Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Out 5-31st! Lauren Carr's Latest! Murder by Perfection Makes Perfect Read!



AVAILABLE MAY 31ST!



Prologue 
Great Falls, Virginia 
The arctic blue Camaro convertible spun around the sharp curve leading down the wooded road. Upon seeing the emergency flares, Tristan Faraday tapped the brakes to slow down. A state police officer gestured with his flashlight for him to roll to a halt and lower his window. 
In the passenger seat, Jessica Faraday’s breath quickened when the black sports motorcycle parked at the bottom of the hill came into view. 
“I’m Tristan Faraday. That motorcycle belongs to my brother-in-law.”
The officer instructed them to park in a small dirt lot next to a fast-moving creek. “He’s okay.” 
Tristan peered at the motorcycle as he drove past. “It’s not wrecked. He wasn’t in an accident. Maybe it broke down and he got a ride.” 
“He’s only two miles from our house,” Jessica said. “He could have walked home by now.” 
Without waiting for Tristan to turn off the engine, she rushed out of the car. She ran across the gravel lot to a barrel-chested man clad in a dark jacket with “NCIS” emblazoned across the back briefing a group of younger agents. 
“Boris, what’s happened? Where’s Murphy?” 
Special Agent Boris Hamilton took her into a hug. “We’re doing everything we can. I called out my team as soon as we got the message from the police about his motorcycle being abandoned. What time did he leave the house?” 
“It was around ten-thirty,” Jessica said while staring at the motorcycle parked at the edge of the road. The kickstand was down, and Murphy’s helmet was resting on the seat. “We had a fight. He said he was going for a ride to get some fresh air.”
Tristan approached the investigator examining the bike for evidence. 
“Did Murphy say where he was going when he left?” Boris asked her. 
“No.” Jessica leveled her gaze on him. “We took a class at Natalie Stepford’s cooking school tonight. He told me about her being connected to the murder of Commander Caldwell.” 
“Did he make contact with Stepford?” Boris asked her. Jessica nodded her head. “Did you see anything suspicious? Did anyone seem particularly interested when Murphy spoke to her?” 
“Only every man in that class,” she said with a sigh. “Have you seen that woman?” Boris chuckled. “I hated her at first sight. Perfect hair. Perfect nose. Perfect figure. Perfect cooking skills. I’ll bet she never burns anything on the stove.” She allowed her voice to trail off... 
“Chief!” Special Agent Susan Archer called to them. “You’re going to want to see this.” 
Before Boris could stop her, Jessica ran to where Tristan was squatting next to an evidence marker. Instantly, Jessica recognized the reddish-brown stain in the middle of the road. As she let out a shriek, Tristan jumped to his feet and took her into a hug. 
“We’ll find him, sis. Don’t worry. We’ll find Murphy and bring him home.”
~~~

Murder by Perfection:
A Thorny Rose mystery

By Lauren Carr

As one of Carr's first and loyal fans from years ago, I am still constantly amazed of her ability to not only present a brand new, sophisticated, and complex multi-genre novel, but to present a new character that lends laughter, warmth, and love into her books... 

“Murphy, would you like to send a
 reply to Jessica?” the deep voice
 of the Faraday-Thornton

 artificial intelligence network

 came from the SUV’s speakers. 
Called “Nigel,” the state-of-the-art
 artificial
 intelligence

 was a test system designed
 by the federal government.
Nigel controlled
  the Faraday-Thornton
 entire technical network from 
communication, security, 
and even their 
calendars. 
“Tell her okay, Nigel.”
~~~
Meet Nigel! Actually, I chose an image to represent Nigel, so I could visualize him, for he is not a member of the household...he is, indeed, the house--and wherever his occupants were!

But, really, you will, by the time the book is over, already know him very well. But, realize, Nigel is not just another Siri, of something similar! So don't even think of ever meeting him except in Carr's novels...

“Jessica lost the signal,” Nigel said. “She did not lose the signal. Nigel, I thought lying was a human trait.”
“My programming includes a safety feature. Your steering wheel has sensors that allow me to monitor your pulse rate. When your heart rate indicates that human emotions are reaching a dangerous threshold, then communications are cut off to allow both parties time to cool off.”
~~~



Murphy and Jessica experienced love at first sight. But one thing about Murphy was a secret from the world. He was a member of "Phantom..." Just what do special governmental agents do when they fall in love?! Well, one end result was that Jessica and, her brother Tristan, became involved in welcoming Nigel into the home that she was to share with Murphy... It's so much fun when an AI is programmed for human interaction, emotions, and humor. And plan on seeing all those when Nigel opens the door and welcomes you to their home...

Newman was also a favorite for me as he spent his life as a couch-dog who controlled the remote...and, if it was taken away, he turned his back to...everybody...
The types of humor that Carr routinely engenders is one of those special qualities of her books that keep her fans happy and smiling as they read...

But there is always...murder...

Commander Ross Caldwell had been at the naval academy when Murphy was there. When they chanced met, they immediately renewed their relationship and planned to run together the next day... Murphy had told him that he was now liaison with NCIS and immediately Caldwell shared that he had been told that there was something suspicious happening at a private clinic...But before he could share more, Caldwell had been murdered...

Of course, Murphy immediately became involved in the investigation...until he disappeared--his motorcycle, with blood traces, found along a highway...


And then there was Kitty Katt who was right in the middle of everything... A Perfect Barbie Doll because she had had every part of her body redone under surgery--and now considered options she had beyond being...married...

When trouble starts, family members all come to help solve the problems and that's when it gets to be fun for readers. Murphy's twin, for instance, cuts his hair to match Murphy's and joins in on the murder investigation...either as himself or as Murphy! Family, always family, works to protect their own. With family characters, animal family members and our new friend and protector, Nigel...well, it couldn't get better than this! One thing about Carr's books is that her various series are all so good that all becomes favorites...For me, I've not been disappointed with any of her novels...This one I especially enjoyed--only to be replaced by her next one!

Carr is a clever weaver of tales,  merged with bits and pieces of humor interspersed to lighten the dark moods as murder and fear of a kidnapped family member drive each into action to do whatever is necessary to bring everybody safely home... Her story lines are unique in each and every book and amazingly grabs and pulls readers into each and every word she writes. You are missing a great writer if you don't read Lauren Carr! 

Highly Recommended!


GABixlerReviews

An Amazon All-Star Author, Lauren Carr writes mysteries that have made Amazon's best-selling ranks internationally. 
Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!
Now, Lauren has added one more hit series to her list with the Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries. Set in the quaint West Virginia town of Harpers Ferry, Ice introduces Chris Matheson, a retired FBI agent, who joins forces with other law enforcement retirees to heat up those cold cases that keep them up at night.
Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor. 
Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV. 

Sunday, May 27, 2018

Freedom's Light by Robert Saniscalchi - May We Remember


Our Prayers...



http://gabixlerreviews-bookreadersheaven.blogspot.com/2010/02/
review-robert-saniscalchis-second-book.html

http://gabixlerreviews-bookreadersheaven.blogspot.com/2010/04/
review-my-life-for-her-by-robert-j.html

Haven't read this author?
Check out my reviews of his first two books!

Preface
Stretching all the way back through the seemingly endless millenniums of time, there has been one constant, as sure as the sun rises every day. That constant as the relentless struggle of good against evil, and it's as relevant today as it was so very long ago.
On one side, we have the free, peaceful, hardworking, loving people who stand in the light of the Earth. On the other side lurk the dark, evil ones, hiding in the shadows, waiting to kill anyone unlike them.
The evil ones can't begin to comprehend what it is to be peacefulo, to be free. They are always waiting and watching, making plans to down the innocent, to terrorize and plunder until their appetite for blood is sated. Not until the year 2001 and the shocking relity that no one is truly safe from the darkness of this evil did America and the world begin to wake up.
The stark reality of the brutal kill-or-be-killed mentality struck home and finally, the righteous of the world began to fight back. From the ashes they gleaned a good lesson. They learned to seek out the evil ones and destroy them. They learned that even in the midst of a simmering sinister doom, there is always, always hope.
The sooner all of society realized that we must stand together, the better. There is hope! In our combined strength we will fight terror with deadly determination and at last put an end to this evil threat... and when we do the world will be a much better place for it.
~~~


Freedom's Light:
A Rob and Tex Adventure

By Robert Saniscalchi

                                                       
"You know what really gets to me the most?" Rob asked, shaking his head. "That flight, the one heading toward DC. Those guys rushed the cockpit and crashed the plane before it hit its intended target. Can you imagine the balls that took, standing to fight even though they knew they were gonna die anyway? That was bravery at its purest form, giving their lives so others could live. I pray for them and for the chance to avenge all the victims of 911...as well as its heroes."
~~~


While certainly a military thriller, it is, perhaps, even more so, a family drama of those in the story who prayed, and were prayed for throughout the times of being "away and in action..."

For Rob, one of the main characters, this time, being away from Ashley, became an important component in his daily memories.  More than ever, he wanted to be back home with her and his family.

September 11 had touched the lives of all Americans and many responded in one way or another...Rob saw a man standing next to an exit ramp holding a flag. "Rob felt the slow, encouraging
beat of those drums as he drove on. He didn't realize it yet, but he was not alone, those same drums of war were slowly beginning to rise among the people...




Those who were gathered there were first shown a video of terrorists somewhere in the Middle East, celebrating, firing their weapons, for the American tragedy. The leaders were all of one accord, to send their Delta forces out...Light Force, codename for their most effective group was led by Lt. Rob Marrino.

There were six members of Light Force, with each having a specific set of skills, but who were also trained to fill in other positions, if needed. This is the story of their  special mission where something had been spotted. Details of what was going on was needed...

Intel was all that was needed... But the mission went well beyond that in the end...Was the Light Force prepared to deal with combat?!?

And stopping...the...next...attack...on America which was in the final stages?!?

The pace of Saniscalchi's "thrillers" are not like many... Instead, his books hone in on the values instilled in the soldiers, the values of a Christian nation, whose foundation when created at the very beginning, was on God's guidance and a desire to love good and fight against evil...Praying all the way through what they were called upon to handle...

Memorial day seemed a good time to share about this book, for surely Light Force's unit did not make it back whole and the bond of each of these brothers affected how they dealt with both the mission...and the losses that came with it... Freedom's Light is an American tale of praying heroes that depend upon God's help against evil. At this time in the world, I found it a welcome true-life story of our American soldiers and their families... Highly recommended...


GABixlerReviews

Robert J Saniscalchi is the Author of Bullets and Bandages, now in 2nd Edition from Amazon/Kindle/Create-Space. His first book has received endorsements from the Vietnam Veterans of America and The Military Writer's Society of America. Robert also is the Author of the 2nd Edition of- My Life For Her, also from Amazon/Kindle Create-Space. Full reviews on his work can be found on Amazon.com. Robert’s third work, his new story -Freedom's Light- is complete, and with a 5 star review on Amazon Kindle. Robert is a member of various writing and reading communities. Robert is a retired Electrician, Author/ Writer and reader of the known/unknown. Robert became interested in writing after he attended English and writing classes at college. He is married and he has a home in Berks County Pa and Winter Springs Fl. Robert loves the great outdoors, reading, writing and working on his cars.

Saturday, May 26, 2018

Words from John S. Dickerson - I Am Strong!






I am hurting
I am confused
I am angry
I am scared
I am alone
I am doubting
I am lost
I am struggling
I am betrayed
I am weak...


I AM STRONG




Now Reading:
Hope of Nations
Standing Strong in a Post-Truth
Post-Christian World

by John S. Dickerson

Reviews coming on Both!

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

The Book of M by Peng Shepherd - Out in June...

Mahnaz Ahmadi
Nax dreamed often about the night it all began. There was just so much joy, so much wonder. No one knew then what the shadowlessness would lead to. Even when she dreamed about it now that she'd seen what it all became, the dream still never turned into a nightmare. She didn't know what that meant. Maybe it didn't mean anything at all.
~~~

It's not often that I truly find little to like about a book. This is supposedly an apocalyptic fantasy. I found little that showed it to be that... Yes, it is definitely fantasy--the concept was interesting, but quite unbelievable...

In essence, the premise is that our memories are retained in our shadows. Thus if you lose your shadow, you will begin to forget. In a real world where Alzheimer's is growing, this "possible reason" seemed to be farcical...

For one, the reason behind the concept was never given, nor did it result in the total loss of the world's people... There was no reason given to those who kept their shadows and those who lost them. 

Nor was the division based on any tangible reason that some turned bad, evil, while others worked to help as many people as possible, shadowless or not.

What there was was a division based upon the power that some of those who had lost their shadows had attained...

And the foolish "transcenders" who looked to these powerful people and bowed down to them, while attacking those who did not follow them... This was the only hypothesis that perhaps had any semblance to today's world...if you thought about it.

So, those few that remained with a shadow either were going to be forced into transcendence or killed...or be taken by the "reds" who were called that because everybody painted their bodies red. Really?

There were too many inconsistencies also, conceptually in the beginning, it was suggested that if an individual "forgot" say, their home, that it would disappear... Later in the book, however, this did not hold true in some cases. The book also hones in on several medical doctors...while the rest of the world is ignored in the story...Readers wonder if there are shadowed people everywhere, or just the few that are the main characters in the story.

While the writing and story flow was excellent, I often considered stopping and did skip parts that seemed to be overworked. The only part of the book I enjoyed was the characters. The book is divided into the story from the perspective of the various main characters and it is only their personal stories that carried the book for me. On the other hand, the lead-in suspense of the supposed savior took a storied fable to create that "savior." Who...really...wasn't...

On the other hand, the twist at the end of the book surely was not a welcome one for those who were left hanging. If this was done to elicit interest in a sequel, it didn't for me.

Maybe it didn't mean anything at all... One of the characters mused that in the book... I must admit I concurred...This is one book that held nothing for me except a new, fantastical concept of an age-old hypothesis. I will soon forget it...

You can decide on this one, but I don't recommend it... Do check out other reviews...


GABixlerReviews


Friday, May 18, 2018

Bulwark by Brit Lunden A New Adult Fiction Author?



"It's like a primordial soup," Clay Finnes muttered his hands on his hips.
"A primordial what?" Owen Bishop raised his hangdog face to look at the town sheriff.
"Primordial, ancient, prehistoric..." Clay looked at the deputy's blank face and finished with,  "old...really, really old."
"Oh," Owen shook his craggy head. His bulbous eyes looked like two hard boiled eggs; his hair was matted as if if was blued to the top of his round head. Owen never passed any of the tests allowing him to advance on the force. He was a deputy when Clay first got a job in Bulwark right out of the army. As the promotions started coming, Clay eventually became his boss. He wondered if it bothered the oler man taking direction from someone who trained under him.
"You mean like dinosaurs?" Owen scratched his head.
"Dino...no... forget it, Owen. What else did the couple say?" He listened to Owen drone on about the car that was now sitting in the middle of the greenish pond.
"Appears they were coming from the other side." Owen pointed vaguely in the other direction.
"How could they? There's nothing there. That road has been closed off for years."
Something was missing. He wasn't sure what, but a feeling of unease enveloped Clay until his body fairly vibrated with it.
Clay looked up, his deep brown eyes scanning the thicket of trees surrounding the strange body of water that seemed to appear overnight. He crinkled his nose; it smelled pretty bad too. It was a greenish color, like a dirty army fatigue. It seemed shallow. He resisted the urge to stick the toe of his boot in the water. It was still, the surface like polished glass. The Ford Fuston was trapped in the what appeared to be the deepest part of the puddle as if they had tried to speed through it. The brackish water abut two feel deep.
"If they had skirted the edges they would have made it through. He shouldn't used the choke, probably got an entire engine full of water." Once Owen started talking he could go on about something forever.
"Where the hell were they coming from?" Clay muttered to himself. He moved away as if to see through the gloom. "It's a road that leads to nowhere...
"It's not deep enough to sink," Clay observed his deputy scratch his bald head, then turned to look at the enormous puddle. It covered the road from one end to the other. He chewed the inside of his cheek. He had to admit, it appeared larger than when he got here, but it couldn't be that deep, could it? Clay forced his attention back to Owen. It helped him stop thinking of his own life. "Where are they?"
"Over at JB's house. The wife's pretty freaked out..." 
~~~

Bulwark

By Brit Lunden


Take a pinch of Brigadoon... It appears and then disappears...


And think back to the Fairy Tale, Hansel and Gretel...




You see, in the town of Bulwark, there was an old road that had led nowhere... But one day, on the main road, there suddenly appeared a small body of...ooze...mostly greenish water that moved across the main road, little by little...

The local sheriff was called out to see it, when a car had got stuck in the middle of the road... They had gotten out, but nobody, including the Sheriff, wanted to even touch that oozing puddle which was deeper in some parts...

But the strangest part of all was that the couple who had escaped from their car was screaming about what had happened to their children. They wanted the Sheriff to go to Linden Lane where their children were being held by a witch! In the Gingerbread House...

Only problem was that Sheriff Finnes knew every road located in Bulwark and he was positive there was no Linden Lane there...

Until...there was...

The genius of an award-winning long-time children's book author was, in my opinion, easily translated into this adult fantasy mystery story...Way Cool! It's easily readable for YA and up and quite enjoyable! 
Her main characters are uniquely intriguing, although I did think of Sheriff Taylor and Barney Fife... Clay had come in and ultimately was promoted over Owen...but Owen didn't seem to mind.

Clay, of course, adds to the story by having love problems in his life, distracting him to some extent, but he was involved enough and caring enough to go out and walk right up Linden Lane, heard children's laughter, but seeing nothing but a desolate old mill, a dirt road and ultimately stopped at a mailbox: Bavmorda, Gingerbread House, Linden Lane...

And found an old lady living in an old white Victorian house, who told him her family had lived there for generations...




And then there were the wolves heard in an area where no wolves had lived for many years...  A sequel to Hansel and Gretel--NOT! And definitely without one of the endings! You get to choose!

I had a lot of fun reading this debut fiction novel by Brit Lunden and hope you don't mind my sharing memories of past delights.  I've read most of the author's children's books, and the adventures we found in her fantasy and adventure pirate books, for instance, are a great lead in for her move on to fictional novels that both entertain and keep reader interest to the last page. Kudos!


GABixlerReviews 





Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Paul Kyriazi - Two books Today! Forbidden Power and Rock Star Rising!

In September, 2010, I spotlighted Paul Kyriazi, talking about the James Bond Life, as well as one of his earlier books...and more... Here's the link to the first article and further articles that entire week...

While Paul has much experience and expertise in media and audible books...using recognized actors in his books, I chose to select ebooks for the two I've just read simply because that makes it easier for me to review. But I would recommend you check out the audible books...I loved hearing Eddie Byrnes, instantly recognizing his voice in one book...and check out the book trailers! Love them!
“She was as smart as they come. There’s nothing she didn’t know. I overheard her talking a couple of times. Very spooky,” the geezer barfly says to me while looking closely at the picture I’m holding. 
You’ve seen that picture on a postcard, dear reader, if you’ve ever traveled
http://www.nativeamericanexpressions
.net/naefolder/maija.html
through Arizona or New Mexico; the postcard of the tall, beautiful Indian maiden, clothed in tight buckskin, standing in the snow next to two white wolves. I had printed it out from the internet because it looked like the woman I was searching for. “Mind you,” I tell the geezer, “this isn’t the actual woman. It just looks like her.” 
“I’m telling you, mister,” he says pointing to it. “That’s her. She caught me staring at her once. Looked at me like she could kill me just by pointing her finger. Stayed away from her after that whenever she came to town.” 
“You said the last time you saw her, she was twelve or thirteen?” 
“Yeah, but if she grew up, that would be her.”
~~~

Archimedes Enterprises – Veronica Hawthorne - The Future is Here.

He'd met her at a computer conference--he was one of the exhibitors, but was not doing well since the other guy working quickly moved in on any real potential clients... But he had seen her coming and couldn't take his eyes off of her. Then she came to him and started asking questions..His co-worker quickly took one look at her and tried to take over... He was thrilled when she said she was already being helped, merely continuing their conversation.



When she handed him her card, Veronica Hawthorne, with her personal number, he was stunned...Would he call her?

After opening the book with how they met, the author then takes readers into the future, where we find George Barrett now trying to find the mysterious woman, with whom he had spent one night, who had then disappeared... Barrett however had been changed that night--he now had the power to succeed. But at what cost? Perhaps afraid that the power could be taken away, he sets out to find her, carrying a picture that was remarkably similar to his memory of her, although a postcard... He winds up in Arizona where he begins to find a past history of a young girl who was called Chumana... only to have somebody try to kill him!

With his powers Barrett overpowers the man who begged not to be hurt, that he was only following the orders of Chumana who had told him to kill anybody who ever came to try to find her... He had received that order about 10 years ago, but was still willing to follow her command... Barrett decided he had discovered everything he could there...

But provides readers more of the story by agreeing to keep an elderly man company as they travel...

And he shared that Veronica left a lipsticked message on the bathroom mirror: 
Short Red Train

Got it? Well neither Barrett nor I did either...but that leads us on into the story, don't you think? And if you are as curious as I, you'll just have to keep reading! Because Barrett remember an important clue that Veronica had given her which he had not understood before... as his powers were continuing to increase... He headed for Winslow, Arizona...

And the hunt begins!

What fun! Where will Barrett go next and will he find his answers? What a fantasy and I loved the ending... What about you, would you be tempted and succumb to Forbidden Power?  By the way, if you've learned of Kyriazi "Bond...James Bond" activities, you can probably guess that this story tends to be male-oriented, even if the power comes from a woman... at least in my opinion... Enjoy!


~~~

One of the main characters in Rock Star Rising is Medusa. There won't be many who don't recognize the name, and perhaps envision her face...but I thought it might be fun to hear the back story of the myth... Read on below if you have no interest...







A cold, ground-clinging fog rolled through the dark cemetery, licking the forgotten names carved in marble. It seemed to slow and linger on the tombstone that bore a single name; a name not forgotten at all. The fog seemed to conjure up five bony fingers that caressed the five letters carved large and deep. All who watched the scene knew that the man who slumbered beneath that five letter name was not in heaven. No, for sure he was in Hell. That is, if he slumbered at all. Many of the hundreds of onlookers this Halloween night thought he was still alive, with only an empty coffin buried below that cold marker. But they came anyway. Many in the crowd thought him dead for sure. But they came anyway. Most thought the promised resurrection at midnight was just a bunch of B.S. publicity. But they came. 
“I see it,” a sixteen year old girl yelled excitedly to her boyfriend as she pointed up the hill. 
“Let me see,” he said. “Give me the binoculars.” He, put them to his eyes and searched up the hill with them.
“Yeah, that's it,” he said. “I'll be damned. That's Shane's grave.” He gave out a comic yell, “Come on Shane, you son of a bitch. It's almost midnight. Get the hell up.”
The youngsters around him gave out a laugh. Just to the right of the group a tall, good-looking man with a hand mike looked into a TV camera and said; “This is Steve Landers, here at the Memory Gardens cemetery in Carson, just south of Los Angeles. MTV is here on this Halloween night of 1991 because of rumors spreading amongst die-hard Shane fan clubs, that tonight, on the twenty-first anniversary of his death, Shane will rise from his grave at midnight. To do what? I don't know. But whatever he does in front of these hundreds of fans, MTV is here to cover it for you. This portion of the cemetery, where his grave is located directly behind me, just up the hill, has been roped off by security. But who knows what this crazy crowd will do, as we’re just ten minutes away from midnight. As you know, since Shane's mysterious death, rumors have been flying around that the rock star is still alive. However, all the people that were associated with Shane say that he's dead and gone.” 
About fifty yards away from the MTV announcer stood a heavyset, white-haired man in his fifties, dressed in a three-piece brown suit. He was standing next to the security rope with his eyes glued on Shane's headstone up the hill. Looking around at the crowd with a half-smile, he checked his Rolex. It was four minutes till midnight. 
From out of the crowd, a tall young woman with long brown hair held in a ponytail, approached him. “Hi, I'm Nancy Carter from Music Scene magazine,” she said. “You're Carl Jessup, Shane's agent, right?” 
“Hmm. I was,” Jessup said. “Well look, sure, I know Shane's dead, but you still handle his merchandising, don't you?” 
“Yes, I do, my dear.” 
“Well then, what do you have planned for us tonight?” 
“I don't have anything planned.” 
“Nothing planned?” 
“That's right.” 
“Oh, come on,” she pushed. “You can level with me. Look, there are loud speakers set up in the trees, and there are a couple of guys up there that are doing a great job with the fog machines, but are terrible about staying hidden.” 
Jessup stood silent, looking up the hill with a half-smile. 
“Look,” Nancy said, “everyone knows that this thing has been planned out, just like the rumors that the radio stations have been spreading, all planned out it seems. So why don't you just come clean? I know you're doing this to keep Shane's old records selling and my article will do that for you.” 
Bishop finally turned to look at her. “Look...ah....What was your name again?” 
“Nancy Carter, Music Scene magazine.” 
“Look Nancy, I don't know where or who started these rumors. I heard 'em this month, just like you. And when I heard there was a crowd gathering as early at eight o'clock, I decided to drive down here and check it out. That's all.” 
“And what about the speakers and the fog machines?” 
“Ah….How should I know? There's a lot of media and fans here. Look, are you going to hold me responsible for every Halloween prank that happens in the city tonight?”
“What about all this security, huh? Who arranged that? 
“I don't know. Ask them.” 
She stuffed her pad and pencil into the bag she was carrying. 
“Okay, then just answer the big question.” 
“If I can,” Bishop smiled. “Is Shane alive?”
!!!


Just like the millions of Elvis fans who tried to hold on to him after his death, Shane was still beloved and his fans held on to every hope that came along that he might be still alive...

A special event had even been "rumored" for Halloween Night, 1991, at his grave-site...Shane was to leave his grave! 

And when the adoring fans saw movement on top of the dirt, they started running up the hill to his grave, regardless of any guards... But once Shane was out of the grave, he saw the crowd screaming and running toward him...and just turned and ran into the woods!
When the dark, undead figure of Shane saw the mass of wild humanity approaching, it turned and ran, heading for the woods behind the cemetery. The crowd gave hot pursuit, but the figure, with the devil's own speed, out-distanced itself from its pursuers and soon was lost in the trees, and the darkness.
Alan Bartlett had been gambling at the Las Vegas Hard Rock Hotel. He was flying high and wild, thinking about the lover he had just left upstairs and realizing that the seminar he had attended had given him a new life (a James Bond seminar??? LOL) When a woman sat down beside him, he knew she had checked him out closely... Medusa was on the prowl... Alan had not seen the posters all over the place announcing her show--it wouldn't have mattered since Alan knew little about music...

Interested that this younger man hadn't recognized her, but still had been polite and pleasant, she went on to share that, if he had heard of Shane, she had been one of his backup singers. Alan recognized the name because of the Halloween wild graveside events... Medusa quickly denied any truth behind what had happened...

Let's just say that, later, Medusa did not turn Alan into stone...

Alan felt both excitement and apprehension as he entered Medusa's suite. She immediately went over to the CD player and put on some opera music, as Alan opened the sliding glass door that lead to the balcony. “Hey, this is cool,” he said. “What?” Medusa said, as she walked over to him. “Oh…You've got a view of the artificial beach, you know, just like me.”
“Oh, screw the beach,” she said, as she put her arms around Alan’s neck. “Yeah, yeah, screw the beach,” he echoed. Medusa gave him a short kiss. You know,” Alan said, as she moved to his ear. “You being a rock singer, I'm surprised you like opera.” “I don't,” she whispered. “But with the balcony door open, we need the opera singing to cover up my singing.“Ah….gotcha.” “Not yet you don't.” In Alan’s room, his girlfriend Connie was awakened by the sound of a woman's operatic voice. And just beneath that, another woman's operatic screams. She sleepily got up, walked to her balcony door, closed it, and went back to bed.
~~~

Alan left Hard Rock with Connie, but he realized that he couldn't forget Medusa, even while he was with Connie... When he followed and met her again, she didn't remember him...He didn't care about the embarrassment; he reminded her that they been very good together. Medusa wanted proof...

The book contains some sexy scenes...but what had that to do with Shane? Well Alan was interested in writing...and Medusa wanted to write about her time with Shane...  She pointed out that there were no books yet written that told the inside story of working and living with Shane...

After hearing stories on being on the road with this rock and roller, Alan was hooked. He wanted to write that book--and of course readers will be reading what that book turned out to be!

The Life in the business may be exciting, but also dangerous... The twist of the story is fantastic! Totally unexpected, and moves the story into a page-turner as the content of the story is shared! Loved it! Highly recommended...


GABixlerReviews



Life Behind the Camera

At age 8, I see The Making of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea on Disneyland TV and decided to become a movie director. Age 16, I start filming 20 minute action stories using my father's 8mm camera. Age 18, my father bought me a used Bolex camera.

I film a 30 min color action movie titled Trapped and it wins the Berkeley Film Festival. I start taking karate to be like James Bond. My Sensei introduces me to samurai movies.

Seeing that action with great film techniques of the Japanese directors, moves me into martial arts movies, even before the TV show Kung Fu. I transferred to San Francisco State University making more 20 minute karate stories and placing 3rd in the next Berkeley Film Festival. I graduate with a BA in film.

I join the Air Force movie department and film space launches for NASA. I take leave to film my first feature Drawn Swords in 35mm black & white Techniscope. It's about 3 samurai going to England to enter a fencing tournament. I use all my cash and credit cards, loans, and refinancing my car.

I get out of the Air Force and return to San Francisco unable to sell my movie. I promise myself if I get another break I will make a color movie that is so commercial the distributors will have to buy it.

I meet karate tournament fighter Ron Marchini who has me re-edit and sell his Philippine produced movie Murder in the Orient.

Ron then hired me to write and direct Death Machines. To be commercial, we come up with a story of 3 karate killers (white, black, Asian) to cover all markets. Then we add a cop/gangster plot, big fight scenes in a karate dojo, bar, and police station, and we actually blew up a piper cub airplane.

The completed movie is immediately picked up by Crown International Pictures with big advertising. It opened in 50 theaters in LA making it a #14 top grosser. However, I still can't raise the money to produce my own movie, so I direct a sequence for Sesame Street.

I pick up a copy of The Million Dollar Secret Hidden in Your Mind by Anthony Norvel. I take his classes for three months in LA, then return to the San Francisco. In 10 days I raise the money to produce and direct Weapons of Death.

The panavision film plays all over the USA breaking a house record in a New York theater. I next produce and direct Ninja Busters. This was followed by the cops and gangsters story One Way Out.

Next came writing and directing Omega Cop starring: Adam 'Batman' West, Troy Donahue, and Stuart Whitman. An actress from Weapons of Death hires me to produce a travelogue in Phuket, Thailand, Thailand Adventure proving you never know what contact will end up getting you movie work.

I write two novels in hopes of getting them produced as movies. When many people ask me "How do you survive as a freelance?" I write How to Live the James Bond Lifestyle.

In 2003, I produce In the West - a 90 minute travel production for Japan. Appearance by Pat Morita.

In 2005, I produce my novel Rock Star Rising as an audio-book narrated by Rod Taylor, performed by Russ Tamblyn, George Chakiris, Robert Culp, James Darren, and Kevin McCarthy. It has full effects and music, making it an "audio movie" of sorts.

In 2006, I direct the largest production in audio-book history, McKnight's Memory. Narrated by Frank Sinatra Jr, it stars Robert Culp, Nancy Kwan, Don Stroud, Henry Silva, Alan Young, David Hedison, and Edd Kookie Byrnes.

In 2007, I Direct Edd Byrnes' My Casino Caper audio-book. It's Edd's memoir of being stalked for his 3 million dollar Las Vegas win. With Alan Young, Henry Silva, and David Hedison playing themselves, recreating the incident that happened in 1977. Michael Callen plays the part of criminal that stalked Edd.

In 2008, I direct Barbara Leigh's The King, McQueen, and the Love Machine audio-book. Her memoir of being a top model involved with Elvis, Steve McQueen and MGM president Jim Aubrey. Joe Esposito introduces it and plays himself in the dramatizations.

In 2012, I update & expand the James Bond Lifestyle on Kindle, Nook, iTunes & Kobo.

In 2013, I write & produce - 3 Wild Thrillers - Three fiction stories on Kindle that includes the audio-book.

In 2014, I produce The Mexican Swimmer, a 3 hour audio-book performed by Julian Scott Urena. I also write Wicked Players, a story of gambling and survival in wild Las Vegas.