Welcome to Chumming with Sharky™, my blog series where I treat viewers from every corner of the deep blue sea with a taste of talented authors from a myriad of genres. This month, it is my pleasure to welcome fellow Texan author AJ Powers to chat it up talk show style. Grab a plate of cocktail weenies (AJ’s choice, not mine), click or tap on any image, and enjoy the show . . .
AJ Powers
That’s right. You read the headline correctly. My manager and I are looking for some folks who are interested in getting their hands on this awesome new Forsaken Edition of my Amazon best-selling supernatural occult horror Devil’s Nightmare. I originally released this novel as an independently published author, and I have been honored by the amount of support I’ve received over the past couple of years. As a new author in the horror industry, it’s hard to describe how it feels to know that thousands of people all over the world have read and enjoyed what I’ve written. Some haven’t, of course, but that just comes with the territory. And that’s okay, because it’s unrealistic to believe everyone will love what you write. I am pleased to know that the vast majority of my readers have enjoyed reading Devil’s Nightmare, though. And that is what helps make this journey so enjoyable. For that, I thank you.
One of the most exciting things that happened to me this year was the opportunity to sign a contract with innovative hybrid publisher Booktrope, and through their horror imprint Forsaken, I have been able to work with a team of very talented professionals to make Devil’s Nightmare even better. And on July 15, Forsaken will publish the second edition, professionally edited, and with a kick-ass new cover that fits the story perfectly.
Devil’s Nightmare currently has 114 reviews on Amazon, with a 4.1-star average rating, and has been exclusive to Amazon since the summer of 2013 through their Kindle Direct Publishing Select program. However, when we relaunch the Forsaken Edition of Devil’s Nightmare on July 15, we’ll be adding Barnes & Noble and Apple iTunes to our list of e-retailers, thus ending the exclusive e-book deal with Amazon. The Forsaken Edition of Devil’s Nightmare will also be available in paperback format.
Please join us in celebrating the Forsaken Edition release of Devil’s Nightmare. We are requesting reviews from readers, blogs, and fans. You will be provided an advance reader copy (ARC) of Devil’s Nightmare for your enjoyment. If you’re interested in reading and reviewing Devil’s Nightmare, please tap or click on the link below and we’ll transport you to a secure Google sign-up form. Thank you in advance, and I hope you enjoy reading Devil’s Nightmare.
Yes, I would like to receive a free Advance Review Copy of Devil’s Nightmare!
Robert “Sharky” Pruneda is a native Texan, video game “enthusiast” [addict], and fan of all things horror. He left a career in the newspaper industry in 2011 to pursue the life of a nocturnal author, brainstorming new and creative ways to creep out his readers. He doesn’t only write horror though. He also pens the occasional family-oriented tale just to keep from going completely nuts with all those creatures of the night whispering in his ears. When he’s not pulling ideas out of his twisted brain, you’ll likely find him on social media or fighting alongside his fellow gaming buddies where they all get shot up into Swiss cheese (or turned into little bite-sized chunks because of “Sharky’s” obsession with explosives). Medic!
Pursue your dreams . . . and never look back.
To get an email about upcoming projects and new releases, be sure to SIGN UP for Sharky’s VIP newsletter.
Twitter: Follow @SharkbaitWrites
On the 6th day of the 6th month for 6 hours, the Forsaken Horror Hooligans took over Facebook for our first annual Forsaken Hooligan 666 Horror Fest. So, who exactly are the Forsaken Hooligans, you ask? Dim the lights, watch the video, and then stick around for a couple of giveaways.
That was just a small sample of the 70+ horror freaks that make up the Forsaken clan. If you didn’t know about the event, or maybe you just chose not to attend (Repent now!), I thought I’d give you a little taste of what you missed. I’ll also give you a couple of opportunities to win a prize!
Devil’s Nightmare (Forsaken Edition) Cover Reveal
On the 6th day of the 6th month at 6 p.m. I officially released the new cover art for my best-selling supernatural occult horror novel Devil’s Nightmare. This new and improved edition – published by Booktrope’s Forsaken horror imprint – will be available for sale worldwide on Wednesday, July 15.
I’ve got to give a special shout out to my awesome designer, Laura Hidalgo, for the amazing job she did redesigning the cover. After reading Devil’s Nightmare, she nailed it. It is a great representation of what to expect when reading my first horror novel. As an indie author, I originally published the e-book version with a very bad cover. I did have it professionally redesigned before the print edition came out, but now it has an even better cover for the Forsaken Edition!
If you like owning first edition copies of novels, for a limited time, Amazon still has the original paperback version available for only $8.95 as of this posting. There’s also ONE copy of the sequel available on Amazon with the original cover. I’ve officially taken Devil’s Nightmare: Premonitions (Book 2) off sale in preparation for the updated Forsaken edition, which I plan to announce at a later date. I do have a few first edition signed copies available, though. If interested in buying one, send me a message via the CONTACT page.
The “POST A SCARY HORROR CHARACTER” Contest
To kick things off after the cover reveal, I gave away some advance reader copies of Devil’s Nightmare (Forsaken Edition). To win, participants posted pics of their favorite horror characters.
YOU CAN WIN TOO! Tell me what your favorite horror character is in the comments and I’ll select one random person to win an advance reader copy of Devil’s Nightmare (Forsaken Edition). Good luck!
The Forsaken Hooligans “I AM NOT POSSESSED” Meme Contest.
I only hosted for thirty minutes, so you can imagine how quickly things went. But I did manage to get another contest in to give away “Girls Rock Horror Harder,” the first issue of the Forsaken Hooligans e-Zine. To win, participants posted pictures to go with the meme “I am not possessed . . . Trust me!” I had some great entries.
The little pooch in the slideshow is my dog Xena. Those eyes weren’t glowing from the camera flash, either; she was actually possessed! Shortly after taking that photo, I had to call a dog whispering exorcist. He went missing weeks ago. Xena claims she had nothing to do with it. 🙂
Forsaken Horror Hooligans Love Heavy Metal
We took a short break from the festivities to post some of our favorite metal head and creepy music videos. To go with our 666 horror theme, I posted Iron Maiden’s “The Number of the Beast.”
What’s your favorite heavy metal band? I personally love Iron Maiden, Metallica, Queensrÿche, and Twisted Sister. Let’s get a conversation going in the comments. I’ll randomly select one of you to win another prize. It could be a book, a gift card, or maybe even a special visit from my possessed pooch Xena. You won’t know if you don’t comment.
The Horror Movie Poster Contest
What’s a horror party without some cool horror posters, right? So, for my next contest I asked revelers to follow me on Twitter and then post their favorite horror movie posters for a chance to win an e-book copy of Devil’s Nightmare (Forsaken Edition) when it’s available on July 15.
So, what’s your favorite horror movie of all time? What sticks in your mind that got you interested in the horror genre? Post your answer in the comments for a chance to win an e-book copy of Devil’s Nightmare (Forsaken Edition) on July 15. I’m feeling very generous today, so post those comments, folks!
Short Horror Movie Time
Okay, Xena and Cujo are chasing the mailman again, so while I rescue the poor fella, pull out a comfy mat and enjoy this short horror flick I found on YouTube. I also posted it during the event. It’s out of season, but “Dark Elf” should give you a nice dose of the chills.
Ah, there’s nothing like a creepy kid and a psycho Santa to get you into the holiday spirit this summer.
The Creepy Santa Contest
All of this occurred in a span of thirty minutes, and let me tell you, my keyboard was smoking. I had just enough time to have one final contest. Sticking with the creepy Christmas theme, I asked my horror fest party goers to post scary Santa pics for a chance to win my grand prize . . . a signed paperback copy of Devil’s Nightmare (Forsaken Edition) and some cool swag.
Is it just me, or did I see an evil version of Tim Allen’s The Santa Clause? Anyway, I had a blast during the first annual Forsaken Hooligans 666 Horror Fest, and I hope you join us next year. Mark your calendars, because we’ll be spreading our evil intent again on June 6, 2016.
Join Sharky’s Mailing List For More Fun
I hope you enjoyed this post and will keep you coming back for more. I’d like to invite you to join my exclusive VIP mailing list where you’ll be the first to know of any upcoming events, new release announcements, sneak previews, and special giveaways (and I love to give away cool prizes) only available to newsletter subscribers. And don’t worry, you’ll receive the newsletter no more than once per month. No spam. I don’t like eating it, and I don’t want it in my inbox either. So, if you’d like to be a part of my exclusive club, click on the graphic below.
Until next time, keep reading and remember to support your local bookstores.
Robert “Sharky” Pruneda is a native Texan, video game “enthusiast” [addict], and fan of all things horror. He left a career in the newspaper industry in 2011 to pursue the life of a nocturnal author, brainstorming new and creative ways to creep out his readers. He doesn’t only write horror though. He also pens the occasional family-oriented tale just to keep from going completely nuts with all those creatures of the night whispering in his ears. When he’s not pulling ideas out of his twisted brain, you’ll likely find him on social media or fighting alongside his fellow gaming buddies where they all get shot up into Swiss cheese (or turned into little bite-sized chunks because of “Sharky’s” obsession with explosives). Medic!
Pursue your dreams . . . and never look back.
To get an email about upcoming projects and new releases, be sure to SIGN UP for Sharky’s VIP newsletter.
Twitter: Follow @SharkbaitWrites
I couldn’t think of a better way to kick off this exciting news than with that awesome trailer that S.E. Rise created for me. For those of you who also follow me on Facebook and Twitter, you may have seen me post things about a special project I’ve been working on for the past few months. Today, I’d like to officially announce that I have signed with Booktrope’s Forsaken Imprint to re-launch my best-selling horror novel Devil’s Nightmare worldwide on multiple platforms. So, what exactly does this mean? Well, for starters, Devil’s Nightmare has gone through a professional edit, cover redesign, and will no longer be exclusive to Amazon. Devil’s Nightmare will still be the kick-ass story that readers have enjoyed since I published it as an indie in 2013 . . . just better and distributed to a much wider audience. If you haven’t read Devil’s Nightmare yet (shame on you!), look for the new and improved “Forsaken Edition” on July 15.
Now, this is where you come in. We need your help to spread the word about the re-launch of Devil’s Nightmare. We’re looking for people who are interested in joining an exclusive social marketing team dedicated to providing feedback and helping spread the word about Devil’s Nightmare. As a member of the launch team, you’ll not only receive a free electronic edition of the book before it’s available to the public, but also gain behind-the-scenes access to me and the rest of the Devil’s Nightmare Creative Team via a secret Facebook group. We’ll definitely keep you entertained! In return, all we ask is you leave an honest review of Devil’s Nightmare, share the release date and your feedback with everyone and anyone you may know, and give us your input on how to reach a wider audience.
Interested? Awesome! Please send your name & email address to my marketing manager at Melissa.Flickinger@Booktrope.com or contact me HERE.
Thank you!
Who doesn’t like winning free stuff? I know I do. Up for grabs is a $25 Amazon (US) gift card and signed first edition copy of my Amazon best-selling horror novel Devil’s Nightmare. How cool is that? All you need to do for your chance to win this awesome prize is click on the creepy image below and sign up for my VIP newsletter. Be sure to check your email afterwards to confirm your subscription. Here’s what you’ll get for subscribing:
.
Click on the image below to subscribe and enter the giveaway:
Good luck and thank you for subscribing!
The fine print: Eligible for residents of the United States and Canada only. Amazon gift card is only redeemable at Amazon.com (USA). The newsletter subscriber giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. (CDT) on Monday, May 25, 2015. Winners will be notified via email, smoke signals, or carrier pigeon. If you have any questions, feel free to post it in the comments or via the contact form.
Legal mumbo jumbo: Amazon.com is in no way affiliated with or a sponsor of this promotion, but I’m sure they will love you forever for shopping with them if you win the gift card. 🙂
I was gifted a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. It took me a while to finish it because I stopped reading before giving it another chance. I just couldn’t get into it at first, but I’m glad I did give it another shot. Overall, Collateral Damage is a good novel with a decent plot and interesting characters. However, as much as I wanted to give this book a higher rating, I just couldn’t because of a few nagging details.
First of all, the point of view threw me off at first. Collateral Damage is written in first person POV, but from the perspective of two different characters, Annie and her fiancee Salvatore. To the author’s credit, he clears this up by giving each chapter a title (i.e. Annie or Salvatore, depending on whose perspective it is). This my first time reading a novel with that type of style. Don’t get me wrong, it does work, and the author does a decent job, but as a reader it just confused me at first. I had to go back and re-read a few pages before noticing the change in chapter titles and realizing what the author was doing.
While I enjoyed the story overall, some parts it just had me rolling my eyes. I thought Annie Ogden made some unbelievably bad choices. I don’t want to spoil anything, but lets just say if an ex-lover of yours suddenly resurfaces and then does some really creepy things to you, why the hell would you just hop into his car and drive to Florida with him? This is after this creep did a couple of really cruddy things to you. Red flag, anyone? She makes a series of very poor choices with this guy, which is why, sadly, I just did not like Annie’s character. Annie is a private investigator and Army veteran, so I expected her to have a bit more common sense. There’s also a part of the story where she experiences a traumatic event and then the next day is helping a friend cater a charity event. Really? Just not very believable. That’s really my main complaint of the story.
There were also a few other minor issues in the writing, such as the occasional typo here and there, but I’m not a grammar cop, so I just read what the author meant. No biggie. However, and this is coming from someone who is a Corvette enthusiast, you would think that Chevrolet sponsored this novel by the amount of times “Corvette” or “Vette” was mentioned in the story. All it needed was the Chevy bow tie on the cover. I’m not exaggerating. I love Corvettes, but even I got a bit tired of seeing the brand. Just some friendly advice to the author . . . just say “car” after it’s been established that the vehicle the character is driving is a Corvette. Also, unless the car is repainted, we don’t need to know it’s black after the first couple of times.
If you can overlook some of the distracting issues I pointed out, I would recommend Collateral Damage, because it really was entertaining, flowed well, and easy to read.
About the Author
Frederick Lee Brooke launched the Annie Ogden Mystery Series in 2011 with Doing Max Vinyl and followed with Zombie Candy in 2012, a book that is neither about zombies nor sweets. The third mystery in the series, Collateral Damage, appeared in 2013. Saving Raine, the first book in Fred’s entirely new series, The Drone Wars, appeared in December 2013, and was followed by its sequel, Inferno, in June 2014.
A resident of Switzerland, Fred has worked as a teacher, language school manager and school owner. He has three boys and two cats and recently had to learn how to operate both washing machine and dryer. He makes frequent trips back to his native Chicago.
When not writing or doing the washing, Fred can be found walking along the banks of the Rhine River, sitting in a local cafe, or visiting all the local pubs in search of his lost umbrella.
Sign up to get news of new releases, contests, and giveaways right here: http://bit.ly/FredBrookeNewsletter
It is my pleasure to join fellow Booktrope author Taylor Dawn’s Xpresso Book Tour to help reveal her adult urban fantasy novel Saving London, which is coming out this summer. To get a closer look at the cover, click on the images below. Be sure to also stalk Taylor on social media and visit her website to find out more about her writing. Tell her Sharky sent ya!
BOOK & AUTHOR INFO:
Saving London by Taylor Dawn
Published by: Booktrope Publishing
Publication date: June 9th 2015
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy
Synopsis:
“You have terminal cancer.”
London Patterson, a seemingly healthy young woman had her entire life ahead of her. That was until four little words brought everything to a screeching halt. As the shock and grief begin to fade, London decides to map out her last year and embark on an epic journey to complete a bucket list. She wants to do the things she’s been afraid to do in her life, step out of her self-contained box, and see the world. What she didn’t expect was for a mysterious stranger named Adam to breeze into her life like a breath of fresh air.
Adam offers to help London complete her list on one condition…that she sees it through to the end. Agreeing on those terms, the two set out on an adventure of a lifetime. But London soon realizes that Adam isn’t quite…human. Along their journey odd occurrences happen that cause London to question who or what Adam is and why he’s helping her.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24894496-saving-london?ac=1
AUTHOR BIO:
C.D. Taylor [pen name Taylor Dawn) began writing as an item to check off her bucket list. She resides in the southernmost part of Illinois, right on the mighty Mississippi river. She enjoys the quiet country life with her husband, son and the many farm animals that make up the rest of the family. C.D. decided that farm life was just a little too mundane, so she started writing erotica to spice things up, so far so good. C.D. entered cosmetology school right out of High School and practiced the art of hair styling for 12 years. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found sitting around a table making people laugh. She has always wanted to be a standup comic. She loves pulling practical jokes, dresses up in a costume every Halloween and believes that dancing is the key to a happy life (even if you aren’t a good dancer). She believes that life shouldn’t be taken too seriously, we will never get out alive anyway. More than anything, C.D. is a kid at heart, she doesn’t believe in bedtimes, eating everything on her plate, or having ice cream only for dessert. Her favorite quote is by Dr. Seuss…”Why fit in, when you were born to stand out.”
Author links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorC.D.Taylor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cdtaylor_author
Official Website: http://authorcdtaylor.com/
I don’t normally read romance, but Wyatt McIntyre pleasantly surprised me with his novel The Last Dance. His unique style of starting at the end and telling this love story in a way that does not follow a linear path at first left me disconnected. However, it didn’t take long to get adjusted to his style. McIntyre does a wonderful job of weaving the story together while going back and forth between different times of James’ and Alejandra’s lives. The writing is poetic and I found myself really caring about these characters and learning what brought them together (and what nearly tore them apart). Good read.
Wyatt McIntyre visited my cozy little corner in cyberspace for a special Valentine’s Day edition of Chumming with Sharky™ on February 14, 2015. To learn more about Wyatt and The Last Dance CLICK HERE. Wyatt is quite the romantic, so if you enjoy the genre it’s a no-brainer to grab a copy of his book.
About the Author
Born in Valleyview, a small Northern Alberta town, the middle of three boys, and now living in Illinois, Wyatt has sometimes been referred to a cowboy poet, rarely seen without a hat, staying true to his roots, he was taught, from the youngest of ages the virtue of hard work, diligence and faith through life’s toughest of adversities. As an an author he has an overriding passion: to tell a story worth telling, and write in a way off the page with meaning and significance to the reader, using his experience to help them look at things in a different way. Over the past decade Wyatt has been honing his writing, striving with each short story, with each new project to meet that challenge head on.
For more about Wyatt McIntyre visit his official website at http://wyattmcintyre.com/
Welcome to Chumming with Sharky™, the quirky blog series where I treat viewers from every corner of the deep blue sea with a taste of talented authors from a myriad of genres. Today is Valentine’s Day, so it’s only appropriate for me to give all you romance lovers out there something warm and fuzzy. So, grab your complimentary glass of wine and box of chocolates from Anchor’s Bar and click on the logo to swim on over to the shark tank to join the fun.
Wyatt McIntyre
Today it is my pleasure to share my cyber real estate with bestselling author and friend Tess Thompson to reveal the cover of her latest novel Duet for Three Hands. Tess is one of publisher Booktrope’s greatest success stories, where she has enjoyed bestseller status with her popular series titles (as high as No. 1 overall on B&N and Top 100 overall on Amazon) and I think I can say with confidence that this one will be no different. Check out the details below:
Duet for Three Hands
Author: Tess Thompson
Release Date: February 13th, 2015
Publisher: Booktrope
A story of forbidden love, lost dreams, and family turmoil.
The first book in a new historical series from bestselling author Tess Thompson, Duet for Three Hands is equal parts epic love story, sweeping family saga, and portrait of days gone by. Set against the backdrop of the American South between 1928 and 1934, four voices blend to tell a tale of prejudice, fear, and love. The Bellmonts are the epitome of the rich and elite in Atlanta society, but behind the picture-perfect façade are hidden moments of violence and betrayal.
After marrying into the Bellmont family, Nathaniel, a former concert pianist who is nearly ruined by his wife’s unrelenting ambition and unstable mind, finds hope in the promise of his most recent protégé. His brother-in-law, artistic Whitmore Bellmont, and the maid’s daughter, Jeselle, have a secret relationship despite their drastically different circumstances and shades of skin. Unfortunately, most of the world disagrees with their color blindness.
All four lives intertwine on a collision course, threatening to destroy, or liberate, them all.
About the Author
Tess Thompson is a mother and writer. She’s also a Zumba dancing queen, though the wearing of the crown is reserved for invitation-only appearances. Her creative life began as an actress, director and playwright but found her true calling in narrative fiction, specifically Women’s Fiction.
Learn more at http://tesswrites.com/
Or signup for her newsletter at http://eepurl.com/-wrh5
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