AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT for Indie Pride Day

I would like to share with everyone my author spotlight on Tabitha Barret’s blog 

http://www.thethirdthrone.com/#!Meet-Susanne-Leist-author-of-the-Paranormal-Suspense-Novel-The-Dead-Game/og7ru/577318000cf2c8c6f2c68b2c

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT

Meet Susanne Leist, author of the Paranormal Suspense Novel, The Dead Game

by Tabitha Barret

 

 Brains to Books presents Susanne Leist!

 Book: The Dead Game

Genre: Paranormal Suspense

 

Book Blurb:  In a remote town called Oasis, beneath its blue, green waters and peaceful setting, lies an evil waiting for its next victim. Bodies turn up on the white-sanded beaches. Tourists disappear, never to be heard from again. Linda and her friends are invited to a party at the deserted End House. And that’s when the fun & games begin. They must embark on a long and arduous journey to uncover the one controlling the game and everyone in town. It is a fun roller-coaster ride for the lovers of all genres.  Add The Dead Game to your Goodreads list: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7336492.Susanne_Leist 

Author Bio: Susanne Leist graduated with an M.B.A. in Finance. Wherever lifehas led her, through the hectic commodities’ markets or the number-crunching field of budgeting, she’s continued to read, write and daydream. Unbeknownst to her, she had been pursuing her dream all along, her dream of putting her words down on paper for everyone to enjoy. She lives on Long Island with her husband, two daughters, and Maltese.  Contact Susanne on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/susanne.leist.98 or  Twitter https://twitter.com/SusanneLeist

Purchase The Dead Game or Contact Susanne:
 

Purchase the Dead Game at Amazon.com https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Game-Susanne-Leist-ebook/dp/B00F3IWF70

Susanne’s Website https://susanneleist.wordpress.com

Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/Susanne-Leist/e/B00F253FE6

MY NEW BLOG

Come and raise a glass to my new blog.

It can be found at:

http://thedeadgamebysusanne.blogspot.com

My followers had overflowed.

They needed a new destination.

A new home for their posts.

Come and join us for the fun.

Are You Afraid of the Dark?: #‎B2BCYCON Book Spotlight on The Dead Game

Are You Afraid of the Dark?: #‎B2BCYCON Book Spotlight on The Dead Game: Today I have another Brain to Books Cyber Convention author feature. Remember, this great event for authors and readers alike is coming ...

Tuesday, 16 February 2016

#‎B2BCYCON Book Spotlight on The Dead Game

Today I have another Brain to Books Cyber Convention author feature. Remember, this great event for authors and readers alike is coming to Goodreads this April, on the 8th, 9th and 10th.

Be sure to check out all the details and pertinent links for the event here:

http://www.angelabchrysler.com/brain-to-books-cyber-convention-2016/

Now on with the main event, our Brain to Books author feature.

Today I have a great book spotlight for The Dead Game by paranormal suspense author Susanne Leist.

The Dead Game by Susanne Leist

In a remote town called Oasis, beneath its blue, green waters and peaceful setting, lies an evil waiting for its next victim. Bodies turn up on the white-sanded beaches. Tourists disappear, never to be heard from again. The young residents are invited to a party at the deserted End House. And that's when the fun & games begin. They must embark on a long and arduous journey to uncover the one controlling the game and everyone in town. It is a fun roller-coaster ride for the lovers of all genres.

The Dead Game is available on:

Amazon Kindle 

Nook

Excerpt from The Dead Game

Louise became distracted by a cold wetness. The dampness was coming from her feet: her feet were wet. She looked down. She was horrified to find herself standing in a basement filled with water—water that reached above her ankles and covered most of her leg. She couldn’t understand it; the water had definitely not been there a second ago. A pool of water couldn’t appear on a whim from out of nowhere.

Not waiting for the others, Edward charged ahead into the water. He stopped in the middle where the water reached up to his knees and looked up in horror, his whole body tensing.
Louise also gazed upward but couldn’t see anything. In the darkness above, she couldn’t even see a ceiling in the open, endless space. Then she heard a shrill clanging noise originating from somewhere above them, echoing throughout the basement. She couldn’t figure out what or who was making the awful noise; it sounded like a large machine was about to fall on them.

Instead, frighteningly huge metal cages—suspended by thick metal chains—came crashing down from above. Sharp metal spokes extended from their bottom corners, to better catch any unsuspecting intruders with their ultra-sharp claws. The cages seemed to be targeting Edward, swaying dangerously close to him. He had to dodge their sharp rods, which were trying to trap him and crush him to death. He dove into the water, eluding them—one after another.

Then all was quiet. The empty cages that had missed Edward were lying harmlessly in the pool of black water. Everyone stood stunned and motionless. Edward stood panting on the far side of the water with his legs still submerged.

The bleak silence was broken by Tom’s hysterical cry, “Watch out, Edward!” He jumped into the black water. Loud swooshing noises screeched from above...slowly building in tempo. Circular saws were descending to sweep the water between the submerged cages, searching for heads to slice off. Their sharp edges glinted in the dim light of the basement.

In his desperation to reach his beloved Edward, Tom tripped and fell face first into the water. A saw was rotating toward his slumped over body. Louise stood frozen in place. There was no way she could help him in time. She was even too far away to see if he was still breathing. The saws were methodically sweeping the basement floor, lined up in rows with only about a foot of space between them. 

Author Bio:

Susanne Leist graduated with an M.B.A. in Finance. Wherever life has led her, through the hectic commodities' markets or the number-crunching field of budgeting, she's continued to read,write and daydream. Unbeknownst to her, she had been pursuing her dream all along, her dream of putting her words down on paper for everyone to enjoy. She lives on Long Island with her husband, two daughters, and Maltese.

Website: https://susanneleist.wordpress.com/

I'd like to thank Susanne Leist for sharing her book with us, and be sure to check out her virtual booth at the convention this April.

Author Spotlight by Richard Schiver

Written in Blood

 

HHAC Day 11: Susanne Leist 

 

http://www.richardschiver.com/2015/10/hhac-day-11-susan-leist.html

 

I've been reading murder mysteries and thrillers since I was a teenager. I've read all types of mysteries, from Agatha Christie to Sherlock Holmes. I always loved Columbo.

 In recent years, I've begun to read paranormal mysteries. These books bring fantasy and the surreal to the simple murder mystery. It's hard to find books in this genre. That is why I decided to write a paranormal, murder mystery of my own. It is the type of book that I search for and love to read.

My book, The Dead Game, has dead bodies and suspects like a traditional murder mystery. However, it also has humans, vampires, and vampire derivatives. And don't forget the haunted house--we must have one of these.

Click on cover for more info or to order

Synopsis:
Can you feel your heart beating?

Is it beating too fast?

Do you feel trapped?

This is because you are. You're standing in a pool of water, in the basement of End House, wearing your party clothes. But there is no party, no host and no guests. The door behind you locks shut. The only way is forward, through the falling cages with their sharp edges, ready to ensnare their next victim. Circular saws begin to descend, looking for heads to slice off.

Meanwhile, Linda is upstairs with the rest of her friends being pursued by creatures through revolving rooms. Or are they illusions? What should she do?

Run!

The owner of End House takes no prisoners.

The Dead Game has begun.

"I leave the storefronts behind,
With their pastel colors and shiny windows.
Windows eager to let in the famous Oasis sunlight.
I want to reach the beach.
I want to leave work and troubles behind me.
The sand will trickle through my toes.
The sea breeze will propel me forward
To the every-waiting, omniscient ocean.
The waves dance and writhe in their demented dance.
A dance growing wilder and wilder by the minute.
I feel their salty sweat on my face.
The trees join in,
Flapping their branches as if trying to hold hands.
The wind follows last with a rage of its own.
It torments the water and the trees
Until leaves are flying free
And waves are attacking the shore.
Why is this happening?
I should go back to town.
The town behind me is being plummeted.
Roof tops are flying through the air.
Glass crunches beneath my feet.
Windows hang broken and twisted.
The saddest sight is the church.
The once white church stands charcoal black
In the midst of its debris.
A day gone terribly wrong.
Whose fault is it?
The creatures who visit our town at night.
They are determined to destroy each and every one of us.
Are they demons or humans?
Who knows?
Oasis will never be safe unless these evil ones are annihilated.
We must save our town.
I have friends who will help me.
There are those who doubt our wisdom and abilities.
But we will clean out the riffraff from town.
Don't get in our way or you might join the garbage."
Linda turns to find her friends.
Our games have just begun.

THE DEAD GAME

Links:

Blog: http://susanneleist.blogspot.com/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Susanne-Leist/e/B00F253FE6/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susanne.leist.98

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SusanneLeist

Win your very own  horror library.

Enter for your chance to win an electronic horror library that contains the following ebooks. Simply tweet to your friends about the Halloween Horror Author Countdown, enter as often as you want. On October 31st one lucky winner will be chosen at random to receive a library containing the following titles.


Blood Lily by Jenny Allen
The Misadventures of Bob by Jaime Johnesee
A Jar of Fingers by C.L. Hernendez
A Coin for Charon by Dallas Mullican
The Human Condition by Mark Taylor
Spook Lights by Eden Royce
In the Hands of the Unknown A.E. Hellstrom
Winchester Over by Dave Lund
The Complex by J Rudolph
The Dead Song Legend by Jay Wilburn
Zombie and Chainsaws by Mike Evans
Flight of Destiny by Francis H Powell
The Dead Game (Kindle gift) by Susan Leist
Through a Mirror Darkly by Kevin Lucia
Awfully Apetizing by Leod D Fritz
Darkly Wood by Max Power
Family Reunion by P. Mark DeBryan
Walking in the Rain by William Allen

There is more to come and the list will be updated as books are added.

There are several ways to enter to win.

On Twitter tweet the following message:

Have you read The Dead Game?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F3IWF70
#2015HHAC #BookBoost

Don't forget to use the hashtag #2015HHAC so your entries can be tracked.

On Facebook go to my Facebook fan page, like and share the daily post about the countdown.
https://www.facebook.com/RichardSchiver

Or you can comment on any or all of the countdown posts by answering the following question:

What kind of horror do you like?

During the month we will track everyone's activity, assigning each action a number and at the end of the countdown a random number will be drawn. The person whose name appears next to that number will be the winner.

There may also be daily contests as a couple of authors have expressed a desire to hold smaller giveaways on the day of their post. So check back often and enter as many times as you like by tweeting about the contest, don't forget to use the hashtag #2015HHAC so your tweet will be counted.

Posted by Richard Schiver

A LONG HARD ROAD

If I had known it was going to be so hard,
I might have thought twice about writing my book.
We must promote our books daily.
But there are not enough hours in a day.
We must be expert jugglers.
Experts at writing, blogging, and juggling.
I must learn this dance.
This high-wire walk.
This never-ending battle.
I must learn to juggle.
I will do it.
I will do it all.
Just give me a chance.
Book two is being written.
I feel free.
I feel empowered.
I will survive.
James Patterson, eat my dust.

THE DEAD GAME — DON’T PLAY THIS GAME ALONE

Rhoda D’Ettore

   Author of paperback books, e books, and audio books      Author Spotlights & Book Covers Formaating Services

SUSANNE LEIST- THE DEAD GAME

Posted on December 19, 2014 at 1:00 AM

THE DEAD GAME

by Susanne Leist

I would like to introduce you to a great person and fellow author, Susanne Leist author of The Dead Game. This paranormal book has been getting rave reviews and because of it, Susanne was recently invited to the Roundtable discussion on The Big Thrill, the International Online Magazine for Thriller Writers.
Here’s what Susanne had to say:

Why do you believe the world of the supernatural has captivated books & movies, and how do you think it has affected people and our society?

Tales of the supernatural and the vampire myth have been around for hundreds of years. Some say that the vampire was born out of sorcery in Ancient Egypt and was believed to have been a demon. There have been Asian vampires and Slavic vampires. But the most famous vampire was Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Dracula is speculated to have been based upon the Romanian prince Vlad Tepes of the fifteenth century.

All these stories have one thing in common. They were created from people’s fears and superstitions. Vampires were blamed for bad events. If there was a drought or a flood, the villagers feared that the dead had risen to punish them. Graves of the newly dead were unearthed and staked. But do fears and superstitions play a role in today’s love for the supernatural?

Supernatural and fantasy is prevalent today in books and movies. But do people believe in them? Do these stories affect their lives? The world of the supernatural is fun and entertaining, no matter whether they’re stories of witches, vampires, or demons. A little blood and gore doesn’t hurt anyone when it’s done for fun. So sit back and enjoy you next escape into the unknown.




The Dead Game
By Susanne Leist

Blog Tour hosted By Ashley’s Addictive Book Promotions
Blog tour December 15th to the 19th
Follow the tour!!!

December 15th
F.P. Spirit
My Book Angel

December 16th
Room With Books
The Pleasure of Reading Today

December 17th
Marcha’s Two Cents’ Worth
Home of A.L. Kessler

December 18th
Deal Sharing Aunt
The Troubled Oyster

December 19th
CHRIS BIRDY’S BLOG
Rhoda’s Writing Blog

Synopsis
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. But 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 a difficult journey, chased by unnatural 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? Or 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.

About the Author 

Susanne Leist graduated with an M.B.A. in Finance. Wherever life has led her, through the hectic commodities’ markets or the number-crunching field of budgeting, she’s continued to read and daydream. Unbeknownst to her, she had been pursuing her dream all along, her dream of putting her words down on paper for everyone to enjoy. She currently resides on Long Island with her husband, two daughters, and Maltese.
Her first book, The Dead Game, is a paranormal thriller with humans, vampires, and vampire derivatives. Her goal has been to write a book different than the usual vampire story or murder mystery. She wanted a murder mystery with victims, clues, and suspects. She created that and much more. The book has revolving rooms, traps, falling cages, and anything her active imagination could create. The Dead Game is a fun ride into the realms of the supernatural.

COME AND MEET SHANA LOGAN

Marcha’s Two-Cents Worth

Random ponderings on the state of the Universe

Blog Tour: Susanne Leist’s “THE DEAD GAME”

Posted on December 17, 2014

I read “The Dead Game” several months ago with my review and interview with its author, Susanne Leist, elsewhere on this blog site. I’m not usually a horror or vampire fan but I thoroughly enjoyed Susanne’s story with its vivid imagery and convincing characters to say nothing of its well-sustained suspense. I am thus more than happy to participate in this blog tour where you will find an excerpt from the book, a fictitious interview with one of the characters whom I found particularly interesting due to our shared interest in astrology, and a short biographical sketch of Susanne. Those of you who are into astrology yourself will undoubtedly enjoy Shana’s “natal chart” and the “transit chart” for the party at End House. :-)

EXCERPT FROM “THE DEAD GAME”




CHAPTER 22

Their car neared the house. A stunning sight unfolded before their eyes. Encased in a tight circle of trees, shimmering from the lights strung through their heavy branches, the glass house sparkled against the dark night sky: a huge glass ball shooting green sparks of light from within its rounded walls. Its great dome twinkled as radiantly as the multitude of stars shining down from above.
Todd left the car with the valet and led the way up the marble stairs to the rounded front door. Two armed men, dressed in tuxedos, guarded the door, their holstered guns only slightly marring the fantasy image running through Linda’s vivid imagination: for as soon as she turned away to admire the scenery, she was once again in fantasy land.
The panorama facing her was doused in white. Gleaming white snow caps covered the tops of the tall trees and the great dome of the house. Snow was falling on them from somewhere. She could feel snowflakes melting on her lips. They felt wet, like real snowflakes. She touched her face and hair. Her hand came away wet. She had snow on her fingertips. She searched the grounds for a snow machine, but couldn’t locate anything—not on the glass domed roof or in any of the trees. She couldn’t believe that genuine snow was falling on them from the dark sky. The landscape resembled a winter wonderland despite it being fall in Florida.
Todd placed his hand against her back to escort her into the house. The others followed them into the glowing green ball that was alive with dazzling lights, music, and laughter.
Once inside, Linda was mesmerized by the glittering glass walls that mirrored the dancing images of the guests twirling around the marble dance floor. These images were cast in bright halos of light reflected from the myriad of crystal chandeliers hanging throughout the room.
Soft candlelight from mounted crystal sconces flickered across the intricate patterns carved into the green walls. It was the most beautiful and fascinating house that she had ever seen. She glanced back and watched Shana’s mouth drop open. She was certain that Shana would agree that the house appeared simply magical.
Couples were swirling around the immense dance floor. They were dancing in a large studio between Diane’s life-sized statues. Each sculpture was carved from clear glass: each one revealing a full-sized person. Linda found them to be too lifelike. She stood next to one and stared into it frozen face. She was startled by a fleeting expression of horror that seemed to cross over its features; as if a real person was trapped inside, staring out at her from within his glass tomb. Then the look was gone and the statue appeared lifeless once again.

BUY LINKS

AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Game-Susanne-Leist-ebook/dp/B00F3IWF70/

BARNES & NOBLE: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-dead-game-susanne-leist/1116825442

SHANA LOGAN

Shana Logan is a close friend of “The Dead Game’s” main character, Linda.  She is a Tarot reader and astrologer so of course she’s my favorite since I’m also an astrologer.  I had fun with Shana talking about astrology, her Aries Sun Sign and the astrology in effect for the infamous party at End House.

INTERVIEW WITH “Dead Game” character, Shana Logan

MF: As an astrologer I get the impression that you have strong Aries influences based on your red hair, natural curiosity, competitive spirit and sometimes impulsive behavior. Have I guessed correctly?

SL: Yes, I have an Aries Sun plus a Leo ascendant and Sagittarius Moon so my “big three” form a Grand Fire Trine. Needless to say I have a rather generous helping of Fire in my chart which gives me a lot of spunk and energy. I love nice things and always dress in pretty, bright colors, which is obviously my Leo ascendant. My curiosity is greatly enhanced as well as my interest in so many different things derives from my Sag Moon.

MF: Aries typically love sports. Besides volleyball, which are your favorites?

SL: I have my sign ruler, Mars, in the 11^th house of groups so I love team sports of all kinds. One of my favorites in high school was track, as you would expect with these long legs of mine. I could compete with the others in my team while helping the team as a whole by doing well. As you know, Aries don’t like to lose. I love tennis, too, both singles and doubles. I’ve played in a couple tournaments and had a blast.

MF: What sets off your temper the fastest? In other words, what’s your pet peeve?

SL: Hahaha! I hate being told what to do. Like that time when Sam called me “sweetheart” and accused me of being too independent. Of course I am, and proud of it, and that’s the very reason I like to make my own decisions. I admit sometimes I react too quickly and get into trouble but then I have no one to blame but myself.

MF: What is the most interesting thing you’ve discovered while doing an astrological reading?

SL: When there’s an accident, destructive storm or major event I always like to check the chart and see what was going on in the heavens. I found it fascinating that for the Boston Marathon bombing a few years ago that the asteroid named Marathon was in a key place of the chart, right on the Midheaven, which suggested it would be in the news. There was also a massive tornado, the one that killed some professional storm chasers, which occurred when an asteroid did a fly-by of Earth.
I don’t believe in coincidences and find these show that something is definitely going on astrologically. Also, with all that fuss about December 21, 2012, I could tell by the chart that the world wasn’t going to end. It implied a shift in consciousness, which seems to apply since things have been a bit different since then. Probably because everyone thought they were going to die. An 8^th house experience for the world, where the 8^th house includes transformations, death, intense experiences and so forth.

MF: You did a Tarot reading for the party at End House. Did you run an astrological chart as well? If so, how did that correlate with the cards?

SL: They complemented each other in a very scary way. For one thing, it had a Cardinal Grand Cross which usually is a bad sign, anyway. Deception was clearly part of the event as well as potentially lethal aggression with Mars ruling the chart and the 8^th house of death. Pluto was on the Midheaven opposing Jupiter in the 4^th showing a public display of power and control taking place in someone’s home. The only favorable aspect in the entire chart was a trine between Saturn and Neptune which of course wasn’t fortunate but indicated further the dissolving of boundaries with Neptune conjunct the 12^th house cusp, more indication of hidden enemies.

MF: How much does your ability to read people relate to reading their horoscope?

SL: Of course I gather people’s birth data whenever I can get it out of them but needless to say the people in Oasis, at least the old-timers, weren’t very willing to share theirs since the date alone would have been very telling. It’s no wonder they were trying to drive me out of town. Astrology can reveal all sorts of things besides a person’s natural inclinations, however. Going into property records and obtaining the date when people closed on their store or property revealed a lot as well. At least when I could get it. Sometimes it went back so far I couldn’t ever track it down.
My friends are usually more than willing to provide their information to me in return for a free reading. I don’t mind because it’s fun to get to know them at that level and help them understand themselves a little better. I did a compatibility analysis for Mike and David which was hilarious. It totally showed why those two are always butting heads as well as why they are partners in an antique store.

MF: Are you psychic in addition to doing astrology and card readings?

SL: A little bit. I get strong impressions which I’ve learned the hard way that I should pay attention to. My independent and sometimes stubborn nature can bite me sometimes when I have a bad feeling but then someone tells me to be careful, which of course I can’t listen to! LOL! Usually when I get a bad feeling I turn to the cards or a horoscope and take it from there. I probably should have done a horary reading on the party and whether or not we should go. I’m less inclined to cut off my nose to spite my face when the advice comes from a chart!

MF: When your shop was ransacked did you check your transits to see what was going on?

SL: Of course! And there was all sorts of 12^th house stuff which indicated an attack by a hidden enemy. Lots of this is apparent until after-the-fact because any astrological aspect has numerous interpretations and I try not to be totally paranoid about this place. Nonetheless, I’m paying more attention to my own transits than I did before after what has been going on here lately.

MF: Do you plan to stay in Oasis for the long haul? Or will you be leaving as a result of some of the unpleasant situations and strange characters you have for neighbors?

SL: My sense of adventure will probably keep me here unless things get a lot worse. I’ll keep an eye on that, needless to say, and pay close attention to what my transits and solar return has to say. I haven’t looked at it yet because I don’t mind a few surprises and don’t want to let my curiosity ruin my fun. I love to live each day as it comes and in most cases the more excitement the better. But even I have my limits and in spite of my Aries nature know when it gets to the point it’s time to turn tail and run. But not yet. There are too many unanswered questions I’m dying to find the answer to. Hopefully not literally. LOL.

SHANA’S NATAL CHART (Just for fun for the benefit of any other astrologers out there)



TRANSIT CHART FOR THE PARTY AT END HOUSE



SUSANNE LEIST



Susanne Leist graduated with an M.B.A. in Finance. Wherever life has led her, through the hectic commodities’ markets or the number-crunching field of budgeting, she’s continued to read and daydream. Unbeknownst to her, she had been pursuing her dream all along, her dream of putting her words down on paper for everyone to enjoy. She currently resides on Long Island with her husband, two daughters, and Maltese.
Her first book, The Dead Game, is a paranormal thriller with humans, vampires, and vampire derivatives. Her goal has been to write a book different than the usual vampire story or murder mystery. She wanted a murder mystery with victims, clues, and suspects. She created that and much more. The book has revolving rooms, traps, falling cages, and anything her active imagination could create. The Dead Game is a fun ride into the realms of the supernatural.

THE DEAD GAME BLOG TOUR

The Dead Game ~ Blog Tour

The Dead Game 
By Susanne Leist 

Blog Tour hosted By Ashley’s Addictive Book Promotions 
Blog tour December 15th to the 19th 
Follow the tour!!!

December 15th 
F.P. Spirit
My Book Angel 

December 16th 
Room With Books
The Pleasure of Reading Today

December 17th 
Marcha’s Two Cents’ Worth
Home of A.L. Kessler

December 18th 
Deal Sharing Aunt
The Troubled Oyster

December 19th 
CHRIS BIRDY’S BLOG
Rhoda’s Writing Blog

Synopsis 

     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. But 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 a difficult journey, chased by unnatural 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? Or 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.

About the Author 

    Susanne Leist graduated with an M.B.A. in Finance. Wherever life has led her, through the hectic commodities’ markets or the number-crunching field of budgeting, she’s continued to read and daydream. Unbeknownst to her, she had been pursuing her dream all along, her dream of putting her words down on paper for everyone to enjoy. She currently resides on Long Island with her husband, two daughters, and Maltese.
     Her first book, The Dead Game, is a paranormal thriller with humans, vampires, and vampire derivatives. Her goal has been to write a book different than the usual vampire story or murder mystery. She wanted a murder mystery with victims, clues, and suspects. She created that and much more. The book has revolving rooms, traps, falling cages, and anything her active imagination could create. The Dead Game is a fun ride into the realms of the supernatural.

Book Excerpt 



Chapter 22

     Their car neared the house. A stunning sight unfolded before their eyes. Encased in a tight circle of trees, shimmering from the lights strung through their heavy branches, the glass house sparkled against the dark night sky: a huge glass ball shooting green sparks of light from within its rounded walls. Its great dome twinkled as radiantly as the multitude of stars shining down from above.
      Todd left the car with the valet and led the way up the marble stairs to the rounded front door. Two armed men, dressed in tuxedos, guarded the door, their holstered guns only slightly marring the fantasy image running through Linda’s vivid imagination: for as soon as she turned away to admire the scenery, she was once again in fantasy land.
     The panorama facing her was doused in white. Gleaming white snow caps covered the tops of the tall trees and the great dome of the house. Snow was falling on them from somewhere. She could feel snowflakes melting on her lips. They felt wet, like real snowflakes. She touched her face and hair. Her hand came away wet. She had snow on her fingertips. She searched the grounds for a snow machine, but couldn’t locate anything—not on the glass domed roof or in any of the trees. She  couldn’t have, genuine snow was falling on them from the dark sky. The landscape resembled a winter wonderland despite it being fall in Florida.
     Todd placed his hand against her back to escort her into the house. The others followed them into the glowing green ball that was alive with dazzling lights, music, and laughter.
     Once inside, Linda was mesmerized by the glittering glass walls that mirrored the dancing images of the guests twirling around the marble dance floor. These images were cast in bright halos of light reflected from the myriad of crystal chandeliers hanging throughout the room.
     Soft candlelight from mounted crystal sconces flickered across the intricate patterns carved into the green walls. It was the most beautiful and fascinating house that she had ever seen. She glanced back and watched Shana’s mouth drop open. She was certain that Shana would agree that the house appeared simply magical.
     Couples were swirling around the immense dance floor. They were dancing in a large studio between Diane’s life-sized statues. Each sculpture was carved from clear glass: each one revealing a full-sized person. Linda found them to be too lifelike. She stood next to one and stared into it frozen face. She was startled by a fleeting expression of horror that seemed to cross over its features; as if a real person was trapped inside, staring out at her from within his glass tomb. Then the look was gone and the statue appeared lifeless once again

Author Interview

Please introduce yourself and tell us something about your books.
 
     My name is Susanne Leist and I’m a new author. My book, The Dead Game is a paranormal mystery. It takes place in a small town, called Oasis, on the coast of Florida. During the day, this town is a paradise for its residents and abundant tourists with its picturesque streets, white-sand beaches, and warm waters. However, at night, the town turns dark and deadly. Dark shadows roam the streets. Tourists begin to disappear and bodies turn up dead on the beach. The evil in this town revolves around a deserted house. The younger residents are invited to a mysterious party at End House, and that is when the fun and games begin.
How did you come to write your first book and how long ago was it?
     I have been reading murder mysteries and thrillers since I was a teenager. I’ve read all types of mysteries, from Agatha Christie to Sherlock Holmes. In recent years, I’ve begun to read paranormal mysteries. These books bring fantasy and the surreal to the simple murder mystery.
     It is hard to find books that combine paranormal with mystery. That is why I have decided to write a paranormal, murder mystery of my own. It is the type of book that I search for and love to read.
     My book, The Dead Game, has dead bodies and suspects like a traditional murder mystery. However, it also has humans, vampires, and vampire derivatives. And don’t forget the haunted house—we must have one of these.

When you sit down to write a new story, do you know what the ending will be before you start or does it evolve as you write?

    This is the first book that I’ve written. I began with a basic idea in mind. I wanted a murder to take place in a small town. This murder would involve a house that was rigged with supernatural or mechanical traps and moving rooms. But I had no idea how the story would evolve or end. The end turned out to be a surprise to even me.

What do you do when you are not writing or reading?

    When I’m not writing, I enjoy being with my family. My daughters and I love fashion and we love to shop. My husband gets dragged along. I swim twice a week and read every day.

If you could holiday anywhere in the world, where would you choose and why?

     I would love to travel everywhere in the world. The only countries I’ve visited so far are Canada, England, and Israel. There are so many places I would love to see. At least I could visit them in books.

I guess, like most authors, you are an avid reader – who are your favourite authors?  Do you read many books by indie authors?

     My favorite author is Brad Meltzer. It is fun and easy to read his books. His words flow smoothly and keep me engrossed in the stories. I like his characters. He weaves his extensive knowledge of Washington into the story lines.
     I buy a book by the description on the back cover and not by the author’s name. This has led me to explore books written by a wide variety of indie authors. I found Brad Meltzer by his book’s description before I heard about him as an author.

Where do you normally source your reading material – from your local library, a bookshop, Amazon or somewhere else?

    I buy books anywhere I can find them. If a book catches my eye, then I buy it. I buy online and in book stores.

Are you working on a new book at the moment?

     The Dead Game is the first book in a series. The first book resolves the murder mystery, but at the same time, opens a Pandora box of new mysteries. Its surprise ending will lead to more surprises.
     Once my book is further established in the marketplace, I will begin work on the second book. I have an outline and notes all ready to be used to write the next book. My writing often leads me in unknown directions, so I won’t know how the book will end until it does.

Character Questions 

 Who is your main character?
My main character is Linda Bennett. She moves to a small town to open a bookstore with an attached coffee shop. She wants to lead a quiet and peaceful life. But she is in for a surprise, since Oasis is anything but peaceful.
What should we know about her?
Linda is a good person who wants to be liked by everyone. She is sweet and kind. She develops a crush on Todd, but at first, she is too shy to speak to him. Her friendship with Shana brings her out of her shell and at times, gets her into trouble. She develops the nerve to speak with him and to voice her own opinions.
What is the main conflict? What messes up her life?
Her crush on Todd brings complications to her life. She finds him to be aloof. At first, she is drawn to his mysterious nature. But as she gets to know him better, this mystery soon becomes off-putting to her. She believes he’s hiding secrets from her; secrets that have to do with the elusive residents, and the murders and disappearances in town. 
What is her personal goal?
Her personal goal is to help save the town from the evil threatening to kill them. She doesn’t know if the evil controlling the town is human or a supernatural creature, but she is determined to find and destroy him or her with the help of her friends. 
She has a secondary goal of getting to know Todd better, and she has better luck with this than her first goal.

Author Links and Buy links
Kindle
http://amzn.to/1zcTgkr
Nook
http://bit.ly/1lFdqNj
Links
susanneleist.wordpress.com
susanneleist.blogspot.com
https://twitter.com/SusanneLeist
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Dead-Game/245820408898288
https://www.facebook.com/susanne.leist.98
https://www.tumblr.com/blog/susanneleist

TO BE ME

archann:

Archan Nair - New Illustration titled “ Hue “

I feel lost and confused.
I feel dizzy and unsure of myself.
My mind is being pulled
in opposite directions.
What do I want?
What is the most important
thing for me to do?
After my family,
I need time for me.
To figure out what I want.
I want to create.
To throw paint on a wall.
Not really.
I want to keep writing.
To write my blog and
my next book.
Everyone leave me alone.
I want to write.

THE SNOWBALL EFFECT

There is a snowball effect that authors write about.
It is an anticipated event for an author.
A year after your book is published,
all your hard work and determination begins to pay off.
Finally.
You write your first book.
Then you hope and pray that someone will buy it.
If you’re self-published–like me–you have to think about advertising.
You find yourself blogging and posting on Facebook, Twitter, and Google.
The sales trickle in very slowly.
You make your contacts.
You become friends with fellow authors and share your book with them.
You post about their books on your sites and they reciprocate.
You begin to enjoy writing your posts on your blog.
You start to wonder why you haven’t done this before.
You blog everyday.
You join more sites and find more friends.
You do favors and favors are received in return.
The pace picks up.
Life becomes more hectic.
You’re editing and advertising your book daily.
You must prepare yourself to write Book II of your series.
Then someone asks you to co-author a book with you.
You accept the challenge even while you’re pulling out your hair.
Family comes calling.
Everyone needs help with something.
Then the tweets increase dramatically.
You can’t keep up with all the return tweets.
You can’t keep pace with all the followers on your blogs.
Did I fail to mention two blogs and two tumblr sites?
Your book is doing much better.
It reaches a nice status in its niche markets on Kindle and Nook.
For some unknown reason, it’s listed #3 on Amazon’s top rated for vampire suspense.
Then the snowballs begin to hit you in the face.
They start hitting you from all sides.
What do you do?
The article had predicted the snowball effect.
It’s a year.
The snowballs come fast and furious.
What do you do?
You take a deep breath and begin all again tomorrow.