Jerome Charyn - I Am Abraham - Review and Giveaway

About the Book

Narrated in Lincoln’s own voice, the tragicomic I Am Abraham promises to be the masterwork of Jerome Charyn’s remarkable career.

Since publishing his first novel in 1964, Jerome Charyn has established himself as one of the most inventive and prolific literary chroniclers of the American landscape. Here in I Am Abraham, Charyn returns with an unforgettable portrait of Lincoln and the Civil War. Narrated boldly in the first person, I Am Abraham effortlessly mixes humor with Shakespearean-like tragedy, in the process creating an achingly human portrait of our sixteenth President.

Tracing the historic arc of Lincoln's life from his picaresque days as a gangly young lawyer in Sangamon County, Illinois, through his improbable marriage to Kentucky belle Mary Todd, to his 1865 visit to war-shattered Richmond only days before his assassination, I Am Abraham hews closely to the familiar Lincoln saga. Charyn seamlessly braids historical figures such as Mrs. Keckley—the former slave, who became the First Lady's dressmaker and confidante—and the swaggering and almost treasonous General McClellan with a parade of fictional extras: wise-cracking knaves, conniving hangers-on, speculators, scheming Senators, and even patriotic whores.

We encounter the renegade Rebel soldiers who flanked the District in tattered uniforms and cardboard shoes, living in a no-man's-land between North and South; as well as the Northern deserters, young men all, with sunken, hollowed faces, sitting in the punishing sun, waiting for their rendezvous with the firing squad; and the black recruits, whom Lincoln’s own generals wanted to discard, but who play a pivotal role in winning the Civil War. At the center of this grand pageant is always Lincoln himself, clad in a green shawl, pacing the White House halls in the darkest hours of America’s bloodiest war.

Using biblically cadenced prose, cornpone nineteenth-century humor, and Lincoln’s own letters and speeches, Charyn concocts a profoundly moral but troubled commander in chief, whose relationship with his Ophelia-like wife and sons—Robert, Willie, and Tad—is explored with penetrating psychological insight and the utmost compassion. Seized by melancholy and imbued with an unfaltering sense of human worth, Charyn’s President Lincoln comes to vibrant, three-dimensional life in a haunting portrait we have rarely seen in historical fiction.

My Review

Abraham Lincoln, narrator. This is a unique book for what it does, and how it does it. Author Jerome Charyn gives his own interpretation of one of the most well known figures in American history. Not an easy task by any stretch of the imagination. In I AM ABRAHAM, readers are treated to a glimpse inside the head of the flesh and blood man, and not the marble monument. And even though Charyn tells the story from Lincoln's point of view, it's when he bounces him off the book's other characters that his humanity comes into sharper focus.

Lincoln, the lover. Nowhere is this more apparent than in his relationship with his wife, Mary. The two did not experience marital bliss by any stretch of the imagination, but their bond was an enduring one. Lincoln seems put upon much of the time by the antics of his boisterous spouse, especially after they enter the White House. Mary is depicted as a woman who is succumbing to a greater degree of mental instability and Abe is left to hold onto what's left of their relationship by his fingernails. Mary likes to fight, and she causes her husband a lot of trouble both personally and professionally. He loves her, but he comes across as a victim of her abusive nature, always trying to placate her and clean up her messes.

Lincoln, the outsider. For a man who is now heralded as one of the most distinguished presidents, Lincoln probably didn't feel that way while he was in office. His Washington rival is depicted as General George McClellan, the head of the Union forces at the beginning of the war. McClellan is dashing, popular, an expert at the public relations game. In comparison, Lincoln comes across as an odd-looking politician that nobody really likes and who many feel isn't capable of the job. The image McClellan cuts riding his magnificent horse through town is the leader that inspires crowds. While Abe is the guy whose top hat makes good target practice for a Rebel sharpshooter as he totters around with his cold feet and green shawl like a grandfather in his dotage.

Lincoln, the placeholder. It's amazing to think that Lincoln basically won the presidency by default. With the country on the brink of civil war, it's not a position many people wanted. He was named the Republican nominee even though many preferred the charming Stephen Douglas. When he was up for reelection in 1864, voters weren't exactly thrilled with his first term performance, especially adding his signature to the Emancipation Proclamation and for allowing the war to drag on for so long. But even with McClellan as a viable challenger, they decided to stick with the incumbent simply because they didn't feel comfortable to change canoes midstream.

Holding up the mirror to Lincoln's weaknesses like this doesn't negate his strength in any way. Instead it shows just how much this man was facing on all fronts and how he managed to hold on and stay true to who he was. He didn't bend under political pressure to do the most expedient thing. He didn't change his image by improving his table manners or curtailing his backwoods accent. He didn't turn his back on his wife when she needed him most. He stayed the course and for better or worse held firm to his beliefs in what was right for himself and what was right for the country.

It takes an intuitive author like Charyn to help readers see and appreciate those qualities in a man many people thought they already knew. What a brave, fresh approach to reacquainting the public with an American legend, flaws and all.

***

Excerpt

Click this link to read an excerpt.

***

I Am Abraham can be purchased at:
Amazon, Barnes and Noble

Prices/Formats: $12.99-$14.99 ebook, $26.95 hardcover
Pages: 464
ISBN: 9780871404275
Publisher: Liveright
Release: February 3, 2014
Click to add to your Goodreads list.


About the Author

Jerome Charyn is an award-winning American author. With nearly 50 published works, Charyn has earned a long-standing reputation as an inventive and prolific chronicler of real and imagined American life. Michael Chabon calls him "one of the most important writers in American literature." New York Newsday hailed Charyn as "a contemporary American Balzac,"and the Los Angeles Times described him as "absolutely unique among American writers." Since the 1964 release of Charyn's first novel, Once Upon a Droshky, he has published 30 novels, three memoirs, eight graphic novels, two books about film, short stories, plays and works of non-fiction. Two of his memoirs were named New York Times Book of the Year. Charyn has been a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. He received the Rosenthal Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and has been named Commander of Arts and Letters by the French Minister of Culture. Charyn was Distinguished Professor of Film Studies at the American University of Paris until he left teaching in 2009. In addition to his writing and teaching, Charyn is a tournament table tennis player, once ranked in the top 10 percent of players in France. Noted novelist Don DeLillo called Charyn's book on table tennis, Sizzling Chops & Devilish Spins, "The Sun Also Rises of ping-pong." Charyn lives in Paris and New York City.

Links to connect with Jerome:
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Michael J. McCann - The Rainy Day Killer - Review and Giveaway

About the Book

A man in a business suit offers the protection of his umbrella to an unsuspecting woman, and several days later she turns up dead on a river bank, raped and strangled. The terrifying serial killer known in the press as the Rainy Day Killer is now hunting new victims in the city of Glendale ... whenever it rains.

Homicide Lieutenant Hank Donaghue leads the investigation as the killer begins to communicate directly to him through phone calls and grisly packages containing body parts of his victims. Assisted by FBI profiler Ed Griffin, Donaghue and Detective Karen Stainer pursue an elusive predator who leaves no physical evidence behind.

The timing couldn't be worse, however, as Karen Stainer's attention is divided between the investigation and preparations for her upcoming wedding. Distracted and uncertain about her future, Stainer is furious when she learns that the Rainy Day Killer has followed her to Virginia, where the wedding will take place, and that he intends to make her his next victim!

My Review

There's nothing I enjoy more than a male writer who knows how to write a strong female character, and Karen Stainer is my kind of girl. She grew up in a family of four brothers. She curses like a sailor. She can knock a grown man off his feet and have him begging for mercy. Since her father was a cop, it's no wonder that she followed in his footsteps to become a homicide detective. And when a serial killer sets his sights on her, she's not afraid. She wants to shoot the bastard herself.

Karen reminded me a lot of Debra Morgan from the hit TV show, DEXTER (who just so happens to be one of my favorite woman cops of all time). Karen is getting married, but she hates all the frills and fuss. She's no girly girl. She doesn't do bachelorette parties or bridal showers. But her future mother-in-law is making her jump through all the required hoops, making her grit her teeth and bears it for the sake of her fiance, Sandy. She doesn't want to waste time with flower arrangements or dress fittings. She just wants to nail The Rainy Day Killer before he strikes again.

And Karen just so happens to be his type - petite, blonde, slender. She's seen the dead bodies of two of his victims he's killed in her town - the strangulation marks on their necks, their sliced off breasts, the grotesque way he positions the corpses to be found. He makes a mockery of all that she stands for, enjoying how he makes women feel weak and vulnerable and afraid. But Karen doesn't buy into his intimidation tactics. She's too smart for that.

Whether she's running out of a dressing room in her underwear or dodging a bullet to the head, she has the guts to tell off the bureaucratic higher-ups and chastise underlings who drop the ball. She's a no nonsense professional when it comes to her job. Her phone is always on. Her gun is always strapped to her ankle, even when it's under her wedding dress. She's the kind of person who deserves to take down a sick son of a bitch like The Rainy Day Killer. But does she?

As the cat and mouse game intensifies toward the end, it turns out to be anyone's game.

***

The Rainy Day Killer can be purchased at:
Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBookstore, Sony, Kobo, Smashwords, Powells, Amazon UK, Amazon CAN, Fishpond AUS, Fishpond NZ

Prices/Formats: $8.99 ebook, $19.99 paperback
Pages: 290
ISBN: 9780987708786
Publisher: Plaid Raccoon Press
Release: August 30, 2013
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About the Author

Michael J. McCann was born and raised in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. He earned a B.A. (Hons.) in English from Trent University and an M.A. in English from Queen's University. He has worked as an editor and a project and training consultant and manager with the federal government. He is an author of crime fiction and supernatural thrillers. His Donaghue and Stainer Crime Novel series includes Blood Passage, Marcie's Murder, The Fregoli Delusion, and The Rainy Day Killer. He is also the author of the supernatural thriller The Ghost Man and is currently working on another supernatural novel.

Links to connect with Michael:
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Michael J. Bowler - Children of the Knight - Review and Giveaway

About the Book

According to legend, King Arthur is supposed to return when Britain needs him most. So why does a man claiming to be the once and future king suddenly appear in modern-day Los Angeles?

This charismatic young Arthur creates a new Camelot within the City of Angels to lead a crusade of unwanted kids against an adult society that discards and ignores them. Under his banner of equality, every needy child is welcome, regardless of race, creed, sexual orientation, or gang affiliation.

With the help of his amazing First Knight, homeless fourteen-year-old Lance, Arthur transforms this ragtag band of rejected children and teens into a well-trained army—the Children of the Knight––where even gay boys and gangsters work side by side. Through his intervention, they win the hearts and minds of the populace at large, and gain a truer understanding of themselves and their worth to society. But seeking more rights for kids pits Arthur and his children squarely against the rich, the influential, and the self-satisfied politicians who want nothing more than to maintain the status quo.

Can right truly overcome might? Arthur’s hopeful young knights are about to find out, and the City of Angels will never be the same.

The Knight Cycle begins . . .

My Review

Memorable, heartbreaking, endearing - the cast of characters in this modern day retelling of the King Arthur legend brings a twenty-first century consciousness to a classic stalwart of the Western literary canon. King Arthur is back fighting drug dealers and urban blight with a new and improved Round Table of worthy knights in training. This time around Arthur surrounds himself with an assortment of troubled California teens plucked from the seedy streets around Hollywood and Vine. They're a multi-cultural lot - white, black, Latino, Asian. They encompass all sexual orientations - gay, straight, bi. They include both genders - male, female. Arthur embraces America's melting pot, and he doesn't discriminate. His main focus is to ensure the human rights of a neglected population of children, no matter what they look like or who they choose to love. The book is gritty and real, but has the courage to imagine such a lofty ideal where might equals right, and these characters represent the hope of achieving such a glorious ambition, even if for now it's confined to the page.

Arthur. He's naive, but in the best sense. He puts his heart and soul into the crusade of helping these children take back their lives and save themselves from a corrupt system that doesn't care about them. But at times, he gets too caught up in the mission, placing the welfare of the many above the needs of the one. He doesn't show any of his charges special treatment in order not to show any favoritism, but that turns out to be a fatal mistake. He leads the children on a quest to clean up their city, but they need more guidance than he's sometimes able to provide. He's clueless about a lot of things and not just cell phones and television cameras.

Lance. He's an extraordinarily beautiful Latino boy - picture Ricky Martin in his Menudo days. Raped by his foster father at a young age, he's sexually confused. He doesn't know if he's attracted to boys or girls or both. These conflicting feelings make him question his worthiness. He doesn't think he's good enough to be loved, even though he has the purest heart of the bunch. His inferiority complex runs deep. So much goes unsaid in his relationships with Arthur and the other knights, until nearly the very end. He's a reluctant leader, but he becomes a dependable, solid presence in the midst of the oncoming political storm. He's a pretty rad skateboarder too.

Mark. He's a delicate junkie whose blue eyes are as unending as the sea. His parents kicked him out when they found out he was gay and never looked back. He's forced to survive on the street, selling his body to older men until Arthur gives him another option. Due to this unexpected kindness, he develops unrequited feelings for the king that lead to a catastrophic misunderstanding.

Jack. He's the black musclebound quarterback who was outed and disgraced. He's watched over Mark, falling in love with him at first sight. But when the attraction isn't reciprocated, he's left to wallow in despair and anger until he's thrown into Lance's path. It sets up an uncomfortable love triangle where admitting the truth is avoided at all costs.

Reyna. She's the phenomenal archer of the group, modeling herself after Katniss Everdeen in the HUNGER GAMES. She's one of the few girls, serving as a knight. She also comes from a wealthy family, but instead of it being a plus, she's virtually ignored and paid off to be seen and not heard by her callous parents. She's just as lonely and abandoned as the kids Arthur picks up off the street.

Esteban. The Latino hustler is one of the key players in the drug running in his barrio. By turning him, King Arthur scores a major victory in drawing gang members to his side. He falls hard for Reyna's beauty and no nonsense attitude, but has to adjust to taking orders from a pretty boy like Lance. He only backs down after Lance bests him physically during a sword fight.

Jenny. She is Lance's high school English teacher who doesn't know if she loves the kids she teaches anymore. She's at a critical tipping point when she meets Arthur. He challenges her to rediscover her true passion for her calling while at the same time kindling a fire between them. She doesn't necessarily approve of Arthur yanking her students out of school to go on their charitable endeavors, but eventually realizes that he's teaching them more worthwhile lessons than the rigid lesson plans she's forced to comply with.

And these are just a few of the standout characters in a novel that's chock full of them. As a reader, it's hard not to care about these kids. Author Michael J. Bowler has an extensive background in reaching out to troubled youth, both inside and outside of prison. His personal experiences no doubt enrich his storytelling abilities, peopling his novel with characters that make an impression. His talent for making the reader care about children that are marginalized and forgotten is to be commended, and might even foster some positive action in communities across the country, hopefully fostering the new Camelot he envisions.

***

Children of the Knight can be purchased at:
Amazon

Prices/Formats: $6.99 ebook, $17.99 paperback
Pages: 344
ISBN: 9781623806552
Publisher: Harmony Ink Press
Release: June 20, 2013
Click to add to your Goodreads list.


About the Author

Michael J. Bowler is an award-winning author of three novels - A Boy and His Dragon, A Matter of Time, and Children of the Knight - who grew up in San Rafael, California.

He majored in English and Theatre at Santa Clara University and earned a master’s in film production from Loyola Marymount University, a teaching credential in English from LMU, and another master's in Special Education from Cal State University Dominguez Hills.

He partnered with two friends as producer, writer, and/or director on several ultra-low-budget horror films, including “Fatal Images,” “Club Dead,” and “Things II,” the reviews of which are much more fun than the actual movies.

He taught high school in Hawthorne, California for twenty-five years, both in general education and to students with learning disabilities, in subjects ranging from English and Strength Training to Algebra, Biology, and Yearbook.

He has also been a volunteer Big Brother to seven different boys with the Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters program and a thirty-year volunteer within the juvenile justice system in Los Angeles. He is a passionate advocate for the fair treatment of children and teens in California, something that is sorely lacking in this state. He has been honored as Probation Volunteer of the Year, YMCA Volunteer of the Year, California Big Brother of the Year, and 2000 National Big Brother of the Year. The “National” honor allowed he and three of his Little Brothers to visit the White House and meet the president in the Oval Office.

He has already completed the two continuations of Children of the Knight that complete the trilogy - Running Through A Dark Place & And The Children Shall Lead. Both will likely be released in 2014.

Links to connect with Michael:
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Scott A. Lerner - Ruler of Demons - Review and Giveaway

About the Book

Only eleven shopping days till Christmas. And less than a week to save the world.

Three nuns—in Chicago, Paris, and Jerusalem—have been killed in a religious ritual. The choice of victims and the macabre details of their deaths indicate that someone is following a recipe provided on an ancient text—a recipe to unleash the forces of hell on earth. The final sacrifice must occur on the Winter Solstice.

Samuel Roberts, a small-town attorney in Urbana, Illinois, knows a bit about the supernatural, having triumphed at least once over the forces of evil. Thanks to a friend who is aware of Sam’s little known previous efforts on behalf of mankind, Sam is hired by a big Chicago law firm to take on a sensitive case. His mission? Nothing less than halting the impending apocalypse.

Sam and his good buddy Bob travel first to Jerusalem then Paris in a desperate race to save mankind.

Link to read an excerpt.

My Review

Sam Roberts is the type of guy who really doesn't have faith in anything besides himself. That's why he's an intriguing choice to head a murder investigation involving the Catholic Church. Nuns are being killed in an attempt to prompt the Second Coming of Jesus Christ or to open the doors of hell so that Satan can roam the earth. Either option isn't particularly reassuring.

So when the church's high profile attorney gets Sam to sign on to the case, he's forced to confront some issues about organized religion he'd rather not think about. He's a sinner because he likes to sin. If it feels good, he does it - and he doesn't beat himself up over it. He likes good food. He enjoys the company of women. He doesn't profess allegiance to any particular code of moral conduct. But he's encountered the supernatural before, and he doesn't question its legitimacy. He knows there are forces out there that he is powerless against, and that unnerves him. It doesn't stop him, but it makes him question just what exactly he's up against. If God is indeed all powerful, then why does evil exist at all?

So why does Sam believe in some force greater than himself? Because he's had first hand experience with it. It doesn't defy his sense of logic because he's encountered the paranormal with his five senses. He can make a deduction after having an eyewitness account with a fire demon in his Israeli hotel room. He saw its flame. He heard its voice. He smelled its smoke. Basically, he couldn't deny what was right in front of him.

Sam is a person who looks to pop culture references in order to make sense of the world around him. SCOOBY DOO, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME all figure into his thought processes when it comes to analyzing his accounts with the unknown. He thinks he's a magnet for the forces of darkness, attracting chaos into his life. And as the mystery unfolds, he's apparently right. In this particular instance, his Jewish bloodline singles him out. He's a marked man but he doesn't find out until it's almost too late. By owning up to the smart aleck that he is, he just might save his life as well as those he loves.

***

Ruler of Demons can be purchased at:
Amazon

Prices/Formats: $4.95 ebook, $13.95 paperback
Pages: 202
Publisher: Camel Press
Release: December 15, 2013
Click to add to your Goodreads list.


About the Author

Author and attorney Scott A. Lerner resides in Champaign, Illinois. He obtained his undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Wisconsin in Madison and went on to obtain his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Illinois in Urbana Champaign. He is currently a sole practitioner in Champaign, Illinois. The majority of his law practice focuses on the fields of criminal law and family law. Mr. Lerner lives with his wife, their two children, and their cat Fern. Lerner collects unusual antiques and enjoys gardening, traveling, reading fiction, and going to the movies. His first novel, Cocaine Zombies, won a bronze medal in the mystery/cozy/noir category of the 2013 Independent Publisher (IPPY) Awards.

Links to connect with Scott:
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April Bostic - The Howling Heart - Review and Giveaway

About the Book

Paige Donovan is an ambitious college graduate who aspires to reach the top of the corporate ladder. She’s climbing fast when given the promotion of a lifetime at a prestigious fashion magazine in New York City. Her bright future comes to an unexpected halt after news of her father’s death. She inherits his old cabin in the Colorado Rockies, and just when she thinks her luck couldn’t get any worse, she has a car accident in the mountains and awakens in the small, remote community of Black River.



Soon, she’s engulfed in the mystical world of Varulv---wolves descended from 13th century Scandinavia and blessed by Norse gods with the ability to appear human. Paige is desperate to return home, but never expects to fall for her rescuer, Riley Gray, a charming young werewolf from England who offers her an alternate future with his pack.

Now, she must choose between the career she’s always wanted and the love she’s always dreamed.

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My Review

Paige Donovan is a girl willing to try new things. She leaves her dream position at a New York fashion magazine for a cabin in the woods. She gets inducted into a mysterious cult straight out of Norse mythology. And to top it off, she even considers having sex with a wolf. As a romance heroine, Paige covers new ground, not afraid to explore areas that might be considered taboo. She ventures into uncharted territory on so many different levels. She doesn't shy away from things just because the culture at large views them as forbidden. She opens herself up to new experiences in order to make up her own mind about what's important to her.

At the same time, she displays quite a multi-faceted persona. She's a young woman still in her early twenties. She gets intimidated around good-looking guys. She places a great deal of emphasis on her appearance. She trusts the wrong men with her heart. Basically, she's learning the game of life as she goes along. Her heart is telling her what it wants, but at the beginning she's too stubborn to listen. She wants things the way she envisions them, not necessarily what's best for her. Designer clothes, a prestigious job, the luxuries of city life - all pale in comparison when it comes to reconnecting with Riley Gray, her one true love.

After discovering Riley's paranormal identity, Paige struggles to keep a grip on reality. She wants to believe in the concept of soul mates and that the little boy she encountered as a child could really grow into the man she could spend the rest of her life with, but she hesitates. She doesn't want to give up on everything she's worked so hard for in her career. She's unsure of how she truly feels about a man who can so easily declare his love for her when she experiences such difficulty expressing her feelings. She wonders if she's making things more complicated instead of just following her instincts or does she know herself better than she thinks? In the end, she has to decide whether she's going to stay with Riley in the isolated town of Black River and if she can imagine a different future for herself than the one she had planned.

***

The Howling Heart can be purchased at:
Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBookstore, Books a Million

Prices/Formats: $6.95 ebook, $17.62 paperback
Pages: 234
Publisher: Eternal Press
Release: August 8, 2013
Click to add to your Goodreads list.


About the Author

April Bostic is a New Jersey-based, Adult Romance author who enjoys unleashing her creativity and letting her imagination run wild. Her love of romance books inspired her to become not just a reader, but also a writer. In December 2008, she self-published her first novel, a contemporary romance with a supernatural twist entitled "A Rose to the Fallen".



Her first short story, "Right Here, Right Now", released in January 2012, is an erotic romance with a dash of S&M. The following year, she released two more short stories: a romantic urban fantasy inspired by the Greek myth of Eros and Psyche entitled "Eros, My Love", and a sexy romantic comedy entitled "Love Addiction".



After five years, she released her second novel, "The Howling Heart" in August 2013, a paranormal romance that delves into the mystical world of werewolves and Norse gods. To end her busiest year in publishing, April will release her fourth short story in December 2013, an 18th century paranormal romance entitled "A Dark Scandal".

Links to connect with April:
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Joyce Zeller - Maddie's Choice - Review and Giveaway

About the Book

Romance writer Maddie Taylor is fed up with New York City. She is getting nowhere with her latest manuscript and does not believe true love exists outside of her imagination. When a friend, Jonah Spartman, dies and wills her half of his Arkansas cattle ranch, she sees the chance for a new beginning. Jonah has also left behind two orphaned great-grandsons desperate for affection and an accounting book in the red.

The other half of the failing ranch belongs to Gideon Spartman, Jonah’s grandson, who believes all capacity for love was torn from him during his tour of duty in Afghanistan. Rugged and sexy, Gideon is the enthralling physical manifestation of the hero in Maddie’s current manuscript. He is far from happy to be sharing an inheritance that is rightfully his. As she senses the need behind Gideon’s rough and unwelcoming exterior, Maddie acknowledges her own yearning for love and family.

Jonah’s will requires Maddie to stay on the ranch for three months. When that time is up, will she return to her comfortable but emotionally barren existence or embrace the challenges of her new life, which include cattle rustlers and drug dealers? Maddie’s choice proves to be far from simple.

My Review

Maddie Taylor is one of those complicated heroines. She's dealing with a lot of serious issues - crippling depression, writer's block, lackluster sex. Even though she's a successful romance novelist, her Manhattan lifestyle doesn't equate to the passion and excitement found in her books. Her lonely reality pales in comparison. In fact, she's on the verge of believing she has no life. All of her hopes and dreams are confined to the page.

Maddie knows she's lost her way, so she uproots herself to rural Arkansas. Due to an unexpected inheritance, she becomes co-owners of a farm with an Army sniper turned cowboy. But Gideon's better than any leading man residing in her imagination. Too bad, he frustrates the heck out of her. He's a male chauvinist to the nth degree, and he doesn't want to share his financially strapped cattle ranch with anyone, let alone her. He wastes no time in insulting and demeaning her, making it clear that the only thing he's interested in is a roll in the hay and nothing more.

Maddie knows she needs to let more people into her solitary existence, but she picks a hell of a guy to take a chance on. Gideon's dealing with a severe case of post traumatic stress disorder from his time in combat, and he's stuck trying to make ends meet for his two orphaned nephews. He's not exactly ready and available for a tortured soul like Maddie, but she makes the best of what he has to offer.

It seems her attraction to Gideon is too strong to ignore. She even turns the tables and takes sexual advantage of him during a moment of weakness, making him take her on the floor of the barn 'like a bitch in heat.' She continually battles Gideon for dominance in their relationship resorting to calling him childish names from 'ungrateful worm' to 'arrogant cockroach.' At times, she acts immature when squaring off against a guy with such a massive superiority complex.

Deep down, Maddie's character is determined by her confidence level. When she's feeling sure of herself and on top of her game, she acts nobly, unafraid to follow her heart when she aims her horse at a fence and soars right over, leaving Gideon with his mouth hanging open. When she second guesses herself or is made to feel uncomfortable in her new surroundings, her decisions aren't as admirable like when she starts flirting with another man on the dance floor in front of Gideon.

Overall, Maddie's at her best when she tries to help Gideon, instead of taunting him. Her ultimate choice is whether or not she can put someone else's needs ahead of her own, while refusing to offer herself up as a doormat. It's a tricky balance, finding equality in romance, but by the end she comes pretty darn close.

***

Maddie's Choice can be purchased at:
Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords

Prices/Formats: $4.95 ebook, $14.95 paperback
Pages: 274
Publisher: Camel Press
Release: September 1, 2013
Click to add to your Goodreads list.


About the Author

Joyce Zeller has written articles for a magazine and a cooking column for a chain of suburban newspapers north of Chicago. She has written five books and published two, The Hidden History of Eureka Springs, and Accidental Alien, a work of science fiction, both available on Amazon. Her short story, “Love is a Seed,” is featured in Embrace: A Romance Collection, (2012 Goldmine Press). Joyce has served in the United States Army. As a professional perfumer (School of Perfumery, London, England) and an aroma-therapist, she made custom fragrances in her store. Her creation, Mountain Air, was declared the Arkansas Sesquicentennial Fragrance in 1965. Her latest achievement was getting elected as Alderman to the Eureka Springs City Council. Maddie’s Choice is a romance with her favorite theme, that being human is a lonely business, but for everyone there is somebody to love. It’s a matter of finding them. There will always be kids and animals in her books, and always, humor, “because life without humor is unthinkable.”

Links to connect with Joyce:
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John A. Karr - Ghostly Summons - Review & Giveaway

About the Book

Lars Kelsen doesn’t believe in psychic phenomenon. To him, visions of murder victims are a form of mental illness. Once they begin, options are limited; he can try to ignore them or deal with them by exposing a killer. Only the latter provides any semblance of peace. Temporarily, anyway. Five years into his new life as a programmer, Kelsen—ex-crime beat reporter with a penance he can never fully satisfy—sees a victim.

In person. Upright. Staring.

Typical of such past "Visits" as he calls them, he doesn’t welcome this one. The nude form of a beautiful millionairess in his cubicle means murder has come to the vacation haven known as North Carolina’s Outer Banks. It means he’ll have to go places he'd rather avoid. See things he'll wish he hadn’t. Do things that don't come naturally, like in-your-face confrontation and bending the law. Actually, breaking the law ... but with good intent. It also means dealing with one very attractive county coroner, who pushes his buttons in a not entirely unwelcome way.

So begins Kelsen's return to investigative reporting—complete with attempts on his life, fights, deception, and all the technological tricks, such as GPS and computer hacking, at his disposal. And maybe even finding a new love interest.

My Review

Lars Kelsen is one tough son of a bitch. Death is after him in more ways than one. He nearly takes a bullet to the back of the head in his own home. He jumps eighty feet off a bridge to escape a motorcyclist with a gun. He takes on three muscle-bound thugs with nothing more than a baton. But that's just the living, he also has to put up with the dead. He's haunted by the ghostly apparitions of murder victims who refuse to go away unless he cracks their unsolved cases.

He's a guy with a lot of anxiety. His young son was abducted and killed. His wife left him. He quit his job as a crime reporter. So he escaped to the reasonably tranquil lifestyle of North Carolina's Outer Banks and went back to school to become a part-time computer programmer for the local hospital. He refurbished an old home on the water where he spends his off-days fishing or jogging with his dog, Hooper. Although, he turned into a bit of a ladies' man, he's not serious about anyone and he likes it that way.

When he starts seeing the naked, beaten corpse of Jeannette Broughton, he's once again thrown back into his former role as an investigative writer, much to his chagrin. He's not one for the back-biting atmosphere of office life and truth be told he doesn't mind walking away from his computer terminal all that much. He knows how to talk to people. He's a smooth operator who doesn't mind greasing some palms and planting illegal GPS devices in order to get what he wants. He flirts with a sexy female coroner over a cadaver. He yanks a snarky young lifeguard off of his stand for giving him attitude. He doesn't take no for an answer when security guards and receptionists try to limit his access to a particular location. He goes looking for danger, so it's no surprise when it eventually catches up to him.

***

Ghostly Summons can be purchased at:
Kindle, Nook, Kobo

Prices/Formats: $3.99 ebook, paperback
Pages: 312
Publisher: Dark Continents Publishing
Release: March 14, 2013
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About the Author

John A. Karr believes fiction writing each day helps keep the demons at bay. Ghostly Summons is his first full-length novel for Dark Continents Publishing. DCP has also published his Weird West novella, Ujahwek. He is the author of a handful of other novels: Death Clause, Hippocrates Shattered (scheduled for reprint by World Castle Publications as Shattered), Rhone, and Van Gogh, Encore. His short stories have appeared on webzines Allegory, The Absent Willow Review, and Danse Macabre. More works are in progress and in the marketing queue.

Karr is an ardent believer in the quote by Carl Van Doren (1885-1950), U.S. man of letters: Yes, it's hard to write, but it's harder not to.

Links to connect with John:
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