The Neuormorphs by Dennis Meredith

Title: The Neuormorphs
Author: Dennis Meredith
Genre: Science fiction
Page count:   285
Formats:   mobi and paper back

Synopsis:
The robots were good. The Russian thugs were evil. But then...

It's 2050, and self-learning, neuromorphic “Helper” androids have become 
invaluable aids to humans, efficiently making their lives easier. Built 
and trained by such companies as Helpers, Inc., the Domestic Helper 
robots manage their owners’ homes, run their errands… and in the case of 
the erotic, alluring Intimorph model, even offer them marvelous sex.

The robots even save lives. The remote-controlled Defender line, has 
revolutionized warfare, by keeping human soldiers out of harm’s way.

The Domestic Helpers’ lifelike “secondskin” and programmed sociability 
have enabled them to fit right in with their human owners. And with 
their sophisticated, adaptable neuromorphic brains and meticulously 
engineered safeguards, they have proven benign and trusted.

But the human engineers who program them are neither benign nor 
trustworthy, as Patrick and Leah Jensen discover to their horror.

When they arrive in Phoenix for their new jobs, Patrick, a security 
consultant and former SEAL, and Leah, a lawyer, are at first delighted 
at the bargain price of the luxury co-op apartment, The Haven.

But after they move in, they discover the co-op is no haven, but a cadre 
of Helper robots that had been re-engineered to mimic wealthy humans, 
formerly their owners.

The robots had taken residence after being reprogrammed to murder their 
owners. And the Russian mobsters behind the plot directed the robot 
mimics to systematically loot the victims' estates of billions of 
dollars.

But neither the corrupt engineers nor the greedy thugs realize what 
catastrophe they have wrought in programming autonomous abilities into 
the robots.

They have unwittingly created a new race of networked "hive-minded" 
sentient creatures with a relentless survival instinct: the Neuromorphs.

Patrick must enlist his team of SEALs to marshal their combat skills and 
futuristic firepower to thwart the seemingly unstoppable evolution of a 
new dominant species on the planet.

Read Chapters Here: http://dennismeredith.com/the-neuromorphs_473.html

Amazon Link:  https://amzn.to/2MnNsyR

Christie Stratos joins us for a Q&A

Christie Stratos is an award-winning writer who holds a degree in English Literature. She is the author of ANATOMY OF A DARKENED HEART and BROTHERHOOD OF SECRETS (previously LOCKE AND KEYE), the first two books in the Dark Victoriana Collection. Christie has had short stories and poetry published in Ginosko Literary Journal, Andromedae Review, 99Fiction, and various anthologies. An avid reader of all genres and world literature, Christie reads everything from bestsellers to classics to indies.

Christie: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/indieauthorsroundtable/2018/08/11/christie-stratos-joins-us-for-a-qa

Self-publishing Or Self-torturing? by Carole P. Roman

Self-publishing Or Self-torturing?

Carole P. Roman

published on Indie Author’s Monthly, July 2018 Issue| https://www.magzter.com/US/IndieAuthors,-LLC/Indie-Authors-Monthly/Entertainment/| https://www.indieauthorsmonthly.com

Found on ShutterStock.com

More than twenty years ago, I tried to publish a book under my real name. I was even represented by the famous Hollywood agency, H.N. Swanson. It was one of the most exciting years of my life.

The book made the rounds of all the romance publishers, and finally, after a year of rejections, the agent returned it to me with his best wishes.

Undeterred I found a vanity press and for a sum of money, was able to fulfill my dream and publish the book. It’s still available on Amazon, and occasionally I visit to check it’s multi-million placed rank. Still, it felt like an achievement. I have two hundred copies of the book for friends and family, and I ticked one more thing off my bucket list.

Then came, CreateSpace and the indie revolution. All of a sudden, I found myself the author of over fifty books in all different genres and two pen names.

Fiction or nonfiction, I have put my heart and soul into the four series I created. I marketed my son’s books because I believed in them and Amazon made the eye of the needle increasing harder to squeeze through.

So, the question is, do we do it for love or for money? Why do we continue to produce books that barely sell enough to pay for a day on Bargain Booksy or other online book clubs? Do we throw in the towel and give up the dreams or continue producing books?

I am on the phone or internet daily with disappointed writers saddened by the lack of sales or that breakthrough moment. They rage, then cry bittersweet tears that ‘this will be the last book I write.’ Yet, an idea comes, and they are tapping away on their laptops giving it another go.

Maybe we should take the focus off the monetary aspect of it and think of it as an investment in us?

Finding time to write is the same as finding time to exercise, or go shopping, or even sit on the phone for the night with a friend. I see it as a luxury; something intensely personal, perhaps even selfish because as the lynchpin of the family, when I write I become unavailable.

Writing is solitary, and sometimes it’s nice to treat yourself to that real‘me’ time. Sometimes, being alone with your own words is the best therapy in the world.

Writing leaves an imprint of who you are. It’s a gift to your children, or friends, or even a stranger, saying you were here and this is what you were thinking at the time. It’s a diary of your life, your thought process, and perhaps an example of your brilliance.

It’s a thumbprint frozen in a moment, a snapshot of you for all posterity. Who knows, when aliens come to visit this planet, it might just be your book they download to understand humanity.

Your words may be the gateway for an ‘ah ha’ moment, or they might become the lifeline to someone in need of one.

Taking money out of the equation changes self-publishing. It makes it a lifetime achievement, rather than a measure of financial success. If you are going to write, do it because you love it, do it to leave a piece of yourself, do it for fun, joy, or even a personal release.

If you write it, someone will read it, and that alone, my fellow author is a triumph.

Are there any greater rewards than that?

I joined a book club. by Carole P. Roman

I joined a book club.

by Carole P. Roman

originally featured on Medium.com

https://medium.com/@caroleproman/i-joined-a-book-club-ed368e52bc7a

I joined a book club. I always wanted to go to one, especially after I saw how much fun Candace Bergen was having at hers.

They weren’t reading Fifty Shades at this group. They picked Asymmetry by Lisa Halliday.

I dutifully read the book a week before our meeting and seriously thought about not showing up. It was a hard read, and while I loved the writing style at the beginning of the book, I didn’t understand the connection between the three parts and found myself puzzled, as well as bored by it.

I couldn’t deny Halliday’s talent, but to me, the book seemed pointless. I didn’t leave a review on Amazon simply because I found I had nothing nice to say.

So, it was with great trepidation I went to my first meeting. I sat in a corner thinking I had easy access to the door in case I embarrassed myself.

I pictured a room of intellectuals, sipping tea, stating obvious insights I missed. It felt like Honor’s English, and even though I passed that course about a hundred years ago, I became the same ball of insecurities once again.

Someone might ask what I thought, and I’d look like a blithering idiot. They’d smirk, or even worse, I’d say something, and it would be followed by condemning silence. I sunk into the seat, hunched over, afraid to admit that not only did I not understand the book, but I also didn’t like it either.

I had expected us to sit around and they would ‘gab’ about the chosen book. It seems that this book club hires a person to actually discuss it with the readers.

She came in with articles, research, and read the book with laser intensity, dissecting in an arresting way. I perked up. She asked questions that I could answer, not only that, she made me dust off my flabby brain and make it work.

At first, my brain chugged, it backfired silently in my head. Then, all of a sudden, my mind opened up like Dorothy seeing color for the first time in Oz. The story and plot of the book clarified the author’s intent crystallized.

I felt intelligent, erudite, thoughtful. I opened my mouth, and so much stuff came out, it felt like a great purge! I bet I lost fifteen pounds from all the knowledge that was stuck in me.

You think I’m joking? I’m NOT! It felt good to really talk to people about something I’ve read.

It didn’t matter if I enjoyed it. Everybody in that room hated the book, too, I realized. However, it didn’t prevent them from allowing the book to step into their lives and make an impact. They read and shared what they thought. They nodded and smiled at me. I felt included, if only for that hour and a half, and more importantly, I didn’t think about what happened to me in February. That I joined because I was suddenly lonely, and my status had changed from married, to widowed. It didn’t matter. This was a meeting of the minds, rather than the hearts and it felt good to give that organ a rest.

If you are stuck in life or feeling a bit outside your body or mind, join a book club and meet people in a new way. It allows you to leave your body for a bit and meet people on a level playing field.

I think it gave grief the day off.

What a novel idea.

My Mom is A 2018 Purple Dragonfly Book Award Winner!

My Mom is A 2018 Purple Dragonfly Book Award Winner!

A big Congratulations to my fellow authors and friends, Judy Martialay (Let's Learn series) and Erica Graham (Talking Tales series) on their wins!

Book Series

1st Place: If You Were Me and Lived in... A Child’s Introduction to Cultures Around the World series by Carole P. Roman, illustrated by Kelsea Wierenga

2nd Place: If You Were Me and Lived in... An Introduction to Civilizations Throughout Time series by Carole P. Roman, illustrated by Mateya Arkova

Chapter Books

1st Place: Oh Susannah: It’s in the Bag by Carole P. Roman, illustrated by Mateya Arkova

School Issues

Honorable Mention:

Oh Susannah: Things That Go Bump by Carole P. Roman, illustrated by Mateya Arkova

* E‐Book Award Winners *

Children’s Nonfiction

1st Place: If You Were Me and Lived In... Cuba: A Child’s Introduction to Cultures Around the

World by Carole P. Roman

Cultural Diversity

2nd Place: If You Were Me and Lived in...the Ancient Mali Empire: An Introduction to Civilizations Throughout Time by Carole P. Roman, illustrated by Mateya Arkova

Growing Pains

1st Place: Captain No Beard: An Imaginary Tale of a Pirate’s Life by Carole P. Roman

Picture Books 5 & Younger

1st Place: Rocket‐Bye by Carole P. Roman, illustrated by Mateya Arkova

Honorable Mention:

A Flag for the Flying Dragon: A Captain No Beard Story by Carole P. Roman

Tuesday Author Takeover with M.J. Woods!

Balance (The Amped Series Book 1)

by M.J. Woods 

Aidan Pierce has nothing to prove, and everything to lose.

He’s a success in everything he does. A prodigy disguised in a stunning male form. Intense. Passionate. Wealthy, almost beyond measure. He’s back in his birthplace to right long ago wrongs, to bring a plan years in the making to fruition... Until he meets Alexis Greene.

Tipping her world off its axis, he unexpectedly upends his own.

Alexis Greene has everything to prove, and nothing left to lose.

She graduated at the top of her law school class. She’s beautiful. Ethical. Conservative, but not shy with four letter words. She’s set to make her mark in a prominent firm in Lake County when her husband unexpectedly dies. She’s left conflicted and wanting more from life, without knowing what more there could ever be... Until she meets Aidan Pierce.

His past would never allow him to be something more - not for anyone.

That doesn’t stop him from wanting her.

If she fell into his world it would take everything she had to maintain her Balance.

Sway (The Amped Series Book 2) by M.J. Woods

Aidan Pierce remains committed to one thing – making his childhood home a better place no matter the cost.

Yet nothing can prepare him for the complications he faces now that he wants Alexis Greene in his life.

To move forward with his charitable ambitions, he must fend off enemies while navigating the uncharted waters of falling hard and fast for the kind of woman he once believed did not exist.

As Alexis learns more about Aidan’s past and comes face to face with his demons, she must decide if she can jump headfirst into the most intense risk she’s ever taken – loving a man that ignites an insatiable craving, even as he throws her world completely off balance.

Book Two of The Amped Series takes you on one hell of a ride and will leave you amped indeed – and begging to learn the conclusion of Alexis and Aidan’s story.

Fall (The Amped Series Book 3) Kindle Edition

by M.J. Woods

As Independence Day approaches in Lake County, so does the social event of the summer - The Pierce Philanthropy Group’s Fundraising Gala.

With pressure hurled at him from all directions, Aidan Pierce is frantic to protect his charitable endeavor and the woman he’s fallen for, beautiful and strong-minded lawyer Alexis Greene.

As efforts for the gala ramp up, Alexis and Aidan face their fears that the past may rise to the surface… and destroy everything they’ve worked for.

With enemies motivated by greed and malice closing in, will Alexis and Aidan’s intense love be strong enough to guarantee a future together?

Book Three of The Amped Series takes you on a journey to the conclusion of Alexis and Aidan’s story at break-neck speed, with everything readers crave from The Amped Series: a dare to jump, and the exhilaration of the Fall.

http://mjwoodsbooks.com/

Michael Okon on KIRKUS!

Michael Okon

By Rhett Morgan on May 10, 2018 | https://www.kirkusreviews.com/indie-reviews/blog/2018/5/michael-okon/

    

Three years ago, during a movie marathon with his son, bestselling self-published author Michael Okon asked himself why there wasn’t a theme park with zombies. His brother, in turn, asked why the theme park couldn't have werewolves, vampires, and zombies. Okon started writing Monsterland that very night. He initially released the thriller about two young boys lost in just such a park on his own, but the idea generated enough buzz to help Okon sign with indie press WordFire and with a Hollywood agent hoping to turn Monsterland into one of the classic popcorn movies that inspired it. He might still be waiting on Hollywood’s final answer, but Okon has kept busy turning Monsterland into a long-running book series. 

What do you think sets Monsterland apart from other typical horror stories?

Monsterland has many layers. I tried to avoid the typical clichéd horror story and dive deep into very raw issues such as bullying, broken family relationships, being comfortable in your own skin, political upheaval, corruption. Monsterland covers a wide gamut of topics. And yes, there are monsters, but it’s so much more than a typical slasher gorefest. The deeper meaning of Monsterland is simple: How do you capture the world? You build a theme park. 

Have you always wanted to write something in the supernatural/horror genre for YA readers? 

I’ve learned there literally are a million ways of telling a “monster in the house” story. The genre never gets old, and as long as you come up with a fresh take on the horror/paranormal theme, you will always have a great story to tell. I would never box myself into just being a horror writer or paranormal writer, for that matter. My stories can appeal to the young (my 9-year-old son is one of my beta readers) to teens, to new adult and beyond after that. Nine to 90 is my target audience. 

How has it been to go from self-publishing Monsterland to having a film agent? 

Everything that is happening in my life now, I planned out. I know that may sound far-fetched, but I believe in asking the universe for the life you want. I actually wrote the book on creating a life blueprint, Just Ask the Universe, which is still a bestseller on Amazon. Going from self-publishing to being a commercially published author has been incredible. It truly is the dream. But…getting a literary agent, a powerful entertainment attorney, and a film agent at a major agency has been the best part. 

On that note, any news on a film adaptation? 

Yes. My film agent got Monsterland into the hands of a mega-producer, who I’ve spoken to on a few occasions. He is convinced this is his next movie. And now…like right now…they are pitching the movie to every studio in Hollywood. Is this a dream? Heck, yeah! Is it a slow process? Absolutely. Believe me, when it happens I will be the first to shout it to the world.  

How have you found the experience of working with a small press? 

Wonderful. The team at WordFire have been mentors to me. They have guided me to create this incredibly tight story called Monsterland. Kevin J. Anderson has been a Jedi Master to me. 

Any exciting new monsters readers can look forward to in the upcoming sequel? 

Monsterland Reanimated was released to the world on Friday, April 13. In Book 2, the readers will meet The Glob (think a modern-day version of The Blob), Mummies (this was fun to write), and a reanimated monster (think Frankenstein’s monster), and every reader will figure out who it is in the first chapter. I’m almost done with Monsterland Beneath. Books 4, 5, and 6 have all been named and the stories have been beaten out. I already know the finale.

Rhett Morgan is a writer and translator based in Paris. 

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/indie-reviews/blog/2018/5/michael-okon/