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Dallas-area authors! Come one, come all, to the first FABLE: DALLAS/FORT WORTH meetup! Napoli’s owner Lisa Kinzel is a book lover and reviewer for indie/hybrid authors, which just makes it extra cool to be having our first Dallas meetup there. Take an hour or so to get out of your house — and your head — and meet your fellow authors!
Be authentic…
On this day of your life, I believe God wants you to know that if you think you have nothing to lose, you win. If you think you have something to win, you lose.
It all drives to motivation. Why are you doing what you are doing right now? To avoid loss? To achieve gain? Wrong reason both times. Life is not about win-and-lose. Life is about being or not being, expressing or not expressing, who you are.
Don’t do things for personal benefit. And don’t do things to avoid personal damage. Do things to feel personal authenticity. Then your life will make sense, no matter what is going on around you.
Intimate Bondage
Published by BelleBooks www.bellebooks.com
Represented by Loiacono Literary Agency www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com
John L. Flynn, Ph.D. has written an erotic thriller which allows access to the taboo world of S & M, internet porn and who is actually participating— regular men and women, politicians, entertainers, and even those we trust with the safety and welfare of our children…
What if the person you fell in love with was a serial killer? Kate Dawson, a homicide detective with a past, faces that chilling possibility as she penetrates the seedy underworld of porn shops, internet sex sites, and S&M clubs to catch her man.
This is the first in the Kate Dawson mystery/thrillers. Coming up is Intimate Disclosure and Intimate Denial. Flynn has whet the appetite and aims to feed.
Dr. John L. Flynn is an author, psychologist, and college dean. Born in Chicago, Illinois. He earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree from theUniversity of South Florida and a Ph.D. from Southern California University. He is a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America, and has been a regular contributor and columnist to dozens of science fiction magazines.
In 1977, he received the M. Carolyn Parker award for outstanding journalism for his freelance work on several Florida daily newspapers. He sold his first book, Future Threads, in 1985, and has subsequently had twelve other books published, including Cinematic Vampires: The Living Dead on Film, The Films of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dissecting Aliens, Visions in Light and Shadow, War of the Worlds: From Wells to Spielberg, 75 Years of Universal Monsters, 50 Years of Hammer Horror, 101 Superheroes of the Silver Screen, 2001: Beyond the Infinite, The Jovian Dilemma, Phantoms of the Opera: Behind the Mask, and Future Prime (with Bob Blackwood). He has also written the Introduction to Signet’s new edition of Gaston Leroux’s Phantom of the Opera, and the Afterword to Signet’s new printing of The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells. From 2002 to 2004, Dr. Flynn was nominated for three Hugo Awards for his science fiction writing. John also received an honorable mention for his unproduced screenplay for The Jovian Dilemma in the 2003 Screenplay Festival writing competition. Drs. John Flynn and Bob Blackwood have co-authored two nonfiction pop-cultures which is available for acquisition: Future Prime: Top Ten Science Fiction Filmsand Everything I Know About Life I Learned From James Bond.
In 1997, John switched gears from writing and literature to study psychology, and earned a degree as a clinical psychologist. His study, The Etiology of Sexual Addiction: Childhood Trauma as a Primary Determinant, has broken new ground in the diagnosis and treatment of sexual addiction. www.john-flynn.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT:
Catherine Treadgold
Publisher
Coffeetown Press
PO Box 70515
Seattle, WA 98127
206-414-7673
catherine@coffeetownpress.com
www.coffeetownpress.com
Coffeetown Announces the August Release of The Devil Takes Half: Sudden Violence Rouses a Sleepy Greek Island
Seattle, WA.—On August 1, 2014, Coffeetown Press will release The Devil Takes Half ($14.95, 256 pp, 6×9 Trade Paperback ISBN: 978-1-60381-965-7), a work of mystery/suspense by new author Leta Serafim. A police officer with domestic problems and no experience with homicide sets out to find the killer of a beautiful archeologist.
The Devil Takes Half is Book 1 in the Greek Island Mystery series.
“[An] impressive debut …. Serafim has a good eye for people and places, and sheds light on the centuries of violent passion that have created an oppressive atmosphere hanging over the sunny Greek landscape.”
—Publishers Weekly, June 23, 2014
“The Greeks have a word for it, and in this fast-paced, delightful mystery, that word is murder …. The real buried treasure is pure pleasure in Serafim’s debut novel.”
—Mary Daheim, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Alpine and Bed & Breakfast mystery series
At an archeological dig on the idyllic Greek Island of Chios, a severed hand is found lying in a blood-filled trench. Could it belong to Eleni Argentis, a beautiful archeologist who is also the wealthy daughter of a local ship owner? She and her young assistant, Petros, are both missing.
The chief officer of the local police force, Yiannis Patronas, suspects that Eleni and Petros happened upon something of real value. However, his search turns up nothing but handfuls of broken clay, and then, another body—that of Petros, whose throat has been brutally cut. Body parts belonging to Eleni are left behind on a remote beach, confirming her demise. Then an old priest with a fondness for TV detective shows is attacked and left for dead. The dig site is located near the monastery where he was the only resident.
Patronas interviews Petros’ longsuffering grandmother, his flighty mother and her money-grubbing boyfriend, as well as Eleni’s greedy stepmother and her charming son. He also confronts two archeologists, one British and one American …. If Eleni’s find is, as they insist, worthless, what are these men doing on Chios? Although Patronas has little experience with homicide, he is determined to conquer the evil that threatens this formerly peaceful island.
Says Leta, “I have visited over 22 of these islands and spent the equivalent of a decade among the people who inhabit them. Of all the qualities I have come to know, I most cherish the Greek sense of humor, that bittersweet viewpoint, both pungent and cynical, that is so uniquely theirs. In my view, the Greeks are always laughing at the unexpected, whatever adversity is thrown their way, passing along a bit of truth about human behavior as they go. Sages, every last one of them.”
The Devil Takes Half is currently available for pre-order on Amazon.com. After August 1st, it will also be for sale in eBook and 6×9 trade paperback editions on BN.com, the European Amazons, and Amazon Japan. Wholesale orders can be placed through info@coffeetownpress.com, Ingram, or Baker & Taylor. Libraries can also purchase books through Follett Library Resources or Midwest Library Service.
ABOUT Coffeetown Press—Based in Seattle, Washington, Coffeetown Press has been publishing the finest fiction and nonfiction since 2005.
Raves reviews for The Devil Takes Half by Leta Serafim!
Release August 2014, published by Coffeetown Press
www.coffeetwonpress.com
www.letaserafim.com
“[An] impressive debut …. The discovery of a severed hand lying in a pool of blood brings Yiannis Patronas, the chief police officer on the island of Chios, to an archeological dig near a remote and almost deserted monastery. After a young worker at the site gets his throat cut, more violent assaults follow. The ensuing police procedural is improvised and uncertain because Yiannis is a troubled, bumbling hero who has had no experience with murder cases or sadistic criminals. He’s also burdened with incompetent subordinates, and his only real assistant is an elderly priest who’s watched too many American detective TV shows. Serafim has a good eye for people and places, and sheds light on the centuries of violent passion that have created an oppressive atmosphere hanging over the sunny Greek landscape.”
—Publishers Weekly
“The Greeks have a word for it, and in this fast-paced, delightful mystery, that word is murder. A cop with a nagging wife and an old priest with an addiction to American TV are spurred to investigate the homicide of a beautiful anthropologist who may have dug up more than shards of an ancient urn. The real buried treasure is pure pleasure in Serafim’s debut novel.”
—Mary Daheim, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Alpine and Bed & Breakfast mystery series
“Leta Seraphim’s deftly crafted descriptions of people, places and action quickly transports the reader into the midst of the seemingly tranquil and spiritual setting of a remote ancient monastery on the island of Chios where, alas (!) sinister and gruesome events are taking place. The mystical element of the monastic setting quickly turns to an unholy mystery as this suspenseful and fast paced tale of unspeakable murders draws you into its setting: an archeological site, the quest to discover a Minoan settlement and an unlikely assemblage of intriguing characters who become tangled together as the story unfolds. A determined Chief Police Officer, several Archeologists, a young and impoverished assistant and a priest all come to life in this beautifully rendered mystery. Intelligently written, with keenly observed characters and places and ever mindful of the rich history of this Greek island, Leta Serafim’s narrative delivers an enjoyable and skillfully developed story that holds your interest from start to finish.”
—Argie Tiliakos, Neuropsychologist, Massachusetts General Hospital (retired)
“In The Devil Takes Half, Leta Serafim has done an excellent job capturing the nuances and mentality of the Greek people: young, middle age and old. As the child of Greek immigrants who were careful to pass on a thorough knowledge of their language, culture, and tradition, I am delighted to find an American who has not only taken the time to do her research but also understands the sacrifice and beauty of a proud people and country. Her humor and use of the Greek language help to paint a vivid literary portrait of a group of characters who are only too real. I can actually see this riveting mystery novel being made into a wonderful motion picture. What fun!”
—Margaret P. Carayannopoulos, Board Member, the Harvard University Retiree Association
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY JUNE 23, 2014
The Devil Takes Half: A Greek Islands Mystery
Leta Serafim. Coffeetown (www.coffeetownpress.com)
$14.95 trade paper (248p) ISBN 978-1-60381-965-7
The beautiful but ominous setting of this impressive debut, a series opener, overcomes its occasional carelessness. The discovery of a severed hand lying in a pool of blood brings Yiannis Patronas, the chief police officer on the island of
Chios, to an archeological dig near a remote and almost deserted monastery. After a young worker at the site gets his throat cut, more violent assaults follow. The ensuing police procedural is improvised and uncertain because Yiannis is a troubled, bumbling hero who has had no experience with murder cases or sadistic criminals. He’s also burdened with incompetent subordinates, and his only real assistant is an elderly priest who’s watched too many American detective TV shows. Serafim has a good eye for people and places, and sheds light on the centuries of violent passion that have created
an oppressive atmosphere hanging over the sunny Greek landscape. Agent:Jeannie Loiacono, Loiacono Literary Agency.
(Aug.)
Words from Pep
Outcast
A rusty barrel sat stubbornly near the remains of an old boat. He sniffed, approved a spot to his liking and lifted his leg. It appeared to have a long history of being corroded by this gray antique of a dog. As I sat on a crate waiting for the plane out of Grise Fiord I pondered how this old fellow survived the winters here in the high arctic. Despite his bedraggled appearance he seemed to have a layer of fat. I had been stranded here four days by a late season snow and during that time he had cautiously warmed to my friendship. Now and then I saw him being chased away from the town site, no strays allowed, and he had taken up residence in this old upturned boat on the beach. I called him Qimmik, the Inuit word for dog. Figuring I’d never see him again I burrowed into my duffle for a cookie. He caught wind, stuck his nose in the air and ambled my way. Remaining out of reach he stood there, eyes shifting between mine and the cookie. I tossed the first half. It fell to the ground, was smelled and approved. He snapped the second half out of the air. Reaching for another I asked, “What’s your story Qimmik? Why are you all alone?” He answered with a string of drool as my mind wandered to the multitudes of people living on the outside, on the lonely edge of existence. Many of us, like Qimmik, have been the outsider, maybe even an outcast at times. But, there are those who, unable, or defined as unacceptable in our minds and culture, are permanently consigned to existence with Qimmik under the boat. Paraphrased words of Jesus came into my head, “I have come to bring good news to the outcast.” Cynically I mused to myself, For the outcast dwelling in a cardboard box, where’s the “good news? With that question floating in mind, Qimmik’s tail began to wag. Soon his whole decrepit carcass was shaking and his cookie dusted lips turned up with a smile. Clearly this outcast sensed he was being seen for his intrinsic value and accepted for the unique creature he was. At that moment Qimmik was not alone in the world and he knew it. It dawned on me, this is the good news and my heart soared in the grip of knowing that I, you, not one creature is alone. We are accepted for who we are and never outcast. We are surrounded by the radiant embrace of our Ever Loving Creator. The drone of a plane reached my ear as he caught the last cookie and I was soon heading south. I never saw Qimmik again, but on that day, over thirty years ago, he was the catalyst for a revelation that has become the ground of my being — All creatures, all people, are seen, accepted and loved, no strings attached, by the Author of Life. I must do no less.
ONE WORLD – ONE FAMILY OF MAN – ONE CREATOR OF ALL
Buzz Bernard, author of EYEWALL, PLAGUE and SUPERCELL, be appearing at the AJC Decatur Book Festival (details TBD) over Labor Day Weekend. The festival has blossomed into a benign monster and there’ll be about 299 other authors there in addition to myself. For example: Pat Conroy, Joyce Carol Oates, C. J. Box and Karin Slaughter . . . what a great name for a mystery/suspense novelist.https://www.decaturbookfestival.com/2014/authors/dbf-library.php
AJC Decatur Book Festival | August 29-31, 2014 | Titles by DBF Authors
Words from Pep
The Connection
I put my gear into the canoe and pushed away from shore. My momentum carried me out of the shadows into warm light. It was 4 AM
and creation was stirring, beginning to find its voice. At this latitude the sun had been up for half an hour singing its life giving energy into the sky. Clouds and mountain peaks, illuminated by horizontal light, were reimaged on the lake’s black water. Breath turned to vapor hanging beautifully before me as I disturbed a sleepy crowd of water scooters with the first stroke of my paddle. They followed and together we glided in virtual silence along the surface carrying our lives out into the soon awakening chorus of a new day. Only the soft sound of wood pulling water could be heard effortlessly moving our little parade toward the sand bar formed near the river’s inlet. The echo of this moving water had ushered me to sleep in the night. As we rounded the bar, there on the beach lay a cow moose and her calf. My scooter friends and I had startled her. Hackles were bristling, ears back. They rose and mom stepped into the water as her gangly calf, maybe two months old, curiously peeked under her belly. Only 25 yards apart and in shallow water, I got ready to head out into the deep. She was ready to fight. My scooter friends and I were no match for an 800 lb moose. Thankfully, she blew a snort through her nose and moved sideways over a windfall. Stepping into the brush she kept her eyes focused on the threatening intruders. Her toddler, although alerted to danger, was overtaken with interest and stayed watching, initiating an interspecies dialog between mom, calf, my entourage of six legged escorts and myself. Our conversation consisted of ear twitches, a stiffening here and there of muscles, questioning bleats. My scooters bobbed up and down sharing whatever passed through their nano-sized brains. As the only human present I chimed in with pleasantries about the morning followed up with flattery. A Steller Jay landed at the bar, placed an order, and sipped from the lake. Sounding somewhat inebriated he offering a raucous comment and left for the far shore. . . . . . At that moment we “heard” another voice, a voice whispering in the language of spirit. We – human, moose, scooters, all that is, is sustained by the command of this speech. It is the voice that gives form and consciousness, the voice of being, the voice of harmony, sustaining creation in communion. Now, having been gracefully granted “ears to hear,” we became silent before the eternal Word as the illusion of our otherness evaporated. This mystical “sound”, this awareness of the oneness of reality, is there for all to “hear.”. . . . . I cannot say how long this spiritual union lasted, this high state of pure being. A breeze began tugging at the bow and as my physical senses imposed their control I moved the paddle into the water for stability. Still, I was overcome with peace beyond understanding as we parted ways. Gliding over the reflection of the world I knew the echoes of this place would stay with me forever.
—
ONE WORLD – ONE FAMILY OF MAN – ONE CREATOR OF ALL
Buzz Bernard wins as semi-finalist at GAYA 2014 with SUPERCELL!
Buzz Bernard, author of SUPERCELL wins as semi-finalist for Fiction Novel at the 50th Georgia Author of the Year Awards last night. Among a group of over 200 authors, editors, publishers and “readers,” the story of Chuck Rittenburg’s harrowing, million-dollar tornado chase across the Mid-west spoke for itself.
Published by BelleBooks www.bellebooks.com
When Chuck, a meteorologist, ventures out on his own to form a company which does storm chasing, the big bucks roll in until lightning strikes… literally. Out of work and living in a dive, he is approached by Hollywood with a million dollar deal – lead cinematographers to a violent EF-4 or -5 tornado. But they are not the only ones striking it rich with twisters, a brotherly pair of thieves are looting and killing immediately after tornadoes. Throw in an undercover FBI agent and Chuck’s son, a former Green Beret who is a less-than-willing participant, and you have non-stop, breath-catching, chill-bumps-all-over-your-body excitement page after page.
SUPER endorsement for SUPERCELL!
Buzz Bernard has succeeded in writing a captivating book that not only helps inform people about severe thunderstorms and tornadoes, but gives a glimpse into the challenges, frustrations, dangers, and–sometimes–successes of storm chasing. He has woven this into a drama filled with interesting characters and an exciting plot.–Greg Forbes, Severe Weather Expert, The Weather Channel
Represented by Loiacono Literary Agency www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com