BIG NEWS! THE GOUGE AUDIOBOOK IS HERE!

The Gouge is now available in Audio Book Format!

I want to thank Raymond Holdridge II for lending his voice to my story.  When he auditioned for the reading, I knew right away he was perfect for the job.  I have a feeling you will all agree!  You can find more about Raymond and his directorial and voice over work on his Instagram page right HERE!  Also, check out Smoking Polar Bear Productions 

The Gouge is my debut novel, and for it to final be available in such a fun format is a real dream come true.

If you already own the Kindle edition of The Gouge, that means you can download the audio book version at a huge discount!  Just visit the book's Amazon page here:  THE GOUGE on AMAZON

ABOUT THE GOUGE:

Carson ran away from Cypress Creek to escape his dark past; his father was the serial killer dubbed, "The Man in the Woods."  Twenty-two years have passed, and a simple text message threatens to bring all of Carson's secrets out into the open.

The freshly slain bodies of two teenage girls have been discovered in the woods of Cypress Creek, and the methos of which the girls were killed are identical to those found nearly twenty-two years earlier on his father's victims.  The now retired detective who worked the first case has long suspected that Carson knew more than what he revealed during interrogations; now is his chance to prove it.  

Carson returns to Cypress Creek to finally face his past, but it is soon clear that he isn't the only person in that small-town harboring dark secrets about that fateful night in the woods.

THE GOUGE on AUDIBLE

BOOK REVIEW: The Manic Mission: Children of the Mob, BY: C.J. Simone

 

This was a wild ride right from the beginning.  In the first pages there’s action, mystery, thrills, and suspense, and it doesn’t let up from there.  Gabe is a very complex, and talented character with bipolar disorder.  He’s also the son of a mobster, and he has a noble mission.  Gabe’s disorder plays a key part in his actions, and the way the rest of the cast interacts with him. 

The story is told from many different points of view, and this really helped pronounce the empathy for some of the characters.  I felt like there was a lot of dialogue, but that’s not a bad thing.  In fact, all the dialogue felt passionate, and their voices were authentic in tone.  It was easy to hear the voices saying the words written, and that of course assisted in drawing me into the story.

This was a fun first installment to what I’m assuming will be a continuing series.  Recommended to people who enjoy mob style stories like The Sopranos .  Looking forward to the next installment!    

The Manic Mission can be purchase on Amazon HERE!

Thinking Cookies!

I've decided my first post of the year is going to be a sweet one!  

This definitely is not the healthiest of posts, but I’m going to level with the both of you on how I keep my focus.  When I sit down to write, I tend to have a package of a certain sweet snack by my side.  I call them, “Thinking Cookies.”  Don’t laugh.  We all have that snack that we really believe helps up think and work, mine just happens to be a cookie.  Why is this I wonder?  Why do we tend to think better while we are nibbling (or sometimes scarfing) away on a treat?  Maybe it’s a comfort thing.  Luckily, science has shown us that it’s really just the sugars and fats increasing the dopamine levels in my brain, thus making it easier for me to focus on the characters in my stories, and all of their secrets.  So, do I really like cookies, or do I just like the dopamine?  It’s probably not worth thinking about—Nah, I like cookies, and they make me happy.  I function better, and I write better, when I’m happy.  Simple as that!    

And by the way, it really doesn’t matter what kind cookie.  My go-to is usually the Oreo, but I can get by with just about any kind of cookie—chocolate chip, no-bake, peanut butter, sugar, or those butter cookies that come in the tin can—the list goes on and on.  As I’m writing this post, the thinking cookie of choice happens to be my wife’s homemade oatmeal cookie.

So, as I said at the beginning, I know this isn't the healthiest of tips, so please save any shame you might want to throw my way.  I know this is not a great habit, and I promise it is not a regular habit either.  Either way, I face the consequences of it often and have to work hard to burn off all the extra calories I put into my body, and even then it still doesn't feel like enough.  

Do you have a favorite snack when you’re trying to concentrate?  I’d love to hear all about it, as well as what you do to cut yourself off when you know you’re about to over do it. 

Keep Reading!

2023, That's A Wrap!

Well, that’s another year in the books.  Another twelve months have come and gone.  Where did it go so fast, and what have we to show for it? 

It’s been a challenging year.  And judging by the number of posts I’ve made to this blog this year (only 11), it doesn’t look like I’ve been very productive either.  Well, I promise you, I’ve been doing my best.  The year started off very positive.  The Blue Hole had been out for a month or so, and it was gaining traction.  The promotions I had chosen to run were working well, and the few reviews that were trickling in were just the kind of positive reinforcement I needed to push forward on my third book.  All was looking very good.  Then I got the urge to throw the book away my work in progress and start over, and about mid-year, that’s exactly what I did.  Trying to sort out if this book was even worth taking a second stab distracted me from continuing to promote The Blue Hole and The Gouge.  It also kept me from checking in on my social media accounts, and so they too seemed to lose relevance too—add to that the fact that social media went through a few changes this year too.  Nevertheless, slowly, and surely, I am trying to regain my footing and training myself to post daily just like I did when I started this writing venture. 

Now, about that third book—it’s coming!  I’m going to keep “quiet” on most of the details right now, but I will let you know that I’m much happier with the characters and the story this time around. I’m really looking forward to a title and book cover reveal in the first quarter of 2024 and a release date in the summer.  So, keep your eyes open for that!

 

2023 has not been bad but I am really looking forward to 2024 as yet another page in my journey!  I hope that your 2024 will be amazing as well!  See you there!

BOOK REVIEW: Abandoned, By Vicky Ball

Vicky Ball’s second book, much like her first, tackles some challenging and unfortunate situations that we tend to overlook, or ignore.  

Using her main character, Maddie, as a vessel, the author masterfully captured the feeling of growing up in an alcoholic home and feeling like there is nowhere turn and nowhere to run.  Then, a small glimmer of hope, something to grasp onto and fight for is dropped into Maddie’s life in the form of a family she never knew she had.  But when Maddie goes in search for this hope, she doesn't find exactly what she expected.  

I really enjoyed the way the story moved fast and the way that the characters spoke with one another in a very real way.  I did have some trouble resonating with the characters at the beginning, but I attribute that mostly to the fact that the target audience is more teen/young adult, which I am not.  However, once the majority of introductions were completed, I was completely drawn in and could not put it down.  Well done!

Abandoned is available in paperback and ebook format, and it is enrolled in Kindle Unlimited, so if you are a subscriber, you can download it for Free right HERE!

Exciting News!

Well, it is officially happening!  You will soon be able to enjoy The Gouge in audio book format!  I just finished a zoom meeting with a wonderful audio book producer, Raymond Holdridge II, and we've worked out all the expected kinks, as well as a plan to work with unforeseen circumstances.  Right now, our plan is to have to file available on Amazon and Audible by the end of the year, shortly followed by availability on I-tunes!

Obviously, I am completely stoked about this news and that this step is finally being taken.  If you follow me at all, you probably know I've been looking into ways to convert my book into audio for some time, but I have been running into one road block after another.  I feel truly blessed to have been able to fall into contact with great people with similar goals!  

I'll share more information about the progression, and availability of this product as I have it!  Just wanted to share the news!  Have a great day!  Keep reading...and listening!

Book Review: The Perfect Kill Club, By: Martin McGregor

The Perfect Kill Club, By:  Martin McGregor

This was an interesting short read with a great premise.  In my opinion, time travel is a tricky topic to write since it’s almost always going to have at least one plot hole, but McGregor did a stand-up job.  My only complaint would be that the ending felt a little rushed, and I wasn’t convinced of some of the characters motives.  Still a fun read with a good mix of science fiction and slasher/gore based horror.

The Perfect Kill Club is enrolled in the Kindle Unlimited Program, so you can download it and read it for free if you have subscription.  Check it out here:  The Perfect Kill Club on Amazon.

Happy reading!