Hi all! Today we continue with Dopamalovi Books. Yesterday we met the authors and saw the books. Today we will continue on with the staff. You can browse the site athttp://www.dopamalovibooks.com/Come spend the night with us!
Created by Terrence Scott
First up say hello toDopamalovi Owner and Editor:
DONNA JEAN LYONS.
Donna Jean Lyons dwells in the secluded mountains of West Virginia with her longtime girlfriend, Missy, and two furry buddies, Merlin and Magick. When she isn’t spinning new tales, she can be found editing manuscripts for her publishing company, Dopamalovi Books, or reading new submissions. Her days carry her away to places few would like to visit, and her nights are spent with a cast of unsavory characters that few would want to meet. But she wouldn’t have it any other way. She loves her company, her extraordinary staff, and her amazing authors. And Donna wholeheartedly acknowledges the fact that Dopamalovi Books wouldn’t be the company it is today without them. It is her greatest desire to release books that stimulate the mind of the reader, allowing them an escape, helping them to lose their worries inside the pages, while pushing the boundaries of what they expect from a publishing company.
DOPAMALOVI POETRY EDITOR
Charlotte Emma Gledson
Charlotte Emma Gledson currently resides in the south-coastal town of Gosport, UK. Her heart however yearns to return to her roots in the Northwest of England, specifically Cumbria. With over 30 stories and poems published in anthologies and magazines, including, ‘The Serial Killer Magazine’, Charlotte is also penning a supernatural novel entitled ‘Bluebells for my Baby’. Her collection of unsettling stories, 'The Lonely Tree and Other Twisted Tales of Torment' is available at all good book retailers. Married with four gregarious children and a collection of ventriloquist dummies and porcelain dolls, she finds time relaxing while sipping wine, singing Karaoke, and going on paranormal investigations.
DOPAMALOVI COVER ARTIST & WEB DESIGNER
Terrence Scott
Terrence Scott spends most of his time imagining what makes people afraid, and where there are no places to hide from the things that come out of the darkness. As a result he writes constantly to exercise the demons from his head. This is only marginally effective. When he is not picturing someone’s horrible demise, he likes to dig graves to understand how long it would take, wonders how razor-sharp claws might tear through a body, and how much blood is actually in a human being.
He does not get invited to many parties.
DOPAMALOVI PHOTOGRAPHER
Angela Via
Angela Via grew up in the mountains of rural Virginia and in rural north central Florida. She is currently adjusting to the shock of urban life in Tampa, Florida where she attends graduate school. Nature provides Angela with peace and solitude. She sees beauty in the simplest things, and tries to capture that sight and emotion with her camera.
DOPAMALOVI BOOK CRITIC
Cristina Gutierrez
Cristina Gutierrez is a mom and grandma. She began reading at age 3 and hasn’t stopped yet. The first book she read was Barney the Beagle, still a favorite. She hung out a lot at local libraries and can now be found around town with Kindle in hand. She collects cookbooks and faeries, enjoys hiking and movies. Much like her reading habit of giving any and all books a chance, she will watch any movie that catches her attention. She loves her family and friends, East Kentucky and Alaska. On a blind double date her best friend Yolanda set her hair on fire. She wants to come back as Johnny Depp’s alien girlfriend because aliens get to probe. She lives in Alaska with her grandson
Yes this is me. The title still freaks me out. I can be found on Twitter, FaceBook and GoodReads.
DOPAMALOVI BOOK REVIEWER
Sue James
Sue James is a Braxton County, West Virginia native. She attended Florida State University and graduated with a Masters in Social Work (MSW). Twenty-two years later she retired as a clinical social worker and followed her heart back to the Appalachian Mountains, she calls home. She owns beagles and enjoys competing in field trails across West Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Ohio, and the surrounding areas. Mrs. James is an avid reader and a young great-grandmother who enjoys family, friends, and good times.
Now you have met everyone. Yes we are a small but tight group of good people. I hope you have enjoyed meeting us all. We are happy to help you if we can. Head over to DOPAMALOVI BOOKSand check us out. The site looks great. The books are awesome.
Hi everyone! I am still down with the back injury but will do my best to get some reviews posted, news on upcoming books and of course some future giveaways on the blog in March. April is my birthday month so there will be lots of birthday fun to look forward to. Be sure to follow the blog with Linkys and/or Networked Blogs if you are not a Blogger user. I am waiting to see what the change today brings. *sigh*
Today also brings a happy event.....The official launching of Dopamalovi Books! Yay! Now you may be asking who? What? A new book publisher? Yes and no. Dopamalovi has been around putting out books for the past year at least, working with a small but tight community of staff. Things are going very well and so now we are having a Blast Off With Dopamalovi Books!
Here is an awesome and I do mean AWESOME, book trailer made by a very talented young man who you will meet in a few moments. The trailer will show you who we are and provide you with some cover lust moments. So check it out....
Here are our authors and their work. Enjoy!
Stacy Bolli
Stacy Bolli lives in the sun-soaked state of Florida with her three beautiful children. In her free time, Stacy enjoys letting her inner demons out to play inside the wicked stories she spins for the sake of her own sanity. You can find her on FaceBook.
Ollie
By Stacy Bolli
Rochelle doesn’t have much: a minimum-wage job, a mobile home in the sticks, and a prescription pill addiction. But she has Ollie, her pet Oscar fish, and she loves him unconditionally. If Ollie were a dog, free to roam around outside, Rochelle might have worried when a fire breaks out at the local chem-lab, releasing noxious fumes into the air. But Ollie is a fish, safe inside his fifty-gallon universe, so there is nothing to fear…or so she thinks. But somehow, inexplicably, Ollie is growing. And he seems to gaze at Rochelle with a new sense of understanding. Is it her imagination, or is Ollie just a little more…well, human these days?
For Rochelle, it makes no difference; she’ll love him and protect him despite the cost, even if it breaks her heart.
For Ollie, her heart may not be enough.
Ollie is a freaky good time. It hit me because Stacy wrote on something that truly does scare the crap out of me...chemical leaks. I so see stuff like this happening. No matter what I am told, when I read a book like Ollie, I am paranoid for weeks. Get the book and let your paranoia begin.
Patricia Clemmons
Born mid-century, learned the lessons of life in rural America. Using backdrops that she found along wooded trails as a child and later asphalt avenues as an adult, she writes about surviving the fittest.
Blind Trails
Park Ranger Kelly Daniels takes her job seriously and considers the Forest Preserve trails her backyard. So when Vincent Vecchione, a local crime boss, loses control of three henchman and they decide to use Kelly’s woods as a veritable killing field, she can’t sit idly by. However when Officer Maroney of the County Sheriff’s department begins his investigation, it may be more than just territorial pride keeping Kelly on the case.
Maroney’s the type of man who could set off fireworks in Kelly’s life, but can she let her guard down? And if she does, can she find love amidst the shadows of her own past and the blood-drenched bodies that keep turning up? For Kelly Daniels, that question may be a matter of life and death.
Cheap Perfume
Men believe they are right no matter how wrong they are, and Earl Dittmer is no exception. With his marriage on the brink of failure and his first son on the way, can Earl change his ways before it’s too late?
This tale from the tavern explores the darker side of matrimony, the pitfalls of redemption, and the hope of second chances.
Porcelain Cut
A man in anguish.
A lovelorn woman.
A porcelain doll.
When the three meet, a love affair is born, but normal conventions don’t hold true. For this love affair is peppered with blood, deceit, and the mysteries of a past no one can escape.
The Bakersfield doll does not forget, and for Steven, no amount of blood will wash away the horrors of his family’s demise, or the sins of his sister. Now, if he hopes to start a life with his newfound love, he must fight against the evil hunting him, and protect himself from the haunted eyes of the porcelain doll.
My mom collects dolls as her mom did. The rooms they kept them in always freaked me out. When my children would go stay at Grandma's house, they always begged me not to let her put them to sleep in that room. But of course, my mom always put them in there, (me too! ). I know she did it because she loved her dolls and thought we did to. Nope. No way! This book explains exactly why I have that fear. I now know it is not an irrational fear. Looking to get a book for someone who is freaked out by a room full of dolls? This is the perfect choice. They will never ask to sleep over at your house again.
Rosebud
McCaffrey, a police officer killed in the line of duty by an unseen assailant, is eternally bound to the road on which she was killed. She spends her time pacing the dusty ground, pitying the other victims of their shared killer, until a chance encounter with a young man named Barry allows her to hitch a ride and possibly achieve the only thing she’s desired since her death. Together, quite literally, they take on the burden of apprehending McCaffrey’s killer, in the hopes of setting free the tortured souls who walk the road.
I enjoyed this book by Ms Clemmons. The story is enough to keep you driving past hitchers. At the same time it is a haunting story of a life cut short and the desire for retribution that not even death can quench.Read it before a lonely road trip. *Evil smile*
Charles Day
Charles Day aka, The evil, little Jester, is an HWA affiliate member, the Mentor Program Committee Chairperson, and a full member of the New England Horror Writers Association. He has published 14 short stories with various small press publishers, including his novella LOCKDOWN, 2011. His biggest success to date is the sale of his first thriller/suspense novel, DEEP WITHIN, Spring 2012, a YA horror novel, LEGEND OF THE PUMPKIN THIEF, Jan 09, 2012, and a Novelette, THE PLAN, Spring 2012. His first edited anthology, TALES OF TERROR AND MAYHEM FROM DEEP WITHIN THE BOX, Winter 2012 contains 24-terrifying tales from many talented authors, including the first ever, all exclusive premiere of how the evil, little jester became so evil, titled THE GIFT by Charles Day and edited by Hollie Snider.
He is also the founder/owner of Hidden Thoughts Press—Non-fiction works where the primary focus is mental wellness collections—and Evil Jester Press, a fiction imprint. You can find him on FaceBook .
Alick Harris
As a young boy, Alick Harris enjoyed coming up with new concepts and working out how they would unravel into a substantial story. At school, Alick took every English writing project very seriously and spent hours planning what he was to write about, usually causing his teachers annoyance by writing far more than the required word count.
At the university, he is currently at the end of a film and writing degree along with various other elements of study. Throughout his academic life, he has written many short stories in his spare time, keeping to a childhood tradition of turning ideas into something more.
Regardless of his choices for working life after study, writing will still be a big part of his life. He is on FaceBook.
Retribution
What happens when you take everything from a man, but leave him breathing?
It’s the 1800s and the Wild West is rife with gangs vying for control and power in a land growing with wealth and stature.
It is only the incorruptible lawmen that stand in their way.
When the Gaust Gang sets upon Marshal John Steele and slaughters everyone that makes his life worth living, the gang of ruthless outlaws unknowingly allow him to survive their brutal attack. With the help of an impoverished doctor, the Marshal heals from his injuries and vows swift vengeance that only a man with nothing to lose can deliver.
Bret Jordan
Bret Jordan is a resident of southeast Texas, and an avid reader who devours books in almost every genre and tries to bring a little of that variety into his writing. It’s all about people, adventure, escape from the humdrum of reality, and the ever-present question, ‘what if?’
When not writing or spending time with his wife and children, Bret puts pen to paper as an illustrator and sometimes-digital artist. To get away from it all he can often be found riding the roads of Southeast Texas on the back of his motorcycle. Bret can be found on FaceBook.
A Pirate’s Tale
Shipwrecked and washed ashore, the pirate Block wanders a lush, jungle island until he stumbles upon a tribe of natives. Held captive, he is forced to embark on a mission he doesn’t understand, a mission that will test all of his considerable skill.
Plotting his escape, Block traverses the labyrinthine, underground caverns of the island, but the creatures he encounters there have a different plan. Now Block must summon all his strength and courage if he hopes to thwart them. But have the natives sent him here to test his mettle, or for something far more sinister?
Alone in the Mist
Waking one morning to discover his family missing, Jeff Taylor finds himself a prisoner in his own home. A thick fog has converged on the house, preventing any escape. Inside the walls, Jeff is unable to call for help, and the laws of time and space seem to no longer apply. Now Jeff must take stock of his life as he investigates the emptiness closing in on all sides. The ghostly whispers of his missing family are the only indication that he may not be…alone in the mist.
The perfect story to read on a foggy morning while enjoying a cup of coffee...in a coffee shop. Because you don't want to be alone in your house with the mist outside.
Avalbane
With a newly acquired journalism degree and a heart full of ambition, Jessica sets out through Turner’s Woods with the intention of exposing the horrible environmental practices of the local paper mill. Armed with no more than a test tube for collecting water samples and Toby, a former high school geek and classmate, Jessica searches for the rumored toxins killing the forest and streams, but what she discovers is far worse than any toxic waste.
An age-old entity still inhabits Turner’s Woods, and though she’s grown frail and weary, she’s had many years to seethe and wallow in her anger—anger towards the men who have slowly destroyed her home.
Avalbane feels no pity.
Avalbane shows no mercy.
Avalbane has only a deep hunger, which needs to be fed, and a pent up desire for vengeance that’s about to be unleashed. The one thing standing between her and the destruction she has sought for decades flows vibrantly through Jessica’s veins.
Jack Knight
Jack Knight was born in Lancashire, in the United Kingdom, and moved to South Yorkshire at the ripe age of ten. He did a spell in the army, where he discovered his love for writing. Currently, Jack is employed by The National Health Service, but now finds himself in a position to pursue his life’s ambition of being a novelist.
Outside of work he takes pleasure in reading, watching the odd movie, playing chess, and spending time with his supportive family—though not as often as he would like. Jack is on FaceBook.
Darkness Whispers
When a group of longtime friends decide to ignore the warnings of the locals and embark on a wild weekend fueled by alcohol and the desire for a good time, they quickly discover all legends aren’t urban—or created equally.
From the first shot of a gun-toting maniac’s military rifle, the friends’ idyllic getaway turns into an endless torrent of horror. The terror mounts as the remaining victims learn there’s no escaping, and the unseen assailant is mercilessly stalking the unyielding terrain in search of fresh victims. Soon the group is caught in a terrifying sequence of bloodshed, murder, and voodoo. But what happens next is beyond anyone’s darkest imagination…even Paul Docherty.
Doc, as his friends affectionately call him, is a man haunted by a nefarious past he cannot remember, and tormented by the beast within that he cannot forget. As Doc’s inner demon sets out to destroy him by seizing this opportunity to take complete control, it’s up to the few that are still standing to identify the supernatural madman while frantically searching for weapons to use against the encroaching danger because, as darkness falls, they realize their only hope for survival is to win the final battle in the fight for their lives on the notorious shores of Beacons Cove.
Donna Jean Lyons
Donna Jean Lyons teeters on the outer edges of sanity when writing, and disappears for long stretches of time from her mind as well as her secluded home in the mountains of West Virginia. She is animal-friendly, eco-friendly, and lesbian-friendly, but not family-friendly. Her work is raw, unrated, and not for the faint of heart. She writes about the ugly truths of this world, which others turn a blind eye toward or attempt to sweep under the proverbial rug. And even though she has been banned, condemned, and left for dead, she makes no excuses for her words because there is no mistaking that what she writes, she owns.
She has been sharing her morbid tales with hardcore horror fans, when the laws of publishing would allow, for more than fourteen years, and loves reflecting her own inner darkness out onto her faithful readers. Donna is on FaceBook.
The Devil’s Waterfall
Lacy isn’t happy with her life. She’s bored as a homemaker, her toys have become dull, and her lover leaves something to be desired. So when her boyfriend’s twin comes to town, Lacy is eager for a distraction from the humdrum monotony, and all bets—and clothes—are off. A one-night tryst leaves Lacy pondering her own desires, and she learns that some toys are more than mere playthings. It may be true that idle hands are the Devil’s workshop, but in Lacy’s case, the road less traveled leads straight to...the Devil’s Waterfall.
The Devil's Waterfall is a scorching good time! Not for those easily offended nor those under 18. All others ...if you want a book to crawl under the covers with get it.
The Angel Maker
On the streets of West Virginia, a homicidal maniac is preying on the homosexual community. With an insatiable thirst for blood and pain, the killer commits unthinkable acts of cruelty in the name of absolving all sins of the victim. Terrorized, tortured, and finally murdered, the unfortunate prey may ascend to Heaven as an angel, according to the deranged correspondence addressed to the lead detectives on the case.
Terry Marshall has seen her fair share of crime as a homicide detective, but she never imagined it could hit so close to home. When the love of her life is savagely slaughtered by The Angel Maker, she can no longer function within the confines of the law enforcement system, instead vowing to bring vigilante justice to the killer who has destroyed her life. But her path is dark and treacherous, and as Terry descends into the madman’s world she finds her former allies have turned their suspicions on her.
As sinister secrets come to light, Detective Terry Marshall begins to see the terrifying game for what it truly is, and she is but a pawn. She may not know the rules, but she knows in this game there are no draws, and the bloodbath doesn’t end until the The Angel Maker is destroyed.
I loved this book by Donna. It kept me glued to the pages. Donna has written a hot, HOT, thriller that will keep you guessing. With it's many twist and turns and sexy scenes this book will keep you warmer than warm on a cold night. Not for those easily offended nor those under the age of 18.
The Witchdoctor of Hog Holler
How far would you go to save the one you love?
Lucile Denmark must ask herself that question when a devastating automobile accident leaves her lover, Julie Parker, at death’s door. With everyone in Julie’s life giving up hope, Lucy refuses to do so. But she’s running out of time, and the only hope remaining lies with the legend of an old witchdoctor deep in the hills of Hog Holler.
Since childhood, Lucy has heard the terrifying tales of the high price for a supernatural favor, but with guilt and desperation driving her on, Lucy ignores the warnings and crosses the threshold between our world and the isolated Appalachian mountains of Braxton County, West Virginia. It is in this place, where wishes are granted by an unspeakable wickedness, that Lucy finds the demonic hope she sought.
But the legends were only half as horrible as the brutal reality, and Lucy discovers that when you make a deal with the witchdoctor, you’re never quite done paying. As the horror surges, Lucy finds herself relentlessly pursued by a force of ancient evil that will stop at nothing to collect its due.
Another book of Donna's that I loved. It reminded me of the legends I grew up with. Okay mine were more G rated but I was a kid. Come on. Do you think they told me everything? If your looking for some country legends type horror, for adults, I urge you to get this one. Not for the easily offended nor those under 18.
In the Blink of a Lie
An eccentric artist is tormented by lucid manifestations of a dark past she cannot remember—or let go.
While struggling with her sanity and a too successful career that put her in the public eye, a place she never wanted to be, the voices inside her head try to guide her to safety. But the harder the voice of reason pushes, the faster she runs away from reality, toward the land of the dead where the borders of dreams and nightmares become tangled inside a deadly web in the fragile recesses of her mind.
In her weakened state, she begins playing with vivid fantasies and blurs the boundaries between worlds as she plunges deeper into a realm of erotic dreams, haunted by what could have been.
Todd Martin
Todd has been a horror geek his entire life and has a special love for slasher flicks from the 80’s. He first published a collection of short stories called Nightmare Tales in 2006 and recently his story Just a Night in the Woods was published in the horror collection “Abandoned”. He wrote the segment Angel for the 2004 film, “Tales from the Grave 2: Happy Holidays!”, and is currently working on a slew of short stories, screenplays, and a new novel. He lives in Kentucky with his wife Trish and their pets, Buffy and Cujo. Todd is on FaceBook.
Trish Erickson-Martin
Trish is an avid fan of anything horror and has been her entire life. She was raised with a fascination for the creepy and macabre, which she attributes to her late mother (who was also a fan of horror). In 2004 she met her love-match and partner in horror, Todd, at a casting call for a low-budget horror film. Along with acting in these films, she has acted and created make-up effects for both local films and stage productions. When she is not in her college classes, she is writing book reviews for Horrornews.net, writing horror stories, assisting with rewrites for her husband, reading manga, or watching horror films. She currently resides in Kentucky with her husband Todd, cat Buffy, and dog Cujo. Trish can be found on FaceBook.
The Gardener
As a boy, Darren Gibson’s father was violently taken from him. As a man, Darren will collect on the debt he’s owed.
When 17-year-old Amanda and her mother Mary move to small-town Farmingdale, they know their lives will change. The old house needs a few repairs, and the yard desperately needs a gardener. Mary thinks she’s being charitable when she hires a local man to do the yard work; he’s mentally handicapped and the arrangement will be mutually beneficial. But the new gardener has more than work on his mind, and jealousy is the catalyst that sparks a night of rage-fueled murder.
Now Amanda and her friends, isolated from the town by a night of revelry turned sour, must fight for their lives if they hope to see the dawn. But the savage killer stalking them has plans to plant each of them, one-by-one, deep in the dirt.
The Gardener…weeds aren’t the only things he kills.
John “JAM” Arthur Miller
The first letters of John Arthur Miller’s name spell out JAM, what friends and readers call him. JAM began submitting short stories in 2007 and has 80 publishing credits: two pro, twenty semi-pro, and the rest appear in print, online, and in anthologies. As a full-time college student, his writing has slowed down. Today he submits fewer than two stories every month or so, choosing to target markets that show quality or hunger for success. Most of his days consist of spending time with his family; especially his three children whom he has full, physical custody.
Will the predecessor of Dr. Frankenstein’s lineage prevail in the octagon? Or will the werewolf devour his flesh?
Two enigmatic figures approach an underground octagon sanctioned by the U.S. Government in order to keep supernaturals in check.
One opponent comes from the realm of magickal science, forming monsters out of cadavers that he hopes will win prize money to fund expensive experiments.
The other, a ronin werewolf desiring to rejoin his pack, returns to Colorado to win a place among those that ostracized him decades ago. He follows the pack’s trail to Los Angeles and discovers the underground octagon, entering the contest against Frankenstein’s creations.
Both opponents know the consequences for failure, yet they face death to achieve their dreams. Two monsters enter, but only one can leave the octagon alive.
I loved Frankenstein and the Wolfman movies when I was a kid. Still do. I cannot wait for this title! I'm excited! You should be too!
Terrence Scott
Terrence Scott spends most of his time imagining what makes people afraid, and where there are no places to hide from the things that come out of the darkness. As a result he writes constantly to exercise the demons from his head. This is only marginally effective. When he is not picturing someone’s horrible demise, he likes to dig graves to understand how long it would take, wonders how razor-sharp claws might tear through a body, and how much blood is actually in a human being.
Terrence is one of the most talented guys I have seen! Yes, he is the one who made the trailer! You definitely want to check him out, (and he's easy on the eyes - lol).
Portrait of John Doe
When Randall Sheppard first saw the old house, he thought it was a disaster. Rundown, deteriorated, it had been unattended for years—but his family fell in love with the place. Despite his protests, they moved in and he began the long process of fixing everything that was broken. But the deterioration wasn’t the only thing wrong with the house. Something vile and ancient was waiting for him. Something that had been forgotten, something from Randall’s past. As he starts to uncover the enigma of the house on Canterbury Circle, Randall struggles desperately to protect his family from the malevolent force lurking within. And as the body count begins to rise, he realizes he isn’t the only one that knows.
Fran Brody has seen many families come and go from the house. She’s seen how they’ve disintegrated, how they’ve destroyed themselves—and the Sheppard family is no exception. The old woman has made a vow to stop the evil, but the years have taken their toll, and the Sheppard’s transformation is happening at an alarming speed. If she’s to finally end the horror she must risk everything. The house may have its secrets…but so does Fran.
Rand soon discovers he is not the first to encounter the horrors within, but if he’s unable to stop it he knows he’ll become just another John Doe in an ongoing series of forgotten bodies the house has claimed.
Matthew Warren Wilson
Matthew Warren Wilson has been a reader and writer all his life. He attended the University of Washington, where he obtained a degree in Creative Writing. He and his wife live in the Seattle area with their two cats and a boa constrictor named Charlie.
The Onnest Trooth
When Vanessa, a self-reliant eleven-year-old girl, witnesses a grisly hit-and-run accident, the victim entrusts her with a chilling secret. She finds herself thrust into the center of a supernatural drama, one that includes betrayal, murder, revenge, and the human spirit’s determination not to die.
Now an unwitting ally of Duke Carter, a hard-drinking redneck who claims he’s “never ben 1 fur reedin n ritin,” Vanessa feels compelled to do what she can to help. Should she believe Duke’s story? It’s difficult, despite his adamant assurance that what he’s written is the onnest trooth.
The Onnest Trooth is a horror story that, while reading, I kept having flashbacks to Stephen King's early short stories. When I read the final sentence my first reaction was to say out loud, "Oh f**k me!" While Duke's writing may be difficult to read at first, you will get use to it. It is definitely worth the effort and would not be his story if told in a cleaned up version. It really helps you to get into the character of Duke and be able to hear him speaking. Duke has a compelling story to tell, one you will not easily forget. The Onnest Trooth is an edge of the seat, hang on for the ride and leave the lights on type of read.
The Snow and the Darkness
Jason and Valerie wanted a nice, leisurely vacation, visiting Jason’s brother in Virginia, but Mother Nature intervened, delivering a hellacious snowstorm to the region. With their transportation plans thwarted, the travelers find themselves on a deserted road in the middle of the night, a blizzard raging all around them, and a suspicious stranger has joined their midst. To Jason, the newcomer seems a little off. He might just be a run-of-the-mill drunk, but Jason senses something else—a streak of sadism seems to emanate from him.
Little does Jason know, the stranger is the least of their worries. There’s something else out here in the woods, a creature that purrs as it feasts on human flesh, an abomination lurking in the snow, hidden in the darkness. But even if Jason and Valerie manage to survive, there’s one more surprise waiting for them, with a revelation that will test their very humanity.
Please leave a comment below welcoming the authors, letting us know what books caught your attention, and/or congratulating Dopamalovi Books on their blast off! There may be a surprise for one commentor in it. And come back tomorrow to meet the rest of the Dopamalovi Books Family!
*This book is being reviewed through Pump Up Your Book Virtual Tours. Book was provided for review. No compensation was received for review. All opinions are my own.*
Before I begin my review I would like to say that I purchased a Kindle version of Blue. The author provided a paperback print copy. I am donating this copy to Bartlett Regional Hospital' s Chemotherapy Lab in my hometown of Juneau, Alaska. Tamara, who runs the lab, keeps a library for patient use. We are a small community. Books for the patients are donated or bought out of pocket - not through the hospital. I hope the author does not mind this donation.
My Review:
This is my second time reading Blue. What I discovered reading it a second time is that it is a lot like reading Charles Dickens for me. What I mean by that is every time I re-read a Charles Dickens book, I come away with something new. Some little thing I did not get a previous time. A new perspective based on my life experience since reading it a previous time. Blue did that for me. Not every book I read does. Another thing I have noticed with this book is that when you read a review or talk with someone who has read it, most likely they will have a different view from you. The book is amazing like that. I think this makes it the perfect book club choice. Everyone who reads it comes away with their own views and thoughts on it. I know, every book does that. What makes Blue unique in this is how different those views are. The story doesn't change. You do and what you get from it does.
Blue is the story of a family dealing with divorce, a child with cancer, coming together and letting go. It is a book of reality, of fantasy and how the blurring of the two can lead us out of the dark and into the light. It is a book about sorrow, hope, faith and joy that can even be found in letting go.
Becky is a young girl with leukemia. She was just six when her battle first begun. She won that round. Now years later the leukemia has returned for a new battle. As so often happens in the face of a serious illness the stress on the family was too much. The family that stood united and strong to face the battle now does not know how or what to be in the face of victory. And so, Becky's parents are now divorced. She is living with her mother. Blue revolves around Becky and her father. When she was six, her father made up stories to distract her while she received treatments. He encouraged Becky to participate in building this fantasy world. Chris would transport Becky there nightly. Sometimes when reality is too harsh, fantasy is what can become salvation. Chris and Becky create a new reality. One in which cancer is unknown. Pain and illness are not a part of this new reality. Good health, happiness and love are what are real in this world. It is this world that gets them through the treatment. It is this world that connects Chris and Becky. It is this world which leaves her mother feeling left out.
Four years after the divorce finds Chris feeling as if he is the one left out. He has moved away to another town and sees Becky on his visiting days. He feels as if the little girl he knew so well is becoming a stranger. Another man has filled his placed inside the home and he fears he may lose Becky to him too. He spends his time trying to find a way back to his daughter. Then comes the news that the leukemia has returned. Once more the family must wage war but this time the family is divided. Chris and Becky once more retreat to their fantasy - reality world. Only this time a blight is upon the kingdom. Saving the kingdom becomes the focus because saving the kingdom is saving Becky. Except that sometimes saving the ones we love may mean we let go and let them fly on the wings of love.
Blue is an amazing love story. One that will touch you deeply and stay with you long after you close the book. I do not know the author. I do not know his history with leukemia or a seriously ill child. I do not even know if he has ever personally dealt with these issues. I do know he writes as one who has intimately known both cancer and a seriously ill child. Blue is one book I would give a sky full of stars to.
Blue has a prequel book out now. Until Again is a short novella which gives us the background of the breakup weekend. It is not necessary to read it before you read Blue but it helps.
Lou Aronica is also the author of the Full Spectrum Anthology Series:
He is also an accomplished publisher. He is part of The Fiction Studio and The Story Plant. More information on Lou Aronica and his work may be found at:
