Sunday, September 30, 2012

The Best of the Sunday Free Kindle Digital Books

Dark Corners (The Ella Reynolds Series)We have 20+ new free Kindle books for Sunday. We only add books with a minimum of 10+ stars and 4.0+ reviews. A great chance to grab a book or two for last day of the weekend. All of our books listed today are free ($0.00) on The Top 100 Best Free Kindle Books. As a service to our authors, if you read a free book please give the author a review on Amazon.Thanks. Remember that many of the free kindle books are priced at $0.00 for a very limited time (24-48 hours).
Never miss a great free book again. Join our Reader Mailing List and be notified daily of The Best Free Kindle Books. Want to see some of the books that will be FREE in the upcoming week? Visit the Upcoming Freebie Alert List. All books exceed 4.0 stars AND 20 reviews. Interested in new releases? Visit the New Release Alert List.

Book Buzz: Back To U (A Romantic Comedy) by Kathy Dunnehoff: FREE on 9/30

Back To U (A Romantic Comedy)“This story is just as funny and entertaining as the first two, but Dunnehoff infuses Back to U with newfound wisdom, insight, and compassion. A winning combination!” ~ D. Burke, Amazon Review
Our book buzz segment today features Amazon Bestselling author Kathy Dunnehoff and her book Back To U (FREE on 9/30). This romantic comedy features the character Gwen who turns 40 and goes back to her college of 20 years ago. If you are a fan of contemporary romance with a good dose of comedy, then take a trip back to college with the laugh out loud Back To U. Don’t forget to checkout Kathy’s other popular romantic comedies including The Do-Over, Plan On It, and Hollywood Beginnings. All four books will make a good choice for the reader who enjoys the RomCom genre. We are sure you will not be disappointed. Remember it is FREE on 9/30.
“I had always wondered what it would be like to go back to college, and through her story it tells it like it is. You can see and relate to the young characters she meets on campus. You can really see the dorm room she lives in. You start to really want her to succeed and can’t put the book down to see how it all turns out.” ~ DianneD, Amazon Review
“Great second chance romance. ~ Jamie, Amazon Review
Book Description: When Gwen hits the big 4-0, her husband leaves and her daughter takes off with a Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band. Taking her daughter’s place at the university seems like a good idea until she runs into the reason she dropped out twenty years before… and he’s also found his way Back To U.… Read more on Amazon.
About the Author: Kathy Dunnehoff is the Amazon Bestselling author of the romantic comedy, The Do-Over, and contemporary romances, Plan On It and Back To U. Despite her M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Montana, she finds herself warehouse shopping for ketchup way too often, blogging and tweeting about the mixed joys of mid-life, and guarding writing time from family invasion!

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Book Buzz: Jimmy Stu Lives! by Kent McDaniel

Jimmy Stu Lives!“Jimmy Stu Lives evokes our nightmares of where the United States could be in those one hundred plus years in the future, the technology, the mindset, but most of all a government functioning without separation of church and state.” ~ Liz, Amazon Review
 
Our book buzz segment today features Jimmy Stu Lives! by Kent McDaniel. Jimmy Stu Lives! is the perfect book for readers who enjoy the Science Fiction, Futuristic fantasy, and satire genres. Kent McDaniel also gives us a thought-provoking storyline centering around the concept of what happens in the near future if religion is not separated from the political system in the United States. Read the description of the book below and also follow the links to Amazon to read the reader reviews. Jimmy Stu Lives! is a “page turning adventure in the future” that will keep you interested till the last page.
 
“The novel adds to the answer for what happens when we lose faith; what happens when faith gets corrupted; and what happens when God works in mysterious ways, even among the faithless.” ~ Richard Dengrove, Amazon Review
 
“Fans of the subgenre Southern Science Fiction will have a good time following Jimmy Stu as he literally stumbles from one mishap to the next, all while trying to figure out his own place in this confusing future time and win the heart of self-sufficient, self-defensive Connie Lee. ~ Ophelia Julien, Amazon Review
 
Book Description: Ten minutes before the televised Easter Sunday service for Nashville, Tennessee’s three-thousand-strong Church of the Living Lord, Reverend James Stuart Sloan finds himself unable to come up with a sermon. Despite the urging of his car-salesman second-in-command to add some pizzazz to today’s sermon, Jimmy Stu remains uninspired.
 
Over the years he has gradually lost his faith, and after suffering a heart attack and the passing of his beloved wife two years earlier, Jimmy Stu finds himself staring down the long and lonely road to old age and death with nothing to comfort him, not even his once unshakable belief in God and the hereafter. With that fear in mind and with minutes to spare, an idea comes to him. And so he preaches about the familiar story of the resurrection of Christ, then segues into a resurrection plea of sorts for himself – calling on his followers and viewers everywhere to help fund his cryogenic preservation so that he might continue to do God’s work in the far future. More than a hundred years later, Jimmy Stu wakes up, as if from a long dream – and the real nightmare begins… Read more on Amazon.

Friday, September 28, 2012

Part 3 of The Conspiracy Theory: The Rise of the Preppers

The Last DegreeDigital Book Today: This is an interesting 3 part series. Conspiracies are a major plot in many books and movies. These articles are by Dina Rae the author of The Last Degree which is free on September 27-28.

The Conspiracy Theory: The Rise of the Preppers

Politics aside, we all can agree the world is a very dangerous place. Some people prepare for the worst. TV shows such as National Geographic’s Doomsday Preppers and Discovery’s Doomsday Bunkers highlight a segment of society who believes impending doom is near. In response, they put all of their time and resources into future survival. The “prepper” label emerges.
Preppers collect water through cisterns, stock canned food, invest in remote underground living quarters, and practice off-the-grid living. Their reasons exceed fear, ranging from nuclear war and natural disaster all the way to prophecies of End of Days and New World Order.
Whatever the belief, they continue to unite, forming their own subculture. This movement is similar to the ‘70s and ‘80s survivalism, but much more sophisticated in technological advances of supplies, weaponry, and social networking. They even have their own vernacular. Here are some of the more popular terms.
BoB: Bug-Out-Bag
Bag packed with necessities when it’s time to take off. Depending on location, terrain, and weather, the contents vary. Everyone should have a flashlight, water, lighter, thermal blankets, radios, compass, hard-copy of a map, knife, gun, first aid kit, and cash. (3 days worth is the minimum recommendation) SurvivalJane.com sells them pre-packed.
Zombie Apocalypse: It’s not just a horror novel term. When people who are infected and/or insane and become a threat.
PSS: Primary Shelter Site
A hideout. Prepper favorites-a home or trailer in a remote area, underground bunker, a spider hole (very temporary), and a cave
WROL: Without Rule of Law
No government or law enforcement-Chaos
SHTF: Sh@t Hits the Fan
The moment when a prepper makes the decision to bug out
Those who watch prepper reality TV have seen million dollar bunkers, advanced solar technology, militia sized arsenals, and endless shelves of medical supplies. Any attempt to prep seems overwhelming. Nonetheless, it doesn’t hurt to prepare. If interested in an easy, cheap way to start, I recommend reading Alex Newton’s Plan and Prep: Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse. It’s the only book packed in my BoB.
Thank you to author Dina Rae for an entertaining and informative 3 part series.

Part 2: Conspiracy Theory: What’s up with the Denver Airport?

The Last DegreeDigital Book Today: This is an interesting 3 part series. Conspiracies are a major plot in many books and movies. These articles are by Dina Rae the author of The Last Degree which is free on September 27-28.

Conspiracy Theory: What’s up with the Denver Airport?

For almost two decades conspiracy buffs point their fingers at the Denver International Airport (DIA), screaming anything from New World Order to Devil Worshipers. So what’s all of the fuss about? Denver’s citizens were suspicious from the onset. Denver already had a first class airport, Stapleton International, with six runways. Simply put, the need for another one wasn’t there. DIA was built anyway, but with five runways. Conspiracy was born.
The airport’s layout brings scrutiny. From an aerial perspective, DIA resembles the pattern of a Nazi swastika. Barbed wire surrounding the airport is positioned to keep those inside the airport instead of away.
Another oddity revolves around the enormous, red-eyed horse sculpture that stands at the gates. The sculptor, Luis Jimenez, died from a freak accident of a hunk of the horse statue falling on him in his studio. Some skeptics claim the horse is a symbol of time travel.
The sculpture isn’t the only odd choice of art. Creepy murals by artist Leo Tanguma depict coffins, the Virgin Mary holding a dead body, soldiers in gas masks, a Nazi zombie with a big sword, possessed children gathered around a plant, and plenty more. Many interpret the art to symbolize New World Order (NWO), a conspiracy theory about an inner circle ruling the world and exterminating those who they deem as useless.
Speaking of New World Order, did I mention a Freemason capstone inside of the airport? The granite monument has “New World Airport Commission” engraved. One problem. There isn’t a New World Airport Commission in existence. Could the capstone be a nod and a wink to Freemasons and Illuminati?

Book Buzz: Angel on Fire by Jacquie Johnson: A FREE Romantic Suspense Page Turner

Angel on Fire (Angel Investigations)“The twist and turns that this one takes is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats as they try to figure what is going on and just who are the bad guys and who are the good guys.” ~ Larena Hubble, Amazon Reviews
 
Our Book Buzz segment today features Angel on Fire (Angel Investigations) by Jacquie Johnson. This is an entertaining romantic suspense and mystery that will keep you turning pages until the very end of the book. Perfect for a lazy afternoon or a weekend getaway book. Angel on Fire is rated 4.0 stars on 26 reviews and FREE 9/27 – 10/1. What is the best part of this 4.0 rating? The author has received more 4 star reviews on Amazon than any other rating. To this blogger this means no inflated reviews and the truth being spoken by readers. Simply most reviewers of this book think Angel on Fire is a “quality read”. So if you enjoy the genres of romantic suspense or mystery, then Angel on Fire will not dissappoint. Get your copy while it is FREE to download from 9/27 – 10/1.
 
“There are a few love scenes but they are mild and well-written. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys an entertaining, easy to read mystery with a happy ending.” ~ Booklover45, Amazon Review
 
“Jacquie Johnson kept a fanastic pace throughout the book combining suspense with a nice love story. ~ Anne, Amazon Review
 
Book Description: All Angela wants is to understand why her father, security specialist Mac McKenzie, dropped dead on a sidewalk in Boston. Instead, she is thrust into the midst of an international conspiracy when she discovers that her father was working on a classified project at the time of his death. Now, the FBI, a terrorist and a killer have her in their sights. Former Navy SEAL turned undercover operative, Chase Romero thinks his boss is overreacting when he orders Chase to small town America to protect Angela. But he changes his mind when her home is burglarized and “accidents” begin to happen. The real question becomes, how can he keep her safe if he keeps tripping over his own heart?
 
After shooting an intruder, Angela flees the scene, and the FBI issues a warrant for her arrest. On the run for her life and her freedom, she places her trust in Chase. As they travel from New England, to the nation’s capital, to the shores of Lake Michigan, the trail – and their attraction – grow hotter. Together, they team up to prevent a global financial market meltdown and face a killer who will stop at nothing to get his hands on the project Mac protected with his life. … Read more on Amazon.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Thrifty Thursday: A Great List of Kindle Books to Download Without a Charge

Salem VI: Rebecca's RisingWe have a great list of 25+ new titles today. Look at the 10 books below. High ratings combined with a high number of customer reviews. Looking for highly reviewed Kindle books to download without a charge? See the rest by visiting The Top 100 Best Free Kindle Books. Thanks. Remember that many of the free kindle books are priced at $0.00 for a very limited time (24-48 hours).
See the Top 80 – 100 free, handpicked titles that we update everyday on The Top 100 Best Free Kindle Books – updated daily. This list is not available on Amazon. Never miss a great free book again. Join our Reader Mailing List and be notified daily of The Best Free Kindle Books.
Want to see some of the books that will be FREE in the upcoming week? Visit the Upcoming Freebie Alert List. All books exceed 4.0 stars AND 20 reviews. Interested in new releases? Visit the New Release Alert List.

Author Interview: Gabriela Taylor: The Ultimate Guide To Building And Marketing Your Business With Google

Google: The Ultimate Guide To Building And Marketing Your Business With Google (Adwords, YouTube, Google+, Google Analytics, Google Apps, Google+ Local, Google Shopping)Our interview today is with Gabriela Taylor the author of several books including The Ultimate Guide To Building And Marketing Your Business With Google. Before the interview a brief book description: This book unlocks the power of Google and how you can make this search giant work for you and your business. Learn more about the full suite of Google tools, how you can use them to launch and grow your business and have a successful online strategy by understanding exactly what you can get from Google.

Interview with Gabriela Taylor

1. What do you want readers to take away from your book?
I want my readers to find my book easy to read, informative and a fantastic step-by-step, practical guide with tips and resources that people can start using immediately to benefit them and their business.
2. Who has been the biggest influence on your life? What lessons did that person teach you?
From a personal perspective, I have been influenced by many friends and family. In terms of my professional and entrepreneurial life, people such as Anthony Robbins, Frank Kern, Seth Godin, Dan Kennedy and Jay Abraham have all had a big impact on my mindset and identity and have really given me the motivation to succeed doing what I love. The next book that I launch will actually be about every one that has inspired me. I will cover the key lessons that I have taken away from these inspirational people – taking action and getting across to my readers that everything is possible if you believe in yourself and share your knowledge and passion with others.
3. What do you consider your most core philosophy of life?
Learn from each life experience and always striven to improve yourself. If you provide a product to customers, make sure that it is something that you believe in, covers a topic that you are passionate about and provide real value as a product.
4. What has been the greatest challenge in publishing your books?
Thanks to online technologies everything is now possible with hard work. Whereas in the past you required a publisher to agree to take your work to market, the Internet has now opened up so many opportunities for us to be creative and get our work to the mass market. Of course there has been a lot of hard work and ups and downs along the way but I’m very proud of what I’ve achieved. If you have a passion for something you can start straight away – there is nothing stopping you.
5. What is your favorite genre to write? Why?
Business and in particular web marketing is the core theme throughout all of my work to date. I also plan to write in the future about self-development, languages and cultures – all things that are very close to my heart and sum up my interest in a nutshell.
6. How did you come up with the title of your book?
I wanted to provide my readers with a comprehensive and definitive guide to Google. I changed my mind several times and floated several ideas around. I eventually settled on “The Ultimate Guide To Building And Marketing Your Business With Google – YouTube, Google+, AdWords, AdSense, etc. ”, which pretty much sums up exactly what my book is about. I have since adopted this “Ultimate Guide” theme for several of my other books including one on Pinterest, Tumblr and Free Web Marketing Tools.
7. If you could move anywhere, where would you live?
I must admit I’m a bit of a sun-worshipper. Moving somewhere where the sun shines 365 days a year would be ideal for me and I would also love some place quiet that allows me to focus all of my energy on my creative output. I have previously lived in the South Of France and going back there would be nice!
Follow Gabriela on Twitter: @globalndigital
Find her on Pinterest: pinterest.com/globaldigital
Books:
The Ultimate Guide To Marketing Your Business With Pinterest (available in English, French, Spanish And Italian)

Book Buzz: Nate Rocks The Boat by Karen Pokras Toz: Middle Grade Adventure and Humor

Nate Rocks the Boat“This book is perfectly created for the middle grade reader.” ~ Ritesh Kala, Amazon Review
 
Our book buzz segment today features Nate Rocks The Boat by Karen Pokras Toz the exciting followup to Nate Rocks The World (a multiple award winner). The adventure continues for middle grade readers as they get to follow Nate to summer camp. These are perfect books for boys (and girls) in the 7-12 age bracket. Don’t worry about having to read them in order. Nate Rocks The Boat can easily be read as a stand alone book but we warned that the young reader in your world will want the first book also. Our suggestion is to get both books: Nate Rocks The World (4.7 stars, 39 reviews, $2.99) and Nate Rocks The Boat (4.9 stars, 15 reviews, $2.99). We are sure they will not dissappoint the young reader in your life.
 
“Nate Rocks is back and better than ever! Author Karen Pokras Toz sticks with a formula that works in her sequel Nate Rocks the Boat.” ~ Stacey Rourke, Amazon Review
 
“Although predictable from an adults point of view I think this has the perfect amount of excitement to keep the target age engaged (8-12 years). The terminology used, the voice and the little details are all age appropriate, if I was a parent of a child in this age group I would definitely be buying the whole series. ~ MJ, Amazon Review
 
Book Description: The Adventure Continues… With fourth grade finally winding down, 10-year-old Nathan Rockledge is looking forward to a fun and relaxing summer at home with his friends. That is, until his mom decides he has to go to overnight camp with his annoying older sister. When his best friend Tommy decides to tag along, Nathan thinks maybe his summer won’t actually be so bad. After all, he does get to be away from his mom’s awful cooking for an entire six weeks. Amongst Color War competitions, a flaky counselor, and a bully named “No-Neck,” Nathan turns to his trusty sketchpad, transforming himself into Nate Rocks: 10-year-old extraordinaire. His speedboat ready for action, Nate saves the day time and again from the perils of floods, snakes, ghosts, and even the most wanted criminals.
 
Join Nathan, Tommy, Abby, and a whole new cast of characters as Nate Rocks once again proves nothing can hold him back. … Read more on Amazon.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

35+ Highly Rated Free Kindle Books For Wednesday

The Sum of Random Chance35+ New Free Books all meet our minimum standard of 10+ reviews and 4.0+ stars and most greatly exceed these minimums. It is a great day to grab a free book or three! We have a great list of highly reviewed (just look at the ratings on the books below) and free Kindle digital books to download for free ($0.00) on Wednesday. As a service to our authors, if you read a free book please give the author a review on Amazon.Thanks. Remember that many of the free kindle books are priced at $0.00 for a very limited time (24-48 hours). Always make sure that the price is $0.00 when downloading.
Other ways to be informed of great books:

Book Buzz: Blood Money by Laura Rizio: A Legal Thriller in a System Gone Wrong

Blood Money“In her exciting debut, personal injury attorney, Rizio, crafts a legal thriller with compelling characters and tense action that more than compensate for a familiar premise. An appealing tart cynicism haunts the novel’s scenes. For a debut, Rizio’s novel is remarkably accomplished. An entertaining thriller full of clever touches, whose characters and tone enliven an overworked genre.” ~ Rebecca Cramer Kirkus Indie — Kirkus LLC
Interested in the halls of justice? Do you enjoy legal thrillers? Dislike lawyers? Our Book Buzz segment today features Blood Money by author Laura Rizio is rated 4.1 stars on 56 reviews. Obviously the readers have enjoyed Blood Money. You don’t get a 4.1 star rating with 55 reviews without a quality story. Lawyers on a day to day basis they are exposed to a lot of potential story ideas and they have the legal knowledge to add as background into the story. If you like the legal thriller genre then Blood Money by Laura Rizio should be an enjoyable choice of a read.
“This is a book which you will finish in one reading and you will never think of the American justice the same as before the read. This is an inside view of the unpredictability of the jury system and the notion of justice is turned on its head. An inside view of corruption in the very system we have come to depend on.” ~ James A. Hamilton III, Amazon Review
For anyone who already dislikes lawyers, Blood Money will feed your disdain. It’s an insider’s view of how the law is played as a dirty business, and how nothing — least of all, the law itself — will stop the “worst of the worst” players from getting their way. ~ E.J. beard, Amazon Review
Book Description: Nick Ceratto, a young, cracker jack litigator looking for a partnership in the prestigious Philadelphia law firm of Maglio, Silvio, and Levin discovers his firm’s dark secret for increasing it’s bottom line while preparing a medical malpractice case for trial.The partners are setting up major cases by seriously injuring and even murdering their clients to produce huge jury awards. When the firm discovers he knows, Nick’s only hope is to stay one step ahead of the hitman long enough to intentionally lose his case and expose the firm’s corruption. As his mission careens towards an explosive climax, the only question left, is whose lives will be sacrificed along the way. … Read more on Amazon.

Author Interview #118: A Lovely, Indecent Departure by Steven Lee Gilbert: FREE on 9/26

A Lovely, Indecent DepartureOur interview today is with Steven Lee Gilbert author of A Lovely, Indecent Departure (4.4 stars on 21 reviews). Before the interview a brief description: Anna Miller wants only one thing, her son, and she will do anything to keep him. When a district court awards custody of Oliver to his father, she abducts the five year old and flees to Italy where with her family’s help they disappear into the fabric of her native homeland. Told in prose that is both stripped-down and overpowering, Gilbert shapes the everyday conflict of child custody into a stunning search for sense of worth. Standing in the young woman’s way is Evan Meade, the boy’s guileful and mean-spirited father, who hires a private investigator when the efforts of the embattled local sheriff, Monroe Rossi, fail to track them down. But as the investigation draws them all closer to Anna, Evan’s true nature betrays itself and the question of what’s in the child’s best interest becomes not so clear anymore.

Interview with Steven Lee Gilbert

1. Your book takes a close, intimate look into a parent’s struggle with child custody. Where did you come up with the idea behind A Lovely, Indecent Departure?
Many years ago I had the unfortunate duty to watch from the sidelines as the custody battle between my wife and her ex-husband first unravel and then go against her. The courtroom drama unfolded, it seemed, like a short theatre act, with one biased eye-witness after another, my self included, testifying on one of their two behalves. The judge then processed that information and decided within a few hours whose interest best served the child. What followed was a difficult time, indeed, for her, and for me, also. But as Albert Einstein once said, “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity”, and so it was in considering all of the courses of action she might have taken to keep her son the seeds of this story were sown.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Tuesday eBooks for Kindle: 25+ New Titles: 4.0+ Stars: Cost=$0.00

Blood LandTuesday morning brings our readers a new selection of 25 books to choose from for their Kindle that cost $0.00 (free). The Top 10 Free Kindle Digital Books listed below is a great start, but don’t forget to check out the rest of The Top 100 Best Free Kindle Books. As a service to our authors, if you read a free book please give the author a review on Amazon.Thanks. Remember that many of the free kindle books are priced at $0.00 for a very limited time (24-48 hours).
Do you ever play Kindle games? Visit the Best Free and Paid Kindle Games.
If you download and read a free book, please give the author a review. Never miss a great free book again. Join our Reader Mailing List and be notified daily of The Best Free Kindle Books. Want to see some of the books that will be FREE in the upcoming week? Visit the Upcoming Freebie Alert List. All books exceed 4.0 stars AND 20 reviews. Interested in new releases? Visit the New Release Alert List.

Author Interview #117: The Anvil of the Craftsman by Dale Amidei

The Anvil of the CraftsmanOur interview today is with Dale Amidei author of The Anvil of the Craftsman (5.0 stars, 14 reviews). Before we get to the interview a brief description: A doctoral candidate in Theological Studies accepts recruitment by a friend in the U.S. State Department for an initiative to the most troublesome province in 2006 Iraq. The many challenges of nation building expand the mission from diplomacy to a survival situation as local and international interests position themselves to oppose a State Department initiative: one vital to progress in an uncertain theater. Terrorism and counter-terror operations threaten to keep the team from leaving the relative safety of Baghdad. Until, that is, a former USAF Special Tactics operative hunting the men who want to kill them draws duty as their protector. The simple questions posed during a tribal council threaten provincial and regional stability; the conclusions reached explode into a clash of faith, loyalty, schism and betrayal that will help shape the future of two nations.

Interview with Dale Amidei

1. What was unique about the setting of the book, and how did it enhance or take away from the story?
The setting for the majority of The Anvil of the Craftsman is 2006 pre-surge Iraq, during a time when the outcome of the war effort was very much in doubt. The setting permeates the storyline and adds to the energy of the plot.
2. What specific themes did the author emphasize throughout the novel? What do you think he or she is trying to get across to the reader?
The theme of the novel is the three possible orientations of the human spirit, which are universal. The questions are foundational, and all people make their choice consciously or otherwise.
3. Do the characters seem real and believable? Can you relate to their predicaments? To what extent do they remind you of yourself or someone you know?
Comments in the title’s eleven five-star reviews consistently mention the excellent character development that led to their impression of the novel. The characters seem real and their predicaments and experiences evoke emotions in the reader. All of the defining aspects of my characters reside to some extent in real people of my life or history.
4. How do characters change or evolve throughout the course of the story? What events trigger such changes?
No one can experience war without being changed. With the stakes as high as life, death, and shaping the future of two nations, no one emerges from such levels of intensity unaffected.
5. In what ways do the events in the books reveal evidence of the author’s world view?
I write from the perspective of a conservative and a Christian, and those viewpoints mirror in my main themes and narrative characters. The novel, told through many eyes, is set in the real world. The effect is a work of fiction that seems pulled from the pages of history.
6. Did certain parts of the book make you uncomfortable? If so, why did you feel that way? Did this lead to a new understanding or awareness of some aspect of your life you might not have thought about before?
I found the writing of “Anvil” both exhilarating and clarifying. More importantly, readers have reported that digesting the title has done the same for them. It is gratifying to think that I have penned a work of fiction that is now becoming a portion of my readers’ philosophical makeup.
7. Was there a basis for your story? A previous experience? Something else?
In August 2006, Al Qaeda terrorists near Ramadi murdered Sheik Ali Abu Jassim, who had been working in support of the formation of the Iraqi police forces in the region. The assassins committed the further offense of hiding his body in a field rather than return it to his family for prompt burial as demanded by Sharia law. The sheiks of Anbar had finally seen enough.
The subsequent movement they called “The Awakening.” American forces joined by tribal militias began to transform the Province. The insurgents’ fledgling Islamic State of Iraq found an overwhelming counterweight in the manpower and authority of the united tribal leadership. Through a series of actions that carried this momentum forward, what had once been the most troublesome province in Iraq slowly stabilized. Foreign influences in the region diminished. The Anbaris themselves took control of their destiny, working with the central government toward national unison. These events inspired “The Anvil of the Craftsman.”
8. What research did you have to perform to back up your story? Any research which really opened your eyes or gave you new respect for a topic or profession?
A huge amount of cultural and near-term historical research went into the setup of the storyline. It led to one of the most heartening aspects of the plot, which is the struggle of the tribal people of Al Anbar against first a brutal dictatorship and then foreign interlopers seeking advantage in a time of turmoil. Several readers have expressed their appreciation of my including the tribal perspective.
9. What is your method for writing a book? A certain amount of hours every day? A certain routine? Are you character/story builder or an outliner or some other method?
Method is everything. I work from a series of summaries and synopses that evolve into the scene listing spreadsheet. Characters likewise receive a biographical workup before the first draft begins.
10. How do you get past writers block or distractions like the internet?
I cloister. Focus requires the elimination of distraction by whatever means are necessary. Writing to me is an art, and the creativity involved needs a committed environment to happen.
11. Favorite book from childhood.
No books affected my life so much as J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. It took me many years and more than a dozen readings to understand the appeal of those works. His basic premise is, I believe, that character and faith are inseparable. The vitality of one will link inextricably to the other and will share to an extent its strength or foundational flaw.
People in the real world are an amalgam of strength and weakness. Orientation toward life or death is steered by enlightenment and delusion. It is the combined strength or failing of many measures that make us what we are, and just as important is the validity of the allegiances to which we dedicate ourselves.
I try to take each character’s score in that same matrix into consideration before bringing him or her to life in my fiction. I hope that the result will be vibrant and resonating characters, and a greater sense of immersion for my readers.
*****
Thank you! -Dale Amidei
@DaleAmidei on Twitter
Get your copy of The Anvil of the Craftsman on Amazon.

Book Buzz: The Reborn (The Day Eight Series) by Ray Mazza

The Reborn (The Day Eight Series Part 1)“If you are a fan of near future science fiction such as Snow Crash or Daemon, you will absolutely love the Day Eight Series. It is filled with exciting technology, great character development, and can’t-put-it-down action. ~ Eric Holmberg-Weidler, Amazon Review
 
Hello Digital Book Today readers. The Book Buzz segment today features The Reborn (The Day Eight Series Part 1) by Ray Mazza which is rated 4.7 stars on 27 reviews. The Reborn and the other two books in the series (Of Mice and Hitmen, and The Spiritual Singularity) have all been in the Best Seller lists for Technothrillers in the paid Kindle store (The Reborn and Of Mice and Hitmen both hit the top 20, while The Spiritual Singularity was in the top 50). Are you a fan of technothrillers, near future science fiction, or series? Then start off on a great adventure by reading The Reborn the first book in this exciting technothriller series. Readers who enjoy this genre have not been dissappointed.
 
“Loved it! I just downloaded the next two books in the series. It’s a fast read filled with fantastic ideas about the future of AI. Oh, there’s political intrigue, national security issues, and meaning-of-life stuff, too. Can’t wait to see where this is going” ~ Candace Williams, Amazon Review
 
“Great sci-fi takes what you already know and puts a little tilt to it, a twist that makes you see everything in a new way. ~ DWD’s Reviews, Amazon Review
 
Book Description: Present day: Secret technology. Genius millionaires. A simulated human. Hidden chambers. And in the middle of it all: Trevor Leighton. When Trevor Leighton stumbles upon a distress note written by the daughter of multi-millionaire Damon Winters, he attempts to do the right thing: turn it in. But the note isn’t what it seems, and it leads Trevor on a dangerous path to uncover the most incredible technology the world has ever known: a super intelligent human being simulating inside a computer program. Not only did Trevor unwittingly have a hand in creating the simulated human, but his new work to alter it will push his life – and the world – one step closer to a catastrophic event. Part I of the Day Eight series is just the beginning of Trevor’s thrilling adventure to prevent a disaster far worse than any ever conceived by humanity. …Read more on Amazon.

Monday, September 24, 2012

Monday Morning Madness: 30 New Free Books: All Rated 4.0+ Stars

Black Beast: A Clan of MacAulay Novel (Volume One)Good Monday morning. As usually happens on Monday, we get a nice fresh list of free titles. We have lost 30+ books from our free list but have added 30 new free titles! Stock up for your fall reading needs as we have a great selection of the best free books for the Kindle, iPad, and Kindle Fire on our The Top 100 Best Free Kindle Books. As a service to our authors, if you read a free book please give the author a review on Amazon.Thanks. Remember that many of the free kindle books are priced at $0.00 for a very limited time (24-48 hours).
Never miss a great free book again. Join our Reader Mailing List and be notified daily of The Best Free Kindle Books.
Want to see some of the books that will be FREE in the upcoming week? Visit the Upcoming Freebie Alert List. All books exceed 4.0 stars AND 20 reviews.
Interested in new releases? Visit the New Release Alert List.

Book Buzz: Spare Change by Bette Lee Crosby: 4.6 Stars on 68 Reviews!

Spare ChangeReminiscent of Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mocking Bird ~ Jon, Amazon Review
 
Hello Digital Book Today readers. The Book Buzz segment today features the Reviewer’s Choice 2012 Award Winner. The book Spare Change by award winning author Bette Lee Crosby has been compared to John Grisham’s The Client. Wow that is some heavy expectations for a book. So what do the readers think of Spare Change? Amazon Readers have rated it 4.6 stars on 68 reviews! At the writing of this post Spare Change is rated #1 in the Amazon Kindle store for both Historical Mystery AND Literary Fiction categories. Go ahead and grab yourself a copy today. We are sure you won’t be dissappointed.
 
“A Brilliant, Light-hearted Read!” ~ Jonathan B, Amazon Review
“Rapidly Unraveling Mystery, enjoyable storyline, lively dialogue. Every Character is well-defined and believable. ~ Reader Views
 
Book Description: Eleven year-old Ethan Allen Doyle has witnessed a brutal murder and now the boy is running for his life. In the time-tested tradition of Southern Fiction, Crosby unveils the darkest side of human nature and then rewards her readers with a beautiful tale of love, loss and unexpected gifts. Olivia Westerly is the only person Ethan Allen can trust, and he’s not too sure he can trust her. She’s got no love of children and a truckload of superstitions–one of them is the belief that eleven is the unluckiest number on earth. Olivia avoided marriage for almost forty years. But when Charlie Doyle happened along, he was simply too wonderful to resist. Now she’s a widow with an eleven-year-old boy claiming to be her grandson.
 
With a foul mouth, dark secrets and heavily guarded emotions, Ethan Allen Doyle is not an easy child to like. He was counting on the grandpa he’d never met for a place to hide, but now that plan is shot to blazes because the grandpa’s dead too. He’s got seven dollars and twenty-six cents, his mama’s will for staying alive, and Dog. But none of those things are gonna help if Scooter Cobb finds him.
Winner of Five Literary Awards,BookBundlz Finalist, Voted Goodreads Best Unknown Fiction, FPA President’s Book Award Gold Medal Finalist. …Read more on Amazon.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Lighting My Fire

Matty and the Moonlight Horse (Matty Horse and Pony Adventures)Our guest post today from Jane Ayres author of Matty and the Moonlight Horse.

Lighting My Fire

Names matter. They evoke, suggest, depict. They create atmosphere and emotion.
I give things names. I label them. It gives them life, personality. My Samsung notebook is Nettie. My red Citroen C4 is Belinda. Don’t ask me why. When I looked at her parked in the space outside my flat I just knew she was Belinda. Why not a French name for a French car? Who knows?
I have not yet named my Kindle, however. Because I think the name given to my e-reader is sufficient and, actually, perfect. I love my Kindle. It wasn’t love at first sight, not at all. More of a slow burner, appropriately. But the word, Kindle, is so apt and clever. It suggests igniting a fire, and also kin (ship), family. Familiar. After initial scepticism and the assertion that it could never replace the feel, the texture of a paper book, I now read more than I ever have for years. I still love books, but there’s definitely room for both, as the reading experience each offers is both different and complimentary. What is so appealing about the Kindle is the fact that you can have so much on the one device and I can chop and change between essays, novels, non-fiction, etc. It suits the way my brain works as my mind often jumps about when I read. At the moment, I am simultaneously reading Amazon’s free guides to publishing direct on the kindle; a novel by Douglas Kennedy called The Moment; First you write: the worst way to become an almost famous author by Joni Rogers; and a recent discovery for me, Living, Thinking, Looking: essays by Siri Hustvedt, which marries my fascination with philosophy and neuroscience.
This leads to the other aspect of e-readers that excites me – I can see a book on Amazon that interests me and a few clicks and seconds later, I am reading it. I often download a free sample and then go on to buy the book. My appetite for reading is now almost as voracious as when I was a child, which delights me greatly. The fire has been rekindled.

The Best of the Sunday Free Kindle Digital Books

Twisted Vengeance (A Supernatural Thriller) (Book One of The Twisted Series)We have 20+ new free Kindle books for Sunday. We only add books with a minimum of 10+ stars and 4.0+ reviews. A great chance to grab a book or two for last day of the weekend. All of our books listed today are free ($0.00) on The Top 100 Best Free Kindle Books. As a service to our authors, if you read a free book please give the author a review on Amazon.Thanks. Remember that many of the free kindle books are priced at $0.00 for a very limited time (24-48 hours).
Never miss a great free book again. Join our Reader Mailing List and be notified daily of The Best Free Kindle Books.
Want to see some of the books that will be FREE in the upcoming week? Visit the Upcoming Freebie Alert List. All books exceed 4.0 stars AND 20 reviews.
Interested in new releases? Visit the New Release Alert List.

Is It Better For Politicians to Lie Or To Speak The Truth?

Is It Better For Politicians to Lie Or To Speak The Truth?

I am amazed at the outcry that has grown up around the recent revelations about a presidential candidate whose remarks at a fundraiser raised eyebrows.
Remember Jack Nicholson’s iconic one-liner in A Few Good Men? “You can’t handle the truth,” he said.
So, is that the lesson we take away from this latest news flash? Is the moral teaching at issue that we prefer people vying to be the “leader of the free world” to lie whenever they get the chance and apologize if they get caught telling the truth?
I have spent more than twenty-five years sitting in courtrooms and deposition rooms listening to people testify under oath. Often, as soon as they take their hands off the Bible, they plunge into bizarre lies. Sometimes the tales they spin are so transparently false that even people who are on their side have a hard time keeping a straight face.
Why do they lie? It is in their self-interest. It’s as simple as that.
Lying corrupts the legal system.
Does truth-telling corrupt the political process?
I don’t see how it could.
If we catch a candidate in a moment of candor, we gain a valuable insight into what makes him tick. For a minute or two, we see beyond the “message” crafted by his handlers. In the current political process where campaign events are so carefully orchestrated that we never get beyond talking points, it is refreshing to hear someone say what is really on his mind.
This doesn’t mean that we have to like his particular version of the unvarnished truth. We may disagree entirely with him and turn our backs on him for saying it.
That’s the price tag that comes with truth-telling. But at least we can evaluate what he really stands for.
So, what is all the hubbub about in the last few days?
Have we come to a point in American political campaigns where we want our leaders to lie to us, to be careful only to say what they believe we want to hear?
Was Jack Nicholson right? Can we not handle the truth?

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Saturday Morning Freebies – A Great Day For Kindle Digital Books

No Turning Back (Kathleen Turner Series)We have 25+ new titles and many that are new to our The Top 100 Best Free Kindle Books. Do you need a great weekend Free Kindle Digital eBook to read that won’t break the bank for the weekend? All of our books listed today are free ($0.00)! As a service to our authors, if you read a free book please give the author a review on Amazon.Thanks. Remember that many of the free kindle books are priced at $0.00 for a very limited time (24-48 hours).
Never miss a great free book again. Join our Reader Mailing List and be notified daily of The Best Free Kindle Books.
Want to see some of the books that will be FREE in the upcoming week? Visit the Upcoming Freebie Alert List. All books exceed 4.0 stars AND 20 reviews.
Interested in new releases? Visit the New Release Alert List.

Book Buzz: Judgment Tramp by J.D. Currie

Judgment Tramp (An Eb Maclean novel)“This author has hit another one out of the ballpark. From the first paragraph, you are hooked . . . characters are strong, realistic, and story line drags you right into the pages. Thrills, chills, a little romance, and great attention to detail.” ~ Debra Field, Amazon Review
Hello Digital Book Today readers. The Book Buzz segment today features Judgment Tramp by J.D. Currie. A well written novel of suspense, thrills, mystery, a touch of romance, glimpses of humor, and a story line that keeps you guessing until the very end. Judgment Tramp is currently rated 4.6 stars on 14 reviews. If you enjoy the thriller and suspense genre with a strong male character, then Judgment Tramp will be a perfect choice to add to your book collection of books to read. We are sure it will not disappoint the reader.
“His fast-paced action adventure has lots of surprising twists and turns. It is well written, with compelling characters, unexpected relationships, and glimpses of humor throughout. The story line really held my interest…just when you think you have it all figured out, something changes. ~ Wendy Frazee, Amazan Review
Judgment Tramp was a fun read right from the beginning. Suspenseful with touches of humor. ~ Kristin Mosblech, Amazon Review
Book Description: Ex-Army helicopter pilot Eb McLean is struggling to deal with his emotional scars and return to civilian life, but a sudden explosion and vicious murder throw him back into another kind of war. Now his sister Maggie’s car is burning in front of their restaurant and hardened FBI agent Nick Kavadas wants to nail Eb for the crime. Eb finds himself in a race against time to find the real killer and peel back the layers of deceit and lies which threaten to destroy everything he holds dear. But whom can he trust? ATF Special Agent Danielle Ricci, who may be harboring a secret of her own? The sexy, but deadly, Imme Amoud? Or could his involvement with her be a fatal attraction? In the frantic hunt for the killer Eb is forced to confront his own tortured past. Read more on Amazon.