A Review of The Bazaar of Bad Dreams by Stephen King - My Favorite Selections

Since childhood, Stephen King has propelled my imagination to foreign places, delivering horrors that keep on giving. If you are like me, you have a lifelong relationship with Mr. King...well, at least with his stories. Granted, few can say they actually know him, but I am okay with being one of his constant readers as long as he keeps writing. 

I find it comforting that even with all his accolades, King states that he is an amateur. In his opinion, writing is something all writers can consistently improve on. A story is never truly finished as long as the author is alive and eager to perfect his/her art. I'll try to keep that in mind whenever I'm working on a story that has me on the ropes in a choke-hold.

So he's at it again...

The title alone and accompanying artwork is enough to invite me in and once I'm there, his stories carve into my subconscious, navigating  busy junctures, leading me into a boondocks of endless possibilities. This time he's taking me/us on a bazaar of bad dreams. I have no expectations and yet, I playfully whisper, surprise me. 

Mile 81

For the record, I'm not a fan of driving on the highway, the concrete dividers inspire nightmares in and of itself.  At times, it can be a scary place; even when you're at the wheel. All it takes is one wrong move by you or a distracted driver and anything, everything can go wrong. If the odds are in your favor,  you walk away with minor abrasions or you're carved into by carnivorous metal that somehow graduated with a PhD in Creative Butchery in a matter of a millisecond.

In Mile 81 we're introduced to various characters that vie for our attention. I have a healthy imagination, but the story didn't seize my fear. Christine had teeth; the antagonist in Mile 81... Well, I'll let you decide for yourself. The characters, specifically the teenagers were interesting, but with short stories, it's hard to get to know the characters, much less care about what happens to them.  I started to care when Rachel and Blakey came into the story line.

To his credit, King delivers jokes you can enjoy for years to come. Often, it comes to mind when you’re trying to get a joke or jab in. That's why I read his stories; he keeps me entertained even when I don't particularly like a story.

Premium Harmony

Life can become redundant for couples and even more so when they’ve been together for 37 years. Still, I enjoyed the depth of the couple’s interaction in this story. Ray and Mary spend most of their time disagreeing than loving  and appreciating each other until the couple goes for a ride and stop to pick up a treat for their niece in a dilapidated part of town.

Life is strange like that; one minute you’re going toe to toe and the next, you're staring at the mirror wondering if it was all a dream. I like this story the most. It just goes to show you that sometimes getting a good scare is not necessarily the best form of entertainment; being able to sit back, and appreciate the deeper meaning of a story can be equally gratifying.

So, what's the verdict?

This collection did  not inspire bad dreams, but if you are a fan of King's body of work give it a try. 

Either way, I enjoyed the book and I think you will too. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------

"There are times when life is shorter than a waltz, so dance—damn it, dance!" - Mila A. Ballentine

A Review of Jade Sky ( A Matt Rowley Novel) by Patrick Freivald

 

 

Genre: Militia, Science Fiction

Book Description

 

Matt Rowley hasn't been human for years. A commando for the International Council on Augmented Phenomena, he hunts down superhuman monsters the military can't handle. But his abilities come with a price: bloodthirsty whispers that urge him to acts of terrible violence. An encounter with a giant, angelic being with wings of smoke and shadow casts him into a world of inhuman brutality, demonic possession, and madness, where he must choose between his family and his soul.

The Review

 

Matt Rowley, an ICAP commando, and his crew are always on the move. This time, they are inside a warehouse.  It should be an easy operation, with little to no casualties. They maneuver the building and encounter more resistance than they had expected, but they hold off the goons long enough to make it to the helicopter. Once they are out of harm’s way, Matt and his boss debate the likelihood that something was off about the mission.

From then on, disturbing events unfold, and Matt and his team learn things that would make grown augmented men shudder—things that might very well strip away everything they know and love. In the meantime, ICAP kept them busy, sending them to foreign lands to spearhead negotiations with a Jade dealer.

Midway, Matt and his squad are propelled into a high-octane bloodlust fight. Lives are extinguished, some they regret, others not so much. Cursing the choice he was forced to make, Matt soldiers on, determined to find out what went wrong.

 

Will he find out what caused all of the chaos or will they die before learning the truth?

I like that…

Matt can crush a trachea with his thumb, but when he is at home with his wife, Monica, he is a different man.  Even when he feels like his humanity is slipping away, she is the thread that holds him together.

Purchase Links

 

Kindle     Nook

 

I’m looking forward to reading the sequel, BLACK TIDE, which comes out 4/17.

 

Author Bio

Patrick Freivald is a two-time Bram Stoker Award nominee, a teacher (physics, robotics, American Sign Language), beekeeper, and author, and coach of an award-winning competition robotics team for high school students.

He lives in Western New York with his loving wife, birds, dogs, cats, and several million stinging insects.   

Social Links

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patrick.freivald?fref=ts

You can find him at http://patrick.freivald.com

 

Unpinned by Mila A. Ballentine Cover Reveal

 

 

 

 

Unpinned

A Paranormal Sequel

 

Release Date: February 11, 2014

 

Cover Artist: Mila A. Ballentine

 

BLURB

 

Her life was filled with constant loss and upheaval, but Marie Tousant was eager to put it all behind her. She leaves Hapville, Louisiana, hoping to find inner peace on a tropical isle. With Louisiana in her rear view mirror, Marie attempts to create a path to a normal life, but she soon realizes how inconsistent a sense of normalcy can be. Haunted by her past in every conceivable way, Marie recognizes that she can’t run from herself.

Marie’s only ally, Libby Townsend, is thousands of miles away when unsettling emotions surface and a sense of dread takes hold. A welcome surprise eases her worries, but it doesn’t last and her world begins to unravel. Evil forces take hold and tighten their grip; Marie and a sinister being summoned by practitioners of the Dark Arts clash. In the face of a heroic battle, Marie Tousant can’t help but wonder if there’s anyone left willing to protect her, even in the face of death.

 

 PROLOGUE

Marie took one last look around her home. White sheets covered all of the furniture and the walls were bare. The taxi driver honked the horn and it echoed inside. She looked at her suitcase and sighed. The memories of her parents and Granma Tilde tiptoed into her subconscious. They were all gone. She was all that was left of them and she had to go out into the world alone. Hopefully the world would be kind and not devour her. Marie opened the front door, put her suitcases outside, and closed the door behind her.

The night sky illuminated with a constellation of stars. Marie rolled her suitcases down to the curb; the cab driver stepped out and put her suitcases in the trunk. They entered the cab and drove away. Marie lost everything that was dear to her; Libby Townsend was the closest thing to family that she had left. She said her goodbyes earlier in the day. Marie didn’t want any erratic emotions to hinder her departure when the time came.

Libby looked out of her living room window. Marie made her promise that she wouldn’t come over when she was about to leave for the airport, but she never said she couldn’t watch. Libby tried to hold back her tears, but it was inevitable. She looked at the cab drive away until the rear lights faded. Libby slouched to the floor and cried silently.

^^^

The bayou was abuzz with lights. The reflection of a fire reflected on their masked faces. They knelt in a large circle around the fire, with their heads bowed to the ground. A man huddled against a red oak tree with a Congo drum clenched between his thighs. His fist struck the drum and rhythmic sounds flowed through the air.

“Rah!” They responded, repeating the word every time the drummer hit a specific beat. Their bodies waved in a serpentine motion, sending their spines into a bell curve.

“Rah!”

The beat changed and they rose to their feet, pranced, bucked and stomped. Clouds of dust rose to their waistline and the drummer changed the beat yet again. A figure with a horned white mask broke through the circle. The fluidity of their movements trickled out to the bog people who began thrusting their right foot backward, as if they were about to charge.

The figure was stacked in hundreds of layers of tree roots that stopped below where a knee should be and another layer that ended just above the feet came to the forefront. It stomped and gyrated its body to the Congo beat. The more it moved, the wider the circle became. Suddenly the figure jumped into the fire and sent flames ten feet into the air. A face animated within the flames.

The circle closed and the bog people knelt, and bowed, resting their foreheads to the ground. The drummer’s beat lowered. A young woman in the group stood up and walked over to where two cages sat, one with a crow and the other with a dove. She removed them from the cage, pressed their breasts together, and bound them with barbwire. Their blood flowed until it became one.

She removed a vial from a satchel, and drank its contents. The bonded crow and dove fell to the floor. It didn’t take long for the black mamba’s venom to send her body into violent twitches as the venom coursed through her veins. She collapsed. A man in the circle emerged with an ivory handled knife. He knelt beside her, made an incision just below her navel, and inserted the crow and dove inside her womb.

Death loomed above her and the full moon faded when her eyes went black. She had offered herself as a sacrifice to summon a creature more powerful than the Soucouna. Once the creature was summoned, it would be nearly impossible to kill it and it possessed the ability to smell a Silken thousands of miles away.

The drummer’s beat became erratic and the bog people stomped, jumped, and spun their bodies, until the last beat hit the drum.

“Rah!”

 

UNPINNED QUOTES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UNPINNED PURCHASE LINKS

Unpinned/Kindle 

Unpinned/Nook

 

THE PREQUEL

 

 

 

 

BLURB

 

Marie Tousant was an adventurous child, living a happy life until she had an untimely encounter with an entity in her back yard. From then on, she was no longer the same child, but even so, her parents were determined to maintain some sense of normalcy in her life. Although, they soon realized that, that notion did not apply. 

Years later, hunting season begins, but Marie is the prey, pursued by practitioners of the dark arts, and they do not intend to let her slip away this time. However, a conflicting power emerges and shares secrets that may save Marie from the grasp of evil. Regardless of the dangers they face, Marie’s allies are willing to protect her; it becomes clear that Marie is in for the fight of her life, and there is no telling if she will come out of this ordeal alive.

 

PURCHACE  LINKS:

AMAZON/Kindle

Barnes & Nobles/Nook

 

Mystery Spotlight Presents: Drawing Down The Shades by Juli D. Revezzo

 

The Blurb

Business can be hell...

Life is good at Starfort Collectibles until the owners, Caitlin and Trevor Fulmer, acquire a beautiful statuette with a murky past. Shortly thereafter, mysterious hauntings wreak havoc on the couple when a ghost in the attic threatens retribution. Caitlin presses her coven for help before the ghost succeeds in meting out deadly punishment—on Trevor.

 

An Excerpt:

Trevor’s footsteps scuffed across the floor and he greeted the man. The old gentleman turned his attention back to the box, carefully removing the item inside. Caitlin peered over the top of the box curiously.
The man set down a small statuette of a woman, pouring something from a pitcher. Caitlin tipped her head. “That’s lovely, I must say.”
Trevor grunted and leaned forward. “Looks Greek.”
“German actually,” the man said.
“1920’s.”
“1960 give or take.”
Trevor pursed his lips and stepped back from the statuette, eyeing it thoughtfully. “That’s a little outside my range.”
The man pressed, “It’s a find, I can tell you that.”
“Rare?” Trevor asked.
“Oh, yes. One of a kind.”
Trevor glanced at her and back to the customer, holding out a hand. “May I?”
“Go right ahead.” He set the statuette gently—almost lovingly—into Trevor’s hands. “I think you’ll find there’s not a scratch on it. My children are tired of looking at it, you see. They say it gives them the creeps.”
Caitlin raised a brow. “How odd.” The little statuette looked lovely to her.
“Well, they have active imaginations. So here I saw your shop and thought you might have a solution for me.” He touched the statuette as if he didn’t want to part with it. “After I’m gone, I’d like someone to have it who’ll appreciate it.”
Trevor grunted again as he turned the little figure. Caitlin smiled at the man. “I told you, it’s his shop, his expertise.” She winked at Trevor. “I just keep the books.”
Trevor laughed under his breath, studied the item for another moment, and set it down. “It does look in mint condition. Do you have any documentation?”
The man sucked in a quick breath and reached into his coat pocket. A packet slid forth through his old fingers.
Trevor opened the packet, scanned it. He met the man’s gaze, startled, Caitlin thought. “Are you kidding me?”
“What’s the matter, honey?” Caitlin looked from her husband to the customer. When they said nothing more, she glanced over Trevor’s shoulder at the document in his hands. She caught the name Donavon before Trevor’s grip tightened on the form, crumpling the text out of view.
“Not in the slightest,” the man said as if she hadn’t spoken.
“You can’t be him,” Trevor said.
“I assure you, I am.” The man reached a hand into his coat. “Do you need to see my ID?”
Trevor narrowed his eyes. “I thought he’d died. I mean, you. I thought you’d died.”
The man pursed his lips and shook his head. “Not yet.”
“Who did?” Caitlin asked completely confused by this conversation.
“I thought everything she had,” Trevor barreled on, “was in the Museum of Fine Arts.”
The man chuckled to himself. “Not all of it.”
“Are you saying she gave some of the collection to you and you want me to have one?”
“Yes.” The man smiled sadly meeting Caitlin’s gaze directly. “Because I think you and she have more in common than you’d believe.”
Caitlin frowned. What did they have in common with whom? Who was this Donavon person? “Excuse me. What are you talking about?”
Trevor waved a hand. “Forget it, Cait.” He pointed to his office. “Of course we’ll take it. Let me just get some information from you.”
They disappeared into Trevor’s office and Caitlin stared after them, wondering. What in the world was that about?
 

What was that about? I'm curious. Aren't you?

 

About the Author:

Juli D. Revezzo has long been in love with writing, a love built by devouring everything from the Arthurian legends, to the works of Michael Moorcock, and the classics and has a soft spot for classic the "Goths" of the 19th century. Her short fiction has been published in Crossing the River: An Anthology of Sacred Journeys, Dark Things II: Cat Crimes, The Scribing Ibis, Eternal Haunted Summer, Twisted Dreams Magazine and Luna Station Quarterly and Crossed Genres' "Posted stories for Haiti relief" project, while her non-fiction has been included in The Scarlet Letter. She has also, on occasion, edited the popular e-zine Nolan's Pop Culture Review... But her heart lies in the storytelling. She is a member of the Magic Appreciation Tour and Indie Author Network.
 

Drawing Down the Shades purchase links:

 Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Drawing-Down-Shades-Antique-Magic-ebook/dp/B00HMVF2GW/

Amazon.UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Drawing-Down-Shades-Antique-Magic-ebook/dp/B00HMVF2GW/ )

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/drawing-down-the-shades-juli-d-revezzo/1117927155?ean=2940148896753
 

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/394274

 

 If Drawing Down The Shades is your kind of mystery, you'll want to check out: The Artist's Inheritance!

 

 

Here's the blurb...

 

The balance between good and evil can be an art... or a curse.

Trevor and Caitlin were once happy newlyweds, profiting from Trevor's art. Until Trevor inherits his brother's house, and with it, his part of a family curse. Now, Caitlin will stop at nothing to save her beloved husband from insanity and suicide, even if it means she must embrace her destiny and become a witch.

Other novels by Juli D. Revezzo:

The Antique Magic series:

Drawing Down the Shades (Antique Magic, book two) Available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords

 The Artist's Inheritance (Antique Magic, book one) --Available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords

Caitlin's Book of Shadows (Antique Magic, book 1.5)--Available at 
Amazon and Barnes and Noble

Passion's Sacred Dance-- from The Wild Rose Press, Available at Amazon, All Romance Ebooks,Bookstrand, Itunes, Kobo, and The Wild Rose Press

Murder Upon a Midnight Clear--Available at Amazon
House of Cards (Reign of Tarot #1)--Available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble and Smashwords   

To learn more about this and future releases, visit her at: http://julidrevezzo.com    

Would you like to be the next mystery author featured on Mystery Spotlight?

Contact me via the form on this site. 

Additional details can be found here: Guest Post Your Way Into The Spotlight.

 

 

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Guest Post Your Way Into The Spotlight!

I am happy to announce that I am accepting guest posts starting in February 2014.

• Do you have helpful tips that you'd like to share with other writers?

For example: Formatting tips for Amazon, Barnes & Nobles or Smashwords that include PowerPoint, video instructions or screen captured pictures.

• A cover reveal with blurb for your new release?

I am accepting: Mystery, Paranormal Mystery, Crime Mystery, Dystopian, or Science Fiction.

Did I hear a resounding Yes?

• Contact me via the form on this site. Please include a link to a sample of your writing. 

Postscript:

I will post the guest post link on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Tumbler but the writer must be willing to promote the post too.

A Review of THE STAND by Stephen King

Rating: 5 Screams

The Stand isn’t for the faint-hearted, the umbrella of political correctness was out to pasture. King is no doubt mischievous and likes to rile readers but it’s for a greater purpose. I think he wants to draw attention to the unfortunate labels that are prevalent in our and many other societies.  It’s not a coincidence that the heroines in many of his books are often individuals that society looks down on. He’s advocating in a subtle, yet clever way. I respect that.

The characters came to life in such a way that it was an intimate affair. I use to think Stephen was all about the scare but he’s a funny guy and it comes through in just about all of his books. My favorite scene was with Stewart and Tom near the Christmas tree. It brought tears to my eyes. By then, I knew them as if they were my neighbors in the free zone. The most terrifying part of the story was when Flagg and Nadine commenced. It was disturbingly delicious in the most diabolical sense. One could only wish to have the skill to describe something so horrific in such a way that makes the reader want to crawl out of themselves to escape the image budding in their minds.

He has a knack for honing in on the things that makes one’s blood crawl, and scrapes terror from the bowls of one’s imagination with the stroke of a pen. And that's why I wouldn't want him to read me a bedtime story.

Until next time, happy reading!

On The Isles of Mozambique--- Spotlight Blitz---Book Tour

Book Blurb:

Samira McAllister, an aspiring writer working for The Seasoned Traveler magazine is offered an opportunity. She takes advantage of the chance to jump start her career, hoping to make a mark in the writing industry. 

Unforeseen hurdles threaten her ability to follow through with her plans, and life as she knows it becomes a memory. From that point onward, every choice she makes will seal her fate.

Inquiring minds want to know...

Why should I read On The Isles of Mozambique?

On The Isles of Mozambique is more than a mystery story, it's an intimate look into the life of a young woman with aspirations. Monkey wrenches occasionally find their way into the spokes of one’s life but it’s how the character deals with the situation is what drives On The Isles of Mozambique, a story that illustrates the power of the human spirit when all else fails.

Allow me to lure you into my literary labyrinth.

Available for purchase at

         

You can stalk, I mean follow Me here

               

About the Author

Mila A. Ballentine is a mystery writer who doesn't shy away from writing about things that grasp the core of her imagination. She studied Creative Writing and Communication Arts at a City University of New York. Her writing is an extension of her mind’s eye and there is always an element of truth in each of her books. When she's not writing, she enjoys traveling or doing anything that allows her to put her creative energy to use.

Presented By

****************Mila's Summer 2013 Beach Read*******************

The beach is one of my favorite places to be.  I love the feel of the sand beneath my feet, the cool water caressing my body and a tropical breeze brushing against my skin. I  don't live near a beach so, I look for books that will make me feel like I  am  relaxing on a beach  as the sea teases the shoreline.

My Beach Pick is, Wish You Were Here by Amanda McIntyre

The Blurb:

"A broken engagement.

Two BFF’s stuck in a tropical storm in the Keys.

There’s bound to be thunder and lightning.

But what happens after the storm passes?

Ever since certifiably geek Maggie saved the hide of Josh from a mean dog, the two were destined to be best friends. Social barriers kept them closet friends as Josh became popular and Maggie remained the brains that kept the brawn in academic good standing. Maggie carried her secret crush, only to be devastated when given the chance, Josh walks away, leaving her to suffer her unrequited fantasy of being with him.

Maturity reveals to Josh how badly he once treated Maggie. When she calls him then, to tell him of her engagement being cut off, it’s hard for him to be happy about his own wedding plans feeling guilty that Maggie is walking this road alone. Challenged by his bride to be that he may harbor unresolved feelings about his friend, she calls a break in their relationship, challenging him to find out and be sure of what he wants. Determined to prove her wrong, that he only cares for Maggie as a friend, he pays her a surprise visit where she’s gone to relax and recuperate.

He soon realizes that while the choices he’d made long ago were noble, the feelings he had for Maggie then were very real. One afternoon spent catching up with each other’s lives reveals what neither expected--that the embers once thought dead between them are still smoldering." ~Amanda McIntyre

**My rating:  Five flip flops and a Martini .**

Review

Wish You Were Here, read more like...Wish I Was There! I truly enjoyed reading this book. The characters were easy to get to know and I felt their struggle of indecision. Decisions of that caliber are not easy to make and the author does an excellent job relating that. I would definitely recommend this book to others. It’s a book you’d want to have handy as you relax on a towel or chair at the beach. Reading this book made me miss being near the ocean, and the mood that often accompanies such a tranquil place. Wish You Were Here gave me a taste of that feeling and I will cherish it until I walk the sandy shores again.

Enjoy what's left of  the Summer weather. Treat yourself; get  a copy of  Wish You Were Here, and read it under a shaded  tree.