Pearls of Asia by Lee Geiger

 

Published by TWCS PH

Released Date: 29th May 2014

Excerpt:

“This is not a drag show, honey. There are no boys in skirts working here. All the beautiful ladies at Pearls of Asia are transsexuals. We also happen to be curvaceous, luscious, and all things deliciously glorious about being feminine. We’re Women 2.0—special girls with special equipment. That’s what makes us, as well as this place, unique. Pearls of Asia is more than just a restaurant; it’s about the quest for self-identity, about the right to own and control one’s body. We leave you questioning everything you think you know and see. If that’s not an outrageously fun night out, then I can’t help you, honey. Do you still want my phone number?”

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Summary:

After beloved San Francisco anchorwoman Michelle Osher is found nearly decapitated in her palatial Nob Hill apartment, suspicion focuses immediately on her wealthy, arrogant husband, Paul. Inspector Mac Fleet and his partner are assigned the sensational case, and they quickly uncover an all-too-familiar pattern linking the widowed spouse to Sheyla Samonte, a part-time waitress enjoying a lavish lifestyle on Paul Osher’s dime. The pair of seasoned detectives assume she wanted a promotion from mistress to wife. 

The investigation turns on its head when they discover Sheyla, a drop-dead gorgeous dancer born and raised in the Philippines, works at Pearls of Asia, a stylish restaurant featuring a cast of exotic transsexual performers who serve up flirtatious teasers along with delicious cocktails. Mac crawls down a rabbit hole and comes face to face with the restaurant’s uniquely captivating servers—Diamond, Reyna, Nadia, and Ashley—and unveils a fascinating lifestyle full of drama, humor, and high heels. 

When Sheyla refuses to cooperate unless Inspector Fleet takes her to brunch, he agrees even though he knows it’s outside the lines of police protocol. Mac soon finds himself dealing with his own set of personal demons, unable to decide whether to arrest Sheyla or ask her on a date.

The ensuing investigation reveals infidelities, betrayals, and a host of people who might want Michelle Osher dead. But as the case heats up, so does Mac’s romantic interest in Sheyla, whose stunning beauty and charming personality compel him to question her involvement, but not her courage, and to cross the line between his personal impulses and professional responsibilities. Convinced of Sheyla’s innocence, Mac devotes himself to finding the real killer. Ultimately, he is moved to take actions he never dreamed of to discover the truth about the case, Sheyla, and himself.

Introducing Lee...

Pearls of Asia is Lee Geiger's debut novel. He is also the author of The Marginal Prophet (www.marginalprophet.com), a popular newsletter that is part information, part inspiration, and all entertainment. 

When he's not writing or trading stocks, Lee can be found wandering the streets of San Francisco in search of red wine and pasta, which he considers to be two of the four major food groups

Connect with Lee
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#TowelDay Tribute and Giveaway

Give Away... Why?

To celebrate Towel Day.

To honour Douglas Adams, an author supportive of derivative fiction.

To introduce a novel of a similar vein to The Hitchhikers Guide to The Galaxy (see below)

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It's no secret that The Writer's Coffee Shop's first major success was a work of derivative fiction. Whilst E.L. James' Fifty Shades of Grey, was not the first fan fiction to be pulled, reworked and published, it certainly appears to have been the piece responsible for the often heated debate on the merits of such endeavours.

Douglas Adams is one of many authors who embraced derivative works as this article; "Hitchhiker's Fan-Site Started By Douglas Adams Shows Why Authors Shouldn't Panic Over Derivative Works" from the bring a towel dept of Case Studies by techdirt, indicates.

Case Studies by techdirt have explored how content creators in a variety of mediums have handled derivative works, particularly musicians, TV/film and authors (all very interesting articles). They concluded that...

"the responses are predictably varied, with some creators embracing derivatives, some abhorring them, some that draw the line on commercial use, and others that use derivatives to build even further works. The least controversial of the lot is work done by fans, of course. Few creators want to go to war with fans that love their work so much they make fan films, or write fan fiction."

Douglas Adams not only allowed derivatives of THHGTTG, he also started the site h2g2 The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition to encourage it - a phenomenal, generous and memorable way to give back to his fans. Is it any wonder that he is remembered each year world wide on towel day? So wear a towel, take a picture of it and share the love with your online community. And if you feel like it enter the Give Away for a chance to win one of three great prizes... The Amazon Gift Card, a copy of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy or a copy of Everybody Out of the Laundromat, I Need to Think by Phil G Glenn (see summary and cover below) ...Oh and check out the site http://www.techdirt.com they have some awesome case studies.

When the ordinary life of Virgil Blaine crosses the path of the even more ordinary Doug Coulthard, it sets off a series of extra-ordinary events. Doug Coulthard is a Filing Clerk and the President of the Unpublished People’s Poet’s Party –Political Unit (UPPPPU) where a catastrophe has just happened; two of his long time members have been published. The UPPPPU goes on a recruiting drive by distributing leaflets, one of which finds its way into Virgil Blaine’s pocket. Virgil Blaine, who is a slight poet himself, attends one of the meetings where he meets Forward Slash who offers Virgil Blaine a job. The offer comes with two things Virgil Blaine has never had; a job and a car and on a whim he accepts. The problem is, through no effort of his own, his position is suddenly elevated. Virgil Blaine says the job is ‘messing with his DNA – Deliberate Non-Achiever’ and he misses his old life and so hatches a plan to get it back… Though very ordinary, Doug Coulthard has the distinction of being only one of four hundred and thirty one Earth creatures who have been abducted by Aliens. The Aliens took Doug to the Canis Minor and back, a round trip of 3.02 parsecs. Due to the spacecraft’s immense velocity Doug was left with an annoying and sudden ‘tic’ which is to nod his head up and down rather abruptly every four minutes. And now the Aliens are back to take Doug on a ‘quite a few years since we last picked you up’ Reunion Party which turns out to be one of the worst experiences of Doug’s life….

If you would like a review copy of Everybody Out of the Laundromat, I Need to Think! by Phil G Glenn, please email marketing at the writers coffee shop dot com 

The Land of the Shadow by Lissa Bryan - Cover Reveal

        PRESENTING. . .

Release Date: August 21, 2014

Published by The Writers Coffee Shop

In the highly anticipated stand-alone sequel to The End of All Things, Lissa Bryan returns readers to a world devastated by disease, and the breakdown of modern society.

Two years after a horrific virus swept the globe, decimating the world’s population, Carly Daniels and her husband, Justin, have made a safe home in the isolated southern town of Colby. Protected by fences and a vigilant population, the residents there had somehow managed to keep the Infection out. Until the sight of Carly and Justin’s healthy baby girl convinced them it was safe to allow Outsiders in. Now, in the wake of fresh losses, the small band of survivors struggles to rebuild a community. With only nineteenth-century technology to aid them, they must learn skills long forgotten to provide for their basic needs. Each day brings new challenges, and every choice they make affects their long-term survival. While Carly and Justin adjust to a growing family, and to their roles as community leaders, they must rely on one another for strength and support when they face difficult questions. Carly has to decide how to move forward in a world where equality, justice, and freedom from tyranny are no longer guaranteed. And when new threats emerge, she has to decide what she is willing to do—and how far she’s willing to go—to protect what she has worked so hard to build. When the end has come and gone, it’s a journey down a long and broken road through The Land of the Shadow.

Justin was in the barn when he heard Carly scream, and the sound of it almost stopped his heart. It was a sound of sheer terror, a sound that could only mean . . . He didn’t finish the thought. His brain clicked into action mode, based on training and instinct, pushing his own fear aside. Justin jumped to snatch the pump-action shotgun mounted on pegs above the door and ran harder than he’d ever run in his life, pumping the weapon to chamber a round. He prayed as he ran. He didn’t know to whom he was praying, nor for what, but he prayed just the same. Rounding the corner of the house, he saw Kaden and Carly running toward a goddamn big alligator in the front yard. Sam darted around its sides, snapping. Justin caught up to Kaden just as the beast decided that Carly’s direction was a better avenue of escape than the path blocked by the snarling wolf and the two running men. It charged right at her, its mouth wide, tail thrashing in its wake. Carly jumped for the porch, clutching at the post, her foot braced on the rail. Kaden charged up the steps and swept Dagny up into his arms, flinging open the screen door to scramble inside the house. Dagny yelled something that sounded like, “No, kay!” as the keys tumbled from her hand to clatter on the floorboards. Justin heard her wail as the screen door slammed behind Kaden. But she was safe, and that was what mattered at the moment. Carly still clung to the porch rail, her eyes wide. Safe, too, Justin noted, as his mind switched over to seek-and-destroy mode. The alligator kept running across the lawn and straight into the cornfield, surprisingly fast for such a large, awkward creature. “Not the corn!” Justin swung wide to try to drive the reptile toward the road instead, but the alligator saw safety and concealment in the thick patch of tall green stalks. It charged into the patch, clearing a three-foot-wide path of broken stalks with every swipe of its thrashing tail. A flash of movement from the left caught Justin’s eye, and Pearl jumped in front of the alligator with a shout, waving her arms to prevent it from charging deeper into the field. The gator hissed at her and brandished its gaping maw, but began to back away. More people from the town, who had been drawn by Carly’s scream, ran across the lawn toward the corn patch. The confused alligator found himself surrounded, and he turned, crushing more stalks. Justin swore. He caught Pearl’s eye and didn’t even need to tell her what he needed. She shouted and feigned a lunge to get the gator’s attention, and it swung around to hiss at her. He darted to the gator’s side and aimed the shotgun at the back of its head. “Clear!” “No, Justin!” Carly shouted. “Don’t!” Justin groaned. His wife, the animal lover. Was she going to say something like, He can’t help he’s an alligator, and insist Justin transport the thing back to the swamp? He was already picturing wrapping the beast’s jaws with duct tape or something to avoid losing a goddamn hand in the process when she reached his side. Instead, she pulled out the .45 she wore at her hip and blasted the gator three times in the head. It slumped to the ground, dead as Caesar. “I didn’t want you to use the shotgun and tear up the hide,” Carly said. God, he loved her. He felt a grin stretch his cheeks. She turned toward the house but called over her shoulder to the staring townspeople as she ran to check on her baby. “We have meat.”

    Lissa Bryan is an astronaut, renowned Kabuki actress, Olympic pole vault gold medalist, Iron Chef champion, and scientist who recently discovered the cure for athlete's foot...though only in her head. Real life isn't so interesting, which is why she spends most of her time writing. She is the author of three other novels, Ghostwriter, The End of All Things, and Under These Restless Skies.    

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Cover Reveal - Anniversary Killer by Alexandra Allred

PRESENTING...

Release Date: August 14, 2014

Published by The Writers Coffee Shop

Summary: 

Allie is back! When a kidnapping, house fire, and murder occur around the corner from Allie Lindell’s house, it’s too much for her to resist. Despite promises to stay away from murder and mayhem, a missing Irish setter named Chester puts Allie on the hunt. Almost a year to the day, Mickey Callahan’s business partner was found dead from a single gunshot wound to the head and nothing but questions surround his murder. Now, Mickey is convinced that the same people are out to get him. After a sloppy kidnapping attempt, no one takes him seriously until the body count starts to grow. The Allie Lindell saga returns with the third book in the series and more drama than ever as Allie continues the struggle to hold on to herself without giving up on her partner and love, maintaining a relationship with her police officer sister and best friend, and keeping up with her caper-loving neighbor who insists on going along on every stakeout.

 

About the Author:

Alexandra Allred is a former national and professional athlete turned adventure writer turned humorist and novelist. She’s often been called the next Erma Bombeck with a grudge. Her annual Christmas letters, which have frequently made the news, could make the Grinch weep with joy. For a taste of holiday glee, see http://www.allredgreetings.blogspot.com Allred is a writer of fiction and nonfiction alike, but is most proud of the Allie Lindell series. Several close friends from her sports background and personal life have been the source of inspiration for the books. And just like Allie Lindell, Allred grew up with a father who taught her the love of reading a good obituary column. Allred writes for Waxahachie Daily Light newspaper, continues to testify in Washington D.C. on behalf of children with asthma and our need for clean air, and she’s never too far from her gym in Midlothian, Texas. You can always drop her a note at www.alexandratheauthor.com.

Connect with Alexandra Allred on: ​

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Cover Reveal - Behind the Scandal by M.A. Stacie

        PRESENTING. . .

Release Date: July 31, 2014

Published by The Writers Coffee Shop

Summary: 

Sent to the family ranch to overcome his addiction, Taylor Reese is angry and hurt. Feeling rejected by his father and brother, Taylor throws himself into ranch life to help him forget. He struggles with his addiction, though he refuses help. But it isn’t long before it hits him hard how much his life has spiraled out of control. He begins to question every aspect of his life, and the confusion leaves him floundering and looking for something, or someone, to cling to. Libby Karlin is cautious, wary of Taylor’s presence. His brutal honesty and lack of respect claw at her composure. Her dark past makes her reluctant to let anyone near her family, but when Taylor strikes up a friendship with her son, Libby finds herself drawn to the sadness within him. His experiences are no secret to her. She sees where his world turned upside down and offers him a helping hand. But her own secrets stay buried, locked away until a knock on her door has her gasping for breath. Libby’s fear paralyzes her as she comes face to face with her demons and, determined to stay strong, she battles for a way out. Could dealing with their pasts really give them a future?

Excerpt: 

Taylor thought for a moment, intrigued that she never quite made eye contact with him. She looked everywhere but right at him. “I think we should leave that discussion for another time. I was about to say . . . I should apologize for the way I shouted at your kid.”

“You should or you will?”

He rolled his eyes. “Look, if you don’t want the apology, then fine. I gave it to you anyway.” He weaved around her, heading for the door.

“You didn’t,” she said, her voice low. He spun around, the movement causing his hair to flop into his eyes. He blinked. “Excuse me?”

She shifted from one foot to the other, staring over his shoulder. “You never really said sorry. You said you should apologize, but you didn’t say the words.”

He gawked at her, certain he had said it. Hadn’t he? He battled for what to say next, and Libby crossed her arms. The woman might be uncomfortable looking him in the eye, but she did a good impression of acting like he didn’t intimidate her. He was rather impressed.

“I would remember it—if you did say you were sorry. You don’t seem like the kind of person who says it often, so I’d commit it to memory.”

“Sassy,” he said, his brain trying to think of a wittier retort. “And there’s no need to remember me. I’m right here, every wonderful inch.” He wiggled his brows and grinned.

Libby sagged, her eyes rolling upward. “Forget the apology. It wouldn’t be sincere. I doubt you can even feel such a thing.”
“And how do you know that?” he asked.

“Because there is no room for anything but your damn ego,” she said, her vibrant eyes finally meeting his.

His gut tightened, and this time it wasn’t due to the lack of drugs. The sensation came from something else entirely.

Pushing it aside, he snorted. “You don’t even know me. You’ve been in my presence for what? Ten minutes max?”

“Ten minutes was all it took for me to work out how self-absorbed you are.” She threw her arms out, palms up. “Why am I even wasting my time on you?”

“I don’t know, Blue. I think it’s because you simply can’t help yourself.”

Libby thrust out her chin. She moved toward him, determination shining in her eyes. Her red hair framed her intense expression, one that could kill if he looked too long. Medusa. She was Medusa and he was about to be turned to stone.

Her finger prodded his chest, punctuating each word as she spoke. “Do. Not. Push. Me. My name is Libby.”

“That’s some temper you have . . . Blue.”

Her banshee’s wail was so high pitched it could crack glass, and all he could do was laugh. He’d gotten right under her skin. Maybe his time here wouldn’t be as boring as he’d first thought. A little light sparring would relieve the monotony. That’s if he got out of this one with his balls intact, because Libby looked set to tear them off.

“I know what you’re doing, and you won’t get to me. I love Josh. He is the reason I’m backing away now, so go and thank your uncle.”

He smiled. “You wouldn’t even leave a scratch, pussycat.”       

 

About the Author:

M. A. Stacie is never without a book or her eReader. A voracious reader, with a love of sexy, yet angst ridden novels, she adores getting lost in new worlds. Her need to write did not grip her until after her second son was born, when her previous rambles became fully fledged stories. She describes herself as one huge contradiction, and though not the most conventional of hobbies, she counts getting new tattoos as one of hers. Running keeps her sane, along with knitting and listening to loud music.

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Cover Reveal - Pieces of Broken Time by Lorenz Font

        PRESENTING. . .

Release Date: July 24, 2014

Published by The Writers Coffee Shop

Summary: 

When wounded soldier Blake Connor returns from Afghanistan, he wants nothing more than to hide from the world. He’s plagued by the memory of his best friend’s death and the pain of his own injuries. On top of all that, he has another burden to carry. Take care of our girl. Blake’s vow to watch over the woman who was left behind is overshadowed by his self-contempt and bitterness, making it impossible for him to reach out to her like he’d promised. Jennifer Owens had expected to get married the moment her fiancé returned home from the war, but the news of his death changed everything. Shattered by her loss, she is still struggling with feelings of guilt when she receives an unexpected letter that raises new questions and reopens old wounds. Jennifer’s need for answers leads her to Blake’s doorstep, but she is met with hostility and rejection from a man who only vaguely resembles the head-turning charmer she remembers from so long ago. Blake is determined to keep her at arm’s length, and Jennifer soon discovers that she must decide whether to push back or let him go. Caught up in circumstances beyond their control, Jennifer and Blake have to learn to accept the truths that lie below the surface. She comes to recognize the beauty underneath the scars, and Blake realizes that he’s broken in more ways than he cares to admit. Nothing will ever be the same for this ex-Army Ranger once he faces the truth. If he can learn to accept the help he needs, he might be able to overcome his warped self-image and emotional scars. To be the man Jennifer deserves, he must heal his wounds before he loses the woman he loves forever.

Excerpt: 

“What is this?” She traced one finger along the shape of the body art.

“It’s Trent’s dog tag,” he whispered. “Why are you wearing his name?” “It is tribute to a brave man and a friend.” His gaze was unwavering, so intense that she shuddered. When she didn’t say a word, his voice was filled with uncertainty. “Am I disgusting you?” Jennifer shook her head and spoke in a firm voice. “I love everything about you. This . . .” She traced a finger on the raised skin. “Is what makes you, you. I would never ask for anything more.” She lowered her mouth to kiss each scar, feeling his breath hitching with every touch of her lips. He cupped her face and planted a kiss on her lips. “I want to be perfect for you.”

 
  About the Author:

Lorenz Font discovered her love of writing after reading a celebrated novel that inspired one idea after another. She is currently enjoying the buzz from her vampire novels Hunted and Tormented, the first and second book of The Gates Legacy trilogy, Indivisible Line, a romantic thriller, and Feather Light, an erotic romance. Lorenz’s perfect day consists of writing and lounging on her garage couch, aka the office, with a glass of her favorite cabernet while listening to her ever-growing music collection. She enjoys dabbling in different genres, with an intense focus on angst and the redemption of flawed characters. Her fascination with romantic twists is a mainstay in all her stories. Lorenz lives in California with her husband, children, and two demanding dogs. She divides her time between her full-time job as a hospital office manager and her busy writing schedule.

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Obvious Child by Warren Cantrell

Published By The Writer's Coffee Shop

Available from TWCS, Amazon, B&N, iTunes and Kobo - April 3rd, 2014

Netgalley Review:

As far as stories go Obvious Child by Warren Cantrell is pretty good.

Sam Grant seems to be selfish,  and a little bit into himself (very much the archetypal “Gen Y” persona that us oldies like to condemn). He doesn’t consider anyone, neither their needs nor their feelings. Nor does he really consider the gravity of the situation he has landed himself in. He just keeps looking to find a way out… without actually owning his decision. He doesn’t come out and say “you know what, I don’t want to do this anymore.”

As an older person, I found this very frustrating. Sam kept saying he had no choice, but that is rubbish - it was his choice to put an application in, it was his choice to stay in the program and it was his choice to behave the way he did. There were times when I couldn’t have shaken the boy… but would it have done any good?.

It’s a topical book, and I think the theme of “being so close to a situation you can’t see it clearly”, would really appeal to a young audience going through such situations. That is really what I felt was Sam’s main problem was, he was too embedded in the consequences of actions to realise that it didn’t have to be that way. As the audience we can shut out in frustration at the way he is acting with each page, but we are lucky to see the whole picture. Sam can’t.

(Witchypoo)

The Summary:

Sam Grant doesn’t want to be famous, but he doesn’t have much of a say in the matter.

On the verge of graduating from college with his master’s in History, Sam and the rest of the world bear witness to the invention of time travel. Revealed via a YouTube broadcast, the brothers responsible for inventing time travel find their remarkable device coopted by the U.S. government. In a magnanimous gesture, the U.S. government holds a worldwide competition to decide who will be the first time traveler in history. This turns Sam’s world upside down after a half-baked joke application he sends in gets him accepted as a contestant for consideration.

Thrust into a political and media blender set to puree, Sam and his fellow contestants vie for the affections of a worldwide audience who will vote on the eventual winner. As the successive rounds of the contest pass by, and Sam tries everything from indifference to wild irreverence to get himself voted out of the competition, he finds that all his actions only serve to make him more popular.

As the contest goes on, Sam and the time travel project become more of a referendum on our society’s fascination with celebrity disasters, and what they will do to make sure the entertainment doesn’t stop anytime soon. Unable to get out of the contest via logical means, Sam learns to embrace the perks sudden celebrity provides, yet also suffers some of its typical consequences.

Stuck between two worlds—one he can’t handle, and another he can’t control—Sam finds himself considering a third option, one that has him confronting a time traveling reality that terrifies him to his very core.

The Author:

Warren Cantrell is a film and music critic based out of Seattle, Washington. One of the few surviving journalists of the Gonzo school, Mr. Cantrell’s work has appeared in such publications as Lost in Reviews and Scene-Stealers.

A classically trained scholar with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in History, Mr. Cantrell has spent the majority of his time since graduation writing novels and paying off his student loans. Working as a critic and an on-the-ground correspondent, Mr. Cantrell has covered the Seattle International and Sundance Film Festivals and has had the pleasure of interviewing people ranging from Sissy Spacek to Joss Whedon.

As an established film and music critic, Mr. Cantrell finds that it is best to keep his political views private, except to say that he feels Greedo definitely did not shoot first and that The Misfits ceased to exist the moment Danzig left the band.

A life-long Arizona Diamondbacks, Cardinals, and Phoenix Suns fan, Mr. Cantrell enjoys fast cars, Italian opera, Norwegian cinema, Kentucky bourbon, and Motörhead concerts.

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