Month: July 2012

Book Brief: Lust for Danger

Lust for Danger
by K. S. Brooks
Genre: Action-Adventure/Thriller
98,043 words

She relishes an ocean breeze, the luxury of silk, and the feel of a 9mm gun gripped in her hand. The name’s Night, Kathrin Night, Special Agent for the Bureau of International Trauma Analysts (BITA), a secret division of the United Nations Security Council. The Bureau is directed by someone high up in the U. N. to quietly look into an act of terrorism. But, when this seemingly mundane investigation threatens to expose scandalous political alliances, the BITA is ordered to cease its activities immediately. Feeling justice has not been properly served, as three suspicious deaths are involved, Agent Night is compelled to dig deeper. On her own time she puts to good use her FBI and Navy Intelligence training, her high-tech resources, and when necessary, her crafty, alluring ways with men. Defying death in situations all over the world, Agent Night discovers a labyrinth of treachery, which leads her to unearth a plot to commit mass-murder on a chilling scale. Can she stop it before its too late?

This title is available from Amazon US, Amazon UK and Barnes and Noble. Continue reading “Book Brief: Lust for Danger”

Comma Chameleon

King and/or possibly Queen George

A little while back, a melee broke out in the Indies Unlimited commissary about the differences between British and American styles of punctuation. Commas were being flung about like shoddy garments on a ladies sales rack. Someone almost lost an eye.

This conflict is nothing new. In the last quarter of the eighteenth century, the American colonists sent a letter to the British government. The King “corrected” the placement of commas in the document and returned the marked-up version to the colonies. Later that night, a group of patriots dressed as librarians dumped a shipment of commas into the Boston Harbor.

This action touched off what was known as the Revolutionary War. But must we dwell on the past? Besides, the difference between British and American styles of punctuation is really quite minimal. It’s not as if one of us is using that upside-down question mark, or that thing that looks like the chemical symbol for Adamantium. Continue reading “Comma Chameleon”

Sneak Peek: Crazy Heat by Francene Ladue

Today, we feature a sneak peek of Francene Ladue’s gripping crime/suspense novel, Crazy Heat.

After twenty years of covert rescues, retired Air Force Special Ops vet, Bobby Egan is struggling to find his place in civilian life. Egan has spent the last two years working a dead-end job at the 24 Hour MiniMart in Tucson, but all that’s about to change thanks to friends and acquaintances, presenting some strange opportunities. It isn’t long before Bobby realizes he’s entangled in a dangerous triangle of romance, friendship and business. Everybody’s got an agenda they aren’t sharing with Bobby, and the only way out is to trust his instincts and experience, even if it means breaking the law and using deadly force to stay alive.

Crazy Heat is available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other online bookstores. Learn more about author Francene LaDue at her website, www.franceneladue.com

Here is an excerpt from Crazy Heat: Continue reading “Sneak Peek: Crazy Heat by Francene Ladue”

Straight Up: Q&A with Mark Coker

Mark Coker

I recently had the opportunity to interview Mark Coker, one of the visionaries of the indie author movement. In 2008, Mark founded Smashwords to accelerate the death spiral of the bloated, inefficient, out-dated publishing industry—or as he put it:  to change the way books are published, marketed and sold.

Mark and his wife co-authored Boob Tube, a novel that explores the wild and wacky world of Hollywood celebrity. He also wrote the Smashwords Book Marketing Guide, The Smashwords Style Guide and The 10-Minute PR Checklist.

Mark says when he’s not writing or working on Smashwords, he enjoys gardening, traveling and hiking tall mountains, the tallest of which has been Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Here, I ask him nine questions, and he gives expansive and fascinating answers.

So buckle up and get ready for the word straight up, from Mark Coker. Continue reading “Straight Up: Q&A with Mark Coker”