Tuesday Teaser: Trailer for Upcoming Release of Awakening by Scott Wieczorek

On September 10, Scott Wieczorek, a member of the Three Worlds Press Creative Team, releases his new novel, Awakening.

What would you do if Angels were real? Would you follow one to world's end? What if you were one, but didn't know?

Forget everything you ever thought to be true about our world. Angels are real. And they are fighting for control over the human race.

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

Over the next few weeks, we will be featuring Scott and Awakening here at Storyteller's Grove. TODAY we want to share with you the book trailer. Watch next week for an excerpt.

Now go to Goodreads and add it to your Want to Read list

Tuesday Teaser: Is Love Enough: Book Two Michele Grogan's Forbidden Love Series

This week, we feature an excerpt from Michele Grogan’s Is Love Enough? Book Two of the Forbidden Love series.

Author’s Synopsis

In this sequel to Forbidden Love, Jessica Alvarez tries to answer the question - is love enough? - when it comes to moving forward in a relationship with Jake. But that question might not be easy to answer when a new foe arrives in town and is determined to wreak havoc no matter the cost. 

Luis Alvarez does everything in his power to support his daughter while exploring his own love life and dealing with unexpected circumstances of his past. But when a new threat comes to town, will he be able to protect everyone he cares about or will he have to endure losing someone close to him? 

Jake Rousseau put his heart on the line when he fell in love with Jessica - will he be able to give Jessica what she wants without his heart being ripped to shreds...again? 

“I need you to double-check these numbers from the casino; I think Carlos might be trying to skim off the top again. He’s going to need to be dealt with.”

Jake took the file and quickly flipped through it. “If there are any problems, I’ll send Marco down there.”

“No. I need you to handle this personally,” Johnny said, still not looking at his friend as he sat on the couch, the crystal tumbler clutched in his hand. If Sara knew what he was doing, she would have had a fit. It was a good thing she was out with the kids.

“Johnny, it’s not possible for me to leave right now.”

“You’re the best I have, Jake, and I know I can trust you to handle Carlos.”

“Marco has dealt with him before and he’s more than capable of doing it, Johnny,” Jake said patiently.

“Well, obviously Marco’s last warning was not good enough if Carlos is skimming again! You personally handling this will get the message across loud and clear, Jake.”

“I can’t.”

Johnny looked at the man he considered as his right hand, the man who had been by his side as he had made the empire his father had started bigger and better than his thug of a father ever could have imagined. The man he took under his wing and considered his brother…considered family was out and out defying him.

Trying to maintain some semblance of patience, Johnny said, “I gave you an order, Jake.”

Jake’s right eyebrow rose slightly. “I’m sorry, Johnny. I will check the numbers and if there’s a problem Marco will handle it as I see fit – per his report back to me. Other than that, I am not leaving Donovan’s Harbor any time soon.”

Shaking his head, Johnny put the cut crystal tumbler on the coffee table. “So you’re willing to throw it all away for her?”

“I’m not throwing anything away, Johnny,” Jake began but was cut off.

“The hell you’re not!” Johnny shouted, finally letting the pent up anger he had toward his friend out. “You are throwing away our friendship for that bitch and for what, Jake? A roll in the sack with an enemy’s daughter? Stick it to Alvarez? That’s what this is all about, isn’t it?”

Jake was across the room so fast Johnny barely saw him move until he was backed up against the mantle. 

“The reason you don’t have a bullet in your head right now is because I respect you too much. But I will tell you this, Johnny, don’t you ever disrespect Jessica again. I have put up with a lot of your bull over the years without a word and I would never speak that way about Sara, so don’t you start.”

Johnny was pinned there by Jake’s steel blue eyes. Johnny knew that was the last thing people saw before they met their maker at this man’s hands and Johnny could have sworn his own life flashed before his eyes. Finally breaking the hold Jake had on him, Johnny blinked and nodded. He knew he had gone too far, but he wasn’t about to admit it out loud.

“What the hell is going on?” Sara asked as she walked into the apartment with the kids following close behind her.

Johnny and Jake stared at each other down a moment longer and then nodded to each other, coming to a silent understanding. Johnny didn’t want Sara involved in and he knew Jake didn’t either. Jake backed off.

Michelle Grogan began writing down stories in the 7^th grade. In college her writing transitioned to what is now called flash fiction and fan fiction before going back to creating her own stories. Michelle is also a Literacy Specialist/Coach where she currently coaches teachers on how to improve their students writing skills.

Want to read more?

Buy Links:

Is Love Enough http://amzn.to/16DKkco (Amazon)

Is  Love Enough http://bit.ly/SV5E6A (Kobo)

Stay in touch with Michele and what’s coming next here:

Social Media Links:

Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/michellegroganauthor?ref=hl

Twitter Handle @mishmash878

Tumblr: http://mishmash878.tumblr.com/

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/magrogan22/boards/

Ivy Vines, Visions: Love in the Time of Apocalypse--A Review

Ivy Vines, Visions, Love in the Apocalypse

Author's Synopsis

Moving to Sedona was the only way Ivy could think of to start over. She would meet her high school sweetheart and work on making things right between them. Her psychic abilities were gradually becoming a curse and she needed a new start. Little does she know that when she applies for a waitressing job at a local, upscale French bistro, she will come in contact with the dark and mysterious Eli Dubois. What she doesn’t realize is she has just walked into the middle of the Vortex Murders, which involve a great deal of paranormal activity. Elijah’s army of seers are being murdered, one by one, which seems to be magnifying Ivy’s special abilities. 

Eli's best friend, Jake, arrives on the scene and reveals the secret that changes everything. With nowhere to turn, Ivy leans on the two men who offer her solace. And who is the old woman in the shroud? Is she a vision, a dream, or is she real? Only time will tell.

Ivy Vines, Visions is the first book of a series that is another take on the events leading up to the End Times. The central character is Ivy Vines a young woman with psychic gifts that becomes the focal point of the coming battle between good and evil.

A note: This novel involves many religious/biblical symbols and themes which may not be everyone's cup of tea. But if you enjoy a good paranormal regardless of the roots of the story then read on.

The setting is Sedona Arizona, a place of beauty and mystical locations which I hope will be further incorporated into future installments. Ivy has come there to be with her old boyfriend, Michael and perhaps rekindle their romance and her best friend from childhood Simone. Through them Ivy is introduced to Eli and his friends, who are poised to battle Lucifer and help bring the Deliverer into the world. Jake is Eli's right hand and best friend. But there is trouble in paradise and in personal relationships. And the two are linked.

This novel is well written and shows Ms Serrano's prior experience as an author. There are no major gaps in the story. I did wonder what role the ex-boyfriend Michael would play beyond getting her to Sedona. There are some interesting twists and surprises. And the ending is exciting and includes a cliffhanger.

 The cover is eye-catching and gives the reader a sense of what kind of ride they are about to embark on. It is reasonably well-edited without a significant number of errors and none of the abrupt point of view shifts that are so irritating in other works I have read.

This was an enjoyable read and Storyteller's Grove gives it 4 of 5 triskeles.

       

Biography

  

 Judy Serrano graduated from Texas A&M University, Commerce with a BA in English. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and Dallas Area Romance Authors. She spends her days writing on her laptop and living in her imagination, when she can steal a private moment. She is the author of "Easter's Lilly," "Brother Number Three," "Relatively Close" and "Memoirs of a Mobster."

Judy currently resides in Texas with her husband, four children (all boys) and five dogs. She is also a singer/songwriter in her spare time.

Web page: www.JudySerrano.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/authorjserrano
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JudySerranoAuthor?ref=ts
Blog: http://www.JudySerranoAuthor.com.

Review: Simon Townley's The Dry Lands: A Journey of Survival in Prehistory

Author’s Synopsis: Isolated by a changing climate, hemmed in by arid wasteland, a band of prehistoric humans faces starvation. The tribes have grown too big. They've hunted too fiercely, and the animals are gone. The waterholes are dry, the rains don't come. Their world has changed, and they need a way out.
As the young men of the tribe go in search of a new home, Temfe, the chief's son, must learn to lead his clansmen, before they betray him. To survive in a harsh world, surrounded by enemies, he must gather new allies. Discover new weapons. Learn new ways of seeing the world.
In the African rift valley, 43,000 years BCE, a spark of consciousness flares into life. The dawn of human culture, the fire that will reshape the world. 

The Dry Lands, by Simon J. Townley, is a well-written tale of courage and survival set in prehistoric times. I would almost describe it as a fable. It is the story of a damaged chief’s son. His wounds are both external and internal, who as the sole surviving son of the chief, must rise to many challenges to assure his own survival and that of his tribes. Other characters, including his intended, his father and the antagonist have clear challenges and issuers to either overcome or to which they must surrender.

The main characters are well developed with clear goals and motivations. The plot has a solid arc and is well planned with no holes or sudden “reveals”. The editing is solid and I found no stray point-of-view shifts (a pet peeve of mine).

If I had any suggestions, it would be in certain areas where I felt the writing did not convey the tension that was underlying the scene. In a few places, the sentence structure and dialogue did not heighten the emotional level that the action would have implied. These however a not major flaw, but did take away a bit from the power of the story.

Overall this was however a very good book and I look forward to reading more of Mr. Townley’s work.

I give The Drylands: 4.5 triskeles.

  

Simon Townley is the author of the acclaimed slipstream / speculative novels 'Lost In Thought' and 'Ball Machine', and has written a range of cross-genre novels for both adults and young adults, including prehistoric fiction series 'A Tribal Song - Tales of the Koriba'. The first novel in the series, 'The Dry Lands,' was published in 2012, with the second, 'Caves of the Seers,' scheduled for release in early in 2014. His sci-fi thriller 'Outlivers,' again written for both adults and young adults alike, is to be released in Autumn of 2013. This will be followed by the post-global warming, high-seas adventure 'Among The Wreckage.'   

Simon has also written non-fiction, in particular on the subjects of copywriting and search engine optimization. He studied English literature at the University of York in the UK and has worked as a journalist and copywriter for the past twenty years. He currently lives in Devon, England, with a woman, three cats and two Airedale terriers. 

Review: Comfort Food by Kitty Thomas, a Dark Erotic Story (Adult Material)

Comfort Food

Author’s Notice:  Comfort Food is a work of literary erotica that explores power dynamics and the psychology of ownership. This work is NOT romance.

COMFORT FOOD DESCRIPTION:

Emily Vargas has been taken captive. As part of his conditioning methods, her captor refuses to speak to her, knowing how much she craves human contact. He's far too beautiful to be a monster. Combined with his lack of violence toward her, this has her walking a fine line at the edge of sanity. Told in the first person from Emily's perspective, Comfort Food is a tale of erotic surrender that explores what happens when all expectations of pleasure and pain are turned upside down, as whips become comfort and chicken soup becomes punishment.

DISCLAIMER:

This is not a story about consensual BDSM. This is a story about “actual” slavery. If reading erotica without safewords makes you uncomfortable, this is not the book for you. This is a work of fiction, and the author does not endorse or condone any behavior done to another human being without their consent.

This book contains BDSM elements, master/slave dynamics, dubious consent, psychological conditioning, and oral and anal play. 

Kitty Thomas writes dark erotic fiction with BDSM elements that explores the psychology of ownership.

This is a work of dark erotic fiction for adults who are opening to exploring issues of power and control.  Not for the faint of heart. I was introduced to Kitty Thomas by her alter ego, Zoe Winters who writes wonderful paranormal romances.

That said. I loved this book. It was incredibly well written. The plot and characters are well and fully developed.  The major characters are complex and believable. The settings are so well described that you feel you are there.  We live inside Emily’s head as she is reinvented into a willing slave. Ms. Thomas’ deliberate use of a shift of point of view is a perfect tool in the development of the main character and theme of the book. 

I could spot no grammatical or mechanical mistakes. This is a novel that raises the bar for the proper recognition of erotic fiction’s legitimacy.

If you are up for an intense well-crafted adult read, this is a must. Comfort Food and other works by Kitty Thomas and Zoe Winters are available through Amazon.

I give it