I believe it was around this time last year I wrote about another Harlan Coben novel and it turned out that it was one of my top picks of the year. This, I think is going to be no different. Live Wire is just that, from the first paragraph to the very end. I am not going to go on and on about this novel; it would just sound like me smooching the man’s Gluteus Maximus way too much. Needless to say he makes the mundane amazing, the funny funnier and the viewpoint and characters are just too spot on to even consider saying a terse word. This is a novel that just sticks to the hands like glue till that last page is savored. Baby I like it, as Enrique Iglesias says. I agree; give me more now. This is going to be in the same place as last year, right at the top. PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST NOVELS I HAVE READ, PERIOD. ‘Nuff said on this novel, 5 stars, grab it, enjoy the ride, have fun, I did. Here is the synopsis:
“Myron Bolitar has always dreamed about the voluptuous femme fatale walking into his office and asking for help. The woman standing in his doorway has killer curves, all right: She's eight months pregnant, which kind of ruins the fantasy. Former tennis star Suzze T and her rock star husband, Lex, are both clients, and over the years Myron has negotiated his share of contracts for the power pair. But now Lex has disappeared and a very pregnant Suzze is in tears, fearing the online rumors questioning the baby's paternity have driven away the man she swears is the child's father.
For Myron, questions of fatherhood couldn't hit closer to home, as his dad, Al, clings to life, and the brother who abandoned the family years ago resurfaces-with danger following close behind. Myron is soon forced to confront deep secrets in Suzze's past, his family's mortality-and before Live Wire is over, his own. “
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
The Altar of Bones Philip Carter
Welcome to Monday! I for one was looking for another day in the weekend, but alas it was not to be. Wham, Monday is here and it is time to get my act into gear. Early in the day I put up my interview with Best-Selling Author John Locke, if you missed it, go back and check it out; there is some good stuff there. Today on the blogtalk show ,The G-ZONE we have Bri Clark as a guest,the conversation should be lively and fun. Tomorrow my guest will be Betty Otter Thompson. Okay the novel that was in my hands, the one that had all that action and suspense, what was it? Oh yeah, The Altar of Bones, here is what lies between the covers:
““They didn’t have to kill him…He never drank from the altar of bones.”
Cryptic dying words from a murdered homeless woman in present day San Francisco unlock a decades-buried secret that changed history. Now a pair of ruthless assassins are sent to cut the few living "loose ends." And a young, resourceful woman on the run encounters a determined man with his own connected past and vengeful agenda. Forced to partner for survival and answers, a fast-paced and deadly game of cat and mouse ensues, taking them across the globe from the winding streets of Paris to the faded palaces of Budapest to the frozen lakes of Mongolia...where destiny, passion, and further betrayal await them.
The Altar of Bones has it all: The Russian mob. KGB spies. Presidential assassination. A doomed Hollywood legend. Deathbed confessions. Corrosive power. Shattered families. Guardians of an ancient religious icon housing a secret others will kill to possess. The dark promise of immortality. And it delivers on its ambitious premise to leave you stunned and breathless at the end.”
Good characters, both good and bad, helped carry this novel for me. I am a big fan of character driven fiction and this is just that. The good guys were very good, and the bad guys were very bad: dark, ominous, ruthless, blood thirsty killers, heartless, and campy. Carter seems adept at pushing the right buttons at the time as far as the action and suspense go. It is very difficult to sense that this is the first go around for this author. I liked the whole thing: mysterious conspiracies, love, betrayal, good subplots, fascinating history elements, your basic by the numbers thriller. I liked it, and don’t hesitate to recommend the read.
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
Q&A with John Locke
-The western, what is the deal on that? Where did that come from?
At the heart of every western a man or woman faces danger, hardship, or overwhelming odds. It’s a timeless theme of courage, especially when their quest takes them into the vast unknown, where they must face the elements and other enemies head on, with little more than a horse, a gun and meager supplies. People always tell me they don’t like westerns, so I thought, why not create the type of western people would like to read? I decided to write a cool, fun, hip western, with a unique cast of characters, and situations that, while dangerous, might provide some opportunities to inject humor.
Donovan Creed has quickly become one of my top favs, what was the genesis of that whole thing?
I wanted to create a critically flawed hero whose reactions are impossible to predict. This is the kind of man men want to be like and women want to be with. Women are a little afraid of him, but they understand his flaws and think there is something about him that makes him worth saving. They often don’t approve of his behavior, but they think at the heart of it all, he means well.
-What is it like wakening up everyday to rock star status and sales?
Haha. In my house I’m often in the middle of writing a scene and my wife will ask me to take out the trash, or my son will want a sandwich or completely sidetrack me with what’s happening in a ball game. In my house I’m just the guy who’s been spending more time at the computer than he used to!
-Your stories are twisted and bent in so many different directions and yet you tie them all together nicely. How do you do that?
Thanks for saying that! However, critics would say just the opposite! Which brings up a good point: I write only for my target audience, not the masses. So readers either like my work a lot, or hate it a lot, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. But to answer your question in the way it was intended, I know my characters completely, and trust them implicitly. I put them in crazy situations and force myself to stay out of their way as they work through them. I create a lot of loose ends for my characters, but they do their best to tie them up on their own. If it doesn’t fit neatly at the end, it’s because I, the author, got in the way.
-What is your favorite kind of food and do you have a recipe you can hit us with?
I’m a Louisiana boy, living in Kentucky, so I like southern style food. I’m an accomplished cook, so sure. Here’s a recipe for corn bread that will make a jack rabbit jump up and slap a hound dog. Now, this is sweet corn bread, and tastes more like a cake.
Donovan Creed Cornbread
Enough butter to grease pan
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¾ cup fine sugar
½ tsp salt
2 large eggs, whisked
1 cup whole milk
1 cup plain yogurt
1 stick, plus 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1. Preheat oven to 400. Grease an 8-inch square glass cake pan with melted butter.
2. Whisk cornmeal, flour, powder, soda, sugar and salt together in large bowl. Add whisked eggs, milk and yogurt. Sir in the melted butter and mix until it’s just combined.
3. Pour batter into greased pan. Place on center rack of oven. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until done (check by placing a sharp knife into center. If it comes out clean, it’s done). Depending on your oven, you might need to place foil over the top during the last 20 minutes to prevent the top from burning.
4. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before cutting into squares.
-The cover art is simple yet plain. What is your thinking on that?
I had no choice in the first cover, but after that, I wanted sexy women. After my fourth book, my publisher, Claudia Jackson, of Telemachus Press, had the inspiration of putting women’s legs on all my books. It’s a great branding idea, and I loved it the minute she suggested it. Claudia is brilliant, and creative, and that’s why I always recommend her to people.
-What is next for Donovan Creed?
In a few days the latest Creed adventure will be available for download on Kindle, iPad, Nook, etc. It’s called “Vegas Moon” and it’s already being called “The most hilarious Creed book ever!”
-Are you considering adding another franchise to your growing collection?
I would love to have three, if my readers will indulge me. It’s hard to explain to Creed fans why I want to develop the western series, because they want all Creed, all the time. But the western allows me to free up my mind. It allows me to come back to the Creed genre completely refreshed, and forces me to start anew, with new ideas, and new energy. For me, a separate franchise is like a palate cleanser for my brain.
-With your busy schedule how do you fit any down time into your day or week?
I just don’t! Not at this point. Not yet.
-What is something you want your readers and fans to know right now?
I want them to know I love them with all my heart, and that my main objective is to bring them a few hours of smiles when they might need them most. I want them to know I will work into my beyondness to earn their continued support.
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
At the heart of every western a man or woman faces danger, hardship, or overwhelming odds. It’s a timeless theme of courage, especially when their quest takes them into the vast unknown, where they must face the elements and other enemies head on, with little more than a horse, a gun and meager supplies. People always tell me they don’t like westerns, so I thought, why not create the type of western people would like to read? I decided to write a cool, fun, hip western, with a unique cast of characters, and situations that, while dangerous, might provide some opportunities to inject humor.
Donovan Creed has quickly become one of my top favs, what was the genesis of that whole thing?
I wanted to create a critically flawed hero whose reactions are impossible to predict. This is the kind of man men want to be like and women want to be with. Women are a little afraid of him, but they understand his flaws and think there is something about him that makes him worth saving. They often don’t approve of his behavior, but they think at the heart of it all, he means well.
-What is it like wakening up everyday to rock star status and sales?
Haha. In my house I’m often in the middle of writing a scene and my wife will ask me to take out the trash, or my son will want a sandwich or completely sidetrack me with what’s happening in a ball game. In my house I’m just the guy who’s been spending more time at the computer than he used to!
-Your stories are twisted and bent in so many different directions and yet you tie them all together nicely. How do you do that?
Thanks for saying that! However, critics would say just the opposite! Which brings up a good point: I write only for my target audience, not the masses. So readers either like my work a lot, or hate it a lot, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. But to answer your question in the way it was intended, I know my characters completely, and trust them implicitly. I put them in crazy situations and force myself to stay out of their way as they work through them. I create a lot of loose ends for my characters, but they do their best to tie them up on their own. If it doesn’t fit neatly at the end, it’s because I, the author, got in the way.
-What is your favorite kind of food and do you have a recipe you can hit us with?
I’m a Louisiana boy, living in Kentucky, so I like southern style food. I’m an accomplished cook, so sure. Here’s a recipe for corn bread that will make a jack rabbit jump up and slap a hound dog. Now, this is sweet corn bread, and tastes more like a cake.
Donovan Creed Cornbread
Enough butter to grease pan
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¾ cup fine sugar
½ tsp salt
2 large eggs, whisked
1 cup whole milk
1 cup plain yogurt
1 stick, plus 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1. Preheat oven to 400. Grease an 8-inch square glass cake pan with melted butter.
2. Whisk cornmeal, flour, powder, soda, sugar and salt together in large bowl. Add whisked eggs, milk and yogurt. Sir in the melted butter and mix until it’s just combined.
3. Pour batter into greased pan. Place on center rack of oven. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until done (check by placing a sharp knife into center. If it comes out clean, it’s done). Depending on your oven, you might need to place foil over the top during the last 20 minutes to prevent the top from burning.
4. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before cutting into squares.
-The cover art is simple yet plain. What is your thinking on that?
I had no choice in the first cover, but after that, I wanted sexy women. After my fourth book, my publisher, Claudia Jackson, of Telemachus Press, had the inspiration of putting women’s legs on all my books. It’s a great branding idea, and I loved it the minute she suggested it. Claudia is brilliant, and creative, and that’s why I always recommend her to people.
-What is next for Donovan Creed?
In a few days the latest Creed adventure will be available for download on Kindle, iPad, Nook, etc. It’s called “Vegas Moon” and it’s already being called “The most hilarious Creed book ever!”
-Are you considering adding another franchise to your growing collection?
I would love to have three, if my readers will indulge me. It’s hard to explain to Creed fans why I want to develop the western series, because they want all Creed, all the time. But the western allows me to free up my mind. It allows me to come back to the Creed genre completely refreshed, and forces me to start anew, with new ideas, and new energy. For me, a separate franchise is like a palate cleanser for my brain.
-With your busy schedule how do you fit any down time into your day or week?
I just don’t! Not at this point. Not yet.
-What is something you want your readers and fans to know right now?
I want them to know I love them with all my heart, and that my main objective is to bring them a few hours of smiles when they might need them most. I want them to know I will work into my beyondness to earn their continued support.
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
Friday, March 25, 2011
Graphic Novel Friday The Hills Have Eyes Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray
TGIF and welcome to the almost weekend. We have a stellar day planned and a huge weekend ahead of us here @ The Scoop and The G-ZONE. We have another tripleheader of posts tomorrow for Digital short Saturday and a very nice novel for Self Published Sunday. Today on The G-ZONE I get to interview Jeffrey Martin and also make the 1st announcement of winners in the Trestle Press Spring Submission Contest. Tuesday I will be making the next one. Let’s shift gears: Are you into horror? Enjoy seeing dismemberment, flying limbs and decapitation? Enjoy seeing blood splatters? Mutations? Check out what type of horror and mayhem is contained in this graphic novel:
“Deep within the remote hills of the New Mexico desert, a group of townspeople thought wiped out by the United States government when it began above-ground atomic testing has returned to the now-irradiated land they still claim as their home. Within the eye of this nuclear storm good people will go bad, battle lines will be drawn, and a new family of mutated monstrosities must protect their own at all costs in a mind-boggling orgy of blood and vengeance.
The Hills Have Eyes: The Beginning tells for the first time the epic origin story behind Wes Craven's classic tale of mutant carnage, leading into and bridging the gap between the 2006 remake of The Hills Have Eyes and its sequel, The Hills Have Eyes 2. Written by acclaimed storytellers Jimmy Palmiotti (Painkiller Jane) and Justin Gray (Countdown) with shocking art by John Higgins (Judge Dredd, War Stories), this is mutant mayhem as you've never seen it before.”
Without the gore this is a strong compelling story. With the gore it goes to a new level. The story of this clan or tribe of people (whichever you prefer) is heartbreaking and sad. The plotline runs deep and has a multitude of layers to it. Once I got past the blood and guts and settled in, it became a very interesting, well drawn and inked ride. The horror thing still isn’t my gig yet, but the graphic novel is just a strong piece of work and it really made it points. The prose is simplistic and yet complex. The marriage of the colors, excellent artwork, and amazing dialogue makes this a very intense read. The team that was assembled for this project hits all the right buttons and gives this origin story a great start. Will I read other installments of this? You would not have to ask me twice. With all the gore, blood splatters, flying limbs and decapitated heads anyone could wish for in the pages of a graphic novel, yes and yes again, keep them coming.
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Beth Solheim Outwitted
Busy, busy, busy. I want to thank everyone for their kind words and support for the work I have been doing with various cover art projects, logo art and posting lately. It has meant a lot to me and helped propel me forward. Tomorrow I get the honor of announcing the first winner in the Trestle Press Spring Submission Contest on my blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE. It is an honor and also a blast to be a part of this. I will be doing a little bit each week as we get closer and closer to the April 15th deadline that Trestle set for the end of the contest. We don’t want to keep the authors waiting too long. There is plenty of nice work to be read here. I have mentioned The G-ZONE, next week’s guests are in order of appearance: Bri Clark, Betty Otter Thompson, Luecinda Moebious, John Maberry, & Rose Valenta .Your basic mish mash of guests, zombies, humor, inspiration, romance and sci-fi. Match up the names to their genre, I have them all mixed up. Have fun with it; I did it on purpose. Now to the novel at hand: What is between the covers on this funny and engaging novel?
“The Witt’s End Resort in Northern Minnesota will never be the same when Sadie Witt assumes the role of funeral director’s helper after the untimely murder of the previous assistant. After skeletal remains are discovered under Cabin 12, Sadie and her sister set out to solve a murder and reveal a secret that ties a prominent community member to a notorious crime operation. Shenanigans abound when the resort manager unwittingly rents Cabin 12 to the funeral director’s ex-husband, a raucous character who causes one outrageous funeral mishap after another. Flamboyant Sadie isn’t your typical sixty-four year old senior citizen. The recently departed arrive at Witt's End with issues and she has no choice but to help them unravel their puzzles. Be Warned…If you think Cabin 12 conceals a mystery, don’t check into Cabin 14, because no guest ever leaves alive!”
About the Author
Like the main character in her Sadie Witt mystery series, Beth Solheim was born with a healthy dose of imagination and a hankering to solve a puzzle. She learned her reverence for reading from her mother, who was never without a book in her hand. By day, Beth works in Human Resources. By night she morphs into a writer who frequents lake resorts and mortuaries and hosts a ghost or two in her humorous paranormal mysteries. Raised and still living in Northern Minnesota, she resides in lake country with a menagerie of wildlife critters.
I just wanted to add the biography as an added bonus. This is a first read on any of her work for me and sometimes the author biography helps me to understand a bit more of what I am getting into. Is that the case here? I doubt it; nothing could have prepared me for this novel. Off the hook, off the wall, total lunacy and it was so much fun. What I could write or say probably cannot do this novel justice. It is original, fun, and out there. Need a good laugh, or to shake your head a bit? This is the novel to cure that. Beth Solheim has a way with words that I found refreshing and truly engaging. My enjoyment of this could have only been better if I was on the beach listening to the waves crash. As it was, the rain drops were falling and that was fine the beach for me, definitely better. If you are looking for quirky characters that will make you chuckle and give you a few belly laughs, pick up Outwitted; it is a no brainer.
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
“The Witt’s End Resort in Northern Minnesota will never be the same when Sadie Witt assumes the role of funeral director’s helper after the untimely murder of the previous assistant. After skeletal remains are discovered under Cabin 12, Sadie and her sister set out to solve a murder and reveal a secret that ties a prominent community member to a notorious crime operation. Shenanigans abound when the resort manager unwittingly rents Cabin 12 to the funeral director’s ex-husband, a raucous character who causes one outrageous funeral mishap after another. Flamboyant Sadie isn’t your typical sixty-four year old senior citizen. The recently departed arrive at Witt's End with issues and she has no choice but to help them unravel their puzzles. Be Warned…If you think Cabin 12 conceals a mystery, don’t check into Cabin 14, because no guest ever leaves alive!”
About the Author
Like the main character in her Sadie Witt mystery series, Beth Solheim was born with a healthy dose of imagination and a hankering to solve a puzzle. She learned her reverence for reading from her mother, who was never without a book in her hand. By day, Beth works in Human Resources. By night she morphs into a writer who frequents lake resorts and mortuaries and hosts a ghost or two in her humorous paranormal mysteries. Raised and still living in Northern Minnesota, she resides in lake country with a menagerie of wildlife critters.
I just wanted to add the biography as an added bonus. This is a first read on any of her work for me and sometimes the author biography helps me to understand a bit more of what I am getting into. Is that the case here? I doubt it; nothing could have prepared me for this novel. Off the hook, off the wall, total lunacy and it was so much fun. What I could write or say probably cannot do this novel justice. It is original, fun, and out there. Need a good laugh, or to shake your head a bit? This is the novel to cure that. Beth Solheim has a way with words that I found refreshing and truly engaging. My enjoyment of this could have only been better if I was on the beach listening to the waves crash. As it was, the rain drops were falling and that was fine the beach for me, definitely better. If you are looking for quirky characters that will make you chuckle and give you a few belly laughs, pick up Outwitted; it is a no brainer.
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Sibella Giorello The Mountains Bow Down
It is hump day, Wednesday, for those of us not keeping count. The end of the week for me is just 5 short days away. Wait, then a new week starts again. I need a vacation! Our main character in the novel tried that and her work followed her. Does that mean when I get to take a few days off, some novels, digital short stories and graphic novels are going to follow me? I hope so! The beach wouldn’t be the same without them. Fortunately when work follows me on vacation, I love it and get to share it with you. Today’s featured author, Sibella Giorello, will be with us in The G-ZONE on April 8th. Here is what is in between the covers on this one:
“Everything's going to work out. Time away always makes things better . . .That's what FBI Special Agent Raleigh Harmon believes as she boards a cruise to Alaska. A land of mountains and gems and minerals, the Last Frontier is a dream destination for this forensic geologist who's hoping to leave behind a hectic work schedule and an engagement drained of romance. But when a passenger goes missing and winds up dead, Raleigh's vacation suddenly gets lost at sea. The ship's security chief tries to rule the death a suicide, but Raleigh's forensics background points to a much darker conclusion; somewhere onboard, a ruthless murderer walks free. Engulfed by one of her toughest cases yet, Raleigh requests assistance from the FBI and receives her nemesis-handsome Special Agent Jack Stephanson. As the cruise ship sails through the Inside Passage, Raleigh has five days to solve a high-profile murder, provide consultation for a movie filming onboard, and figure out her increasingly complicated feelings for Jack-who might not be as arrogant as she originally thought. And that's only her work life. Family offers even more challenges. Joined on the cruise by her mother and aunt, Raleigh watches helplessly as disturbing rifts splinter her family. Like the scenery that surrounds the cruise ship, Raleigh discovers a mystery so daunting that even the mountains might bow down before it. “
This novel is billed as a Christian mystery fiction. I have news for you, this genre of novel rocks. Giorello puts together a first rate thriller here. I haven’t read her work before and I have to admit I am bummed by that. I am definitely going to back track to the other novels she has written. The character development was intense, her descriptive ability amazing, and the plotline was engaging and hard to pull away from. Going to Alaska and on a cruise is on Mrs.Gelati and my to do list, but after reading this I may not have to do it, Sibella Giorello made me feel like I had been there. Her descriptive ability made me see, feel and experience all the things that her main character was seeing; I really like that. The romance and the family subplots were nice and kept things a bit tense and helped offer a nice reprieve from the murder and the investigation of it.
Murder doesn’t follow everyone on vacation, but books sometimes do. I suggest not only taking this one with you to wherever your vacation destination is this year, but why not read all her work. After all good is good and fun is fun. Give Sibello Giorello a shot and have The Mountains Bow Down in front of you.
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
“Everything's going to work out. Time away always makes things better . . .That's what FBI Special Agent Raleigh Harmon believes as she boards a cruise to Alaska. A land of mountains and gems and minerals, the Last Frontier is a dream destination for this forensic geologist who's hoping to leave behind a hectic work schedule and an engagement drained of romance. But when a passenger goes missing and winds up dead, Raleigh's vacation suddenly gets lost at sea. The ship's security chief tries to rule the death a suicide, but Raleigh's forensics background points to a much darker conclusion; somewhere onboard, a ruthless murderer walks free. Engulfed by one of her toughest cases yet, Raleigh requests assistance from the FBI and receives her nemesis-handsome Special Agent Jack Stephanson. As the cruise ship sails through the Inside Passage, Raleigh has five days to solve a high-profile murder, provide consultation for a movie filming onboard, and figure out her increasingly complicated feelings for Jack-who might not be as arrogant as she originally thought. And that's only her work life. Family offers even more challenges. Joined on the cruise by her mother and aunt, Raleigh watches helplessly as disturbing rifts splinter her family. Like the scenery that surrounds the cruise ship, Raleigh discovers a mystery so daunting that even the mountains might bow down before it. “
This novel is billed as a Christian mystery fiction. I have news for you, this genre of novel rocks. Giorello puts together a first rate thriller here. I haven’t read her work before and I have to admit I am bummed by that. I am definitely going to back track to the other novels she has written. The character development was intense, her descriptive ability amazing, and the plotline was engaging and hard to pull away from. Going to Alaska and on a cruise is on Mrs.Gelati and my to do list, but after reading this I may not have to do it, Sibella Giorello made me feel like I had been there. Her descriptive ability made me see, feel and experience all the things that her main character was seeing; I really like that. The romance and the family subplots were nice and kept things a bit tense and helped offer a nice reprieve from the murder and the investigation of it.
Murder doesn’t follow everyone on vacation, but books sometimes do. I suggest not only taking this one with you to wherever your vacation destination is this year, but why not read all her work. After all good is good and fun is fun. Give Sibello Giorello a shot and have The Mountains Bow Down in front of you.
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Clive Cussler The Jungle
Me, a huge fan of the Oregon Files? You never have to ask me that question twice, yes, and then again yes. I just love the work they have done with this series from the get go. More on that in a minute: today on The G-ZONE ,our blogtalk radio show, Big Daddy Abel dropped by; catch it on the archives, and on Weds. John DeDakis, author/instructor/ and CNN Producer will be stopping by at 8.30amEST, breakfast with the G-Man. Good stuff, so please join us for the fun , good conversation and merriment. Back to the novel at hand shall we? What is contained with the pages of this page turner? Here you go:
“Jungles come in many forms. There are the steamy rain forests of the Burmese Highlands. There are the lies and betrayals of the world of covert operations. And there are the dark and twisted thoughts of a man bent on near-global domination. To pull off their latest mission, Juan Cabrillo and the crew of the Oregon must survive them all.
A devastating new weapon unleashed in thirteenth-century China...a daring rescue in the snowbound mountains along the Afghanistan/Pakistan border...a woman gone missing in the jungles of northern Thailand and Myanmar...for Cabrillo and his crew, all of these events will come together-leading to the greatest threat against U.S. security that the world has ever known. “
Juan and the crew are on the outside looking in on this one. They did the right thing in the last novel and are now paying the price for their rightness. Isn’t that just the way it is? Well Cussler /DuBrul put together a dandy here in The Jungle and take us on another world- wide trip that has plenty of twists, turns, action and subplots. I for one totally enjoyed the read and found it to contain little if any dead pages to read. The action was constant, the dialogue was great, and most of all we get to learn more and more about the characters and what makes them, well, them. I am all for that, total satisfaction to be had. If you haven’t read one of these fun, engaging, light reads yet, don’t fret, you will not feel left out or that you need to have started at the beginning to be in on all of it. That I think is one of the added bonuses, you can jump in at any time and not feel like an outsider looking in. Juan and the crew make feel like you are one of them and that you too are part of The Corporation.
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
“Jungles come in many forms. There are the steamy rain forests of the Burmese Highlands. There are the lies and betrayals of the world of covert operations. And there are the dark and twisted thoughts of a man bent on near-global domination. To pull off their latest mission, Juan Cabrillo and the crew of the Oregon must survive them all.
A devastating new weapon unleashed in thirteenth-century China...a daring rescue in the snowbound mountains along the Afghanistan/Pakistan border...a woman gone missing in the jungles of northern Thailand and Myanmar...for Cabrillo and his crew, all of these events will come together-leading to the greatest threat against U.S. security that the world has ever known. “
Juan and the crew are on the outside looking in on this one. They did the right thing in the last novel and are now paying the price for their rightness. Isn’t that just the way it is? Well Cussler /DuBrul put together a dandy here in The Jungle and take us on another world- wide trip that has plenty of twists, turns, action and subplots. I for one totally enjoyed the read and found it to contain little if any dead pages to read. The action was constant, the dialogue was great, and most of all we get to learn more and more about the characters and what makes them, well, them. I am all for that, total satisfaction to be had. If you haven’t read one of these fun, engaging, light reads yet, don’t fret, you will not feel left out or that you need to have started at the beginning to be in on all of it. That I think is one of the added bonuses, you can jump in at any time and not feel like an outsider looking in. Juan and the crew make feel like you are one of them and that you too are part of The Corporation.
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
Monday, March 21, 2011
John Locke Follow The Stone
It is Monday and as such I am staring a seriously long and fun week ahead. The posting schedule I have set up for this week and next is chock full of great novels, digital shorts, self-published authors and graphic novels. The Scoop is counting down to its 500th post in just about a year in business. We are, to say the least, very proud of this achievement. I want to thank all the readers, followers, social network friends, authors & bloggers that have read our posts as well as contributed guest posts and comments. I have tried a new system, where I am putting up the different types of work I will be posting the next week on my Goodreads’ wall. If you are not a friend of mine there, my Facebook wall should have the same stuff on it Saturday and /or Sunday; just keep an eye out for it or become my friend at Goodreads or Twitter to see this stuff. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention our blogtalk radio show ,The G-ZONE. We are on Monday to Friday again this week with a serious lineup. Today is Tom Sumner, author, musician and morning DJ. The list of bands he has played drums for is pretty amazing. Check out his bio from Saturday’s post. Now to today’s action, sorry, beginning of the week stuff, you know? Here is what is contained between the virtual covers of Follow the Stone:
“International best-selling author John Locke (Saving Rachel, Wish List, Now & Then, Lethal People, Lethal Experiment) tackles a new genre, with hilarious results.
Follow the Stone (An Irreverent Western Adventure) is a good-hearted, rollicking story about a former gunslinger and his crablike scout, who journey West with a mail order bride, a witch, and a wagon full of prostitutes! “
Seriously a western for John Locke’s newest release? I think it is well documented that I love Donovan Creed, so why not keep the ball rolling, if it ain’t broke why fix it? Well I must say the man nailed it from the dialogue to the horses and scenery. I sucked this up like a thirsty horse coming off the trail. Dad gummit, this was one mighty fine readin’ if I dirn’t say so meself. The cast of characters Locke has this time are as funny and dysfunctional as Creed’s gang and made me laugh out loud on numerous occasions. The question I would have to ask then is this: Can the power of Creed and his amazing sales, combined with Locke’s ability to sell like no else on the planet single handedly revive the western? For me anytime the guy puts out another installment of the series, my Kindle is ready to saddle up for it. He shots laughs at the reader like his six shotter is on full auto. The plotline lends itself to so many variables, back doors and expanded story lines, that you can see the genius in what he does. For a buck it rocks and then some.
I love the fact that John Locke is not only doing something different, but tackling an entirely different genre. It would be easy for him to replicate another action hero in the thriller/suspense category and just keep the machine churning. No, instead he decides to singlehandedly blaze a trail, take a huge risk in losing his momentum, and lose any street Creed he has right now. The amount of research that went into this is highly visible. Because of that, I could get the feel of the rawness of what it may have been like to be put on the trail blazing a new path, going somewhere where no has been or could contemplate being. The safety net removed, carrying all one’s possessions on a horse or carriage and forsaking all else. Just the lack of port-a- potties on the trail is mind numbing enough for some, let alone carrying a sufficient amount of water for the ride. My suggestion on this, rough it and drop the $.99 on this fun engaging read. Make plans to laugh a bit and not want to put this down. So saddle up the Kindle, make sure it is fully charged for the journey and please go to the potty before hitting the trail ahead. You don’t want there to be stories around the campfire about how you pooped a live fish and then ate it. Yes, you read that correctly; read the novel. You’ll find out and laugh about it too.
**** Here is a little insight to the next novel in the series from the man himself,John Locke:
“Thanks for all your help in getting the word out about Follow the Stone. The sequel
is going to be "Don't Poke the Bear!"
--Because you've been so great, here is a sneak peek: Emmett and Gentry have opened
their saloon in Dodge. Emmett soon finds himself having to defend himself in a gunfight
on the street. Being a former gunslinger, he kills the man. Shortly thereafter he learns that
the guy owns a bear. According to the law, that makes Emmett responsible for the bear!
He's got no place to put it, so he ties it in a corner of the saloon at night, and puts a sign
up that says, "Don't Poke the Bear!" --As if anyone would! --And so begins the adventure!”
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Digital short Saturday Big Daddy Abel Open Mic Volume Two
Humor comes in many different forms. Yesterday I touched on Tom Sumner’s All I Wanted Was a Haircut. His brand of humor is a bit different from BDA (I need to save keystrokes here people, so from now on through this post I am going to refer to Big Daddy Abel as BDA), all of it in good way. Besides that, I needed to lighten the mood today from my earlier post on Laurie Bowler’s Across the City Chapter Two. There is no bloodletting or vampires in BDA’s Open Mic Volume Two, hopefully that doesn’t bum you out. Here is what you can find on your ereader if you download this fine feat of whimsy for the requisite $.99:
“Right on the heels of the wildly successful debut Open Mic, comes what else, Open Mic Volume 2! Have you ever wondered what it's like to be a Rocker? What do you think it is like when Big Daddy Abel bumps into famous people? Be ready to laugh till it hurts with this next installment of the Open Mic series. Feel the heart, the soul of Big Daddy Abel, as he lays it out there for all to read.
Here is bit of what is in Big Daddy Abel's Mind:
One of Big Daddy Abel’s favorite quotes, "So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future."
Here are some of his favorite bands/musicians: Van Halen (1976-1984), The Beatles, Aerosmith (1973-1989), The Black Crowes, Prince, Seal, Led Zeppelin, Butch Walker/The Marvelous 3, Stevie Wonder, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Alice in Chains, Love/Hate, Buckcherry, The Cure, George Clinton, Mozart, Electric Mayhem, The Soggy Bottom Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fishbone, Too Much Joy, Beethoven, the kid down the street learning guitar.”
I added some of his bio so you can get a groove on where the man is coming from. When it comes to humor, I think the person’s background and motivation is important. I get to go toe to toe with BDA in The G-ZONE March 22nd @2.30PM EST and I will ask him just that. What is your motivation? Where do you get this stuff? I think you will find the answers to the questions rather moving and insightful. The man does actually wear his heart on his sleeve. Have you seen his pictures on Facebook, all 4900 of them? That type of honesty and care when he is having his photo taken with others can’t be faked. The man actually cares; that to me is hallmark, and it shines right through on the virtual page. For me it burns brighter than anything. Laughing is one thing, and I did that while reading this installment, no doubt about that, but the lynchpin for me was the brutal honesty and sincerity in his writing. I find it not just refreshing, but a breath of fresh air in a very stale place. Give Big Daddy Abel a try, you will laugh but you will also be touched.
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
“Right on the heels of the wildly successful debut Open Mic, comes what else, Open Mic Volume 2! Have you ever wondered what it's like to be a Rocker? What do you think it is like when Big Daddy Abel bumps into famous people? Be ready to laugh till it hurts with this next installment of the Open Mic series. Feel the heart, the soul of Big Daddy Abel, as he lays it out there for all to read.
Here is bit of what is in Big Daddy Abel's Mind:
One of Big Daddy Abel’s favorite quotes, "So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future."
Here are some of his favorite bands/musicians: Van Halen (1976-1984), The Beatles, Aerosmith (1973-1989), The Black Crowes, Prince, Seal, Led Zeppelin, Butch Walker/The Marvelous 3, Stevie Wonder, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Alice in Chains, Love/Hate, Buckcherry, The Cure, George Clinton, Mozart, Electric Mayhem, The Soggy Bottom Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fishbone, Too Much Joy, Beethoven, the kid down the street learning guitar.”
I added some of his bio so you can get a groove on where the man is coming from. When it comes to humor, I think the person’s background and motivation is important. I get to go toe to toe with BDA in The G-ZONE March 22nd @2.30PM EST and I will ask him just that. What is your motivation? Where do you get this stuff? I think you will find the answers to the questions rather moving and insightful. The man does actually wear his heart on his sleeve. Have you seen his pictures on Facebook, all 4900 of them? That type of honesty and care when he is having his photo taken with others can’t be faked. The man actually cares; that to me is hallmark, and it shines right through on the virtual page. For me it burns brighter than anything. Laughing is one thing, and I did that while reading this installment, no doubt about that, but the lynchpin for me was the brutal honesty and sincerity in his writing. I find it not just refreshing, but a breath of fresh air in a very stale place. Give Big Daddy Abel a try, you will laugh but you will also be touched.
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
Thursday, March 17, 2011
C.J. Box Cold Wind
One thing I love is wind power, good stuff and fun to read about. Combine that with an awesome setting like Wyoming and Joe Pickett, and you have a dynamo of a novel. Check this out from Publishers Weekly:
“Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett must try to prove that his despised mother-in-law, Missy Alden, isn't guilty of murdering Earl Alden, her fifth husband, in Box's searing 11th Joe Pickett novel (after Nowhere to Run). Pickett's gruesome discovery of Alden's body is followed almost immediately by the stage-managed arrest of Missy by Sheriff Kyle McLanahan. Both Missy and Earl have done plenty to earn the enmity of their neighbors, so Missy's arrest benefits McLanahan's bid for re-election, but Pickett is surprised to find county attorney Lisa Rich already convinced the case is solid. Pickett could use the help of his friend Nate Romanowski, but they are on the outs. Meanwhile, Romanowski, hunted by the widow of a man he killed, finds his withdrawal from the world has endangered others. Box parlays a heady mix of Wyoming politics and the advent of wind power into a deadly brew. This engaging series just keeps getting better with each new entry. “
Do you think there are enough sub plots there? This novel has plenty of sizzle and razzle dazzle. I am quickly becoming a Pickett fan and have been enjoying the reads I have gotten on the character. The writing style of Box is growing on me and I have been trying to backtrack a bit to read past installments of the character. The amount of research he must have done on the subject of wind energy must have been huge as he seemed well versed in the mechanics and politics of it. I enjoyed the angle he took on the subject and the way he built the tension in all the various sub plots throughout the story. Cold Wind for me was a hot read. Don’t let this novel hang in the wind; pick it up and feel its energy.
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
“Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett must try to prove that his despised mother-in-law, Missy Alden, isn't guilty of murdering Earl Alden, her fifth husband, in Box's searing 11th Joe Pickett novel (after Nowhere to Run). Pickett's gruesome discovery of Alden's body is followed almost immediately by the stage-managed arrest of Missy by Sheriff Kyle McLanahan. Both Missy and Earl have done plenty to earn the enmity of their neighbors, so Missy's arrest benefits McLanahan's bid for re-election, but Pickett is surprised to find county attorney Lisa Rich already convinced the case is solid. Pickett could use the help of his friend Nate Romanowski, but they are on the outs. Meanwhile, Romanowski, hunted by the widow of a man he killed, finds his withdrawal from the world has endangered others. Box parlays a heady mix of Wyoming politics and the advent of wind power into a deadly brew. This engaging series just keeps getting better with each new entry. “
Do you think there are enough sub plots there? This novel has plenty of sizzle and razzle dazzle. I am quickly becoming a Pickett fan and have been enjoying the reads I have gotten on the character. The writing style of Box is growing on me and I have been trying to backtrack a bit to read past installments of the character. The amount of research he must have done on the subject of wind energy must have been huge as he seemed well versed in the mechanics and politics of it. I enjoyed the angle he took on the subject and the way he built the tension in all the various sub plots throughout the story. Cold Wind for me was a hot read. Don’t let this novel hang in the wind; pick it up and feel its energy.
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Lee Goldberg The Dead Man: Face of Evil
Back in the day I used to read a host of different serial novels: The Death Merchant, The Executioner, Nick Carter, The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Encyclopedia Brown ….wait I went back to far. Okay rewind it a bit and you get the idea. Someone was smart enough to go back and try to capture the feel and fun that was contained in those types of novels back in the day. Did they carry it off? What do you think? Here is what is in the virtual pages:
From Lee Goldberg... bestselling author of THE WALK and the MONK novels...and William Rabkin, author of the wildly successful PSYCH books... comes the first in an exciting new series of original short novels that blends the horror of Stephen King's THE GUNSLINGER with the action/adventure of Don Pendleton's MACK BOLAN: THE EXECUTIONER...
Matthew Cahill is an ordinary man leading a simple life...until a shocking accident changes everything. Now he can see a nightmarish netherworld of unspeakable evil and horrific violence that nobody else does...
For Cahill, each day is a journey into a dark world he knows nothing about...a quest for the answers to who he is and what he has become...and a fight to save us, and his soul, from the clutches of pure evil.
This book includes a bonus excerpts of THE WALK by Lee Goldberg and DESERT PLACES by Blake Crouch.
And coming soon...more all-new adventures in THE DEAD MAN saga by some of the most talented and successful mystery, western, horror and sci-fi authors out there today. “
I left the last few lines in there because I thought they were important. When I went to the library I enjoyed finding out which in the series of novels I read was there: maybe one from the past that I missed, or a brand spanking new one, but they were always one or the other there. Now Goldberg and his new crew are going to be doing almost the same thing. A different voice each time, giving us a different flav with each story,luv it,luv it ,luv it. A recurring series that is both the same yet different .Can life get any better and as a bonus I have to read them on my Kindle. I went through this first installment like a hot knife through butter. If you had tried to grab my ereader from me while I was cranking through the pages, not only would I have called you a %^$#ard, but I would have thrown an axe at you. Read the story, don’t be one of those people that have a huge puss filled sore growing on your face and try to keep your tongue not only in your face but your cheek.
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
Friday, March 11, 2011
Graphic Novel Friday Daniel Crosier's Distortions Unlimited #2
TGIF everyone and welcome to Friday. There is much going on here @ The Scoop as well as The G-ZONE over the next 36 hours. Our featured author today, Daniel Crosier, will be a guest on The G-Zone Monday April 11 at 8.30 pm EST. Later today we find out what the three things we need to know for our Improved Digital short story will be, I will tweet that as soon as I get that. We are waiting to hear what person, place and thing was chosen for the start of the story. To recap on that, we will be creating a digital short story using four different authors in three different time zones. Laurie Bowler (she lives in England)is first,B.R. Stateham(Kansas), CQ Scafidi( both of these authors are EST), and then Thomas White(He lives on the West Coast).As each part of the story is written I am going to post it here @ The Scoop, and will do so until the final segment. We will then have the edited/final version placed up on Amazon and Smashwords for sale. Also on The G-ZONE we(Tom Sumner, Big Daddy Abel, Bri Clark) are going to read it live at 3pm EST so we will have an audio version of it for you in our archives, so read it or listen to it. This will all be done within a matter of hours. Fun, hunh? Alright to today’s graphic novel, I have included a press release from Distortions Unlimited for you to explain things:
“Bluewater Productions presents a unique horror comic that revolves around existing full-scale monster and alien animatronics in the new series titled “Distortions Unlimited.
The three issue series is based off of licensed characters crafted by Distortions Unlimited based in Greeley, CO. Distortions is world-renowned for creating shocking props, masks and animatronics that have been the mainstay of the dark amusement industry for the last 30 years. The company is best known for reproducing the 16ft queen alien from the film “Alien” cast from the original molds, as well as designing the stage props for music industry icon Alice Cooper’s Brutal Planet tour.
Daniel Crosier, writer and illustrator on the series, has a unique connection with the project. “I grew up near the Distortions studio in Greeley. I used to tour the studio when I was a kid and was fascinated by their creations. I suggested to Darren Davis the president of Bluewater to partner with Distortions to develop another horror comic. Darren liked the idea, so we approached them with the concept. Distortions was enthusiastic about the partnership and green-lighted the project.
The entire series focuses on Distortions’ Rage animatronic. Described as half Neanderthal, half beast, and all fury, the Rage is one of Distortions’ most popular characters. Ed Edmunds, president of Distortions elaborates of the protagonist of the books. “Rage has been a fan favorite for years. The sheer size of the piece commands attention and really gives people a good scare. He’s a great character to base the series on.
The second issue of the series continues into the horror unleashed on the earth with the collapse of a mine. The plot was crafted with multiple, intertwining layers that combine fantasy and true-life events ripped from today’s headlines. Local Denver celebrities, Uncle Nasty and Matt Need from Clear Channel’s KBPI and Allana Rizzo from Rocky Mountain Fox Sports Net have lent their likeness to the project.
Crosier will bring a unique look to the books by illustrating with his watershed technique. All covers and interior pages of the series will be created with graphite on wood poplar panels. The books will have a high contrast, distressed, organic look.
The creative team will also include veteran inker Peter Palmiotti. Palmiotti has worked for a variety of comic publishers including Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and Image.”
To be sure this is a very nice continuation of the first issue we posted on many moons ago, feel free to go back and check out our archives. The coal miner theme is an interesting one as they weave the plot around the tunnels and fun things that below. I enjoy the imagination, the symmetry, and the artwork for this. Part of the reason I included the press release was so that the artwork was defined. It is a good fit here and helps elevate the mood of those inside the mine shaft, trying to save those that were injured in issue one. This story has style and substance to it, check it out and enjoy a good read. Here is the link to their website, prowl around it and have a nice time:
http://www.thothengine.net/
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
“Bluewater Productions presents a unique horror comic that revolves around existing full-scale monster and alien animatronics in the new series titled “Distortions Unlimited.
The three issue series is based off of licensed characters crafted by Distortions Unlimited based in Greeley, CO. Distortions is world-renowned for creating shocking props, masks and animatronics that have been the mainstay of the dark amusement industry for the last 30 years. The company is best known for reproducing the 16ft queen alien from the film “Alien” cast from the original molds, as well as designing the stage props for music industry icon Alice Cooper’s Brutal Planet tour.
Daniel Crosier, writer and illustrator on the series, has a unique connection with the project. “I grew up near the Distortions studio in Greeley. I used to tour the studio when I was a kid and was fascinated by their creations. I suggested to Darren Davis the president of Bluewater to partner with Distortions to develop another horror comic. Darren liked the idea, so we approached them with the concept. Distortions was enthusiastic about the partnership and green-lighted the project.
The entire series focuses on Distortions’ Rage animatronic. Described as half Neanderthal, half beast, and all fury, the Rage is one of Distortions’ most popular characters. Ed Edmunds, president of Distortions elaborates of the protagonist of the books. “Rage has been a fan favorite for years. The sheer size of the piece commands attention and really gives people a good scare. He’s a great character to base the series on.
The second issue of the series continues into the horror unleashed on the earth with the collapse of a mine. The plot was crafted with multiple, intertwining layers that combine fantasy and true-life events ripped from today’s headlines. Local Denver celebrities, Uncle Nasty and Matt Need from Clear Channel’s KBPI and Allana Rizzo from Rocky Mountain Fox Sports Net have lent their likeness to the project.
Crosier will bring a unique look to the books by illustrating with his watershed technique. All covers and interior pages of the series will be created with graphite on wood poplar panels. The books will have a high contrast, distressed, organic look.
The creative team will also include veteran inker Peter Palmiotti. Palmiotti has worked for a variety of comic publishers including Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and Image.”
To be sure this is a very nice continuation of the first issue we posted on many moons ago, feel free to go back and check out our archives. The coal miner theme is an interesting one as they weave the plot around the tunnels and fun things that below. I enjoy the imagination, the symmetry, and the artwork for this. Part of the reason I included the press release was so that the artwork was defined. It is a good fit here and helps elevate the mood of those inside the mine shaft, trying to save those that were injured in issue one. This story has style and substance to it, check it out and enjoy a good read. Here is the link to their website, prowl around it and have a nice time:
http://www.thothengine.net/
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Guest Post Mark Miller The Empyrical Tales
First, let me say thank you to Giovanni. It’s great to be here and hopefully meet some new readers!
My name’s Mark and as you can see from my own blog (http://empyricaltales.blogspot.com/), I’m only starting out as a blogger. I still have a lot to learn, despite the upcoming release of my second novel. Like my own blog, I wanted to do something different for the Scoop. I have a Theory of Firsts: the first sentence, first paragraph, first page and first chapter have to hook me. Too many times, if I’m not feeling it by the end of the first paragraph, then I may not enjoy the book or sometimes even finish it (kind of like my eight minute rule for movies). Try it with something like Great Expectations. When I start reading that one, I can’t stop. I’m not comparing anyone to Dickens, simply giving a good example of how the first page creates that needed hook for me. I have a couple new books waiting for me on my shelf and randomly pulled down Knight Errant by John Jackson Miller (no relation). Haven’t read it, haven’t even creased the paperback spine. What I thought might be interesting would be to do a review of the first page and only the first page. Now, if you’ll excuse me for a couple minutes, I’m going to read the first page of Knight Errant. Be right back...
Sorry. That took longer than I thought because it had a prologue. So, yes, I’m a Star Wars nerd and yes, I read the whole prologue. Then I read the first page of the first chapter. You can call a technical foul if you’d like, but I’m not going to count the prologue. Interestingly though, both the prologue and the first chapter start in a similar way. Both have a seemingly random character performing a seemingly random task. I say seemingly because I have very little idea what may be in store. I do know that good storytellers introduce their important characters early, so hopefully Narsk the Bothan doesn’t get disintegrated on the next page. The first sentence of the first chapter is “In Sith space, everyone is a slave.” I know this story takes place about a thousand years before Luke Skywalker and I know the Sith are some bad dudes. To me, this is a good first sentence. Sets a tone that allows for change. Slaves need to be freed or free themselves. I would like to see this as the basis for the character arc, although we have yet to meet the main character, Jedi Kerra Holt. The whole reason for any story is the character arc, the fundamental change of the character. Arthur becomes a great king, Luke becomes a Jedi. I anticipate that in some way Kerra frees herself from either literal or metaphorical slavery. However, our focus is page one, Narsk, hanging upside down in a high-security ventilation shaft. Sounds like he’s a slave doing Sith dirty work. Except, he thinks he’s special. Then Miller lays on some heavy sci-fi making SW Universe references and going techie with a special concealment suit. These are the kinds of things that fans of this genre look for in a good read. Then that’s it for the first page.
Based on what I read, would I read the whole book? Of course. But remember, I’m a nerd. Star Wars aside though, Miller puts us right inside his character’s head. He puts us in an unusual predicament, literally a cliff-hanger on the first page. I have to wonder if Narsk is hanging upside down to clean the vents or is this how he is infiltrating a high-security area? Are you going to read this based on my opinion of the first page? If you’re a fan of Star Wars novels, then I expect this to be a good one.
Mark Miller is the author of The Empyrical Tales, a fantasy-adventure series. Book II: The Lost Queen will be available May 1, 2011. Look for the upcoming review on Gelati’s Scoop. For more info on the series and author visit: www.MillerWords.com or Facebook.
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
My name’s Mark and as you can see from my own blog (http://empyricaltales.blogspot.com/), I’m only starting out as a blogger. I still have a lot to learn, despite the upcoming release of my second novel. Like my own blog, I wanted to do something different for the Scoop. I have a Theory of Firsts: the first sentence, first paragraph, first page and first chapter have to hook me. Too many times, if I’m not feeling it by the end of the first paragraph, then I may not enjoy the book or sometimes even finish it (kind of like my eight minute rule for movies). Try it with something like Great Expectations. When I start reading that one, I can’t stop. I’m not comparing anyone to Dickens, simply giving a good example of how the first page creates that needed hook for me. I have a couple new books waiting for me on my shelf and randomly pulled down Knight Errant by John Jackson Miller (no relation). Haven’t read it, haven’t even creased the paperback spine. What I thought might be interesting would be to do a review of the first page and only the first page. Now, if you’ll excuse me for a couple minutes, I’m going to read the first page of Knight Errant. Be right back...
Sorry. That took longer than I thought because it had a prologue. So, yes, I’m a Star Wars nerd and yes, I read the whole prologue. Then I read the first page of the first chapter. You can call a technical foul if you’d like, but I’m not going to count the prologue. Interestingly though, both the prologue and the first chapter start in a similar way. Both have a seemingly random character performing a seemingly random task. I say seemingly because I have very little idea what may be in store. I do know that good storytellers introduce their important characters early, so hopefully Narsk the Bothan doesn’t get disintegrated on the next page. The first sentence of the first chapter is “In Sith space, everyone is a slave.” I know this story takes place about a thousand years before Luke Skywalker and I know the Sith are some bad dudes. To me, this is a good first sentence. Sets a tone that allows for change. Slaves need to be freed or free themselves. I would like to see this as the basis for the character arc, although we have yet to meet the main character, Jedi Kerra Holt. The whole reason for any story is the character arc, the fundamental change of the character. Arthur becomes a great king, Luke becomes a Jedi. I anticipate that in some way Kerra frees herself from either literal or metaphorical slavery. However, our focus is page one, Narsk, hanging upside down in a high-security ventilation shaft. Sounds like he’s a slave doing Sith dirty work. Except, he thinks he’s special. Then Miller lays on some heavy sci-fi making SW Universe references and going techie with a special concealment suit. These are the kinds of things that fans of this genre look for in a good read. Then that’s it for the first page.
Based on what I read, would I read the whole book? Of course. But remember, I’m a nerd. Star Wars aside though, Miller puts us right inside his character’s head. He puts us in an unusual predicament, literally a cliff-hanger on the first page. I have to wonder if Narsk is hanging upside down to clean the vents or is this how he is infiltrating a high-security area? Are you going to read this based on my opinion of the first page? If you’re a fan of Star Wars novels, then I expect this to be a good one.
Mark Miller is the author of The Empyrical Tales, a fantasy-adventure series. Book II: The Lost Queen will be available May 1, 2011. Look for the upcoming review on Gelati’s Scoop. For more info on the series and author visit: www.MillerWords.com or Facebook.
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
Monday, March 7, 2011
Preston/Child Gideon's Sword
Sincerely, this is my first read of this dynamic duo. Go ahead and chuckle at my expense, I understand. Interesting plotline in Gideon’s Sword: A family wronged and father framed by a government employee to cover his tracks as many people die heinous deaths for no reason other than the government employee’s stupidity and arrogance. Original and thought provoking, I mean the way they went about it, the narrative, not the over used and tired plotline, hahaha, gotcha. Really though, let’s check out what is between the sheets:
“Gideon Crew has a lot on his mind. His mother has died, but only after revealing on her deathbed the true story of his father's murder. Reeling and thirsting for revenge, this talented operative must confront an even more pressing matter: He was been enlisted to steal plans for a Chinese megaweapon from a defecting scientist. Trademark Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child action and suspense in a new series starter.”
I didn’t know they had a trademark but they made a fast impression on this reader. Action, suspense, fun, wit the whole nine yards: this is one fast engaging read. Any one following my posts or has through my archives, understands this type of novel is right in my wheelhouse, but I have to say that it separated itself from the pack. There is nothing tired, old or even stogy about this except the early premise of the death bed confession by Gideon’s mom about the cover-up surrounding his father’s death. The manner of delivery, the high drama and tension delivered inside the covers more than makes up for the same old same script. The dialogue is fresh and crisp, the characters rich and inviting, the prose of the authors intense and gripping. Okay I liked, I think you got the point. If you get the chance pick this up and give it a go, have some fun with Gideon and the gang.
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new Blogtalk Radio Show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
“Gideon Crew has a lot on his mind. His mother has died, but only after revealing on her deathbed the true story of his father's murder. Reeling and thirsting for revenge, this talented operative must confront an even more pressing matter: He was been enlisted to steal plans for a Chinese megaweapon from a defecting scientist. Trademark Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child action and suspense in a new series starter.”
I didn’t know they had a trademark but they made a fast impression on this reader. Action, suspense, fun, wit the whole nine yards: this is one fast engaging read. Any one following my posts or has through my archives, understands this type of novel is right in my wheelhouse, but I have to say that it separated itself from the pack. There is nothing tired, old or even stogy about this except the early premise of the death bed confession by Gideon’s mom about the cover-up surrounding his father’s death. The manner of delivery, the high drama and tension delivered inside the covers more than makes up for the same old same script. The dialogue is fresh and crisp, the characters rich and inviting, the prose of the authors intense and gripping. Okay I liked, I think you got the point. If you get the chance pick this up and give it a go, have some fun with Gideon and the gang.
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new Blogtalk Radio Show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Digital short Saturday Brother "Big Daddy" Abel OPEN MIC
“Brother” Giovanni gets on the board with this one. Confused, I am sure you are. You would have to read the disclaimer, (which I wrote-wink, wink), in the beginning of Open Mic to understand how I came Brother Giovanni; I am not giving that away. This is the first time I am in a published work; I am pumped and honored. FYI: BDA, as he is known to his many fans, will be on our blogtalk show twice this month. March 8th for the roundtable discussion @ 3pm and then again by his lonesome self on March 22nd @ 2.30 pm EST. This digital short is moving up the charts and has gotten many 5 star reviews on Amazon and Smashwords. I am going to add mine to them today. Here’s the deal. Big Daddy Abel is part of The Amish Outlaws, a really good band; he sings and plays the guitar. I put their You Tube videos up on my Facebook wall on occasion. Please go to their website for a good chuckle and to learn more about them; half of the band is actually Amish. My family is going to be partying with them on March 26th @ the Parx Casino right near our house; feel free to join us. Maybe I will get my picture taken with him this time. Last time he was swamped by drunken women the entire time; what was I, a cute Italian guy to do? But I digress. Enough of this, you are wondering what is a rock singer/guitar wielding, honorary Amish guy doing writing relevant, poignant, touching non-fiction? Here is a little something for you about it:
“Brother ‘Big Daddy’ Abel of The Amish Outlaws, wears his heart on his sleeve, and has his ‘real’ heart in the right place. He lays himself emotionally naked for us to read, ponder and absorb. This, my ‘Brothers’, is real, at times all too real. Be prepared; guard yourself, as ‘Big Daddy’ takes you for a ‘real’ ride into his real mind, real heart and real soul.
Hi.
Introductions may be in order, yes? Only proper thing to do I think. I am Big Daddy Abel. A singer, guitar player, entertainer in a band called The Amish Outlaws. Yes, AMISH Outlaws. Three of the guys in the band are Amish. Three are not. I'm one of the NOT. Before you go asking all the ‘How can you...’ questions about Amish life, I invite you to go to our website and read this: http://www.amishoutlaws.com . Now that THAT is out of the way...Usually my ‘job’ is to entertain. Getting people to laugh, dance and sing and just have a good fun time. However, at times... my mind goes beyond that. It goes a little deeper and sometimes, as I've been told, a little TOO deep. Giovanni Gelati or Brother Giovanni, as he has been dubbed by the band, invited me to share some of my rambling thoughts with people. You in particular. Yes, YOU. Unless you're reading out loud, then I mean "you" in the plural sense. (I used to be a school teacher in my former life. Shhh! Don't tell anyone:) Thank you for giving/sharing your time here with ‘my thoughts’. I hope you feel something positive on the other end of it all. “
Hopefully you follow this blog, if you don’t, welcome and thanks for stopping by; the point is I don’t read too much non-fiction. Life is all too real for me so I pass on much of non-fiction reads. Open Mic is a nice window into a mind, heart and soul of someone that has had an assortment of life experiences and uses them to his advantage. Big Daddy’s take on life and his opinions are interesting, thought provoking and compelling reads. You know me with a digital short, for a buck, getting into this guy’s cranium and looking at life through his eyes is a bargain, if not a steal. I am going to make sure I stay current with his work; I quickly have become interested in his opinion and have no difficulty separating that from the performer. After reading this though, I can see his motivation, where he gets his passion for the person he has created on the stage and the guy that so casually and compassionately gives of himself to those that chose to see him dress in the garb of the Plain folks. The smiles he gives those that he so graciously takes pictures with is genuine, not fake. He is not just placating those slightly intoxicated women. It seems he does what he does best; he wears his heart and thoughts on his sleeve, just like here in the digital non-fiction series he has started, Open Mic. Give this a try and see where it may take you; the challenges and insights he has may open new doors and windows in your mind, body and soul. Besides that, you get to read a really cool disclaimer that I wrote.
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new Blogtalk Radio Show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
“Brother ‘Big Daddy’ Abel of The Amish Outlaws, wears his heart on his sleeve, and has his ‘real’ heart in the right place. He lays himself emotionally naked for us to read, ponder and absorb. This, my ‘Brothers’, is real, at times all too real. Be prepared; guard yourself, as ‘Big Daddy’ takes you for a ‘real’ ride into his real mind, real heart and real soul.
Hi.
Introductions may be in order, yes? Only proper thing to do I think. I am Big Daddy Abel. A singer, guitar player, entertainer in a band called The Amish Outlaws. Yes, AMISH Outlaws. Three of the guys in the band are Amish. Three are not. I'm one of the NOT. Before you go asking all the ‘How can you...’ questions about Amish life, I invite you to go to our website and read this: http://www.amishoutlaws.com . Now that THAT is out of the way...Usually my ‘job’ is to entertain. Getting people to laugh, dance and sing and just have a good fun time. However, at times... my mind goes beyond that. It goes a little deeper and sometimes, as I've been told, a little TOO deep. Giovanni Gelati or Brother Giovanni, as he has been dubbed by the band, invited me to share some of my rambling thoughts with people. You in particular. Yes, YOU. Unless you're reading out loud, then I mean "you" in the plural sense. (I used to be a school teacher in my former life. Shhh! Don't tell anyone:) Thank you for giving/sharing your time here with ‘my thoughts’. I hope you feel something positive on the other end of it all. “
Hopefully you follow this blog, if you don’t, welcome and thanks for stopping by; the point is I don’t read too much non-fiction. Life is all too real for me so I pass on much of non-fiction reads. Open Mic is a nice window into a mind, heart and soul of someone that has had an assortment of life experiences and uses them to his advantage. Big Daddy’s take on life and his opinions are interesting, thought provoking and compelling reads. You know me with a digital short, for a buck, getting into this guy’s cranium and looking at life through his eyes is a bargain, if not a steal. I am going to make sure I stay current with his work; I quickly have become interested in his opinion and have no difficulty separating that from the performer. After reading this though, I can see his motivation, where he gets his passion for the person he has created on the stage and the guy that so casually and compassionately gives of himself to those that chose to see him dress in the garb of the Plain folks. The smiles he gives those that he so graciously takes pictures with is genuine, not fake. He is not just placating those slightly intoxicated women. It seems he does what he does best; he wears his heart and thoughts on his sleeve, just like here in the digital non-fiction series he has started, Open Mic. Give this a try and see where it may take you; the challenges and insights he has may open new doors and windows in your mind, body and soul. Besides that, you get to read a really cool disclaimer that I wrote.
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new Blogtalk Radio Show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
Digital short Saturday Barry Eisler The Lost Coast
Hey, I love hearing from everybody, but the emails on this one for me have been way off the scale. Barry Eisler goes rogue, self –publishes his own short story, goes a bit further than maybe he has with this character in the past, and then to complete the trifecta charges $2.99 for the digital short story. That my friend is where the rub lies for most of you, and I want to present my own caution in this matter. Think about what you are doing as a reader first with this. What do I mean? My opinion, and it is mine and mine alone, will be after I put in my two cents about the content of this digital short. Barry Eisler’s writing for me is intense, enjoyable consistent, and point on. The Lost Coast shocked me how far he went with it. Here is the synopsis:
“For Larison, a man off the grid and on the run, the sleepy northern California town of Arcata, gateway to the state's fabled Lost Coast, seems like a perfect place to disappear for a while. But Arcata isn't nearly as sleepy as it seems, and when three locals decide Larison would make a perfect target for their twisted sport, Larison exacts a lifetime of vengeance in one explosive evening.
Warning: this story is intended for mature audiences, and contains depictions of sexual activity, though perhaps not in the way you're expecting. 6600 words. Includes an excerpt from the new John Rain novel, The Detachment (available soon), featuring Larison, Rain, Dox, Treven, and the other characters you love. “
I was surprised, shocked and still a bit in contemplative mode on this one. Yes, I am still giving it five stars, the guy has a way with words that few do. He has descriptive ability that few possess. I felt I was in the woods, or walking through the small town, my finger constantly popping the button on the Kindle, the pages changing at a nasty pace. Then, boom. I am done. I had the same feeling when I was reading the Steve Berry short. Why? Maybe my mind is conditioned when I am reading Eisler that his novels are greater in length, and yet I know I downloaded a digital short. I am not going to figure that out, so I have given up on that one. I am going to have guessed that since this was self-published and not the usual publisher’s umbrella he was able to go a bit further, a bit more graphic with the plotline. Giving parts away is not my gig so you can relax. The warning is there for a reason, heed it. Now here is the rub, and my opinion, what about the price?
Pricing on ebooks in general is all over the place. Did I enjoy paying $2.99 for this? No, but then again I don’t like to download a pay per view movie for $3.99 or $4.99 when I know I should have Redboxed it for $.99. The author is a favorite of mine so I paid the premium, and yes, I am being honest in saying I bought it. I don’t get free books from everybody; I still even go to the library every week. I like the library. Back to my point: there has been some venom lately in leaving star counts and reviews when people feel that the price on a piece of work is too high. My thoughts, if you don’t buy it, don’t be a hater. Don’t leave a nasty one star or no star review because the “Big Six” or an author priced something in a fashion that was not to your liking. I love living in America; we can make choices.
Rock bands got hammered this summer because fans did not want to pay through the nose to see them. The market bears out- supply and demand. Don’t purchase- the price will eventually drop. If someone thinks their work is worthy of the price they can put it up for, let them and see what happens. Would this digital short story fly if it was priced at $.99? I am not an economist, just a reader. My thoughts are though, judge on what is produced if you purchase it, the true content and worth for what you purchased, not just the price. I have yet to see a gun coming out from a Kindle, aiming itself at someone and forcing them to click on a download. Be fair, be honest, don’t hate. Can we all just get along? Love and Peace to all, The G-Man
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new Blogtalk Radio Show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
“For Larison, a man off the grid and on the run, the sleepy northern California town of Arcata, gateway to the state's fabled Lost Coast, seems like a perfect place to disappear for a while. But Arcata isn't nearly as sleepy as it seems, and when three locals decide Larison would make a perfect target for their twisted sport, Larison exacts a lifetime of vengeance in one explosive evening.
Warning: this story is intended for mature audiences, and contains depictions of sexual activity, though perhaps not in the way you're expecting. 6600 words. Includes an excerpt from the new John Rain novel, The Detachment (available soon), featuring Larison, Rain, Dox, Treven, and the other characters you love. “
I was surprised, shocked and still a bit in contemplative mode on this one. Yes, I am still giving it five stars, the guy has a way with words that few do. He has descriptive ability that few possess. I felt I was in the woods, or walking through the small town, my finger constantly popping the button on the Kindle, the pages changing at a nasty pace. Then, boom. I am done. I had the same feeling when I was reading the Steve Berry short. Why? Maybe my mind is conditioned when I am reading Eisler that his novels are greater in length, and yet I know I downloaded a digital short. I am not going to figure that out, so I have given up on that one. I am going to have guessed that since this was self-published and not the usual publisher’s umbrella he was able to go a bit further, a bit more graphic with the plotline. Giving parts away is not my gig so you can relax. The warning is there for a reason, heed it. Now here is the rub, and my opinion, what about the price?
Pricing on ebooks in general is all over the place. Did I enjoy paying $2.99 for this? No, but then again I don’t like to download a pay per view movie for $3.99 or $4.99 when I know I should have Redboxed it for $.99. The author is a favorite of mine so I paid the premium, and yes, I am being honest in saying I bought it. I don’t get free books from everybody; I still even go to the library every week. I like the library. Back to my point: there has been some venom lately in leaving star counts and reviews when people feel that the price on a piece of work is too high. My thoughts, if you don’t buy it, don’t be a hater. Don’t leave a nasty one star or no star review because the “Big Six” or an author priced something in a fashion that was not to your liking. I love living in America; we can make choices.
Rock bands got hammered this summer because fans did not want to pay through the nose to see them. The market bears out- supply and demand. Don’t purchase- the price will eventually drop. If someone thinks their work is worthy of the price they can put it up for, let them and see what happens. Would this digital short story fly if it was priced at $.99? I am not an economist, just a reader. My thoughts are though, judge on what is produced if you purchase it, the true content and worth for what you purchased, not just the price. I have yet to see a gun coming out from a Kindle, aiming itself at someone and forcing them to click on a download. Be fair, be honest, don’t hate. Can we all just get along? Love and Peace to all, The G-Man
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new Blogtalk Radio Show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
Friday, March 4, 2011
Graphic Novel Friday Janet Evanovich Troublemaker
TGIF, and welcome to another doubleheader here @ The Scoop. Tomorrow is Digital short Saturday and we have another doubleheader coming at you. First up is Barry Eisler’s The Lost Coast, and then later in day is Big Daddy Abel’s Open Mic. His debut is making noise on Amazon Kindle garnering almost 20, 5 star reviews in its first week of release. Good stuff as far as I am concerned. Okay, enough of that, put on your cape and cowl and to the graphic novel, “Holy novelist crossing over to graphic novels Batman”:
“Janet Evanovich, the New York Times #1 best-selling author of Finger Lickin' Fifteen, brings Alexandra Barnaby and Sam Hooker, from the hit Barnaby novels Metro Girl and Motor Mouth, to Dark Horse Comics with her debut graphic novel - Troublemaker!
Alex Barnaby and Sam Hooker are back together and fighting crime the only way they know how - by leaving a trail of chaos, panic, and disorder. Alex, an auto mechanic and spotter for racecar driver Sam Hooker, is drawn to trouble like a giant palmetto bug to a day-old taco. Unfortunately, she's also drawn to Hooker in the same fashion. There's no steering clear of trouble or Hooker when friends Rosa and Felicia call for help. A man has gone missing, and in order to find him Barnaby and Hooker will have to go deep into the underbelly of Miami and south Florida, surviving Petro Voodoo, explosions, gift- wrapped body parts, a deadly swamp chase, and Hooker's mom. “
Barnaby and Hooker are fun, the dog is a nice added bonus and I feel that Evanovich made a nice choice in choosing to use this franchise as the one she crossed over with. The artwork made the story pop and enjoyable, the pages were easy to read and flip through, overall it was nice to see the characters have an added dimension. I have read the previous two novels but would not have been lost or at a loss if I had not read them. This stood on its own from beginning to end. The plotline was truly simplistic, there is no earth shattering twists and turns, just the usual Janet Evanovich fun ,flair and frivolity. I like the three f’s when she does it right. Who is your favorite Janet Evanovich character?
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
“Janet Evanovich, the New York Times #1 best-selling author of Finger Lickin' Fifteen, brings Alexandra Barnaby and Sam Hooker, from the hit Barnaby novels Metro Girl and Motor Mouth, to Dark Horse Comics with her debut graphic novel - Troublemaker!
Alex Barnaby and Sam Hooker are back together and fighting crime the only way they know how - by leaving a trail of chaos, panic, and disorder. Alex, an auto mechanic and spotter for racecar driver Sam Hooker, is drawn to trouble like a giant palmetto bug to a day-old taco. Unfortunately, she's also drawn to Hooker in the same fashion. There's no steering clear of trouble or Hooker when friends Rosa and Felicia call for help. A man has gone missing, and in order to find him Barnaby and Hooker will have to go deep into the underbelly of Miami and south Florida, surviving Petro Voodoo, explosions, gift- wrapped body parts, a deadly swamp chase, and Hooker's mom. “
Barnaby and Hooker are fun, the dog is a nice added bonus and I feel that Evanovich made a nice choice in choosing to use this franchise as the one she crossed over with. The artwork made the story pop and enjoyable, the pages were easy to read and flip through, overall it was nice to see the characters have an added dimension. I have read the previous two novels but would not have been lost or at a loss if I had not read them. This stood on its own from beginning to end. The plotline was truly simplistic, there is no earth shattering twists and turns, just the usual Janet Evanovich fun ,flair and frivolity. I like the three f’s when she does it right. Who is your favorite Janet Evanovich character?
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
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