Virtual Book Tour: Behind the Mask by Thomas Grant Bruso

 Good morning everyone! Please welcome author Thomas Grant Bruso to Full Moon Dreaming! He is here to tell us about his new release, Behind the Mask. Thomas will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to ne randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter during the tour. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. To find the other stops on his tour, go here. Don't forget to look for the Rafflecopter at the end of this post!

 

Behind the Mask

by Thomas Grant Bruso

 

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

 

GENRE: Horror, Mystery/Suspense, LGBT

 

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

 

BLURB:

 

Seventeen-year-old Jesse has a babysitting gig at the Linderman’s house on Halloween. He loves watching Christie and Dylan and is thrilled to see them dressed up in cute, creative costumes. When he arrives at their house, Jesse knows it will be a fun-filled night of pumpkin carving and trick-or-treating.

 

But Jesse quickly realizes Halloween is not only about candy, pumpkins, and scary costumes. It’s known for tricks and ghoulish things and can bring out crazies. While trick-or-treating, he notices a strange person wearing a glow-in-the-dark mask watching him from the shadowy street.

 

The rest of the night turns into a cat-and-mouse game of survival. Strange things start to happen at the Linderman’s residence, setting Jesse on edge, making him apprehensive somebody might be taking the spirit of Halloween too far.

 

Will Jesse survive the things that go bump in the night, or will he become just another tall tale this Halloween?

 

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

 

EXCERPTS:

 

I leaned my forehead against the doorframe and closed my eyes, waiting a beat. When I opened my eyes, I watched the vehicle reverse and slowly pull out into the street, braking for children running by. The headlights bounced up and down as the vehicle's wheels rolled downhill along the raised trajectory of the driveway.

 

As I watched the car drive off, its read taillights blinking as if in warning, my chest tightened like a clenched fist for some indeterminate reason, and an uncomfortable heaviness settled inside me. I let the curtain fall from my slippery fingers back into position, and I leaned against the wall to catch my breath and bearings.

 

I climbed the stairs and relieved Christie, telling Dylan he had to dry off, dress, and get into bed. He turned on his brotherly charm and debated with me about bedtime. “Your mom and dad were strict about what time you had to be in bed,” I told him.

 

“Just go to bed, Dylan,” Christie yelled from her bedroom.

 

Dylan sat on the bathroom floor, pouting and wrapped in a towel, as I drained the tub and put away his toys. “I’ll read you a story before I turn out the light,” I said.

 

“Batman, please,” he begged.

 

“Dry off and get into your pajamas.”

 

He stood and stomped out of the room.

 

“Stop being a baby!” Christie yelled from down the hall.

 

“I ain’t a baby!” Dylan shot back.

 

“I’m not a baby,” his sister corrected him.

 

I stepped out into the hall to referee their sibling mudslinging. “I can skip story time,” I said to both of them. “Is that what you want?”

 

A unison of “Nos!” shot out into the hall from their open bedroom doors, the only unanimous decision they’d made as brother and sister that night ...

 

I read to Christie, who couldn’t keep her eyes open for more than five minutes. I gave Dylan a glass of water and set it on his night table. I ran my hand through his floppy brown bangs that had been spared from the vomit, and he fell fast asleep from the steady, relaxing raking gestures of my hand in his hair.

 

As much I enjoyed story time with the kids, I couldn’t wait to delve into my quiet corner of the house with a cup of tea. I wanted to start on my homework, especially after Dylan’s stomach-churning episode.

 

I pulled the comforter up around his back and reached over to shut the lamp off. I left the Godzilla nightlight lit up across the room and cracked the door open ajar. I checked on Christie one last time before heading downstairs. I poked my head into her room to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. After I’d finished reading Dr. Seuss to her, she told me that she didn’t sleep well when her parents were not home.

 

I told her that I’d be downstairs, and if she woke up scared to come down, I’d fix her a glass of milk. She felt safer with the door wide open, she told me. I wished her goodnight and crept downstairs to the kitchen.

 

I microwaved a cup of water and brewed one of Mrs. Linderman’s decaf black tea bags for five minutes while I rummaged in my bookbag for my math homework. Before sitting at the kitchen table, I plated three chocolate chip cookies from Mrs. Linderman’s fresh-baked stash.

 

I blew on the hot tendrils of steam wafting up from the teacup and dunked a cookie. My empty stomach growled at the aromatic chocolaty smell. I looked around the silent kitchen, chewing and dipping. Peace and quiet, finally, I thought, resting my elbows on the tabletop and sitting hunched forward under the yellow globe of light from the stained-glass ceiling lamp hanging overhead, savoring the deliciously sweet dessert.

 

Without Christie and Dylan talking and nagging and carrying on about something, I felt my thoughts winding down, the wheels in my mind slackening to the speed of a snail. My heightened anxieties dwindled like the setting sun. I worked on the half dozen Algebra questions for class, showing my work on separate pages in my notebook, and struggling with a few questions when a sound from outside jerked me out of my reverie.

 

I looked up and stared down the hall leading into the living room. Shadows danced beyond the drawn lace curtain on the front door. I thought I heard footsteps on the porch steps, but it was the wind tugging on the screen door, yanking it open, and slamming it against the side of the house.

 

I thought I had locked it.

 

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

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Thomas Grant Bruso knew at an early age he wanted to be a writer. He has been a voracious reader of genre fiction since he was a kid.

 

His literary inspirations are Ray Bradbury, Dean Koontz, Stephen King, Ellen Hart, Jim Grimsley, Karin Fossum, Joyce Carol Oates, and John Connolly.

 

Bruso loves animals, book-reading, writing fiction, prefers Sudoku to crossword puzzles.

 

In another life, he was a freelance writer and wrote for magazines and newspapers. In college, he was a winner for the Hermon H. Doh Sonnet Competition. Now, he writes and publishes fiction, and reviews books for his hometown newspaper, The Press Republican.

 

He lives in upstate New York.

 

 Buy Links:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Behind-Mask-Thomas-Grant-Bruso-ebook/dp/B09K8RWG7D/ref=sr_1_1

 

 

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/behind-the-mask-thomas-bruso/1140394427

 

 

https://www.jms-books.com/thomas-grant-bruso-c-224_236/behind-the-mask-p-4043.html

 

 

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

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday is Horror Day #3 - The Hamiltons, Bad Match, Dog Soldiers

The Hamiltons is a 2006 horror film written and directed by the Butcher Brothers, aka Mitchell Altieri and

Phil Flores. Following the unexpected death of their parents, four siblings are left to fend for themselves the best way they can. As a result, they constantly move from place to place, never staying too long in any one location. That's for the best, for they can't afford to let anyone discover their family secret.

David is the oldest. He works outside the home. After him are the twins, Wendell and Darlene, who give new meaning to the idea of twinship. Francis is the youngest, a teenager still in school. He hates the constant moving, and he hates what they are. He doesn't want to be like them, not for anything.

Wendell meets two young women who are traveling across the country for fun. Which, of course, makes them perfect targets as no one will realize they're missing for a long time. Wendell brings them home for a little taste of Hamilton hospitality. A terrified Dani can't help but wonder what is hidden behind that locked door. The sounds that come from there are horrific...

The Hamiltons is a slightly different twist on a familiar theme. The sensitive Francis videos every chance he gets. One wonders what he intends to do with all this footage, if anything.  I didn't guess the Hamiltons' secret until close to the end. It's not what I would call a great film, but I've seen worse. The acting is half-way decent, if not exactly stellar. The writing holds its own. All in all it's an interesting hour and a half. I might give it 2 1/2 or 3 stars, somewhere in there. I have to admit I did focus on the scenes with the twins, which were a little intense.

The Hamiltons gives family dining a whole new meaning...

Just found out there's a sequel, The Thompsons. Will Review that once I get it and watch it.

Bad Match (2017)

Harris (Jack Cutmore-Scott) is a real love-em-and-leave-em kind of guy. As he explains his philosophy

to his friend Chuck, the more he swipes right on the dating app (which I assume is meant to be Tinder), the greater likelihood he'll end up with a date. Good ol' Harris stands for one and done. Beyond a lot of sex, he has no use for his conquests, and invariably sneaks out in the middle of the night. What he really enjoys is playing online games and making fun of the teenager he plays with.

Enter Riley. Riley is one of Harris' conquests. The difference is she wants more than he is willing to give. And she doesn't seem to understand that he is rejecting her. It's not that he deliberately tries to hurt the women he sleeps with, but Harris just doesn't care enough to get involved.

When Riley won't leave him alone, he doesn't know what to do to get her out of his life, so resorts to cruelty. But when she mentions suicide, he reluctantly steps in. And finally she gets the picture.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

And now bad things are happening to Harris. This isn't funny any more. How the hell is he going to get out of this mess?

This is basically a one-note film about a guy who is a player and the girl he hurt who wants him to feel her pain. Yeah, we get it. Harris is a bad boy and he shouldn't use women like that. But how far should someone who's been hurt be willing to go to make her point? The film is just under an hour and a half and builds up to an unexpected twist. Even so, the reveal isn't enough to save this film from being less than stellar. I'll give it 2.5 stars and call it a day.

My final review for today is for a 2002 film called Dog Soldiers

Private Cooper (Kevin McKidd, Rome) is a soldier trying to get on with an elite group of soldiers led

by Captain Ryan (Liam Cunningham, Davos of Game of Thrones). But when he refuses to shoot a dog on command, he finds himself assigned to Sergeant Wells (Sean Pertwood, Alfred Pennyworth of Gotham) instead. Wells and his men are assigned to participate in war games in a remote wooded area, far from anywhere. The soldiers swap stories, such as the one about the couple who were killed in this area, and the condition in which they were found. 

The men begin to hear unnerving noises in the middle of the night, something that sounds inhuman or otherworldly. When they come across the slaughtered remains of another troop, they realize something is not right here. In the midst of the dead, they find Captain Ryan, who is injured and not quite right

Something is in the woods, and it's preying on the soldiers. Momentarily rescued by a young woman, they hole up in a nearby farmhouse. If they can stay alive until dawn, they might have a chance of coming out of this alive.

I'd heard about this film a long time ago, just didn't get around to watching it until now. I liked it, even if I was spoiled for it long ago. The story is different, and well-written, the acting good. I especially like the main characters, Pertwee, McKidd, and Cunningham. Be aware that there is a lot of blood and gore, so this might not be for the faint-hearted. It's a unique take on an old monster story, and it's not without its twists and turns.

I would give this a solid four stars. It's well worth the watch.

Book Review Tour: Derrick by Russell

Please welcome author Russell to Full Moon Dreaming. He's here to tell us about his book, Derrick, the second book in his Gavin Nolan trilogy. Russell will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. To find the other stops on Russell's tour, go here. Don't forget to look for the Rafflecopter at the end of this post, as well as my review of Derrick.

Derrick

by Russell

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

GENRE: Horror, Suspense, Thriller, Mystery, LGBT

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

BLURB:

In Hyde Park, a movie theater erupts in flames on a bitterly cold November evening.

It seems like a job for the fire department, but under Captain Creighton’s direct orders, Detective Gavin Nolan and his partner, Derrick Williamson, must investigate. Arriving on the chaotic scene, they find multiple fatalities —but one of the victims is most peculiar…

Gavin soon discovers that this fire wasn’t the first of its kind. The arsonist has set ablaze other buildings around Chicago, and more female victims left in the same gruesome state have been discovered.

Gavin and Derrick determine that the arsonist is not an arsonist at all—but a sinister serial killer with an agenda.

Juggling the unexpected events in his personal life, Gavin digs into the locations of the explosions. At the same time, Derrick probes into the victims’ lives, searching for any possible connection. 

However, when the next explosion occurs, the killer leaves behind a significant object, and Derrick becomes noticeably reserved. Gavin soon uncovers an enigmatic link, one that points to Derrick’s military past. A time that his partner had wished to forget. Yet, to catch the vicious maniac, Derrick must tell Gavin everything.

In a suspenseful, gripping ride to the end, it is up to Gavin to rescue his partner from the clutches of a  killer. But will he make it in time?

WARNING: This book contains graphic scenes, explicit language, and violent sexual situations.

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

EXCERPT:

“Look at that.” Derrick pointed over to the front rows.

At the fifth and fourth rows in the dead center, several more CSI members were photographing two burnt corpses. The explosion blew back the bodies into a crumpled position on the chairs.

Hopefully they had a quick death. Gavin stayed silent.

Moving on, they reached the exit door near the front of the theater. Another warning from Delanie informed them of the rubble and potential structural damage in the next section. Briefly looking back, Gavin heard the crackling of radios, like eerie ghostly crickets fluttering in the distance. In the opposite direction, three firemen were still containing some smoldering chairs.

“Shit,” Derrick muttered, tapping Gavin’s shoulder. He nodded up.

The once ornate ceiling now had entire sections missing. Squinting slightly, Gavin could see the dark night sky.

Once they passed the doorway, a series of portable lights cascaded over the area. Gavin was unable to decipher the debris, the contents of which were haphazardly pushed away from the clear epicenter near the opposite end of the room. Up above, about a third of the ceiling had disintegrated, leaving a huge hole. The cold wind invaded the space, dissipating the soot scent slightly. More CSI team members shifted diligently, gathering debris in clear evidence bags and marking each spot with photographs and red markers. Near the apparent epicenter of the blast, several firemen were discussing the area, pointing at spots.

“Have to get back to my captain,” the young fireman said. “Need anything else, just let me know.”

“Thanks,” Gavin replied.

“Where the fuck do we begin?” Derrick grumbled.

“You can begin by bringing back that hottie,” Susan said behind them.

Gavin turned to find the doctor kneeling near a shriveled, burnt corpse. Her scalpel gingerly poked and prodded the body’s seared skull.

“Isn’t he too young for you?” Derrick returned with a snarky grin.

Gavin stated, “I didn’t see your van.”

“Came through the back.” She looked up at him and then at Derrick. She added, “As long he’s eighteen-plus, no laws broken, baby.”

Shaking his head, Derrick snickered. One of the CSI team, an annoyed-looking woman whose gray hair probably came directly from her stressful job, shot him a glance.

Standing up and ripping off her plastic gloves, Susan said, “No offense, love you guys, but what the hell are you doing here?”

“Creighton’s orders,” Derrick answered first. His midnight eyes darted over the scene.

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

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Russell has been writing for the majority of his life. Slipping into alternative universes allows him to enjoy the process of creativity from the novel’s conception to its final draft. Currently, he lives in South Texas with his wife, two kids and several cats.

DERRICK is a 2018 Winner in the New Apple Literary Awards, receiving Official Selection in Psychological Suspense.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Russell.The.Author

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Russell_Writer

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Russell_Writer/

https://www.amazon.com/Derrick-Second-Installment-Gavin-Biography-ebook/dp/B07KXG3KH4

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 Full Moon Dreaming Interview

DERRICK by Russell

I must share some exciting news with all of you!

My new book, DERRICK, just won in 2018 New Apple Literary Awards Contest as Official Selection in Psychological Suspense. I am completely surprised, flattered and humbled by the honor!

Also to add, GAVIN (Part 1 of The Gavin Nolan Trilogy) won 2017 New Apple Literary Summer E-book Awards as Official Selection in Horror.

What's the hardest part of combining genres in one book?

            I have to discuss the Gavin Nolan Trilogy as a whole, and my unique writing process.  When I began writing, I truly did not know what to expect as the story begins to take hold. As I pen a new story, a beginning usually appears in my head and I start writing. In essence, I write without character descriptions, no outlines nor any research. I just let my fingers (and quite active imagination) command the ship. Because of this, the story builds momentum, meaning that I do not necessarily know what happens at the end until midway through. So if I’m surprised, my reader will feel that rush as well.

             For the series, I was inspired by other authors who create dark, gritty thrillers, which borderline on horror genre. Similar to Harris’s The Silence of the Lamb and Flynn’s Gone Girl, my series heightens the intensity of the scenes, and puts the characters in perilous conditions. Echoing the likes of Clive Barker, Peter Straub and even John Connolly, I create some visceral, graphic content which some of my readers found rather disgusting still they could not help but to keep reading. Finally, I truly love interwoven plots. Perhaps, my inspiration comes from daytime soap opera that my mother used to watch in the 80s. As you will see in the Gavin Nolan Trilogy, my books are not for the light reader. I create multi-layered plots involving my man character and trickle into the secondary characters. On the surface, my series could be easily described as homicide detective novel. However, as you read my books, so much more occurs.

            Needless to say, I wrote GAVIN (Part 1) with a clear intention as a stand-alone piece. However, Gavin Nolan, the protagonist, became a formidable, strong character with a several skeletons in his closet. Being stated, the secondary characters also had strong personalities which develop and push the story forward. Despite the climatic, intense ending, I realized that Gavin’s partner on the force, Derrick Williamson, had much more to say. When I completed the first draft, and began editing GAVIN, I quickly began to write DERRICK (PART 2). In a way, the story starts six months after the events of GAVIN, and the reader discover Gavin in a different point in his life. Yet, the strong friendship between Gavin and Derrick is tested by the hands of deadly madman’s agenda--something connected to Derrick’s military past. As a side note, DERRICK subtly alludes to the final book, QUINN (Part 3). Currently, I’m editing it and hopefully have it out by Spring 2020.  In fact I have a preview of QUINN at the very end of DERRICK.

            Finally, GAVIN and DERRICK is for a mature audience and not for anyone under 18. I have graphic depicted violence, explore and develop strong sexual situations and include rather explicative language. If you are not dissuaded from my disclaimer, then you will absolutely love my books!

            Thanks for having me today! Please follow me on Twitter and Instagram @Russell_Writer. Also, check out my website: www.RusselltheAuthor.com.

            Read to Escape!

            Russell

Derrick (Gavin Nolan Biography Book 2)

Author: Russell

Publisher: CreateSpace

American release date: November 27, 2018

Format/Genre/Length: eBook/GLBT/Mystery/493 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★

Someone in the Chicago area is killing women in a horrific manner. In an attempt to obfuscate what has been done, the bodies become part of an arson scene, probably to throw the police off the track. Detective Gavin Nolan has only recently come to terms with his sexuality, and isn’t open with his friends, family, and co-workers yet. On the other hand, his partner, Chad, has introduced him to friends and family, who have accepted Gavin with open arms. While on a date with Chad, Gavin receives a call from his partner, Derrick, to come to the Opus Theater, where a fire has occurred. When Gavin protests that they don’t do fires, Derrick snorts and tells him these are their boss, Quinn Creighton’s, orders, so they have no choice. Arriving on the scene, they try to figure out why they are there. Looking around among the victims of the fire they come across the body of a woman. Something seems different about this one.  The medical examiner thinks there is residual evidence of rope on the wrists, which has bonded with her flesh. And she appears to be nude.

The detectives don’t realize it, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. Working this case will involve digging into the past, as well as taking a good hard look at who they are, and how they got where they are now.

Derrick is the second book in a trilogy, which I didn’t realize when I agreed to review it. I was able to read this book despite that, although there were probably nuances I would have understood better had I read the first book. If you’re interested in reading this, I would suggest starting from the beginning, with Gavin.

This book is very long and complex, especially for a mystery. There are a lot of different characters, some of whom I suspect were introduced in the first book, especially Gavin’s superior, Quinn Creighton, with whom he has some kind of past history. I am guessing we meet Chad in the first book, and that their relationship was more front and center, while in this book, it’s relegated more to the sidelines. Gavin’s relationship with his partner, Derrick, is more central.  The two end up on the murder case at the theater, and are working with a female detective named Evelyn, who is actually under another jurisdiction but whose presence has been requested. Apparently her partner hasn’t bothered to train her very well, and her superior is a dick.

The author, who uses the single name Russell, is not without talent, and he creates memorable characters. The plot is interesting, even if the resolution is somewhat simplistic. What the book suffers from is a lack of good editing, however, including everything from simple word errors to stilted dialogue, which detracts from the enjoyment of the book. These are not major problems, and they could have been easily handled in the editing phase, but they weren’t. This book was obviously self-published, which doesn’t automatically mean it’s bad, but self-published authors are often notorious for either not having editing or having poor editing.

Another problem, at least for me, was when the story changed from being Gavin’s story, completely told in third person narrative, to his partner Derrick’s story, which is done in a first person POV, and goes on for some chapters. And pretty well sets up the ending, including the who-done-it. The only question is how will this play out and who will survive?

It’s an enjoyable story, and if things like the ones I mentioned don’t bother you, then go for it. There is another book left in the series, but I’m afraid it will probably suffer from the same poor editing. I don’t think I’ll be reviewing that one.

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Virtual Book Tour: The Hierophant's Daughter by M.F. Sullivan

Good morning and please welcome author M.F. Sullivan to Full Moon Dreaming! She is here to talk about her new release, The Hierophant's Daughter, the first book in her Disgraced Martyr Trilogy. M.F. will be giving a $50 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter. 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! Also, be sure to read my review of The Hierophant's Daughter, right before the Rafflecopter.

The Hierophant’s Daughter

(Disgraced Martyr Trilogy #1)

by M. F. Sullivan

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

GENRE: Sci-fi, Horror, LGBTQ

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

BLURB:

By 4042 CE, the Hierophant and his Church have risen to political dominance with his cannibalistic army of genetically modified humans: martyrs. In an era when mankind's intergenerational cold wars against their long-lived predators seem close to running hot, the Holy Family is poised on the verge of complete planetary control. It will take a miracle to save humanity from extinction.

It will also take a miracle to resurrect the wife of 331-year-old General Dominia di Mephitoli, who defects during martyr year 1997 AL in search of Lazarus, the one man rumored to bring life to the dead. With the Hierophant's Project Black Sun looming over her head, she has little choice but to believe this Lazarus is really all her new friends say he is--assuming he exists at all--and that these companions of hers are really able to help her. From the foulmouthed Japanese prostitute with a few secrets of her own to the outright sapient dog who seems to judge every move, they don't inspire a lot of confidence, but the General has to take the help she can get.

After all, Dominia is no ordinary martyr. She is THE HIEROPHANT'S DAUGHTER, and her Father won't let her switch sides without a fight. Not when she still has so much to learn.

The dystopic first entry of an epic cyberpunk trilogy, THE HIEROPHANT’S DAUGHTER is a horror/sci-fi adventure sure to delight and inspire adult readers of all stripes.

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

EXCERPT:

The Flight of the Governess

The Disgraced Governess of the United Front was blind in her right eye. Was that blood in the left, or was it damaged, too? The crash ringing in her ears kept her from thinking straight. Of course her left eye still worked: it worked well enough to prevent her from careening into the trees through which she plunged. Yet, for the tinted flecks of reality sometimes twinkling between crimson streaks, she could only imagine her total blindness with existential horror. Would the protein heal the damage? How severely was her left eye wounded? What about the one she knew to be blind—was it salvageable? Ichigawa could check, if she ever made it to the shore.

She couldn’t afford to think that way. It was a matter of “when,” not of “if.” She would never succumb. Neither could car accident, nor baying hounds, nor the Hierophant himself keep her from her goal. She had fourteen miles to the ship that would whisk her across the Pacific and deliver her to the relative safety of the Risen Sun. Then the Lazarene ceremony would be less than a week away. Cassandra’s diamond beat against her heart to pump it into double time, and with each double beat, she thought of her wife (smiling, laughing, weeping when she thought herself alone) and ran faster. A lucky thing the Governess wasn’t human! Though, had she remained human, she’d have died three centuries ago in some ghetto if she’d lived past twenty without becoming supper. Might have been the easier fate, or so she lamented each time her mind replayed the crash of the passenger-laden tanque at fifth gear against the side of their small car. How much she might have avoided!

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

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

M.F. Sullivan is the author of Delilah, My Woman, The Lightning Stenography Device, and a slew of plays in addition to the Trilogy. She lives in Ashland, Oregon with her boyfriend and her cat, where she attends the local Shakespeare Festival and experiments with the occult. Find more information about her work (and plenty of free essays) at https://www.paintedblindpublishing.com!

Author Links:

Blog: https://www.paintedblindpublishing.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/TheRealMFS

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/M.-F.-Sullivan/e/B013DDEQVE

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14199461.M_F_Sullivan

Buy/Review Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Hierophants-Daughter-M-F-Sullivan/dp/0996539565

NetGalley: http://netgal.ly/AYYlKV

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42921564-the-hierophant-s-daughter

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-hierophants-daughter-m-f-sullivan/1129918390

Hardback: 978-0-9965395-6-2

Paperback: 978-0-9965395-7-9

eBook: 978-0-9965395-8-6

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

The Hierophant’s Daughter

Author: M.F. Sullivan

Publisher: Painted Blind Publishing

American release date: May 19, 2019

Format/Genre/Length: Kindle/Urban Fantasy/267 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Disgraced Governess Dominia di Mephitoli is on the run. Member of the Holy Family and one-time ruler of the land formerly known as Italy, her sole focus is on, besides staying alive, resurrecting her dead wife, Cassandra, whom she wears in a diamond around her neck. Rumor has it that the man known as Lazarus can help her with this. But, assuming he is not a myth, no one knows where to find him.

Seeking refuge with a family in a remote farmhouse, she realizes too late that the Hierophant—her father—is there, seeking to reunite her with the family. She knows better than to trust him, however, which he proves with his actions, killing the family and taking out one of Dominia’s eyes, as well as her incisors. Dominia is no ordinary woman, she is a martyr, as are all the Holy Family—the Hierophant, who is the head of the family; brothers Cicero and Elijah (also known as the Lamb), who are husbands as well as brothers, sweet innocent sister Lavinia, and Dominia. Once Dominia’s name was Morgan, but many years have passed since she answered to that appellation. Besides possessing special strength and abilities, martyrs subsist on a diet of blood and flesh, and are restricted in their movements by the sun. The Hierophant has walked among the people of Earth for many years, and claims to come from a distant planet, but no one can either prove or disprove his story, so it remains accepted as truth. At least for now.

Once the poor family is dead, and the Hierophant gone, Dominia flees once more, taking the family dog with her. Why, she isn’t sure, but it seems like the thing to do.

Dominia reunites with an acquaintance of hers, René Ichigawa, a Franco Japanese professor, who is helping her to reach Lazarus. First, they have to get to safety, which is a challenge considering both Dominia’s restrictions and her infamy. Her reputation as a ruthless general precedes her, and not in a good way. René’s plan is for them to go to Japan, which is one of the few areas not under the Hierophant’s control, via boat. When Dominia awakens in the hold, she is surprised to find the dog still there. René assumed he was hers since he wouldn’t leave her and followed them onto the boat.

All Dominia has to do is find Lazarus—assuming he actually exists—have him resurrect Cassandra—assuming he can actually do that—and keep from being killed by a member of the Holy Family… or anyone else, for that matter. This is one journey Dominia won’t soon forget.

The Hierophant’s Daughter is the first book in the Disgraced Martyr Trilogy. I received a Kindle copy of the book in exchange for my review.  Before I had even finished reading the book, I had placed a pre-order for the paperback, which will show how very much I liked it, since I’d already been given a copy. The Hierophant’s Daughter turned out to be much more than I expected. M.F. Sullivan did a fabulous job of world-building, and gives us a creative and unique take on this world. The Hierophant is the benevolent (somewhat) holy father who has managed to gain control of most of the planet. It’s not hard to guess what his ultimate goal is. Martyrs are a unique spin on vampires. In this world, humans know they exist and co-exist with them… for the most part.

The Holy Family is most fascinating, especially the Hierophant. While I know in my head he’s the villain, it’s not quite so cut-and-dried as that, since he is at the same time terrible and compelling, a very charming man indeed. I found myself looking forward to seeing more of his scenes. Cicero is cruel and vicious but when it comes to his husband, Elijah (the Lamb, an obvious reference to Jesus), he would do anything for him, and the feeling is mutual (before anyone gets squicked out by them being brothers, they are not blood brothers, vampires don’t have children, and they were together as a couple before they even met the Hierophant). Lavinia is an unusual case in that she died while an infant, too young to become a martyr, yet she ended up growing even after death… so she is looked upon as very holy. Well, still waters do run deep.

Dominia is someone you have to admire for her strength and her character. She’s done many terrible things in her long life and she knows it. And yet, despite being a martyr, she is quite human in many ways, and vulnerable to making mistakes. Sometimes she just has no choice.

The more I read of this book, the deeper into it I got. The characters draw you in and make you want to know more. It’s a horrible world, and I wouldn’t want to live there, but reading about it is a different matter entirely. The biggest criticism I can make is that the author would have benefited from better editing. There are some especially stupid errors which should have been caught. But these do not detract from the overall value of the story.

There are so many things about it that I love, including the religious allegory. It’s a terrifying glimpse into a future that could be if vampires existed on other planets and came here to make this their new home. At the end of the book is a timeline that chronicles the Hierophant’s ascent, from the time of his arrival. It’s well worth reading.

I highly recommend this book, and can’t wait for the next volume in the trilogy to come out.

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Virtual Book Tour: North to Zombieville

Author Name: Meg Bawden

Book Name: North to Zombieville

Series: Zombieville

Book: One

Release Date: May 18, 2016

Blurb:

The year is 2028, and Dallas and Raleigh Jenson are torn apart when a worldwide zombie apocalypse ravages their home of Townsville, Australia. After a year of searching, Dallas, a former Australian army rifleman, finally reunites with Raleigh, but it’s not like old times. Not only do they have zombies to contend with, but also other humans, changed by desperation and willing to do anything to survive.

Dallas and Raleigh have changed too. So much so, that Dallas struggles with the idea that Raleigh no longer needs or wants his protection. But they will need to rely on each other and find strength in their love as they are forced to evade zombies and watch their friends die. As they fight for their lives in a brutal landscape where every supply and every step toward a potential cure is a battle to the death, only their trust in each other can keep them from perishing.

Pages or Words: 67,114 words

Categories: Horror, M/M Romance, Science Fiction

Excerpt:

A loud crash and screams from downstairs made them pull away. The diners on the top floor were glancing around worriedly, some of the men showing caution as they stood, but making no move to head downstairs and see what was happening.

Raleigh frowned toward the stairs. “What was that?”

Dallas narrowed his eyes and stood, taking Raleigh with him. The screams were filled with pure fear. It wasn’t just downstairs, though. Distant shrieks echoed through the street as well, but when Dallas glanced over the balcony railing, he couldn’t see anything odd. A crowd had formed on the sidewalk and they were peering around the street in confusion. Glass shattered, and then a rush of people scrambled out of the Strand Delight. One lady fell on top of the glass, her legs dragging over the shards, but whatever scared her was more important than the pain she obviously felt from the glass, because she kicked off her high heels and got to her feet to run again.

Car horns and crunching noises similar to pieces of metal colliding with each other filled the air. A car accident, maybe? But there was more than the sound of one accident. It put Dallas on high alert.

“Raleigh, stay here.” Dallas moved toward the stairs.

“Dallas, I’m coming with you.” Raleigh started to follow him.

“No! I said stay here, and I mean it.” It came out as an angry growl. He hadn’t meant to snap, but if something was going on downstairs, he didn’t want Raleigh in the middle of danger. He had defense training; his husband didn’t. “Please, baby, stay here,” he said, softer than before.

Raleigh hesitated and then nodded. He took a step back toward his seat. Dallas felt eyes on his back as he descended the stairs.

The sight he found nearly made him retreat. Tables were upturned, the glassware and utensils scattered over the floor. Bodies lay on top of each other, blood oozing from holes and torn skin. An older lady’s body was askew in the middle of the room, covering a young boy who couldn’t have been older than ten. His body was twitching, but his neck was in pieces, chunks of meat torn from his jugular. The people left standing were screaming or running toward the exit.

The people who had fallen didn’t look right. Their faces had deep gashes, with blood gushing from their cheeks and down their chins. With some, their mouths drooped on one side, their gums dark and bloody. Their eyes were lifeless, as though they were dead on the inside.

People on the streets ran into the restaurant, pausing as they saw the bodies on the floor start to move and shift as though they were puppets on a string, only missing their master. Upon taking in the scene, they’d run out again.

It all seemed absurd, like a B grade movie that didn’t even make it to the cinemas. Dallas frowned, taking a step up on one of the stairs, farther away from the scene. He stared at one of the women, who rose, her face scratched up badly.

“Ma’am, are you all right?”

She didn’t respond, only groaned in an animalistic way. She started to stumble toward Dallas, her left leg dragging behind her. Her foot was bent backward and she was putting all her weight on her very twisted and broken ankle.

“Ma’am, are you all right?” Dallas repeated, but she ignored him, continuing her walk toward him.

Diners from upstairs came rushing past him, shoving him roughly out of the way.

“No! Don’t go out there!” But it was too late. They weren’t listening to him—fear controlled their every movement.

This had to be a nightmare. It was the night before their anniversary and he was still in bed, he had to be.

He wasn’t watching the lady, and she managed to catch him off guard and shove him to the ground. She slammed herself on top of him, her teeth bared as she dived toward his neck. He raised his elbow, slamming it into her face. She let out a pained squeal and her head jerked back, making her neck crack loudly. But that still didn’t deter her. This time, she went for his arm.

Over the lady’s shoulder, Dallas saw a man clambering out of a door. The man paused, glancing around the room, obviously searching for something. Survivors. Dallas opened his mouth to ask for help at the same time the woman grabbed a piece of wood from a broken table and slammed it against his forehead. Dallas’s head smashed hard against the floor, and his vision flickered for a moment.

By the time he looked again, the man was gone. Dallas would have to deal with the woman on his own. Using all his strength, he shoved at her twitching body, and she went flying backward into a broken chair. She shrieked as Dallas struggled to stand. His legs felt like jelly beneath him.

He stared at her in confusion. How did she keep getting up? It was impossible. But this entire thing was impossible.

“Dallas!”

Raleigh’s voice. He had to get back to his husband. He spun on his heel, but before he could get anywhere, a hand grabbed his ankle and he fell forward.

“Dallas, where are you?” Raleigh’s voice was on the verge of desperation. “Dal!”

“Raleigh!” Dallas called back, but the sound of a car horn close by drowned it out.

As he opened his mouth to call out again, whatever had grabbed him clawed up his trousers. He twisted and stopped in shock. A man this time, but he looked worse than the lady. He was older, with a receding hairline, but his forehead was peeling and blood was cascading down the side of his head. Only part of his teeth remained in his mouth, and even those were halfway out of his gums. To top it off, he only had half a body. From the waist down, there was nothing but his insides dragging behind him.

“No, no, no. I don’t want to go!” Raleigh’s voice sounded distant among the screams from outside. “He’s alive! No. He’s alive!”

“Raleigh!” Dallas shouted again, but as before, his voice was lost in all the other noise.

Anger and anxiousness welled in his chest, and he let the emotions take over. He kicked at the man holding him, slamming his boot into his face. The man squealed as his skull shattered under the force of Dallas’s kick. His body went limp and he released Dallas.

Rising, Dallas quickly retreated back upstairs to Raleigh and made his way toward the balcony. He paused when he found it empty.

Fear curled in his belly, his skin tingling. “Raleigh?”

He was met with silence.

“Raleigh?”

But still he got no answer. He spun around, surveying the dining room.

“Leigh, where are you?” He looked out toward the street. More and more people ran out of the restaurants along the Strand, and very quickly the streets filled with running, screaming people. He had no fucking idea what was happening.

Dallas ran to the railing, looking over the balcony. It was then that he realized there was a ladder leaning toward the railing. Raleigh must have climbed down it.

Dallas took two steps at a time. His feet hit the ground and he desperately scanned his surroundings. He pulled out his phone and rang Raleigh. It went straight to message bank. He angrily pressed the End Call button.

“Raleigh!”

The scared crowd ignored him for the most part, though a couple shoved him hard as they ran past. Some tried to get into their cars, but with too many people in the streets, they couldn’t go far. A couple of drivers tried to nudge people with their vehicles, but it only had negative effects. Some of the people in the streets were just like the woman in the Strand Delight. Their eyes were dead, their faces and any other exposed skin bloody and scratched.

One of the men nudged with a car spun around, eyes flashing a dark red as he slammed his hands on the hood. The hood made a crunching sound, and the man screamed, spit flying from his mouth as he pounced on the crumpled hood. The woman in the car shrieked and jumped out, kicking off her heels and running down the street with the mobs. But the man obviously wasn’t going to allow that. He ran after her. He wasn’t fast, but he was fast enough to catch her. He grabbed her by the hair, jerking her backward. She screamed again, but he threw her on the ground and tore at her neck like a starving cannibal.

Dallas made to move toward them, but the woman’s scream turned into a gurgle and then nothing. It was too late. Dallas could have saved her life, but he hadn’t. He couldn’t. He needed to find Raleigh. He needed to protect his husband.

“Raleigh?” His voice cracked under the strength of his roar. Yet it was barely audible over the cries of fear filling the street.

The woman from the restaurant dragged herself out of the Strand Delight. She stretched out toward Dallas, a stupid grin on her face that caught bloody teeth flashing at him.

Dallas acted on adrenaline. He ducked beneath her arms, spinning until he was standing at her back, then grabbed her head, twisting it hard and quick until her neck snapped and she fell to the ground, lifeless.

He dropped to his knees, his stomach churning in fear and desperation as the need to vomit slammed into him. But he held it in.

“Raleigh….” he whispered, biting his lip hard. He needed to find his husband.

Something shone in his eyes from under the lamplight and he immediately zeroed in on Raleigh’s phone. He grabbed it, tapping it desperately, but it was dead. “Dammit!” he growled. “Raleigh, where are you?”

Buy the book:

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=7700

Meet the author:

Meg Bawden was born and raised in North Queensland, Australia. She’s loved stories since before she can remember and has always enjoyed creating characters of her own, even if it did begin with drawing faces on toilet rolls and giving them names. Wiring has always been a passion of hers and she’s loved the M/M genre since 2004, the first book she read being Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez.

Writing M/M since 2007, Meg has never had the confidence to attempt publishing her own stories, but in 2015, she decided that it was all about to change thanks to the amazing friends she’s made in the M/M genre and their support and encouragement. So watch out world, Meg Bawden is coming out to have some fun!

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meg.bawden

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/authormegbawden/

Twitter: @megbawden

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29608105-north-to-zombieville

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: Brooke Albrecht

Tour Dates & Stops:

18-May: Inked Rainbow Reads, MM Good Book Reviews, Joyfully Jay

19-May: Outrageous Heroes, The Dark Arts

20-May: Full Moon Dreaming, Boy Meets Boy Reviews

23-May: Bayou Book Junkie, A.M. Leibowitz

24-May: Molly Lolly, Divine Magazine

25-May: BFD Book Blog

26-May: Wicked Faerie's Tales and Reviews

27-May: Book Lovers 4Ever, Velvet Panic, Kirsty Loves Books

30-May: Love Bytes, Ogitchida Book Blog, Prism Book Alliance

31-May: My Fiction Nook, Man2ManTastic

Rafflecopter Prize: Signed paperback copy of ‘North to Zombieville’ by Meg Bawden

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