Blog Tour Author Interview & Giveaway - Reconquest: Mother Earth by Carl Alves

Reconquest: Mother Earth

Carl Alves

Genre: Science Fiction

Publisher: Montag Press

Date of Publication: March 26, 2014

Number of pages: 304

Word Count: 75,000

Cover Artist: Jeremy Rathbone

Book Description:

SEAL Mitch Grace was among the first humans to see the aliens when they landed at the naval base where he was stationed, but like the rest of humanity, he was powerless to stop them.

Five years later, Mitch awakens from his coma under the care of an alien physician to find that aliens control the planet.  Starting alone, as a one man army, he rallies the surviving humans to build a resistance movement to take the planet back from the alien conquerors. After his capture by the aliens, Mitch is forced into intergalactic slavery to become a gladiator, fighting as the sole representative of the human species. Against all odds and far from home, he lays the plans for the reconquest of his homeland.

Reconquest: Mother Earth is the thrilling combination of Red Dawn, Independence Day, and Gladiator.

Buy Links:

Amazon ¦ BN

Author Interview

1. What inspired you to want to become a writer?

When I was in high school I dabbled in writing but I dropped it when I got to college.  Majoring in Biomedical Engineering, there wasn’t a whole lot of time for ancillary activities.  After graduation, my wife thought it would be a good idea if I started writing again, and I realized that it was something that I missed.  That was when I got serious about learning the craft and trying to get published. 

2. Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.

It would have to be getting my first novel published, Two For Eternity.  It wasn’t the first novel that I had written. It was actually my third novel.  From the time I started writing again, until Two For Eternity was published was around ten years. It was a long, hard process, but one that has also been rewarding in many ways.  The struggle made me appreciate it all that much more. 

3. If you could have a signed copy of any novel what would it be and why?

Definitely The Stand by Stephen King.  The Stand is the best novel I've ever read.  I tackled this post apocalyptic epic fantasy when I was thirteen.  It had a profound effect on me then and made me want to write.  There is so much going on in the novel, but if you want to boil it down to its fundamentals, it's ultimately about good vs. evil.  The personification of evil, and the best written villain I've encountered this side of Hannibal Lecter is represented in Randall Flagg, who is kind of like the devil incarnate and the one who started this super flu.

4. If you could have any superpower what would you choose?

I would want to be superfast like The Flash.  Since I was a kid, he has always been my favorite superhero.  I live such a busy life.  I am constantly on the move.  I figure that if I had super speed than that could alleviate some of my problems.  I could get to my job in like 30 seconds instead of nearly an hour and that would create all kinds o fextra time. 

5. Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book.

Reconquest: Mother is fast paced with loads of action, cool characters, and aliens.

6. Any other books in the works? Goals for future projects?

I never stop writing.  Just recently I finished a manuscript am I currently titling Beyond Ragnarok, which starts off with the Battle of Ragnarok taken from Norse mythology.  In my story Loki swerves the Asgardian gods by not appearing at Ragnarok, and instead spending the last decade on Midgard (Earth) creating a virus designed to wipe out most of the population so that he can wrest power from the world’s leaders.  It is up to two of the survivors of the Battle of Ragnarok to stop him.

7. Do you write as you go or do you have the book planned before you start the first draft?

What I generally have is a pretty good idea  of the beginning and the end, and then maybe a couple of the major characters and plot points.  I don’t outline, but what I do instead is sort of outline in my own mind all of the time.  I’m constantly looking ahead at what I see happening in the next three  - six chapters and how it will lead to my end goal.  I work out the dialogue and the action scenes in my head before I put them to paper, but I like to have the story evolve.  Very often, I’ll change directions  from where I had originally planned to go because it makes sense for the story and the characters. 

8. What movie and/or book are you looking forward to this year?

I am looking forward to watching Captain America: the Winter Soldier with my nine-year-old son.  It will be a nice shared experience for the two of us.  I currently have a long queue of books to read, but I what I am most looking forward to is getting further along in A Song of Fire and Ice by George R.R. Martin. 

9. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

Other than my home in Pennsylvania, it would have to be in Hawaii, the most beautiful place I have ever been to in my life.

10. Can you see yourself in any of your characters?

I think subconsciously there is always either going to be some of my thoughts or philosophies of life in my characters, but there is certainly never anything overt.  All of the characters I have ever written about are vastly different than myself as people.

About the Author:

Carl went to Boston University majoring in Biomedical Engineering.  Carl graduated with a BS degree, and has since worked in the pharmaceutical and medical devices industries.  He later graduated from Lehigh University with an MBA degree.  His debut novel Two For Eternity was released in 2011 by Weaving Dreams Publishing.  His novel Blood Street was released in 2012 by True Grit Publishing.  His novel Reconquest: Mother Earth is scheduled to be released in 2014 by Montag Press.  His short fiction has appeared in various publications such as Blood Reign Lit, Alien Skin, and Dark Eclipse.  He is a member of the Horror Writers Association and has attended the Penn Writers Conference.

Author Links:

Website ¦ Facebook ¦ Twitter

***Giveaway***

5 copies of  Reconquest: Mother Earth by Carl Alves - winner’s choice print or ebook  (print open to US and Canadian Shipping Only).

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Blog Tour Spotlight & Giveaway - The Shade by Matthew Tallman

The Shade

The Shade Trilogy, Book 1             

Matthew Tallman

Genre: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy

Date of Publication: March 9th 2014

Number of pages: 340

Word Count: 105,494 words

Cover Artist: Pixel Pixie Design

Book Description:

James Langley's life is over. After an automobile accident leaves him comatose, James' body lies vulnerable in a hospital bed. However, his mind is lost, drifting between life and death, into The Shade.

Trapped in a world shrouded by the unknown, he meets Virgil, a mysterious stranger that informs him that his car wreck was no accident; that the man responsible has imprisoned them both, intent on keeping them there. Together they must race against time to get James back to his body in the real world before he becomes the next victim of a malevolent psychopath.

Enter the world of The Shade, where the boundaries of the human psyche are pushed to their limits and survival is not guaranteed. A place where death isn't the end, but only the beginning.

Buy Links:

Amazon Paperback ¦ Amazon Kindle

Excerpt from The Shade

We arrived inside the building; it seemed to be an old warehouse of some kind. While I found a seat on a large spool of rope, Virgil remained standing, half-paying attention to me, half intermittently looking outside. “James before we go any further I need you to realize something.” He told me firmly.

“What’s that?” I asked him, ready for what he had to say.

“There are things that inhabit this world, things you could have only imagined in your darkest nightmares. You’re going to need my help to survive here, so you need to listen to what I say, understand?” He asked as he looked into my eyes. 

I felt a sense of despair creep up on me as what Virgil had said started to sink in. This world was something very different from the one I’d been born into. My mind drifted to these ‘things’ he spoke, and what they actually were. I shook the thoughts out from my brain and then looked back at Virgil. “So you’re human?” I asked.

Virgil let out a long sigh then smirked at me. “Yes I’m human; I’m not some monster out to get you.” Then he returned to looking out the window.

“I get you. So what about my family?”I asked him quietly.

“Your family.” He paused as he thought about his words.

“Yeah, I heard them talking while I was unconscious, they were talking to the doctor, it was difficult to make out what they were saying but—,” I began to say.

“Wait!” Virgil said brashly.

Before Virgil’s attention seemed split between our conversation, and what was happening outside, but now his attention was fully on me. “What is it?” I asked worried at his newfound interest.

“The doctor! Who was the doctor?” He asked as he put both of his hands on top of his head.

“Uh, Brooke, or—,” it was hard to remember.

“Burke?” Virgil stated in a low voice.

“Yeah that’s it, Burke.” I confirmed his correction.

Virgil’s eyes seemed to grow twice their size and his voice became serious and nervous at the same time. “Damn, this is worse than I thought. If Burke is involved you're in danger.”

“What do you mean in danger?” I asked him as my body stood up to join him.

“James, you shouldn’t be here, the fact that you’re here is not an accident. Someone did this to you.” He said as he looked into his duffle bag.

“Who?” My voice filled with worry.

“Burke.” He stated.

“Why would the doctor do this? He’s the one who’s keeping me alive!” I tried to plead his case.

“James, he wants you here for a reason, you’re different, and the way your brain works compared to the way that most people’s brains work is different. Since Burke is involved we have to tread carefully—,” he paused for a moment to choose his words. “— and because Burke is involved with this, don’t get your hopes up about waking up.”

About the Author:

I am currently a part time writer and full time government employee. Reading and writing books is one of my favorite hobbies as I enjoy every part of the story telling process. I have been working on three full-length novels for the last three years. I grew up all around the world because my father was in the United States Air Force, the past ten years I have lived just outside of Dayton, Ohio, which is where I now reside with my wife and stepson.

Author Links:

Facebook ¦ Goodreads

***Giveaway***

5 ebook copies of The Shade by Matthew Tallman up for grabs.

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Bookvie: This Is Where I Leave You - out September 12, 2014

Who's in it:

Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Adam Driver

What's it all about (book blurb from Goodreads):

The death of Judd Foxman’s father marks the first time that the entire Foxman family—including Judd’s mother, brothers, and sister—have been together in years. Conspicuously absent: Judd’s wife, Jen, whose fourteen-month affair with Judd’s radio-shock-jock boss has recently become painfully public.

Simultaneously mourning the death of his father and the demise of his marriage, Judd joins the rest of the Foxmans as they reluctantly submit to their patriarch’s dying request: to spend the seven days following the funeral together. In the same house. Like a family.

As the week quickly spins out of control, longstanding grudges resurface, secrets are revealed, and old passions reawakened. For Judd, it’s a weeklong attempt to make sense of the mess his life has become while trying in vain not to get sucked into the regressive battles of his madly dysfunctional family. All of which would be hard enough without the bomb Jen dropped the day Judd’s father died: She’s pregnant.

This Is Where I Leave You is Jonathan Tropper's most accomplished work to date, a riotously funny, emotionally raw novel about love, marriage, divorce, family, and the ties that bind—whether we like it or not.

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Blog Tour Author Interview & Giveaway - Justice Buried by Hilary Thompson

Tour Schedule

Justice Buried

Series: Starbright #1 

Release date: January 15, 2014

Book Description:

The people need Justice, but she's not listening. One hundred years before, the Great Sickness reduced the world to three cities. Now the community of Asphodel is trapped underground, waiting for the prophesied maiden of Justice to return and save them from their Fates. 

Sixteen-year-old Astrea is supposed to be this savior - too bad for them she isn't a believer. Trea fights against her false destiny: she rebels against her family and friends, then refuses her arranged marriage to the charming but deceitful Lexan. Learning her life is in danger, Trea is forced to trust Lexan - until she discovers a power she never knew she had, and one he already knew he did. 

As betrayal closes every door, Trea decides she must submit to her stars and accept her fate. Then a handsome stranger offers her an unexpected escape and the chance to create her own destiny.

Buy Links:

Amazon

Author Interview

Tell us a bit about your writing background. How did you get started writing for YA?

The first book I tried to write was horrible: the plot was convoluted, the characters were cheesy. The next story I tried was historical fiction; I got bogged down in the research and in trying to be too “literary.” My voice wasn’t right or ready for that. Maybe I’ll grow into it later…never delete!

When I was a young adult, I read adult books - classics from the Official List of Important Books. When I graduated college and had more free time, I read all kinds of genres - anything with a cool cover (yes, I too am that shallow - designers take note).

Eventually I found new favorites, and nearly all were in that YA category I’d been hearing about. YA authors to whom I will always be indebted include: Maggie Stiefvater, Laini Taylor, J. K. Rowling, Veronica Roth, Brigid Kemmerer, Susan Kaye Quinn, and so many others.

Luckily, I also read some bad ones. This was excellent because it made me think “I could do better than that.” Which isn’t nice, but it’s fantastic motivation! So once inspiration struck me senseless, I wrote and wrote until the story left me alone long enough to order a cover and push my baby book into the world. I wouldn’t mind branching out into other genres eventually, but I credit YA with giving me permission to be the writer I am.

Who/What were your earliest influences?

My mom and dad always encouraged me in my love of reading and writing, so that early support was a huge influence that I was insanely lucky to have. I also had lots of encouraging teachers along the way, and friends, colleagues, etc.

But you probably mean writing influences. One of my absolute “formative” books was Anne of Green Gables, by L.M. Montgomery. It’s old, and it was old when I found it. But Anne is amazing - I think she might be a great-grandmother to Astrea in Justice Buried! She even has red hair. Hence my love affair with the feisty red-haired heroine.

Did you face any early challenges to finding success in writing?

Without dissecting the concept of success, just finishing the book was huge for me! I tried so many times and failed because I wasn’t ready. My voice wasn’t ready, I hadn’t read enough in the right genre, and I hadn’t lived enough to make my characters realistic. I had to make myself just keep writing, even when I had nothing tangible to show except a slowly-growing word count.

So obviously, one of my biggest challenges is patience. I want everything to happen NOW. I wanted to snag the first agent I queried and get the six-figure book deal and movie rights…and on and on. But that just doesn’t happen. (If it happened to you, don’t tell me…please, for my own sanity.)

For me, that waiting game was the time I needed to step back and evaluate what exactly I wanted out of a writing career. Once I looked at ALL the options, I decided to go with self-publishing. I’m a bit of a control freak (okay, a lot of one) and this path allows me to succeed in the ways I want to, and in as many ways as I have time for!

What are your favorite books as a reader today? What qualities in them appeal to you?

There are so many writers I enjoy, and I’m so lame at favorites. Every new book becomes my new favorite! However, I adore Laini Taylor’s Smoke and Bone series, Maggie Stiefvater’s Raven Boys series, and Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles series. Those writers are my role models now - great, original stories with gripping characters and lyrical writing.

What do you do outside your writing life?

Right now writing occupies a small percentage of my hours - hopefully that will begin to shift soon! I also teach high school English, which I really love doing, even though it keeps me so busy. I try to spend lots of time with my babies, ages five and three, and my husband, when he’s not working too!

What encouragement helped you along the way?

I found a few good buddies to read my stuff - people who know their books, but still love mine! My editor is my best friend, and her daughters are my favorite beta readers! Their enthusiasm keeps me going when I get mad at my characters for making a mess of things.

What advice do you have for beginning writers?

Read and write, then repeat. Read widely, and write in a variety of styles and genres. Otherwise you’ll stagnate. I’m always suspicious when writers don’t read much. You wouldn’t aim to be a musician without listening to music. You wouldn’t expect to play a sport well without ever watching others play. To me, it’s the same thing. If you want to improve, you look at the masters, the ones who are doing well. If you want inspiration, you read outside your favorite genre. If you want to stand out, you need to know what’s already been done.

What's up next for your fans?

The second book in the Starbright trilogy, Balance Broken, will be out this fall. I have a lot of work to do over my summer vacation! I have a truckbed full of other ideas, too, but I want to finish this series before I start another!

What has been your biggest compliment?

I get so many warm fuzzies when people say they couldn’t put the book down, or that they stayed up late to read it. That means I did my job and held your attention - I entertained you. With all the stress of daily life, if I can make a few hours of a person’s day better (like many writers do for me) then I am supremely happy!

Is there anything you'd like to say to your fans and readers?

Thank you so much for reading and talking about the book, and everything else you do! I could write without you, but it just wouldn’t be any fun! <3

About the Author

Hilary Thompson is an independently-published author who released her debut Young Adult novel, Justice Buried, in January, 2014. Justice Buried is the first in a dystopian fantasy series incorporating mythology and astrology, with the second full-length title due later in 2014.

She also teaches high school English, which gives her some insight into her target audience, and helps her maintain a thick skin.

Author Links:

Blog ¦ Twitter ¦ Facebook

***Giveaway***

A signed copy of Justice Buried (U.S. only) and an Amazon gift Card (INT) up for grabs.

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Blog Tour Author Interview - The Landfill by Kevin Hopson

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The Landfill   

Author: Kevin Hopson

Publisher: MuseItUp Publishing

Pages: 53

Genre: YA Dark Fiction/Horror

Format: Kindle

Book Description

Billy, a high school senior, has lost a lot in the past year, including his younger sister, Sara. Billy lacks excitement and purpose in life until his curiosity takes him and his best friend, Connor, to an old, abandoned landfill along the river. Connor would rather forget the experience, but Billy can’t help but feel invigorated by their findings. Taking it upon himself to uncover the mystery, Billy finds his life coming full circle – but is that a good or bad thing?

Buy Links:

Amazon

Author Interview

1. What inspired you to write your first book?

My first book, World of Ash, was inspired by the Eyjafjallajökul volcano that erupted in Iceland in 2010. I thought the setting would be incredibly scary, so I built my story around a giant ash cloud. However, I made the storyline a little more sinister, as if the ash cloud – alone – wasn’t enough.

2. Do you have a specific writing style? 

I have a simplistic writing style. I like to be descriptive when necessary, but I don’t feel the need to bog down the reader with pages of description, especially when I’m writing short stories and words are at a premium. Instead, I use a lot of dialogue in my stories. I find that you can learn a lot more about the characters based on the words they choose, the tone in which they speak, and their mannerisms (among other things). Dialogue can really move a story along, too, which is another reason I utilize it so much.

3. How did you come up with the title? 

With regard to my most recent book, The Landfill, the title is a very simple one. I make a weekly drive across a local river, and there’s a landfill in the distance that I look at every time I cross the bridge. It’s just a big pile of dirt out in the middle of nowhere, which always seemed creepy to me. I already had an idea in my head for the type of story I wanted to write, so the landfill was the location I was looking for. I figured that since the landfill plays such an integral part in the story, using it for the title only made sense.

4. Is there a message in your short story that you want readers to grasp? 

I don’t always have a message with my stories. Even when I do, sometimes it’s unintentional. However, there are a couple of messages readers might take away from The Landfill. As cliché as it sounds, one is to be careful what you wish for. Secondly, there are many forces at work in this world, and you can’t always control them.

5. How much of the book is realistic? 

Part if it is based on the beliefs of certain cultures, which is realistic in a sense, while other parts are definitely stretching the truth at best.

6. What book are you reading now? 

Dragons of Autumn Twilight (Dragonlance Chronicles – Volume One) by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.

7. Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest? 

Blake Crouch is an author I have taken a huge interest in lately. His “Pines” series has been a fabulous read. I absolutely love his writing style. He is very engaging, and his stories move along at a great pace. I’m eagerly anticipating the release of his third book in the series this summer.

8. What are your current projects? 

I recently signed a contract with my publisher, MuseItUp Publishing, for a science fiction novella – Shifting Alliances – that is scheduled to be released this fall. I will be working on editing this manuscript in the coming months, and I’m sure I’ll have other writing projects in the works as well.

9. Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it? 

Yes. Without disclosing too much, I learned that I can’t get away from the way I write. More specifically, if people have read my work before, they know how I typically end stories. I was going to go a different route with The Landfill, but I ended up sticking with my status quo.

10. What were the challenges (research, psychological etc) in bringing your story to life? 

The main characters are teenagers (high school seniors), so I had to make sure their behavior and dialogue matched those of a typical kid their age. Fortunately, I used to coach high school sports, so I’ve been around enough kids this age to get a feel for how they act and talk.

Excerpt from The Landfill

“You feel like being adventurous?” A rare burst of energy came over Billy.

“Maybe,” Connor replied with a drawn-out voice. “What are you thinking?”

“Take a left up here on River Road.”

Connor perked up, slowing the vehicle and making a left onto the road. “You actually want to hang out at the river?”

“Not quite.”

“Then where are we going?” Connor turned to look at him. Billy could tell his friend was putting the pieces of the puzzle together. “Wait. We’re not going to that landfill, are we?”

“Yeah. Why not?” Even with what his father had told him, Billy was captivated at the thought of checking it out. “Let’s do it,” he said with excitement.

“We don’t even know how to get there.”

“This road runs parallel with the river,” Billy commented, “and it can’t be more than a couple miles.”

“All right,” Connor said. “I’m only doing this for you, though.”

A few minutes passed and Billy continued to watch with eagerness, waiting for a sign as to which direction to go. He noticed a light making its way through a small forest of evergreens to their left. The source of illumination came from an elevated position, possibly atop the nearby hill. Billy scanned the area in front of them as well as the trees off to the side.

“Slow down,” Billy demanded.

Connor brought the SUV to a crawl.

“It has to be over there.” Billy pointed to his left where the light shined through the tops of the trees. “Do you see a road that goes up there?”

Connor stopped the vehicle. “I don’t see anything but woods.”

“Do you have a flashlight?

“Yeah. Why?”

“I’m going to get out and take a look,” Billy said.

“In the glove compartment,” Connor noted.

Billy snatched the mini flashlight from the glove compartment and stepped out of the vehicle. He left the door open, making Connor visible inside. Shining the light along the edge of the pavement, Billy spotted a crude road. Made primarily of dirt, it curved through the forest like a serpentine and didn’t appear to have any guardrails.

“Put your brights on,” Billy said, easing back into the vehicle.

Connor pulled a lever on the side of the steering wheel, enhancing the view in front of them.

“There’s a dirt road up here on the left.”

“You sure this is a good idea?” Connor asked.

“You’ve got four-wheel drive, right?”

“Yeah.”

“We should be fine then,” Billy said.

About the Author

Prior to hitting the fiction scene in 2009, Kevin Hopson was a freelance writer for several years, covering everything from finance to sports. His debut work, World of Ash, was released by MuseItUp Publishing in the fall of 2010. Kevin has released several other books through MuseItUp since then, and he has also been published in various magazines and anthology books. Kevin's writing covers many genres, including dark fiction and horror, science fiction, and crime fiction.

His latest book is The Landfill.

You can visit Kevin’s blog at www.kevin-hopson.blogspot.com.

Author Links:

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Blog Tour Spotlight - A Comedy of Erinn by Celia Bonaduce

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A Comedy of Erinn

Genre: Contemporary Romance 

Author: Celia Bonaduce

Publisher: eKensington

Pages: 231 

Format: Paperback, Kindle

Book Description:

Erinn Wolf needs to reinvent herself. A once celebrated playwright turned photographer, she’s almost broke, a little lonely, and tired of her sister’s constant worry. When a job on a reality TV show falls into her lap, she’s thrilled to be making a paycheck–and when a hot Italian actor named Massimo rents her guesthouse, she’s certain her life is getting a romantic subplot. But with the director, brash, gorgeous young Jude, dogging her every step, she can’t help but look at herself through his lens–and wonder if she’s been reading the wrong script all along…

Buy Links:

Amazon

Excerpt from A Comedy of Erinn

“You’ve made your point. Now let’s go,” Jude said, trying to take the camera case out of her hands.

“Oh? And exactly what is my point?”

“That you’re the teacher’s pet…the good little camera girl who won’t let a blizzard stop her. Now let’s get out of here!”

The wind picked up and Erinn almost lost her balance. She realized that the ground was starting to freeze underneath them. She admitted to herself that there was no point in being out – she’d never get a shot worth having, even if they didn’t freeze to death.

“When defeat is inevitable, it is wisest to yield,” Erinn yelled to Jude.

“Whatever, dude. Let’s bounce.”

Jude threw the gear in the back and felt his way to the passenger side. They both got in and Erinn started the car. She hoped Jude would stay quiet. She was feeling so shaky.  Not from the cold, but from the realization that she was not being a good producer. To put it in Jude’s vernacular, she sucked!

Erinn tried to pull out onto the road, but the wheels just spun on the ice. Erinn and Jude looked at each other.

“Are we stuck?” Jude asked.

“We can’t be,” Erinn said. “This is an SUV. It must be four wheel drive.”

“Not necessarily,” Jude said. “Do you see any kind of lever or button or anything that would let you switch to four wheel drive?”

“No. There isn’t anything. Are we doomed?”

“Doomed? Jesus, Erinn. You are a glass empty kind of girl, aren’t ya?”

“Actually, I’m a “the glass is the wrong size” kind of girl…woman…but I think that’s beside the point right now. What should I do?”

“Start rocking the car. Put it in first, then reverse, then first, then reverse. Then give it a little gas and see if we can get out of this.”

Erinn started shifting gears and made a mental note. Next time, she wouldn’t settle for anything less than an SUV with four wheel drive.

Miraculously, the car shot forward. Erinn gasped and Jude slapped her on the shoulder approvingly. Erinn turned slightly towards what she hoped was the road…it was so covered in snow that she couldn’t actually see a road, but it must be there. Making sure no one was coming – fat chance, she thought – she started inching the Explorer through the ice and snow. She was creeping forward, when the car became completely unresponsive and started sliding towards the right. Pushing the gas did nothing. Turning the steering wheel did nothing.

“Oh, no,” Erinn said.

“What?”

“The car has lost traction. We’re skating on the ice.”

Erinn frantically turned the wheel to right and then to the left. The car continued to slide.

“Stay cool, Erinn. We’re on flat ground. Nothing can happen. Just chill.”

Erinn tried to relax, but the car kept sliding sideways, the weight of the vehicle causing it to pick up speed. Clearly, they weren’t on completely flat ground or the SUV wouldn’t be hurling itself sideways, but Erinn decided now was not the time to argue this point.

Erinn felt the vehicle tipping. She was jolted violently sideways and caught, suspended, by the seatbelt. She craned her neck to look at Jude, who was looking UP at her from the passenger seat. The SUV was completely on its side, like a gigantic dead beast.

“Now, we’re doomed,” he said.

Erinn tried without success to free herself from the seatbelt. With every gyration, the belt tightened around her neck. She tried to hold still. She craned her neck and watched Jude brace himself against the passenger door with his right arm. This gave his seatbelt some slack and he was able to release the lever. He thudded against the passenger door, but at least he was free. Erinn felt her breastbone pressing into the seatbelt as she hung sideways. She watched as Jude twisted himself around, crablike, and faced her. She looked into his eyes.

“The camera case,” she said.

Jude sat back on his heels.

“Dude,” he said. “Seriously? Forget the gear right now. We’re in deep shit.”

“The camera…” Erinn breathed heavily. “Check the camera…”

“What are you…one of those freaks who needs to record their own death?

“His or her own death,” Erinn corrected, gasping. “ ‘One freak’ is singular.”

“You are so pushing your luck, lady,” Jude said.

Erinn was running out of breath, and she hung limply forward.

“Come on, Tin Lizzy,” Jude said, wedging his back against her.

He must look like Atlas with me on his back instead of the world.

She had her eyes closed, but she vaguely sensed that he must be standing on the passenger window…or the passenger arm rest. What if he broke one of them? Would the rental company charge them? Did she buy the right insurance? Weren’t they in enough trouble having skidded into a ditch?

Erinn heard Jude’s voice through the fog. His back was to her.

“When I lift you up, you need to unhook your seatbelt. Come on, Erinn, you can do this.”

Jude gave the faintest of pushes, but not enough to lift her.

“Crap,” Jude said. “I can’t get enough traction with the console in the way.”

Jude turned around so that he was facing her. Their eyes met.

“The camera case,” she said.

Jude ignored her, and tried to lift her off the seat belt, but there was no way around the console.

“Shit! Crap!” Jude said.

“Jude…there’s a knife…” Erinn croaked.

“…in the camera case!” he said.

Erinn could hear him scramble to the back of the SUV and unlock the camera case. Erinn was reminded of sounds one hears when one is drifting off to sleep. Every noise sounds strangely amplified – and yet the sound is of no interest. She had the vague sensation of falling and when her head cleared, she was laying on Jude, up against the passenger window. Jude was panting for breath, knife held aloft. She could hear the slit seatbelt clanking behind her.

She reached around Jude’s neck. His expression changed, softening. She touched the passenger window behind his head.

“Thank God it’s not broken.”

“Lady, I have a knife.”

Erinn was suddenly very aware that she was pressed up against Jude. She tried to lift herself off him, but each time she thudded back against him.

About the Author

Celia Bonaduce is an award-winning producer whose credits cover a lot of ground – everything from field-producing ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to writing for many of Nickelodeon’s animated series, including Hey, Arnold and Chalkzone. If Celia Bonaduce’s last name is any indication, she is proof that TV talent runs in the family. 

An avid reader, entering the world of books has always been a lifelong ambition. The Merchant of Venice Beach is book one of her three-book deal with eKensington, a digital imprint of Kensington Publishing Corp. The follow up novel, A Comedy of Erinn, has also been released, and book three, Much Ado About Mother, will be coming out on May 14, 2014.

You can visit Celia Bonaduce’s website at http://celiabonaduce.com/

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