Turning by Dawn Kirby

Awakening

“You should have been there with her,” Alana sobbed. Matt cradled her, stroking her hair gently. “You should have been there, not here.”

“I never thought he’d go there,” Matt admitted chocking back the tears. He and Jennifer had been roommates for years; friends for longer. He felt her loss just as deeply. “There was just no reason for him to go after her like that. None.”

Alana pushed off his chest and glared at him. “No reason?” she asked. Her throat was raw from a day’s worth of crying. Her eyes red and puffy. “How about to get my attention? He knows what y’all mean to me. I’m sure he’d kill you if he gets the chance. There’s no stopping him now.” Her angry gaze fell on Nicholas. “He’s a damn monster that can’t be stopped thanks to him.”

“That’s not-” Matt stuttered. Nicholas held his hand up and approached the couch.

“Fair?” Nicholas finished. Matt nodded. “No, it is fair. Benjamin is a monster. I did, in a way help create him. I may not have given him blood, but I did give Thomas an opportunity he obviously could not pass up. I only hope it backfires on them both.”

“Backfires?” she snorted. “How does anything backfire on y’all? You have the world at your fingertips. You can bend anyone to your will. Live through things humans can’t.” Her eyes filled with tears again. “Kill whoever you want and get away with it.”

“Know this; I have never killed at will. There have been times when my hunger gets the best of me and accidents have happened, but I have never killed just to kill.”

“Killing in any way is enough,” she said. Nicholas nodded curtly knowing there were no words that could comfort her.

“Lana,” Matt said, forcing her to look at him. “You gotta stop blaming everything on him. It’s not his fault Ben’s a crazed psychopath. It sure as hell isn’t his fault some other vamp decided to make him his dog.” Her lips moved but he quickly covered them with his finger. “The pity party we’ve been wallowing in all this time? Sis, it’s time you grew up. I know he did some pretty bad things to you, but staying locked up inside this house all the time. Being scared of your own shadow. Girl, it ain’t good.”

“So what? You want me to just walk out there and challenge him?” This was too much! He’d been there. He saw what Ben was capable of.

“No, I want you to live again. I want my sister back.”

Alana sunk to the floor, her hands in her hair, tears running down her face. She wanted to be normal. She wanted to get up every morning and go to work like everybody else does. She even wanted to go to a nightclub now and again. Meeting a man was out of the question, but a little contact with someone other than her brother would be nice. The only thing stopping her was the paralyzing fear that her past would become her future.

Thanks to the blood he’d been feeding her, Nicholas felt the fear running through her mind. A peek inside let him know how much Matt’s words had affected her. He knew then there was hope. Maybe, just maybe he could give her the life she wanted.

He knelt down beside her. Matt mouthed good luck and left the room. Something told him he didn’t want to know what the vamp had to say. Carly had already warned him Lana could possibly be killed or worse; turned during all this. In fact she was sure Ben had every intention of turning her himself.

Nicholas took a deep breath and sighed. His future with her hinged on her reaction. “I can’t make all this go away. I can however make it easier.”

She looked up at him. For the first time there was no hate in her eyes. Only exhaustion, grief and curiosity lived there now.

“How? I’m only human. I’m no match against any of you.”

“As a human, no. As a vampire you’d be a strong as any of us. You’d have abilities you don’t have now. If I turned you, you’d belong to me. No one, not even Ben could touch you unless I said so.”

Stunned didn’t even begin to describe her feelings. Had she heard him right? Had he just proposed a fate worse than death? Did he seriously think she’d fall at his feet and beg to be drained? The anger rose out of the confusion, but then she saw his face. The sincerity there touched her. Suddenly she realized he was only doing what he thought was right. Suddenly she knew she could trust him.

I Wrote A Little Thing Over Here...

In early summer I received an e-mail from Matt Potter, editor of Pure Slush, requesting that I submit a story for their Travel series. It was a very nice e-mail. Apparently a post I had written made its way around Facebook and Matt thought I'd make a great addition to Pure Slush.

I was quite certain his request for me to write and submit a story was a mistake- that perhaps he had read a guest post written by one of the many wonderful authors that have been kind enough to stop by My Friends Call Me Kate, but... it wasn't a mistake. Matt wanted a story from me. Me.

So I set out to write a story. And it wasn't easy for me.

I started and deleted and started and deleted and started over again and stopped. I'd never written a story before, I've only written blog posts. So I sat down to write a blog post and things went much more smoothly for me.

Many of you know that I have a tendency to dream about the books I read so it shouldn't be a surprise to any of you that my story for Pure Slush involves a dream... and books.

This dream happened after reading Frank Sinatra in a Blender by Matthew McBride and after I had purchased a series of books and read numerous tweets by an author that I follow on Twitter.

It's totally me. And it's my very first story submitted and accepted for publication for an online zine. Thanks, Matt for sending me an email encouraging me to write a story and for your kindness during the editing process.  You've been too kind to me. And to Fiona and Joelle... your support has really meant a lot to me. Without sounding too mushy... I love you.

Excuse Me. Have You Seen My Shirt? written by... me,  can be found on Pure Slush.

Deadly Sins by Kylie Brant

When a federal judge is gunned down at the flower stand outside his office after a late night of writing motions, his widow looks to good friend and private consult extraordinaire, Adam Raiker,  to solve the crime.  Using her connections in DC, she is able to secure Adam a spot with the FBI team working the case.

Coming together to solve the crime are former colleagues, and ex-lovers working long days to find  a serial killer targeting high-profile individuals in the DC area leaving calling cards referring to the Deadly Sins at the crime scene. Trying to break the case and deal with personal emotions and romance could prove difficult for most, but Adam Raiker and Jaid Marlowe manage to do both quite nicely. While never losing focus on the case, Adam and Jaid manage to deal with past relationship issues and rekindle that spark that was never really extinguished.  And just when they think they are one step closer to finding the killer and moving on with a new chapter in their lives, an unexpected and surprise killing leads all the evidence pointing at Adam Raiker as the suspect

This is the first book I've read in The Mindhunter Series, and even though it was obvious that I had missed information on so many of the key characters in this book, Kylie Brant manages to recall the past history in a way that never left me feeling confused or overwhelmed by the back-story. The tension between Adam and Jaid is such that you can feel the tension when reading about their past, yet feel the excitement as they reconnect and give hope to all couples looking for a second chance.

Although knowing the back-story between all of the characters would have been beneficial, the character develop was such that I felt like I knew enough about the characters to not be distracted about not knowing all of the history.  Deadly Sins is a highly entertaining read and I look forward to reading all the books in The Mindhunter Series.

For other book recommendations and wonderful reviews check out The Season E-Zine Website ---->>>> HERE.

This review was first published at The Season.  

Turning by Dawn Kirby

Senseless

Jennifer stepped out of her car and walked towards her front door. She sighed when she saw the lights were off and noticed Matt’s truck was still gone. She didn’t mind him staying with Alana, but she hated taking his money when he clearly wasn’t living here. She honestly felt like she was stealing when he’d given her a check for his half of the rent and utilities this time.


As she slid the key into the lock a cold hand slipped around her neck. She froze, realizing whoever it was was far from friendly. Jennifer looked around, searching for help. She knew better than to expect to see somebody out this late, but there’s always that slim chance. Unfortunately tonight wasn’t her night.

“I’ve got you now,” Ben said. He spun her around to face him and smiled. The smell of fear infiltrated his nostrils. “Good to see ya again, Jen. Bet you never thought you’d be here.”

“I’m here every day you jack ass,” she snapped. “I live here.”

“You forget what am,” he growled. His hand tightened around her throat. “I could snap your neck like a twig.”

“Do it then,” she spat. “Make Alana hate you even more than she does right now. Maybe it’ll even give her the push she needs to let Nicholas in.” She smiled up at him, knowing she was playing with fire. “I think they’d make a lovely couple, don’t you?”

“She’s mine,” he told her. “MINE!!!”

Before he could stop himself his fangs ripped into her neck. Blood filled his mouth. She could feel it dripping down her neck unto her clothes. She tried to fight him off, but the blood tasted so good he held on as if his life depended on it. Maybe it did. His heart beat fell into a rhythm matching hers. Her memories flooded his mind. Her feelings transfer to him. Her strength filled him. He was, in a sense becoming one with her.

Jennifer scratched at his face desperately trying to break free. All she could think of was getting loose and driving straight to Alana’s house. She planned on showing her friend once and for all that she could trust the vampire staying with her.

Ben laughed as her thought crossed his mind. He wiped the blood from his chin with the back of his hand and smiled. “That’s not gonna happen. She knows I won’t let it.”

“She also knows what a monster you are.” The last thing she saw the glint of madness that flashed through his eyes. The last thing she felt was the numbness and odd sense of peace that accompanied death.

He yanked her head back and sank his fangs deep into her jugular vein, taking pleasure in the sound of her slowing heartbeat. Her body went rigid. She could feel the life leaving her body. As hard as she tried to hold on, his will to kill was stronger. Her heart pounded in her ears. The slower the beat got the harder he sucked. He wanted to drain her dry. She’d been such a thorn in his side she deserved to die this way, he thought.

When her heart stopped he tossed her limp body to ground in front of her door. Who would find her? He didn’t care. Who would mourn her? He didn’t care about that either. Would Alana hate him more? Probably, but she’d get over it. He’d make her. One thing was clear, dear Jennifer was out of the picture for good and now only Matt stood in his way.

Does a Cover Really Make a Difference?

I judge books by the cover. It's true... and the only thing that will save your book if it has a bad cover is the first page.

Why?

I hate blurbs. I won't even read the blurbs on a book until I'm finished with the book, or... if a friend has written a blurb and I find it on the Twitters.

I also won't read the back cover with information about the book... that little synopsis thing.  Doesn't do it for me.

But the cover and the first page... I love them.

Here are some of my recent favorites.

I'm really not into romance, but I am into paranormal romance. You put a guy on the cover showing his nipple and you're bound to get my attention.

 Especially if it's attached to a mass of solid muscle like this:

Another catch... a really hot looking chick standing next to a really hot

 guy with a muscular arm and sleeve tattoo like this:

Or a combination of the two above like this:

I'm also a person that loves the use of color.

 I like muted tones like this:

But I also like this:

And it's hard to pass up a cover like this:

I also love simple covers like this:

And this:

And this cover is one of my favorites:
The first time I looked at a picture of this cover it was on my phone. I thought this was a duck, and for the life of me I couldn't figure out how it tied into the book. Ducks don't have teeth... just saying.

You can laugh all you want about how I choose my books, but I'll have you know that I've sold many a book at work just from showing my coworkers the cover. And it probably helps that I'm overly dramatic when I talk about books and my coworkers trust my taste.  But, still... if you want me to buy your book, you best have a great cover and a perfect first page!

When it comes to first impressions does the book cover influence you?

Turning by Dawn Kirby

The Slip

Nicholas stood in front of the balcony doors looking down at the court yard below, listening for any signs of life both in and outside the apartment. Matt had decided to stay with Alana until he knew for sure he could trust a supposedly friendly vampire with his little sister’s life. Carly had tried to reassure him, but a human trusting a creature he knows nothing about has proven to be next to impossible.

Hearing nothing but the sounds of steady breathing he moved towards the bed. Even with her knowing Ben couldn’t come in she still didn’t have her appetite back. Nicholas assumed with his presence and that of her brother along with Carly would take some of the worry off Alana, but it hadn’t. In fact she seemed to be more on edge. As tempting as it was to get inside her head and fix it, he couldn’t; wouldn’t. Some things she has to face on her own.

He sat down beside her and tucked her hair behind her ear. He’d never felt hair so soft. It was like running his fingers over a sheet of the finest silk. He leaned in to take in her scent again. Roses and vanilla filled his nostrils. Could anything smell more enticing? As he sat up his hand brushed her arm. Her skin was softer than a baby’s, but far too cool. Whether it be lack of food or some other reason, he didn’t know.

Nicholas pulled a flask out of his jacket pocket and drank until it was empty. His body instantly began to warm. His heart started to beat a little faster. His senses sharpened. An overwhelming feeling of dread settled into the pit of his stomach. Damn woman, he thought. He pushed past the emotions swirling through his mind and let his own body take the lead. Alana needed him.

He punctured the vein in his wrist with a fang and laid down beside her. He parted her lips just enough and let the blood drip slowly into her mouth. He’d never used his flask before, but it seemed necessary tonight. Weight was dropping off her at an alarming rate and nothing Matt could say was going to change that. His blood coupled with the unique blood in his flask should be more than enough to bring her back.

As his free hand swept across Alana’s face, her eyes fluttered open and closed again. The split second flash of blue struck him. The warmth he’d felt mere minutes ago turned into a heat so intense he was actually sweating. A vampire; sweating! He took his wrist away and smiled, kissing her lips gently. His hand slipped from her cheek, down to her chest. He stopped, feeling her heartbeat. Was it wrong to want to still that a little? Have her be his for eternity?

Shaking the questions from his mind he let his hands glide over her breasts, moving slowly down to her bellybutton. Stopping to kiss her exposed stomach he pulled her hips toward him, easing his body between her perfectly shaped legs. She stirred, but didn’t wake. His fingers bit into her thighs, leaving small red lines in their wake as he worked his way down to her ankles, his fingers kneading the firm muscles in her calves. He looked back up at her gorgeous face. It would be easy to turn her. With her vastly depleted strength he could do it before she knew what hit her. And she would be his. Nobody could take her away from him then.

“You do it now and she’ll never forgive you,” Carly whispered. His eyes shot to the door. “I’m not there, don’t worry. I just happen to know what you’re thinking.”

“I forget,” he mumbled. He pushed off the bed and stood up to regain his composure.

“I know you want her. I know it’s more for you than just chasing someone you can’t have. But you have to let her make the choice. If you don’t all your good intentions mean nothing.”

Of course she was right. What in the hell had he been thinking? He’d let himself get lost in his own selfish feelings and –

And it didn’t matter. Alana didn’t want him. She could barely look at him without fear or disgust buried in her eyes. How could he build a relationship on that? Hadn’t he already gone over this? Hadn’t he promised himself and her that he would do nothing more than guard her against Ben and Thomas? He wanted to stay here with her, but if she never leaves the safety of her apartment what did she need him for? As long as she stays here she’s safe? Why was he still here? Why was he torturing himself like this?

Adventures of Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles by Edward A. Grainger

My father has always been a fan of westerns. And back in the day when most homes only held one television set you could always find us watching westerns when my father was home. You can laugh if you want, but Bonanza was actually one of my favorites and I had a huge crush on Little Joe. But since I'm all about the honesty here on my blog, it must be said that my heart, regardless of how small it may have been at the time, always belonged to Adam. When I was little I'd sit on the couch with my father and hold his hand as I watched the Cartwright boys saddle up and ride away on the Ponderosa.  In fact, when I visited my father a couple of years ago I still found myself sitting next to him on the sofa, holding his hand, and watching old westerns.

Well this week I've been missing my father something terrible. I'm stuck in a horrible spot in my personal life and there are days when I wish I could go back home to Oregon and sit on the couch with my father and watch westerns. But I can't. And even though he's recently told me I can come home whenever I want... I won't. Instead of packing my bags and walking away from my reality, I decided to curl up with a really good collection of western short stories by Edward A. Grainger.

I've never really read a western novel... never would have thought I'd be interested in them. My husband is a Louis L'Amour fan and is always telling me I should read the Lonesome Dove series by Larry McMurtry. Well, like I said before, I haven't read any westerns and until this weekend I really didn't think I'd ever be interested in them.

You see, I'm not a girl with a love for all things pioneer-ish, and I hate camping. Dust in my hair, teeth, or buried under my fingernails, and using outdoor restrooms really isn't my thing.  And the thought of milking my own cows and killing and skinning chickens for my next meal kind of makes me nauseous. I don't how people survived back in the day and I have no problem admitting that part of my daily thanks is for the little things I have in my life... indoor plumbing being one of them.

Yet last night as I closed the book on the last short story I read in Adventures of Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles, I found myself overlooking the homestead and admiring my view of the cattle on my Uncle Jack's ranch in North Dakota. I haven't been there in years and I didn't realize how much I missed playing on that property until I cracked open a book about two marshals and their adventures in the wild west.

In Adventures of Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles by Edward A. Grainger, you'll find seven incredible stories detailing life in the west, and how two marshals instill justice with the gift of persuasion and strong hands. Not only will you find these two tracking and taking down the bad guys, but you'll find them questioning the law, as well.

In the story Melanie, Cash Laramie deals with the reality of the written law when he stumbles upon a little girl being abused by those that should be caring for her.  He leaves the Uncle with a warning, only to return to find him abusing her once again. When the written law declares that nothing can be done, justice is served up anyway when the Uncle is found dead after going to fetch water... in the dark. My favorite line from this story is from Marshal Laramie, "when the town's people don't protect their children, then they're not fit to govern."

My favorite story in the collection was Under The Sun, co-written by Sandra Seamans.  The story is told through the perspective of a woman named Delilah, who finds herself living alone after her husband is killed from injuries in a grizzly attack. She's visited by the marshals letting her know that there's an Indian on the run, and that a father seeking revenge for the death of his son is hot on his trail. After refusing to leave her home until Brave Coyote is found, Delilah tries to take up refuge in her home only to find herself annoyed at not being able to take care of her land. Venturing outside, she comes face to face with an injured Brave Coyote, the man wanted by the law, but more importantly, the man that saved her husband from the grizzly attack and brought him home to die.  Seeing an opportunity to repay a debt for his kindness towards her husband, Delilah finds a way to bring closure for a town seeking justice, and freedom to an innocent man.

Another great story is Miles To Go, wherein we find Gideon Miles going out in search of a fugitive on his own, and struggling with how to explain why his devotion to law enforcement is so important even though being black keeps him from receiving the proper respect and equal pay as his colleagues. My favorite character in this story is the stable boy Keith... a boy who considers Miles a hero and hopes to one day be a marshal just like him.

The stories are written with such description that you can easily hear the sounds of the wagon wheels and the music in the saloon.  Not only that, you can easily visualize life in the wild west from the feeding of the horses to the dresses on the women in the saloon. A fist fight here and a gun fight over there... stepping back in time is easy with this wonderful collection of stories.

Oh, and before I forget... these are two extremely handsome marshals, as they've both managed to the get the girl a time or two in this collection. And I'd be a total liar if I didn't admit I've got a serious crush on Marshal Laramie. Hmmm... Do you think if I find a dress like the one Lenora was wearing that Marshal Laramie will come to my rescue?  

*sigh*

 A girl can always dream...

You can find Adventures of Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles HERE.

Edward A. Grainger, aka David Cranmer, is a member of the Western Fictioneers and is editor/publisher of the BEAT to a PULP webzine.  His work has been published in Needle: A Magazine of Noir, Out of the Gutter, and Crimefactory to name a few. He lives in Main with his wife and daughter.