Monday, October 21, 2019

Book Trailer Blast - Save Him by William M. Hayes







Title: SAVE HIM
Author: William M. Hayes
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 245
Genre: Military Faith-based Thriller


Rydel Scott, a brilliant scientist working at a secret military lab, accidentally discovers a form of time travel while working on a project designed to save wounded soldiers in the field. Rydel’s sister, a woman of faith, tells Rydel on her deathbed that she has received a message from God. The message—save Jesus Christ from the cross.

And Rydel Scott travels back in time to do just that.

It is believed even the smallest change to the past can cause catastrophic repercussions for future generations. An elite military unit is sent back in time to hunt Rydel down before he can alter history and possibly kill millions in the process.

The unit and its commanding officers, Colonel John Adams and Unit Commander Ray Catlin, become divided. Catlin, a devout Catholic, claims he witnessed a miracle by Jesus upon arrival in Jerusalem and fervently believes in Rydel’s mission. Adams hasn’t believed in God since he was a boy and his only concern is the safety of the people in the present. They must now choose between the fate of Christ and the fate of present-day mankind.

They must decide if they will Save Him.

★★★★★ORDER YOUR COPY★★★★★

Amazon → https://tinyurl.com/y3veph29

 Barnes & Noble → https://tinyurl.com/y4rw4sgm


______________________




William M. Hayes lives with his beautiful family in a small suburb in New York. His passion for writing became apparent in his twenties, and he dreams of retiring to a secluded beach house where he can write all day.

★ WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS: ★

Website → www.williammhayes.com

Twitter → https://twitter.com/WMHayes_Author

Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/WilliamMHayesAuthor/


http://www.pumpupyourbook.com
 

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Book Watch: Quest to the Unknown and Darkness and Light by Annelies George





Title: Darkness and Light
Author: Annelies George
Publisher: BI Publishing
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Format: Paperback/Ebook
On Tour: September 9-November 29

DARKNESS AND LIGHT is set five years after the brutal attack in Jessie’s apartment. From Miami to the Seychelles, the now married journalist continues her life journey. The metaphorical meaning of darkness and light are central themes throughout the story. Hatred, greed, betrayal, lies, the desire for power, far reaching jealousy, unconditional love, forgiveness and the noticeable changes in today’s climate are some of the spellbinding features of this plot.In the second part of the Jessie Golden Earth series once more today’s business jungle is intertwined with the intangible world of the other side. This results in an easily readable exciting story set in various countries around the globe, leading to a surprising unexpected end to this part in the series.

PURCHASE HERE





Title: Quest to the Unknown
Author: Annelies George
Publisher: Hybrid Global Publishing
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Format: Paperback/Ebook
On Tour: September 9-November 29


Quest to the Unknown revolves around up-and-coming Dutch reporter Jessie Golden, ready for her first holiday with business mogul and playboy Carlos Gomez, with whom she is engaged in a budding romance. Her journey begins when she finds a folder full of information on a mysterious woman named Nancy and her son Paul, leading her to an unexpected quest. Soon thereafter Jessie is confronted with a series of unexplainable supernatural occurrences. She realizes there is no such thing as coincidence, although she can’t unravel the true meaning of her quest nor her link to Nancy and her son. At the same time Jessie believes Carlos’ father has ties with some questionable characters. Startled by a series of unexpected events she reaches out to Ed Turner, Carlos’ right-hand man. In order to protect the one she truly loves, Jessie starts an investigation that points to the murky world of the mob. When a stranger is constantly following her, Jessie’s life is in serious danger. Can the ones she implicitly confides in, still be trusted? The first part of the Jessie Golden 21st Century Earth Series, introduces the main characters of the saga in an intriguing story of exceptional mother love, the far reaching consequences of choices in life, genuine feelings, blind faith and brutal deception, set in a multitude of countries in today’s fast moving business world.

PURCHASE HERE






Annelies George was born on 4 August, 1964 in Bussum, After the gymnasium, she followed a one-year course as an international secretary in Amsterdam. Immediately afterward she started to work for a law firm, studying finance, management and law during the evening hours with the goal of becoming a lawyer herself. A move to a different town brought her into the fast IT world, where she was employed by GE Capital, marking the start of a successful career in the international IT Finance world. Due to the intensity of the job and long working hours, she abandoned her plans for a law degree. At the age of 30, she was appointed to Benelux managing director of a US based lease company, a rare phenomenon at the time, since few women were holding similar positions in the specific branch in the Netherlands. Thereafter she accepted a variety of EMEA and regional management and sales roles with Cisco, Microsoft, and Hewlett Packard. Annelies still lives in Bussum and is taking care of her 83-year-old mother. She loves, among other activities, to paint and design necklaces when she is not writing. On occasion she likes to travel to discover new places and understand the different ways of living around the globe.

You can visit her at: https://www.anneliesgeorge.com 







Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Q&A: Leonard Bassad, Author of The Witch Port Video Game


Writer-actor-singer Leonard Bassed was born in the town of Middleburg, Mpumalanga and raised in Johannesburg.  He started taking vocal lessons at age eight and studied drama throughout his high school years.  A mentor encouraged him to pursue an acting career.  Leonard went on to complete acting classes in both South Africa and later Los Angeles.  Currently, when not writing or singing, Leonard continues to study acting techniques with the renowned Margie Haber Studio in Hollywood. In his free time, he enjoys travel, reading and movie going.  His latest book is The Witch Port Video Game.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:


Facebook page for author: https://www.facebook.com/leobassed/
Twitter page for author: https://twitter.com/LeonardBassed
Thanks for this interview, Leonard.  Congratulations on your new book! Would you say it’s been a rocky road for you in regards to getting your book written and published or pretty much smooth sailing?  Can you tell us about your journey?

Thank you. The writing itself is the fun part of the process, the challenges came after the book was written. The Witch Port Video Game is my debut novel so each step to getting my work out there has been a growth point, I also chose to self-publish so in that sense my workload was doubled. My novel came about after I returned home to South Arica, after a trip I made to Los Angeles, California in the USA. The book was adapted from a script I wrote by the same name, which I planned to pitch to film/TV producers. Upon its completion however I had grown too attached to the characters and world I’d envisioned, and knew I’d have to see it through.

If you were to pen your own autobiography, what might the title be?

If I were to pen my own autobiography I would probably go with a self-title, and a logline like: The underdog takes center stage… Being a self-help junkie I definitely hope to share more of my story someday. I love learning about how some people go through dire circumstances and come out at the other end triumphant. We all have our own personal mountains to climb, and a truly beautiful thing is to watch someone conquer theirs.

When not writing, what do you like to do for relaxation and/or fun?

There is an old saying attributed to the Chinese sage Confucius that goes: “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” I whole-heartedly agree with this sentiment. It’s proven true in my case I’m fortunate in that I live my passions, I’ve always had an interest in storytelling but thought that would find expression through my songwriting and acting. My love of acting however inspired me to write the dream role, that I’d personally love to be cast in.

What makes your book stand out from the rest?

What makes my book and every other book ever written stand out from the rest is the author’s point of departure. No two people look at life through the same lenses, therefore each book is unique unto itself.  I’ve done the work, and I’m confident that my book will be a source of intrigue for its demographic.


Can you give us the very first page of your book so that we can get a glimpse inside?

CHAPTER 1 ‒ THEN AND NOW

SALEM MASSACHUSETTS, 1692 AD

Not so long ago in history, sorcerers were at liberty to practice their craft peacefully. Sorcery was ‘the thing’. Whether masters or apprentices; they all were encouraged to practice the craft, which they did openly. This regrettably is no longer true.
This story is a warning to those who possess the gift to turn away from the arcane or risk their lives; heresy is punishable by death.
My name is Martin Robinson, and I’m somewhat of a seer. I dream of things past, present and yet to come. Though I only see glimpses at a time, they remain a vivid sensory experience. This is one such recollection.
It’s on a windy autumn day, the sky a medley of pinks, oranges and yellows. The sun is about to make its long commute towards tomorrow. I see an old woman, conservatively dressed, in a dusty, almost farm-like kitchen, preparing a recipe of sorts from a book, as if reading from a bible, bound in leather, and placed in front of her. She’s not alone as I count, three other elderly fair-skinned women, wearing similar attire.
Reading a page from the book, of which the title spells ‘The Flight Broth’, the tall one mutters, “The directions are as follows... Begin the brew when the moon is full. Submerge the barbs of a wounded bird in the red of drunken men’s ale. Add a wing of bat, aconite and a black tourmaline to make one soar. Bring to the boil, and then let it wait. Serve it cold for Hades’ sake.”
I see three elderly men, possibly the women’s husbands, lying unconscious on the floor. There is also a young man in a corner. Odd and like misplaced furniture, he too is unconscious, but clutching a wide-eyed baby, seemingly fascinated by unfolding events.
Like by the flicking of a page, I see the same three women in a different setting… on the summit of a rocky hill, leaving a goblet with a crimson liquid, and something resembling a smudge stick, at the foot of a tall tree overlooking the sky-bled ocean. They seem in a hurry to get home, darting back into the greenery of the hill descent.


If your book was put in the holiday section of the store, what holiday would that be and why?

If my book was placed in the holiday section of a store, it would likely be placed in the Halloween section due to the subject matter. I strongly doubt it would be shelfed near the Christmas cards [he jokes].

Would you consider turning your book into a series or has that already been done?

Yes, I’d definitely love to have my book adapted for screen. In fact, that’s one of the things I hope to achieve with this novel. It would be trippy to see my words brought to life in a visual medium such as film/TV or some streaming service.

When you were young, did you ever see writing as a career or full-time profession?

I never thought writing could be a stand-alone profession until now, not unless you’re J.K. Rowling that is. I’ve always thought an author needs some degree of mastery over the subject matter they choose to write about. In my case as a fiction author it’s not so much a mastery over witchcraft but I do have an interest in the topics I write about, and an imaginative mind, these two elements combined make an intriguing read.

Did any of your books get rejected by publishers?

No. I chose to self-publish my book, because it was my debut novel, I wanted to maintain complete creative control of it. I wanted it translated as close to how I envisioned it as possible. There is a lot of waiting around associated with getting traditionally published, the actor in me wanted to take back some of my power and get my work out there.

What is your view on co-authoring books; have you done any?

No not yet, but I love the idea, not everyone is a writer, but everyone has a story to tell. In cases where the book is an autobiography and co-authored the reader is offered different perspectives to the same scenario or maybe it’s a fiction and the two writers feed off of each other creatively. I do plan to co-author a book someday but I’m not teasing details just yet.

What’s next for you?

I’ll continue doing press for my book The Witch Port Video Game, I’m already diligently at work on the sequel and look forward to sharing it with you all soon.

About the Book:

Leonard Bassed had no plan to write a novel titled THE WITCH PORT VIDEO GAME when he set out to create a movie script with a similar name.  “I had written the pilot script first and I kept the
same ending for the novel…everything from the script I wrote found its way into the finished book version of ‘The Witch Port Video Game,’ said writer-singer-actor Leonard Bassed.  “I was able to spend more time developing the characters and their world…the whole thing was just such an organic experience and extremely enjoyable, creative for me.”
THE WITCH PORT VIDEO GAME tells the story through the lives of three ordinary teens who live in the fictional town of Cradle Creek, USA – a small town they hope to one day escape, attracted by the bright lights and promise of the Big City.  All three are students at a prestigious performing art school with hopes of one day making names for themselves in the entertainment world.
Mr. Bassed continued about his story, “A chance encounter the three have with a girl named Bianca Morris threatens to derail their plans. Bianca introduces them to an enticing video game, ‘The Witch Port Video Game’.  This encounter, coupled with the arrival of the MacQuoid brothers sets in motion a series of bizarre events that spins their lives into chaos and disarray as the three head into a world of sorcery with an ultimate fight for survival.”
As a young boy growing up in South Africa, Leonard dreamed one day of working in the arts.  He wanted to write, to act, to sing.  While drawn to acting and song writing, he was also a good story teller.  “The auditions I would go out for as an actor were never reflective of the kinds of roles I was after to play. It was this realization that led me to writing the pilot script which I planned to pitch to TV and movie producers.  But, once I finished the script I’d grown too attached to the characters and the wonders of their world that ultimately led the script into the shape of a full novel,” he went on to say.
PRAISE
“While the book’s final moments leave us with a rather sudden, enigmatic ending, an end note does indicate a sequel Witch Port Igniting the Coven on the horizon. For those who enjoy the entertaining literary chemistry that results from inquisitive teens and their foray into the mysterious world of sorcery, Bassed’s venture should prove an intriguing reveal.”
--Pacific Book Review

“Filled with cheeky references to famous pop-culture stories of sorcery and mixed with some classic teenage angst, this book is a fast-paced, suspenseful story. The novel’s premise that some teenagers gain special powers through a video game is an updated, modern take on magic and suits the story quite well for a 21st-century setting. The author sets up the story mechanisms so that everything that happens through the students’ video game play also happens in real life. The author states that this novel was originally a screenplay, and those elements shine through, from the descriptive settings to the fast pace in which the action occurs on the page. It will be interesting to see how the protagonists grow with their powers in the sequel.”
--The U.S. Review of Books
Book can be purchased at the author’s web site at www.leonardbassed.com

Thursday, October 3, 2019

Book Watch: Witches Protection Program by Michael Oko



Witches Protection Program
Michael Okon
* Urban Fantasy *


Title: WITCHES PROTECTION PROGRAM
Author: Michael Okon
Publisher: WordFire Press
Pages: 200
Genre: Fantasy/Urban Fantasy



Wes Rockville, a disgraced law-enforcement agent, gets one last chance to prove himself and save his career when he’s reassigned to a 232-year-old secret government organization.

The Witches Protection Program.

His first assignment: uncover a billion-dollar cosmetics company’s diabolical plan to use witchcraft for global domination, while protecting its heiress Morgan Pendragon from her aunt’s evil deeds. Reluctantly paired with veteran witch protector, Alastair Verne, Wes must learn to believe in witches…and believe in himself.

Filled with adventure and suspense, Michael Okon creates a rousing, tongue-in-cheek alternate reality where witches cast spells and wreak havoc in modern-day New York City.

Praise:

Witches Protection Program is a great summer choice, ideal for beach or poolside reading, and with elements of romance, action, crime, and fantasy, there’s a little something for everyone to enjoy.”—Foreword Reviews

“…mixes predictable elements–corporate intrigue, sexy witches, cat familiars, car chases, family secrets, and steampunk weaponry–into an enjoyable story.’—Publisher’s Weekly

“Cleverly offbeat, often cheeky, and loads of fun.”Kirkus

WITCHES PROTECTION PROGRAM is a fun and quick read, and the out-of-the-norm narrative choices make the novel feel like something wonderfully subversive.” – IndieReader

Witches Protection Program is a unique gem, one that’s fast-paced with twists, action, and fun characters.” – Reviewed by Liz Konkel for Readers’ Favorite, Five Star Review

Witches Protection Program will hook you if not for the action, then the romance and if not for the romance, then the sheer humor, what with its funny dialogue.” – Liezl Ruiz, NetGalley Reviewer

★★★★★ORDER YOUR COPY★★★★★

Amazon → https://tinyurl.com/y6a7lq9m

 Barnes & Noble → https://tinyurl.com/yy34sbxm

 

______________________







______________________


The narrator filled in more information. “It wasn’t until this land became my land that the government decided to create an organization to protect women at risk. The Davina Doctrine went against everything that the Willas stood for. Even though they ran the risk of persecution, the Davinas chose to work with law enforcement to expose the evil deeds of the rival sisterhood. President George Washington established secret legislation under Title VI of the Control Act of 1792. The law was enacted to protect the good witches that exposed the evil deeds of their sisterhood.”  
The screen went dark. There was only a chair in the center of a dimly lit stage. A single spotlight focused on the top of the blond actress’s head. Wes was right; it was the actress he’d suspected. She had a hit sitcom and two Emmys, and there was some recent Oscar talk about her last movie.
“Yes. There are witches. Living among us. They are women who believe in using their power to protect love and life. And then there are some who use their powers for all the wrong reasons.”

The camera came to rest on her beautiful face. She winked saucily as she placed a triangular witch’s hat on her head. 

“Welcome to the WitchesProtection Program.”

Alastair smiled broadly. “I love that part.”
“That was Jennifer Anis—”


 

______________________






Michael Okon is an award-winning and best-selling author of multiple genres including paranormal, thriller, horror, action/adventure and self-help. He graduated from Long Island University with a degree in English, and then later received his MBA in business and finance. Coming from a family of writers, he has storytelling in his DNA. Michael has been writing from as far back as he can remember, his inspiration being his love for films and their impact on his life. From the time he saw The Goonies, he was hooked on the idea of entertaining people through unforgettable characters.
Michael is a lifelong movie buff, a music playlist aficionado, and a sucker for self-help books. He lives on the North Shore of Long Island with his wife and children.

★WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS★