Thursday, December 12, 2024

The Coal Elf by Maria DeVivo - Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza



Holiday Traditions – Christmas Adam

The holidays were always a major production in my neck of the woods.  I’m the oldest of five children in an Irish-Italian family, and Christmastime was always a time of dramatics and theatrics.  Lots of our celebrating centered around food – a constant rotation of courses: antipasta, appetizers, salads, breads, pasta dishes, chicken cutlet parmigiana, fish of all varieties, ham, and not to mention the oodles upon oodles of desserts.  As my siblings and I got older and started to “branch out” so-to-speak, dividing time between our prospective in-laws, our wild extended family, and each other became a very difficult feat.  So, we created our own special day; a day that we would set aside for just the siblings and our parents.  We called it Christmas Adam, and it’s celebrated on December 23rd (because Adam came before Eve in the traditional sense).

This day became our time together.  We did a grab-bag style of gift giving (which was beneficial to the struggling college kids we had grown into), and we didn’t bother with the formalities of a seven-course meal – Chinese food or pizza worked beautifully.  The day fast became an exciting and highly anticipated tradition for us.  

As adults, now with our own families spread out in the country, Christmas Adam is still a thing. We’re not all together anymore, and long gone are the days of deciding where we’re eating Christmas Eve dinner and where we’re eating Christmas Day dinner. Christmas Adam is no longer a necessity for us as a family, but it’s a day we still recognize and observe. I’ve since passed on the tradition to my daughter, and it has evolved into our “cooking prep day” for the season. The original meaning behind the day has evolved, but we still hold the old observance as a part of our family tradition, and the sentiment will certainly remain as family legend.

**FUN FACT: In The Coal Elf, the coal elves celebrate a holiday they refer to as Adam’s Day!  That’s my own little personal nod to my brothers and sisters and to the wonderful times we shared together.


The Coal Elf
The Coal Elf Chronicles
Book One
Maria DeVivo

Genre:  Dark Fantasy
Publisher: 4 Horsemen Publications
Date of Publication:  October 15, 2024
ISBN: 979-8823204231
ASIN: B0CW1HMWZJ
Number of pages:  260
Word Count: 73k

Tagline: Santa is real, but this isn't your childhood Christmas tale!   

Book Description: 

Ember Skye is a fed-up teenaged Coal Elf with a big ashy chip on her shoulder. Torn away from her carefree life Aboveground, she was forced into a world of dirt and darkness in the Mines. Now, the coal is starting to take its toll. Plus, being the only girl-elf coal miner at the North Pole is not fun at all!



About the Author:

Maria DeVivo writes horror and dark fantasy for both a YA and adult audience. Each of her series has been Amazon best-sellers and have won multiple awards since 2012. A lover of all things dark and demented, the worlds she creates are fantastical and immersive. Get swept away in the lands of elves, zombies, angels, demons, and witches (but not all in the same place). Maria takes great pleasure in warping the comfort factor in her readers’ minds – just when you think you’ve reached a safe space in her stories, she snaps you back into her twisted reality.









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Tuesday, December 10, 2024

Release Day Blitz Beyond Earth


Beyond Earth
Stephanie Morris, Lola Blix, Celia Breslin, Leslie Chase, Candice Gilmer, Alina Riley, Robin O’Connor, Sky Robert

Genre: Sci-Fi Romance, Science Fiction Romance
Publisher:  Carnal Imprint
Date of Publication: December 10, 2024

Tagline: Discover passion among the stars…

Blast off to the future with this limited-edition collection of sizzling, science fiction romance stories!

Book Description:

Otherworldly seduction and intergalactic adventures await you in these high-heat, open-door tales from a diverse group of authors. Meet alien gladiators, cyborgs, AI lifeforms, psychic aliens, interstellar royalty, psy-changelings, fearless humans, and more. Visit alien worlds, travel on high-tech vessels, and immerse yourself in red-hot seduction blazing brighter than any quasar.
 
The Beyond Earth anthology is a pulse-pounding, toe-curling journey into the cosmos. If you enjoy out-of-this-world romance with guaranteed happily ever afters, lovers from different worlds, fated mates, enemies to lovers, grumpy-sunshine, rescue romance, and more, then you’ll love this treasure trove of spicy, steamy, futuristic stories.
 
Order your copy of Beyond Earth to begin your passion-filled voyage into the galaxy today!

Amazon      Apple      Kobo     BN      Google

Excerpt from “Claiming Kaden” by Celia Breslin

The station’s vid screen flared to life, blocking her view. A handsome and angry male face filled the space. The brightest amber eyes she’d ever seen glared at her.

“Stop shooting,” the man growled.

The face disappeared.

“Who the hell was that, Athena?” A Zyphorran? She ignored the gorgeous stranger and kept firing at the battleship.

The face reappeared. Dark brows furrowed over his blazing whiskey eyes. “Desist, woman!”

“Desist this, you jerk!” She shot at the enemy. Continued to miss. “Ugh!”

She didn’t care how handsome he seemed, with his pale, silvery blue skin and spiky dark hair, and those glowing eyes which looked like they could melt a girl’s panties.

No one told her what to do, and no one would force her into servitude.

Never again.

The green vessel took out two enemy ships before it planted itself in front of Calie’s station.

Angry Guy’s face filled her screen. “I’m trying to help you. Stop firing!”

Oh… Cranky Guy was the pilot of the green ship. Possibly a good guy? Calie lifted her hands away from the controls.

As she watched, he took out every single destroyer then turned his attention to the warship.

“Shield at eight point seven percent,” Athena announced. “Hm…”

“What do you mean, hm? Should we head for an escape pod?”

“This is most intriguing. And disconcerting,” Athena murmured, not answering her escape question.

“What, that guy’s amazing battle prowess?”

“No. He infiltrated and took over my communication system to speak with you.”

Okay, now Calie was doubly impressed with good-looking Mister Frowny, because Athena was a powerful genius. No one bested her.

Calie plastered her palms on the controls. “Let’s help him kick that warship’s ass.”

“Don’t you dare,” their unknown ally barked, audio only.

“Are you eavesdropping on us? Rude!”

“The unknown male is attempting to take control of all station systems, Calie.”

“Cut it out, whoever you are,” Calie warned him. She aimed one of the station laser cannons at his ship.

“Who I am? I’m the male who’s going to disable and commandeer the warship, then eliminate everyone on board it while you sit on your pretty ass and stay out of my way.”

He thinks I’m pretty? She shook off the frisson skating down her spine. “Screw you. I’m blowing up that warship. Athena, take it out.”


About the Author:

Celia Breslin lives in California with her husband, daughter, and three feisty cats. She writes urban fantasy, paranormal and sci-fi romance, and has a particular fondness for werewolves, vampires, the Fae, and cyborgs. When not writing, you’ll find Celia exercising, reading a good book, hanging with her family, or indulging her addiction to fantasy TV shows and movies.










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Monday, December 9, 2024

The Devil I Love by Kay Freeman- Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza



DIY Fabric Ornament



Materials:

Scrap ribbon or fabric

Twine

Twig
  
Instructions:

Cut-up fabric or ribbon

Tie to twig in a simple knot

Repeat until twig is full

Cut ends

Attach twine for hanging


The Devil I Love
The Devil Chronicles
Book Two 
Kay Freeman

Genre:  Contemporary Gothic Romance
Publisher: Kay Freeman
Date of Publication:  02/10/2024
ISBN: 979-8-9853618-4-1 
ASIN:  B0CQ4KH1K9
Number of pages:  247
Word Count: 68,180
Cover Artist: Consuela Parra

Tagline:  She was supposed to be my wife, not my rival’s slave.

Book Description: 

I promised to go legit. The truth—I can’t. It’s who I am. 

When I break the news, River returns my ring and relocates like I knew she would. I don’t tell her the rest. My only hope, he sees the engagement is off and decides our deal is too and leaves her alone. 

If he doesn’t and takes her, she’ll become his and I'll never escape the hell I've created.

Amazon     BN     Apple     Kobo     Smashwords


Excerpt

"We need to postpone the marriage." My words echo through the cavernous space, sounding harsher than I intended. The yellow flames from the candles reflect in River's eyes and a tear slides down her cheek. It's like when you're passing a car wreck; I don't want to look, but I can't stop myself. My bedroom is the quietest room in The Palace, which is the reason I brought River here. Everywhere else in the house is frenzied and boisterous with my employees getting ready for work. They live here with me and that's the way it's always been, and it seems it's going to remain that way.

River's shoulders slump. "I can't believe you're doing this, Cruz." She collapses onto my throne, carved from ebony. I purchased the piece at auction. It was a steal. In the past you had to come from royalty to sit on one or kill someone who did. Most people today don't feel comfortable sitting on one unless it’s in jest. You need a large ego to do it, which suits me fine. No one sits on it but me. River realizes she's made a mistake and gets up quickly. Her face crumples. "Why must we?"

"I thought I could, but I can't. I've lived in The Palace since I was twelve and—"

River staggers toward me. "You promised. You said we'd be a family. You're going back on your word." Her forehead wrinkles.

"I can't give up a business I'm good at it. I've done it a long time and—"

"You have Monsters now. It's a nightclub, and it's legal, not against the law like…" But she holds the rest of her words, while holding her hands at the same time. She doesn't call it a whorehouse, a brothel, or any of the other nasty names people use to describe what I do.

"Be realistic, River. Monsters doesn't come close to earning enough money. It’s just another Chicago nightclub. I make ten times the amount in receivables in a single day with The Palace. I'm sorry, River, but I can't give it up, or any of the others…yet. I've got too much overhead."

"But maybe someone else can run it and—"

"I can't; no one else can manage the women."

"When will you be ready to marry and give up the brothel?" River twists her engagement ring. The smell of burning sage is the only thing keeping me strong. I want to take back my words before I say them. Do anything to stop what's coming. But it has to be done. I need to make her go. I'd said several chants to build my strength earlier, but it won't protect us from what will happen when I say these next three words.


About the Author:

Kay Freeman spent the early part of her career as a professional artist. She's shown her work throughout the United States under her professional name, Kay A. Klotzbach. She was awarded two Geraldine Dodge fellowships for her paintings from the state of New Jersey. Kay was a full-time art professor in South Jersey for over twenty-three years and was granted a Princeton mid-career fellowship for her teaching and her community-based learning projects from Princeton University.

Kay decided to pursue her passion for writing after her manuscript, Truth Moon, was selected by Romance Writers of America's RAMP program in 2021, which led to the publication of her debut novel, Truth Moon, by The Wild Rose Press. Kay has gone on to self-publish four other novels. She also writes a publication for romance authors, What Do Romance Authors Think About, a free newsletter, on substack.

Freeman is passionate about contemporary gothic and suspense romance. Kay loves to balance dark characters with more spiritual ones when writing her novels, providing ways for heroes and heroines to transform themselves into better people. Besides her passion for art, reading, and writing, she loves blues music, tequila, her husband Barry. This list is not intended to be in any particular order. Kay lives in Wilmington, DE, in a mid-century, modern kit home designed by Donald Scholz that she and her husband are still in the process of restoring.










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The Coal Elf by Maria DeVivo



Holiday Traditions – Christmas Adam

The holidays were always a major production in my neck of the woods.  I’m the oldest of five children in an Irish-Italian family, and Christmastime was always a time of dramatics and theatrics.  Lots of our celebrating centered around food – a constant rotation of courses: antipasta, appetizers, salads, breads, pasta dishes, chicken cutlet parmigiana, fish of all varieties, ham, and not to mention the oodles upon oodles of desserts.  As my siblings and I got older and started to “branch out” so-to-speak, dividing time between our prospective in-laws, our wild extended family, and each other became a very difficult feat.  So, we created our own special day; a day that we would set aside for just the siblings and our parents.  We called it Christmas Adam, and it’s celebrated on December 23rd (because Adam came before Eve in the traditional sense).

This day became our time together.  We did a grab-bag style of gift giving (which was beneficial to the struggling college kids we had grown into), and we didn’t bother with the formalities of a seven-course meal – Chinese food or pizza worked beautifully.  The day fast became an exciting and highly anticipated tradition for us.  

As adults, now with our own families spread out in the country, Christmas Adam is still a thing. We’re not all together anymore, and long gone are the days of deciding where we’re eating Christmas Eve dinner and where we’re eating Christmas Day dinner. Christmas Adam is no longer a necessity for us as a family, but it’s a day we still recognize and observe. I’ve since passed on the tradition to my daughter, and it has evolved into our “cooking prep day” for the season. The original meaning behind the day has evolved, but we still hold the old observance as a part of our family tradition, and the sentiment will certainly remain as family legend.

**FUN FACT: In The Coal Elf, the coal elves celebrate a holiday they refer to as Adam’s Day!  That’s my own little personal nod to my brothers and sisters and to the wonderful times we shared together.


The Coal Elf
The Coal Elf Chronicles
Book One
Maria DeVivo

Genre:  Dark Fantasy
Publisher: 4 Horsemen Publications
Date of Publication:  October 15, 2024
ISBN: 979-8823204231
ASIN: B0CW1HMWZJ
Number of pages:  260
Word Count: 73k

Tagline: Santa is real, but this isn't your childhood Christmas tale!   

Book Description: 

Ember Skye is a fed-up teenaged Coal Elf with a big ashy chip on her shoulder. Torn away from her carefree life Aboveground, she was forced into a world of dirt and darkness in the Mines. Now, the coal is starting to take its toll. Plus, being the only girl-elf coal miner at the North Pole is not fun at all!



About the Author:

Maria DeVivo writes horror and dark fantasy for both a YA and adult audience. Each of her series has been Amazon best-sellers and have won multiple awards since 2012. A lover of all things dark and demented, the worlds she creates are fantastical and immersive. Get swept away in the lands of elves, zombies, angels, demons, and witches (but not all in the same place). Maria takes great pleasure in warping the comfort factor in her readers’ minds – just when you think you’ve reached a safe space in her stories, she snaps you back into her twisted reality.









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Wednesday, December 4, 2024

WILD by Adrienne Wilder - Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza



August and Keegan have been naughty and nice. 

Here is their Christmas list for Santa. 

• Ammo
• Bag of M&Ms
• New pair of long Johns(cause Daisy chewed up his other pair)
• Pair of snow shoes
• Hunting knife
• Satellite phone
• Edible underwear (because August thinks it would be funny)
• Angora luxury brand sweater (cause August thinks Keegan would look sexy and it would be red to match the edible underwear)
• antibiotics
• First-aid supplies


WILD
Adrienne Wilder

Genre: gay romantic suspense
Date of Publication:  September 1, 2017
ASIN:  B07518D2PZ
Number of pages:  341
Cover Artist: Adrienne Wilder

Tagline: Survival story of passion and love

Book Description: 

August Vallory had it all. A modeling career, a man he loved, and the extended family he’d acquired in the business. Then the world he knew was torn away when the plane he was on crashed en route to a photo shoot.

Lost in the Alaskan wilderness, August doesn’t stand a chance.

No sane man would choose to live in the Alaskan bush unless he had something to hide. And Keegan Brooks has secrets darker than night, more dangerous than wolves, more brutal than an Alaskan winter.

Every day was a fight for his life until he stumbled upon a downed plane with a lone survivor. Now it’s no longer just Keegan’s life teetering on the edge of survival.

It’s his heart.


And be sure to check out the Christmas novella follow-up with the Wild characters- 

The eyes watching August from the tree line were not blue. They weren’t even human.

They belonged to a brown-furred monster, with long black claws.

Snow crunched, and piles were ejected from under the stretcher with the forward movement. Night had already fallen under the trees, creating shadows that swallowed the bear as it moved. There were times it disappeared so long August thought he’d imagined it. Then the golden highlights in the animal’s fur would snap it out of the dark.

“Keegan.”  

The stretcher bumped a rock and August was jostled hard enough to move his leg. He clenched his jaw. Sweat stung his eyes, and nausea welled in his stomach. It withdrew, and the bear picked up its pace.

Wind tossed up particles of ice. August coughed, trying to clear his throat but it was too dry. “Keegan.”

Could the man hear him? His heavy breaths were more labored than August remembered. How long had he been asleep? How long had the bear been following them?

And if he yelled, would it charge?

August had to take the chance. He put more force behind the man’s name, and everything came to a stop. The ice had made chunks in Keegan’s beard and clung to the fur covering his hands. More had packed the folds of his pants. The edge of his boots was swallowed by what covered the ground.

“You okay?”

The bear froze, its body a mass merging into the thick trees. Was it gone? Dark eyes glittered. Then slowly, as August’s eyes adjusted, the outline of the beast reformed. It had crouched down, body tense. A loaded spring.

“Bear.” The word wasn’t much more than an exhale.

The Keegan made a slow turn and at the same time dropped the rucksacks he carried. By the time he had his back to August, the rifle was in his hands.

“Two o’clock,” August said. Keegan took a step, blocking August’s view. Then another, clearing the way. Shadows pooled in the empty space around the tree trunks. Keegan scanned, turning his whole body, rifle raised. When he’d made a full circle, he put down the gun.

“It was there,” August said.

Keegan knelt and loaded the satchels he’d been carrying onto the stretcher.

“It was there. I saw it.”

“I believe you.” He tightened everything down.

“I swear, I swear, it was that fucking grizzly.”

Keegan put a hand on August’s shoulder. “I said, I believe you.” As Keegan stood, a massive brown shape rose up behind him. The scream got caught in August’s throat, but it was too late. One huge paw came down, catching Keegan in the side, sending him airborne. There was a clatter of metal and wood and Keegan rolled out of sight. The bear raised its head and the air shook with its voice.





About the Author:
 
Adrienne Wilder (trans-male – he/him) is an author of gay contemporary and speculative fiction and an artist of all things monster. He was born and bred in GA and moved to NC in 2013 where he lives with his partner, multiple dogs (one has atomic farts), cats (one of those also atomic farts), and lots of corals (although not known, statistics suggest that at least one of them probably—you guessed it—atomic farts) 

He lives to create new worlds and the people in them. Several of his books have been best sellers both nationally and internationally.

He writes original stories with powerful characters and emotion as well as a fast-paced plot. His goal isn't just to deliver a good story but to take the reader into the story and let them experience the characters as if they are right there with them.

 While his books have a strong romantic element, some are not traditional romances. In fact, he'd like to think there is nothing traditional about them. And the stories he paints are done outside the lines of traditional genres.

 One of his favorite things is to push the boundaries of what makes a story by delivering the unexpected and maybe even changing the perspective of the reader. His characters are more often than not beautifully flawed; they're not always the good guy, and make mistakes. Their stories will take dark turns which, in the end, make the light at the end of the tunnel all the brighter. 

 If you're looking for something different, exciting, and unique, his books are for you.

He has recently been creating a lot of artwork for his stories. You can see SFW ones on his Instagram and NSFW ones on his Patreon. He is creating a Nox graphic novel available for patrons only right now.

Check out Adrienne’s website for updates and how to contact him. His Facebook group is the best place to talk with him and get info. Join his newsletter to see some content early.







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Monday, December 2, 2024

The Hunter's Daughter by Nicola Solvinic - Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza



Winter Solstice
By Nicola Solvinic

The sun god is gone
He stripped the leaves when he went
Trampled the grasses 
And swept into the bronze sunset

The winter god is here
The stag-horned watcher
Known only by cloven tracks in the snow
And the weight of his gaze under snow-spangled lashes

Heavy twitching branches of green
Once obscured the moon in summer
That seething night
Of cicadas, crickets, bullfrogs singing 

Night’s perfectly still now
Except for the crunch of snow 
And the moon burns through skeletons of bare trees
With the thousand flickers of dead stars

Underground, curled in thick earth
Prey dreams of summer days, 
He will dig it up, drag it, bellowing and twitching
To the surface

In the red and white field
Prey races across the snows
He will overtake it, felling it
In a tangle of broken legs and sinew

He is the hunter in both seasons, king of these woods
Seething and silent
Searching out his precious sacrifices
Sunless, in shadow, he reigns.



The Hunter's Daughter 
Nicola Solvinic 

Genre: Supernatural Mystery, Serial Killer Thriller
Publisher: ‎Berkley 
Release Date: May 14, 2024
Hardcover: ‎ 384 pages
ISBN-10: ‎0593639723
ISBN-13: ‎978-0593639726

Book Description:

A hypnotic, sinister debut mystery about a seemingly good cop who is secretly the daughter of a notorious serial killer.

Anna Koray escaped her father’s darkness long ago. When she was a girl, her childhood memories were sealed away from her conscious mind by a controversial hypnosis treatment. She’s now a decorated sheriff’s lieutenant serving a rural county, conducting an ordinary life far from her father’s shadow. 

When Anna kills a man in the line of duty, her suppressed memories return. She dreams of her beloved father, his hands red with blood, surrounded by flower-decked corpses he had sacrificed to the god of the forest. 

To Anna’s horror, a serial killer emerges who is copying her father – and who knows who she really is. Is her father still alive, or is this the work of another? Will the killer expose her, destroying everything she has built for herself? Does she want him to?

But as she haunts the forest, using her father’s tricks to the hunt the killer, will she find what she needs most…or lose herself in the gathering darkness? 

Penguin     Amazon


Excerpt:

“I didn’t mean for you to find out like this, Elena.”

A soft voice echoed from the other side of the house. I turned my gaze to a pile of rotted fallen beams. My dad sat there quietly in the dark, perched as he would in a tree stand in the forest. His hat was low over his head, and his rifle was slung over his shoulder.

“I didn’t mean for you to find out at all.”

I whimpered.

He sighed.

“Are you a monster?” I demanded. The word didn’t seem adequate. “Monster” sounded like a word for fairy tales. Not my beloved dad.

He looked at the bodies arranged around the room. “Maybe.”

He stretched his legs and slid down the pile. I backed up against the rusted stove. Liquid sloshed, and something cold and wet splashed down my side. I recognized the smell immediately: curdled blood. A metal bucket turned over and crashed on the floor, spilling the rest of the blood over my sneakers.

I was frozen. I saw the outline of the door, and I should’ve run. But I was rooted in place, as motionless and helpless as any of these women.

My dad loomed over me. His face was strange, his eyes too dark and still. This man who stood over me was not my dad. He was some changeling who had come to take him, leaving an evil shell in his place. A monster.

“What have you done with my dad?” I croaked.

He reached out to touch my cheek. I flinched.

“Your dad is gone.” His voice was a low hiss, like rain in a gutter.

And I knew then what I saw. It was my dad’s Forest God, the one he called Veles, dark and terrible and devouring everything under this roof. He wanted me. I didn’t know if he meant to consume me like those other women or if the Forest God was wanting to do to me as he was doing to my dad, wearing my skin like his own . . .

The door crashed open. The Forest God spun, reaching for his rifle, but he was tackled by a snarling dog. Percival.

An armed shadow stood in the doorway. Agent Parkes. “Freeze,” he ordered.

The Forest God had no intention of obeying anyone’s orders. He wrestled with the dog, and the rifle went off. A new hole was blown in the roof, and I was partially blinded by muzzle flash and deafened by a gunshot in a closed space.

“Drop it!” Parkes commanded. His voice was faint and tinny over the ringing in my ears.

The Forest God scrambled away from the dog, kicking Percival in the chest. He sighted his rifle on the dog.

I screamed.

The Forest God hesitated for an instant—only an instant.

It was enough.

More gunfire, muzzle flashes. The Forest God tumbled across the floor. Parkes advanced on him, shouting, his shoes slipping in the blood. Percival was growling, clamping my dad’s right hand in his jaws. The rifle spun out on the floor, the barrel skidding up against my sneakers. It was hot, and it singed the rubber of my shoe.

“Put it down!” Parkes yelled. The man who had once been my father had gotten his hunting knife loose from his belt and was slashing at Percival. He’d pulled himself up into a half crouch, dripping on the floor, snarling like a cornered animal.

“Put it down now!”

I knew Parkes was going to kill my dad.

Trembling, I reached down for the gun at my feet.

 

About the Author:

Nicola Solvinic has a master’s degree in criminology and has worked in and around criminal justice for more than a decade. She lives in the Midwest with her husband and cats, where she is surrounded by a secret garden full of beehives.










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Thursday, November 21, 2024

Guest Blog & Review The Color of Sound by James Garcia Jr


What inspired me to write my book?

Unfortunately, each one of us has been touched by suicide one way or another. I personally have a very good friend who knew something was terribly wrong with his troubled uncle and spent the day looking for him. He arrived at the front door when the shot went off. If it wasn’t a family member or friend, you personally know somebody who has had it come that close. Perhaps it’s a favorite artist. The late great actor and comedian Robin Williams comes to mind. I’m a huge music fan. We’ve lost so many. A short list includes Chris Cornell, Naomi Judd, Michael Hutchence, Chester Bennington, Kurt Cobain and Brad Delp.

Why in the world would someone who provided us so much joy wish to end their lives? What if it wasn’t them? What if it was something else? Something else?

Now, as a Bible-believing churchgoer it’s easy for me to believe that it isn’t them, but some dark force aligned against them. It’s with this in mind that I looked to attempt to explain it. The book is written by a Christian, but the work is most definitely not Christian fiction. There are adult situations, harsh language, violence, and bloodshed. It’s R-Rated. Edgy horror.

Enter: 16-year-old Jewel Foster. She doesn’t have many friends. She feels alone in a large world that takes no notice of her. She’s a throw-away. She doesn’t matter. No one will miss her. At least that is what the voice tells her, including many terrible things. It really is a wonder that she’s still alive. She walks around on eggshells all the time, hoping the voice doesn’t notice she’s awake. It rarely works.

For my research, I spent an evening looking up terrible things that people documented as having heard. I probably should have done that during the day instead of late at night. On the other hand, it probably would not have made a difference. I got the chills reading those accounts. Once I felt I had enough – I literally had enough, and never went back.

One night, Jewel abruptly sits up in bed and hits her head on something. From that moment on everything changes. Now she can see the angels and demons that surround her. Neither side is happy about this newfound ability that she has. As I say in promotional materials: Last week, one wanted her dead. This week, they all do.

She also meets her guardian angel. He tries to counsel her, but most of the time simply has to rush to her aid.

Now that Jewel knows the truth, what can she possibly do with such an ability? Soon, she encounters others who are being pestered by “voices” just like she used to be. She cannot stand by and not do anything, but what exactly can she do? She does have some modest success, but her guardian angel warns her about poking the demons. He tells her it’s easy when they’re small, but soon they will get bigger and poke back.

With both my novel and this guest post, I hope I have trod carefully and cautiously. I want to treat this terrible subject matter respectfully and not simply as fodder for my plot. I hope I have done so. You can read this as a standalone; however – spoiler alert – she will be joining my edgy vampire series as a main character. I haven’t overtly advertised because I wanted the folks who have read my vampires to have a surprise. Yet, I anguished about this for a long time because I didn’t want to belittle the importance of this subject matter. I pray I haven’t, and I certainly included helpline information at the back of the book because helping troubled people is far more important. We have all lost too many already.  

Thank you, Serena Synn. I appreciate the opportunity to share a little of what makes me tick.


My Review:

Jewel is a troubled teen who finds herself in the midst of a battle between good and evil. 

This poor girl has been harassed by voices in her head, driving her crazy and pushing her over the edge, now she's tossed into a mess she did not sign up for. Her life is pure chaos. 

An engaging read. I was pulled into the story and did not want to put it down. 

I look forward to reading more books by James Garcia Jr.


The Color of Sound
James Garcia Jr

Genre: Horror
Publisher: James Garcia Jr
Date of Publication: September 6, 2024
ISBN: 9798338051665
ASIN: BODGDQCHJ7
Number of pages: 337
Word Count: 86,860
Cover Artist: Maria Zannini

Tagline: This week, they all want her dead.

Book Description: 

The voice that Jewel Foster hears in her head is not her own. It tells her terrible things and has since she can remember. Often it demands she kill herself. It’s a miracle she’s made it to sixteen. One extraordinary night changes everything.

There are scales over the eyes of mortals to prevent them from seeing the immortal. Jewel loses them and can now see the angels and demons that surround and interfere. Neither side is pleased that she can see them.

She will meet her guardian angel who will explain everything to her. But what can a mere mortal hope to do with such a gift?

Now, both sides in a spiritual war press against her; a war that has raged since the Devil was cast out of Heaven.

Last week, one wanted her dead. This week, they all do.

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Excerpt:

Jewel is humming an 80’s hair metal song to herself as she crosses the last street of the day and steps onto the sidewalk on her block. It’s a song that never gets old; however, where she has heard it recently enough to cause it to ear worm into her consciousness, she does not know. It has been a pleasant walk home. She notices no demons on her way, and if present, none challenge her.

She notices her stalker walking toward her and makes no effort to escape.

Whatever, she thinks. He’s not ruining my day.

When he reaches her, he spins and then walks beside her.

“You sound pretty full of yourself right now,” he says evenly. She detects a hint of displeasure in his voice. “I would not have pegged you for a Whitesnake fan.”

She merely shrugs.

“What’s the problem?” she asks. “It’s been a good day. Don’t try to ruin it.”

“Yes, I will be sad to do so. It has been a long time since you have been this giddy.”

“Giddy?” she repeats. “I have never been giddy.”

He makes a sound that she doesn’t immediately discern. It is something between a laugh and a grunt. “I will grant you that it is rare, but it has happened.”
Jewel lets it go.

They are halfway down the block now and neither speak for quite a while.

“You must realize that this is not a game,” he says, finally. It isn’t a question.
Jewel sighs. “I should have snuck down the alley,” she says.

“You already tried that tactic.”

“So, what do you want from me?”

“You have nothing that I need,” he replies.

“Okay, what am I supposed to do?”

“For one, you can stop poking them.”

“Poking who?”

“You know who, Julie,” he answers. “Leave them be.”

Jewel stops walking. They are near the foot of her driveway now. She turns and faces him. “How can I do that?” she asks. “They’re evil. They put thoughts in your head that aren’t yours. They lie, cheat and steal. Mine told me the vilest things. All this time I thought it was me…”

“I know that.”

She stops. “See! That just pisses me off! They put horrible things into your head, and you know all about it. Who are you?”

“You already know…”

“Don’t tell me that!” she snaps. “Just don’t! I want you to spell it out for me.”

He stands and simply looks at her.

“Sonofabitch!” she shouts. “So, you’re a guardian angel or something?”

He nods.

“Can’t you even say it?” she asks and throws up her hands

“Yes, I can. I am your guardian angel. Does that help?”

“No, it doesn’t help,” she replies, still smoldering. “That only begs further questions.”

“Fine,” he says. “Ask away.”

She glances about the neighborhood as she contemplates what to ask.

“So, no one can see you?” she asks finally. It is the first thought that occurs to her in the heat of the moment. “Anyone looking this way right now sees a crazy girl alone, throwing a fit on the sidewalk?”

“Only when I allow it. When they do, they see only a man.”

“Then do it now,” she says. “I’m tired of feeling crazy. I’ve lived a lifetime of that.”

“As you wish.”

“Do you have a name? Of course you do. What is it?”

“I am afraid I cannot tell you that.”

Jewel appears startled, as if slapped. “Excuse me?”

“I have a name, yes. But it is nothing you could pronounce.”

“Try me,” she says, but he quickly holds up his hands as if to calm her.

“Please do not misunderstand. When we are named… All of us, humans, angelic beings, otherwise, it is by others who are masters or parents. There is ownership implied. Mine has given me a name because he is my master.”

“God, huh?” Jewel says. “So, you’re a religious nut.”

“The very first kind,” he answers evenly.

She shakes her head. “So, what do I call you?”

“I have hope that whenever you call me it will be friend.”

“Isn’t that a song?”

“Yes, Kenny Loggins and Melissa Manchester wrote it.”

“It’s a very old song.”

“I promise you I am far older.”

“How come you know so much about music?”

“I spend quite a lot of time waiting. I amuse myself with music.”

“Who’s your favorite?”

“Would you believe the Mormon Tabernacle Choir?”

She frowns.

“They are quite good, you know.”

“Try again?”

“The Gregorian Monks.”

“Who? Seriously? Chanting? I don’t believe you.”

“I appreciate much, but once you have heard music in heaven there is really nothing else. Perhaps Zeppelin.”

“Get out of here,” she says, exasperated, and heads for her house.

He makes no move to follow.

When she reaches the ninety-degree angle at the walkway that leads to her door, she stops and looks back. “Are you seriously just going to stay out here forever?”

His face grows serious. “That is up to you.”

“How so?”

“You have seen demons with your own eyes, and now you know you have a guardian angel, and have had one since birth.”

“Do I know that?” she asks. “Sure, I have you to vouch for that, but all I have is what you’ve told me. And you really haven’t told me much.”

“In any event,” he continues. “What does that tell you?”

“About what, mysterious stranger?” she asks. “What does it tell me? It doesn’t tell me anything.”

“When you are ready, I will be here.”

“Ready for what?”

“I will be here,” he repeats. “But, please, leave them be.”

“Why should I?” she asks and holds out her hands.

He pauses, as if measuring his words. “Because they will soon poke back.”


About the Author:   

James Garcia Jr was born in Hanford, California. He moved up the road to Kingsburg with his family as a child. After graduating KHS, he attended Reedley College where he met his wife. The family still makes its home in Kingsburg which is typically the setting of his fiction.

He was the 1994 winner of the Writers International Network/Writers Inter-Age Network writing contest in the horror category. He is the author of the edgy Dance on Fire vampire series, and the stand-alone novels, Seeing Ghosts and Photographs.

During the day, he is the safety manager at Sun Maid Growers of California.









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