http://awesomegang.com

Where Awesome Book Readers Meet Awesome Writers

1. Night of the Living Dud - Hello. My name is Mr. Satanism, and I've been a supervillain since the late 19th century. Remember all those times the world was almost destroyed? That was me. You can only fight superheroes and annoyingly debonair spies for so long before it starts to take a toll on your health though, so I decided to retire and pursue a career that was equally as self-aggrandizing as world conqueror - movie critic. So what makes my reviews better than the ones you can find on the 1,982,294,282 amateur movie review sites out there? Simple - I know what you like (naked girls, violence, explosions), and I tell it like is it. Plus I can spell the word "grisly". Now buy one of my books before I use my latest death ray (patent pending) to turn everyone in your city into pyrite.
   
2. Power Words and Key Words to Profit by Book Master - Computer Information Systems degree, retired networking analyst, Professional Photographer / part-time, E book Marketing / part-time. The rest of what time I have left is for rest, sleep, fishing, hunting or other outdoor activities. Sometimes I may have to swap one for the other. Book Master designs E books for the Kindle Store Market on information that is needed now. Never waste valuable time researching for the information when you have it inside one book at a great price.
   
3. The Diary of the Black Stilettos - Ashley Terrell, a Florida native, was born in Kississime, Florida and raised in Virginia majority of her life. She s the owner of the Flossie Lee Empire consisting of Flossie Skincare, Flossie Lee Management, Flossie s Wish Foundation, and B. Dang3rouz Clothing. She s also beauty editor for Raw Talent Magazine and co-founder of Valentine Records. She currently resides in Chesapeake, Virginia with her husband.
   
4. The Stranger from Hell - Van Holt wrote his first western when he was in high school and sent it to a literary agent, who soon returned it, saying it was too long but he would try to sell it if Holt would cut out 16,000 words. Young Holt couldn't bear to cut out any of his perfect western, so he threw it away and started writing another one. A draft notice interrupted his plans to become the next Zane Grey or Louis L'Amour. A tour of duty as an MP stationed in South Korea was pretty much the usual MP stuff except for the time he nabbed a North Korean spy and had to talk the dimwitted desk sergeant out of letting the guy go. A briefcase stuffed with drawings of U.S. aircraft and the like only caused the overstuffed lifer behind the counter to rub his fat face, blink his bewildered eyes, and start eating a big candy bar to console himself. Imagine Van Holt's surprise a few days later when he heard that same dumb sergeant telling a group of new admirers how he himself had caught the famous spy one day when he was on his way to the mess hall. Holt says there hasn't been too much excitement since he got out of the army, unless you count the time he was attacked by two mean young punks and shot one of them in the big toe. Holt believes what we need is punk control, not gun control. After traveling all over the West and Southwest in an aging Pontiac, Van Holt got tired of traveling the day he rolled into Tucson and he has been there ever since, still dreaming of becoming the next Zane Grey or Louis L'Amour when he grows up. Or maybe the next great mystery writer. He likes to write mysteries when he's not too busy writing westerns or trying to find out when they are going to start making Twinkies again.
   
5. Softly Say Goodbye by KC Sprayberry - I am happily married to a man I met while in the Air Force. We recently celebrated our 18 years of marriage. Our teen, the youngest of 8, keeps us on our toes with his band activities. Writing is something I've done since I was very young. At first, it was in a diary and then I poured all my energies into English compositions, earning praise from my Advanced Composition teacher in high school for an extremely visual project. While in the Air Force, I placed second in the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge's annual contest and from then on, was hooked. However, the reality of a military career and raising children forced me to put off attempting publication until my husband and I moved to Georgia. It was after the birth of our now teen that I began taking courses through The Institute of Children's Literature, Long Ridge Writer's Group, and Writers Digest in an effort to make my life's dream come true. We live in Northwest Georgia, in a small town, where I write Romance, Westerns, Young Adult, and Middle Grade stories, both short and book length. More than a dozen of my short stories have appeared in magazines such as Listen Magazine, Brio, and The Pink Chameleon website. I also have two short stories in anthologies, Passionate Hearts Anthology and Mystery Times Ten. My westerns have garnered interest by avid readers and appear on The Western Online and Frontier Tales. My work appears under the pen names of KC Sprayberry and Kathi Sprayberry. Softly Say Goodbye, a young adult novel, was my NaNoWriMo winning project for 2010. This story was inspired by a quote from a song and hearing of an auto wreck involving teens and drinking.
   
6. Viktor LaFontaine: Beautiful Games - Laura Cantu enjoys a diversity of professions, which includes ballroom dancing, writing, alternative healing, and painting. When asked to choose two words that best describe her, Cantu answers, "Artist and healer. My passion is to bring joy and inspiration to the world, which generates opportunities for optimal health and vitality. That's why I have multiple careers. Each profession I engage in provides a unique platform to assist others in creative ways." Cantu has won six national dance championships and placed fourth in the world in Argentine Tango. She also holds a Master of Science degree in Oriental medicine, as well as master certifications in Reiki, and is an Aura-Soma consultant.
   
7. Dancing within Shadow by Morgan Dragonwillow - Co-host of @StoryDam and creatrix of OctPoWriMo (a poetry month in October) Morgan Dragonwillow is intimate with shadow and dances into the heart of it. She believes that diving in to what most people try to avoid makes great fertilizer for creativity whether it is writing, painting, or using other mediums for art. Writing and publishing her books have been a dream since she was eight years old. Unfortunately she let life and hurtful words take her down a different road. At the beginning of 2012 she finally realized it was past time to get serious about her writing and she has been writing ever since. "Poetry has anchored into my soul and I find that it draws me back to the page again and again, more than any other form of writing. I believe that everyone has poetry in their soul; all they have to do is allow themselves to write their heart onto the page. I enjoy helping others to connect to their inner writer and tear down the walls holding them back, allowing their words to flow onto the page." ~Morgan Dragonwillow
   
8. Scarlett Essence - M.K. Wilke began by writing short stories and grew from there. Her first novel started as a short story, written for a friend, and it sparked an idea in her mind that grew until her characters seemed to come alive. She wrote with confidence whenever she had the time, unable to stop the ideas that flowed in her mind. Before she knew it, a fully finished novel lay in her lap. She could not believe it had only taken her a month to write and edit it, and shortly thereafter she sent it in to be published. Before she started writing she held some degrees in dance. She is a single mom and lives with her daughter on an acreage a few minutes outside of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. She recently published stories with respected literary magazines and on amazon.com.
   
9. They Met at Shiloh by Phillip Bryant - Phillip M. Bryant attended the University of New Mexico and earned his bachelor's degree in history and with a minor in American studies. He has been active in local New Mexico reenacting and on the national level is a member of the 23rd SNY as part of the Army of the Pacific, 1st Federal Division. He has been researching the American Civil War for over 25 years. His sources have included diary accounts, autobiographies, historical monographs and first-hand reports on the actions taken 150 ago published in the War of the Rebellion battle reports and War Department communications. Phillip served 15 years in the Army, New Mexico National Guard, with the 44th Army Band in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
   
10. Xianne: A Comedy of Cultures: Volume One - The author is a cat-lover, a minor league baseball fan, and a voracious reader of all genres. XIANNE, a work of speculative fiction, is his first published novel and is, in his own words, "...as autobiographical as I will ever dare to be." Mr. Grayson currently lives in the southern United States. He has remained single--and celibate--since the death of his wife of 11 years at the turn of the century. jaycegrayson@ymail.com
    
11. VRANIGA PART 1-4 by Clint Gleason - Amazon has given me the opportunity to publish my stories and it's a dream come true. A few that have influenced me are Richard Matheson(I AM LEGEND was published in 1954 but could have easily been written yesterday. It’s brilliant and a thrilling read, a precursor to the vampire and zombie stories told today and I highly recommend it if you’re a fan of science fiction and horror), Orson Scott Card’s ENDER’S GAME(probably the best science fiction book I've ever read), Stephen King’s THE MIST(One of my favorites from him. King has a terrific instinct for human behavior and it's apparent in this story), and then there’s James Cameron’s film masterpiece ALIENS, which floored me so much when I saw it when I was 12 that I think it re-wired my brain. My stories are action-oriented, mature, violent, and suspenseful in tone. I'd analogously describe them as an “airplane read” due to length and not for young readers due to profanity and violence. I learned long ago that the only way for me to be at my best is to not hold back, like others I admire. If you choose to leave a review, please mention what worked or if something didn’t. I want to get better. Thanks for reading.
    
12. Kick by John L. Monk - John L. Monk lives in Virginia with his wife, Dorothy. He has a degree in Cultural Anthropology, but works as an IT guy until the hiring freeze on new anthropologists is lifted.
    
13. The Wormhole Effect - Leonard Walker is a police officer in Montgomery, Alabama. He is a product of the rustic South whose roots are replete with storytellers and rural folklore. He was exceptionally close to his paternal grandmother who spent countless hours weaving her profound wisdom and life lessons into the fabric of her stories and renditions of a family history as old as Alabama itself. He attended the University of Alabama as well as Auburn University where he earned a degree in Journalism. Choosing a career in law enforcement, he spent over twenty years as a decorated motorcycle police officer, surviving several serious accidents and rising to the rank of lieutenant. He spends his free time writing short stories and poetry, some of which is featured on his Facebook literary page. The Wormhole Effect is his debut novel.
    
14. Undead Nights Eleven 99 - An Avid Zombie fan since the early 80's, William Ferguson has always wanted to bring about an original outlook on the genre. From his imagination came Undead Nights. A series formed around the ordinary men and women of Private Security. Born and raised in Sacramento, California, William found it fitting to place the setting of his story in the heart of his home town. In addition to writing; William enjoys spending time with his wife and young daughter. In the spring and summer you can find him in the El Dorado Mountains where he loves to camp, hike and shoot.
    
15. The Calling by Tammy Young Cote - Tammy Young Coté is a children's author and librarian in Connecticut, mom to three children and pet sitter for furry friends. Aside from reading and writing, she likes to sing and dance. She and her husband are cantors at their church and both sing in the choir. Tammy and her mom have been dancing with the same group of women -- "Dancing Die-Hards" -- for the last twenty years. Look for music and dance to creep into her stories here and there, not to mention an adorable pet or two! Visit her on the web at http://tammyyoungcote.com/blog.html or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TammyYoungCoteMerlinMartha.
    
16. Coming Home - Dr. Amy Koresdoski lives in central Texas with her husband, Carl, several dogs, cats, horses and fish; it’s a real menagerie. When Dr. Koresdoski isn’t spending time writing, she’s working in her garden and faculty. Yes, she teaches information technology classes and dreams of being an expert in cyberforensics. Dr. Koresdoski continues to write about her favorite place in the world, east Tennessee. Look for more novels about the residents of Norris, Tennessee. Dr. Koresdoski welcomes emails from her readers via amykoresdoski@yahoo.com.
    
17. The Happy Uprising: A Passionate yet Pragmatic approach to Fulfilment - Lishen Nair (born 1984) completed his honours degree in commerce and began his career as an auditor in 2008. Dissatisfaction saw him move between accounting, costing and procurement roles...all to no avail. While their requirements were different, he found the same plot underlying all of these careers: unrelenting demands, deadlines, stress, and limited reward. In this setup, weekends present a period of recovery and relief rather than recreation. Nair believes that looking forward to the weekend and dreading Mondays is no way to live, as prevalent as this attitude may be. Accepting the ever-popular notion of "that's the way it is" was not an option. This set in motion a quest for reason-based and experiential substantiation that adult life doesn't have to follow this formula. Imperative was to balance passion with pragmatism, because true happiness is about more than just hope or a positive attitude. Advocating passive income and entrepreneurial profit as the only realistic ways to become independent, Lishen invests in real estate, stocks and gold medallions. Downtime comprises of exercise, meditation and of course, writing. The words of Henry James echo: "Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact." The message the author wants to get out then is that adults must not lose the belief that life is something worth leaping out of bed for - Monday mornings included.
    
18. Gateway to Nifleheim - ABOUT GLENN G. THATER For more than twenty-five years, Glenn G. Thater has written works of fiction and historical fiction that focus on the genres of epic fantasy and sword and sorcery. His published works of fiction include the first four volumes of the Harbinger of Doom saga: Gateway to Nifleheim, The Fallen Angle, Knight Eternal, and Dwellers of the Deep; the novella, The Gateway; and the novelette, The Hero and the Fiend. Mr. Thater holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics with concentrations in Astronomy and Religious Studies, and a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering, specializing in Structural Engineering. He has undertaken advanced graduate study in Classical Physics, Quantum Mechanics, Statistical Mechanics, and Astrophysics, and is a practicing licensed professional engineer specializing in the multidisciplinary alteration and remediation of buildings, and the forensic investigation of building failures and other disasters. Mr. Thater has investigated failures and collapses of numerous structures around the United States and internationally. Since 1998, he has served on the American Society of Civil Engineers' Technical Council on Forensic Engineering (TCFE), is a member of that Council's Executive Committee, and is the past Chairman of TCFE's Committee on Practices to Reduce Failures. Mr. Thater is a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Accredited Professional and has testified as an expert witness in the field of structural engineering before the Supreme Court of the State of New York. Mr. Thater is an author of numerous scientific papers, magazine articles, engineering textbook chapters, and countless engineering reports. He has lectured across the United States and internationally on such topics as the World Trade Center collapses, bridge collapses, and on the construction and analysis of the dome of the United States Capitol in Washington D.C.
    
19. My Paid Angel - V T Turner is an author of erotica and romance stories.
    
20. Mindfulness for Beginners: a Meditation Training & Techniques Book for a Healthier and Happier Lifestyle - James Haley has been retired as a personal lifestyle coach and health coach. After his retirement, he wanted to keep helping people with their problems. That's why he wanted to share his knowledge and experience through e-books. James Haley's knowledge and experience comes from working as a personal lifestyle coach and health coach all over the world. He has worked in America, Asia and Europe for many years for many different people. At this moment, he lives with his wife in New Orleans, in the U.S. state of Louisiana. He loves playing with his grandchildren, reading books and writing books.
    
21. The Breakup by Brenda Grate - Brenda Grate was born in Santa Rosa, California, and has spent most of her life in Western Canada. She began writing as a teenager, writing mostly poetry and began her first novel in her early twenties while she raised four children. Supporting other writers is important to Brenda. During her time as the President of the Interior Author's Group in Western Canada, she helped many other writers find their path toward publication. "I've just concluded reading "Love Hurts" by Brenda Grate. Generally, I'm the type of reader that may bounce from book to book, perhaps reading as many as 3-4 books simultaneously. However, because the subject matter in this book was so intense, I set aside the others I was reading and read it exclusively. It took me longer than I normally take, as it has forced me to process some feelings and events which I am currently writing about, having to walk away from it from time to time in order to process what has transpired in my own life. When a book causes growth in a person, your time with it was not wasted and you come away being better than you were. I recommend this book to anyone wishing something of substance. It's a very good read, and it grabs you from start to finish." ~Reviewer Brenda is an avid linguistics student. Along with English, she knows Sign Language, speaks Italian, Spanish, some French, and some Greek. She is currently working on improving her Italian. She lives in Umbria, Italy with her husband, bestselling author, Jonas Saul, and their two lovely cats, Cianna and Bello.
    
22. Ask a Shadow to Dance by Linda George - Linda George has been a professional writer for more than 30 years, with more than 70 books to her credit, fiction and nonfiction, for children, teens, and adults. Linda lives in West Texas with her husband, Charles, who is also an author. ASK A SHADOW TO DANCE was originally published by Five Star Expressions in hard cover at $26.95. Linda is proud to offer this book in e-book format. Linda made two trips to Memphis TN to research this book and fell in love with cruising the Mississippi on a riverboat, and with the Peabody Hotel--both of which feature a portal through time in this novel. The chapters alternate from present day (David's point of view) to 1885 (Lisette's point of view), and get shorter as the book progresses until the suspense increases to break-neck speed, crashing into the astonishing climax. Meticulously researched. Also available from Amazon for Kindle are SILVER LADY, an historical set in Colorado during the silver boom days, and KISS ME, CHLOE, first book in the Kiss Me Series of contemporary romances. Information about Linda's books and her blog can be found on her website www.LindaGeorge.net
    
23. THE BRIDGE TO CARACAS - Born and raised in Canada, Stephen spent the first half of his career working for the two largest oil companies in the world: Exxon and royal Dutch Shell. He spent the second half working for one of the smallest oil companies in the world; his own. Now retired, he spends his summers with his wife, Ann, at their Canadian home near Niagara Falls. He winters at their Florida home in Port St. Lucie. When he is not writing, he is reading, traveling, or playing bad golf. He plans to write until the day he dies, probably longer.
    
24. Concealed Power (The Healers of Meligna, Book #1) - Kylie J. Colt lives on the west coast of Australia in the sprawling city of Perth and has been writing for three years. Her favourite writers are Kristin Cashore, Robin Hobb, Trudi Canavan and Maria V. Snyder. She has an honours degree in psychology and counselling, enjoys road trips, gaming (Skyrim/Civilisation/Assassin's Creed), music festivals (electronica), playing pool, yoga, bushwalking, and gobbles up anything fantasy-related. Her favourite fantasy shows include Game of Thrones and Trueblood, and she is currently reading Robin Hobb's Blood of Dragons.
    
25. Lovers, God, and Eggs Benny - Peter graduated from University of Toronto where he was the first-year representative for the Trinity College Literary Institute (his esteemed role – carrying the beer to the debates). Hob-knobbing with intellectual greats scared the hell out of him, so upon graduating, he turned to finance to make a living. But he never lost his passion for writing. Years later, he jumped at the chance to be a Vancouver Sun columnist, writing about heartache, loves lost, and tragedy. That’s right, the finance column. After leaving the Sun, Peter began Lovers, God, and Eggs Benny with one goal in mind. He wants to one day walk down the aisle of an airplane, preferably on his way to Hawaii, and see someone reading his book (as long as it’s not the pilot). He currently lives in North Vancouver with his wife and two children.
    
26. The Business You Can Start - Victor Kwegyir is an International Business Consultant, Business Motivational Speaker, Entrepreneur, Author ("The Business You Can Start" and Co-author of "You've Been Fired! Now What?"), founder and CEO of Vike Invest (UK) Ltd, a growing International Business Consultancy firm in London, UK. He has over fifteen years experience in business, and holds a Masters degree with other qualifications. Victor offers professional advice and help businesses grow profitably and successfully. He has been a regular guest on over 60 radio and TV shows in the UK, US and Canada..
    
27. Delilah Dusticle - About me? Well I grew up in the UK, but was born in Gothenburg, Sweden. My childhood influences were a mix of Pippi Longstocking and The Flumps. I have always enjoyed making up characters and their life stories, therefore I jumped at the chance to study theatre at the University of Brighton. I later trained as a drama teacher and I have a Masters degree from Goldsmiths. I have gone back to my roots and I now live in Gothenburg, where I am writing the Delilah Dusticle series. People have told me they love reading my stories and I hope you have fun reading them too!
    
28. You’ve Been Fired! Now What? by Victor Kwegyir & Tonia Askins - Victor Kwegyir is an International Business Consultant, Business Motivational Speaker, Entrepreneur, Author ("The Business You Can Start" and Co-author of "You've Been Fired! Now What?"), founder and CEO of Vike Invest (UK) Ltd, a growing International Business Consultancy firm in London, UK. He has over fifteen years experience in business, and holds a Masters degree with other qualifications. Victor offers professional advice and help businesses grow profitably and successfully. He has been a regular guest on over 60 radio and TV shows in the UK, US and Canada.. Tonia Askins – International Business Consultant, Entrepreneur, Author and founder of the US based firm, Virtual International Business Services, which provides consultant, executive, management and administrative business services globally. Tonia has over fifteen years of ownership and management experience within the fields of Human Resources, Mortgage Finance, Real Estate, Hospitality and Non Profit.
    
29. The Dead War Trilogy - George L. Cook III is married with one child who believes that education is the way to the help the Black Community not only survive but thrive. He is an elected member of his local board of education. His current term is 2010-2013. George L. Cook III Bio: Attended Virginia State Univerity ( HBCU ) Member US Army/ NJ National Gaurd 1991-1994. 2004 wrote first book Let's Talk Honestly and launched the web site letstalkhonestly.com which lasted until May 2010. Volunteer basketball and football coach at local rec center. ( Won flag football championship in 2005, basketball championship in 2009 ) Member of Hillside Scholarship Fund since 2008 Boy Scout Troop Committee Chairman of Cubpack 97. Appointed to Hillside NJ Board of Education in June 0f 2009. Won election to keep BOE seat in April of 2010, named vice president of The Hillside Board of Education. Board President since 2011.
    
30. The Gift from the Light - Attended Toccoa Falls College,inspired author and a book reader too. I always loved Stephen King, Clive Barker and Stephen Spielberg books and movies. I love to write stories that can happen in real life and out of the ordinary. I remember growing up and my parents always had many books in the house. Most of them were old and had worn pages from where many had read through them before. In today's age, all that has changed.The future now is reading online be it from your laptop, desktop or kindle device, and even to your cell phone. You either ride with technology or you will be left behind. "Remember, reading is an adventure!" If you love to read and learn, read great books whether its fiction or non-fiction. If you do happen to read, maybe you might choose one of mine. I hope you enjoy reading my books as much as I love creating them, and as always thank-you for your support!