Tuesday, November 7, 2017

#Book in the Spotlight from Toi Thomas #OurAuthorGang

I like the idea of seeing myself progress as a writer and I also like being able to explore different genres. My collection of short stories, Legend of the Boy, In the Window, and Other Short Stories, is an exploration of an author’s voice and developing creativity. It’s, sometimes dark and intense, adult fiction that is suitable for teens.


It’s all about the boy…

The boy who must destroy the world so he can save humanity.

The boy who sweeps the girl off her feet.

The boy who brings two lovers together.

The boy who grows into a bad man and changes a woman’s life.

The boy who won’t let death stop him from getting what he wants.

Everything spanning from science fiction, paranormal, romance, and psychological thriller is here within the pages of this book. Which of these boys will capture your sense of wonder, rage, romance, or perhaps even fear? You decide.

Add on Goodreads 

 Please enjoy this excerpt from the title story, Legend of the Boy.

A few moments of silence screeched to a halt when the boy heard the sound of joints squeaking and knobs turning. There was a slow vibration settling along the boy’s spine. He realized that he was moving. The bed he had been strapped to was slowly ascending to an upright position. The boy was frightened and bewildered. He waited in anticipation as the knobs continued to turn, the joints continued to squeak, and his bed continued to eerily rise. Once upright, the boy glanced around, darting his eyes, aware of the sweat that may drip into them. At first, he saw nothing except a white wall across the room. Then he felt a tugging below him, like a child reaching for a mother’s hand. There were wheels attached to the base of the bed struggling to achieve motion, like a train moving uphill.

Suddenly the bed jolted, jerking the boy’s body back and forth as the bed rolled across the room with a menacing screech. He shook his head in desperation. His nose flared and cheeks reddened in anger. What is the meaning of this? Pushing stiff breaths between his lips, the boy considered belting out obscenities, but then the wall began to move. It was sliding away, revealing a clear glass pane behind it. Brows furrowed, the boy took a breath assuming he would look out and see some great horror…”

~

Please enjoy this excerpt from the other title story, In the Window.

Pexels.com
Tobey stepped toward Derek, his friend and partner, with an expression comparable to that of a child who’d just dropped their ice cream scoop after waiting in a long hot line. “Derek, this is our last chance. This job could turn things around. We’ve been wanting to go legit … well, this is our opportunity.”

The morning was coming, but it was bringing no light, only the gloom of a storm. Finally, Derek walked up to Tobey with an expression of understanding. “I’m still upset about you tricking me, but I’m not mad. I know why you did it, but I still can’t go in that house.”

“Why? What is it about this job that’s any different from any other that we’ve done?”

Derek looked at the window again and then at Tobey, shaking his head. He knew Tobey couldn’t see her, but it didn’t matter to him. He could see her. All the money in the world wouldn’t be enough to make him go into that house with her. He cleared his throat and told Tobey plainly, “The target is still in the house.” Droplets of rain began to fall like sporadic leaks in an old roof.

Tobey looked confused, and then responded in a matter of fact tone, “I know she’s still in the house, Derek. That’s why we’re here. It’s what we do. We’re the cleaners. We clean up the mess, get rid of the body, and flip the house … Now, unless there’s something I’m missing, we need to go to work.”

Legend of the Boy, In the Window, and Other Short Stories copyright © 2015 Toinette Thomas
Amazon

Find out more about me, my work, and my inspiration at the following links:

Amazon | Goodreads The ToiBox of Words | YouTube | See a list of my other posts here.

#paranormal, #fantasy, #romance, #thriller, speculative fiction
COMMENTS

Stream

Ruth de Jauregui via Google+

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Talented author Toi Thomas shares on A Small Gang of Authors. Come by and check out her latest post!
 
 · 
Reply

Ruth de Jauregui

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Oh these excerpts are fabulous! I'm going to share in my Alien Star Books FB page too.
 
 · 
Reply
 
Thank you so much. I'm glad you enjoyed them.

Erika M Szabo via Google+

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly
 
 
 · 
Reply

Erika M Szabo

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Sounds fascinating!
+
1
2
1
 
 · 
Reply
 
Thank you.

Joe Bonadonna

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Great excerpts, Toi! Love the concept.
+
3
2
3
 
 · 
Reply
 
Thank you. Both of these stories are a little dark, but at least one of them leaves you hopeful and the other, well... you get a bit of closure.
 
You're welcome!

Joe Bonadonna via Google+

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Today on A Small Gang of Authors, Toinette Thomas offers up two tantalizing excerpts from her stories, "Legend of the Boy," and "In the Window."
+
3
4
3
 
 · 
Reply

Mary Anne Yarde

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Great Excerpt!!
+
1
2
1
 
 · 
Reply
 
Thank you.

Grace Au

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Looks like another to add to my TBR list! Thanks for sharing, Toi!
+
2
1
2
 
 · 
Reply
 
Thank you. I hope find something to connect to within the pages.

Toi Thomas

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly
 
So happy to share this book today.
+
2
3
2
 
 · 
Reply

Toi Thomas via Google+

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly
 
I'm so happy to share my first collection of short stories, an exploration of genre writing and growth as a new author. I adore these stories and hope you will too.
+
2
3
2
 
 · 
Reply

Rich Feitelberg

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly
 
Interesting. Always glad to find a new source of short stories. Need to spotlight mine at some point.
+
4
3
4
 
 · 
Reply
 
Thank you.

Rich Feitelberg via Google+

1 year ago  -  Shared publicly
 
+
2
3
2
 
 · 
Reply

Monday, November 6, 2017

Familiarity, Warm Fuzzies, and Pilling slippers #OurAuthorGang

                                               by Grace Augustine, Author

 I write romance...
(photo courtesy of freephotos.com)

Like most red-blooded females, I love romance, but with romance comes a host of other feelings you don't bank on.

The excitement of a new relationship engages our adrenaline, our endorphins. We are happy, gleeful, walk around in a daze, and smile for no reason. It's fun and playful and everything we ever dreamed. It's the warm fuzzies of life...and it's good...really good.

Once the newness wears off, the relationship moves into the familiarity stage. You know...that stage where you are comfortable with each other, you don't have to share each moment of every day, you're happy sitting across the room from one another--each doing your own thing.

This is where we need to be careful in our relationships. The fine line between a familiarity and what I call pilling slippers. There comes a time in each relationship, if it isn't nurtured properly, where one or the other or both partners become nothing more than the pilling on slippers or an old sweater. What do I mean? We become so lax in keeping our relationship fresh and alive, that it dies a bit each day...it becomes routine, boring...the fuzz balls on your sweater.

(photo courtesy of freephotos.com)

Enter our Super Hero...Romance...dun dun dun dun! An unexpected note in a lunch sack, tickets to the theatre on the passenger seat of the vehicle, texting I love you on your cell phones...dropping by places of work, just because.

In the 3rd book of my Acorn Hills Series, you meet Denise. Denise is a troubled teen who gets into a bit of trouble, turns her life around, becomes a successful business woman, and is blessed beyond measure with people who love her. From high school to present time, Denise is plagued with many obstacles...obstacles that would break the normal woman. She persists, moves forward, and captures the heart of her true love, David Turner. Their relationship endures the newness of love, the familiarity of togetherness, and the everlasting, unconditional love we all long for. I hope you enjoy her story in Sultry Sensations. (The books in the Acorn Hills series are for mature readers 18 yrs of age and older)


Here's an excerpt:
"Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of they womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
     The words were such a vital part of who Denise was and they shaped her very foundation at this stage of her young life. She was only sixteen, but she had a deep faith. It seemed to be the only thing that was static, steady, a sure thing. God knows, there was nothing else stable about her life.
     Denise Berrie barely remembered her father. He walked out on her and her mother thirteen years ago.She hadn't seen him since, hadn't heard a single word from him. In fact, no one had. It was the ultimate disappearing act. Now that she was a teenager, she began piecing things together: trying to figure out what happened, where she came from, what it meant for her now.
    The only conclusion that came to her was that her dad couldn't take the constant drinking and yelling from her mom, nor could he take the fact there were other men...several men. It didn't matter who...the landlord, the mailman, hell at one point she remembered being told to go outside to play when the social security guy was there for a welfare visit. Denise remembered him as a very nice man, a very handsome man, and he was always tucking in his shirt when he left the house.
     Denise clutched her book of prayers and rosary. This is what gave her comfort. It certainly wasn't her mother. She couldn't remember when the last time was she had a hug or a kind word from her only parent."



Sunday, November 5, 2017

Book Spotlight #OurAuthorGang

Telep the Diamond, Book 3 of the Aglaril Cycle
By Rich Feitelberg

While traveling to Ravenhurst, Sir Ahlan, a Michaeline knight, and his companions encounter a woman, Nancy, who has been beset upon by brigands. Ahlan comes to Nancy’s aid, driving off the thieves, and escorts her to town.

She claims to be a sword master for the Duke of Argentos, who lives in the castle outside of Ravenhurst, but the story Nancy tells of how she got separated from her companions and attacked by bandits raises many questions about the woman. Ultimately, Ahlan suspects Nancy of being a spy and plans to exposed her in open court. But unbeknownst to the knight, their fates are intertwined and she is critical in retrieving the next Aglari.

Saturday, November 4, 2017

Our Guest Today is Author J.A. Clark #OurAuthorGang



Author J.A. Clark

J.A.Clark was born in Australia and grew up in England and Southern California. Sports is a passion, but writing is what is in her heart. She's dreamed of writing since 7th grade after reading  Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist. She currently resides in Pennsylvania with her husband, two dogs, and two cats.  Elementals: Coming of Age is her debut novel.

J.A. would love to hear from her readers. Contact her at



Excitement consumes Catharine Steele as she follows in her father's footsteps, becoming the youngest space flight commander in the history of the military. She hugs her father tightly before boarding the monorail heading to her first command. She is ignoring the unexplainable dark shadows out the corner of her eye that started the morning of her twenty-fifth birthday. After boarding, she meets young commander, Andrew Westlake, and strong feelings stir deep within her. That night, terrifying nightmares of warning began. She had no idea she was destined to meet another man whose love she would deny. At the age of twenty-five, she would change the course of her life and the lives of others.

An excerpt from Elementals: Coming of Age....
            "It has been two hundred years since humans have fought against one another over land, greed, or religion. Overpopulation of Earth is no longer a threat to our beautiful planet. Humans have colonized the moon and Mars. Advancement in science and technology allowed space travel within our solar system. Enormous cargo ships harvested frozen planets and asteroids for their water. Construction of great domes on Mars allowed humans to plant life to flourish, no longer worrying about depleting our food supplies. Earth has healed, plant life flourishes, and the air we breathe is as clean as when the dinosaurs roamed."




Featured Post

Online Magazines