ICE is free July 7-11

I am humbled and amazed by how well my first novella has been received. With 70+ reviews between Amazon and Goodreads, it has been a great joy to know that most readers have enjoyed ICE. Is it perfect? No, but the vast majority of readers have said that they enjoyed the small-town feel, the suspense, and the sense of community.

ICE tells the story of one fateful November morning when the the fictional town of Minterville, Georgia, is brutalized by vicious thugs. Twenty women are kidnapped and set in a death trap that can quite literally be described as cold. Time is ticking away as the rest of the town scrambles to come up with a viable rescue plan.

Here are what some reviewers have said about ICE:

“This book is a crazy (in a good way) mixture of supernatural, thriller, and mystery.” Emily Woodmansee, who gave it 4 stars.

“The twist this story takes left me caring more about ICE and it’s characters than any book I read recently.” Barbara Chioffi, who gave it 5 stars.

“This was an enjoyable read and the story was good…This being a great beginning to a writing career, there are some things that I personally feel could have made this story far better.” Tom Fallwell, who rated it 3.5 stars.

“A fast paced entertainment that sets the scene frot an uncertain future.” Mmcqu2005, who rated it 5 stars.

“Very interesting storyline…unique writing style.” Amanshay, who rated it 4 stars.

“The plot was excellent, the descriptive a done in a way that made the author’s research excellent.” Amazon Pygmy Reviews, who rated it 5 stars.

“This had an excellent plot that kept m reading to the end but it could have been so much more…[the author] is talented and I would read more…just need more development.” Loki, who rated it three stars.

ICE is also the precursor to my upcoming C.I.N. Dystopian trilogy. If you are interested, check it out free until the 11th. Thank you for your support of indie authors.

One person’s secret becomes an entire town’s nightmare…

In the small town of Minterville, Georgia, someone is hiding a deadly secret. One that will tear this tiny, telepathic community apart if not contained. What is this secret and who has it? What are the consequences for Minterville? Find out by checking out my novel Ice:

Author Spotlight-A.J. James

“Crave: The Grigori Celestial Chronicles is a love story that is quite literally as old as human history. James takes the reader on a journey through Heaven, Hell, and every space and dimension in between in her divinely erotic tale. The novel is based on the Apocryphal Book of Enoch as well as different portions of the traditional Bible, and introduces the reader to the “Sons of God” and the “Nephilim” that are mentioned in Genesis 6. It explains that the angels took human women as wives in direct violation of God’s command. Their children were a human/angel hybrid known as the Nephilim, some of whom became so wicked and destructive that God created the Great Flood specifically to destroy them. However, a small number of these Nephilim survived the Flood and continue to survive to the present day.

One of these ‘fallen angels” is Arma’ros, who, in spite of his sincere attempts to fulfill his duties in accordance to plan, finds he is deeply in love with a human woman named Zo’ana. As punishment for his relationship with Zo’ana, he is condemned to spend seventy human generations on Earth, where he waits many lifetimes for his love to be reborn. She finally is, and the reunited couple have a task ahead of them that has the potential to change eternity…

I was highly impressed with James’ ability to tell a religious-based tale so objectively. She neither endorses nor condemns any religion. What she does condemn is violence, atrocities, and human-rights violations committed in the name of religion. Her use of language is beautiful, and her descriptions are very thorough. Clearly, the novel has been very well-researched prior to writing.  The best part of the novel is the way the readers can feel the deep emotions felt by Arma’ros and Zo’ana/Zoe, as they go through divine and earthly joy and pain. James’ description of the sex scenes are so gorgeously painted that I will use the term again: divinely erotic.

Crave may offer an alternative the way you think about religion and spirituality. It might not be a book for closed-minded fundamentalists or for anyone who desires to use religion as a means of control. However, if you are interested in a more humanized, unique, and exciting perspective on the history of many ancient, sacred texts, check out Crave: The Grigori Celestial Chronicles. “

To read (US customers): http://www.amazon.com/CRAVE-Celestial-Chronicles-J-James-ebook/dp/B00GK7JV8Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1420064332&sr=1-1&keywords=crave+aj+james

UK customers: http://www.amazon.co.uk/CRAVE-Celestial-Chronicles-J-James-ebook/dp/B00GK7JV8Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1420064469&sr=1-1&keywords=crave+AJ+james

Canadian customers: http://www.amazon.ca/CRAVE-Celestial-Chronicles-J-James-ebook/dp/B00GK7JV8Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1420064596&sr=1-1&keywords=crave+aj+james

Author Spotlight-Alan Stroe

I had been craving a good dystopian novel, so I scanned my to-be-read list for one. I found it in Alan Stroe’s Against Her Gentle Sword: Fighting for Love and Freedom in a Woman’s World. Stroe’s novel, which is set on an unidentified tropical island known only as The Colony, centers around Dario. As he is set to graduate high school, Dario has been selected for a fencing competition during which he will be selected by certain chosen females for his hand in marriage and his Reproductive License. He need not win, he just has to impress one of the female Protectresses. Dario’s dilemma is that he will have to battle against some of his closest friends. His choices: fight against his friends (knowing the loser will face a humiliating Defeat Ritual) or try to impress Gwendolyn, the girl he has always loved. Things get complicated when the psychotic Sylvester disappears without a trace. Dario, increasingly frustrated with The Colony’s unwarranted gender discrimination and the female-dominated authorities’ apparent unawareness of the danger they are in at the hands of Sylvester and his gang of renegades, knows that now is the time to take action, even if it means losing Gwen, the only thing in his life that means anything to him.

While the reverse gender discrimination is certainly an attention-grabber, it is not the main theme of the book. I think the most important message that Stroe wishes to convey is that people need to be treated as individuals, regardless of gender (or race, ethnicity, or anything else). Making rules and laws based on stereotypes and assumptions is not only unjust, it is potentially dangerous. Stroe also skillfully tackles the theme of civilized society vs. anarchy, and challenges the reader to think about whether a patriarchal or matriarchal society would lead to less lawlessness and violence. The whole novel leaves that question up in the air. Education is also an important theme. School authorities are given very high positions of power within the government, and all children (male and female) are given a solid education (which, yes, does include a healthy dose of indoctrination).

So if the idea of a young-adult dystopian novella without the graphic violence of The Hunger Games sounds appealing, check out Stroe’s Against her Gentle Sword.

To read: http://www.amazon.com/Against-Her-Gentle-Sword-Fighting-ebook/dp/B00NNZRGBU/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1419355404&sr=1-1&keywords=alan+stroe

Author Spotlight-Dr. Robert G. Williscroft

Robert Williscroft is the author of a gripping historical fiction novel called Operation Ivy Bells. He served twenty-three years in the U.S. Navy, earned a PhD in engineering from California Coast University, and served a one-year tour in the South Pole and another three years in the Arctic. After his impressive military career (which served as the inspiration for his works), Williscroft decided to focus on writing, much to this reader’s delight.

Operation Ivy Bells is a fictional account of the actual historical event in which the U.S. Navy attempted to tap into the Soviet Union’s undersea communication cable during the Cold War. Narrated by Lieutenant J. R. McDowell (“Mac”), the novel recounts Mac’s adventures aboard the submarine USS Halibut as he completes the mission to place taps on the Soviet’s undersea communication lines. Such adventures include mechanical failures, mishaps caused by human error, attacks by sea creatures, scuffles with enemy Russian divers, attempts to paralyze enemy warships, and others. Williscroft injects moments of humor in the novel (specifically, some accounts of good-natured hazing and a scene with a hilarious prostitute named Snorkel Patty). There is never a dull moment in Operation Ivy Bells. The ending is completely satisfying, and towards the end of the mission, Mac begins a lifelong friendship with a very unexpected person.

I am glad that Williscroft provided a glossary of military terms so that we “civilian pukes” can better understand what is happening. Admittedly, the novel is borderline esoteric, but Williscroft makes it easy to read by taking the time to explain things as he goes. My favorite part of the novel is the camaraderie among the member of the team. They watch each others’ backs and are highly supportive of each other (without refraining from manly banter).The funniest part of the novel is when one of the divers is caught in the jaws of a superfish (and left with non-fatal injuries).

Each chapter begins with an illustration that gives a hint as to what the chapter will be about. i liked this idea so much that I may incorporate it into my future novels.

Operation Ivy Bells is an edge-of-your-seat war novel with characters that you just can’t help but love, and just the right amount of suspense at each turn. As Ed Offley (who wrote the foreword) said, “You won’t be able to put this down.”

To read Operation Ivy Bells: http://www.amazon.com/Operation-Ivy-Bells-novel-Cold-ebook/dp/B00NAGDWL0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1417490265&sr=1-1&keywords=operation+ivy+bells

(Ice)-Manuela Escribano vs. Griselda Blanco

Manuela Escribano is a fictional drug dealer in my novella, Ice. I got the inspiration for her after watching a documentary about Griselda Blanco and other high-profile drug dealers. Blanco caught my attention because she was one of the most prolific female drug dealers, and she seemed to live two lives; one, a brutal, violent criminal, and the other, a loving, nurturing mother of three. Thus, the character of Manuela Escribano took shape (in the very early stages of Ice , the main villain was a Jigsaw-like character ironically named Emmanuel Bethel).

Although both my character and Blanco are immigrants who reside in Miami, Blanco is a native of Colombia and Escribano is from Nicaragua. Blanco had to endure extreme hardship in her childhood; whereas Escribano came from a privileged family. Escribano was well-educated, a teacher, and (unlike Blanco) did not use violence to get her way (until she partnered up with the sadistic Sebastian Quiroga). Blanco dealt mainly in cocaine, but Escribano made a name for herself by dealing in methamphetamine and “ice” (a stimulant drug similar to meth). A perceived betrayal by one of most trusted associates aroused Escribano’s everlasting fury, and Escribano is not one to let go of a grudge….

To read Ice: http://www.amazon.com/Ice-Jessica-Wren-ebook/dp/B00O1CCAU6/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1417274357&sr=1-4&keywords=ice

Ice Character Spotlight-DeWayne Burgess

Character: Dewayne Burgess

Age; 22

Occupation: paramedic, pre-med student

Family: Georgeanna (“Georgie”) and Nolan Burgess (parents), Kira Holmes (girlfriend)

Tenderhearted but quick-thinking DeWayne is about to face the toughest moment of his life. His skills as a paramedic will come in handy when he has to assist in a strange rescue.

To read Ice: http://www.amazon.com/Ice-Jessica-Wren-ebook/dp/B00O1CCAU6/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1417015458&sr=1-4&keywords=ice

Author Spotlight-Kerry Reis

Would you elope with the man you were in love with just because you “knew” he was “the one?” What if he called you in the middle of the night and asked you to pick him up from a deserted location, and when you showed, he looked like he had been to hell and back? And, he was secretive about his behavior? Ali had enough faith in her Ryan that she did that in this heartwarming tale that centers around the importance of family and sticking together.

In Reis’ Legacy Discovered Charles Barnett, Jr (aka Ryan Prescott), assumes the identity of his deceased college roommate so he can escape his domineering father and start a new life with the woman he loves. His wife and children are none the wiser, and even when he is outed sixteen years later, Ali still has complete faith in her husband. This story leaves readers anxious to learn if Ryan/Charlie, Jr. will eventually reconcile with his father.

The most clear themes of Legacy Discovered are family, forgiveness, and reconciliation. But Reis also explores themes of corporate dominance, class warfare, and the simple life vs. “keeping up with the Joneses.” The novel contains some delightful characters, among them Charlie Jr.’s mother, Hilary and his best friend and fellow attorney, Henry. Reis’ message is clear that “everything happens for a reason and will work out in the end.”This is a satisfying novel that leaves no loose ends, and readers will be pleased.

To read Legacy Discovered: http://www.amazon.com/Legacy-Discovered-Kerry-Reis-ebook/dp/B00FC56BAG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1416875367&sr=1-1&keywords=legacy+discovered

Ice character Spotlight-Sebastian Quiroga

Name: Sebastaian Quiroga

Age: late forties

Family: Mercedes de los Satos de Quiroga (wife), Cierra Quiroga (daughter), Natalia de los Santos (niece), and many other family members. A mother in Guatemala. Father is deceased.

Occupation: unemployed ex-Marine

Sebastian is pure ice down to the core of his soul. He cares about no one, loves no one, and seems to have no life goals other than to torture as many people as possible. For more than twenty years, he has held a “grudge” against someone whom he has never met and who creates the perfect pretext to satisfy a sick, sadistic fantasy. He has no qualms about murdering innocent people and ruining the lives of many. Will he get justice in the end?

To read Ice: http://www.amazon.com/Ice-Jessica-Wren-ebook/dp/B00O1CCAU6/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1416760824&sr=1-2&keywords=ice

Author Spotlight-Jonathan Taylor

Jonathan Taylor is author of a fascinating science fiction/historical fiction called The Forgotten Mission. The novel, written in non-linear sequence and spanned over more than 100 years, tells the story of Scott Salvador, who has been handpicked to complete a top-secret government project that has been in progress for more than 20 years. Centered around Area 51, Roswell, and other not-so-top-secret areas, this novel is sure to be a favorite among science fiction fans and conspiracy theorists.

The de-personalization of the characters-by only addressing them by first name (which are extremely common names like George, Tom, and Bob) and not giving them surnames (except Scott), creates an eerie tone that sends chills up your spine as you imagine them in their niche: sterile, secret laboratories in which information that has the potential to drastically change the universe as we know it is routinely exchanged. The “discarding” of people whose usefulness has expired will have conspiracy theorists salivating. And the juxtaposition of the two sides of Scott’s person-one a beer-drinking surfer who enjoys partying and women, and the other a nerdy scientist who is the only one who can decode history’s most mysterious secret, speaks volumes about Taylor’s ability to create dynamic, well-developed characters.

Overall, an entertaining read. To read The Forgotten Mission: http://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-Mission-Return-1-ebook/dp/B00NMKMN50/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416004195&sr=8-1&keywords=the+forgotten+mission

For UK Customers: http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B00NMKMN50/ref=cm_cr_dp_hist_five?ie=UTF8&filterBy=addFiveStar&showViewpoints=0