The cab pulled up and the driver rolled the window down. Daryl cornered the car and wondered why there was already a passenger in the back seat. She tilted down to talk to the driver but got a good look at the passenger. She flipped down a sun glass visor and recoiled in shock.
She saw a black-cloaked figure wearing a hood. The face was misshapen, gouged, wrinkled, and drawn tight like wet tissue over a lumpy gourd. It had one hand over its lap; the fingers looked like burnt twigs. She could not see inside the cloak, save for a neck that resembled that of a tortoise. A smell like rotten meat wafted from the inside of the car.
Daryl stepped back, trying to reign in her shock and horror. She yelled, “Get the hell out here. We don’t need you anymore!”
“What’s the matter? I told you I’m sorry, lady”
~~~
For instance, you'll read about a cab pulling up and the driver rolling the window down. Daryl cornered the car and wondered why there was already a passenger in the back seat. She tilted down to talk to the driver but got a good look at the passenger. She flipped down a sun glass visor and recoiled in shock. She saw a black-cloaked figure wearing a hood...
By the time you learn about that death-like being that was found in the back of a cab that Daryl was about to enter, you will have read most of the book and moved forward slowly to actually see why this book is, well, strange, unique, and quite entertaining. And you also will have seen that cabbie in an accident that took his life... Of course, by that time, while Daryl had immediately predicted it and had been looking for verification...sadly, she was right again!
At first I thought this was a romance story...Two couples, one engaged; one married... And they had become close friends, so that, whenever something was happening, it was quite natural to share among the four. It was romantic as it related to the normal interactions; however, with the storyline of the book, tensions run high, quarrels occur...and the two female characters take off and leave both husbands to travel to Hawaii! So, enjoy the time with two women who refused to continually bow to the needs of their husbands!
Dean, Daryl's fiance, was a cop and had just become involved with a serial killer who seemed unstoppable, providing no clues, leaving no forensics, and quickly killing their victim, then leaving: A young girl dead, and one tooth pulled as a souvenir... Dean wanted badly to be on that investigation team. Daryl, who worked for an institute for the deaf and mute, though, was about to gain a job that she never bargained for.
But that was before Dean and Daryl were both shot by someone who was trying to steal their car... Dean, thinking he would have everything under control, slowly pulled out his gun...Before anything could happen, the robber had shot through the window, hitting Dean badly and Daryl had a major loss of one of her eyes... Both would be grounded for weeks and months...
Yet that serial killer kept killing...10...11...
Daryl's eye loss had required a search for a donor. Shortly one was found from a young girl who had been in an accident. The operation went well; Daryl was adjusting to the eye as expected and the doctors were pleased.
Until she started realizing that the new eye caused a double image of some sort... Doctors found nothing to document this problem.
A whirlwind of action and adventure started as Daryl began to completely see through that new eye. Images of some type of beings were following individuals. A little research made her realize that Daryl was actually seeing these beings that resulted in death to those they followed... Even though Daryl tried to interfere, nothing seemed to work...until...
The writer brilliantly, ultimately, interfaces the two issues in Dean and Daryl's lives. Jobo and Abbey are wonderful characters who merge easily into the situations, as needed, to complete a group that comes together to provide an unbelievable climax to the book that could not be foreseen! The creativity of the writer in waltzing through romance, science fiction, the paranormal, and religious supernatural power was especially noteworthy. The book is not a thriller where you can anticipate; rather, it is a mystery to be solved--a whodunit versus "Death Squad" concept that readers may have to stay with the early part in order to fully comprehend the magnitude of the potential of what could be if we allowed our senses open to the possibility.
While I'd love to see a series, I'm not quite sure that what occurred could easily be continued. Either way, Earth Angel is an extraordinary "family" drama that is quite memorable... Highly recommended...
GABixlerReviews
PUBLISHING CREDITS:
BOOKS:
Auto Repair Shams and Scams (Forward--Ralph Nader), 1990, Price Stern & Sloan, Los Angeles--226 pages, non-fiction, consumer warning and repair book.
Garage Sale Mania, 1988, Betterway Publications, Crozet, Virginia--190 pages, non-fiction--1988.
Word Wars, a SF novel, to Rain Publishing, Canada--May, 2007.
Once Upon a Goddess, a Fantasy novel, to Rain Publishing, Canada--January, 2008
Planet Janitor--Custodian of the Stars, a SF novel sold to Engage Books, May 2009
Gate Walker, a Paranormal Fantasy, sold Lyrical Press--January, 2009.
The Wolfen Strain, a fantasy thriller sold to LBF (Lachesis) Books, February 2009
The War Gate, a Paranormal thriller, to Pen and Press, 10-12-2012
The Girl They Sold to the Moon, a YA dystopian sold to Intrigue Press, August 2013
Planet Janitor Omnibus with shorts added, Engage SF August 2017
Blackmailed Bride, Romantic thriller to Melange Books, Satin Romance, Feb 2017
Screamcatcher Web World, YA fantasy to Melange Fire & Ice
MAGAZINE--SHORT FICTION:
Stellar by Starlight, to Amazing Stories, 1988.
The Lonely Astronaut, to Amazing Stories, 1988.
Temperamental Circuits, to Gordon Linzner of Space & Time, 1989.
Things that go Clump in the Night, to Richard Fawcett of Doppelganger, 1989.
Dance the Macabre and Dance it Well, to Erskine Carter of Ouroborous, 1989.
Future School, to Chris Bartholomew of Static Movement, January 2006.
The Incredible Mr. Dandy, to Not One of Us--1989
Planet Janitor The Moon is not Enough, to Enage Books, 2012
Planet Janitor Journey Interrupted, to Engage Books 2012
Other magazine appearances from 1988 to 1991 include, Alpha Adventures, Small Press Writers and Artists Organization and Sycophant.
RADIO PLAYS:
The Summit, 15-minute horror play to Night Sounds, Embassy Cassette Inc, Santa Ana, California--1990
Night of the Moa, 13-minute horror play to Night Sounds, Embassy Cassette Inc, Santa Ana, California--1990.
AWARDS:
Finalist in the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest, for Temperamental Circuits, 1987.
First place, grand prize winner for The Girl They Sold to the Moon, a YA distopian novel, to a Publisher's Novel Writing Competition. Advance and publication offered--June 2012.
JOURNALISM AND MAGAZINE ARTICLES
350 newspaper profiles, stories, and interviews to Sunset Publishing, Anaheim, California, appearing in The West Coast Jewish News, The Senior Citizens Reporter and The Military Review. From 1988 to 1991. Seven automotive and home and garden articles articles to Dollar Stretcher Magazine, from 12-2-2011 to 2-28-2012. Eight science articles to Xiauduo Media, for Chinese translation( 8 -14 year-old audience)--Astronomy, new transportation technology, space, exoplanets, future spaced ship drives, big bang, theory and inflation.
CONTENT AND CLIENT
I have written and published over 1,750 non-fiction automotive, aircraft, marine, home and garden and science articles for Demand Media Studios, under the Beta-Automotive and E-How stations. Six automotive articles to Examiner.com--6-2012. Published. 440 automotive and general articles to TextBroker--plumbing, gardening, home improvement, home utilities, electricity--Content writing for a total of three years.
ORGANIZATIONS/POSITIONS:
Served as content editor of Sunset Publication (see above) for three years. Responsible for all writing assignments content editing, filler and artwork and payment.
President and founder of Heartland Writers Group, Huntington Beach, California, from 1987 to 1991.
AGENTS:
Past agent--Richard Curtis Associates, from 1988 to 1991.
Past agent--TriadaUS (Dr. Uwe Stender), from 2006 to August 2009
Present agent--Sara Camilli Agency--2010 to present.
CURRENT FINISHED BOOKS (AVAILABLE):
Iron Maiden, a military espionage thriller.
Valley of the Mastodons, a non-fiction book involving the Ice Age megafauna discoveries in Hemet, California, during the Diamond Valley reservoir dig. Proposal, chapter outline, and 100 pages available upon request
Dispossessed Incorporated, an urban ghost fantasy with time travel
The Omega Wars--SF, apocalyptic alien invasion (Sequel to PJ)
Screamcatcher, A YA portal fantasy out on agent sub round. Resembles the Narnia world. this includes Screamcatcher two and three. It is currently in discussion with a publisher.
Sky High, a YA fantasy in the vein of Wool
The Magic of the La Brea Tarpits--a non-fiction children's chap-book.
CURRENT NEWS: BLACKMAILED BRIDE, AN EROTIC ROMANTIC THRILLER HAS JUST BEEN RELEASED. CATCH IT ON MY AMAZON PAGE. IT'S ONLY 4.99
She saw a black-cloaked figure wearing a hood. The face was misshapen, gouged, wrinkled, and drawn tight like wet tissue over a lumpy gourd. It had one hand over its lap; the fingers looked like burnt twigs. She could not see inside the cloak, save for a neck that resembled that of a tortoise. A smell like rotten meat wafted from the inside of the car.
Daryl stepped back, trying to reign in her shock and horror. She yelled, “Get the hell out here. We don’t need you anymore!”
“What’s the matter? I told you I’m sorry, lady”
~~~
For instance, you'll read about a cab pulling up and the driver rolling the window down. Daryl cornered the car and wondered why there was already a passenger in the back seat. She tilted down to talk to the driver but got a good look at the passenger. She flipped down a sun glass visor and recoiled in shock. She saw a black-cloaked figure wearing a hood...
By the time you learn about that death-like being that was found in the back of a cab that Daryl was about to enter, you will have read most of the book and moved forward slowly to actually see why this book is, well, strange, unique, and quite entertaining. And you also will have seen that cabbie in an accident that took his life... Of course, by that time, while Daryl had immediately predicted it and had been looking for verification...sadly, she was right again!
At first I thought this was a romance story...Two couples, one engaged; one married... And they had become close friends, so that, whenever something was happening, it was quite natural to share among the four. It was romantic as it related to the normal interactions; however, with the storyline of the book, tensions run high, quarrels occur...and the two female characters take off and leave both husbands to travel to Hawaii! So, enjoy the time with two women who refused to continually bow to the needs of their husbands!
Dean, Daryl's fiance, was a cop and had just become involved with a serial killer who seemed unstoppable, providing no clues, leaving no forensics, and quickly killing their victim, then leaving: A young girl dead, and one tooth pulled as a souvenir... Dean wanted badly to be on that investigation team. Daryl, who worked for an institute for the deaf and mute, though, was about to gain a job that she never bargained for.
But that was before Dean and Daryl were both shot by someone who was trying to steal their car... Dean, thinking he would have everything under control, slowly pulled out his gun...Before anything could happen, the robber had shot through the window, hitting Dean badly and Daryl had a major loss of one of her eyes... Both would be grounded for weeks and months...
Yet that serial killer kept killing...10...11...
Daryl's eye loss had required a search for a donor. Shortly one was found from a young girl who had been in an accident. The operation went well; Daryl was adjusting to the eye as expected and the doctors were pleased.
Until she started realizing that the new eye caused a double image of some sort... Doctors found nothing to document this problem.
A whirlwind of action and adventure started as Daryl began to completely see through that new eye. Images of some type of beings were following individuals. A little research made her realize that Daryl was actually seeing these beings that resulted in death to those they followed... Even though Daryl tried to interfere, nothing seemed to work...until...
The writer brilliantly, ultimately, interfaces the two issues in Dean and Daryl's lives. Jobo and Abbey are wonderful characters who merge easily into the situations, as needed, to complete a group that comes together to provide an unbelievable climax to the book that could not be foreseen! The creativity of the writer in waltzing through romance, science fiction, the paranormal, and religious supernatural power was especially noteworthy. The book is not a thriller where you can anticipate; rather, it is a mystery to be solved--a whodunit versus "Death Squad" concept that readers may have to stay with the early part in order to fully comprehend the magnitude of the potential of what could be if we allowed our senses open to the possibility.
While I'd love to see a series, I'm not quite sure that what occurred could easily be continued. Either way, Earth Angel is an extraordinary "family" drama that is quite memorable... Highly recommended...
GABixlerReviews
BOOKS:
Auto Repair Shams and Scams (Forward--Ralph Nader), 1990, Price Stern & Sloan, Los Angeles--226 pages, non-fiction, consumer warning and repair book.
Garage Sale Mania, 1988, Betterway Publications, Crozet, Virginia--190 pages, non-fiction--1988.
Word Wars, a SF novel, to Rain Publishing, Canada--May, 2007.
Once Upon a Goddess, a Fantasy novel, to Rain Publishing, Canada--January, 2008
Planet Janitor--Custodian of the Stars, a SF novel sold to Engage Books, May 2009
Gate Walker, a Paranormal Fantasy, sold Lyrical Press--January, 2009.
The Wolfen Strain, a fantasy thriller sold to LBF (Lachesis) Books, February 2009
The War Gate, a Paranormal thriller, to Pen and Press, 10-12-2012
The Girl They Sold to the Moon, a YA dystopian sold to Intrigue Press, August 2013
Planet Janitor Omnibus with shorts added, Engage SF August 2017
Blackmailed Bride, Romantic thriller to Melange Books, Satin Romance, Feb 2017
Screamcatcher Web World, YA fantasy to Melange Fire & Ice
MAGAZINE--SHORT FICTION:
Stellar by Starlight, to Amazing Stories, 1988.
The Lonely Astronaut, to Amazing Stories, 1988.
Temperamental Circuits, to Gordon Linzner of Space & Time, 1989.
Things that go Clump in the Night, to Richard Fawcett of Doppelganger, 1989.
Dance the Macabre and Dance it Well, to Erskine Carter of Ouroborous, 1989.
Future School, to Chris Bartholomew of Static Movement, January 2006.
The Incredible Mr. Dandy, to Not One of Us--1989
Planet Janitor The Moon is not Enough, to Enage Books, 2012
Planet Janitor Journey Interrupted, to Engage Books 2012
Other magazine appearances from 1988 to 1991 include, Alpha Adventures, Small Press Writers and Artists Organization and Sycophant.
RADIO PLAYS:
The Summit, 15-minute horror play to Night Sounds, Embassy Cassette Inc, Santa Ana, California--1990
Night of the Moa, 13-minute horror play to Night Sounds, Embassy Cassette Inc, Santa Ana, California--1990.
AWARDS:
Finalist in the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest, for Temperamental Circuits, 1987.
First place, grand prize winner for The Girl They Sold to the Moon, a YA distopian novel, to a Publisher's Novel Writing Competition. Advance and publication offered--June 2012.
JOURNALISM AND MAGAZINE ARTICLES
350 newspaper profiles, stories, and interviews to Sunset Publishing, Anaheim, California, appearing in The West Coast Jewish News, The Senior Citizens Reporter and The Military Review. From 1988 to 1991. Seven automotive and home and garden articles articles to Dollar Stretcher Magazine, from 12-2-2011 to 2-28-2012. Eight science articles to Xiauduo Media, for Chinese translation( 8 -14 year-old audience)--Astronomy, new transportation technology, space, exoplanets, future spaced ship drives, big bang, theory and inflation.
CONTENT AND CLIENT
I have written and published over 1,750 non-fiction automotive, aircraft, marine, home and garden and science articles for Demand Media Studios, under the Beta-Automotive and E-How stations. Six automotive articles to Examiner.com--6-2012. Published. 440 automotive and general articles to TextBroker--plumbing, gardening, home improvement, home utilities, electricity--Content writing for a total of three years.
ORGANIZATIONS/POSITIONS:
Served as content editor of Sunset Publication (see above) for three years. Responsible for all writing assignments content editing, filler and artwork and payment.
President and founder of Heartland Writers Group, Huntington Beach, California, from 1987 to 1991.
AGENTS:
Past agent--Richard Curtis Associates, from 1988 to 1991.
Past agent--TriadaUS (Dr. Uwe Stender), from 2006 to August 2009
Present agent--Sara Camilli Agency--2010 to present.
CURRENT FINISHED BOOKS (AVAILABLE):
Iron Maiden, a military espionage thriller.
Valley of the Mastodons, a non-fiction book involving the Ice Age megafauna discoveries in Hemet, California, during the Diamond Valley reservoir dig. Proposal, chapter outline, and 100 pages available upon request
Dispossessed Incorporated, an urban ghost fantasy with time travel
The Omega Wars--SF, apocalyptic alien invasion (Sequel to PJ)
Screamcatcher, A YA portal fantasy out on agent sub round. Resembles the Narnia world. this includes Screamcatcher two and three. It is currently in discussion with a publisher.
Sky High, a YA fantasy in the vein of Wool
The Magic of the La Brea Tarpits--a non-fiction children's chap-book.
CURRENT NEWS: BLACKMAILED BRIDE, AN EROTIC ROMANTIC THRILLER HAS JUST BEEN RELEASED. CATCH IT ON MY AMAZON PAGE. IT'S ONLY 4.99
I was nearly shocked to tears when I listened to the opening intro song to this review. In fact, I did not see this review coming until I stumbled upon it on my Author's FB page. Wow, what an extraordinary analysis and commentary. I knew that I was all over the genre map with this one, but you saw the segmentation as easy transitions. It could only mean that your radar was in full-on mode and you caught everything between the seams. I can't thank you enough for this: what are the words? A heartfelt tribute. I've never had quite such an innovative and entertaining review as this. I'm a subscriber for life--Blessed wishes--Chris H. Stevenson. ETA: stunned, shocked and humbled.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your feedback...happy to know I provided a smooth transition between and among the genres!
ReplyDelete