Thursday, May 28, 2015

The Experiencers - Val Tobin. An alien abductee escape her fate.


Book Description from Amazon: The Experiencers

A black ops assassin atones for his brutal past by trying to help an alien abductee escape her fate.

Agency black ops assassin, Michael Valiant, deals death without question. He knows it’s all in the name of duty and the fight against terror, particularly at a time when the earth is as close as it’s ever been to self-destructing. But when his orders include silencing members of a UFO group who look less like terrorists and more like housewives and UFO buffs, he decides to do some digging.

His curiosity arouses the ire of Jim Cornell, his boss, and Gerry Muniz, his partner, who warn Michael that his actions are putting him in danger. When Michael’s wife dies in what appears to be a traffic accident, Michael, with Gerry’s help and support, pushes aside his doubts and immerses himself in the jobs he needs to complete.

Psychic medium, Carolyn Fairchild, is happy and contented, living in a nice home in Newmarket, Ontario, with her husband and daughter. All Carolyn wants is to live in peaceful obscurity. Unbeknownst to her, the UFO group she belongs to has made it onto the Agency’s hit list. When, one by one, the members in their group die or disappear, Carolyn grows desperate.

Ordered to kidnap Carolyn and turn her over to the Agency, Michael confronts Carolyn in her home, ready to complete his assignment. But when Carolyn connects to Michael's dead wife and reveals to him the truth behind her death, Carolyn forces him to choose between saving himself and doing what's right.

Unaware that they are repeating a pattern enacted over many lifetimes, Michael and Carolyn must find a way to break the cycle, or continue playing it out in lifetimes to come.

What inspired you to start writing, and when?
I’ve wanted to write fiction for as long as I can remember. I have written stories, but not shared them. In 2012, I finally decided to get serious with my fiction. Before that, I’d focused on non-fiction. Reading has always inspired me to write.


What is your preferred genre?
I have an affinity for fantasy, new age science fiction (a blend of Science Fiction and paranormal), horror, and romance.

How many books have you written?  If more than one, are any a series…or trilogy?
I’m working on my fourth novel. The Experiencers is book one of a two-part series. The sequel, A Ring of Truth, completes Michael and Carolyn’s story. I also have a short horror story, Storm Lake, available on Smashwords and Amazon. Injury, a romance, was recently released on Amazon.

Tell us a little about your book.
The Experiencers is new age science fiction with elements of suspense, but is really a love story in disguise. Michael and Carolyn have been together across multiple lifetimes, but are unaware of it at the start of the novel.

Michael, in this lifetime, is a cold-blooded killer. Carolyn is a pacifist, and her moral standards clash with everything Michael stands for. Their evolution through the two novels will either continue or break the pattern established in previous lifetimes. They’re not just fighting for their lives, but for their future lives.

Do you have plans for a new book?
I’ve just completed Injury, a romance novel, about a young actress at the height of her career who has her personal life turned upside down when a horrifying family secret makes front-page news. My fourth novel, Gillian’s Island, is another romance: A headstrong divorcee forced to sell her island home clashes with the handsome and arrogant new owner.

Is there an Author that you would really like to meet?
Mark Twain.

Was there an Author who inspired your writing?
Stephen King.

Do you plot or write by the seat of your pants?
I use a combination. The Experiencers was pantsed, but A Ring of Truth had some planning, and Injury had both as well.

Did you have an editor edit your books?
I had a developmental editor and a copy editor.

Do you prefer e-books, paperbacks or hardcover?
I prefer paperbacks.

Where do you prefer to buy your books?
I buy traditionally published books at the book store, but go to Smashwords or Amazon for e-books.

Are you a self- published (Indie) Author?
Yes.

What books would you like to read again?
The Lord of the Rings.

Is there a particular movie that you preferred over the book version?
The Bourne movies were better than the books.

What book are you currently reading and in what format (ebook/paperback/hardcover)?
Michael Connelly’s Lost Light. Also Stephen King’s Lisey’s Story in paperback and Michael Crichton’s The Terminal Man in paperback. And Alan Annand’s Antenna Syndrome in e-book.

I have books stashed everywhere and read every chance I get.

Who designed the cover of your book?
Patti Roberts of Paradox did the new cover for The Experiencers and the covers for A Ring of Truth and Injury. Bruce Greenaway of Splinter Media Group did the original cover for The Experiencers.

Do you find yourself intrigued by the cover of a book enough to buy it? 
The cover will grab my attention, but the summary and the first few pages will sell me. The cover alone will not do it for me, but it’s what draws me to look closer at the book.

Do you have any advice for other writers starting out?
Make sure you have a competent editor and a professional cover design. Get trusted beta readers.

Do you write under a pen name?
Not at the moment.

Do you ever write in your PJ’s?
Frequently.

You are trapped on a tropical island - who would you like to be stranded with?
Jesus. He can turn water into wine, he walks on water, so we wouldn’t exactly be stranded, and the conversation would be stimulating.

Pick one - Wine, Chocolate or shoes?
Chocolate.

Cats or dogs?
Cats.

How many hours per day do you try to devote to research and writing?
Six to ten.

Sleep in or get up early?
Get up early.

Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?
At my desk in my home office.

List 3 of your favorite movies?
Gone with the Wind
The Lord of the Rings movies
The Bourne Identity

What is a movie or TV show that you watched just recently and really enjoyed?
The Fall on Netflix with Gillian Anderson

Where can your readers stalk you?

Is your book in Print, e-book or both?
Both

Do you give free e-books away in exchange for honest reviews?
Sometimes

Book links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Val-Tobin/e/B00KC5S69K





Amazon Author Page - HERE

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

The time has come - book 5 in the Paradox Series

Due out this NOVEMBER


DOWNLOAD BOOK 1 FOR FREE NOW



Two mysterious strangers arrive just in time to help Grace Connors as she struggles to cope with the death of her father. But are the intentions of these strangers as innocent as they first seem, or is something far more sinister on their agenda?
Meanwhile, in a faraway realm, a race of fallen Angels clash with a ruling house of Angels. Their battle changes events in the Ancient World and the New World forever. A realm where a year can last centuries and an ancient, magical people still rule... A realm where even the immortals face danger.

THE TIME HAS COME!

Saturday, May 9, 2015

Free read - Murder With Friends by Fred Lichtenberg

Hello Friends,

My latest collection of mystery short stories under the title MURDER WITH FRIENDS (Stalking With Friends, I lost My Wife! Twisted Games, Hooked, and The Psychic Detective), are based on popular word games, and released today on Amazon.

Before you buy the e-book, check my website www.fredlichtenberg.com

Click on SYNOPSIS AND SCROLL down and click STALKING WITH
FRIENDS.

OR YOU CAN READ THE STORY BELOW

READ IT FOR FREE. If you enjoy the story—you will, I promise—spread the word and then ONE click will bring you to Amazon. MURDER WITH FRIENDS is only $1.99. A very good deal and lots of fun reading!

Pass the freebee to your friends.
Thanks.
Fred

Stalking with Friends

His letters were perfect M-U-R-D-E, the R already on the board. A sinister laugh. JUSTME added the letters on his android phone and waited for his opponent to react to his 39 points, putting him ahead by 72. Not happy for sure. JUSTME had won every game with this opponent the entire three months. A wide grin.
Time lapsed. Was JASMINE too busy to play? It was nine in the evening. Maybe she was streaming a movie? JUSTME assumed his opponent was a woman by her game name. He had other guesses about her: probably self-employed because she was always available, single, lived in his Eastern Time zone. He knew nothing else about her except she was sort of laid back, wasn’t aggressive, and never commented on a game, like “You picked some great words,” or, “Hey, let me win once in a while.”
JUSTME wasn’t about to let her win—or anyone else, for that matter—if he could help it. He needed to win, be king of Friends, and anyone who beat him, beware …
JASMINE was safe—for now. Never beat JUSTME or just wait, which come to think of it, was another great Friends’ name.
Pinged. She’s back. “Nice word and 39 points. You are certainly the best I ever played with.”
And she wants to chat? He felt a surge.
JASMINE continued. “We’ve been playing a while, seem to have a connection.”
Oh yeah. “Definitely,” he wrote.
“You must be a guy. I mean, over the past few months you’ve used many macho words. And now MURDER. Wow.”
“I’m a guy,” JUSTME punched in. Maybe he should have made her beg to find out. “You sound like a woman, with so many feminine words. And your board name, JASMINE.”
“You are good. You law enforcement? A detective?”
Huh? Definitely not, but he couldn’t tell her what he did for a living—if you called it a living. “Sales, I travel around the country.
“Ever get to Gatlinburg?”
Christ, was this an invitation? “Just so happens I’ll be there next week.” He could be anywhere, anytime. He wanted a photo of JASMINE. Hell, she could be old or fat or just plain ugly—
“Because I think we have a connection. Wouldn’t mind playing with you in the same room. That didn’t come out right.”
It did to JUSTME. Playing Friends in person, and then—
“That was inappropriate, sorry,” she wrote.
“No, I understood,” JUSTME typed quickly. “Say, can you text me a photo? And I’ll text one back. You know, so we can recognize each other in—where again? Oh right, Gatlinburg.”
“You’re too funny, JUSTME. Sure, give me your e-mail address or text so I can send a selfie. Here’s my text number.”
JUSTME squirmed. What was he thinking? He didn’t like giving out anything personal, but he took a chance.
The text zoomed back quickly. Boy, was she smoking! Thirty, blonde, great skin, eyes!
“You’re very pretty.” Clean, simple, didn’t want to turn her off.
“Thank you.”
JUSTME kept a head shot on his phone—his cousin who died a few years back. Sad, the handsome ones die young. But now that his poor cousin, Ricky, was gone, he’d never know. Nor care. JUSTME couldn’t send her a photo of himself, not with first-degree burn scars on the left side of his face. Not that it mattered; once he spotted JASMINE and followed her home, the rest would be easy.
“Wow, I hoped you would be handsome, but you’re more than I thought,” JASMINE wrote. “Can’t wait to meet you. I’m Brooke, by the way.”
“Ricky, a pleasure, Brooke.” Why not use his cousin’s name too?
“When will you be in town?”
Tuesday.” Plenty of time to drive from Florida to Tennessee. It was Saturday night. Another reason he could tell JASMINE, uh, Brooke, was single. She would have been out with her boyfriend or husband. And she wanted to meet—
“Perfect. How about we meet at the Gatlinburg welcome center at 7 pm?”
“Works for me.” It always worked for him. Another sinister laugh. “Well, until then, Brooke.”
“Looking so forward to meeting you in the flesh.”
Flesh.
*****
An older model Ford Focus crept along the main strip in Gatlinburg. Perfect timing. He pulled up about fifty feet from the welcome center and snapped up his binoculars. Yep, there she was standing, looking out at the street as though looking for . . . me, JUSTME. My JASMINE, my Friend, you’re as beautiful as your photo! His eyes locked on her as he dialed her cell. A moment passed before she dug into her handbag and answered.
“Hi, I’ve been waiting.”
JUSTME tried to control himself. He wanted to leap out of the car and—
“Hi to you too. Listen, my car broke down, and I’m afraid I’m going to be an hour late.”
“Oh, that’s too bad.”
“I can call you when I arrive. Is that OK, Brooke?”
She looked at her watch, then shook her head in a sad motion.
“It’ll be kind of late.”
“You’re right. I’ll check into my hotel. We can schedule our date for tomorrow.”
“Sure, tomorrow.” But he sensed she was disappointed.
“Could I be so bold as to ask you to meet me in the hotel lobby, just to say hello?”
He saw a big smile. He had her.
“Sure, I could do that. Where are you staying?”
His eyes darted around until he found what he was looking for. “The Country Inn.”
Her eyes gazed up and she smiled again. “Perfect. Call me when you get into town.”
The streetlight cast a glow on her. He just couldn’t believe it. She was gorgeous, sexy in a green backless party dress. Forget the lobby, how about a room? Only there would be no room. He waited for JASMINE to walk a few blocks away and was about to take off when a car pulled up and lowered the passenger window. The guy waved with a map. “Can you help me? I’m lost, and everything in this town looks the same.”
Christ, not now! He tried to keep one eye on JASMINE, but she disappeared. Where did she go? “I’m from out of town myself, can’t help you. Can you move your car? I’m in a hurry.”
“Sure, sorry.” JUSTME jerked his car forward and headed for JASMINE. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit! Where are you? He drove a few blocks until he found a restaurant parking lot, where he jumped out of the car to hightail it back to where he last saw her. She wouldn’t recognize him, but what would he do if he found her? Say, “Hi, I’m Ricky and lied about the way I look.” No more Friends, let alone the “motel room.”
She was gone. Defeated, he trudged to his car and put his head on the steering wheel. What next? And then his phone rang. He frowned. Who? But then he smiled. “Hey, I was just thinking about you.”
“Me too,” JASMINE said. “I’m a little worried about your car breaking down. Are you OK?”
Sweet! “Kind of. I mean, I just called the inn and they’re full. I guess I should have called and—”
“Oh no. Look, I don’t want you to take this the wrong way, but I lied about living in Gatlinburg. I’m here because I broke up with my boyfriend a week ago and needed to get away. I actually live in North Carolina. I’m so sorry, Ricky, for lying to you.”
“Oh, that’s OK. It was very nice—”
“No, no, that’s not what I mean. It’s dead with him. I’d like to see you. I’m lonely and confused. Could you maybe just come by my hotel so we can chat? If you’re really a nice guy, I’ll let you sleep on the sofa. And if you’re not, you can kill me.” She giggled.
Christ, what an invitation! “Sure, but only if you are OK with it. I mean, I’m a gentleman, so you don’t have to worry about me taking advantage. It sounds like you’d like to talk. I’m a great listener.” And taker!
“I’m staying at the Valley Inn, just outside of town toward Smoky Mountains National Park. I’m in room 201. And thanks for listening ahead of time.” She giggled again.
Ricky calculated quickly. “Be there in an hour.”

JUSTME stood in front of her door and inhaled. He counted one, two, three, and knocked—not too hard, not too soft, just a friendly knock.
JASMINE opened the door with a smile that crashed to fear. She tried to close the door, but JUSTME planted his size-10 sneaker to block it.  
“I can explain, JASMINE, I mean, Brooke. Just give me a chance.”
“You better leave, or I’ll call the police. You’re … nothing like your photo. How could you, Ricky?”
He started his sob trick. “I’m so sorry, Brooke. I knew you’d never want to meet if you saw what I looked like.” He rubbed his eyes with his sleeve. “I just wanted to meet a nice woman, show her I’m more than looks, someone like you.”
She hesitated but gripped the door. “You came all the way from Florida, or is that a lie too?”
He shook his head. “True. I’ve never done this before. I’ll go.” He turned to leave.
“Wait, you can’t sleep in your car all night.” She sighed. “Come in, we’ll figure it out. I wasn’t exactly honest either.”
He turned back. “So sorry,” he whispered.
As they talked, he confessed his real name was Alan and his face was burned at a factory, which allowed him to collect disability. He lived alone ever since his brother committed suicide by jumping off a bridge. OK, he never had a brother. But he wanted her to relax, build up confidence in him.
Brooke handed him a glass of chardonnay. “To a better life,” they toasted.
As Brooke told him about herself, he nodded, not caring if she was telling the truth. He was, after all, just after a piece of ass. That was the game: seeing if his true looks could snare women after finagling an introduction. And it worked; they always feeling sorry for him. Brooke was next.
After a few hours of talk and wine, Brooke took his hand and kissed it. Then she kissed his lips, his face. He tried not to be too aggressive. Actually, he was feeling … light-headed. Too much wine.
“Let’s make love,” she whispered.
He nodded with a silly grin.
She smiled and walked to the bathroom. “Be right out.”
He stripped down to his underwear, and stumbled onto the bed.
Brooke joined him in a thin red bra and matching panties. “Hi.”
He smiled. “Hi.” His eyes drifted to her hands.
Handcuffs?
Oh, boy, this was going to be fun.
“You mind, macho man?”
His wily grin answered for him. He felt the clip against his wrists and then against the bedpost. Snap.
“You look a little wasted, Alan. Do you think you can last all night?”
“Think so—”
“Wrong!”
He blinked.
“Did you really think you could just show up from wherever you’re from and have sex with me? You, like that cheater boyfriend of mine, think you can take me at will. Well, you can’t. How many words is that, Mr. Letters With Friends?”
Alan blinked harder and yanked at the cuffs. What the hell was happening? “I thought—”
“You thought you could have sex and move on, didn’t you?”
“No.” OK, his intentions weren’t that bad. He was a good guy, just trying to win over a woman, like Letters With Friends. He wanted, no, needed to WIN!
“Guess what, Alan, you’re not going to have sex with me or anyone else. Not after tonight.”
His eyes bulged. “Oh God, please, I’m sorry. It’ll never happen again, I swear. Just take off the cuffs, and I’ll never bother you again.”
“It’s a little too late for that, honey.” Brooke shook her head, then strutted over to her handbag and pulled out a serrated knife. She pointed it at his underwear. “My stepfather wanted sex too, the bastard. I swore I would kill him someday.” A snare. “He’s not around anymore. Nor Patrick, the cheat.”
“Who?”
Her glazed look terrified him. “My boyfriend, stupid. Haven’t you been listening?” She paused. “And now you.” She sliced off his underwear and chuckled. “So small. It looks frightened, like you.”
“I beg you, Brooke.”
“Right, beg.”
“Why me?”
“Oh, right, a reason. Well, for one, I don’t like to lose. You’ve won every Letters with Friend game, so I’m guessing you’ve been cheating. Have you been using a cheater’s dictionary, Alan?”
“No, I swear. I’m … good.” He started to smile but thought better.
“I pictured that smug look you must have had every time you beat me. I almost stopped playing, but had a better idea.” She clicked her teeth. “Temptation made it so easy.”
Calm down. He would get out of this . . . he needed a plan. But Brooke worked the knife in her hands back and forth like she was experienced. He wanted to plea more, offer her his disability money, anything, but remembered she mentioned her stepfather and boyfriend. He bet she cuffed them too.
“Please.” Tears—real this time—formed and streamed down his cheek. “I don’t want to die, even with this face.”
“Shush.” She raised the point to her tongue. “I can’t wait to taste blood.”
Alan closed his eyes, prayed.
“Good-bye, JUSTME.”
He held his breath, bracing for the slice on his manhood. Or worse. The room felt deadly still.
Do it already. Kill me!
His breathing labored for what felt like hours. And then he sensed her one last time. Movement. A door . . . opening?
Alan slowly opened one eye, then the other, then blinked.
JASMINE was gone.
It was JUSTME.


If you enjoy the story—you will, I promise—spread the word and then ONE click will bring you to Amazon. MURDER WITH FRIENDS is only $1.99. A very good deal and lots of fun reading!

Pass the freebee to your friends.
Thanks.
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