Monday, July 6, 2015

BOOK BLITZ: "Nobody's Angel" by Sarah Hegger




Title: Nobody's Angel
Series: Willow Park #1
Author: Sarah Hegger
Publisher: Kensington Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Romance
 Release Date: March 31, 2015



Blurb

In this evocative new series from author Sarah Hegger, a woman returns home after a long absence--and wonders if two wrongs really can make a right. . .

Nine years ago Lucy Flint ran away to Seattle, taking her friend's boyfriend and leaving her high school sweetheart without a word of explanation. Now she's back in Willow Park, Illinois, to help care for her ailing father--and it's no surprise that her ex, Dr. Richard Hunter, is still angry.

Still, she's a different Lucy now. Sober, wiser, ready to make amends to the long--make that very long--list of those she mistreated during her wild younger days. Falling for Richard all over again would mean wreaking havoc in both their lives and possibly squandering her opportunity for redemption. But here, in the place where everything went wrong, is the one person who always felt right, and a second-chance that could be the best mistake she ever made. . .









Links to Buy 

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Coming Soon



Pre-order Links

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Coming August 25, 2015 from Kensington Publishing

In Sarah Hegger’s latest Willow Park Romance, long-held crushes and past frenemies reunite—and wonder if there’s ever a second chance to make a good first impression…

Holly Partridge had no plans to return to Willow Park, Illinois, until her troubled younger sister Portia fled her home and aimed herself straight at Holly’s high school nemesis—too-gorgeous-to-be-true Josh Hunter. Riding a manic bipolar high, Portia’s only a danger to herself, but Holly needs to find her before she crashes. That means asking Josh for help.

The ultimate love ’em and leave ’em lothario, Josh was never good for anything but a broken heart. But now he’s lending a hand when Holly needs it most—and revealing surprising generosity and compassion. Has Josh shed his bad boy ways? Or is Holly suddenly grown up enough to acknowledge her own mistakes? Trusting Josh could be a disaster—or the first step in banishing the past to make way for a future happier than Holly ever imagined…




Author Bio

Who am I?

Born British and raised in South Africa, Sarah Hegger suffers from an incurable case of wanderlust. Her match? A hot Canadian engineer, whose marriage proposal she accepted six short weeks after they first met. Together they’ve made homes in seven different cities across three different continents (and back again once or twice). If only it made her multilingual, but the best she can manage is idiosyncratic English, fluent Afrikaans, conversant Russian, pigeon Portuguese, even worse Zulu and enough French to get herself into trouble.

Mimicking her globe trotting adventures, Sarah’s career path began as a gainfully employed actress, drifted into public relations, settled a moment in advertising, and eventually took root in the fertile soil of her first love, writing. She also moonlights as a wife and mother.

She currently lives in Littleton, Colorado, with her teenage daughters, two Golden Retrievers and aforementioned husband. Part footloose buccaneer, part quixotic observer of life, Sarah’s restless heart is most content when reading or writing books.

She loves to hear from readers and you can find her at any of the places below.



Author Links

Sunday, July 5, 2015

PRE-ORDER BLITZ: "Eveiller Drive Boxed Set" by Melanie James



Turn up the heat with Éveiller Drive Six neighbors, six women drawn to each other. Over the years their friendships blossomed from friends to sisters. Together they tackled the challenges they faced in juggling their complex roles as women, wives, and mothers. Now, the time had come for them to take on the most important challenge yet. To restore the passion and romance to their marriages that had been neglected through the years. These are the stories of six couples.
Six stories of rekindling and reawakening their romance.

Welcome to Éveiller Drive.


 Release Date - August 11, 2015 
Author Melanie James
Genre - Romance/Contemporary


Amazon US -- http://amzn.to/1flP6Ay
Amazon UK -- http://amzn.to/1GvC6kN
Amazon CA -- http://amzn.to/1GvC2BJ
Amazon AU – http://bit.ly/1CgmzkP


.99 Cent pre-order and release week special! 
Turn up the heat with Éveiller Drive 
Six neighbors, six women drawn to each other. Over the years their friendships blossomed from friends to sisters. Together they tackled the challenges they faced in juggling their complex roles as women, wives, and mothers. Now, the time had come for them to take on the most important challenge yet. To restore the passion and romance to their marriages that had been neglected through the years. These are the stories of six couples. Six stories of rekindling and reawakening their romance. Welcome to Éveiller Drive. 
Complete boxed set includes: 
Ava & Will 
Kara & Dave 
Laura & Alan 
Jamie & Brad 
Ashley & Jeff 
Valerie & Greg 
**** This series contains strong language and sexual situations and is intended for adults only****


















Author Bio
USA Today Bestselling author, Melanie James spent 14 years as an IT systems administrator before tiring of the hustle and bustle of the technology world. She's doing what she loves, by writing paranormal comedy, steamy paranormal, and contemporary romance books. Melanie has a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in Leadership and Development, with a minor in Women's Studies. She is working on her Master's Degree in Adult Education at the University of Wisconsin-Stout.

Melanie is married to a wonderful man who supports her dreams and goals. She has two children, three step-children, a beautiful daughter-in-law, and an adorable grand-baby.

Sign up for news and updates from Melanie. All you have to do is copy the link below and paste it into your browser!
http://eepurl.com/TnKn5

Ways to follow Melanie on Social Media
http://www.facebook.com/AuthorMelanieJames
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Visit Melanie's webpage to find the latest information on books, merchandise, and giveaways!
www.authormelaniejames.com



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Saturday, July 4, 2015

BOOK SALE: "Stake-Out (Paranormal Detectives Book One)" by Lily Luchesi

4thofjulypromo
Hi, everyone! Now you can read my bestselling, debut vampire novel, “Stake-Out (Paranormal Detectives Book One)” for less than a dollar, but hurry! The sale lasts from today through Sunday only! (July 3rd, 4th and 5th.)
As always, it is still FREE on Kindle Unlimited for KU users! Use the link below or click on the photos to get your copy today!
Regular ebook price: $2.99
Sale price: $0.99
Please feel free to also share the promo poster here and let all your friends know about this sale!
Stake Out

BOOK SALE: "Angels & Whiskey" by Kimberly Knight

 

Angels & Whiskey by Kimberly Knight is on sale for 99¢ June 28 through July 5th!

 
Purchase on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1BsKySU
Purchase on Nook: http://bit.ly/1IoLIvK
Purchase on iBooks: http://apple.co/1FrqOKu

Whiskey, women and sleepless nights…
United States Army Captain Gabriel Hastings knew he would always follow in his grandfather’s footsteps. Serving his country was his destiny.
Until he fell in love…
When Gabe’s love affair is cut short, he turns to whiskey for comfort and swears he will never fall in love again.
Until he bumps into an unexpected angel…
By all appearances, Autumn Jones has the perfect life. Her husband, Richard, is a loving man who wants to be a father to her unborn children. But Autumn knows the truth. Richard has a controlling, dark side that leaves nothing to chance, especially Autumn. He’ll stop at nothing to make her the trophy wife he wants her to be. When Autumn bumps into Gabe, he consumes her every thought, but she can’t act on her feelings. She’s married to a dark man she can never leave. When he learns who Autumn’s husband really is, Gabe knows he will stop at nothing to protect her.
Or is it too late for him to save his angel?

 

Check out what people are saying!

 
"Everything about Angels & Whiskey just "works", from the plot to these character's I was sucked into an all day read-athon." - Talk Books to Me Blog "I loved how this book veered from the usual battered wife trying to leave her psycho husband and it was refreshing to be surprised by the turn of events. I truly enjoyed this book!" - Gingersnaps in the Morning Blog "Ms Knight writes an intriguing story every time. I could imagine myself in the sands of Afghanistan or on the strip in Vegas. Her characters and their problems feel real and believable." - BJ's Book Blog "Her story lines are unique, not the same "plot" everyone is using and trying to put their own twist on." - Melissa Rutherford "I love how she addressed and dealt with a very sensitive subject and resolved the issue in a believable way." - Michele Niezgocki
 

About Kimberly Knight

 
Kimberly Knight lives in the mountains near a lake with her loving husband and spoiled cat, Precious. In her spare time, she enjoys watching her favorite reality TV shows, watching the San Francisco Giants win World Series and the San Jose Sharks kick butt. She's also a two time Desmoid tumor/cancer fighter that's made her stronger and an inspiration to her fans. Now that she lives near a lake, she plans on working on her tan and doing more outdoor stuff like watching hot guys waterski. However, the bulk of her time is dedicated to writing and reading romance and erotic fiction.

Friday, July 3, 2015

RELEASE BOOST: "Evanesce" by Cassia Brightmore




Title: Evanesce
Series: The Darkness #2
Author: Cassia Brightmore
 Release Date: June 29, 2015



Blurb


If your soul has been plunged into the dark depths of despair, how hard would you fight to claw your way back to the surface? Can the life you lost be restored, or is it destined to be forever phased out of existence? Fated to dissolve into a distant memory.

The Black Market—a ferocious, starving beast. An endless sinkhole of precious valuables; the playground for blood-thirsty power seekers. Only one thing feeds its hunger like no other…human life.

A sinister criminal ring has descended on the small town of Norton Springs, instilling fear in the residents. A vicious wave of disappearances coupled with the gut-wrenching horror of infants being ripped from the arms of their helpless mothers has the town quaking in terror.

When Gabe Thornton strolls back into his hometown, his main goal is to claim the one woman that has always denied her feelings for him—Nora Jacobs. The last thing he expects is to be thrust into a storm of devastation and chaos. Will his strength be enough to save them from the dark souls that threaten to destroy their chance at happiness?

Broken futures. Shattered dreams. Mind-numbing loss. When your heart has been ripped away from you—how do you find the will to go on?

No one is safe. Everything you thought you knew is about to change in this second installment in The Darkness Series.

Warning: Due to adult content and graphic situations, this book is intended for readers 18 and up.






Links to Buy 

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Also Available


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Excerpt


Gripping Red’s hand tight, the two ran up the stairs, Brooke wincing each time one of the boards squeaked under the pressure of their weight. At the top, the door was open, a fact that had Brooke’s heart jumping up her throat like it was on a damn trampoline. Peering out, she ensured there was no one in sight before tugging Red forward. A few steps into the carpeted foyer, the sound of voices drifted towards them. Panicking, she pulled Red into what she thought was an empty room and shut the door.

Panting, she leaned against the door, trying to catch her breath.

“We have to hide here, Red. I’ll check if it’s safe in a few minutes.” When there was no reply from Red, Brooke turned her head, searching. “Red?” The other woman stood frozen, unmoving in the middle of the room.

“What are you—ahh…” Brooke stepped up beside Red, concerned why she was non-verbal. The room was not empty as she had expected. It wasn’t empty at all and the scene before them was a terrifying one.

Cots. Rows and rows of cots and each one was occupied with a tiny infant. Some were sleeping, wrapped in thin blankets. Others were squirming, having come loose from their bundle. A few were wailing, a loud sound that would make any dog in the surrounding area sit up and take notice. How Brooke didn’t hear them, was beyond her. The adrenaline was a roar in her ears, blocking out everything except listening for footsteps of anyone that might be approaching. A quick count revealed twenty-four cots. Twenty-four babies either stolen are birthed by a mother that was likely a prisoner in the same house of horrors she was trying to escape from.

Covering her mouth, Brooke supressed a scream of disgust. Children. Helpless infants all lined up and ready to be sold by the indescribable monster, Marcus. An auction straight from a mother’s worst nightmare.

“Red,” she tried to get her attention. “Red,” she said with more force. When that still didn’t work, she reached out and lightly shook her. The haunted, empty look in her eyes when Red finally acknowledged her, broke Brooke’s heart into a million tiny pieces.

“My sons. My daughters…” she moved towards the cots. “I—I have to find them. I—I—I didn’t get to—to hold them,” she stammered, peering over the cots at the tiny faces. Her heartbreak was written all over her face as she searched from cot to cot for her children.

Not being able to stand seeing her torment, Brooke rushed to her side, trying to tug her away. “Red, I don’t think they are here now. These…these are infants. As in just born, and you—” Red’s head whipped around to pin Brooke with furious eyes.

“Shut up. You know nothin’. My children are here. They are here.” Tears sprang to Brooke’s eyes at the utter despair in Red’s voice.

“I really wish they were, God, Red. But I promise you, we will make these bastards pay. We will find your children and make sure they can never do this to any other woman,” Brooke’s promise was fierce and true. She would shut this operation down, even if it killed her to do it.







Author Bio

Cassia Brightmore is a new indie author. Her debut novel, Malevolent is the first book in the Darkness Series and can be read as a standalone.

 

Writing has always been a passion of hers and publishing her first novel is truly a dream come true. She enjoys writing dark stories that she hopes will thrill the reader.
 

Cassia lives in Grimsby, Canada with her two furbabies, Harley and Molly.



Author Links

BLOG TOUR: "Skeleton Run" by John DeBoer



Twenty years ago, four teenage boys left a baby behind in a crushed car after they caused the tragic accident that took the mother’s life. Ever since, they’ve guarded the secret that would’ve ruined their lives and destroyed their future careers. But when one of them succumbs to illness, a blackmailer makes contact, and the survivors realize that, somehow, someone else knows. Now, everything that matters to them is at stake.
Las Vegas billionaire Wendell Logan is pursuing the role of political kingmaker, and he’s selected his unsuspecting king: Alan Granger, governor of Pennsylvania. Granger confesses his closet skeleton to Logan, but the tycoon has invested too much time and money into Granger’s future presidential campaign to let him and his old friends endanger Logan’s power play.
It’s time to run.


****


EXCERPT:

Chapter 1

Late February 1995
Richmond, Vermont

Jeanne Favreau kissed her eighteen-month-old son and put him in his crib for the night. Exhausted from her long day at Bolton Valley, she flopped into her own bed across the room. Sufficient snow on the popular ski resort’s slopes kept the snack bar busy on Saturdays. At least she had the next day off. She quickly fell asleep.
The baby cried, and Jeanne’s eyes snapped open. No light crept through the blinds. She turned on the nightstand lamp and glanced at the clock radio: 10:15. Crap! She stepped to the crib, where Timmy stood gripping the side rail and emitting unhappy squawks.
“What's the matter, sweetie?” Jeanne lifted him over the rail and held him to her shoulder while checking his diaper. Dry and empty. Then she felt his forehead. Hot.
Oh, Christ! Another ear infection? Probably. With a sigh, she carried Timmy into the bathroom and took the bottle of Tylenol suspension from the medicine cabinet. She closed the bathtub drain and turned on the water. She went into the small kitchen and deposited him into his highchair, where he rubbed his right ear with a fist.
“I know, Timmy. You don't feel good,” Jeanne cooed, “but Mommy will make it better.” She opened a cabinet drawer, got a spoon, and poured the liquid Tylenol into it. The pediatrician had said he could have a full teaspoon. Unfortunately, Jeanne had become experienced dealing with ear infections. After successfully getting her child to take the medicine, she picked him up and returned to the bathroom.

***

From the back seat of the Toyota Land Cruiser, I gazed out the window at the passing forest. Though clouds intermittently obscured the face of the half moon, enough light bathed the landscape to provide a contrast between the smooth, untrampled snow and the skeletal stands of hardwood trees rising above it.
My buddies and I had taken full advantage of the good conditions on the slopes, and with the end of the season looming, we wanted to double down and continue skiing into the evening under the lights. But our social director had another idea in mind.
Alan Granger chuckled as he piloted the SUV down the Bolton Valley access road. “Hot babes in a hot tub. Doesn't get any better than that. Didn't I tell you? Stick with the Grange if you want to party? Bring your swim trunks just in case? I'm definitely going to give that Tammy a call tomorrow.” Tall and lanky, with a shock of unruly dark brown hair, a handsome face, and a gregarious personality, Granger was well known in our high school as a chick magnet. And starring as a wide receiver on the football team hadn't hurt.
Bob Kretchman, sitting next to me, grunted and took a gulp from his beer can. With his intimidating size and ferocious tackling exploits for that same team, his nickname of “Crushman” had evolved naturally. He scratched his scalp through his blond crew cut. “Yeah, it was fun. But I can't see us taking this any further. They're college chicks, dude.”
“Get me one of those Buds, will you?” Granger said. As I reached into the Styrofoam cooler behind me, he continued, “What difference does a year make, Crush? In seven months, we'll be in college, too. So we lie a little to get laid. You know, like we usually do.” He laughed
again.
I popped the can and handed it to our driver.
“What about you, Jimmy?” he asked me. “Going to give Green Bikini a call? You two seemed to be getting it on pretty good.”
I smiled, thinking of those luscious tits practically rubbing against me as we “got to know each other” in the spa’s swirling water. The girls, Pi Beta Phi sorority sisters, were sophomores at the University of Vermont, all from out of state. They were staying in the ski condo belonging to the parents of Granger’s date for the weekend. Unfortunately, the father and his wife were also there, so we had to confine the frolic to the public hot tub. But we’d all said we would like to get together again in the near future—hopefully to take our newfound “friendships” to the next level.
“The lighting helped,” I replied, “since I don't look ancient like the rest of you guys. But I don't think my face could pass for a college stud in the light of day.”
Tom Webster faced me from the front passenger seat. He twiddled his index fingers in his cheeks and grinned. “Mr. Dawson, she'd just think you're cute. Go for it, man. Sometimes you gotta go for the long ball.” The team's quarterback turned his broad shoulders back to the front and nudged the driver with his elbow.
“Amen to that,” Granger responded.
“Hey, Jim,” Kretchman added, “you can't always dance your way through the line. Somebody like me could be waiting for you, stop you in your tracks.”
I laughed at the ribbing, since I was used to it. They had been my friends since grade school. Though in good shape, able to hold my own in the weight room, and certainly not short in stature, I was the “little” kid among them and the youngest by four months. Not to mention my young-looking face. “Well,” I said, returning the linebacker's grin, “if there's a hole, I'll be sure to
find it.”
“Good one, Jimmy!” Granger laughed and took a pull from his can.
“And,” I said, “you seem to have forgotten that ninety-five-yard touchdown run I made against Essex. The Burlington Free Press certainly thought it was noteworthy. Didn't the article say it was a school record? And how about those two—I repeat, two—kickoff returns for TDs against BFA? I can go long, too.” I gave him a light punch in the arm.
“Yeah, you're a legend in your own mind,” Granger said over his shoulder. “Anyway, those girls do open up some possibilities.”
The car came to a stop at the bottom of the hill before turning right onto US 2. The exit for I-89, the route we'd take back to Burlington, lay just a few miles ahead.

***

At eleven p.m., after bathing Timmy in tepid water, Jeanne checked his temperature again with the rectal thermometer. 103.6! His fever had risen a full degree. Listless and lethargic, Timmy was no longer crying. Not a good sign.
She placed him on the bed while she quickly dressed and put on her parka. Then she wrapped a blanket around Timmy, picked him up, and went out the trailer door. Along with her child, the decrepit singlewide was all she had left to remind her of her ex-boyfriend, who'd run off as soon as she revealed the positive pregnancy test.
She secured Timmy in the rear-facing infant car seat of her beat-up Yugo and then drove out of the trailer park. The medical center in Burlington, just twenty minutes or so to the west, was her destination. Richmond didn't have a hospital. But that's what my baby needs, and soon.

***

The heavy beat of Meat Loaf erupted from the Land Cruiser's CD player as snowflakes began to hit the windshield.
Granger turned on the wipers. “Where the hell did this come from?”
“Some freak snow flurry,” Webster said from the shotgun seat.
“More like a freakin' storm.”
I leaned forward to peer through the windshield. The headlights’ illumination reflected back at us from the fluffy crystals. We appeared to be the only car on the road, so playing Follow the Leader wouldn't help us pick our way through the wall of white. Roadside lights were non-existent.
“Better slow down,” I said. As Kretchman had implied in his metaphor, I was usually the cautious one. I preferred to call it the “voice of reason.”
As the car rounded a turn, Webster yelled, “Watch out!”
At the same moment, I saw it as well. A dim red glow penetrated the heavy snowfall directly in front of us. A car’s taillight.
Granger tromped on the brakes, but the SUV skidded on the slick asphalt. “Oh, Jesus!” he shouted, and we all watched helplessly, knowing a collision was unavoidable. The heavy Land Cruiser slammed into the rear of the much smaller car, sending it careening off the road and into a stout maple tree.
“Shit!” Granger regained control of the SUV, pulled onto the shoulder, and put the car in park but left the engine running. He scrambled out of the vehicle and headed toward the stricken
sedan, his open parka flapping.
The rest of us followed. Snow crunched beneath my boots as I hurried to the car. The initial shock of the collision became full-blown panic as I feared the worst. The Yugo’s right headlight had escaped damage and sent its beam onto the cornfield beyond the tree. The front of the driver's side of the car had received the full force of the impact. Snow continued to fall, its insulation imposing an eerie quiet. Except for our heavy breathing and the slight tick of the Yugo’s engine, no sound reached my ears.
We gathered around Granger and looked through the shattered driver's side window. Faint light from the moon revealed a young woman pinned to her seat by the steering column. She wasn’t moving.
“Are you all right?” Granger spoke through the window as he tried and failed to open the door. No response came from the woman who appeared to be, at best, unconscious. “Bob, give the door a try.”
While Kretchman put his bulk into the effort, I went around to the other side and opened the front passenger door. The dome light came on, illuminating the woman, and my fear became real.
The collision had driven the dashboard assembly, including the collapsible steering column, into her chest. Her unblinking eyes stared ahead as if expressing shock at the sudden catastrophe. Med school was still more than four years away for me, but I didn’t need medical training to diagnose the obvious.
Still, I felt for a pulse in her cool, lifeless wrist. “She’s dead,” I announced.
“Oh, my God!” Granger wailed. “What’re we going to do?” He banged his fist on the roof of the car. “Shit!”
From behind me, Webster said, “Look in the backseat, Jimmy.”
Though I’d thought my despair couldn’t get any worse, it climbed to a new level.
Webster opened the rear door, and I leaned in. The infant car seat lay askew but still restrained by the seat belt. The child in it was motionless, eyes closed. Oh, Jesus, no! I put my ear close to the baby’s mouth, and the sound of rhythmic breathing rewarded me. Thank God! I didn’t see any apparent injuries. Granger and Kretchman came around the car.
“I think the baby’s okay,” I said as I backed out and stood upright. “Call 9-1-1 on your car phone, Al.”
“Yeah… all right… good idea.” He started for his car then came back to us. “Oh, man. We should think about this first. I killed somebody, for Christ's sake! Vehicular homicide is what they call it.” He shook his head. “I'm in big trouble, guys.”
“It was an accident,” Kretchman offered. “Bad weather conditions, slippery road. That car came out of nowhere.”
“And it only had the one taillight,” Webster added. “We'll back you up, man.”
“Except they'll say I was going too fast for the conditions, since I rear-ended her. Slam dunk there. And I was drinking. Unlike you guys, I'm eighteen, so I'm screwed both ways. I'm not allowed to drink, but legally I'm an adult. I am totally fucked!”
I couldn’t argue with that assessment, and apparently, the others couldn’t either as indecision paralyzed all of us. I glanced at the baby. We had to do something for it and soon.
“Even if I can stay out of jail and my old man doesn't disown me, there goes law school. Think I could get into Georgetown or any other top school with this on my record?” Granger put his hands on the sides of his head. “Oh, man. What am I going to do?”
“So let's get the hell out of here,” Webster said. “You gotta make that call because of the
kid, but do it when we're on the road and keep it anonymous.”
“I think the cops can trace those calls,” Granger replied. “Can't take that chance. I need to find a pay phone.”
“What about the baby?” I asked. “We can't just leave it here. If something happens to—”
“Uh-oh, car coming,” Kretchman said.
I looked to the east. The trees lit up from an approaching car that had not yet rounded the curve. We watched as the car came into view and then reached our location. I held my breath, but it continued past us without even slowing.
Maybe the snow had obscured the driver's view. Maybe something else had distracted him. Maybe he had issues of his own and didn't want to get involved in our problem. Whatever—his appearance on the scene emphasized our precarious position.
“We better get going before a Good Samaritan or a state trooper comes by,” Granger said.
“The baby?” I asked again.
Granger looked at the sleeping infant. “He's got a warm blanket.” He reached in to tuck the wool fabric around the kid. “It's not that cold. Gotta be above freezing.” He gazed at the sky. “And the snow is letting up.” The panic in his eyes told me whose welfare he was really considering. “The kid'll be okay. He's not even crying, Jimmy. I'll call 9-1-1 as soon as we hit town. Twenty minutes, tops.” He headed to the Land Cruiser. “C'mon, guys, let's book.”
Kretchman must have sensed my hesitation. “Jimmy?”
I didn’t know what to say.
Webster grabbed my arm. “C’mon, man. I don’t like this any better than you do, but we’re all in big shit here. Al’s right. This is the only way out for us.”
It wasn't right to just up and bolt, leaving the mess behind us. Okay, it was Al's mess,
really. But Webster had a point. We were all involved. Even though I had only been a bystander, I wasn't innocent. I had been drinking, too, had even given the driver a beer. Because of us, a woman lay dead, and her baby had lost its mother. A terrible thing.
Guilt was one thing. I’d have that regardless. Suffering real-world consequences was another matter. In the short term, I'd be grounded for sure. But I could imagine how this incident could forever mar my reputation. I'd be one of “those boys”—the drunken teenagers on a joyride who killed a woman. And Al, my buddy, was right. He would be in a shit-pot full of trouble, legal and otherwise, if this got out.
Self-defense and loyalty finally won the debate. We could do nothing for the woman now, and the baby would be fine, I told myself. I leaned in once more to check the baby and made sure the blanket was secured around his sleeping form. I closed the door and said, “Okay, let’s go,” then followed the others to the car.


****


GUEST BLOG:



Politics and the Everyman

What is the impact of politics on the average citizen? That question has assumed more importance in recent years and should, therefore, be discussed seriously.
Our democracy was established with the principle of one man, one vote. With the unfortunate history of racial and gender exceptions to that principle now behind us, the average Joe (including, of course, the average Josephine) can submit his vote in favor of what he thinks is best for him. Or what he thinks is best for the country, which, not surprisingly, usually amounts to the same thing, human nature being what it is.
Ah, but our country was also established as a representative democracy. So Joe’s vote, unless it contributes to relatively rare referendums, does not go directly to his government to effect change. Instead, that vote is used to elect others who will, in turn, make decisions that will affect Joe, again using the principle of one man, one vote, but now on a much smaller scale. At the federal level, there are only 535 individuals making these decisions for the millions of Joes in this country.
And that’s where U.S. citizens have a problem. For these representatives to be elected, money is needed to promote their candidacies for office. And for contested state and national elections especially – this means lots of money. Average Joe might have a candidate who supports his views and might, just might, vote in his favor when the time comes in Congress, but Joe can only contribute so much to his candidate’s cause. He has expenses that demand big chunks of his available cash, so any political contribution he makes will be tiny compared to other players in the democracy game.
There are Rich Joes who can afford to spend $1000 at a fundraiser dinner for the privilege of hearing a candidate speak as they hobnob with other wealthy types in their support for their politician. Average Joe can’t afford that, and his name would not even come up when the invitations are sent out, because he’s a nobody, not worthy of consideration. He’s just one nameless vote.
Then there are the Tycoon Joes who have even more money to contribute to their candidates. With recent Supreme Court decisions, there is essentially no limit to what a Tycoon Joe can contribute. In fact, a Tycoon Joe can essentially finance, by himself if he desires, an entire campaign. When the politician is elected, to whom do you think he would owe his allegiance (and vote!)? What Tycoon Joe wants, he has essentially paid for and will most likely get, regardless of the wishes of Average Joe.
It is this current state of affairs in our electoral process today that worries me, and I’ve made it a key element in my latest novel, Skeleton Run.
Campaign finance reform laws have poked around the edges of the problem, but loopholes have quickly sprung up to circumvent them. Unless something is done to change our present system in a material way, I fear that “plutocracy” will become a more apt description of our government than “democracy.”


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MY REVIEW:

Secrets. We all have at least one, and the person who says they don't is a liar. But it's not often that a secret includes a dead baby and blackmail.
I thought this was going to be a very political novel. I was wrong. Skeleton Run has politics in it, of course (why I chose to review it right before America's Independence Day), but it's not a political novel. It's a novel about much more than a sketchy politician and scams. It's about lies, life, death and skeletons in your closet...skeletons that might come up and bite you if left to lie too long.
Mr. DeBoer's writing is not flowery or overly technical, as some political writers tend to get. If I choose to read a novel for pleasure, the last thing I want is a writer who makes me have to go to the dictionary or whose work sounds like an article the Wall Street Journal!
The usual reasons for blackmail--crimes of passion, adultery, etc.--are not present here. In fact, the blackmailed party isn't even an adult when he commits his crime. That alone is singular.
The story flows pretty steadily, and only lags in small parts. Another rarity for a novel such as this, and a welcome change. Mr. DeBoer is knowledgeable about American politics, and the levels humans will sink to to get what they want. He shows us the dark side of the human soul in this book.
Will everyone like it? Probably not. Do I recommend it? Definitely. Very different and fun to read. It makes you think while thrilling you.

4/5--I will come back for more from this writer!