TAKE IT TO THE LIMIT

Source: snappedbyjc

Take the night to the limit,

The road to its end,

The sun to its setting.

Allow no stone unturned,

No drama incomplete,

No sentence unwritten.

Take the road to the limit,

To a future yet to happen,

To times better spent.

Raise a glass to adventure,

A smile to the road taken,

Leaving no road untaken.

TRANQUILITY

by zeewipark

Tranquility I seek

In the water so deep.

The moonlight’s glow,

The wave’s salty flow,

Even the whale’s blow,

Bring me to a special place,

As soothing as a lover’s embrace.

Cold fingers hold me aloft

In a bed so watery and soft.

Guest Author: Susanne Leist ~ Why am I an author? (and news of a new release!)

Guest Author: Susanne Leist ~ Why am I an author? (and news of a new release!)

Posted on July 31, 2020 by Sue Vincent

Why am I an author?

The answer lies with my brother, Neil Leist.

Neil was a person who lit up a room when he entered. He was 6 feet 2 inches, but it wasn’t his height that drew peoples’ eyes. It was his dynamic personality. Those grey eyes mirrored his brilliant intellect and capacity for greatness. Neil took care of my blind mother until I was old enough to help. He helped raise me when my father wasn’t home but working interminable days and nights driving a taxi.

Flourishing in the business world, Neil traded on the Commodity Exchange until he earned enough money to own a majority stake in a Fortune 500 company. He became the CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of American Bakeries. Neil took me along on his ride to stardom as I worked for him on the Commodities Exchange and in his offices on Madison Avenue, New York. I majored in Finance at New York University, preparing to join him. For the first time, life was good.

In the middle of the night, a phone call turned my world dark. Dark as the one in which my mother lived. My brother had been in a car accident in the Hamptons. His red Porsche had hydroplaned on the wet roads. Neil was a skilled driver with quick reflexes; he drove the car off the highway and onto the grass. Luck wasn’t with him that night. The Porsche crashed beneath a truck parked in its path. His brain injury left him in a coma, and he died two years later.

I continued my education and received an M.B.A. in Finance, but high finance lost its appeal. I worked at various investment companies, but I didn’t want to trade or analyze stocks and commodities. My brother and my parents had passed. My daughters were beginning their own lives. Without a focus in my life, I began to write. As an avid reader, I had many stories racing through my mind.

In my first book, The Dead Game, I combine mystery and paranormal. Two guests disappear from a party at a deserted house, leaving the others to fend for their lives from wild animals and traps. Since I end the book with a cliffhanger, I had to write the second book in the series, Prey for The Dead. The residents of the coastal town of Oasis in northern Florida face vampires and hybrids once again. This time, the action takes them to Disney World, where vampires hide at an exclusive club. Yes, I based my story on an actual club at Disney created by Walt Disney. Next week, I will release the third book in the series, The Dead At Heart. Is the series finished? I don’t know yet. I now live my life as a big question mark: no periods or final thoughts, only possibilities.

My life has taken unexpected twists and turns. Memories of my brother follow me across every speed bump. I don’t have him any longer, but I have Neil stored in a special place in my heart. He’s given me the strength and the drive to pursue my dreams. After what he’s accomplished in his brief life, I yearn to create a fraction of the positive memories he’s left for me and those whose lives he has touched.

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About the Author

I have always loved to read. Agatha Christie, Alistair Maclean, Robert Ludlum, and many other authors filled my young imagination with intrigue and mystery. When I wasn’t reading late into the night, the TV shows–Murder She Wrote and Columbo–entertained me with tales of murder and suspense.

Over the years, my taste in TV expanded to include such shows as Supernatural and The Originals. I searched for paranormal, murder mysteries but found few at the library or bookstore. So, I wrote, bringing fantasy and the surreal to the classic murder mystery with dead bodies, suspects, and clues. It offers vampires, vampire derivatives, and a touch of romance to spice the motley mix.

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Find and Follow Susanne

Website   Blog    Amazon Author page    Goodreads    Twitter    Facebook

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Books by Susanne Leist

THE DEAD GAME

Linda Bennett moves from New York to Florida to live a quieter life. Life is peaceful until the dead body washes up onshore. Linda learns that dead bodies and disappearing tourists are typical for the coastal town.

Linda and her friends receive an invitation to a party at End House, a deserted house overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The group arrives, but no one is there to greet them. The house has a sinister life of its own where horror follows their every step. Traps, illusions, and revolving rooms add to their growing fear. Wild animals escape their cages in the basement, a bloody skeleton sleeps in an upstairs’ bedroom, and body parts fall from the chimney into the living room’s fireplace. The young residents flee for their lives.

They embark on a difficult journey, not knowing whom to trust, to uncover the one controlling the evil game. Who are The Dead? Are they humans or vampires? Will Linda lose her heart to Todd, who knows more than he admits? Will her best friend, Shana, fall in love with Sheriff Sam? The Dead Game has begun.

Purchase links:  Amazon   Nook    Rakuten

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PREY FOR THE DEAD

Linda Bennett’s dreams of happiness have always eluded her. Five years ago, she moved to Florida from New York to escape heartache. The Dead, an evil group of vampires, had ruined any hope of peace for her and her friends. Surrounded by vampires and human vampires, Linda finds solace in her bookstore, learning to live among vamps and hybrids. Then one morning, Oasis goes dark, and an explosion rocks her shop and any future dreams for a happy ending.

Linda and her friends race to where lightning converges on a sinkhole in an isolated spot behind the town. As vampires and hybrids try to save the vampire hunter and vamp trapped beneath Oasis, a witch’s spell throws the residents back in time.

When evidence emerges of The Dead’s return to Oasis, Linda and her best friend, Shana, join vamps and hybrids on their search for The Dead. At an exclusive club in Disney World, they pose as the trophy wives of the hybrids, Todd and Sheriff Sam. Death and mayhem follow their every step. A romp through the tunnels beneath Oasis leads to a showdown in the swamps of Florida.

Can Oasis survive the battle between good and evil? Will Linda find her happy ending?

Purchase links:  Amazon    Nook 

FEBRUARY 15, 2019 ~ DOVEWINTERS

I asked quirky questions of Susanne Leist! But first, the book: https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Game-Susanne-Leist-ebook/dp/B00F3IWF70/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=susanne+leist&qid=1550156125&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull

And the links:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7336492.Susanne_Leist

Twitter: @SusanneLeist

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSusanneLeist/

https://susanneleist.wordpress.com/

https://susanneleist.blogspot.com

http://thedeadgameblog.tumblr.com/

https://www.susanneleist.com

Now some questions!

Good day, Susanne! How did you meet your best friend? (Animals count here!)

I walked into Shake A Paw with my older daughter, Stephanie. At the time, she was searching for a summer job. The store wasn’t hiring, but of course, we checked out the puppies. The bin of Maltese puppies drew our eyes. They were white fluff balls of fur. We bent over to pet them, and one came to us right away. He was larger than the others because he was two months older. He had hernia surgery. His black marbles for eyes were huge as he stared into mine. I knew I had to have him. We resisted bringing him home with us. I called my husband and told him about the puppy. He said he didn’t want a dog, but we can go back to look at him with my younger daughter. I took it as a sign that he caved. 

We returned with my daughter, Ashley. She loved him. We decided he would be her Sweet Sixteen present. We paid for him, loads of supplies, and a cage.

In the evening, my husband came home and was surprised to see Nounous. The name was my daughter’s idea. It’s French for a teddy bear. Another long story. He threatened to throw him to the street. But now he loves Nounous as much as we do.

Nounous is my best friend. He follows me everywhere, sits with me while I write, and sleeps beside me. You can’t ask for a better best friend.

Aw, I love fluff ball stories! What is something you’ve always wanted to try but have been too scared to?

I know this one. I’ve always wanted to write. After I finished graduate school, I had an interview with Standard & Poor for a position involving financial commentary. There would be a test with typing. At that time, I typed slow. I was afraid I couldn’t type fast enough to keep up with the other entrants. I didn’t apply for the job. I regretted it. Twenty years later, I discovered that I love to write and typing improves through practice. If only I had known.

And now you’ve written a book! Congratulations! In your opinion, what is the best Disney animated movie?

I have always loved Cinderella. A love story where a girl rises above bad conditions in life to find lasting love. I’m a romantic at heart.

Bibadee bobadee boo! On a scale of 1-5, how afraid of the dark are you?

This is a loaded question for me. My mother was blind with a rare disease. She became blind by the time I was born. When I was young, I didn’t know her blindness was recessive. I feared that one day I would also lose my sight. In later years, I learned that her parents were first cousins and passed the gene to her. Even though I know I won’t go blind, the dark terrifies me, which is strange since I write vampire suspense. 

Perhaps the writing is therapeutic to your fears? Favorite age you’ve been so far?

At twenty-two, I graduated from college and was excited to begin my career. It was a year before my brother was in a car accident. The next two years, he spent in a coma before passing away. So, life was still good for me that year.

I’m so sorry for your loss! Thank you for sharing with us! What animal-person are you?

I used to be a cat-person when I had cats. Now I’m a dog lover. We have a dwarf bunny, and I love Thumper. I’m an animal person, who loves all animals.

So on that note, answer me this: Never trust a person who doesn’t like…

Don’t trust a person who doesn’t like animals.

Agreed! Thank you, Susanne, for letting some of the quirky out! Support Susanne by buying, reading, and reviewing! And if you love fluff ball stories, too, come back next week for another quirky interview!

Happy reading! 

Quirky Questions with Susanne Leist

One of the Five of the 100 Indie Books You Should Read Before You Die

Five of the 100 Indie Books You Should Read Before You Die

MARCH 9, 2018

CALEB PIRTLE III

Great works of literature are being produced by wonderful independent authors who are breaking the mold in the literary world of fiction.

Too many literary sources completely omit or overlook Indie Books when compiling their lists of the 100 books you should read before you die. They showcase the legends, the classics.

Yet, we are fortunate to have a lot of outstanding books by outstanding indie authors in today’s literary marketplace. We are continuing our series featuring great indie books you should definitely read in your lifetime, knowing that the list will always change with the passing years and with the release of new books.

Here, in no particular order, are the five books we are featuring today.

The Promise of Provence

By Patricia Sands

On the evening of her twenty-second wedding anniversary, Katherine Price can’t wait to celebrate. But instead of receiving an anniversary card from her husband, she finds a note asking for a divorce.

Fifty-five and suddenly alone, Katherine begins the daunting task of starting over. She has her friends, her aging mother, and her career to occupy her, but the future seems to hold little promise—until, after a winter of heartbreak, Katherine is persuaded to try a home exchange holiday in the South of France.

In Provence, bright fields of flowers bloom below medieval hilltop villages with winding cobblestone streets. Charmed by the picturesque countryside, the breathtaking Côte d’Azur, and the enchantment-filled boulevards of Paris, Katherine feels life opening up once again. Lavender perfumes the air, and chance encounters hint at romance and passion. But memories of heartbreak and betrayal linger—and her former life waits for her back home. Can she find the courage to begin again?

The Desolate Garden

By Daniel Kemp

After Lord Harry Paterson is summoned to London following his father’s murder, he discovers an age-old secret and must ascend into his family’s true inheritance.

Digging deeper, he finds out that his late father, Lord Elliot Paterson, had discovered a hidden ledger dated all the way back to 1936… and a vast quantity of money erased from the accounts. Mysterious initials and an address in Leningrad – a major port in former Stalin’s Soviet Union – are his only clues.

Together with the attractive Judith Meadows, Lord Harry must unravel the mysterious death of Lord Elliot – and figure out the mystery hidden in the files of the Royal Government Bank.

Deadly Dominoes

By Linda Pirtle

The setting for Deadly Dominoes is Caddo Lake. Situated in the Cypress basin of northeast Texas, Caddo Lake, with its cypress and ancient oaks dripping with Spanish moss, provides the perfect backdrop for mystery, murder, and militia mayhem. Lillian’s curiosity is peeked right from the start.

She meets Brandon, a young man who sacks groceries at a convenience store and service station. He gives her a warning. “You’d better be careful. Crazy things have been happening out at that RV Park at Caddo.”

Of course, Lillian questions him and learns that people have been disappearing.

The Caddo camp director invites Lillian and Bill to the Friday night domino games held at the camp’s Pavilion. Lillian sees the camp’s maintenance man. He reminds her of someone. But who?

During a break in the domino games, a loud explosion is heard. Thus, begins a string of murders, mysterious curses with an attached domino, and attempts on the lives of other campers. Lillian is determined to answer the following questions:
Who is the person or persons leaving dominoes and notes on the bodies of one victim after the next? Everyone is a suspect.

Does the explosion have any connection to the game of dominoes or with the murders or attempted murders? Lillian must connect the dots. And puts them together, she does.

The Dead Game

By Susanne Leist

Beneath the town’s sandy shores lies an evil so great and powerful.

Linda moves to a seaside town to live a quiet life. She opens a bookstore and makes new friends. Life is simple–that is until the dead body washes up on shore. Linda is horrified to find that dead bodies and disappearing tourists are common for this small town. As soon as the sun sets, the residents and tourists are stalked by dark shadows. However, this is only the beginning.

Linda and her friends receive an unsigned invitation to a party at a deserted house. They are pursued through revolving rooms and dangerous traps, barely escaping with their lives. Two of their own remain trapped in the house, or so they think.

They must embark on an arduous journey, chased by supernatural creatures, not knowing whom to trust, to uncover the one controlling the game and everyone in town. Who are The Dead? Are they humans or vampires? Maybe a combination of both? Will there be an end to their evil game? Will Linda and Todd find love? Will a second book be needed?

The Dead Game has begun.

The Ninth District

By Douglas Dorow

The Federal Reserve has never been robbed.

Suspense, intrigue, and dazzling plot twists power this tale of an FBI special agent and rookie investigator racing through the darkest layers of Minneapolis to chase a sinister Federal Reserve robber.

FBI Special Agent Jack Miller, pulled into a high-profile case to mentor a new agent, finds himself in a clash with the toughest opponent of his career. The chase culminates in the bowels of the city, in the storm sewers and tunnels beneath The Ninth District Federal Reserve of Minneapolis.

Previous Books Selected:

Sleeping Tigers by Holly Robinson, Wings of Mayhem by Sue Coletta, Blood Orchids by Toby Neal, The Girl Who Watched Over Dreams by Jeff Russell, Blood Land by R. S. Guthrie, Deadly Chocolate Addiction by Sally Berneathy, Circle of Hurt by Jim H. Ainsworth, Dancing on Air by Uvi Poznansky, Army of Worn Soles by Scott Bury, Trouble in Glamour Town by S. R. Mallery, Mateguas Island by Linda Watkins, Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die by Kelly Marshall, The Compost Pile by Stephen Woodfin, The Hollow Man by Paul Hollis, Avengers of Blood by Gae-Lynn Woods, Tabula Rasa by Gordon Bickerstaff, A Silver Medallion by James R. Callan, The Girl in the Window by Jake Needham.

Dead Storm by Helen Hanson, Remains by Marjorie Swift Doering, The Last Victim by Jordan Dane, Vigilante by Claude Bouchard, Ludwika by Christoph Fischer, Stranger at Sunset by Eden Baylee, Stutter Creek by Ann Swann, A Change of Hate by Joe Broadmeadow, When the Sun Was Mine by Darlene Jones, Nobody’s Child by Libby Fischer Hellmann, The Zen Detective by Devorah Fox, That One Moment by Patty Wiseman, Mail Order Groom by Dana Wayne, The House of Lies by Debra Burroughs, Redemption Lake by Susan Clayton-Goldner, Pride’s Children: Purgatory by Alicia Butcher Ehrhardt, Cold Justice by Rick Polad, Each Day I Wake by Seb Kirby, The Bridge to Caracas by Stephen Douglass, No Sweat Pants Allowed by Jan Rimes, In the Attic by Garry Rodgers, A Fine Year for Murder by Lauren Carr, My Brother’s Keeper by S. S. Bazinet, The Undernet by J. S. Frankel, Pearseus: Rise of the Prince by Nicholas C. Rossis.