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Where Awesome Book Readers Meet Awesome Writers

1. Survivor: A horror thriller by K.R. Griffiths

   About Survivor: A horror thriller by K.R. Griffiths:

   Clive Barrett is a fast learner. His first kills were amateurish, but Clive knows that practice makes perfect. Soon, he expects to be one of the most notorious serial killers in the UK. He expects to be number one.

   There is just one problem: one of Clive’s victims simply won’t stay dead.

   It turns out that one of Clive’s early kills wasn’t just sloppy; it wasn’t a kill at all. Now, improving his craft might just be the least of Clive’s worries, because the woman he thought he’d murdered knows his name. She knows where he lives.

   And she’s coming for him…

   ***

   Survivor Q & A

   Q. What can you tell us about Survivor?

   Survivor started out as a free short story that I wrote for my mailing list subscribers, but once I got started it just sort of kept growing. In the end, I’d describe it as a short novel. For those who’ve read my first book (Panic) it comes in at a few thousand words shorter than that did, so it’s intended to be a fast, punchy read. It’s a horror, but not in quite the same way as my previous stuff.

   Q. No zombies this time?

   No, Survivor is firmly focused on the real world, and the horror that humans perpetrate on each other. It’s a serial killer story, which is a topic I’ve always found fascinating, but it doesn’t focus on the police/investigation aspect at all. Clive Barrett is a killer who is just getting started, and hasn’t been picked up on the radar of the authorities yet, and Survivor focuses mainly on his encounter with a victim who is fully prepared to fight back.

   Q. Is Barrett based on any real-life characters?

   I hope not! Barrett’s a monster, but as with all my ‘evil’ characters I try my best to get into his head and see what makes him tick. In a lot of ways, I view him as a character who doesn’t really understand himself, and the path he has chosen to walk is his way of finding his place in a world he doesn’t really understand.

   Q. Survivor feels more violent than Wildfire Chronicles did. Would you agree?

   It does, in a way. I think that may be partly to do with the fact that Wildfire involved almost supernatural-type characters and situations, so maybe it’s easier for the reader to distance themselves from what’s happening. But Barrett’s actions are very much rooted in reality, and maybe that does lend an extra level of horror to events.

   Q. What’s next for you?

   Next up is an action horror called Adrift, which I hope to release this Autumn (2014). Adrift is a little closer in tone to Wildfire than Survivor, and I’m really excited about it. I’m also working with two very talented narrators to get both Wildfire Chronicles and Survivor produced as audiobooks. So far, Wildfire volumes 1-3 are complete, and I hope all the others will be available by December.

   Learn more about the author, buy the book, or follow them on social media:
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   Author Bio:
   K.R. Griffiths is a former journalist and editor turned novelist, and is the author of seven books, including the former Amazon horror number 1 series Wildfire Chronicles, and the recently-released serial killer horror Survivor. His first book, Panic, was long-listed in the ‘best horror books of 2013′ category by the SpaSpa book awards, and all of his works are currently being produced as audiobooks.

   He lives in the UK, where in addition to writing. he spends his time reading, designing book covers and submitting to the will of his cat.

   Survivor: A horror thriller by K.R. Griffiths is a post from Awesome Gang

2. Aster Wood and the Lost Maps of Almara

   About Aster Wood and the Lost Maps of Almara:

   A heart condition and a jerk of a father meant twelve-year-old Aster Wood had plenty of problems to deal with already. They were the complaints of a human kid with a broken family and an uncertain future.

   But now, stranded on another planet, it turns out Aster’s not quite as human as he, and everyone around him, believed. On the planets within the Maylin Fold, Aster’s ancestors have a long history of magical dealings, and he’s the last in the line who can solve the riddle of where the famous sorcerer, Almara, disappeared to two hundred years ago.

   But Cadoc, the raving commander who has long sought to stamp out all knowledge of Almara, has caught wind of Aster’s plans. He joins the hunt, only it’s Aster he seeks. If he can’t sway the boy to unite with him, then his head on a spike will have to do.

   Aster needs to get back to Earth, now.

   Unfortunately, Cadoc seems to be the only Mayliner with the power to send him home. Without the tyrant’s help, any chance of seeing the fractured remains of his family again will evaporate, and he could be trapped in Maylin forever.

   Aster is certain that finding Almara is the key to making his way home; if he, or any of his followers, are still alive.

   But Cadoc draws ever closer, and the madman’s noose grows tighter around Aster’s neck with each step he takes along the trail Almara left behind.

   Learn more about the author, buy the book, or follow them on social media:
   Visit the Author’s Website.
   Buy the Book On Amazon.
   Visit the Facebook Fan Page.

   Author Bio:
   Born and raised in Northern California, J. B. Cantwell is a mother, horse enthusiast, and serial entrepreneur with more ideas than she knows what to do with. She stumbled into writing while developing a video game about, you guessed it, Aster Wood. The video game never came to be, but Aster Wood lives on, searching the cosmos in an effort to understand his place in the universe. You can visit J. B.’s webpage at jbcantwell.com for updates about new releases and projects.

   Aster Wood and the Lost Maps of Almara is a post from Awesome Gang

3. Hand of Fire by Judith Starkston

   About Hand of Fire by Judith Starkston:

   The Trojan War threatens Troy’s allies and the Greek supply raids spread. A young healing priestess, designated as future queen, must defend her city against both divine anger and invading Greeks. She finds strength in visions of a handsome warrior god. Will that be enough when the half-immortal Achilles attacks? Hand of Fire, a tale of resilience and hope, blends history and legend in the untold story of Achilles’s famous captive, Briseis.

   “In Hand of Fire, Starkston’s careful research brings ancient Greece and Troy to life with passion and grace. This haunting and insightful novel makes you ache for a mortal woman, Briseis, in love with a half-god, Achilles, as she fights to make her own destiny in a world of capricious gods and warriors. I devoured this page-turning escape from the modern world!” — Rebecca Cantrell, New York Times bestselling author of The World Beneath

   Learn more about the author, buy the book, or follow them on social media:
   Visit the Author’s Website.
   Buy the Book On Amazon.
   Visit the Facebook Fan Page.

   Author Bio:
   Judith Starkston writes historical fiction and mysteries set in Troy and the Hittite Empire. Ms. Starkston is a classicist (B.A. University of California, Santa Cruz, M.A. Cornell University) who fell under the spell of Greek history, mythology and especially Homer as an undergraduate. She taught high school English, Latin and humanities. She and her husband have two grown children and live in Arizona with their golden retriever Socrates. Hand of Fire is her debut novel.

   “But what is the difference between a good historical novel and a brilliant one? I suggest you read Judith Starkston’s Hand of Fire and you’ll discover the answer.” Helen Hollick Editor Historical Novels Review, author of Forgotten Queen

   Hand of Fire by Judith Starkston is a post from Awesome Gang

4. Beyond the Clearing

   About Beyond the Clearing:

   In memory of a dear friend who had been taken too soon, they decide to honor a wish that was left unfulfilled. The Serenity resort, carved into the stunning red rock mountains would be the place to celebrate the life of their beloved Diane. And to allow reflection on their own lives, Maggie, Rachel and Susan thought this would be the perfect getaway.

   But the resort holds an ancient and deadly secret, one that employee, Tony DeLuca, tries hard to ignore. It is only when Susan comes to him after a frightening and unexplained event, that he’s left with little choice but to face it head on.

   Warnings of what will come to pass soon arise from a most unexpected source, delivered by one who is compelled to help.

   But the evil whispering promises of change will find weakness among the friends, delving into the depths of their greatest regrets. When all choice is taken, will they recognize it before it’s too late?

   Learn more about the author, buy the book, or follow them on social media:
   Visit the Author’s Website.
   Buy the Book On Amazon.
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   Goodreads Profile Page

   Author Bio:
   Robin Mahle lives with her husband and two children in Arizona. She found her passion for writing, which later became her second career, after spending 20 years in the construction industry.

   Having always been a lover of books, Robin attributes her creativity to the wonderful overseas adventures she has shared with her husband of 15 years. Traveling throughout Europe and having lived in England, opened her mind and with that came a steady stream of story ideas inspired by her author-idols in the suspense/thriller genre.

   Robin published her debut mystery/suspense novel, Redwood Violet in March of 2013. And in September 2013, the much-anticipated sequel, All the Shiny Things (Redwood Violet II), was released. Both have become Amazon Bestsellers! Now, Beyond the Clearing has also joined the list!

   Her latest novel, Landslide, was released in July, 2014. This exciting corporate thriller reveals Robin’s unique voice yet again.

   Beyond the Clearing is a post from Awesome Gang

5. Getting Him Off Quickly by C. R. Lemons

   About Getting Him Off Quickly by C. R. Lemons:

   Paralegal Daisy Sinclair works for a well-known successful criminal defense attorney in downtown Fort Worth. She works hard and plays even harder, but has a code to never mix business with pleasure. This code is tested when her boss hires irresistibly sexy Warren Cole, a criminal investigator, to partner with her in a case defending a prominent figure against a double murder charge.

   Learn more about the author, buy the book, or follow them on social media:
   Visit the Author’s Website.
   Buy the Book On Amazon.
   Visit the Facebook Fan Page.
   Goodreads Profile Page

   Author Bio:
   After receiving a degree in paralegal studies, C. R. Lemons was a paralegal for many years until deciding on a career change of currently managing her husband’s business.

   As a child, she would love reading her mom’s romance novels and acting them out with her dolls. She always had an active imagination and dreamt of sharing it through writing. This dream finally came true with her first novel Getting Him Off Quickly.

   C. R. Lemons is a native Texan who enjoys her coffee strong, her music rockin’ and her life full of laughter. She lives with her adorable husband, two beautiful daughters, and three spoiled Chihuahuas.

   Getting Him Off Quickly by C. R. Lemons is a post from Awesome Gang