Book Video Friday!

Today I'm featuring a powerful video for JM Pierce's Failing Test.



Learn more about Failing Test at Failing Test Blog.

SHORT STORY CONTEST!!!

Today is my birthday, so to celebrate, I am being completely spontaneous in announcing a new short story contest. The rules are minimal:

1200 words or less
keep it clean (my kids read this blog)
any topic you desire

That's not too hard, eh?

Deadline -- August 31st.

Email your winning tale to kcantwell02@comcast.net and put in the subject (all caps):
SHORT STORY CONTEST FFD

The contest will be judged on originality, character development, plot and descriptive narrative.

The Prize: $25.00 Amazon gift card and your story posted on Fiction For Dessert. Stay tuned to find out who my guest judges will be!

Now go, write, and HAVE FUN!

Book Video Friday!

Today, enjoy this enticing book video for RJ Keller's Waiting for Spring.




Check out her blog and learn more about Waiting For Spring at RJ Keller.

Author Interview: Misha Crews

Today I'm interviewing, Misha Crews, author of two novels -- Homesong and the soon-to-be-released Still Waters.

Karen: Welcome Misha!

Misha: Howdy.

Karen: So the news is that you were a finalist in the Bronte Prize for Romantic Fiction for your first novel, Homesong. Congratulations! Tell the readers a little about the Bronte Prize.

Misha: Well first, thanks very much for the congrats! The Bronte Prize is similar to the Hugo/Nebula Award for science fiction, or the Edgar Award for mystery novels. It was named after Charlotte Bronte, author of Jane Eyre, which is considered by many to have been the first viable work of romantic fiction. It also happens to be one of my favorite books, which just adds to the excitement and the honor of being a finalist for this award!

Karen: What inspired you to write Homesong?

Misha: It started as a simple love story, about two childhood sweethearts who are unexpectedly reunited on an exotic cruise. But as I started writing, I really became curious about their home town, and why the two of them had been separated for so many years. What had divided them in the first place, and what was keeping them apart? What if their lives together had been affected by family secrets that neither of them ever suspected? Once I started asking myself those questions, all of these characters and circumstances from the past just sort of leapt into life, and the story evolved, almost on its own.

Karen: I loved the characters in Homesong. Do you draw from real people in your life when you create your characters?

Misha: Well, for the most part no, actually. The characters tend to develop through their relationships to each other and the events that are going on – the events that they're effected by, and the ones that they cause. But on the other hand, there are definitely elements of real people in every one of my characters. Little stories, mannerisms, expressions, favorite sayings – these things tend to be drawn from real life. And I'm so glad you liked them, by the way! I got to be pretty fond of them, myself – well, most of them anyway, lol!

Karen: Who is your favorite character in that book?

Misha: Oh, that's a tough one, lol! Hmm…well, most of the time I'd have to say it's Billy Lewis, the traveling preacher. Billy was in his prime in the mid-1930s, and he passed through the little town of Cherubim in 1938, never realizing what effect his visit would have! He's only in a small part of the book, but he's a very pivotal character. The story definitely wouldn't have been the same without him!

Karen: What else have your written?

Misha: I have a second novel coming out this summer. It's called Still Waters.

Karen: Tell me about Still Waters – what is the story about?

Misha: It's set in the mid-1950s, and it's about a woman named Jenna Appleton who loses her husband in an accident. On the day he dies, she finds a picture of him with another woman, but before she can ask him about it, he's gone forever. Jenna's search for the woman in the photograph takes her deep into the murky waters of family secrets. The truth ends up lying much closer to home than she ever would have imagined.

Karen: When and where will we be able to purchase Still Waters?

Misha: It's currently available on Kindle, and it will be available in paperback on August 18th.

Karen: What are you working on now? What can readers hope to see from you in the future?

Misha: Lately I've been working on some short stories, one of which will appear in Passionate Hearts, a romance anthology from my publisher, Vanilla Heart Publishing. I can't say for sure when my next novel will be out, but I'll definitely be writing another one in the not-too-distant future!

Karen: I’d love to give readers a taste of Homesong – could you provide them with one of your favorite excerpts?

Misha: Sure! Since I mentioned Billy Lewis already, I think maybe I'll let him out to have some fun! Here goes:
_____________
September 1938
It was a carnival this time, and probably the last one of the season. It sprawled insolently across a tired brown field about a hundred miles south of Louisville, Kentucky. The pageant lights that had been strung between tents and along walkways glowed a dull yellow in the inky blue-black of night. Those lights were visible from miles around, and they summoned the somnambulant inhabitants of the local towns like a church bell calling the faithful to worship on Sunday morning.

Hands in his pockets, Billy Lewis strolled cheerfully along the "backside" of the carnival shows – the narrow lane created by sideshow tents on one side, and old trucks on the other. Moonlight lit his path, and he stepped nimbly over a deep groove that appeared out of the darkness. The dirt beneath his feet was hard and brown, rutted from the weight of old boots and tires, and he had to watch where he was going, lest he turn a delicate ankle and be unable to perform tomorrow. His leaps and bounds in praise of the Lord were one of the audience’s favorite parts of the show, and what kind of man would he be if he disappointed them?

How would it look to all those dear Christian souls, baking and sweating in the heat of their own religious fervor, if he were to be glued to the stage like any other mortal sinner? Would he be able to represent himself as a true Man of God if he, injured and unable to leap, merely stood on that old wooden platform and shouted, like any other faithless preacher? No sir, he would not. And so he was careful with his body, with his legs especially.

A dry, late-summer wind swept down from the mountains, rifling through the goldenrod in the fields. It scampered along the lanes and aisles of the carnival, making the flaps on the tents dance briefly, then continued on its way, carrying the smells of deep-fried corn batter and spun sugar out across the fruited plains. Billy paused and removed his hat, closing his eyes as he lifted his face to the breeze.

There was a smile on his face as he started moving again, picking his way along the treacherous earth. 1938 had been a good year for Billy. Yessir, Mrs. Lewis’ boy William had done all right. God had provided, as Billy assured his congregation each and every night that He would. There was the daily jingle of coins in his pockets, his belly never went empty, and there had been no shortage of attractive females to swoon under his holy verbiage. And swoon they had.

He thought back. Had there been even one night in recent history when the Lord hadn’t blessed his bedchamber with a willing woman – or sometimes two, if He were feeling particularly generous? To Billy’s recollection, he had enjoyed the company of one lovely lady or another every night this week, and most nights in the weeks preceding. He had even remembered the Sabbath, and kept it holy by making his girls cry out the name of the Lord as loudly and ardently as was in his considerable power. Hallelujah Lord, and Amen. God will provide.

He came to the end of the long lane of cars, and stopped beside his own vehicle – his pride and joy, a 1935 Ford pickup truck. It was carefully covered by a custom-made tarp that had cost him nearly three weeks cush. But the money had been worth it, to keep his beloved safe and clean amidst all the chaos of carnival life. Billy pulled the tarp back gently on one side, viewing with satisfaction the new paint job that had also cost him dearly. The body of the truck was painted a soft cream color, genteel and understated, the way a gentleman's automobile ought to be. But on either side of the truck was a painted sign that was a merry cacophony of color – an eye-catcher and a brow-raiser, the way a journeyman preacher's vehicle had to be.

The rainbowed letters spelled out the words Brother Worship – Salvation Awaits. Originally he had wanted a longer message, something a bit more juicy, with more pizzazz. But space and money had forced him to be succinct, and now he was just as glad. He liked the briefness of the message. It said what needed to be said, and established him as an entity unto his own self – Brother Worship, traveling preacher, Man of God. Come unto me, children. Salvation Awaits.

He smoothed the tarp lovingly back into place, tucking it in and tying it firmly. This truck was his life. It was his independence, his freedom. It was what allowed him to be autonomous, belonging to no one. He hitched his wagon to one star or the next, or he went it alone, whatever took his fancy at the moment. This time it was a carnival, next time it might be another, bigger traveling revival. There was safety in numbers, of course, and sometimes it was nice to be surrounded by his fellow travelers. The carnie management took part of his earnings in exchange for giving him the right to travel with them. But there were times when he wanted to strike out on his own, and let the devil take the risk.
___________

Karen: Wonderful! I have to admit, he's my favorite character as well. Thank you for stopping by Misha, we hope to see you again soon!

Misha: It was my pleasure, Karen, any time. Thanks so much!
_________________________

You can learn more about Misha and sample her books and short stories at Misha Crews. Homesong is available now in paperback and Kindle versions at Amazon, Barnes&Noble.com and other retailers, and Still Waters, Kindle version is available now at Amazon

Couple o' Things . . .

Happy Monday morning to all!

First, I want to thank Lee Libro at Literary Magic for interviewing me on her blog. It was very fun to do. You can read the full interview HERE.

Second, today I am opening up a discussion among my readers --
What would you like to see more of at Fiction for Dessert?

Originally, the plan was to post short stories by emerging authors, providing quality short fiction for readers, and a platform for authors to find those readers as well as promote their other works.

Since then, I've played around a little and offered Chapters/Excerpts from published authors, I'll be doing an author interview this week, and I've added Book Video Fridays, posting some of my favorite book videos/trailers that I have found along the way.

But this blog is for YOU, the readers!

Rather than do a formal survey, I'm asking for detailed comments from YOU the readers:

What DO YOU WANT?
WHAT HAVE YOU ENJOYED ON THIS BLOG?
WHAT HAVEN'T YOU ENJOYED?
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE MORE OF?
DO YOU LIKE CONTESTS?
DO YOU LIKE MOO GOO GAI PAN?
ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO SAY/ADD?

Please leave your ideas, wishes, dreams for this blog in the comments here. I really want to hear what you would like to see at Fiction For Dessert. :-)

Book Video Friday!

Check out this great book video for The Twain Shall Meet by J. Guevara. Very fun!



To learn more about J. Guevara and his books, go to: J. Guevara Novels.

Review of Take the Monkeys and Run!

Today, I received my first online review at The Compulsive Reader.com and it was . . . VERY good! (big sigh of relief)

Please feel free to READ IT HERE.

And don't forget to return here tomorrow for Book Video Friday where I'll be posting another entertaining book video!

Excerpt: Executive Lunch by Maria E. Schneider

I'm excited to be presenting Chapter One of Executive Lunch -- a very humorous mystery by Maria E. Schneider available on Kindle as well as many other eReaders. Executive Lunch is the first in her Sedona O'Hala series and I assure you, if you like a fun story and a good laugh, you are going to love this book as much as I did.

The very likeable Sedona is given the opportunity of a lifetime: play an up-and-coming executive with all the trappings of wealth with someone else footing the bill. The catch: find out who is stealing company funds before the criminals find out that their program is being debugged. Sedona runs into danger, the corporate glass ceiling, and an occasional chance at romance in her quest.

You can read Chapter One below, but don't forget to CLICK HERE to check out the book on Amazon.com.

And now for CHAPTER ONE of Executive Lunch:
____________

The hallway at Strandfrost wound along the windows on three sides of the floor. This design ensured that everyone was equally deprived of a window office with the exception of the managers, who all sat along the north side in windowed offices. Since I was just a computer lab rat, I felt lucky to have any kind of office, even one without a window. In order to have a metallic nameplate with "Sedona O'Hala" gracing the door, I had to rip apart an old manager's nameplate and rig it with card stock.

I was on my way to the lab when Sally Bunker, our adorable, very scatterbrained secretary screamed. If I hadn't had an armful of papers, I might have covered my ears. Sally was frequently what one might refer to as unprofessional, but she was so well liked that no one ever actually mentioned it.

More worrisome, the next sound from down the hallway was remarkably whimper-like. Sighing, I headed around the corner. I expected to find Sally frantically plaguing anyone that wasn't already at lunch to help her speed-dial restaurants--she had probably forgotten to get Allen Perry, our overweight director, lunch reservations.
I was not expecting a six-inch switchblade.

I stopped short and stared. The papers I was carrying fell on the floor with a load thump. "Ohboy." I should have minded my own business. It certainly would have been better if I hadn't heard Sally scream.

At the end of the hallway, past the guy with the switchblade, there was a guy with a bull neck holding Sally against the corner window. He trailed a knife down her neck. A chunk of her long auburn hair, usually sprayed neatly into place, severed and fell to the floor.

"Wha..?" While there might be some petty cash in the drawer, Strandfrost was a very ordinary computer company located in a fourteen-story office building outside the downtown area of quiet Denton, Colorado--an unlikely spot for a mugging.

"You can't do that," I squeaked.

The guy swore and looked over his shoulder at me. He screamed, "Beee…itch!" loud enough to wake Sally from the dead had he pushed her out the window.

"Well, you can't," I defended meekly, looking at Allen. He was stuck against the wall next to his office, held quietly in place by a tattooed arm that reached out from the office doorway. The tattoo was a harmless sword. The gun in the hand attached to the arm didn't look so benign. Allen's beefy face dripped sweat from his receding hairline down his neck and cheeks.

"Sedona--" Sally cried.

For the first time in my life, I wished for a boring meeting to discuss options. Sally looked liked she would be more than happy to go get the donuts.

With great reluctance, I pushed my foot forward. The guy with the switchblade just looked at me and then at bull neck. He didn't stop me.

The next step wasn't any easier, but I didn't think about it until I had scooted up behind bull-man. Weakly, I tugged on the hand holding Sally's breast. "Let her go."
Incredulous, he swung my way, beady black eyes flickering hate.

"Seriously." The plea came out in a squeak, not very persuasive. I stepped back and let go of the tree trunk that served as his arm. I scurried backwards, my knees knocking together hard enough to bruise.

Whoever was behind Allen yanked Allen backwards into the office. Continuing to backpedal seemed like a good idea. I didn't need to wait around until the thug was finished with Allen and free to come after me.

"You crazy bitch!" A look that shouted, "charge" came across bull-man's face.
Sally slumped against the window, clutching protectively at her neck.

Bull-man spread his feet and rolled forward, evil anticipation floating across his face.

Sally's hazel eyes came alive for a moment, and she mouthed my name. "Sedona!"
"Uh-oh." There was a very sinking feeling in what was left of my stomach. The first guy with the switchblade was still behind me. Drawing the only conclusion possible,I leaned down and kicked my left leg straight up backwards.

My foot snagged a gun rather than a knife and knocked it into a high arc. It was just like in my old karate class, only then the weapons were plastic.

I caught the gun. It was heavy. "Well." I blinked at the barrel pointing at my chest. Gingerly I turned it around and made it aim at something else. Backed against the windowed part of the hallway, there wasn't enough room to point it at both the bull and the guy that had been holding the gun.

In class, the exercise was over. We bowed politely and went home. No one here looked ready to leave.

"You want to play?" Bull-man smiled like it was Easter Sunday, and he had the prized golden egg, only instead of a harmless egg, he balanced a knife between two fingers.

He was definitely the better target to point the gun at, but even with me waving it around, he threw the knife. It was like the games my brothers used to play, except they threw darts and they weren't all that lethal. Oh sure, if they had struck my eye I would be dead by now, but that didn't concern them much at ages eight and twelve. It obviously wasn't the number one worry of the guy throwing the knife either.

I swallowed bile, dropped the gun and grabbed. Thinking of the game made me reach out for the knife. Human vision was just slow enough that by the time the knife was visible, the sharp blade was by, and the handle rested in my hand.
I didn't expect to catch it.

No one else expected it either. The guy that used to have the gun was mid-flight, arms wide, headed for my tiny, unprotected body.

I kicked as hard as I could. He fell with a grunt, holding his private parts.

"Help!" I screeched. I should shoot him, but I had dropped the gun. Where was it?
Bull-man came straight at me. His hair looked like it belonged on a suit of armor, sticking straight up in some kind of plastered Mohawk. His dark eyes were devoid of anything but mean.

I stabbed with the knife praying I'd miss, and at the same time praying I'd get lucky and get him the first try.

I missed. He kept coming, running through the imaginary red blanket and right into me, the untrained matador. "Help!"

The knife hit the bone in his shoulder. "Uuuungh."

Mashed by his weight, my bones ground into sand, ready to become part of the glass behind me.

The injury on his shoulder finally registered somewhere inside his bovine brain. He shrieked and stumbled backwards. "Aaaaaaaaagh!!!!"

With the weight lifted, I melted to the floor. The gun was by my right hand. I couldn't shoot right-handed. I wasn't certain I was all that good left-handed either.

Sally screamed, "Oh my God, oh my God!"

No one ventured around the corner of the hallway. Allen yelled 911, but something told me he wasn't dialing. I finally had a use for the marketing people with their ubiquitous cell phones, but their lunch hour was more like two and the fast-talking types were nowhere to be found.

The sounds of sirens registered. "Plug her!" Bull-man screamed. He jerked a step or two down the hall, but stepped on his fallen buddy. Bones crunched. Bull's arms windmilled, and he went over backwards, landing on his bad shoulder.

Since his buddy didn't have the gun, and his hand was now broken, it didn't take a genius to surmise Bull-man wasn't talking to the guy on the floor. I scrambled to my feet, using the wall to prop me up. "Uh…" It was the guy with the tattooed arm that had been behind Allen.

He stalked me.

"Eeee!" I tried to jump away, but the only place to run was after the thugs hobbling backwards towards the intersection and the fire exit. "Nnnn…nnn…"

"Plug'er and let's beat it!" Bull-man grunted in pain but leaned against the wall, sadistically waiting to see my brains scattered across the window.

I tried to swallow and couldn't. This guy wasn't stupid, but for half a second...I honestly don't know if I had a sudden brain tumor or an epiphany, but something was wrong here. Where Bull-man had an absence of presence, this guy looked different.

His dark brown eyes were hard, but they looked regretful. Despite the evil sword tattooed down his arm, he didn't look much like he wanted to hurt me.

"You--" My mouth dropped open in surprise, silencing the mewing sound in the back of my throat.

He snarled, "Time's up," and threw himself at me, launching us both four feet down the hall. His arm behind me kept my head from cracking open, but he wasn't finished. He growled, pulled back his fist and took aim.

Damned if he didn't give me time to defend myself. I was so stupefied, I didn't move.

He pulled back, yanked me up and stuffed me at the window like a rag doll. "St..op," I stuttered. For a nice guy, he was playing rough. He put the gun in my chin. For longer than it takes an elevator to get up to the fourth floor I thought I was dead.

His buddy yelled encouragement, "Nothin' but smear!"

I hung there, already a body bag.

He reached higher with the gun to smack my head. My arm, feeling like someone else's, blocked. He struck again. His arm was solid muscle and his blow had to have broken something. There was nowhere to back up to, but sliding sideways out from under his arm worked.

Had he let me?

He threw punches faster. I backed away, dancing over my own feet, blocking another punch that nearly shattered my jaw even with my defensive maneuver.

I whimpered again, and he snarled, "Fight."

I don't think his buddy heard. Did he want me to beat him? Was he crazy? He was six feet tall to my five-seven if I stretched in the morning. He must have gotten a false impression from my earlier luck.

With a frustrated grunt, he reached for me again and struck pay dirt.
"Ahhhh!" I screamed in rage. "You bastard!" I ripped his offending digits off my breast and plowed him over backwards. He hit the wall opposite the window and bounced, my head in his stomach. The gun dropped from his hand. I was pretty sure I hadn't hit him that hard, but I was going to. I put my hands together and took a magnificent swing.

Crack!

His head snapped backwards, denting the cheap plasterboard. His buddy stopped yelling and headed for the stairs. I fell to my knees. There wasn't enough air in my lungs to keep a gnat alive.

The guy stumbled away from the plasterboard and ran for the exit. On the way, he knocked over Ross Canton, the head of marketing, just coming back from lunch. A doggie-bag full of leftovers flew through the air and splattered on impact.

It mixed well with the blood and disaster.
_________________

(Copyright © 2009 Maria E. Schneider. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission from the author.)
_____________

You can read about Maria and her other books on her AMAZON PAGE. Her books are also available on SMASHWORDS where you can find them in formats for other readers. Finally, don't forget to stop by Maria's Blog and say "Hi!"

Contests, Contests!

Reminder to all my readers about the two contests running:

NAME THAT BOOK! -- Submit title ideas for the new Barbara Marr short story collection, and win a copy of the book as well as credit on the cover page. I've got some good ones submitted, so get yours in soon! Deadline, July 31.
NAME THAT BOOK CONTEST

WIN AMAZON GIFT CARDS! -- check out other authors listed, comment on their pages, or even better, buy one of their books, and enter a chance to win an Amazon Gift Card. Deadline, July 31.
WIN AMAZON GIFT CARDS CONTEST

I'll be posting more in the next couple of weeks about the various authors (and their works) involved in the Amazon Gift Card Contest, so stay tuned.

Book Video Friday!

Today I start a new feature, Book Video Friday.

Here is the video for Thomas Brookside's, The Last Days of Jericho.



Thomas blogs at Thomas Brookside and you can check out and/or buy his book at Amazon.com (click here).

Contest - NAME THAT BOOK!

I'm currently putting the finishing touches on my collection of Barbara Marr short stories.

The problem?

I don't have a title. (Yikes)

Will you help me? (Please)

Here's how it goes:

1) Come up with a great title for my short story collection

2) Email me your idea, and if I choose yours, you will get credit in the book as well as a free copy when it comes out. (I'll even throw in a signed copy of the mystery anthology, Chesapeake Crimes: They Had it Comin' which includes one of my mystery shorts)

REMEMBER, Barbara Marr loves movies and all of the books and short stories are plays on or related to movie titles: Take the Monkeys and Run (Take the Money and Run), Citizen Insane (Citizen Kane), Silenced by the Yams (Silence of the Lambs) -- so I will be looking for creative titles like those.

If it helps, some of the titles in the collection are: "Taming the Hulk," "The Big Sneeze," "Top Lawn," and "The Road to Washington."

Also, don't hesitate to visit my website, Karen Cantwell to read the first chapter of Take the Monkeys and Run, as well as the short story, "Taming the Hulk." This may give you inspiration! :-)

Email your idea(s) to kcantwell02@comcast.net and write in the subject line: NAME THAT BOOK

And . . . Thanks!!!!!!!!

Psst . . . Karen . . . is there a deadline for entering???

Oh yes, we need a deadline -- let's make it July 31st.

I can't wait to see the titles!

Excerpt: The Quest for Nobility by Debra L. Martin & David W. Small

Today, Fiction For Dessert features an excerpt from the exciting novel, Quest for Nobility by Debra L. Martin & David W. Small. Royal twins, Dyla and Darius Telkur, blessed with brains, stunning good looks and incredible PSI power, have everything they could ever want. When the unthinkable happens and their parents are murdered, they find themselves at the mercy of an evil mastermind bent on their destruction and the annihilation of the noble House of Telkur. Framed for murder, and no allies in site, they must run for their lives, but can they outrun a telekinetic assassin?

Enjoy this piece when readers meet the twins, Dyla and Darius . . .
________

Splat.

Avikar, startled from his musing, looked down and saw a tart sliding down the front of his jacket leaving a trail of whip cream as it fell to the floor.

“What?”

Laughter erupted behind him.

Whirling around, he saw Darius Telkur standing behind him, smirking. Beside him was his twin sister, Dyla. She was trying hard to suppress her own smile.

Pulling the handkerchief from his pocket, Avikar wiped the remnants of the whip cream off his jacket.

“How dare you?”

Darius stood with his hands on his hips and stared at Avikar defiantly.

“How dare I what? I didn’t do anything. I walked in, saw the pastry flying through the air, and then smack, it hit you.”

Darius, the Telkur heir apparent, was a tall, broad-shouldered, handsome youth that looked every inch a royal. His PSI skill was telepathic like his father, but he was already showing signs that he would surpass his father’s telepathic level soon. Dyla was strikingly beautiful with raven hair and blue-violet eyes a shade lighter than her brother’s. She was a powerful empath in her own right.

Avikar hated both of them, for their stunning good looks, for their power, and for the success they’d already achieved in their young lives.

Dyla glanced to her left and saw Eclasius Jortac standing nearby. She caught the gleam in his eye and instantly knew where the pastry had come from.

Eclasius shifted his glance from Avikar to Dyla. Before tonight, he had not seen her in anything but her school attire. She was a vision, alluring in her pale blue satin gown that clung to her womanly curves and he stared open-mouthed at her transformation. He raised his eyes up to her face and instantly blushed when he saw her looking at him. She gave him a half-smile before turning her attention back to Avikar.

“Avikar, my brother and I were in the courtyard greeting guests and only now came into the hall.”

Avikar stuffed the handkerchief into his pocket and glared at the twins.

“Forgive me if I don’t believe that, Lady Dyla.”

Darius took a step towards the little man. No one challenged his sister when he was around.

“Are you calling my sister a liar?”

“Did I say she was a liar?”

A few paces away, Duke Levon heard the loud voices. He excused himself from his guests, and hurried toward the three.

“What’s happening here?” Levon asked.

“Nothing Father,” Dyla replied innocently. “Darius and I were on our way to find Ty.”

Dyla pulled on Darius’ sleeve steering him away from their father.

Levon was a well-built man of medium height with graying brown hair and a neatly trimmed mustache. He watched his children depart, not exactly sure what had transpired between them and Avikar. With two sixteen year-olds full of spirit and intricately bonded to each other, there was never a dull moment around the mansion.
_________

Debra L Martin writes science fiction and fantasy novels with her co-author David W Small. Their first novel, Quest for Nobility, can be purchased from Amazon (click here)

Contest - A Chance to Win Amazon Gift Cards!

During the month of July, if you purchase a copy of Take the Monkeys and Run, then MAKE A COMMENT TO THIS POST to be entered into the contest. Remember, you can purchase my book at the Kindle store for Kindle, and from any Kindle app, including Kindle for PC. It is also available at the iBookstore for iPad.

But, what do I win?
You can win an Amazon gift card!

For how much?

That depends on how many people enter! You see...
0-30 sales = one $20 amazon gift card will be randomly awarded
31-50 sales = prize increases to $40 amazon gift card
51-70 sales = prize increases to $60 amazon gift card
71-90 sales = prize increases to $80 amazon gift card
91+ sales = prize increases to $100 amazon gift card

Make sense?

Ok, but your subject title says amazon gift cardS. As in, multiple.
Very observant. You see, there are several other authors participating in this contest as well. Buy a copy of their book and head on over to their blog to enter their contest as well for more chances to win.

To see other participating authors, visit the links below. As you can see, there is a wide variety of genres. You're sure to find something to fit your tastes!

So to sum it up, buy a $2.99 book and get a chance to win $100 on amazon if enough people enter. Not a bad deal, I'd say!

Fantasy
Jessica Billings
Jason Letts
J.M. Pierce
Tracey Alley
Danielle Bourdon
R.A. Scully

Science Fiction
Imogen Rose
Shannon Esposito

Mystery
T.L. Haddix
Karen Cantwell
Linda Prather

Thriller
Mary McDonald

Women’s Fiction & Romance
Donna Fasano
Claudia D. Christian

Humor
Dave Conifer

General Fiction
R.J. Keller
Kristen Tsetsi
______

Contest runs from July 1st-July 31st. No purchase necessary. Become a follower and comment to this post to be entered. If you're already a follower, put a link to the contest on your blog and again, comment on this post. Must comment to be entered in the drawing. Prize amount based on sales of the book.

If nothing else, consider checking out these other authors through their blogs and websites. It's a creative bunch!