June 23, 2014
What was it? Last week that I put out a call for reviewers for my buddy Faith Cotter’s new short works. As I said then, Faith is a buddy from the Boy Scouts, a woman I bonded with over writing, archery, and the difficulties of being a female Boy Scout. Â She’s good people, and I’m proud to know her.
And as I said, I’m pleased as anything that she’s joining us in the publishing world. Be good to her. Buy her stuff. Read it, leave a few words of review. Or contact her for a review copy.
Remember, reviews help sell books.
So… off the soapbox and onto the important stuff.
Faith, what song makes you think of your story?
Blinding by Florence and the Machine
I first heard Blinding three years ago and the minute I heard it and really dug into the lyrics, I knew that there was something about this song that was very strongly connected to what I write about—the ghost that haunts all my stories, if you will.
Though Clara is a fictional, it is inspired by the first elementary school I attended, with its dark hallways and ornate staircases and nuns in old-fashioned habits. Writing this story was the first time I realized that my memory, as tangible as those years are even now, could play tricks on me. (I was utterly convinced we had a series of taxidermied animals on the way to the principal’s office and I was fascinated by them: a bit of decay amongst people with so much time ahead of them. Old classmates, now grown up, say otherwise.)
As for the story itself, and how it connects with this song: Yes, this is a story about two young girls. But I know that if I am going to write a story that centers around children, there needs to be something else there, something that children can see and something that old folk like me (aka adults) can see as well. I wrote Clara as a story heavy with familiar and unfamiliar motifs and themes in the hope that different readers will interpret those themes differently, based on their lived experiences. For some, it will be political; for others, maybe they will feel nostalgic. For me, this story is really about waking up. It’s about shaking off sleep and standing up and taking off. And through the use of the song’s motifs and archetypes as familiar to us as our childhood school days, Blinding encapsulates Clara so well. And that’s all I want to say about it.
The rest, reader, is up to you.
So… if Faith is old, what does that make me? Decrepit?
Ahh… well, on to the book description:
Catholic school kid Clara Cooper wants to go home. She has some unfinished business to attend to, and really needs God to give her attempt at truancy a bit of heavenly aid. When she fails to convince the nurses, the principal, and her mama that she is sick enough to leave school, she decides to take matters into her own hands. Over the course of her small adventure, she makes friends with an old bear and fellow truant Nhi Nguyen, and discovers that there are lessons that can never be taught within the confines of the towering school that makes up her world.
It reminds me of my own Mannequin… a young girl, learning lessons of life. Pick both stories up and see what you think. Do they compare?
Here’s the buy links:
(more retailers to follow!)
Personal Links:
June 16, 2014
It was only a couple of months ago that Devorah Fox stopped in to tell us about a book. And she’s back! We love repeat visitors here at West of Mars, so we’re more than glad to host Devorah today with her new book, The King’s Redress.
As always, before we tell you about the book, let’s start with the important stuff: the music. And let me tell you, this music is a doozy.
That would have to be “Candleman†by Billy McLaughlin.
There are a number of military campaigns in The King’s Redress and the song’s steady rhythm is like the movement of an army on a march. The percussion sounds like the clopping of a horse’s hooves and the guitar fingering ebbs and flows like the rising and falling action of a story. There’s a Celtic hint to the tune that calls up images of hard life in ancient times. When I hear the song’s final fade I picture a trail that cuts through rolling terrain narrowing as it approaches the horizon, and finally disappearing, like the tale reaching its conclusion. However, just as that road continues on the other side of that hill, albeit out of sight, King Bewilliam’s story may stretch beyond the last page of this volume.
Despite the odds, King Bewilliam persists in his struggle to attain his goals. McLaughlin’s personal story of triumph over adversity is inspiring in its own right.
Okay, guess what? I’ve never heard of Billy McLaughlin. If you haven’t, either, check him out. What a touch this man has on a guitar string. Wow.
So what’s the book about? Other than about a king? Well…
When everyone you trust turns against you, what do you do? Dragon slayer of renown, Robin, King Bewilliam, has bested both man and beast to battle his way back to the Chalklands and reunite with his sons, but discord threatens the kingdom’s hard-won peace and prosperity. War breaks out and Robin finds that there is no one he can trust, not even his closest knights. Fighting for his throne pits him against a shocking, unsuspected rival. With his own life and lives of all his imperiled subjects at stake, Robin faces off against his fiercest enemy in mortal combat.
What a contrast to Naked Came the Sharks, huh? Devorah, my friend, your range is impressive!
If you’re as intrigued as I am, here’s the links you need:
Connect with Devorah while you’re at it.
June 9, 2014
Makes no sense that I can see.
Free publicity.
Why aren’t authors jumping all over this opportunity?
Yeah, I can be slow to respond. And that’s annoying. I’m working on that, I am. But, still.
Free publicity.
What more does an author want?
June 2, 2014
It was looking like the spotlight would be a bit dark this week when Karen Docter popped into my inbox with a new book! The lady couldn’t have had better timing if she’d tried.
What song makes me think of my book, Killing Secrets (A Thorne’s Thorn Novel)?A Broken Wing by Martina McBride Martina McBride – A Broken Wing
I understand that desire, to never be caged again.
Ready for the book description?
Rachel James’ ex-husband is released from prison determined to reclaim her and her little girl — the child is his key to controlling the James fortune. Frightened, Rachel flees to Denver with the child who hasn’t uttered a word since her daddy went to prison.
Contractor Patrick Thorne wants nothing to do with another of his parents’ charity cases. He failed his own wife so abysmally she took her own life as well as his unborn son’s. After two years, it’s time to concentrate on the bid he’s won and the saboteur trying to destroy his construction firm.
There is no room for trust in either of their hearts. But trust is all that will untangle the secrets that dominate their lives, free a little girl of her silent prison, and save them all from a serial killer who stands too close.
(A Thorne’s Thorns Novel)
Oh, nice! I think I need to read this one. Karen, you’ve made a fan!
Pick up your copy today.
Amazon
Paperback
B&N
Kobo
iTunes
Smashwords
And connect with Karen, too. You’ll be glad you did!
Website
Amazon Author Page/K.L. Docter
Facebook/K.L. Docter
Book Bench for Romance Lovers FB Group
Google+
Linked In
Goodreads
Shelfari
Pinterest
May 26, 2014
I know people. And they know people. And sometimes, the people I know connect the people they know so the people they know become the people I know and you know something? I love it when that happens.
David Sturman’s one of those people. He used my friend and sometime subcontractor Faith to edit his novel, and she sent him my way for a turn in the spotlight. I’m proud to host him.
His new book is called The Broken Son, and I’ll tell you all about it in a minute. First, let’s hear what song makes him think of his new book. Because, of course, the music’s what’s most important.
my answer would be Pink Floyd’s “Hey You” off their album The Wall.
Here that is:
“The Broken Son” is the first installment in a three part series of short novels. It depicts the life of a pre-teen boy who is emotionally and physically abused while growing up in Detroit, Michigan during the 1980’s. The boy is so distraught with his surroundings he believes that his parents are determined to kill him. To make matters worse, the boy frequently hallucinates about an evil clown who appears to him during his troubles only to add fuel to his parents fire.
Wow. That’s a heck of a subject to tackle. If you like your fiction dark, I think this one’s for you.
Pick up your copy:
Here is the purchase link (note: Amazon only!)
Here is the Facebook link
May 19, 2014
Author Jenny Hilborne has been a favorite around these parts for awhile now. If you like things a little dark, a little creepy, a little bit hold-your-breathy, Jenny’s the author for you. And yet, at the same time, her fiction makes you think. It’s smart. Â I really like it, and I hope you will, too.
Jenny’s got a new book out now, called The Blackest Night. And while I might be a bit biased toward it and its success, I am confident you’ll agree it’s a great read.
Jenny, what song makes you think of your book?
The song that makes me think of my book is George Thorogood’s “Bad To The Bone.” Someone in The Blackest Night is exactly that, and it’s Detective Jackson’s job to find out who.
Short and sweet … and when you read it (note: WHEN you read it), you’ll see why this one needed no extra explanation.
Here’s what the book is about:
Thirteen years ago, a wrongful conviction sent an innocent man to prison. Still mentally and physically scarred six years after his release, William Law believed the darkest days of his life were behind him, until the night he is attacked in a dark alleyway. As Law tries to deal with the outcome and struggles to understand the reasons behind the encounter, a more troubling presence begins to make itself known.Â
Meanwhile, a missing teenager’s disappearance is being treated as a murder investigation. Homicide inspector Mac Jackson is leading the inquiries. With no contact, no ransom demand, and all the leads exhausted, his case soon grows cold. Then Jackson receives an anonymous phone call from a tipster with some startling information. As Jackson follows up on the new lead, he unearths clues connecting one crime to another, and learns that the most unconventional path might be the only one that leads to the truth.
Nice, huh? Â William Law is one cool character. Jenny’s done a great job creating him.
Pick up your copy:
Not good enough? Need another way? Try a Goodreads give! *Open until June 5
Be sure to connect with Jenny, too:
May 12, 2014
It seems people are starting to talk about the Featured New Book Spotlight… Heather Kuehl comes to us today via a publisher’s message board. Welcome, folks. Make yourselves comfortable and stay awhile. I’m glad you’re here.
You’d think at first glance that the song associated with Heather Kuehl’s Of Wolf and Man would be a little obvious, no?
But… think again! Heather’s got another song in mind. Heather, take it away.
Taylor Swift’s Love Song, especially the lines “Romeo save me, they’re trying to tell me how to feel. This love is difficult, but it’s real. Don’t be afraid, we’ll make it out of this mess. It’s a love story, baby just say yes.”Â
Aww, isn’t that sweet? A lot sweeter than my choice, that’s for sure…
Are you like me? Do you need to know more about what the book is about? Well, here you go.
Juliet knows that Jensen has a dark secret, especially after he uses his super strength to fight three wolves to save her life. Imagine her surprise when she figures out that he’s a werewolf. Imagine her greater surprise when she discovers that this knowledge puts her life in danger. The three wolves that attacked her were also Weres, and they want Jensen to themselves.
When Juliet and her best friend are kidnapped by the Weres during homecoming Jensen has to do what he can to save Juliet. Will Jensen be able to get to Juliet in time, before the Weres can change her into one of them?
Some intrigue, some shapeshifting, some romance… sounds like Heather’s packed this one full for a super read. I’m thinking this is a don’t miss.
Get your own copy, you Kindle people!Â
And connect with Heather. Because we get to do that in this crazy social media age.
May 5, 2014
If you’ve looked around the site since the redesign, you’ll know Liz Milliron’s name. Or, you’ll recognize her real name: Mary Sutton, the head of our non-fiction department and one of our e-book formatters. Mary’s one busy woman! On top of writing and being a West of Mars subcontractor, she also has a day job and a family with needs. And I think there are some pets in there, too, but I’m not 100% certain.
She’s here with the first short story in her Laurel Highlands Mystery series. I was thrilled to find a fellow soul sister in Mary, in that on top of everything else, we share a love for Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands. I’m not sure where her love of the area came from, but what’s important here is that Mary shares it.
The story was originally published at Mysterical-E, and she’s got the rights back, so … it was time to let a wider audience know about Jim and Sally. Once you’ve met them, you’ll be glad you did.
So, Mary/Liz… what song reminds you of your book?
I don’t have a particular song in mind for this story. However, thinking of my protagonist, Jim Duncan, always puts me in mind of Bruce Springsteen. Springsteen is classic rock, simple lyrics, just a hard-working every day guy. No punk, no death metal. Just a guy singing about life, usually in a small, working class town. And that’s Duncan, just a guy trying to do a job. He lives in a rural county and likes it. He likes being a cop, being a hard-working guy, doing a job he loves because he wants to do it. And he’s a little working class. But he’s, um, really not lucky in the relationship department. He had a wife he loved and lost her. So if I have to pick a song that represents Jim at this point, it’d be The Boss’s “I’m Going Down.” The song is about a guy who sees a relationship that used to be perfect going down in flames. And that’s pretty much where Jim is in the relationship department – down in flames.
Ahh, Springsteen… I’ve seen him live twice. He truly holds a special place in my heart, and that’s before we get into the really good stories (and the fact that he inspired my own short piece, Keys, which is in Demo Tapes 4).
See? IÂ told you Mary is cool.
Ready for the story’s description?
The Laurel Highlands seem idyllic, but for Trooper First Class Jim Duncan, they’re anything but.
When a young woman from Pittsburgh ends up dead inside a rental cabin Confluence, it’s up to Duncan to find the killer before the event brings unwanted publicity to one of Southwestern Pennsylvania’s most scenic regions. There seems to be a built-in suspect in the local character known as The Creeper, but if Fayette County public defender Sally Castle has anything to say, The Creeper won’t end up in prison without a fight.
Previously published at Mystericale.com, “An Idyllic Place for Murder” is the first story in THE LAUREL HIGHLANDS MYSTERIES series.
This makes me want to read it, and I already have. Don’t be left out.
Get your copy:
And Apple, too!
April 28, 2014
I’ve known Lily Harlem for about a year now, I guess. She wrote a Rock Fiction series, so I’m a total fangirl, of course. But Rock Fiction is only one dimension of what this prolific writer can do. And with cowriter Natalie Dae, she’s got a nice backlist, as well. Their collaborations, as today’s Featured New Book shows, are written under the pen name Harlem Dae.
So let’s get right to it: Lily, what song makes you think of your book?
Why Nightcall? Pain and Pleasure is the second book in a novella series called A Bit of Strange. The premise is strangers meeting, confessing mutual attraction and then coming together in explosive style. It’s about the thrill of passion with a person you don’t know, the lust that ignites and the discoveries that are made about a new body to explore and in turn, explore yours. The first book Beauty and Pain is set on a train bound for London on an early morning commute, but this book, the second, is all about the lure of the night and a very late meeting between strangers who have, on one previous occasion confessed a yearning for more – more pleasure, more pain, more of everything. It’s as if their bodies are calling out for each other, already know what the other wants, and the risks they take to satisfy their urges are daring and potentially devestating but they just can’t help themselves. The final book Pleasure and Danger is available for early download from the publisher right now -  If BDSM with a sprinkle of romance is your thing then A Bit of Strange will hit the spot!
I know which of my friends have already hit various buy buttons… holler if you’re one of them!
Back cover description
Shopping for pleasure can be a risky business, especially when you want a bit of pain thrown into your cage.
Isabella can’t help but throw another fantasy Gabriel’s way. It’s risky, it’s kinky but it’s something she just can’t get out of her head.
But will he go for it, or is it pushing his boundaries too far?
Luckily for Isabella the dominance that runs thick and vital in her stranger’s blood, is heating up to boiling point. Before she knows it the most innocent of places becomes completely thrilling in the middle of the  night.
She’s caged, expertly tortured and brought to a place where only pleasure and pain exist. Her head is dizzy, her heart beating only for him, but will she ever come down from the high? More importantly, does she want to?
Reader Advisory: This book is best read in sequence as part of a serial.
Â
Amazon Â
Since Lily answered the question, most of the links are about her. Here you go:
BlogÂ
April 21, 2014
Ask and my readers come through! Of course, as always, there are openings… the calendar isn’t full quite yet, so if you’ve got a new release, stop on in for your chance in the spotlight.
Today, we’ve got Haley Whitehall, who’s written a historical romance set in one of my favorite time periods (yes, I’m serious and no, I don’t know why): the Civil War.
You’d think that’d make a song hard to pick, right? Well… wrong! Check it:
I’d like to thank Susan for letting me step into the spotlight. I’ve never done a one-question interview before and I feared it would be a difficult question. Thankfully it wasn’t! I think of my new historical romance release Soldier in Her Lap as the Civil War era version of Cinderella. The first song I thought of was one connected to Cinderella: A Twist in Time – I Still Believe – by Hayden Panettiere from Cinderella 3.
The steamy romance in Soldier in Her Lap is far from Disney rated, but Sophia Carpenter’s hard life, strong-will, and rose-colored glasses make the book Disney worthy. After her mother dies Sophia is left running the Georgia dirt farm by herself while her papa drowns himself in a whiskey bottle. Her papa chased off all the men who tried to call on her sentencing her to a lonely life of chores. Most of the men in town enlisted in the army once the War Between the States broke out making it nearly impossible for Sophia find a husband. Then one night Lucas comes to her rescue.
Sophia’s papa tries to keep her and the handsome Confederate soldier apart. However, Lucas has promised to take Sophia away from her life of drudgery and she believes in their destiny together. Through many trials Sophia does not give up on love.
While Lucas may not be the Prince Charming she expected, he is determined on earning her heart and the courageous suit of armor she imagined he wore.
Sounds super, huh? I totally want to read this!
Here’s the back cover copy:
 Trapped by her alcoholic, abusive father, Sophia Carpenter longs to escape her life of drudgery on her father’s dirt farm in Clark Springs, Georgia. Making matters worse, her father’s scared off every man who tried to call on her. She longs for freedom, but with the Civil War raging, even fewer men are available to fulfill her dreams—unless a soldier landed in her lap.
Conscripted into a war he never wanted to fight, Lucas Grady is tired of battle and refuses to lay his life down for a lost cause. After a musket ball tears through his leg, he deserts from the ambulance wagon rather than risk a field surgeon’s saw. He barely makes it to Sophia’s farm before collapsing.
The wounded soldier’s arrival seems like a dream come true, but first she must save him from his injuries—and her father. As forbidden attraction blooms between them, they will have to struggle to survive. Can their love overcome so many obstacles or will they become another casualty of the War Between the States?
Buy Soldier in Her Lap
Haley loves to connect with readers. You can find her here:
April 14, 2014
People sometimes ask me what’s the purpose of a writer’s group in today’s world. Why not connect online and be done with it all?
Because there’s magic when you can connect in person and realize the person you’ve gotten to know online is so much more interesting in person.
Such it is with my buddy Jon Sprunk, who is a true writer pro and a super dude. And he’s got a new book out, as well. Which means he’s taking a turn in the spotlight.
Jon, what song makes you think of your book?
Answer: “Revelations” by Iron Maiden. I’m a child of the 80’s metal wave. This song in particular evokes the majesty and mystery that I tried to put into every line of my new epic fantasy, “Blood and Iron.” But, of course, I’m not writing just for the metal crowd. This new series is about the clash between rival cultures, the friction between social strata, and the real price of liberty. You won’t elves or unicorns within its pages, but you will find magic, the kind of elemental sorcery that can destroy as well as create. I hope you’ll give it a try.
Wait. He said IRON MAIDEN??? Duuuuuuude. IÂ told you he was cool, didn’t I?
Now, after all that, you totally need to know what Blood and Iron is about.
This action-heavy EPIC FANTASY SERIES OPENER is like a sword-and-sorcery Spartacus set in a richly-imagined world.
It starts with a shipwreck following a magical storm at sea. Horace, a soldier from the west, had joined the Great Crusade against the heathens of Akeshia after the deaths of his wife and son from plague. When he washes ashore, he finds himself at the mercy of the very people he was sent to kill, who speak a language and have a culture and customs he doesn’t even begin to understand.
Not long after, Horace is pressed into service as a house slave. But this doesn’t last. The Akeshians discover that Horace was a latent sorcerer, and he is catapulted from the chains of a slave to the halls of power in the queen’s court. Together with Jirom, an ex-mercenary and gladiator, and Alyra, a spy in the court, he will seek a path to free himself and the empire’s caste of slaves from a system where every man and woman must pay the price of blood or iron. Before the end, Horace will have paid dearly in both.
Jon’s gotten some good reviews on this already, especially about his world-building, and especially from some of the industry’s big names in reviews. How can you ignore that??? You can’t, I know, so here are some buy links:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Books-A-Million
Indie Bound
Get to know Jon. You’ll be glad you did.
Jon’s website
Jon’s facebook fan page
Jon’s twitter
April 7, 2014
There’s nothing like an old friend when it comes to one of life’s most comforting friends, and Maria Savva definitely fits the bill around here. Not only a fellow music lover, Maria and I share a love for many, many bands.
Remember a few weeks back, when I was impressed we had a three-peat author in the Featured New Book Spotlight? Maria puts that to shame — she’s here for her fifth time. I kid you not.
The new book is called Far Away in Time. 
Purty cover, huh?
So, Maria, what song makes you think of your book?
Echo Beach, by Martha and the Muffins
Although none of the stories were inspired by the song, when I finished writing the story ‘Far Away In Time’, I think I may have leaned more towards that title because it reminded me of the song by Martha and the Muffins. I’ve always loved that song, especially the intro, the saxophone, and the bit at the end ‘Far away in time’! It’s always conjured up a sense of nostalgia when I hear it.
When I realised that the title I’d chosen had a connection to the song, I noticed that one of the other stories had the word ‘Echoes’ in it and another had ‘Beach’. That gave me the idea to find out some more about the actual song and see if I could add a few links to the song throughout the book.
I looked on Wikipedia and found out some facts e.g. the names of the people who wrote the song, the name of the beach that possibly inspired the song etc. I then added a few bits to some of the stories.
For example, I have a character called Martha in the story ‘A Sign’, and many of the other characters in the book are named after the people who wrote the song or sang it at some stage e.g. Toyah.
I also have a character whose job is an ‘office clerk’ in ‘Echoes of her Dreams’, just like the person the song was written about.
When you read the book, perhaps you’ll spot some of the other links! 🙂
Need a summary?
Our lives are a series of stories, and we are the characters with the starring roles. The memories, regrets, secrets, and struggles that fill these pages are at once unique and relatable. These stories belong to us all.
Eight unforgettable tales reaching out to a place Far Away In Time…
Buy a copy — Amazon only, though.
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon FR
Amazon DE
Amazon IN
Amazon AU
Amazon BR
Amazon IT
Amazon ES
Amazon MX
Amazon JP
Amazon CA
Want a gander at the book trailer? Sure you do!
Connect with Maria:
My website
Facebook Page
Twitter
March 24, 2014
You guys know I love getting out and about and meeting people. Today’s guest is a Triberr friend, and you guys know I dig my Triberr friends.
Without further ado, here’s SM Johnson to talk about her book, Jeremiah Quick.
The answer is almost impossible. There are so many songs on my playlist for Jeremiah Quick – six and a half hours’ worth, actually. It took me two days of browsing that playlist to finally pick “>Behind Blue Eyes by The Who as the answer to this question.
A lot of the music on my JQ Playlist is similar in tone and message to Behind Blue Eyes, only most of the others have more words. So I figured for this one choice, I’d keep it simple. Jeremiah and Pretty try (but fail) to connect through music, so there are a lot of references to songs and artists in this book, especially near the beginning. This is actually the first song mentioned in the book.
Jeremiah Quick is, at base, the story of high school companions Jeremiah Quick and Pretty Loberg reconnecting twenty years after they’d been friends – and how the most benign relationship can have a huge impact on our character and moral development. The story is a mix of past and present, and because of this, I feel comfortable choosing a song that’s survived over the course of decades, made and remade by many different artists… and yet… the song, at its heart, remains the same. I don’t want to spoil anything here, so I’ll say only that this concept is well-reflected in Jeremiah Quick.
For me, this song was damn near the start of my obsessive need to know the lyrics of songs. I was, oh, somewhere around eight or nine years old when my brother started playing The Who, very loudly, behind his closed bedroom door. I remember the green shag carpeting in the hallway tickling my nose as I lay on the floor outside that door, my ear pressed as close as I could manage to the space at the bottom of the door, barely breathing because I was trying to decipher the lyrics. So, really, this song was the very first song of my life that I memorized on purpose.
That makes it special.
And it’s interesting to me that my first song was damn dark. Huh.
Thanks for asking!
Wow! What a story! But if it’s not enough of a story, check out SM’s in-depth answer, posted at her own blog.
Need to know what the book’s about? Me, too. Here’s the description.
Jeremiah is Other, he’s always been Other, and he’s always fascinated Pretty Loberg with his Otherness. He doesn’t give a fuck about society, or middle class values, or following the crowd. He believes in anarchy, self-education, doing the research, and making up one’s own mind. He believes in asking cui bono? – who benefits?
To pampered and spoiled middle class good-girl Pretty, Jeremiah was terrifying. And she couldn’t stay away.
She’d been trained since her earliest years to follow the crowd, not stand out, don’t embarrass the family. Stick to the status quo and not only will everything be fine, but everyone will like you.
Jeremiah didn’t like her. Not at all. In fact, sometimes she thought he hated her.
When he finds her twenty years after high school, Pretty gets into his car, even though she knows Jeremiah will disrupt her marriage and her life.
Behind blue eyes is a man with a quick brain, a cynical outlook, and a penchant for the subversive. He’s kinky, mean, controlling, and more than a little bit broken.
Pretty wants to fix Jeremiah.
Jeremiah wants to break Pretty, remake her, and talk her into doing something terrible.
Only one of them will leave the dungeon alive.
Behind Blue Eyes as performed by The Who. Here’s a studio version with a cool slide show. The song has been covered by many other artists, as well. For a more interesting viewing, here’s a link to the song performed by The Who in 1979.
Need a copy? I think I might!
Buy it at Smashwords (affiliate link)
Amazon
Get to know SM Johnson!
March 17, 2014
This week, we welcome back Jean 8. Aeglothecca, a wonderful writer, a great person, and a rebel of the sort who is a kindred soul.
After THAT intro, how can you NOT read the book?
Dear Susan, thank you for the opportunity to spotlight the second book, The Queen Of Scarred Hearts, #2 in my Reclaimed Souls Series. So, “What Song Reminds Me of My Book?” I’ve been down this road with you before, so I am prepared.
Britney Spears’ “Trip To Your Heart” is the winner. Here’s the youtube link. I have no qualms coming out and saying that I really like Britney Spears, and, while I like most of her songs, “Trip To Your Heart” reminds me of Rahda and Roland’s heart dance in this book. There’s arguments, sex, betrayal, mistrust, a whopper of a family secret, and, oh yeah, a huge war simmers just under the surface
Britney! Did I not TELL you that Jean is a kindred soul? Did I just out myself?
Here’s what the book’s about.
The stakes are higher as Rahda leaves Skyscraper City and heads to see the master she’s betrayed. While there, she meets a charismatic man, Dev Osta, who gives Roland a run for his money. Let’s just say that Dev is gorgeous and that all of my beta readers, to include my editor — yes ALL of them — found Dev drool worthy. You’ll want to purchase this book just to get the bonus material at the end. (Shhhh, but it is the unedited version of Rahda and Dev’s, um, encounter). Now, on to TQoSH…
A Conflicted Heart… Caught between two worlds, Rahda must decide what she desires more: to be Lady Rahda Sevradan or the Grandfather’s disciple. Now that she knows that masking the dark prince’s scars was a ruse, she leaves the Palace Skyscraper only to unearth new secrets, including secrets about her family’s history. Then she meets someone that threatens her feelings for Roland. Will her heart and soul ever been in agreement?A Dark Soul… Prince Roland Rexus wants nothing more than to keep Rahda close, but she fights him at every turn. He wants a real marriage. He wants her heart. Once she learns of his future plans, he worries he will lose her forever. As the battle brews internally between them, war looms over his head and the dark prince is powerless without Rahda’s help.
A Royal Revolution… With a royal revolt simmering just under the surface, Rahda and Roland must tread carefully as the continent’s citizens descend upon Skyscraper City for a royal celebration that changes everything. Will the Queen of Scarred Hearts emerge? You can read an excerpt. The Queen of Scarred Hearts is available for $3.99.
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March 10, 2014
2014 must be the year of the three-peat because author JoAnne Myers is back with a third book to let shine in the Featured New Book spotlight.
This time, she’s written a very personal, true crime book. But before we tell you about the book, let’s get to the important stuff: the music!
JoAnne, what song reminds you of your book?
Here is the reason I associate Ghost Walking by the band Lamb of God, with The Crime of the Century. The lyrics to Ghost Walking, is filled with hate and dispair. So much like a killer stalking his prey. The lyrics speak of death and destruction, which is what murder is. The lyrics are both creepy and ominous.
Lamb of God! Randy Blythe! One of the classiest men EVER. Okay, the music’s a bit… ugly. Like JoAnne says, it’s filled with hate and despair. But you gotta admit: there are days when it hits you in that sweet spot and man, you feel better FAST.
Back to the book. What’s its description?
The residents of Rolling Hills, a hamlet in southeastern Ohio, were horrified when the dismembered bodies of two missing teens were pulled from the local river. Multiply suspects surfaced, but only one was railroaded, Richard Allan Lloyd, a known nudist and hothead.
What began as an evening stroll turned into what found only in horror films, and dubbed ‘the crime of the century’. 18 year old Babette, a voluptuous beauty contestant and horsewoman, and her 19 year old boyfriend Shane Shoemaker, a jealous and possessive unemployed printer, were last seen crossing a trestle bridge. Within fourteen days, their mutilated torsos and severed heads and limbs were unearthed, suggesting satanic cult activity.
With an investigation smeared with contradicting statements, and a botched crime scene, investigators built a flimsy case against Richard Lloyd. The three-week trial was based on police corruption and ineptitude, fairytale theories, and forensic mishandling.
This heinous crime shattered the sense of security for Rolling Hills, destroyed two families, and forever scarred the town. This story is a detailed account of finding justice for Babette and Shane, and of one man’s perseverance to gain his freedom from death row.
March 3, 2014
Let’s all welcome Devorah Fox to West of Mars! Devorah found me because I’d tweeted a link to her books and said thanks. And now she’s here to tell us what song makes her think of her book, Naked Came the Sharks.
I love that title. This is one of those titles that is so great, I’d pick up the book, no matter what it’s about.
Before we get to what it’s about, though, let’s get to the really important stuff. (No, not buy links. Those are at the bottom, like usual).
Devorah, what song makes you think of your book?
That’s got to be “Song of the Ocean” by Kelly Brown of the Bad Monkeys. Kelly graciously gave me permission to use the song in the trailer for “Naked Came the Sharks” and it’s just perfect. Trop rock with an obvious affection for life near and on the water and a hint of regret that things aren’t the way they should be…just like the story of “Naked Came the Sharks.” Here’s the link to the trailer.
Trop rock? Like Jimmy Buffett? Go listen and tell me what YOU think.
So. The book, if the trailer wasn’t enough, you’re at work and can’t click through, or are just a lazy sod (and if you are, welcome to the club. Although I DID click through!), here’s the book description:
Chasing her dream of becoming an investigative reporter in San Francisco, Holly Rivera Berry has to return to her hometown of Bonafides on the Texas Coastal Bend to settle her recently deceased father’s estate. She discovers that just before he died her father researched the possibility that via an old Mexican land grant the Rivera family owns The Gap, a natural channel to the Gulf of Mexico. Land speculators plan to erect luxury homes, resorts, hotels, and a casino along The Gap and Holly comes to doubt that her father died of natural causes. The more she investigates, the more things don’t add up. One by one her allies fall victim to fatal accidents and it looks like Holly might be next.
This is becoming a familiar plot device, but one I don’t often get tired of. The best ending is when the little guy wins and the development can’t happen. Does that happen here? Read it and see!
Get your copy:
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amazon
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diesel e-books
inktera ebooks (pagefoundry)
I love it when books are widely available. I bet there are more, so be sure to ask at your favorite independent retailer.
And don’t forget to connect with Devorah!
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February 24, 2014
More from my friends in the Lucky Charms anthology! Today, it’s Gail Oare, who is a super lady you all need to know. 
Her story, Celtic Knot, has what must be the funniest song I’ve come across in all the years I’ve been doing this Featured New Book Spotlight. Ready?
My story in Lucky Charms: 12 Crime Tales is “Celtic Knot.†When I wrote it, I was concentrating on the symbolism of Celtic knot variations and what one(s) would be chosen as a charm bracelet keepsake associated with a family secret. I had no music in mind at all when I wrote this story. This is odd for me since I love Celtic music, having done my thesis on Welsh mythology, taught myself to play the English concertina and am now learning the bagpipes. So when asked by West of Mars for the song that inspired the story, I went on a search for one, a Google search.
And failed. There doesn’t seem to be any tune titled Celtic Knot despite the many possibilities it holds!
What to do? Back to my mental blackboard. I reflected on the underlying sadness of the “Celtic Knot†family tragedy that hung over the family for years until the final resolution. The heavy sound a hammer pounding a piece of metal on an anvil came to mind. Bomp bomp bomp. Regular, relentless pounding. Oddly enough, this sound and rhythm brought to mind an episode of the sitcom “Cheers.†It was almost St. Patrick’s Day and Sam and his competitor Gary were both vying for the most revelers for the holiday at their respective taverns. Sam found out that Gary was planning to hire an Irish band at his bar, so Sam sought one out as well. St. Patrick’s Day arrives. Gary’s bar is packed with patrons reveling to the lively jigs and drinking songs. Then the camera moves to Sam’s empty bar, where a solemn Irish band was singing a slow dirge of “And everywhere I looked was death, death, death.†Like the labored sound of metal on the anvil, like the tragedy that haunted the family in “Celtic Knot.â€
So the music I will claim for my story is this heavy, heavy “death, death, death†from Sam’s Irish band. I’m not sure that is even a real song, just a musical prop for a sitcom, but regardless, I’m commandeering it as the soundtrack for my crime story. Who knew?
eBook versions of LUCKY CHARMS are available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and iBooks. Print versions are available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and CreateSpace although we encourage you to send your sales through Mystery Lovers Bookshop, our local independent bookstore. Support your independents!
February 17, 2014
It’s through Triberr that I’ve come to know Mary Ann Bernal, a lady with some fascinating interests. If you watch her blog, you’ll be as blown away as I am.
So I’m pleased to bring you the song that makes her think of her new book, The Briton and the Dane. I’ll hand it over to her now:
Verdi – Requiem Mass Dies Irae
The music sets the stage for the tumultous storm that transport Gwyneth back in time, when treachery, deception and betrayal run rampant in 11th century Britain.
Short and sweet… So what’s the book about?
Dr. Gwyneth Franger is a renowned expert in early medieval England who is set upon learning the truth about the death of Lord Erik, the last descendant of the powerful House of Wareham. Her quest becomes an obsession, a condition that began with the discovery of a portrait of the tall and valiant warrior with which she forms an extraordinary and inexplicable bond.
Digesting troves of mildewed scrolls and source documentation only enhances her belief that Lord Erik was brutally assassinated by a cabal of traitors in the pay of William the Bastard, shortly before the onslaught of the Norman Invasion.
On an archeological dig in Southern England, her team unearths an Anglo-Saxon fortress, a vast citadel built during the reign of Alfred the Great, which she believes was Lord Erik’s stronghold. In the midst of her excitement, she is awakened one night from her slumbers by a disconcerting anomaly emerging from the site.
Dr. Franger finds herself transported back to the Dark Ages and at the side of the noble Lord Erik who commands an army of elite Saxon warriors, a swift and mobile force able to deploy quickly throughout the kingdom to ward off invaders.
Witnessing the unrest firsthand, Gwyneth senses that her instincts had been right all along, and she is determined to learn the identities of the treacherous blackguards hiding in the shadows, villains who may well be posing as Lord Erik’s friends and counselors.
Will Gwyneth stop the assassins? Is she strong enough to walk away and watch her beloved Erik die? Or will she intervene, change the course of history and wipe out an entire timeline to save the man she loves with all her heart?
Buy links!
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February 10, 2014
I’ve known Deena Rae Schoenfeldt for a long time now. In fact, if you like the e-book formatting of Demo Tapes 4, she’s the wonder behind it. (What? You mean you don’t have a copy yet? Why not?) And if you’re a West of Mars client and you ask for book formatting, Deena is one of the women I’ll send you to.
I’d say she’s very qualified to have written her book, Navigating the World of e-Book Publishing. If you’ve got questions, start finding the answers within.
Deena stopped by not only so I can plug her and her work and her book, but so she can take over the Featured New Book Spotlight! Deena, what song reminds you of your book?
Save You by Matthew Perryman Jones
Just a sample of some of the lyrics and what they convey to me:
“Wanna give my soul†– isn’t this the true essence of writing? Pouring out your soul on paper for the masses to read and experience…
“Don’t want to let you down†– Wanting to get the whole thing right on every level to reach the largest audience and exceed their expectations.
“Help me decide, Help me to make up my mind†– The book is about laying out information to make an informed decision about directions to take in publishing.
“You gotta swing the bat, too many years have died†– You have waited long enough, you have to take the chance and see if your decision was the right way to go and if it resonated with people. Seize the day!
Save You – the title just conveys helping and saving. Besides that it is an absolutely beautiful song.
Those that know me are probably shocked that I didn’t choose something by Lisa Marie Presley but lets face it, most of her lyrics are pretty angry and while I identify on a personal level nothing she has out so far really fits this book. But if you get a chance be sure to listen to her first album in it’s entirety and if you are ever going through a break up – Idiot is AWESOME.
Here’s the blurb:
With a no-nonsense, conversational style, Deena Rae of E-BookBuilders gives advice to aspiring authors about indie publishing. Filled with information about social media, pricing, formatting styles, covers, reviews and platforms (to a name a few) there is a wealth of information for the novice author. Even experienced authors and publishers will find this book helpful and informative.
With sections such as ‘Authors — Quit Doing This!’, ‘In Praise of Audio(books)’, ‘Twitter Primer for Authors’, and ‘Should You Use Amazon’s Author Central’, Deena Rae gives detailed information that anyone in the industry of publishing should know and consider.
Whether you are just starting on your publishing journey, considering entering the literary world or have 30 books for sale, there is something for everyone in this book.
Go pick up a copy! You know you need it!
And connect with Deena, if you’d like (and you do like!).
If you would like to add the book to your Goodread’s shelf – just click the button!
February 3, 2014
Martha Reed is truly one of my favorite people. Join her at a writer’s convention and all you’ll need to do is sit and listen as she spins hilarious tale after hilarious tale. Be prepared to laugh until you cry, and never come back to me and complain that you weren’t warned. I’ll point you right here.
And here’s a great place to be, because Martha’s story, Strangler Fig, made the cut for the Lucky Charms anthology I’ve been telling you about. She stopped in today to tell us what song makes her think of her book.
What’s Past is Prologue
During the summers when I was a kid I grew up in a house filled with swing music. My grandfather, Pop, had a lakeside cottage with a rotary phone and no TV but he did have a tape player and a stack of vinyl. We listened to big band swing music, mostly Benny Goodman, all day long. To this day whenever I hear a rising clarinet solo I have a flashback to those glorious summer days.At certain drum solos, Pop would raise his hand and call for silence. ‘Listen!’ He would say. ‘That’s Gene Krupa.’
Pop served in the 3rd Marines during WWII. He fought his way across the Pacific islands. He parachuted into the fight at the battle of Tinian but he wouldn’t ever talk about it or tell me anything more. Then Pop died, and recently I got the feeling that his generation, so defined by its music, was fading away. I decided to write a short story with characters from his age group to try to capture some of that wartime feeling, that genuine camaraderie. The perfect song for that time is The Andrews Sisters singing Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.
My story, STRANGLER FIG, tells the tale of T-Rex, a street thug, and his retirement home invasion. The problem is that all the retirees are all ex-Pacific Naval Command. They’ve had plenty of practice dealing with his particular brand of trouble before. T-Rex has no idea about the deadly situation he’s gotten himself into.
STRANGLER FIG is only one of 12 crime tales found in the LUCKY CHARMS anthology. LUCKY CHARMS was produced by members of the Mary Roberts Rinehart Pittsburgh chapter of Sisters in Crime, an international organization dedicated to the advancement of women crime writers. Each tale tells of surprising good luck or of good luck gone sour. I invite you to explore the anthology and to brace yourself for an entertaining read.
And for a change, Martha said it better than I could.
Get yourself a copy! Only Martha Reed can come up with something like Strangler Fig … and a street thug named T-Rex.
eBook versions of LUCKY CHARMS are available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and iBooks. Print versions are available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and CreateSpace although we encourage you to send your sales through Mystery Lovers Bookshop, our local independent bookstore. Support your independents!
