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Brain to Books Blog Tour: Kevin Zdrill

Brain to Books Blog Tour: Kevin Zdrill

We’ve got another wonderful Proof Positive author participating in the Brain to Books Blog Tour this month. Kevin Zdrill, a prolific, multi-genre author shares his latest work, The Ukranian in Me, plus a little bit about his writing strategies.

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Fast Facts
Author: Kevin Zdrill
Genre: Contemporary adult comedy romance
Books: The Ukrainian In Me
Official Site

Bio

Kevin Zdrill discovered the power of story telling at the age of 11. After dusting off a manual typewriter from the closet of his parent’s home, he began creating short, comedic skits for his friends to read. Their laughter at these unadorned stories sparked an enthusiasm to continue exploring human behavior and relationships.

“I’m always looking for the characters within my books to have natural flaws. I find it speaks to their desperate nature in humorous and earnest settings. It’s important for the reader to relate and bond to the characters and to care about the chain of events that occur.”

Kevin Zdrill is a Manitoba-based author employed in the field of mental health and crisis intervention. His comedy fiction series, including No Kiss Good-Night and Boom Chicka Wah Wah, captures the heartfelt misadventures of dating and relationships. His third book, Crazy, Mixed-Up World, explores the ramifications of the collision of life, love, and betrayal.

Blurb

When thirty-year-old independent web designer Larissa Androshchuk separates from her husband after nine months, one day, and a morning, she blames it on the Ukrainian curse that has dogged her family for generations; she believes that all

Androshchuks are destined to fail at whatever they do.

Larissa moves back to her former room in the basement of her parents’ Manitoba house, where she starts posting a blog venting her fears and frustrations. In spite of her uncertain and possibly ill-fated future, she is determined to break free of the

family shackles. Larissa embarks on a complete makeover as a prelude to a triumphant return to the dating scene, turning for help to her best friend, Bernadette; her Internet-savvy cousin Garth; her middle-aged diva aunt Tina; and her ninety-one-year-old pierogi-making baba. But the men she encounters turn out to be even more damaged than her ego. Meanwhile, Larissa’s father unabashedly takes to restoring the tarp covered twenty-year old Chrysler in the backyard to ensure her stay in their house will be short-lived, making her life even more uncomfortable.

When an unexpected opportunity presents itself, Larissa sees this as her last shot to take control and leap free from her fate. But can she escape the curse long enough to turn her life around?

Excerpt

I flopped down on my bed, not caring what effect the towel was going to have on my hair. Let it become a rat’s nest, I thought. There was no one to impress anymore. Fingers wouldn’t be running through it with passion—not that I’d ever had that kind of passion from my ex, but I always fantasized it could happen at any moment.

Did I really believe that was possible? I took a deep breath and moved my gaze around the room slowly, taking in wallpaper so familiar I knew where every mismatched seam was. Besides the obvious conclusion—this room needed a serious makeover—my observations hammered home the fact that this was the last place in my life I needed to be for any reason. Heck, I needed a makeover more than this damn room did.

Sweet Jesus, I was thirty years old and starting from scratch. I had no job; no money; no higher education; no car, because I didn’t have a driver’s license; and now no husband.

I shivered, although I wasn’t cold anymore. I still couldn’t believe it. At thirty years old, I didn’t have the ability to live anywhere but in the basement of my parents’ home, in my former bedroom. It sucked so bad that it hurt to breathe.

The Ukrainian curse had finally caught up with me. My entire family tree suffered from it, and I was the latest victim.

Buy the Book

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Brain to Books Blog Tour: Josh de Lioncourt

Brain to Books Blog Tour: Josh de Lioncourt

Josh de Lioncourt is an inspiration and a wonderful author, and it’s our pleasure to host him on Proof Positive’s blog for the Brain to Books Blog Tour. Make sure you read his human interest story below, and of course his books! We are big fans of his fantasy writing.

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Fast Facts:

Author: Josh de Lioncourt
Genres: Epic Fantasy/YA/NA
Book(s): The Dragon’s Brood Cycle series, Haven Lost
Official Website

Bio

Josh de Lioncourt was born and raised in California and enjoys writing projects in a wide variety of fields, including fiction, music, software, blogging, and tech articles. As a blind enthusiast of Apple products, he has written on Apple accessibility for Macworld and Maccessibility. He hosts or participates regularly on several podcasts in various genres, and writes and records music with Molly, his other half. Josh enjoys the works of Stephen King, the music of George Michael, Masters of the Universe, and Los Angeles Kings hockey.

Accomplishments

As a blind technology enthusiast, I try to raise awareness of accessibility options and issues for visually impaired users, with an emphasis on Apple products. I host the Maccessibility Round Table Podcast to that end, as well as Masters Cast, a podcast devoted to the fandom of Masters of the Universe.

Blurb

Legends never die; they just go into hiding …

Sixteen-year-old Emily Haven, heroine of the girls’ hockey team at Lindsey High, has spent her young life keeping two secrets: her rapidly deteriorating home life and the seemingly supernatural power that makes her a star on the ice. When she begins seeing visions of a lost and ragged boy reflected in mirrors and shop windows, a series of events unfolds that tears her from twenty-first century Minneapolis and leaves her stranded in another world with horrors to rival those she has left behind. Lost amidst creatures of fantasy and legend, she is forced to confront the demons of both her past and future to unravel the riddle of the mysterious boy and embark upon a journey to uncover long forgotten histories and the dark, cloaked figure in the shadows behind them all. Caught between opposing forces of a war she does not understand, Emily must find new strength within herself and, above all, the will to remember her friends.

Book Review

Emily is a high school hockey star in Minneapolis with an extremely dysfunctional family life. For the most part, she is a typical teenager, except for her strange ability to know when and where another player on the ice is going to move. One day it all changes when she starts seeing the reflection of a boy in mirrors and windows and, when she gets home, she finds her mother dead of a drug overdose. She runs away and when she awakes she is in another land, another time, another world? Haven Lost is the tale of Emily’s discovery of what is important to her and her life in this strange place. She makes friends, decides without any prior knowledge of people who is good and who is evil, and sets out on a quest she doesn’t understand. Along the way she picks up a best friend in Celine, a ward in Michael, and someone who just might become more than a friend in the future, Corbbmacc. Together they travel the land, looking for the answers that they need to understand what is going on. Josh de Lioncourt has done a wonderful job of mixing history, fantasy, and magic together into a tale that is compelling and exciting.

Haven Lost is set to be the first book in a series titled The Dragon’s Brood Cycle. This first book sets the story up very well; you have a grand adventure, and it is not a short adventure either. It takes time to tell, yet the story never seems to get bogged down or drag; it is always moving along and begging you to turn the next page and keep going. The answers always seem to be on the next page. Josh de Lioncourt is a wonderful storyteller in that he is able to keep your attention and have you guessing the entire book. I never saw the reveal from the last three pages coming until I got to them, and that is not usually the case with most books. This book and series has the potential to sky-rocket into the forefront of youth and teen reading, possibly becoming the next Harry Potter series.

—Michelle Randall, Readers’ Favorite

Read an excerpt

She fell to her knees in front of the mirror, unable to tear her eyes away from the strange boy with the pony-tail and the torn and ragged clothes. She could see every minute detail of his attire, from the thick red and black thread that had been used to mend his jeans and jacket, to the filth and tarnish on the old-fashioned fastenings.

He reached out toward her, and as he did, her own reflection in the mirror winked out. Only his face stared out of the dusty glass. His eyes were full of hope and sadness, and seemed the eyes of a much younger child. Those eyes spoke of suffering and loss, and Emily’s heart called out in recognition. She thought she saw the flicker of flames behind the boy, and then she was reaching out to him as well.

Their fingers met. She clasped his in her own, feeling their warm, rough reality, and wanting to give comfort as much as receive it. Such a simple action. Such a mundane, human gesture. And with that ordinary decision made, two worlds changed forever.

“Yes,” she whispered, and watched as the breath of that word fogged the glass between them, spreading until it filled the world with a cloudy, white mist.

Links

Series site: http://DragonsBrood.net
Series Facebook: http://facebook.com/DragonsBrood
Author blog: http://lioncourt.com
Author Twitter: http://twitter.com/Lioncourt

Human interest story of how I lost my vision as a child, and how the kind people at an animation studio helped me through that time:

Paperback: http://lionl.ink/hlpaperback
Kindle: http://hlkindle
iBooks: http://lionl.ink/hlibooks
Nook: http://lionl.ink/hlnook
Kobo: http://lionl.ink/hlkobo

Brain to Books Blog Tour: Joshua Robertson

Just the Facts

Name: Joshua Robertson
Genre: Dark Fantasy
Book:  Melkorka of the Thrice Nine Legends series
Official Site 

Bio

Joshua-Robertson-2-200x300Joshua began crafting the world for his dark fantasy series, Thrice Nine Legends, in 1999. Melkorka, the first book of the series, was published in 2015. The sequel, Dyndaer, will be released in January 2016. He is also the author of the A Midwinter Sellsword and Gladiators and Thieves in the Hawkhurst Saga. His story, Grimsdalr, is inspired by the tale of Beowulf. Joshua currently lives in Alaska with his wife and children.

Melkorka Blurb

Kaelandur was forged by the Highborn to slay one of their own, Nedezhda Mager. As their slave, Branimir Baran never thought to question his cruel masters until he is forced to take part in the execution. His actions begin a chain of events that will lead him to confront demons, cannibals, and himself as he is forced to question his own morality and the true meaning of good and evil.

Book Synopsis

Melkorka

Branimir is a slave to the mighty Highborn. Unwittingly, his masters forge a copper dagger capable of destroying the Ash Tree. Drawn along on the quest to remedy the mistake of his masters, Branimir becomes the most unlikely of heroes in an inimical world of magic and mayhem.

A Midwinter Sellsword

A sellsword is lured into the daunting political games within Hawkhurst. How many people will he have to kill to keep his own secrets hidden and to escape the city?

Gladiators and Thieves

The second installment in the Hawkhurst Saga. A bastard child of a noble family escaped the subterranean city after being enslaved to the gladiator pits. After being lured into the daunting political games, will he ever find his freedom again?

Grimsdalr

In the spirit of the epic poem, Beowulf, a renowned hero travels across the whale-road to defeat a monster that plagues the land of Croune.

Interview

Tell us a little about yourself.

I am originally from Kansas and I currently live in Alaska with my wife and children. I started writing snippets of fantasy and horror around the age of nine, had a collection of poetry and short stories by fifteen, and had completed my first fantasy novel at seventeen. Recently, I have published a couple of books and started my own small press, Crimson Edge Publishing Company.

How many books have you written? 

I have recently published Melkorka in January 2015, the first book in the The Kaelandur Series, within the universe of Thrice Nine Legends. I am extremely excited about this novel and have received some great reviews. I also published A Midwinter SellswordGrimsdalr, and Gladiators and Thieves. I have several WIPs, including the sequel to Melkorka, titled Dyndaer. I am also co-writing another novel within Thrice Nine Legends called Anaerfell, to be released October 2015.
What genre do you enjoy writing the most? 

I enjoy writing fantasy or dark fantasy more than anything. I have some snippets laying around that are science fiction and dystopian, but I am most comfortable in the fantasy realm.

Tell us a bit more about your book?

For the sake of brevity, I will tell you about Melkorka. It is about a slave, named Branimir,melkorka-200x300 who serves the mighty Highborn. Unwittingly, his masters forge a copper dagger capable of destroying the Ash Tree. Drawn along on the quest to remedy the mistake of his masters, Branimir becomes the most unlikely of heroes in an inimical world of magic and mayhem.

What inspired you to write this book?

The sequel to Melkorka, Dyndaer, has been written and rewritten repeatedly over the past decade. In ten years, I have scrapped Dyndaer many times in frustration that I could get the story exactly how I wanted it. Then, I woke up one morning in December 2013 from an inspirational dream that presented the core to the story. Lo and behold, Melkorka was created, giving birth to the rest of the story.

How did you come up with the title of your book?

Melkorka is the name of the castle that serves as the start of this tale. The word itself has some meaning, found in the thirteenth century Icelandic tale, Laxdaela saga. Laxdaela saga makes mention of Melkorka an Irish princess that was taken as a slave and pretended to be mute, hiding her identity, only to reveal later that there was more to her than what was on the surface. In many ways, Melkorka is a story that echoes the complexity in legend, suggesting to the reader that there is more than what appears on the surface. It seemed fitting for the first book in The Kaelandur Series.

Tell us a little bit about your cover art. Who designed it? Why did you go with that particular image/artwork?

Winter Bayne is the talented graphic designer that completed the cover for Melkorka (and my other novels). The emblem on the front of the cover for Melkorka is the mirror image of the symbol of the Sun God in Melkorka. This is the most revered god during the events of the novel. I wanted a simple image for the theme. I could not be more pleased with the final outcome.

Do you have any strange writing habits?

I will always drink one cup of coffee before starting to write, and I have a fresh pot brewed and at the ready for once I start.

You’re not alone in that. *laughing*

I generally write in the late evening to early morning (between 2000 and 0200). There are several songs that I like to play depending on what scene is unfolding: romantic, suspense, or suspicious. And, I have a rule that I don’t get rewarded with chips and salsa until I have completed a minimum of 1000 words.

Are you a plotter or do you write by the seat of your pants?

I will usually write the first two or three chapters and then I plot the rest of the story. I am a believer in plotting a story to assure that it has the elements of a complete story. I have read too many novels with plot holes or that are rushed at the end to wrap up loose ends.

What book do you wish you could have written?

The entire series of the Game of Thrones, actually. I have never read them (yet) but I do watch the television series. I have found that the themes in the story are similar to the ones in my own books…and I started my stories over ten years ago.

How important are names to you in your books? Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning?

When I first start writing, I do not pay much attention to the names. However, once finished, I focus heavily on the names to build on the culture and flavor of the story. I like to have my names have similar sounds and a sense of culture behind them. It would be bizarre to have a Bilbo Baggins, a Jon Snow, and a Candace Everdeen in the same story. Names have to fit the time, place, and culture of the story – and when they break the rules, there should be a logical reason behind it (e.g. a vampire named Vladimir is living in the modern century).

Have you always enjoyed writing?

Absolutely. In high school, I was considered the most likely to become a published writer. I regret it has taken me almost ten years to seriously start pursuing the career. Regardless, it is something I will continue to do until the day I die. I will never retire from writing.

What is your favorite snack food?

I have several, especially when I write: coffee, chips and salsa, and sour patch kids.

If you had a supernatural power, what would it be?

My general answer to this question is super healing powers. I always thought that was by far the best superpower that anybody could come across. Then, I had another author suggest the manipulation of time. Thus, I have to recant the prior and choose the latter.

Where is one place you want to visit that you haven’t been before?

Czechoslovakia. I want to simply roam through the hills and drink wine.

Links: Connect with Joshua


Links: Check out Joshua’s books

Anaerfell: Coming October 2015
Dyndaer: Coming January 2016

Brain to Books: Linda Rawlins

Fast Facts

Author: Linda Rawlins
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Religion/Christian/Catholic fiction
Books: The Bench, Fatal Breach, Sacred Gold from the The Rocky Meadow Mystery Series

Bio

Linda-Rawlins-200x300As a child, I loved to read, whenever and whatever I could get my hands on. I started to write my own “Nancy Drew” type mystery in fifth grade. As a student, I studied Biology in Vermont, Sciences and Literature in college and eventually became a physician. I enjoy writing mysteries that contain medical and light spiritual content. Either way, a good murder mystery is always fun.

My first book, The Bench, is set in the fictional town of Rocky Meadow, VT. The Rocky Meadow Mystery series then continues with Fatal Breach and Sacred Gold, although each book can be read as a stand-alone, just like your favorite episodes of a mystery show. Dr. Amy Daniels is a trauma surgeon who moves to Rocky Meadow, VT to escape family tragedy. There she meets, Father Michael Lauretta, the psychologist pastor of St. Francis church and Rocky Meadow Retreat Center. Together, they solve a mystery and search for a killer with the help of Katie, the church cook, Willow, a teenage millionaire, Father Victor, visiting priest from Chicago and Tony Noce, owner of Hasco’s Bar and Grill. In Fatal Breach, the characters become involved with cybercrime and a murder at a local soup kitchen. Sacred Gold is about gold treasure buried in the catacombs of the church. There is murder as well as a race to see who finds it first.

While solving crimes, the main characters deal with life, loss, starting over and developing an appreciation for the friends and loved ones in their lives.

Linda Rawlins lives in New Jersey with her family. When she is not working in medicine, she is writing.

rocky-Meadow-series-300x225

Come visit at www.lindarawlins.com – sign up for my newsletter.

You can also find me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lindarawlinsauthorwww.goodreads.com/LindaRawlins, my Amazon author page https://www.amazon.com/author/lindara… and www.Twitter.com/@LRL8

Healthy Blessed Reading!

Author Accomplishments

In my real life, I work as a physician in hospice.

The Bench Blurb

Medical Murder Mystery – Rocky Meadow, Vermont, seemed to be a quiet little town until The-Benchpeople started dying or showing up in the emergency room under mysterious circumstances. Dr. Amy Daniels is a trauma surgeon, who recently moved to Rocky Meadow after a family tragedy. There she meets Father Michael Lauretta, a psychologist priest who counsels troubled clergy and pastor of the famous Rocky Meadow Retreat House. Together, they save lives and souls and try to solve a mystery before they become the next target of a greedy killer. Will they be able to put a stop to this deadly rampage? The unexpected conclusion awaits in The Bench.

Review

A great novel By bookcollecter on June 22, 2014
I loved this book for many reasons. The story was solid, believable, engaging, uncluttered and written with authority. The characters were well developed, from the major characters – doctor and priest, to the supporting cast, such as the young girl, who is left a sizable inheritance and has to deal with a destructive, self-serving father.
I found myself reading this without pause for hours on the day I picked it up. I guess this was because I was immersed in the story. I finished reading it with a lasting impression and for this reason will be buying Ms Rawlins next offering. She is a talented writer who manages to bring plot characters and story to live with ease.

Fatal Breach Blurb

Acting medical examiner, Dr. Amy Daniels and Father Michael Lauretta become entangledFatal-188x300 in murder at the local soup kitchen in Burlington, Vermont. As their intricate relationship develops, they are drawn into a sinister plot as FBI Special Agent Marcus Cain pursues a deadly internet activist group, known as Shepherd Force. They soon learn, the cybercrime organization will stop at nothing to retrieve an illegal flash drive worth millions of dollars.

Sacred Gold Blurb

An old journal, revealing hidden treasure at St. Francis Church, falls into the hands of acting medical examiner, Dr. Amy Daniels, and tests her faith in life, love, and trust. With the help of the church pastor, Father Michael Lauretta, they try to solve the century-old mystery. Before long, the two find themselves in the company of a trained Italian curator, Sacred-Gold-Cover-198x300desperate to ward off her greedy, possessive boss, who follows her to Vermont and intends to steal the treasure.

Against the backdrop of snowy Rocky Meadow, Vermont, bustling during the Christmas holidays, the remainder of the St. Francis family try to secure a new soup kitchen, only to find charity cannot escape tragedy. When arson and murder lead to a dark, dangerous chase in the catacombs of the church, they all join together to follow age-old clues and find Sacred Gold, before the treasure and more lives are lost forever.

Connect with Linda

Brain to Books: Benjamin Westbrook

Just the Facts

Author: Benjamin Westbrook
Genre: Mystery/suspense/thriller with a Christian perspective.
Book: “Infringement”. The sequel to Infringement, titled “A Haunt for Jackals” will be released in early 2016.

Bio

I’ve been a writer and constant reader since about the age of 12 when I read S.E. Hinton’s “The Outsiders” on Christmas Day after getting all of her books as a gift. As I grew up, I worked as a cook, a photographer and finally went to law school, but always held tight to my desire to write novels. Strangely, it was actually graduating from law school (seeing the culmination of three years of hard work) which gave me the push and confidence to finally complete my first novel (which is now being reworked).

I began writing “Infringement” after reading about James Holmes and the Aurora theater shooting. My goal was to write a story about finding and keeping faith in the darkest of circumstances. As I was writing “Infringement”, my now 4-year-old son was diagnosed with leukemia, and began treatment. That experience changed my family’s life drastically, as well as my own faith, and I found myself experiencing exactly what I was trying to write about: faith in the darkest of circumstances. The forthcoming sequel, “A Haunt for Jackals”, continues that theme.

Author Accomplishments

My son is now in remission and is doing wonderfully and our experience with cancer has prompted my wife and I to get more involved in the fight against cancer. I serve as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Gateway Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, in St. Louis. We’ve both appeared on the radio discussing our experience, cancer research and fundraisers. I will be riding 37.5 miles in September in Pedal The Cause, which raises money for cancer research and treatment at the St. Louis Childrens’ Hospital. So far, I’ve raised roughly $1,600 towards my goal of at least $2,500.

Blurb

Still grappling with his loss of faith and anger towards God following the death of his Infringement-188x300father while a young boy, second-generation FBI Agent Declan Parker is called to investigate a simple complaint. Quickly discovering a dark undercurrent, Declan is unexpectedly drawn into the world of David Stanton, a man in the final stages of planning the bloodiest mass shooting in history. The lines between “the good guys and the bad guys” become irreconcilably blurred when, during the course of his investigation, Declan stumbles into the midst of a broad, sinister agenda, the aftermath of which will forever change not only his own life, but the lives of all Americans.

Reviews

5 Stars
Great Story!
By David Carlyle on May 21, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
The story is engrossing, but bloody for a Christian book. Mr. Westbrook would have to change the story to have less killing in it, and it’s hard to think how to change it without damage to it. The book definitely keeps the reader wanting to see what happens next, and it’s a top quality book. David Carlyle, “Billy Thomas: Forever Fearless.”
5 Stars
Excellent
By Michelle Dry on February 8, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
Could not put it down. Can’t wait for the continuation of the as story. No telling what will happen next.
5 Stars
Loved the book
By Ziply on January 31, 2015
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
Loved the book. Easy to read. Could not put it down once I started. Can’t wait for the sequel. Al Matey
5 Stars
Infringement is an intriguing and fast paced book that reads…
By Lisa on January 20, 2015
Format: Paperback
Infringement is an intriguing and fast paced book that reads very quickly! I can’t wait to find out what happens in the next one!
5 Stars
Engrossing, built on today’s domestic and international headlines. Jim and Joan Costello
By Mary J. Costello on January 15, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition
A crisply written adventure based on today’s news and old fashioned faith. Written in the
fast based styles of Baldacci, Vince Flynn, and Dan Silva.
5 Stars
A suspenseful, thought-provoking book!
By S. Middendorf on January 15, 2015
Format: Paperback
I thoroughly enjoyed Benjamin Westbrook’s book Infringement. It was a great combination of a suspenseful FBI story (like the TV drama “24”), an analysis of current events (unrest in the Middle East correlating to Biblical prophesy), and thought-provoking dialogue (honest questions about faith in God). As a Christian, I appreciated the author walking us through the main character’s journey to try to see God during the hardships of life.
I really appreciate that this book entertained me (several exciting scenes had me on the edge of my seat!) and made me think about the current state of the world. I look forward to reading Westbrook’s next book!
5 Stars
A Suspenseful Page-Turner!
By Kimberly Mitchell on January 15, 2015
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
A fantastic page turner- I couldn’t put it down! In the midst of catastrophic events whether personal or global, this book addresses how we grapple with our faith when bad things happen. The main character, Declan is questioning his own faith after the death of his father at a young age but begins to believe that God is real and present in the midst of the horrible things happening in the world everyday. I love how Westbrook combined suspense with love and family and wove biblical references throughout the novel. I definitely learned a thing or two about the bible that I didn’t know before! If you like the Da Vinci code and the show 24, you will love this book! I can’t wait for Westbrook’s next novel!
4 Stars
Fast Paced Thriller
By E. McCarthy on January 10, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
This novel is a psychological thriller and discusses historical events. The main character, Declan, plays a deadly cat and mouse game with a terrorist named Stanton in part one. Part two explores civil unrest because of governmental infringement of constitutional rights.
The ambitious approach of part two left me a bit confused over different characters’ relationships. I think this could be solved by moving some scenes around to part one in order to keep the characters’ lives juggled more evenly.
I liked the fast paced nature of the book. I would have liked to see more descriptions of the people however, and this would have made me empathize even more with them. I always loved how Charles Dickens described characters.
The action is exciting and kept me interested. I continued reading to find out what happened because I cared about the characters, especially Declan.
I loved the scary scenes inside the mind of a terrorist which were handled very well with a touch of explanation of why he was the way he was. I think this was the best part of the book and I liked the parallel between Stanton and Declan.
The writer has a lot of promise. I would recommend a few ideas: lose the few swear words (or use dashes), just say they went for a drink as some people don’t like alcohol references (and why turn off readers), let any physical intimacy be in the minds of the reader (although the scene wasn’t graphic), and cut any scenes of assaults on women entirely as they turn off female readers (it might be mentioned in passing or referred to in conversation. I was able to skim over the very few scenes).
The religious discussion fit the characters. I liked that the characters stayed true to their convictions. Declan’s journey to self-discovery was an interesting part of the novel.
I feel the writer has a talent for tender scenes especially between mother and son and Evan and Jessica who were lesser characters. I would have loved to see more scenes like these.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a fast paced and entertaining Christian novel and I enjoyed reading it.
5 Stars
I highly recommend this book
By margaret Moellenberg on December 24, 2014
Format: Paperback
 From beginning to end, “Infringement” keeps the reader engaged and enthralled. It is a fast-paced thriller that I could not put down. Benjamin Westbrook’s debut novel is a real page-turner and one you will want to read over and over again. It hooks you from the first chapter, scares you into thinking someone is always watching and makes you realize nothing is as it seems. I highly recommend this book.
Links

Excerpt

Chapter 1

December 15th

He worked deliberately and meticulously atop the short ladder in the dark, quietly screwing into place the last of the four bright red “Exit” signs to be replaced. As far back as he could remember, he’d been a night person. He enjoyed working in the darkness, amid the silence and solitude one typically found during the late night hours when most were asleep. There were fewer distractions at night, no people to get in his way or take up his time with their generally meaningless chatter.

He turned the last screw firmly into place, quietly, one rotation after another until the metal screw squeaked against the metal bracket and it could go no further. After he’d finished, he scanned the sign to be certain it was perfectly even, gave each of the four screws another quick turn to verify they were tight, and gently nudged the “Exit” sign from each side to be absolutely sure it was securely in place. Satisfied with his work, he then turned the power switch to “On” and removed his night vision goggles to see the four red letters glowing in the darkness above the doorway. He stepped slowly and quietly down from the ladder, careful not to misstep, and walked to the center of the semi-circular sanctuary where he had a clear view of each of the four “Exit” signs he’d installed. As he’d planned, the new signs looked, in all respects, exactly like the four he’d replaced, except for the tiny HD video camera in each. The camera, located just to the right of the “T”, was totally indiscernible from a distance, unless someone knew to look for it.

Eager to test the new signs, he made his way toward the last row of pews nearest the main entrance of the sanctuary, where he’d left his laptop. He opened the laptop and deftly pulled up the admin page of his website, which was still under construction and hadn’t gone live yet. He clicked on the “Live Webcams” link, which took him to another page split into four window panes, one for each video camera in the “Exit” signs he’d installed. Three of the panes were completely dark, which was expected given the darkness of the sanctuary. The fourth pane, which showed the video feed from the camera in the sign above the main entrance, featured the dim light of his laptop. He couldn’t test the camera views completely until he could return during the day, but he knew, together, they should stream a full 360 degree live view of the sanctuary to his website.

Unable to wait until morning, he decided a small test was in order, so he took his iPad out of his backpack and pulled up his website there as well. Once he’d again accessed the page showing the live webcam feeds from the four “Exit” signs, he walked slowly to the center of the sanctuary, holding his iPad close to his face in order to illuminate it slightly. As he walked toward the main pulpit area, he watched each of the camera views on his iPad, to see when each camera picked up the dim light and his faint silhouette. Although not ideal, it was a sufficient test for the time being, and just seeing his dim silhouette from the cameras’ views gave him a distinct and very pleasing sense of excitement.

Once he arrived at the pulpit area in the center front of the sanctuary, he stepped up the few small marble steps to the main stage, and saw each camera feed had picked up the light from his iPad. From anywhere on the pulpit, he’d be perfectly visible to all four cameras in full light.

He shut down his iPad, leaving the sanctuary pitch black again but for the red light from the “Exit” signs, and slid his night vision goggles back on over his eyes. The pews fanned out in a semi-circle from the large stage, thirty rows deep. He stood in the center of the pulpit, where the preacher typically gave his sermon and prepared communion, and enjoyed an unobstructed view of the entire sanctuary. With his goggles on, he carefully scanned each section of the empty and otherwise dark pews, beginning with those on his left side, until he’d gone through them all one by one. Then, he again removed the goggles and closed his eyes, letting the perfect darkness clear his mind.

He stood facing the pews directly in front of him with his eyes closed tightly, his breath slow and measured. His mind began to focus, his imagination came alive, and one by one the pews were populated with faces. Soon, the faces, some familiar and others not, filled every corner of the almost bursting sanctuary. From the pulpit, he watched them talking to one another, greeting and hugging each other. He heard them chattering back and forth before services began, joking with one another, and laughing. He sensed their warmth, their excitement, their joy. His eyes still closed, he turned slowly and deliberately from his left to his right, watching them intently and letting their faces burn into his memory. He wanted to remember them, to know the joy on their faces down to the very smallest detail, so that when he finally raised his rifle and began spilling their blood onto the glittering marble sanctuary floor, he’d be able to recognize the precise instant when the careless joy in each face turned to horror and fear.

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