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Where Awesome Book Readers Meet Awesome Writers

1. Ash: Return Of The Beast by Gary Val Tenuta - 2013-05-27 17:41:35-04
   Having had a life long interest in paranormal phenomena, esoteric lore, the supernatural, occult and ancient mysteries and basically anything that could be squeezed into those categories, it should come as no surprise to anyone who knows me that these same elements would become the fodder for my novels and short stories. I grew up devouring Poe, Lovecraft and Roald Dahl and those writers definitely had a huge influence on me. I wonder if they realize what they've done? Maybe I should dig out my old 1920s-era Ouija board and let them know. Nah. Probably not a good idea. I'm a writer and book cover designer with a degree in Social Psychology. My professional writing career began as a contributing writer for Fate Magazine in the 1990s. One of my feature articles about the mystery of the alleged secret military group known as Majestic-12 resulted in requests to appear on radio programs across the U.S. and Canada. My debut novel, The Ezekiel Code (1997), became an amazon.com best-seller for over 57 weeks. My latest novel, a supernatural crime chiller called Ash: Return Of The Beast (Kindle & paperback) is receiving rave reviews and has been compared to the likes of Straub, Koontz, Stephen King, Dan Brown and Dennis Lehane. I'm currently working on a series of short stories for my series called Twisted Tales From The Files Of The Second Chance Limousine Service. Think "Twilight Zone" with a bit of a dark side. Three of those stories ("A Bite Out Of Time", "1st Avenue Annie", and "Atonement") are currently available in Kindle format from amazon.com at 99¢ each. I reside with my big black cat, Bear, in a cozy condo in the Pacific Northwest where, when I'm not writing, I'm busy designing book covers for other authors.
   
2. How to Become an Extreme Millionaire by Azizi Ali - 2013-05-28 02:15:43-04
   Azizi Ali is one of Malaysia's premier writer, speaker and coach on money matters. His first book Millionaires are from a Different Planet literally changed the publishing scene in Malaysia. It has sold over 100,000 copies and started the trend for financial books and seminars in the country. Since then, Azizi has written over 30 books on the subject of money and wealth creation. The titles include the best-sellers How to Become a Property Millionaire, The Millionaire in Me, Retire RICH, Get Rich Faster, Get Into Gold and Money Changes Everything. Get Into Gold won the award for the Best Motivational Book in Malaysia 2012. Azizi is also active on the speaking circuit and has spoken to over 200,000 seminar participants. He also meets regularly with members of his personalized coaching program - the Inner Circle. Azizi is a Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) and holds an MBA from University of Bath, UK. Log on to his blog www.beahappymillionaire.com to find out more about Azizi and how he can help you lead more prosperous lives.
   
3. Paradise Squandered by Alex Stefansson - 2013-05-29 01:16:46-04
   Alex Stefansson (born 1984 in Seattle, Washington) is an American writer of literary fiction. He grew up in the suburbs of Seattle and eventually attended Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington. He foolishly chose the wrong major and is now just scraping by as a writer. Stefansson's writing is often influenced by sleep deprivation and too much caffeine. He currenly resides in Tacoma, Washington with his wife, toddler son and neurotic cat.
   
4. The Dark Side of Light: A Medieval Time Travel Fantasy - 2013-05-29 01:45:20-04
   I was born in Washington State, raised in Phoenix, AZ, and currently reside in Oregon. My first profession was a psychotherapist (individual, marriage, and family counseling) treating those suffering from depression, anxiety, panic attacks, post traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, sexual abuse, family violence, and severe mental illness. I employed therapies such as communication skill building, relaxation training, systematic desensitization, bioenergetics, and psychodrama. I have also facilitated stress management, parenting, and self-discovery workshops that have aided in the psycho-spiritual healing of many. Education and training include an M.A. in Ed. in Counseling/Human Relations and Behavior (NAU), a B.S. in Sociology (ASU), and ten powerful months of psychological and metaphysical training in a Tibetan community. I've been a social activist from time to time (very hard) in educational matters, for women, and for Native Americans. Sometimes a woman's got to do what a woman's got to do! I have two grown children, a son and a daughter, now in college pursuing their dreams (my daughter is an author too), while I happily live out the second half of my life, doing what I love: teaching self-discovery workshops, writing, and meditating. With a background in college theater, my experience as a psychotherapist, and my profound interest in freeing the individual from unsavory sociological influence, I write entertaining and sometimes educational books that facilitate personal growth and transformation. I enjoy mixing it up by writing in various genres blending psychology, philosophy, fantasy, dark fantasy, romance, and even horror. I have been writing for twenty-five years, and I plan to write until I die. Writers block? Huh, what's that? My interests (aside from writing) are facilitating self-discovery workshops, composing songs, singing, meditating to classical music, metaphysical realms, philosophical exploration, deep meaningful conversations, playing in the ocean and rain and snow, walking through tall forests, sitting under the stars, (I am so not a party girl), traveling to foreign countries, genealogy, history, quantum physics, and cats. I have four lovely felines (yes, I am the cat lady). I love fairy tales, going outside the box, and reading between the lines. I strive to see what is often missed, and to not miss what can't be seen. There is such a life out there, and in there--beyond all perception! So I close my eyes, feel my inner rhythm, and jump off the cliff of convention. And when I land, though I might be quaking in my boots, I gather my courage and go exploring. Through travel, study, and work, I've gained a rich awareness of cultural differences among people and their psycho-social struggles. I have discovered that oppression often results from the unexamined adoption of outside perceptions. The healing always has been in the individual's stamina to expel out-side perceptions of self and and constructively exert one's unique core being into the world. I am driven to facilitate expanded awareness that people may separate who they are from who they are told to be. Embracing personal power by loving our unique selves in our weaknesses and strengths, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for better or for worse . . . forever--is a key to joyous living. My motto is: Trust your story. Live the Mystery.
   
5. Minnesota Cold by Cynthia Kraack - 2013-05-29 01:45:53-04
   The voice of Sally Dodge, Minnesota Cold's heroine, came to me one winter morning as I drove across the Mississippi River to a job I should have left years earlier. For years I designed executive compensation programs within not-for-profits then moved to a publicly traded corporation and learned how the pressures of Wall Street influence decisions of individuals motivated by bonus plans and stock options. I wrote a few short stories about this amazing woman until I realized she was at the center of something bigger. My undergrad was in journalism then I earned a graduate degree with a major in labor economics. While working and raising kids, I wrote late into the night. Only after Minnesota Cold was picked up by a publisher did I apply to a MFA program and graduated from the Stonecoast Program in Creative Writing. Without my writing group I'm not sure I'd keep at this rather solitary occupation. Life isn't all writing. I love the outdoors, traveling, photography, my family and friends. Minnesota Cold was followed by Ashwood and Harvesting Ashwood.