Category: book releases

Moras Productions releases second graphic novel hybrid Ancient Explorers: The Lost City of Peru

Ancient Explorers: The Lost City of Peru is available through Amazon Kindle. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Writer Omar Mora has published his second graphic novel Ancient Explorers: The Lost City of Peru through his company Moras Productions. The hybrid book was release at San Diego International Comic Con on Wednesday July 20, 2022. (Moras Productions, 2022)

“Ancient Explorers: The Lost City of Peru” is a novel – comic book hybrid that features an adventure-action sci-fi narrative in which two best friends, together with two archaeologists, discover that an ancient map and compass are really artifacts with hidden clues to discover the lost city of Peru: Paititi. As they discover this, something puts their lives in danger, a danger that drives our adventurous friends to follow what they were meant to do in life — to become what Mark’s Grandpa taught them when they were kids: explorers of the ancients. It is then that Luis, Mark, Jennifer and Sandy begin their journey into the unknown, a magical and adventurous journey to discover the Lost City of Peru, a journey that will change their lives forever.

“I’m so proud of this book. Ancient Explorers is a novel that I always wanted to produce as a comic book. When the pandemic hit, well the economy hit as well and I wasn’t sure if the finances will be in place to do the full graphic novel. So we decided to do it as a hybrid. And I’m happy I did it that way. If you don’t read the comic books pages within the novel, you’ll get lost, the comic pages is not just illustrations, they’re part of the story. And I think that makes it very interesting and cool. It’s such a fun and entertaining story” – Omar Mora

Omar Mora is an actor, writer producer who recently worked on the movie Inside The Circle, his last published comic book was “The Unearthians” which was top 10 indie comic book at Los Angeles Comic Con in 2019. “The Unearthians” is being developed for a television series.

Ancient Explorers will be released digitally through Amazon-KINDLE. Omar Mora is the writer, with additional writing by Jim Higgins. The art was helmed by Miguel Guzman, colors and letters by Edwin Estrada, proofread by Shannon Mier, and designed by Phil Smith.

Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Book review: ‘Dry Heat: A Novel’ by Len Joy

‘Dry Heat: A Novel’ is Len Joy’s latest novel. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Len Joy is the author of four books that have have received shining reviews and several awards. His first novel, “American Past Time,” published in 2014 took 1st Prize in the Top Shelf Book Awards in 2019, his second novel, “Better Days” was a finalist in the Indie Excellence Book Awards in 2019, and “Everyone Dies Famous,” published in 2020 won 1st Prize in the 2020 Top Shelf Book Awards. His new book “Dry Heat” is about an All-American young man, Joey Blade, whose life begins to unravel when he learns that his ex-girlfriend is pregnant, is betrayed by his new girlfriend, and is arrested for the attempted murder of two police officers.

“Dry Heat” –  The story is set in Phoenix, Arizona and begins in November 1999 as a teenage Joey Blade is at a park playing basketball with his friends. Shortly thereafter at the high school bonfire, his life takes a turn for the worse as he is at the wrong place at the wrong time. The bonfire explodes and Joey, his girlfriend Wendy and her drug dealing friend TJ flee in her truck. When the police pursue, TJ shoots at the cop’s car. It crashes and in the ensuing chaos TJ slips away undetected. Joey, the only adult in the truck, is arrested and charged with attempted murder and released on bail. TJ is nowhere to be found. In desperation, he reaches out to notorious gang leader, Chico Torres, whom he met in jail, for help locating TJ. When Joey is offered a deal–his freedom in exchange for his cooperation in nailing Chico–he faces a decision that will change the course of his life. The book is divided into two parts: Part I Joey and Part II Joseph and spans years in Joey Blade’s life, up to the year 2017 as an adult.

Some of the best novels plunge deep into the human condition by examining a character’s lifetime of experiences. Such is the case in “Dry Heat” as readers are witnesses to Joey Blade’s transformation from an idealistic teenager to a young man who, despite being falsely convicted of a crime, he is far from jaded. As with his previous novels, Len Joy excels at character development and by the end of the story, readers cannot help but be heavily invested in finding out what happens. Due to the dialogue driven action, it is an easy read and hard to put down. The characters are down to earth and relatable because anyone can easily become a victim of circumstances and have his or her life turned upside down from one minute to the next. “Dry Heat” by Len Joy has everything from family drama to courtroom action and is recommended for readers who enjoy both. It is a must read coming of age saga.

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

An excerpt is available.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

New book release: ‘Chrysalis: A Thriller’ by Lincoln Child

‘Chrysalis: A Thriller’ is the new book in the Jeremy Logan series by bestselling author Lincoln Child. Photo: amazon

Lincoln Child is the New York Times bestselling author of “Full Wolf Moon,” “The Forgotten Room,” “The Third Gate,” “Terminal Freeze,” “Deep Storm,” “Death Match,” and “Lethal Velocity,” as well as coauthor, with Douglas Preston, of numerous New York Times bestsellers, most recently, “Bloodless.” His new book “Chrysalis: A Thriller” centers around a dominant tech company, Chrysalis, whose groundbreaking virtual reality technology is redefining the way we live and possible introducing a catastrophic danger to the world. (amazon, 2022)

“Chrysalis: A Thriller” – Like millions of people around the world, Jeremy Logan (famed enigmalogist, or investigator of unexplained things) has grown to rely on his incredible new tech device. Made by Chrysalis, the global multibillion dollar tech company, the small optical device connects people in a stunning new way, tapping into virtual reality for the first time on a wide scale. Yet when Chrysalis summons Logan to investigate a disturbing anomaly in the massive new product rollout, Logan is shocked to see the true scope of the massive company. He also quickly realizes that something in Chrysalis’s technology is very wrong, and could be potentially devastating. The question is what, and where, is the danger coming from? In Lincoln Child’s wildly inventive new novel, high tech comes to life alongside the myriad dangers it poses, making for one of Child’s most infectious, entertaining thrillers to date. 

New book release: ‘The Secret Witness’ by Victor Methos

‘The Secret Witness’ is the first book in the new Shepard & Gray series by Victor Methos. Photo: amazon

At the age of thirteen, when his best friend was interrogated by the police for over eight hours and confessed to a crime he did not commit, Victor Methos knew he would one day become a lawyer. After graduating from law school at the University of Utah, Methos became as a prosecutor for Salt Lake City before founding what would become the most successful criminal defense firm in Utah. In ten years, Methos conducted more than one hundred trials. One particular case stuck with him, and it eventually became the basis for his first major bestseller, “The Neon Lawyer.” Since that time, Methos has focused his work on legal thrillers and mysteries, winning the Harper Lee Prize for “The Hallows” and an Edgar nomination for Best Novel for his title “A Gambler’s Jury.” His new book “The Secret Witness” is the thrilling first installment in the Shepard & Gray series, featuring a young sheriff who teams up with a former prosecutor to stop a copycat killer. (amazon, 2022)

“The Secret Witness” – This is Reaper speaking. So begins an anonymous letter published in a Utah newspaper after a young couple is viciously murdered. Tooele County sheriff Elizabeth Gray leads the investigation into the double homicide, which is eerily reminiscent of a string of brutal killings years ago. When the letter leads detectives to yet another body, Gray calls on an old friend for help. Former prosecutor Solomon Shepard is still struggling to recover from the deadly courtroom attack that ended his career. He has been keeping a safe distance from the action, teaching criminology seminars about serial murders and psychopathology―until Gray asks for his help on the Reaper case. As the body count mounts, Shepard and Gray race to unravel the deranged design of a copycat killer―and find themselves in a face-off with an enemy they never saw coming.

Book of the week: ‘The Devil Is In The Details’ by LaKeisha LaKay

‘The Devil Is In The Details’ by LaKeisha LaKay. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

LaKeisha LaKay is a social scientist who has studied in the fields of criminal justice, sociology, and law. Having spent a number of years examining human behavior, societal issues, and political policies, she enjoys writing what she knows—especially in storytelling. LaKeisha LaKay is passionate about community, women, and youth, and often spends time volunteering for causes in these realms. Her other interests include spending time with family and friends, foreign travel, and a spectrum of arts and crafts. She is the author of  “The Devil Is In The Details.” (LaKeisha LaKay, 2022)

“The Devil Is In The Details” – Saamyah Anne Cambell is a former special agent of the FBI, now a detective with local law enforcement. She flees Texas for a temporary duty assignment in Florida to better cope with familial losses. Thrust into a new environment with a cantankerous partner and a mystifying case, Saamyah soon realizes that the very agony she was running from is ultimately the same torment to which she is running. Bryan Terrell Russell has been a lone detective with local law enforcement since the resignation of his career-long partner. Accustomed to coming, going, and doing as he pleases, the assignment of a new partner is not only inconvenient for him, but also uncomfortable. Torn between the desire to be right and the obligation to do the right thing, Bryan must strategically balance personal sacrifices and professional gains. Together they must rise above their differences to halt a sadistic sex offender. In a race against time, hot-temperaments, egos, and pride, the quest to discover the devil in the details is no easy feat—particularly when one partner believes that the truth sets one free and the other never felt captive to a lie.

“The Devil Is In The Details” is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Rakuten Kobo, and Google Play.

‘The Devil is in the Details’ – An idiom that refers to a catch or mysterious element hidden in the details, meaning that something might seem simple at first glance but will take more time and effort to complete than expected. –Wikipedia

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New book release: ‘Heavy Metro: Access All Eras’ by Gene Ambo

‘Heavy Metro: Access All Eras’ is the new photography book by legendary rock photographer Gene Ambo. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

The incredible work of Chicago-based photographer Gene Ambo spans numerous genres over 40 years, many of which Gene spent shooting bands at the Metro–the most iconic venue in Chicago and one of the most important in the world. It is in this intimate setting of the Metro which holds a capacity of 1,100 and no “photographer pit,” that Gene found his photographic “voice” and began shooting the heavy and hard rocking bands he loves. One of the very first bands that Gene photographed in 1983, was Mötorhead. From there, he continued making history as one of the world’s most sought-after rock photographers with his work prominently featured on album and magazine covers, and numerous publications worldwide.

“Heavy Metro: Access All Eras” is Gene Ambo’s first book and spans his legendary career to date with a specific focus on rock, hard rock, heavy metal, punk, and hardcore capturing some of the most notable and rebellious bands of our time—before and after they became legends themselves. This visual journey and time-capsule of musicians who have graced the Metro stage also features both iconic and little-known shots of such famous and infamous musical acts including Metallica, Slayer, Ramones, Slash, Bad Brains, Megadeth, GBH, The Exploited, Mercyful Fate, SOD, Anthrax, Nirvana, Nick Cave, Babes in Toyland, Circle Jerks, Samhain, Cro-Mags, Trouble, Garbage, Ice T, Type O Negative, Hüsker Dü, Jane’s Addiction, Korn, Goo Goo Dolls, Celtic Frost, VoiVod, Chicago’s own Smashing Pumpkins, and many more.

A portion of all proceeds from “Heavy Metro: Access All Eras” will benefit #SaveOurStages which supports independent venues like the Metro who were hit hard by the pandemic.

“I was just lucky to be at the Metro in the beginning and to have met people who have really helped me out throughout my life, and I look at this book like I’m documenting time. ‘Access All Eras,’ like the book title says. Metro is my home base…for so many years. Between the Metro and Smart Bar, I have spent a lot of time there—many days AND nights. Literally!” – Gene Ambo

Gene Ambo is a world renowned, Chicago-based photographer whose career began in 1983 at Chicago’s legendary Metro music club where he began shooting bands he enjoyed with his father’s camera. He is celebrated for his stunning images of legendary, underground and emerging bands and musicians, including Metallica, Mötorhead, Madonna, Prince, Slayer and Broken Hope. “Heavy Metro: Access All Eras” is Gene’s first-ever photo book.

The Metro opened in 1982 under the guidance of owner Joe Shanahan. The first show Shanahan booked and promoted was R.E.M. and over the next 40 years, the venue would host concerts by Metallica, James Brown, Iggy Pop, Chris Cornell, George Clinton, Slayer, Joe Strummer, and Prince, among many others. Bob Dylan performed two shows at Metro to celebrate the club’s 15th anniversary.

Stygian Sky Media (SSM) creates books to stimulate imaginations. SSM books include trade paperbacks, traditional hardcovers, deluxe/limited editions, and groundbreaking original works in the genres of crime, thriller, horror-noir, dark fiction, and non-fiction titles including photo books, music, memoir, and more. SSM connects and creates works with authors from diverse backgrounds, from bestsellers to cult, bringing readers books they’ve never imagined.

New book release: ‘The Falcon’ by Isabella Maldonado

‘The Falcon’ is the new novel in the Nina Guerrera series by Isabella Maldonado. Photo: amazon

Isabella Maldonado is the award-winning and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Detective Cruz series and of The Cipher and A Different Dawn in the Nina Guerrera series. Before turning to crime writing, she wore a gun and badge in real life. A graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico and the first Latina to attain the rank of captain in her police department, she retired as the Commander of Special Investigations and Forensics. During more than two decades on the force, she served as a hostage negotiator, department spokesperson, and district station commander. She uses her extensive law enforcement background to bring a realistic edge to her writing. “The Falcon” is her new novel in the Nina Guerrera series and has a serial killer who wants to play but FBI Agent Nina Guerrera has no times for games. (amazon, 2022)

“The Falcon” – Six female undergrads at an elite university vanish. The media descends. The families demand action. As Special Agent Nina Guerrera follows clue by chilling clue, she realizes she is tracking the most cunning predator of her career. The case takes a turn for the worse, and the bizarre, when several victims are found perfectly preserved. No signs of violence, no hint of how they died. Just more evidence that the killer is cruel, calculating, and a master of mind control. With her mission compromised, Nina must face her greatest failure―and greatest fear―to stop a deadly hunter before he claims another prize.

 

 

New book release: ‘The Big Dark Sky’ by Dean Koontz

‘The Big Dark Sky’ by Dean Koontz will be released July 19, 2022. Photo: amazon

Dean Koontz is the international bestselling author of “Quicksilver,” “Elsewhere,” “The Other Emily,” “Devoted,” and seventy-nine New York Times bestsellers, fourteen of which were #1, including “One Door Away from Heaven,” “From the Corner of His Eye,” “Midnight,” “Cold Fire,” and many others. Rolling Stone calls him “America’s most popular suspense novelist” and his books have been published in thirty-eight languages and have sold over five hundred million copies worldwide. In his new exhilarating, twist-filled novel, “The Big Dark Sky,” a group of strangers bound by terrifying synchronicity becomes humankind’s hope of survival. It will be release July 19, 2022. (amazon, 2022)

“The Big Dark Sky” – As a girl, Joanna Chase thrived on Rustling Willows Ranch in Montana until tragedy upended her life. Now thirty-four and living in Santa Fe with only misty memories of the past, she begins to receive pleas—by phone, through her TV, in her dreams: ‘I am in a dark place, Jojo. Please come and help me.’ Heeding the disturbing appeals, Joanna is compelled to return to Montana, and to a strange childhood companion she had long forgotten. She is not the only one drawn to the Montana farmstead. People from all walks of life have converged at the remote ranch. They are haunted, on the run, obsessed, and seeking answers to the same omniscient danger Joanna came to confront. All the while, on the outskirts of Rustling Willows, a madman lurks with a vision to save the future. Mass murder is the only way to see his frightening manifesto come to pass. Through a bizarre twist of seemingly coincidental circumstances, a band of strangers now find themselves under Montana’s big dark sky. Their lives entwined, they face an encroaching horror. Unless they can defeat this threat, it will spell the end for humanity.

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New book release: ‘The Silent Count’ by E.A. Smiroldo

E.A. Smiroldo’s debut novel ‘The Silent Count’ will be released July 19, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

E.A. Smiroldo is a novelist, musician, and nuclear engineer with a B.S. in engineering. She uses real science in her debut novel “The Silent Count,” where her expertise blends with real-world inspired drama. She understands how close humanity is to the brink of real climate crisis, and she is determined to bring to light how important it is for us to trust and love one another. She is also a Washington Area Music Association Award-nominated singer-songwriter and has won prizes in writing competitions sponsored by the Bethesda Literary Festival and the International Screenwriters’ Dig. In “The Silent Count,” which releases on July 19, nuclear engineer and musician E.A. Smiroldo weaves the science she has learned and the political divide she has seen with music and technology to deliver a satirical thrill ride ripe for our current times. (Black Château, 2022)

“The Silent Count” – Set in Washington DC, this climate-change fiction (cli-fi) thriller novel is based on a potentially real scenario involving the use of nuclear weapons to change weather patterns and fight climate change. It is inspired by her own observations as a nuclear engineer and singer-songwriter. The story follows different characters and explores the impact their professions have on them and the world. The book centers around Dara Bouldin and her promising, yet risky, plan to reverse climate change. There is just one problem: no one at the government agency where she works knows she exists. She is reeling from a broken engagement to her musician ex Jericho, who is rapidly rising up the charts with his new single, while she is stuck paying off student loans and her dad’s gambling debts. Dmitri, her attractive coworker, will not give her the time of day. It does not help that Dara has barely made any strides in her nuclear engineering career. When she finally gets the professional recognition she craves so deeply, with kudos from Congress and even the President himself, Dara is elated. Little does she know, behind the scenes her stroke of luck has thrown her into the middle of a global conflict where her innovations will prove dire, in ways she never anticipated. It is up to Dara to set things right before it is too late.

“The concept for The Silent Count has been with me since I was a student and read in a textbook that a nuclear weapon could potentially be used to change weather patterns. With our world spiraling deeper into climate crisis, the timing of my book’s release is crucial, as I don’t believe hope is lost. It is not too late for society to take effective action. As a musician, I believe that art can make a difference as well. Hopefully, my novel will help raise awareness as it entertains.” – E.A. Smiroldo

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New book release: ‘The 6:20 Man’ by David Baldacci

‘The 6:20 Man’ by David Baldacci will be released July 12, 2022. Photo: amazon

David Baldacci published his first novel, ‘Absolute Power,’ in 1996. A feature film followed, with Clint Eastwood as its director and star. In total, David has published 44 novels for adults; all have been national and international bestsellers and several have been adapted for film and television. His novels have been translated into over 45 languages and sold in more than 80 countries, with 150 million copies sold worldwide. David has also published seven novels for younger readers. His next book ‘The 6:20 Man’ will be out Tuesday, July 12, 2022. In this new thriller, a cryptic murder pulls a former soldier turned financial analyst deep into the corruption and menace that prowl beneath the opulent world of finance. (amazon, 2022)

‘The 6:20 Man’ – Every day without fail, Travis Devine puts on a cheap suit, grabs his faux-leather briefcase, and boards the 6:20 commuter train to Manhattan, where he works as an entry-level analyst at the city’s most prestigious investment firm. In the mornings, he gazes out the train window at the lavish homes of the uberwealthy, dreaming about joining their ranks. In the evenings, he listens to the fiscal news on his phone, already preparing for the next grueling day in the cutthroat realm of finance. Then one morning Devine’s tedious routine is shattered by an anonymous email: She is dead.

Sara Ewes, Devine’s coworker and former girlfriend, has been found hanging in a storage room of his office building–presumably a suicide, at least for now–prompting the NYPD to come calling on him. If that was not enough, before the day is out, Devine receives another ominous visit, a confrontation that threatens to dredge up grim secrets from his past in the army unless he participates in a clandestine investigation into his firm. This treacherous role will take him from the impossibly glittering lives he once saw only through a train window, to the darkest corners of the country’s economic halls of power where something rotten lurks. Apart from this high-stakes conspiracy, there is a killer out there with their own agenda, and Devine is the bull’s-eye.

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