Saturday, May 28, 2016

The Master of the Macabre gets Punk'd



 
 
Edgar Allan Poe Gets Punked
 
A clockwork raven. Two sets of irresistible teeth. A house
brought to life by nanobots. A heart that won't stop beating. All this and much more in the Writerpunk Press version of the beloved suspense stories by Edgar Allan Poe. We’ve pulled out all the stops this time around to bring you the very best punked versions of classic Poe tales, complete with shiny gears and tiny bots! In addition to the more familiar Cyberpunk and Steampunk, we’ve added Bio, Deco, and Dieselpunk genres to the mix. The resulting volume is a dynamic take on horror of which the Master of Macabre himself would be proud. Profits
are to be donated to PAWS Lynnwood, an animal shelter and wildlife rescue located in the Pacific Northwest.
 
 
  An Excerpt
 
 
 
Red Sky at Morning
 
~ Jeffrey Cook
 
A steampunk story inspired by The Masque of the Red Death
 
 
Four months passed without a sign of trouble. The noblemen and women, hidden behind  their masks, gloves, and fancy clothes, danced, and as the ship moved, and the sun with it, the lights danced with them red in the earliest or latest parts of the day, depending on the ship's facing, and then each of the other shades of the stained glass, sometimes only blue, or only green, or one of the others when the sun hit just so, and sometimes the lights danced and mixed amidst the revelers, moving as if in time to the music.
The call went up one morning, "Red sky by morning." The crew begged the Prince to go below decks, to send the dancers and musicians and all of the crowd to quarters, that they might take down the glass, extend the sails, and try to run as far and as fast as the engines might take them. The Prince would hear none of it, chastising the frightened sailors, insisting that he trusted in their skill, and the sheer size of his airship, and the good fortune they'd enjoyed so far. Instead, as he'd done before when the news seemed worst, the Prince tried to dispel it with the greatest of his parties yet. The entertainers were all called at once, that no part of the deck would be without spectacle, and he called all of his friends to come and enjoy the day. He had the cooks and servers prepare a feast, holding nothing back.
Wine flowed freely, and the Prince looked upon all he had wrought, and was pleased.  A shift in the wind moved the ship about, and the blues and whites of the reflections abruptly shifted. The sun struck the uneven red pane, disappearing where the streaks of coal dust marked it, and uneven shadows played amidst the dozen shades of red that danced over the revelers as midday neared.
A singular figure that none could recall joined the dance. The figure was slender, wearing trousers, polished shoes, and a shirt of black. The jacket and top hat, however, were of the richest red crushed velvet, soft to the touch. The mask was the simplest of all the revelers, plain white porcelain, but wherever the figure moved, the light through the red window always caught it, dancing red lights shifting across the reflective surface.
 
 
 
 
 About the Authors
 
 
We are a small, somewhat anarchic writers’ collective–a community of authors illustrators, bloggers, poets, artists, graphic designers, and readers from all walks of life who are fans of cyberpunk, steampunk, dieselpunk, and associated genres. Sound and Fury: Shakespeare Goes Punk, our first anthology of stories based on the Bard's work, was published in March 2015. The second anthology, Once More Unto The Breach: Shakespeare Goes Punk 2, was released in December 2015. We have taken the plays that audiences have enjoyed for hundreds of years and reinvented them as cyberpunk, dieselpunk, Teslapunk, and steampunk tales. Featuring comedies and tragedies as well as a wide variety of punk genres, thesecollections have something for everyone. The anthologies have even been added to high school and college curriculums. Our third collection, Merely This and Nothing More: Poe Goes Punk, will be published on May 31st. In this anthology, we have punked classic tales penned by the Master of the Macabre. In addition to the more familiar cyberpunk and steampunk, we've added bio, deco and diselpunk genres to the mix. As with all our works, a spirit of subversive fun is always encouraged.
 
 
 LINKS
 
 
 
ANTHOLOGIES:
Sound & Fury: Shakespeare Goes Punk
 
Once More Unto the Breach: Shakespeare Goes Punk 2
 
 
 
 
 
 Merely This & Nothing More drops May 31st
You will find links on this blog's "Book Links" page
 

 
 

 


Monday, May 16, 2016

HUGE PNR GIVEAWAY!

 
Hello everyone, Joanne Wadsworth here to tell you how SUPER excited I and some of my author friends are to bring you this MEGA giveaway! First place prize is a $2,000 Amazon Gift Card, but we also have 15 runner up ebook and paperback prizes. Entering will connect you with 21 paranormal romance and urban fantasy authors for more great deals, freebies, and giveaways, so in a way, everyone wins. I myself plan to connect all the entrants with an opportunity to get Highlander's Desire for FREE.
Before you enter the giveaway, I would love to share more with you about my inclusion in the feature deals associated with this promotion: Highlander's Kiss.

Highlander's Kiss by Joanne Wadsworth

14 Highlander's_Kiss_#1There can be only one…for both of them.
Fae-blooded Julia holds the ability to read another’s aura and determine their true intent. Her skill has only ever aided her in life, until the day when their neighboring enemy clan arrive to discuss a marriage of alliance between her and their chief’s son. She misjudges their enemy’s intent and all goes horribly wrong. Her parents are captured and imprisoned and now she must find a way to free them. Only now standing in her path is a fiercely protective warrior who has traveled from the future into the past, a man who insists they are soul bound, and a man whose aura shows no sign of such a bond. She is wary, yet still, she can’t deny how much he stirs her deep within. Highland warrior shifter Tavish Matheson has traveled through time to find the woman his soul demands is his, yet convincing her will be a mission all unto itself. When Julia is kidnapped by the enemy while on a mission to save her parents, he sets out in fierce pursuit. All he desires is to keep her close, rescue her parents, and most of all, to offer her his love. He’s a warrior who will not be denied. She’s a lass devoted to her kin. CLAN MATHESON SERIES Highlander’s Kiss, #1 Highlander’s Heart, #2 Highlander’s Sword, #3
Also FREE for a limited time at Nook / iBooks / Kobo
Want more? Read an Excerpt Below.

Excerpt of Highlander's Kiss

“I’m sorry, but Cherub’s here to collect me and I must go.” Julia wrapped one hand around Tavish’s forearm and the blue haze of frustration in his aura receded. “You must believe me when I say we’re no’ mated.” “A mated male knows when he meets his chosen one.” A look of longing flashed across his face as he lifted a lock of her hair and curled it around his finger. “Your hair is so soft and silky, and you look beautiful in your gown.” “And you are a charmer with your touching words.” She let go of him and walked from the bathroom, through his chamber and out his open bedroom door. The passageway, lit with bright overhead lighting led toward a stairwell at the far end. She strode along the burgundy and blue runner as Tavish jogged in beside her. “Julia, I don’t need the full moon to guide me to my chosen one, not when being near you tells me all I need to know. I’ve also no idea why our auras aren’t tugging toward each other’s as you’ve said, but that matters little to me.” He lifted a challenging brow. “Do you not feel anything toward me?” “I dinnae have the right to speak of it if I do.” He was taken, and she would never come between a soul bound pair. “That’s not what I asked.” He caught her hand, slowed her step then pressed her back against the wall. Head dipped, he touched his nose to hers, and murmured, “My desire for you is growing, in leaps and bounds. All I want to do is hold you, kiss you, to discover everything there is to learn about you.” “The only thing you need to learn is that I’m not yours.” She fluttered a hand over her racing heartbeat. Those words sounded wrong even as she uttered them and they clashed inside her, made her cringe. “Let me go, Tavish.” “That is still the wrong answer.” Smoothly, he slid his hand under her hair and palmed the bare skin of her nape, his gaze moving over the sensitive area where her shoulder and neck met. He rubbed one thumb over the spot. “I want to bite you, to mark you as mine, just as those mated pairs in my clan do.” “’Tis an anomaly for sure.” She touched his neck in return, right over his thumping pulse point. “It’s no anomaly, but the early stages of the bond taking form.” He eased closer, brushed his nose through her hair and nuzzled her neck. “Since the moment we met, I’ve struggled to let you out of my sight. When you walked into the bathroom and away from me, all I wanted to do was tear that door down so we were no longer separated. Now I’m about to take you downstairs to Cherub and Kirk when it’s the last thing I want to do. You are mine.”


About the Giveaway

Welcome, fans of the Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy genres! This one is just for you! And really, it is! We want true fans of the genre to win this one, so our totally bad ass team of paranormal-romance-writing detectives have devised the perfect plan for vetting winners and making sure these awesome prizes go true fans of the genre–so if that’s you, don’t worry, we won’t let giveaway bots or cheaters steal your prize!

Our only rules for winning: 1 Entry Per Person (plus the additional entries you get for referring friends) and You Must LOVE Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy!

By entering this giveaway, you will be subscribed to the newsletters of our sponsoring authors for opportunities to snag more great deals, giveaways, and freebies, though you can unsubscribe at any time.

Not only will one grand prize winner snag a $2000 Gift Card, we also have a TON of fabulous runner-up prizes (6 print books and 9 ebooks)!!

  • The Beast by J.R. Ward (any format)
  • Feverborn by Karen Marie Moning (any format)
  • Moon Called by Patricia Briggs (ebook or paperback)
  • Charlaine Harris, Dead until Dark (ebook or paperback)
  • Angels’ Blood by Nalini Singh (ebook)
  • Cold Burn of Magic by Jennifer Estep (ebook or paperback)
  • Signed Copy of The Blackburne Legacy by Apryl Baker
  • Magick After Midnight Boxed Set (ebook)
  • Wolf Rampant Boxed Set (ebook)
  • Mythean Arcana Boxed Set (ebook)
  • Cursed by Lucy Leroux (ebook)
  • Flower of Hell by Noree Cosper (ebook)
  • Darkness Rising by Lisa Carlisle (ebook)
  • Blood Warrior by H.D. Gordon (ebook)
  • Winner’s Choice on any top 10 PR/UF book on Amazon at the time of the drawing
Good luck, and don’t forget to share this giveaway with your Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy loving friends for extra entries to win!

Enter the Giveaway

Friday, May 6, 2016

MAY SFRB SHOWCASE! SEE WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO






A SciFi Short Story
Sometimes Endings Can Be Beautiful
A quick note about this story. It is VERY short. It was written as an entry to the Neoverse Writing Competition, and actually made it to the top 50 finalists. I am happy to offer this short story in its entirety for FREE to all newsletter subscribers. Please enjoy the following excerpt from DOLOR.
Perhaps being alone is the burden all mankind must eventually bear. The bed was cold without him. His side, still made up, had not felt the press of a body in eight months.
Eight months, three days, eleven hours and nineteen minutes. She’d know down to the second if she thought hard enough. Time was always a comfort to her. Like the knowledge that when the alarm rang in seven minutes and twenty three seconds another day would start, and she could forget about the night and the suffocating press of silence and darkness.
She stared hard, but there was no light inside her room. Not even the sliver under the door from Pietr’s early morning trek to the loo. She blinked against the blur of tears on her lashes, but she did not let them fall.
“No,” she said to herself sternly. “This must stop. You must move on.”
When the alarm rang exactly six minutes and fourteen seconds later, she pushed back her blanket and sat up in bed. She was stiff. It wasn’t a surprise, the doctors had warned her of it, but it was troublesome to make the leg and arm work naturally. In time, they promised, she would not even have to think about how to make them move. But, for now, every pull and flex of tendon and muscle had to be consciously controlled.
When she stood it was a fluid motion, but lacking whatever bit of natural grace she’d once had. She dressed efficiently, ignoring the face in the mirror. Some part of her knew that she’d have to look eventually, but it would not be today. The damage was minimal, they’d assured her, and it could be healed quickly when she returned home.
Home. She winced when she thought the word. What was home? An empty house. She wasn’t even sure she’d go back to see his clothes in the closet and his room full of musical equipment that he never played.
A knock sounded on her door. “Vixen? Are you up?”
Her lips turned up at the formal address. Vixen was her codename, but she liked it and everyone said it suited her, so she used it more than she used her real name. Who would prefer Emily to Vixen, anyway? She opened the door and let her subordinate in. Firefly was more than a subordinate, she was as highly trained as Vixen herself, but she chose to remain at her current rank rather than take the exams that would propel her higher in the command. Vixen had wondered if the woman was holding back because she liked their partnership, and as much as it worried her it made her glad. She could not lose Firefly, too.
“Is Dodge up?” she asked, pulling her hair back.
“Up and fed.” Firefly perched on the edge of the desk. She watched Vixen strap on her weapons and tie them down, grimacing when the leather tangled in her new fingers. “Here, let me.” She knelt and wrapped the strap around Vixen’s thigh and tied it tight. She grinned up at Vixen with a wink. “I’m glad I can be useful somehow.”
“You’re useful. I couldn’t get along without you, and neither could Dodge.”
Vixen ignored the troubled look on Firefly’s face. There had been a time when she might have berated the young woman’s act of kindness. She might have dismissed her angrily for daring to think that she needed help. But the last few months had taught Vixen just how much she needed the woman. How much she needed everyone on the ship. Without them she would have drifted away into the sun, untethered.
“His eyes seem to be functioning?” she asked, bringing the topic back to Dodge. Whereas she knew in her own mind that she had grown soft, she did not want to announce it to the world. Better to leave it alone until it really became a problem.
“He’s completely acclimated.” Firefly opened the door and whistled down the hall. A few moments later the heavy thump of four legs could be heard charging down the hall. Firefly stepped back and the dog, easily three times the size of a normal dog of his breed, careened into the room. Vixen knelt and he hurried to her, pressing his nose against the side of her face.
“Hello, Dodge.” She buried her hands in the fur at the nape of his neck and kissed the spot between his eyes. Where once he’d had the normal soft brown eyes of a canine, he now sported a pair of completely bionic eyes that looked somewhat like goggles on his hairy face. He licked her gently, and nipped at her chin. He was angry, she knew, because Firefly had been tending to his needs more than she. “I know, I know. I’m sorry.” She pressed her lips against his ear. “It’s just hard. You know?”
Though Dodge was a dog, he wasn’t “just” a dog. Vixen had learned long ago that he knew far more than she usually gave him credit for. And he seemed to know this, too, because he nodded once and sat, wagging his tail. He pawed her thigh, over the melding of her human and bionic flesh.
“Yes, Dodge, I’m well,” she said in answer to his unspoken question. He cocked his head, disbelieving, and she stood. “What are we doing today?”
Firefly was watching her, and it made Vixen uncomfortable. They all watched her now, all the time, as if they worried she might take a long walk out a short airlock. She could not fault their caution; the loss she had suffered had threatened to break her. But she was whole, if a bit weaker at the stress points.
“Docking on Terminal 513-B. We have repairs and furloughs for three days and three nights.”
“Good. The crew could use some time to decompress.”
“They’re worried about you.”
Vixen sighed. “I will survive, Fire. I always do. Even this.”
“That’s what we’re worried about. You shouldn’t have to live like this forever. Locked up here with the memories.”
“I like the memories.” Vixen pulled on her long coat and clicked her fingers at Dodge. “It’s a small comfort, but it’s comfort all the same.”
If you enjoyed this glimpse of DOLOR please consider subscribing to my newsletter so that you can find out for yourself what happens to Vixen and Dodge.
FIND ALL THE OTHER GREAT PARTICIPANTS IN THIS MONTH'S SHOWCASE HERE:




NEW RELEASE!


A World at War…
Shape-shifting Lemurian warriors battle against a deceptive, ruthless enemy in the dark of night. The prize—Earth’s most precious resource—water, and the fate of humankind.

 
A reckless commander…
Panthera leader Demir is stricken by the enemy’s dart and trapped in his fevered, haunted mind with only the memories of his brutal, violent past and his lost mate. When Aramie, his second in command, takes control of the Pride, she breaks one of the revered laws in her quest for the sacred blue sunstone—Demir’s only chance at life. His duty and honor force him to impose punishment despite his unbidden desire to claim her as his mate.

 
A hardened warrior…
Battle hardened Aramie is strong and determined—she will never bow to the Panthera mating ritual and sacrifice her independence. Instead, her deeply buried feelings for Demir drive her to a dangerous quest and rash decisions. With grief fueling her anger, she takes on a solo mission for revenge, and when Demir’s life is on the line, she must decide—submit to him as his mate, or lose him forever.
Chapter One

Deep in the Cascade Mountains of the Pacific Northwest
Present day

Demir was a hostage in his own body. Immovable, invisible bonds bound him tight. Unable to open his eyes, constant darkness engulfed him, an eerie reminder of how much he relied on his vision. His sense of hearing and smell sharpened, heightened, compensated for his lack of sight and only increased the knot of frustration in his gut. He concentrated on his fingers, willing them to move, but they remained motionless. The smooth, cool satin sheets caused goosebumps to form on his skin, sending a mental shiver along his nerves. His supine body didn’t flinch.
He’d been this way for several weeks, ever since the enemy’s dart had penetrated his hide, poisoning him with some kind of mysterious liquid. How much longer could he stay like this and survive? The muscles in his arms and legs screamed to move, to flex, to exert the strength his body once contained.
The familiar scent of his leather jacket hanging on a hook near his bed stirred his senses. Heated sunstones lined the cave ceiling and walls, yet even the warmth couldn’t bring him any solace.
Tick, tick, tick.
The clock on his bedside table magnified into the tolling of a bell. He wanted to grab the thing and smash it against the rock walls. The vision of the shattered timepiece and its bits scattered across the stone floor made him smile inside.
In his current state, he couldn’t even mark his territory. How wrong was that? As a shape-shifting Lemurian Panthera, that was torture.
The underground Keep was as much a prison to him as his own body. He longed to be free, to search out Ram and his Gossum minions, to rid the earth of the foul beasts. The battle between the Lemurians and the Gossum had gone on for millennia. His Goddess, Alora, had placed the Panthera and the other Lemurians here to win the war to ensure Earth remained a free planet. If they failed, Earth would be enslaved, and the humans would be forced to give up their most precious resource—water.
The echo of footsteps eased through the crack under his door. He had visitors. As the door opened, a cool breeze wafted into the room, caressing the skin on his arms. A squeaking wheel in need of some oil pierced his sensitive eardrums, grating across his nerves. Fresh and clean, the scent of soap could only mean one thing—a bath.  
Quick footsteps entered. The door clicked shut.
“Good evening, Demir.” Bet’s cheerful voice reverberated around the chamber. “I brought Til with me. It’s time for your bath.”
Demir mentally stiffened, although his body remained still. The last thing he wanted was another bath. Grrrrrrr. The growl echoed in his mind, but no further.
A thin film of sweat broke over his skin. The Keep’s Jixies were back and despite their best intentions, a bath would be another lesson in humiliation. He didn’t need to go through that again. Helplessness was the worst kind of torture.
“Til, thank you for coming with me today. I can’t move him on my own.” Bet’s melodic voice only increased Demir’s anxiety, and a bead of perspiration raced over his brow, pooling along the edge of his ear.
“No problem.” Til’s words were clipped.  
The table rolled closer to Demir. The wheel squeaked and water sloshed as if over the lip of a bucket. Demir strained against the bonds, and he tried to open his eyes.
“Are you sure you’re up for this?” Bet asked.
Silence stretched out for several seconds. “Yeah, I’m fine. I just…I don’t know.” Til sighed.
“What is it?” Bet’s soothing, encouraging response rolled over him.
“It’s just—do you think he can hear us? Does he know what’s going on?”
Of course he did, he heard every damn word, felt every touch. His anger boiled beneath his skin, hot and fevered. His need to break free threatened to drive him mad.

Author bio:
After finishing a rewarding career in finance and accounting, it was time for Rosalie Redd to put away the spreadsheets and take out the word processor. She writes Fantasy/Science Fiction Romance inspired by classics from the science fiction, fantasy, and horror genres layered with a good, hot dose of romance.
  
She lives in Oregon, where rain is just another excuse to keep writing. When not at her computer, you can find her at Jazzercise, waterfall collecting in the Pacific Northwest, or relaxing with her husband and their pesky cat, Snookums.

Author links:


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Sunday, May 1, 2016

Veronica Scott's New Release is OUT OF THIS WORLD

 
NEW RELEASE!
 
 
The story:
She saved countless soldiers in the wars … but does she have the weapons to fight an outbreak?
Dr. Emily Shane, veteran of the Sector Wars, is known as “The Angel of Fantalar” for her bravery under fire as a medic. However, the doctor has her own war wounds--severe PTSD and guilt over those she failed to save.  
Persuaded to fill a seemingly frivolous berth as ship’s doctor on the huge and luxurious interstellar cruise liner Nebula Zephyr, she finds the job brings unexpected perks--a luxe beach deck with water imported from Tahumaroa II, and Security Officer Jake Dilon, a fellow veteran who heats her up like a tropical sun.  
However, Emily soon learns she and Jake didn't leave all peril behind in the war. A mysterious ailment aboard the Zephyr begins to claim victim after victim … and they must race against time and space to find the cause and a cure! Trapped on a ship no spaceport will allow to dock, their efforts are complicated by a temperamental princess and a terrorist--one who won't hesitate to take down any being in the way of his target.  If anyone's left when the disease is through with them …
 
STAR CRUISE: OUTBREAK  Buy Links:   Amazon     Kobo      Barnes & Noble   Apple iBooks

 
Author Bio:
Best Selling Science Fiction & Paranormal Romance author and “SciFi Encounters” columnist for the USA Today Happily Ever After blog, Veronica Scott grew up in a house with a library as its heart. Dad loved science fiction, Mom loved ancient history and Veronica thought there needed to be more romance in everything. When she ran out of books to read, she started writing her own stories.
Three time winner of the SFR Galaxy Award, as well as a National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, Veronica is also the proud recipient of a NASA Exceptional Service Medal relating to her former day job, not her romances! She recently was honored to read the part of Star Trek Crew Woman in the audiobook production of Harlan Ellison’s “City On the Edge of Forever.”


 
 
 

 
 


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