Merry Christmas, everyone! As a special promotion, select Tinnie Press e-book titles will be available for just $0.99 from now through Christmas Day. Just click on the "Wesley Winter series" or "Suspense" tabs above and download your copy (or copies!) now!
Again, Merry Christmas!
With the release of "Moonlight and Claws" coming on October 15, I would like to take this opportunity to share an excerpt from my short story, "The Hired Fang." This is the same excerpt that the editors are currently using on Facebook to promote the anthology.
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The man smiled amicably at her as she got out of the car. He had an air of expectation about him, reminding her of the instructions she had received.
"Are the fish biting?" she asked. It was a strange question, given that the pond was a hundred yards away and kids were splashing around, no doubt scaring off the fish. Nevertheless, she stuck to the script.
The man nodded. "They're always biting if you use the right bait."
It was the response that she had been told to expect, but that didn't help her nerves much. "Are you Mr. Marsh?" Assuming that's your real name.
"That's right. And you must be Ms. Holden?"
"Please, call me Amy."
"If you don't mind, Ms. Holden, I like to keep things businesslike...."
"Please, I'm nervous enough."
"Very well. Have a seat, Amy." He opened the cooler and fished out a store-brand grape soda with his good arm. "Thirsty?"
"Um, not really. I'm trying to cut back on sugar..."
"Bottled water?"
Amy nodded. The heat was already getting to her, and she knew it would only get worse. "Actually, I would like one of those. Thank you."
"So let's get right down to it, Amy. We're meeting because you want somebody to die."
Amy flinched. His directness seemed particularly jarring in contrast to the otherwise idyllic campground. She looked around nervously to see if anyone else had heard him. Everyone at the pond was seemingly oblivious to them. "Well, I..."
His half-smile was surprisingly sympathetic as he leaned back in his chair. "Please forgive me. I get so used to this that I forget how extreme it is for everybody else. What I mean to say is, somebody had wronged you, you want justice, and the law can't touch them for whatever reason."
A bird chirped in the background as Amy fidgeted in her seat. Kids were splashing in the water, shouting and laughing. Everything else in the world was normal except for their meeting. "Yes, sir."
"Why don't you tell me about it?"
"Do you really think you can help me?"
Marsh smiled and held up his left hand, then lowered it. When he brought it up again, it was covered with fur and had razor sharp claws at the ends of his fingers. Amy gasped in spite of herself. He repeated the prestidigitation and held up his hand again, normal once more. "Let's just say I have a rather unique skill set."
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"Moonlight and Claws" is available in both print and e-book format on October 15. Check it out, and thanks again for your continued support.
UPDATE: Moonlight and Claws: Classic Monsters Anthology 1, featuring my short story "The Hired Fang," will be released on October 15! Here's the blurb:
The Wolfman.
Where does the Hollywood version end and folklore begin? What is the truth
about the wolfman, the werewolf, the were, the lycan, the skinwalker and shapeshifter?
You know what? It doesn't matter!
Because here between these pages, we invite you to explore and enjoy and shiver and
cry and laugh and cheer and sigh and even fall in love with the amazing imaginations of
seventeen authors, who explore their own particular twists and turns and reflections on
just what it means -- or could mean -- to be the Wolf.
Just which version do you believe in? Lost soul -- cursed victim -- avenger -- motherless
child -- star-crossed lover -- lonely heart -- healer -- music lover -- loyal friend -- hero?
Which version of the Wolfman most resonates with you?
Open the book, explore, and find out.
He could be someone you know. He could be the "boy next door." He could be you …
My story, "The Hired Fang," deals with the "avenger" version. I'll share an excerpt in the next few days. I hope you'll like it and all of the other excellent stories in this collection when it is released on October 15. Thanks for your continued support!
March, 1993: Wesley Winter struggles to keep his grandparents' aging hotel afloat by renting extended-stay rooms to a motley crew of cast-offs who are constantly at each others' throats.
When a freak blizzard snows everyone in, Wesley learns that one of them is the Outcast, a psychotic killer and self-appointed executioner of sinners on God's behalf.
Now Wesley must discover the killer's true identity before they all become victims of the Outcast's deadly judgment....
April, 1993: Wesley Winter and his family make the difficult decision to place his grandfather Homer into a nursing home as his Alzheimer's symptoms worsen.
When a mysterious old lady named Ms. Glad tells Wesley that someone known as the Death Angel is killing residents, he doesn't want to believe her...until he is confronted with undeniable proof that a killer is at work.
Now Wesley and his friends must solve the mystery before his grandfather becomes the next victim, but the Death Angel isn't the only killer with designs on Homer's life....
Day of Reckoning (Wesley Winter #3)
June, 1993: Wesley Winter fears for his grandfather's safety after he learns that an old enemy, long thought dead, is still alive and has come back for revenge.
When the enemy begins to target and abduct Wesley's loved ones, he is left with an unthinkable choice: Their lives in exchange for his grandfather.
Now Wesley must face the enemy in one final confrontation with everyone's lives on the line, including his own...
Hey everybody, I just wanted to take a moment to announce that my short story "The Hired Fang" will be included in the upcoming "Moonlight and Claws" anthology from Ye Olde Dragon Books, currently scheduled for an October release. That's about all I can say right now, but stay tuned for more to come as October draws nearer! Thanks again for your continued support!
March, 1993: Wesley Winter struggles to keep his grandparents' aging hotel afloat by renting extended-stay rooms to a motley crew of cast-offs who are constantly at each others' throats.
When a freak blizzard snows everyone in, Wesley learns that one of them is the Outcast, a psychotic killer and self-appointed executioner of sinners on God's behalf.
Now Wesley must discover the killer's true identity before they all become victims of the Outcast's deadly judgment....
April, 1993: Wesley Winter and his family make the difficult decision to place his grandfather Homer into a nursing home as his Alzheimer's symptoms worsen.
When a mysterious old lady named Ms. Glad tells Wesley that someone known as the Death Angel is killing residents, he doesn't want to believe her...until he is confronted with undeniable proof that a killer is at work.
Now Wesley and his friends must solve the mystery before his grandfather becomes the next victim, but the Death Angel isn't the only killer with designs on Homer's life....
Day of Reckoning (Wesley Winter #3)
June, 1993: Wesley Winter fears for his grandfather's safety after he learns that an old enemy, long thought dead, is still alive and has come back for revenge.
When the enemy begins to target and abduct Wesley's loved ones, he is left with an unthinkable choice: Their lives in exchange for his grandfather.
Now Wesley must face the enemy in one final confrontation with everyone's lives on the line, including his own...
June, 1993: Wesley Winter fears for his grandfather's safety after he learns that an old enemy, long thought dead, is still alive and has come back for revenge.
When the enemy begins to target and abduct Wesley's loved ones, he is left with an unthinkable choice: Their lives in exchange for his grandfather.
Now Wesley must face the enemy in one final confrontation with everyone's lives on the line, including his own...
As always, reviews are welcome and encouraged, whether on the platform where you purchased the book or on www.goodreads.com. Thank you for your continued support!
As we approach the May 18th release date for Book #3 in the Wesley Winter triology, "Day of Reckoning," the e-book versions of "Dead of Winter" and "Valley of the Shadow" will be on sale for $0.99 until May 17th. If you have not read the first two books of this series, now is a great opportunity to download your copies and get caught up with Wesley and his adventures. Just click here to be redirected to the series page, where you can download your copies for the e-reader of your choice. Thank you for your continued support!
Today is May 1, which means that the short story anthology "When Your Beauty IS the Beast" is now available in both print and Kindle formats. It includes my short story, "Skin Deep," which has to do with a missing beauty queen and a very unusual mirror. Here's an excerpt:
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The book also features stories from other talented writers. Click on over to Amazon and check it out!
#whenyourbeautyisthebeast
On Tuesday, May 18, the third book of the Wesley Winter trilogy, "Day of Reckoning," will be released.The e-book version is available for pre-order now from a number of distributors.
June, 1993: Wesley Winter fears for his grandfather's safety after he learns that an old enemy, long thought dead, is still alive and has come back for revenge. When the enemy begins to target and abduct Wesley's loved ones, he is left with an unthinkable choice: Their lives in exchange for his grandfather. Now Wesley must face the enemy in one final confrontation with everyone's lives on the line, including his own...
The release date of May 18 has special significance. It would have been the 99th birthday of my late grandmother (and Tinnie Press namesake) Tinnie Setzer, who played a large part in cultivating my love for the mystery/suspense genre. With that said, this release date seemed like perfect timing.
Stay tuned, as there will be special promotions coming soon, not only for this book but also for the other two books in the
Wesley Winter series. As always, thank you for your continued support!
On May 1, the short story anthology "When Your Beauty IS the Beast" will be released. The Kindle version is available for pre-order on Amazon now, and the print version will be available soon. Here's the blurb from Amazon:
A marriage counselor who has never been in love...
A missing beauty queen with an oversized ego...
A hunter crippled by his own ambition...
Settlers on their way to a new home in the Rockies in 1848...
A jeweler's obsession...
A hero-tuber and a mystery man trapped in a haunted house...
Infatuation and ego aboard a space ship bound for a new world...
Curses, plants, and shapeshifters in a South American garden...
A gamers' quest with unconventional challenges...
A castle and a beast being strangled by roses --and a curse...
A princess' problematic seventeenth birthday and the curses surrounding it...
And a castle besieged by ice and basilisks!
What do all these things have in common? They are all variations on the Beauty and the Beast retelling. Fall in love with an old fairy tale in a whole new way as you enter their worlds and find enchantment!
My short story, "Skin Deep," is included (it's the missing beauty queen story). So click here to pre-order your copy today!
#whenyourbeautyisthebeast
Tomorrow is the day!
The updated versions of the first two books in the Wesley Winter trilogy, "Dead of Winter" and "Valley of the Shadow," will be released tomorrow, April 6. These are mystery/suspense stories centering on small town amateur detective Wesley Winter and his friends.
Just click here to be redirected to the Wesley Winter series page.
Also, stay tuned...an announcement about Book 3 is coming soon! Thank you for your continued support!
Just a reminder: The updated versions of the first two books in the Wesley Winter trilogy, "Dead of Winter" and "Valley of the Shadow," will be released on Tuesday, April 6. Just click here to be redirected to the Wesley Winter series page to pre-order your e-book copy today.
Also, stay tuned...an announcement about Book 3 is coming soon! Thank you for your continued support!
Perhaps the most significant improvement is that these titles will no longer be limited to Amazon only. They will now be available across a variety of platforms, including Apple, Barnes and Noble (Nook), Kobo, and others...and of course Kindle.
The e-book versions are available for pre-order at the links below. Print versions will be available for pre-order soon.
Dead of Winter (Wesley Winter Book #1)
Valley of the Shadow (Wesley Winter Book #2)
You may have noticed that I referred to the Wesley Winter series as a trilogy, even though there are only two books listed. "Wait," you say, "wouldn't there have to be three books to make a trilogy?"
And you would be correct, so I "May" have to make a big announcement soon....
From now through Feb. 15, "The Watchman Chronicles" is available for a special promotional price of $0.99 (regularly $1.99) on a number of online retailers such as Kindle, iBooks, Nook, Kobo, etc. It consists of two previously published short stories, "The Watchman" and "The Widows Greer."
