Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Wednesday Briefs: An Unholy Alliance #5 (2.2)

Good morning and Happy Hump Day ! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts. 

Unable to stop himself from falling asleep after a full meal, Char awakens to find himself inside Tyrone's tent. He leaves the tent to find Tyrone cooking breakfast over a fire. See what's happening in this week's chapter of An Unholy Alliance. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

An Unholy Alliance #5 (2.2)

“Morning, Char! Feeling better? Come sit down by the fire. I’m making us some breakfast. I’ll be done here in just a second.”

Again with the familiarity?  I didn’t know whether I was mad about that or just irritated because he talked so damn much. Being on my own, I wasn’t used to early morning conversations. But I bit my tongue rather than let him know he’d managed to annoy me. Oh well, I wouldn’t have to endure him for much longer, now that I had shaken off my torpor of the night before. Couldn’t hurt to eat a little something before I took my leave, could it?  Although there was the nagging question of what to do with the reason for my somnolence. Half of me thought I should bury him and call it a day, and the other half said let Tyrone deal with any fallout. But common sense prevailed. This man could potentially identify me, if questioned by the authorities. As chatty as he was, I had no reason to think he wouldn’t spill the beans with just the slightest encouragement. And grin while doing it.

Didn’t matter if I’d never admitted to him what I was, and had no intention of doing so. Suspicion was in and of itself bad enough. The last thing the Families wanted was to draw attention to their existence. Even if I wasn’t currently with my family, I couldn’t just go against years of ingrained privacy.

Since there was no seating of any type in evidence, I grudgingly settled cross-legged onto the ground on the other side of the fire, barely managing not to roll my eyes as I put a healthy distance between us. I took another sniff, still trying to place the scent. Beef? Pork? I couldn’t tell. Still waking up, I guess.  A quick glance into the skillet told me he’d added sliced potatoes, or maybe some kind of root vegetable. Who did he think he was, the backwoods Julia Child? Not that I considered this gourmet by any means. Still, it was here and it was free.

“Okay,” I finally responded. If he was hoping for a lengthier reply, he didn’t show it. Nothing seemed to faze him, not even my surly side.

Critically examining the contents of the skillet, he seemed satisfied with what he saw, took the pan off the heat and set it carefully on the ground beside him. Then he picked up a large serving spoon and a gray plastic plate and filled the dish with half the contents of the pan, before adding a plastic knife and fork and offering it to me. “Here you go! Bon appétit!”

Leaning toward him, I took the plate from him and managed a fairly sincere thank you, sitting back while he served himself. The aroma was definitely interesting. Seasoned, even. So he wasn’t a complete hillbilly, although first impressions are often correct. And we were in the middle of the Ozark Mountains.

I know, a strange place to find a vampire, but that was neither here nor there at the moment.

I was surprised to find that what I had assumed to be cheap plastic utensils turned out to be flatware possessed of a sturdier tensile strength. Perhaps he’d purchased this at an army surplus store. Or maybe Survivalists had their own online store where one could amass all sorts of interesting paraphernalia specifically designed for those who anticipated having to live off the land someday. Well, why not? The Families had their own website. Sanguisfamila.com. Literally means blood families. But don’t bother to look it up. The site requires a password in order to gain access.

Whoever said vampires couldn’t keep step with the changing times? Welcome to the twenty-first century. The six families maintain contact with one another through the site, as well as with texts and emails. Rather mandatory in order to survive in a world in which we would be hunted down and killed should we make our presence known. Hence the major reason for secrecy.

The meat was tender, I had to give it that much. The knife slid through it rather handily. I forked a small piece and brought it apprehensively to my lips then took it in.

Pork. I think. I couldn’t place all of the spices, but whatever they were they worked well.

“I usually add a little gravy, but I ran out of flour. Next time,” he said cheerily.

“No problem,” I said. Not that I intended there to be a next time. Although a touch of gravy would be nice. Maybe even with a little wine.

What was I thinking? I shook off the idea and kept eating.

“I found some wild parsnips,” he continued. “They kinda remind me of sweet potatoes, don’t you think?”

Frankly, I didn’t care. I grunted something noncommittal. He never acted in the least offended.

“Gravy would be good on those too, I think. Or a little butter. I sometimes get butter but it doesn’t last long without refrigeration. Hard to do in a tent.” He sounded rather apologetic, as if he’d done something wrong.

“Doesn’t matter.” I waved my fork in the air in punctuation. Why I felt the need to ease his guilt, I couldn’t say. Maybe because I could feel the minutes until my departure ticking away. Metaphorically speaking, not actually.

I finished everything on my plate and almost wished there was more. Never mind. I had things to do, places to be. Beginning with corpse disposal.

I decided to take a look at last night’s meal so I could better decide what to do. I glided to the car and opened the back seat, but it was empty.

What the hell?

Had Tyrone, for whatever misguided albeit well-meaning reason, buried the guy for me? He seemed the type to do something like that.

Or… a more sinister thought occurred to me.

No… that couldn’t be… I mean, could it?

My stomach gave a little lurch.

 to be continued

Now go visit the other Briefers and see what's up!


 Cia Nordwell

J Ray Lamb

 

 

 

 


Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Book Review: Shadowshaper (The Shadowshaper Cyper, Book 1) by Daniel José Older

 

Shadowshaper (The Shadowshaper Cypher, Book 1)     


Author: Daniel José Older

Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books

American release date: June 30, 2015

Format/Genre/Length: Hardback/YA Contemporary Fantasy/239 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

Sierra Santiago is a mural artist. She, along with other artists, work on murals at the Junklot, owned by Manny the Domino King. Her own mural, which is going to be awesome, lies on the side of an old brick building which already contains other murals. One day Sierra notices something odd. The murals seem to be fading, but not with time or weather. And one of the figures seems to be crying. How is that even possible?

Things start to get stranger when Sierra’s stroke-ridden abuelo, Lazaro, apologizes to her and warns her of shadowshapers. What does that even mean? He tells her to contact Robbie, a boy at her school she doesn’t really know but wishes she did. And then at the first party of the summer, a corpse walks in… and life for Sierra will never be the same.

Sierra and her friends, as well as Robbie, and Sierra’s family, including her rock star brother Juan, have been plunged into a world they never imagined existed. But they better figure it out quickly, because something wicked is definitely coming their way.

This is my first time reading this author, but it certainly won’t be the last, even after I finish this series. He has a very smooth, easy-to-read style that draws you in even as he develops intriguing and interesting character. He has created a new world with new entities in the form of the shadowshapers. Sierra is a great heroine, and Robbie her match. I like the way he creates whole characters, neither wholly good or wholly bad, but some of each. Nobody is one way or the other, and even characters you dislike may have redeeming qualities.

I’m greatly looking forward to the next book and highly recommend it!

 

Monday, June 28, 2021

Virtual Book Blast: Unbound by Kirsten Weiss

 Good morning everyone! Please welcome author Kirsten Weiss to Full Moon Dreaming! She is here to talk about her new release, Unbound. Kirsten will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter during the tour. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. To find the other stops on her tour, go here. Don't forget to look for the Rafflecopter at the end of this post!



 

Unbound

(The Witches of Doyle Book 10)

by Kirsten Weiss



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GENRE: Paranormal Mystery

 

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BLURB:

 

Three Witches and a Metaphysical Detective…

 

Riga just wants to mentor three young witches and go home. Doyle witch Jayce wouldn’t take help if it landed on her. But when a man is murdered in front of their eyes, these two must learn to work together. Because a dead man is the least of their worries… Jayce Bonheim loves magic and Doyle, California. But she and her small town have been paying a deadly price for the fairy gate she and her sisters can’t close. Now, a society of dark magicians has returned to town, a deadly winged monster has come through the gate, and an old friend has been murdered. And the new mentor who’s supposed to help Jayce and her sisters seems to have an agenda of her own…

 

It was supposed to be a simple training gig for Riga Hayworth, not a murder investigation. Still reeling from a tragic mistake in her past, she’s determined to stay retired. But the murder and the town’s magic seem tied together. Can Riga resist the lure of an investigation?

 

A thrilling and funny paranormal mystery, packed with magic, mystery, and murder. Perfect for fans of Mercy Thompson, Supernatural, and Charlaine Harris. Buy Unbound and start reading this page-turning witch mystery.

 

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EXCERPTS:

 

 

“A black lodge in Doyle? Don’t you think you could have led with that?” I had mad respect for Mrs. Steinberg, but honestly. She’d dropped that intel for maximum dramatic effect.

 

The old lady set down her e-cigarette. “Not a black lodge. The Black Lodge. The one from San Francisco that’s been causing us so much trouble.”

 

“How do you know?” Riga asked quietly.

 

The old lady reached into her black handbag on the table and pulled out another square business card. She flung it onto the stained tablecloth. “Because the cheeky devils introduced themselves.” 

 

My sisters and I shared a look.

 

“I know,” Mrs. Steinberg said. “They walked up to me, bold as brass, and they... and they...”

 

“They what?” I prompted and glanced at Riga. Why had Mrs. Steinberg hired her? Riga didn’t look that tough. She couldn’t be more than five-six in her low-heeled boots. Her eyes were odd—a sort of browny-purply. What sort of magic did she have?

 

“They brought flowers.” Mrs. Steinberg bristled. “Irises. My favorite.”

 

I rolled my eyes. “That does sound intimidating.” Looking at the tablecloth, I grounded myself and extended my senses toward Riga. I felt power, cold and empty. And yes, I know empty doesn’t exactly sound powerful. But hers was the empty of space, vast and deadly and terrifying.

 

I looked up. Riga was watching me.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Kirsten Weiss has never met a dessert she didn’t like, and her guilty pleasures are watching Ghost Whisperer re-runs and drinking red wine. The latter gives her heartburn, but she drinks it anyway.

 

Now based in Colorado Springs, CO, she writes genre-blending cozy mystery, supernatural and steampunk suspense, mixing her experiences and imagination to create vivid worlds of fun and enchantment.

 

If you like funny cozy mysteries, check out her Pie Town - http://www.kirstenweiss.com/pie-town-mysteries, Tea and Tarot -https://www.kirstenweiss.com/tea-and-tarot-mysteries, Paranormal Museum-  http://www.kirstenweiss.com/the-perfectly-proper-paranormal-mus-1 and Wits’ End -  http://www.kirstenweiss.com/doyle-cozy-mystery-series books. If you’re looking for some magic with your mystery, give the Witches of Doyle - http://www.kirstenweiss.com/doyle-witch-cozy-mysteries, Riga Hayworth -  http://www.kirstenweiss.com/riga-hayworth-paranormal-mysteries and Rocky Bridges - http://www.kirstenweiss.com/rocky-bridges-mysteries books a try. And if you like steampunk, the Sensibility Grey - http://www.kirstenweiss.com/sensibility-grey-steampunk-suspense series might be for you.

 

Kirsten sends out original short stories of mystery and magic to her mailing list. If you’d like to get them delivered straight to your inbox, make sure to sign up for her newsletter at kirstenweiss.com

 

Feel free to follow her on Pinterest at KirstenWeiss - https://www.pinterest.com/kirstenweiss/

or on Bookbub - http://www.bookbub.com/authors/kirsten-weiss,

get in touch on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/kirsten.weiss/,

post a picture of this book to Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kirstenweissauthor/

and tag her @kirstenweissauthor,

or send her an email.

She’ll answer you personally…which may be a good or a bad thing, depending on your perspective.

 

Email: kweiss2001@kirstenweiss.com

 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/kirsten.weiss/

 

Instagram: @KirstenWeissAuthor

 

Bookbub: www.bookbub.com/authors/kirsten-weiss

 

Book Series: Sensibility Grey Steampunk Suspense - http://www.kirstenweiss.com/sensibility-grey-steampunk-suspense,

Tea and Tarot cozy mysteries - https://www.kirstenweiss.com/tea-and-tarot-mysteries,

 the Pie Town cozy mysteries - http://www.kirstenweiss.com/pie-town-mysteries,

the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum cozy mysteries - http://www.kirstenweiss.com/the-perfectly-proper-paranormal-mus-1,

the Doyle Witch - http://www.kirstenweiss.com/doyle-witch-cozy-mysteries

and Doyle Cozy - http://www.kirstenweiss.com/doyle-cozy-mystery-series mystery novels,

the Riga Hayworth - http://www.kirstenweiss.com/riga-hayworth-paranormal-mysteries  paranormal mysteries.

 

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08YMYK6QW/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1


 

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, June 27, 2021

Book Review: Twentieth Century Boys, Vol 12: Friend's Face by Naoki Urasawa

 

Twentieth Century Boys, Vol 12: Friend’s Face       


Author: Naoki Urasawa

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: December 21, 2010

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/manga/paranormal/232 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

2014 is drawing to a close. Fourteen years since Bloody New Years Eve. A new year, new beginnings. But what will 2015 hold?

A large gathering is being held for the occasion in Friendship Plaza, with Haru Namio singing the “Hello, Hello Expo Song”. Watching the events on television, Yoshitsune and his group are celebrating in a much quieter way. Kanna has gone to where her uncle used to sing, and is listening to a street singer. Finishing his performance, Haru leaves for home, accompanied by his right-hand man…. Maruo!

The next day, Haru goes to make a New Year’s visit to Friend, Maruo by his side, although Maruo has to wait in the outer office. Admission to Friend’s presence is strictly limited. Maruo tells Haru that he has explosives strapped to his body, but that isn’t entirely true. As he sits in the outer office and waits, Kenji’s words keep going through Maruo’s mind: “Try to make sure ordinary people don’t get caught in the crossfire.” And “If you ever feel your own life is in danger, turn and run like Hell.” Can Maruo do what he feels needs to be done to rid the world of Friend?

Acting on an old tip, Otcho and Kakuta go to the last known address of Dr Yamane. It’s a long shot, sure, but what else can do they? They believe he holds the key to what is going on. The house is deserted but a neighbor is able to give them useful information. Otcho is startled to realize the address she gives them is in the neighborhood where he grew up. Suddenly Otcho remembers a conversation he had with a classmate many years ago, and says it’s imperative he go to his old school. The conversation included the New Book of Prophecy and germ warfare!

Otcho and Kakuta find Dr Yamane at the old Science Lab. As he waits for what he feels is Friend’s imminent arrival, he tells them a little about Kanna’s mother and her involvement with the group. Yoshitsune and his group are studying the infamous Bloody New Year’s Eve photo. Koizumi claims it’s photostopped, clearly, but Yoshitsune says it isn’t, that is actually them facing the monster. But then, who took the picture from behind them?

The moment we’ve been waiting for has arrived… or has it? Now I’m not sure that what we think happened happened, but I have to wait for the next volume to know for sure. The face of the Friend has been revealed. Maybe. So much going on, like threads being woven together to form a complete picture. This series just keeps on getting better. Can’t wait for the next book to find out what’s really going on.

 

 

Saturday, June 26, 2021

Saturday is Horror Day #17 - Sinister

 Sinister


Fame can be fleeting, as true crime writer Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawk) discovers. His last books have not achieved the success he'd hoped for, nowhere near the fame and fortune that Kentucky Blood brought. 








In order to work on a new book, Ellison uproots his wife and two children again, much to their disgruntlement. He insists that he needs to do this for the book, but they are less than understanding. In fact, they are prone to make fun of his failures, and warn him he better succeed this time. What Ellison hasn't told even his wife, when she was concerned that they were living near a crime scene, is that they are living in the crime scene. Four members of a family were hanged in the back yard, and their daughter went missing. She's still missing, in fact.


Ellison is determined to succeed, no matter what. When he discovers a box of old home movies up in the attic, he thinks he might be on to something. The local sheriff had warned him when they moved in that they should leave, but he hasn't listened. One of the deputies(James Ransone) is a fan of Ellison's and offers his assistance with the case. All he wants in return is to be remembered in the acknowledgements as having been of assistance. Ellison decides he can live with that.

The more he studies the movies, the more strange things are happening. His son begins having night


terrors again. His daughter is drawing strange pictures. When his wife Tracy (Juliet Rylance) learns about the house being the crime scene, she is lived and wants to leave, but Ellison refuses.




Ellison encounters a scorpion and then a snake in the attic. And although the children are strictly forbidden from going into their father's office or to look at anything related to his work, someone keeps going in there and putting on the home movies. When Ellison discovers a common element to the murders, he begins to think they may be connect, and that something truly sinister is at work here.


At first, I wasn't sure there was anything out of the ordinary about this film, but I grew to like it more the more I watched. There is a definite creepiness factor here. I kept wondering if Ellison would end up murdering his own family, sort of like Ronny DeFeo in The Amityville Horror. Luckily that didn't happen. But what did happen was creepier.

I disliked his wife and kids for their lack of support or understanding of his work. Especially the wife, since she's a grownup. Like she thought she could control what he wrote or something. Suggesting he forget true crime and go back to fiction. She was obviously disgusted with the whole idea of murder. Okay, maybe it wasn't her thing, doesn't mean she shouldn't try to tell him what to write.

That being said, that's nothing against the film, just the character. There is solid production value here, good acting, and decent writing. You might recognize the sheriff from Law and Order as Arthur Branch. Also, look for Vince D'Onofrio in an uncredited role.

The ending doesn't exactly explain everything, at least in any way that makes sense. But hopefully, the next film will. I give this film a pretty solid 3.5 Stars.

Thursday, June 24, 2021

Book Review: Twentieth Century Boys, Vol 11: List of Ingredients by Naoki Urasawa

 

Twentieth Century Boys, Vol 11: List of Ingredients     


Author: Naoki Urasawa

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: October 19, 2010

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/manga/paranormal/232 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

Kanna is shocked to learn that her father is none other than the Friend himself, leader of the Friend Society which her Uncle Kenji tried to protect the world from.  As if that weren’t bad enough, her Walkman is broken, leaving her unable to hear Kenji’s voice when she needs to hear it the most. Taking her frustration out by playing video games, she afterward accepts a ride with three other gamers who are impressed with her skills. During the drive, a news bulletin tells of the escape of the Friend Museum director, along with student Koizumi Kyoko, in a Toyota 2000GT. Now the guys are on the watch for the old car.

Manjome is Friend’s right-hand man. Apparently, he is thought to have a harem, including one lady in particular, Takasu, director of the Dream Navigators, whom one of his underlings mistakes for a man. She has a meeting with Manjone, in which he reminds her that the upcoming Expo is what is important. That and making their Friend the president of the world. Manjome isn’t surprised to hear about Sadakiyo, and he knows he has a certain memo in his possession. The one left by the man known by his friends as Mon-chan. Takasu fears that with Otcho escaped from prison, Kanna’s powers awakening, and the memo being held in hostile hands, the Kenji faction may just learn about the lie of 1970! Manjome doesn’t seem concerned, and reminds her that she has agreed to carry the Friend’s child!

Meanwhile, at the nursing home, Koizumi and Sadakiyo learn that the home has been surrounded. Sadakiyo surmises that they are there to reject him. Surely that can’t be good? He remembers a meeting he had with Mon-chan years ago, and tells Koizumi how he ended up with the Mon-chan memo. He gives it to Koizumi to hold on to. Kanna’s arrival at the same nursing home can’t be a coincidence, can it? In evacuating the residents to safety, Kanna is mistaken for her mother by a former teacher, and is shocked to learn things about her that she didn’t know. Such as her mother once dreamed of being a famous bacteriologist. The teacher tells Kanna her mother was good, to believe in her.

Kanna ends up at an old cinema, which has old film footage that includes her mother. She won’t give up on looking for her, even though it seems like she may be involved in what is going on now. Koizumi is being pressured to pick out which face in the yearbook belongs to Friend, since she caught a glimpse of him as a child, but she can’t tell one face from another.

I can’t even begin to describe how exciting this is all getting. So much going on, so much new information, and yet so much needs to be learned. Maybe we’ll even find out where Kanna’s mother, Kiriko, has been all these years and what she’s been doing. Is she the good girl her former teacher claims, or is she on the side of the Friends? Only time will tell.

 

 

 

Wednesday, June 23, 2021

Wednesday Briefs: An Unholy Alliance #4 (2.1)

 Good morning and Happy Hump Day ! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts. 

Fleeing the scene of the crime in a stolen car, with a dead body in the back seat... maybe not the best of plans? But Char's had too much to drink... blood, that is... and he isn't exactly in a position to do anything about his current circumstances. See what's happening in this week's chapter of An Unholy Alliance. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

An Unholy Alliance #4 (2.1)

 “Where exactly are we going?” I was struggling to remain fully alert, fighting against the blood-induced haze of overindulgence. That’s not usually a problem vampires have… unless they’ve had too much to drink. Much like myself. For lack of a better analogy, think of all the humans who stuff themselves silly at one particular meal every November and then nod off after the consumption of the pumpkin pie. Except this was stronger, a force I couldn’t fight.

I can’t even swear my words were intelligible. They sounded like they were coming from far away, even to me. I’d wedged myself against the passenger door and extended my long legs into as comfortable a position as I could manage under the circumstances, and didn’t that just feel so good, and the warmth in Tyrone’s car felt so soothing, so comforting… and wait, this wasn’t his car, was it? Hadn’t the other guy been driving?  You know, whatshisname, the dead body in the back seat? Or was I remembering that wrong?

And why the hell was I even worrying about that right now when I should be formulating a plan to extricate myself from my current predicament so I could be on my merry way. Minus the corpse and sans Tyrone.

Wake the hell up…

“Where we going?” I repeated in what I hoped was a more commanding tone.

“Not far, I promise. I have a little place where we’ll be safe. We can finish out the night there.  You look sleepy. Are you sleepy, Char?”

Who was he calling Char, like he knew me? And what gave him the idea I was tired? And who was he to ask me such questions. Shouldn’t I be the one conducting any interrogation?

So much blood, so delicious… I could hear my mother’s voice now. “You’re a greedy little pig, Charlemagne. Try to act like your brothers, can’t you?”

My brothers. Not genetic brothers, but blood brothers. Dominique was our mother in the sense that she sired us, but she did not beget us. She never hesitated to play us one against another when it suited her purposes. Much the same way she allowed her various consorts to run roughshod over us. At least until we were old enough to fend for ourselves.

But that was the past. I wasn’t with them now. I pushed such unpleasant thoughts away and sank further into the moment, relaxing into unconsciousness.

The cessation of motion drew my attention back to the present. I made a valiant effort to rise through the thick haze long enough to realize we weren’t just sitting at a traffic light (not that I thought there were any to be sat at since we’d begun this little journey in the literal middle of nowhere), but we had actually arrived somewhere.

Finding myself slumped against the car door, I struggled into a sitting position then reached for the car handle and pulled. The door gave more easily than I expected and I tumbled awkwardly onto the ground.

“Are you okay?” Tyrone stood by my side, hand outstretched as if to help me up. Or try to take my necklace again. I grimaced at him and rose to my feet through my own efforts, clutching my precious cross and ignoring his attempt to help.

Glancing around, I saw we were in the middle of dense woods, way way way off the beaten path. So far off that the road we’d traveled to get here was little more than a barely visible path through the trees. The car was parked at the edge of a small clearing, in the middle of which sat a tent. The last thing I expected to see, to be honest. Whose tent was this, and why were we here?

“Home sweet home,” Tyrone said, as if he could read my mind and knew what I was thinking.

As if.

“I have to go,” I maintained, but my temporary awakening was subsiding, which was inevitable, and I could feel myself being drawn back into delicious darkness.

Confession time. Here’s what I’ve got. This wasn’t the first time I’d fallen asleep after drinking too much. Far from it. So I was familiar with all the signs and stages of my sanguine lethargy. The only difference was that normally the only witness to my inadvertent sleep was the victim who had brought me to such a state. All right, I brought me to such a state, but no sense in quibbling. Not to mention that those witnesses were invariably dead and not likely to make any commentary on my comatose condition.

I’d never had to contend with a live human at a time like this, and I wasn’t sure what would happen once I passed out again, but I seemed unable to do anything about it.

I made a final attempt to rid myself of this pesky person. “Go away,” I mumbled, just as I sank to the ground, unconscious once more.

Some time later, I woke to a completely different perspective than what I last remembered.

Instead of open sky, I faced some sort of enclosure. It took me a moment to realize I was on the inside of the tent I’d seen before I fell asleep. Rising up on one elbow, I glanced around, immediately suspicious, but I was quite alone. Just when had I crawled into this sleeping bag? What the hell was going on here?

Shaking off the remainder of my lethargy, as well as the cocooning bag, I searched for a way out of this green polyester nightmare. Spotting a flap, I exited through it and was finally able to rise to my full height as I gratefully stretched my cramped muscles.

What’s that aroma?

Something smelled distinctly like meat.

It was meat, I discovered when I caught sight of Tyrone sitting by a small fire. He held a cast iron skillet over the flames, and that was where the mystery scent emanated.

He waved at me, grinning broadly.

 to be continued

Now go visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them!

Cia Nordwell


Tuesday, June 22, 2021

Book Review: Bleach, Vol 37 by Tite Kubo

 

Bleach, Vol 37       


Author: Tite Kubo

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: December 6, 2011

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Supernatural/216 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

The unimaginable has happened to the Soul Reapers of Soul Society! They have a traitor in their midst. Traitors, even. None other than Aizen, Tosen, and Ichimaru. Shinji is not surprised, having been suspicious of Aizen from the start, which is why he made him his assistant captain. To keep an eye on him. But Aizen realized that and set Shinji up in a way he could not have foreseen.

 

Before Aizen and his cohorts can finish off Shinji and the others, Kisuke Uruhara and Tessai arrive. Kisuke is confused at what he sees, recognizing hollowfication when he sees it. Tessai tries to attack Aizen and his pals, but they manage to slip away and Kisuke tells him they need to focus on Shinji and his people for now. Good thing he has something prepared for this  none other than the Hogyoku!

 

When Kisuke and Tessai are unexpectedly arrested, things are not looking good. The Council has determined to destroy Shinji and the others, as being Hollows, and send Kiskue into permanent exile in the World of the Living, but the arrival of a deus ex machine changes things, hopefully for the better.

 

Back in the present, the Soul Reapers realize that Aizen et al know about the fake Karakura Town, and have made their own plans. The Old Man Captain has anticipated them and has set four trusted Soul Reapers at the four corners of the infrastructure of the fake town Ikkaku, Yumichika, Kira, and Hisagi. To keep Aizen at bay, the old man surrounds the traitors with a huge wall of fire. Itll take them time to get out of this in order to aid their subordinates.

 

Let the battles begin!

 

Watching the past, and seeing what happened to Shinji and the others, is just heartbreaking. Makes you want to see Aizen suffer greatly for what he did, the heartless, gutless coward. Good thing they have Kisuke on their side, and he is nothing if not brilliant. Still, makes you wonder about what might have been.

 

I love the battles between the lieutenants and the Fraccions, each memorable in its own way. I laughed at Ikkakus comment that he thought he heard Yumichika laugh, but surely not in the middle of a battle.

 

The scenes with Alquiorra and Orihime are great. He informs her that Aizen no longer needs her and that she will die there, but she insists that her friends will save her. He scoffs, but she tells him, My heart is already with them. And of course Ichigo proves her correct by his arrival.

 

The battles have already begun, but these are powerful enemies. Can these four handle them, or will the captains need to step in? Another great volume, looking forward to the next one!

 

 

Monday, June 21, 2021

Virtual Book Tour: Facets of the Past: No Dark Deed Goes Unpunished by Monique Gliozzi

 Good morning everyone! Please welcome author Monique Gliozzi to Full Moon Dreaming! She is here today to tell us about her new release, Facets of the Past: No Dark Deed Goes Unpunished. Monique will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter during the tour. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. To find the other stops on her tour, go here.  Don't forget to look for the Rafflecopter at the end of this post!



 

Facets of the Past: No Dark Deed Goes Unpunished

by Monique Gliozzi


 

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GENRE:   FICTION / Thrillers / Supernatural / Psychological

 

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BLURB:

 

When Hank Gild is given the opportunity to take up his dream job, he accepts the offer with excitement. As a tour guide at the historical imperial castle on Lake Starnberg, Hank delights his guests with stories of the late Bavarian emperor-his antics, his precious artifacts and the mystery shrouding his death in 1886. But it seems that not all the castle's visitors are of pure heart. Before long, Hank is forced down a path of greed, deception and danger with no way out. A once happy and simple life unexpectedly becomes a treacherous nightmare. Who can he trust? Can Hank save himself before learning the ultimate lesson?

 

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EXCERPTS :

 


 

Sliding behind the tapestry immortalizing the king’s coronation, then positioning my flashlight to take full advantage of its beam, I went to work. The old lock cracked within seconds. The click echoing around the room appeared loud to my already adrenaline-laden senses. With a heart pounding like a jackhammer, I reached for the handle, savoring the feeling of cold brass against my clammy palm. The little secret door was finally ajar.

 

Anyone familiar with old doors would know that they never open quietly, their hinges invariably will creak. This one was no different. A rush of cold musty air rushed past me. Shining the torch, I could see that behind this partition was a short narrow corridor leading to a set of steps. Glancing at my watch, I noted there was still time before a second security sweep would be needed.

 

Tentatively, I walked into the unknown, first tackling the corridor and steep set of winding stairs to another locked door. As I prepared to pick its lock, images of an archaeological expedition crossed my mind – Tutankhamen. The oppressive musty air, steep dark tunnels and unlawful intrusion were some similarities taunting with my moral compass. I hoped that there were no microorganisms in this space causing a mysterious and deadly affliction or, worse, a curse.

 

Sweat built on my brow, the tools slipped from between my moist fingers, but eventually I opened the second door, revealing yet another very long tunnel. The ceiling was arched and low, suitable for anyone of shorter stature than my six-foot frame. As I walked bent over like the hunchback of Notre Dame, I calculated the approximate length of this tunnel to be eight hundred yards. Finally, reaching its end, another door beckoned to be unlocked. Putting my skill to good use, within seconds I found myself in a small underground room.

 

Shining the beam around the space, a sense of uncanny familiarity befell me. Then, at the far end of the antique wine cellar, I recognized a set of wooden steps. I was in the cellar of my cottage! Relieved at having completed this little adventure unscathed, I decided to retrace my steps back to the castle.

 

“I’ve been waiting for you, Hank!”

 

Startled, I spun around, my flashlight catching a dark hooded shape emerging from the shadows.

 

“Who are you? How do you know my name?” The harshness of my tone barely disguised my fear. The figure slowly stepped toward the middle of the room, his head bowed and face still concealed by the hood of what appeared to be a monk’s habit. He stood in silence.

 

“Who are you?” I demanded. Then, slowly lifting his head toward the light, revealing a sunken midface, sharply jutting jaw, a long beaked nose, and black penetrating eyes, the stranger answered, sending a chill down my spine.

 

“Call me the Handyman.”

 

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Born in Dublin, Dr Monique Gliozzi, a graduate from the University of Western Australia medical school, has a keen interest in forensic sciences and psychiatry. She works as a psychiatrist in Perth, with ties to the UWA School of Psychiatry, where she has had a role as a senior clinical lecturer. Her love for teaching granted her a nomination for an Excellence in Teaching Award in 2016.

Monique also holds an interest in aviation. She trained at the Royal Aero Club of Western Australia, where she obtained a commercial pilot licence. Following this, Monique completed her instructor rating and is now working on a casual basis as a senior flight instructor.

Monique rekindled her passion for writing starting with the fictional thriller Foresight, followed by Hunted and ghostly encounters in Vestige. Her latest book, Diversity, is a compilation of entertaining short stories of different genres.

Connect with Monique Gliozzi:

WEBSITE

https://moniquegliozzi.com/

BLOG

https://paranormalpsychiatrist.com/

FACEBOOK

https://www.facebook.com/moniquegliozziauthor

INSTAGRAM

https://www.instagram.com/monique.gliozzi/?hl=en

TWITTER

https://twitter.com/GliozziMonique

 

Purchase Links:                           

AMAZON.COM

https://amazon.com/dp/0228848903

        

INDIGO CHAPTERS

https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/facets-of-the-past-no/9780228848929-item.html

        

BARNES & NOBLE

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/facets-of-the-past-monique-gliozzi/1139129049

        

RAKUTEN KOBO

https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/facets-of-the-past

        

SMASHWORDS

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1076824

        

APPLE BOOKS

https://books.apple.com/us/book/facets-of-the-past-no-dark-deed-goes-unpunished/id1561052315

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 Full Moon Dreaming: The Interview

 

 Dear host of FM Dreaming,

Thank you for facilitating this interview with a choice of diverse questions. What a great opportunity to give our audience insight into the mind of an author. So, let us begin.


1) You’re marooned on a small island with one person and one item of your choice—who is that person and what item do you have?

The notion of being stranded on a remote island is exciting but also a tad scary, when one considers the possible dangers not only from the elements, but also other four-legged “inhabitants”. I would chose my husband who is always able to remain calm cool & collected in most situations, to be my companion for the “adventure”. One precious item I’d take would be a compass, in order to navigate the surroundings without losing orientation. The idea of being lost for me is more daunting than the initial concern of being stranded & isolated.


2)  What is your idea of how to spend romantic time with your significant other?

It depends what you’d consider romantic. I tend to like to keep things simple, hence my idea of something romantic would include going for a bike ride in the countryside, taking along a hamper of goodies, and enjoying a picnic in a remote forest. Here in Western Australia the forests are not as lush as in other parts of the world, but nevertheless hold a beauty which is enhanced by wildlife.


3) When you start a new story, do you begin with a character, or a plot?

Usually a thread for a plot spontaneously starts to evolve in my mind’s eye, which is soon accompanied by a main protagonist (the villain). As I allow my imagination to run wild over the course of several days, more ideas begin to surface which I jot down on a notepad (sometimes a scrap piece of paper will have to suffice).  Eventually more layers for the story morph into a plot further enrichened by the introduction of each new character.


4) If they were to make the story of your life into a movie, who should play you?

I don’t consider myself that interesting to have my biography written and made into a movie. However, just to satisfy this curiosity, let’s say that Scarlet Johansen would represent my character well. She is a seasoned actor who I believe embraces life’s adventures and is keen to learn new skills, while still remaining grounded as a person.


5) Who’s your favorite horror villain and why?

As you may have gathered from my work thus far, I am a fan of a good psychological thriller! My favorite movie is Hannibal Lecter, with Sir Anthony Hopkins playing the highly intelligent sociopath. There is something very disturbing about a villain who is highly qualified in a specific field, making his character credible. Sir Hopkins takes on this role with immaculate precision contrasting an unassuming exterior with the complexity of an intricately devious mind. I had a couple of sleepless nights after watching this movie!

 

Dear All, that’s all for now, but I hope that you enjoyed learning a little more about me and have fun with the rest of the tour.

Thank you again for hosting Facets of the Past.

 

Warm Regards

Monique Gliozzi ( Author - Foresight, Hunted, Vestige, Diversity).



 

 


 

 


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