Showing posts with label Mary Cook. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mary Cook. Show all posts

Sunday, September 27, 2020

BOOK BLITZ - ANTHOLOGY - SUMMER OF CHANGE


SUMMER OF CHANGE by Caryn Mahan, D. E. Laxton, Niki Bright, Mary Cook, & Lynn Daniels is available now

If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book by Authors Caryn Mahan, D. E. Laxton, Niki Bright, Mary Cook, Lynn Daniels, be sure to check out all the details below.

This blitz also includes a giveaway for a $10 Amazon GC & a copy of the eBook courtesy of Rockstar Book Tours & the Authors. So if you’d like a chance to win, check out the giveaway info below.

 

SUMMER OF CHANGE

Caryn Mahan, D. E. Laxton, Niki Bright, Mary Cook, Lynn Daniels

Publication Date: August 31st 2020

Publisher: Caryn Mahan

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 239


Find it: GoodreadsAmazon, Kindle

 

They’re told they’re just kids. They’re not.They’re facing adult problems and very real consequences.Six authors came together to write eight stories about the passions and fears faced by the toughest, yet most sensitive group. Real issues are brought forward, faced, and then dealt with. Whether the world is real, or imaginary, these characters will pull you in and take you on a ride. You may find yourself sitting in the cab of a pickup, or on the back of a dragon, either way, it’s going to be an amazing ride! Come along and discover how they move away from the darkness of unhappiness, fear, lack of love, and move past life’s tragedy. Can they find the happiness and love each of us desire? The answers are within.The best styles of Stephen King, John Green, Kristin Britain, and Rick Riordan are exemplified in these fast-paced short reads.


Exclusive Excerpts!

Judges - Niki Bright

"You," she pointed to Lynn, “Witch of Endor, are blind. And you, Seli…You have become an abomination!"  (Fantasy)

 

Jessica's Turn - Mary Cook

Jessica’s mouth hung open for a moment, while she gawked at him. His mop of dark hair dripped water down his shoulders and across his chest, leaving dark spots on his shirt. A shirt that outlined every muscle on his torso. (Contemporary realism/romance)



Hannah's Choice- Lynn Daniels

Mortimis charged in next, he raised his arms high above his head, eyes closed, he muttered a few words. The street beneath his feet filled with a deadly bubbling pool of lava. Green tendrils flowed from his body, poisoning all that wandered too close. (RPG fantasy)



Allie - D. L. Laxton

Will I need to weigh myself down or can I just slide under and not come up? I took a deep breath and sank under the surface.  (Contemporary realism)



Beekeeper- Caryn Mahan

Her hands shook, her lungs struggled to breathe, blood rushed to her head. She faced her mom. “This has to be a hoax. It can’t be real!”

“What?”

“The news is showing footage of massive things, spaceships! Nearing our moon.” (contemporary dystopian fantasy)



The Searchers- Caryn Mahan

A large brown blur blasted past us and hit Gerry in the chest. The gun went off. Everything became chaos. Screaming and yelling—a helicopter zoomed into view. My only focus was the brown dog attacking the guy called Gerry. I’d recognize that back end any day. Joy blew up through my chest and I screamed, “Joey!”  (Contemporary realism)

 

About The Authors:

Niki:

I was born and raised in a small town in Indiana. I married right out of high school, and we have a beautiful daughter. When I'm not working on my books, you can find me in SimNation, or busting blocks on Minecraft. The inspiration for my books comes from my crazy husband.

 

Formerly known as B. Cook, I now write strictly PG as a personal preference.

 

P.S. I'm adopted. My dad made matter and time and all that good stuff. Thanks Father!

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon

 


D.E.

D.E., known locally as the old hermit, lives in a 120-year-old one-room schoolhouse with five additions. He is surrounded by farm fields that use enormous amounts of Round-Up every year. Thus, his writing has become weirder over time.

He nurtures four rescued pit bulls. In return, they keep the varmints away. He is addicted to pickles and relishes, which he cans from his prolific cucumber, onion, and pepper garden.

If you find his stories enjoyable, please leave a review on Amazon. It gives him great pleasure and sends him to sleep smiling. Otherwise, he must imbibe some cheap bourbon to accomplish that goal.

D.E. has rejuvenated a long stale writing career and this short story is the launch point. Within a few days, there will be a sequel following Allie and Alex as they tackle their senior year and encounter some very unforeseen challenges.

Amazon

Lynn:

Lynn Daniels was born and raised in Indiana, she traveled around a lot in her youth, spending a great deal of her time in Southern California. She has moved back home, to Indiana, but still the sandy beaches and snowcapped mountains call to her. She lives on the outskirts of town, enjoying the country life, where she lives with her husband, her two birds and a big rambunctious dog named Travino.

Amazon



Mary:

Mary Cook is a retired police detective that lives in a small town right outside a ring of fire, just on the other side of…no wait, that’s a different character.

Actually retired, with hours and hours to write the next great novel, oh wait…nope that’s me. Yes, totally retired. Worlds come alive in my head, characters stand over my shoulder, and sometimes they wake me up at night. All of them want to come alive, to have their stories written. No matter how I think the story should go, it goes according to how the character decides it should. An evil character finds redemption. A beloved character is massacred for no good reason. They all write their own stories.

The ideas come to me, the character develops a personality, and the result is a book. I sincerely hope that everyone will love my books, but what I write isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay. (Is it Mary? You sure you don’t want me to take care of it?) (Get back in the book, Ann!) I love to write stories that make you think, maybe make you a little uncomfortable. I am actually a pretty boring person. Retired, live in a dungeon (my office), two birds and a dog. Every now and then my husband expects me to come out and interact with the world, and I do (begrudgingly). Writing is my hobby, I used to do other things with my hands, crochet, knit…but then I got old(er), and they just don’t work as good as they used to.

On a more personal note, I do have children. I have three grown children, and lots and lots of grandchildren, with a few great-grandchildren. It’s like they’re in a competition on who can produce the most. If any of you read the back of the book, you’ll know that there’s more. But, outside of that, nothing. Boring. So, I bring life and color into the world through the pages of my books. Every time someone buys a book, or gives a review, I’m delightfully surprised. My eternal gratitude to all of you, for reading what I have written, and allowing me to become a small part of your life.

Website |  Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon Page

 

Caryn:


I wrote my first story in third grade. It was about an Oriole family.

I have a love for the written word and have devoured books by great authors over a reading lifetime of sixty years. I firmly believe in the notion that a writer must also be a reader. I also firmly believe I gained a veritable treasure trove of writing skills through my reading. Writers such as James Michener, JR Tolkein, Leon Uris, Robert Jordan, Carol O'Connell, Albert Payson Terhune, Anna Sewell, Edgar Allen Poe, and so many more I could list.

I sincerely hope you enjoy reading my books as much as I have enjoyed writing them.

Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub


Giveaway Details:

One lucky winner will receive a $10 Amazon gift card, International.

Presented by

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

RELEASE BLITZ w/EXCERPT - THRILLER - MIRROR IMAGE by Mary Cook


MIRROR IMAGE by Mary Cook is available now!

If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book by Author Mary Cook, be sure to check out all the details below.

A giveaway for a $10 Amazon GC courtesy of Rockstar Book Tours & Mary. So if you’d like a chance to win, check out the giveaway info below.


MIRROR IMAGE
by Mary Cook
Pub. Date: August 24th 2020
Publisher: Mary Cook
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Pages: 199



BLURB
Some secrets don’t stay buried…

…even in the bottom of a bottle of rum.

Will her past stop her from catching the killer?

When the murders started, so did the dreams. Toni was always the hunted. The notes came next, in odd ways and strange places, and never so that anyone other than her could see them.

Was she going crazy?

The bodies continue to be found and the serial killer seemed to be messing with her mind. How will they stop the madness? What drives a person to do the unthinkable?

When her boyfriend goes missing, she fears the worst.

Past and present collide.

How will she catch a psycho who seemed to always know exactly how she thinks?

You’ll love this psychological thriller of a mystery, because of the brilliantly woven story of personal struggle and exceptional evil.

Get it now.
Find it: 


Excerpt:
It’s strange, the things you notice in the final moments of your life, like the roar of traffic as it passed overhead. In the distance, he could hear the melodious gurgle of Stony River making its way south. The trees that blinked into view with every passing car were filled with the buzzing of cicadas. A light wind gusted through the tunnel, blowing his shoulder-length brown hair across his face.

He strained through swollen eyes to see where he was. The moonlight sifting through the trees offered little help in recognizing his surroundings. With the thump of bass, along with the intermittent music, he determined he hadn’t been taken far. Pain racked his body. His confused mind tried to figure out how he had gotten from the bar to where he now hung. As he tried to move, foggy memories of the night filtered through. The last thing he remembered was sitting in a booth nursing a shot of brandy. He didn’t know how long he had been hanging there, but judging by his screaming muscles, it had been quite a while.

Gagging on the taste of something that had been shoved in his mouth, he vainly tried using his tongue to push it out. It was held in place by a cloth pulled so tight, it cut into the corners of his lips. Jerking his legs back and forth, he rocked his body, trying to find purchase on the wall he knew was somewhere behind him. He hoped if he persisted, it would break the bonds holding him several feet above the ground. Moaning loudly around the gag, he prayed someone from the street above would hear him and come to his aid.

His movements came to a halt when the biting slap of something narrow slashed across his stomach. The slight sting surprised him more than anything because he had felt it across bare skin. A moment later, he realized he had been stripped naked when the strap slapped across his groin. His battered eyes flew open, as a muffled scream tore from his throat.

Looking down through blackened eyes, he strained to see his assailant. A hooded figure stepped out of the shadows, into the narrow beam of light in front of him. The strap came across his face, causing him to slam his eyes shut and scream in pain.



Author Info
Mary Cook is a retired police detective that lives in a small town right outside a ring of fire, just on the other side of…no wait, that’s a different character.

Actually retired, with hours and hours to write the next great novel, oh wait…nope that’s me. Yes, totally retired. Worlds come alive in my head, characters stand over my shoulder, and sometimes they wake me up at night. All of them want to come alive, to have their stories written. No matter how I think the story should go, it goes according to how the character decides it should. An evil character finds redemption. A beloved character is massacred for no good reason. They all write their own stories.

The ideas come to me, the character develops a personality, and the result is a book. I sincerely hope that everyone will love my books, but what I write isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay. (Is it Mary? You sure you don’t want me to take care of it?) (Get back in the book, Ann!) I love to write stories that make you think, maybe make you a little uncomfortable. I am actually a pretty boring person. Retired, live in a dungeon (my office), two birds and a dog. Every now and then my husband expects me to come out and interact with the world, and I do (begrudgingly). Writing is my hobby, I used to do other things with my hands, crochet, knit…but then I got old(er), and they just don’t work as good as they used to.

On a more personal note, I do have children. I have three grown children, and lots and lots of grandchildren, with a few great-grandchildren. It’s like they’re in a competition on who can produce the most. If any of you read the back of the book, you’ll know that there’s more. But, outside of that, nothing. Boring. So, I bring life and color into the world through the pages of my books. Every time someone buys a book, or gives a review, I’m delightfully surprised. My eternal gratitude to all of you, for reading what I have written, and allowing me to become a small part of your life.

Giveaway Details:
1 winner will receive a $10 Amazon GC, International.
Ends August 31, 2020. Midnight EST.
Presented by

Thursday, May 28, 2020

BOOK BLITZ - THRILLER TENTH STEM by Mary Cook

I am so excited that TENTH STEM by Mary Cook is available now and that I get to share the news!

If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book by Author Mary Cook, be sure to check out all the details below.

This blitz also includes a giveaway for a $10 Amazon GC courtesy of Rockstar Book Tours & Mary. So if you’d like a chance to win, check out the giveaway info below.

TENTH STEM
by Mary Cook
Pub. Date: February 12th 2020
Publisher: Mary Cook
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Pages: 263



BLURB
No longer is there a waiting list. Not when women can be created in a lab for the express purpose of supplying readily available organs that can be harvested within hours.

An international research corporation does the unthinkable. Taking stem cell research to new levels, they push the boundaries.

An innocent young life hangs in the balance. Because of the simple fact of one child too many, Tansy faces certain death. A baby thrust into her arms, then a kind guard whisks her away from all she has ever known. Lost and alone on the streets, Tansy finally finds sanctuary in an unlikely ally. Together the three work to stay one step ahead of the individuals who seek to cause them harm.

Her only desire is to find hope, love, and acceptance. She is faced with desperation, terror, and death. Now she must turn the tables and work to bring down those who would seek to destroy her new found happiness.

*warning: Graphic violence. LGBTQ.



EXCERPT
She looked down at the bundle in her arms, “If I sit here holding number 1, that means that the numbers are coming faster, and pretty soon mine will be up? Is that it, Mark? Is that the everything you wanted to talk to me about?”

Shoulders hunched, his head bowed in shame, he couldn’t meet her eyes. He sat, silent, as he drew circles in the cold hard dirt with his fingers. 

10 heard him sniffle and knew how hard it was for him.

Guilt for the way she had talked to him consumed her, as she put her hand on his arm in comfort. He was too kind. Sympathy rose for the man who had always tried to be more than what was required. She knew what this job could do to one such as him, she had seen it before. The caring souls who became cold and callous, so she decided to do what she could to give him a boost in the right direction.

“Mark, why are you doing this? Why are you here?” She lowered her voice to a whisper as she looked around, “Get out while you can.”

His head jerked up, the startled expression on his face; the tears he had been trying to hide, unsettled her like nothing before. She had never seen Mark like that. He was afraid. She had always known fear, that was what her world was all about. Never would she have considered one of the guards would also know the same fear she lived with every single day.

“Granny, I’m as stuck here as you are. Sure, I get to go home every day, but if I were to miss one shift—”

When he mentioned going home, she couldn’t help thinking back on the question 31 had posed earlier that day. She scooted a little closer, then looked over at the closed door before she asked the question that all of them wanted answered.


She trusted him, and so she leaned in, the question blurted out before she could stop it, “Is this it, Mark? Is there anything else out there? Is this what it’s like… I mean, for everyone?”





Author Info
Mary Cook is a retired police detective that lives in a small town right outside a ring of fire, just on the other side of…no wait, that’s a different character.

Actually retired, with hours and hours to write the next great novel, oh wait…nope that’s me. Yes, totally retired. Worlds come alive in my head, characters stand over my shoulder, and sometimes they wake me up at night. All of them want to come alive, to have their stories written. No matter how I think the story should go, it goes according to how the character decides it should. An evil character finds redemption. A beloved character is massacred for no good reason. They all write their own stories.

The ideas come to me, the character develops a personality, and the result is a book. I sincerely hope that everyone will love my books, but what I write isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay. (Is it Mary? You sure you don’t want me to take care of it?) (Get back in the book, Ann!) I love to write stories that make you think, maybe make you a little uncomfortable. I am actually a pretty boring person. Retired, live in a dungeon (my office), two birds and a dog. Every now and then my husband expects me to come out and interact with the world, and I do (begrudgingly). Writing is my hobby, I used to do other things with my hands, crochet, knit…but then I got old(er), and they just don’t work as good as they used to.

On a more personal note, I do have children. I have three grown children, and lots and lots of grandchildren, with a few great-grandchildren. It’s like they’re in a competition on who can produce the most. If any of you read the back of the book, you’ll know that there’s more. But, outside of that, nothing. Boring. So, I bring life and color into the world through the pages of my books. Every time someone buys a book, or gives a review, I’m delightfully surprised. My eternal gratitude to all of you, for reading what I have written, and allowing me to become a small part of your life.

Giveaway Details:
1 winner will receive a $10 Amazon GC, International.
Ends May 26, 2020. Midnight EST.
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Rafflecopter link:
Presented by

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

BOOK BLITZ w/EXCERPT - LGBTQ+ - THE MISTS OF STONE LAKE by Mary Cook

I am so excited that THE MISTS OF STONE LAKE by Mary Cook is available now and that I get to share the news!

If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book by Author Mary Cook, be sure to check out all the details below.

This blitz also includes a giveaway for a $10 Amazon GC courtesy of Rockstar Book Tours & Mary. So if you’d like a chance to win, check out the giveaway info below.

THE MISTS OF STONE LAKE
by Mary Cook
Pub. Date: December 15th 2019
Publisher: Mary Cook
Formats: Paperback, eBook, audiobook
Pages: 169

BLURB
Inspired by actual events.

A dark mystery surrounds Stone Lake. A restless soul seeks revenge.

Five friends have made a tragic mistake, that mistake may very well cost them their lives.

Damon Ronald knows he screwed up, but finally, he's getting his life together. But will it be too late?

LGBTQ
Contains graphic violence
Contains violent sex situations.


What reviewers are saying:
“Gut-wrenching, tear-jerking, heartbreaking story.” – Amazon Review

“It’s dark, brutal, and horrific, yet it still contains a tender strand of redemption.” – Amazon Review

“I couldn't stop reading it. It's very captivating. This book had me hooked and I loved it.” – Amazon Review

“Echoes of Stephen King and I Know What You Did Last Summer.” – Amazon Review


EXCERPT
The first thing Marie noticed when she walked into the house was the smell, the second thing she noticed was the water. It smelled like the lake, and there were puddles of murky water all over the house. She followed a trail down the foyer and was blocked from going any further by the many men and women going in and out of the bedroom at the end of the hall.
“You didn’t find his body here, did you?”

“I’m not at liberty to discuss that with you.”
She walked back down the hall and into the living room, everything was exactly where it had been left after he had gone to bed. She looked around, then started toward the sliding glass door. She looked down at the floor and realized she had just stepped off the plastic, and onto the rug. There, on the dirty beige carpet was the outline of a foot. She could clearly see each and every indentation of the toes. Toes that clearly belonged to a woman. She could even see the shape of a ring on the second toe. She stared at the footprint for a long moment before his voice penetrated her thoughts.

“That’s as far as you go. Okay, I let you come in here and look around. Now it’s time to tell me what you know.”

She turned and walked out of the house, down the pavement, then ducked under the tape and stood by her car, shaking.

Daniel Morris followed her, then put a hand on her shoulder, “You said you had information for me.”

Her tear-stained face looked up, “He killed my daughter. If he didn’t, he helped.”

He ran his hand through his hair, “You told me you knew who killed him.”

“My daughter did, of course.” She turned and got into her car, then drove away without another word.





Author Info
Mary Cook is a retired police detective that lives in a small town right outside a ring of fire, just on the other side of…no wait, that’s a different character.

Actually retired, with hours and hours to write the next great novel, oh wait…nope that’s me. Yes, totally retired. Worlds come alive in my head, characters stand over my shoulder, and sometimes they wake me up at night. All of them want to come alive, to have their stories written. No matter how I think the story should go, it goes according to how the character decides it should. An evil character finds redemption. A beloved character is massacred for no good reason. They all write their own stories.

The ideas come to me, the character develops a personality, and the result is a book. I sincerely hope that everyone will love my books, but what I write isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay. (Is it Mary? You sure you don’t want me to take care of it?) (Get back in the book, Ann!) I love to write stories that make you think, maybe make you a little uncomfortable. I am actually a pretty boring person. Retired, live in a dungeon (my office), two birds and a dog. Every now and then my husband expects me to come out and interact with the world, and I do (begrudgingly). Writing is my hobby, I used to do other things with my hands, crochet, knit…but then I got old(er), and they just don’t work as good as they used to.

On a more personal note, I do have children. I have three grown children, and lots and lots of grandchildren, with a few great-grandchildren. It’s like they’re in a competition on who can produce the most. If any of you read the back of the book, you’ll know that there’s more. But, outside of that, nothing. Boring. So, I bring life and color into the world through the pages of my books. Every time someone buys a book, or gives a review, I’m delightfully surprised. My eternal gratitude to all of you, for reading what I have written, and allowing me to become a small part of your life.

Giveaway Details:
1 winner will receive a $10 Amazon GC, International.
Ends May 26, 2020. Midnight EST.
Presented by