Blogging Authors

Sunday, March 12, 2023

Book Teaser Trailer: Battlefield Earth by L. Ron Hubbard @galaxypress @be_the_book #booktrailer #bookteaser

BATTLEFIELD EARTH
L. Ron Hubbard
Science Fiction

If you liked Dune, Atlantis Gene, Foundation, Ender’s Game, and Starship Troopers, you’ll love Battlefield Earth.

Sadistic Aliens…

…Man is an endangered species.

Is it the end of the world or the rebirth of a new one?

In the year A.D. 3000, Earth is a dystopian wasteland. The great cities stand crumbling as a brutal reminder of what we once were. When the Psychlos invaded, all the world’s armies mustered little resistance against the advanced alien weapons.

A young hero rises from the ashes and rallies the last survivors in an all-out rebellion for freedom that explodes across the continents of Earth to the cosmic sprawl of the Psychlo empire.

The fate of the Galaxy lies on the Battlefield of Earth.

You’ll love Battlefield Earth because of the characters you’ll love and hate and the unexpected twists that keep the pages flying.

“Over 1,000 pages of thrills, spills, vicious aliens and noble humans. I found Battlefield Earth un-put-downable.” —Neil Gaiman

“Battlefield Earth is a terrific story! The carefully underplayed comedy I found it delicious. A masterpiece.” —Robert A. Heinlein

“Pulse-pounding mile-a-minute sci-fi action adventure that does not stop. It is a masterpiece of popular adventure science fiction.” —Brandon Sanderson

“Space opera that hits the right notes. It’s provocative, exhilarating and genuinely enjoyable.” —SCIFI.COM

“Like the Harry Potter series, its got concepts like good vs. evil, the noble savage and the hero’s journey—and people go crazy over it!” —Dr. David Powers, Educator

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B41I4NI/

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/battlefield-earth-l-ron-hubbard/1100824883?ean=9781592129577

BooksaMillion: https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Battlefield-Earth/L-Ron-Hubbard/9781592129577?id=8748446917116

Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/p/books/battlefield-earth-a-saga-of-the-year-3000-enlarged-expanded-l-ron-hubbard/15283828?ean=9781619865099

With 19 New York Times bestsellers and more than 350 million copies of his works in circulation, L. Ron Hubbard is among the most enduring and widely read authors of our time. As a leading light of American Pulp Fiction through the 1930s and ’40s, he is further among the most influential authors of the modern age. Indeed, from Ray Bradbury to Stephen King, there is scarcely a master of imaginative tales who has not paid tribute to L. Ron Hubbard.

Website: https://battlefieldearth.com/battlefield-earth/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/be_the_book

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BattlefieldEarth

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/be_the_book

13 chapter download (eBook): https://dl.bookfunnel.com/y2zuqaj7yi

1 hour download (audio): https://dl.bookfunnel.com/243bnk6m09

Discussion Guide: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/y84enq7cje

Blog: https://battlefieldearth.com/blog

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GalaxyPress/playlists

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29532708-battlefield-earth

Other books by L. Ron Hubbard: https://galaxypress.com/l-ron-hubbard-books/

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/JRbxWRwMI5w

Making of the Audiobook video: https://youtu.be/wABlKjhRDkQ

Brandon Sanderson’s Review video: https://youtu.be/S-80Tx1olgc

Short trailer: https://youtu.be/sU_V3O5Gemk

Wednesday, March 8, 2023

Guest: The Story Behind The Siren's Scream by Thomas White #TheSirensScream #Mystery #Horror #Guest

thewriterslife 9:00 PM 0 Comments

Today we have a guest post by Thomas White, author of The Siren's Scream.Thomas began his career as an actor. Several years later he found himself as an Artistic Director for a theatre in Southern California and the winner of several Drama-Logue and Critics awards for directing. As Tom's career grew, he directed and co-produced the world tour of "The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Coming Out of Their Shells." The show toured for over two years, was translated into seven different languages and seen by over a million children. Tom served as President and Creative Director for Maiden Lane Entertainment for 24 years and worked on many large-scale corporate event productions that included Harley Davidson, Microsoft, Medtronic Diabetes, and dozens of others. The Siren's Scream is Tom's second novel which was nominated as a finalist in the Pacific Northwest Writers Association 2010 Literary contest. Visit his website at www.thomas-white-author.com or connect with him at Facebook.

The Story Behind The Siren's Scream

By Thomas White

I was sitting on a dock at a lake and there were fish swimming beneath me. A slight altercation between them sent one poor fish darting away and as he did he flipped over so that the rainbow underbelly was exposed. The image intrigued me and led me down the path of mermaids and sirens. But as we all know the mermaid myth is as old as time and I struggled with a new way to approach it. A while later, and I do mean a while, probably several years, I was at a family dinner with a particularly challenging sister and it occurred to me; do mermaids have families? Is there a siren lineage? Where do mermaids come from and how are they created?

After considering the perceived differences of mermaids, the beautiful vixens of the sea with their puka shell bras and soft flowing hair, compared to sirens who viciously lure sailors to their death, a story began to emerge that answered a lot of the lineage questions and led me to a fresh perspective of these mythical creatures and I discovered a possible answer on how they came to be.

The rainbow flash of the fish underbelly became the central image for me as I created this siren. Often, throughout the novel, her arrival is preceded by a spectacular color display that is vivid and near blinding. The colors hide her true appearance and her nature and lure our poor anti-hero into his destruction.

They say that you never finish a novel, you just stop working on it. So was the case for me with The Siren’s Scream. I was due to receive the final edit from my editor the next day when I was watching TV. One of the characters on the show I was watching said, “The devil has no friends!” I laughed and thought, “That’s not true, fire is the devil’s only friend,” as any American Pie fan can attest. Then my mind took me to fire, evil, disaster and (spoiler alert) I yelled ,”Damn, I have to burn the mansion!” With that revelation I re-wrote the final 6 chapters, all for the better, and created a much stronger ending than I had originally written. At the end of the day the story I was able to formulate I found intriguing and scary and to be honest, I am quite pleased with the result.

Title: The Siren’s Scream

Author: Thomas White
Publisher: Savvy Books
Pages: 492
Genre: Mystery/Horror

An old mansion sits atop of a cliff, overlooking the ocean, in Santa Cruz, CA. A young realtor, Darcy Wainwright, manages to sell the dilapidated old house to Henry Childs, an obese nebbish who is obsessed with the property. In the backyard is a pool. Not an ordinary pool but a giant tide pool. In the tide pool is a siren with an evil agenda for revenge.

The Thornton Mansion was a talisman for the death and mystery that surrounded it. Unoccupied for years until Henry Childs was summoned by the house. As directed, he reached out to unsuspecting, novice realtor Darcy Wainwright. Darcy finds herself intricately involved with the house, its history and the haunting tide pool that filled the backyard. It was the pool that beckoned her, and it was the pool that would decide if she lives or dies. The Siren’s Scream. Available on Amazon.

Release Date: October 5, 2022

Publisher: Savvy Books

Soft Cover: ISBN: 978-1088067819; 480 pages

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3TEz7kx

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-sirens-scream-thomas-white/1142494493?ean=9781088067819

Purchase your copy at the author’s website: https://thomas-white-author.com/

# Guest Posts

Sunday, February 26, 2023

🔥 Hot New Release! Altered by Rob Kaufman #suspense

thewriterslife 9:00 PM 0 Comments

Title: Altered
Author: Rob Kaufman
Publisher: Rob Kaufman
Pages: 276
Genre: Suspense

When Frank Devlin walks into Justin Wright’s office, the renowned New York City clinical psychiatrist decides to take on one of the most challenging cases of his career.

After their first session, it’s obvious Frank has multiple personalities (“alters”) and each one couldn’t be more different than the other. Justin must get to know each individual alter in order to discover the best route to take so that Frank can live a full and happy life. He must also delve into Frank’s past, one filled with mystery, darkness and trauma — the true causes behind his personality split.

As Justin deals with Frank’s issues, he’s also confronted with his own demons: the kidnapping of Michael, his youngest son, seven years earlier… a wife he adores, Mandy, who refuses to accept her son is gone… a constant struggle with his oldest son, Dylan, who was watching over Michael the day the boy was taken. And his problems get worse as, unbeknownst to Justin, Frank and his alters are secretly weaving themselves into his life in ways that will affect the Wright family forever.

A suspense-filled story driven by emotion, angst and the ultimate revenge, “Altered” brings readers down a twisted path of uncertainty and mind games — leaving them shocked, heartbroken and questioning what could possibly come next…

***
“Crazy-good plot lines and shocking information that had me gasping for breath at every turn!” – Anne F., Amazon Vine Reviewer

“It was an amazing ride with tension building throughout until the final twist ending.” – Patricia G., NetGalley Reviewer

Release Date: November 15, 2022

Soft Cover: ISBN:979-8358757523; 329 pages; $13.99; Kindle $7.99; FREE on Kindle Unlimited

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3BlpCjs

Excerpt:

The frigid breeze whipped across his face. He ran up the city blocks, wiping melted snowflakes from his eyelids so he could see where he was going. By the time he reached 49^th Street, he was out of breath and had to stop. He leaned against the steel pole that held both the street signs and traffic lights. After a few deep breaths, he wiped the liquified flurries off his cheeks and walked as quickly as he could until he reached 50th.
He made a right off Park and because the office was so close to the corner, he could see a glow of light coming from the window. Breathing a sigh of relief, he went through the building’s glass front door and made a quick left. He didn’t stop long enough to ring the bell to let anyone know he was about to enter. Trying to catch his breath, he opened the office door.

The first thing he saw was a man holding a gun up to his own temple.

He yelled, and before he could say a coherent word, he watched the man turn toward him and heard a loud bang. And then another.

His legs wobbled, then his head banged on the wooden floor. He brought his hand up to his throat and felt warm liquid oozing from a hole in his neck. He was surprised at the lack of pain and how rapidly numbness was spreading throughout his body. His throat felt like it was swelling up, closing his airway. He fought out a gasp and heard a soft gurgle. Did he just make that noise? Was blood filling his throat?

He tried to take another breath and heard the same sloshing liquid. His mind went void of thought, his body, frozen.

Suddenly there was muffled yelling, unintelligible screams. Something that felt like a hand cupped the back of his head and soft skin brushed his cheek. As time passed, seconds… minutes... hours… he couldn’t be sure, everything faded except a weightlessness enshrouding him, a gentle sense of calm. He closed his eyes and listened to the blood pump, with each heartbeat, through the opening in his neck.

From some obscure corner of his mind, reality edged its way back in and he struggled to open his eyes one last time.

Through the haze of his dissolving vision, he saw a familiar face hovering over him. Anguish twisted it, and as if from a long distance away, he heard the cries and moans falling from the man's mouth.

He wanted to cry, grieve for them both, but once again his heavy eyelids fell down. The weeping and mumbling became a fading hum and then ultimately silence.

His final thought was not about this man who sobbed above him, his killer or the “why” behind what just happened. It was the hope that he’d see the loved one he’d lost — a hope that made him smile inside as a comforting warmth enveloped his body like the most snug of blankets warmed by the sun itself.

About the Author

Rob Kaufman novels are known for having characters with whom people can relate, while at the same time, bringing them on a journey from which most people would crumble.

His degree in Psychology was the first step toward getting beneath the surface of the people in his life. What followed was a lifelong search for what makes people tick – what forces them to become evil when deep down they are yearning for love. Rob’s characters walk this search with him, deep into the human psyche, creating psychological thrillers from everyday events.

Rob’s books are perfect for those who enjoy thrillers but also need strong emotion to keep them deeply involved with the characters.

“All my books hit home for me,” says Rob. “There are always parts that make me laugh out loud as I write them… and many, too many, that make me cry. And the great thing is, I’m finding that many readers of my books experience the same emotions.”

Rob’s books receive both national and international praise with most reviews noting that his storylines are extremely “unique” and “sobering” and the twists and turns are “masterful”.

Website or Blog: www.authorrobkaufman.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AuthorKaufman

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRobKaufman

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/745558.Rob_Kaufman

# New Release

Tuesday, February 21, 2023

📚 10 Things You Might Not Know About Jennifer Learmont Author of KISS MY BOOTS #blogtour #KissMyBoots #10things

thewriterslife 9:00 PM 0 Comments

I'm delighted to welcome Jennifer Learmont to the blog today as part of the blog tour for KISS MY BOOTS, her exciting new memoir.

Jennifer Learmont was born in a little town called Wagga Wagga in New South Wales, Australia, but grew up in Sydney, Australia. She attended a variety of schools since her family moved here and there while she was growing up. Jennifer credits her mother, who was an opera singer, a concert pianist and very educated woman for her education. “She was my teacher,” remarks the author. Jennifer Learmont maintains her home in Australia today.

Author Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/p/CYiaX-GJ8lG/

10 Things You Might Not Know About Author Jennifer Learmont

Jennifer made medical history in Australia when she was born. She is a fraternal twin with a brother, even though her mother had one ovary and both fetuses were in one sack (this usually results in identical twins.)
As a suburban child she taught herself to ride a horse bareback.
On impulse she and a friend went to America for a three-month visit. The friend returned, but Jennifer stayed for twenty years.
She was once deported by the U.S. Immigration & Naturalization Service for use of a friend’s Social Security number. She soon then returned to the U.S. to marry her then boyfriend.
She later married a highly successful cocaine smuggler; among her adventures with him was a car-chase through South Central L.A. When he wrote his memoirs Jennifer knew she had to tell her own story in Kiss My Boots.
Her dominatrix friends nicknamed her “Pollyanna” because she was so square – she was prudent, punctual, a dawn-riser, a vegetarian, and an exercise nut.
On her days off from domination she sang in a gospel choir. And she still rode horses bareback.
She had a pet wolf-dog which she raised herself.
She never saw nor felt snow until a boyfriend took her on a ski vacation at Mammoth Mountain, California.
Jennifer is today a yoga instructor and a licensed civil wedding celebrant in Australia. And she is still prudent, punctual, a dawn-riser, a vegetarian, and an exercise nut.

My commitment to eating healthy was only equaled by my desire for cocaine…

Setting out on an adventure to the USA with my best friend, we had no plans, no rules and no limits. It started in the wild 80’s in Hollywood, LA and the spread across the ’90’s, fueled by drugs, sex, rock n roll. We met the people who later became famous actors, musicians, singers. I took some risks, made mistakes and lived through them; I was one of the lucky ones.

For 14 years I worked as a Dominatrix in Hollywood.

I was a natural and loved the work. My clients included a US General, Top Surgeons, Politicians, High Court Judges and VIPs. There is a grey side to my work, and no one really knows what goes on behind the dungeon doors.

I married a charming, captivating Italian/American criminal and lived a dangerous life, involved in crime, drugs and crazy choices where I almost lost my life. My turning point came the day I walked into the Sanctuary of an Interdenominational Church. I loved it so much I joined the gospel choir and took up yoga.

Now I was a dominatrix, yoga student singing in a gospel choir.

Eventually, and exhausted, I returned to Australia permanently to set up my own yoga studio and started to build a new life away from a blurred past. I was a wild and fearless child with a kind compassionate heart and a determination to live my life to the full, regardless of any cost.

“A spectacular life journey of a woman filled by verve and passion for life and who found her place far from where she thought it was going to be…sensitively written and thoughtful reflection of an explorative youth…wonderful…” Tara, Indiebooks reviewer

Publisher: Shawline Publishing, March 15, 2022

Formats: Paperback, 170 pages, $7.42; E-Book/Kindle, 240 pages, $5.99; ISBN-978-1922594709 and ISBN-13-978-1922594709. Available for purchase at: https://www.amazon.com/Kiss-My-Boots-Jennifer-Learmont-ebook/dp/B09S9Y7JX7 as well as Walmart, barnesandnoble.com, abebooks.com, Alibris, booktopia.com.au, thriftbooks.com and bookshop.org

Publisher web link: https://www.shawlinepublishing.com.au/search/?query=kiss+my+boots

# 10 THINGS

Tuesday, February 7, 2023

🔥 Hot New Release! Being Present: The Gift of Experiencing Life As It Happens by Keith Sykes #Memoir

thewriterslife 4:40 AM 0 Comments

Title: Being Present: The Gift of Experiencing Life As It Happens
Author: Keith Sykes
Publisher: Chosen Pen Publishing
Pages: 104
Genre: Memoir

Being Present details my life growing up in New Orleans, Louisiana, the youngest of 8 children. It gives the reader an intimate look at the relationship between me, my parents, and my siblings. It discusses life and death, joy and pain, and strength and perseverance. The book talks about love and loss and is an optimistic look at overcoming the obstacles of life.

Being Present talks about how I dealt with life after my parent’s death and how joining the military completely changed my life. It gives a glimpse into how the military inspired my love for travel and the many places that I was able to visit as a result. Read about my life after the military and the challenges I faced that shaped the man I am today. Lastly, the book will provide samples of my photography and discuss how it was inspired by my travel.

Release Date: ‎ January 5, 2023

Publisher: Chosen Pen Publishing

Kindle: ASIN: ‎ B0BRT7CRWH; eBook $1.99

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3jWFLpw

Excerpt:

One evening, while visiting my mother, her physician pulled me aside to ask what my short and long-term plans were, and I told her I wasn’t sure. I let her know that I was in college, but other than that, I had no plans beyond school. She insisted that I make a firm plan because she didn’t expect my mother to be around much longer, and she said if I needed anything, let her know. I remember sitting in the room that night, and when it was time to go, I didn’t want to leave because I always had this thought in the back of my mind- how long is not much longer? It was tough sitting at my mother’s bedside, knowing that my time with her was coming to an end. She was my everything. What would I do now? I had no clue. I didn’t think that far beyond my sophomore year, and now I had the rest of my life staring me in the face in one night.

About the Author

Keith Sykes grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana with his 7 siblings; he is the youngest of 8. Keith attended Xavier University of Louisiana where he studied Computer Information Systems and Graphic Design. He lost both parents by the age of 20 and joined the United States Army in 1990 where he completed 20 years of active military service. He continues to serve as a Department of Defense civilian where he works as a Health Systems Specialist at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He is a freelance writer, photographer and event planner and is heavily involved in the community. Keith is a cancer survivor as of February 2022 and attributes his positive attitude in dealing with the condition to his mother Violet who succumbed to cancer in January 1990. He loves exploring nature and traveling. Some of his most memorable trips have been to Egypt, Belize, and Cuba.

You can visit his website at https://kasykes.com/ or connect with him at Facebook at www.facebook.com/ikreate4u.