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Memoir
Publisher: Tellwell Talent
Publication Date: January 31, 2025
Page count: 314 pages
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SYNOPSIS:
This is the incredible true story of railroad worker and union official Mike Elliott, targeted by his railroad employer, BNSF Railway Company, for his safety-related activities. As the union's state legislative board chair, Elliott was the top safety official in the state, and the voice for over 900 rank & file locomotive engineers operating trains around the clock, every day of the year.
When his members reported a plethora of trackside signal malfunctions on the BNSF Seattle subdivision, Elliott went to the railroad first, asking that they fix the problems. When the BNSF failed to act, he contacted the government's regulatory authority, the Federal Railroad Administration. That led to an FRA inspection of over 130 miles of the railroad's track and signal systems turning up hundreds of federal defects – all with potential to put workers and the public at risk.
What followed was a retaliation plot reminiscent of the Nineteenth Century Robber Barons: A management-staged conflict at work, police called in, arrest, jail, criminal charges, and termination from his job – not once but twice.
The wrath, influence and power of North America's largest freight railroad is unleased in full force and in an all-out attack on a whistleblower's life, liberties, and career. An amazing journey of one man's righteous battle against impossible odds and the nearly unlimited resources of a multi-billion-dollar corporation.
His train was about three-quarters of a mile from the Longview yard office, which it passed less than seventy seconds later.
The approach signal to Longview Junction South was located at milepost 100.7. The Longview yard office was at milepost 100.3. If functioning as designed, this signal should have displayed a solid yellow aspect, indicating “approach and proceed prepared to stop at next signal, trains exceeding 35 MPH immediately reduce to that speed.” Burlington Northern dispatching records indicated that BN 111 passed the Longview Junction approach signal at approximately 12:20 A.M. Just after this time, the conductor of the local freight job, UP Train 59, was walking to the manually operated “hand-throw” switch at the north end of Longview yard. He later reported to investigators that the five locomotives of BN 111 passed him before he reached the switch, so he only saw the rear portion of the train, whose speed he estimated at 40 miles-per-hour.
While standing beside the switch, the UP 59 conductor heard what sounded “like thunder, just a rolling thunder.” At 12:24 A.M., BN dispatching records show that the Longview Junction South interlocking had a “power off” alarm. That marked the moment when southbound BN 111 collided head-on with northbound UP 09 at milepost 102.8. At least two motorists driving north on Interstate 5 witnessed the collision. One told investigators that he was traveling between 65 and 70 miles-per-hour when he passed UP 09, which he estimated “was probably doing 55.” What he saw was “a major explosion. It was unbelievable.” Another motorist reported that he saw the headlight of BN 111 coming at him; this because the railroad tracks were close and parallel to the freeway. He watched the train, waiting for the two converging trains to pass each other; instead, they slammed head-on into each other.
“There was just fire and devastation,” he said.
The impact of the collision ruptured the fuel tanks of six of the eight locomotives. Fire engulfed those six, as 10,000 to 15,000 gallons of diesel fuel spilled onto the tracks and over the banks of the Columbia River. The first fire-fighting unit arrived at 12:36 A.M., twelve minutes after the collision, and began knocking down the flames surrounding the locomotives. Although a total of forty-four fire and rescue units responded, the on-scene fire commander soon concluded that no one could have survived the flames; he ordered his units to stand down and let the fire burn itself out to consume the leaking diesel fuel and thus prevent further environmental damage.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Mike Elliott was born and raised in Washington State. He enjoys the great outdoors of the Pacific Northwest, classic rock & roll music, vintage stereo gear, home cooked meals, and Seattle Mariners baseball. He lives in Tacoma, Washington.
GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!
Mike Elliott will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter.
The heartwarming story of the healing power of love.
Stay, Girl is a wonderfully heartwarming story of 12-year-old Bet and a fostered beagle named Penny set in 1953 California’s Central Valley. While timeless and with universal elements, Bet and Penny’s story comes alive in this nostalgic setting of a simpler time and place. Their tale is one of two wounded creatures re-discovering kindness, love, and safety. I couldn’t put it down.
Bet is a determined, capable 12-year-old, conditioned much too soon to depending on herself for her most basic needs. When her mother passes away, she takes off from her home in Sacramento and her abusive stepfather and makes her way, by foot, to her mother’s brother’s home in Amberfields, California, quite some distance away. Bet’s plan for escape had been to join a friend working in an Idaho lumber camp, but she’d promised her mother on her deathbed that she’d go to Uncle Earl’s, and she always kept her promises.
We can only imagine what Bet expected Uncle Earl to be like, considering her experiences with the adults, especially men, in her brief life, but Earl is not that. A former Navy cook, now working at the small town’s diner, he’s a giving and gentle soul and the caretaker for the county for three rescued dogs. A recent addition to his home is a very sick red and white beagle that had been removed from a deplorable situation. Bet feels a kinship with the small, frightened dog she names Penny, and it becomes her goal to heal her and become Penny’s “person.”
The plot covers the summer of 1953, and Bet and Penny’s slow but steady recovery as both become a part of their new home and new community, seeing a side of people they had been denied up to this point in their lives. The author’s vivid descriptions of the setting drew me in so completely I could almost feel the heat and hear the sounds of that long-ago summer, a time when telephones, television, and cars weren’t a part of every household yet. Bet’s story was compelling, with plot twists that changed its trajectory in unexpected ways and kept me glued to its pages.
I recommend STAY, GIRL to readers of historical fiction, especially those who enjoy coming-of-age stories.
I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy through WOW! Women On Writing Book Tours.
Betrayed!
Banished! Broken! Can Luther's love for Amelia survive?
The
Forgotten
The Realms of
Darkness Book 1
by KA Stefana
Genre: Dark
Fantasy, Paranormal Romance
My name is
Luther Van Leer, and I'm a prisoner in the vampire queen's castle. She'll let
me out if I'm willing to meet her demands, but I will refuse until she puts a
stake through my heart. I'll not let her turn me into a monster. At least, that
was my plan. With a turning kiss, I was turned into a monster, banished,
beaten, and betrayed. Now, my master expects that I will fall in love with her
and play nice. If my cold-dark heart ever finds her, revenge will be mine!
Step into the dark and feudal world of the four kingdoms. The prophecy hangs
over the land, turning kings and queens against each other. When Amelia turns
Luther, she unknowingly drags him into her world. Instead of gaining a lover,
she gains another enemy. Will Luther forgive her ultimate betrayal and help her
survive, or will he abandon her? It would be his right.
From the darkness of the salt mines, the horrors of the bird cages, the
temptations of the Forbidden Lake, and dragon tattoos, Luther and Amelia will
be in a race against time to save their kingdom.
This is book 1 in the Realms of Darkness Series.
This book was first published on Amazon's Kindle Vella.
Welcome
Readers! I am so excited that you are taking this journey with me into the
Shadowvere, where my characters live. I love to weave tales of darkness and
light, pushing my characters to the end of themselves. How will they react?
Some may fall into evil, spiraling into a never-ending vortex of darkness.
Others may walk the line between the realms of darkness and light. Only a few
will rise above the chaos. They are the defenders and heroes in the world of
shadows, but they, too, wrestle with the shadows surrounding them, trying to
lure them down dark alleyways and into the back rooms of iniquity.
My friends
always ask me where my tales come from. I guess it comes from years of reading
great tales from the likes of Tolkien, Lewis, and so many others. In reality, I
don't have a clue. The stories somehow flow from the unruly characters that beg
to be written yet refuse to follow their storylines. Just the way I like it!
Past the
shadows, you will find twist of romance between kings and outcasts, enemies to
lovers and everything in between.
As for me, I
started my writing journey during quarantine and haven't stopped writing since.
I am thankful for the writing community and their support and for my family and
friends. Most of all, I am blessed to have a husband who supports all of my
late-night shenanigans, wrestling with characters and pounding away at the
keyboard until the wee hours of the morning.
~ A million
hugs! Thanks for joining the Shadowverse.
Lost and Found Cowboy Jennie Marts (Lassiter Ranch, #4) Publication date: March 11, 2025 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
He came to find a family. He never expected to find love.
After meeting the three half-brothers he never knew existed, cowboy Mack Lassiter decides to stay and try to build a new life in the small Colorado mountain town of Woodland Hills. But he didn’t expect to find another family in Lorna Gibbs, the sweet single mom and local coffee shop owner, whose strength and warmth instantly captivated him.
Lorna’s not looking for love—her only focus is on giving her son and infant daughter the stable life they all deserve. The last thing she needs is a tall cowboy stirring up feelings she’s locked away for years. But Mack isn’t just any man—he’s steady, kind, and a little broken, just like her.
When her no-good ex suddenly returns and starts threatening her and the life she’s built, Mack steps in to play the role of devoted boyfriend. But as their charade deepens and the threat from Lorna’s ex intensifies, their fake relationship blurs into something real. And now they’ll have to decide if they can trust each other enough to build a family that’s anything but pretend.
She’s done with men. He doesn’t believe anyone stays. But a fake relationship might be just what they need to find something real…
**Each book in the Lassiter Ranch series can be read as a standalone—a boots-knockin’ hot cowboy HEA guaranteed in every one!**
The Lassiter Ranch Series Save the Date For a Cowboy: Prequel Novella Love at First Cowboy: Book 1 Overdue for a Cowboy: Book 2 Second Chance with a Cowboy: Book 3 Lost and Found Cowboy: Book 4
Readers will love this small town, western romance series filled with wounded cowboys, curvy wallflower heroines, second chances, friends to lovers, fake relationships, unrequited love, forced proximity, and grumpy versus sunshine.
**Want to see how the whole Lassiter Ranch series started–with a cute cowboy, a curvy accountant and one wild weekend at a wedding? Get SAVE THE DATE FOR A COWBOY, the prequel novella to the series for FREE when you sign up for Jennie’s newsletter at: https://BookHip.com/HZFKARX **
As Lorna and Mack are in the parking lot getting ready to go on their first fake date…
No, she was an adult. She just needed to pull up her big girl panties and face going out on a fake date with a hot cowboy on her own.
She twisted the strap of her purse around her fist as she peered around the parking lot, trying to see if she recognized any of the cars.
“You okay?” Mack asked, nodding to her knee, which had been shaking for the past five minutes. “You’re as fidgety as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.”
“Yes, I’m fine,” she said, pressing her foot into the floor of the truck to stop it from shaking. “It’s just that…well…I got married not long after high school, and this last year my focus has been on the kids…and it just feels a little pathetic that this is the first date I’ve been on in eight years, and it isn’t even real.” She wrapped the strap tighter until it suddenly gave way and snapped apart in her hands. “Oh shoot.”
Tears threatened as she stared down at the two torn pieces.
“Hey, now,” Mack said, sliding an arm around her shoulder and pulling her to him. “We don’t have to do this. The last thing I want is to think that going out on a date with me makes you cry.”
She shook her head against his shoulder and huffed out a small laugh. “It’s not you. You’re amazing…”
“And so damn hot, if I recall the words you used yesterday,” he said, obviously trying to tease a smile out of her.
She laughed again. “Yes, and so damn hot that any girl would be lucky to go out with you.” She blew out a breath. “It’s just been a long time. I haven’t really been out on a date since high school. I don’t remember how to even act.”
“I get it. All those months I was in Texas, I was working so hard, and only left the ranch a few times, so it’s been a dang long time since I’ve been out on a date, as well. But I can honestly say, you’re the only woman I’ve wanted to take on a date in years, even if it is a fake one.”
“That’s sweet, but I’m not sure that takes the pressure off.”
He chuckled. “There’s no pressure. And I’m serious, we don’t have to do this at all. If this makes you uncomfortable, I’m happy to take you home. We can pick up a pizza on the way.”
The idea of going home, putting on comfy pants, and scarfing down a pizza did sound appealing.
She lifted her chin. “No. I can do this. I’m just being silly. Lyle always said I tended to be overdramatic.”
Mack’s easy expression darkened. “First of all, you need to stop giving two shits about what Lyle said about anything. That guy is a fool and an idiot and a few other choice words that I probably shouldn’t say in front of a lady. You’re not being silly. Or overdramatic. You’re being honest. And real. And you have every right to feel whatever you’re feeling.”
“Thank you,” she whispered around the sudden lump in her throat. Apparently, there were still good men left in this world.
And if she could just get over herself, she could go out on a fake date with one of them.
Author Bio:
Jennie Marts is the USA TODAY Best-selling author of award-winning books filled with love, laughter, and always a happily ever after. Readers call her books “laugh out loud” funny and the “perfect mix of romance, humor, and steam.” Fic Central claimed one of her books was “the most fun I’ve had reading in years.”
She is living her own happily ever after in the mountains of Colorado with her husband, two dogs, and a parakeet who loves to tweet to the oldies. She’s addicted to Diet Coke, adores Cheetos, and believes you can’t have too many books, shoes, or friends.
Her books range from western romance to cozy mysteries but they all have the charm and appeal of quirky small town life. She loves genre-mashups like adding romance to her Page Turners cozy mysteries and creating the hockey-playing cowboys in the Cowboys of Creedence. The same small town community comes to life with more animal antics in her latest Creedence Horse Rescue series. And her sassy heroines and hunky heroes carry over in her heartwarming, feel good romances from Hallmark Publishing. Take the Honey and Run is her newest cozy mystery in the A Bee Keeping Mystery series.
Jennie loves to hear from readers. Follow her on Facebook at Jennie Marts Books, Twitter at @JennieMarts, and at jenniemartswriter on Instagram. Visit her at www.jenniemarts.com and sign up for her newsletter to keep up with the latest news and releases.
In 1890s Missouri, secrets are a matter of survival.
Clairvoyant Sarah Richardson screams as her older sister Katherine is forced into a straitjacket and thrust into a carriage bound for the St. Louis City Lunatic Asylum. She is devastated to learn Katherine has been blamed for her inadvertent role in an abused woman’s murder. Now, too frightened to speak up, she hides the truth that it should have been her in that carriage.
Sarah’s mounting guilt becomes too much, and she heads to St. Louis, determined to regain her sister’s confidence and prove herself worthy of forgiveness.
While working to heal their relationship, Sarah meets a timid housewife who tries to hide her bruises. When troubling psychic visions of the woman begin to affect her, she sees an opportunity to atone for her past mistakes. Desperate to do whatever it takes to make things right, Sarah embarks on a perilous journey that may cost her everything—including her own life.
Award-winning author Raquel Y. Levitt holds an MFA in creative writing and
a master’s degree in English. Her short stories have been published in
various anthologies and literary journals and reflect her passion for
writing about strong women finding their voice and their power. She is a
world traveler, an amateur nature photographer, and a collector of cool
rocks. Raquel and her husband live, work, and play in the Texas Hill Country
and Montana’s Bitterroot Valley. The Seer is her debut novel.
Billy Tarwater thought he had left the troubled past behind, until a series of ominous incidents threaten to destroy everything he and his wife hold dear.
Someone is out to get them, and he is determined to uncover the truth before it’s too late. But as he delves deeper into the mystery, he realizes that the dark forces at play may be connected to the events of seventeen years ago.
And to the Atlanta Child Murders.
Join him on a heart-pounding journey of suspense and intrigue as he navigates the dangerous waters of his past and fights to protect the ones he loves.
In a race against an unknown enemy, Billy must confront his darkest fears. Will he be able to uncover the truth before it’s too late, or will he and his wife become victims of the sinister forces at play?
Praise for You Will Know Me by My Deeds:
"Mike Cobb’s You Will Know Me by My Deeds is a taut, propulsive tale set against the harrowing backdrop of the 1980’s Atlanta Child Murders. Entertainingly addictive and menacing." ~ Robert Gwaltney, award-winning author of The Cicada Tree and Georgia Author of the Year
"Mike Cobb's Atlanta-based historical fiction easily holds its place on the bookshelf next to Caleb Carr’s Alienist novels." ~ Joey Madia, author of Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of M and the Stanton Chronicles historical fiction series
"Mike Cobb’s enthralling and meticulously-researched mystery, You Will Know Me by My Deeds, sets a lofty standard for contemporary thrillers. Set in the heart of the ‘new’ south, Cobb’s vividly-wrought tale propels his readers through the tumult of an era and illuminates race relations at a difficult moment in Atlanta’s modern history. Grab this book for a satisfying and uplifting read." ~ Steve Klein, Civil Rights Activist
"I couldn’t put this book down and had to finish it in one sitting! Once again Mike Cobb has crafted a plausible story with strong characters, a sense of place, and rich historical detail regarding a tragic chapter of my beloved Atlanta’s history – the missing and murdered children from 1979 to 1981." ~ Lisa Land Cooper, Author and Historian
"Mike Cobb’s prose is powerful, and his plot is dark, complex and full of surprises. You will find a rich, earthy view of old Atlanta complete with all its beauty, weaknesses and the diverse attitudes of the Old South." ~ Jeff Shaw, author of Who I Am; The Man Behind the Badge and Lieutenant Trufant
"A bracing historical thriller that further enriches this top-notch series." ~ Kirkus Reviews
"This is an excellent book with an engaging mystery and an intriguing conclusion. It’s clear that research is paramount to Mike Cobb’s writing. I could really identify with how he wove true crimes into this fictional one. I look forward to reading more from him." ~ Ed Begley Jr., Award-winning actor, producer, environmental activist, and author of To the Temple of Tranquility…and Step On It!: A Memoir
You Will Know Me by My Deeds Trailer:
Book Details:
Genre: Historical Crime Fiction Published by: Waterside Production Publication Date: January 2025 Number of Pages: 444 ISBN: 978-1962984720 Series: Sequel to The Devil You Knew Book Links:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
Read an excerpt:
Chapter One
Cynthia Tarwater
Monday, December 14th, 1981
Two blurred headlights, ragged halos in the rearview, broke the Stygian pitch.
Cynthia gripped the steering wheel so hard her knuckles blanched.
The rain cascaded down the windshield in gelid sheets. The wiper blades thwacked the edge of the Suburban’s cowl like a metronome.
For the past twenty-four hours, Atlanta had been beset by a heavy downfall and scant visibility.
She struggled to make out the road ahead.
For the first five minutes of the drive, Billy Jr. and Addie had jabbered away in the back seat like sugar-high Energizer Bunnies. Then they sank into oblivion. Just like that, she thought. Nothing like a weekend sleepover at Grandma Alice’s to wear the kids out.
She stopped at the intersection of Flat Shoals and Glenwood. The barbershop to her left was long gone, a victim of white flight, its plate glass windows boarded up with fly-posted plywood. She could almost hear the snip snip of Mr. Batson’s clippers beckoning from yore. The snap of Sam Jepperson’s shoeshine cloth beseeching a generous tip. The redolence of Bay Rum and Kiwi polish. Not that she ever got her hair cut—or her shoes shined—there. But her father Cecil dragged her along on more than one occasion with the promise that they’d go next door for a vanilla shake if only she’d sit like a “good girl” and watch him get trimmed. She had often wondered whether he did things like that just to piss her off. His way of controlling. Or did he really want her company?
The car that had been following her since she pulled out of Billy’s mother’s driveway lingered half a block behind. When the light changed, she turned left onto Glenwood. She looked in the mirror. The car turned left and kept its distance. Probably nothing.
At the Gresham Avenue intersection, she glanced over at what had been Harry’s Army Surplus. Now, like the barbershop, just another padlocked casualty.
A long-suppressed memory welled up. Saturday, September 28th, 1963. She was thirteen. So capricious and carefree, like most girls her age. She left the East Atlanta Pharmacy by the front door and headed west toward Moreland Avenue. Just past Harry’s, she looked back and saw a car following her. When she stopped, it stopped. When she went, it went.
That had been her last recollection from before the erasure—what she later came to know by its medical name. Localized psychogenic amnesia. For seventeen years, the next thing she had remembered was waking up at Grady Hospital with an officer standing guard outside her door. The nurse had said You’re not Cynthia now. You’re Patti. With an i. Or something to that effect. She would later learn that the police had contrived the alias to protect her from her abductor.
It wasn’t until October a year ago that everything began coming back to Cynthia in a torrent. What had been an eradication of five weeks of her past, leaving in its wake a deep, dark abyss, had begun to come back in a matter of days. This wouldn’t have happened without Billy’s help. And his dogged determination.
Did she welcome the recovered memory? There were times when she wondered whether knowing was better than incognizance. Closure would feel right. But knowledge alone doesn’t bring closure.
And could closure ever come for the families of the girls who didn’t survive? Why had she made it out alive, and the others hadn’t?
She inched her way down Glenwood past Moreland Avenue. At the Boulevard intersection, she glanced across the street at Fire Station No. 10. A half dozen firemen were huddled under the overhang in front of the station. For a moment, she thought she saw Billy’s brother Chester standing there smoking a cigarette and chatting up the others. But Chester hadn’t lasted a year as a fireman before bugging out for the merchant marines, thinking he could avoid the draft. He ended up on the SS Mayaguez ferrying supplies through combat zones in Vietnam. Came home intact but with a chip on his shoulder.
She turned right.
She drove up Boulevard past Memorial Drive, hugging the eastern edge of Oakland Cemetery before assuming a northwesterly course past the shuttered Fulton Cotton Mill and through the railroad underpass.
She looked back. The car continued to follow her. That’s when she realized that it wasn’t nothing.
Perhaps she should have taken the expressway. But she had chosen not to. Visibility was bad enough on the surface roads.
As she neared the intersection with Ponce de Leon, the light turned yellow. She accelerated and took a hard left, hoping the car would stop on red. It didn’t. When she turned right on Peachtree, then left on Fifth, the driver continued to dog her.
Cynthia eased into The Belmont courtyard. The other car stopped briefly at the turn-in then crept down Fifth. She craned her neck, trying to get a good look at it. At the driver. But she could see little through the relentless downpour and the fogged windshield.
She parked the Suburban at The Belmont entrance. She waited for the rain to abate enough for her to get the kids inside without a drenching. Then she hurried them into the lobby under her flimsy throwaway umbrella made for one.
She closed the umbrella and hooked it on her wrist. She held Billy Jr. and Addie’s hands tight, lest they slip on the marble floor.
They crossed the threshold into the elevator cab, leaving a trail of dripping water behind. She punched 4.
When the doors opened, Billy was standing in the fourth-floor vestibule. He was in his light beige mackintosh and floppy yellow rain hat.
“Clairvoyant, are we?” Cynthia said.
“I saw you out the window and was on my way down to help. But you beat me to it.” He placed his hand on her upper arm. “Cynthia, you’re trembling.”
“It’s just the biting cold. I’m fine. I need to get these rug rats out of their wet clothes and into their PJs. And then sit for a while. You can park the car if you don’t mind.”
“Of course I don’t mind. That’s the least I can do.”
She held out the umbrella. “Want this?”
“No thanks.” He knelt in front of Billy Jr. and Addie. “How’s Grandma?”
“Feisty as ever,” Cynthia answered. “She sure knows how to cut a look. But the kids adore her, and that’s what matters most. And compared to my mother…let’s just say you’re the lucky one and leave it at that.”
When Billy returned, Cynthia was already curled up in her favorite overstuffed chair with a glass of Merlot. Her socks and Clarks slip-ons lay pell-mell on the floor about her. The open umbrella stood atilt in the corner of the room.
“That was quick,” he said.
She took a sip. Notes of black cherry, of vanilla and sandalwood, teased her throat. “I’m sure the kids are deep into sugar-plum dreams by now. Grab a pour and join me. There’s something you need to know.”
Billy, glass in hand, plopped into the chair beside her. “What is it?”
“I need to tell you about a flashback I had. And about a car.”
He listened as Cynthia told him about the car that had followed her from his mother’s house. “Could you tell what kind it was?” he asked.
“I couldn’t tell a thing, Billy.” She ran her finger along the chair’s piping, tracing in her mind the path she had taken. “All I know is it looked big. Maybe a sedan.”
“I don’t think you should be out late at night by yourself, Cynthia. It seems like every day more shit happens. Carjackings. Murders.”
“At least Wayne Williams is locked up.” She searched her thoughts. “Those poor children. And their grieving families.”
Billy’s hesitation baffled her. He just sat there for a minute without saying a word. He finally spoke. “Tell me about the flashback.”
“The whole thing with the kidnapping came rushing back tonight. It hit me hard, just as I passed the old army surplus. I guess it was my being right there where my thirteen-year-old self had been lured away.” She held her glass in the air. “More, please.”
He refilled it and topped his off. He set the bottle on the side table, leaned over, and took her hand. “I’m so sorry, Cynthia.”
“It wasn’t what I expected. I thought I had finally put it all behind me, with Kilgallon…excuse me, the Reverend Kilgallon…dead and Sam Jepperson exonerated and freed. But now I’m not so certain. Maybe it’ll haunt me forever.”
“I hope not. I just wish there was something I could do to make things better.”
“I’ll be okay.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure. Life goes on, doesn’t it? And I don’t believe I have a choice in the matter.”
***
Excerpt from You Will Know Me by My Deeds by Mike Cobb. Copyright 2025 by Mike Cobb. Reproduced with permission from Mike Cobb. All rights reserved.
Author Bio:
Mike’s body of literary work includes both fiction and nonfiction, short-form and long-form, as well as articles and blogs. He is the author of three published novels, Dead Beckoning,The Devil You Knew, and its sequel You Will Know Me by My Deeds. His fourth novel, Muzzle the Black Dog, a novella, is scheduled for release in May 2025. He is also working on Kathleen, a fictionalized account of a cold case murder from 1970.
While he is comfortable playing across a broad range of topics, much of his focus is on true crime, crime fiction, and historical fiction. Rigorous research is foundational to his writing. He gets that honestly, having spent much of his professional career as a scientist.
A native of Atlanta, Mike splits his time between Midtown Atlanta and Blue Ridge, Georgia.
A journalist and his family are targeted when he investigates
rumors of Klan involvement in the Atlanta child murders.
You Will Know Me by My Deeds is the sequel to author
Mike Cobb’s spectacular The Devil You Know and takes up where that novel
left off. Journalist Billy Tarwater investigates the rumors that the Atlanta
child abductions and murders are linked to the Klan and soon discovers he and
his family are targets of someone who doesn’t want Billy stirring up the past.
Billy is a dedicated husband, father, and reporter, and when
the story he’s investigating gets personal, he’s not about to let it go. He calls
in help from his longtime friend, Sgt. Gary Alford with the Atlanta PD and
knows he’s got to be especially wary and keep his wits about him as he digs
even deeper. Cynthia Tarwater, a past abductee and survivor herself, is a loyal
and loving wife, mother, and teacher who fears for her husband even as he is
keeping secrets from her. A terrifying encounter, though, galvanizes her to
take charge of her life and heal the trauma of her past.
Set against the backdrop of the early 1980s and the trial of
accused murderer Wayne Williams, whom most characters believe is responsible
for the death of numerous young black children, the plot is suspenseful from
page one. In addition, someone is following Cynthia as she drives her children
from home to daycare and back. She can’t get a good look at the driver or get
complete vehicle details, so there is the constant fear of the unknown hovering
over each page. While the story is told from multiple points of view, Billy’s
is the main perspective, so readers are in on his thoughts, fears, and
speculations. I was on the edge of my seat, wondering if Billy would be able to
connect the dots before it was too late.
I recommend YOU WILL KNOW ME BY MY DEEDS to readers of
historical thrillers, suspense, or mysteries after having enjoyed the previous
novel.
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Faith should be crowned "Queen of the Wrong Place and Wrong Time." Her impulsive, solo trip to Paris seems like a genius idea – until she loses her way back to the hotel. In the rain. At night. When the two men she flags down for directions shove her into the nearest alley, she fears the worst.
Soren was irritable. Not surprising as he'd held off feeding as long as possible. The thought of feeding from someone he knew turned his stomach, and so he ventured above to become just another body in the chaos of Paris. But when the cries of a female in distress reach his ears, everything inside him demands he protect her, and he is unable to hide the true nature of his species.
Soren has no choice but to keep her and bring her to his underground city. It doesn't take him long to realize why he'd been drawn to Paris, to that street, that alley...Faith. She is the other half of his soul. Admitting the truth to her could damage the fragile connection they built, but when an old enemy, lurking in the dark attacks, they are separated. Now, he may never have the chance.
His heart
belongs to one woman, his life to another.
Keir didn't
exist. Not anymore. The Lady of Galbraith had saved him from death. Forever
indebted to her alone, Keir had become her confidant, her spy, her assassin. He
was her secret weapon against those trying to remove her from power. When Keir
is ambushed by a pack of demons, he used the last of his strength to return
home and warn the Lady of impending danger.
To say she
was stunned when a dying man fell to her feet, was an understatement. For the
first time in her life, Cleo acted on instinct and without hesitation – their
lives now undeniably bound together. Her single act of benevolence left her
reeling, confronted with the knowledge that a stranger had more care and
consideration for her well-being than her own family.
Political
upheaval is sweeping through the city of Galbraith, splitting alliances and
stoking discord. When Cleo is abducted, taken in retaliation from the side
she's chosen, only Keir can get her back. And he will, even if he must start a
war.
Waking from a
seven year healing sleep should have been the biggest shock of Navarre's night.
It was not. The brave female standing before him was, without a doubt, his
fated mate. That wasn't the stunner either. She'd been sent here to feed him,
to bring him back and restore his strength, risking her life to save his.
Still, not yet the biggest surprise. What had Navarre reeling was her red hair.
She was decidedly not his kind.
Cat had
responsibilities. Five, to be exact. The children in her care were not hers,
but she would do anything to protect them, and that meant staying in Balinese.
The evidence of her mixed species was something she could not hide. As this
city belonged to Navarre, only he has the authority to allow her to stay. Cat
willingly faces her greatest fear, and with it, her past.
Beneath the
night, a dark plot unfolds, and Navarre finds himself in danger of losing not
only Cat, but his entire city.
Bette feared
the city, and for good reason. Valenna had become corrupt, targeting citizens
with any substantial amount of wealth or power to their name. Her self-imposed
solitary confinement caused her to lose track of time, and her sanity. She
could no longer live this way. Only three solutions existed: allow Valenna to
dictate her fate, die in the sun, or flee to the fabled city of peace. Bette
ran.
Rollin was a
Guardian. His job defined his life, the man he'd become, and his core beliefs.
Everything he did was in service to the city of Balinese and the citizens
within. When a terrified female crashed into his arms, begging for help, he did
not hesitate. Everyone and everything seemed to frighten her, except Rollin. He
took her home, and once safe under his protection, she began to flourish.
Problem was,
in her plea for sanctuary, she claimed a demon chased her toward Balinese, but
none had been found. His affection for her grows rapidly, as does his concern
over her lie. Then, the arrival of a demon forces Rollin to question his
beliefs, his place among the royal family, and the motives of the woman he so
lovingly sheltered.
Savard was in
a mood to die, but when a human insists on saving his life, death is no longer
an immediate option. He knew of no species – human, vampire, or demon – that
could see him while in his invisible Spirit form. Unique to this world, this
woman's singularity was a danger to the entire vampire race.
Waking behind
bars in an underground vampire city was not how Sera envisioned her night drive
ending. She has come to expect nothing from those who pass through her life,
but this man, dying on the side of the road, proves to be different. Savard
fights to free her from tyrannical vampire laws and to hide her unique
abilities. What Sera doesn't understand, is why he would fight his growing love
for her.
Savard's
haunted past threatens to tear them apart. Soon, Sera discovers just how far
her guardian is willing to go, and what he's willing to do, to keep her safe.
In all
honesty, Jake had to give his trip to Paris mixed reviews. Beaten and broken by
seemingly invincible men with eerie red eyes marked the low point, but
abduction by a sexy, knife-wielding vampire? Better than fireworks on the
Fourth of July. She was the best medicine for a wounded man's body and soul. A
few busted ribs cost him precious time, but he had to keep moving. Call it
vengeance or justice, either way, Jake had a man to kill.
Dulcina had
witnessed the destruction left in the wake of demons for far too many years to
be rattled by a bloody body. She brought him home and catered to his comfort.
Big mistake. The smart-mouth, irritatingly likable man pulled through, and was
determined to leave, but with knowledge of other species in his head, the human
is a problem.
To stop Jake
from escaping, Dulcina promised to help him finish his mission, but the price
was steep, and neither were prepared for what they discovered. Secrets are
uncovered, and as a Night Stalker charged with protecting all species, Dulcina
is forced to make a difficult choice.
Jen Colly is the rare case of an author who rebelled
against reading assignments throughout her school years. Now she prefers
reading books in a series, which has led her to writing her first paranormal
romance series: The Cities Below. She will write about anything that catches
her fancy, though truth be told, her weaknesses are pirates and vampires.
She lives in Ohio with her supportive husband, two kids,
and four rescued cats.
