21 and Counting. Some of the Best Undiscovered in the Literary World

Publishing has come a long way since the days of paper submissions and multitudes of rejections. Readers were at the mercy of the publishers on what they had to read. Ten years ago, Post Apocalypse fiction was considered non marketable. Although e-readers have been around a while, they only recently gained popularity and thus, have launched a new way to read. Readers can discover that gem at a good price, and can snuggle up with a good book without it breaking their wallet.

This is all due to Indie Authors and authors who dared to break the mold. They set the price, have free days and give you the opportunity to say yes or no to the book the big houses would consider a risk.

However, as long as it took for e-devices to catch on, that is how I long I believe it will take before a lot of Indy’s and small house writers to get the media recognition they deserve.

So after careful deliberation and lots of reading, I have compiled four lists. The 99 Cent Genius, Great Indies to check out,  the list of my Top Ten Authors who are excelling in the field and/or deserve the recognition,, but first the list....

Achievement - List of her Own

C. Dulaney - This woman doesn't need a list, she is a list of her own. Witty, dark and funny, she is the reason for this article. I was inspired because she is a best selling horror/zombie author, yet, in my opinion doesn't get the recognition she deserves. So here's to Ms. Dulaney. May her tales scare you as much as they scare me.

TOP TEN

10.

RG Porter  - Author of the Dragon’s Legacy series, this author needs attention and some reviews. His story angles are highly original and thought out. All I am gonna say is Dragon by day, man by night.

9.

Jeff Bracket – Only because I am a sucker for ‘end of the world’ tales, Half Past Midnight is a must. Jeff has a knack for characterization and storytelling. This is a truly an edge of your seat book.

8.

Carmen Amato – One of the hardest genres to break into and get good reviews is Mystery and Carmen has done just that. With hard work and pushing, her books are finally getting noticed. If you like Mystery I was super impressed by what she had to offer.

7.

Denise Streiner – This lady will make you laugh, cry and most of all … think. No, wait, more than that, you read her work and get heart warming moments that scream, ‘I get this!’ especially in her book, What Love Can Do. And it’s only 99 cents.

6.

Miranda Doerfler – This is quite an exceptional young lady and talented. She is prolific and her works in horror/zombie are amazing. This young woman will be the next big thing.

5.

TR Nowry – Never have I read and/or met a more dedicated writer. He is so humble, yet his writing is masterful. Give his series a look, and the first book is FREE.  What do you have to lose?

4.

Timothy Long – Oh my goodness does this author have a vision and his vision is so much better when not bracketed by publishing standard. Zombie Wilson Diaries still makes me giggle to think about it.

3.

Lucy Carol – I don’t need to ‘think’ she is excelling, she is showing many of us the way. Exceeding a 1,000 sales in less than a month on her self published book, Lucy was awarded the Certificate of Recognition at the Emerald City Writers conference. Way to go, Lucy!

2.

Jesse V Coffey – This woman is by far one of the best writers I have ever known. If determination alone was worth gold, she would be a millionaire. She has pursued her dream and works in her craft every moment she can. Check out her Amazon page and especially, Salt of the Earth.

Number one ….

Bowie V Ibarra – Not only can this man create dark and horrific filled worlds, he works hard for Indie writers. He’s a genuine human being and I give him the J. Druga Ernest Hemingway Award 2013, because he writes like a darker Ernest and not just because he drinks like him.

Some other Indies to check out, please …

Kris Austen Radcliffe – Dragons, pirates and Shifters  ... oh, my. Visit her homepage and just take a look at her high rated books.

Edwin Stark – Not to be confused with Tony.  If you like Zombies and humor Check to his book, The Karaoke Duo VS the karaoke Zombies.  A chuckle by the page! Give him a try.

Vickie Johnstone – From across the pond, this writer brings us the delightful Kiwi Series. All of her books (And there are many) Garnish great reviews!

Karen Myers – If Science Fiction and Fantasy are your cup of tea, her series, The Hounds of Annwn is catching on.

LV Sage – Is diligent about getting it right in Red, White & Blue, a ‘coming of age’ novel set in the Vietnam era.

Jennifer Slater – Getting some rave reviews on Contemporary Fiction, give Jennifer a shout and look. Her website is a great.

Roger Emile Stouff – Set in 1936, A Divide Beyond Reason takes a look choices we make and how they don’t always go as planned. If the cover alone doesn't grab you, the writing style will as soon as you open the sample.

99 cent Genius

Steve Griffiths – Charming, debut novel, Return From the Grave

Jean Marie Bauhaus – for fantasy meets fright at a Halloween price!

Kellee Gimore – If you like Thrillers with a romantic and hot twist check out Mahogany Sin

Lazarusinfinity – Who doesn’t want to buy a book by an author named Lazarusinfinity? Check out this deal of Exodus: A Requiem for Jacob Forlom 

I truly hope you bookmark this page so you can reference these great artists.

Is FEMA Prepping for American Invasion Post Debt Default?

Things have been hushed but the fact remains, FEMA has been stocking up District 3. The big question is why. Now, some places tell us that the actual event just so happens to coincide with yearly FEMA restocking. But then there are rumors that far more is behind this stockpiling than meets the eye.

One such source, credible, has reached out to me and will be opening up to me on things we may or may not want to know. Until then, I continue to theorize on what can be happening in the US before the end of the year.

Two weeks ago, I spoke of possible disaster scenarios on my blog. I brought up a meteor, which coincidentally, my theoretical meteor is the same size as the real comet ISON that is expected in November. Eerie, huh?

Today, I talk about something real. Something factually scary. As Sci Fi as it sounds.

Could FEMA be preparing for an East Coast Invasion? It makes sense, the coffins in Puerto Rico are merely there for holding.

But let’s go to the possibility. As outlandish as it sounds, it’s possible. As a writer, I have come up with many scenarios. Invasion of America is my favorite subject. In two of my novels, Then Came War and Dust, I deal with American invasion. One the biggest complaints that reviewers had was ‘why’, and complained that America would never be invaded. Oddly enough, the reason for invasion in Then Came War was … American debt default.

It is possible. And more so now, how? Oddly enough FEMA preparations called for completion by October 1^st, the exact date our government shut down. In one day, the US defaults on its debt. 1.28 Trillion of that Debt is owned by China.

I don’t believe we’ll feel the effects of that default right away, but we will. Perhaps FEMA is prepping for an Invasion by China, or a call on the debt by China which could put us under their ‘ownership’.

If China or Japan ignite in their ownership of the US, because both hold most of our debt. This could breed World War III, and the war could be fought on American soil.

Okay, yes, it’s highly unlikely, but a scenario I am presenting. It makes total sense. FEMA prepares, the Government shuts down, the government defaults, China orders pay up. Let’s remember they have one soldier in China for every American.

They wouldn’t come from the east, but invasion comes from the west coast, everyone moves East. Just like the Rent to Own places come and claim their cars and computers upon default, they can come and claim America.  

I don’t claim to be a psychic, but my novels and screenplays hold some scary prophetic truth. In 1999, I wore a screenplay called, Destination New York. About Terrorist who hijack planes and crash them into New York City. Hell, I have numerous rejections ridiculing the concept. Two years later … it happened. The FBI contacted me and everything.  In 2011 I penned a novel about America being invaded due to other countries collecting their debt (Then Came War) Readers and reviewers ridiculed the reasoning. It is now two years later and ironically, America faces a default of their debts.

I remember when this video came out. I immediately thought of my books, but is this group off their rocker or somehow prophetic.

If China Collects or Japan. What would happen. Americans panic, riot, go into a mode (hey we saw what they did at Walmart). People don’t go to work, the economy collapses … Armageddon without destruction. We don’t need bombs to end America, we only need the two biggest debt holders to foreclose.

EBT Error Breeds Nothing More Than Thieves and Looters at Walmart

Rarely if ever do I write anything political, but this just baffles me.

First, let’s establish that 83% of those who are on foodstamps work full time. They are not unemployed or lazy, they just need help to get food because despite the fact that they work, they just don’t earn enough to pay bills and buy groceries. If you are honest, it’s not easy to receive them, nor is the amount a lot.

But just because you lack funds does not give anyone the right to take what isn’t theirs. To take what they aren’t supposed to.

Now …. This past weekend, the system was down. But it wasn’t down, there was a glitch that lifted spending limits on all EBT (foodstamp) cards. Most stores just didn’t take them. Apparently two Walmarts in Louisiana didn’t get the memo, still took the EBT card, and people just went nuts. It looked like they were bracing for the Apocalypse.

They purchase on their EBT card, as it was put, ‘more food than one family can store.’ Obscene amounts. Some bought cart after cart of food, wiping the shelves clean. How embarrassing that people behaved like this.

When the store caught on, people just left their carts.

But hundreds and hundreds of people walked away with food they didn’t pay for nor were they entitled to.

Who flips the bill, not the government, not the recipient of the EBT card, but Walmart. Is that right, no?

These select few out of millions, just made every EBT recipient look greedy. We’re poor, we’re entitled. Walmart screwed up., Sorry, my bad. My food.

Wrong.

I know what it is like to not have enough money for groceries, I know, but the amount they took was far more than they needed. It was greed. To me, and this is my opinion, was a complete crime. Yeah, I said it .. crime. They stole the food. They knew they didn’t have the available balance, yet they shopped and took advantage.

Stealing. The definition of the word ‘Steal’ - take (another person's property) without permission or legal right and without intending to return it.

Receiving public assistance of any kind is not a given, no recipient is entitled to take advantage of an error to benefit themselves further.  No one for that matter is. Having an EBT card does not give one the right to buy as much food as they want. That is why there is a monthly allowance.

Before you say, “oh, well, I would.’ Think about it. Let’s say all Citibank credit cards had the credit limit lifted by accident, and you went out and bought 500 worth of groceries, a new TV, and all sorts of stuff. When the system returned, who would be responsible? Not the store … you.

But the people that took the food do not have to return it, do not have to pay for it, it’s theirs free and clear. Wal-Mart pays and that’s a hefty price tag. Why is that right?

Apparently, they can track every purchase. I fully believe they should trace these folks and make them pay back the cost of the food. Period.

What a sad state we live in when people lack the morals and decency and feel they must take advantage of an error to benefit themselves. What makes it worse is they did so, fully knowing they wouldn’t get in trouble.

It was a milder form of looting, and by all intents and purposes a crime.

Walking Dead: Eight Reasons They May Be Missing the Mark

The Walking Dead is back and, like church, it will become a ritual for people on Sundays. That is if it can sustain the audience for one more season. The season premiere was a let down to a lot of people and the critics aren’t being kind either. I enjoyed it, but I also saw it as the proverbial rock and a hard spot for the show’s creators. They want to take it one place, but feel forced to stick to the roots that bound them.

So, I compiled a list of Mark Misses or Potential Jump the Sharks.

***WARNING SPOILERS***

If it Ain’t Broke:  Understandable some things from the comics had to be changed, but they started to stray off course. They had solid foundation in which to follow. They weren’t going to lose the diehard graphic novels fans if they stayed true to the books. But they stand a chance of losing those who haven’t read, because they miss storyline marks.

Show me, Don’t Tell me: I can only hope the dialogue gets better. They want to establish what all has been going on, that’s great. But forced dialogue is the worst. Daryl and Carol, for example and Carol explaining how the walkers have been gathering. We see that, why we were subject to forced dialogue. The gathering of Walkers could have been explained when Karen was clearing the fence, in frustration, she simply could have said, “What the hell. It wasn’t like this last week.”. Instead we had to hear, “Daryl, It’s been good for a while, but they’ve been gathering blah blah blah.” Uh, duh, I’m sure Daryl knows this. It was like that through the whole show. No to mention, Beth’s boyfriend, reiterating Daryl’s traits. Forced to remind us how cool he is? Please, we know.

Great Characters so Use Them:  They live in an apocalypse, there is so much potential for character driven storylines. Take advantage of what the PA world has to offer or lacks in offering.

Scenes That Have No Bearing:  Yes, we get it, there are zombies. For some reason the writers believe if we aren’t subject to tons of Walkers we’ll stop watching. The Big Spots scene. Really? Nearly two years walkers are on the roof and it took that exact moment to collapse. Not to mention, nearly a year they’ve been in the area and Daryl, the tracker just found the huge Big Spots. And …. What was the point of that scene, they left with nothing. Just to have a cool Walker scene. Hmm.

Suspension of Disbelief: In order to enjoy any fiction, especially horror, the viewer has to suspend their disbelief. I feel that the writers are relying more on cognitive estrangement, which is relying on viewers’ lack of knowledge to suspend disbelief. The very first Walker that Rick sees in the series is decomposed. If the walkers have taken over and survivors are nil, why are there still so many Walkers? We are organic and will break down.  A Walker baking on a hot Georgia roof for two years, if … if still standing, will not burst like a red water balloon of blood. It will break, yeah, but no blood.

They Need A Science Teacher to Advice:  Yes, the special effects are really cool. But let’s force the suspension of disbelief again. I research, every writer I know researches, so why can’t the FX team.  Every time I see a horribly decomposed Walker get killed and see blood splash out, I get irritated. If a person dies if a bite, the body will empty of blood. If not, the blood will pool because of gravity. To the feet. There will be no blood in the upper torso. If there is, it won’t be red. Dead means no heart, no pumping, no breathing. The blood thing just gets to me. Make it thick like tar or gooey all the time.

Predictability: Ever notice that Walking Dead focuses on a character early in the show if they are going to die. This season’s predictably will be killing off all the new characters. Show them so you know them and kill them. IE: Beth’s Boyfriend and Phineas. “hi here we are”. Whoops we’re walker bait.

Long Walks in the Park: Walking Dead has this habit of taking an entire episode to walk across the street. Rick took this really boring walk with this woman and I barely paid attention to her because I was trying to determine if she is a Talking Walking Dead. A new type of Zombie. She looked it and didn’t eat the sandwich. She said she was starving and hadn’t eaten in two days, so why didn’t she eat the sandwich. Surely she would have chowed into it.  And while we’re on it, why did Rick pack a lunch?

But on a Positive …

Phineas and Ferb: Poor Phineas (the guy who does the voice) bit the dust without warning, just after Violet the pig bit it. After long drawn out looks at the water, combined with the pig. Are they trying to steer us to Swine Flu? The bleeding eyes isn’t symptomatic of H1N1. So don’t be fooled. Bleeding eyes are consistent with Hemorrhagic Fever.  I’m thinking they are going in a new, virus makes a smarter zombie, storyline. Hence the crazy woman.

But if by some chance the new virus is caused by a leak in a Bio Lab, Flu 2 covered that.

Okay, so I griped, I’ll still watch.  Even if only for it to be my favorite show to complain about. However, if American Horror Story is anything like its Premiere, that may be next. 

FEMA Region Preparations, Body Bags in Puerto Rico. Brace for Disaster?

So, as always another prediction for a major catastrophe is sweeping the news. This one is a little odd and I have been banging my head against the wall since hearing about. What could happen?

A simple Google search of the word ‘Puerto Rico Body Bags’ will yield you the story of how thousands of body bags and black coffins are being delivered to Puerto Rico.

The second is the heightened FEMA preparations in Region 3.

Let’s break down Puerto Rico first.

Now, immediately rumors swarm of an East Coast Tsunami, but let’s think about this. Why bring coffins and body bags to an island that pretty much is gonna be wiped out? So apparently the body bags are being brought there because bodies will wash ashore.

Second rumor is a virus. Which is good, by why only body bags and coffins? Surely if Puerto Rico is going to be hit with a plague, the antibiotics and so forth that FEMA is moving would go there.

Instead they are going to FEMA Region 3.

Wide speculation is something BIG is going to happen in FEMA Region 3. This is a possibility, but it is also possible that Region 3 is going to be a safe place or a place that is taking refugees.

Again, like with Puerto Rico, why bring body bags to a region that is going to be under water and the same applies to Region 3. Why bring loads of supplies to a region that is facing disaster. Unless the disaster isn’t destructive.

Surely, they’d not want to be caught in another Katrina, but the safest place to stockpile emergency supplies for a national emergency is where you are certain they will be safe. Easily accessed for deployment to affected areas.

If a nuclear bomb is coming, I’m not putting supplies in my attic or yard, they are going in the basement. That’s why believe nothing is happening in Region 3 or Puerto Rico, they are being sent supplies in case.

In case of what? I gave this some thought and for right now I came up with two theories.

The first doesn’t really go along with the body bags in Puerto Rico, but it does go along with Preparing region 3.

The long overdue Eruption of Yellowstone Caldera. If this would occur, 2/3 of the United States would be useless and an ashy, dark wasteland. The safest areas … east coast.

Here is the US with the FEMA 3 Region out line.

Here is the destruction map of a Yellowstone eruption.

And finally, what I think may occur if we are looking at a disaster. Is a 2 mile radius, sold rock meteor smacking down into the Gulf of Mexico. Granted I just finished writing a meteor book, so I have meteor on the brain, but using the Meteor Calculator (To see the damage to your home, click here) and other tools, this is the image I got. Look at the radius of destruction. Puerto Rico isn’t touched at all by the tsunami, but wouldn’t thousands of bodies wash up on their shores.

So when folks easily dismiss the FEMA prepping of Region 3 as a hoax, they are forgetting that the body bags are also in Puerto Rico. One has to look at the whole picture. You can dismiss one, but can you dismiss one without wondering about the other? Both are happening at the same time. I could be wrong, chances are I am. But I welcome other explanations for why BOTH of these are happening simultaneously.

Why Miley Cyrus HAD to Twerk (My Opinion)

Miley Cyrus. 

Some say her name with a sigh or cringe of irritation. They are shocked and dismayed at her behavior as of late and have pounced on her mercilessly over the VMA performance.

Now, one would expect, someone like me, who is conservative, to be offended by Miley’s performance, instead, I am intrigued and I applaud her brilliancy.

First, let’s establish, it’s an act. All the pictures, the behavior.  It’s an act. Period. She’s not a slut, we know this, she’s been with the same man for years … or was. I’m willing to bet she wasn’t comfortable with those leather shorts climbing straight up her lady bug and more so, she cringes when she sees how badly they made her bottom look.

The pictures won’t go away so she increase the behavior to divert attention away from the pink mess.

Why did she do it in the first place? First reason … Liam. The only boyfriend really she ever had. Let’s face it, Liam didn’t break up with Miley and find the new girl twelve hours later. It was going on for a while. Miley knew. She was hurt, she spiced up the VMA as revenge. Honestly, it humiliated Liam. Kudos Miley! The public may not have known how bad he hurt her, but Miley did. So some last minute changes at rehearsal and after the show, Miley is out there. Literally. She got everyone’s attention. Good or bad. Also she got to give Liam the finger, in more ways than one.

The decision to be a bad girl is so bad it’s fake and it’s done that way on purpose, for people to say, “It’s so fake and bad’. It’s a way to bring attention to her.

Miley was a Disney girl and would never go beyond that image unless she did something drastic.

She is talented, the girl can sing. I would never even give her song a listen if she hadn’t been so bold. Have you heard ‘Wrecking Ball’? It’s a great tune! I for one am glad she twerked or I would have missed out on that song.

For Miley to get people to listen and take notice of her work and take her seriously as an artist, she first has to get people to ‘not take her seriously’ by garnishing attention. Get the attention, people listen.

Without the unflattering shorts and foam hand playtime, no one would give two shakes about Miley. Now they’re buying her music.

It’s not her, it’s not who she is. After she gets some ground work on her music, watch for the shock and awe to change. She has strong roots.

Hey, if being half naked at a book signing would make me a best seller, I’d do it. Unfortunately no one wants to see a middle aged woman twerking against a book display with leather shorts smashing up her lady bug. The thought is not right. Thank God I am a literary person.

But Miley can. Grab it Miley, you’re talent needs that attention so get it how you can.

Sneak Peek - The Forgotten

My newest 'Undead' book, a little different. Available this month on Amazon.

Synopsis

As promised … the dead have risen.

As promised … there are chosen.

Hell on earth is an understatement.

Del Lincoln only wants to be a rock star. His ambitions go only as far as his next gig, until the day the earth changes. Millions vanish and a plague sweeps viciously across the globe, killing everyone infected. Three days later … they rise from the dead.

Now Del and six others are all that remain. They travel city to city, looking for a safe haven while trying to rid the land of the undead. They believe they are spared for a reason, but actually they are simply forgotten. However, within their group is one individual who was not meant to be forgotten. He must be delivered to sanctuary before the undead completely consume the earth.  The Special One is the key to humanity.

It will take dedication and sacrifice to complete the mission. Del and the others may be forgotten, but if they succeed, the human race will never forget them.

Mankind is promised life after death, it is just never explained what the ‘Resurrection’ really entails.

SNEAK PEEK

CHAPTER ONE

Alone. More alone than any human being could imagine.

The silence of the dead city rang out in a buzz.

Quiet.

It was so quiet that the only sound was Del’s steps. His black boots barely made a noise against the pavement, yet they echoed. How could they not? No one was around. Not a motor sound, airplane or even a bird. Wearing a long black trench coat, dark hair in need of a haircut, and a book bag, Del walked down the deserted street.

Cars spewed about the road. Some had open doors. None contained any passengers.

For the most part, the storefronts were still intact as if waiting on the daily shoppers. No patrons would come this day. Nothing really was disturbed. It was if the world just stopped.

It just stopped.

Del Lincoln moved at a steady pace. That was, of course, until he crossed the street and arrived at the old movie theater. Classic theater. He imagined decades before, it was the place to go in the small town. People bustled in and out, paying a quarter for a show, a nickel for popcorn. Days gone by. It appeared to be renovated to be one of those ‘artsy’ theaters. Showing independent films along with classics.

The marquee had missing letters from the currently playing titles. Posters in the displays faded. The older theater, located right there on the main street had a ticket booth. An old style ticket booth.

The glass was braised with a dirty film, giving it a fog appearance, the curtains inside drawn as if to say, ‘sold out… forever.’

A silver money counter encircled the booth and Del caught glimpse of the white sticker. A sticker that read, ‘God Saves’.

He chuckled. ‘There is no God’ was written over the words. Someone actually took time to do that?

‘Man,’ Del thought, ‘What I wouldn’t have given to have one of these in my town.’ He walked to the booth and stopped. Of course, no one was in the ticket booth but Del dared to dream, to pretend he was going to purchase a ticket to one of those low budget films or classics from the past. After all, who was around?

“Whoa, Soylent Green is playing,” he spoke to the ticket booth. “Probably be better if it was Omega Man, don’t you think?” he laughed then cleared his throat. “Sorry. Hear that one before? How much?” He paused. “You’re kidding, right? Highway robbery. But … I’m in the mood.” He reached into his pocket and as he lifted head he caught it. A reflection in the glass of the booth. A figure. Obviously a man. Del cocked a half smile, reached under his coat and turned around.

The man, face pasty white, eyes black, opened his mouth in a gaping manner, gasping out a hungry moan. Sores graced his chin and lips. He smelled.

Quickly, without hesitation, Del pulled out his weapon.

It wasn’t an ordinary weapon. Homemade. It looked like a pipe with a trigger.

He raised it, aimed and shot.

Out of the end ejected a thin spear. It seared directly into the forehead of the man, and retracted back into the weapon just as fast.

No blood. Just a single, hole and the man dropped.

“You just took all the fun out of my movie fantasy. “ Del spoke to the body, sighed and returned the weapon under his coat to his belt.

He moved on, as if nothing had occurred, continuing in his walk down the empty deserted street.