Blog Tour/Review: Qualities of Wood by Mary Vensel White

The Qualities of Wood, by Mary Vensel White
320p, 2014, Mystery
My Rating=4 Stars
Source:Received an advance copy from Authonomy and TLC Book Tours for an honest review



A haunting and beautifully written debut novel by an exciting new talent. When Betty Gardiner dies, leaving behind an unkempt country home, her grandson and his young wife take a break from city life to prepare the house for sale. Nowell Gardiner leaves first to begin work on his second mystery novel. By the time his wife Vivian joins him, a real mystery has begun: a local girl has been found dead in the woods behind the house. Even after the death is ruled an accident, Vivian can't forget the girl, can't ignore the strange behaviour of her neighbours, or her husband. As Vivian attempts to put the house in order, all around her things begin to fall apart. 'The Qualities of Wood' is a stunning novel from an exciting new writer. Perfect for readers of Anne Tyler and Anita Shreve.

Vivian and Nowell moved to the country to prepare his grandmother's house for sale. Nowell moved ahead of her since he was an author working on his second novel. Vivian arrived as Nowell's brother, Lonnie, was leaving. Soon after her arrival, a 17-year-old girl was found dead in the woods. The death is ruled an accident but as Vivian gets to know her neighbors, she is puzzled by some of their strange behavior. Her husband, Nowell, is also acting strangely and is growing more distant. Lonnie returns and their life becomes more strained. Will she be able to figure out what really happened?

This book moves slowly. For the most part, I was okay with that. I thought there was a lot of character development and I felt like we were given a lot of insight into Vivian and Nowell's lives. I was, however, disappointed with the mystery storyline. It was mentioned from time to time but there wasn't much done to move that storyline forward. The reveal at the end was anti-climatic. I would have liked to have had more answers given along the way, and had a few more loose ends tied up when all was said and done. 

I enjoyed the different characters that were introduced. Katherine drove out to meet her when Vivian had lived there for a week and they became fast friends. There was mystery surrounding some of them--Mrs. Brodie, Mr. Stokes, and the road crew. Nowell, Lonnie and Dot each added tension to the story and there were some interesting family dynamics between all of them. 

I would recommend this to someone looking for a good literary read and Ms. White delivered in the secrets department, but don't read it for the mystery or you will most likely be disappointed. Overall, I enjoyed Ms. White's debut novel and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future!

Amazon * IndieBound * Barnes & Noble

About Mary Vensel White

Mary Vensel White was born in LA and graduated from the University of Denver. She lived in Chicago for 5 years where she received her MA at DePaul University. Her short fiction has appeared in The Wisconsin Review and Foothilles Literary Journal. This is her first novel.

Find out more about Mary at her website, connect with her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.




Bookstore Events

Live in Southern California? Mary is visiting a bookstore near you!

Tuesday, June 17th at 7pm
Barnes & Noble in Irvine, CA
13712 Jamboree Road
Irvine, CA 92602

Saturday, June 21st at 4pm
Vromans Bookstore in Pasadena, CA
695 E. Colorado Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91101

Mary’s Tour Stops

Sunday, May 4th: Read Her Like an Open Book - guest post
Wednesday, May 21st: The Ludic Reader
Thursday, May 22nd: Every Free Chance Book Reviews
Monday, May 26th: Read Her Like an Open Book - review
Monday, May 26th: Read Her Like an Open Book - interview
Tuesday, May 27th: Chaotic Compendiums
Wednesday, May 28th: Sincerely Stacie
Thursday, May 29th: Literary Lindsey
Monday, June 2nd: Books on the Table
Tuesday, June 3rd: Patricia’s Wisdom
Tuesday, June 10th: Mel’s Shelves
Wednesday, June 11th: A Book Geek
Thursday, June 12th: Karen’s Korner
TBD: BooksAreTheNewBlack

Book Review: Hindsight #1: Out of the Blue by Kelly Martin

This novella is the first in a three part series.

Hindsight #1: Out of the Blue, by Kelly Martin
2014, 83p, Mystery, Romance
My Rating=5 Stars
Source: Received copy from author for an honest review

Start at the beginning...

You want to know how it all began.

How I fell for her? How I started to love...?

You want to know how I met Oliver Weston. How I grew to hate him? Why I did what I did?

You want to know how it all began?

Because every story has a beginning, doesn't it?

Even mine.

Especially mine.

I loved her. I still do.

And I hated him. Still do.

So this is it. The start. My 'in the beginning'.

This is how an average guy from Oklahoma ended up here... talking to you.

It all started innocently enough. I needed a place to live. Jordan needed a roommate.

It hit me out of the blue.

I only wish it had ended differently.

But we will get to that later.

Start at the beginning... are you sure you are ready?

This is a great, quick read! It's only 83 pages, but it kept my attention the entire time. This is told from a male POV. Walker Scott met Jordan Rivers at the university book store when she put up an ad for a roommate and he was looking for somewhere to live. She let him know right off that she had a boyfriend, Oliver Weston, and when he asked her if he would mind if she was living with another guy, she informed him that they wouldn't exactly be "living together." Walker was intrigued so agreed to check the place out. It wasn't quite what he was expecting but was a great deal for him. He promises Mrs. Bainbridge he'll look after Jordan, not realizing how much that promise will change his life.

I loved meeting the sheriff and Jordan's brother, Joshua Rivers, Mrs. Bainbridge, and even Oliver. There's a mystery in this college town and we get hints from Walker that whatever's coming is bad and he wishes he could change the outcome. I have my suspicions but I hope I'm wrong and I'm certainly intrigued enough to keep reading. The second part will be coming out in a few weeks and I'm excited to read it!

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Excerpt:

I should have followed my gut instincts. We would have all been happier. I know I would have been. I would probably be with her right now. Not talking to you…

No offense. You are great and it’s helping… I’m going to get back to the story now before I put my foot in my mouth some more.

Okay, so I walked up the stairs, well, limped if you want the correct word. Limped because my knee was killing me from all the walking on campus and the God-forsaken stairs.

God-forsaken. Let’s go off on that tangent for a second. See, Sheriff Rivers asked me if I believed in God. If I was a church-going man. And I answered him yes. Yes, I was… actually I said my father was a preacher which basically means the same thing. I went to church. I believed in God. I was saved at a very young age. You need to know all of that before we go on with this story. You need to know that I prayed and I had every faith that everything would turn out okay.

Here’s the sixty-four thousand dollar question… do I believe in God now? Three months later? I guess we’ll have to get to that part, won’t we?

I didn’t have any of these thoughts as I climbed up the stairs. I did, however, remember just as I got to the landing on J’s floor that she had been mad at me. And I wondered, for a split second, if she still was. I didn’t have to wait long.

A shoe.

A SHOE.

A red shoe.

A red high heeled shoe.

Flew past my head.

I had to do this really cool Matrix move to keep the stiletto from impaling my eyeball.

Yep. Still mad.

I had a choice. Go up the stairs and sulk or go talk to the girl. Maybe apologize. I wish I could say it was an easy decision. A deadly object had been thrown at my head after all, but I decided I’d take the high road for once in my life and go apologize to her.

Didn’t mean that I went in all confident, though. I have to say, I kept my hands up and sort of shuffled into the room. I mean, I knew enough to know that shoes came in pairs. Only one had zipped by my head. She had another one in there somewhere

Author Bio:

Kelly Martin is the author of epic reads that you, your teen, and your Grandma Fannie can all enjoy together. She has been on several Amazon best seller lists... has won awards... and occasionally sleep (if she can ever get past that one level of Candy Crush... sigh)

She loves God, chocolate, Sleepy Hollow, and useless trivia.

Believes in Sherlock Holmes. (Seriously, a total fan girl!!!)

A list of her books:

Crossing the Deep

Saint Sloan

Big is Beautiful: A Love Story

The Deception of Devin Miller

The Afterlife of Lizzie Monroe

Saving Sloan (Saint Sloan Sequel)

Hindsight: Out of the Blue (Part 1)

Coming in June: Hindsight: The Black Heart (2)

In progress: Betraying Ever After: A Shattered Fairy Tale

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Smashwords

Grand Finale: The Dystopian Tour

To post this Grand Finale and add your Social Media to the Rafflecopter, 

email us at PrismBookTours(at)gmail.com with "Dystopian Grand Finale" in the subject line.

A Prism Tour with Prism Book Tours

It's the Grand Finale for

THE DYSTOPIAN TOUR!

What will the future bring? We've featuring several possibilities. Did you miss any of them? Check them out now!!

May 28: What Tomorrow May Bring #1

- Simplistic Reviews

Tomorrow becomes today.
What will it bring?

Our potential for good is matched by that of destruction. At any moment, change can fall on the world, people fight and die, and our comfortable lives can be lost to corrupt leaders. These are circumstances we can’t imagine, but places like this exist in the world today.

What if tomorrow brings that grave reality to us, and we wake to find our lives in flux, poverty and confusion? Perhaps humanity’s insatiable appetites drive us to the brink of survival where sanity is redefined and life, as we know it, changes forever.

Tomorrow, our lives could be very dark.

Dystopian tales take us to these lightless places where suffering is a daily chore. But they also show us that in the deepest part of the night, pitched against a backdrop of despair, a beam of hope will shine brighter than ever before. And in our darkest moments, it can show us the way back.

Goodreads - Amazon

Follow 11 authors into 11 dystopian tomorrows, where the dark portions of our humanity have taken hold of today, where the fabric of society is torn and greed consumes us all. Follow us down a dark path.

May 29: Terra by Gretchen Powell: 

- Christy’s Cozy Corners

Creating the Cover of Terra: A Behind-the-Scenes Look

No matter what anybody says, it’s pretty much a fact that people do judge books by their covers. And can you blame them? After all, book covers are an art in and of themselves these days – the beautiful images, illustration, and typography that are blasted across the internet pique our interest and drive our readers’ minds. The cover is a reader’s first impression of what your book will be like. It only takes a second for that instant connection to be made: Bad cover, bad book. Great cover, great book. 

Now, that doesn’t always hold true, of course, since I myself have read plenty of incredible books with terrible covers, and vice versa. But it doesn’t change the fact that—especially as a self-published author—covers matter. And I knew from the get-go that I wanted the cover for TERRA to stand out, but still feel appropriate for the genre and would “fit in” with its traditionally-published book brethren. So here’s an exclusive scoop on what went into creating my debut novel’s cover.

 

Goodreads - Amazon - Barnes and Noble - Kobo - Apple Store

Terra follows protagonist Terra Rhodon through a dystopian future where the planet’s natural resources have been depleted and the rich and powerful have fled to cities in the sky.

May 30: Stitch & Shudder by Samantha Durante

- Nocturnal Predators Reviews

**What Everyone Had To Say About This Series**

“Seems like your normal, seemingly average university cross paranormal romance story... until the dystopian sci-fi comes in. Everything from there changes… I am gobsmacked.”

– Behind the Pages

“Quite incredible… grips the reader and won’t let go. Officially entered a good book hangover.”

– Parajunkee

  

Goodreads - Amazon - Barnes and Noble

Her heart races, her muscles coil, and every impulse in Alessa's body screams at her to run... but yet she's powerless to move.

June 1: Contributor & Infiltrator by Nicole Ciacchella

- Author Cindy C Bennett

Unexpected Favorites

One of the things that consistently surprises me when I write is how fond I grow of some characters, especially when they start out as little more than a nebulous concept. Contributor is no exception. When I was peopling the world, I thought a lot about Dara, her parents, her boyfriend, Jonathan, and her mentor, Letizia. I certainly gave consideration to the other characters as well, but this was the core group I focused on, and so imagine my surprise when I developed a major attachment to a couple of the characters I thought would just be minor players.

The first is Javier Gutierrez, one of Dara’s rivals for the position of Assistant to the Head of Engineering...

 



Goodreads - Amazon

When the Great Famine threatened the existence of mankind, the Creators saved humanity. Humanity has been their loyal subject ever since.

June 2: What Tomorrow May Bring #2

- I Am A Reader

THE DYSTOPTOMISTS: PART 1

WHAT TOMORROW MAY BRING, the YA Dystopian boxed set, is a collection of dark yet hopeful stories from eleven different authors. Each wrote a short essay on dystopian fiction calledMy Thoughts On Tomorrow, to introduce their novels. Here are excerpts from six of those essays, the full versions can be found at The Hunt For Tomorrow.

Meet The Dystoptomists: Shining Light on a Dark Future...

Goodreads - Amazon

Follow 11 authors into 11 dystopian tomorrows, where the dark portions of our humanity have taken hold of today, where the fabric of society is torn and greed consumes us all. Follow us down a dark path.

June 3: Among the Joyful by Erin Eastham

- My Devotional Thoughts

Q&A: Among the Joyful

Q: What was your inspiration for Among the Joyful?

A: I happened to see an article about smile surgery, which is a real thing. Some young women in South Korea have a procedure done so that their default facial expression is a smile, no matter what they’re feeling. It made me think about the pressure we all feel at times to act like things are fine when they’re not, to present a happy appearance to the world no matter what’s going on inside. That was what prompted the idea for the world of Among the Joyful, where negative emotion has to be hidden if you want to be a functioning member of society.

Q: What makes Among the Joyful different from all the other YA dystopias out there?

A: I wanted to create a dystopian society that could just as easily be described as utopian. The original founders weren’t setting out to oppress people—they wanted to make life better, and in many ways they succeeded. They created a culture where service to others is valued, where citizens contribute to the public good and take care not to have a negative impact on their community. Of course, there’s a price, and that’s where it gets interesting.

Goodreads - Amazon

Everyone knows that it’s a citizen’s duty to smile; negative emotion is a social contagion, an aggressive act against society. For Alaire Larkin, staying positive has never been a problem.

June 4: The Annihilation of Foreverland & Foreverland is Dead by Tony Bertauski

- Mythical Books

AUTHOR's INTERVIEW

Have you written in any other genres besides ya dystopian? What drew you to you this genre?

I’ve been fascinated by consciousness, identity and what this all means since I was young. I would read my grandfather’s science fiction books with elements of artificial intelligence and wonder what happened when they died? I suppose that’s why all of my writing deals with the big mysteries of life in one way or another. In a way, I write for my own exploration, in a sort of thought experiment approach, pulling apart our identities, exploring what makes us who we are. If I lost my memories, would I still be me? If I had my body parts replaced with synthetic replications, at what point would I not be me? Do I even need a body? What am I?

A few years ago, I figured I’d write a romance novel. Since all of my books have a romantic element, I thought it would be fun. Halfway through the novel, I found myself thinking more and more about the next project—a dystopian idea. So 40,000 words in, I scrapped the romance novel and got back to what I love.

 

Goodreads - Amazon - Barnes and Noble - Google Play - Kobo - iTunes

When kids awake on an island, they’re told there was an accident. Before they can go home, they will visit Foreverland, an alternate reality that will heal their minds.

June 5: The Breeders & The Believers by Katie French

- Beck Valley Books

Take 10 - Author Interview

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I’ve always wanted to be a back-up singer for some awesome artist. You’d get all the joy of meeting fun people and performing, but do not have to lose your freedom or worry about tabloids and paparazzi.

Who would play you in a film of your life?

Brad Pitt. It would be a really weird, concept movie.

Have you ever read or seen yourself as a character in a book or a movie?

All the time. Right now I’m pretty sure I’m Jessica Day from TV show The New Girl. But without the cute bangs. Man, I should really get some bangs.

 

Goodreads - Amazon - Barnes and Noble

Sixteen-year-old Riley Meemick is one of the world's last free girls. When Riley was born, her mother escaped the Breeders, the group of doctors using cruel experiments to bolster the dwindling human race.

June 6: What Tomorrow May Bring #3 

- Bookworm Lisa

Meet The Dystoptomists: Shining Light on a Dark Future.

WHAT TOMORROW MAY BRING, the YA Dystopian boxed set, is a collection of dark yet hopeful stories from eleven different authors. Each wrote a short essay on dystopian fiction called My Thoughts On Tomorrow, to introduce their novels.

Part 1 featured excerpts from six of those authors.

Here, with Part 2, are excerpts from the remaining five. The full versions can be found at The Hunt For Tomorrow.

Join the mailing list for news on our upcoming dystopian scavenger hunt...

Goodreads - Amazon

Follow 11 authors into 11 dystopian tomorrows, where the dark portions of our humanity have taken hold of today, where the fabric of society is torn and greed consumes us all. Follow us down a dark path.

Tour-Wide Giveaway

Ends June 15th.

US Only Giveaway

Print copy of Terra + bookmarks

Print copies of Stitch & Shudder + bookmarks

Print copy of Among the Joyful

Internationally Open Giveaway

Amazon GC $15 (Megan) + $10 (Erin) + $10 (Samantha)

11 ecopies of What Tomorrow May Bring

Ebook of Terra

Ebooks of Stitch & Shudder

10 e-book copies of the complete Contributor trilogy, including book 3 (Kindle only)

Ebook of Among the Joyful

Ebooks of The Annihilation of Foreverland & Foreverland is Dead

Ebook of A Taste of Tomorrow Boxed Set

5 ebooks of The Breeders & The Believers

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Book Review: The Lincoln Hypothesis by Timothy Ballard

The Lincoln Hypothesis, by Timothy Ballard
2014, 240p, LDS Non-Fiction
My Rating=5 Stars
Source: Received copy from publisher for an honest review



Abraham Lincoln became the sixteenth US president during a very dark time in America's history. Author Timothy Ballard explores the crucial role that President Lincoln played to bring this nation closer to heaven. Readers will see Lincoln as a man inspired of God who invoked a covenant relationship between America and its maker—not unlike the national covenants invoked by righteous leaders in the Book of Mormon. In addition, The Lincoln Hypothesis reveals documented evidence that Abraham Lincoln did, in fact, check out the Book of Mormon as he struggled with making some of the most critical decisions of his presidency. Did he read it? Did it influence him? Was the Book of Mormon a key factor in Lincoln's success and the healing of a nation?

The author states, "As you read, you will, like a prosecutor reviewing a case, or like a jury determining a verdict, identify valuable pieces of evidence that can be fully substantiated. You will also identify pieces of evidence that cannot. I ask you to consider all the evidence and weight it accordingly. Through this study, many questions regarding the interplay between the restored gospel and the Civil War will be answered. New questions may emerge that will not be so easily answered. Either way, in the end you will find yourself on a most exhilarating investigative journey."

I'm not a historian but the premise of this book is too compelling to not read. As Mr. Ballard states in his introduction, he presents the evidence he's found and it's up to each person individually to come to their own conclusions. I learned a lot while reading this book. Some stories I had heard but most of them were new to me. It makes sense that something significant had to happen for the church to start experiencing growth and the heavy persecution to end. I like the way he presented his case and there is a lot to digest. I have always loved Abraham Lincoln and, after reading this book, I feel an even deeper love for him and the sacrifices he made for freedom. I'm still processing what I've read so don't have much to say except buy it and read it!!

You can read chapter 1 here.

I've been impressed with Tim Ballard for quite a while and have heard him interviewed numerous times. If you're not familiar with the work that Tim Ballard does with Operation Underground Railroad, you can learn more about it here. This organization rescues kidnapped children from slavery. It's a fairly new organization and they are already making an impact on the lives of many children and their families.

Deseret Book * Amazon * Barnes & Noble

 

TIMOTHY BALLARD graduated cum laude from Brigham Young University in Spanish and political science, then went on to receive and MA (summa cum laude) in international politics from the Monterey Institute of International Studies. Tim has worked for the Central Intelligence Agency as well as an agent for the Department of Homeland Security. He is also the author of The American Covenant: One Nation under God. He lives in Southern California with his wife and six children.

O.U.R. Website  * O.U.R. Blog

Saints and Soldiers: The Void in Theaters August 15th

COMING AUGUST 15, 2014

Germany, May 1945, the twilight of WWII. On a final mission deep in the Harz mountains a U.S. tank crew discovers a platoon of Germans, including three infamous Panzer tanks, preparing to ambush allied supply trucks.

Before the war, private Jesse Owens, was a product of segregation and racial discrimination. Forced by law to ride in the back of the bus and disenfranchised from the political process. Now, Owens fights the greatest tyrant in history, knowing the tyranny of racism will be waiting for him back home if he can survive the war.

With a deadly game of cat and mouse quickly unfolding, Owens and his predominantly white tank crew find themselves out-gunned and out-manned by the German Panzer tanks. Several in Owens’ crew are reluctant to put their faith in a black tank driver despite their dire circumstances. As the German tanks bear down on his unit, Owens has to fight for freedom on two fronts. With tension and fear beginning to manifest Owens knows they must put aside their differences to stop the enemy from their deadly plan. Knowing that a victory over the Nazis means a victory for racial justice, Owens and his men find a way to work together to save hundreds of lives in a desperate battle against the greatest odds they have ever faced.

Read some exciting casting information here.

"As we approach the 70th anniversary of D-Day, we pause to honor those who demonstrated unselfishness and commitment to freedom. The tradition of unselfishness continues today. God Bless those then and now who serve our country."
~ Adam Abel, Producer

"During the original SAINTS AND SOLDIERS film festival run around the world we were honored to meet many WWII Veterans in person. It has been 10 years now. Many of those Veterans have passed. For those WWII vets remaining and all men and women of the armed forces since we salute you. The SAINTS AND SOLDIERS movies are intend to honor you."

~ Ryan Little, Director

"Our reason for making SAINTS AND SOLDIERS: THE VOID was to explore the story of those African American soldiers who fought for freedoms abroad they didn't entirely enjoy at home. We learned from their stories freedom is and was worth the fight...regardless of race."

~ Adam Abel, Producer

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Blog Tour/Review: The Quantum Breach by Denver Acey

Tour Schedule

The Quantum Breach, by Denver Acey
2014, 256p, Fiction, Suspense
My Rating=5 Stars
Source: Received copy from publisher for an honest review



Tanner Zane is a Mormon with a secret criminal past. Nobody suspects that, before his religious conversion, Tanner hacked into thousands of computer networks across the globe. He accumulated millions of dollars from his illegal activities until a sudden, life-changing event caused him to abandon hacking and give his fortune to charity. But Tanner’s guarded past is exposed when he is kidnapped by his mysterious neighbor and forced to hack into an impossible target – Los Alamos National Labs. Inside the government facility is a prototype quantum computer that is powerful enough to crack the digital safeguards of the Internet. When Tanner learns that cyber-terrorists will use the quantum computer to commit massive identify theft and corporate espionage around the world, he deliberately engages in an intellectual battle with his captors to prevent them from obtaining the device.

This book hooked me from the first page and didn't let up the entire time! Tanner Zane is a computer programmer. His company gives all their employees a two-month paid sabbatical after they've been there for seven years, so his is just beginning. He's on his way to Phoenix to pick up his parents and they're going to take a leisurely tour of the Pacific Coast. However, when he gets to their home, he's stunned to see them blindfolded, gagged and bound to chairs and then he's grabbed from behind and faints.

When he wakes up, he finds himself bound to a chair in his parents' garage. He's told that his cooperation depends on whether his parents will live or not and is told that he needs to do some hacking for them. He's taken to a remote location where he meets the "Dream Team," aka the "Starting Five": Charles, Michael, Magic, Patrick and (a couple of days later, the boss) Larry.

In his college years, Tanner was a hacker until something happened that shook him up and made him stop. He then found religion and changed his ways. He had promised not to hack anymore, but his captors didn't care about that--they just wanted results. They hurt him and threatened him and he started to work with them. I felt that Tanner was up to something but couldn't figure it out. There are some great twists and turns which kept me quickly turning the pages to find out what would happen next.

This is one of those books that will make you think about your online presence. I like to think I'm careful but I know I've had lapses in judgment and posted things that I wanted to take back later. Tanner explains some of the things people do that make them vulnerable to identity theft. This book also shows how easy it is to exploit people in their personal lives to get them to do what you want, like finding someone in financial trouble or starting a relationship with someone who is looking for their soul mate. I also love that all of it was explained in a simple way that anyone (even me) can understand.

There is mention of religion and how it's changed Tanner's life, but there's no preaching, so anyone interested in a fast-paced, thrilling book will enjoy this one! There's also a touch of romance. While thinking that I want to read more, I realized that Denver Acey wrote The Utah Code Breaker, which is a book I've had on my Kindle for a while now and also features Tanner Zane, and now I am looking forward to reading that book as well. And I hope Mr. Acey is planning even more books in the future!

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Books & Things

Few people understand the terrifying, yet realistic threat of computer hacking like Denver Acey. Acey has spent his entire professional career in the information technology industry where he has witnessed and even thwarted actual cybercrime. From his top-secret job working for the US government to securing computer networks at Fortune 500 companies, Acey is personally familiar with hackers and their unscrupulous activities.

But over the years, Acey has become increasingly frustrated with Hollywood’s inaccurate portrayal of cybercrime. Hackers are more intelligent and more sophisticated than simple teenagers, who guzzle down Mountain Dew while playing video games. Cybercrime is a billion-dollar business that encompasses organized crime and foreign governments. For these elite hackers, the fruits of success are iconic trademarks, innovative patents, and government secrets.

Because of his unique background, Acey decided to write a book to dispel hacking myths while highlighting the tenacity of cybercriminals. Utilizing actual computer hacking concepts and scenarios that he has experienced firsthand, Acey illustrates — in a simple way for even the non-techie to understand — how vulnerable we all are to cybercrime.

Facebook  * Website * Twitter

SYNC: Free Audiobooks, Week Four

SYNC is a program that gives away two audiobooks each week for free from May 15-August 13, 2014. When you visit their website, you can read more information and get instructions on how to download the audiobooks. 

Don't have time to listen to two audiobooks every week? What I love about this is that you just need to download it during the week it's available and then you can listen to it later when you do have time. I did this last year and still have some that I'm planning to listen to when I get a chance. The most important thing is to download it while it's free!

There are lots of titles I'm interested in, so hopefully you'll also see something you like. Happy Listening!!

For more details, click here. 

Lineup for Summer 2014:

June 5 – June 11
ALL OUR YESTERDAYS by Cristin Terrill, Narrated by Meredith Mitchell (Tantor Audio)
JULIUS CAESAR by William Shakespeare, Performed by Richard Dreyfuss, JoBeth Williams, Stacy Keach, Kelsey Grammer, and a full cast (L.A. Theatre Works)

June 12 – June 18
CODE NAME VERITY by Elizabeth Wein, Narrated by Morven Christie and Lucy Gaskell (Bolinda Audio)
THE HIDING PLACE by Corrie Ten Boom, John Sherrill, Elizabeth Sherrill, Narrated by Bernadette Dunne (christianaudio)

June 19 – June 25
I’D TELL YOU I LOVE YOU, BUT THEN I’D HAVE TO KILL YOU by Ally Carter, Narrated by Renée Raudman (Brilliance Audio)
ANNE OF GREEN GABLES by L.M. Montgomery, Narrated by Colleen Winton (Post Hypnotic Press)

June 26 – July 2
FORGIVE ME, LEONARD PEACOCK by Matthew Quick, Narrated by Noah Galvin (Hachette Audio)
OCTOBER MOURNING: A Song for Matthew Shepard by Lesléa Newman, Narrated by Emily Beresford, Luke Daniels, Tom Parks, Nick Podehl, Kate Rudd, Christina Traister (Brilliance Audio)

July 3 – July 9
TORN FROM TROY by Patrick Bowman, Narrated by Gerard Doyle (Post Hypnotic Press)
PETER AND THE STARCATCHERS by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, Narrated by Jim Dale (Brilliance Audio)

July 10 – July 16
CLAUDETTE COLVIN: Twice Toward Justice by Philip Hoose, Narrated by Channie Waites (Brilliance Audio)
WHILE THE WORLD WATCHED by Carolyn Maull McKinstry with Denise George, Narrated by Felicia Bullock (Oasis Audio)

July 17 – July 23
THE CASE OF THE CRYPTIC CRINOLINE by Nancy Springer, Narrated by Katherine Kellgren (Recorded Books)
THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES II by Arthur Conan Doyle, Narrated by David Timson (Naxos AudioBooks)

July 24 – July 30
HEADSTRONG by Patrick Link, Performed by Deidrie Henry, Ernie Hudson, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine and Scott Wolf (L.A. Theatre Works)
THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE by Robert Louis Stevenson, Narrated by Scott Brick (Tantor Audio)

July 31 – August 6
DIVIDED WE FALL by Trent Reedy, Narrated by Andrew Eiden (Scholastic Audio)
THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE by Stephen Crane, Narrated by Frank Muller (Recorded Books)

August 7 – August 13
LIVING A LIFE THAT MATTERS by Ben Lesser, Narrated by Jonathan Silverman and Ben Lesser (Remembrance Publishing)
THE SHAWL by Cynthia Ozick, Narrated by Yelena Shmulenson (HighBridge Audio)