I had been thinking a long time about the past, and early morning light had run away the shadows. I didn’t want to relive those terrible moments in time, but my mind kept pushing me back to them.
My mother’s bedroom door creaked open, and her feet padded softly down the carpeted hallway. I thought she would go downstairs, but her footsteps stopped outside of my room. I lay frozen on my bed, looking at the door. I could hear my mother’s breath, soft and sad. The knob turned, and the door inched open slowly. My mother stood in the doorway with a laundry basket against her hip.
Oh, she was putting away laundry. No big deal.
“Hey, Mom,” I said, rising from my bed. “I’ll get that for you,” I offered, motioning to the laundry basket. My mother didn’t move or look at me. She seemed like she was unsure about something.
She was trying to get her emotions under control, but she let a tear fall as she looked at the floor. “I never blamed you,” she whispered. “You never hurt anyone.” The last words seemed to be too much for my mother, and she burst into tears. I watched her with my hands up. What was I supposed to do?
Before I could decide on a course of action, my mother turned around and closed my door. I lowered my hands and stared at the door.
I had waited almost a year for my mother’s forgiveness. Now that she had pardoned me, I still felt cold and alone. I had pictured us holding and hugging each other, but my mother had left without a show of affection.
My mother may have been trying to keep her emotions in check, like her father had taught her to do when she was young. She was probably ashamed of her tears. Besides, she was from the city, and city girls weren’t supposed to cry.
I settled under my comforter and tried to push the gnawing emptiness away. I tried to pretend my twin was on the bed above me and that he was only sleeping. I wanted to talk to him, and I knew he would understand.
No matter how mad I made him, he always listened to me and tried to help. The morning light landed on Josh’s model car collection, but it was dusty and mostly forgotten. One of the models was missing because of me.
I enjoyed most of my memories of the past, but I had been avoiding one of the worst times for our family. My thoughts shifted back to the day I had hidden my brother’s favorite model truck in the kitchen stove.
It was nice to hear that my mother didn’t place blame on me, but her actions over the past year suggested otherwise. We both knew I had hurt a lot of people during my seventeen years, and Josh wasn’t the only brother who had died because of me.
About the Book
A Pale Woods Mystery: Book One
Genre: Mystery
Date Published: 26th June 2020
Publisher: Jan-Carol Publishing Inc.
Seventeen-year-old Jerrod has struggled with the guilt of his actions for an event that took place almost a year ago. His friends have abandoned him, his family ignores him, and he lost his best friend. To make matters worse, he was unable to access records that may have revealed his father’s whereabouts.
His sister, Ella, guides Jerrod as he tries to learn and accept secrets his family has tried to hide. However, a sinister spirit may be influencing Ella’s actions, and it has an agenda of its own.
About the Author
Courtnee Turner Hoyle was raised in Unicoi County, surrounded by the traditions and dialect of the area. She embraced the regional stories, mountain views, and culture -except sweet tea and unannounced visits – and sought to correct the misconceptions about the local people and the town stories that turned into rumors. Despite the challenges that face a young mother, she graduated East Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Arts in English, with an emphasis in technical writing, and a Bachelor of Business. She received a Master of Arts in Teaching from the same university, and began writing novels. She volunteers with community organizations, and she has been involved with Girl Scouts of the Southern Appalachians for several years as a Troop Administrator. She also volunteers with the Girl Scout Service Unit in her area. Her responsibilities include planning events, organizing social media releases for the service unit, and writing articles about the activities and accomplishments of all the troops in her county. She resides in Erwin, Tennessee, with her children and husband. She has hiked the section of the Appalachian Trail near her home, has visited many of the caves and other mountain trails in the area, and is fascinated by their enigmatic appeal. She likes reading, writing, and any reasonable music. Most of all, she enjoys sharing adventures with her children and making memories through their experiences.
Today, I’m hosting an interview with Greg Jolley, who talks about his new release, a suspenseful thriller, “The Collectors”. His book appeared on my blog earlier this week.
THE COLLECTORS Interview with Greg Jolley Brought to you by BHC Press
Where did the idea for the book originate? What was the writing process like?
“The Collectors” came from a compelling curiosity with odd collections and museums and, of course, the people who construct them and their motivations, obsessions and compulsions. I researched and interviewed a few curators in an attempt to understand their psychological passion for capturing rare relics and oddities. It was a fresh and foreign mental landscape to explore. There is a strange side to the desire to collect and revere objects of nostalgia as well as fulfilling morbid fascinations with the famous and infamous. Without exception, they loved to talk about the wonder and reverence they felt and the ways they had gone about their collecting. Questions about their motivations were answered evasively, at best.
The write itself took seven months. Three of them were spent doing the research and character and location sketches and getting familiar with my cast. The write itself was that fine daily immersion that makes being a novelist so rewarding.
Introduce us to the main characters in the book. Who was your favorite to write and why?
All three main characters were a challenging delight. While I didn’t have a favorite, Pierce was the most familiar. That said, all three were constantly entertaining and shocking. As often happens about a third of the way along, the cast took over the write and I became their story’s typing pool.
Pierce He is always a surprising personality to work with, always turning left when all the road signs and my plans scream, “Turn right!” Big of heart, passionate in love, and often a loose cannon, I pretty much turned him loose. Soon as he put his nose to the sand and started tracking Pauline Place, I was comfortable taking my hands off the wheel.
Pauline Pauline is the famous actress Pauline Place, who was a pleasure to work with again. She is a rare beauty, strong-willed, no one’s fool and capable of getting in serious trouble – often of her own making – as a challenge to herself and her ways and wits.
Deung Ah, Deung… nothing more enjoyable than entering his twisted and dangerous mind. He was another chance to open the black box containing evil and dark lunacy, compulsions and sociopathic blood lust. Mix in the desire to wed and bed a deceased actress and he scared and revolted me badly more than once.
Movies and filmmaking feature prominently in your book. What is it about movies that fascinates you?
For “The Collectors” it was the continued fascination with the psychology of cameras. Many of the Danser novels are set within movie productions for two reasons. The first is inspired by the historical Jewish proverb that I paraphrase as, “God loves stories.” I interpret this as meaning that our use of free will and our choices tell the stories he loves to watch unfold.
The second is a question. What is a camera, metaphorically? If our lives are movies of our choices, then we also get to decide which side of the viewfinder we live on. Are we behind the camera, calling the shots as we view our world and our lives? Or before it, center stage, immersed in our stories and delighting in each new experience and decision? Either side of the camera can be a fine and interesting place to live (or narrate) our tales.
Pierce has a fondness for cars, especially Willys and Packards. Are you also a car aficionado?
I’m so not. Lol, I drive a Jeep. That said, automobiles do have a functional mechanical beauty. To this day, American culture has a strong affection for car brands and models. Why I don’t share this, for the book I needed to explore and better understand that psychological attachment to objects, much like the collectors in the novel do.
The villain Deung is a twisted and chilling character. What inspired him?
It was a fascination with wealthy lunatics who have the means to pursue their macabre compulsions. There are many real-world examples of them. Some of my favorites were in the 1800s, in London; men with their gruesome collections on display. Many of these museums housed true horror shows for both curators and audiences; places to take twisted delight in. The States also has its share of macabre collections and museums of cruelty, crime, violence and, well, evil. Truth be told, they are really hard to look away from.
Deung is a collector of “odd things” and readers have described your book as “not for the faint of any kind.” Without giving anything away, where did your inspiration for his macabre hobby originate from?
He certainly has collecting and acquisition and control issues that I wanted to explore. Same with his bent and twisted mind, where he lives far south of the sanity border. I wanted to better understand how some of darkest of sick minds can calmly believe that their murderous ways make perfectly good sense.
What is it that you enjoy most about writing thrillers and suspense?
I enjoy it all, which is why I write seven days a week, but the pre-write research and sketching is often the most interesting and creative part. During those months, I collect miles of Ingredients, which are snippets of dialogue, mapping locations, choosing the cast, and deciding both theme and structure. From this, the Skeleton of the book forms itself naturally. I usually come in at around ten thousand words before I enter the write. In the case of “The Collectors” I was fortunate to be working with Pierce Danser again, which made the start very easy, knowing that as soon as I turned him loose, the roller coaster had entered the tunnel.
Do you listen to music when you write? If yes, what’s the soundtrack for this book?
For “The Collectors” it was Steely Dan. The write needed the complex, colorful and edgy jazz and heartbeat rhythms that the band loved to work with. While I didn’t listen closely, I did hear sparks of the caustic lyrics that can only encourage.
What are three things most people don’t know about you?
I rarely read fiction, but consume tons of nonfiction. I have a lifelong passionate love of fiction and consumed most of the best. The reason I decided years ago not to read fiction had to do with the influence on my voice and craft. I’m both careful and selective with what I allow to effect my writing of the Danser novels.
I surf every day after closing the office, needing to enjoy and experience real people in the real world. There’s so much to learn and be inspired by that isn’t available in imagination on its own.
I love all the reviews and reviewers and can’t say enough about how important and meaningful they are. Unfortunately, I can’t read them. I do look at the ratings and I’m sincerely grateful for those, as I am for everyone who graciously takes the time to share their thoughts and insights. My relationship with my readers is of huge importance to me, no matter if they love a book or trash it. The rub is the indirect influence on the daily write. As an example, I recall being taken to task for wrecking four brand new Buicks in “Dot to Dot” which was considered unnecessarily wasteful. When I found myself worrying about this concern a few days later, I knew I had a problem. As with the decision to not read fiction, I’m a bit obsessive with what influences I’ll allow inside the daily writes. That said, I love all the questions about the books and always delight in replying to them.
What are you currently working on?
“Chas Danser Book One: Vivre au Cinéma”
Seventeen-year-old Chas is an actor who also has a severe neurological injury, experiencing fugues when he smells eucalyptus. (Yes, there are such cases in real life). He uses that rich, dusty scent to fully immerse himself in the films he’s in, which allows me to work with the craft and tools and magic of movies. In the Chas novel, the film he enters is “French Slaughter” a cinematic telling of the historic, failed attempt of the French to establish a holding in Florida in the 1500s. The Spanish respond to this incursion in the deadliest of ways.
This is book one of a series, using the same movie immersion as its centerpiece, bookended by his real life deadly adventures in the crime and madness of current day Florida.
About the Author
Greg Jolley aka Gregory French earned a Master of Arts in Writing from the University of San Francisco and lives in the very small town of Ormond Beach, Florida. When not writing, he researches historical crime, primarily those of the 1800s or goes surfing.
Pierce Danser is on the hunt for his soon-to-be ex-wife, the actress Pauline Place, who’s disappeared from the Black Island film set in the heat swarmed waters off the Mexican coast. A wealthy “collector” with a black heart and dangerous, evil mind has kidnapped her, planning a forced marriage to complete his manage of twisted museum pieces.
As Pierce starts down the winding, dark, and deadly path in pursuit, his journey is a roller coaster through a horror show. No matter the grisly and dangerous obstacles, he is determined to rescue Pauline, even if it means the loss of his own life. The clock is ticking, his resources are slim and he’s up against a man of great means as well as a twisted, cruel vision.
Pierce Danser is on the hunt for his soon-to-be ex-wife, the actress Pauline Place, who’s disappeared from the Black Island film set in the heat swarmed waters off the Mexican coast. A wealthy “collector” with a black heart and dangerous, evil mind has kidnapped her, planning a forced marriage to complete his manage of twisted museum pieces.
As Pierce starts down the winding, dark, and deadly path in pursuit, his journey is a roller coaster through a horror show. No matter the grisly and dangerous obstacles, he is determined to rescue Pauline, even if it means the loss of his own life. The clock is ticking, his resources are slim and he’s up against a man of great means as well as a twisted, cruel vision.
About the Author
Greg Jolley aka Gregory French earned a Master of Arts in Writing from the University of San Francisco and lives in the very small town of Ormond Beach, Florida. When not writing, he researches historical crime, primarily those of the 1800s or goes surfing.
In the ten years since John Malley lost his wife and daughter, he has slowly faded into obscurity in a rural Pennsylvania town. He spends his days at the local bar and tries to numb the pain of his loss. That is, until Ted’s Dead Rose Tavern becomes the home of the biggest mass killing in the history of the town. John, the lone survivor of the killing-spree, is forced on the run. He heads north where he hopes to hide out at his brother’s house.
Meanwhile, in New York City, young Melanie Parker investigates a disturbing new trend she discovered online. From what she has learned, metallic black bands worn along the forearm are responsible for some form of mind control. Skeptical of this theory, Melanie embarks on a night time excursion that places her in the middle of a riot in the middle of the city. Melanie fights for her life as chaos spreads throughout the city.
As John witnesses the events in New York, he is compelled to take action. But once in the city, John is forced to confront his past.
About the Author
Josh Magnotta has been a resident of northern Pennsylvania for most of his life. Throughout his early life and teenage years he was an avid writer but during college drifted away from the passion as work and other priorities took precedence. In 2014, he graduated from college and soon began working a swing shift in a factory. It was here, during off shifts where Josh would read during the night to stay awake, that his passion for writing was rekindled. After leaving the factory-life behind, Josh went back to college and began work on his first novel, A Sweet, Soft Glow. He has been writing ever since.
Spinning away from Mars was not what Marcus thought would be the best part of his day. Coming out of his escape, he finds an enemy waiting in the wings of his ship that he has to make a deal with, a commune that has some interesting customs, a colony of Alters, and even an old “friend” who helped him escape his Eridani overlord. But his friend cashes in that chip. He wants Marcus to help lure a mutual friend, Lash, into the Belt and set up a trap using a Judas Contract.
About the Author
I’ve always been a fan of science fiction and fantasy. Been writing it for years and will until I am have been lowered into the ground. My first novel, “Mostly Human,” has been in my head and on paper for years. There are more stories of 4Pollack and working on the next one as fast as I can. Also, I have spread my areas into urban fantasy noir with “Janus City,” space Opera with “Blood for the Empress” and even military sci-fi with “I.S.S. Starkiller.” And now, I must go back to my scribblings.
Can a conspiracy be uncovered before the Death Count rises?
Forensic accountant Kat Munro fights corporate fraud during the day and kickboxes her demons at night while trying to ignore the nightmares that have plagued her since a car accident changed her life forever.
DS Adam Jackson is haunted by the mysterious disappearance of a friend two years ago.
When the partner of a successful London Investment fund dies in suspicious circumstances, Kat joins forces with Adam to investigate the firm. As they gather evidence of a crime with implications beyond the City, they find that events in their pasts are on a collision course; one which will ultimately put them both in serious danger.
Fast-paced and entertaining, Death Count takes a deadly dip into the world of financial crime.
Excerpt
Kat Munro twisted in her seat and looked behind. A dark shape took form as it approached from the gloom at speed, its headlights bearing down on them. She sensed Gabe ease their car towards the edge of the bitumen to allow the other vehicle to pass. A frown creased the skin between his eyes for a moment, and his long slender hands gripped the wheel. The breeze tossed his hair as he turned his head to look at Kat, and a warm smile lit up his handsome face. But instead of passing, the engine of the car behind them roared, and it closed the distance like a lion tracking its prey. Kat felt fear clutch at her throat. Had she been seen? The drive into town for extra supplies in Gabe’s convertible now seemed fraught with danger.
“What the…” Gabe began, glancing in the rear vision mirror.
Kat looked across at him as she felt the car accelerate and gather speed.
From the back seat, Felicity hiccupped and giggled, twin dimples forming in her cheeks. She toed off her shoes and kicked her long legs up onto the seat.
Kat peered behind once more; her heart was thudding fast in her chest. The other car was keeping pace with them and was so close that she could make out the outlines of those in the front seat.
The light breeze, scented with the aroma of the wild honeysuckle growing at the side of the road, whipped her hair around her face.
“Gabe, slow down,” Kat said, pushing the strands aside.
A bend in the road was fast approaching. Gabe changed gears, slowing the car as they entered the corner, but then sped up as they exited the turn. Their pursuers fell back for a moment before catching up to them again. Kat gripped the edge of her seat, terrified. A second tighter bend loomed in front of them when the other vehicle made a sudden move to pass and clipped the back of their car. The convertible shuddered from the impact and hit the loose gravel at the side of the road. It began to spin, with Gabe fighting to control it.
“Hey,” Felicity shouted as she was tossed around on the back seat, too drunk to comprehend the danger they were facing.
The next images came into Kat’s mind in a series of flashes.
The slide into the low stone wall, the car sailing through the air before hitting the ground in a field and rolling twice… Felicity’s cries of pain… men approaching the vehicle and pulling a dazed Gabe away from the wreckage… thick and cloying smoke, blood, and flames.
Kat’s screams rang out as she looked at her arm, draped over the side door of the car, and saw her bloodied hand hanging on to her wrist by a flap of skin and tissue.
Kat bolted upright. The room was dark, the bedsheets twisted. Her breathing was coming in uneven gulps, and her heart was racing. She glanced at the bedside clock, 4:30 a.m.; there would be no more sleep for her tonight.
About the Author
SL Beaumont is the author of the award-winning novel Shadow of Doubt and the Amazon best-selling series, The Carlswick Mysteries. She lives in beautiful New Zealand, which is only problematic when the travel-bug bites (which it does fairly often)! Her passion for travel has seen her take many long haul flights to various parts of the world. Her love of history helps determine the destination and the places she visits are a constant source of inspiration for her. Prior to becoming an author, SL Beaumont worked in banking in London and New York. Shadow of Doubt won the 2020 Indie Reader Mystery/Suspense/Thriller Award, was long-listed for the 2020 Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Novel, and was a semi-finalist for both the 2019 Publisher’s Weekly BookLife Prize and the 2020 Kindle Book Awards.
Ex-CIA operative and geophysicist Alex Cave searches for the source of seismic activity in the Pacific Ocean and discovers an ancient alien laboratory. Getting inside is the easy part. Getting out of an alternate reality might be impossible.
Excerpt
AREA 51. GROOM LAKE, NEVADA
A knot forms in Alex Cave’s stomach as the special jet swings around on final approach to the top-secret facility. He was visiting his family in Washington State when his boss, Director Holly Blake, called and ordered him to return to the base immediately. Her tone of voice indicated she was upset, but she wouldn’t go into details over a non-secure connection. He immediately caught a flight to Las Vegas, where he boarded this private jet for a ride to the base.
He looks out the window as the plane levels out on final approach, and the gray concrete runway rushes up to meet the plane. He feels the wheels hitting the ground and the engines drop to idle as the jet loses momentum and stops in front of a small security building. Before he gets up, he watches an unmarked vehicle drive up and stop next to the plane.
He releases his seatbelt while the attendant opens the exit door and lowers the stairs, then he stands and goes forward to grab his backpack. When the attendant indicates for him to leave it on the plane, he realizes whatever this meeting is about, he won’t be returning to his base apartment. He slowly descends the steps and stops in front of two serious-looking men. “What’s going on?”
The man indicates the vehicle. “I’m agent Garcia, and we have orders to escort you to Director Blake’s office. Get in, please.”
Alex’s gut tightens into a knot of apprehension. “All right.”
He does as instructed and climbs into the back seat. As the car drives away, he leans forward to talk to the men. “What agency do you work for?”
Garcia turns to look at Alex. “We’re part of the secret service.”
Several questions race through Alex’s mind, but he knows these men don’t have the answers. The vehicle stops in front of a familiar building and everyone climbs out, then Alex leads the way into the structure and down the hallway to Holly’s office.
The door is open, so Alex steps into the room, noticing the two agents remain in the hallway. He sees Holly sitting in a chair behind her desk, and a tall, masculine looking woman standing beside her. The woman is dressed in a US Air Force Captain’s uniform and is as tall as he is.
His heart races when he sees Jadin standing to one side of the room. She’s part of his team and he hopes she’s not in trouble.
Jadin notices Alex’s brows bunch together below his wavy black hair. She stares into his dark blue eyes and gives him a sympathetic expression.
Alex turns and looks at Holly. “What’s going on, Director?”
Holly indicates the woman. “This is Captain Sharon Fargo. It seems our new President wants the military to take over operation of your spacecraft, and she’s in charge of the first training program.”
Alex knew this might happen one day. A few years ago, he discovered an ancient alien spacecraft in the crater of a dormant volcano in Alaska and managed to get it working. Now it’s here, in Hangar 5. On the advice from his Chief of Staff, the new president had tried to commandeer his spaceship a few months ago. He didn’t get it then, and he will not take it now.
Alex looks over at Fargo. “That ship belongs to me. The government can’t just take it.”
Fargo moves around the desk and locks stares with Alex. “It’s done. Live with it.”
Alex’s hands clench into fists at his sides as he turns to look down at Holly. “You can’t let them get away with this.” The look in Holly’s eyes tells him she has no choice, so he turns back to Fargo. “On whose authority?”
Fargo grabs a folder on the desk and holds it out to Alex. “This is from the Attorney General granting me the authority to claim the ship under the law of Eminent Domain. Meaning, if it’s for the good of the country, the government can take your spaceship.”
Alex doesn’t take the folder and stares into Fargo’s eyes. “Over my dead body!”
Fargo grins sadistically. “I hope it doesn’t come to that, Mister Cave.”
“What about my team?”
“Since Jadin officially works for NASA, she will teach us how to operate that spacecraft. I’m sure we can get by without you, so I revoke your security clearance and my people will escort you back to the plane. Your personal belongings in your apartment will be shipped to your designated location.”
Alex gives Holly an imploring stare and sees the regret in her eyes. He knows she tried to stop it, but it didn’t work.
Jadin sees the rage in Alex’s expression and his clenched fists. She wants him to shut up before he gets into more trouble, so she grabs Fargo’s arm to get her attention away from Alex. “I think I can work with you on this, Captain Fargo. How about I start the training on Monday morning? That gives me three days to shut down my research project at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena.”
Fargo tosses the folder onto the desk. “That’s fine.”
When Jadin sees Fargo indicate for her men to get Alex back to the jet, she reaches up to wrap her arms around his neck, pulling him close for a hug. “Call me later, okay?”
Alex puts his cheek against hers so he can whisper into her ear. “This isn’t over.”
Jadin notices Fargo staring at them and slowly raises her hands up to Alex’s face. She cups them over his ears to pull him close, covertly inserting a communication device into his right one. “I have an idea, so don’t do anything rash. I’ll explain later.”
When Jadin gives him a soft kiss on his lips and steps back, Alex reaches across the desk to shake Holly’s hand. “It’s been nice working with you.”
Holly doesn’t accept as she stares up at him. Instead, she stands and walks around the desk to give him a hug. When he bends down, she turns him so Fargo cannot see her face and whispers in his ear. “I’ll keep you updated on what happens here.”
“Don’t get in trouble over me.”
Holly lets go and steps back. “Stay safe.”
Fargo looks down at Jadin and sees the moisture building up in her green eyes. “Am I going to have any problems with you, Ms. Avery?”
Jadin wants to tell her where to shove her problems, but her self-restraint wins. “No, Captain. I’ll meet with your astronauts at Hangar 5 first thing Monday morning.”
Fargo indicates the doorway to Alex. “After you, Mister Cave.”
Alex reluctantly leaves with the two men for the flight back to Las Vegas. For the moment, he’s out of a job and decides to go back to his family in Washington.
Jadin steps into the hallway and stares after Alex and the two agents, finding it hard to believe he is leaving for good. She feels Fargo’s hand on her shoulder and moves back into the room, then folds her arms across her chest and stares at the Captain. “What about David? He can help.”
“Mister Conway no longer works here. He left four days ago.”
Jadin’s jaw drops open as her arms unfold to her sides. “What? That’s ridiculous. He’s the only person who knows how the engine works. He needs to be here.”
Holly looks up at Fargo. “She’s correct. If you have any problems, you’ll need his help.”
Fargo knows the ship works perfectly. “I’ll call him in as an advisor if necessary. I’ll expect daily reports on the program’s progress, Ms. Blake.” She spins around and heads out of the room toward the exit.
Jadin gives Holly a troubled expression. “I don’t think this will work. Even if I show Fargo’s people how to use the ship, Melvin won’t follow their commands.”
“Will he follow yours?”
Jadin thinks about it for a moment. “I have no idea.”
Holly moves around the desk to sit in her chair. “I’m worried about David. Fargo was less than subtle when she fired him. He took it hard and I haven’t been able to contact him since he left the base.”
“I’ll try to get ahold of him.”
“All right. When will you leave for JPL?”
Jadin suddenly realizes she can ride with Alex to Las Vegas and smiles at Holly. “Right now. I don’t need to pack anything, so I’ll ride with Alex. I’d better hurry. I’ll see you Sunday afternoon.”
“Listen, Jadin. I know how you feel about Alex, but you need to let him go. At least for now. Fargo will be on that plane and we don’t want her thinking there is a conspiracy between you two. The plane will be back in an hour.”
Jadin’ realizes Holly is correct. “All right. What do you know about my feelings for Alex?”
“That he thinks you two can’t be lovers and work together.”
“Is it that obvious?”
“To me, yes, but I can’t speak for anyone else.”
Jadin heaves a deep sigh of resignation. “At least that won’t be a problem anymore. I’ll start packing Alex’s personal items in his room while I wait. I’ll see you when I get back.”
Holly leans back in her chair and stares after Jadin. “This should get interesting.”
About the Author
James M. Corkill is a veteran and retired federal firefighter from Washington State, USA. He was an electronic technician before eventually becoming a firefighter for 32 years and retiring. He began writing in 1997, and was fortunate to meet the famous horror writer Hugh B. Cave, who became his mentor. His science fiction mystery novels have won six awards, including one international award. His favorite quote: “When you wake up in the morning, you never know where the day will take you.” He now lives in the Smoky Mountains of western North Carolina.
Today, I have a very special author to feature. Jim Ody is not only a talented author of numerous 5-star thrillers and suspenseful novels, but also my friend and fellow author. I met Jim working with Crazy Ink Publishing. Although we both left the publisher, our friendship continues and so does Jim’s publishing journey.
I wish Jim all the best with his new release. Please, give a warm welcome to…
Tall Trees Book 1
Genre: Mystery, Horror, Suspense
Published: 30th November 2020
Publisher: Question Mark Press
Everybody has secrets. But in Tall Trees, the secrets are darker and cause bodies to turn up dead.
A couple getting away from it all; three teenage girls on their first holiday away from home; a lad back from Uni; a campsite with cameras; a treasure hunt and a mysterious little girl. What connects them all? And being so deep in the Wiltshire countryside, will anyone know they’re gone?
Will you ever be able to listen to ‘Silent Night’ again… Take a little Psycho, and mix with some Sleepaway Camp and Saw, then run for your life!
About the Author
For 10 years Jim wrote for a number of websites reviewing and interviewing bands in his own unique way, as well as contributing dark poems and comedic features. He writes dark psychological/thrillers that have endings that you won’t see coming, and favours stories packed with wit. If you look closely, all of his books are connected… He has written 12 books, released and re-released by a number of publishers. He has also contributed to over a dozen anthologies. He’s the author of the popular Hudson Bell series, and his new book ‘Little Miss Evil’ will be released on Halloween 2020. Look out for his book ‘The Crazy Season’ which is due out early 2021! Jim has a very strange sense of humour and is often considered a little odd. When not writing he will be found playing the drums, watching football and eating chocolate. He lives with his long-suffering wife and three beautiful children in Swindon, Wiltshire UK.
SaltandNovels 