Specimen #GayBookPromotions

RECENT RELEASE

Book Title:  Specimen 

Author: C. Quince 

Publisher: Ninestar Press 

Cover Artist: HolBat 

Release Date: March 11, 2024

Tense/POV: third person/past tense/alternating POV

Genre:  MM paranormal/alien/sci-fi romance

Themes: Enemies to lovers, mystery, thriller, action adventure, spies, frenemies, forced proximity, colleagues

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length:  105 000 words/ 300 pages 

It is the first book of a series. 

The book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger as the mysteries are ongoing, 

but the couple are solidly together.

Goodreads

Buy Links

NineStar Press  |  Universal Link

A former US Marine and a British M16 Intelligence agent find more in common than attraction. 

Blurb

David Cortez, a decorated US Marine, is now on the run from his own government after escaping a top-secret CIA lab when an experimental medical procedure turned sour.

While lying low in Mexico, an assassin sent from British Intelligence tracks him down. However, Sonny from MI6, a British-Iranian with a cockney accent, offers David a choice: join his team, or be killed.

David chooses to work with Sonny, not only because he wants his life back, but because he feels a kinship with the man.

They’re also both in the unique position of being the only living test subjects with alien DNA in their blood. Could that explain the strong attraction between them?

Excerpt

Sonny opened the brief. Inside, the first page was stamped TOP SECRET in big letters, which always made him want to laugh, along with the usual disclaimers typed out manually from a typewriter. Sonny breezed past all that and looked at the mission itself. What he saw was a collected file on one man: former US Marine, last known employment in private security. The collected photos were from past ID’s like Marine Corps and the DMV, and included some candids and hospital patient logs.

Handsome guy, Sonny thought idly. Tan skin, short brown hair, a strong jawline. Sonny was unsure of the guy’s ethnicity until he clocked the name.

“The file is Sergeant David Luis Cortez,” Shepherd said. “US Marines scout sniper.” She sat down at the opposite end of the table to Guv. “Peak physical health while on duty,” she went on. “Loyal. Follows orders. Impressive stats. Fifty-two confirmed kills, one of which being a one-and-a-half-mile sniper shot from a thirty-storey window.”

Sonny felt equally annoyed and impressed to hear that. He was the trick shot in this division, and he didn’t need another hotshot coming for his wig.

“Served in Afghanistan, Sudan, and South America, as well as several black ops missions. Honourable discharge, moved onto private security and diplomatic detail,” Shepherd went on. “Assigned to US diplomat Philip Sherman, thwarted an assassination attempt, but fell victim to poisoning from thallium sulphate.”

Sonny leafed through the hospital files. These medical records were official, along with a copy of the death certificate.

Sonny guessed what had happened before Shepherd confirmed it: they had another resurrected government experiment on their hands. Sonny should know; he was one himself.

“His condition in civilian hospital deteriorated,” Shepherd explained. “Through an Army connection, Cortez was recommended for special medical trials, codenamed Trial X. His first round of tests proved successful, when not many subjects pass that stage…” She glanced up pointedly. “As we well know.”

Sonny kept quiet and lifted his cup to take a sip. The slurp was noisy in the quiet room.

Guv gave Sonny a warning look. Sonny stopped slurping and smirked. He’d made his point. He was a special case who’d survived testing and was worth his weight in gold. He got away with murder on a daily basis.

“So,” Shepherd continued, “the CIA faked Cortez’s death, and moved him to one of their black sites for further testing. Cortez was renamed Specimen X.”

Sonny turned the page and saw copies of top secret CIA medical files, including a colour photo of the poor bastard inside a tank filled with bubbly blue liquid. He was naked except for an oxygen mask over his face and various cables attached to his limbs. The photo cut off below the waist. Sonny, being a thirsty bitch, immediately zeroed in on the man’s toned abs and pecs, and biceps to die for.

Was it uncouth to lust over him in that condition? Probably. Did Sonny care? Not really.

In the photo the man’s eyes were closed. His hair had grown longer than the short army cut, and he also had a beard now. He’d be hot shit, if not for the fact he was stuck inside a human-sized test tube.

“Was it Wallace’s team?” Guv asked Shepherd, referencing a top CIA operative.

“We don’t know for sure,” Shepherd replied. “My mole was tight lipped about the department. But we do know they were working with their own version of Sample A-X, which is why I’ve brought this to the front of our queue. It’s amazing we got as much intel as is, considering their operation was all shut down and relocated after his escape.”

Escape? Sonny perked up at that. Excellent! He loved drama. 

He flicked through more of the file, speed-reading reports detailing the subject’s general disorientation after the procedure, then his violent outbursts toward medical staff… But Sonny never trusted a doctor’s word on patients. Who wouldn’t get pissed off after being poked and prodded then shoved in a tank? Sonny could sympathise.

There were some printouts of shots taken from a black-and-white security feed showing the naked (and ripped) subject overpowering several doctors and guards in the lab in order to break down the door and escape.

Sonny felt vicariously proud of the guy. 

He probably shouldn’t have smirked over it, because Guv and Shepherd noticed. “I’m glad you think this is amusing, Sonny,” Shepherd said haughtily, “because you’re the one who’s going to track him down.”

About the Author 

Quince is a MENA-British author who lives in England, enjoys sci-fi and fantasy, history, and Halloween.

Social Media Links

Website   |  Facebook  |  BlueSky   |   Instagram

Hosted by Gay Book Promotions

Just Call Me Source Book Blitz #rabtbooktours

Paranormal Thriller

Date Published: 4/30/23

 

 

In this stunning sequel to Just Call Me Jim, the world has awakened to Jim Vincent’s outside influence on the way things are done.

He and his extraterrestrial partner, the Source, successfully changed the corrupt policies of social media companies and neutralized the nuclear weapons capability of global countries. Now, he has more enemies than he knows.

Despite the risks to Jim and his family; the time has come for him and the Source to venture into the world of drug trafficking, where human life holds little value.

Together they orchestrate attacks destroying the cocaine processing plants in Mexico and Central America, intercepting the flow of cartel cash, and put a stop to the influx of deadly drugs from China.

Mexican drug cartels and their Chinese partners are losing billions of dollars.

They want Jim dead!

About the Author

James Peifer is a retired business-owner from Silicon Valley.

He was an Army Captain and a combat veteran of the Vietnam War.

He lives in Napa, California.

 

Contact Link

Website

 

Purchase Link

Amazon

Just Call Me Jim Book Blitz #rabtbooktours

Paranormal Thriller

Date Published: 6/13/22

 

 

Jim Vincent thought he'd seen it all, but he'd never seen anything like this.

He'd fought in Vietnam and founded successful companies in Silicon Valley.

His Napa Valley retirement was supposed to be quiet and peaceful.

Until he was visited by an extraterrestrial calling itself the Source.

When the Source recruits him to address some of the problems here on Earth, Jim discovers that world leaders and criminal enterprises don't exactly appreciate his meddling.

How was Jim supposed to know that trying to rid the world of evil would leave people wanting him dead?

About the Author

James Peifer is a retired business-owner from Silicon Valley.

He was an Army Captain and a combat veteran of the Vietnam War.

He lives in Napa, California.

Contact Link

Website

 

Purchase Link

Amazon

Show No Mercy #GayBookPromotions

NEW RELEASE

Book Title:  Show No Mercy

Author and Publisher: Thom Collins

Cover Artist: Kelly A Martin

Release Date: November 14, 2024

Tense/POV: Third person/past tense

Genres: Contemporary MM Romance, paranormal thriller

Tropes: Dark romantic suspense, instant attraction

Heat Rating:  4 flames   

Length: 38 000 words/160 pages

It’s a one-off standalone story. No cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Link - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Universal Link 

A chance encounter brought them together, but in a world of danger, it might not be for long.

Blurb

When a blind date ends in disaster, Hector is about to swear off dating for good, until he sees a handsome face across a bar and changes his mind. A drink with a troubled man called Callum leads to something far more meaningful. Hector offers Callum the chance to off load his problems.

But when they’re attacked by two men carrying knives, Hector is plunged into a dangerous world of vengeance and retaliation. His decision to stand by Callum puts his life at risk in ways he could never have imagined. Is he prepared to lose everything for a man he barely knows?

Excerpt 

They made it to Hector's apartment without any further incident. He turned on the lights and held the door for Callum before locking it behind him. Callum's hand, where he gripped his injured arm, was red with blood. Hector showed him to the bathroom before going to retrieve his first aid kit.

“How does it feel?” he asked, pulling on a pair of rubber gloves.

“It's beginning to throb, but I think the worst of the bleeding has stopped.”

Hector ran warm water into the sink and poured in two cups of antiseptic liquid. “Take off your T-shirt,” he said, soaking cotton balls in the sink. “I'll give you one of mine, once we clean this up and make sure it's no longer bleeding.”

Callum sat on the edge of the bath and removed his T-shirt. He winced and gave a sharp intake of breath. Hector suspected his injury was more painful than he was letting on. He flinched again when Hector applied the soaked cotton balls to his wound.

“Sorry,” he said. “I’ll be gentle as I can.” 

“It's fine,” Callum said. “Just do what you have to.”

The cut was about an inch and a half long. “I don't think it's gone deep,” he said. “You've been lucky.”

“I'm sure Jon-Boy was aiming for something more severe.”

“We have to report this to the police.”

Callum shook his head. “That will be a waste of time.”

“They'll be searching for you anyway. I'm sure the staff at the bar will have called it in. Especially when Jon-Boy pulled a knife on the premises. There must have been a dozen or more witnesses.”

Callum didn't reply, and Hector didn't push it. He would try again in a while. They had a duty to report what had happened. Hector wasn't about to let those thugs get away with what they had done.

Once he had cleaned the wound, Hector patted it dry then applied a fresh medical cloth and bandaged it. “I don't think it's deep enough for you to need stitches, but you'll have to keep an eye on it. You might need to visit your doctor.”

“You've done a great job. Thank you.”

Hector went to his bedroom and rummaged in a drawer. Callum was thicker-built he was, but he found a T-shirt that was too big for him and should fit Callum fine. It was only when he returned to the bathroom that he noticed the rest of Callum’s body. He was incredibly fit with a flat stomach and firm, well developed pecs. His torso was smooth and hairless—he must have shaved it. Hector tried not to stare at his perfect physique as he handed over the T-shirt.

“Come through to the kitchen,” he said. “I'll get you some painkillers.”

Hector was about to offer him a strong drink, then remembered that would not be a good idea while he had an open wound. The bleeding had stopped but it would not be worth the risk of it restarting. He got two glasses from the cupboard and filled them with water from the filter unit in his refrigerator. When Callum came into the room wearing Hector’s T-shirt, he handed him the glass and a blister pack of Ibuprofen.

“Take two. They should help soon enough.”

Callum nodded and gave a weak smile as he popped the pills from their packet. The T-shirt fitted him far better than it ever had Hector. The cotton spread tight across his impressive chest and shoulders. The small nubs of his nipples stood erect. Hector was again startled by how beautiful he was and told himself to stop looking. Callum was in trouble, and this was definitely not the time.

About the Author 

Thom Collins is the author of the Jagged Shores series and the Anthem Trilogy as well as numerous standalone novels and novellas. 

His new series Basic Instincts launches in spring 2025 with the novel Now Comes the Dark.

Thom has lived in the North East of England his whole life. He grew up in Northumberland and now lives in County Durham with his husband and two cats. He loves all kinds of genre fiction, especially bonk-busters, thrillers, romance and horror. He is also a cookery book addict with far too many titles cluttering his shelves. When not writing he can be found in the kitchen trying out new recipes. He’s a keen traveler but with a fear of flying that gets worse with age, but in 2013 he realized cruising is the best way to see the world.

Check out his website for news updates and a free ebook The Night

Social Media Links

Website  |    Threads 

Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |   Newsletter Sign-up   

Giveaway 

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win 

one of five ebooks from the author's backlist.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hosted by Gay Book Promotions

The Caretaker Book Blitz #rabtbooktours

 

Haunted Historical Mystery Series, Book 3

 

Paranormal Thriller

Date Published: February 25, 2024

A blizzard rips through the Black Hills of South Dakota, as journalist Rachael embarks on a journey to Hawthorne House, a remote inn located deep in the frigid wilderness. As the storm rages on, Rachael finds herself caught in a gripping tale of mystery and intrigue, unsure of what lies ahead in the enigmatic world of the treacherous snow-covered landscape and the sinister forces that lurk within Hawthorn House. The icy snowstorm blurs the lines between reality and imagination as Rachael uncovers secrets and revelations that challenge her perception of the caretaker and the true nature of Hawthorn House.

About the Author

 Regina endeavors to take her readers on a journey around the United States to be fascinated by our country's history in a series of chilling books she hopes you will love. She blends a captivating blend of mystery, historical intrigue, and paranormal elements, her gripping novels, weaving together tales of secrets and revelations that span centuries. Her stories often delved into the hidden depths of history, uncovering long-forgotten mysteries and unsolved crimes that haunted the past. It was the paranormal twists that set Regina's work apart, adding an extra layer of intrigue and suspense that kept readers eagerly turning the pages until the very end. She continues to explore the darker corners of the human experience through her captivating storytelling.

Thank you for reading and please leave a review. Her next book will be coming out in the summer of 2024, The Haunting of York Hall. Any questions or comments? Please visit her wheebsite at reginawixon.com. or follow her on Facebook where she will keep you updated on upcoming books. Questions? Please email her at regina.wixon@gmail.com – She'll be happy to hear from you!

 

Contact Links

Website

Facebook

Twitter

 

Purchase Link

Amazon

Code of Reanimation Book Blitz #rabtbooktours

 

Spin-off of the Father of Contention series

 

Paranormal Thriller, Science Fiction, Horror

Date Published: 11-14-2023

 

 

Freedom is a state of mind.

Brigita Nowak has only ever wanted one thing—her freedom. Labelled psychotic and committed to a mental institution at seventeen, she missed the chance of a “normal” life. She never held a job, owned her own place, or experienced love. Until now.

After awakening sprawled on the common room floor—the hospital in ruins, the staff and patients missing—she realizes it’s her chance to escape. Seeking sanctuary with her sister, she meets “the boyfriend” Renner Scholz, a vile yet brilliant geneticist. He has developed a bioweapon, the Code of Reanimation, destined to destroy the world. Or so Brigita believes. She’s been seeing zombie hallucinations as of late, a sure premonition of the highly contagious bioweapon getting out of hand. Why the connection? Because the bioweapon reanimates dead organisms into bloodthirsty killing machines.

Brigita has typically experienced death-based hallucinations, blamed on her mental illness. She, however, always felt they were psychic premonitions. Convinced that Renner intends to release the bioweapon at a public fundraising event, she teams up with a handsome love interest to thwart the catastrophe. But, as Brigita’s visions kick into hyperdrive and timelines blur, she must determine which events are based on reality or delusional constructs of her subconscious mind...

before it’s too late.

About the Author

Lanie Mores is the award-winning author of the science fiction and fantasy book series, Father of Contention. She has an Honours Bachelor of Science Degree, a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology, and she is an active member of the Canadian Authors Association. When she isn't writing, you'll find her reading, binge-watching Netflix, baking, and slaughtering zombies and other monsters on her Xbox. She lives in Ontario with her family and forever barking fur babies, Batman and Petri.

 

Contact Links

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Blog

Goodreads

Pinterest

Instagram

 

Purchase Link

Amazon

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

For the Long Run Audiobook Review #GayBookPromotions

AUDIOBOOK TOUR

Book Title: For the Long Run

Author: Elizabeth Noble

Publisher: Howling Corgi Press

Narrator: Samuel Mann

Release Date: July 12, 2023

Genre: Contemporary, M/M Erotic Romance, Paranormal thriller, BDSM romance, Erotic thriller

Tropes: Fake relationship, hurt/comfort, romantic thriller

Themes:  Forgiveness, overcoming parental abuse, D/s and healthy BDSM romance

Heat Rating: 5 flames     

Length: 5 hours and 52 minutes

It is a standalone story and does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links

Universal Link  |   Audible US  |   Audible UK  

What if your life was a lie?

Blurb 

From the outside Jay’s life seems idyllic, a twenty-something, runs his family’s business with high disposable income and freedom. The reality, is Jay’s life is dictated by a bigoted, controlling, abusive father who insists Jay simply can’t be gay. Jay yearns for his own life with a dominant man, but it’s an out-of-reach pipe dream. When he meets trained Dom, Eric, the most Jay can hope for is the occasional one-night-stand or quick fling.

Eric has his heart set on Jay, and not only for more than one night. Jay is the type of sub Eric could easily spend the rest of his life with, fall in love with. While trying to navigate winning Jay’s love, Eric’s life is further complicated by chasing down a killer who may be something other than human.

When Jay is targeted, Eric wants only to protect him. Can he save Jay’s life and win his heart as well?

About the Author 

Mystery, action, chills, and thrills spiced with romance and desire. ELIZABETH NOBLE lives by the adage "I can't not write." She doesn't remember a time when she didn’t make up stories and eventually she learned how to put words on a page. Those words turned into books and fan fiction that turned into a genuine love of M/M fiction. A part of every day is spent living in worlds she created that are filled with intrigue and espionage. She has a real love for a good mystery complete with murder and twisty plots as well as all things sci-fi, futuristic, and supernatural.

When she's not chronicling the adventures of her many characters, Elizabeth is a veterinary nurse living in her native Cleveland, Ohio. She has three grown children and now happily shares her little, brick house with two spunky Cardigan Welsh Corgis and their feline sidekicks. Elizabeth is a fan of baseball, basketball (go Cavs and Cleveland Baseball) and gardening. She can often be found working in her 'outside office' listening to classic rock and plotter her next novel waiting for it to be dark enough to gaze at the stars.

 Elizabeth has received a number of amateur writing awards. Since being published, several of her novels have received Honorable Mentions in the Rainbow Awards. Jewel Cave was a runner-up in the Gay Mystery/Thriller category in the 2015 Rainbow Awards. Ringed Love was a winner in the Gay Fantasy Romance category of the 2016 Rainbow Awards.

Author Links

Blog/Website: Emotion in Motion  |   Vampire Guard Website

Facebook  |   Facebook Author page  |  Twitter

Newsletter sign-up  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest

BookBub  |  JMS page  |  Amazon

Hosted by Gay Book Promotions

Free use image from Pixabay

Ornery Owl's Rating:

🌟🌟🌟🌟

I do not recommend...

Listening to this audiobook while driving!

I did that. 

I live an average of 50 miles from the nearest city. I decided to get my listen on while driving to a podiatry appointment some 100 miles from home.

This story comes in hot and hard (puns intended) from the beginning. Jay, a sweet young man being pushed into a fake marriage to a woman he doesn't even like that much to protect his father's political career, goes to a roadhouse where he hooks up with a sexy older man named Eric. Eric introduces Jay to BDSM while giving him the ride of his life.

The lovers are hooked on each other from the beginning, but circumstances conspire to keep them apart. As if interference from Jay's overbearing father and clingy fake fiancee aren't enough, someone--or something--is killing men in a particularly brutal fashion, and it seems like Jay could be a target.

I was hooked on this story from the beginning. The narrator's deep, sexy voice was perfect for the sizzling action crafted by the author. I was driving along with a gleefully startled look on my face, expressing the sentiment "Oh my!" aloud more than once. I thought Jay made a wonderfully sweet submissive while Eric was the perfect dominant, commanding but never brutal. While I figured out who (or what) the killer was, the author provided a barrelful of red herrings that kept me guessing until the end.

The only reason I didn't give this otherwise splendid story five stars is that sexualized strangulation (some call it "breath play") will always be a Jupiter-sized "nope" for me. This is a dangerous practice and there is no argument in the Universe compelling enough to change my mind. 

Other than the aforementioned Jupiter-sized nope, if you enjoy blazing hot m/m romance and paranormal thrillers that keep you guessing, I highly recommend you make For the Long Run your next audiobook boyfriend.

Kidnapped Clowder New Release Blitz #rabtbooktours

 

Romance Thriller

Date Published: 03-28-2023

 

It’s been over a year since Jimena kidnapped Nic and locked him in his basement. Turns out demons love being adored, even by serial killers. This long-term toxic relationship that’s become a marriage hinges on Jimena’s ability to show he is reformed.

What better way to do this than by adopting a feral cat… or seven. Jimena’s new obsession shows him the dark side of humanity and how cruel they can be to unwanted pets.

His murderous intent is now misguided and used to avenge the animals that can’t protect themselves.

It’s an improvement, sort of. Except the demon cop that’s helping keep Jimena out of jail is bringing up old feelings and Jimena is considering upgrading in demons. Might upgrade from avenging pets to avenging people too, because these mass shootings involving children are getting a bit annoying.

Jimena and Nic continue their toxic love story that may not last much longer, especially if Jimena locks a demon cop in his basement.

About the Author

Nina Schluntz is a native to rural Nebraska. In her youth, she often wrote short stories to entertain her friends. Those ideas evolved into the novels she creates today.

Her husband continues to ensure her stories maintain a touch of realism as she delves into the science fiction and fantasy realm. Their three cats are always willing to stay up late to provide inspiration, whether it is a howl from the stray born in the backyard or an encouraging bite from the so called “calming kitten.”

 

Contact Links

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

 

Purchase Link

Amazon

FREE For a Limited Time

Bolder Blindsided Book Tour and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Janice Tremayne will be awarding a paperback copy of the book (USA/UK) to two randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

An Australian alpine ghost town. A priest turned supernatural detective. A missing persons cold case. Will Bolder track down the voracious demon?

When Detective Wellock hushers in Zack Bolder to investigate a missing person case in the Australian ghost town of Walhalla, they form the most formidable tag team of supernatural investigators, working for the police branch for unexplained crimes. Perched amongst the alpine area, this tourist backed ghost town is renowned for its gold mining past and stories of hardship, deprivation, and death. It becomes a perfect setting for an unexplained missing person's cold case.

When Bolder realizes every demon has a weakness—it’s blindside, he confronts the demonic presence, head on for an ultimate encounter to save the town. As this evil entity is sly as a fox with more turns that a two-mile car racetrack, Bolder must be at his best to overcome the devil that has cursed the town since 1876.

Can Bolder uncover the curse that strangleholds the town and thrust out the evil entity before more innocent people go missing and suffer an imminent fate?

Bolder Blindsided is the first book of the Zack Bolder Supernatural Suspense Thriller Series. If you like a fast-moving, energetic, and nail-biting supernatural suspense thriller guaranteed to raise your heartbeat, then you will love this story by 2020 USA Readers' Favorite International Book Awards Finalist in Supernatural Fiction, Janice Tremayne.

Pick up your copy today and meet Zack Bolder!

Read an Excerpt

The ghost wore a red-and-blue-checked shirt with suspended loose-fitted corduroy trousers, covered by an oversized sack coat and wavers for shoes—a type of waterproof gumboot. It had a white handkerchief tied around the neck and a broad felt hat. It peered with a skinny, sunken face, white and devoid of any existence. With an elongated nose and red bloodshot eyes—Gazza knew it was not from this world.

Gazza was a panderer, a good-looking guy that liked to mix with beautiful girls—he was not a fighter. And yet, he realized he was going to confront the most significant battle for his life. He stood firm, upright and arms folded—a natural reaction as his defence mechanism kicked into overdrive. But that could not hide his vulnerability as he trembled inside in fear for his life.

He continued flashing his torchlight at the phantasm circling him with prancing eyes, ready for its next move. Whatever happened to Jamie, I’m next, he thought.

The icy cold wind blew a gust across the mining shafts, and the moonlight made way for darkness as the clouds rolled in suffocating any virtue of hope. It was pitch black, and his torchlight was starting to fade slowly as the battery life dwindled. He tapped on his torch to get back the light he so desperately needed, but it was only temporary. The phantom continued circling and stomping on the hallowed turf, peering at him with penetrating eyes—ready to make its move. His phone torchlight was his next best thing, but that power source was also dwindling.

The phantom lifted a gold miner’s pickaxe and raised it into the air as a glitter of light reflected off the tips of the sharp end. Gazza instinctively covered his face by raising his right arm. The phantom came for him, and with an almighty swoop, the pickaxe fell on Gazza. He screamed for help, just like Jamie did—but no one was there to hear his final plight to the world. Had the demon murdered Gazza or taken him, prisoner?

About the Author:

Janice Tremayne is an Amazon bestselling and award-winning ghost and supernatural writer. Janice is a finalist in the Readers' Favorite 2020 International Book Awards in Fiction-Supernatural.

She is an emerging Australian author who lives with her family in Melbourne. Her recent publication, Haunting in Hartley, reached number one on the Amazon kindle ranking for Occult, Supernatural, and Ghosts and Haunted Houses categories, for hot new releases and bestsellers.

Janice is well-versed in her cultural superstitions and how they influence daily life and customs. She has developed a passion and style for writing ghost and supernatural novels for new adult readers.

The concept of writing the Haunting Clarisse series was spawned over a cup of coffee many years ago, and she has not looked back since. Her books contain heart-thumping, bone-chilling, and thought-provoking ghost and paranormal experiences that deliver a new twist to every tale.

Website: http://www.janicetremayne.com.au
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hauntingclarisse

Buy Link:
Amazon USA 

Amazon.ca

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Key to Eternity Book Blitz

Paranormal Thriller

Date Published: March 2020

Publisher: Archway Publishing

 

 

 

Female psychic detective, Epiphany Mayall is on the track of stolen antiquities and a clay tablets relating the Epic of Gilgamesh. Through a combination of her psychic abilities and the technological resources of PI Maro Gaido and the FBI's art crimes division, they zero in on the mysterious conspirators who people the shady global underworld of the arts and antiquities black market. Can they find the Gilgamesh tablet with its map to the “flower of immortality,” or will the treasure disappear forever into the private vault of a billionaire art thief?

Excerpt

Chapter 1

The Spiritualist Camp

Watoolahatchee, Florida

“Nana, Nana! Come quick.”

Epiphany Mayall got to her feet and hurried across the dining room. “What is it, Maddie?”

“Look, Nana. Endora’s acting really funny.”

Epiphany leaned forward and peered out the window. Endora, her black and white cat, was crouched in the grass, completely focused on something. The cat suddenly flinched and jumped sideways, then resumed its position as though preparing to pounce.

“She’s stalking something,” Epiphany said, “But I can’t see what it is.” Even as she spoke, the cat once again sprang sideways and dropped to the ground.

“What do you think it is, Nana?”

“A bird maybe, or a frog. Goodness knows what she’s got cornered.”

Epiphany unlocked the window and lifted the bottom pane. She pressed her face against the screen and looked down. A slow wave of movement caught her eye. “Oh,” she said, stepping back, “it’s a snake!”

“A snake,” Maddie cried with delight. “Where?”

“Right below the window. Along the foundation. It’s hard to see because of the leaves.”

“I see it!” Maddie looked up at her grandmother. “What kind is it?”

“I don’t know, dear.” Epiphany turned away from the window. “Michael,” she called. “Michael, can you come here?”

The measured sound of Bach’s “Prelude from the First Cello Suite” halted abruptly and Epiphany’s son Michael appeared in the dining room arch. A brown-haired man with a round face and a neatly trimmed beard, he was already growing a bit stout in early middle age. “What is it, Mom?”

“Sorry to interrupt your practice, but Endora appears to have cornered a rather large snake, and I don’t know if it’s poisonous or not.”

Michael crossed the room to stand beside his mother and daughter. “Where is it?”

“Down there,” Maddie answered, pointing.

Michael braced his hands on the sill and looked. “I see it. Looks like a brown rat snake. They’re harmless.” He grinned at his mother. “Unless you’re a rat.”

Maddie wriggled under her father’s arm and peered out. “What’s it doing, Papa? Why is it turning upside down?”

“It’s, uh. . . Wow! It’s shedding its skin. Look at that!”

“Awesome!” Maddie cried.

Michael turned to Epiphany. “Take a look, Mom.”

“I’d really rather not.”

“Can we go outside, Papa, and get up close?”

“Sure. But we don’t want to get too close. Snakes get a little edgy when they’re shedding. But we should grab Endora.”

Maddie looked up. “Why, Papa?”

“Snakes are really vulnerable when they’re shedding. They need some peace and quiet.”

“What’s all the fuss in here?” A small woman pushing a walker came through the dining room arch, wisps of white hair radiating around her face.

“It’s a snake, Great-Gram,” Maddie said.

“Where?” Susan said in alarm. “In here?”

“No, outside. Under the window. Endora found it,” said Maddie.

“Good for her,” Susan said. “Florida,” she muttered. “First alligators in the yard and now snakes. Sometimes I wish I was back in Ohio.”

“It’s a harmless little rat snake, Gram,” said Michael. “Come on, Maddie. Let’s go watch it shed.”

“Watch it what?” Susan asked as father and daughter hurried past her.

“It’s shedding its skin,” said Epiphany. “Something snakes do now and then,”

“That sounds perfectly dreadful,” Susan exclaimed.

“Mom,” Epiphany objected, “we had snakes in Ohio. Remember the time I brought that garter snake into the parlor when Reverend Ashby was visiting?”

“I remember telling you to get that evil serpent out of our house.”

“Serpents aren’t evil. They do a lot of good.”

“Such as?”

“They eat vermin.”

“Fine. I just want them to stay in the garden where they belong.” Susan steered her walker toward the hall. “I’ll be in the kitchen if you want me,” she said over her shoulder.

Epiphany stood for a moment, considering. Then she headed for the kitchen door.

Michael and Maddie were standing next to the house gazing down in rapt fascination. Maddie had Endora in her arms, but the cat was struggling to get free.

“Here,” Epiphany said, reaching for the cat, “I’ll hold her.”

“Take a look, Mom,” Michael said. “It’s rubbed the skin loose from its nose. That’s the first step.” Michael put his hand on his daughter’s should. “Let’s stay back and bit and give it some room.”

They all took a few steps back from the struggling snake, then watched as the process continued.

“Look,” Maddie cried, pointing. “It’s crawling out of itself!”

Epiphany watched in amazement as the snake writhed and pushed, rubbing its nose against the twigs, then oozing away from its own skin like a lady peeling off a nylon stocking. The empty sack of paper-thin scales lay still as the snake inched forward bit by bit until it left its former self behind. Its new skin shone, bright and smooth, in the late morning sun. It rested for a few moments, then curved its way along the base of the foundation, pausing now and then to sample the air with its tongue. Then it flowed around the corner and disappeared into the grass.

“Now that,” said Michael, “was a great performance.”

“Worthy of a master,” Epiphany agreed.

“Look, Papa. It’s a perfect empty snake.” Maddie was holding up the discarded skin.

Epiphany set Endora down and joined Michael for a closer look. “My goodness,” she exclaimed. “You can even see its eyes.” The delicate ribbon of skin was like a phantom serpent¾nearly weightless and paper thin but decorated with a herringbone pattern of tan and brown. The head was perfectly formed¾mouth open, clear bubbles where the eyes had been. It looked as though it might at any moment re-animate itself.

“Can I keep it?” Maddie asked, the snakeskin dangling from her hands.

“Fine with me,” said Michael.

“Just don’t show it to Gram,” advised Epiphany.

#

It wasn’t until that evening that Epiphany thought again about the snake. She was sitting on the screened porch listening to the chirp and buzz of frogs and cicadas. In the distance, a limpkin gave a shriek and a pair of Barred Owls erupted into a riotous duet of hoots, cackles and gurgles. The early summer air was heavy with moisture blowing in off the nearby Atlantic. Lightning flickered toward the east, too far away for the thunder to be heard.

Epiphany drifted with the gentle breath of the wind, watching the Spanish moss swaying like silver veils from the branches of the oak trees.

But her peaceful reverie was suddenly interrupted with a mental image so clear and so immediate that she bolted upright and stared out at the dark canvas of the yard. The image blazed in her mind’s eye¾a naked man sprawled on the ground surrounded by two snakes. The man was so emaciated she could see his ribs quite clearly. His hair was carefully fashioned into small curls, almost as though he was wearing a wig, and his beard was also formally dressed. In his left hand, the man was grasping a leafy plant. But one of the snakes had also grabbed the plant in its mouth and appeared to be trying to take it from the man’s clenched fingers. She then realized with a little jolt that the second snake was the empty skin of the first.

She tried to determine what the image was made of¾clay, perhaps, or maybe carved, the lines enhanced with a dark pigment. It looked ancient, but undamaged. Like a piece from a museum. She dredged her memory for something similar. Egyptian, maybe. But no, not Egyptian.

Mesopotamian! That was it. She remembered seeing a similar image when she took a course on the art of the ancient Near East. This was an image of the legendary King Gilgamesh who left his home to search for the secret of immortality.

Instructed by a wise man, Gilgamesh locates a magical plant that renews youth. But during his journey home, he falls asleep. A serpent steals the plant, eats it and promptly sheds its skin. Thus, the serpent thwarts man’s hope for immortality, keeping for itself the ability to renew itself and re-emerge in all its youthful radiance.

When she finally went inside to go to bed, Epiphany couldn’t stop thinking about the possible connection between witnessing an actual snake shedding its skin and the evening’s vision of the Mesopotamian carving. Had watching the snake simply jogged her memory, or was there some deeper meaning? What message was Spirit sending?

“You’d think that after thirty years in this business, I’d be able to figure out where a damned vision came from,” she said aloud. But it just wasn’t that easy, was it?

Psychic visions had been a part of Epiphany’s life since childhood¾images, voices, visitations, phantoms materializing out of thin air. Sometimes she just wanted it all to go away¾for the voices to fall silent, the images fade to black. To stop being a conduit between the living and the dead. She remembered saying to a reporter in a TV interview that sometimes her “gift” was more like a curse. But there was no escaping destiny.

“Get over it,” she told herself. She would just have to wait for Spirit to send her the next clue.

About the Author

Award-winning author Mallory M. O’Connor is a writer, art historian, musician, and professor emerita at Santa Fe College (SFC) where she taught art history and served as director of the Santa Fe Art Gallery. Since retiring from her position at SFC, Mallory has written five novels, the American River Trilogy. Book One, American River: Tributaries, was published in 2017 and recently won First Prize in the Fiction Category from Northern California Publishers and Authors. The book also won the President’s Award for Fiction from the Florida Authors and Publishers Association. Book One of her new paranormal/eco-thriller series, Epiphany’s Gift, was released in April 2019. Key to Eternity is Book Two in the new series.

Contact Links

Website

Facebook

Promo Link

 

Purchase Links

Amazon

B&N

Kobo

iBooks

Google Play

IndieBound