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Start Your Week Off Right With Freebies! Five Brand New Kindle Free Titles: Dina Kucera’s Everything I Never Wanted to Be, Sammy Sutton’s Hidden Mountain, Susan Wingate’s Spider Brains, Ken Brosky & Isabella Fontaine’s The Grimm Chronicles, Vol. 1 and Myrna Ericksen’s Grave Dangers

With hundreds of new books turning up free each day now in the Kindle Store, it can be tough to hone in on books that you will actually want to read. And almost of the new free books will be free for just a day or two at a time, so we are working hard to make sure that you do not miss the ones you want!

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4.6 stars – 69 Reviews
Text-to-Speech and Lending: Enabled
Here’s the set-up:

Everything I Never Wanted to Be by Dina Kucera is the true story of a family’s battle with alcoholism and drug addiction. Dina’s grandparents were alcoholics, her father was an alcoholic, she is an alcoholic and pill addict, and all three of her daughters struggle with alcohol and drug addiction–including her youngest daughter, who started using heroin at age fourteen.

Dina’s household also includes her husband and his unemployed identical twin; a mother who has Parkinson’s Disease; a grandson who has cerebral palsy; and other people who drift in and out of the household depending on their employment situation or rehab status.

On top of all that, Dina is trying to make it as a stand-up comic and author so she can quit her crummy job as a grocery store clerk. Through it all, Dina does her best to hold her family together, keep her faith, and maintain her sense of humor.

As you might imagine, a story filled with alcoholics and drug addicts includes a number of horrific events. But in the end, Everything I Never Wanted to Be is an uplifting story that contains valuable lessons for parents and teens alike, and a strong message about the need to address the epidemic of teen drug addiction in our nation. It’s a book that can change behavior and save lives–and make you laugh along the way.

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5.0 stars – 4 Reviews
Text-to-Speech and Lending: Enabled
Here’s the set-up:

The dynamic pairing of the humorous, studious Anthropologist, Antonio Dominguez and his lovely, flame-haired partner, the mysterious and spiritual Amanda Messenger, must combine their multitude of talents to outsmart the malignant conspiracy working against them. Follow them as they encounter corruption and danger in Miami, then through the Midwest where they face a bitter loss, and back to New Mexico where they encounter the enemy in a head-on battle.

Come and tag along with them as their steamy relationship grows and they continue a journey interlaced with secrets, mystery and suspense, a journey that was foretold by King Solomon himself, and one that holds the key to stopping the cosmic annihilation of the human race.

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4.7 stars – 7 Reviews
Or currently FREE for Amazon Prime Members Via the Kindle Lending Library
Text-to-Speech and Lending: Enabled
Here’s the set-up:
After her father’s death last year and, now, in the throes of a gnarly teacher’s whim as she thinks ahead to college, a small black arachnid bites fifteen-year-old Susie Speider on the finger and sends her nights into fantastical dreams about taking revenge on a teacher–a one Ms. Morlson–who, ultimately, holds Susie’s college aspirations in the sweaty palm of her cold calloused hand. But, after Susie figures out the dreams are real, she ups the ante and visits the teacher regularly but… as the spider. And, oh, by the way! Who is that boy spider munching on flies, hiding over there in the corner?

*  *  *

The Grimm Chronicles, Vol. 1

by Ken Brosky, Isabella Fontaine

Text-to-Speech and Lending: Enabled
Here’s the set-up:

200 years ago, the Brothers Grimm unleashed their stories upon the world. Literally. Now the characters of the Grimms’ stories walk among us. With every day that passes, they grow more evil. They are the Corrupted, and only a hero can stop them.

For 18-year-old Alice Goodenough, that means taking precious time off from her summer vacation. In addition to volunteering at the local library, Alice must stop the Corrupted who are now actively hunting her down. With the help of her magic pen and her trusty rabbit friend, the world has suddenly gotten a lot more complex. The Corrupted are everywhere, and only Alice can see them for what they truly are.

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5.0 stars – 2 Reviews
Text-to-Speech and Lending: Enabled
Here’s the set-up:
A study into a young man’s battle between hate and revenge, and the contrasts he finds in the beauty of nature and his newly found friends. David witnesses the murder of his mother and from that paralyzing moment is forced to hide in the wooded hills of Vermont. Plotting his revenge until he is old enough to carry out his plan, he saves Andrew’s life and must struggle with his continuing quest to avenge his mothers murder. Andrew and family members are drawn into a plot to capture the murderer.
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Earth Shaker

by Richard Guimond

4.9 stars – 29 Reviews
Or currently FREE for Amazon Prime Members Via the Kindle Lending Library
Text-to-Speech and Lending: Enabled
Here’s the set-up:

Richard Guimond reverses the “Beauty and the Beast” roles to tell a thrilling yet tragic love story in “Earth Shaker”

Inspired by Greek mythology. It takes readers back to ancient times on the Island of Crete. Queen Pasiphae, the wife of King Minos, steps outside of her marriage and lies with the Great White Bull, a mythological demigod. That wicked coupling produces an Earth Shaker, Asterius, the Minotaur
of Greek legend.

Readers travel to1980, and meet a young, savvy and beautiful archaeologist. Driven to succeed, Naomi Slocum is in over her head, when she and her boss, a ruthless curator, discover Asterius deep within the labyrinth of Daedalus. They smuggle the cocooned body from Greece to
Washington, D.C., but as Naomi soon learns, things go horribly wrong.

This thriller poses as a sensual reversal of the Beauty and the Beast fairytale. “Earth Shaker” is steeped in the ever present reality of dangerous desires forcing the reader to question their own
mortality.

The author states that from the moment we know that death is inevitable; we are fascinated by the idea of eternal life. Guimond’s characters fall into that same trap, and quickly realize the price they must pay for immortality. They soon learn that the dead should be left undisturbed and
maybe there is a reason to heed the words: Rest in Peace.

Guimond’s screenplay “Earth Shaker” was produced as a Storyboard Test Film and was named a July 2011 Finalist by Amazon Studios in their Film Competition

 

And here, for your reading pleasure, is our free excerpt:

PROLOGUE

 

Four millennia ago, in the lands of Greece, it was the age of the demigod. These Earth Shakers roamed in astonishing forms, and their adventures were chronicled by Telemachus, son of Odysseus, the King of Ithaca. He wrote of gods that were angry, demented and had yet to complete their total works of creation. Of all the Earth Shakers, Asterius was the most admired and most feared. He possessed the attributes of amazing sexual potency and the strength that all Greek men desired.

On the Island of Crete at King Minos’ Citadel, Asterius was born on a dark and starless night, while Queen Pasiphae’s husband slept.

When the beast-child turned into a young man, a horrified King Minos forced the creature into a labyrinth beneath his castle. Sealed off by an immense marble door, this fathomless maze, deep into the earth, twisted and turned upon itself.

Moving through the eternal blackness, the young demigod dwelled alone within his prison.

As the years passed, Asterius grew tall and powerful. His short crescent-shaped horns were as sharp as a rose prick, and his smoldering eyes burned with unholy desires.  From behind his heavy lips, his hot bull breath reeked of blood and lust.

Despite what was living below the ground, Crete grew in prosperity.  Asterius roamed through the darkness, hungering always for what gave him life. From his throat raged a vile wind of torment and revenge.

In hopes of silencing the bellows of his wife’s mad creation, King Minos increased the sacrifice of virgins and young men.

The more the Minotaur feasted, the more he demanded. The once happy island was becoming devoid of young maidens, especially those of crimson-colored hair. With the continuing sacrifices, the Island of Crete whispered dissent and revolt.

A fearful King Minos finally persuaded the great ruler of Athens to send his son, Theseus, Conqueror of Earth Shakers, to place the Minotaur into an everlasting sleep.  Descendants of the Erechtheids Family of Immortal Ones, Theseus, son of Aegeus, was the only one capable of challenging the Minotaur.

On the second night of Theseus’ arrival, King Minos ordered a celebration for the over-powering Athenian. It was the rings Theseus wore on his forefinger that captured Minos’ attention.  Known as the ring of perpetual sleep, one signet bore the intaglio of Ladon the immortal; while the other signet of Thyrus, guardian of Hesperides, was known only to a chosen few as the ring of eternal life.

When the feast was over, Theseus and the latest victim was led to the entrance of the labyrinth. The door was unsealed and the Athenian accompanied the beautiful, red-haired maiden into the underworld.

From his shoulder pouch he removed a skein of silk webbing given to him by Ariadne. He tied one end to the door and unraveled it as he walked. “This maze of Daedalus shall not be our tomb…”

The maiden asked, “Theseus, what shall we do?”

“I shall place this signet on the Earth Shaker’s right finger, and the beast shall sleep forever in the world of the dead.”

“Please, do not call him beast,” she said.

“Maiden, he is a beast born from the pit of Hades. He is the demon son of a wicked coupling. And he must sleep forever.”

Moments later, the Athenian disappeared into the void. As he moved downward, he continually unrolled the silken thread.

Beyond the blackness, there was a sudden roar like the crashing sea.

Theseus stopped and shifted the torch about the tunnel. It reeked of the stable and of the rutting season. The musk of maidens wafted through the darkness.  The beast’s presence warmed the air, Theseus knew that the Minotaur was close by. Moving cautiously forward, his foot caught on something and caused a loud clatter.

Silence.

“Woe, intruder…I, Asterius…” The Minotaur watched the flickering flame and the man that held it. Spittle and the scent of a virgin oozed down his lips. “I shall eat your heart…” An unnatural cough of laughter rolled upward from his throat. The massive figure advanced from the shadows.

Theseus moved the torch to his right and its glow illuminated the head and body of the demigod. He could see the Earth Shaker’s eyes boring into his and its sex was taut as a sprung bow. Theseus and the maiden stepped forward.

Asterius’ voice rumbled as his eyes bore into the intruders. “Maiden, you say I am not a beast? You do not fear me?”

She did not respond.

“Maiden…I desire you. I will take you to my white castle. And you shall have my son…and I will no longer be by myself.”

Theseus moved closer to Asterius. “Ah, Asterius…I am Theseus, and I regard you with awe. But you shall never have a white castle, nor a son. You are of the dark, the darkest of the dark…and you must sleep forever.”

Asterius was puzzled by this man’s boldness and it excited him. “Thes…eus, you cannot destroy me…I am a son of the gods.” The creature’s teeth ground together like millstones.

“True, Asterius, but this shall be worse than death. You will not rest until the beast within you has been released.”

Theseus switched hands with the torch and jabbed his fist straight toward the Minotaur. Both signets reflected off the flames. For a moment Theseus stared into the beast’s blazing eyes.

The Minotaur moved forward, and his horns clicked against the rocky ceiling, shooting sparks into the blackness behind him. “Thes…eus, why am I not like you…instead of what I am?”

“Asterius, you must look to your gods…and to your Mother Queen.”

With an answering snort of hot steaming breath the Minotaur charged.

 

Chapter 1

 

On that last morning in March, 1980, the labored thumps of excavation ceased. It was as though the earth’s beating heart had suddenly stopped.

Douglas Hackett looked down into the dimly lighted pit, deep beneath the foundation of a future high-rise hotel.

Within seconds, he descended the aluminum ladder, its shaky rungs slippery with wet grainy clay. Hackett’s boots splashed stagnant water as he headed toward the misty glow of the electric bulbs. He grimaced as a malevolent gaseous odor sailed into his nostrils. The smell was overpowering.

Backing away from the breakthrough, the workmen were holding handkerchiefs against their noses. Excitement drummed in Hackett’s ears. He pushed his large frame past the workers and stopped in front of the foreman. His face was now only inches from Augusto. He looked ready to fight, not ready to fall. They could smell each other’s breath.    “Where the fuck is Slocum?”

Augusto rolled his eyes and pointed towards the hole. “She went through. I told her to wait…but…testarossa…she is a beautiful and impulsive woman.”

“Goddamn it!” Hackett’s eyes, the color of an angry line storm, flashed to the break. “What’s there?” He felt his voice quiver and he wondered if the workers sensed it. Jesus! It was always this way, he thought. Like the anticipation of great sex—sometimes even better.

The barrel-chested Greek shrugged. “Look yourself.”

Hackett grabbed a flashlight and approached the breakthrough. He slowly played the light about the inside of what appeared to be a passageway. Its beam reflected off a new iron T-beam as it rested on the damp floor. Above him, the pile-driving company had ceased construction—standard procedure when the steel foundation girders continually struck these vacant spaces. The eighty-million-dollar Isle of Crete Resort Project was on hold until the engineers could figure out what to do.

“Slocum!” The word hung in the air and he listened for an echo. None returned. He saw the trailing white twine she used as a guide, and nodded. He jerked the light about and to the right of the piling he saw the bones: broken femurs, collarbones, and sections of shattered rib cage. Jesus Christ! No wonder Slocum couldn’t wait. She knows this has to be it. Hackett took a deep breath. Some day that redhead will get herself in serious trouble.

He wriggled through the hole and practically fell onto the other side.

“Mr. Hackett!” Augusto’s voice had tapered to a weak whisper. “Mr. Hackett, my men will not enter that place.”

“Find me someone! I’ll pay double!”

The Greek cursed in his own dialect. “Scatos… un-huh.” Augusto’s voice turned weaker, “I will try.”

Hackett heard the foreman shouting orders. He was quickly answered with mumbles of dissent. Hackett shook his head. It was always the same with the superstitious locals, afraid of anything they didn’t understand.

Eventually, a man’s head peered through the breakthrough. Older than the rest of the workers, he had a thick moustache and square jaw.  “I am Nikos. I am much too old to be afraid.”

“Extra money for you,” Hackett said impatiently, as he tied his own twine to the girder.

Moving cautiously into the tunnel, both men’s flashlights struggled against the inky blackness. Above them, they heard the distant rumble of an Aegean Sea thunder storm. Reverberating through the rocky passageway; neither man liked the sensation.

While Hackett made his descent, he kept his mind occupied recalling the “The Book of Telemachus”, the obscure manuscript Naomi Slocum purchased on the black market. So far, the manuscript seemed authentic and right on the money. He was positive that their long odyssey was coming to an end. He found it difficult to mask his excitement.

His euphoria vanished when he slipped on a wet surface. “Damn it!” He sat there for a moment as the dampness seeped through the seat of his khakis. Nikos tried to help him, but he pushed him away.

Hackett worked himself up and wondered if Slocum had fallen. If a woman had balls, he thought, hers would be brass. Their flashlights again picked up her white twine.

The tunnel seemed to level off but it began to curve and twist, hooking radically to the right and to the left. The air turned colder, and puffs of vapor chugged from their mouth and nose.

Hackett felt as though he’d been walking a long time, but when another piling crossed his path, he realized that he was indeed inside a labyrinth. He knew that the overall foundation for the project didn’t cover more than five or six acres.

He thought again of the Book of Telemachus and the reference to Daedalus’ maze-like prison. As his roll of twine diminished, he continually glanced at the string lying ahead of him. It was impossible to figure out which direction he was traveling and he wondered what Slocum would do if she in fact ran out of twine.

Eyeing what resembled a bone yard, Hackett whispered, “Christ! It’s like a cemetery. But…where are the skulls?”

Nikos mumbled, mostly to himself. “Nikos is old and stupid. Nikos is afraid.”

“Shut up!”

Around the next turn, there was a rock-like bridge. Slocum’s twine ran over the pathway which lead into another, larger tunnel. Hackett aimed his light down, and far below, it reflected off countless rib-cages–a stark white bone yard of violent deaths.

After they crossed the narrow span, their lights revealed crude wall paintings of naked women with crimson-colored hair. In places, on the low ceilings, there were deep, parallel scratches, resembling railroad tracks.

“Horns!” Hackett whispered.

Before them, they caught a glimpse of a grand mural depicting the body of a tall, muscular Grecian with the head of a majestic white bull.  Its penetrating eyes and sharp, black horns dared anyone to hold its stare.

“Jesus!” Hackett said. Behind him, he continued to hear the throaty gurgle of a frightened Nikos. “Old man! You won’t get paid…if you don’t shut up.”

“I do not care! We should not be here.”

Minutes later, Hackett held a hard roll of empty cardboard. “Goddamn it!” For a brief second he felt panic. For the first time since entering the breakthrough, he felt a twinge of panic. The gathering sweat between his shoulder blades slid worm-like down his back.

Hackett immediately blamed Naomi for his predicament. If they got lost, he knew there would be no counting on Augusto or any of the workers.

Just ahead, he saw the sweep of a flashlight. “Slocum! Slocum!” His voice seemed constricted within the tunnel.

Naomi shouted back, her voice tinged with excitement. “I’m here, Douglas, I see your lights…”

Hackett yelled out again when her light disappeared. “Shine it here. Keep moving it!” His words were instantly swallowed up.

She jerked the beam back and forth, reflecting off the bone yard, as well as above her. Hanging from the ceiling like sparkling glass icicles were countless needle-thin stalactites.

“Jesus,” Hackett mumbled, “Jesus.” It was impossible to tell how many skeletons were strewn over the floor. He could tell by the dimensions of the bones that many were young.

Still there were no skulls.

“I’ve found something!” Naomi could hardly contain the joy. Her loud voice echoed through the cavern. Slowly, she heard it turn to a whisper.

He yelled, “Where are you? Shine your damn light…I can’t see it.”

Naomi moved towards his voice. Then, she tripped. As she started to fall, she reached out for the chamber wall and banged her flashlight. It flickered and died.

“Damn!” In that moment of panic, she slapped the cylinder hard in her hand. It came back to life. Again, she pointed it in Hackett’s direction.

Finally, she watched the two beams of light approach. It gave her comfort that there was someone else with Hackett. She knew in her heart that this was the labyrinth of Asterius? Could the Book of Telemachus actually be right? What she had found earlier had almost caused her to hyperventilate. Since that moment, Naomi’s eyes avoided what lay against the far side of the round-walled chamber.

If true, she also realized that this would surpass the Tomb of King Tutankhamen. Throughout the past two years of research, she believed if lucky, they might find the skeleton of a man with a skull of a bull. It was more than that.

The two men approached her, but the old man stopped at the chamber’s entrance. She saw that his features were strained with fear, and he was having a difficult time getting his breathing back in sync. He clearly had no intention of entering. Naomi gave him a gentle, understanding nod, but it did no good.

Hackett trained his light on Naomi’s face. The frames of her streaked glasses glittered, and her flushed freckled face had an oily sheen. Beneath the glow, her red hair, damp and limp blazed like a deep sunset. Except for lipstick, she wore no makeup. Naomi was a no-nonsense beautiful woman. Right then, she was obviously trying to stay calm, but, it was her eyes that told Hackett their quest could be over.

“Using that string was a good idea, Slocum…”

“Thank Theseus.”

“Say, how come you didn’t run out of twine?” It was a question that had been bugging him since he had ran out.

“I had two balls, “she said.

“Yeah, I know.” Hackett grinned strangely. “No wonder you came in here alone.”

“I don’t know what happened. But when Augusto and his men broke through, I actually felt like I knew this place.”

Hackett leaned in close. “Maybe you wanted all the glory for yourself?”

“Douglas, please, I had a weak moment, nothing else.”

“Interesting, I didn’t think you had any weaknesses.”

She turned away and tried to ignore his comment. “Look at this,” she said. Her light slowly circled the chamber. Following the beam, they saw that the entire circumference was lined with the skulls of victims. Like the lid to a fruit jar, the top of their craniums had all been removed.

“So that’s where the heads are.”

“Nourishment…just as the professor’s translation promised.”

A gentle breeze came from nowhere and suddenly created an eerie dirge. They exchanged a look and heard Nikos mumble, “We should not be here.”

Focusing her light in the far corner, Hackett could see a marble block. Lying on top was a cocooned body. The pale, almost translucent wrapping was of material they had never seen before; it was certainly nothing the Egyptians had used. The silken strands were so tightly woven that it was truly a work of mummification art.

“I’ll be damn!”

Naomi whispered, “Don’t worry…we are.”

Hackett gave her a strange glance and turned back to the block. He moved closer towards the head, and he could barely see the outline of crescent-shaped horns. Yes, he was already convinced. “Slocum… do you realize…do you realize?”

Naomi slowly nodded. “Asterius?” And if it really is him, you did it, Slocum, a soft, proud voice in her head whispered, you finally did it. Yet, it was still impossible for her to accept. It just can’t be, her scientific mind argued.

Hackett’s eyes jumped at her. “Incredible!” He walked rapidly around the other side of the cocoon, and she caught the wild look on his face as he leaned in close. “The Minotaur!” Already, Hackett’s brain had filled with visions of what this would bring him and his museum.

“Congratulations, Douglas, if this is truly real… we are of the privileged few.”

“Don’t worry, it is!” Hackett glanced at the dampness between her unbuttoned collar, her chest seemed bony in that shadowy light, and he briefly wondered if her breasts were freckled.  “Slocum, you’ve proved to be an excellent researcher…”

She felt as though she swallowed acid. That’s it? Jesus! That’s all I get, you self-centered son-of-a-bitch! She realized then that he had no intentions of giving her credit. It should be my discovery, she thought, just as much as his. It was my research, my persistence, my work. And no one would be here, if it wasn’t for me. Fuck you, Hackett, fuck you!

Her eyes slowly moistened and her glasses fogged. She quickly threw her head back, trying to reverse the possible tears. Somewhat surprised by her reaction, she thought about the promise she had made at the beginning of her career: never show weakness in front of her male colleagues, especially Douglas Hackett, better known in certain circles of America’s museums as “Hackett the Hatchet”.

“Have you touched it?” he asked.

She shook her head and gave him a hard glance. “Of course not! You know that procedures must come first. We must utilize extreme care.”

His face pulled his own fuck you expression while his free hand drifted towards the cocoon but oddly stopped in mid-air. “Its casing resembles some kind of silk fiber…” He glanced at Slocum; a puzzled tone was in his voice. “Almost as if it was spun—”

“Yes, I know…” she said quickly, “and I don’t quite understand.” Her flashlight dimmed slightly and she gave it a shake.

Hackett reached over and touched the wrapping.

“You shouldn’t do that!” She watched his fingers and saw that its texture was soft, oddly elastic, and the fiber was woven so tightly that it appeared air proof.

“I wonder who did this?” he asked.

“Theseus or maybe the high priests of King Minos…remember this guy was a god.”

Hackett said nothing but his eyes unquestionably mirrored the opportunity of possessing the greatest find in archeological history. Suddenly he said, “The world is mi—” He quickly checked himself, but Naomi knew well what he meant. “Imagine the power of this discovery and what it means,” he added.

“Douglas, it means that man’s true nature is guided by the beast within.”

“Jesus! Speak English.”

Her anger was taking hold. “Asterius…the Minotaur…the doer of dark, unholy things. It’s simple. He’s the old gods’ vision of true man.”

“You’re too damn serious, Slocum. Relax.”

Naomi shook her head in frustration. She knew she was letting her emotions run amok. With Hackett’s attitude, she couldn’t help herself.  “They’re never going to allow this out of the country,” she said softly.

“What? What did you say?” he asked.

She turned to him and said, “If this discovery is legitimate, it belongs to Greece. It’s positive proof of their mythological past. God, it’s a world prize. A magnificent treasure.”

“Yes, Slocum, I know…and I’m way ahead of you.”

Hackett suspected and rightly so, that Naomi’s professional code was taking hold. And he wasn’t surprised, nor did he care. What lay before them was the biggest dividend anyone could own, especially his Bizarrerie Museum. “We’ll have to smuggle him out.” His voice fell to a bare whisper. “It’s our only chance.”

She heard the word ‘smuggle’ and her professional dreams evaporated. Hackett’s plans wouldn’t allow real scientific recognition nor books or lectures. She could already see the legal barriers being constructed by the Greek scientific community.

“Did you hear me?” he asked.

Loud and clear, she thought angrily. From the very beginning of this project she had always tried to please him, but this was where it stopped. There was no way he was going to keep all of this for himself. No fucking way, she thought again, no fucking way. “Yes, and it’s going to cost plenty.”

“What is?” he asked.

“To get him out of the country—it’s going to cost plenty.” She felt ashamed of what she had just said.

Hackett smiled strangely at her change of rationale. “Money’s no problem,” he said, “especially now,” suppressing a crazy urge to chuckle.

Naomi glanced at his face and in that poor light, his grin seemed menacing and she was almost afraid of him.

Hackett said, “Okay, let’s go back and make our plans.”

Above them, the chamber shook slightly from the rumbles of thunder. In the darkness, they heard the clinks of a few falling stalactites. In those moments, uneasiness permeated the air. It was as if a sense of peril was settling over them.

Suddenly, Nikos cried out, “We should all leave here! Now! Take nothing! This place belongs to the gods of Hades.”

“Shut up! I’m running this dig.”

“Douglas, please…go easy.”

Without warning, the old Greek turned and bolted back into the tunnel, his light zigzagging ahead of him.

Hackett yelled, “Come back here! Wait for me!”

Nikos didn’t respond.

Hackett and Naomi heard his haggard breathing as he stumbled noisily through the bones, almost as if something was in pursuit. They caught glimpses of his light ricocheting off the tunnel’s walls, revealing again to Nikos the various drawings. For the old man, it only added a horrific sense of impending claustrophobic terror.

“Go after him, Douglas. Now! Please!”

Hackett started to leave. Naomi asked, “What are you going to tell Augusto?”

“I’ll handle our horny Greek.” With his back to her, he asked, “Well, you coming?”

“I’ll catch up.”

***

It didn’t take long for Hackett to see Nikos’ light protruding like a beacon from the chasm below. He figured then that the Greek was probably dead.

On the bridge’s pathway, Hackett aimed his light down into the bone repository. Nikos’ body was impaled on some broken rib cages. The old man’s mouth was twisted into a silent scream.

“Damn fool!”

Outside, the heavy rumble of thunder felt very close. The cavern shook dangerously as pieces of fractured rock broke away and pelted the chasm. Hackett immediately left the bridge. He rested his hand against the cavern wall and wondered about Slocum. Should he go back for her?

He stood and listened as more rocks fell into the chasm. Below, Nikos’ flashlight died.

Hackett bee-lined for the breakthrough.

***

Naomi, jolted as well by the distant claps of thunder, silently cursed her weak bladder.

For support, she leaned against the wall and unbuckled the belt to her pants. As she undressed, her flashlight’s weak beam made shadows about the chamber. I should’ve made Hackett wait, she thought. Jesus, this isn’t a place to be alone. What the hell was I thinking?

Her buttocks touched the damp stone and raw shivers traveled like oiled fire. The warm rushing relief steamed and her scent hung like anchored fog. When she was done, her trembling body had developed its own chilling gooseflesh.

Naomi’s eyes were drawn to the stark white of the skulls and their empty sockets, staring at the Minotaur. They had been placed and stacked so neatly. Was it a reverence for the dead? She wondered. Or just company for Asterius? She looked at the shrouded figure, and in a moment of reflective empathy thought, is man without love…a beast?

Her eyes skirted the silken cocoon, while vivid pictures of terrified maidens being violated and then eaten rolled through her head. As these visions expanded, Asterius appeared to move beneath the silken shroud. And like an egg hatching, the silken enclosure cracked open. She tried to shake these images but they just kept on coming. She imagined the Minotaur sitting up and turning his bullhead—his eyes burning into hers. Wild panic engulfed her. She felt her heart jumping beneath her breasts. She gave in and looked at the slab. Yes, Asterius was there and she had found him. Suddenly she wanted to run from this place.

Rushing out of the chamber and stumbling through the bones, Naomi eagerly followed the comforting twine.

 

Continued….

Click on the title below to download the entire book and keep reading

Richard Guimond’s Earth Shaker >>>>

Kindle Free Book Alert for August 13: 440 brand new Freebies in the last 24 hours added to Our 4,000+ Free Titles listing! plus … Bruce Grubbs & Stephen Windwalker’s The Complete 2012 User’s Guide to the Amazing Amazon Kindle (Today’s Sponsor – $2.99)

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The Complete 2012 User's Guide to the Amazing Amazon Kindle: Covers All Current Kindles Including the Kindle Fire, Kindle Touch, Kindle Keyboard, and Kindle (Revised April 2012)

by Stephen Windwalker, Bruce Grubbs
4.0 stars - 16 reviews
Supports Us with Commissions Earned
Currently FREE for Amazon Prime Members
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Here's the set-up:
Finally, one user-friendly guide that covers every Kindle now on the market for 2012, including the Kindle Fire, in a single comprehensive volume chock full of tips, tricks, and links to unlock cool features, save you hundreds on Kindle content, and help you get the most out of your Kindle. Stephen Windwalker founded the popular Kindle Nation Daily community and has been helping Kindle owners get up to speed ever since his first Kindle guide was the #1 bestselling book in the entire Kindle store for 2008. Now he has teamed up with popular outdoors and travel author Bruce Grubbs to provide the most complete and up-to-date resource ever for Kindle owners.
Each day’s list is sponsored by one paid title. We encourage you to support our sponsors and thank you for considering them.
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What is that makes a man? Body or soul?What releases the beast within?No one knows all the atrocities the Nazis committed against the Jewish prisoners in WWII concentration camps. Evidence of the crimes was reduced to silent ashes in the ovens. The few survivors will not speak of the hideous...
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The Past Present (Beast Book 1)
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The first book, in the Stalford Sisters Saga.Lady Elizabeth Stalford is at long last betrothed. Her husband to be is the dashing Mr John-Royce James, from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. He is rich and Lady Elizabeth is bewitched by him.The marriage is to take place at his home, in Canada. Lady...
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The Stalford Sisters : A Marriage of Convenience
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This ebook compiles Lucy Maud Montgomery's complete 'Anne of Green Gables' novels, including "Anne of Green Gables", "Anne of Windy Poplars", "Anne of Ingleside" and "Rainbow Valley". This edition has been professionally formatted and contains several tables of contents. The first table of contents...
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In 2011, it was uncovered that the African National Congress (ANC) dispatched two operatives to Ireland in the late 1970s to acquire fresh bomb-making and reconnaissance techniques at an Irish Republican Army (IRA) training camp.Later in 1980, the ANC requested the help of two IRA volunteers in the...
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Atlantis must be found.The world of DeCadia is a shadow of its once magnificent glory. The War that destroyed the great world has left what remains in an ever-changing state of flux. Steam-powered ships rule the skies, pirates roam free, and the Royal Navy is the only whisper of order in the...
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The Paradise Tree grows from the maxim "in every Eden, there dwells a serpent . . . ." The year is 1886 in Leeds County, Ontario. The O'Connor clan is gathering to mourn the loss of its patriarch Daniel O'Connor, an Irish immigrant. The story of Daniel and his wife Brigit is one of great hardships...
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Come, have a seat…Meet Ms. May and Ms. Joyce Anderson two loveable, spunky residents of the Crossroads Nursing Home as they sit together for afternoon tea. But keep your wits about you, there’s more to this place than meets the eye. “Tea Time” is a Saki Short Story and to say any more would...
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Mixing humour, colour and an important life lesson, this is the story of Hank the hedgehog and the uphill struggle he faces while trying to cross a busy road in search of a happier life. For such a small creature, there's no way a passing car could see him, or is there......
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Will the manager and the steward ever get along?When the Hallo-Mas airports runway cracks, an approaching plane has to get diverted. Harry, the manager of arrivals, gets incredibly stressed and takes it out on Joshua, one of the planes stewards.After a few days of clashing and battling one another...
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Kindle Free Book Alert for August 13: 440 brand new Freebies in the last 24 hours added to Our 4,000+ Free Titles listing! plus … Bruce Grubbs & Stephen Windwalker’s The Complete 2012 User’s Guide to the Amazing Amazon Kindle (Today’s Sponsor – $2.99)

Kindle Nation Daily Bargain Book Alert: C.J. Valles’ For Ever is Our eBook of the Day at just 99 Cents, Or Currently Free Via the Kindle Lending Library, with 4.3 Stars on 9 Reviews, and Here’s a Free Sample

For Ever starts now

Sixteen-year-old Wren Sullivan doesn’t want to know what other people are thinking about her—because most of the time it sucks. Too bad since that’s what happens every time she looks into someone’s eyes.

When she moves to Portland, Oregon, after her parents’ divorce, Wren’s just hoping to get through the rest of her junior year unscathed. Instead, before the end of her second day in school, she wakes up in the hospital after her very own freaky demonic-possession incident. Wren can’t remember much. But soon she finds out that her “episode” happened right after she locked eyes with the one classmate who happens to have gone missing.

Wren starts digging through people’s heads for the truth about him, and finds … nothing. Godlike hotness? Yep. But nobody knows who Ever Casey really is. Even weirder, they don’t seem to care that he just disappeared. So, when he randomly shows up again in her first period class, she’s determined to get some answers. He may be perfect on the outside, but with one look into his eyes, Wren discovers his mind is also perfect … perfectly empty.

Or is there something he doesn’t want her to see there that will put her and anyone near her in danger?

When For Ever ends, Never begins.

Never, the second book in The Ever Series, is coming soon.

From the reviewers:

… I can not help but wonder what is going to happen. … Just this feeling of impatience to get me wanting more, proves that I appreciated and enjoyed myself in my reading. … I spent a pleasant time in the world created by CJ Valles. – Lucie, from New Books on My Shelves book blog

What really set this story apart for me–and what I think some of the other reviewers didn’t get was the author’s set up. I thought I knew where it was going, but the ending really caught me off guard and surprised me in a way that I wasn’t expecting. Plus, Wren wasn’t an idiot, and Ever wasn’t what I was expecting from the “hero” character. Overall, I really enjoyed it, but particularly because the story left me wanting to know more.  –  “Me Talk Pretty”

I finished this book and immediately raced breathlessly to see if the next book was available yet. And dang it, I am left hanging for the time being. The originality lies in the author’s voice, the way they make us look at their world and see its’s realities, and the feelings they evoke in us. The IT factor if you will, and buddy this author has it.  –  A. Lane

The most striking thing about this book is how good the writing is.  I suspect that C.J. Valles is a Middle School or High School English teacher. He/she(?) certainly had fun with this formula…one of the famous seven “stories” from which all fiction comes…and this first book makes me yearn for more for the sheer pleasure of his/her craft.  –  Marta N.

Visit Amazon’s C.J. Valles Page

For Ever is C. J.’s first published novel. When she isn’t writing fiction, C. J. works as a freelance public relations writer from her home in Portland, Ore.

For more details about For Ever, including sequel information, music associated with the book, and how the book got its start, visit www.cjvalles.com

Find author updates and other news:
www.cjvalles.com
cjvalles.blogspot.com/
www.facebook.com/c.j.valles4ever
Follow me on Twitter @CJValles_4ever

And here, in the comfort of your own browser, is your free sample of For Ever by C.J. Valles:

Kindle Fire Giveaway Sweepstakes – Enter Here by August 19 to Win a Brand New Kindle Fire, sponsored by Ryan Potter, author of the heartfelt and humorous novel THE CLEANER

You’ve come to the right place to enter Kindle Nation Daily’s Kindle Fire Giveaway Sweepstakes!

Just scroll down to enter… and make sure you improve your chances to win Kindles and other valuable prizes by signing up for our Kindle Nation Daily Digest newsletter!

… but first, a word from this week’s Kindle Fire giveaway sweepstakes sponsor!

The Cleaner

by Ryan Potter
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4.9 stars – 7 Reviews

Or currently FREE for Amazon Prime Members Via the Kindle Lending Library
Text-to-Speech and Lending: Enabled
Here’s the set-up:

Spinks Webb is thirty-four years old, lives in his widowed father’s basement, and suffers from a fear of leaving his hometown that he blames on his ex-fiancée, a woman who broke up with him twelve years ago. Some might call Spinks a loser, but the man has heart, and he also has a unique talent. Turns out Spinks Webb can consume vast amounts of food in short periods of time, hard-boiled eggs and hot dogs in particular.

With the help of his best friend and business partner Danny Fleck, Spinks quickly hones his gorging skills and becomes the talk of his blue-collar Michigan town as Danny, an amateur filmmaker, captures it all on video for a future documentary. Danny eventually encourages Spinks to go for the World Series of competitive eating and compete for a spot in the Nathan’s Famous International July Fourth Hot Dog Eating Contest in Brooklyn, New York. Of course, numerous roadblocks stand between Spinks and Brooklyn, two of which include mending his broken heart and beating his irrational fear of travel, and to conquer those he’ll need all the help from Danny that he can get.

THE CLEANER is a heartfelt and humorous novel about the power of friendship and its ability to create even the most unlikely hero.

What are readers saying?

★★★★★ “I love this novel. It’s sharp, funny, and wise. The characters are memorable. The plot is unique. The dialogue is authentic. Potter can write…I haven’t been this enthralled by a writer since Michael Kun.” ~Mark Trost

★★★★★ “Ryan Potter has written a wonderful story with ‘The Cleaner.’ The characters are unique, memorable, and real…I couldn’t stop grinning as I read the last quarter of the book.” ~Jen

★★★★★ “Extremely well done. I’m a voracious reader, and I loved this book. Very fast read, and good character development. Very likable main character and surrounding cast.” ~Rockybrown

 


Today’s Kindle Daily Deal — Monday, August 13 – Two Great Reads for under $4 — Save 77% on Jonathan Tropper’s Riotously Funny Novel This is Where I Leave You, plus … Don’t miss Jason Warne’s Fix by Force (Today’s Sponsor)

But first, a word from … Today’s Sponsor

<%title%>

Fix by Force

by Jason Warne
4.4 stars – 34 Reviews
Text-to-Speech and Lending: Enabled
Don’t have a Kindle? Get yours here.
.
Here’s the set-up:
.
Spencer doesn’t have a choice. He can’t choose to be different than what he is—the son of the town’s worst enemy, the weakling who can’t stand up for himself, the loser without friends.He can’t change the way things are. Or maybe he can.
.
Immediate confidence.Rapid change.Instant hope.These are the things Spencer believes he needs to fix his life, and that is what the steroids promise—a quick fix. But promises can be broken and shortcuts are often treacherous, and Spencer must decide if those risks are worth the perceived rewards—if “artificial” hope is strong enough for him to be fixed, by force.

 .

Each day’s Kindle Daily Deal is sponsored by
one paid title on Kindle Nation. We encourage you to support our sponsors and thank you for considering them.

 .

and now … Today’s Kindle Daily Deal!

This Is Where I Leave You

Kindle Daily Deal: This Is Where I Leave You

After Judd Foxman’s dad dies, the whole family gathers for the first time in years. One conspicuous no-show is Judd’s wife, Jen, whose affair with Judd’s shock-radio boss went public. To make matters worse, the family gathering turns hysterically chaotic just as Jen drops a bomb on Judd: she’s pregnant.

Yesterday’s Price: $12.99
Today’s Discount: $10.00
Kindle Daily Deal Price: $2.99 (77% off)
Learn more

Four Great eBooks at an Even Better Price: Free! Enjoy These Freebies Now: Peg Brantley’s Red Tide, Lee Chambers’ The Sum of Random Chance, Jinx Schwartz’s Just Add Salt and Judy Angelo’s Sweet Seduction

With hundreds of new books turning up free each day now in the Kindle Store, it can be tough to hone in on books that you will actually want to read. And almost of the new free books will be free for just a day or two at a time, so we are working hard to make sure that you do not miss the ones you want!

Here are a few books that have just gone free by authors who have already proven to be  favorites with Kindle Nation readers. Please grab them now if they looks interesting to you, because they probably won’t stay free for long!

Important Note: This post is dated Sunday, August 12, 2012, and the titles mentioned here may remain free only until midnight PST tonight.

Please note: References to prices on this website refer to prices on the main Amazon.com website for US customers. Prices will vary for readers located outside the US, and even for US customers, prices may change at any time. Always check the price on Amazon before making a purchase.

*  *  *

Red Tide

by Peg Brantley

4.2 stars – 27 Reviews
Text-to-Speech and Lending: Enabled
Here’s the set-up:

When both old and new secrets are uncovered at a burial site, the timetable of a madman moves up…

Jamie Taylor and her human remains detection dog set out to find some bodies buried for more than a decade. They found them—and some new surprises as well. Some families would find closure while others would have their lives ripped apart.

Agent Nicholas Grant becomes embroiled in the case while battling his own demons.

A madman watches from the distance while officials expose his clandestine playground, forcing him to speed up his plans for devastation.

Can a dog handler and a troubled FBI agent stop him before he kills thousands of innocent people?

*  *  *

The Sum of Random Chance

by Lee Chambers

4.7 stars – 21 Reviews
Text-to-Speech: Enabled
Here’s the set-up:
THE STORY: Cole Wilkes, an eager rookie reporter for a small town paper who stumbles upon Sara Mackey mysteriously foiling a robbery at a grocery store. Desperate for success, Cole sets out to make his name on Sara’s unique gift. Sara seems to positively affect all she meets and Cole becomes increasingly intrigued by her presence. Is Sara special in some way or are all the magical moments pure coincidence? Do the random choices we make in life lead us down a path of no return or will Cole gain a sense of self-worth before he sells her out?

*  *  *

4.8 stars – 8 Reviews
Text-to-Speech and Lending: Enabled
Or check out the Audible.com version of Just Add Salt (Hetta Coffey Mystery Series (Book 2))
in its Audible Audio Edition, Unabridged!
Here’s the set-up:

Hetta Coffey is a woman with a yacht, and she’s not afraid to use it!

Hetta, a globe-trotting engineer with attitude, a penchant for trouble, and a yacht, is back, and this time she s steering us into hot Mexican waters.

Miffed that vacation plans with her chronically absent boyfriend Jenks Jenkins have gone awry, she accepts a job in Baja. So what if she and her friend Jan are spectacularly unqualified to take her yacht on a thousand mile cruise in the eastern Pacific Ocean in the middle of hurricane season? Hiring a handsome, if somewhat fishy captain for the trip might keep them off the rocks, but probably won t do the same for her future with Jenks. Meanwhile, a little eye candy on board can t be all bad.

Hetta s unmanageable independence impels her to tackle the very profitable, if environmentally and politically incorrect project south of the border. True to form, her irreverent nature and disregard for danger soon swamps her in a sea of inconvenient bodies, illegal aliens, a pesky whale, and a menacing Mexican machinator. And without her usual arsenal of firepower.

Set sail for Baja Mexico s Magdalena Bay as Hetta Coffey leads us once more into a morass of intrigue that will keep you laughing, breathless, and wanting more.

To quote Lord Byron, Hetta would “much rather sink beneath the shock than moulder piecemeal on the rock.”

*  *  *

4.5 stars – 2 Reviews
Text-to-Speech: Enabled
Here’s the set-up:

SEDUCTION SO SWEET…

Jake McKoy moves to a tiny town in upstate New York to escape a painful past. He has no idea that it is here that he will find healing and strength and a new start in life. And that healing comes in the form of a fresh-faced woman who steals his heart.

Samantha Fox was only a month away from her wedding day when her fiance broke the engagement. He’d found a more ‘suitable’ bride. Haunted by the constant fear that she’s not ‘good enough’, Sam finds it hard to give her heart to another man. And when that man happens to be a billionaire who can’t let go of his past, things become complicated indeed.

Can Jake and Samantha overcome their difficult pasts to forge a bright future together?

(This is a sponsored post.)