ISSUE 28 | November 2018
from the
editor’s desk Welcome to Issue 28, November 2018 - Uncaged Book Reviews! Our Feature Authors this month are Nadine Millard, Ryan Jo Summers, Tim Sabados & James A. Ross. We will also be Catching Up with Anna Lowe, Cherry Christensen and Rose Lange!
FangFreakinTastic is also bringing us a feature with author Bonnie Gill and her new release. We have plenty of reviews for you to look over from Uncaged, Fang-Freakin-Tastic, Myra’s Horror Blog, Amy’s Bookshelf & Jen’s Reviews. Thanks to all the affiliates for the wonderful devotion to reading.
a book, it will be held until the lists open again. Tier 1 review lists will remain open. Because of this backlog, books that are reviewed for feature authors will be placed in the Uncaged review section of the magazine, and although the author needs to be willing to allow Uncaged to review a book to become featured, the review is not a requirement within the feature itself. This is to attempt to clear up the long review submission lists.
All inquiries: UncagedBooks@gmail.com or Cyrene@UncagedBooks.com I want to wish everyone a wonderful season. There will be some changes to Uncaged in 2019 that are pretty exciting, finding new ways to promote even more authors, so stay tuned next month as I’ll give you a rundown. Until next month - keep reading!
Authors can now submit a Short Story, and in return, I’ll give space for either a full page ad, or a 1-page Sneak Peek of a book for an approved story. You can read more about that here. Uncaged Feature Author slots are now full through December 2018! Watch for when Uncaged opens slots for 2019 sometime in November. The Featured Authors that are promoted in Uncaged, is a FREE service to authors. The only requirements being that Uncaged has read at least one of the author’s books, (can be read right before the feature) and that I ask that the authors share the magazine with their networks. Read about that HERE. Uncaged is supported through advertising, both in the magazine, and on the site. Please see the Advertising tab on the site for more information on how you can advertise in the magazine and support the Uncaged mission to promote authors. Still ongoing, Tier 2 review submissions in Uncaged are closed to new submissions. If you want to submit 2| uncagedbooks.com
UncagedBooks.com
~Cyrene
contents
Issue 28 | November 2018
featureauthors
10 22 36 48
Nadine Millard
Ryan Jo Summers Tim Sabados
James A. Ross
catchup
18 42
Cherry Christensen
46
Rose Lange
Anna Lowe
shortstory
29 Ups and Downs
JB Woods
FangFreakinTastic
featureauthor
54
Bonnie Gill
promospecials 7
2018 Website Promo
upcomingconventions a convention near you and meet 6 Find your favorite authors.
2 5 60 70 74 78 82
Editor’s Desk Blog Roll Call Uncaged Reviews Fang-Freakin-Tastic Reviews Myra’s Horror Blog Reviews Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews Jen’s Reviews
Issue 28 | November 2018 |
3
Blog Roll Call
Contributors, Advertising Swaps
Follow Uncaged on Facebook
Paranormal lover’s rejoice. Uncaged review contributors.
A blog for horror fans. Uncaged review contributors.
A little bit of everything. Uncaged review contributors.
Help for authors and businesses.
If you’d like your banner here, please email me at UncagedBooks@gmail.com Issue 28 | November 2018 |
5
upcomingconventions Yallfest November 9, Charleston, South Carolina http://www.yallfest.org/schedule/
Readers and ‘Ritas November 9-11, Allen, Texas https://events.freshfiction.com/
Miami Book Fair November 11-18, Miami, Florida https://www.miamibookfair.com/about/
6| uncagedbooks.com |
Wild Wicked Weekend February 21-24, 2019 San Antonio, Texas http://thewildwickedweekend.com/
Coastal Magic Convention February 28-March 3, 2019 Daytona Beach, Florida https://coastalmagicconvention.com/
Apollycon March 21-24, 2019 Washington, D.C. http://www.apollyconevent.com/
2018 Promotion Special Purchase any ad valued at $20 and up in 2018 (starting with the February Issue of Uncaged Book Reviews) and receive a FREE rotating footer ad on the website the following month! The rotating ad will be seen on all pages of the website, and not be subject to adblockers and remain onsite for 1 month
Uncaged can design! Ad is 300px tall x 250px wide and linked to your choosing! Uncaged website has an average of 10-30,000 visitors per month!
feature authors
historical | paranormal
Nadine Millard
Ryan Jo Summers
feature author Nadine Millard is a romance author hailing from Dublin, Ireland. Having studied and then worked in law for a number of years, Nadine began to live her dream of writing when she had the first of her three children. She released her first book in 2014 and has been writing ever since. When she’s not writing, she can be found reading anything she can get her hands on, running around after her three children, her cat, her dog, and spending time with her longsuffering husband! You can find out all about Nadine and her books at www.nadinemillard.com
Stay Connected
Please welcome Nadine Millard Uncaged: What inspires you to write in the Historical Regency genre? Do you spend a lot of time in research for each book? I’ve always been ever so slightly obsessed with the Regency era. As I child I read Jane Austen until my eyes crossed and that love stayed with me into adulthood. I used to read my mum’s historical romance books when I could sneak one from her room, so when the opportunity arose to write myself, it was the most natural thing in the world to do regency! In terms of research it depends on the book. For one of my releases, The Captain’s Revenge, I spent a lot of time researching ships, trade routes, and all things sailor since it takes place on a ship. I now know more about the British Navy and international trade routes of the 1800s than I ever need to know! :) I also spend a lot of time double and triple checking language and phrases to ensure they’re historically correct! Uncaged: Can you tell readers more about some of your series that you have going?
nadinemillard.com
10 | UncagedBooks.com
The first book I ever wrote was the first in a threebook series. That was unintentional! The second and third book just sort of…happened. That was The Ranford Series. After that, I wrote the Revenge Series. And I’m currently working on a four-book series – The Saints & Sinners Series which I’m really excited about!
I always ensure that my books can be read as standalones, too. So they can be read in order, but it’s not a necessity! Uncaged: You’ve just released a holiday regency anthology, what’s coming up next that you can tell us about? I did, and it was so great to be involved in that project because I am Miss Christmas! Coming up next is The Monster of Montvale Hall, book 1 in The Saints & Sinners Series. It’s up for pre-order and will release in January. I LOVE this book!!! It’s honestly my favourite. I just really enjoyed writing the characters, flawed as some of them are. I cried, I laughed…and the world of Saints & Sinners is just so special to me. I’m really excited about it :) Uncaged: What advice would you give new authors? Write, write, then write some more. Don’t let anyone or anything stop you. It can be hard sometimes to feel seen or heard in this industry but there will NEVER be too many books in the world and if you have a book in you, if you have a passion for writing and a story that you want to share with the world, then do it! Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there! Also (importantly) don’t compare yourself with, or judge yourself, by anyone else. We’re not in competition with each other!
Uncaged: Do you read your reviews? What do you feel you can take away from them? I do, and it isn’t always pretty :( I think it’s important though. I don’t get bogged down in them, good or bad, though I do get a warm, fuzzy feeling when I read the good ones! The thing is, you’ll never please everyone, and your work will never be to everyone’s taste. And that’s ok. When there’s constructive criticism I can read it and think “ok, I get that.” I think it helps me grow as a writer. Some of them can be a bit harsh and do leave me scratching my head but you can’t let them become too important. It’s good to know what people like and what they don’t like, without letting yourself get upset or pay too much attention to it. It’s a bit of a balancing act. But reviews, especially on book sites, are crazy important, so I’m always super grateful for them. Uncaged: What is one of the nicest things someone has said to you about your books? I got a message once from a reader who had been going through a really rough time in her personal life. She contacted me to say that she’d read my book and it was the first thing that had made her smile in a really long time, and that she’d taken a lot of comfort from it. I actually cried when I read that. I never thought I’d make a difference in someone’s life and it really is the most amazing feeling to know you’ve impacted someone that way. Issue 28 | November 2018 |
11
| FEATURE AUTHOR | Uncaged: What do you like to do when you aren’t writing? Where is one of your favorite places on Earth? I read a lot. Like, a LOT a lot. I also have three children, a cat, and a dog so spare time is a rarity. I teach dance to a group of great kids too, which keeps me busy. I love to travel and have been lucky enough to be in some incredible places. One of my favourites is Budapest. Another is Copenhagen. Disneyland! And I loved Egypt. I’m heading to Morocco soon which I’m really looking forward to. I’d love to see every corner of the world! Uncaged: What can you tell us that is very unique about you? It’s a loooong time ago now, but I did belly dancing for years and performed in festivals, at weddings and private functions, and in shows all around Ireland. It was a fabulous part of my life and I really miss the sparkly costumes! :) Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you? If you’ve read my books before, I THANK you. If I’m new to you, I hope you enjoy them! And to everyone; I seriously love getting to know readers and chatting so don’t ever be shy about dropping me a line.
Enjoy an excerpt from The Monster of Montvale Hall The Monster of Montvale Hall Nadine Millard Historical Regency Releases Jan. 7, 2019 A childhood tragedy had shaped the life of Robert Forsythe, the Duke of Montvale Hall, forever. He kept himself isolated from the world and the people in it, revelling in his reputation as a monster. Locked in a world of guilt and grief, nobody had ever been able to break down the walls he kept around him. Nobody had ever tried. And if being a monster kept everyone away, then a monster he would be. *** Abigail Langton was as headstrong as she was mischievous, so it was no surprise that she wasn’t exactly welcomed at Montvale Hall with open arms. It didn’t take her long to understand why its owner was called a monster. It took even less time to realise that monster or not, Abigail’s heart called to him in a way she couldn’t deny or understand. *** Robert’s world is turned upside down and inside out by the irrepressible Abigail. And try as he might to avoid it, he finds himself drawn to her in ways he doesn’t want. In ways that scare the wits out of him. Will Robert give in to the temptation that is Abigail? And will Abigail find the heart of the man beneath the monster? Excerpt Abigail opened the door and stepped inside the room,
12 | UncagedBooks.com
| NADINE MILLARD | feeling as though she were walking to the gallows. Honestly, this man was the most terrifying, handsome, brooding, strong, powerful— “Miss Langton?” “Yes? What?” She looked up to see the duke frowning down at her. “I asked if I might help you, since you’ve come to my study.” Once again, heat flooded her cheeks. She’d been wantonly ogling the man while he stood there awaiting her answer. He towered above her, and the severity of his black jacket only made his eyes seem more silver, more striking. The fawn breeches that encased his legs couldn’t hide the muscles there, and his— “Miss Langton?” “Oh dear,” she blurted in response. Abigail Langton. Stop it right now, she scolded herself. Lord Montvale was staring at her as though she’d run mad, which seemed fair given the situation. But it was slightly embarrassing nonetheless. “Miss Langton, I am a busy man. So if there’s nothing that you want?” This wasn’t going at all as she’d planned and her embarrassment, coupled with all sorts of memories of his kiss, and his lifting her onto her horse, and his being so rude to her and mean to the servants loosened her tongue. “I want you to stop being so mean to everyone,” she blurted. A deafening silence met her outburst. After an age, he spoke so softly that immediately Abigail was on her guard. “I beg your pardon?” he whispered. “Well, it’s just that y-you haven’t been happy with the flowers, I understand. A-and the servants, well they aren’t to blame,” she muttered. Had a hole ever opened in the ground and swallowed someone, just because they wished it so? Probably not, but oh would now be an excellent time for such an event to occur. “I’m well aware of who has been covering my home in flowers, Miss Langton,” he said softly, dangerously.
“Oh. Well, yes. So—“ “What I am less clear on,” he continued, prowling — yes, prowling — closer to her. Abigail felt herself back away on instinct. “Is why my home continues to be flooded with flowers after I expressly said that I do not care for them.” “R-right,” she croaked, as he took another step forward and she stepped back. “Care to explain?” She came to an abrupt halt as her back came into sudden contact with the wall. Robert stopped mere inches from her. Abby sighed, knowing that she was about to sound utterly ridiculous to a man who saw sentimentality as a weakness. “My parents,” she began, still unable to take a proper breath with him so deliciously close to her. “They didn’t – well, I was—” She drew to a stop, wondering how she could possibly put into words how unwanted she’d been. “Let’s just say that I was more an inconvenience than a beloved firstborn.” She tried to smile but suspected the expression was more grimace than ought else. “Anyway, once, when I was eight and my sisters were six and four, we caught a fever. We were sick and bedridden for weeks. The doctor came every day and just seemed to make it worse.” She grinned. “Ally and Beth got better and were able to leave the nursery, but I was sick for weeks longer and stuck inside, miserable and alone for hours at a time.” Abigail couldn’t meet Robert’s eyes as she spoke, staring furiously at his cravat instead. She had no doubt that he would be bored stiff by her sad little tale. And it certainly wouldn’t sway him, she knew. He was unswayable. Still, she’d started now, so she might as well plough on. “One day, I was alone as usual, lying in bed and feeling mightily sorry for myself, when my mother came in. She’d checked on us occasionally but for the most part, our care had been left firmly in the hands of our nurse and governess.” Issue 28 | November 2018 |
13
| FEATURE AUTHOR | Abby swallowed a sudden, unexpected lump in her throat. “I was so pleased to see her. Even my mother’s company was better than none at all,” she grinned. “She came in and she was carrying a bouquet of wildflowers. She had been for a walk, she said, and spotted them in a field near our house. And she knew that I was lonely and sad, so she picked them. My mother, who never got her hands dirty, who never did anything for herself if she could help it, got down on her knees and picked me some wildflowers, just to cheer me up. It never happened again. A visit alone, I mean.” Abigail blinked furiously as tears threatened. Tears would no doubt make him as uncomfortable as this conversation surely did. “She never did anything for just me before then, or after. That one small thing – well, it meant the world to eight-year-old me. And ever since, I’ve picked wildflowers.” Abigail drew to an embarrassed stop. She hadn’t really meant to reveal so much of herself, and she felt exposed and vulnerable. She heaved a sigh and finally brought herself to meet his gaze, feeling their impact immediately and fiercely. “I just thought you’d get used to it,” she finished, pitifully. Abigail could hear the breathless quality to her voice but could do nothing to control it. Standing so close to him, she was once again overwhelmed by the sheer size of him. The broadness of his shoulders. The masculinity that seemed to ooze from him. His eyes were molten silver, surrounded by the thickest, darkest lashes she’d ever seen. And he smelled divine; sandalwood, and brandy, and pure, sinful temptation. All of which was very pleasant, but hardly conducive to having one’s thoughts in order. He watched her for what seemed like an age, before finally laughing, a raw, husky sound that skittered along her nerves and set her heart pounding. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this,” he answered roughly. 14 | UncagedBooks.com
Abby swallowed loudly past the sudden lump in her throat. “You really don’t like the flowers?” she whispered, her voice made crackly by the desire slamming into her. Maybe she had managed to sway him somewhat. “I really don’t like the flowers,” he answered, leaning slightly closer. So she hadn’t swayed him at all, then. But she couldn’t feel overly disappointed. Not when he was awakening so many other feelings within her. If he wasn’t careful, she’d end up in a puddle at his feet. And he probably wouldn’t like that, either. “W-well, I’m sorry, then. But it’s my fault, not the servants’.” “Oh, I know that,” he answered dryly. There was a pause fraught with tension. “I-I should go then. And take care of them,” Abby said, though she was loathe to move and very likely incapable of doing so. “Yes, you should,” he agreed, still watching her intently. Still agonisingly, wonderfully, torturously close. “It seems a shame, though,” she said, now feeling suddenly emboldened and a little mischievous. “They really are beautiful.” “Very beautiful,” he agreed smoothly, still gazing at her, and all the air left her body with just those two words. She knew he was going to kiss her even before his head dipped toward hers, before his hand lifted to cup her face, bringing her mouth up to meet his own. And she craved it more than she craved oxygen to breathe. She should probably push him away. Even slap him for good measure. Instead, she lifted her hands to grip the front of his superfine as her knees gave out beneath her. I need to stop this, she thought. I need to leave. But as he coaxed her lips open to plunge inside them, only one thought remained. I need to keep kissing him.
CatchUp with
Anna Lowe
Anna Lowe was a Feature Author in September, 2017. This month she’s back to tell us what she’s been up to since we last spoke. Uncaged: You were a Feature Author in Uncaged in September, 2017. How was your experience with the magazine? It was an honor and delight to appear in the September 2017 issue with my Aloha Shifters series. I appreciate the chance to be put in touch with new readers and to let people know what I’ve been working on. As an author, I work in isolation, and being in Uncaged was a way of feeling in touch with a wider community. Uncaged: In the Aloha Shifters series, there are two offshoot series – can you tell us more about both the series how they are related to each other? As I developed my original Aloha Shifters series, I couldn’t decide between several great concepts, and I knew it would be overdone if I tried incorporating them all. So I stuck with main element for starters (jewels with mystical powers) and wrote the first series, Aloha Shifters: Jewels of the Heart. Think Magnum, PI with a shifter twist - and multiply Tom Selleck by six for the hot shifter heroes that feature in that series! They include two dragons, an introverted bear, an easygoing wolf, a broody tiger, and a fox. Yes, they all get to drive fancy cars, including the signature red Ferrari! Of course, I couldn’t resist adding tough, capable heroines and a hint of magic with the jewels. There’s one jewel per story (an emerald, a ruby, an amethyst, a sapphire, a diamond, and an opal). The overarching villain in that series is Drax, a ruthless dragon lord who orchestrates several attacks 18 | UncagedBooks.com
on our heroes, who are all special forces vets who just want to settle down and live a quiet life on Maui. I love that series for the contrasts between that band of brothers and for the unique journey each has on the way to winning over his destined mate. Originally, I didn’t intend to spin off into a related series, but I loved the characters and story world so much that I couldn’t resist sticking around for a while. And so a whole new series was born - Aloha Shifters: Pearls of Desire. The cast of the first series finally want to settle down on their seaside estate and live their happily-everafters. But the shifter world is one of constant danger and intrigue, so they bring in three shifter brothers to help with security. Those newcomers are assigned quarters on the neighboring property along with their buddy, a lion shifter, and a young, mysterious she-dragon widow. Of course, trouble - and destiny - are hot on the heels of the Hoving brothers, and before they know it, they’re falling in love and fighting a whole new army of cunning foes. In this series, I get to bring in the Pearls of Desire, each of which can be used for good or evil. So the epic struggle continues - as does the passion, action, and romance! For me, love stories don’t end at happily ever after. They go on long after the couple meets and overcome the odds that nearly tore them apart. That’s one reason I love writing in series - you get to see your favorite characters in cameos while meeting fascinating new characters face their own destinies. That’s why you get glimpses of the original cast while you follow the story of a tough alpha dragon who finds himself risking everything for a spunky surfer he can’t afford to fall in love with, or the story of a jokester lion shifter who finally grows up when faced with the challenge of a lifetime. That’s why a meticulously organized bear shifter finds himself throwing caution to the wind for a complete stranger, and why a shy, lonely wolf pushes himself to his limits to earn the woman of his dreams. And all that’s before we get to the series finale, in which Cynthia, the widowed she-dragon, gets a second chance at true love. Readers say these stories make them laugh, cry, and sit on the edges of their seats while they keep the pages turning deep into the night.
Uncaged: Do you have a set amount of books to the series or is it open-ended? Both series have six titles, which is a good number for making readers feel like they’re part of a community and not just eavesdroppers on a single romance. And while I don’t write open-ended series, I love interconnecting my series in subtle or not-so-subtle ways. That’s true to life, I think, because we all have far-flung networks of friends and family, and we all have chance encounters with strangers whose life paths turn out to be connected with ours in ways we never would be predicted. You know that expression about six degrees of separation? That’s what makes my Twin Moon wolves related to the Aloha Shifters, and why the bear of the Pearls of Desire series is buddies with the shifters who run the Blue Moon Saloon. While every book is a standalone story, there are lots of fun details you’ll appreciate if you’ve read my other books. So there’s kind of a puzzle to piece together while you enjoy each book. Uncaged: What’s coming up next that we can look forward to? Coming up next are the last two books in the Aloha Shifters: Pearls of Desire series. Those are “Rebel Heart” and “Rebel Alpha”, both of which focus on Cynthia, the young, widowed she-dragon with an adorable son named Joey. “Rebel Heart” is a short story that fills readers in on Cynthia’s backstory and her first taste at love. “Rebel Alpha” is the full-length novel that tells the story of her second chance at true love. It’s guaranteed to wring out plenty of tears - and cheers. (Side note: second chance romance is a recurring theme in many of my stories because my husband and I are “second chancers” ourselves!) Once I wrap up the Aloha Shifters series, I plan to move on to a whole new location for an exciting new series. I’m not ready to reveal the details yet, so readers should make sure they’re signed up for my newsletter to be the first to find out (http://www.annalowebooks.com/newsletter-free-book) And as for how soon you can expect those, well - I’m writing as fast as I can. If only my pen could keep up with the stories in my mind!
USA Today and Amazon best selling author Anna Lowe loves putting the “hero” back into heroine and letting location ignite a passionate romance. She loves dogs, sports, and travel – and letting those inspire her fiction. On any given weekend, you might find her hiking in the mountains or hunched over her laptop, working on her latest story – be that travel romance, adventure romance, or paranormal romance. Either way, the day will end with a chunk of dark chocolate and a good read.
Rebel Dragon Anna Lowe Paranormal Romance Can this rebel dragon learn to play by the rules when his destined mate’s life is on the line? Steamy, suspenseful paranormal romance! Off to Maui for a relaxing vacation? Hardly. Surfer Jenna Monroe is on the run from a stalker who lusts after her blood. Instead of combing the beach for lost treasures, she’s forced to venture deep into the terrifying world of shapeshifters. There, even the good guys are hard to trust — all except for the hot-blooded rebel she can’t get out of her head. Connor Hoving and his band of Special Forces shifters were planning to leave trouble behind by moving to Maui, but destiny has other ideas. His whole future — and that of his brothers — depends on acing his new job as head of security at an exclusive seaside estate. But Connor can barely get his inner dragon to focus with alluring, off-limits Jenna around. Can this rebel dragon learn to play by the rules when his fated mate’s life is on the line? The closer Connor and Jenna become, the higher Issue 28 | November 2018 |
19
forbidden passions blaze. The more they give in to simmering desire, the more impossible love seems. And the more secrets they uncover, the closer their enemies creep. Vampires and ruthless dragons lurk in the shadows, and it’s impossible to tell whose side fate will take. Only one thing is certain: great heroes don’t get to pick their destinies — only the choices they make. Excerpt Here’s an excerpt from REBEL DRAGON, in which dragon shifter Connor Hoving gives Jenna an upclose-and-personal lesson in using a knife she was given for self-defense against a stalker. The only problem is, she keeps getting distracted by her hunky instructor... A bead of sweat built on her brow as Jenna concentrated on the feel of Connor’s body and the angle of the knife. The position of his elbow as he demonstrated the move, and the way the blade turned in her hand. Somehow, sensual and practical became one, and it didn’t matter which was which anymore. “Now push my arm away, and aim here…” he murmured, pointing at a dip in his collarbone. She was tempted to aim her lips there instead, but okay. As long as she got to stay this close to him… Even cold and calculating terms like dig for the clavicular artery or go for the soft tissue of the neck wafted like clouds across the sky of her mind. Connor started changing up his moves, catching her off guard, making the exercise more realistic. Then he pinned her arms behind her back. She wiggled and grunted, struggling to get free. “So, are you ready to give up?” he asked, an inch from her ear. Her blood rushed. “Hell no.” He chuckled. “Good.” He showed her how to break out of that hold, too, which was her favorite move yet. She got to go from having her back held firmly against Connor’s chest to turning to face him from an inch away. “Now, let’s suppose he pushes you to the ground…” 20 | UncagedBooks.com
Connor said, hooking his foot around hers. She didn’t fall because he lowered her gently and followed her down, pinning her knife hand above her head. His knees came down on either side of her hips, and his bare chest came parallel to hers. Not a single alarm went off in Jenna’s mind, because it wasn’t intimidating at all. Just…good. Solid. Snug and secure. Her body was all achy, though, and her lips yearned for his. “So you need to consider your options,” he said in a slightly hoarse voice. Oh, she was considering her options, all right. Like using her free hand to guide his head down and get those hungry lips within reach. His mouth opened and closed. A bead of sweat slid down his brow. That tic started up in his right cheek exactly as it had the night they’d kissed. “Am I doing this right?” she mumbled, running her free hand along his ribs. Connor closed his eyes and held perfectly still. “Too right,” he rasped. Good. Then she’d do it a little more. “I found a problem,” she whispered, tilting her head so that her hair swung away from her eyes. “What problem?” His gaze dropped to her lips. “What if I don’t want to get free?” His nostrils flared, and he lowered his body until his chest rested on hers. Most of the weight was on his arms, making his biceps bulge. “That is a problem,” he rumbled. “Especially since I don’t want to let you go.”
feature author Ryan Jo Summers writes romances that blur the lines of subgenres. She mixes contemporary with time travel, Christian, suspense, sweet, and paranormal like blending a fruit and yogurt smoothie. Her non-fiction works have appeared in numerous trade journals and magazines including ‘WNC Woman Magazine’, ‘Critter Magazine’, ‘Journey Devotions’, and ‘Vet Tech Journal’. She is a regular contributing author for the ‘Asheville Pet Gazette’. Her hobbies include baking, crafts, gardening, enjoying nature, and chess/mah-jongg/word-find puzzles. She pet sits/dog walks when she’s not busy writing and she fosters homeless pets for area animal rescues. She lives in a century-old cottage in North Carolina with her own menagerie of rescued pets and way too many houseplants. “September’s Song” is her second self-published work, the first one being the chronicles of the first two years with her adopted PTSD rescue collie.
Stay Connected
ryanjosummers.com 22 | UncagedBooks.com
Uncaged welcomes Ryan Jo Summers Uncaged: You write mostly contemporary romance, but I’ve noticed you always put a spin on it to keep readers on their toes. What inspires the books you write? It’s a matter of writing what I like to read. When I first got into reading romances, and we’re talking Harlequin and Silhouette of the late 80’s and 90’s, I didn’t care for the straight up, boy meets girl, boy loses girl, and boy gets girl back formula. I was drawn to the meatier stories with extra stuff. I went through a vampire stage, have never left the time travel stage behind, same for suspense and shifting. When I wrote, it was to follow that pattern. Uncaged: You don’t seem to put all your “eggs in one basket” publishing wise, as you have books published under different publishers. What are the benefits for doing this? It was never intentional to be with multiple publishers, but not every publisher accepts the type of genres I write, so I had to branch out. Or make major revisions to get it accepted the first time around. It made more sense to belong to a number of houses—four at the moment—because they all offer something different
in terms of networking, assistance and support, etc. Uncaged: What advice would you give new authors? Write what you know and like, not what the current fad or trend is. Be true to your work, and yourself, but be humble enough to know when to accept genuine criticism. Uncaged: What do you have coming up next that readers can look forward to? Oh my! Big stuff! I just signed with The Wild Rose Press for a series. I am so stoked about this! Contracts are signed for the first three books, and edits are underway now. I am working on writing book # 4 and the plan is to have somewhere between 9-12 books eventually for the entire series. It’s called “Winds of Destiny” and takes place in a quaint North Carolina seaside town called Sweetwater Harbor. It actually began as my happy place to mentally escape to while at work (I worked security in a warehouse at the time) and over time my imagination populated it and the story grew from there. Also, I am working on a 1719 time travel/ pirate novel that is slated to be released November 2019 with Melange Books. I need to get myself in gear and get it finished.
Uncaged: Do you read your reviews? What do you feel you can take away from them? Yes, I do read them, not as diligently as I used to. Time was, I’d print them out, and put them in the relating books’ binder. Each published book has its own three-ring scrapbook or binder, where I keep letters, newspaper clippings, blog visits, social media graphics, and all promotional materials. So now when I read reviews, I think it’s nice of the reader to leave something. That took time to do. If it’s a three star or less, I check the reviewer to see if that’s just what they always leave everyone or was it just my book. If it’s four or five stars, I post on social media and brag. When “Wild Whispers” (December 2017 release) took five stars with InD’tale Magazine, I contacted my publisher and we ran it on special for about a month. Overall, I think reviews are a mixed bag. They are good to have, hard as hen’s teeth to sometimes get, and not always accurate of how the book is. I like to remember they are all one person’s opinion. I’ve read books, didn’t like them, and reviewers give them 4-5 stars, or vis-versa. I loved it, and it got 2-3 stars from reviewers. And what about those books with 250,000 five star reviews? Does Everyone love those books? Probably not. So I’d boil it down to say they are a necessary Issue 28 | November 2018 |
23
| FEATURE AUTHOR | requirement of being a writer, but I don’t lose sleep over them. I’m grateful for the good ones and mindful of the meh ones. Uncaged: What is one of the nicest things someone has said to you about your books? Regarding “Chasing the Painted Skies”, I’ve had a number of people tell me the setting was as much a character as the people were. I like that. Many times I’ve heard certain books should be made into movies, like Hallmark Channel shows, or they can see a sequel coming. Those are nice compliments. Uncaged: What do you like to do when you aren’t writing? Where is one of your favorite places on Earth? I pet-sit/ dog-walk full time. That takes up a bulk of my time. Interestingly, I left my ten-year career in security this past May so I can write more, and the pet care business has picked up to the point, I’m still not writing any more than when I was working full time. If I am not working on the pet care business, the writing business or some random house/errand kind of thing, then I like hanging out with my menagerie of rescued pets. Cats, dog, rabbits, bird, and fish. I also foster animals for one of the local animal rescue groups. I never spend enough time pottering in the yard or working on home improvement projects or gathering with my friends. I like to paint, draw, bake, and tend houseplants. (70+ and counting) My favorite place on earth is anywhere by the water. Big lake, ocean, river rapids, bubbling stream. I can recharge and refresh myself at the water’s edge. I need that from time to time. Uncaged: What can you tell us that is very unique about you? I don’t consider myself a romance writer. The first time someone called me that, I was 24 | UncagedBooks.com
stunned. I am not a romantic person by nature. I don’t get emotional over roses or poems extolling one’s love or stuff like that. I’m too practical for that, I suppose. You love me? Cool, show it by cleaning the house with me or going shopping with me or something like that. So it was an event for me to realize that, yes, what I write is actually mish-mashed romance… aka “love stories”. Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you? I am honored to have fans. Really. That means a lot to me. There is so much good material out there, and to say they select my stuff to read is something special that I don’t take lightly. So I’d like to thank my fans for picking up my books, reading them, sharing them with others, and maybe leaving a review. You are helping to make my dreams come true. Thank you! The best places to follow me are my website, blog, and Facebook. They are where I devote most my time and attention. The website (www.ryanjosummers.com) is where I list upcoming news and tidbits, and I am trying to get it revamped a bit with all the reviews posted and other small changes. It also has a place to contact me. I truly enjoy hearing from readers. The blog is where I feature other author’s works, and regularly post the “I’ve been thinking about…” feature which is some insightful thing I’ve been thinking about lately. It could be just about anything. Facebook is a good way to chat with me. I share what’s new and repost interesting things I’ve come across and invite readers to share thoughts or pictures of their pets. I am really bad for posting pictures of my pets on all three media pages and like to see other’s fur-babies.
Enjoy an excerpt from September’s Song September’s Song Ryan Jo Summers Contemporary Romance Ivey London was told her military husband died on a mission overseas. She buried him as a war hero and tried to move on with her life by raising their young son, dealing with her vengeful brother, and coping with her mother’s Alzheimer’s. Five years go by and one day she learns of a secret underground chamber were special soldiers are imprisoned to recover. Further, one amnesiac soldier managed to escape. When her son begins to display unusual behaviors, she goes to investigate. All evidence points to finding her late husband. If it is him, back from the dead, Ivey refuses to give him up again. Keegan London awoke in a hospital cell with no memories. Fleeing, he finds himself in a strange, unknown world, with no one to turn to. Until he finds a friendly Priest who runs a homeless shelter and he stumbles across the woman who claims to be his wife. While she can fill some gaps in his lost memories, she cannot explain his curious abilities. Pursued by someone determined to get him back, Keegan has few options but to trust the woman who makes his heart fire like a cannon. Ivey has dibs on him, but first they have to uncover who—and what-Keegan really is before they can recover what they had. Excerpt Chapter 16 Disappointment swirled around Ivey like the steam rising from the manhole covers. “Are you sure this is the right place?” “I’m sure. He’s always right there.”
| RYAN JO SUMMERS | Ivey followed her son’s pointing finger to the dirty and bent piece of cardboard leaning against a dented and rusty dumpster. Her husband actually lived there? Chills slithered over her. So where was he now? Somewhere sirens wailed and voices cried out from the apartments above. Tightening her grip on her mom’s hand, she lifted her head, looking up and around. Finally she heaved a defeated sigh. Damn. “Well, he’s not here now. Let’s go back.” “Wait, Mom, wait a second.” Already turning her mom around, Ivey halted, swiveling to see where Jory was looking. Bismark strained against the leash, giving a soft whine. If he growled, she’d have all three out of there in milliseconds. Instead, she paused, watching the dog. His bushy tail wagged and Keegan stepped cautiously into view, a puzzled expression on his face. “Jory, take your Grandmother’s hand,” she said, already joining their hands. Walking across the alley and up to Keegan, her heart skipped lightly, like butterflies in an early frosty morning. “Hello again.” She stopped a foot away, marshalling everything inside her not to throw her arms around him. “Hi,” he replied, casting a bewildered look at Jory, her mom, and resting back on her. “What are you doing here?” Not sure what to expect, she knew this wasn’t the reunion she’d hoped for. She thrust her hands deep into her pockets. “I just found out you and Jory have been meeting here regularly. I didn’t want to be left out.” He winced. “Don’t be mad at him. He’s a good kid with a good heart.” Something in his eyes, in his voice, told her he didn’t know. He hadn’t made the connection. Swallowing the hurt, she forced a smile and drew a breath, then lowered her voice. “I’m glad to hear you think that. Because Jory is your son. Our son.” He started to repeat her but stopped himself, quickly masking his surprise by scrubbing a hand over his face. He could do with a shave and it Issue 28 | November 2018 |
25
| FEATURE AUTHOR | fueled the mission on her heart. “So now that you know what I’m doing here, Keegan, what are you doing here?” He stared at her a moment, as if he didn’t understand the question, then he shook his head. “It’s complicated.” She refused to accept that. She didn’t care how complicated it might be. “It doesn’t have to be. Come back home with us. With your family, Keegan. You don’t have to be out here.” Dried leaves rattled across the concrete and she shivered. How much colder was he? She watched him falter, waver, his gaze traveling to Jory and Mom and back to her, then around the alley and back to her. Gunshots blasted in the distance and they both jumped. She gave him a level look, hoping it proved her point. He took a step backward and she feared he might turn and run. There was no way she could chase after him. Anxiety made her reach out to capture his arm and she was startled at how cold he felt, even with the layers of thick clothing. “Keegan, please come back home. You can take a warm shower, sleep in a warm bed, and eat a hot meal. We can help fill in the blanks in your memory.” Surprise flickered through his eyes, along with a wistful longing. “You still having a big Thanksgiving dinner?” “Yes, next week.” Her heart took wings of hope. “We’ll have all your favorites.” He reached out to touch her cheek and she trembled at the cool touch of his rough fingers. “Ivey, I don’t know what my favorites are.” His soft confession ripped her soul. Blinking back the tears, she vowed to stand and fight, as long as it took, to bring her husband home. She longed to step into his arms but his expression did not welcome it. The fact that this man, her husband, was essentially a total stranger shook her, chilling her worse than the wind swirling around them. She touched his arm again, needing some contact with him. “We can help you with that. We want to help you with that, Jory and I. He’s your 26 | UncagedBooks.com
son, Keegan. Don’t you want to spend time with him? Get to know him?” Mutely he nodded, and she noticed tears gathering in his eyes. She swiped her own away. “I’m your wife. Don’t you want to know me better?” She watched as his jaw tightened, a sign she always knew as he was debating something important. What could he possibly have to think about? She glanced around the dirty alley, tuning her ears away from the shouts, shots, and sirens. Her throat closed off as she waited for his response. Stray bits of torn paper flew past them, carried on the wind. Somewhere a garbage can banged as someone knocked it over. She noticed that even though he watched her, he never stopped looking around either. Every noise and movement had him swiveling and studying, a coiled tension radiating off him she had never recalled before. He reminded her of a guard dog on high alert to some danger only he could sense. Watching closely, she realized he seemed to anticipate before the noises and debris, turning to meet them moments early. “Keegan? We are your family.” She felt it important to remind him of that, until he got around to asking where the rest of his family was. God help her then. Slowly, he reached for her hand. He gave her a silent, small smile. Her heart took flight, soaring above the buildings. *** The house Ivey took him to turned out to be actually an apartment in a row of similar looking apartments. He followed the little troupe along the streets wondering if he was doing the right thing, hoping he wasn’t endangering this group of people by joining them. His family. The implications still rocked him. The boy, Jory, was his son. Wow. And the little old lady, Meredith, was Ivey’s mother. His family. Ivey gave him a fast tour of the apartment, two levels worth, and asked him if he wanted to shower first. Overwhelmed, he was grateful for the offer. He figured the time alone might help him reconcile the last moments. Now, with the warm water pulsing down on him, feeling so incredibly good, he had lots to wonder about.
When was the last time he enjoyed a true shower? He’d bird bathed a few times at the shelter, but nothing like this. He felt the constant cold slowly escaping him, replaced with a fresh, clean soap smell and a warmth he wanted to envelope himself in forever. Troubling him more was the extrasensory skill that told him Jory and Ivey were calling for him blocks away. How had he known? Apparently the same way he seemed to feel or alert to things moments before they happened. Like the attacks while he was sleeping and the times Jory was arriving with a meal--he just sensed it. And extra instinct of some sort. And, thinking it over now, closing his eyes to the pulsing heat, he realized he also knew his opponents move a few seconds before they made it. How was all this stuff possible? Finally, he turned off the water, took the nearby towel and dried off. Wrapping it around his waist, he studied the face in the mirror. So that was what he looked like. Just an older version of the man in the photos in his wallet. Maybe he really was Keegan London. Except that guy was supposed to be dead. He touched the planes of his face, deciding a shave might be good. He had a pleasant enough face. Actually, looking close, he did see lots of similarities between himself and Jory. His son. His stomach coiled into a knot. He should be protecting this family, his family. Instead he felt he was bringing danger right to them. Something had him turning to the door a few seconds before he heard the knock. Maybe he just smelled her perfume, but he knew it was Ivey outside. Adjusting the towel, he turned the knob. “I thought you might like these now,” she said, extending a pile of folded clothes. He could feel her nervous tension so he offered up a smile. “Thank you. So these are mine?” She nodded. “If you thought I was dead, why’d you keep them?” She hesitated, partly shrugged, and he saw mixed emotions moving over her face. “Because I just did.” Fair enough. It told him she had been very
| RYAN JO SUMMERS | much in love with her husband. Again, he tried the smile. It felt strained when he knew it should be as natural as breathing. The awkwardness spilled between them like tepid water. “Well, I’m glad you did. Did you keep my razor by any chance?” “No, but I just ran down to the corner and grabbed these.” She extended a plastic bag with items inside. Taking it, he peeked in. Razor, deodorant, toothbrush, shaving cream. Most were travel sized but they would work. She backed up a step, running her tongue over her lips. “If you pass me your clothes, I’ll wash them now.” “This is all so great. I can’t thank you enough,” he said, handing over the balled pile of dirty clothing. Ivey held the garments, her eyes running over his bared torso and back to his face, a myriad of emotions crossing her eyes like clouds. She started to speak, closed her mouth, nodded, and turned around. Reaching the top step, she paused, turning back with her hand on the bannister. “When you’re finished, I’ll have something fixed for you to eat.” Watching her head disappear down the flight, he could only wonder why she was clearly so glad to see him, and yet so unsettled. It had to be like seeing a ghost--wondering if it were truly real and hoping like crazy it was. Now, if only he didn’t get them killed by whoever was determined to come after him.
Issue 28 | November 2018 |
27
Don’t miss these titles:
28 | UncagedBooks.com
Short story
Ups and Downs by JB Woods
| SHORT STORY |
Ups and Downs by JB Woods Promoted to Sergeant I was sent on attachment to the American Green Berets and as part of a squad or ‘brick’, three yanks and myself, we went on a ‘Hearts and Minds’ mission in the Northwest of Laos in an area called the ‘Golden Triangle’ the centre of the heroin poppy growing industry. It was an attempt to keep the people of the area out of the hands of the commies who were known as the ‘Pathet Lao.’ The local tribes were generally well disposed towards us as the Yanks through the auspices of the CIA paid them the market price for the heroin they produced from the poppies but there was a fly in the ointment. Someone tipped off the bad guys about our movements. We were on patrol two days out from base camp when we were jumped. Two died instantly but Aaron and I escaped after a brief skirmish. The jungle is a friend as well as an enemy and we walked all night and through the next day. Our complete stock was his backpack with its depleted rations, his M16 carbine and half a clip of ammunition, my Browning 9mm automatic pistol and my personal eight inch stiletto plus one bayonet cum combat knife. Our compass and maps had been lost in the fire-fight and if that wasn’t enough he had a serious thigh wound and I had a wound along my ribs, thankfully not the one I had broken earlier, and it hurt like crazy every time I took a breath. It was dawn and we were ten yards off the track in primary jungle. The crickets and cicadas are kicking up one helluva din, which is good, and I’m wet through from the water dripping off every leaf. I’d had a sleepless night keeping watch as there had been movement in the bush during the night and Aaron was moaning in his ruptured sleep. I had to keep him quiet as well as being ready for any eventu30 | UncagedBooks.com
ality. I think it may have been a tiger but thank goodness we were not on the menu. ‘As you can well imagine, I was not a happy bunny but luckily our matches were still dry. That was a blessing as trying to operate the American issue emergency lighter is like trying to light a piece of string in a shower. Anyway, I was able to light the little camping stove and as Aaron had not thrown away the rice in his ration pack as we Brits do as a matter of course because it uses too much precious water we had half a mug of rice plus a mug of rice water for breakfast to warm us up. I used some of our water ration to clean Aaron’s wound which didn’t look too good and we lay hidden until ten o’clock waiting for the clouds to clear so that we could get a watch sight of the Sun. It’s not very accurate but it gives you a rough guide to North and South and by that I was able to steer in what I hoped was a course towards the Mekong River. If we could get to the river plain I could leave him and hopefully cross the river and get help. We packed our belongings and I went out to the track for a recce. I was relieved to see that any trace of us had been obliterated by the overnight rain. I tightened Aaron’s tourniquet and we set off with his arm around my neck and he used his rifle as a walking stick. I don’t know who groaned the loudest, me with the ribs, or him with his leg. Him I guess, and he’d lost a lot of blood. I cursed the wet ground as we were leaving tracks a blind man could follow, but luck was on our side. The Pathet Lao had lost our spoor and we stayed safe. The sun came out and with steam rising off our wet clothes we did a three-legged walk towards safety. An hour later Aaron became too weak and his trouser leg was once more soaked with blood. We stopped to ease the tourniquet and I left him just off the track while I went ahead. Five minutes later I heard a voice. Positive it was American I pressed on but with a little more caution when the jungle suddenly stopped and I stepped out into a complex of paddy fields in the middle of which was a CIA
| JB WOODS | sponsored ‘America Air’ helicopter. In the distance the river glistened in the bright sunlight. My dead reckoning had been good. ‘Hey, Mack, get your ass out here,’ the pilot was complaining over his radio. ‘And bring some frigging hydraulic oil with you.’ He went on to give his coordinates before he became aware of me. ‘Jeez, what the hell?’ He ran towards me. ‘Hey, what gives, pal? You look like shit.’ I explained the situation and he radioed for a medic and a stretcher as well as his oil. The pilot was Hank, a New Yorker who chewed incessantly on a cheroot. While we waited for the back-up he came with me to pick up Aaron who was close to dying by this time. His pulse was barely noticeable. Between us we managed to get him back to the helicopter affectionately called a Huey and we waited for the Medi-vac chopper bringing, amongst other things, Hank’s much needed hydraulic oil. When it arrived the medics soon had Aaron on drips and he was loaded into the relief Huey. I stayed with Hank to give him cover while he topped up his oil. He’d repaired the leak apparently before I came across him. Job done, he cranked up the motor which whined into life at the same time I spotted uniformed figures running towards us. ‘Hank,’ I yelled, as I scrambled into the left hand seat. ‘Get the hell out of here, we’ve got company,’ ‘Are ya sure they ain’t peasants, buddy?’ ‘Damned sure.’ I pointed in their direction. ‘That’s not rice paddles their carryin’ and they’re making poppin’ noises in our direction.’ ‘Jeezuz! Go tell em, wait.’ He jiggled the control levers to bleed the system, slid the
throttle into the flight idle position and pulled hard upwards on the collective. The engine screamed and the Huey lifted off. We did a swift torque turn to the left and made a hurried exit. As we did so there was a solid clunk from the engine compartment. A bullet had found its mark. Nothing appeared amiss and we skimmed at head height over the paddy fields and when we reached the river Hank took us up to two hundred feet and set a course for Ubon in Thailand following the Mekong. ‘Shit,’ he cursed. ‘What’s up,’ I asked, trying to appear calm. Hank bit down harder on his cheroot and mumbled through closed lips. ‘The collective was heavy when I took her up.’ He eased the cyclical joy stick to the right to correct our course and cursed again. ‘Jeezuz man, we’re in trouble.’ Now I felt really nervous. As a child I’d had this morbid fear of amusement parks the big dipper in particular and the thought of being suspended beneath a couple of six inch carbon fibre and titanium paddles didn’t appeal to me. I tried to appear calm but my voice went up to a youthful treble. ‘Why’s that?’ ‘We’re losing hydraulic pressure. That damned bullet must have nicked a pipe.’ The nose dipped sickeningly and we swooped earthwards. My stomach came up to meet my mouth but, ‘Oh joy,’ I’d had nothing to eat for ages. I then remembered my dangling lap strap and fastened it quickly. Hank tried the collective and nothing happened. Using all his strength he pulled harder but the sensitivity provided by the hydraulics had gone and the Huey reacted violently. The nose came up sharply in a steep Issue 28 | November 2018 |
31
roller coaster climb and our forward speed fell away. A lesser pilot would have been in trouble but Hank was up to it. He flipped a switch and shut down the hydraulic servo’s to all systems which made the chopper just flyable but it would require considerable physical effort on his part. Somehow he regained control and he depressed the radio switch on the top of the cyclical to call in. A stream of expletives filled the cabin in a manner that only a man from the Bronx can do. ‘They shot up the radio. We’re not gonna make it, pal,’ he yelled.’ I looked at the map and searched around for landmarks. A small island gave me a fix and with a sigh of relief I realised that we were only twelve miles from safety. ‘Hank, go right. We Brits have a camp at Leong Nok Tha. They’ve built an airfield there and it’s my Squadron base. Can you hold her for another few minutes?’ ‘I’m sure as hell gonna try.’ He kicked down on the right pedal and eased down on the collective lever. With beads of sweat trickling through the dust on his face he executed a tight torque turn before we went into a shallow dive to gain speed on a westerly course. Somehow he found time to take his right hand off the cyclical column, remove his cap and wipe his forehead with the back of his hand before he pushed the soggy cheroot to the other side of his mouth. A few minutes later the base came into view and Hank decided we would do an emergency auto-rotational landing into the scrub at the side of the runway. We circled a couple of times to warn people on the ground while easing down to a safer height for the manoeuvre. With immense effort Hank pulled back on the collective to bring the nose up and stop our 32 | UncagedBooks.com
forward motion at the same time easing back on the cyclical to put us into the hover. At this point I found religion. I watched Hank with admiration as he coolly went through the emergency drill. Once in the hover he closed the throttle, clipped it into manual override and as the revs died down we began to descend kept in the air only by the momentum of the blades. With a touch of right pedal to stop yaw we came earthward. Six foot from the ground Hank pulled the collective to the maximum lift position using the last bit of available thrust in the spinning rotors to cushion the landing. All would have been well but for the overgrown monsoon drain at the side of the runway. The left skid dipped into it and the Huey tilted and rolled onto its side. The rotor blades shattered into myriads of pieces and the tail boom crumbled on impact. Hank, who hadn’t fastened his lap strap, tumbled passed me head first into the door pillar and I screamed as my already injured ribs received more punishment. I fell sideways in my seat and my head came into contact with the side of the cabin and all went quiet. An hour later I woke up staring at the unfamiliar corrugated iron roof of the Station Medical Centre wondering where the hell I was when the unsympathetic voice of Major Gough, my C.O. penetrated my brain. ‘You’ve been living it up with the Yanks too long, Sgt Hunter. A couple of weeks R & R and then you can become a real soldier once more.’ Hank got a lift to Ubon on the back of a low-loader with his broken Huey and I will always be in his debt. As for my sore ribs. A bullet had smashed the rib and it was pressing into my lung. Aaron survived and he is now a Rabbi in New York. He gave the American Military some cock and bull story and they gave me a Purple Heart, the Medal of Honour and a pension. I owe my life to America Air and I have a photograph of the broken helicopter somewhere.’
The End
Author’s Amazon Page
feature authors
Tim Sabados
suspense | horror
James Alan Ross
feature author Tim Sabados has been an emergency room nurse for over eleven years and a part time paramedic for nineteen. A native born Detroiter having interests in painting, sculpture and drawing it was only natural that he turned to creative writing to fulfill that artistic gap formed by the excessive amount of technical writing required of him during nursing school. His influences in fiction have come from interests in various mystical concepts and the many unusual situations presented to him during his medical career. More importantly his writing strays from any one single genre, but instead blends them together to create a literary experience that allows a vibrant mental journey and the ability to contemplate the multi-faceted aspects of life. Something he feels the reader will find enjoyable on top of an entertaining story. Visit Tim online at www.timesabados. com.
Stay Connected
timesabados.com Newsletter 36 | UncagedBooks.com
Please welcome Tim Sabados Uncaged: Can you tell readers more about your A Cure to Kill For series? The “A Cure to Kill for” series is currently a two book series. The first book, “Chain of Salt and Water” was originally intended to be a standalone novel. As I neared the end I realized the story was far from being complete and a sequel would need to follow. The concept for “Chain of Salt and Water” began as an assignment in nursing school. I had completed a very lengthy paper in which I came up with a hypothetical cure for AIDS. When I say lengthy I mean that I went overboard on the paper. All I can say is that I was in to my school work and became overly involved in the assignment. What was supposed to be a five page paper ended up being somewhere between twenty five to thirty pages in length. When I finally turned in the project my teacher refused to accept it saying, “This has nothing to do with nursing.” Annoyed that I had put all this work and energy into the assignment, I slapped some of my research onto a different paper and ended up with an “A” anyway. Several years after graduating, I revisited my thoughts and began to formulate “Chain of Salt and Water”. For starters many of the underlying themes fall in line with how the infestation of a virus overruns its surroundings. This is similar to how people can manipulate their environment, to the point of destruction, in order to get what they want.
This principle can be found taking place with Charles Differ, the owner of a small mom-and-pop hardware store. There have been several mishaps that have negatively impacted his business and it leaves him wondering if the store has somehow been infected. But for what purpose? Charles is left with the difficult decision to either sell the store or try and pull it out of its nosedive toward bankruptcy. Will he be able to make this decision before something bad infects him? The timeline for both books are written in a linear fashion and that in turn corresponds to their titles. We as humans are comprised of salt and water, whereas the “chain” or “bond” expresses the way we are linked to one another. In the end two college students, Anthony and Lianna, need to put aside their differences and somehow unite in order to save their professor’s cure for AIDS before it falls into the wrong hands. As their efforts become more and more difficult, their relationship begins to blossom and the bond they develop continues into the second book, but at what cost? Besides being a little bit thriller and a small part mystery there are also several paranormal qualities to the book. This is partially shown in Anthony’s dream journeys into the underworld. When he awakens he’s left wondering if they were something more than a simple dream. As he tries to unravel these mysteries he hopefully begins to realize that there other agenda’s lurking out there. A killer with a motive. A killer who wants
what Antony and Lianna have found. Someone who wants the hardware store gone. Someone who wants it all for themselves. But who and what this person wants may be manipulated by someone else as if they were a puppet on a string. Uncaged: Chain of Salt and Water is out now and the second book, Bonds of Water and Salt will come out November 27. How many books are planned in this series? As I mentioned earlier “Chain of Salt and Water” was originally meant to be a standalone novel. When I realized there was more to tell, I embarked on the sequel. I initially approached “Bonds of Water and Salt” with a lot of zest and I had the first section completed within a few short months. However, the next section took several months longer and by the time I reached the third part I wasn’t writing as frequently as I normally do. I felt I had fallen into a trap where the writing wasn’t as fresh as it had been when I was first developing the characters and the storyline. I think that’s the challenge when writing a sequel in that the story itself can potentially become mundane and quite repetitive. My initial intentions had been to finish the series after the second book. Currently, I’m not counting out writing another installment. There are several characters that I really like, one being Johnny Dantanian, who I would love to explore and write Issue 29 | November 2018 |
37
| FEATURE AUTHOR | about even more. I’ve kicked around a storyline in my head and I have a very rough idea how things might play out. As of yet, nothing has been placed on paper. So I guess the short answer is to wait and see. Uncaged: What advice would you give new authors? I’m still young in my author career so I’m still exploring the ins and outs of writing. However if I was to give any advice it would be persistence and enjoyment. Persistence in that you have to keep writing to become better at the craft. I feel you should try and limit your expectations as it relates to your work getting out into the public’s hands. By being persistent it will eventually find its way to where it was meant to be. Further, you have to enjoy the process of writing. Enjoy developing the story, characters and dialogue. If you don’t it’s going to show in your work. Uncaged: Do you read your reviews? What do you feel you can take away from them? I’m sure everyone would agree that reading a good review is elating and being confronted with a not so great one can be disheartening. I would prefer being praised for my work, but the negative review can allow you to grow as an author. As one of my teacher’s had said, “You have to be willing to fail in order to succeed.” With that being said, I do take the time to read all my reviews. Uncaged: What is one of the nicest things someone has said to you about your books? 5) One of my more memorable compliments occurred when someone had told me that they couldn’t put “Chain of Salt and Water” down. They had been reading the book late into the 38 | UncagedBooks.com
night, were late for work and then spent the majority of their weekend reading it from cover to cover. Not only had the book engaged them that much but they wanted to more about the characters and some of the back story. It’s this same person who has been eagerly waiting for the sequel, “Bonds of Water and Salt”. For me one of the greatest achievements I could hope for as a writer is having a reader become engrossed in the characters, the story and ultimately the book itself. Uncaged: What do you like to do when you aren’t writing? Where is one of your favorite places on Earth? There are many things that I enjoy doing outside of writing. For the most part I like to keep busy and rarely do I find myself sitting idle. I love to further explore my creativity through painting, drawing and working in my yard. I also like to work out, run and get involved in running races. I will always find the time to spend with my dog and fiancée. Of course work has to be crammed in there somewhere. As someone recently told me, “Work seems to get in the way of my life.” As for my favorite place on Earth, that can be a difficult choice. I’ve been fortunate enough to have been to several unique and exciting places. If I had to pick one I would, at this particular moment, choose Nepal. A few years ago my fiancée and I travelled to Kathmandu for a volunteer medical mission. We meet some incredible people during our stay and found the city itself fascinating. We also toured the countryside where we visited a jungle, gave a bath to an elephant in a river with a crocodile nearby and then took a bus to Lumbini where we had the opportunity to stand over the spot where the Buddha is said to have been born. Uncaged: What can you tell us that is very unique about you? Despite being active and involved in a variety of things, I tend to be a private person. I’m content with spending time by myself and for the most part I’m comfortable in my own skin. I can even go several days without talking to anyone.
| TIM SABADOS | Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you? I would like to simply say to my fans, “Thank you.” Thank you for taking the time to read my books, becoming immersed in the characters and story, creating the enthusiasm that surrounds them and finally allowing me to pursue my creative passion. If it wasn’t for you these books would never have gotten very far.
Enjoy an excerpt from Bonds of Water and Salt Bonds of Water and Salt Tim Sabados Suspense/Paranormal Releases Nov. 27, 2018 What would you trade for freedom and wealth? This simple decision is the difference between life and death. Find out how the dice roll in the anticipated sequel to Chain of Salt and Water. Millions of lives hang in the balance while Anthony and Lianna fight to keep the cure for a deadly virus protected from the onslaught of people who want it destroyed. When an elite team is paid big bucks to confiscate it, a dangerous game of cat and mouse ensues, and the body count rises. With a bounty on their heads, Anthony and Lianna soon can’t trust anyone, not even each other. As their relationship tears apart and Lianna is manipulated by a deadly double agent, Anthony is left wondering what happened to the woman he loves. In this heart-pounding conclusion where greed is a poison, can Anthony save Lianna, or will the cure cost them both their lives? Will Anthony turn a cold shoulder on his dream walking abilities, even though
the strange and eerie parallel to his waking world could be a way to save them all? Excerpt The ringing was tortuous. Cold. Harsh. Relentless. It became louder. Drilled deeper and deeper into Anthony’s skull, as if the bony hand of death were twisting it with the frosted tip of a carbon screw driver. The metallic vibration intensified. His eardrums swelled, ballooning to the point that they filled every minuscule crevice in his ear canal, effectively keeping out any other sound. The very core of his brain shook. And louder. If only it would stop. Anthony needed some kind of relief. Yearned for it. Craved it as if his very life depended on it. Maybe he could plug his ears with his fingers. Block the scalpelsharp pain from slicing into his head. Somehow soothe the overbearing agony that disintegrated any thought he had of reprieve. Anthony tried to move his right arm. It wouldn’t budge. Neither would his left. Not even his hand. His fingers. Something had climbed on his back and pinned him down with animalistic voracity. Panic seeped into his lungs. Stole his breath. Burrowed into his veins. His heart thumped wildly, trying desperately to rid itself of the poison of terror. The ringing became even louder. It was too much. He needed to do something. Anything. He needed to escape the unyielding torment. Squirm free from the binding restraints. Anthony tensed his arms. His legs. Tightened his shoulders. His gut. Locked the vertebrae of his spine. He took a deep breath and pushed. He thrust upward with all he had, hoping the sudden jolt would throw off the phantom clamped to his back. He pushed. Strained. The tension in his muscles surpassed its limit. The organic fibers locked. Shredded. He kept pushing. Acidic pain sizzled in the joints between his bones. Ate away at the straps that held his spine. His arms trembled. That thing on his back didn’t budge. Issue 29 | November 2018 |
39
| FEATURE AUTHOR | Anthony tried to scream. Tried one final thrust. The air bubble of his will crept out of his lungs and lodged in his throat. Clogged his voice box. Nothing escaped from his mouth. Not even a whimper. The ringing got louder. Sharper. He collapsed. Gasped for a breath as if it were the final one he would ever take. The last remnants of energy oozed from his listless arms. His triceps were liquid gelatin. So were his quads. Chest. Shoulders. His neck. Sweat trickled into the curve of his back, pooled and then evaporated. The flame of his will sputtered. Its glowing embers flickered their last shards of light. Anthony exhaled the remaining gulps of air from his lungs. He was the gazelle caught in the jaws of the lion. There was no escape. Nothing more he could do except give in to the moment. Life drained from his body as if flowing from a broken faucet. His fate was sealed.
40 | UncagedBooks.com
CatchUp with
Cherry Christensen
Cherry Christensen was a Feature Author in December, 2017. This month she’s back to tell us what she’s been up to since we last spoke. Uncaged: You were a Feature Author in Uncaged in December, 2017. How was your experience with the magazine? Amazing! It was wonderful working with Cyrene. I’m grateful to her for having allowed me an opportunity to share my books with readers. Uncaged: You released a second book in the Secret Angel series. Can you tell readers more about the series? The sequel to Secret Angel released in February. It’s a Valentine’s Day-themed story called Secret Valentine that continues to follow Hannah and Jasper’s budding relationship. Both novellas are set in Glen Arbor, Michigan. The heroine is a history professor who shares snippets of local history throughout the story. There is a strong sense of faith and community woven throughout the pages. It’s my hope that readers will enjoy learning about my favorite place in Michigan while getting to know Hannah and her friends. And don’t forget her escape artist cat, Jingles! Uncaged: How many books are you planning for this series? I’m not sure, but I already have some ideas for a third story scribbled in a notebook! Uncaged: What’s coming up next that we can look forward to? I’m currently writing a cozy mystery novel, which 42 | UncagedBooks.com
I hope will be released in 2019. Once again, my characters live in the Mitten State. Cherry hails from the Great Lakes state of Michigan, where she lives with her husband and two adorably mischievous cats. She does most of her writing at night because she is not a morning person, and wholeheartedly agrees with the anonymous saying, “I could be a morning person, if morning happened around noon.” In addition to writing, Cherry has traveled overseas, exploring castles in Scotland, soaking in the sights of London, and gazing at the beautiful English countryside out a train car window. Closer to home, she’s gone dolphin watching and parasailing in Florida. Cherry’s husband is also an author, but he doesn’t share her love of football. Her favorite teams are the Michigan Wolverines and Denver Broncos. Go Blue! Mile High Salute! So, what’s better than watching football? Eating chocolate chip cookie dough during a game!
Secret Valentine Cherry Christensen Holiday Romance Professor Hannah Wagganer spends her days teaching and her nights dating Glen Arbor’s new mail carrier, Jasper Morgan. Not only does he spark Hannah’s heart, but he has become best friends with her cat, Jingles. As Hannah prepares for the church Valentine’s Day potluck and makes cards for local veterans, her relationship with Jasper takes a detour when a snowstorm hits town and she seeks refuge at his cottage. While there, Jasper is a warm and gracious host, but at the same time, he’s turned as cold as the February wind. Doubt creeps in, leaving Hannah
worrying that she’ll end up spending another holiday alone. Once again, blessings and suspicions abound when an anonymous donor pays to have the church pipes repaired and other locals suddenly find solutions to their problems. Is it coincidental or the work of a secret valentine? Excerpt “BURY ME WITH your blizzard kisses,” Hannah sang. She belted out the ending of the song and waited for “Sunset Barricade,” The Earthquakes’ hit single, to begin playing. Glancing at the band’s picture on their CD case, Hannah smiled at Jasper’s young face in the old photo. He’d been uneasy about her digging the album out of storage, but after she promised not to reveal his true identity, Jasper conceded, providing she only listened to it when she was alone. During the weeks since Christmas, Jasper had begun to confide in her more, about his life in California working as an actor and singer and his strained relationship with his mom and dad. Several times they’d prayed together, asking God to help his parents love him for him, and not for his earning potential. Sitting alone at the counter of her parents’ store, Deer Crossings, she busied herself making valentines for local veterans at the VA Hospital in Traverse City. “These things I command you, that ye love one another.” Saint John’s simple verse seemed appropriate for Saint Valentine’s holiday, and for Jasper’s situation. She grasped a red glitter pen, twirling it between her fingers. Staring into space, she reflected on the words in John 15:17. Why is it difficult for some people to love each other? Hannah wrote the Bible verse on a pink paper heart while snowflakes continued to fall and create a soft, white blanket on the ground.
Being a history professor and longtime Glen Arbor resident, Hannah couldn’t resist sharing stories about the area with others. Underneath the verse, she wrote about a local landmark. In the village of Glen Haven, one of my favorite buildings remains: the old cannery. Throughout the summer months, its red paint and white window frames contrast with Lake Michigan’s sapphire blue water. During my research, I discovered the cannery originally was used as a warehouse. In the early 1920s, the building became a cherry cannery. Today, it serves as a museum of historic boats from around Glen Haven and the Manitou Islands. Hannah picked up a pair of scissors and began cutting out another heart, when the sound of pitter-pattering feet racing overhead made her pause. Loud thumps echoing from the staircase grew closer. She tilted her head to get a better view. An orange blob whizzed by in the direction of a side door. Bells clamored on the cat’s collar, as he disappeared from sight. Hannah grimaced. “Slow down. You don’t want too much momentum launching onto your cat tree.” Ever since she bought Jingles the tree for Christmas and positioned it in front of the window next to the side door, he’d decided to make a game of running down the stairs and springing onto it like a gymnast performing a vault. She listened to him pounce onto one of the platforms, meowing. Ignoring his shenanigans, she kept working, recalling how he had at first preferred the box it had arrived in more than the tree itself. Bang! She stood and hurried down the hallway. The door was ajar, swinging on its hinges, but Jingles had vanished. A blast of cold air stung Hannah’s Issue 29 | November 2018 |
43
cheeks, and she wondered if the wind had blown it open or if he had managed to wiggle it free. After all, the door was kept unlocked most of the time. Examining the scene, she discovered scratch marks around the doorknob, and a tuft of his fur snagged in the strike plate. “Here we go again,” she grumbled. “Who do you think you are? Houdini?” “Meow.” Jingles scampered in the yard near the Church of God next door and stamped the fresh layer of snow with his paw prints. Hannah snatched her coat from a hook and slipped her feet into a pair of boots. She stepped outside, calling his name. “I’ll get him,” Jasper hollered, rounding the front of the store. “Mailman to the rescue.” He quickly fell into pursuit of Jingles, luring the feline nearer with a cat treat he plucked from his coat pocket. “Someone’s been a naughty boy.” Hannah shook her head at her main male man. “You’re encouraging his bad habit by feeding him those.” Jasper smirked and scooped Jingles into his arms. Trudging back toward the store, Jasper said, “I keep a sampling of cat and dog treats handy for the pets on my route. Makes it easier to corral the cats and stop the dogs from biting my ankles.” He stopped in front of her and gently kissed her cheek. “I missed you the other night.” Heat coursed through Hannah, chasing away wintry shivers. “I’m sorry I had to cancel our plans, but I had to attend a faculty meeting.” The wind gusts intensified and she pinched her coat collar tighter around her neck. “We better get inside. Can I get you a cup of coffee?” “I thought you would never ask.” 44 | UncagedBooks.com
Let’s go.” Hannah wriggled out of her coat and returned it to the hook, waiting for Jasper to deposit Jingles on the floor. The cat meowed and ran off, bounding up the stairs. Hannah slid behind the counter and powered off her CD player before filling Jasper’s cup with steaming black liquid. “This will warm you up.” He loosened a scarf tied around his neck and took a long sip. “Ah. It’s nice, but I can think of more interesting ways to thaw out.” He winked and set the cup aside. Hannah cleared her throat and swiped a speck of dust off the cash register. “Yes, well, how is Mrs. Ashby doing? She wasn’t at church last Sunday. The service wasn’t the same without our longtime neighbor and pianist.” “Fine. She still ogles me when I deliver her mail.” “Jasper!” “Come on. You’ve seen her. Admit it.” Hannah selected a pen from her caddy and began doodling on a piece of paper. “I think she’s lonely since her husband died.” He examined one of Hannah’s paper hearts. “And that is exactly why I make light of her antics. I brighten Mrs. Ashby’s day the same way you invoke smiles on the veterans’ faces with your homemade cards.”
cherrychristensen. wordpress.com
CatchUp with
Rose Lange
Rose Lange was a Feature Author in February, 2017. This month she’s back to tell us what she’s been up to since we last spoke. Uncaged:You were a Feature Author in Uncaged in February, 2017. How was your experience with the magazine? I had very positive experience with the magazine, and I’m happy to be here. Thank you for this opportunity to catch up! Uncaged: Your latest release, Seven Hot Nights in Greece is book one in the Taylor Brother series. Can you tell readers more about this series? This trilogy came as a surprise to me. It began as one book, organically grew to two, and eventually evolved into a third and final book. I began writing the first one in 2015, and as I delved into the story, the secondary characters (Sarah & Mike) really came to life for me. I pulled them aside, and knew they were the Christmas romance I’d always wanted to write. I’d jot down scenes, notes, bits and pieces as they came to mind, while still trying to stay focused on the first book. The third book came as a total surprise even to me, but I’m very excited to start exploring it soon.
career. I feel incredibly blessed to be able to bring these stories to life. Uncaged: What’s coming up next that we can look forward to? I’m keeping the title under wraps for the time being, but book two in the trilogy, a spicy Christmas romance, is set to release in November of 2019. I’m currently working on personal edits before they go to my test readers, and editor. The third is yet to be determined, but I’m hoping for some time in 2020. After the trilogy I’ve been tinkering with a couple or story lines I’d like to look further into, but I’m not sure just yet. Rose Lange has been in love with the written word since she was little. At fourteen, a Julia Quinn novel inspired her to try writing her own. She lives in Southeastern Wisconsin where she was born, raised, and currently lives with her family. She writes spicy, contemporary romance, and is a member of Romance Writer’s of America (RWA). She’s a Clark Gable girl, addicted to reading, chocolate, shopping, Pinterest (her latest vice), and watching old movies from the 40s and 50s. She watched Gone With the Wind once when she was five, and has been hooked on romantic stories since. Connect with Rose via Facebook, Twitter, or email. She loves hearing from readers!
Uncaged: How different is working on a series vs. working on standalone novels? It’s different, but it’s been a lot of fun and has definitely pushed me outside of my comfort zone. It’s been entertaining to watch each story unfold thus far, and the character’s come alive on paper. I love it when that happens! It feels like magic on paper. These stories have challenged me, strengthened me, and kept me on my toes as a writer, but I’m thankful for this next step in my writing 46 | UncagedBooks.com
roselange.com
Seven Hot Nights in Greece Rose Lange Contemporary Romance Emma saw him once, and that was it. Patrick was the boy next door, and it didn’t take long for her to fall in love with him. Even if it didn’t make sense, she loved him, and giving him her body, heart, and soul was never a second thought. She loved him despite the pain and heartache he’d caused after their week-long fling in college. Patrick never expected to fall in love with her. Her sweet, wholesome beauty had captured him one night at a college party, and that was it. She’d been the neighborhood girl who’d help him shovel snow and watch him from her bedroom window. He’d screwed up after the trip, giving her the cold shoulder, even if his heart told him otherwise. He knew after those nights in Greece, things would never be the same for him again.
neck…nearly made her drop to her knees. She bit her lip to keep herself from moaning out loud, or worse yet, turning around and begging him to take her right here in the supply closet. The pitch-black room and confined space heightened her senses, sending them clear to the floor above. She bit the inside of her cheek to stifle a moan, but his hands. Oh those naughty hands, lowered, slightly lifting her skirt until his fingertips touched the tops of her garters and stockings, lazily caressing the exposed skin. “Sexy, Emma, what I wouldn’t give to see the sight of you wearing these.” He fingered the lacy edge. “Wearing only these.” Then without hesitation, he pressed his mouth to her neck. A favored spot it seemed, and time hadn’t changed that as he scattered hungry, open-mouthed kisses to the delicate skin. He feasted as though he’d been ravenous. She hadn’t been the object of a man’s desire in years and was willing to be this man’s last meal. Her chest thrust up and out, and he took ferocious advantage. Cupping one of her breasts, he squeezed. He kept his other arm around her, her bottom pressed into his very turned on front. The articles of clothing did nothing to stop her body from reacting.
Then, six years later, a chance meeting on an elevator changed everything. Excerpt Finally, she found her voice. “Patrick, what are you doing?” Throaty laughter invaded her eardrum. “I think you know, sweets.” “Someone m-might c-catch us.” She hated the shakiness in her voice as she stumbled over her words. Ignoring her protests, he took the lobe between his teeth and gave it a gentle bite then rained kisses just below, before traveling lower. As hard as she tried to stand still and keep her breathing calm, the way he kissed her…the way he gently nipped her Issue 29 | November 2018 |
47
feature author
James Alan Ross loves ghost stories. Not only in novels, but in real life. See the video at the end of the interview for more about James.
Stay Connected
Uncaged welcomes James A. Ross Uncaged: What attracted you to writing in the paranormal/mystery genre? I love the idea of solving a mystery. And, for me, it just doesn’t get any better than when a mystery has paranormal elements entwined in it. The original Twin Peaks was a major influence on me. The XFiles, Ghost Whisperer, all these shows have mysteries where the paranormal has to be explored to solve them. And they are all fantastic. Uncaged: Can you tell readers more about The Haunting of Dylan Klaypool series? Do you have a set amount of books in mind for the series, or is it open-ended to see where the story takes you?
jamesalanross.com 48 | UncagedBooks.com
As the title suggests, this story is centered around Dylan. This is a ghost story, for sure, but at its heart, it’s a story about a troubled girl. For as long as she can remember her life has been on a downward spiral,
and she believes the only way to correct it is through paranormal investigation. Ironically, Dylan’s initial inability to connect with people and with society is what ultimately helps readers connect with her. Readers are on a journey with Dylan, as opposed to watching her go through it from afar. Dylan has knowledge that the reader doesn’t. But, never at any point does the reader know more than Dylan does. Because of that, they experience everything right along with her. Seeing how Dylan grows has been something readers tell me they really enjoy.
share their personal experiences with the paranormal. Readers tell me stories about ghosts, spirits, and dreams that they haven’t shared with anyone. Having them give me that trust is something I cherish. It’s remarkable that someone would find it appropriate to open up to me, a complete stranger, about something so personal.
This series is planned to be three books. I had a beginning, middle, and end planned from the start. But, I will say, Dylan took me places I didn’t expect to go in Book One, and I imagine she will in the subsequent books, as well.
Uncaged: Do you read your reviews? What do you feel you can take away from them?
Uncaged: You have been attending quite a few book signings. What is your favorite part about those? I’m amazed at the amount of people that come to me to
And, of course, discussing Dylan, who she is, what she’s battling, and how people are identifying with her.
Not sure what I take away, good or bad. I don’t think a review could ever carry enough weight to change what I write or how I write. But, I do read them. Uncaged: What is one of the nicest things someone has said to you about your books? Issue 29 | November 2018 |
49
| FEATURE AUTHOR | When someone tells me they are disappointed that they have to wait for the next book. Their eagerness to find out what will happen next tells me I wrote something that touched them in one way or another. Uncaged: What do you like to do when you aren’t writing? Where is one of your favorite places on Earth? I enjoy doing a lot of different activities besides writing. I like hiking and fishing, attending concerts and plays, watching sports, movies, and TV. I read psychological thrillers. And, of course, I enjoy conducting paranormal investigations. I love to travel and visit new places, but home is definitely one of my favorite places on Earth. Whether I’m with my daughters, hanging with my girlfriend, or even by myself, home is a great place to be. Uncaged: What can you tell us that is very unique about you?
Enjoy an excerpt from The Haunting of Dylan Klaypool The Haunting of Dylan Klaypool James Alan Ross Horror/Suspense To hear the truth, she must listen to the silence. Dylan Klaypool’s dark history has her searching for answers that can only be found down a single path: paranormal investigation. Battling demons from her past, the high school junior’s obsession with proving the existence of ghosts has become the only consistent aspect of her troubled life. Now living with her estranged grandmother in a new town and attending a new school, Dylan’s focus has not wavered. And the boarded up, abandoned house she discovered on Cemetery Road might hold the key that can unlock the secrets that have long haunted her.
I actually have had a paid gig as a Michael Jackson impersonator. Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you? I hope you are enjoying Dylan as much as I am. Thank you for reading, thank you for coming to events, and I hope to see you soon.
Click here to watch an interview with James on the Hangin’ with Web Show.
50 | UncagedBooks.com
Excerpt CHAPTER 1 Willing herself to focus, she gently closed her tired, itchy eyes and concentrated. Dylan Klaypool’s white earbuds fit snugly inside her ears which fought to curtail long strands of curly brown hair from tumbling in front of her narrow face. Still, one mischievous lock snuck from the top of her head and dropped to tickle her nose. With an angry puff of air from under her pouty bottom lip, Dylan briskly blew it away, but the undisciplined curl had already severed her attention. It didn’t take much to lure her attentiveness away from the three straight hours of total silence she was playing back on her digital recorder. Only the occasional sounds made by birds or bats randomly sprinkled through the otherwise tranquil sea of nothingness that had been washing over her ears. Dylan exhaled her frustrations away, sank back into
| JAMES A. ROSS | the hard, plastic seat connected by a bent metal rod to the wooden desktop, and watched seconds pass as the recording lagged on. She gripped the front of the desk with her sweaty palms, leaned back, and pulled her arms straight, staring at the miniature, black digital recorder. As the quietness traveled from the small recording device over her delicate eardrums, her dry and scratchy eyes surveyed Room 234 for signs of life. Most of the students had their faces firmly attached to smartphones: posting and texting, spreading rumors, and making plans for the Varsity football game later that night (or more likely the party afterwards in a freshly cut hay field, with a large fire surrounded by rampant, underaged drinking). None of those things interested Dylan. Not even slightly. Yawning, Black Willow High’s newest student rubbed her sharp knuckles over a squinted eyelid and listened intently to more of nothing, like a phone call with no one on the other end or a CD with no songs. Spying through the window, she found that the boring hum of silence played the perfect soundtrack to the drably, gray skies serving as the backdrop to dozens of gangly, leafless trees that surrounded the school. Dylan glanced up at her study hall teacher, Ms. Castle, who sat properly behind her shiny desk but whose thoughts looked to be somewhere else. Framed images of the teacher’s twin toddlers posed by a hip, young photographer sat proudly facing out towards the uninterested students. The thin, tall, early-thirties teacher crossed her unseasonably tanned legs and laughed at the five-inch screen in her palm. Dylan swore she saw the divorced woman blush and wondered if the exchange happening through the teacher’s personal device was appropriate for school hours. The way Ms. Castle carried herself, Dylan guessed not. Dylan’s brown eyes rolled in their deep sockets, as the eleventh-grader fought the urge to stand up, walk out, and never return. It had become difficult, pushing herself to achieve even average grades with all she was trying to accomplish outside of school. The real world
had assigned Dylan other, more important things to worry about than math equations and forming a fluent sentence in French. Just passing and making it to graduation next year would’ve been sufficient enough for her. Dylan was tired. Not just tired of her current life circumstances, which she truly was, but physically tired. She needed sleep. She ran the pad of her thumb over the tiny back-lit screen on the plastic digital recorder that she had retrieved from the rugged, abandoned house down the road early that morning. Her black sneakers still carried dust from the long gravel road between it and her grandma’s house: the only two houses for miles on a rural, country road fittingly named Cemetery. Closing both eyes, she laid her forehead on folded arms feeling the threads of her knitted sweater pressing into her skin. Her breathing slowed, each inhale stretched to full capacity, and the teenager could hear her heartbeat pulsating over the dull hissing that still funneled into her ears. Buh-bump… Buh-bump… Buh-bump… “huhhuh-huh” … Buh-bump… Suddenly, Dylan’s sleepy shell shattered. Between the beats of her heart, she had heard something. Quickly, she raised her head from the desk and hit REWIND on the device. She impatiently watched the seconds rewind from three hours, twelve minutes, and twenty-two seconds. Twenty-one, twenty, nineteen, eighteen, seventeen, sixteen. PLAY. “…huh-huh-huh…” Furling her eyebrows, she concentrated. Sitting alone in the abandoned house on Cemetery, the recorder had captured something. Something that did not belong. REWIND. Twenty-two, twenty-one, twenty, nineteen, eighteen, seventeen, sixteen. PLAY. Issue 29 | November 2018 |
51
| FEATURE AUTHOR | “…huh-no-cents…” Goose pimples covered Dylan’s arms under the long, black sleeves of her sweater. Quickly, she sat up, straightened her spine like a wooden plank. REWIND. Twenty-two, twenty-one, twenty, nineteen, eighteen, seventeen, sixteen. PLAY. “…huh-no-sense…” There, on the recording made overnight in a house that no one lived in, were words. But, what were they saying? Dylan’s thoughts ran a race with her pulse. No sense? No cents? Know sense? REWIND. Twenty-two, twenty-one, twenty, nineteen, eighteen, seventeen, sixteen. PLAY. “…in no tents…” The hair on the back of her thin neck stood tall; her hands trembled, as the whispering syllables became more apparent each time she played them. REWIND. PLAY. “…in no tense…” Past tense? Some tents? REWIND. PLAY. REWIND. PLAY. REWIND. PLAY. “…in no scent…” Her bones, wrapped tightly with pale, stretched skin, rattled together like primitive instruments playing a worship song to holy, unknown deities. REWIND. Twenty-two, twenty-one, twenty, nineteen, eighteen, seventeen, sixteen. PLAY. “…Innocent…” Dylan elevated six inches off her chair when a 52 | UncagedBooks.com
deafening bell reverberated off the four concrete walls that had held the stirring class hostage for the previous forty-five minutes. Rapidly, her classmates shuffled their belongings with eagerness to calm their rumbling stomachs downstairs in the cafeteria with pizza, chicken nuggets, and nachos. Dylan, however, didn’t budge. She sat frozen as solid as a block of ice floating in the Arctic Ocean. Placing her hand on her chest, the hopeful girl took several calming gasps into her heaving lungs, as eighteen other teenagers made their way past her out the door and raced to lunch. Her left hand scribbled the tip of a ballpoint pen on a bright white, blue-lined sheet of paper. The black ink spelled I-N-N-O-C-E-N-T. A fiercely drawn exclamation point followed and a bold, deeply compressed line below it nearly tore through the page. The word repeated in her mind over and over and over… “Innocent.” “Innocent.” “Innocent.” Coincidentally, there had never been a word that meant more to Dylan Klaypool. Hearing it there, stamped into the white noise, it now meant more than ever.
fang-FREAKIN-tastic reviews
feature author
welcomes
Bonnie Gill
| FANG-FREAKIN-TASTIC FEATURE AUTHOR |
Bonnie Gill grew up in the suburbs right outside Chicago. As a child she loved making up ghost stories at night to scare her sisters and friends. She writes Paranormal Romance with a twist of humor. When she isn’t writing you can find her on a haunted tour, volunteering at pet rescues, or digging around in her fairy garden waiting for fairies to show. She lives in Northern Illinois with her three rescue dogs and her ever patient boyfriend who laughs at all her goofy jokes. She loves to hear from her readers.
bonniegill.com
Pursuing the Light Bonnie Gill Paranormal Romance L.A.M.P.S. hunter Leif Gunther grew up as an only child. He has a system for keeping order in his life while hunting Cryptids. He enjoys the solitude and quiet the job provides. Until a chatty redhead is assigned to assist him in his quest for the pack of Goochies terrorizing West Virginia and his systemized life gets turned upside down. Cleaning up after Cryptids is not Holly McClure’s favorite job. She’d rather be hunting like her four brothers. Her boss pairs her with the same man who stole her hunter spot. Now she has an opportunity to show she’s a better hunter. Not to mention she has to keep her fairy godmother, who just happens to be a Sheepsquatch, a secret from Leif. Leif just has three rules. Keep quiet, stay out of my way, and don’t touch my stuff. Too bad Holly can’t
54 | UncagedBooks.com
| BONNIE GILL | help breaking them repeatedly. Drawn together by the chase, Leif and Holly find that if they work together they make a great hunting team and their passion grows as they pursue their prey. Excerpt 1 Pepper needed to put as much distance between her and Ottar as possible. That kiss. Oh my gosh. He was a master. The possessive, wild kiss made her want to strip his clothes and take his exquisite body next to the stream. What the heck had gotten into her? Did he really believe that crap about an attraction spell? Nonsense talking Aussie. There was no way she spelled him while she and Abby were trying to banish the evil jinn. Ottar must be one of those crazy conspiracy theory people, though, she’d never pegged him as paranoid. She gunned the gas and took off down the overgrown path into the forest. A gunshot sounded. Pain exploded in her upper arm. Glancing down at the blood on her sleeve, she looked up too late. A low branch smacked her across the chest. She flew off the four-wheeler and crashed onto the ground. Her body throbbed. The coolness from the dirt chilled her spine. Breathe. Ottar ran toward her, screaming, with his gun drawn. The bastard shot her? First her dinosaur statue and now her. What next? He’d lost his sanity. She’d always suspected something wasn’t right with him. Now she had proof. Her arm ached, and blood seeped through her sleeve. The pounding of her heart accelerated, each beat almost blending into the next. Ottar closed in, but she wasn’t going to let him finish the job. Was the kiss so upsetting that he wanted to kill her? Excerpt 2: Pepper Peterson stabbed the damp soil with a screwdriver, then placed the tampon stick into the hole. “I need more ammunition,” she called out to her bestie in the dark. Abby brought over an unopened box of womanly necessities. “I’m not opening it. Nah uh. How come you’re so dead set on doing this?” Pepper peeled away the plastic wrapper. Her friend refused to open tampon boxes ever since an evil Ge-
nie popped out of one and cursed her to become the Jersey Devil every time she got her period. They broke the spell, but she didn’t blame Abby for having the phobia. “Because Keith stood me up for Charlotte. Look, you can see them watching television.” She pointed to the six-inch crack in the curtains covering the big picture window of the small blue home. Two people sat on the couch, their heads close. “I have to teach him there are consequences for being a rat bastard.” Keith had broken their date, saying he’d be out of town for work. Liar. She planted another tampon in the ground. Perfect for mushrooming, the old fashion tampons perched on a stick applicator instead of the plastic push kind, standing tall with the string flapping in the evening breeze. A slight October chill nipped at the back of her exposed neck, causing her to shiver. “The cotton will absorb the night’s dew and expand, causing it to mushroom. That’s why this technique was named Mushrooming. In the morning, he’ll see our message spelled out in the yard.” She couldn’t wait. “Hey, does River still have those surveillance cameras?” She’d love to see Keith’s face when he saw the full-bloomed tampons. “They’re at the police station. Maybe we could break in and get one?” Her bestie never shied away from Pepper’s escapades, even though she was set to marry the Sherriff in a couple weeks. Abby and River had a great relationship. Maybe someday she’d find someone who would love her unconditionally like her friend did. Fat chance. Most men bailed on her after they met her large herd of rescued pups. She could only imagine what they’d do if they found out about her family’s secret. “Car,” Abby called out. They darted next door into the empty field and ducked down behind the three-foot tall weeds. When the tail lights of the vehicle faded into the night, they strolled toward Keith’s lawn. “Come on, we’re almost done,” Pepper said. “Where on earth did you find these old things?” Abby asked. “My aunt had purchased a buttload, and I have another full carton in the attic. She must have found Issue 28 | November 2018 |
55
| FANG-FREAKIN-TASTIC FEATURE AUTHOR | a great deal, or maybe they fell off a truck. Who knows.” A total packrat, her Aunt had enough cases of toilet paper stashed in the house to last her years. Her heart still ached even though her Aunt died years ago. “I can’t let Keith get away with standing me up. Or other guys will think it’s okay to bail on me for another woman. It only takes one time of slacking and they get reprogramed. Men are like dogs, you can’t give them an inch. They need constant discipline.” She’d learned her lesson early on with her dog rescue. “I hate to say this,” Abby said, “but you have a reputation for dumping your men after the second or third date. Don’t you think he beat you to the breakup?” She handed Pepper another tampon. I have a reputation? News to her. Okay, maybe she did tend to break things off after a few dates. Big deal. If she got the yuckies for them, she wasn’t going to waste her time or theirs. She could tell if it wasn’t a good fit after a few dates. “I don’t think it’s fair to string them along. Besides, he didn’t break up with me. He postponed our date and lied.” Abby hummed as she placed the tampons into the ground. They’d both dressed in black from head to toe for the mission. After sticking the last tampon in the yard they stepped back to admire their artwork. LOSER was spelled out across his lawn, the letters perfectly executed so there’d be no mistaking the message. Grinning, Pepper snapped a few photos with her phone as headlights flared in the distance. “Car,” Abby called out again. They darted to the vacant lot and ducked down behind the brush. The car slowed as it passed by Keith’s house. A street light in front of his property made the tampons glow in the dark like a scarlet letter. “Umm, Pepper,” Abby said in a shaky voice. “I’m right here.” She crept over to her friend in the damp weeds. “I think we have to call River.” Oh no. “What in heaven’s name for?” Could her friend be chickening out? River would totally make them remove all the tampons. Abby pointed to her left. “There’s a dead body. I almost touched it.” She danced around, flinging her hands about. “Ewww.” A large man lay face down on the ground. Bend56 | UncagedBooks.com
ing over, Pepper grabbed his wrist. No pulse. His skin cold to the touch. Her heart pumped faster and almost jumped to her throat. Ick. Now she’d touched a dead person. Dropping his arm, she wiped her hands on her pants. Cooties! “Who is it?” Abby took a step away. “Heck if I know.” He wore tan pants and a dark shirt, but she couldn’t see his face. His legs were sprawled and bent at odd angles. She breathed in the clean pine scent of the night’s crisp air. At least he didn’t smell dead.
Uncaged Reviews Remnants
Blood Debts Shayne Silvers Urban Fantasy
Kim Loraine Contemporary Romance Fire captain Carson Sullivan swore off love long ago. After the love of his life broke his heart and left him, he gave up on the idea of commitment and settled for the playboy lifestyle. He’s a devoted son, a loyal friend, and a dedicated firefighter. That’s all he needs. Until the one woman with the power to light a fire in his heart walks back into his life bringing with her the memories of heartache he thought he’d buried
Uncaged Review: Another standalone novel set in Golden Beach. Shows Solan returning to her home town after her Grandfathers death. Keen to put the past behind her and move on but fate has other plans. I haven’t read many of the Golden Beach novels, what I have read I’ve enjoyed also as an added bonus, they can all be consumed at your own reading pleasure without sticking to the list of order. I’m sad to read what I believe to be the end of this series. But think this book rounded everything into a nice big bow. I’m keen to see what’s next for this author. Reviewed by Jennifer
60 | UncagedBooks.com
or maybe two.
The ancient pact between mankind, Heaven, and Hell has been broken. And this upstart wizard’s quest for vengeance may have just kicked off Armageddon. So, time for a drink...
Uncaged Review: This is a series that begs to be a television series. The book will have you laughing, crying and wanting to throw your kindle across the room in anger. This time out, Nate has been having nightmares, and is majorly sleep deprived. When he ends up drinking too much in a bar, and being warned by real angels, the wizard councils pulls him in and punishes him by putting a curse on him, the more he uses his powers, the more they will drain…permanently. This story was smart, witty and original. And it kept everything you love from book one, and kept up the frantic pace. If you like a supernatural badass with a wicked sense of humor, then I can’t recommend this series enough. Reviewed by Cyrene
Victorian Town Nancy Thorne 19th Century Historical Abby Parker planned out her whole life: complete her final year of high school, go to college, get a job, move away from her insane family, stay best friends with Jessica. But, that was before she broke into the nearby tourist attraction and unwittingly answered a call from a centuriesold spirit who dragged her into the 19th century.
Uncaged Review: I am a sucker for the Victorian Time period. So when I came across the chance to read and review this I jumped at the chance. I won’t tell you this is the best book ever but it does leave you with a good enjoyable reading experience. Abby finds herself on a bit of a journey through history when her dog runs away. I myself highly recommend this book it’s heartwarming, enjoyable and full of love. I myself would have made the same decision as Abby at the end of this book. Go and read for yourself to see if you would have. Reviewed by Jennifer
Blood & Holy Water Joynell Schultz Paranormal Romance Ava is sick of mundane angel duties, and she wants a promotion to finally earn her wings. A promotion takes more than hard work; it takes a miracle—literally. Unfortunately, her miracle’s impossible, because it involves a vampire.
Uncaged Review: A very well paced start to a series. Ava is a Fourth Order Angel, she’s been trying to perform the right miracle to earn her wings for over 100 years. When she feels the pull of a miracle with a vampire named Fin, she is surprised to find out that not only can Fin see her and touch her, he’s not the typical monster vampire. He works as an emergency doctor at a hospital, and successfully keeps his monster at bay. But when angels start dying, the suspense heats up. This is a nicely written story, with two strong characters in Ava and Fin, and a different type of paranormal when pairing vampires and angels. The suspense is well done, and keeps you guessing on what will happen to both Fin and Ava, for breaking every single angel rule trying to get to the truth. I’m looking forward to the second book in the series. Reviewed by Cyrene
Issue 28 | November 2018 |
61
Uncaged Reviews My Sister and I Sean Paul-Thomas Psychological Thriller A young teenage girl and her Psychotic twin sister must grow up hard and fast in the unforgiving Scottish Highlands as their father - a sick and twisted, violent man, obsessed with the end of the world - teaches them how to survive out in the wild with no one to rely on but themselves. (Strong language and graphic violence - Not for the faint of heart) Uncaged Review: A dark thriller set in the Scottish Highlands. Two sister go on a survival trip to show their dad that they can survive any condition. Should the need arise this book is very dark and twisted at times. Not for the easily offended. This is my first book I’ve read by this author I did enjoy it and rooted for the sisters the whole way through. I would definitely think this would hold the reader’s attention as it did mine. I will be reading more of this author’s books at some point in my life. I would recommend this book. Reviewed by Jennifer
Kade Deann Smallwood Contemporary Western When the recently incarcerated Hope Jackson knocks on Kade McKune’s door, with three boxes of Girl Scout cookies in her hands, he has no clue his bitter, distrusting rancher’s world is about to be turned upside down. Lied to and taken to the cleaners by a beautiful blonde, Kade has learned a hard lesson and slams the door to any possibility of a woman in his life. Aren’t they all liars? And Hope, with her lie of omission about her background, unknowingly fits that description. Uncaged Review: Kade McKune runs the Double K Ranch and doesn’t trust women. Spurned once, he is distrustful of all females. He has no intention of being lied to again. All he needs is his beloved Gran, his ranch, and his family. No women needed. Then Hope Jackson shows up, reluctantly pushed into a position of nanny for Kade’s infant niece. She omits the tiny fact she has recently left jail—for drug possession. Sparks of interest soon erupt between Hope and Kade. Unfortunately, Kade has his hands full with one chaotic mess after another and Hope lives in fear he will learn about her past. Matters of the heart, however, do not care about the past. Ms. Smallwood has a gift for writing stories with genuine characters who don’t need a lot of talking to make their presence felt. Kade is an immediately likeable hero, albeit he’s a reluctant hero. He is a man who is easy to fall in love with; strong, capable, dependable, and flawed. Maddy is precious. With no words at all, she can steal a scene with a smile or a giggle. Gran is the type of person one would want to visit with over a cup of tea and Hope is the sort of girlfriend every girl wants to have coffee with. Jesse and his brothers are boys just begging for a hug and a
62 | UncagedBooks.com
cookie. The vivid imagery takes the reader directly to the Double K Ranch in all its wild Wyoming splendor. What holds this marvelous story back are two things: frequent minor punctuation errors and Point of View. It could have greatly benefited from another round of editing to catch the numerous punctuation errors of missing punctuation and similar items. It is enough to slow the reader down as they search for where the speaker stops or began. The other drawback is two, three, and sometimes four characters all sharing point of view in scenes and within the same paragraphs. No one character owned a scene, readers were given everyone’s thoughts simultaneously. It lead to confusing situations in a book where action and internal thoughts happened more than verbal dialogue. It would be well worth the reader’s time to search out other books by Ms Smallwood, especially the second book in the Wyoming Brothers series, to see if punctuation and point of view issues have been addressed. Reviewed by Ryan Jo
The Space Between Worlds J. Conrad Young Adult/SciFi
Not all prisons are escapable. Thousands of miles from ancient Celtic Britain, Bridget awakens as a Sumerian girl standing outside the Great Ziggurat of Ur. She can’t understand where Celena is or what any of this has to do with her and their history in Wales. Her pendant has disappeared and she has no way back.
Uncaged Review: This was an interesting take on Time Travel, and the tale of two friends that adventure into different times. Bridget loses her pendant, which helps her to get back to her time, and is stuck in time. But changing outcomes in the time travels, can affect their real time. I liked the friendship with the girls, this is book 2 in a series, and I think I would have gotten more out of the books if I had read the first, but it held up okay. It’s a solid 4 star read, and those that enjoy time travel, will enjoy this one. Reviewed by Cyrene
Issue 27 | October 2018 |
63
Uncaged Reviews The Demon Lord
Nikki Frank Young Adult/Fantasy
Bewitching the Beast Tamara Hughes Paranormal Romance
An imp living secretly among humans, all Olivia wants is a quiet senior year. The discovery that her only friend has ties to the magic world places him on the top of the Demon Lord’s list for collection. Now she’ll do whatever it takes to keep Emmett safe, even if it means working with a minimenagerie of magic-folk who rub her the wrong way.
Ethan Lockwood hates what he’s become—a slave to a parasitic monster whose victims’ names pepper the obituaries. He’s possessed by The Beast, a dragon who feeds off human spiritual energy. After a year of fighting The Beast’s demands, Ethan is losing the battle. The creature is taking over his mind, body, and soul.
Uncaged Review: First of all, this book is marketed in the wrong category, it’s in the Young Adult/Social Issues – and although there is that topic within the book, this is a pure fantasy novel at its core, and I loved the book. It had all the elements that took me out of my own mundane world and into an escape of the supernatural.
Uncaged Review: A shifter romance with a lot of twists and turns. I’m not a big fan of shifter romance books as they never seen to hold my attention. This book is very different, Tess meets a leather clad jacket guy called Ethan at a bar on New Year’s Eve so anything goes right? Ethan is extremely good looking and mysterious. A few dark secrets he is reluctant to share with Tess. I really enjoyed this book. I think there’s going to be a follow up to this. Which I’m very excited to read when it’s out. Reviewed by Jennifer
When the magic world finds out that her human best friend Emmett, is a source of magic – Olivia, an imp will join forces with a crazy menagerie of magical characters to keep him safe. And what a great ride, the secondary characters are spot on, and the action and fight scenes are dramatic. From imps to dragons to fae to sphinx, this is a book that will kept me flipping the pages – and I stayed up way too long finishing it. Can’t wait for book two. Reviewed by Cyrene
64 | UncagedBooks.com
When Planets Fall Abby J. Reed YA/SciFi
On a planet where the only difference between three tribes is their blood color, war is on the horizon. Breaker, an amputee, wants peace for his family and home. Malani, a kidnapped POW, wants to return home. Luka wants justice for his home. All three teens come together when Breaker is given seven days to fix a wrecked enemy starship or their home, and peace, is forfeit.
Uncaged Review: A nicely written SciFi with originality and nice world building. I was drawn into the world easily enough, being a long time reader of SciFi. The plot is one of those slow burners, which slowly ramps up the tension. The characters are well meshed, although my one complaint on them is I couldn’t really picture them in my mind right away. Normally, for me to connect with a character, I need to have my own personal visualization – and even though they each had a pretty distinct voice, it took longer than normal to connect. I only got bits and pieces of what they looked like. I think my favorite relationship in the book is Breaker and Circuit. I would definitely recommend this scifi – but caution the young adult rating, older teens would be fine but there is quite a bit of violence/torture and some of it may be too much for younger teens. Reviewed by Cyrene
Children of Poseidon: Damnamenos Annalisa Carr Romantic Fantasy
Damnamenos, youngest son of Poseidon, has always viewed himself as a modern demi-god—an equal opportunity sorcerer who runs an international business empire while plotting revenge on his faithless ex-lover. He likes to think he has his life under control, but when evil threatens his world, he needs to summon all his old magic to deal with it.
Uncaged Review: This is the third book in this series, and although I didn’t read the first two, I had no problems keeping up with the story. This was an enjoyable book from start to finish. Damnam is the youngest son of Poseidon, and his two brothers, Rann and Lykos were the main characters in the first two books, make a reappearance here. I’m not going to get into the plot, but I’ll tell you that one of the characters that gave some nice comic relief and I truly enjoyed was Circe. A great line: “What a dump.” She is Damnam’s ex-lover and a sea sorceress who is not very trustworthy, especially after freezing Damnam in a glacier for 1000 years over what she called “a little tiff,” but brought in some comic relief in tense scenes. But Maya is a strong heroine and Damnam is a good equal for her and they are well matched. Engaging and can easily be marketed to the young adults, it was a nice read working in the world of magic. Reviewed by Cyrene
Issue 27 | October 2018 |
65
Uncaged Reviews Flower Readings Lilliana Rose SciFi Romance
Triena lives on an outback moon earning a living by offering flower readings for customers. Cast out from the Queens, the Energy Readers, Triena wants to return, but the only way to do that is to kill Braklen and use his energy to look into the future.
Uncaged Review: This is really a different type of SciFi than I’ve read before. It’s a well written, original story and worth taking a look at. This is the first in a trilogy. Triena is an outcast, as she wasn’t able to kill animals to read their energy, and the Queens cast her out when she couldn’t kill the man she loved, Braklen. Reading the energies from the flowers is illegal, but living on the outback moon has kept her off the Queen’s radar, until now. When Braklen, who is a Peacekeeper arrives at her store for a reading, she will need to kill him to get back into the Queen’s good graces. When both Braklen and Triena find out they’ve been betrayed, they will go on the run. Some of the world building was a bit foggy, and it took me awhile to care about the characters, it wasn’t instant. I really didn’t get a good sense of what either character even looked like in my mind for quite a while. I didn’t really like that it ended on a cliff hanger, although all three of the books are out now. I actually got the sense that this was a fantasy, more than a traditional SciFi and the books are worth a look. Reviewed by Cyrene
66 | UncagedBooks.com
Oceanside
Michelle Mankin Rockstar Romance
Oscar night. Rock star legend, Ashland Keys should be on top of the world, but the blond blue-eyed SoCal surfer is disillusioned with fame, done with drugs, bored with the groupies and sick of all the fake f*ckery. Uncaged Review: For me, this is nothing less than a 5 star read. I was sunk within the first few pages. This is the third book in the series, but I had no issues reading this one. The story of Ash and Fanny skirts many social issues, but treats them all with respect and knowledge, without taking away the seriousness of it. My heart broke and it got pieced back together within the pages. I am not ashamed to say that there were some tears, laughter and anger – right along with the characters. The Dirty Dogs rock band is a bonded group that everyone, from any walk of life would want, and envy. I’ve had this as an ARC for a while, and I am sorry that it took me so long to read it. It is everything I love in a rock star romance. I don’t know that I will go back and read the first two, but I definitely would love to read the next one. I’m sure that knowing the back stories of the other members would have only enhanced this book, but this holds up well as a standalone, and I’m very happy I met these characters at this time in their lives, I don’t think I could love them more. Even Diesel. Reviewed by Cyrene
The Summer of New Beginnings Bette Lee Crosby Contemporary Romance
One family learns that love is the greatest miracle of all—from USA Today bestselling author Bette Lee Crosby. Aspiring journalist Meghan Briggs has always been the responsible one in the family. So when her father passes away unexpectedly, leaving behind his at-risk business, she steps up to save his legacy—even if that means putting her own dreams on hold.
good head on her shoulders. Tracy grows considerably from the start to the end. Reader’s interested in a deep, reflective, and deliberate story will enjoy this installment from the Magnolia Grove series.Reviewed by Ryan Jo
Uncaged Review: Meghan Briggs has always been the responsible daughter in the family, and an aspiring journalist. Tracy has been the rebellious daughter, wandering aimlessly and making bad choice after bad, impetuous choice. When their father expectantly passes away, it’s Meghan who steps up to take over his at-risk newspaper, even when it means putting her own dreams on hold. Tracy returns home as a single mother, with a bad breakup behind her. This is the story of two sisters, and their widowed mother, and how they navigated unexpected challenges and forged new relationships over the summer and created new beginnings for themselves. This is a strong family story, dealing with gritty realities. It is interesting to consider whether the story started at the right place as the entire first section of the book is all backstory told in past tense, or if it’s simply the author’s writing style. Much of the book is telling instead of showing, abounding with backstory and internal reflections from all three major characters. The pace is slow, like a meandering stream, with all day to move along. The secondary characters—notably the male interests for the sisters—bring a freshness to the tale. Like the sisters, they are opposites. One is a veterinarian and one is trouble. Meghan is a strong character, with a Issue 28 | November 2018 |
67
Uncaged Reviews Down to You
Jayne Frost Rockstar Romance
A star on the rise Logan Cage, lead singer for the hottest band out of Austin, has a dark past. And a secret that he can’t outrun. For years he’s been trying to find redemption in the spotlight. But on the eve of what could be his biggest break, it almost slips away. Uncaged Review: This book wraps up this part of
the Sixth Street Band series that focuses on the band Caged. Every single one of this series is fantastic – and I was waiting for Logan’s story, and Ms. Frost delivers more than epic, she delivers a story that is everything I hoped it would be, and so much more. It doesn’t get much better than this. They can be read as standalones, but to get the full effect, starting from the beginning of this 5 book set is the way to go, and you won’t be sorry. How do two broken people put the pieces back together? Tori lost her husband Rhenn and best friend Paige in a bus accident six years ago, and nearly her own life too. Put back together with pins and surgeries, Tori was a star in her own right, until she walked away to co-found Twin Souls Management. Logan, the lead singer of the band Caged – seeing his mother killed when he was 8 yrs old, and being the object of an abusive father, we finally get to see the experiences that began to shape Logan into who he is. How can these two very broken people, have the strength to come together? You will need your tissue box, and start this book early enough in the day so you won’t be up all night reading, because if you’ve followed this series at all, you won’t want to put this one down. I can’t wait for the next band series. I can’t even describe how much I loved this book. I ran the full gambit of emotions with this book, from tears, to laughter, to anger and the sticking my head in the freezer to cool down from the way hot sexy parts. And the quote at the end of the book is a perfect sumup: “So thank you Logan. In the end…it all came down to you.”Reviewed by Cyrene
68 | UncagedBooks.com
The Dance Hall Wife
Cici Cordelia Historical Western Romance
A PAIR OF HEARTS . . . Determined to lead separate lives yet bound together by danger and their growing desire, Frank and Cat will leave their mark in the new state of Colorado. Uncaged Review: I really love the writing of this pair of authors - and the way the words flow seamlessly, never knowing where one author ends and the other begins. I feel as if they are writing with the same muse. This time out, we are back to Little Creede, and Cat has transformed the local whorehouse into a nice family eatery, and trying hard to keep the place open. Frank, who we met in the first book, is the chosen hero this time out, and to be honest, I didn’t like him very much. He honestly was a jerk, and his only redeeming quality for most of the book was his over protective nature to Cat. He did finally make some amends in the back third of the book, but I didn’t really like the way he treated Cat most of the time. Now on the other hand, I adored Cat. She’s a strong woman, who’s had to make her own way in life after having a drunken, gambling father lose everything, and she does well. Even reaching out to help in the town, but strong enough to punch the slimy banker. This book really moves along well when a criminal out for revenge against Cat, breaks out of jail. This is finally when Frank shines and proves he’s worthy of a lady like Cat. I’m looking forward to more from Little Creede. Reviewed by Cyrene
The Light of Redemption Natalie J. Damschroder New Adult/Fantasy
Harmony Wilde is a unique kind of superhero. She operates as Eclipse in a small town in Ohio instead of the big city, on her own instead of on a team, and in near-complete anonymity. For the most part, she’s satisfied with using her ability, manipulating light, to bust drug dealers, and prevent drunk drivers—until Conn Parsons comes to town. Uncaged Review: In the small town of Pilton there’s a masked superhero called Eclipse catching bad guys. While keeping her identity under wraps or so she would like to think. I really enjoyed this book, some of the plot was a bit cheesy at times - but the kind that makes you laugh out loud. You know this isn’t the greatest book ever written, but you love reading it believing that you could do Eclipse’s job of kicking butt. I am a sucker for superheroes so when I spotted this book I knew it was going to be a hidden gem. I went along with this action packed ride and wasn’t disappointed. Worth checking out. Reviewed by Jennifer
Running from the Law
Jami Albright Contemporary Romance Releases November 15, 2018 One night of passion. Two second chances. Three little texts . . . Former child star Charlie Klein is in a world of trouble. She’s broke, jobless, and no longer famous— except with the IRS. She’s ready to run, so an emergency call from Texas is all the excuse she needs to get out of Hollywood. But she doesn’t expect to crash into the sheriff of her hometown, the boy she loved and lost. One look at Hank Odom confirms what her heart has always known . . . She never stopped loving him.
Uncaged Review: Jami Albright knows how to tell a story, keeping her readers laughing, crying and cheering from the sidelines and hooking us in, she did it with the first two books in this series, and she does it again here. Lots of secrets, and lies, and heartbreaks and heartwarming, all within the pages. And some characters from past books make an appearance and bring their support to our new main characters. Hank is the “always do the right thing guy,” and there are more than a few times I wanted to shake some sense into him, and although Charlie is worth the fight, there are times when her stubborness holds her back. But you will flip the pages as fast as you can to get to the end. Reviewed by Cyrene
Issue 28 | November 2018 |
69
Fang-Freakin-Tastic Reviews The Last Hellfighter Thomas S. Flowers Horror
I loved the music selections mentioned in this book. It helps to place the time and mood to some degree and it’s something I, for one, appreciated immensely.
Ben Harker, Harlem native. WWI veteran. Vampire slayer.
Overall, there is really only so much I can say without giving away too much of the story. I will say this, if you overlook this book you are doing yourself a great disservice.
In the year 2044, reporters from the Public Relations Ministry gather at the home of Benjamin Harker, the last surviving member of the Harlem Hellfighters. At the age of 144, he is the oldest recorded man alive.
Scatter My Ashes B. Brumley & Eli Grace Paranormal Romance
Fang-Freakin-Tastic Review: There is so much I want to say about this book, but no matter how many words I come up with, I still feel like I could never truly do it justice. The Last Hellfighter was PHENOMENAL. Hands down one of the best vampire books I’ve ever read. I’ve come to enjoy the writing style of Thomas S. Flowers. He can be mild and calm or he can hit you with a ton of bricks, or even both, where you think everything is calm and moving along and the next thing you know, BAM! You’re whacked in the brain with a story you can’t put down, leaves you dying inside, and wanting more even though it’s just not possible. The Last Hellfighter follows Ben. He’s the oldest living man in the US and is telling his story to the grandson of a now dead soldier whose life he saved decades before. He’s fought in several major wars and has lived much longer than anyone (including him) has ever expected or wanted. He’s been searching for a way to kill the vampire Queen and she’s just been toying with him over the very, very long years.
70 | UncagedBooks.com
She’s the daughter of the infamous Delphine LaLaurie, serial killer of the French Quarter.
***
He’s a broken soldier fresh from war.
Buying the decrepit mansion in New Orleans was supposed to be a fresh start for Spencer, instead he finds his PTSD sent into overdrive. He’s not just seeing his dead best friend now; he’s seeing a woman haunting the rooms of his newly-acquired home too. Fang-Freakin-Tastic Review: This was truly an incredible read. I’ve read several books by Eli Grace, but this is my first from B. Brumley. I was definitely not disappointed. It was spellbinding and exciting and once I started reading I couldn’t stop. Once again, after reading a book by Eli Grace, my kids had cereal for dinner. I love all things historical; more specifically the darker sides of history. New Orleans has been on my
bucket list of places to visit for as long as I can remember, so I’ve always been fascinated by the more twisted true stories of the area. One of the things about Scatter My Ashes is that while it contains a tiny bit of the twisted true history of the infamous Delphine LaLaurie, her story doesn’t overtake this store these authors are telling about her daughter and Spencer. While it does come into play as to why the story is happening, she doesn’t get the spotlight. Both Spencer and Marie are both characters you can fall in love with in the sense of you can feel how tortured they are. You want to see them heal, to love and to be loved; to escape their despair. Sometimes only another tortured soul can heal you the way you need it. Something I found truly unbelievable was how well these two authors meshed. I’ve read quite a few of Grace’s books but I’ve never read anything of Brumley’s. I honestly couldn’t tell which author wrote which parts. I’ve read several books that were co-authored, and I have been able to differentiate between the authors, but this wasn’t one. It’s not necessarily a bad thing to be able to recognize one authors voice versus another, but I prefer it the story to blend in a way where I ask myself who did what. Overall this was a fantastic read and I highly recommend. I’ve been reading Eli Grace for years, but I’m going to have to pick up B. Brumley’s books now as well. After reading Scatter My Ashes, I had a book hangover for days!
Light Untamed Bonnie Gill Paranormal Romance Pet lover and animal activist Pepper Peterson has a secret. She inherited the caretaker position of the notorious Hell Hounds from her deceased aunt. Every year on Halloween she opens the gates to hell and sets them free to mark the souls of the damned. Only this year she lost the magic whistle to call them home and the massive black beasts run amok causing mischief in the town.
Fang-Freakin-Tastic Review: This series rapidly became one of my favorite Urban Fantasy series of all time. While each book is tied together, each is also extremely unique and fun in it’s own way. I love the L.A.M.P.S world that Bonnie Gill has created. I’ve been impatiently waiting for a story about Ottar. He is one of my favorite characters and I was happy to see he finally gets his own. He’s a crazy character for sure, but loveable at the same time. His personality is so vastly different from Pepper that it felt like the only place that would truly appreciate this match up would be Haber Cove. Gill does an amazing job of taking old legends and adding a modern and crazy twist to them. She’s able to keep the bones of the legends enough that we still recognize them, but doesn’t distort them so much they feel wrong. Overall, I love this book. I was cracking up the whole time. Definitely a must read series.
Issue 28 | November 2018 |
71
Fang-Freakin-Tastic Reviews Giovanni Goes to Med School Kathy Bryson Horror Everyone knows zombies aren’t real, no matter how fun. You don’t have to be a med student to know the dead do not get up and walk around in real life. Anyone who’s buried a pet in the backyard knows the dead don’t walk. They don’t even lurch. Or perish in the storm?
Fang-Freakin-Tastic Review: Giovanni Goes to Med School is a fairly short, humorous book about a med student who takes a 3rd shift job in the morgue of the hospital he’s an intern at. When his first “visitor” to the morgue sits up and starts talking, things just go downhill for Giovanni from there. The poor guy is tasked with taking care of Mrs. Harris giant slobbering dog, Rufus, whom she brought along on her trip to the emergency room for a dislocated shoulder. She must be anesthetized for the procedure so from that point on, Rufus is the responsibility of Giovanni. This book is almost a comedy of errors for Giovanni. Every time he turns around there is something else going wonky. I really enjoyed the writing style of Ms. Bryson and she must have a great sense of humor to come up with some of the crazy things that go on in this book. I don’t really have any complaints with this book other than I would have liked for it to have had
72 | UncagedBooks.com
more backstory on some of the characters and been a bit longer. Overall, this was worth reading. In fact, this was the second time I read the book because I forgot to write my review the first time!
Berkley Street, Book 1 Ron Ripley Occult/Ghosts Shane Ryan returns to Nashua and the childhood memories that drove him to join the Marines. After a prolonged legal battle with his aunt and uncle, Shane has possession of the family home where his parents disappeared over 20 years ago. The house, a monstrous castle filled with ghosts and secrets, is more alive than its inhabitants.
is the only book I’ve read in the series though so there very well could be more stories, but I honestly don’t know. Overall, this was an amazing read. Once I started, I couldn’t stop reading. My kids ate cereal for dinner because of it, and I’m ok with that.
Fang-Freakin-Tastic Review: This was hon-
estly one the best books I’ve read in a very long time. The story and the mystery behind it just suck you in like a vortex. Extremely well written and exciting, Berkley Street is a book that will leave you up at night and quivering in fear of the potential ghosts you might encounter in your own house. Shane grew up in the house on Berkley St. He joined the Marine Corps and left town for a good while, but while he was gone his parents, who still lived in the house, mysteriously vanished without a trace. Once all of the court problems who were caused by his greedy aunt and uncle were resolved, he moved back in, only to be once more confronted by the ghosts he encountered as a child, some of which are quite terrifying. There are several characters in this story, and there is really only one that made me mad. Each of the characters, both living and dead, have their own stories to tell. While we do learn about many of them to some degree, I wish there had either been more details or additional containing their back stories. I will say this
Issue 28 | November 2018 |
73
Myra’s Horror Blog Reviews
Slow Burn 6 Bobby Adair Horror Zed and Murphy are trying to find their surviving friends to finally get out of Austin and head west to safety, away from the zombie hordes. But trouble, their perpetual companion, dogs them at every turn as they discover that infected humans aren’t the only source of mortal danger. Myra’s Review: Zed & Murphy are trying to find a jet ski so the search for their friends will be easier. They spot a girl in the water; probably another scavenger. In an unbelievable stroke of luck, the girl is Rachel, Murphy’s sister. Spotting several normal people stuck on a boat surrounded by Whites, they rescue the group. It turns out they are the people Rachel was scavenging with. But the “normal” appear ungrateful and fearful of Murphy & Zed. An island in the river is their sanctuary, but being welcomed seems iffy. Once landing on the island, Zed is thrilled to discover his friends there. The Slow Burn haters, led by Gerald and Jerry, plan to eject the group, except to keep Steph due to her medical expertise. Forcing them aboard a boat by gun point, the real plan unfolds. The haters plan to kill Zed and the 74 | UncagedBooks.com
others, only the well-trained friends get the jump on the jerks. Ironically, the haters are put off the boat. Many encounters with the undead ensue as the heroic friends seek a new boat, one that will hold everyone. They run across normal human males who are worse than the zombies, keeping women in kennels to use for sex slaves. Zed & Murphy rescue 4 girls, who want to be included in the rescue mission of Steph. As with each of the Slow Burn books, it is filled with action, encounters with new threats and Zed’s angst. A must read for zombie fans!
Dead Reckoning Tom Wright Horror Civilization is descending into chaos: A deadly plague engineered by terrorists, international wars, and mankind’s innate depravity are about to take the world to the brink. Those are the last things Matt Anderssen, a scientist stationed at a Top Secret missile test site on a remote Pacific island, knew before all contact with the outside world suddenly stopped. Stranded on the idyllic tropical island that was his home and cut off from his wife and children by five thousand miles of ocean, Matt elicits the help of two loyal friends. Together, they defy the law and set out across the Pacific Ocean to reunite with their loved ones—if they’re still alive, if anyone is still alive. High seas, pirates, storms, and terrible luck will test them physically, and hopelessness, anger, and selfdoubt will test them emotionally. But against all odds and with the help of a woman they rescue along the way, they will make it to the mainland—and what they find there will be their ultimate test.
Myra’s Review: Matt is stationed in the Marshall Islands, an isolated area between Hawaii and Australia. It’s bad enough when a hurricane batters their shores, but then the people living there hear a deadly plague is sweeping through the world. Matt is determined to reach his family in the U.S. and sets off on a perilous journey across the ocean with friends on a sailboat.
This was an interesting part of the story, showing how modern people adapted to the circumstances. Matt does find his children, but they are almost feral and his wife is dying. Matt goes after the savage men who abused his wife and daughter and I applauded his courage in this act of vengeance. With his children and friends, Matt seeks out his old friend Sean, who he knows has a secure place in Washington State. Once they do find Sean, they are invited into a compound that is safe and run by military men. I really liked the end of the book where people returned to simpler times; kids play outside, no cell phones, not internet, etc. Several of the characters were interesting, including Jill and Jeff. I like to love or hate characters in a story. There were plenty of rapists and thugs to hate, but unfortunately no character won my heart. Usually this is reserved for the main hero/heroine, but Matt was too much of a rabbit throughout much of the story. Near the end, when his parenting protectiveness kicked in, he was great, but by then I could only feel lukewarm toward him. This is a well written book and has some rich descriptions of people and places. There were quite a few negatives for me though. The many details about weather had me skipping pages and the description about the ship had my mind wandering. Mostly, it was the philosophical discussions; everything from politics to evolution, heaven, God and hell. I actually love it when characters indulge in a little of their outlook on life, it makes them human and gives me insight into their character. But it was way too much for this reader.
The group run across men on another ship who have kidnapped a woman. They rescue Jill, who is a doctor, a very valuable person in the new world. Near an island off Alaska, they are welcomed by a community who lived off the grid even before things went down. Issue 28 | November 2018 |
75
Myra’s Horror Blog Reviews Survivors Z.A. Recht Horror THE MORNINGSTAR STRAIN WAS THE END OF THE WORLD. In the wake of the zombie apocalypse, two separate bands of survivors journey across a decimated America, each with the desperate goal of finding the cure for the virulent plague that threatens the existence of humankind—or what’s left of it. Now it’s up to these inheritors of the future to outlive their waking nightmare, any way they can. BUT FOR THESE SURVIVORS, IT IS JUST THE BEGINNING. One group includes a brilliant virologist; for the other, an immune soldier proves invaluable. Battling infected and marauding raiders at every turn, the teams soon uncover the devious plans of Sawyer, an agent of the Chairman of the Reunited States of America, who believes that Dr. Anna Demilio already has the cure, and he will stop at nothing to find her. Now, with the salvation of the world and their own souls on the line, how far will the survivors go to emerge victorious? Myra’s Review: The group of soldiers from the ship Rampage, including Stiles, who is immune, are traveling to Omaha. There, they hope Dr. Demilio will be able to use Stiles blood for a vaccine. They make a stop in the fortified town of Abraham to resupply. It is a welcome break, but after they leave it is tooth and nail fighting with zombies. Meanwhile, at the lab facility in Omaha, the doctor is hard at work on finding a cure, with little 76 | UncagedBooks.com
luck. The team, including old favorites from prior books, Brewster and Thomas, make regular runs into the city fringes for supplies. Danger is around every corner of course. Sawyer, the agent you love to hate, is still determined to get his hands on Dr. Demilio; convinced she has the cure. He runs across the scuzzy criminal Lutz we met in the last book, who joins his group. Once Sawyer reaches the facility with his team, they kill anyone they come across. Sawyer is really a disgusting human and I loved the way he met his demise. Our brave heroes manage to take Sawyer’s team out, though they lose several characters we followed from book one. It was nice that the book ended with hope for the characters; the doctor did discover a cure with Stiles blood, not all my favorite characters got slaughtered, and humanity seems to have a chance to survive the zombie apocalypse. Highly recommended for those following the Morningstar series and zombie fans.
Last Another Day Baileigh Higgins Horror Humanity falls... Survival is just the beginning... Trapped in the shower by her undead husband, Morgan prays for rescue but quickly realizes she’s on her own. She escapes, only to find that the horror has spread and now threatens everything she holds dear. With each passing moment, death becomes more certain. Myra’s Review: We follow characters introduced in the novella Survive Another Day, with more back story for some. The first in the Dangerous Days series lives up to the expectations set up with prequel. I liked Morgan in Survive and my admiration for her grew as she fights her way out of her house with her dead husband in pursuit. Then she traverses the dangerous streets, rescuing her mom and little sister. Meanwhile, Max, her brother, meets an interesting man, Logan. He is a game ranger, used to danger, and a self-professed loner. They secure a former police station and work on making it safer, and run across other survivors they bring into their new sanctuary. Morgan and her family flee the city, seeking a safe haven. They find a farm and are welcomed by Henri and his wife. The ever brave Morgan travels to town to seek supplies, and is almost killed by the undead. Luckily, she is saved by none other than Max. Julianne, their mother, is shocked when they both show up at the farm. Life is good, until the undead break in one morning, killing Henri’s wife. Deciding the farm is unsafe, together with the survivors that Max and Logan are helping, they seek a new place. The new compound is ideal and everyone pitches in to make it safer and more viable for long term living.
tough team of soldiers. They rescue children and teachers from an overrun school. The Captain is shocked to discover an infant underneath a dying woman; her back torn to shreds protecting the baby. She hands him a diary that names the baby, Samantha, and gives him a photo of her family. Breytenbach’s heart is taken by Sam and he is determined to keep her safe. When the team reaches a government-run quarantine camp, which is supposed to be safe, Breytenbach can tell it won’t last against zombie hordes. It’s not a good place to seek sanctuary. The thousands of starving, desperate refugees make the decision for him; Breytenbach will stay and try to shore up the defenses and scavenge for supplies with his team. Sadly, his prediction comes true, the Captain and his team barely make it out alive. They manage to save three children, including Samantha. Max’s compound hears their distress call, and send out a rescue team to the downed helicopter. Is it coincidence or a miracle, when Breytenbach finds Sam’s grandmother, Julianne, at the sanctuary? I like stories set in other countries and this one takes place in South Africa. The most pressing problem for the survivors is water, and rainfall seems the major source. In the U.S., unless you live in the desert, we have an abundance of water in lakes and rivers. So this is a big struggle for the survivors. There is love between two of the main characters that was endearing. Also sparks ignite with other characters and I’ll be interested to see how they develop. An enjoyable read in the genre, one I had a hard time putting down. Lots of action and pulling at the heart strings. Recommended for zombie fans and those looking for a new apocalyptic zombie series to follow. I’ve added to my list.
Breytenbach is a Captain in the Army, leading a Issue 27 | October 2018 |
77
Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews Beneath the Death Bow Sebastian Groff Dark Fantasy In this nostalgic tale of traditional Gothic horror, follow young Nicholas Wescott as he tries desperately to maintain his sanity after being Chosen to host a tortured and deviant entity. As the Entity within pulls the strings, Nicholas struggles to retain control but soon the parlor tricks begin to take a deadly turn. Nicholas desperately clings to his once mundane reality as dark forces seeming out of his control pull him further and further away. Delve into his dreams as they become his waking nightmares and discover just how deeply one can spiral downward into the darkness when the Devil holds the bow. Amy’s Review: Stunning! The language is a bit formal, but it fits with the story. I love the way the story is set up, with letters, journals, and discussions. Sinister and chilling, and it’s told in a way that brings the readers right into the story. “There is something strange at play within me. I have tried to control it but it will not yield. There appears to be a sort of disconnect, between the feelings I harness now, toward the life I lived before.” The line that tells the entire story seems to be written in a few short sentences. It allows insight into the characters, not just Nicholas, David, Elizabeth, or Julia, but the connection between all of them. Filled with twists and unpredictable paths for the characters, the ending will surely surprise the reader. Absolutely stunning. A definite chiller!
78 | UncagedBooks.com
Elliot Pie’s Guide to Human Nature Chantelle Atkins Contemporary Fiction One boy’s mission to find the good in people. Twelve-year-old Elliot Pie lives a solitary life with his agoraphobic mother. He is desperate to help her and he also wants to find out what happened to his Uncle Liam, who walked out one night leaving his dog and his car in the back garden. While his mother sinks further into the darkness, Elliot finds comfort in people-watching. Amy’s Review: remarkable story I am a fan of Atkins’s stories, and Elliot Pie’s Guide To Human Nature is no different. Atkins pens a remarkable story as Elliot embarks on a personal journey. Elliot is 12 and has lived a sheltered life, and now he seeks what is outside. It’s a grand story that I think people of any age will enjoy. There are some twists and I think the reader learns along side of Elliot as he encounters wonderful characters and finds some answers within stories. I enjoyed this story very much.
Adaline Denise Kawaii SciFi/Fantasy Can one flawed child survive in a world where perfection is the only way? Adaline is a world of utopian excellence. The human race has been made pure, curated with mechanical precision. Without worry of illness, famine or social unrest, Adaline’s inhabitants live simple lives of utter contentment. That is, until something dangerous stirs in the mind of one small child. Amy’s Review: powerful read Kawaii pens a great thought-provoking story in Adaline, the first in this series. It gives a look at a new world, where cloning is part of the society. It is a great read, and brings to life the society of clones, where each is only identified by a number, and a long number is shortened. It’s one of those stories that you won’t forget, and Kawaii pens something unforgettable, and makes you eager to read the next story in the collection. The story is filled with the survival journey and creative imagery that makes it a good story, and definite page-turner. It shows that even a perfectly created world is far from perfect.
60th & Haverford Neal Goldstein Mystery/Suspense/Crime Pope Francis’ long anticipated visit to Philadelphia is a month away. Secret Service agent Nikki Cartwright and her team spent the last year overseeing the security arrangements for the visit. As a Philly girl Nikki took great pride in her role, and carried the weight of her responsibility for the Pope’s safety as a badge of honor.
Amy’s Review: Intriguing storyline I haven’t read any of Goldstein’s work before, and reading 60th & Haverford, showed me that this can be a standalone book, but it also showed me that I should read more of Goldstein’s work. The story brings together an investigation that coincides with the Pope’s visit. I really enjoyed this book, turning every page, hanging on every word, wondering what would happen next. It’s not a typical police investigation story, but it’s also something that has different depths of plotlines. Magnificent story that keeps the reader guessing, wondering what will happen next. I look forward to reading more by this author.
Issue 28 | November 2018 |
79
Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews Mission to Morocco J.R. Rogers Historical Thriller
Tantalizing Tales of the Horrific and Fantastic Marie Krepps SciFi/Horror Anthology
1944 – Colonel Ferdinand Hecht, who poses as a consular diplomat stationed in Casablanca, French Morocco, is in reality an SS officer with the Gestapo’s SD Afrika Intelligence Group. He directs a network of French spies reporting on American navy blimps operating from their Port Lyautey base against U-boats prowling the Straits of Gibraltar and coastal French Morocco.
Sink your teeth into this book of fantastical short stories that will leave you wanting more. This collection mixes fantasy, science fiction, horror, and more into one big boiling pot of tastiness. Stories may include princesses, talking birds, alien species, magical items, terrifying creatures, cyborgs, or assassins. You’ll get your fill of thrills and chills.
Amy’s Review: Compelling thriller First, I love reading books that relate to WWII, as I am a big history buff for that period of time. This story, Mission to Morocco, is an intriguing spy thriller. Rogers definitely brings his knowledge into the story, and brings the author in the middle of the action. It’s a great story that has a lot of depth on many levels. The characters had different dimensions and brought a lot to the story. This story was memorable and highly recommended. I look forward to reading more of Rogers’s work.
Amy’s Review: Amazingly terrifying collection of horror Krepps brings together her collection of Tantalizing Tales of the Horrific and Fantastic, and it is amazingly terrifying. The reader is brought into each story, with the want of covering their eyes, but keeping them wide open to read every word. Each story is well-written, and gives the intensely darkness of horror or just terror. This collection is definitely fantastic with just the right amount of tantalizing terror! I look forward to reading more by this author.
80 | UncagedBooks.com
Wheels Up Jeanine Kitchel Suspense/Crime When her notorious drug lord uncle is recaptured, Layla Navarro catapults to the top of Mexico’s most powerful cartel. To expand cartel influence she accepts an offer to move two tons of cocaine from Colombia to Cancun by jet. Along for the ride are her abusive bodyguard/lover, the laidback Canadian pot grower who set up the deal, and a coke-addicted Vietnam vet. The deal takes a bad turn during a stopover in Guatemala when Layla unexpectedly uncovers a sex-trafficking ring. Amy’s Review: Magnificent story Enter the life of the cartel, but it’s not just about that, it’s about survival and perseverance. The author brought this reader right in the middle of the story on a thrilling and intense ride. The author shows great knowledge of the setting of this book, as well as the rough and raw world she brings in this story. The characters have a lot of depth, and a grand sense of reality. Layla is part of the world, she is one powerful character, trying to make her way up to lead her family. It’s filled with violence, drugs, and adventure, with adding the environment as another extraordinary character. Magnificently written. Couldn’t put it down until the end!
Freedom R.M. Gauthier Crime/Suspense In the series conclusion, Lexi discovers the truth and remarkably, the truth is worse than she imagined. The door to the fifteen-yearold mystery that has surrounded Landon has been opened, but walking through it could result in the destruction of his entire world. In order to keep peace and harmony, Landon must face his unforgiving past and deal with the aftermath.
Amy’s Review: Fitting and Unpredictable ending! I’ve read the books that came before this one, Control and Bound, and if you read this one, you probably should read those first. It is never easy to let a series come to a conclusion, and the “Mystery of Landon Miller” series is one of them. The story is written well as it brings the conclusion to something that makes sense, and has a continuity that doesn’t go overboard with the back stories of the two previous books. Freedom is its own story but fits within the pieces of the trio of stories. It’s steady pace brings the reader right in the middle of the action, while turning every page with anticipation. Well done. I look forward to more of what Gauthier has to offer.
Issue 28 | November 2018 |
81
Jen’s Book Reviews The Westwood Witches Sarah Northwood Children/YA Fantasy Aero trembled as she held the box sealed inside black paper. The dilemma was a difficult one – her mum had told her the box contained secrets she might not be ready for. Once she opened it, there would be no going back… Jen’s Review: A young adult book filled with lots of magic, adventure and secrets discovered. Meet Aero who is about to learn that her life will never be the same again. This is a enjoyable book for any age filled with lot’s of magic and adventures. To keep all the family entertained. I hope there’s more of this series to be told.
The War for Truth Jason J. Nugent YA/SciFi/Fantasy Truth must win. The situation grows dire. Queen Anastasia orders the destruction of the Forgotten and turns her attention to the colonies. They must be forced into submission. Her reign depends on it. Eron struggles to repel the forces aligned against him, setting him on a course destined to end in a fatal clash with his father Sargent Ahimo. The fight is final. There is no turning back. The struggle for the Truth will end. Jen’s Review: This ends the journey of Anastasia, the forgotten and the truth. As sad as I am to see the end of this series it’s refreshing to see some justice severed in this book. I read this in exactly two sittings as I was enjoying the journey so much I didn’t want the book to end. Well done to this author for a fantastic series and major plot twists throughout this book. This can be read as a standalone novel but to really grasp the concept of the story read in order. Highly recommend this book and the whole series.
Visit Jen on Goodreads 82 | UncagedBooks.com
The Witch and the Watcher Phil Price Horror In a far-away place, two lost souls are being hunted. A witch wants their heads, sending a gang of marauders after them. Others want them too. An ancient evil, hell-bent on revenge, wants to claim them for his own.
Jen’s Review: Again we team up with Jake and Wilf to battle with the giant vampires. Things are slightly different this time in this adventure. As there’s a evil witch waiting to get her claws into them and some other people pop up. Along for this dangerous journey it’s a battle of time before Jake and Wilf can escape the darkness. This book can be read as a standalone but would be more of a enjoyable read consumed as part of a series. I have read the previous two book’s in The Forsaken Series. This by far being my favourite as the author has spent a considerable amount of time over it making it. As awesome as it is. I can’t find any faults with this book as it’s written well and highly addictive reading Take a trip through a door way who knows what you might find.
The Healer’s Secret Helen Pryke Historical Saga Jennifer’s life isn’t going as she planned. Fired from her job and on the brink of divorce at thirty-one, her only salvation lies at the bottom of a wine bottle. When her mother insists she get away from everything, she reluctantly agrees to explore her Italian roots in Tuscany. Jen’s Review: Jennifer focused on getting her live back on track. Decides to travel to her great great Grandmother house in Italy. Where she believes there’s some healing to be considered to battle her alcohol addiction. I found the author talks about some rather dark topics in this book. But found them handled with a delicate hand. As to not overwhelm the reader into a uneasy feeling. I really enjoyed the whole concept with the mention of Dragonflies. I’m very keen to learn more about the meaning behind this. There is now a follow up to this book which I look forward to reading.
Visit Jen on Goodreads Issue 28 | November 2018 |
83
Do you have a short story that you’d like published in Uncaged? Uncaged is now accepting short stories - in return, Uncaged will provide ONE FULL PAGE to promote up to 3 books from the author, OR a free Sneak Peek promotion!
Guidelines: • Must be PG/PG-13 rated per Issuu’s Terms of Use • Must be approved • Free promotion will be scheduled for the same month as the short story • Submit the story or any questions to UncagedBooks@gmail.com
Submit your story today!