4 Stars for Gumshoe

Ellis York is a private eye hired to find a missing person. Every character he meets has a past that keeps catching up with them -- and with Ellis. The book reads like a 1940s noir movie--something you'd expect on Turner Classic Movies. Author Michael Compton, an English professor at the University of Memphis, does a good job of capturing the mood and language of the era. An enjoyable read. 4-Stars.

Free & Discounted Books

Looking for great deals on free or deeply discounted books? In all genres? Look no farther than Read Freely. Go to http://www.readfree.ly/ You can thank me later.

Shopping & More Shopping

I've almost finished my Christmas shopping for 2016. However, there's always one or two more things to consider. I'm sure you feel my pain. Speaking of shopping, I'm currently shopping my next book to publishers. Book number four is Geriatric Delinquents. Here's the elevator pitch: 

Geriatric Delinquents is a rollicking, character-driven spoof about two sisters who oppose a local marijuana proposition. To their chagrin, their aging rock star brother brings his gravitas to town in support of the measure. The sisters counter with sabotage and sanctimonious resistance. (Imagine someone like Dolly Parton as the older sister, Goldie Hawn as the younger sister, and Mick Jagger as the brother.) Geriatric Delinquents is a southern contemporary with a timely plot.

Book Review: Last Train from Perdition

REVIEW -- Last Train from Perdition is the sequel to I Travel by Night where we're introduced to Trevor Lawson, a vampire who happens to be a hired gun. Lawson is in the process of "turning", but he's fighting the urge for blood and trying to remain human. This sets him on a trail for LaRouge, the lady who bit him. By drinking every last bit of her blood, the vampire gunslinger can revert to human form. But Lawson has been hired by a rich family to track others. In Last Train, he and Ann are bound for Perdition in the great Northwest to bring home a wayward son.

Honestly, a vampire gunslinger would never have appealed to me -- except that the story is told my Robert McCammon. Enough said, in my book. McCammon has a way with words -- a way of storytelling that most of us can only hope to achieve. Last Train is no different. I must say, the ending was a bit over the top, to me anyway. But the atmospheric descriptions along the way make the book very enjoyable. If given the option, I'd render 3.5 stars only because of the ending. But that's just me.

Book Review - Spirits of the Bayou

REVIEW -- Luc has a gift--he sees spirits of the dead. One in particular. She's begging for help, not so much for herself, but for the others. And so for Luc, this gift feels more like a plague. Yet our protagonist can't sit idol and let children keep disappearing into the bayou. Or can he? Let's be clear, Luc isn't one of New Orleans finest. He runs with bad people. But once he discovers that he's not the only person with "the gift", he is taken in by someone who cares, and things begin to make sense. But how many children die before Luc figures out how to help them?

If you like Louisiana mystique, stories of voodoo, with a few ghosts thrown in for good measure, you'll like Spirits of the Bayou. Author Morgan Hannah McDonald will make you smell the backwater as you run with a few of Luc's unwholesome friends and weave your way through the Garden District looking for the next home to break and enter. And that Haitian cook...her strange dialect gives the book special creole flavor. Of course, you know what they say about New Orleans ladies... Good book. Grab a copy.

Goodreads Winners

Congratulations to Michelle in Houma, LA; Maria in Miami, FL; Tracee in Waxford, PA; Kristi in Virginia Beach, VA; and Catherine in Warren, ME -- all winners in the CURSES giveaway at Goodreads.com. And thanks to all 404 people who entered the random drawing.




CURSES @ AMAZON.COM

Promising Early Reviews For Curses

As I told the guys are Book Goodies, releasing a new book is a risky adventure. One never knows how readers will respond. Well, the early reviews are in for my new novel, Curses, and I must say they're very promising. Here's what readers are saying.

"Edge of your seat suspense and laugh out loud humor. Highly recommend. 5 stars."

"What a funny little story. Gets total props for originality in my book."

"I've never read a book quite like this one and wonder if Dean has created a new category - cozy supernatural maybe? Curl up with this novel on a lazy weekend and spend time with some charismatic characters (both human and ghost) for an engaging, humorous read that may also raise some hairs occasionally."

"Dean takes an often dark subject of ghosts and hauntings, and successfully spins a tale of light humor and amusing situations which will push you to read 'just one more chapter'".

What say ye? Download a copy and right now and voice your opinion on AMAZON.COM. Also available in paperback.

Curses Giveaway on Goodreads

Enter a chance to win 1 of 5 first-edition signed copies of CURSES, the new novel by best selling author Calvin Dean. Sparks fly when an eligible bachelor encounters a sexy but psychotic ghost. One reviewer wrote, "What a funny little story...gets total props for originality..."

CURSES is a humorous, paranormal, mystery, cozy, romance all rolled into one. Don't miss your chance to win a copy. Can't wait? The novel is available now at Amazon.com -- Kindle and Paperback.

REVIEWS: "What a funny little story. Gets total props for originality...I've never read a book quite like this one and wonder if Dean has created a new category - cozy supernatural maybe? Curl up with this novel on a lazy weekend and spend time with some charismatic characters (both human and ghost) for an engaging, humorous read that may also raise some hairs occasionally."

CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE DRAWING.

Follow the author on Twitter @jcalvindean

5-Star Review for CURSES

Here's what one reader says about my new novel, CURSES:

What a funny little story. Gets total props for originality in my book. It's like Inspector Cluseau or Barney Fife meets the Ghost Whisperer. Martin is a retiree with a haunting problem, and he is bound and determined to deal with it...as long as his girlfriend - the living and breathing one, anyway - doesn't have him committed first. Read the entire review on Amazon.com.

Curses is a comedy, paranormal, mystery, horror, cozy, romance...all rolled in to one. Order a copy today at Amazon.com. KINDLE & PAPERBACK.

Order Curses Now & Save

My new #humorous #paranormal #mystery is here! Pre-Order and save. Keep reading:

CURSES -- Martin Gallagher buys an old house in the country. While pursuing Hannah, a widow from the neighborhood, he encounters a sexy but psychotic ghost named Agnes. To make matters worse, Agnes is dead-set on derailing his blossoming relationship.

Meanwhile, an eccentric medium offers to help Martin exorcise his home, but this means resisting the temptress, encountering the bizarre, and braving the unknown. Can Martin overcome his desires and fears long enough to lift the curse?

Curses is three connected stories that elicit laughter, warmth, even tears.

Pre-order before Friday and save. The paperback version is available now. Click the link to order: AMAZON

CURSES is Here! Pre-Order & Save!

CURSES is here! A new novel by Calvin Dean. Sparks fly when an eligible bachelor encounters a sexy but psychotic ghost. Be among the first to read this #humorous #paranormal #mystery. Pre-order a Kindle copy now & save. http://amzn.to/2eo0o7r 
Also in paperback.

COVER REVEAL: This is the cover for Calvin Dean's new novel (front, back, and spine).

Can't Wait! Cover Reveal Nov. 1, 2016

CURSES is here! I'll add a close-up shot of the cover, front and back, on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2016.

REVIEW: Sarah by Teri Polen

Here's my 5-Star review of Teri Polen's new novel, Sarah. I received a pre-release copy. The book goes on sale in December 2016.

SARAH BY TERI POLEN -- Cain is a typical teen with a loyal friend named Finn and a fashionista girlfriend named Erin whom he’d like to ditch if he could only find the courage. Life in mom’s new house is a bed of roses except for the fact that the door to the attic, accessed through his bedroom, keeps swinging open in the middle of the night without reason. Or maybe there is a reason. A strategically placed camcorder captures a haunting figure in his bedroom as he sleeps. Is this the ghost of a girl killed while the house was under construction? Mom is a realtor and knows the story of the girl, but doesn’t believe in ghosts.

After a soccer incident leaves Cain hospitalized with a concussion, he tries to return to normal activities, but nothing seems normal anymore. That’s good and bad. Out with the fashionista. In with Lindsey. She’s more Cain’s type. Enjoys horror movies. Isn’t a loudmouth shopaholic. Pushes all the right buttons.

Strange things begin happening to Cain. He verbally attacks Erin in a crowded hallway at school; he ‘spies’ on the football team as they practice—but he doesn’t remember any of this.  It’s as if someone is controlling his body against his will. Fortunately, Lindsey’s Aunt Mona, has spiritual powers and…

Well, I’ll not say too much more for fear of revealing the plot, but suffice it to say that Sarah is a good old fashioned ghost story with contemporary characters, events, and surroundings. It’s billed as a YA, but this 50-something year old male liked it too.

I love author Teri Polen’s writing style. She reminds me of John Saul—only better. In fact, I’ve already added her to my ‘favorite authors’ list. Even when the story reaches a pivotal storm, her sentences flow like a breeze and tell the tale without wasted verbiage. From cover to cover, the dialog is natural, unstilted. I can actually hear Cain and Finn engaging in conversation, see Cain’s face grimace at Finn’s stinging humor and cover my ears at Erin’s shrill voice. I think I went to high school with these kids. If you’ve ever seen a movie called The Ring, you’ll enjoy this novel. It’s just as creepy and every bit as haunting because you get to experience Sarah up close and personal. Sleep well.

Occasionally in life, we get lucky. One glorious day in October, I happened to be in the right place at the right time and received a complimentary advance copy of Sarah in exchange for my honest opinion. If you haven’t figured it out by now, I LOVED this book! It was right up my alley. My advice: head on over to Amazon when the book goes on sale in December 2016 and order the hard copy or download the Kindle version. If you like ghost stories, you’ll LOVE Sarah.

'Curses' Cover Reveal Coming Nov. 1, 2016

Be on the lookout for the Cover Reveal for my new book, CURSES. On November 1, 2016, we'll display the cover on Twitter, Facebook, Blogger, Google+, and other platforms. While the exact launch date of the book is yet to be carved in stone, the novel will probably be available on Amazon.com by December 7 or 8. Perhaps earlier.

CURSES is about an eligible bachelor, Martin Gallagher, who buys an old house in the country. While pursuing Hannah, a widow from the neighborhood, he encounters a sexy but psychotic ghost named Agnes. To make matters worse, Agnes is dead-set on derailing his blossoming relationship.

Meanwhile, an eccentric medium offers to help Martin exorcise his home, but this means resisting the temptress, encountering the bizarre, and braving the unknown. Can Martin overcome his desires and fears long enough to lift the curse?

CURSES is three connected stories that elicit laughter, warmth, even tears.

Look for CURSES--coming soon.

Nikki Busch to Edit Geriatric Delinquents

I'm very pleased to announce that Nikki Busch has agreed to edit my fourth book, "Geriatric Delinquents." This is not my first rodeo with Nikki. She was also instrumental in polishing "Stone's Curse", the first tale of three in the "Curses" novel. "Curses" is looking at a December release.

In "Geriatric Delinquents", two sisters plot against their aging rock star brother who supports a proposal to legalize marijuana in a small Mississippi community. The book is a departure from my previous supernatural mysteries. This one employs contemporary humor. Stay tuned for information about cover reveals, release dates, etc.

NIKKI BUSCH - EDITOR

Geriatric Delinquents - First draft Complete

Today, I finished the first draft of my Geriatric Delinquents novella, which remains untitled as of this writing. Here's the short synopsis or elevator pitch:

Two geriatric delinquents plot against their aging rock star brother who supports a proposal to legalize marijuana.

The story may become a series of novellas, and if so, will carry the Geriatric Delinquents Novella tag. I like the characters too much to discontinue writing subsequent episodes. Agatha, Clarabeth, and Thaddeus Oglethorpe love each other but fight like cats and dogs. Isn't that what brothers and sisters do--even at age 60something? I'll let the first draft sit for a month or so, and then revisit each chapter to apply the spit shine. 

What Authors Want

Authors don't ask much in this life. A quiet place to work, a little understanding even when you don't understand, and maybe a little free rein to ask probing questions about the world going on around us. Of course, ultimately we ask that you read our books. But what really curls our lips are the reviews you post. Like this one:

Believe me, short and sweet works. The review above is what someone wrote after reading The Epitaph of Jonas Barloff. Another reader wrote, "Good book" regarding A Door Unlocked. Like I said, we don't ask much, and when you deliver we say thank you. Appreciate it. Well done.

That's all. Carry on.

Happy Valentines Day

I'm sharing the love with $0.99 specials on two Kindle books:

The Epitaph of Jonas Barloff - amzn.to/1o6d0UK

A Door Unlocked - amzn.to/1KSqIjy

Download both books today. #Paranormal #Mystery

Two Best Sellers For Only $0.99

For a limited time, two best sellers are on sale for only $0.99. Head on over to Amazon right now and pick up The Epitaph of Jonas Barloff - amzn.to/1o6d0UK  and A Door Unlocked - amzn.to/1KSqIjy ‪for only $0.99.

Cozy Comedy

Work continues on my latest book, yet untitled. What is the story line? I'm glad you asked. In essence, two geriatric delinquents plot against their aging rock star brother who supports a proposal to legalize marijuana. As you might imagine, there's plenty of humor surrounding the family of Agatha, Clarabeth and Thaddeus Oglethorpe. Everyone in the small town of Summerdale, Mississippi thinks they speak with a lisp. So far, I've written about 10,000 words in the past two or three weeks. And while I have no deadlines staring me down, I'd like to finish the first draft by April Fools Day. Somehow, that feels appropriate.

Curses Update

Curses, my humorous paranormal mystery, is back from the editor. I’m on my second pass through the edits and making a few suggested changes. In the coming weeks, I’ll be shopping the novel to literary agents and keeping my fingers crossed. Meanwhile, I’m writing a new book, which I’m calling a cozy comedy. I’ll not reveal any plotting at this point, but I feel good about the first five chapters. I'm undecided on a title for the book. That will come later.