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KINDLE RELEASE of Ivan Amberlake's urban fantasy thriller, THE BEHOLDER

1/31/2013

2 Comments

 
Picture
Breakwater Harbor Books is excited to announce the KINDLE RELEASE of Ivan Amberlake's debut Urban Fantasy novel, The Beholder!

Worlds of Light and Darkness are about to clash. And Jason will be in the thick of it.


In Asunción, Minsk and Sydney, people die under mysterious circumstances. Each branded with an arcane sign, they are pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. When more people are missing, with similar signs appearing in and around their homes, Jason, an average New Yorker, realizes the victims are a riddle addressed to him. He is the final piece.

Emily appears, a beauty with startling amber eyes, and tells Jason that powers dormant within him are about to wake. In the world of Light- and Darksighted, he is the only person who can prevent Darkness from enslaving the world. 

Setting out on a journey with Emily, Jason discovers many improbable things like Sight (the ability to see Energy Threads), Soulfusion, the Hall of Refuge, but the greatest surprise arrives the moment he sees Emily and finds Real Love.




EXCERPT FROM THE
BOOK





Prologue



In darkness, Pariah crept along the wall of the ancient corridor, black eyes squinting toward the end of the passage. A silvery glimmer streamed through the archway, and he flattened himself into the shadow, out of the way of the shimmering light. With every heartbeat the light grew more intense, until he was forced to halt and close his eyes to block it out, if only for a little while.


The Ethan girl was there, crouching behind the silvery dome she’d created in the center of the vast hall. It had cost them a lot of effort to track her down, and now part of the plan had been accomplished: he and seven other Shadows had brought her to bay.

Opening his eyes again, Pariah took a step forward and winced at the subsequent burn. I shouldn’t go any closer.He clenched his knuckles and the movement hurt, driving fury through him. He wanted to crush her, destroy her Light … but she was dangerous and unpredictable.

What if she escapes? This may be our only chance to catch her. Pariah inhaled, reaching for patience. He must wait for her to make the fatal mistake, wait for her to leave her refuge. He envisaged his skulking brethren, guarding the other exits like spiders, and he grinned in malicious delight. You won’t get away this time.


Currents of crimson energy flowed through Pariah and his brothers, the force aimed towards a circle of whirling silver light. But the girl remained unaffected, sheltered by its brightness. No, he realized, watching the stream. This was not the way she would be killed. The currents could kill an ordinary person—in fact, hundreds of them in one second—but not a Sighted one. What they needed in order to break such a defense was an inhuman hatred. Pariah knew how to do it, but this wasn’t the time. His objective was to lure the girl into the trap, not kill her. First he would torture her, learn her secrets, then he would kill her.

Against the Light he was a better warrior. His hands were stained with the blood of the many Sighted he had slain. Patience, he told himself. She won’t be able to stay there for--

Searing pain shot up his spine, burning like acid and paralyzing him, sucking out his breath. All he could do was stare as an effulgent creature emerged from the circle, brighter than the explosion of a supernova, and watch that violent star head in his direction. The closer she got, the more she stifled the darkness inside him. Disgust rose as he sensed what was happening. It was as though love had been sewn into his hateful mind; twinges of conscience were waking in him, eradicating his inherent evil.

He tried to slow time, to stop the burning pain, but she knew how to block his attempts and make him suffer even more. The laws of physics meant as little to her as they did to him, and both abused their gifts to attain their aims. She was quicker than any of the Sighted ones who had previously crossed his path. He knew she was just as aware of him as he was of her, but she was stronger. For the first time in his dark existence, Pariah knew fear.

It happened too quickly. With ease, she breached the vicious circle he and the others had formed, and shot past, leaving a comet trail twinkling in her wake. Pariah stared after her, thinking through the decision she’d made. The trail was a block, not an attack. The Ethan girl had decided to protect herself from the shadow’s evil mind rather than use her power to kill him.

How noble—and naïve—to spare your enemy’s life, Pariah mused.

His confidence returned, but his hands still glowed bright from her energy. He dispersed the vapor trail she’d left and warped his mouth to let out a horrific banshee howl. The terrible sound reverberated off the walls, rising in magnitude, and he hoped the amplified echo might hamper her flight. His brethren chimed in to reinforce the cursing howl as they swished past and darted after her, but Pariah remained stationary, suffering the agony of having been imbued with her Light.

He reached his hands in her direction, slowing her nimble movements as much as he could, but the distance between them only increased. Wasting no time—for he had no more to lose—he threw himself forward, steadily gaining speed, watching tunnels rush by on either side. Acting purely on instinct, Pariah cut a rupture in space and flung himself into the blackness. This time he exited much closer to her, and his success spurred him on to try again.


Cut—plunge into blackness—return to reality. That was the process.

The sickening light came closer with every surge. Understanding his intentions, the others reassembled to help the Evil One coax the girl into the trap. Pariah was desperate, aware he would only get one chance. He took a final plunge into the ruptured darkness and the action brought him through at last. He reappeared directly in front of her, and she braked, glowing with that detestable light.

For a brief moment, Pariah managed to discern her face, the amber eyes wide with fear. Then it was gone in an eruption of burning brightness. He sent a wave of dark energy at her, and her shield disintegrated. Pariah’s fury transformed into a victorious pulse; he had broken her defenses, and now she lay convulsing with pain, his deadly energy choking the life out of her.

 
 

 
Chapter 1




Streams of translucent sunlight seeped onto New York, setting the windows of the Chrysler Building, among so many others, ablaze. It was normal for people to rush along the sidewalk, passing each other without making eye contact. What was abnormal was the way the sky rolled overhead, darkening with each moment until the early morning light seemed swallowed up by night.

Jason drummed his fingers nervously on the steering wheel of his sedan, frustrated at being stuck in traffic. He hated being late, and today he had the added pressure of a big presentation for which he’d been preparing for the past month.

A couple of women on the sidewalk stopped and pointed skyward, talking amongst themselves, so Jason leaned forward and looked up through the windshield, watching the storm cloud sprawl above the city like a purple bruise. As he inched closer to the Evelyn & Laurens building, a gust of wind wailed by, shaking the car and throwing thick raindrops against the windshield and roof. 

“Nice,”Jason grunted.

He clicked a button on the control panel, and the wipers squeaked back and forth, sweeping the water away. Turning into the parking lot, he grabbed the only spot left, collected his folder, and took a deep breath before getting out. Shielding his head with the bulging folder, he scurried across the parking lot, maneuvering his way between the cars, but the folder was poor protection. An icy blast whipped across his face, reducing his dark brown hair to a sodden mess. When the wind picked up and nearly ripped the folder from his hand, Jason gave up on using it as an umbrella and clutched it tightly to his chest instead, barely managing to keep it in his grip.

He crossed the remaining distance, trying unsuccessfully to hop over streams of water, and shoved through the revolving doors. Water dripped from his new suit and pooled by his feet as he waited for the elevator, and he eyed his folder dubiously. He could only hope his paperwork wasn’t as drenched as he was.

“Of course it had to happen today,” he muttered.

Why couldn’t even one thing go right when it was supposed to? Had anything ever gone right? Like that time two years before when his plane from Manchester to New York had flown into an ash cloud and nearly crashed. The plane landed safely, but Jason celebrated his survival by ending up in a car accident not long after. He escaped with only a few cuts and bruises, but several others were severely injured. Dumb luck.


And then there was the day he had moved to the new apartment. After that, things had only gotten worse.

In half an hour, he thought, as butterflies created mayhem in his stomach, I’ll be fired. 

The doors opened, and he stepped into the elevator, together with a crowd of people thoroughly soaked just like him. A pretty blonde he hadn’t noticed before wedged against him on the left, but when Jason smiled, her eyes shot green daggers at him. His smile waned, and he was relieved when the doors finally opened so he could get out.

More frustrated by the moment, he stormed into the office, paying no attention to the familiar chic surroundings, and slammed the door behind him. He wasn’t surprised to see his co-workers, Matthew Allen and Debbie Eve, had already arrived.

Matthew swiveled in his chair, giving Jason a smile no one could resist. “Did you have a good night last night?”

Jason shrugged, then winced as a cramp grabbed his stomach. “Just stayed in.”

“You should have come to the party,” Debbie said. “We missed you.”

“Yeah, well I had—”

A soft knock interrupted their conversation, and a woman with black-rimmed glasses and a svelte navy suit entered their office. Jason stiffened reflexively. Evelyn, their boss, was in her late forties but looked ten years younger. It seemed to Jason she never stopped smiling. She was friendly enough, but there was something intimidating about her eyes. They never smiled.

Now Evelyn stared at Jason, and a lump lodged in his throat. 

“The presentation will start in ten minutes,” she said, lifting delicate eyebrows.“I hope my trinity is well prepared.”

The cramp in his stomach had spread.

“Sure,”he muttered, his mouth parched.

“Okay. See you in ten minutes,” Evelyn said. 

As soon as the door latched behind her, the three of them rushed to make a new copy of the soaked report. Ordinarily, Jason, Matt, and Debbie weren’t the least bit nervous at meetings. Today, however, they were under pressure to coerce the clients to sign a contract for a substantial sum. Evelyn & Laurens specialized in interior design. “An anthill full of psychos and maniacs,” was what Jason called the place. And though it could be fast paced, after working here for three years Jason happily admitted that being a maniac wasn’t so bad. 

As the three walked in silence to the conference hall, the pain in Jason’s stomach intensified, twisting so that he almost doubled over. He suddenly wished he’d taken the time to eat breakfast.

“You okay?” Debbie asked quietly. “You’re really pale.”

“Stomach’s killing me,” he admitted.

“I’ll do the presentation if you want.”

“That’d be terrific, Debbie. Thanks.”

Inside the hall, the clients sat waiting in a semi-circle. A smiling Evelyn sat opposite them, chatting away. She’d switched the lights in the room on since the ugly cloud had overwhelmed the sun, and the room lit even brighter with a sudden flash of lightning, echoed by a faint rumble of distant thunder.

As if in response, Jason’s stomach convulsed. His knees wobbled, and he reached for a chair, barely able to stand. No. Please no! He took his seat, aware of a bead of perspiration trickling down his spine, and stared at the table. The storm worsened outside, and it seemed to Jason that the closer it came, the worse he felt.

It wasn’t breakfast. It wasn’t nerves. He knew what it was, though, and he was helpless to do anything about it. Trying to control the agony he knew would only get worse, he clenched his clammy palms until his nails dug in, but the pain in his stomach took over his mind, crushing him. Though he wanted to sit, he knew he had to get out, knew he couldn’t take it anymore. He leapt to his feet just as a bolt of lightning struck the neighboring building, and the accompanying thunder rattled the windows of the conference room. Everyone jumped and turned towards the window, and the building’s lights flickered a few times before going out completely.

Jason stumbled out of the darkened room, vaguely aware that the pain in the pit of his stomach had spread throughout his entire body. No one can stand this kind of pain,he thought.

He tried to distract himself, counting out loud as he raced toward the bathroom, but nothing helped. Inside the bathroom he gripped the rim of the sink, swallowing a scream as his left shoulder burst into an agony so sharp it was as if a nail had been driven into it. With an effort, he scooped water onto his face and gasped as it prickled like millions of tiny needles against his skin. He squeezed his eyes closed and saw … the impossible. Images—memories he’d never known—gushed out and seared themselves into his mind.

No, not again, he pleaded silently. 

The shadows had returned. He knew them so well: relentless pillars of smoke that thrived on his blood. Fighting for breath, he clutched the sink, letting sweat drip from his face into the porcelain bowl. When he snapped his head up to look in the mirror, he stepped back, shocked.

“No way.”

Five words were smeared across the mirror, written in what had to be blood. Nothing else left that shade of red behind. 

Weare coming for you.

The room spun, and Jason dropped to the floor, falling into the yawning blackness.



For more of this fantastic read follow the link below to Amazon.com!

PAPERBACK: http://amzn.com/1481931024

KINDLE: http://amzn.com/B00B7TG2DC

2 Comments

Ivan Amberlake's DEBUT URBAN FANTASY NOVEL, THE BEHOLDER has just been released in paperback! To be released for Kindle soon!

1/28/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
Breakwater Harbor Books is excited to announce the release of Ivan Amberlake's debut Urban Fantasy novel, The Beholder!

Worlds of Light and Darkness are about to clash. And Jason will be in the thick of it.


In Asunción, Minsk and Sydney, people die under mysterious circumstances. Each branded with an arcane sign, they are pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. When more people are missing, with similar signs appearing in and around their homes, Jason, an average New Yorker, realizes the victims are a riddle addressed to him. He is the final piece.

Emily appears, a beauty with startling amber eyes, and tells Jason that powers dormant within him are about to wake. In the world of Light- and Darksighted, he is the only person who can prevent Darkness from enslaving the world. 

Setting out on a journey with Emily, Jason discovers many improbable things like Sight (the ability to see Energy Threads), Soulfusion, the Hall of Refuge, but the greatest surprise arrives the moment he sees Emily and finds Real Love.




EXCERPT FROM THE
BOOK





Prologue



In darkness, Pariah crept along the wall of the ancient corridor, black eyes squinting toward the end of the passage. A silvery glimmer streamed through the archway, and he flattened himself into the shadow, out of the way of the shimmering light. With every heartbeat the light grew more intense, until he was forced to halt and close his eyes to block it out, if only for a little while.


The Ethan girl was there, crouching behind the silvery dome she’d created in the center of the vast hall. It had cost them a lot of effort to track her down, and now part of the plan had been accomplished: he and seven other Shadows had brought her to bay.

Opening his eyes again, Pariah took a step forward and winced at the subsequent burn. I shouldn’t go any closer.He clenched his knuckles and the movement hurt, driving fury through him. He wanted to crush her, destroy her Light … but she was dangerous and unpredictable.

What if she escapes? This may be our only chance to catch her. Pariah inhaled, reaching for patience. He must wait for her to make the fatal mistake, wait for her to leave her refuge. He envisaged his skulking brethren, guarding the other exits like spiders, and he grinned in malicious delight. You won’t get away this time.


Currents of crimson energy flowed through Pariah and his brothers, the force aimed towards a circle of whirling silver light. But the girl remained unaffected, sheltered by its brightness. No, he realized, watching the stream. This was not the way she would be killed. The currents could kill an ordinary person—in fact, hundreds of them in one second—but not a Sighted one. What they needed in order to break such a defense was an inhuman hatred. Pariah knew how to do it, but this wasn’t the time. His objective was to lure the girl into the trap, not kill her. First he would torture her, learn her secrets, then he would kill her.

Against the Light he was a better warrior. His hands were stained with the blood of the many Sighted he had slain. Patience, he told himself. She won’t be able to stay there for--

Searing pain shot up his spine, burning like acid and paralyzing him, sucking out his breath. All he could do was stare as an effulgent creature emerged from the circle, brighter than the explosion of a supernova, and watch that violent star head in his direction. The closer she got, the more she stifled the darkness inside him. Disgust rose as he sensed what was happening. It was as though love had been sewn into his hateful mind; twinges of conscience were waking in him, eradicating his inherent evil.

He tried to slow time, to stop the burning pain, but she knew how to block his attempts and make him suffer even more. The laws of physics meant as little to her as they did to him, and both abused their gifts to attain their aims. She was quicker than any of the Sighted ones who had previously crossed his path. He knew she was just as aware of him as he was of her, but she was stronger. For the first time in his dark existence, Pariah knew fear.

It happened too quickly. With ease, she breached the vicious circle he and the others had formed, and shot past, leaving a comet trail twinkling in her wake. Pariah stared after her, thinking through the decision she’d made. The trail was a block, not an attack. The Ethan girl had decided to protect herself from the shadow’s evil mind rather than use her power to kill him.

How noble—and naïve—to spare your enemy’s life, Pariah mused.

His confidence returned, but his hands still glowed bright from her energy. He dispersed the vapor trail she’d left and warped his mouth to let out a horrific banshee howl. The terrible sound reverberated off the walls, rising in magnitude, and he hoped the amplified echo might hamper her flight. His brethren chimed in to reinforce the cursing howl as they swished past and darted after her, but Pariah remained stationary, suffering the agony of having been imbued with her Light.

He reached his hands in her direction, slowing her nimble movements as much as he could, but the distance between them only increased. Wasting no time—for he had no more to lose—he threw himself forward, steadily gaining speed, watching tunnels rush by on either side. Acting purely on instinct, Pariah cut a rupture in space and flung himself into the blackness. This time he exited much closer to her, and his success spurred him on to try again.


Cut—plunge into blackness—return to reality. That was the process.

The sickening light came closer with every surge. Understanding his intentions, the others reassembled to help the Evil One coax the girl into the trap. Pariah was desperate, aware he would only get one chance. He took a final plunge into the ruptured darkness and the action brought him through at last. He reappeared directly in front of her, and she braked, glowing with that detestable light.

For a brief moment, Pariah managed to discern her face, the amber eyes wide with fear. Then it was gone in an eruption of burning brightness. He sent a wave of dark energy at her, and her shield disintegrated. Pariah’s fury transformed into a victorious pulse; he had broken her defenses, and now she lay convulsing with pain, his deadly energy choking the life out of her.

 
 

 
Chapter 1




Streams of translucent sunlight seeped onto New York, setting the windows of the Chrysler Building, among so many others, ablaze. It was normal for people to rush along the sidewalk, passing each other without making eye contact. What was abnormal was the way the sky rolled overhead, darkening with each moment until the early morning light seemed swallowed up by night.

Jason drummed his fingers nervously on the steering wheel of his sedan, frustrated at being stuck in traffic. He hated being late, and today he had the added pressure of a big presentation for which he’d been preparing for the past month.

A couple of women on the sidewalk stopped and pointed skyward, talking amongst themselves, so Jason leaned forward and looked up through the windshield, watching the storm cloud sprawl above the city like a purple bruise. As he inched closer to the Evelyn & Laurens building, a gust of wind wailed by, shaking the car and throwing thick raindrops against the windshield and roof. 

“Nice,”Jason grunted.

He clicked a button on the control panel, and the wipers squeaked back and forth, sweeping the water away. Turning into the parking lot, he grabbed the only spot left, collected his folder, and took a deep breath before getting out. Shielding his head with the bulging folder, he scurried across the parking lot, maneuvering his way between the cars, but the folder was poor protection. An icy blast whipped across his face, reducing his dark brown hair to a sodden mess. When the wind picked up and nearly ripped the folder from his hand, Jason gave up on using it as an umbrella and clutched it tightly to his chest instead, barely managing to keep it in his grip.

He crossed the remaining distance, trying unsuccessfully to hop over streams of water, and shoved through the revolving doors. Water dripped from his new suit and pooled by his feet as he waited for the elevator, and he eyed his folder dubiously. He could only hope his paperwork wasn’t as drenched as he was.

“Of course it had to happen today,” he muttered.

Why couldn’t even one thing go right when it was supposed to? Had anything ever gone right? Like that time two years before when his plane from Manchester to New York had flown into an ash cloud and nearly crashed. The plane landed safely, but Jason celebrated his survival by ending up in a car accident not long after. He escaped with only a few cuts and bruises, but several others were severely injured. Dumb luck.


And then there was the day he had moved to the new apartment. After that, things had only gotten worse.

In half an hour, he thought, as butterflies created mayhem in his stomach, I’ll be fired. 

The doors opened, and he stepped into the elevator, together with a crowd of people thoroughly soaked just like him. A pretty blonde he hadn’t noticed before wedged against him on the left, but when Jason smiled, her eyes shot green daggers at him. His smile waned, and he was relieved when the doors finally opened so he could get out.

More frustrated by the moment, he stormed into the office, paying no attention to the familiar chic surroundings, and slammed the door behind him. He wasn’t surprised to see his co-workers, Matthew Allen and Debbie Eve, had already arrived.

Matthew swiveled in his chair, giving Jason a smile no one could resist. “Did you have a good night last night?”

Jason shrugged, then winced as a cramp grabbed his stomach. “Just stayed in.”

“You should have come to the party,” Debbie said. “We missed you.”

“Yeah, well I had—”

A soft knock interrupted their conversation, and a woman with black-rimmed glasses and a svelte navy suit entered their office. Jason stiffened reflexively. Evelyn, their boss, was in her late forties but looked ten years younger. It seemed to Jason she never stopped smiling. She was friendly enough, but there was something intimidating about her eyes. They never smiled.

Now Evelyn stared at Jason, and a lump lodged in his throat. 

“The presentation will start in ten minutes,” she said, lifting delicate eyebrows.“I hope my trinity is well prepared.”

The cramp in his stomach had spread.

“Sure,”he muttered, his mouth parched.

“Okay. See you in ten minutes,” Evelyn said. 

As soon as the door latched behind her, the three of them rushed to make a new copy of the soaked report. Ordinarily, Jason, Matt, and Debbie weren’t the least bit nervous at meetings. Today, however, they were under pressure to coerce the clients to sign a contract for a substantial sum. Evelyn & Laurens specialized in interior design. “An anthill full of psychos and maniacs,” was what Jason called the place. And though it could be fast paced, after working here for three years Jason happily admitted that being a maniac wasn’t so bad. 

As the three walked in silence to the conference hall, the pain in Jason’s stomach intensified, twisting so that he almost doubled over. He suddenly wished he’d taken the time to eat breakfast.

“You okay?” Debbie asked quietly. “You’re really pale.”

“Stomach’s killing me,” he admitted.

“I’ll do the presentation if you want.”

“That’d be terrific, Debbie. Thanks.”

Inside the hall, the clients sat waiting in a semi-circle. A smiling Evelyn sat opposite them, chatting away. She’d switched the lights in the room on since the ugly cloud had overwhelmed the sun, and the room lit even brighter with a sudden flash of lightning, echoed by a faint rumble of distant thunder.

As if in response, Jason’s stomach convulsed. His knees wobbled, and he reached for a chair, barely able to stand. No. Please no! He took his seat, aware of a bead of perspiration trickling down his spine, and stared at the table. The storm worsened outside, and it seemed to Jason that the closer it came, the worse he felt.

It wasn’t breakfast. It wasn’t nerves. He knew what it was, though, and he was helpless to do anything about it. Trying to control the agony he knew would only get worse, he clenched his clammy palms until his nails dug in, but the pain in his stomach took over his mind, crushing him. Though he wanted to sit, he knew he had to get out, knew he couldn’t take it anymore. He leapt to his feet just as a bolt of lightning struck the neighboring building, and the accompanying thunder rattled the windows of the conference room. Everyone jumped and turned towards the window, and the building’s lights flickered a few times before going out completely.

Jason stumbled out of the darkened room, vaguely aware that the pain in the pit of his stomach had spread throughout his entire body. No one can stand this kind of pain,he thought.

He tried to distract himself, counting out loud as he raced toward the bathroom, but nothing helped. Inside the bathroom he gripped the rim of the sink, swallowing a scream as his left shoulder burst into an agony so sharp it was as if a nail had been driven into it. With an effort, he scooped water onto his face and gasped as it prickled like millions of tiny needles against his skin. He squeezed his eyes closed and saw … the impossible. Images—memories he’d never known—gushed out and seared themselves into his mind.

No, not again, he pleaded silently. 

The shadows had returned. He knew them so well: relentless pillars of smoke that thrived on his blood. Fighting for breath, he clutched the sink, letting sweat drip from his face into the porcelain bowl. When he snapped his head up to look in the mirror, he stepped back, shocked.

“No way.”

Five words were smeared across the mirror, written in what had to be blood. Nothing else left that shade of red behind. 

Weare coming for you.

The room spun, and Jason dropped to the floor, falling into the yawning blackness.



For more of this fantastic read follow the link below to Amazon.com!

http://www.amazon.com/Beholder-1-Ivan-Amberlake/dp/1481931024/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1359422462&sr=1-4&keywords=ivan+amberlake

0 Comments

Lazarus, Man / Amazon Review, post by Scott J. Toney

1/23/2013

1 Comment

 
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I recently received a review and five star rating on Lazarus, Man that really touched my heart. As authors, the reviews that are left on our works on various websites mean a lot to us, not only because they help boost our sales, but mainly because we enjoy knowing what our readers think of our books. I wrote this particular book because I wanted to share God's love and touch people's hearts. This review meant the world to me.
I'll post it below.

"The biggest thing this book opened my eyes to was Leprosy and the pain and humiliation it causes. After finishing this book I got online, researched about leprosy and learned that it is a problem today just as it was in Jesus' time. I am now gladly supporting the leprosy mission here in New Zealand who are helping people with leprosy in India and other countries to eradicate this disease. Thanks Scott Toney for planting a seed." - Ricochet

When I read Ricochet's review it simply made my day. If you've read any of my books, I would love to read your review and know what you thought of them. If you havn't read Lazarus, Man or another of my books, then you should get a free Kindle copy now on Amazon and let me know if you've enjoyed it once you reach the end! Follow the link below to go to Lazarus, Man's page on Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/Lazarus-Man-ebook/dp/B008FVMQWG/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_i

Have a wonderful day!

- Scott J. Toney

1 Comment

The Poem that inspired Scott J. Toney's EDEN LEGACY

1/14/2013

2 Comments

 
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Often times I find that poetry inspires my works. Years ago I wrote a poetry book called Dusk Crescence. It was a poetry diary from the minds of different fantasy characters, and as I have decided on topics to write about with my novels I’ve looked back to the poems in that book for inspiration. To an extent, that is what I did with both The Ark of Humanity and Lazarus, Man.

But more than anything, Eden Legacy was born out of a poem in that book. There are two characters in the poem, a dragon and a woman. It is the true birth of Alexander and Lilya’s characters to the printed world and the make-up of the poem reflects well Eden Legacy. I’ve posted it below. I hope you enjoy.





The poem that inspired the novel…


Alexander

One maiden lays of midst the hands

of a dragon

grasping o’er the sands

lain upon a mountain’s pier

his sorrowed lips drape e’er the land

dripping off a wayward tear

and whispers flow

through morning’s end

his wings of once a whispered tide

do drape of now from sorrows breathing, haunting cries

he dreams of days yet of her life

her kiss twould make

it all but right

she’d ride upon his rippling wings

and land upon

a field of only found in dreams

she’d prick a flower of in bloom

when given him

a sight to see

the dragon swooned

he’d blushed a million times before

but yet he’d blush but once a more

these two a pair of framed above

dragon

woman

and of their love

he blew a kiss but of the stars

and wept but of

their dreams beyond.



And here is the second chapter of Eden Legacy, as a little teaser to the book.

2
First Sight

 

In the dark of her room, tucked warm beneath her covers, Princess Lilya of Cush shook with fear as someone beat against the outside of her room’s door.

THOOM! THOOM! The noise echoed across the room’s chilled stone walls. Lilya imagined the wood flexing with each beating.

“Let me in!” a voice demanded. It was the deep voice of one of her personal guards.

She remained silent and sank further into the darkness of her covers. Maybe the guard would just leave.

The noise stopped and then seconds later something came splintering through.

She could hear the guard’s arm as it scraped past the splintered wood of the newly gashed hole to undo the lock.

There was a clicking sound and the door softly brushed open. “Where are you, princess?” the guard’s low voice came. His footsteps trod heavily on the floor. “Lying down to sleep like a good girl? Your father has promised you will bed me tonight. He lost a game of cards in the keep.” The guard’s knee pressed into the cushion of the bed.

Lilya moved quickly to the opposite side.

This wasn’t the first time her father had wagered her body in a bet.

“This won’t take long!” The guard clamored with his large calloused hands until finding her wrists and pinning her against the bed.

Lilya shook violently and winced. The reek of beer consumed his breath as he huffed down upon her and clumsily touched her curves.

“Hold still!” he commanded before clutching her wrists with one arm and pulling down her under garments with the other.

“No!” Lilya balked and wailed causing the guard to lose his grip on her wrists. She clawed his face with her nails and attempted to escape but he pinned her legs down with his own.

“The more you fight, the longer this will take!” the guard bellowed as he repined her wrists. He ripped a hole in the front of his pants with his spare hand and approached her below.

“No!” Lilya screamed again before the guard’s hand silenced her mouth. She bit him and thrust her right leg out from beneath him, bashing it into his groin.

The guard curled over in pain as Lilya fled from her bed and down the hall outside her room.

“You wench!” the guard screamed in pain.

He would soon follow her, Lilya knew. The torches burning against the castle walls blurred as she ran past their lights. “Help!” she called out. But no-one replied. Had the whole castle lain down to sleep?

The stone walls curled as she dashed in a circle and then down a flight of stairs. One foot after another, she descended the stairwell as her mind raced, certain that at any moment the drunk would catch her.

Suddenly her bare feet caught in a stone groove and she went careening to the floor.

From where she had come, the guard drunkenly stumbled toward her. “Now I’m going to hurt you as well!” His lips slumped on his face in his stupor. “Stay still wench, so I can drag you back to your room!”

Not tonight, Lilya thought while clamoring back to her feet and down the torch lit hall once more.

With a pivot on the cold floor she darted into the main hall where cloth tapestries depicting Cush’s history rippled in a breeze against the walls. A knight in one of them seemed to look at her with a stern bravery on his face and a bone white sword clenched in his fists.

“If only you were here now,” she whispered beneath her breath as she searched the great hall for somewhere to hide. Behind father’s throne? No. Surely he’ll look there.

If she hid anywhere in the hall, she decided, eventually the drunken guard would discover her. Her heart thumped rapidly against her ribcage. There were swords hanging with a shield against the far wall.

Within seconds she reached them. She pulled on a sword and it came loose from its brace. She could barely support its weight in her hands.

“Ha…!” the guard mocked her as he exited the stairwell and saw her struggling to wield the weapon. “A little role-playing before the festivities, young soldier?” His drooping smile revealed crooked rotting teeth. He licked them. The motion repulsed her. “Come to me, wench!”

Lilya held the sword in the guard’s direction while walking backwards toward the main hall’s massive outer doors. “Stay back,” she warned him.

He followed closely a few feet from her blade.

As her back met the wooden doors she swayed her sword toward the guard and pulled with all her strength on the heavy door behind her. It slowly gave way and she slipped from the torch lit hall into the pitch-black night.

Where to go? The scent of spring flora wafted through the air. She remembered the labyrinth to the castle’s side and darted for it.

“Not so fast, whore!” the guard’s voice startled her as his massive hand clutched her wrist, throwing her to the ground. 

As she rose and began running, she thought, He will come. Her weapon braced close in the black night. And when he comes I will run this steel through him.

“Here, kitty kitty!” the guard mocked her.

The darkness was silent.

Something warm overcame her and a light in the distance rapidly came her way. It dove from the sky above and crushed into the ground, quaking the earth beneath her.

There was a faint red glow and the scales around its winged body rippled in the breeze. Muscles in the creature’s long face tensed as its pure nova white eyes pierced the guard’s own stare.

The guard backed toward the castle doors, quaking with fear, and stumbled into them. He fell to the ground. As he lifted his head and brushed his unkempt hair from his face he mumbled to himself. His hands shook and he looked frantically around.

The dragon walked forward, tossing dirt with its claws. “Leave her be,” the voice boomed forth from the dragon’s mouth.

“It speaks!” The guard found confidence through his intoxication and strode toward the dragon as he mocked it. He lifted a cragged stone from the earth close by and chucking it against the creature’s forehead. “All hail the great beast! Why don’t you just leave me and this pretty maiden alone and I won’t have my fellow guardsmen hunt you down and slay you.”

“You assume I’ll let you live.” Smoke fumed from the beast’s nose.

“This wench is my prize and I’m not leaving without her.” The disheveled guard retrieved the decorative sword from Lilya’s stunned hands and approached the scaly creature. “And besides…” He swung the sword in circles, passing it from hand to hand. “You assume I’ll let you live.”

“I warned you, boy.” The dragon dislodged a paw from the ground, thrust it against his attacker, and plunged him amongst a plume of dust in the earth.

 “Let… me… go…” howled the guard as he pushed with all his might against the dragon paw that pinned him. He reached for the sword that was just out of reach beside him, but was unable to free himself from the massive paw.

“This is your last chance. Go in the castle and leave me and this young lady alone.”

As the dragon lifted his paw the guard clamored for the sword and rose in a threatening stance. He charged and opened his mouth to scream but never gasped a breath.

An inferno of light and flame exploded forth from the dragon’s mouth, instantly dispensing the man’s clothing in a puff of ash. His skin boiled before charring against his bones and soon in the licking flames of the dragon’s breath all that was left of the soul that once was, were his blackened bones as they tumbled to the ground.

 The fire sucked back into the mouth from where it had come. “You are safe now.” The dragon’s massive paws churned soil as he approached Lilya.

She fainted against a patch of lush grass.

With all the tenderness a dragon could muster the beast scooped the maiden into one of his front paws and stared at the soft beauty of her face. Slowly her head rolled to the side and rested in a groove of his palm. He would look after her tonight; at least until she awoke and could take care of herself once more.

With a gust of his wings he was airborne in the night sky. Earth below him disappeared in darkness as he soared above, destined for his lair in the mountainous cliffs outside Cush.

And a link in case you'd like to read on ;)

http://www.amazon.com/Eden-Legacy-ebook/dp/B009H8WZR2/ref=sr_1_3_title_1_kin?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1358189691&sr=1-3&keywords=scott+toney

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Scott J. Toney's Interview with Owen Quinn, Author of The Time Warriors

1/9/2013

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{Below is an interview done recently with Owen Quinn, author of The Time Warriors.}

Hi Scott, thanks for talking with the Time Warriors today.

First up, can you tell our readers a little about yourself?

I grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the son of a mathematician mother and basketball loving father, and so naturally my passion became writing!

It all began as a youth when I wrote tales to go with the computer game Oregon Trail, creating stories to go with Jimmie getting typhoid or Susie getting small pox. Oh the fun of younger days... but one must advance. From there I tackled poetry and received a $100 prize in High School for winning a poetry contest. In college I earned degrees in Journalism and Public Relations.

Later I married my wonderful wife, Laura, and we now have an amazing daughter that fills our lives with such joy! Just before I met Laura the idea came to me to write a Fantasy story based on the story of Noah's Ark in the Bible. It was a 'what if' tale centering on Maanta, a merboy who descends from people who, instead of drowning in the flood, adapted to be mer people. Because of Noah's age when he died in the Bible that also left things open for me to incorporate Noah in the book as well. Thus 'The Ark of Humanity' was born.

Since then I have been inspired by other things and have gone on to write Eden Legacy and Lazarus, Man. Eden Legacy is another Fantasy work and Lazarus, Man is the story of Lazarus of Bethany, told through tale and tribulation.

I've joined forces with other authors as a member of Breakwater Harbor Books and am enthusiastic about the worlds and stories to come!

My family is my most treasured achievement.

I don't just choose to write. Writing is a part of me.



Were you a Sci-Fi fan growing up? What shows did you watch?

Wow, yes I was always and always will be a Sci-Fi / Fantasy fan. I loved Star Trek, Sliders, and anything Star Wars, but my all time favorite Sci-Fi / Fantasy show is Far Scape! There was just something about that show that was so fantastic. It had humor, plot, love and intelligence.



What books did you read as a child that have stuck with you?

I don’t know if I was technically a child at the time, but my first Fantasy read was Tad Williams’ Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series. Tad is such a master of our craft and I devour anything he writes. An excellent Sci-Fi book series by him is ‘Otherland’. Anyone who hasn’t read it yet is really missing out.



What made you want to write? Was fantasy the genre you felt most comfortable in?

I don’t really know what made me want to write. It is in my bones, my soul. If I was the only one left on earth, I’d still write. It is such an un-severable part of me.



You wrote the Ark of Humanity and put it on Authonomy. How did you find that platform; was it useful to you?

It was, but not because of HarperCollins. I made so many excellent contacts there that have taught me what it really takes to be a high quality author and how to achieve my goals. I met my first editor of The Ark of Humanity on Authonomy. She was an ex-english teacher and taught me so much during that first edit. She has since passed away, but I will always be eternally thankful to her for all she showed me.


I also reached the top five on Authonomy and received a review from HarperCollins, using their advice to better my work. The key here though is that HC is not where the value of Authonomy lies, but instead what you do with the contacts you make on the site and the advice given by fellow authors there. Here is part of the HC review that I’m using as advertising on Amazon and in other sales avenues.

 
"I can see comparisons to Philip Pullman's 'His Dark Materials' trilogy in some of the themes raised [in The Ark of Humanity]. As with Pullman's 'daemons', the relationship between the beings and their companions who transport them is particularly enjoyable, a relationship which also reminded me of the dragons in the film 'Avatar'. I can see this as a fantastic storyboard for a Pixar film." - HarperCollins



I found the changes they made to the rating system detrimental. Did you?

I did and I didn’t. It was detrimental to me making the desk earlier, because it stalled out my efforts temporarily. It did cut down on the site’s useless spam and made people focus more on helping each other. So I guess I’m torn. It probably helped me more in becoming a higher quality author, though.



Tell us all about Eden Legacy?

I’ll give you my pitch for the book. It’s a good representation and teaser for what Eden Legacy is all about. I’ve been told by many of my fans that Eden Legacy is their favorite of my works.

 

{In the land of Cush, Princess Lilya suffers under the rule of her father, until the day when young King Thomas of Havilah invites her away to his lands. There, she hopes to find peace she has never known.

But Thomas has been drawn to a foreign land, to figs he hopes are from Eden and the Tree of Life. When he eats them to heal his wounds things change within him, distorting him in ways he could not predict.

Now Lilya must make a decision. Does she stand by Thomas's side or act to dispel the evil consuming his soul?

Amidst this world Lilya has befriended a dragon. There are secrets within the beast that could determine all their fates.}



What was your inspiration for it?

I’ve always been fascinated with biblical history, from Noah’s Ark, to the story of Lazarus of Bethany rising from the grave and the story of Eden. Eden Legacy is loosely tied to that Eden story. I was inspired by the story of Pandora’s Box as well. I wanted to write a fantasy book where I could put the Seven Deadly Sins and Seven Heavenly Virtues to good use. Eden Legacy was born out of that.



Are you a regimented writer or like me just go with the flow when the zone takes you?

I get the basic outline in my head and then just let the story lead me, plotting out each new chapter completely before I actually enter it.

Star Wars or Star Trek?

STAR WARS! When are the next three being released and can I have more Ewoks and Jawas?



What do you think of the current sci fi/ fantasy offerings compared to ten years ago?

In regards to movies, I think it’s a huge step up, mostly because of graphics. The new Star Trek movie was fantastic and the next one to be released is looking to be such a well put together film. But T.V. wise, I just don’t see the well thought out quality I used to see in shows like Star Trek and Far Scape.



I love the cover of Eden Legacy. How did that come about?

My best friend David Lockhart has actually created all of my books covers. He is such an amazing artist, with a great love of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Comic Books. He’s been working in graphic art for years.



How do you promote yourself?

I have taken some great advice from another Author by the name of Mike Lee and will be giving away my Kindle books for free soon for six months to build up a reader base, then bring the price back up after that time. Mike followed the same strategy I am following and he is currently ranked #2 in Sci-Fi Military sales on Amazon.com for his new release of StarFire. I highly suggest the read.

I’ve also co-founded a self published author group that is quickly gaining ground. We promote each other’s works in our books, along with the group itself. We are Breakwater Harbor Books. Our site is www.breakwaterharborbooks.weebly.com



If you could write for any show, what would it be?

A modern ‘Sliders’. So much can be done with that premise. It has infinite possibilities.



Can you tell us about Breakwater Harbor Books?

Breakwater Harbor Books is a group of self-published authors coming together in a unified effort to promote each other’s works and assist each other in becoming the best authors that we can be.

Our members are all either self published or looking to self-publish soon. Mike Lee is one of our Sci-Fi writers and is currently ranked #2 in Sci-Fi Military paid Kindle sales for StarFire. 



What are you currently working on?

Would you believe a Nicholas Sparks style romance novel called Hearts of Avon? My wife loves that sort of thing and so I’m doing this to write a book that will really appeal to her.

My editor says it’s my best book yet, but I can’t wait to finish it and dive in to the Sci-Fi / Fantasy book I have plotted out to write when I’m done with this one! My cover designer is actually helping me with plot and character creation for that book right now.



What would you tell other budding writers?

Do this for you. If you do that, your work will pay dividends to your life that you could never have dreamed of before. And self publish. The few authors that HarperCollins has actually picked up from Authonomy are selling less than I am right now, and HC is taking a good cut. Self-publishing is the way of the future. Take hold of your future and run with it!



Scott, thank you so much!

No, Owen, thank you. This has really been a pleasure and an honor to do with you today! 


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Mike Lee's STARFIRE is #2 in Science Fiction, Military, US Kindle Sales

1/4/2013

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Breakwater Harbor Books would like to send a HUGE continued congratulations to author Mike Lee for climbing Amazon's Kindle charts to be ranked #2 in Science Fiction, Military! StarFire has topped the Amazon Kindle charts since its release in early December, 2012 and has 22 FIVE STAR reviews on the site!

This is Mike's first release since joining BHB and it is phenomenal to see StarFire and his other books, Fey and Horker's Law, doing so well! He is an excellent author. If you haven't yet checked him out, BHB highly suggests the read. You will be glad you did!

An action-packed Science Fiction novel,

Captain Vince Lombard, G-Marine company commander, is tasked with tracking down a stray ship. The Alliance Military Ship StarFire has gone silent, and previous attempts to locate her have resulted in the loss of more ships. After two previous wars with xenospecies humanity bumped into while expanding into space, no one knows what might be the cause of StarFire's missing in action status. And  internal politics between Fleet command and the Galactic Marine Corps might mean  that, unless something is done, humanity may get the news it's at war with yet  another new race about the time they show up to attack one of the human systems  in the sector.

A prequel to the book "Fey," this story is a novelization  of the story Vince related to Blondie in the previous book, which many readers  requested.

What others are
saying about StarFire


"Mike Lee has written yet another solid fast-reading book that grabs your attention and keeps it engaged until the satisfying conclusion. I will be reading this one again and can't wait for the next Mike Lee book."

—  Amazon review by 'Far Left Texas'

"Starfire is a truly superb book, one of the few of the hundreds I've read this year that stands out by itself. Beautifully crafted, very good cadence, great reflection by the main hero, who does not always occupy center stage. Lots of mystery left to ponder, this author does not insult the intelligence of the reader but compliments it - and that is rare. The characters are well developed according to their roles and aren't just mirrors for the main character. The plot is plausible and not drowned in technology while being quite comfortable with it."

— Dennis Campbell

Purchase StarFire for Kindle now at Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/StarFire-Vince-Lombard-ebook/dp/B00A4Q9F60/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_img_1

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