First Grave on the Right (Charley Davidson, Book 1) by Darynda Jones

Publisher:  St. Martin's Press
Pages:  320

(Released:  February 1, 2011)

From the Cover:

Charley sees dead people.

That’s right, she sees dead people. And it’s her job to convince them to “go into the light.”

But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e. murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she’s been having about an Entity who has been following her all her life...and it turns out he might not be dead after all.

In fact, he might be something else entirely.

Charley has always been different, from the time she was a little girl, when she tried help a woman in the grocery story, until today, when she's trying to help the three lawyers who turn up on her doorstep. Dead. Charley is a private investigator, working first with her father, and then with her Uncle Bob, a detective on the Albuquerque Police Force, to solve crimes. She's also a Grim Reaper, it's her job to let souls use her body as a gateway, to cross over into the next plane. But to do so, she usually has to find out how they were killed, deliver a message, or help their loved ones, the dead can be demanding.

There's something else dancing around Charley's soul and her body, a dark Entity that has captured her attention, in more ways than one. He's always been with her, but never like this. He likes to come to visit in her dreams and lately, in her shower, and he goes by the name Reyes Farrow. Reyes is dark, bold, and everything Charley needs, except for corporeal. And for another one thing, Charley's not sure if he's altogether human (aka Son of Satan). There's also a sexy PI/bounty hunter, Swopes, he'd like to take up some of Charley's time, but he's a nonbeliever.


First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones is a fun little paranormal romance/mystery that won me over with it's quirkiness, snark, sass, and dripping sarcasm. Charley's defense mechanism for keeping people at arm's length, don't let them too close and they won't treat her like a leper. On this current case, three lawyers show up dead at one of the murder scenes and later at her apartment. As she works the murder case (the lawyers have no idea who offed them...), she discovers the bad guys are running a human trafficking ring, one that's involved with another case she's working on, a teenager who has sought her out too. While all this is going on, Charley is having a serious romance, and doing the horizontal mambo (sort of), with a guy who visits her dreams. She's drawn this man, Reyes, only to find out she met him as a teen when forced to help her stepsister, and now he's in a prison hospital ward, waiting to have life support terminated. But, he's so alive in her dreams, she can't let him go. Reyes Farrow is the Entity dancing around her, her guardian angel (devil... so to speak) and she can't wait to have more of him.


First Grave on the Right is nothing but fun. Charley is an irreverent character, not afraid to push the boundaries. Don't get me wrong, this little novel isn't all about fun and games, or just a hot romance between Charley and her nighttime visitor, there's a good mystery here too begging to be solved. There are some great supporting characters too, Cookie, Charley's best friend and girl Friday, Charley's aunt, the Asian guy who hangs out in the corner of her apartment, and her kind of, sort of spirit guide.... he's just a kid, but helps her go where others can't. It would be nice if all Charley had to do was ask those who come to her, what's happened or who killed you, what exactly do you need and how can I get your loved ones to listen to me... and they had an answer ready, but it's just not the case. And crimes have to be solved with cold hard evidence, and it's not easy to put a dead guy (or girl) on the witness stand. If you enjoy good old fashioned mysteries, give this one a try, excellently executed whodoit. If you are a fan of paranormal romance, pick this one up, the romance is scorching hot. For me, I'll be looking forward to Ms. Jones's summer release, Second Grave on the Left and later, Third Grave Dead Ahead. Can't wait to see what happens with Reyes and the bevy of dead people who stroll into and out of Charley's mad and crazy life.

(From the author, Darynda Jones's website)

(Release Date:  August 16, 2011)

 From the Cover:

***WARNING: MAJOR SPOILER ALERT!!!***

*If you have not read book one, stop now!*

When Charley is rudely awakened in the middle of the night by her best friend who tells her to get dressed quickly and tosses clothes out the closet at her, she can’t help but wonder what Cookie’s up to. Leather scrunch boots with a floral miniskirt? Together? Seriously?

After dragging Charley out the door and trying unsuccessfully to stuff her into a trunk—mostly ‘cause Charley pitches a fit—Cookie finally explains that a friend of hers named Mimi disappeared five days earlier and that she just got a text from her setting up a meet at a coffee shop downtown. They show up at the coffee shop, but no Mimi. After a brief investigation, Charley finds a message on the bathroom wall. Mimi left a clue, a woman’s name. They head to the parking lot only to be accosted by a frantic husband with a gun. After some soothing words and a few deep breathing exercises, the husband, aka Warren Jacobs, hires Charley to find his wife. He explains that his wife had been acting strange since she found out an old friend of hers from high school had been found murdered a couple weeks prior. The same woman Mimi had named in her message.

Meanwhile, Reyes Alexander Farrow (otherwise known as the Son of Satan. Yes. Literally) has left his corporeal body and is haunting Charley. He’s left his body because he’s being tortured by demons who want to lure Charley closer. But Reyes can’t let that happen. Because if the demons get to Charley, they’ll have a portal to heaven. And if they have a portal to heaven…well, let’s just say it wouldn’t be pretty. Can Charley handle hot nights with Reyes and even hotter days tracking down a missing woman? Will Cookie ever get a true fashion sense? And is there enough coffee and chocolate in the world to fuel them as they do?

(Release Date:  To Be Announced)

From the Cover:

***WARNING: MAJOR SPOILER ALERT!!!***

*If you have not read book one, stop now!*

Charley Davidson—grim reaper extraordinaire, private investigator . . . meh—is practicing her profession under the influence, caffeine and copious amounts of it, due to an extreme desire to induce insomnia. Every time she closes her eyes, Reyes Farrow, the part-human, part-supermodel son of Satan, is there. Only thing is, he’s a tad peeved. She did bind for all eternity, so it’s hard blame him. But 13 days without a wink is bound to bring out the crazy in a girl. So, when a man hires her to find his wife, Charley accepts the job with one goal in mind: Put the man behind bars, and not the wet kind. She can sense the guilt waft off him and vows to find the woman’s body and prove he’s a murderer.

In the meantime, Reyes is back in prison and none too happy about it . . . so Charley thinks, until she is carjacked by the dark-haired rake, who swears the very man he went to prison for killing is not only alive, but close by. And he wants Charley to find him.

While a visit to her old friend Rocket sheds no light on Reyes’s situation, Charley finds out the man’s wife is still alive and time is running out. Finding her before she dies would be a miracle, but she has to try. Together with the help of a fashion-impaired receptionist named Cookie, Charley sets out to bring the bad guys to justice. She just hopes Reyes is not one of them. And that she’s not hallucinating from her self-induced bout with insomnia.

I received my review copy from PTA Reviewer Rewards and the author.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Charley Davidson—grim reaper extraordinaire, private investigator . . . meh—is practicing her profession under the influence, caffeine and copious amounts of it, due to an extreme desire to induce insomnia. Every time she closes her eyes, Reyes Farrow, the part-human, part-supermodel son of Satan, is there. Only thing is, he’s a tad peeved. She did bind for all eternity, so it’s hard blame him. But 13 days without a wink is bound to bring out the crazy in a girl. So, when a man hires her to find his wife, Charley accepts the job with one goal in mind: Put the man behind bars, and not the wet kind. She can sense the guilt waft off him and vows to find the woman’s body and prove he’s a murderer.

In the meantime, Reyes is back in prison and none too happy about it . . . so Charley thinks, until she is

Charley Davidson—grim reaper extraordinaire, private investigator . . . meh—is practicing her profession under the influence, caffeine and copious amounts of it, due to an extreme desire to induce insomnia. Every time she closes her eyes, Reyes Farrow, the part-human, part-supermodel son of Satan, is there. Only thing is, he’s a tad peeved. She did bind for all eternity, so it’s hard blame him. But 13 days without a wink is bound to bring out the crazy in a girl. So, when a man hires her to find his wife, Charley accepts the job with one goal in mind: Put the man behind bars, and not the wet kind. She can sense the guilt waft off him and vows to find the woman’s body and prove he’s a murderer.
In the meantime, Reyes is back in prison and none too happy about it . . . so Charley thinks, until she is carjacked by the dark-haired rake, who swears the very man he went to prison for killing is not only alive, but close by. And he wants Charley to find him.
While a visit to her old friend Rocket sheds no light on Reyes’s situation, Charley finds out the man’s wife is still alive and time is running out. Finding her before she dies would be a miracle, but she has to try. Together with the help of a fashion-impaired receptionist named Cookie, Charley sets out to bring the bad guys to justice. She just hopes Reyes is not one of them. And that she’s not hallucinating from her self-induced bout with insomnia.

carjacked by the dark-haired rake, who swears the very man he went to prison for killing is not only alive, but close by. And he wants Charley to find him.

While a visit to her old friend Rocket sheds no light on Reyes’s situation, Charley finds out the man’s wife is still alive and time is running out. Finding her before she dies would be a miracle, but she has to try. Together with the help of a fashion-impaired receptionist named Cookie, Charley sets out to bring the bad guys to justice. She just hopes Reyes is not one of them. And that she’s not hallucinating from her self-induced bout with insomnia

Congrats Amanda Hocking!

According to HuffPost Books:

"For more than five years, Amanda Hocking spent her days tending to disabled adults, making their meals and cleaning up after them. When she got home, she would crack open a can of Red Bull and start typing away at her novels.

Her effort to make it as a writer was at least as grinding as her day job, with countless rejections from book agents before Hocking stumbled across a promising new business model for aspiring authors: self-publishing and marketing through e-booksellers.

A little more than a year later, Hocking's novel "Switched" sits at No. 41 on USA Today's list of top 150 best-selling books – just a few notches below such major juggernauts as James Patterson and Maeve Binchy. Hocking's books also occupy slots 54, 57, 114 and 149 on the list, and on Thursday, the publishing world finally caught up when the 26-year-old college dropout signed a four-book deal with St. Martin's Press.

Hocking said the first book in a new "Watersong" series was slated for release in fall 2012. She declined to release details of the deal. St. Martin's Press confirmed the deal but would not comment further. But executives from two publishing houses who were interested in the books said bidding had reached seven figures. The executives asked not to be identified, citing confidentiality of negotiations.

During an interview, the author was coy about discussing publishing deals before finally coming clean about her relationship with St. Martin's. She's only written one of the four books in the 'Watersong' series, and won't say what it's about yet, although it's in the same paranormal romance vein as her other books.

Aimed at young adults, Hocking's books occupy the same territory as the enormously popular "Twilight" books by Stephenie Meyer. Hocking has written about vampires, zombies and trolls – a strategic decision that she says she made after scanning the shelves at Wal-Mart.

"I like vampires and they're popular," Hocking said. "So I thought, 'Why not write about them?'"

She has sold her books on such sites as Amazon's Kindle Store and Barnes & Noble's NOOKbooks at prices ranging from 99 cents to $2.99. Hocking keeps up to 70 percent of the sales.

She sold a few hundred books last May, and the numbers slowly grew to a few thousand before spiking to more than 100,000 in December. Monthly sales reports Hocking provided to The Associated Press showed more than 333,000 sold in January and another 300,000 in February, enough to back her claim to have sold between $1.4 million to $2 million in e-books."


See what a self-published author was able to accomplish... all on her own!!  Woo hoo Ms. Hocking!!

(for those of you that know me, Amanda Hocking became a favorite over Christmas... I've bought her My Blood Approves series and her Trylle Trilogy as soon as I opened my iPad on Christmas, and I've been enjoying her books since!)

Monday Morning Flash Fiction Challenge, Week 33

Good Monday Morning!!

Well, blogger seems to be working for me again. Thankfully. I hate it when I want to post and can't. I'm rushed this morning... for a multitude of reasons... so without delay.... it's time for the Monday Morning Flash Fiction Challenge~

 

I was going to use one of B's images this morning, but honestly, I don't remember if it one she sent me or not.... lol... I've slept too much in between and don't know where the image came from.  I like it, but with the way I've been struggling.... I may or may not end up with a response. (I'm hoping we haven't used it before LOL!! Someone let me know.... please.... lol)

This image is one of Christophe Vacher's lovely images and I can't wait to see what type of responses this evokes.... I'm in love with the colors and the aloneness, with the wide openness... the shear massive size it....

The rules remain the same, 350 words or there about, and come back Friday to post a response. I so happy other have chosen to join us on our journey of flash fiction writing, if anyone else would like to play along, the more the merrier!! It's been six months plus since Amy and I started on this little adventure, and I've seen some really great writing, seen the growth of those writers, and I've enjoyed every minute of it! So, thanks to everyone who has played along!

Have a great week!!

Ciao Bella!!

Monday Morning Flash Fiction Challenge, Week 32..... The Friday Post

Well, blogosphere buddies.... I have had trouble accessing blogger all day long!!  But, better late than never... it's only 9 pm, only about 12 hours late.....  So, here's my response to this week's flash image.

Magic Most Foul, part 2

by Dottie Taylor

word count: 415

Kayla glanced at the scene around her. Death was everywhere. How could it have all gone so wrong? She squinted into the smoke filled sky, buzzards circled overhead. She turned to leave, nothing left but the feelings of inadequacy.

She should have been doing her job, instead she let herself become detained. True, it was in the service of the Realm, but she should have been here. Where were her sisters? Why hadn't they called out to her? She could only wonder.

As she made her way, she finally felt Keta touch her thoughts. “Sister, we have been betrayed.” It made her blood run cold.

“Mother?” She probed, but there was no greeting or warmth, only a coldness touched her thoughts. “Sera?” Again, there was nothing but a chilled feeling. “Keta, what has happened?”

“Come, you must see with your eyes, and claim your throne.”

Iciness filled her veins, it could only mean her mother was dead and Keta unable to fulfill her oath.

Back to the village she turned, back to the death she sought to avoid.

In the square, she found Keta with Kieran pressed against her breast. Was he alive? She couldn't tell, but her sister's eyes were what scared her the most.

She dropped to her knees, taking Keta's hand, “What has happened? Where is Mother, Sera?”

Keta told her the whole terrible story, no tears left to shed. “I must make the journey into the After Lands.”

“No, Keta, you must claim the crown yourself, to refuse is blasphemous.” Kayla looked at her older sister, seeing her with new eyes.

“Don't you see, Kieran is lost there. If I'm to live, I must free him. You must take my place upon the throne, send me to him. There is no other choice.”

“And what if you free him, he's consort to the Queen. No, I will not take your throne, you must send me into the After Lands. Let me take your place, I do not have the skill to lead the Realm, nor did Sera.”

Though she could see the wisdom in Kayla's words, she knew Kieran would release himself to no other.

Taking her sister's face between her hands, Keta locked on her gaze. “I must go.”

“I will not take your throne, but I will guard it for you while you're gone.” Kayla sighed resigned. Keta would get her wish.


So.... not sure I like this addition, but I really struggled trying to writing something for this flash.  Don't know why...

I'll be by to check everyone else's responses, see how everyone else fared... For next week's image, I'm thinking out of B's she sent me earlier...

So, join us again on Monday for another edition of....

Have a great weekend!

Ciao!

Breaking Down, An All-New Unauthorized Parody by Maia Kinney-Petrucha, Stefan Petruchia, & Rick Parker

Publisher:  Papercutz
Pages:  64

About the Book:

PAPERCUTZ SLICES #2 "Breaking Down"

Stefan Petrucha, writer

Rick Parker, artist

The team that brought you the best-selling Diary of a Stinky Dead Kid cuts up the best-selling series starring love-sick vampires and jealous werewolves! The "Twilight Saga" gets sliced up in this unauthorized parody of the blockbuster book and movie series! For fans sick of glittery vampires and wonky werewolves, here's an hilarious antidote.

6 x 9, 64 pages, full-color

Paperback: ISBN: 978-1-59707-244-1, $6.99

Where to buy:

You can find us at general bookstores everywhere (especially Barnes & Noble), on the web everywhere like Amazon.com and at comic bookstores: to find one nearest you, call the Comic Shop Locator Service at 888 COMIC BOOK.

CALL 1-800-886-1223 (M-F, 9am-6pm) with your order and credit card information.

Please note your credit card will be billed by NBM Publishing.

OR WRITE IN YOUR ORDER TO:

Papercutz , 1200 Old County Rd. Rte. 523, Flemington, NJ 08822

Make check payable to NBM Publishing.

or e-mail admin at nbmpub.com, call 212 643 5407, fax 212 643 1545 

This is a quick little read, all four book in one fatal wack! (nightlight, too soon, ellipses, and breaking down) Fredward and Bleh are hilariously ridiculous, J-Bob can't keep his shirt on (and boy, should he...), and Bleh's dad is kind of bleh....and clueless....

If you want a fun look at sparkly vampires and hairy werewolves (and buggy zombies), take a peek inside the comic graphic novel.  Well worth 30 minutes of your time!! I had a blast, laughing... and at times, completely grossed out.  First time I enjoyed being grossed out!  LOL  All graphic novel fans should pick this one up, too fun to miss!

This is not your usual graphic novel, it has a glossy cover, glossy pages with true color print drawings, a keeper for any vampire lovers bookshelf (or any graphic novel lovers bookshelf).

I received my review copy from the author, Stefan Petrucha. All opinions expressed are my own.

Lust by Charlotte Featherstone

Publisher: Spice, Harlequin
Pages:  377

(Release Date:  January 31, 2011)

From the Cover:

Of old, humans and Faeries have dwelt side by side in parallel realms. Only the canniest mortals recognize the alluring creatures that often walk—and lie—among them.

The righteous Fae of the Seelie Court cherish an ancient quarrel with their Dark counterparts: a curse born of anger and deceit. The Unseelie Court will perish unless one of its princes can win a woman's love—honestly, without coercion…and love her wholly in return.

To halt the slow demise of his people, Prince Thane—the embodiment of Lust—infiltrates the Georgian court to seduce his mortal inverse. Noblewoman Chastity Lennox is purity incarnate—a sensual prize well worth winning. But Thane's carnal quest proves more challenging than he ever dreamed.

No other has ever been able—or willing—to resist his erotic charms. Chastity's resolve is maddening…and intriguing. It makes him want her all the more. But how best to seduce one who truly seems above temptation? Discover her greatest weakness and become the intoxicating essence of her deepest, most forbidden desires….

Chastity is beyond temptation, such is her gift and her curse, her attention is only called by the one who completes her purpose. She and her sisters proudly hold their heads and their virtues high, again part of the gift and their curse. 


Thane, a prince of the Unseelie Court, desires to crack Chastity's resolve, his desire for her is unlike any he has known before. And he will have her, willingly given, by glamour if need be if only temporarily.  But his court needs love given freely, so by love it will have to be.


Chastity's father, had made a deal with the Seelie Queen, promising away his daughters to their court, but he has also made a deal with the Unseelie Prince, for great wealth, with payment to be made later.  When both come seeking his daughters, he's at a quandary... who to refuse? Both are dangerous. The answer is obvious, the Unseelie are unworthy, dark, dangerous, depraved. But Chastity has already lost her heart, she feels little desire to prop up the Seelie Court... Will she follow her heart or her duty?


Lust by Charlotte Featherstone is another beautifully told tale of sensual desire.  Prince Thane has been promised his heart's desire, and the Unseelie Court is dying, it needs love, it needs the virtues. The Queen of the Seelie Court has cursed the Unseelie Court with death, unless their Princes can win love, not steal it or coerce it, and the virtues are their only hope.  But the virtues in the form of Chastity and her sisters, have been promised to the Seelie Court, and the Queen will see them in her home. It becomes a battle of wills and love to see who will be the winners and survivors, Seelie or Unseelie?  Love is the answer.


Lust was a wonderfully told tale, with mythological beginnings in the fae world. The Seelie Court may not be an good and pure as thought to be, they are not below coercion to get what they want, by crook or by foul. The Unseelie Court  has at it's core the desire to take want it wants, but that's how they ended up cursed. Now, if they are going to survive, they have to give up their wicked ways, and learn to love and give love if they're going to survive. Charlotte Featherstone does not fall to deliver in Lust, I found myself pulling for the Unseelie princes with their darkness, while the beautiful Seelies tried to work their magic. If you're a fan of sensual tales, dark magic, historical romances, this is a book for you. Lovers of paranormal romance will also find a home in this story, it's filled with sensual romance that will pull at your heart. I recommend picking it up, nice done tale of fae against humanity, love over duty.

I received the ebook for review from Net Galley and Harlequin.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Sassy Sunday Story Starter.... from Sassy Brit 'Alternative-Read'

Well, late again, but at least I managed to get a response to this wonderful prompt provided by Daniel Arenson @ Sassy Brit's Alternative Read.  I really enjoy this one, but then I really enjoy them all!!

So, this is how I saw this week's prompt:

Gangster's Dance

by: Dottie Taylor

word count: 600

When she kicked open the door, gun in hand, she found them waiting.

Sam slammed her back against the wall, holstering her gun, recognition in her eyes. “You been waiting long?”

“Nah,” Blonde ponytail smiled, then challenged, “Boss said to give you a try. Think you can take us?”

“Why the hell not. I don't have anything better to do.”

At once, the melee started, Blondie sprang into action, and the one holding up the far wall casually strolled forward, ready to take Blondie's place, should there be a need. He glanced at his nails, picked imaged fuzz from his lapel. He had a nice vanilla scent rolling off his body, his only appealing feature. Both men were walking steroid adverts, all biceps, rock-hard abs, thick thighs. When Blondie's body slid to the tiled floor, Vanilla's eyes were unbelieving.

He dropped to a fighting stance, holding out a hand. He winked, blew a kiss, and smiled as he motioned her forward.

Bastard. He thought he was better than Blondie. Hell, better than her.... news flash, pal, not even on a bad day.

She grinned and stepped forward, bringing her knee up hard into Vanilla's groin. She never said the fight would be fair. He gasped as he went down howling, “Bitch!” He joined Blondie who had started moving. He was going to need some ice if he ever wanted to use his jewels again.

“Fuck you. Who the hell do you think you are?” She looked over at the pair.

Behind her another voice answered, “They're my new bodyguards, and I can see, I've been sorely misled.” The Boss walked over to his wannabees and kicked at them with a polish wing tip. “Get up off our asses now! Gawd damn it, get the fuck up!” He spun around, pointing a manicure finger, “And you, that's enough! You think these guys grow on trees?”

“I think before you come into my home again, I should have some warning. Next time, I might just start shooting, instead of ass kicking.” Her eyes glowed daggers in their depths.

The Boss turned away and grinned, this is why she was his girl, she took shit from nobody. He schooled his face and turned back to face her. “Last time I looked, I signed your check too.”

She paused with her hand on her holstered gun. “You really wanna go there?”

He had the grace to look uncomfortable. “You know what I mean.”

“Yeah, but your ass doesn't own mine. Don't start acting like it does.”

He swallowed, glancing back at Blondie and Vanilla. “You let a 5 foot, 100 pound girl kick your asses?”

“Sorry Boss, won't happen again.”

“Fucking liars. What to try again?” She cracked her knuckles.

They looked at each other. “No ma'am.”

“Then, get the hell out of my house.”

“Yes, ma'am.” Blondie walked away, but Vanilla wasn't as lucky, he was having trouble moving his legs.

She sighed, “Hold up.” She turned into the kitchen, coming back with a small ice pack. “Here, least I can do.”

He gingerly rested the ice against his throbbing jewels, sighing. “Thanks.”

“Don't mention, ever. Get out.”

He eased around her, making for the door.

The Boss gave her a heated look, “I'll see you tonight?”

She glanced over at him. “Got a job. Maybe later.”

He leaned in with a punishing kiss, bruising her lips. “Make sure you do.”

Her eyes glinted. “Prick.”

Monday Morning Flash Fiction Challenge, Week 32

Good Afternoon Blogobuddies!!

Today is my wedding anniversary, so before I do anything else, I want to send a hug and a kiss to my hubby.  We've been out shopping all day, and he took me out to lunch... it was so nice!!!  We've been married so long, I can't remember what it's like not to be!  LOL

Since it's Monday (way past morning...), it's time for a new....

For today's flash, I grabbed another of Michelle's images.  This one isn't as violent as last weeks, but I still feel the need for urban fantasy, so.... Hope everyone enjoys the image.  I know I will, lol, it's a beautiful image....

The rules remain the same, 350 words (or there about.... I'm usually way over) and come back Friday and post your response.  Everyone is welcome to play along, so if you like to read or write flash fiction, please, come join us!!

Have a great week everyone!

Ciao!

Promo ~ Invincible, Book 2, Chronicles of Nick by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Publisher:  St. Martin's Press
Pages:  480

(Release Date:  March 22, 2011)

From the Cover:

Just when he thought things couldn’t get any worse...

Nick Gautier’s day just keeps getting better and better. Yeah, he survived the zombie attacks, only to wake up and find himself enslaved to a world of shapeshifters and demons out to claim his soul.

His new principal thinks he’s even more of a hoodlum than the last one, his coach is trying to recruit him to things he can’t even mention and the girl he’s not seeing, but is, has secrets that terrify him.

But more than that, he’s being groomed by the darkest of powers and if he doesn’t learn how to raise the dead by the end of the week, he will become one of them...

This is one of the hottest YA book trailers I've seen!!

URL:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0k71_UBFeA


WEBSITE WITH EXCERPT:


http://www.sherrilynkenyon.com/book_profile.php?id=93

Monday Morning Flash Fiction Challenge, Week 31..... The Friday Post

Good Friday Morning!!

Okay, my bad, I forgot today was Friday.... no flash fiction ready.... but I took the first 40 minutes, after the kids left and husband out the door to work, and hurriedly let my fingers fly over the keyboard. I kind of like what I came up with, hope you do too. It's been so busy here this week. So much controversy, so much pressure. Both of my kids in high school had their lives (and yes, with a high schooler, everything is their lives...) screwed up by the administration at the school. Kirsten isn't getting her college credit, due to teacher error, and Patrick can't get his driver's license until his instructor figures out what the hell he did wrong. The DMV has to no record of Patrick, which is odd, they issued him a driving permit. Baffling.

Oh well, I've spent the last three days trying to unravel the high school's mess. I can't think of anything else to do, lol. It will have to wait until next week when the administrator with the college is back, and the driver's ed teacher has returned from conference. No happy kids for the weekend. But, they'll get over it, they're good kids.

Now, for the flash. Michelle's image was marvelous!! I absolutely loved it. It was easy to write for, the words flowed and flowed. I could use a steady diet...

Magic Most Foul

by: Dottie Taylor

word count: 700

Keta felt the air slicing around her... swush.... swush... as the battle ax made a complete arc around her body, long carmine hair, flowing out behind her, reflecting the blood as it fell upon the ground. She swung in a half circle, never leave your back unguarded, ran through her mind ...swush... swush..., she cleaved the air. Quickly she whirled away and back up, twisting to take in her surroundings, where would be the next attack come from? Left? Right? Behind? No where was safe.

Feet pounded the hard packed dirt of the courtyard. Frak! More of the Queen's soldiers. And she drew in her Ki tightly, centering herself, waiting for the next attack. She braced herself, shields fell into place. BOOM! BOOM! The magic bounded off harmlessly, and the first grin of the day broke across her features. Mages. Useless. She turned to the left to face them.

Kieran. He stood in front of her. At least his body did. The sapphire eyes she knew so well, where she had lovingly gazed, that had made love to her over and over again, now vacant, empty, his soul possessed. Frakking bitch. She'd pay.

Before he could respond, she swiftly brought back the hilt of her sword, smashing his forehead, feeling it give, and he fell to the ground, unconscious. “Forgive me...” She didn't have time to cry, feel, pray.

Maybe there was hope, if the point of her blade pierced the Queen's heart, if she could release those she held captive with her witch's mind. It would mean taking her head, but that was okay, she could live with one more death brought by her hands.

Behind Kieran stood the others waiting to take his place, same vacant stares. With a frightening roar, they attacked as one, all reason gone, faces twisted into unrecognizable masks. Keta twisted, swinging out in a wide arc, as they encircled her. Heads rolled away, but their bodies remained standing momentarily, before collapsing into heaps of human waste. She heaved deep breathes, around her rode the stench of coppery blood. She had prepared her whole life, but each time it was as horrible as the first.

She turned, racing up the stairs that led to the royal tower. More soldiers, more death as her battle axe fell again and again, blood now splattered her robe in long crimson swatches making the fabric heavy, and she let it slip from her body, her arms hard to lift, weighted with exhaustion. She needed to be done.

She burst into the throne room, and the Queen sat in all her glory, her face split into an ugly grin. “Keta, sister, come, join me. I've been waiting.” Sera held out her hand as if in a welcome beckoning, but behind the gesture, a explosion of power slammed into Keta's body, halting her forward momentum. She cringed and panted as she continued to push forward, and more power impacted her. She screamed in an effort to push through..... “STINKING.... HEARTLESS.... BITCH....!” Keta's body shrieked in pain. Finally, she pushed passed the magic, her shields weakened, but still holding.

Keta savagely grinned, baring her teeth. “Mother sends her greetings.” As she gazed upon her sister, Keta could still see her mother's blood soaking Sera's hands, as she took her crown, proclaiming the Realm for herself. Keta rapidly brought back her Katana, and with a scream, she flung it across the room where it found it's mark. Her sister and queen fell in a useless heap, but her cackling still rang in her ears as well as her last words. “He's mine now. Lost to you forever!”

Kieran gazed around, his thoughts loose, floating, where was he? Where was Keta? She'd been here moments before. Slowly his consciousness slipped away again, back into the nothingness, dreaming of Keta and her body, hard, muscled, ready for him in every way. His hands itched to stroke her, but for now, his dreams would have to do.

Keta raced back to the courtyard, falling to her knees, as she begged, “please, please!” Kieran laid helpless, lost and she gathering him close, rocking gently, bitter tears falling upon his face. And he slept.


I know, again with the word count!! If you've chosen to play along, stop by, let me know. And I'll be by to take a peek!

And remember to join us again on Monday for...

Have a great weekend!!


ps:  Japan is in crisis and asking for donations... if you can help, please do.... thank you!!


Lea has infected me with this song!!

Sassy Sunday Story Starter.... from Sassy Brit 'Alternative-Read'

I've been meaning to post a response to Sassy Brit's Sunday Story Starter, this week's prompt from Kiki Howell, and I kept getting delayed, until I looked up and it was Tuesday... Oh, my.... So, here it is, late but better than never...

 

The Beauty and The Beast

by: Dottie Taylor

word count:  786

Despite the heat from the fire which warmed her skin, an icy chill ran the length of her spine as if ice was being poured down her back. "What are you?" she dared ask the shadowed figure, the one which was as menacing as it was seductive.

Gwynith had been shown into the Lord's library to wait for Denbarry. As she peered into the shadows, the figured moved within them once more. Something about this shadowy figure called to her, pulled her heartstrings, and she moved closer.

“I'm too horrible for your eyes, milady.” He spoke with a slur, and folded the shadows deeper around himself.

She reached out, brushing the shadows with her fingertips, and he hissed, jerking back.

“You mustn't, milady, my body is too corrupt with foulness.” He leaned further back, but as he turned away, even more of his form was revealed. His body appeared to be twisted, deformed, animalistic. Yet, she could see a cravat with an emblem of nobility held at his throat.

“What has happen to you, milord?” She cried, and again she reached out, stepping into the shadows, to find the man cringing back.

He roared, baring canines long enough for a tiger, and as he brought his hands to cover his face, claws clung to his fingertips, large enough for a wolf. He chest was broad and a sheen of fur bristled up from his collar of his fine silk shirt that stretched to the point of bursting. When he walked, his pants shifted oddly, and he wore no shoes, even though it was the dead of winter.

Then, she caught sight of his face, behind the hair, the teeth, the leathered skin, on her soul, it was Lord Denbarry!

She gasped, and crept closer when all of her instincts screamed to leave, run away as fast and far as her legs could carry her. But her pride made her stay, she had given her word, and keep it she would. Her heart pounded, and still she moved closer until she stood at his elbow which she tentatively touched.

“Lord Denbarry? It is I, Gwynith.” She whispered, and leaned closer, “what has happened to you, milord?” She had left three years prior, to attend school, but she was home now. The first person she had sought out had been Lord Denbarry.

“It was a perversion, an evilness visited upon me.” He looked down, he fisted his hands, hiding his claws. “My family curse,” he whispered, “on my twenty-five birthday, this was my gift. During the daylight hours, I am as normal as any other gentleman, but as dusk falls upon the light, the shift occurs, and the beast is born.” He glanced away, looked anywhere but upon her face where she might see his true horror, his eyes, black orbs surrounding blood red pinpoints.

She reached out, drawing his face back to her, and he squeezed his eyes. “Please leave me, please Gwynith, do not gaze upon me.” Tears glisten in the corners of his tightly closed eyes. Why did it have to be Gwynith, he furiously thought, anyone but her. He remembered how she looked as a child, auburn pigtails, frogs in her dress pockets, she had followed him around like a lost puppy, infatuated by the boy of the manor, and truthfully, he had always waited for her in the mornings so they could chase through the marshes together. He secretly delighted in it.

Finally she spoke, “Denbarry, I'm not some frail miss, I will not faint away. Three years ago, I told you I would return, and so I have.” She reached to take his... hand, and he was still the same Denbarry she remembered from childhood.

Slowly, Denbarry let her lead him to the fire and pushed him into the chair before it. It was the first time he'd seen her clearly, without the darkness of the shadows or the play of the fire across her features, and he caught his breath. She astounded him with her beauty, tiny stature, curling auburn hair which fell delicately over her shoulders with a springy bounce, bright green eyes sparking with intelligence, red full lips which begged for kisses, and the body of Athena herself. In that moment as she held his hand, unafraid, he knew his heart was lost to her forever. His beauty.

As Gwynith lead him across the room, she remembered all the times in her childhood he had been so indulgent, so kind, when he didn't have to be. She gazed upon him, even as the beast, he was a marvel of wonder. Again, her heart tugged and broke just a little, and she realized that no matter his appearance, she belonged to him, had and would always belong to him. She let her fingers linger upon his arm with possessiveness. Her beast.

Promo ~ Shimmer by Alyson Noël

Publisher:  St. Martin's Press / Macmillan Children's Publishing Group

Pages:  208

(Release Date:  March 15, 2011)

Having solved the matter of the Radiant Boy, Riley, Buttercup, and Bodhi are enjoying a well-deserved vacation. When Riley comes across a vicious black dog, against Bodhi's advice, she decides to cross him over. While following the dog, she runs into a young ghost named Rebecca. Despite Rebecca's sweet appearance, Riley soon learns she's not at all what she seems. As the daughter of a former plantation owner, she is furious about being murdered during a slave revolt in 1733. Mired in her own anger, Rebecca is lashing out by keeping the ghosts who died along with her trapped in their worst memories. Can Riley help Rebecca forgive and forget without losing herself to her own nightmarish memories?







I loved Radiance, can't wait to take a peek at Shimmer!

Find out more about Shimmer here, including audio excerpts and Riley's diary:

http://www.alysonnoel.com/radiance/shimmer.php

Link to trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZqW7rJyvDU

Awakened (House of Night Series, Book 8) by P.C. Cast + Kristin Cast

Publisher:  St. Martin's Press / Macmillian
Pages:  304

(Released:  January 4, 2011)

From the Cover:

“My love, speak to me.  Tell me everything.”  Neferet went to Kalona, kneeling before him, stroking the soft, dark wings that unfurled loosely around the immortal. 

“What would you have me say?”  He didn’t meet her eyes.  

 “Zoey lives.” Neferet’s voice was flat, cold, lifeless.

“She does.”

“Then you owe me the subservience of your immortal soul.”  She started to walk away from him.
“Where are you going?  What will happen next?”

 “It is quite simple.  I will ensure Zoey is drawn back to Oklahoma.  There, on my own terms, I will complete the task you failed.”

Exonerated by the Vampyre High Council and returned to her position of High Priestess at Tulsa’s House of Night, Neferet has sworn vengeance on Zoey.  Dominion over Kalona is only one of the weapons she plans to use against Z.  But Zoey has found sanctuary on the Isle of Skye and is being groomed by Queen Sgiach to take over for her there.  Being Queen would be cool, wouldn’t it?  Why should she return to Tulsa? After losing her human consort, Heath, she will never be the same – and her relationship with her super-hot-warrior, Stark, may never be the same either…

And what about Stevie Rae and Rephaim?  The Raven Mocker refuses to be used against Stevie Rae, but what choice does he have when no one in the entire world, including Zoey, would be okay with their relationship?  Does he betray his father or his heart?

In this installment of the House of Night series, Neferet has returned as the High Priestess at House of Night, even after all she has done, all she hopes to do. The Darkness has stolen anything that was left of her soul, even though she convinces the Council otherwise. If Neferet has anything to say with Z's outcome, Zoey will not fair well.

But Zoey has found the Isle of Skye, and though everything isn't exactly as it appears to be, she's preparing for the next step in her life, until she's call back to Tulsa, and to the House of Night.


Awakened by P.C. Cast + Kristin Cast is another enthralling installment to the House of Night Series. In this installment, Neferet has all of the Vampire High Council fooled, and has been allowed to return to the House of Night... even after everything she has done.  And this time, she's out for blood, Zoey Redbird's blood, but she's not above using others to draw Zoey out.  But, Zoey has other worries, she's lost Heath, but her sworn Warrior in the form of Stark has stayed on the Isle of Skye with Zoey, both healing, and exploring their burgeoning relationship.  I've read where others have thought this book is too racy for YA readers (and yes, for very young YA readers, like high el ed readers and middle grade readers, they probably should choose other reading material, from book 1... it has been a little too mature for very young readers), but I have to argue with that theory, the House of Night Series has always held a certain element of sexuality, it makes the story more real and, honestly, more heartening.  Stevie Rae and Rapheim's growing relationship, which he is hiding from his father, Kalona, is turning out to be an excellent reason to continue reading, even if you have questions about Zoey.  But, there's more going on with Zoey, more things yet to happen, and she'll need all those she trusts around her.

Awakened is another excellent addition to the HON series, it's not to be missed!  If you love Neferet in all her evil glory, you'll want to read this book, she seeks her revenge against Zoey and Stevie Rae. If you're longing to see more of Stevie Rae and Rapheim (like I am), then this is a must read! If you love Zoey (even with her teen angst... come on, she is a teen, a powerful one, but still a teen) and Stark (even if Kalona can seep into his body, waiting to see where this will lead), then pick up this new installment, there's so much going on, it's a page turning read! If you haven't read the House of Night series before, this is not the place to start... Go back to book 1, Marked, and discover Zoey, her grandmother, Neferet when we all hoped she was good, sweet Stevie Ray... this is one of the best series I've read, and each book is another feast for my senses, and for my voracious appetite for HON.  I highly recommend this series and book for all lovers of YA, vampire paranormal romance/urban fantasy.  There is excellent world and mythology building throughout the entire series.  It is a series not to be missed. If you'd like more information about the authors, visit the HON Series, P.C. Cast, and Kristin Cast.

Series in Order:

1 - Marked
2 - Betrayed
3 - Chosen
4 - Untamed
5 - Hunted
6 - Tempted
7 - Burned
8 - Awakened
9 - Destined (November 2011?)

Yet to come Books 10, 11, and 12

I received Awakened from Tara @zeitghostmedia.com and the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Monday Morning Flash Fiction Challenge, Week 31

Good Monday Morning!

Wow!  I can't believe we're almost 3/4 of the way through a year of Flash Fiction!  Woot!  If we could put all of our flashes together, we'd have a helluva book!  LOL  (Sorry for the late posting, but I had to wait for the guys to come and install my new washer/dryer..... yay!..... yeah, when the dryer started sounding like a freight train moving through the house, my husband finally decided it might be time to get a new one.  I have been pitching a .. well you can imagine.) Anyway.... since it's Monday.... it's time for...

So, I went fishing in Michelle's treasure trove of images... and I found one that both Michelle and Blodeuedd said looked like a good flash image.... hope everyone enjoys it!!

This is a beautiful image, full of color, emotion, conflict!  I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with!

If you choose to play along, the rules remain the same.... 350 words (or there about) and come back Friday to post your response.  Everyone is welcome to join in, all you need is a desire to tell a story.  And let your creative juices flow!

Have a great week!!

(If you want a little more flash fiction, head over to Alternative Reads and visit Sassy Brit, she has a most excellent  Sunday Sassy Story Starter... I'll be posting my response later today.  She also has a most excellent contest going on... check it out!!)

Ciao!!

Monday Morning Flash Fiction Challenge, Week 30..... The Friday Post

Good Friday Morning!

It's been a long week here, it's cold again. I don't think winter is going to release us this year.... the cost of gas is still rising, it's 3.59 per gallon here.  We've cut down on driving, shopping, going to movies.  We live in a small rural community, so if we don't go outside of town, we basically trapped, lol.  Glad we have cable TV.

Also, I want to let all those on the pacific coast line from Japan to Oregon, my thoughts are with you. Stay safe and take care.

Now, for today's post.  It's Friday, so it's time for the response to Monday's beautiful prompt:

Bean Sidhe

by: Dottie Taylor

word count: 840

So many souls, all begging for release, Fiona wandered through the cemetery, brushing her fingertips along the tops of the gravestones, lingering on the ones where the spirit still wrestled. No one said being a bean sidhe was going to be easy. But the voices pounding in her head... they wouldn't stop. She was afraid it was slowly driving her insane.

She taken to wearing sunglass even in the limited light of the evenings, her eyes burned at the merest glimmer of the stuff, sending her head into a pounding beat, exciting the voices, bursting with need.

How was she supposed to stop this senseless grinding? How was she even supposed to understand, the voices seemed to blend into one throbbing need, but how to relieve it?

Ahead was a large mausoleum, and she sank into the soft mossy feel of the carpeting grass, resting her head against the cool concrete. Please, please, please... make it stop.

“Aye, there, young one,” someone called over her shoulder. Fiona stiffed, she hadn't seen anyone else since she'd entered the cemetery.

“Come here, I won't bite cha,” and slowly Fiona twisted her head around, looking down. There sitting in the grass, two gravestones away, rested a small body. As if she had no control, Fiona stood and made her way to the small voice.

“There ya be, and have a seat.” Commanded the small person, whether real or imaginary, Fiona was unsure, but she lower herself to rest against the gravestone.

“Are you real? Or a figment of my imagination?” Fiona questioned, had she finally lost her mind?

“Aye, I'm quite real, and for a price, ye may have my help.” A wicked grin covered the small person's features, smiling with a grotesquely wide brimming grin, one reaching from one ear to the ear.

“And what is it that you'll be helping me with?” Fiona closed her eyes, trying to seal away the voices that had grown louder since sitting beside this small person offering help.

“Why dontcha know girlie, the voices, I can show ya how tau let em go!” A cackle crawled along Fiona's flesh, raising the small hairs, and bringing gooseflesh in their place, and she knew, faery glamour filled her vision.

“And what is the 'cost' of this great bit of advice going to be?” Fiona shivered, closing her eyes once again as her head rested against the stone, when there was a shifting in the air, and suddenly the figure grew, and Fiona's eyes widened. In it's place stood a beautiful woman, holding out her hand.

“Tis such a little thing,” the woman took on a musical quality and it sang across Fiona's skin, but the smile.... it felt like a wolf's grin. Fiona could almost see the fangs in her smile, “such a small request...”

“And it would be....?” Fiona flinched, trying to scoot away, but the woman held her in place with her emerald green stare. Fiona was positive she didn't want this woman's help, felt it in her soul.

“Why just your first born, my sweet.” The woman leaned down and touched Fiona's middle, where someday, life would move within her.

Fiona cringed away, as a scream broke from her lips. The woman's touch was a like a fire to blaze through her abdomen.

“Get away from me!” Fiona shouted shakily as she finally managed to breakaway. “You'll never own a piece of my soul!”

“Aye, but you're wrong,” and the woman grinned, her glamour growing stronger, pushing Fiona.

And abruptly the woman, the voices, the mind bending pressure became too much to bear. On instinct, Fiona flung back her head, opening her arms, and yawning her jaws wide. A screaming cry burst from her throat, ripping her vocal cords, her throat bloodying, and the gathering souls slipped in and out. The relief was immense.

“What have you done!” The woman cried, cringing away from the souls as they reached out to grasp her, wrenching her limbs, dragging her body away.

“Fulfilling my duty,” Fiona smiled, Gods, it felt like the sun was shining in the darkest part of the night.

Fiona lifted the sunglasses from her eyes, flinging them to the ground, and opened her arms wide in an embrace with the sky. Laughter bubbled up and out, and when she glanced down, the woman was gone, but the souls still remained. Together, the bean sidhe and souls danced through the night.

In the morning, Fiona awoke to find herself surrounded by the quiet gravestones, the souls finally finding their homes. It was her duty to release the souls, and now she understood. Her screams were the songs that the souls needed to be guide them to the next plane.

Fiona stood, making her way home, but on the eve of the ides, on her birthday, she would return to release the souls clinging to life. It was her duty, passed from mother to daughter. Bean Sidhe.


I know, waaaay over the word count!  At least, for me, it was easier to write for... though again, I'm not sure I like it.  I'm so fickle.  Next week, it'll be one of Michelle's images!


If you've decided to play along, I'll be by to take a peek at your response.

Have a great weekend!

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension!

Starring: Peter Weller, Jeff Goldblum, Ellen Barkin, John Lithgow, Christopher Lloyd, Robert Ito, Carl Lumbly, Den Hedaya, Clancy Brown, Pepe Serna, Billy Vera, Vincent Schiavelli, and Lewis Smith
Director: W. D. Richter
Running time:103 minutes

(Retro Love.... Released: 1984)

Adventurer/surgeon/rock musician Buckaroo Banzai and his band of men, the Hong Kong Cavaliers, take on evil alien invaders from the 8th dimension. 

Good Morning Boys and Girls Not of the 8th Dimension!!

As I'm sitting here contemplating the next great read of this week (4 books are counting).., I flipped on the big screen to discover a delivery as arrive via Mr. Peabody's wayback machine. So, everyone, make sure your hands and feet are tucked safely inside the machine, sit back, and strap in because it's going to be a wild freaking ride!

I have a guilty little secret.... I have always been and will always be.... a freaking HUGE fan of Buckaroo Banzai... there's just something about this movie. Everytime it's on, I have to watch (this is the second time I've watched it today.... please someone HELP ME!!  I'm trapped in retroville and can't get out!!) LOL

Honestly, I love this movie, everything about it. The humor, the sarcastic remarks, the play on words, the characters, the freaking Hong Kong Cavaliers!

*****

For those of the uninitiated... The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension is a scifi fantasy romantic spoof of all the Hollywood greats and wannabes.  

The lead character, Dr. Buckaroo Banzai (Peter Weller), is a neurosurgeon, particle physicist, rock star, race car driver, comic book hero, adventurer, and the would be savior of the world.

 (Buckaroo Banzai's Comic Book)

His Japanese father and American mother were scientists working with the very first jet car equipped with an Oscillation Overthruster, a device which allows their jet car to pass through solid matter. While testing their device, they are tragically killed while young Buckaroo looks on...

 (Sandra Banzai [Jamie Lee Curtis], Masado Banzai [James Saito] and
young Buckaroo Banzai [Greg Mires] during the first jet car experiments of 1955... deleted scene)

He is then raised by their trusted colleague, Dr. Hikita (Robert Ito). Unbeknown to Dr. Hikita and young Buckaroo, his parents invention was sabotaged by the mastermind criminal, Hanoi Xan.

 (Dr. Hikita - Robert Ito)

This causes Buckaroo to take up his parents dream to create an operational Oscillation Overthruster, and he succeeds!!

 

Success at last!!

(Oscillation Overthruster)

 Just a man and his jet car....

But, after a hard day of neurosurgeoning and jet car driving.... he comes out of play with the Hong Kong Cavaliers.

(rock star incarnation...Leader of the Hong Kong Cavaliers)

The Hong Kong Cavaliers - Buckaroo Banzai (Peter Weller), Rawhide (Clancy Brown), Reno Nevada (Pepe Serna), Perfect Tommy (Lewis Smith), Pinky Carruthers (Billy Vera) and New Jersey (Jeff Goldblum) There are others, but these are the only ones in the movie....

Motto: Treat me good, I'll treat you better. Treat me bad, I'll treat you worse.

Perfect Tommy... just because he's perfect... and eye candy pretty..

(Hero... No matter where you go, there you are...)

But with success, comes the consequences.... 

Dr. Lizardo, housed at the Trent Home for the Criminally Insane, escapes to try to steal the overthruster. Dr. Lizardo was at one time a legitimate scientist, attempting to create his own overthruster. Major fail, but he was thrust into the 8th  dimension where a Red Lectroid, John Whorfin, stole and inhabited his body. Red Lectroids have been banished to the 8th dimension for trying to take over Planet 10.  

 (John Whorfin/Dr. Lizardo [John Lithgow])

And, his followers.... working under the guise of Yoyodyne Propulsion Systems for the US government in Grovers Mill, NJ. You remember Grovers Mills, right? Just a reminder.. War of the Worlds.. was it a hoax? Ever been to Grovers Mill? Lots of Johns there.. John Smallberries, John Bigboote, John Ya-Ya..

(as usual, the government is clueless as to what's going on, and that these supposed good guy are the bad guys)

 (Black Lectroids - the good guys)

The Black Lectroids, the rulers of Planet 10, will do anything to keep the Red Lectroids from escaping the 8th dimension... including starting a fake nuclear attack, thus starting World War III and the annihilation of the Earth! It's up to Buckaroo and friends to find a way to avoid war.

(Black Lectroid ship as it circles the Earth, preparing to take action!)

John Parker (a Black Lectroid - the good guys) and Buckaroo Banzai

 (The President and Secretary Smirnoff)

(Yeah.. these guys might need the short form.. emergency use only)

To bring a conclusion to this wandering tale.... Buckaroo has to defeat the Red Lectroids to save the Earth from destruction. There are various government officials warbling in and out of the storyline, causing more damage than good (say it ain't so..). But it's Buckaroo and The Hong Kong Cavaliers along with Penny Priddy (Buckaroo's murdered wife's long lost twin sister separated at birth and who he's inexplicably drawn to) with the help of the Blue Blazer Irregulars and the Rug Suckers who save the day! Thwarting the evil doers is what they do!

(Penny Priddy - Ellen Barkin)

(Fellow neurosurgeon and Hong Kong Cavalier... New Jersey.. Jeff Goldblum)

(Buckaroo's bus)

And... as the movie closes....

(Never came to fruition.... studio went out of business)

And finally, I leave you with a peek at the movie in all it's awesomeness! (the ending celebration...)

Penny Priddy's Song

Until next time Buckaroos!! The 8th dimension calls!