Saturday, May 2, 2015

Interview with Artist, Michael Brown



This post goes back to November, 2011, but I enjoy Michael's talent and I wanted to share it again...

Born into a family of artists in St Louis, Michael Brown can't remember life before art. He currently resides in Kansas City. Seeing Michael’s art brings many emotions to the surface. His art is very detailed, you can feel and see the emotion in the subjects he draws. It’s pretty powerful stuff. He has mad talent!...Those are just a few things said of his work.

Michael, thank you for participating in this interview. I’ve followed you on facebook for over a year now, and I can’t quite remember how I found you, but I’m glad I did. I love seeing your artwork, and the daily quotes always give me something to think about. I wanted to be able to share that with others, and here’s my chance.
Do you go by Michael, or Mike? Either is fine, really.
I have to ask, do you enjoy reading? If so, what genre’s?
I thoroughly enjoy reading; I've had a love for books and reading dating back to early childhood. I don't have an exact genre of books that I read, I go across the board, it's really what strikes my interest from biographies, a little bit of fantasy, but not much, really not my bag, give me reality! I generally love my books like I love my ART, rooted in some form of reality! I went thru this phase though, a few years back when I was first homeless and dealing with the trauma of that, by reading Jude Deveraux books. I think I read about 10 of her books. She always wrote strong female characters that started off in conflict with the leading man in the story. Same formula in most of her books but they were entertaining enough to keep my interest, even though her books run close to the romantic novels. Haven't read her stuff in a while though, no more time for it :)
Also, I think her books at the time were a way for me to escape from an over dose of REALITY having to go thru being homeless for the first time. The experience of losing a place to live, your personal items, and generally having your whole home life uprooted rattles the soul and takes some adjusting! Reading books was a way for me to escape in my mind as a child and such as an adult. It was a healthy choice I made long ago rather than latching on to drugs, alcohol and other means people generally use to deaden themselves to certain realities. I have many favorite books for many reasons, those are listed also in my section on facebook, but I'm a huge John Steinbeck fan right now. A friend got me on to him a few months back, In Dubious Battle was my first read of his work and I fell in love with his style of writing ever since, 10 books deep into his stuff.

Do you have a favorite book you could read over and over again?
I'm not big on reading things over no more than I am big about doing anything I've enjoyed in life over again. I know there is a natural tendency for us as humans to overdo things as far as what brings us pleasure. But I have found that over indulgence in anything can not only ruin your appetite for a thing, but kill the original feeling for the experience. So for me, one read is enough, there are other books and experiences to have with the next read!
When did you first start drawing? And when did you know you were good at it?
I don't remember when I first started drawing cause as a child, everyone is an artist. Before you learn how to write, you learn how to draw, right? I have 10 other brothers & sisters, and all of them were artists before me. So growing up ART was part of my DNA from the get go. I was surrounded, all the time by art made by older brothers & sisters. I can't remember a time when ART was not part of my life. There wasn't a definite age, as soon as I was able to pick up a marker or crayon, I was an artist!
I got encouragement from my family throughout my childhood that I was good at ART, again for me, it wasn't a matter of recognizing whether I was good at it or not, it was something I did to express myself because that was the example set before me. You just know when you are gifted at certain things and not in other; you don't necessarily have to be told these things. I think as children we are very intuitive about things and we are more in tune with ourselves, as we get older, if we don't learn to protect that natural gift we are given, we dull our senses and dummy down to fit in with the rest of society. This is something we are taught to do at a very early age, something I always resisted too! Thankfully, my mother was a strong and interesting woman who raised her kids to celebrate their individuality, I soared with her support!

At what point in life did you realize you could go public with your art work?
I think I was 10yrs old when I had my first serious art showing, and my brother Sylvester Brown Jr. bought my first painting of a horse running on a moonlit beach :) In my junior year of high school, I participated in Commercial Arts in a trade school for my final two yrs. I learned that I could make a career out of being a full time artist. I got my first start as a business man in my senior year when I was graded by my teacher for doing portrait drawings for the teacher staff and students, he ran out of things to teach me, I excelled in the class! Graduated top of my class and I was set on doing ART for a living, took me 15 yrs though before that was a reality!

What inspires you to draw? Do you have any kind of rituals you do before (or during) a piece?
What inspires me to draw is the human experience in all its various states of BEING! People's stories & experiences are a constant reservoir of inspiration, plus I'm inspired by beauty in its many forms as well! No special ritual for working on ART other than the fact that I MUST have music to listen to while I draw. Not only does MUSIC take my mind off what I'm doing but it inspires the art as well. I get lost in the music and draw, the only way for me to work! I can't draw with anyone looking over my shoulders or total silence, must be MUSIC!
Are all of your subject’s real people? If so, how do you find them? 
All the subjects I draw are real people for sure, it is one of the main reasons I draw it, cause it's based in
reality! I find a great deal of them or they contact me thru facebook. This site has been a wonderful site for connecting with people all around the world. I'm currently working on a 5 collage portrait of a friend of mine who lives in Australia that I met and stay in contact with on facebook. His father recently died from cancer, he was the only living parent in my friend's and sister's life growing up and he lost his mother at 6 months. So all he has ever known as a parent is his father who passed away a few days after his 60th Birthday. He was given the news about his father's illness a week before he was scheduled to come back from a 3 month world trip he took. He spent the final two weeks at his father's side, his father's life touched many people, and thus the inspiration to do the 20x30" portrait that has to be shipped off in time for a December memorial service in Melborne, Australia. It's a big job, but when it comes to art and the inspiration, no matter the cost I will do it if I feel strongly about it. The ART as a whole doesn't make me a lot of money, without the help of soup kitchens, free programs that take care of my basic needs and shelters; I could not survive as a business. My needs are small so I'm able to make do with any kind of money I get from the ART which is infrequent. I make just enough to keep me hanging on, like an addict! Once you make your own money, your own way, off the labor clock, it is very addictive. It's like being let in on a secret life that most are unaware of and which spoils your viewpoint to how you have to make a living then. For me ART is more than a way to make money, it is truly a way of life and for better or worse; I'm in this thing for life! No turning back, no going back to part-time or secular work, I make the situation work cause it has to work, no other alternative. It is by choice as well as by WILL!

Your artwork depicts many things; love, religion, emotion, drug use, homosexuality, patriotism, sensuality, and much more. Is there any one thing you won’t draw? Why or why not?
Back in the day, when I was more of a religious person & quite frankly a politician, there were many subjects in ART I wouldn't dare touch, such as the homosexuality that is now evident in my ART! Everything in ART for me is a process of change; you have to be that way in order to be relevant in ART. As I grew and changed my perspective on things and chucked a great deal of my religious conditioning growing up throughout the years, I became more open, less fearful of the good opinions of others. To let things naturally take place creatively and spiritually both at the same time as an artist & person has been a process, to where now, I don't think there is anything I would not draw if the subject matter interests me. It's no longer a matter of will this drawing or subject matter offend someone else's belief or religion. It's more of, is drawing this picture necessary or relevant to what I believe or how I currently see things, that's all!
Where can people find you online? https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=537334385       
(If you go to the info tab on Michael’s facebook page, he has other business and art gallery links listed).
Last, but not least, can you share with us five things about Michael Brown, that fans might not know.
1)      My full name is Michael Floyd Brown, always hated my name in its entirety. Michael is too plain & common, Floyd is way too country, and Brown is too much of pun for my skin color.
2)      I was born into a family full of artist, all 11 of us are artists, but I was the only one who chose art as a profession instead of a hobby.
3)      I'm the only person in my family of 11 brothers in sisters who has never been married or had any children.
4)      I hate labels of any kind; it is a pet peeve of mine that really annoys me about most humans. We do it without thinking about it and even I'm guilty of doing it more times than I will ever fess up to.
5)      I was also born into the religion Jehovah's Witness. (Although he no longer practices it).
I think ultimately, I would love for the ART to give me financial freedom so I can travel the world, the last big wall to get over! That money wall is a bitch to get over! A dream to have the freedom to go where I want when I want - without the worry of having to take care of my basic needs, and deal with the harsh & hard grip of poverty would be the final act of emancipation for me! I have had to struggle for a long time for the simplest of things and as I go along, year by year, I can see that financial freedom is a very strong possibility for me. I have to just keep plugging away at the ART and what will turn up from that. I will just keep right on till the results come in. FREEDOM, emotional, spiritual, and physically is what I'm always after, not only as an artist but as a person! I think we have far too many rules and things, teachings that enslave us to a life that we don't have to have. If you stay focused on your goals and firm in your steps to whatever you want to do with your life, then ultimately I think you will achieve it, ART has the ability to do all those things for me!

Thank you, for your time, Michael. I wish you all the best! I’ll be seeing you on facebook! 
***Interested in Michael’s art?
If you are interested in purchasing any of Michael's work, or would like to commission Michael to draw a piece for you (based on a photograph that you provide), leave him a message on facebook, or contact him at ptmikebrown@yahoo.com Check his facebook page under the “info” section for pricing. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=537334385


Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Silver Chasings, by Kestra Gravier

Today I have the lovely Kestra Gravier on my blog, I had the pleasure of meeting her last summer at the BDSM For Writers Con where we had an enjoyable weekend of education and research.

Welcome Kestra!

Laci, thank you for inviting me to your website.  I’m Kestra Gravier, author of several erotic novels with a BDSM theme.  I like to live near water and at various times have lived on the shores of the Eastern Seaboard, Ohio River Valley and Lac LĂ©man. Several career changes and way too much education supply me with a vast array of plot drivers.   

Passion in the Great Hall at Hampton Court Palace? Flirtation with a Louisville iron sculptor? Zero-gravity flogging? I hope to let you experience the sensations, the settings and the romance for yourself.

What are you working on now?
Last year, I won the BDSM Writer Con inaugural Book Contest with ‘Silver Chasings’ and I’ve been working with the publisher to finish the edits. Now, the release date is almost here!


March 31, 2015 to be exact. It’s always a rush to see a book that started as an idea take form, then be refined by working with editors and reviewers, to finally see the galleys just prior to release. Then there’s the anticipation and fear of waiting to see how the book will be received.  It’s kind of like that moment when you’ve left the diving board, but before you hit the water…

What else have you written that we can read?


After a visit to Hampton Court Palace outside of London, I wondered how BDSM might have been practiced in Henry VIII’s rather licentious court. And because I like spy novels, Lady Elinor earned her keep working for Lord Wysse, a Tudor spymaster (Dark River: Lady Elinor at Hampton Court).


Encounters grew from my enjoyment of lingerie (New Orleans and Paris being two favored sources) and the ‘what if’ an old flame re-entered your life after you had an established career. 






On my website, kestragravier.com, there is a short story- Hangar- available for download.

Tell me a little more about Silver Chasings.

Garrick Jefferson Custis is the respected leader of Tempest, a BDSM club, and a man looking to make a change. He has his contractor business, willing submissives, and good friends. But he wants a relationship outside of the lifestyle. Quin Landry fled the BDSM scene after a messy divorce. Now, she is ready to try again, to fill in a missing piece. She just wants to have a little fun, find a Dom to be part of her life.

Change may not be what Garrick needs to make his life whole. With a little help from his friends, and the right submissive, he may just realize what he has been chasing is actually already in his grasp. I hope you’ll want to meet Garrick and Quintana, and become immersed in the lives of Club Tempest members.


Here’s an excerpt for you…

“Oh, for God’s sake. How’d you get tangled in there?”
The cat arched and spit, fluffing her already impressive size, and tugged on the vine entrapping her front leg.
Skirting past Bastet, she said, “Let me get dressed, and then I’ll get you out of there.” Another angry wail stopped her in her tracks. A repeat glance around reassured Quin the cat racket had not brought forth any curious neighbors. Good, considering her current state of dishabille, but Quin hoped she never had to raise a real alarm midday. “Okay, baby. I’ll get you free.”
She crouched and stroked Bastet, calming her, crooning reassurance as her fingers worked to release the vine’s grip.
“Whoa! What?” A man’s voice stilled her from pulling the cat loose. She rose and whirled, keys flying loose, clutching Bastet across her torso like a fluffy towel. Never had she been so grateful for the Maine Coon’s size.
“Miss Landry. Pleasure to…see you again,” a second voice spoke.
Bastet made mewling protests as Quin squeezed the wriggling fur mass and slewed her gaze between the two men standing on her walkway. Oh, so not good.
In the midst of her panic, she entertained a fleeting regret the midday sun did not flatter a body past its twenty-something prime.
The contractor Nicole had introduced her to—Garrick somebody—filled the path, so his companion had to stand a half pace behind. A few inches over six feet, he had dark hair shot with gray that waved from his face and flowed over his collar. Powerful forearms showed below his rolled sleeves. Thigh muscles outlined by….
He removed his sunglasses and smiled at her, the lazy grin revealing a dimple and reminding her she wore nothing but a cat. Bastet’s tail swished along her thigh, letting Quin know she wouldn’t be wearing this cat for much longer.
“I think you dropped your keys,” the man who had first spoken said. A sun-streaked blond shorter than Garrick, his T-shirt pulled across his pectorals and jeans rode low on his hips. He gestured toward the plant bed.
“Oh.” her gaze darted from the plants to Garrick and his companion. Bastet growled and began to struggle.
“Quin.” Garrick’s tone calmed her, and she loosened her grip on the cat. “Stand there for a moment, and Tyler will retrieve your keys and unlock your door. Then you can put down…whatever that is…and go into the house. We’ll return in thirty minutes.”
“She’s a Maine Coon,” Quin said. Heat spread from her chest to her face. She assumed an unbecoming redness accompanied the flushed feeling. “I mean, thank you. Your plan will work.”


That’s quite a situation to be in!
Yes, it is.  Later in the story, Quin finds herself in a predicament bondage scene at a play party. 

Thank you for visiting with us and we eagerly look forward to reading “Silver Chasings!”

It was a pleasure to chat with you, Laci.

Pleasure was all mine, come back any time! 

***PURCHASE LINKS*** for Silver Chasings:









Tuesday, February 17, 2015

24 HOURS OF KINK


Come join in on the fun for a full 24+ hours; meet new authors, add books to your TBR list, and participate in games and giveaways. Hopefully you will meet new-to-you kink/bdsm authors that will make your auto-buy list!  24 HOURS OF KINK (see author schedule below).

All times are listed USA - EST.

(Disclosure - *Any and all giveaways are in no way shape or form endorsed by facebook).

Friday 2/20 EST
* 1730-1800 Welcome!
* 1800-1830 TammyJo Eckhart
* 1830-1900 Christie Sims and Alara Branwen
* 1900-1930 Author Carrie Anne Ward
* 1930-2000 Teresa Noelle Roberts
• 2000-2030 Cari Silverwood
• 2030-2100 Katy Swann
• 2100-2200 Gray Dixon
• 2200-2230 Erika Masten
• 2230-2300 Aurelia Evans
• 2300-0000 Tara Crescent

Saturday 2/21 EST
• 0000-0100 Arden Aoide
• 0100-0200 Scarlett Flame
• 0200
• 0230
• 0300
• 0330
• 0400
* 0430
• 0500
• 0530
• 0600
• 0630
• 0700-0730 Olivia Rigal
* 0730
• 0800-0830 Helena Stone
• 0830-0900 Rebecca Grace Allen
• 0900-0930 Tamsen Parker
• 0930-1000 Rachel De Lune
• 1000-1030 Shaunna Peterson
• 1030-1100 Silk Jones
• 1100-1200 Travis Luedke
• 1200-1300 Barbara Carrellas
• 1300-1400 Cecilia Tan
• 1400-1500 Skye Callahan
* 1500-1530 Christina Mandara
• 1530-1600 Sherri Hayes
• 1600-1700 Amy Valenti
• 1700-1730 Ann Mayburn
* 1730-1800 Sierra Cartwright
• 1800-1900 Madeleine Shade
• 1900-2000 Paige Matthews
* 2000-2030 Laura Antoniou
* 2030-2100 Mardi Maxwell
* 2100-2130 Joey W. Hill
* 2130-2200 S Renea Mason Bates
* 2200-2300 Anastasia Vitsky
* 2300-2330 Eden Bradley-Eve Berlin
* 2330-0000 Jacintha Topaz
* 0000-0030 Dakota Trace
* 0030-0100 Jade Onyx
* 0100-0130 Jenna Barton
* 0130-0200 P.t. Macias
* 0200-0230 *The End*


Not too long ago I participated in a facebook event and many people in other time zones couldn't make it due to the time difference and their work/sleep schedules. So I thought it would be cool to include all time zones in a 24 hour period to open more of an opportunity for people to join in live for the fun, and not have to read about it after the fact. 

It was awesome in theory, but looking at the schedule you can see that between 2AM & 930AM EST we have only one author signed up. So my dream of 24 straight hours of kink wasn't doable, BUT by extending the event a few hours earlier and a few hours later, we conveniently have a total of 24 hours of kink! And that makes me just as happy!
 
There's an amazing list of authors scheduled, and I hope you're just as excited as I am about that!

I'm Laci Paige, erotic romance author, and I've been writing kinky stories for only a few short years, but it's addictive, and even while trying to write outside of the genre my characters want to get a little freaky. I'm mostly known for the Silken Edge stories which are a five book fictitious series about a group of people who are into the BDSM/Kink scene. Each book follows a different couple as they grow and learn to discover more about themselves in the lifestyle and their relationships. They are light BDSM/Kinky reads (with the exception of #2). The books can each be read as a stand-alone, but it would benefit the reader to learn the characters in the order the books were written.

While I'm not exactly scheduled in the event (I'll be lurking around though), I still want to have a giveaway of my own for you guys.

So, I'd like you to try and remember that first kinky read that made you want more. Mine was from a Decadent Publishing giveaway I won, called Forever Bound by Stacey Kennedy. That was my first and I remember I wanted more after.

And if you haven't already, go check in at the Roll Call, it's been interesting to see where everyone is from!   24 HOURS OF KINK



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Sunday, February 15, 2015

The Beyond 50 Shades Sampler – #FREE #Beyond50

Beyond 50 by DL King

It’s out! The Beyond Fifty Shades Sampler is now available for free download at several popular ebook stores and we’d love it if you share it, read it, review it, facebook it, tweet it, blog it, love it and recommend it. Nearly fifty authors have collaborated to give you a little bit of everything hot, steamy BDSM. There really is something for all in this sampler and we hope you discover some fabulous new authors. 
A special thank you to Laura Antoniou, DL King, and everyone who was involved in bringing this book to life :)
*************************************************************************************************************

Can’t get enough Fifty Shades of Grey? The authors in Beyond 50 have come together to give you 50 FREE samples of their erotic musings.

Millions of readers around the world are caught up in the magic and romance of power and surrender, role-playing and kinky passions. Or, as some call it, BDSM.

But did you know there’s a wealth of BDSM themed-literature and media available now and coming soon, just waiting for you to discover?

Sensual romances. Gritty thrillers. Spellbinding fantasy. Darkly passionate suspense and horror. Dramatic historical adventures. Edgy erotica. Gorgeous art and photographs. Honest memoirs. From short stories to long novels, from subtle and light to explicit and nasty. Even helpful and sexy non-fiction to help bring your more risqué thoughts to life!

No matter what your interest, there’s a world of other authors ready to give your imagination a tasty turn. Whether you want only one style and theme or care to delve into a whole universe of passion, romance, danger and delight, you can find something just to your taste. All sexual identities and orientations and any match-up between them can be found in some of these scorching pages, and some you’ve never even heard of. Take the plunge and explore. Taste and nibble and maybe find so many more colors to paint your dreams and desires…

Purchase Links $0.00

Huh? Because of 50 Shades They Sell That?

Many companies are getting in on the 50 Shades of grey action by offering products or services in conjunction with the release of the movie. I've seen quite the variety of things; wine, jewelry, board games, nail polish, clothing, phone cases, baby clothes and changing mats, cookbooks, makeup, nail wraps, gourmet gift baskets, shoes, furniture, lube, sex toys - which really isn't a surprise, but the statistics are staggering, (I don't believe there has ever been such a run on Kegal/Ben Wa/pleasure balls), and of course blindfolds and ties. It's quite fascinating to see how wide spread this thing is.

Here are some things that caught my eye:

*Vermont Teddy Bear is getting in on the action, for 89.99 you can get this blindfold-handcuff wielding teddy made from the softest silkiest fur they could find! 

\
 


*Soothe Me after spanking cream.



And laundry detergent?



Here is an ad from the UK.





Hotels are even jumping on the bandwagon:




  • Fifty Shades of B Package



    • *Fifty Shades of B Package 0ffered by, B Ocean Hotel in Ft Lauderdale
      "Fifty Shades of B Package” will receive items that appear in the 50 Shades story line including a grey silk tie, a bottle of Pouilly Fume wine, an indulgent cheese and fruit platter and a sensual love kit. In true Christian Grey fashion, couples who are looking to take things up a notch can B Adventurous with the addition on a half-hour helicopter ride above the serene beaches of Fort Lauderdale. Please contact the hotel concierge directly to book Helicopter tour at $185/person, plus taxes. Please note transportation is not included.

      And they aren't the only ones;

      *For $659 per night, Fifty Shades aficionados can turn NYC in their very own sex-den. Packages at the Eventi Hotel or Ink48 include suite accommodations, a naughty gift box from NYC shop Babeland with a satin bondage kit, a paddle, spanking powder, a silk necktie, a 50 minute couples massage, a $200 credit to lingerie shops La Perla or Agent Provacateur and two tickets to the Museum of Sex. The packages are available through March 1, 2015.

      *Three Personality Hotels in San Francisco, including the ultra sexy Hotel Diva, are offering a $150 add-on to any stay that’ll turn your getaway up a notch. Guests will find a box (pictured above) full of all kinds of sex toys in their room to help channel their inner Anastasia and Mr. Grey, including vibrators, condoms, handcuffs, whips, paddles and ticklers. This deal basically says, if you hear some weird stuff from your hotel-neighbor, don’t be alarmed. Fifty Shades of Women, Come Again is also available at Kensington Park and Hotel Union Square.

      *The Edgewater’s No Grey Area package offers one day use of an Audi R8 Spyder so you can tour Christian’s city in his style, a kama sutra book, helicopter tour of Seattle, wine, aphrodisiacal appetizers and lavish waterfront accommodations.


      There are dozens more hotels cashing in on the phenomenon, maybe even one near you.


      ***What are some interesting products or services you've seen as a result of 50 Shades of Grey?***

      Monday, February 2, 2015

      Release Day for An Insomniacs Dream, by Allison Cosgrove

      Release Day Post for An Insomniacs Dream

      Blurb:

      As a kidnapper with a lifelong grudge holds an innocent woman captive, Detective Stan Brookshire has little evidence to go on. When he accepts help from an unlikely source, he comes to rely on her psychic vision. Will she lead him to Missy before it’s too late? Or will he humiliate himself and the entire Lake City Police Department chasing bogus leads while Missy Sheen’s time runs out?  

      Excerpt:

      Where was she? The street she was walking along did not seem all that familiar to her; there were colonial style houses with their little white picket fences on either side in neat little rows. Like something you would see in a movie. There was nothing to really distinguish where it was that she had found herself.

      She continued down the street. She somehow knew where she was headed, but still nothing seemed to fit to her. This certainly wasn’t her street. She lived in the city in a threestory walkup apartment building on a busy street. There were no walkups in sight and this certainly did not classify as a busy street. She had not even seen one car pass her. Mind you, judging by how dark it was and how many lights were on in the houses she was passing she would put the time well past midnight.

      What the hell was she doing out here?

      There, in front of her was a house that seemed to strike a chord of familiarity with her somehow, even though she was more than certain that she had never seen it in her life. It looked pretty much like all the others on the street: the garage in front of the house providing a nice sheltered front porch. The more she studied the house, the more certain she was that she had not been here before. However she soon found her feet pulling her up the walkway that ran parallel to the driveway and up onto the front porch.

      She heard a sound and looked back. Her eyes scanning the street for any sign of what could have been responsible for the rustling noise she heard.

      Nothing was moving on the street; the streetlights showed nobody.

      She turned back to the door and found herself once again not in control of her body and watched as she pulled a set of keys out of a coat pocket and started reaching for the door.

      Once again, she heard the rustling sound just off to the left and turned just in time to see a man climbing his way over the railing that closed in the porch.

      Almost frozen with fear she felt the keys slip through her fingers and heard them hit the ground at her feet. The man heard the keys and looked up at her.

      She couldn’t see his face for the light from the street did not reach that far onto the porch, however there was a glint in his eyes and she saw the knife in his hand reaching for her.

      The shock was gone and as she was suddenly able to regain control over her body, she turned and ran off the porch and back into the street with the man running after her. She had never been athletic in her life but she certainly wasn’t out of shape either. In that very moment she felt as though she had never spent a day working out. There was a heavy feeling in her chest making it feel like it was on fire. Her breath was coming out in harsh gasps as she tried to put some distance between herself and her assailant.

      As she ran she tried to call out for help but for some reason the most sound that she could make was that of a mouse's squeak.

      She took a chance and looked back over her shoulder; he had almost caught up with her and this was the chance the man needed to bridge the gap between them.

      He lunged at her and took her down in a football style tackle, both of them landing in a pile on the ground. She managed to turn herself as she struggled to escape his grasp but found herself losing strength.

      She saw the hand with the knife coming at her…

      Beth suddenly woke up and was back in her room in her walkup apartment; it had all been a dream. A nightmare.

      Or had it? Had it really been a nightmare this time? Or was it something more?

      About the Author:

      Allison Cosgrove was born and raised in a suburb of Toronto, Ontario. A married mother of three daughters, she runs her own business by day and creates her own worlds by night. She enjoys spending time with her husband and daughters hiking in the woods or sitting by the fire reading a good book. She has had the love of reading and writing detective mysteries from the age of twelve but it has only been since the birth of her youngest that she has gotten serious about crafting some of her own works for others to enjoy. She credits her family and friends with being the driving force that has given her the strength to breathe life into her books.  

      Praise for Sacrifice of Innocence:

      "Allison has created a memorable detective with Stan Brookshire. The premise of the story is, a cult has been killing children and Stan has to stop them before it's too late. The police believe they have the right man in custody but another kidnapping casts that into doubt. The trial is not going well, and despite the hope that the child was abducted by a copycat, Stan begins to believe that something more is happening. The mother of the child gets involved, and slowly the protagonists realize that this is not a standard kidnapping.

        It was a wellcrafted mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat. But the real reason I kept reading was I felt like I really got to know Detective Stan Brookshire through the story. I loved his interactions with the different characters and how he becomes emotionally involved.  

      I can't wait for the followup and to read more about Stan Brookshire. I would strongly recommend it to anybody who has grown tired of the other detective series out there."

      ~Joel Mark Harris, author of 1000 Bayonets  

      Praise for Dragon Twins:

      "In Book 2 of the Stan Brookshire series, Cosgrove doesn’t miss a beat. Continuity is perfect as the recurring characters and places are just as they were in Book 1. Stan & Jane once again take a case to heart as it becomes personal and throughout the action and psychological thrills we are also treated to the strength of family – both that with blood ties and that without. Stan still hasn’t really learned how to follow the rules; will this be the case he loses his job over? I highly recommend this read, as well as its predecessor ‘Sacrifice of Innocence’."

        Lacie Redding, Kissimmee, FL  

      Tuesday, January 27, 2015

      Cover Reveal ~ An Insomniacs Dream, by Allison Cosgrove

      Join the Party on February 1st, 2015 for the Release of the third installment in the Stan Brookshire series!

      Blurb: As a kidnapper with a lifelong grudge holds an innocent woman captive, Detective Stan Brookshire has little evidence to go on. When he accepts help from an unlikely source, he comes to rely on her psychic vision. Will she lead him to Missy before it’s too late? Or will he humiliate himself and the entire Lake City Police Department chasing bogus leads while Missy Sheen’s time runs out?  ;

      About the Author: Allison Cosgrove was born and raised in a suburb of Toronto, Ontario. A married mother of three daughters, she runs her own business by day and creates her own worlds by night. She enjoys spending time with her husband and daughters hiking in the woods or sitting by the fire reading a good book. She has had the love of reading and writing detective mysteries from the age of twelve but it has only been since the birth of her youngest that she has gotten serious about crafting some of her own works for others to enjoy. She credits her family and friends with being the driving force that has given her the strength to breathe life into her books.

      Praise for Sacrifice of Innocence: "Allison has created a memorable detective with Stan Brookshire. The premise of the story is, a cult has been killing children and Stan has to stop them before it's too late. The police believe they have the right man in custody but another kidnapping casts that into doubt. The trial is not going well, and despite the hope that the child was abducted by a copycat, Stan begins to believe that something more is happening. The mother of the child gets involved, and slowly the protagonists realize that this is not a standard kidnapping.

      It was a wellcrafted mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat. But the real reason I kept reading was I felt like I really got to know Detective Stan Brookshire through the story. I loved his interactions with the different characters and how he becomes emotionally involved.

      I can't wait for the followup and to read more about Stan Brookshire. I would strongly recommend it to anybody who has grown tired of the other detective series out there."

      ~Joel Mark Harris, author of 1000 Bayonets

      Praise for Dragon Twins: "In Book 2 of the Stan Brookshire series, Cosgrove doesn’t miss a beat. Continuity is perfect as the recurring characters and places are just as they were in Book 1. Stan &; Jane once again take a case to heart as it becomes personal and throughout the action and psychological thrills we are also treated to the strength of family – both that with blood ties and that without. Stan still hasn’t really learned how to follow the rules; will this be the case he loses his job over? I highly recommend this read, as well as its predecessor ‘Sacrifice of Innocence’."

      Lacie Redding, Kissimmee, FL  ;  ;