We Are Not Alone...

Title: Alien Seeds
Author: Darrell Bain
ISBN: 978-1-55404-876-2
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 203
Reviewed By: Brian Knight
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Be careful what you look for...you might find it.

Gary and John Strake, two brothers with itchy feet and an unquenchable thirst for learning, adventure, and discovery. They each travel along their own path to discover new treasures but when Gary’s girlfriend calls John, concerned about his brother, their adventures and way of life take an interesting turn. Everything is set in motion with the discovery of tiny, oval shaped objects, gold colored and no larger than grains of rice. These objects are more than they appear, they hold many secrets. Where did they come from? What do they do?
As John travels to check on his brother he steps in the middle of a murder scene as Gary’s girlfriend is found dead in their home – her throat ripped out. Soon after the discovery Gary calls the sheriff who is killed by an unknown creature that attacks the Strake brothers who, in return, kill it. The creature is moved to a research facility where the brothers meet an unlikely source of help, resources, and, for John, a chance for romance. What will they discover when they study the creature? Is it of this earth?

As big as the mystery of the golden objects seem to be, there is a bigger discovery to be made. How did those golden objects get into the ground where Gary found them? Will the creatures that placed them there come back to collect?

From the first word, Darrell Bain delivers an action packed, thriller that mixes both science fiction and adventure. “Alien Seeds” will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first page to the last. With each passing page, it is virtually impossible not to get absorbed by the discovery and consequences of the little golden seeds and what they mean. The more you read the more you feel the tension building as the Strake brothers and their friends race against an alien species with unbelievable intelligence, and amazing strength.

The strength of “Alien Seeds” lies in the crisp plot, use of scientific terminology, and strong characters. The characters capture your attention quickly and connect with you quickly. It is easy to see the Strake brothers as those friends in the neighborhood who act crazy but really are intelligent. Author Darrell Bain’s novel is a true science fiction thrill ride in every sense of the word. Think Indiana Jones meets Men In Black but in the form of a book. I highly recommend “Alien Seeds” for anyone who enjoys aliens, creatures, intrigue, and a little romance mixed in.

To learn more about this author and his fascinating books please click HERE.

Marketing Made Easy

Title: Lean Marketing House
Author: Joseph Dager
ISBN: 978-0-9799235-0-0
Genre: Instructional
Pages: 150
Reviewed By: Brian Knight
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A lean, mean, marketing machine…or can be.
You’ve worked hard on your book, your brand, you new business venture. You have everything in place to be the next big thing. The problem is your wheels are spinning because your ideal audience, your clients, is not taking notice. There is a missing link between your marketing staff and your sale staff that prohibits the true growth of your success. What can you do? How can you improve the reach and impact of your marketing plan?
‘Lean Marketing House’ builds upon the established pillars of marketing, customer interaction and product movement. This instructional guide illustrates the methods and strategies to streamline both approach and marketing to your potential clients. How do you identify value? How do you create flow and establish flow? What is a map value stream? ‘Lean Marketing House’ is a tool to be used to increase, expand, and develop success.
From the first word, Joseph Dager delivers a how-to book that demands thought and attention to how a business and customer relation is conducted. With each passing page, it is virtually impossible not to envision your strategies and methods, analyzing them to confirm or adjust, as needed, to the ‘Lean Marketing House’ ideals. The more you read the more you think and study the principles identified in this book.

The strength of ‘Lean Marketing House’ lies in the instructional format of the book. It is easy to navigate and able to be used as a reference guide if need be for quick review. The textbook feel of the book lends to its formatting and presentation. Author Joseph Dager’s book is a value driven instrument to create flow and seek marketing perfection. I recommend ‘Lean Marketing House’ for anyone who with a start-up business, product or brand to market to potential buyers.

To learn more about this book please click HERE.

How Bad Do You Have It?

I was listening to an interview with Stephen King and his wife. As much as I enjoyed what Mr. King had to offer it was his wife that caught my attention. From her sharing with us the night a fan broke into their home with a fake bomb strapped to his chest to all the interesting things they have both experienced through his writing, it is her acceptance of his writing schedule that I find fascinating. Stephen King writes for fours hours a day every day. He takes two days off a year, Christmas and his birthday.

At first glance four hours doesn't seem like a long time but when you put it in the context of everyday of the year except for two days than you see how impressive and grueling that schedule can be. I write at night for about three to four hours but not every night and no way can I do it for that many days. I mean, I take at least one day off per week. I do understand where King is coming from though. I don't believe he writes at that schedule because he wants to, I think he has to. Allow me to explain, if I am like King in one way I believe it is this - when I go for a length of time (about three days) I become jittery. I become preoccupied by a story or an idea that starts hammering at me to come out. The longer I wait the harder it hammers at me. I think Mr. King experiences the same thing. I believe he has it so bad that he can only afford two days to not write at all.

I'm not sure how much he can write in four hours but it must be enough to satisfy his inner muse. For me, I write until my muse is satisfied or my mind shuts down which ever comes first. I can tell you that my mind shuts down ninety percent of the time. To be honest, this devotion that is displayed by Mr. King is not a bad thing in any way. In fact, it is something we should strive for. Am I saying that we should  write for four hours a day everyday of the year? No, I'm saying that we should push ourselves and maintain a schedule that we can work with and be productive. How will you know when you have found the sweet spot? Your passion will tell you.

I do have one thought, does Mr. King count edits and revisions as part of his four hours? I would because that is a critical time in the life of a book and it takes focus to get through the edits in a way that maintains structure and flow. I have not had the pleasure of going through revisions and edits from a line editor but I will soon; I can only imagine that Mr. King would count that as well. Although, I would venture to say that he has a method down that allows him to write and edit at the same time.

In the end it all boils down to writing. Whether you are a bestselling author or just write for fun it is important that we allow our passion for writing to drive us. We should also be prepared to rise that emotion until we settle in with a routine, schedule, pattern that fits us best. No, that doesn't mean we need to turn writing into a job or a burden. It is a labor of love. When we have it so bad that it is a burden NOT to write then we are where our muse wants us to be.

One hour, two hours, three hours, or all day, it doesn't matter how long we write as long as we do. How bad do you have it?

Two Shots....and there you go.

Title: My Bad Tequila
Author: Rico Austin
ISBN: 978-0-9819789-1-8
Genre: Non-Fiction
Pages: 250
Reviewed By: Brian Knight
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You can run but you can’t hide.

Young, in college, Spring Break, and heading for a Mexican beach by the Sea of Cortez sounds like the perfect get away for anyone. But when you are struggling against the cold of an Idaho winter this sounds like the perfect definition of Heaven. What could be more perfect? What could go wrong in a tranquil destination, like this, where the sun burns bright and the beer flows freely? If only Rhet Austen had thought about that question before stepping on the blue bus for Mexico. He might have missed what he would coin as ‘My Bad Tequila.’ What exactly is ‘My Bad Tequila’? Well, you need to read the book to truly understand but to sum it up I would say this – if it can go wrong, it will. In this case, for Rhet, it has.

Rhet is ready to party, drink copious amounts of alcohol and have fun. Even better, he is surrounded by beautiful women but one captures his attention – Tina. As Rhet and Tina renew a fire they once thought extinguished, things around them begin to crumple and go haywire. A strange accident, lost friends and family members on the way to the hospital and many other events only lend to the downward spiral that is ‘My Bad Tequila.’ On the day of their departure it is only Rhet and a few college friends on the bus. Where is Tina? What has happened? The answers to those questions are like the salt rim around a margarita glass…they add to Rhet’s Bad Tequila.

From the first word, Rico Austin begins to weave a tale that is, for many, truly difficult to believe. He is forthright with the fact that some of this story is fictional; however, much of it is true. What validates and verifies this story are the pictures that illustrate some of the scenes. With each passing page, it is virtually impossible not to think “what else is going to happen to this guy?” The more you read the more you connect with Rhett and his journey.

The strength of “My Bad Tequila” lies in the honesty of it. The events that unfold start out innocent enough but by the end many individuals/characters are changed forever. Author Rico Austin’s story is a true coming of age moment right at the heart of youth gone wild. I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys the unbelievable ups and downs that life has to offer.

To learn more about Rico Austin and 'My Bad Tequila' click HERE.

Born of Blood - Excerpt One

I would like to introduce you to the first excerpt from Born of Blood. I choice this section of the story for Halloween and it is one of the sections I enjoyed writing. So, without further adieu, I give you Born of Blood.

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“You’re late.” Drake’s calm, smooth voice cut through the silence.
“I had to make sure no one followed me. You got my cash?”
Drake turned, his lips a straight line on his face, and speared him with a cold, hard stare. Trey stepped back.
“Did you forget my instructions, Trey? They were rather simple, do you not agree?”
“Nope, I did what you wanted. You said to scare her real good, and I did that. You saw how that ho ran to your arms just like you wanted. Right?”
“Yes, but I distinctly remember telling you to scare her without harming one hair on her head.”
Trey shivered from the instant cold that seeped into the alley, even though sweat built under his shirt. He stepped backward another three steps, but Drake matched him step for step. Tray lifted his hands to his chest, palms facing out.
“Hold on, man. I didn’t know she would fight back so hard. I had to defend myself.”
Drake shook his head.
“Defend yourself? How weak you must be. People are so soft in this day and age. They do not have anything to live for, but expect to be handed everything. Like you — all you want is money. You do not understand the value of living. Do you understand, Trey?”
“What the hell are you talking about, man?”

In an instant, Drake’s intense red eyes filled Trey’s vision. He tried to turn away, but was held in place by unseen hands.
“Let us try this again, my dear Trey. I am going to give you a command, and you are going to follow it.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Run, Trey. Run as if your life depended on it. Run now.”

Trey stared at Drake long enough to realize the truth of the situation, and took off down the alley, turned the corner, and ran harder. He refused to stop until he felt safe again, and then collapsed against a dumpster and inhaled. His heartbeat thundered in his chest as he pulled out his cell phone and dialed.
“Come on, pick up the phone,” he begged.
“Hello.”
“Sam, it’s Trey. I’m in trouble, man, and I need your help.”
“Man, I told you I wasn’t bailing you out of jail again.”
“No, you don’t understand; I’m not in jail. It’s that creepy dude I told you about. He is…”
Keep running, Trey, he heard whispered in his ear.
He turned from side to side, but saw no one.
“Sam, I think I’m going crazy. That chick ain’t worth all this. I need your help.”
“All right. Where are you? I’ll come get you.”
I said, Run, Trey, the whisper repeated.
Trey jumped off the dumpster and searched the deserted alley, dropped his phone, and ran toward the street.

* * * *

“Trey, Trey…where are you? Are you there? Can you hear me?”
“I am sorry, but Trey will no longer be available.”
“Who is this?” Sam shouted.
“A friend.”
A loud clatter sounded in Sam’s ear. He looked at his phone, closed it, and stared out the window.
Should I call the police? What will I tell them? I don’t know who that was or where Trey is. Maybe he’s just playing more games with me.
Sam locked up his apartment and went to bed.

* * * *

The street light’s glow was a welcome sight as Trey pushed himself to make it clear of the alley’s darkness. Halfway to safety, he was knocked hard against the wall. His back cracked, and tears built in his eyes. Through the haze of his blurred vision, Trey saw a pitch-black shadow separate from the shadows of the wall. A cold hand snapped out of the blackness, wrapped around his throat, and choked off the air to his lungs.
“I told you to run, Trey. People just do not know the worth of life.”
With a quick twist, a grotesque sound echoed off the walls as Trey’s neck snapped. Drake materialized from the shadows, bit deep into his neck, and drank.

________________________________________

I hope you enjoyed this book excerpt from Born of Blood. When I get closer to the release of the novel I will share the second excerpt I have prepared.