WINNERS WINNERS WINNERS!

Hi there everyone!

It's time for yet another announcement today, but this is another fun one, I guarantee.  We have a few winners to announce as one contest closed this weekend and another one ended early so without further adieu, may I present the winners....

 

 

#8 - Carrie at In the Hammock Blog

You've won an ARC of The Secret of Ka by Christopher Pike....provided I receive your mailing information in the next 48 hours....  ^_^

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#20 - ONESHORTKUTZ

You've won a copy of The Chill of Night by James Hayman...and since you included your address in the entry, I've already submitted it for prize send out.

 

Congratulations to the winners and thank you to everyone that entered!  Didn't win?  No worries!  Check out the current contest going on right now as listed in the right hand sidebar and stay tuned for more fun to come, right here at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blog Tour: Interview with Author James Hayman + Contest

Hi everyone!

Hope your week is going well.  The weekend is just over that next hill, not too much farther.  To help bring it a little bit closer, how about a little bookish fun?  We are after all, Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.  How does a look behind a book and a contest sound?

Fresh on the coattails of yesterday's post for the recently released thrilling second installment of the Detective McCabe series, The Chill of Night, today we usher in day two of two for the book tour.  Thanks to Dorothy over at Pump Up Your Book Promotions, I had the pleasure of interviewing the author behind the series...Mr. James Hayman!  Read on to find out more about the man behind the novels, what's in store for his lead character, a scene that hit the cutting room floor..and much more!

Readers and readettes, please join be in a big SFIR welcome to today's guest...author James Hayman!

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Author Interview:

James Hayman

Author of The Cutting and The Chill of Night

Did you always know you wanted to be a writer? What inspired you to take this path in life?

When I was eight, I wanted to play major league baseball. Third baseman for the NY Yankees would have been great. Or maybe catcher. I really would have enjoyed walking out to the mound to advise the pitcher one what to throw next. However, since hitting a high inside fastball was always much harder for me than telling tales and writing them down, I guess the answer is yes, I always knew I wanted to be a writer.

I’ve always worked as a writer. First in the advertising business, then as a freelance marketing writer. Before trying fiction I wrote a couple of non-fiction books under contract to corporate clients. But I always wanted to try my hand at fiction, so when the hair started to get gray I figured “if not now, when?”

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Your novels are classified as Fiction or Mystery/Thriller. Did the genre pick you or did you pick the genre? Was it your intent from the start to write this type of story?

I write mystery/ thrillers because they’re the kind of books I most enjoy reading. I also write them for a more practical reason. There are more mysteries and thrillers on the NY Times fiction bestseller list than any other kind of book. This being the case, I figured I had a better shot of selling a thriller to a major publisher and maybe even making some money at it.

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The lead character, or should I say victim, in this novel has a rather dark childhood. What drew you to shade it as such as opposed to coloring it with rainbows and sunshine?

I think characters with a dark past are usually more interesting than people for whom everything has always been rosy. I think, for example, that Lainie Goff is a fascinating character. On the surface she has everything going for her. She’s brilliant, beautiful and has a great job. But Lainie also has a terrible secret. In spite of her beauty and brains, the sexual abuse she suffered as a child makes her feel worthless. And this sense of her own worthlessness leads to the tragedy that ultimately befalls her.

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What's next for McCabe? Any juicy tidbits you can share?

Only that the third book will be a departure from the first two. The lead character and lead investigator in #3 will be McCabe’s partner, Maggie. I’m working on it now. It’s a fascinating exercise for a male writer to write the bulk of a novel from a female point of view.

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Often times, author's base characters off of what they know best....themselves. Anyone in the book you identify most with? How so?

There’s a lot of me in McCabe. We’re both ex-New Yorkers who moved to Portland, Maine. We both like good scotch and rare steaks. We’re both old movie buffs. But more important than any of those things we both speak with the same voice and McCabe’s attitudes and experiences reflect a lot of my own.

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As readers and bloggers, we get to see a bit behind the publishing process sometimes. We all know that books go through revisions and edits often multiples of both before they hit the shelves in a store near us. Through the course of your rewrites, was there any scene or character that was cut that care to share?

Only one scene was cut in The Chill of the Night. The initial manuscript started with a prologue told in the villain’s voice as he is about to commit one of the crimes. My editor at St Martin’s convinced me the scene, though chilling, gave too much of the story away. He was right and I deleted it. Other than that, the only major edit was a complete rewrite of the final confrontation with the bad guy. When I first wrote it I was rushing to finish the book and the writing in the last too chapters was clunky, the climax too expected. So, at my editor’s urging, I rewrote it and now it’s much better.

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Quid pro quo.....

One of my favorite books is:  Atonement by Ian McEwan

An author I look up to would be:  Richard Price (Lush Life, Freedomland, Clockers) for his great dialogue, richly drawn characters.

When I was a child, when I grew up I wanted to be: Third baseman for the NY Yankees (See above).

The last book I read was:  Fear the Worst by Lynwood Barclay.

My impression of it:  Good suspenseful thriller. Terrific characters. Good dialogue.

On my nightstand:  In the Woods by Tana French...another terrific thriller set in Ireland.

With my writing, I hope to make readers:  First, I hope readers really enjoy the stories. Second, I hope they like my characters and want to come back and visit with them again and again.

One thing I know now that I wish I knew then:  Life is short. I wish I’d started writing fiction earlier.

Parting thoughts:  If anyone reading this interview, reads The Chill of Night and enjoys it, I’d love it if they’d email me at james@jameshaymanthrillers.com. I promise to email them back.

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So how's that for an approachable author?

Both of the books in this series are now available, so be sure to look for it at your favorite on or offline retailer.  Now, you've learned a bit about the book, heard a few tidbits of tantilizing information from the author himself....are you ready to win a copy of your own?

Now's your chance....

The prize:

(1) copy of The Chill of Night by James Hayman

How to enter:

Fill out this FORM.

The rules: 

*Open to US/Canada mailing addresses only!  No P. O. Boxes please.

* Entries will be accepted from Thursday, August 19th, 2010 through Saturday, August 28th, 2010 at midnight CST.  The entries will be tallied and entered into the random.org randomizer, after which a random number will be picked by their number generator.  (This way all the entries are mixed up nicely.)

* All entries must be submitted using the form accessible through this post.  You MUST include your email address in order to be counted as well as contacted should you be chosen as the winner!

*The winner will be announced and contacted via email by Monday, August 30, 2010 and will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address.  Should they fail to respond in the given time frame, a new winner will be chosen.  If you choose to include your address in your entry, no worries...the time frame issue is removed.

*Winners name and address will be forwarded to Dorothy at Pump Up Your Book Promotions for prize send out only and then discarded.

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Good luck to everyone!

Until next time...happy reading!

Blog Tour: The Chill of Night by James Hayman - REVIEW

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers!

Today we welcome to the site day one of two for a blog tour via Pump Up You Book Promotions featuring the work of an up and coming author making a comfy home for himself in the Fiction Thriller genre.  With one remarkable work under his belt, this second installment in his "detective" series had many waiting with baited breath, hoping against hope it would be as good as the first.  Was it?  Let's just say that their waiting (mine included) was not in vain.  Today's blog tour guest and book of choice is....

The Chill of Night

by

James Hayman

Detective McCabe is BACK and this time there's a twist you won't soon forget.  We begin with an ambitious young lawyer by the name of Lainie Goff.  She is determined (one way or another) to make it to the top.  Partnership is what she seeks professionally, and if it takes one or two in a personal nature along the way to get there, so be it.  (Let that be a warning to the kiddies, this book is not for young readers!)  All seemed to be going well, the partnership was within reach, the celebrations and high living waiting in the wings...but as is more often than not, when things are going too well, you're long over due for a fall.  The fall of this woman is greater than most....rock bottom comes in the form of a brutal slaying and utter exposure to the world in more ways than one.  But who would do something this heinous?  Abby Quinn knows...or rather she knows WHO as opposed to why. 

It seems this young woman unwittingly witnessed the murder, an ace in the whole for police, right?  Not so much.  You see, Abby has a questionable history in regards to her mental stability and like the young boy that cried wolf, people are not very inclined to believe what she says especially if it tends toward the crazy side of things.  Will anyone listen in time to stop this killer from running rampant through the city?  Let's hope so since not only did Abby see the killer, but the killer saw Abby...making her a potential target on their "to-do" list.  McCabe and his partner Maggie are on the case...let's just hope they find Abby before the killer finds them all.

First and foremost, a brief WARNING....this is not for the little kiddos.  There are sexual references both in relation to crimes committed and during personal moments in the story...I wouldn't really want a younger reader happening upon these scenes personally, so just be forewarned.  Now on to my thoughts....

I had the chance to read the author's first novel in this series, The Cutting, in conjunction with a blog tour earlier this year.  (My review, in case you're curious.)  It was to say the least a thrilling ride and a welcome introduction to McCabe's character. With a grade A experience the first time around, my expectations were set fairly high for the next installment as was my anticipation of it's release.  As soon as I saw it mentioned on the Pump Up Your Book Promotions site, I jumped at the chance to play host on the tour.  Lucky me, I was just in time and so the adventure back into this world of darkness and mystery began.

Now I did enjoy the book and we'll get to that, but let's dispense with my one criticism first.  I was a tad disappointed in the lack of connection built between the baddies and the reader.  Okay, so I know that sounds odd, but let me explain.  In book one, it alternated viewpoints between chapters here and there...that is to say a few sections would be all McCabe and the ongoing search/investigation, then one chapter would be dedicated to what was happening with the victim or their abductor.  It allowed you to get inside their heads a bit more without revealing their actual identity (a major feat indeed).  This book, we really only get that insight once in the last 50 odd pages of the book, and it's really only a brief moment of plotting.  Call me crazy (okay, not really...don't want an influx of comments or emails saying that now), but I liked that writing trick and it was pulled off quite well so I had hoped for some version of it to be carried on.  *SIGH*  Alas, it was not....such is writer's privilege.  Moving on....

Author James Hayman is showing a knack for creating characters...with flaws.  Now I mean this in a good way...they are human, realistic, can even be TOO human at times.  How so?  Well, the main victim (I said main...doesn't mean there are or are not additional victims, have to read it to find out...hehe) has a rather dark past.  Though it's not uncommon in today's world (which is HIGHLY unfortunate), it was so "real" I almost had to stop reading for a few pages.  Seriously.  That realism carries on in his descriptions of future events (for better or worse) as well as when seeing through various characters eyes.  It's easy to slip into McCabe's character too...okay that sounded creepy on too many levels, but what I mean is he's an "every man"; easy to relate to both in actions and thoughts for both male and female (*raises hand*) readers...although his photographic memory is far superior to anything my mind can do.  Imagine being able to piece together a situation from so many odd years ago in crisp clear detail, all from memory.  (Second thought...that might not be handy in a few occasions, but overall I still think it's appealing.)

Story wise....surmise it to say that you won't know where to turn for the answer to the over lording question of "who done it".  The answer is there...then it's not.  It pops back up...and then disappears.  The moment you think you have it figured out, nope...think again.  Frustrating?  Not in the least.  It keeps it fresh.  It keeps it real.  It keeps readers entertained and turning pages to devour the story until finally uncovering the truth.  I mean do you really prefer a book that hands you the ending and says...here, you do something with it.  I think not.  Give me a bit of mystery, a bit of thinking to do...just not so much that I need to be an actual detective to follow along, and this series strikes a perfect note in that vein. 

For those of you out there that haven't read the first installment (though I suggest you do...it was good!), you won't be entirely lost should you choose to pick this one up all by it's lonesome (see that....it would be lonesome if it didn't have it's bookish partner in crime....hehe).  It certainly can stand on it's own, though a few of the prior case references will lose some meaning, it doesn't make or break for following this story...certainly a plus when being introduced to a new-to-you author.  Recommended reading for fans of mysteries, thrillers, and crime fiction in general; think along the lines of the works from John Sanford or Jeffrey Deaver....

Special thanks to Dorothy at Pump Up Your Book Promotions and author James Hayman for the ARC for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this tour and future ones, visit the promotion site or follow along on Twitter!  To see what the author is up to next, check out his site.  For a sneak peek at chapter one of this book, simply click on the title of the book near the top of this post and it will link you over to the author's site for a quick read....

Today, a review of the featured title.  Tomorrow, an interview with the man himself, author James Hayman, about this, about that, and a little insight into the next installment...and there just might be a chance to win involved there too...ya never know, I'm sneaky like that.  Stop by tomorrow to check it out!

Until next time...happy reading!

Book Blog Tour: The Cutting by James Hayman

Hello, everyone!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers!  Today we are hosting a book blog tour stop for author James Hayman courtesy of Dorothy at Pump Up Your Book Promotions!  I've had the pleasure of reading several books in conjuction with their team thus far and I must say, a few of the titles are ones I might have missed otherwise (and been very sorry I did!).  So I send my thanks to both author and support team for allowing me the opportunity to present this book for YOUR viewing pleasure.

As I began preparing this post, my day had begun on an uneventful note...and then quickly traveled south, well beyond the borders of making a return trip to "everything is good" land.  Some days it just seems that the odds are stacked against you, you know?  The important thing is that you never give up and that is one lesson that rings true for the action packed book we feature today.  Let's cut to the chase, shall we?  Today's featured book of choice is....

The Cutting

by

James Hayman

Detective Sergeant Michael McCabe is a former big fish in a smaller pond.  While he was not fully disgraced by events from his past nor the involvement of his brother in said events (trust me, it's a bit traumatizing), he still carries the weight of it with him everyday.  In an effort to relief so of the self-imposed guilt, he moved away from his former home and now resides in the peaceful city  of Portland, Maine.  Okay, perhaps peaceful is a bit too blase as they have their share of crimes just like every city, but taking into account the recent events, they were merely a walk in the park. 

We begin with a missing girl.  Young.  Blonde.  Athletic.  Her whole future ahead of her, or at least it was still glimmering there like a shadowy mist until the moment her body was discovered.  She was killed (needless to say) but in a way not imagined by many....her heart was cut out. ~shivers~ (Okay, so as previously mentioned, it's not a book for the kiddies....)  Upon closer examination, the removal almost looks surgical in nature....but really, a surgeon running around the streets after dark, stealing hearts?  As far fetched as that might sound, it only gets worse from here.  McCabe is not one to back down from a case and while he is lead on this one, he begins to connect the dots between other simlar disappearances, leading him down a road paved with well-intentions but sinister in overall design nonetheless.  It is often said that surgeons can develop a "god complex" when they reach the top of their game....can McCabe uncover who is playing the grand puppet master before another victim is claimed? (dun, dun, dunnnn.....)

So, I know, I left you with a bit of a cliffhanger there, but to keep it spoiler-ish free, it was necessary, I assure you.  From the moment I read the brief teaser about this book, I knew I had to read it.  Some of my favorite authors when delving into the Fiction world after high school were Patricia Cornwell, James Patterson and John Sanford.  Their writing was fast-paced, and plot driven...but not solely.  A "real" character was created full of imperfections, hopes, dreams, love found and love lost.  The human qualities given to them allows readers the chance to connect with the story.  You can't help but find yourself imaging the scenes as described and putting the pieces of the puzzle together to see the person behind the crime.  That is what Mr. Hayman has done here.  McCabe feels "real".  His mistakes.  His reactions.  His love for his daughter and sense of duty to his profession.  The girl he once loved and the one he is currently in love with.  All of these feelings are palpable through the pages, a task that some authors find a bit daunting and unattainable.  The character development nor the relationship with them does not end there....

Lucinda Cassidy is the victim currently being held somewhere for a future "procedure".  Knowing this, you wouldn't expect to "hear" from her in the actual story, right?  Wrong!  One thing that first struck me as odd was a sudden change in font.  I had finished one chapter and turned the page only to discover a new font being used.  At first I was thinking....okay, now that's a pretty big editorial error to miss...but then I realized that it was actually occuring on the chapters that dealt with Lucinda and what she was experiencing while being held captive; a nice touch indeed, for it takes away that guessing game of figuring out who is speaking now if you lost track at the close of the chapter before.  The author let's you inside her mind to see what she is doing to fight back (if anything...hey, I can't reveal all the secrets, you have to read it!) and stay sane against the "baddies" that captured her.  Speaking of the actual bad guys, it seemed obvious to me (as well as McCabe) who the person behind the crimes was, but alas.....these novels do tend to twist and turn on you straight through to the end.  You'll have your culprit one moment and then lose them the next.  In the end, you will be surprised how it all pans out...trust me. 

A few random thoughts I feel the need to share....I love Fritz, Lucinda's dog.  He's her running companion and knows when trouble is at hand....even when Lucinda doesn't.  (Note to self:  Trust your dog's instincts....they rarely prove to be wrong.)  The story behind the story was rather unique although it definitely asks you to look to your morals for a distinction between right and wrong...even if wrong seems right it's generally for the wrong reasons.  Lastly, McCabe has a special skill that comes in handy.  He has something akin to a photographic memory, except he doesn't just recall items, or people, etc....he can recall a situation in it's entirety, replaying the images in his mind as they unfold frame by frame; a pretty nifty gift indeed for a detective.

As mentioned previously (twice now...if you're counting), this book is intended for older teen and adult audiences due to the content (there are the murders of course, but also a scene or two that is a bit more than suggestive in nature, if you catch my drift...).  If you love a good Fiction, Crime Fiction, or Thriller novel, this is definitely a book to add to your TBR list or pile.  The writing style and overall story structure reminds me a great deal of the earlier works of authors such as James Patterson, and John Sandford.  They both write (usually) within the same genre, and their books tend to have strong male lead characters in some branch of the police force striving to protect our way of life from a stranger then usual perpetrator.  This similarity is a good thing (in my opinion) as it helps to broaden the appeal of a novel that may have slipped under the radar of some readers (such as myself).  I would be interested to see what Mr. Hayman brings to the table for a follow-up to this exciting book, and eagerly anticipate reading more stories featuring McCabe. 

Review copy received courtesy of Dorothy at Pump Up Your Book Promotions and author James Hayman.  The book blog tour is in full swing and travels on tomorrow with a stop at Joseph's Review Blog, so be sure to check it out.

Until next time....happy reading!