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The Knowing The Bulwark Anthology Book 1 by Brit Lunden Genre: Paranormal Thriller

Bulwark- a wall or stockade that protects or sometimes hides the truth from the outside world. Bulwark, Georgia, isolated, hidden. Who knows what strange things can happen when the rest of the world can’t see you? JB Stratton is alone in the world, and all he has left are the memories of his beloved Ellie. Dirt poor JB and wealthy Ellie feel an instant connection that is as intense and primal as the blood red earth of their home. Unseen roots connect them, pulling them into an impossible relationship. Will the memories of past lives help or hinder the path of their love? Based on the original novella Bulwark, by Brit Lunden, The Knowing continues the story of a town isolated from the rest of the world where the impossible becomes plausible, and logic is determined by reality. **ONLY .99 CENTS!!**Goodreads * Amazon

The Illusion The Bulwark Anthology Book 2 by DJ Cooper

Things are not what they seem in the small American town of Bulwark. Hospital lights flicker for no reason. Townsfolk are overcome with a salacious appetite for the demise of others. Accompanied by would-be boyfriend Deputy Terence Blake, Dr Peter Kent is caught in the middle of mind-bending events. A café opens in town. The food is great. It’s the unexpected distortions in time and the surrounding world that make Peter question his mind and his grip on reality. Goodreads * Amazon

The Craving The Bulwark Anthology Book 3 by R.L. Jackson

Bulwark– a wall or stockade that protects or sometimes hides the truthfrom the outside world. Savannah Daniels is looking forward to spending some alone time with her longtime boyfriend, Marshall. Everything during this fun-filled spring break was moving along fine, until his awkward cousin Stefano, and his equally weird girlfriend, Sheena decide to crash the party. It didn’t take a college graduate to realize something was definitely up with these two blood-sucking intruders, and it isn’t long before the true intentions about what they are and what they want become clear. Savannah is powerless to stop their attack on Marshall but with capabilities passed down from her grandmother, she finds the tools she needs to stop them and hopefully prevent Marshall’s transitioning. When all three disappear before she can act, Savannah jumps into high-gear tracking their every move. Finally, her journey takes her to Bulwark, Georgia where she learns things are equally as complicated there, and more than just vampires go bump in the night. Goodreads * Amazon

The Window The Bulwark Anthology Book 4 by E.H. Graham

Brianna Scott has nothing but her window and pet cat to entertain her. Stuck inside for more years than she can remember with a degenerative disease, she has become invisible and has retreated from her small community. Only Jim, the town grocer and old high school friend, seems to care about her lonely existence. However, when the window in her living room provides her a front row seat to the latest mysteries haunting her small town, Brianna discovers that some things cannot be unseen. Based on Bulwark, a paranormal thriller by Brit Lunden, The Window is the fourth volume in the multi-author Bulwark Anthology. **ONLY .99 CENTS!!**Goodreads * Amazon

The Missing Branch The Bulwark Anthology Book 5 by Kay McLeod

Trapped in a tedious job without fulfillment, ambitions, or a boyfriend, Izzie Murray’s only passion is researching her ancestry. But the beautiful mural of her family tree switches from a distraction to an obsession once she hits a mysterious gap in the timeline. Why would an entire family just disappear? With an intense craving to find the last pieces of the puzzle, Izzie ditches her life in England to investigate the last known whereabouts of the family – the little town of Bulwark, Georgia. Between the unnatural behavior of the local wildlife, tales of witches, and the overpowering draw of a puddle of weird goo, she’s only finding more questions to answer. The instant attraction to the one resident in town that seems to be on her side isn’t helping either. Bulwark does not give up its secrets easily. And sometimes things were hidden for a reason. **ONLY .99 CENTS!!**Goodreads * Amazon

The Body The Bulwark Anthology Book 6 by Kate Kelly

Small town values. Big time secrets Troubled is an understatement when it comes to Rudd. He’s a cage fighter with a sordid past, and has no family or any friends to his name. He does, however, have one enemy—Vic, his ultimate rival in the cage. But even a match with Vic isn’t enough to stir any emotions in the 28 year old man. He may as well be a shell. Body only, no spirit. It’s the anniversary of his sister’s death when he takes a walk through Bulwark’s strange woods and wanders a little too far. It’s there in the dense, secluded gloom that he meets a glowing, transparent woman named Lili. She isn’t real— she can’t be real, except that she’s the only one that makes him feel anything at all. The two form an unlikely friendship that quickly morphs into an attraction neither can act on. As his final fight draws near, Rudd must face the demons of his past, solve the mystery of Lili’s murder and deal with the inexplicable love that is growing in his heart for someone who can never be his. **ONLY .99 CENTS!!**Goodreads * Amazon

The Battle of Bulwark The Bulwark Anthology Book 7 by Del Henderson III

Outside of being the sheriff’s daughter, Claire Finnes’ life was the same as any other 15-year-old. However, recurring nightmares and an encounter with dead civil war soldier send Claire and her friends on a journey that makes her question if those nightmares really were just dreams. As she uncovers the dark history surrounding her small town Claire begins to wonder, can a doomed future be changed? Based on Bulwark, a paranormal thriller by Brit Lunden, The Battle of Bulwark is the seventh volume in the multi-author Bulwark Anthology. **ONLY .99 CENTS!!**Goodreads * Amazon

The Darkness The Bulwark Anthology Book 8 by Brittney Leigh

Bulwark- a wall or stockade that protects or sometimes hides the truth from the outside world.Bulwark, a quiet town… or is it? Four best friends, Sophia, Scott, Chloe and Chris, are just trying to manage their senior year at Bulwark high school when Sophia realizes that her feelings for Chris are really meant for Scott. Before she can deal with that though, the four friends then stumble upon Bulwarks darkest secrets when a spell is cast on Bulwark High. Students have been disappearing and no one has any clues as to their whereabouts. With a town curfew set and parents on edge, the four friends decide to take things into their own hands. Will they break the spell, or will Bulwark High and the town be changed forever?Based on Bulwark, a paranormal thriller by Brit Lunden, The Darkness is the eighth volume in the multi-author Bulwark Anthology **ONLY .99 CENTS!!**Goodreads * Amazon

Brit Lunden is a prolific author who’s written over 50 books in assorted genres under different pen names. Bulwark was her first effort in adult fiction and was chosen by several of her fellow authors as the basis for a new series, A Bulwark Anthology. Using her characters, they are creating new denizens in spin-off stories to this bizarre town. Brit Lunden lives on Long Island in a house full of helpful ghosts. Website * Facebook * Twitter * Amazon * Goodreads

Having grown up with a love of everything futuristic, space and macabre, DJ Cooper developed a vivid imagination and is known for a warped sense of humour. Desperately clinging to the real world, DJ has been known to cry: Why can’t cars fly yet? Weren’t we supposed to teleport by now? In-between large mugs of annoyingly lukewarm coffee, DJ enjoys walks with earbuds full of loud music and ponders what it is Cossie the fire-breathing, flying pet bearded dragon thinks about all day. Website * Facebook * Twitter * Amazon * Goodreads

R.L Jackson is an independent filmmaker, magazine editor and screenwriter who writes romance and romantic suspense with an aim for readers to, “Get Lost In Intense Passion and Diverse Worlds.” She lives in south Florida enjoys binge-watching Netflix, uses her treadmill as an over-sized coat hanger, but loves to dance to the Fitness Marshall videos on Youtube. Website * Facebook * Twitter * Amazon * Goodreads

Stepping into the world of adult fiction and penned under the name E.H. Graham , The Window is the debut novel of this award-winning children’s author. Whether reading or writing, Graham enjoys the escape into worlds of mystery, fantasy and suspense. Facebook * Twitter * Amazon * Goodreads

Kay McLeod Confession time, I’m a fantasy addict! For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved the concept of magical worlds. I was the kid with dragons doodled around the edge of her school work, the one with her head constantly buried in a book. As a teen, I shunned partying to play Magic the Gathering and DM Dungeons and Dragons games. Through the years, I’ve always made up stories and took characters on amazing adventures, in the privacy of my own mind. Now I want to share them with other people. I live with my husband and cat in Nottinghamshire in England. When I’m not writing (or planning something I’m writing) I’m usually working, reading, playing bass for my church’s worship team, playing computer games (World of Warcraft, Dragon Age, Pokemon, Minecraft) or drinking tea. Mmm, time to put the kettle on… Website * Facebook * Twitter * Amazon * Goodreads

Kate Kelley is a writer of epic fantasy, urban fantasy, and paranormal romance. She spends her days banging on a keyboard and chugging coffee while two small, feral children run around her feet. Website * Facebook * Amazon * Goodreads

Del Henderson III, born and raised in Illinois, enjoys writing, fueling his passion and love for the noble art of putting pen to paper, or more appropriate, keyboard to computer. Diving into pure imagination he has produced works that grip his reader’s minds with mystery and suspense as they are brought into the fascinating world of fiction. Website * Facebook * Amazon * Goodreads

Brittney Leigh is gracing the Bulwark anthology as a debut author. She is a proud graduate of SUNY Old Westbury College, with a bachelors degree in Media & Communications. Gifted in singing, acting, and dancing, she finds her voice reaches its highest ground in writing. She resides in Long Island where the darkness of New York City comes to sleep. Website * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads

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The Rose The Redemption Duet Book 1 by Sheritta Bitikofer Genre: Sweet Paranormal Romance

Belle lives her life from day to day, nearly crippled by her social anxiety. But if you ask anyone in Levi about it, they’d say she’s a sweet, quiet girl who works hard to keep up her family’s small ranch while holding down a job at the bookstore. No one knows that beneath her smiles lay a shy introvert who wants nothing more than to stay at home. It was easier to stay alone, stay isolated. That’s when she was the happiest. But during one thunderstorm, all of that changed and she met the first man she ever actually wanted to spend time with. Leo made a habit of avoiding people when at all possible. Getting tied down, making friends, having a life only meant suffering. The darkness that followed him since his adolescent years never left, not really. It’d show up and ruin any hint of happiness that came his way. Running from his past and the brother that cursed him with this demon, Leo never expected to find something like home in the little country town of Levi. And he didn’t expect one storm to bring him to the barn of a girl with fire in her eyes and a face as beautiful as a sunrise. A sunrise that could chase away all the shadows. Goodreads * Amazon

The Lion The Redemption Duet Book 2

Belle Clearwater’s prayers had been answered, but there was still so much left to discover. Now determined to reject her mental illness, she’s decided to be brave and not let her anxiety disorder take her away from what matters. With the help of her friends and her faith, she’s sure that she can finally have her life back. Something greater is stirring in her heart and the man that had served as her solid ground might just send her world off kilter again. All it takes is one moment of honesty. Against every bit of common sense, Leo Thompsons has chosen to stay in Levi. The Darkness and his murderous brother are closing in, but he believed that as long as he has Belle, he can find a way to break the curse upon his soul. With the power of love and prayer, he’s finally fighting for his life and the chance to share that life with the beautiful farm girl. Fate brought them together, but is he strong enough to rebel against the forces of evil that have hounded him for so long? Can he, once and for all, defeat his demons? Goodreads * Amazon

An author of paranormal and urban fantasy fiction, Sheritta Bitikofer lives for the deep, engaging stories that enthrall readers from cover to cover. As a wife and fur-mama of eclectic tastes, she can be found roaming Civil War battlefields, perusing the romance section of the bookstore, or relaxing with a plate of chili cheese fries. Take a look at the books she has available and stay tuned for new releases. Website * Facebook * Twitter * Amazon * Goodreads

The heaviness continued to drop onto his chest as Leo drove further and further away from Levi.
Further away from Belle. It always happened every time he distanced himself from her or the farm. The
only way he could reason it was that it must have had something to do with all that praying she did.
Ever since that night when she first dispelled the darkness with one small, impromptu prayer,
Leo began to see the pattern. On those days she prayed, the darkness stayed away. His nights weren’t
tormented by dreams of fire and death. His soul didn’t feel as weighted and burdened. So, each
morning, he asked if she prayed and if she said she hadn’t yet, he would slyly drop a hint that she
should. Of course, she didn’t complain. Why should she? It was nothing to her. Just a string of words
sent up to God to protect them and the farm from evil.
But to Leo, it was everything.
It meant the difference between walking around with an easy smile, because he had finally
settled where he wanted to stay, or looking over his shoulder and starting at every loud noise, thinking it
might be the demon coming to collect his payment.
It took a great deal of courage to mount his motorcycle and head south toward Little Rock, far
away from Belle’s protection and deeper into the world he had tried to leave behind. It was all for her,
though. If he didn’t do this, it’d take that much longer for Belle to achieve her dreams.
One call to an old acquaintance – the only one he had left that would still speak to him – sealed
his plans for the evening and with a little money in his pocket and a change of clothes in his duffle bag,
he left in the late afternoon.
The two-and-a-half-hour drive did little to settle his nerves or clear his head. He used to love
riding on the highway. Of all the vehicles he had ever driven, the maneuverability of a motorcycle
appealed to him the most. He could weave in and out of traffic, zoom on and off exits and effectively
lose whoever might happen to be chasing him. On those drives when he could relax, let the wind pound
his face and feel the grind of the wheels on the blacktop, Leo could zone out and not think so much. He
didn’t have to think about his past or his future. Just this moment with only him, the road, and the
deafening rumble of the engine beneath him.
He could do anything but relax now, because he knew exactly where he was going and what
he’d be doing that night. Something he thought he’d never have to do again after he arrived in Levi.
It didn’t take long to find the place. Mack gave detailed directions that a toddler could follow.
Even over the roar of his bike, he could hear the multitude of voices and music booming out of the
warehouse just outside of town. The parking lot was packed, but he managed to find a cramped spot on
the side closest to the river.
Leo didn’t make eye contact with the people he passed as he made his way toward the
entrance. Smokers, groups of men with beer bottles in hand, couples displaying their affection in
obscene ways, bookies, dealers, and thugs. It wasn’t so long ago that he knew this scene by heart. Being
in Levi had cleansed him somehow and as he approached the bouncers at the door, he began to
question himself again. The darkness practically lived here, and in places like it where sin went
unchecked. He could feel its pull, like a black hole that Leo had once dangerously skirted the edges of
not so long ago. And here he was again.
Did he really want to do this? He was capable of it. He was completely capable of winning the
money for Belle’s stallion. But there was no turning back now. He had already called the man in
Fayetteville and made the deal. He was expecting the money first thing in the morning.
“Mack called me in,” he told the two bouncers who were just a hair bigger than him.
The bald one flipped through his clipboard while the other sized Leo up, taking in his jeans and
leather jacket. Leo could admit that he didn’t look like he was ready for a fight, but he never needed a
fancy rig to pound another man into the dirt. He learned bareknuckle boxing when he was just a teen in
Brooklyn. Most who did this for a living couldn’t say that.

The bouncer made it to the final page and tapped at the bottom of the sheet. “He penned you
in.”
“Realized he couldn’t leave out his best guy.” Leo gave them both a cocky smile and they
reluctantly let him through. In a place like this, arrogance was the common language.
The stench of cigarette smoke and beer hit him, making his eyes water a bit before he could
adjust. The bass from the speakers beat against his ears and made the fabric of his clothes vibrate, once
more dazing him before he could get a handle on his senses. He squinted against the flashing strobe
lights as he pushed his way past the throngs.
The tip of his boot hit something on the floor and sent it rolling. He didn’t have to look to know
it was a syringe. His arms reflexively jerked away from the seductive touches of the women who tried to
grab his attention as he looked for Mack in the crowd. The fight was still a quarter of an hour away. If he
guessed right, the man would be near the bar, taking more bets and organizing the tournament tree one
last time.
Leo felt something brush at his pockets and he turned just in time to seize the hand that tried to
make off with his keys. What he didn’t expect was for his fingers to connect around a small wrist. The
boy looked up at him, the colorful lights like a kaleidoscope across his youthful face. He couldn’t have
been more than ten years old.
He snatched away what was his and set the boy free, knowing he would just steal again from
someone else. As much as he hated it, the boy wasn’t his responsibility and it wasn’t his place to correct
him. With a sigh, he skimmed the crowd again and found the Red Socks ball cap bobbing lively across
the sea of strangers.
Leo pushed through a cluster of drunken college students and edged past a tight grouping of
ladies in leather skirts dancing with martini glasses before he could put his hand on Mack’s shoulder.
The manager jumped and spun around, wide eyes looking through a pair of tinted glasses. When
he saw who had grabbed him, he let out an exaggerated breath.
“Scared me, man!” he shouted over the trap music. “Lookin’ good!” Mack reached out and
squeezed Leo’s bicep in the kind of way that reminded him of a man who looked to buy a piece of
livestock and wanted to test its sturdiness.
Leo smacked his hand away, effectively startling the manager. “I need a place to put my stuff,”
he said, jerking his chin toward the duffle bag slung across his chest. Mack recovered and offered out his
hand to take it there for himself. “Someplace no one will get to it,” he clarified, unafraid to sneer at him.
It didn’t pay to be friendly in a place like this.
Mack’s throat worked when Leo dropped into that serious tone and then nodded. “All right. All
right. I’ve got a locker in the backroom. You can put it there.” He handed Leo the tiny padlock key and
gave him his usual thorough directions.
“When’s my fight?” Leo asked, making the key disappear in his fist, so no one would try to pinch
it.
“You’re my first matchup!” Mack announced proudly, his one gold tooth blinking in the club
lights. As if to prove that he wasn’t lying, he took the dry erase board he had been working on at the bar
and showed him. The column of names on one side of the tree didn’t matter to him. The one blank spot
where the winner’s name would be written did.
“Rules?”
Mack began to list out the scant regulations set down for the tournament. The only restriction
appeared to be the usual. No eye gouging and no groin shots. Everything else was permitted until his
opponent tapped out or passed out.
“Kicks and grappling?” Leo asked.
The manager grinned. “All fair game.”
“Payout?”

“Six Gs.”
More than enough. Leo nodded in approval and pulled out his wallet to count out the bills.
“Buy-in’s five hundred.”
He froze in the middle of his count and shot Mack a glare that could peel paint. “You told me it
was four.”
The wanker only shrugged. “Must have misspoke.”
Leo feigned a smile. “Must have.” He stacked what bills were needed to get him into the fight
and held them out for Mack between his two fingers. Before the manager could take them, Leo grabbed
for his shirt collar and pulled him in close. “You better not cross me on this,” he growled in warning. “If I
find out you skimmed my winnings again, I will find you.”
And Mack knew Leo could. He didn’t have connections, but he had his demon who loved a good
fight. The bookie’s hairy brows shot up and he nodded quickly, hands raised as if he had already been
caught in the act.
“We’re clear,” he assured. “But I didn’t cross you that time, you know. It was – “
Leo shoved him against the bar counter, knocking over a few beer bottles in the process as
Mack’s feet were nearly lifted off the floor. He could have easily snapped this weasel’s spine if he
wanted to. Good thing for him, Leo still needed the money.
“I know it was you,” he snarled, getting close enough, so only Mack could hear him. “Be grateful
I’m in a forgiving mood tonight. Otherwise, you’d be in the river by now.”
Before Mack had a chance to open his mouth and dig himself a deeper grave, Leo tucked the
wad of bills in his front shirt pocket. Under the watch of several patrons to the bar, he let Mack nearly
crumble in a heap and strode away to find the locker room.
He regretted nothing. Mack was a snake, no different than any of the other managers and
bookies he had met across the country. They would sooner double-cross someone they thought
wouldn’t notice and take a bigger portion of the payout. Leo wouldn’t be fooled. Not tonight. Not ever
again.
Once more, he had to maneuver his way through the crowd, upsetting plenty and spilling drinks
along the way. The long hallway to the locker room might have been the only empty place in the club.
Can lights lit the path that stretched in a straight line toward the back of the complex, but shadows lined
the walls and spaces between.
Leo gave himself permission to breathe again, but the darkness was close. He could tell in the
subtle drop in temperature and the way the lights flickered and dimmed. It didn’t surprise him that the
demon would show up here. Away from Levi, away from his lighthouse of calm, Leo was vulnerable
again. But this was what the darkness wanted. Pain, fear, blood.
“I almost thought we’d never be here again.”
The voice scratched at the corners of his mind, slinking with him along the corridor. He knew, if
he cared to look, what he would see. Either a floating immaterial orb of black mist, or a form that
appeared much less sinister, like a swindling gambler or underhanded dealer ready to make bargains on
souls. By the more substantial presence in his peripheral vision, he knew it was the latter.
“Don’t get excited,” Leo said. “I’m not staying.”
The demon edged closer in the form of a man wearing a neatly pressed suit and jacket, jet black
hair and coals for eyes gleaming in the fluorescent light. “Oh, come on. You know you miss this.”
Leo scoffed. “Yeah, I totally miss the smell of piss, alcohol, and weed. Such a pleasant smell.”
A disturbing laugh bubbled up from the demon’s throat. “There’s that humor I missed. See,
we’re so much better off here than in that little town in the middle of nowhere.”
He slid a scathing glare to the darkness, but wouldn’t slow or protest. “Here to collect
payment?”
“You’ve had a week off, Leo. Thanks to that little – “

“If you call her anything but a lady, I’ll – “
“What?” he snapped. “Punch me? Strangle me? You forget that you can’t do anything, Leo.
You’re powerless and always will be.”
He didn’t need to be reminded. Whatever the darkness wanted to do, he could do it. Except
when Belle prayed. That was his only saving grace, but there was no way her prayers could reach this
far. Could they?
“Just pay attention during the fight and you’ll get all the payment you need,” Leo directed,
slamming the door in the demon’s face as he walked into the locker room.
It did little good. The darkness rematerialized beside him as he worked the padlock with the key
he had been given.
“I know why you’re doing this,” the demon said, grinning to show his perfectly straight white
teeth. “You’re trying to make your girl happy. It won’t work.”
“Watch me,” he dared.
“I’ll make you throw the fight. Take you out of the first round before you can get anywhere close
to the semi-finals.”
“You won’t do shi-“ Leo stopped himself and bit back the word he wanted to use. “You won’t do
anything. Think of all the lads I’ll beat into the floor tonight. You need that payment. Remember our
deal?”
Leo stripped off his shirt and wadded it up before zipping open his bag to shove it inside. He
then set to taking off his shoes and socks to join his shirt.
“And you remember what I told you? I need more than the typical payment, especially since
your brother is getting closer.”
One thing about demons, he had learned, was that they didn’t have an ounce of loyalty in them,
not even for the man who had tethered them to a victim. Twelve years he had lived with this curse, the
darkness serving as the constant thorn in his side. But he did have one useful thing going for him. He
told Leo when Matthew was catching up.
Leo shot a look to the demon to see if he was lying just to get a bigger blood payment. That was
the agreement they had made months ago. If he did his part and gave the darkness what he wanted, Leo
and Belle would be left alone. Of course, the game changed when Leo decided to pursue her. Now that
they were living together in a hotspot that the darkness didn’t care to be in, the cost of their protection
went up.
“How close?” he asked, hoping for an honest answer.
“Very. And I would rather not be around when he does come. Think of how mad he’ll be when
he finds out I’ve been masking your trail for the sake of an extra fix.”
That was laughable. “You poor wee thing,” he mocked. He crammed his duffle bag in the locker,
thoughtless to how the luggage would damage Mack’s package of cigarettes or the tiny bundle of
cocaine tucked away in the back. Leo hoped he busted the plastic bag.
“Why don’t we stay in Little Rock? It’s such a fun town,” the darkness suggested as Leo began
the methodical process of wrapping his hands in the gauze and athletic tape to protect his knuckles. By
the end of the night, they would be stained red with blood.
“After this is over, I’m going to Fayetteville.”
The demon came around to face Leo. “There’s nothing in Fayetteville worth seeing.”
“And then I’m going back to Levi,” Leo stated impatiently, as if he had been saying it all night in
one way or another. He wouldn’t leave Belle, no matter how much the darkness wanted him to. Like she
said that day when he almost skipped town without telling her, he needed to take control of his life, one
choice at a time. This choice, though made for odd purposes, was what he wanted, and the darkness
would not pressure him into returning to this way of living – if it could even be called that.

“Why not stay a few days?” he said, almost whining like a child who was denied candy and was
one refusal away from throwing a tantrum. “We could use some of the winnings to get a hotel, order
room service, order some girls and – “
Leo shot daggers with his eyes that instantly made the vile mouth shut tight. He would have
threatened to leave Little Rock right then if he thought it would do him any good. The darkness was
smart enough to know that Leo needed this money just as badly as he needed the blood payment.
He finished wrapping his hands and left the locker room just as he heard the music dim for a
minute to allow the presenter to publicize the first match. He didn’t care if the darkness followed or not.
He’d be in the crowd, watching, absorbing the pain and misery of Leo’s opponents. It’d be just like old
times.
Unceremoniously, Leo entered the main hall where the fighting would take place. His bare feet
slapped against the cold concrete floor, wetted by the spilled beer and liquor from earlier that night.
Mack was by his side as if he were a personal sponsor and hyped up the crowd when his name blared
over the intercom. Men roared and cheered while women let out whistles and offers that were lost in
the din.
He was led to the center of the room where one bright light hovered over the space sectioned
off for the tournament.
Spectators leaned on the rope partitions to get a look at Leo as he swaggered forward to meet
his first opponent. As always, his stomach tangled, but then he reminded himself that as long as his
brother’s curse tarnished his soul, there was little man could do to him. He was kept alive to suffer and
cause suffering for others. He’d get hurt, but death wasn’t in his near future. Not yet.
The ropes were closed behind him and he raised his fists, keeping his stance easy and light. The
other man, leaner and an obvious novice, blew air past his protective mouthpiece and hopped about like
an eager boxer.
Don’t waste your energy, he told himself. You’ve got a long night to go.
When the bell sounded, and the crowd shouted for their favorites, the thinner man came
charging forward with a wild hook. Leo dodged and sent an uppercut into his ribs. The guy recoiled and
put a hand to his side, eyes wide like he had never expected to be hit.
Leo shook out his hands and flexed his unpracticed knuckles. His fight with Drake was the last
time he’d ever hit bone that hard. He readied himself again for the next assault, but was disappointed
when the man came at him again with a similar greenhorn move.
He left himself open and Leo took the opportunity. He ducked and wrapped him in a chokehold
from behind. One kick to the back of his leg buckled him to the ground. For a minute or two, they
grappled with one another. Leo saw stars each time a punch connected with his head, but he willed
himself to stay conscious during every reversal. Limbs twisted as they rolled across the concrete,
scraping the skin of their arms and backs along the way.
Each time he thought the guy would tap out, he kept coming at him with more desperate jabs
and kicks. Leo felt a bit of blood trickle from his nose after an elbow slammed into his face. He could
taste its metallic essence on his lips.
He was kicked off and stumbled backward, giving his opponent time to jump to his unsteady
feet. Leo wouldn’t give him the chance. He landed one solid punch to the jaw. He heard the crack, but
didn’t care. The man finally crumbled to the floor and he waited for a hand to smack the pavement.
When it did, Leo spat a bit of the blood from his mouth and looked up. His eyes instantly met
the devilish stare of the darkness in the crowd. The black pits that bore through him told enough. This
tournament wouldn’t be a walk in the park for him like it used to be. The demon would drag this out and
make the poor boys he fought think they had a chance against him.

The darkness wasn’t just in the business of making Leo’s life a living hell. He’d also drag along
any other susceptible soul with him. That was why he needed to protect Belle, the only thing he cared
about anymore.

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Mamma’s Moon The Hoodoo of Peckerwood Finch by Jerome Mark Antil Genre: Thriller

“Jerome Mark Antil’s Mamma’s Moon does for Acadiana what Truman Capote did for Tiffany’s or Tennessee Williams did for streetcars. This is a novel about a lot of things, including sex, crime, life, and death. But most of all, it’s a novel about hope and about love. Mamma’s Moon gives the reader a dramatic and insightful glimpse into the very special world of today’s Louisiana French Acadians, whose early tragic history was immortalized by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in his classic poem, Evangeline, even before the heartless bayou’s more contemporary history was buried deep and forgotten.” Tom Hyman (LA Times bestselling author: writer for LIFEmagazine, The Saturday Evening Post , Argosy, Washington Post Book World and New York Magazine.) This novel, Mamma’s Moon, is a sequel to the novel, One More Last Dance. It stands alone as an entirely self-contained story, but for those of you who may not have read the earlier novel, I include here a brief description of the main characters and of the events that preceded this story. A bond that can only happen on a dance floor happened in a cafe off Frenchman Street among four unlikely characters: a man who was about to die; his friend, an illiterate Cajun French yardman; and two of the most successful women in New Orleans. Aging Captain Gabriel Jordan, retired, was given two months to live, three months before he met “Peck”–Boudreau Clemont Finch–a groundskeeper on the back lawn of his hospice on Bayou Carencro, Louisiana. It was at the hospice that Gabe told Peck his dream of seeing the Newport Jazz Festival before he died. They became friends, and Peck offered to help grant his wish by taking him there. And they began their journey. It quickly became a journey with complications and setbacks. They saved each other many times, but they were in turn saved by two extraordinary women: Sasha (Michelle Lissette), a real estate agent in New Orleans’s posh Garden District, and her best friend, Lily Cup (Lily Cup Lorelei Tarleton), a criminal attorney. Less than a year before the events in Mamma’s Moon, Gabe and Peck wandered into Charlie’s Blue Note, a small jazz bar in a side alley just off Frenchman Street, where the music was live and mellow and the dancing warm and sensual. Here they encountered Sasha and Lily Cup, and amid the music, the dancing, the food, the flirting, and the cigar smoke, the four formed an unusual and lasting friendship that would see them each through a series of crises, disappointments, life-threatening situations, and moments of great joy and satisfaction. Add to GoodreadsAmazon * B&N

JEROME MARK ANTIL writes in several genres. He has been called a “greatest generation’s Mark Twain,” a “write what you know Ernest Hemingway,” and “a sensitive Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.” It’s been said his work reads like a Norman Rockwell painting. Among his writing accomplishments, several titles in his The Pompey Hollow Book Club historical fiction series about growing up in the shadows of WWII have been honored. An ‘Authors and Writers’ Book of the Year Award and ‘Writer of the Year’ at Syracuse University for The Pompey Hollow Book Club novel; Hemingway, Three Angels, and Me, won SILVER in the UK as second-best novel. Foreword’s Book of the Year Finalist for The Book of Charlie – historical fiction and The Long Stem is in the Lobby – nonfiction humor. Library Journal selected Hemingway, Three Angels and Me for best reads during Black History Month. Before picking up the pen, Antil spent his professional career writing and marketing for the business world. In this role, he lectured at universities – Cornell, St. Edward’s, and Southern Methodist. His inspirations have been John Steinbeck, Mark Twain, and Ernest Hemingway. Website * Amazon * Goodreads

Chapter 2 Good Morning, Murder

Bonjour, meurtre

id you murder the kid, Gabe?” Lily Cup asked. The aging army captain, veteran of Korea and
Vietnam, lowered his newspaper just enough to see over the entertainment page.
“Close the door, honey, AC’s on,” Gabe said.
In a tight, black skirt with a tailored matching waistcoat and white Nike walking shoes, she
leaned and propped a black leather briefcase against the wall by the door. She stood like an
exasperated tomboy, adjusting and refastening the diamond brooch on her lapel.
“I heard you’ve been walking with a cane, dancing man. What’s that all about? You’ve never
carried a cane. You jazz dance for hours a couple of nights a week and Sasha tells me you started
carrying one everywhere you go when you don’t need one. It’s smelling pretty premeditated to me,
Gabe. What’s up with the cane thing?”
“Does Sasha know about this morning?”
“I haven’t told her anything. She’d have a canary.”
Gabe lifted the paper again to read.
“I need to know if it was murder,” Lily Cup said.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Gabe said.
He closed the paper, folded it in half, and in half again. Dropping it on the arm of the chair, he
stood and left the room.
“Define murder,” he said from the kitchen.

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Sounds of Murder Pamela Barnes Acoustic Mysteries Book 1 by Patricia Rockwell Genre: Cozy Mystery

SOUNDS OF MURDER tells a tale of academic intrigue and death. At Grace University, a small southern college, no one in the Psychology Department likes Charlotte Clark, so no one is particularly upset when she is found murdered in the department’s million-dollar computer lab. But because she discovered the body, Associate Professor Pamela Barnes feels obligated to find Charlotte’s killer. When she discovers a recording of the murder that was accidentally produced during Charlotte’s struggle with the killer, she begins her own investigation. Along the way, Pamela agonizes with her own conscience as she fights her growing fear. She attempts to understand her mysterious Department Chair, keep her curious colleagues informed, placate her protective husband, and avoid antagonizing a local rube detective who belittles her efforts–all while she struggles to make sense of the sounds on the recording. As she gets deeper and deeper into her analysis—trying to connect what she hears in the recording with sounds from people (and potential killers) around her–she gets closer and closer to the killer. However, the killer is observing Pamela’s efforts and resolving to stop her. **Only 99 cents**Goodreads * Amazon

FM For Murder Pamela Barnes Acoustic Mysteries Book 2

Who shot the disk jockey while he was on air? No one saw the killer, but many heard the murder on the radio. Local police are mystified and ask Psychology professor and acoustics expert Pamela Barnes to assist them in investigating the crime. Can she determine who shot the deejay just by listening to the radio station’s audio recording of the killing? And how does this crime connect to the impending death of a wealthy carpet manufacturer hundreds of miles away? And the driven behavior of his conscientious son who hides a very important secret? Unknown to Pamela, another thread of this strange mystery is about to unravel. Will she be able to solve it before another victim is claimed? In FM FOR MURDER, the second in Patricia Rockwell’s acoustic mystery series, we follow feisty amateur sleuth Pamela Barnes who doesn’t let academic duties prevent her from fighting crime. And Pamela fights crime with the tools she knows best—sound waves. Goodreads * Amazon

Voice Mail Murder Pamela Barnes Acoustic Mysteries Book 3

Sex! Knives! Voice Mail Messages! Who stabbed the philandering football coach in the back? Was it one of the three women who left romantic voice mail messages on the cell phone found next to his body in the motel room? The police don’t have a clue. None of the coach’s family, friends, or colleagues recognize the voices of the unidentified women–and probable mistresses. Who could they be? This sounds like a case for Pamela Barnes, local Psychology professor, acoustics expert, and sometimes amateur sleuth. Can she identify the three women (and potential murder suspects) from just the sound of their voices on the voice mail? Who are these mystery women and how did the popular coach manage to conduct affairs with all of them unbeknownst to everyone around him? And how did he keep his trio of lovers from finding out about each other—or did he? It’s a tangled romantic web that ultimately led to murder and Pamela Barnes is determined to figure it out. Goodreads * Amazon

Stump Speech Murder Pamela Barnes Acoustic Mysteries Book 4

James Grant, a young politician with everything going for him, including the most recent polls, gives a rousing stump speech in a local park. His campaign for mayor against the entrenched incumbent looks unstoppable. That is, until the police discover him standing over his wife’s dead body with the murder weapon in his hands. It certainly looks as if James is guilty. But psychologist and acoustics expert Pamela Barnes has other ideas–and they include helping this young man prove his innocence and succeed in his bid for mayor. Can Pamela’s knowledge of sound help her find the real killer and exonerate James? Or will this young politician’s most recent stump speech be his last? Goodreads * Amazon

Murder in the Round Pamela Barnes Acoustic Mysteries Book 5

A night out with her husband to watch her best friend perform in a local community theater “in-the-round” production surely shouldn’t be cause for amateur sleuth Pamela Barnes to use any of her acoustic detecting skills. But when one of the actresses collapses on stage and dies, Pamela finds herself in the thick of things. The recorder in her purse making an audio copy of the performance for another friend who couldn’t attend, may now prove important when it’s determined that the victim was poisoned. Do the sounds on the recording hold any clues to the identity of the murderer? It looks like Pamela is on the sound trail again, and she––and her pals in the Pyschology Department at Grace University––will not stop until they find the person who committed this murder in the round. Goodreads * Amazon

Patricia Rockwell is the author of the Pamela Barnes acoustic mystery series. This amateur sleuth solves crimes using her knowledge of sound. The series includes SOUNDS OF MURDER, FM FOR MURDER, VOICE MAIL MURDER, STUMP SPEECH MURDER, and MURDER IN THE ROUND. Her new series, Essie Cobb senior sleuth, features a 90-year-old assisted living facility resident who solves mysteries. The books in this series include BINGOED, PAPOOSED, VALENTINED, and GHOSTED. FIRECRACKERED, the fifth in the series, will launch on June 25, 2016. Dr. Rockwell has spent most of her life teaching. From small liberal arts colleges to large regional research universities–and even a brief stint in a high school, her background in education is extensive. She has taught virtually everything related to Communication–from a fine arts speech-theatre orientation to more recently a social science research approach. Her Bachelors’ and Masters’ degrees are from the University of Nebraska in Speech and her Ph.D. is from the University of Arizona in Communication. She was on the faculty at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette for thirteen years, retiring in 2007. Her publications are extensive, with over 20 peer-reviewed articles in scholarly journals, several textbooks, and a research book on her major interest area of sarcasm, published by Edwin Mellen Press. In addition to publications, she has presented numerous papers at academic conferences and served for eight years as Editor of the Louisiana Communication Journal. Her research focuses primarily on several areas of communication: deception, sarcasm, and vocal cues. She is presently living in Aurora, Illinois, with her husband Milt, also a retired educator. The couple has two adult children. Website * Facebook * Twitter * Amazon * Goodreads

EXCERPT from FM FOR MURDER
Book #2 in the Pamela Barnes Acoustic Mysteries
“Okay, folks out there in radio land, that was Calliope’s Doom with their new song, ‘Cursed Bones.’
Their newest tune, following closely on the heels of their first big, success—‘Entrails of Love.’ This is
Black Vulture with the best of death and dying, torture and blood. The most alternative of alternative rock
for those of you who have nothing better to do on a Saturday night. Make that Sunday morning now here
at KRDN, 933 on your FM radio dial. Just a few minutes after midnight. And for those of you crazy
enough to stick with me until 4 a.m. (or should I say, those of you, without anything more interesting to
do), I’ll be playing a host of your favorite songs from some of the best alternative bands in the country.
For example, there’s a new CD I just got in from one of my favorite new bands—Ochre Fugue. As you
know, Ochre Fugue recently played locally to a packed crowd at the Blue Poppy in downtown Reardon.
That was a gig, wasn’t it? Obviously, they have lots of fans here in our little berg. I was lucky enough to
get to interview Jake Millet with the band. I know, I know; you’re all jealous. Well, eat my liver. Getting
to interview bands is one of the perks—one of the very few—of my job here at KRDN. Believe me, I
don’t work here for the pay (hope the station manager isn’t listening).
Ah, shoot! Gotta do a commercial now. This one is for—hmm, let’s see—Avery’s Auto Repair on
South Jackson. Let me try to read this with some energy: ‘Hey, guys (and ladies), Avery’s will fix your
wheels for a fair price’—and let’s face it—most of us don’t have new cars so we probably need a fix-up
more often than not, right? But, ‘the Avery brothers have been in Reardon for—ever. Simple, honest,
repair work. They don’t have a fancy location or building, but they do good work. So, check ‘em out.’
And I’d add to that–especially you students. I mean, Christmas break’s coming up in a week or two and if
you’re planning on driving home to visit Mommy and Poppy you’d better be sure your wheels will make
the trip. And you’d better be sure you arrive wearing clean clothes too; parents like that that sort of thing.
So I hear.
Okay, now, as I said before, I’m going to be playing a track from Ochre Fugue’s new CD. In just a
minute. What are you waiting for, right? I first heard this group in the Big Easy, several years ago. I was
makin’ the rounds of the clubs and ran across this band at a vampire underground party. What a sound
they have. Dark. Scary. Like blood, you know, from the coffin. Makes you cringe all over. The bass
player has a great get-up. I’d describe ‘em in more appropriate language if it weren’t for the FCC
breathin’ down my neck. You know what I’d like to say, though, don’t you? All two of you. Don’t
expect there’s too many fans listening in after midnight on a Saturday—unless you’re a real loser. Like
me. Still working on your graduate degree after six years. Right?
Anyway, I got the Ochre Fugue disc prepped for you. Let’s see, which track should I play? Oh, wait.
Just heard a car pull up outside the studio. Looks like I’ve got a visitor. Well, what do you know! That
hardly ever happens this far out in the boonies—especially this late. Well, that’ll be su—per! I get bored
all alone out here at the studio all night long—deejaying and doing all my own tech work. If any of you
guys ever want to drop in and visit—great. Just come on by—if you can find it. Okay, here he comes in
the door now. Hey, maybe it’s a she—better yet! My lucky night!
Oh, hi! Come on in! I’m Theodore Ballard—Black Vulture to my fans. You a fan of alternative rock?
What the? Hey, that’s a gun! What do you need a gun for? Why’re you pointin’ it at me? Wha––? No!
No!”

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