, stroking the red feathers and
telling her things about the magical ministries of nature and fairies,
which chickens must already know as they scratch in the yard and
roll in the dirt after a day of dozing in the sun.

There was so much to understand and learn about places
unseen - hidden places - places where beauty unravelled as naturally
as a mountain stream, where waterfalls of galloping horses would
masquerade as drops of water, vibrating with essences invisible to
the mortal eye. Hanging fig trees with grand canopies hid the musichalls
of fairies and, in the tumbling sun-slants of thick forest
undergrowth, there walked elves and their consorts, stately beings
with watchful eyes.

Humans played no part in these places; they were the scratch
that soured the day; muttering and grumbling about the
inconvenience of passing thunder storms, moaning about the things
they needed or didn't need, telling a small child what she could, and
could not do.

But I knew something then which I lost for a while, and yet, in
the blink of an eye, in later life, reclaimed.

I knew that if I closed my eyes and drifted with morning mists
or walked barefoot in streams or on dew, if I held a cricket in my
hand and listened to its chirp - all the time my eyes shut tight - then
suddenly, when the moment chose, the whole world would entangle
in a web of perfect silence and, in that moment, it would happen. A
brush upon my brow or on my bare-skinned arm and the sigh of a
gentle breath… the softest most intangible fleeting gossamer touch
would send tingles up my spine. And I knew, I knew for certain, that
I had felt the unicorn's kiss.

‘What is that?’ you ask, almost believing me. Well, I will tell
you this: A unicorn's kiss is the brush of their forelock or mane upon
those lucky humans still unsullied by the mortal world - a child of
pure heart – and the merest sensation of their breath accompanies the
stroke of their silken touch. Yet in the second that you open your
eyes to catch a glimpse, there may only be one thing which, captive
in your mortal shell, you may or may not hear - the swish of a step as
they leave.

It's rarer now. Even for the pure of heart, the earth is filled with
noise and harsh battering. Fences patch the planet far and wide and
trees and forests dwindle from man’s harsh hand, whilst the gentle
spirits that care for them are fleeing, eradicated by terror from the
human smell and touch.

However, there is still a unicorn forest. It is the last place that
immortality reigns and can be shown to us in our frail human
lifespan. But I cannot tell you where that is... for you must find it for
yourself.

'Be careful where you tread
On a misty winter’s night
For stories tell of things we dread
But they may not be right
Be careful where you tip-toe
On a morning kissed with spring
For you may see the unicorn
As she stops to breathe dew in
Be careful where you stand and sing
Should you do so near a mountain stream
For you may lose your heart my friend


To the mysteries of a dream…’ © ‘UnicornKisses’
The WISH trilogy - by Deby Adair. – Book 1: WISH-Dreams Beginning,
Book 2: WISH AGAIN-Dreams Truth, Book 3: The THIRD WISH-Dreams
Honour.
Website: www.unicornkisses.com
Benny’s Blog: Tips for young creators
http://unicornkisses.com/blog/?page_id=240
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard
Purchase the WISH trilogy: www.greatmindsliterarycommunity.com
, www.unicornkisses.com , www.fishpond.com.au
eBooks and paperbacks sold from the 28th August 2012:
www.amazon.com , www.barnesandnoble.com

Mike Evers' Release

CELEBRATING THE RELEASE OF MIKE EVERS' SECOND BOOK IN THE HOPFIELD TALES!

"CAMPAIGN OF THE GODS"

SYNOPSIS: 

When Norse god Týr suspects his friend Thor is cheating in the phenomenal board game ‘Campaign of the Gods’ he takes matters into his own hands and searches out the only being in Asgard who can help solve his problem. But things are not what they seem… And once the forces of Hel are unleashed, only legendary Viking berserker Ivar Ragnarsson and his men can possibly save the day. They just have to work out when in history they are first - and why are the local townspeople so strange?

BE SURE TO GET YOUR COPY OF THIS NEW BOOK, AVAILABLE TOMORROW, AUGUST 10, 2012 AT AMAZON.COM!

Mellow Summers Video Contest

Mellow Summers Video Contest

Create your own teaser trailer for The Mellow Summers Series, a young adult paranormal mystery series. Videos only need to be about 30 seconds to 1 minute in length. No more than 2 minutes.  Post hte video on Youtube and send us the link for it. Make your video engaging and have fun with it. No adult content allowed.  

Email  the link to your video to JanetMcNulty84@live.com or just post the link in the comments below.

The winner will receive a $50 gift card to Amazon and signed copies of the Mellow Summers books. The winner will also have his/her video posted on this blog.

Contest ends August 31, 2012.  The winner will be announced on September 5, 2012.

Click below to enter.

Two Bulls Review

Two Bulls by. D.W. Boyd.

3 Stars

Two Bulls is a novella about an Indian named Two Bulls who seeks restitution for the rape of his granddaughter, Feather. His target is John Piver, a stubborn man who mistreats everyone for his own warped sense of self-reliance and pride. The story is basically a battle of wills between Two Bulls and John Piver. Two Bulls spends most of his time just watching John, an action that makes the man uneasy. He does strike John tice with his lance, once by thumping him on the shoulder and the second time he actually stabs the man. But John doesn’t die. Instead, as the weight of his actions sinks in, he slowly spirals down into madness and guilt.

John’s wife and daughter, Mary and Elizabeth, are two innocents caught up in this game of cat and mouse. Having no idea why Two Bulls in taunting her husband, Mary demands the truth from John. Their marriage is a loveless one, and she desperately wishes to leave, but doesn’t out of fear and a feeling of failure if she does. For seven years John had kept them on a failed farm in the cold Northern Plains; not because he cared about their well-being but because he wanted to prove something to himself. Eventually, Mary coxes the truth out of John, knowing that Two Bulls is there for a reason, since his actions are not that of a standard Indian raid. When John tells her about the rape, she finally packs up and leaves with her daughter.

The story is an interesting one and I think most will enjoy it. I liked the development of the characters: John the stubborn selfish man who thinks only of his needs; Mary and Elizabeth, the innocents forced to waste valuable years in a hostile area who finally manage to break away; ad Two Bulls, a man who simply wants justice for all the mistreatment that his people had suffered at the hands of whites, but who especially wants justice for the rape of his granddaughter. The reader feels for each of the characters, though I found myself loathing John Piver and I was overjoyed when Mary finally left him.

I liked the ending. It was simple, but had a manner of depth to it. And it was good the author showed how Mary and Elizabeth fared after leaving John.

But there was one problem I had with this story. Despite it being short, there were many instances where I thought it was drawn out. Mostly, these instances were when the author delved into the personal thoughts of each character. After a while these got a bit repetitive and I found myself skimming them.

All in all, Two Bulls is a good story and one I think others might enjoy.

Available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.