"Curious Stories" by Gregory Eaves

REVIEW and GIVEAWAY

Curious Stories

by Gregory Eaves

Curious Stories is currently on tour with Goddess Fish Promotions. The tour stops here today for my review and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.

Description

If you like mysteries with a surprise twist at the end, then Curious Stories is for you. This is a small diverse collection of mystery short stories, ranging from the noir detective story to supernatural suspense. Neurotic characters and strange turns populate the pages of this quick and entertaining read.

Excerpt from "The Editor is Always Right"

Marchand sat down and stared dumbly at his computer screen, not knowing where to begin. He had tried creating outlines and character profiles, but no ideas surfaced. He took his hands and buried his face in them. They moved up to his forehead and slowly began a descent over the mounds of his closed, bulging eyelids, then over his bulbous nose and rough, reddened cheeks. He shifted his oversize torso in the direction of a buzzing noise; his body felt heavy, leaden with humidity and the salty crust of baked-on sweat. With uncharacteristic speed and violence he smashed a fly with his flyswatter, then turned his attention back to the screen.

He made a few tentative stabs at the keyboard, trying to grease the wheels. Nothing. Then he noticed the smell again, the same stench from yesterday that hovered somewhere between sweet and putrid. It irritated him not knowing what it was. The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. Marchand got up and crisscrossed the room several times, sniffing the air, trying to home in on a location. The dusty books were possibilities; he walked slowly past them, examining the gold-striped and leather bound volumes the same suspicious way a Nazi commandant would inspect prisoners-of-war. Some of the books were very old, with yellowed pages and stitched bindings that disintegrated when handled. They were musty with age and produced a very intense odor, to be sure, but that wasn’t it. He stood over a bologna sandwich, considered it, but rejected that as the source of the smell.

My Review

By Lynda Dickson

This is a small volume of four short stories.

In "The Package", George Hurley suspects his wife is having an affair with their next door neighbor, Roberto. When George finds a package from his wife on Roberto's doorstep, this leads to a tragic set of events.

In "The Editor is Always Right", writer John Marchand is under pressure from his editor, Dylan Grundy, to submit his next novel. When Dylan suggests that John needs to get out and experience things, John decides to do something about it.

In "Roadside Assistance", a Wall Street financier returns to his small home town after a forty year absence. On the way, he picks up a ragged hitch hiker who brings back some old memories.

In "Secrets of the Dead", after his mother dies, Detective Steve Grover finds a photograph of his estranged father hidden behind a painting. So Steve sets out to find out more about him.

All four stories are interesting and entertaining, with an unexpected twist. An enjoyable, quick read.

About the Author

Gregory Eaves was born October 18, 1950, in Indianapolis, Indiana. He attended Speedway High School and Indiana University. In his twenties, he traveled extensively throughout the United States, with an eight year stay in San Diego, California, where he studied and practiced meditation.

Gregory moved to Florida and completed a master’s degree in Library and Information Science from the University of South Florida.

Library school rekindled his interest in reading, which had been his favorite activity as a child growing up. Mysteries had been his first love, and he devoured his first mystery books with singular passion and zeal. Nothing else seemed to hit the sweet spot like reading The Hardy Boys, Sherlock Holmes, and Poirot. He later enjoyed authors like Raymond Chandler, John D. McDonald, Graham Greene, Patricia Highsmith, and others.

Schism is Gregory’s first novel. His prior experience with writing included poetry and short stories. One of his short-shorts won runner-up in a contest in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine.

He now lives on the east coast of Florida, and when he isn’t writing, he enjoys playing guitar and collecting vintage stereo gear and vinyl records. He is a member of American Mensa.

Giveaway

Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win a $15 Amazon or B&N gift card.

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"The Starlight Club" by Joe Corso

INTERVIEW

The Starlight Club

by Joe Corso

The Starlight Club is ON SALE for only $0.99. Also available: The Starlight Club 2: The Contender, The Starlight Club 3: The Vendetta, and The Starlight Club 4: Marilyn. Coming soon: The Starlight Club 5: Revenge.

The Starlight Club is currently on tour with Enchanted Book Promotions. The tour stops here today for my interview with the author. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.

Description

The Starlight Club was jumping ...

"They looked like mob guys. They had that arrogance exuded by those who liked to intimidate – those who were the proud purveyors of fear." Amidst the nightly gaiety was the back room, where business deals were made, hits were ordered, and territories were divided.

Trenchie not being a "rat" is just released from his ten year prison sentence. A new life is waiting – complete with envelopes of money and a steak house to call his own. He finds the woman of his dreams who brings along ex-husband baggage. Hit man Jimmy The Hat finds unexpected fame in the most unlikely of places, yet he always stays true to the "boys", especially Big Red. "Crazy Joey Gallo" and his brothers break away from the Profaci family and go "rogue", on their own now. They split their gang into several small groups and spread them out over the five boroughs.

Book Trailer

Review

By Kenneth

I love a great mobster story, and I'm not alone. It seems like books and movies like The Godfather and Goodfellas are always popping up and I always enjoy them. The Starlight Club fits right into this genre and is as good or better than any of them. It is an extremely well written book, which you can see from the first paragraph, and keeps you interested until the last sentence. Joe Corso has done a great job developing believable and colorful characters, and an entertaining and interesting storyline that will make you ready for the sequel (and you will not be disappointed). Highly recommended.

Interview With the Author

Hi Joe, thanks for joining me today to discuss your new book, The Starlight Club.

For what age group do you recommend your book?

This book is not for kids. I had to write like wise guys talk and that meant using cuss words. That was very hard for me to do because I have two daughters, four granddaughters and one great granddaughter and every time I think that they might read my book I feel bad, but the book is down and dirty, it’s gritty but the story is I’m told very good. I listen to the way people talk and I try to write exactly the way I heard it.

What sparked the idea for this book?

I used to deliver meat to some wise guy bars and the Starlight Club was one of them although it wasn’t called that. But the characters were real and I wanted to catch that essence and I believe that I have accomplished that.

So, which comes first? The character's story or the idea for the novel?

Well the characters' story could be the subject for the novel. I find that if I have an idea on how to start a book, as I write the words the story begins to take me where it wants to go - and I let it. For example when I wrote The Lone Jack Kid I was typing in a line but I was seeing two paragraphs ahead and all the while I kept trying to catch up to those sentences that I could see so plainly in my mind. The reverse was true when I wrote Lafitte’s Treasure. I started that book about two years ago and I laid it aside after I had written about 24 thousand words because I was having a dry spell. I’ve done that with Starlight Club 5 and two other books that I started. Somewhere down the line the answer on how I would finish the book came to me. I would advise anyone who is having writer's block to just put the work aside and work on something else. When inspiration hits you, you can always revisit the book and continue writing where you left off.

Great advice, Joe. What was the hardest part to write in this book?

There was no hard part because the story flowed as I wrote the words. Most of the incidents really happened so I just leaned on my past memories or experience and wrote what I witnessed. The second book, which my brother who is a real vinegar man say’s is better that the first book, was inspired by a boxer friend of mine. I fashioned a main character after him. He fought two fights with a classy Latin fighter named Johnny Torres who later went on to fight for the championship. My buddy and he fought two draws and in my book I had them fight three draws. The part about being drafted into the army was taken from real life but most of that book, unlike the first book, the story was made up.

How do you hope this book affects its readers?

As of this moment the book has 26 reviews most of them 5 star, and a few 4 stars, but none lower. The book has won three awards and what surprised me is that after I wrote it I thought to myself that I’m going to lose the female reader, but to my surprise, they love the book. I think the reader will enjoy the book immensely. In fact I would advise them not to start it while in bed because they won’t be able to put it down and they’ll be up all night

Thanks for the warning! How long did it take you to write this book?

I spend so much time writing on the computer that sometimes I’ll start in the morning and stop late at night, stopping only to eat. Writing the book doesn’t take long to do, it’s the editing that takes forever.

What is your writing routine?

After a light breakfast I'll start writing and after about three hours I’ll take a break and maybe go to Starbucks or Dunkin' Donut and have a coffee a donut. Then I’ll head back to do some more writing. In fact, just today I bought a Varidesk so I can write standing when I get tired. The software tells you when you’ve been sitting too long. That’s a very bad habit that I've gotten into, sitting too long without standing.

How did you get your book published?

I sent out over 500 letters to literary agents and always got a polite rejection from them. Some of the major publishers will not accept a manuscript if it's not sent by an agent. So I looked for publishers that accepted unsolicited manuscripts and sent out over 500 of them along with the requirements they asked for. Some wanted a query letter along with two or three chapters and others wanted a certain number of words. And then one day I received an email from a small independent publisher who accepted my book. After that book was published, he published The Old Man And The King.

What advice do you have for someone who would like to become a published writer?

You have to be able to handle rejection. The way I handled it was every time I received a rejection from an agent or publisher, I said GREAT. I knew that this is just a numbers game and after all the NOs that I received there was going to be a YES coming to me soon. Remember you have to get past all of the NOs before you can get to the YESs.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

I’m a prolific reader and I’ll read anything interesting.

What does your family think of your writing?

That’s the best part. They’re all proud of me. I’m at an age where most people are sitting on a porch somewhere growing moss on their bodies and I’m writing award winning books. Last December I won three awards at the Readers Favorite Book Contest.

Congratulations, Joe! Please tell us a bit about your childhood.

I grew up in a very rough neighborhood, as you can tell when you read The Starlight Club. I was lucky because I had two great parents. My mother taught me to laugh and my father taught me about being honest. In fact the two greatest influences in my life were my father and the United States Army. One taught me to be honest and the other taught me discipline.

Did you like reading when you were a child?

Yeah. My mother gave me The Arabian Nights to read as a child and I loved it. Soon they were bringing me all sorts of books. I was lucky because my father was always interested in history and I guess I took after him because I, too, love history.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

Not until I reached the age of 75 did I realize that I wanted to be a writer. In fact the first book I wrote was a book called The Time Portal and I carried that book around not daring to show it to anyone. I was so insecure and unsure of myself thinking who did I think I was thinking I could write a book. But I did write a book and I reluctantly showed it to my daughter who liked it so she suggested that I show it to her girlfriend who was a retired prosecutor, and I did. She loved it and asked to be a partner in it and she would go over the book and make the necessary corrections which I agreed to. I know better today. Today I would have hired an editor instead of giving half the book away.

Did your childhood experiences influence your writing

Absolutely. I guess that's one good thing about growing old. You have a lifetime of experiences to draw from and that's what I did with The Starlight Club which, by the way, is my favorite book.

Which writers have influenced you the most?

If you’re talking about style, then I’d have to say Micky Spillane, but my favorite authors are Ernest Hemingway, Mark Twain, James Fenimore Cooper, Oscar Wilde, Vince Flynn, and a list of others too numerous to mention

Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?

You can go to my Amazon page and take a look at what the reviewers had to say about the books of mine that they read. I get phone calls from entire families telling me that each one, starting with the father and mother, have read the book and loved it. My own publicist emailed me about The Starlight Club telling me she couldn’t sleep because she had to finish the book, and that's really a compliment coming from a woman. Another woman, my doctor at the VA, gave the book a great compliment on Amazon. I get emails from all over the world, India, France, and England among other places, about the book telling me how much they enjoyed the book.

That's fantastic, Joe. What can we look forward to from you in the future?

When people ask me why I write so much, I tell them I write while I’m still able to. This year I hope to have Lafitte’s Treasure and Starlight Club 5 ready for publication and, before the year is over, I'd like to have written two more books.

Well, don't let me keep you any longer! Thank you for taking the time to stop by today and best of luck with your future projects.

About the Author

Move to Florida, see the world, and … Write 15 novels!? It may have started out as the typical retirement, but author Joe Corso decided to take a more adventurous route. After a successful, yet tearful, career as a fireman, Corso began writing as a way to fund the Ivy League educations of his grandchildren. He published his first book at 75, and since has written 14 novels and 9 short stories.

One of his most popular novels, The Starlight Club, won the 2012 eLit True Crime category, and an honorable mention in the 2013 reader’s favorite book contest. FIRE: Box 598, a collection of short nonfiction stories of fires and occurrences surrounding them when he worked with the FDNY, won the 2013 Reader’s Favorite contest in the Historical non-fiction category. With cross-genre skills, Corso has written Westerns, Gritty Crime Dramas and even fantasy. He has received a tremendous reception from his work Fire Stories by many Fire Departments. Rising from the ashes, retired New York Firefighter Joe Corso finds himself lost in his writing hoping never to find his way back.

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"Painting With Fire" by K. B. Jensen

NEW RELEASE and INTERVIEW

Painting With Fire

by K. B. Jensen

Description

Murder in the Windy City. Love without trust. Reckless justice.

These are the themes in Painting With Fire, the story of Claudia Wilson, a woman down on her luck living with a stranger, an artist named Tom. After the two of them discover a body on the street corner, buried in a snow bank, Claudia becomes obsessed with the murder and the fact that her roommate is not telling her everything about his past. While police search for the killer in her building, she wonders if she should be searching for a new roommate.

Claudia learns everything she can about the neighbors, as well as Tom. In the end, she makes a startling discovery. When art and violence collide, the results can be explosive.

Excerpt

Prologue

Steve Jackson was trying to get his Honda Civic through the snow, but the tires spun loudly and the vehicle wouldn’t swim through. “Come on baby, please, please, we need to get out of here now,” he coaxed and swore.

But the Civic couldn’t climb out. It slid back into its final resting place, crooked against the curb. He turned off the ignition and slumped forward with his gloved hands on the wheel and his forehead against the top of it. He felt drained, empty. He had said what he needed to say and it wasn’t wise to linger. They let him walk out the door but they could still change their minds.

“Thank you, God, it’s over,” he said. “Now, please help me get the hell out of here.”

He was surprised they hadn’t stopped him after he gave his “notice.” Drug dealers aren’t normally so courteous. They don’t give you a card and a goodbye lunch before you walk out the door. But the worst of it was over now and he just had to drive home in the storm.

Blinking the snow out of his eyes, he glanced up at the old, three-story brick building through the blur of snowflakes and saw a dark face in the oversized window. It moved back behind the curtain.

He got out of the car and started digging out holes behind the tires, kicking the snow with his boots. He shivered. He was only wearing a puffy black vest over a flannel shirt. He had been too preoccupied to listen to the forecast that morning, too nervous about getting killed to worry about what clothes he’d be wearing when the shots would ring out. Snow had been the last thing on his mind when he showed up to tell them he couldn’t work for them anymore. His conscience wouldn’t allow it, that feeling in the pit of his stomach every time he made a delivery. A 13-year-old girl had thanked him, for what? For helping her kill herself slowly. He knew he had to answer to God one day and the day was coming soon, sooner than he’d like.

He bent down and dug out the snow with his gloved hands. The blur of white snowflakes stung his eyes so he could barely see. He didn’t hear the footsteps in the snow behind him through the whistle of the wind. He didn’t hear the metal slide through the air as it sliced down and cracked open the top of his head. He spun sideways from the blow and fell.

For a matter of seconds, he lay there flat on his back in the snow bank watching the flakes twirl and land on his face. His vision whirled. He had bitten his tongue, but he could still taste the snow melt and mix with blood as it dropped into his open, gurgling mouth. He thought of his mother, what she would say when she found out? Did she know that he had changed? She’d never know.

“Jesus,” he gurgled. It was a prayer this time.

Then the heavy metal blade came down again, and the white out turned to a permanent black out.

Review

By Mary Most

When you read the first paragraph or two of a book and feel the pulse of a good mystery based on the happenings of the following page or two, you know you're in for a good read. Add strong characters, most of whom seem suspicious and lead you to thinking you know 'who dunnit' only to find yourself second guessing yourself. The book keeps your interest and pulls you deeper into the story. As the plot thickens and builds momentum, the relationship between Claudia and Tom keeps you guessing as well. You will absolutely not be able to put the book down as an action packed finish will rivet you to its pages and very effectively pull it all together for you.

Congrats to K. B. Jensen on her first book. It's a clever mystery.

Interview With the Author

Hi K. B., thanks for joining me today to discuss your debut novel, Painting With Fire.

For what age group do you recommend your book?

Sixteen and over. Adults of all ages seem to enjoy it, but it’s too gritty for children.

What sparked the idea for this book?

I used to work as a crime reporter in the Chicago suburbs and one of the stories I wrote about involved a body found in the snow. The person was lying there for hours and could have lived if they had been found earlier. Many people I interviewed heard the gunshots but didn’t call the police. To my knowledge, the police never caught the murderer, and I always wondered who he/she was. It bothered me. My book is not based on that case, but it started out as a kind of a daydreaming about what might have happened.

Also, I had this clear picture of the villain in my head, this perfect villain and I wanted to explore that.

Which comes first? The character's story or the idea for the novel?

The characters should always come first. They drive the ideas.

What was the hardest part of writing in this book?

It was like arranging puzzle pieces. Getting everything to click in place just right took a lot of crafting. Also, the journalist in me wants everything to be realistic but you have to take liberties and free yourself as a writer to tell the story.

How do you hope this book affects its readers?

I hope it gets people to think. I hope it’s also a good time, an entertaining read.

How long did it take you to write this book?

Four years off and on.

What is your writing routine?

I don’t have one. I write when the mood strikes, which is often. The only real routine I have is journaling. That is an every day occurrence and keeps my writing sharp.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

I’m a downhill ski instructor. I also love to travel. I enjoy jogging and biking next to Lake Michigan.

What does your family think of your writing?

My family is very proud. My husband is my number one fan, of course. My dad said it was excellent and he’d tell me if it wasn’t. He said it was “not so predictable.” I liked that, because he’s a smart guy and he couldn’t figure out the killer.

Fantastic! Please tell us a bit about your childhood. Did you like reading when you were a child?

I loved reading. I stayed up all night reading. You can see the dark circles under my eyes in my second grade school picture. I look terrible in it. Just five pages more, I used to tell myself, then I’ll turn out the light. But I never did, not until I was finished. That’s the power of good books on a young mind.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

When I was in third grade. I told my dad and he told me, “You’ll starve.”

I hope you prove him wrong! Did your childhood experiences influence your writing?

Not as much as you would think. My childhood teachers influenced it though. I had a third grade teacher at North Star Elementary School in Minneapolis named Mrs. Grein who used to send me to the principal’s office to read my stories. I don’t think I would be a writer if I hadn’t met her.

Which writers have influenced you the most?

That’s a tough question. When it comes to life, I’d say Paolo Coehlo. I like his idea that the universe is conspiring to help you achieve your dreams, if you follow them. When it comes to style, I’d say all the great journalists I’ve met working at newspapers and magazines have really trained me to write in a clean, tight manner.

Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?

I do hear from readers. They say they liked the twists and turns in Painting With Fire, also the romantic elements. I think that’s kind of funny, because I’ve never envisioned the book as a romance. They keep asking me to write a sequel. I’m thinking about it.

So, what can we look forward to from you in the future?

Currently, I’m working on a collection of short stories, but it’s top secret. The themes are impossible love and other craziness.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by today. Best of luck with your top secret project!

About the Author

K. B. Jensen is an author and journalist. Painting With Fire is her debut novel. As a reporter, she has written extensively about crime in the Chicago suburbs. Jensen grew up in Minneapolis and currently lives in Chicago, with her husband, daughter and rescued border collie/lab mix. In her spare time, she enjoys teaching downhill skiing and traveling the world.

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