Category: Book Release

Welcome to Harmony Kent and Her New Release – The Vanished Boy

~ John W. Howell ~ 82 Comments

I am very pleased to welcome Harmony Kent to my blog to talk about her latest mystery suspense novel. So without further delay . . .

Hi everyone. Harmony here. Thanks so much, John, for letting me visit with you today. I’m so thrilled to share the launch of my latest book with you all.

The Vanished Boy is a mystery suspense novel based around a teenaged boy, who’s gone missing. The book follows the mother as she trawls through her missing son’s online life and realises, to her horror, how out of the loop she’s become.

The inspiration for this novel came from watching a number of movies based on how our lives both revolve around and are influenced by the Internet and mobile devices. Although these movies covered many genres such as murder/mystery, thriller, and the supernatural, they all centered around the same theme: Apps and living life online. This led me to ponder how many of us spend our lives in digital pursuits rather than physical—both the old and the young? For many people, their actual physical lives become but a shadow compared to their online existence.

Mostly, the shift to a digital world happens slowly. It’s incremental and, too often, insidious. All of which led me to ask how well do we actually know our children? Our loved ones? Those around us? What might be going on in the shadows?

From that inspiration and questioning, this story was born. Much of life and our actions originate from the same needs and wants: to be loved and accepted, the ability to differentiate between truth and lies, and the things we do to cover our mistakes and make ourselves look better than the reality instead of owning who we are. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

Below is an excerpt from the book:

His words remind Carole she was supposed to have submitted the final draft of the marketing agreement over the weekend. No wonder Dan sounds so annoyed with her. But it’s so unfair. She’s never let him down once until now. And, quite frankly, until she has Jayden back safe and sound, her boss and her work can go to hell.

She mumbles a curt ‘thanks’ and hangs up. More tears spill onto her cheeks and drip off her chin. Carole grabs more kitchen towels and scrubs at her face with hard, angry strokes. She balls up all the coffee-and-snot-sodden sheets and throws them into the bin. With a sigh, Carole grabs her mug, rinses and dries it, and fixes a fresh cup of coffee.

Exhaustion drags her down, and she falls onto the chair rather than sits. The kitchen clock accuses her of wasting hours. At a little past nine, she hasn’t opened the laptop yet. Guilt pierces her guts, and her stomach roils sickeningly. Carole bites her lower lip and drags the machine toward her. At least she left it plugged in when she fell asleep. When she lifts the lid, and the screen loads, the battery indicator glows green and full.

Carole keeps digging, though somewhat aimlessly after yesterday’s dead end. She’d felt so sure those two accounts would have led the police toward Jayden. Something nags at her, but every time she tries to focus on it, the damn thing slithers away like a spiteful snake. Her phone rings. Again.

The blurb.

It’s so remote out here. Anything could happen …

A missed phone call in the night is all it takes.

When Carole’s 18-year-old son goes missing, she breaks into Jayden’s laptop to try to understand his life.

All too soon, Carole discovers just how little she knew her boy.

And when one lead after another dead-ends, the distraught mother has to face the unthinkable.

Sucked into a sticky web of deceit and lies, nothing is as it seems.

When your life turns

inside out and upside down,

who would you trust?

Author Bio

 After spending around thirteen years as an ordained Buddhist monk, living in a Zen Buddhist temple, and six years after a life-changing injury following a surgical error, Harmony Kent returned to the world at the tender age of forty.

Now, she is famous for her laughter, and has made quite the name for herself … she’s also, um, a writer … and fairly well known for that too. She’s even won a few awards. Harmony lives in rural Cornwall with her adorable husband, ever-present sense of humour, and quirky neighbours.

Harmony is passionate about supporting her fellow authors.

Links

Website: https://harmonykent.co.uk/

Story Empire (co-authored): https://storyempirecom.wordpress.com/

Amazon Author Page: author.to/HarmonysBooks

Twitter: @harmony_kent

Goodreads: Author Page

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/harmony-kent

 

The Vanished Boy Sales Link: http://mybook.to/TheVanishedBoy

 

 

 

New Book – Ghostly Interference by Jan Sikes

~ John W. Howell ~ 86 Comments

Jan Sikes has an exciting new book and a new publisher. Here she is to tell you about her book. Welcome, Jan.

Hi, John! Thank you so much for opening your awesome blog site to me to help spread the word about my new book, Ghostly Interference! Your generosity is much appreciated!

Today, I’m going to share some fun facts about myself that you may or may not know.

10 THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT ME

  1. I am a fanatical player of word games – all kinds, board games, apps, or TV game shows – I love words. My favorite app is Words With Friends! I’ve played it since 2014. Come join me!
  2. Favorite Color – This is a hard one, because it changes, but generally any shade of Teal.
  3. Coffee or Tea – Coffee! I love a good cold glass of tea on a hot summer day, but coffee year-round. I wrote a song one time called, “You Pour My Coffee And I’ll Pour Your Tea.”
  4. Pie or Cake – That’s a hard one too because I love them both. But, pie or cobbler would most always win out over cake, especially warm with a scoop of ice cream on top.
  5. eBook or Paperback – I read mostly on my Kindle these days, but dearly love holding a paper copy in my hands. I love the way it feels and the way the pages smell.
  6. Water, soda, or juice – WATER! All-day every day!
  7. Favorite Holiday – Definitely Christmas. Once I had grandchildren, it became super important. I love watching their smiles and excitement around Christmas!
  8. Least Favorite Holiday – Fourth of July. Not only is it always blazing hot, but I am NOT a fan of fireworks, and it goes way back to my childhood. I tend to hide indoors on this holiday.
  9. Favorite Genre of Music – If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I’ve been heavily involved in the Texas music scene for many years. What you may not know is that I am a huge fan of the blues. When you hear the term, “Texas Music,” you automatically think, country, and while that is true to an extent, there is an awesome Texas Blues scene! Just think of Stevie Ray Vaughan. I also love classic country. The modern-day country does nothing for me at all. I suppose that shows my age.
  10. If you were exiled on a deserted island and could only take three things, what would they be? First and foremost, writing materials. I’d much prefer to take my computer, but without electricity, it wouldn’t last long. Secondly, I’d want to take a stack of books by my favorite authors. I mostly read on my Kindle, but again, without electricity, it wouldn’t last long. Third, a water purifier.

And just for fun, I’ll throw in one more. I love insane amounts of butter on hot cornbread or pancakes. 🙂

I’m curious. Did any of my answers surprise you? If so, which ones?

BOOK BLURB

Jag Peters has one goal in his quiet, comfortable life—to keep his karma slate wiped clean. A near-miss crash with a candy apple red Harley threatens to upend his safe world. He tracks down the rider to apologize properly. Slipping into a seedy biker bar, he discovers the rider isn’t a “he”, it’s a “she”, a dark-haired beauty.

Rena Jett is a troubled soul, who lives in a rough world. She wants no part of Jag’s apology, but even while she pushes him away, she is attracted to him. When he claims to see a ghost—her brother—can she trust him? And could her brother’s final gift, a magical rune stone with the symbol for “happily ever after,” have the power to heal her wounds and allow opposites to find common ground—perhaps even love?

BOOK TRAILER LINK: https://youtu.be/NHaLVSe_flI

BOOK PURCHASE LINKS:

AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/Ghostly-Interference-White-Rune-Sikes-ebook/dp/B08KW1KFMW/

BARNES & NOBLE: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ghostly-interference-jan-sikes/1137871003?

JAN SIKES

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

http://www.jansikes.com

https://jansikesblog.com/

https://www.twitter.com/jansikes3

http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJanSikesBooks

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00CS9K8DK  (Author Page)

Welcome to Gwen Plano and Her Latest Book, The Culmination, a new beginning.

~ John W. Howell ~ 45 Comments

 

Thank you, John, for inviting me to your blog to help launch The Culmination, a new beginning. The book is now public on Amazon, and I’m super excited. To celebrate, the Kindle edition is on sale at 99¢ through December.

So, what’s the book about? The Culmination can best be described as a military thriller. It tackles difficult topics such as denuclearization, the power struggles over oil in the Middle East, as well as the ever-present danger of war. Readers will find themselves sitting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, walking in the historic Red Square, and laughing with children in an orphanage in Turkey. They will glimpse the horror of war and watch the give and take of a negotiated peace. Readers will also meet the two heads of state who fall in love and subsequently commit themselves to creating a world in which all are family.

I never expected to write this book, but in some ways, I had no choice. The characters crowded into my office and insisted that I listen to them. In a very real way, they wrote the book. I simply tapped the keys and learned of the urgent need to become family.

BLURB:

The Culmination, a new beginning is the third book in The Contract thriller series. After an assassination attempt on an Air Force base in northern California, tensions mount. Heads of state meet to craft a denuclearization agreement. The meetings between these nuclear powers take a murderous turn. A nefarious conspiracy re-emerges and leads the characters into the heart of the Middle East, where they encounter the unexpected and find a reason for hope.

EXCERPT:

The leaders from the nine countries with nuclear arsenals gather in Santa Fe, New Mexico to check on the U.S.’s disarmament progress. This is the team’s first visit to any of the sites. Vice President Margaret Adler from the United States proudly leads the team to the nuclear weapons complex.

While storm-clouds gather, the leaders from the nuclear nations board an armored military transport and travel to the visitation site, the Kirtland Air Force Base Nuclear Weapons Complex in Albuquerque. An Air Force engineer greets them and explains how the investigation will proceed. He describes the disarmament process and points out the care that is taken for storing the disarmed warheads. Vice President Margaret Adler stands to his side and listens intently as he discloses the intricate steps required. The engineer then leads the team to a viewing room, where members can look out upon the collection of deactivated warheads.

After the technical questions get answered, the team returns to the hotel. They proceed to the conference room to discuss their experience and plan for the next steps. If they’d expected a leisurely working-lunch, events soon disabuse them of that notion. As the attendees take their seats, a scuffle breaks out among the Chinese delegation. A member of their team points a semi-automatic weapon at his President and yells, “Zhang subverts Mao’s principles and lives by his own!” Then he shouts something in Chinese and opens fire.

The Chinese President falls to the ground. Screams erupt and chairs topple as people scramble out of the way of the assassin. Several rush to the door in a panic. Chaos ensues.

Stunned, Margaret stands and stares, mouth agape, and heart thumping. The shooter points the weapon directly at the Vice President. “This charade will end today.”

Margaret keeps her eyes on the assailant and edges away from the group. Those still seated take cover beneath the table, and those standing take a few steps back. TV crews capture everything. Though nauseous from fear, Margaret confronts the man in quiet tones, “Sir, this is not the way to handle a disagreement. Innocent people surround you. Move to the open area, as I have done.”

Russia’s President Smirnov hurries forward and steps in front of Margaret. Meanwhile, soldiers work their way through the crowd and hold their assault weapons drawn on their target. Smirnov tries to talk the militant shooter into laying down his gun, but he will have nothing to do with the President’s directive. Instead, he aims and fires upon him. Immediately, a barrage of automatic shots discharges and kills the assailant.

Margaret can’t help but scream. She covers her mouth with her hand and blinks in shock. Time seems to stand still, and then the roar of pandemonium and fear hits her. At last, she finds that she can move and reaches to help Smirnov.

His son Ivan rushes to his side. Hit in the chest, Smirnov bleeds profusely. He coughs blood and struggles to breathe. He tries to speak, but words fail to emerge. Ivan cradles his father’s head. “I love you.”

With tears pouring down her face, Margaret holds Smirnov’s hand. An Air Force medical team dashes into the room and to the downed President’s side. Smirnov’s eyes are barely open, but he looks at Ivan and then Margaret and sputters one audible word—family. His eyes close. The Russian President takes his final breath.

Overcome by sorrow, Margaret chokes back her tears. As though in a dream, she stands. Smirnov’s blood covers her hands and suit. She summons strength and raises her voice, “We have just beheld the courage of a true leader. He has made the ultimate sacrifice.”

CONTACT INFO:

Blog:  https://www.gwenplano.com/blog-reflections

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/GMPlano

Twitter: https://twitter.com/gmplano

Amazon Author’s page:  https://amzn.to/3eAU2Bt

BOOK LINKS:

Letting Go into Perfect Love – https://amzn.to/3bToO7t

The Contract between heaven and earth – https://amzn.to/2U2Lgmv

The Choice: the unexpected heroes – https://amzn.to/3lcz8eA

The Culmination, a new beginning – https://amzn.to/3eEWkj9

Today I’m with Sally G. Cronin on Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

~ John W. Howell ~ 34 Comments

I am so pleased to be visiting Sally G, Cronin on her Smorgasbord Blog Magazine. She is featuring Eternal Road – The final stop today along with Teri Polen and Jack Easan. I’m so thankful for her help. Here is the link.

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2020/09/07/smorgasbord-cafe-and-bookstore-author-updates-releases-reviews-supernatural-adventure-john-w-howell-dystopian-teri-polen-scifi-jack-eason/

Here is a little about Sally in her words.

“I have enjoyed a nomadic existence living in eight countries including Sri Lanka, Malta, South Africa, USA, and Spain, before settling back here in Ireland. My work, and a desire to see some of the most beautiful parts of the world in the last forty years, has taken me to many more incredible destinations around Europe and Canada, and across the oceans to New Zealand and Hawaii. All those experiences and the people that I have met, provide a rich source of inspiration for my stories.”

If you have never visited Sally’s place it is time you changed that profile. Sally is the most supportive blogger and writer on the planet. She regularly features authors, reviews, and new books. This is on top of a full agenda of fascinating subjects that range from health to music and everywhere in between.

Sally is also a Talented author of twelve books. Here are just  two.

 

You can see them all and a sample of the reviews right here.

Let’s go Visit Sally.

Announcing the Launch – War of Nytefall Ravenous by Charles E. Yallowitz

~ John W. Howell ~ 12 Comments

The world of the Dawn Fangs is about to explode into chaos thanks to Desirae Duvall.

Cover Art by Alison Hunt

In the shadows of Windemere, fangs are sprouting from the least likely of maws.

News is spreading that wild beasts with vampiric natures have been attacking mortals and carrying off random victims. With the Dawn Fangs still a secret from mortal society, Clyde fears that these strange creatures will reveal his peoples’ existence before they are ready. Old enemies and trusted friends begin to disappear as the investigation goes deeper into a business that has been lurking in the shadows of Windemere for decades. Those who return are beholden to a new master whose cunning is matched only by her primal desires. As his allies disappear, Clyde is left with the one he trusts the most in all of the world to help him solve this mystery. Too bad Mab has her own secret that can cause more damage to Nytefall than any vampiric beast.

Is this how the Dawn Fangs will be revealed to Windemere?

Still need more to wet your appetite? Then enjoy this excerpt:

Titus shrugs the girl off his shoulders and grips his blades, but refuses to draw them to avoid causing a scene. The warriors around him are on edge from overhearing Lost’s words and seeing his reaction, but they follow his example and keep their weapons sheathed. The Vengeance Hounds know that it is only a matter of time before the mortals with weaker wills lose control and drive the others into panic. They can hear the rumors of a deadly beast stalking the hunting party ripple through the crowd, each telling more gruesome and bone-chilling than the previous version. Several warriors ignore the warnings of their companions and draw their weapons, but keep them out of sight. Two of the casters begin to chant, which is revealed by the sparkle of magic on their lips. One by one, the lines of warriors stop walking and assume various defensive formations. Frustrated by the collapse of her army, the priestess turns around and tries to assure everyone that they are safe. Standing in the middle of the blossoming chaos, the Vengeance Hounds can only watch as the woman loses her temper and shouts at the archers who were supposed to maintain control.

The warriors go silent when a booming roar erupts from above and a large shadow passes over the area. With a gurgling scream, the priestess collapses in a heap and stares unblinking at the sky. The archers move away from the drooling woman, whose breathing has stopped as if she has been instantly turned off. Landing in front of the hunting party, a crimson-scaled Verenstone Dragon unfurls its muscular tails with one to each side and the other arching over its reptilian head. The thick ridge of black hair going down its back rustles and shivers in the breeze, which heats up as the monster bellows once more. Curled against its side are wings composed entirely of blue flame that licks at the trampled grass, but they are not hot enough to ignite the emerald blades. Leaning forward, the terrifying predator sniffs at the braindead priestess and chuckles before swallowing the body whole. In the brief moment that its mouth is open wide, the Vengeance Hounds notice that two of its teeth are changing as if they are stretching out of the gums. The plaque-covered ivory is curved in a way that makes it clear that they are fangs and the beast is in desperate need of a fresh meal. Its eyes scan the mortals and stop on the three Dawn Fangs for a moment, but it is enough to tell them that the cunning creature recognizes their true nature.

“A vampiric dragon,” Titus mutters under his breath.

Get War of Nytefall: Ravenous on Amazon for $2.99!
Add it to your Goodreads To-Read Lists!

*****

Need to catch up? Then, check out Volumes 1-4 of War of Nytefall!

Cover Art by Alison Hunt

Interested in more Windemere? Then don’t forget to check out Charles E. Yallowitz’s first series: Legends of Windemere

All Cover Art by Jason Pedersen

About the Author:

Charles Yallowitz was born and raised on Long Island, NY, but he has spent most of his life wandering his own imagination in a blissful haze. Occasionally, he would return from this world for the necessities such as food, showers, and Saturday morning cartoons. One day he returned from his imagination and decided he would share his stories with the world. After spending many years fiddling with his thoughts and notebooks, he decided that it was time to follow his dream of being a fantasy author. So, locked within the house with only pizza and seltzer to sustain him, Charles brings you tales from the world of Windemere. He looks forward to sharing all of his stories with you and drawing you into a world of magic.

Blog: www.legendsofwindemere.com
Twitter: @cyallowitz
Facebook: Charles Yallowitz
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cyallowitz/

Enjoy the adventure by clicking here!

Thursday – A little Personal – Book Launch Day

~ John W. Howell ~ 100 Comments
“Yes, Lucy.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be launching a book.”
“Well, the big launch starts on September first.”
“So, it sits there until then?”
“I guess I could do a soft launch.”
“Soft smoft. Announce it already.”

Eternal Road – The final stop is Now Available in Paper and Kindle Formats. For the Introduction, the Kindle edition is on sale at 99¢. The Price Will Never be Lower.

Universal links

Kindle

Paper

The Blurb

James Wainwright picks up a hitchhiker and discovers two things 1. The woman he picks up is his childhood sweetheart, only Seventeen years older. 2. He is no longer of this world.

James began a road trip alone in his 1956 Oldsmobile. He stops for a hitchhiker only to discover she is his childhood sweetheart, Sam, who disappeared seventeen years before. James learns from Sam falling asleep miles back caused him to perish in a one-car accident. He also comes to understand that Sam was taken and murdered all those years ago, and now she has come back to help him find his eternal home.

The pair visit a number of times and places and are witness to a number of historical events. The rules dictate that they do no harm to the time continuum. Trying to be careful, they inadvertently come to the attention of Lucifer, who would love to have their souls as his subjects. They also find a threat to human survival and desperately need to put in place the fix necessary to save humankind.

The question becomes, will James find his eternal home in grace or lose the battle with Satan for his immortal soul and the future of human life with it? If you like time-travel, adventure, mystery, justice, and the supernatural, this story is for you.

This is not your usual thriller or paranormal romance. It is a piece of fiction that is a combination of inspiration, adventure, time travel, sci-fi, a touch of erotica, and a dash of spiritual. In short, it is a lot of things, but hopefully, a story that will make you happy to have read it.

The Trailer

Announcing the Launch of HMS Lanternfish by C.S. Boyack

~ John W. Howell ~ 86 Comments

Hey everyone. I’m so glad to be able to participate in the launch of Craig Boyack’s new book. One of the reasons I’m glad is Lisa Buton, Craig’s spokesperson is here in person.  So not to waste a moment here is Lisa.

Hi, John. We’ve got to stop meeting up like this, or people are going to talk. Anyhoo, I’m here to talk about Craig’s new book and offer some great deals along the way.

The new one is called HMS Lanternfish, and it’s the second book in the series. James and his pirate crew are back, and this time they’re diving into the war effort.

In Voyage of the Lanternfish, they dealt with a lot of hardships. They were short on food and water, munitions, guns, and everything else. This time, they have to deal with too much. The hold of a ship will only contain so much, and weight has to be taken into account, too.

All of your favorite characters are back, but today I want to focus on Serang. She is the former monk who turned pirate, and has appointed herself as the captain’s personal muscle.

I’m going to note right here that she has her own book, oddly enough titled Serang. It’s a supporting story to the trilogy, but it also stands on its own if you’re interested. You can check it out here.

In this story, Serang gets a bit of an upgrade and a new assignment. She also gets a new outfit that consists of this warty leather armor. I’m all about fashion, so I was kind of reserved when Craig told me I’d have to model it. Honestly, it looks better than I thought. It suits Serang’s character, and that matters, too. Here’s a copy of my poster, and your fans are welcome to use it as computer backgrounds or whatever they like.

I need to tell you about the deals, and get down to those all-important links. For a limited time, HMS Lanternfish is priced at 99¢. But wait, there’s more! I always wanted to say that.

Voyage of the Lanternfish is going to be free for the first five days. That’s all Amazon would allow for free days. By my math, this BOGO sale allows you to get two books for a grand total of 99¢, but only if you act fast. You can trust my math, I’m a robot girl.

HMS Lanternfish: 99¢ for a limited time.

Voyage of the Lanternfish: Free until Friday.

John, I really appreciate you having me back. Here’s the cover and blurb to whet your fans’ appetites.

***

HMS Lanternfish

Blurb: The Lanternfish crew completed their original mission, but got exposed to a more global problem. An entire continent is at war, headed up by a head-strong young king with dreams of power, and pushed from behind by a mysterious religious order known as the Fulminites.

Rather than let their country fall under the iron boot of conquest, James and his crew set sail once more to see what kind of muscle Lanternfish can lend to the war effort. Acting precariously under an unofficial charter as a privateer, even his allies aren’t always his friends.

HMS Lanternfish explores new worlds on its way to war, and drifts considerably off course. It features an international crew of characters, and for fans of the first book, the root monsters are back, too. Tall ships, a few con games, martial arts, and everything you loved about the original book is all returning.

Hoist the colors and wheel out the guns. Lanternfish is taking to the high seas once more.

You can contact Craig at the following locations:

Blog | My Novels |  Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook | Pinterest | BookBub

Thursday – A Little Personal – Danny the Dog Book Launch

~ John W. Howell ~ 97 Comments

Thursday a Little Personal

“Hey, Lucy. What are all those people looking at?”

“They are here because we have a special guest. Come down here cause we have a job to do.”

Thursday a little persona

“Does it involve speaking to these folks?”

“Yes, it does.”

“You know I’m timid, right?”

“Yeah, right.  You’ll get over it. This is a great day, and you’ll want to share the good news.”

“So, Hi, folks. Lucy and Tiggy here with you. Say hello, Twiggy.”

“H-hello.”

“Today, we have the pleasure of saying a big welcome to Andrew Joyce and Danny the Dog. Mostly we want you to pay attention to Danny since…well….he’s a dog. Yes, Twiggy?”

“And he has written a book. I know Mr. Joyce has written several books, but he has fingers, and it is way too easy as opposed to paws.”

“Yes, a dog writing a book is a wonderful thing. So with no more delay, here is the information.”

First the Cover.

Amazon link. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084T4JNQW

Then Danny Himself.

Danny the Dog

Danny the Dog is a prolific writer. He’s written articles for bloggers around the world and has his own very popular blog where he dispenses his wisdom on a monthly basis. He’s humorous, clever, charming, delightful, and sometimes irascible. Or, as he would phrase it, “I’m a purveyor of wit, wisdom, and words.”

In My Name Is Danny, Danny writes about his real-life adventures living on a boat in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with his human, Andrew. He tells of their trials and tribulations … and the love they have for one another.

The Amazon link.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084T4JNQW

 

 

Friday – New Book Launch – Grinders – By C.S. Boyack

~ John W. Howell ~ 76 Comments

Friday’s for JohnKu

Today’s a little different…

Craig’s in the house.

I usually have a John Ku and also some thoughts about the week on Friday. Today is a little different. I couldn’t help but do a JohnKu, but the musings will have to wait.

I am delighted to be joined by Craig Boyack, who is launching a new book. I always enjoy Craig’s books and am looking forward to this one. So without any delay, Here’s Craig.

Thanks for inviting me back, John. I’m here to talk about my newest book, Grinders. Grinders is a cyberpunk story, and many of you might be wondering what that is. Maybe my best way to start off is by telling you what it isn’t.

Science Fiction is a huge category. You can divide it up by thinking about space opera and anything with aliens, then everything else. Cyberpunk falls in the everything else category. In that section you can find everything from Godzilla, to Jurassic Park, to Frankenstein, so let’s narrow it a bit more.

Many science fiction stories in the remainder consist of either dystopia or utopia stories. Nope, not those either, but now that we’ve narrowed the field, I feel like I can get into the topic.

Cyberpunk involves a futuristic world where things are not perfect, but not horrible either. It usually focuses on high-tech and a bit of corruption. (That’s the punk part.) In these stories the environment is important and it’s almost like a character itself. I really tried to get this across in my story.

Grinders is set in a futuristic version of San Francisco. I tried to take current events and imagine where we might be in eighty to a hundred years. People solved the energy crisis, but made themselves beholden to the new system. Seas have risen dramatically, but the sea wall never got completed due to political bickering.

Many sections of the city are underwater and parts of the coast are trash piles because of the buildings being destroyed. They managed to clean up some portions of the mess and used the debris to raise the ground where the airport is. I tried to keep this just part of the environment and not make direct and blunt points about it all. You’ll see references to places like Telegraph Island in the story. Those who know SanFrancisco will know this area as Telegraph Hill and it is not an island – for now.

My main characters work for the police department on the Grinder Squad. The city receives grant money for having a dedicated department. When the money arrives, they divert it to more glamorous details. Grinder Squad is the worst of the worst, and all the new cars, supplies, and choice assignments go elsewhere. In other words, political corruption.

Technology is huge in this story, and I tried to take the concept of Alexa or Ring doorbells and project them into the future. Grinders has a futuristic version of personal digital assistants. Advertising is pervasive in this story, and the people living in it can’t avoid a constant stream of ways to separate them from their income.

In other words, I tried to make it futuristic while keeping it more realistic to life in general. Obviously, we’ve ignored science long enough to have a problem with global warming. What might this look like in the future? What would unregulated artificial intelligence look like 100 years from now?

There are good things, too. The grid is a new way of generating cheap power, and I have a whole post planned around this one somewhere down the line. The artificial intelligence is also helpful in the story at times.

At the end of the day, my main characters have to solve the big problems in humanistic ways, and that seems logical, too. I really enjoyed coming up with this expansive environment, and I hope some of your readers will give Grinders a chance.

Thanks for having me over again, John.

***

Blurb:

Jimi Cabot made one mistake as a starving college student. When she went to work for the San Francisco Police Department, it nearly cost her the job. The union stepped in and they had to reinstate her. They did so by assigning her to the duty nobody wants, Grinder Squad.

Grinders are people who use back room surgeries to enhance their bodies with computer chips, and various kinds of hardware. Jimi is sure that if she can just bust one grind shop, it will be her ticket back.

Paired with veteran cop, she soon learns that Grinder Squad is a cash-cow for the department. They are nothing more than glorified patrol cops, and generally get the worst assignments.

Matchless is the most wanted grinder of all time. He disappeared years ago, leaving only the evidence of those he enhanced during his career. With these pieces, Jimi picks up the cold trail to try working her way back to more respectable duty.

Grinders is a cyberpunk story set in a world where global warming has eroded coastlines, and society has solved many of our current problems by replacing them with new ones. There are cyber shut-ins, cyber-currency skimming schemes, and more in this futuristic tale.

This book also takes the opportunity to poke a stick at current issues that seem to have lasted into the future. Entitled people, helicopter moms, overzealous homeowner associations, and lack of decent jobs are all present. Never preachy, these issues make up the day to day work of a patrol officer.

I hope you enjoy Grinders as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you.

Purchase link: http://mybook.to/Grinders

You can contact Craig at the following locations:

Blog My Novels  Twitter Goodreads Facebook