A double-feature spotlight! I could not let this one get away! The cover drew me in to want to pick it up. As a bonus, there is to be a special hardcover edition upon release, too, which is just as alluring!
The Mark of Dreams and Darkness
Expected Publication Date: September 16, 2023
Genre: NA Fantasy w/ Sci-Fi Elements
“Am I a good person?”
After the devastating events of the Titan Games finale, Karalevine Ruzz and her Starseed family find themselves in a panicked frenzy to get their fellow Starseed teammate back from the clutches of the vicious Arianyte Empire. The prince, Malakyte Ardeen, hasn't stopped his relentless search for Kara, determined to make her his no matter the cost.
Haunted by the certain doom of her fellow Starseed, Kara makes a fateful decision –to enter the lethal Titan Games, a merciless competition where the stakes are life and death. The prize? A face-to-face reunion with her captured friend and the chance to confront the very enemy that threatens Earth’s very existence. With each step closer to her teammate's liberation and Earth’s freedom, the line between allies and enemies blurs with every heartbeat.
But the Titan Games are no ordinary contest, and its host is no mere prince. As Kara faces off against other deadly contenders, she simultaneously clashes with Malakyte in an entirely different arena–a battleground of the heart.
Amidst the heart-pounding action and pulse-racing intrigue, Kara finds herself at a crossroads. Good versus evil, nurture or nature, redemption and fate. Will she succumb to the darkness within her heart, or will she hold fast to the better nature she strives to embody?
Special Edition Cover
Along with the regular release, there will be a RARE AMAZON EXCLUSIVE Special Edition Naked Hardcover featuring special INKED edges printed directly onto the paper (these are not sprayed edges.). These will be LIMITED 1st edition, and only 1,000 copies will be available.
“The Mark of Dreams and Darkness” is the spellbinding sequel to the award-winning and bestselling novel “The Mark of Chaos and Creation.” A tale of forbidden love, pulse-pounding action, and the indomitable spirit of a heroine torn between duty and the tumultuous darkness of her heart. Will Kara unravel the mysteries that entwine her fate and bring about freedom, or will she succumb to the allure of a love that should be her downfall?
Prepare yourself for an enthralling journey where love and danger collide, and nothing is as it seems. Arabella K. Federico delivers a masterfully crafted tale that will leave you breathless, captivated until the final page, and yearning for more.
The Avengers meets Sailor Moon meets Arcane League of Legends in this mind-bending mashup of fantasy and science fiction in which a young woman must fight and lie and do whatever it takes to secure the thing she wants most: revenge. If you’re in the market for something different on your bookshelf yet keep the familiar tropes you love in fantasy fiction, like enemies to lovers, forced proximity, fated mates, and found family, you’ll obsess over The Mark of Chaos and Creation until the very last page.
Where do you draw the line between fighting for the greater good and vengeance?
My name is Arabella K. Federico, and I am a passionate debut author. My YA novels explore the Sci-Fi and fantasy genres with a mind-bending metaphysical twist you’ll never see coming. Let’s just say nobody writes like Arabella.
If you want something different-yet with familiar tropes you crave-I’m your next favorite author. Don’t let the indie author thing fool you; my debut novel, “The Mark of Chaos and Creation,” was professionally edited by a talented industry pro who’s one of the developmental editors on Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn, as well as Tricia Levenseller’s Daughter of the Pirate King duology, and literally hundreds more traditional and indie books that are best-sellers.
As an author, coach, and teacher of all things writing craft, I hope to take my amazing readers on a ride they won’t soon forget. Storytelling is my passion. It lights me up like Christmas day and makes me more giddy than it probably should. Writing stories is my destiny, and I hope every new reader whose adoration I gain joins Arabella’s Army and follows me down the path of taking over the world. Because women who follow the status quo typically never break it, and over here, we shatter expectations.
Caught in the spotlight today is Kingdom of Hearts by D.M.Simmons. Let’s find out why!
KINGDOM OF HEARTS (CHILDREN OF THE FALLEN BOOK 3)
Publication Date: July 24th, 2023
Genre: Dark Paranormal Romance/ Why Choose
Tropes:
💙Friends to Lovers 💙Fated Mates 💙Chosen One 💙Found Family
Fire and ash.
No matter what I do, it all seems determined to go up in flames. My existence, my heart, my family….all that matters to me, one breath away from destruction.
Yet, no matter how battered or scarred I may be, I am no longer who I was. I am becoming what I was meant to be. Thanks to the powers thrust upon me and the hearts to which they are connected, I am no longer a pawn to be protected. I am a force to be feared.
Created by Heaven’s own hand, I wasn’t just born to rule…I was born to destroy. And the next time The Augury takes from me will be their last. I am a child of the Fallen. We don’t play games. We play to win.
Only I have one heart left to claim before the final battle. And when I do, I will be ready for my kingdom. Because I may have been born a princess, but I am destined to be a queen.
Kingdom Of Hearts is the third book in The Children of The Fallen Series. Be sure to read Book 1, A Cursed Throne, and Book 2,Legacy in Ruin. Recommended for mature audiences contains strong language and graphic sexual situations. TW’s include praise and submission, dark play, breath play, primal play, breeding kink, kidnapping, violence, and MFMM situation(s)
D.M. Simmons is an award-winning author of adult and new adult fiction. She is passionate about creating atmospheric worlds and telling captivating stories that take readers on an adventure. Fascinated by the indelible power of love, romance is usually at the heart of her stories, along with the narrator’s journey. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, sons, and crazy cats.
Releasing its cover reveal on Tuesday, House of Bane and Blood by Alexis L. Menard is looking out to be amazing, so I decided it had to be showcased in my Thursday Book Spotlight today. So let’s put all eyes on House of Bane and Blood.
House of Bane and Blood
Expected Publication Date: October 18th, 2023
Genre: Adult Fantasy Romance/ Rivals-to-Lovers
Cover Designer: Gretchen @lichen_and_limestoneIn
a city split into two opposing sides, power comes in many forms: bloodlines, money, love, and—most importantly—secrets.
An heiress in the most notorious family in Lynchaven, Camilla Marchese is doing all she can to keep her family’s syndicate, the Iron Saint Railway, from slipping into bankruptcy. When the gorgeous and depraved Nicolai Attano, the leader of a rival family, offers to pay off the Inspector in exchange for her hand, she has no choice but to give up not only her throne—but her name.
Nico has his own motivations for their union beyond maintaining peace with her family. A serial kidnapper known as The Collector has been ravaging the streets of Remnant Row, stirring up mistrust between natives and descendants. If Milla can help restore safety to his streets, he’ll have no need for her or her family’s company. Find the Collector, prevent a war between their sides of the city, and pay off the family debt before she turns twenty-one. If Milla can fulfill her end of the bargain, she’ll walk away with more freedom than she’s ever had before.
But this deal plunges Milla into the city’s dark underbelly, where remnant magic and arcane science compete in a deadly game of depravity. When forbidden feelings rise for her new husband and dark family secrets come to light, Milla must discover the truth about her past before it gets them both killed or, worse, collected.
Set in a post-industrial age setting on a magical Isle, Peaky Blinders meets the magic system of the Grishaverse in this rivals-to-lovers adult fantasy romance.
Alexis is a registered nurse based out of Louisiana, where she lives with her husband, toddler, and two oversized dogs. She enjoys long walks through the Renaissance Fair, reading smutty romance into the dark hours of the night, and wine nights with her “Finer Things Club.” She hopes to enrich the lives of her readers with worlds they can both escape in and take with them long after the final chapter.
Today in the spotlight is the newly released epic fantasy Death’s Reckoning by Quinn Thomas. Love epic fantasy? Me too! Let’s read on!
Death's Reckoning (The Mortal Aspects Book 1)
Publication Date: July 18, 2023
Genre: Epic FantasyThe battle for power is fierce in a world where mortals wield the strength of dead gods in this first book of a high-stakes epic fantasy series from Quinn Thomas.
A thousand years ago, the immortals were slain, their power passed down to a chosen few known as aspects. The competition between noble families for control of these aspects has plunged the land into a never-ending cycle of war and bloodshed.
The Tevulun family has been driven to the brink of extinction by the most recent war. When Tarana Tevulun, who possesses the abilities of Calamity, learns of her family's intention to murder her, she flees with the assistance of a band of mercenaries. The Tevulun’s enemy, the Ma’isans, take advantage of her absence to advance and besiege the capital city of Vicrum. Tarana returns to fight for the city, but faces a difficult challenge due to the involvement of the mortal aspect of Death – thought to be the sole remaining neutral aspect.
Meanwhile, a young soldier named Micol deserts the army after his first taste of battle. When he ends up in the besieged city of Vicrum, he finds himself embroiled with a group of outlaws. Thrust into a world of thieves and rebels, he must confront his deepest fears and make a decision that will change his life forever.
Death’s Reckoning is a page-turning epic fantasy for fans of ensemble casts and character-driven plot twists, with echoes of Steven Erikson’s Malazan series. Join these mortals as they wield god-like power in a world where even the noblest intentions can lead to destruction.
Check out this gripping excerpt!
Excerpt from Death's Reckoning
Micol’s blood ran cold. He closed his eyes, concentrating on taking deep breaths. Please don’t let them see us, he prayed to Loss. Please, let them pass by. It’s not supposed to end like this. Please.
Another man stepped into view. Then a third. Their conversation continued, but Micol couldn’t focus on the words. He was too busy listening to the growing sounds of movement around them. The pounding boots and squelching mud hinted at a larger force than the three men who had already passed, although he could only guess at how much larger.
At least a half dozen more came into view, most of them near Asoka’s hiding place. The three who’d led the way were nearly out of sight; Micol could barely see their torches through the thick trees. To his left, a glint of light caught his eyes. When he followed it to its source, he nearly collapsed.
Silvery-blue armor covered the woman from head to toe, flowing around her like water. Every inch of skin was covered, leaving only a pair of thin slits for her eyes. She was close enough to Micol to touch. His entire body began to shake, demanding action.
He couldn’t be still anymore. His every fiber screamed one word: escape. He had to get out, but there was nowhere to go. The beating of his heart raged thunderous in his ears until it felt like the sound alone would betray him. Cold sweat beaded on his fevered skin. The aspect’s head swung in his direction.
Micol tried to bolt from the tree – away from the aspect – but she reacted faster than he would have thought possible. Her hand snapped out, stopping his momentum and taking the pair of them to the ground. He managed to twist in time to see her liberating a rusted dagger from its sheath.
From out of sight, he heard the groan of a bowstring. The aspect’s dagger plunged toward his chest, but before it could strike the tip of an arrow spiked through one of the slits in her helm. Its force pushed her off him, and Micol took his chance. He was on his feet in an instant, running away from the group of soldiers.
He met Asoka’s wide-eyed stare; the other boy still held his bow in a ready position. Time stood still for a solitary moment before Micol broke the contact.
Bodies thudded; wood cracked from out of Micol’s view. “Got him!” he heard someone say. “He doesn’t look like an assassin to me.”
Micol kept running. He heard the footsteps of several men behind him, but he didn’t dare stop to check their progress.
“Get the other one!” someone else shouted.
“Over there! He’s headed toward the undergrowth!”
Micol fell into a row of dense bushes, forcing himself through. Branches and thorns tore at his skin and clothes, but he paid them little mind. The men chasing him reached the bushes a moment after he broke through the other side.
His days on the streets of Vicrum came back to him, lessons born from a thousand beatings doled out by those older and larger. There was always someone faster, someone stronger. But Micol had had one advantage: he was willing to go further. A path ahead promised easy escape, but instead of heading for it he plunged deeper into the undergrowth.
A thick root tripped Micol, sending him toppling head-over-heels down a stream bed. He hissed as a flare of pain shot up from his ankle; he inched toward the running water, but a sound came a moment later that stopped him cold.
“Micol!” a distant voice cried. Asoka’s voice. “Help! Please help me!” The pitiful cry was like an icy knife plunged into his lungs.
He didn’t make it out, Micol thought. I didn’t even stop to think about helping him escape. He rose to his knees, taking stock of the situation. He’d lost his bow when the aspect had taken him, which left the small hunting knife on his belt as his only weapon.
“Help! Oh, aspects, please!”
Micol knew what he was supposed to do. The stories soldiers shared were full of such scenarios; if he had been the hero in one of those stories, he would have drawn his knife and carved a path of blood back to his friend to save him. The men searching for him were getting close, and he knew he had to make his decision soon.
A sound like an axe hitting a tree echoed through the forest, sending a morbid shiver down Micol’s spine. He summoned all of his courage, but it wasn’t enough. He turned back to the stream and jumped in, letting the water carry him away.
Quinn Thomas is an Epic Fantasy author and occasional pool shark from Denver, Colorado. When she’s not writing stories about people thrust into situations that turn them into heroes (or, more frequently, villains), she’s wrestling her 100-lb labrador retriever. Her favorite fantasy series of all time is Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson.
Things Quinn has tried exactly once and wants to mention because she thinks they make her seem cool: skydiving, surfing, paddle-boarding, yoga.
Things Quinn has tried several times and wants to mention because they make her seem less cool: eating Cheetos on the couch while wearing yoga pants, tripping on her own feet, and singing karaoke songs completely sober.
Catching my eye today, I am spotlighting Lose Me in the Shadows by Jo Brenner. The dark spicy squeal in her Bad Heros series. Let’s check it out!
Lose Me in the Shadows (Bad Heroes #2)Publication Date: July 6th, 2023 (Kindle Edition)
Genre: Why Choose/ Dark Romance/ Navy Seals
She thought it was over.
Kara believed she was free.
Free to erase the brand left on her heart by the three men who thought they could own her. But when an enemy from her past reappears in her present, she’s forced to reckon with who she was—and who she’s become. The dark fire lit inside her by the men she left behind may be Kara’s only weapon against a predator intent on breaking her.
They’ve only just begun.
Conor, Micah, and Luke’s entire worldview has been shattered—by the woman they swore they’d never let go. After Kara’s betrayal, the ex-Navy SEALs decide they don’t believe in second chances…even for her. But when they learn their runaway girl’s life is on the line, the men will stop at nothing to get her back. She’s theirs—and only theirs.
And no one touches what belongs to them and lives.
Lose Me in the Shadows is the second book in the Bad Heroes Trilogy, a dark Navy SEAL second chance romance series. Although book two ends in a cliffhanger, the trilogy will end in an HEA. The heroine never has to choose between heroes for her HEA, and the heroes choose her and each other.
Don’t forget to check out Book 1: You Can Follow Me
You Can Follow Me
Publication Date: February 28, 2023
Genre: Dark Romance/ Why Choose
For her, it was a fling.
After her reputation blows up in New York, Kara takes off for parts unknown, determined to live life one thrill to the next. When a chance encounter with a Navy SEAL leads to the best sex of her life, the promise that it could be something more sends her running.
For them, it’s an obsession.
Sexy, brilliant, and lethal, Conor, Micah, and Luke have been best friends since they first joined the SEALS. Until Conor meets a daring redhead, and their two-night stand becomes a dangerous obsession. Micah and Luke hatch a plan to convince Conor to move on—but after meeting Kara themselves, all bets are off.
When the three men capture her, she’s forced to confront her feelings—and their anger. But Kara refuses to be anyone’s captive. Though they may dominate her body, she’s determined they’ll never have her heart.
You Can Follow Me is a dark Navy SEAL second chance romance that ends on a cliffhanger.
Today in the spotlight are Tim DeRoche and Daniel González, author, and illustrator of the best-selling Ballad of Huck & Miguel, returning with a book of verse that will delight anyone who loves Lemony Snicket or Shel Silverstein with Tales of Whimsy Verses Woe. Read on!
Tales of Whimsy, Verses of Woe
Publication Date: January 24th, 2023 (In honor of Lewis Carroll’s birthday)
Genre: Children’s Humorous Poetry/ Grades 1 – 12
Publisher: Redtail Press
If your moral character is flimsy Or your wit be rather slow,
Oh dare not read these tales of whimsy For often do they end in woe.
Tales of Whimsy, Verses of Woe is quite possibly the most dangerous book of poetry ever written. Do you dare? It’s so good it will make you sneeze. What becomes of a girl who absolutely detests the color green? What about a king who joins a punk band? And the little boy who calls up God on the telephone? Monsters, bears, wizards, and talking vegetables―This book has something for everyone. Winner of the prestigious Baldersquash Medal, which honors the very best in highfalutin nonsense.
ADD To Goodreads
Born and raised in Milwaukee, Tim DeRoche emigrated to California to attend Pomona College, where he studied English literature. His first book, The Ballad of Huck & Miguel, was featured on CBS Sunday Morning, NPR, the LA Review of Books, and the Mark Twain Forum. It was also selected by the Pasadena Public Library as the “One City, One Story” book for the Summer of 2019.
He has served as executive producer and writer of the children’s science series Grandpa’s Garage, produced by Turner, and is a graduate of the PBS Producers Academy at WGBH in Boston.
Tim lives with his wife Simone and three young kids in the La Crescenta neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Happy Thursday! Happy to be joining R&R Book Tours today for their blog tour of Short Stories for the Long Haul by John T. Buckley. To find out more, read on down below!
Short Stories for the Long Haul Expected Publication Date: August 12th, 2022 Genre: Anthology/ Fantasy/ Sci-Fi/ Crime Fiction & More A collection of short stories that explore the human condition. Everything from a self-absorbed wannabe quarterback who gets his shot to a woman who marries her dog…
John T. Buckley is a 47-year-old writer from Maine who’s been writing most of his life. He also loves to paint and seeing the world. He studied at University of Southern Maine as well as at SMTC in Cape Elizabeth. Fun fact, John T. Buckley was once the lead singer in a band called Mammyth.
Joining with Bursting Bookshelf Blog today we are spotlighting The Fortunate Fall by Olivia Almagro.
Rachel Gibbs closes a major chapter in her life and embarks on a promising new career as Media Liaison and Spokesperson at the Empowerment Agency. Yet, a year after being on the job, Rachel discovers her power-hungry boss and CEO of the agency, Roger Williams, is a total nightmare.
Roger Williams stands tall at the top, destroying the livelihoods of anyone who dares to stand up to him, even sabotaging Rachel’s work at every turn. William’s cruel actions catch up to him, when his neglectful and thieving ways become the focus of an FBI investigation.
Jennifer, a disgraced ex-employee, and her former assistant, Michelle, become embroiled in Williams’ war against the Feds and his enemies.
Some will do anything to come out on top, while others become unwitting victims in a war they can’t avoid, and a seemingly inscrutable Williams will stop at nothing to ensure his own survival.
The whirlwind of love, friendship, and infidelity complicating each character’s personal life is nothing compared to the inevitable hurricane of danger that threatens to destroy them completely.
Available in paperback and on Kindle!
Here is what readers are saying.
“I loved this book! I felt a strong connection to all of the characters. – Kimberly B.
“SO INTENSE AND FULL OF DRAMA!!!” – Tiffany
“A must-have on your bookshelf!!!”- Ivette R.
“This is book is definitely a book you can finish in a day or two because you will not want to put it down.” – TCB
Check out this timeless music that brings scenes to life and captures the essence of the characters in the Fortunate Fall.
AUTHOR BIO
Olivia Almagro hails from Hartford, CT. She currently lives in Miami, Florida, where she is the founder and principal owner of O+ Media Group. She is a public relations consultant, writer, digital content producer, and adjunct professor. She has been recognized for several awards, including an Outstanding Women of America Award, Hartford Courant’s Best Letters to the Editor of the Year Award 2008, and an Unsung Hero Award. Olivia Almagro is co-producer for the award-winning 70 Years of Blackness: The Untangling of Race and Adoption. She holds a B.A. in Mass Media Arts from Morris Brown College in Georgia and an M.S. in Management from Albertus Magnus College in Connecticut.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Joining with R&RBookTours once again to bring you good tidings full of mystery and suspense in this gritty noir mystery Stranger’s Kingdomby Brandon Barrows. As a gift read on to find out how you can enter to win a $20.00 gift card from Amazon.
Stranger’s Kingdom
Publication Date: August 25th, 2021
Genre: Mystery/ Suspense
Publisher: Black Rose Writing
Politically blacklisted detective Luke Campbell’s last chance in law-enforcement is a job with the police department of rural Granton, Vermont. It’s a beautiful town, home to a beautiful, intriguing girl who’s caught his eye, and it’s a chance at redemption. Even if his new boss seems strange, secretive, and vaguely sinister, Campbell is willing to give this opportunity a shot. And no sooner does he make that decision than the first in a series of murders is discovered, starting a chain of events that will change the lives of everyone in this once-quiet town…
The tall bag of bones swung a vicious right that seemed to whistle in the stillness of the thin night air, scraping through the empty space between my chin and throat, just barely avoiding contact with flesh. Seemingly in the same motion, as if using the momentum from his swinging fist, he turned and dashed off into the dim recesses of the alley he’d been hanging around the mouth of — for hours, if Rosalie Stompanato was to be believed. I had no reason to doubt her.
“Police! Get back here!” Shouting was pointless, but I had to try. I gave chase to the already- vanished figure, plunging after him into the deeper darkness between two aging apartment houses. My fist, which I only then realized I was making, unclenched and I reached for the holster under my left shoulder, muttering, “God damn it.”
It was pushing midnight and in just over nine hours, both Rosalie Stompanato and I were due in court for the attempted murder trial of her mid-level racketeer husband, Thomas “Tommy Stomper” Stompanato. Stompanato, loosely connected to the much larger Castella crime organization, had been on a lot of people’s radars for years, for everything from small-time protection rackets to credit card scams and money laundering for bigger outfits. Major investigations by Albany city police, New York state police and even federal authorities produced charges and convictions against numerous Stompanato pawns, and even a couple of lieutenants, but Tommy Stomper himself somehow always remained clean enough to skate away. It took a domestic situation, a middle of the night, literal knock- down-drag-out in which he pulled Mrs. Stompanato out of their lavish home in suburban Malta and, according to witnesses and Rosalie herself, tried to remove her teeth with the aid of a conveniently placed curb. “Stomper” wasn’t just a clever play on his family name.
When I got the tip about a disturbance at the Stompanato residence from a state-trooper friend, I couldn’t help being just a bit grateful for this bit of rage-fueled stupidity. The man had been so clever for so long that it looked like he’d never fuck up, that we’d never find the crack that would pull open his operation and let us drag him out into the light. For Rosalie Stompanato, it was a nightmare, but a lot of us who were after her husband felt gratitude and guilt in equal measures. One woman’s nightmare was a godsend for multiple agencies.
After the incident, Rosalie Stompanato moved out of her stylish home in nearby Malta to a small apartment in the area where she grew up, inside the city proper. Family and friends she knew there were long gone, but the return to a familiar place apparently brought a measure of comfort. It was understandable and it made both the county prosecutor’s work in prepping her for the trial, and my department’s in protecting her, that much easier. Despite the charges against him, not to mention his associations, Stompanato made bail and his organization worked on. With a trial looming over his head, but no date set, the mobster seemed to keep his nose relatively clean, knowing the state’s attorney would be more than happy to tack additional charges onto the list he was already facing. That and time, as weeks became months, allowed Rosalie Stompanato to make a life for herself unmolested.
“At least the kids are already grown and out on their own,” Rosalie told me once, in a private moment. “If this happened ten years ago…” She broke down without finishing, but I knew what she was thinking.
I kept in regular touch with her after that, partially because I felt she needed the support, but also hoping to pick up something that would further widen the chink in Tommy Stomper’s armor. She seemed to be doing as well as could be expected. She was even starting to feel safe again, she told me — until the night before the trial finally began.
It was past eleven o’clock when I received the woman’s call; I’d given her my home number and told her to call any time, for any reason. She noticed a figure, she said —a tall, gangly man she didn’t remember ever seeing in the neighborhood before, who spent hours standing in the mouth of the alley directly across from her apartment.
“It’s probably nothing,” I told her, as much to convince myself. Tommy Stomper proved he wasn’t stupid, but with so much riding on the events of the next day, maybe he was becoming desperate. “But I’m happy to check it out.”
When I arrived on Rosalie’s street, fifteen minutes after her call, I saw exactly who she was worried about and exactly why. He stood just outside the circle of light cast by a streetlamp, hanging around the mouth of an alley. I watched for a few minutes and he did nothing at all — not so much as light a cigarette, shuffle his feet or cough. He wasn’t worried about seen.
I exited the vehicle and approached.
Closer up, I could see he was a sickly thin young man, skin so pale it almost seemed to glow in the dimness. He wore a faded blue hooded sweatshirt that hung from him like laundry on a line and his hair was short, mussed and unwashed, making it look like blond barbed wire. I’d have bet his diet consisted largely of amphetamines.
The guy’s eyes, watchful and wary, scanned me as I approached. I flashed my badge and said, “Evening.” That was all it took. Those animal-alert eyes went wide and his fist swung out in an arc and then he was gone, rabbiting towards the nearest hole.
My feet pounded the pavement, echoing sharply in the narrow, trash-strewn space, all senses searching for signs of the danger I was rushing headlong into. Light beckoned from a short distance and after a moment, I burst out into the next street. Even the soft yellow glow of sodium lamps seemed brilliant after the pitch-dark of the alley and, as my eyes adjusted, I turned left then right, spotting a figure disappearing around the corner. I followed, telling myself I was being stupid, telling myself I should go back to Rosalie Stompanato’s, make sure she was all right, call it in, ask for additional officers, all while my feet took me closer to where I saw that retreating form.
I turned the corner, saw a flash duck around yet another corner. At the mouth of the alley, I allowed myself an instant’s rest before entering. Even from the street, it was clear this was a dead-end. There was nothing but darkness down this brick corridor — the alley was blocked up midway down.
I drew my weapon, fumbled in my coat pocket for my penlight, flicked it on, then aimed it and the weapon down the length of the alley, sweeping the narrow width of the space.
“C’mon out. There’s nowhere left to go.”
My heart pounded in my chest and there was a stitch in my side, but I felt good all the same.
Stompanato’s intimidation failed, and I caught his crony in the act. Witness tampering charges would be a bonus year or two on Stompanato’s sentence.
There was a rustle behind a pile of discarded cardboard boxes. “Let’s go,” I commanded. “Now.”
The figure rose like a scarecrow in a concrete field, arms lifted in a half-hearted pose of surrender. I flicked the flashlight’s beam upwards; he shied away, blinded by the brilliance, his head turning and one arm flying up to protect his eyes. I shifted the light so I could hold both it and my weapon in my right hand then started forward, plucking a pair of handcuffs from my pocket. With my left hand, I reached for the man’s wrist. Up close, I could see he was barely more than a kid.
“You’re under arrest for disobeying a lawful command, resisting an officer and—” I never got to finish.
The fist I’d narrowly avoided before thrust out again, catching me hard in the right shoulder, a wave of pain and shock jolting down the length of my arm. He was a lot stronger than his frailness suggested. He followed up with a two-handed push that sent me spinning off to one side, banging my other shoulder off of the rough stone wall of the alley, before rushing past, trying again to escape.
I threw out a hand, grabbing a fistful of his sweatshirt. It stopped him, but only long enough for him to half-turn and chop an open-handed blow down onto my elbow. Fresh pain skittered along my nerves, but I didn’t let go, instead raising my right hand, only to discover it was empty. Somewhere in those chaotic two or three seconds, I dropped my gun.
I cursed and struggled for a better grip on the kid’s clothing. He was thrashing wildly, yelling, “Let go! Let go!” his voice shrill and his mind going into panic mode. The decision between fight or flight was no longer his to make, but it seemed as if he was trying to choose both options simultaneously.
“Settle down! Cut it out, God damn it!” I snarled, freeing one hand to cuff him alongside the back of the neck, trying to startle him into a semblance of calm. “Nobody’s going to hurt you, but you’re digging yourself one hell of a hole!”
He ignored the words and continued to flail around. I tried to tackle him around the waist and ended up dragging both of us down to the filthy floor of the alley, where we rolled around for a few seconds, trading a punch a two. We were making enough noise that lights in the surrounding buildings came on. I hoped someone would have the sense to call 911, but even if they did, I knew nobody would arrive soon enough to help me get out of this. I was on my own.
Just as the thought flew through my head, the kid stopped moving. I allowed myself to hope he was coming to his senses at last. Then his hand shot out, straining to reach beyond my head, and when it came back into view, his fingers were wrapped around a chunk of brick the size of a small loaf of
bread. He reared up, holding the thing above his head, prepared to end things between us. In the scant light of the nearly forgotten flashlight, his eyes looked huge and empty.
My own eyes flew all around, frantic, searching for a way out. The other man was straddling my chest and his knees kept me effectively pinned to the ground, but my arms were free and my fingers scrabbled across the rough, cold ground, searching for something, anything, to break this deadlock. They closed around something even colder, something metallic and familiar.
As the brick came down, my fist came up, and the explosion of noise and light only inches from my face all but knocked me senseless.
Brandon Barrows is the author of the novels STRANGERS’ KINGDOM, BURN ME OUT, and THIS ROUGH OLD WORLD. He has published over seventy stories, selected of which are collected in the books THE ALTAR IN THE HILLS and THE CASTLE-TOWN TRAGEDY. He is an active member of Private Eye Writers of America and International Thriller Writers and was a 2021 Mustang Award finalist.
Now it’s THURSDAY! I am here joining The Bursting Bookshelf’s blog tour for a double whammy as I am spotlighting TWO books. Marisol: A Little Girl With A Big Dream and Adam Baum: The Autistic Engineer (Grow with STEM Series) by La Tanya Brooks.
Marisol: A Little Girl with a Big Dream
Marisol: A Little Girl with a Big Dream is written to help young children and their parents realize that great possibilities are limitless. LaTanyas goal is to design books that inspire children, especially at-risk children, to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering (STEM related careers). Traditionally male oriented, STEM careers are often viewed as careers that are not pursued by women, much less minority women. She also feels it is important to eliminate some of the handicapping implicit biases people unconsciously impose on themselves and others. LaTanya continues to promote STEM awareness to create a more diverse STEM community.
Adam Baum: The Autistic Engineer is cleverly written and inspires children of all abilities to pursue STEM careers. Adam realizes his differences makes it difficult for him to make friends, as other kids tease him by pointing, laughing and calling him Atom Bomb. Things began to change, one day…The story is captured by vivid illustrations that engage the reader from start to finish. The book also features reading comprehension questions to reinforce the lessons in the story.
“LaTanya is both an educator and author of excellence,with a heart full of compassion and concern for our students, she diligently works to connect with them and guide them to their dreams. Her book will inspire all of our students to strive toward their highest potential.”
–Dr. Parrish, School Counselor
Marisol is an excellent book that encourages kids to to follow their dreams. Children will certainly make self-to-text connections with this book. –Gracie Garcia, Deepark, TX Educator
Highly recommend her book for every single little girl in Houston and beyond!!! –Krystal Perkins, HISD Magnet School Coordinator
“Marisol is a wonderful book, and I am lucky enough to have an autographed copy. I encourage all of you to buy it. I am going to use it with my students, and I know they will love it.” –Barbara Wheat, HISD Reading Interventionist
“Marisol” is a quintessential book that will inspire students to strive for excellence. I strongly recommend this book for any child. –Laura Guevara, Parent
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Brooks’ goal is to design books that inspire children, especially at-risk children, to pursue STEM-related careers. Traditionally male oriented, STEM careers are often viewed as careers that are not pursued by women, much less minority women. She also feels it is important to eliminate some of the handicapping implicit biases people unconsciously impose on themselves and others. Brooks continues to promote STEM awareness to create a more diverse STEM community. Brooks says, “I believe that this book will appeal to readers because it is relatable, motivational and encouraging. STEM is an exciting, hot topic that is essential to 21st century learning. For teachers and parents, there are follow-up questions that assess children’s comprehension and emphasize the importance of an open dialogue between parents or teachers and kids.”
Quinn Thomas is an Epic Fantasy author and occasional pool shark from Denver, Colorado. When she’s not writing stories about people thrust into situations that turn them into heroes (or, more frequently, villains), she’s wrestling her 100-lb labrador retriever. Her favorite fantasy series of all time is Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson.
Freelance Writer Janny(Jan Marie)C 