Three Time Travelers Walk Into…

Take three random people from any time in history, get them together somehow, and give them an adventure! Three Time Travelers Walk Into…

Pocono Liars Club founder Michael A. Ventrella has just announced his next anthology, featuring stories from noted Science Fiction authors Jonathan Maberry, David Gerrold, Peter David, Allen Steele, Lawrence Watt-Evans, Adam-Troy Castro, Jody Lynn Nye, Gail Z. Martin, Keith DeCandido, James Moore, and L. Penelope!

As usual, there are bonuses you can get! You can pay extra and get one of the authors to name a character after you, for instance! Check out the pledges.

This is a kickstarter campaign with Ventrella’s publisher Fantastic Books, who previously published his anthologies Release the Virgins and Across the Universe (co-edited with Randee Dawn). In order to fund the book (and pay the authors) you’re asked to contribute and pre-order your book. Don’t worry — If they don’t reach their goal, you won’t be charged.

Once the book is funded, Ventrella will be looking for other stories to fill the book, so stay involved.

EDIT: The book was funded. Guidelines for story submissions are here.

The Case of the Carousel Killer

Augusta McKee, amateur sleuth, professor of music, and former opera singer, is invited to perform in the musical Carousel at the Pocono Playhouse in Northeastern Pennsylvania. With the encouragement of her husband, Cincinnati P.D. Homicide Detective Malcolm Mitchell, she accepts this chance to be on a stage again,

Two nights after the show opens, a woman’s body is found in the theater’s parking lot. An old beau of Augusta’s, Evan Llewellyn, who plays the male lead in the show, is the prime—in fact, the only—suspect in the murder.

Because the victim was from Cincinnati, Malcolm becomes involved in the case and joins Augusta in the Poconos. Their search for clues reveals Llewellyn’s past as the child of coal miners in the nearby Anthracite Region of Pennsylvania may be an essential element in the case.

As the puzzle pieces of the case fall into place, Augusta finds herself in a harrowing, life-threatening confrontation with the killer—at a remote, long-abandoned coal mine.

THE CASE OF THE ‘CAROUSEL’ KILLER is the latest novel in Pocono Liars Club member Susan Moore Jordan‘s Augusta McKee’s mystery series.

You can order your copy here!

The Four ???? of the Apocalypse

We all know about the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Death, War, Famine, and Pestilence, riding on pale horses and all that Book-of-Revelation stuff.

But why does it have to be guys on horses? Why can’t it be the Four Cheerleaders of the Apocalypse? Or the Four Customer Service Reps of the Apocalypse? Or the Four PTA Moms of the Apocalypse? Or the Four Squirrels of the Apocalypse?

A new anthology has just been announced on this concept, and a kickstarter campaign has begun to fund it. Many NY Times Bestselling authors are participating in this fun endeavor (as well as Pocono Liars Club founder Michael A. Ventrella). Among the authors are Jonathan Maberry, David Gerrold, Jody Lynn Nye, Peter David, David Mack, Michael Jan Friedman, and many more!

Check it out!

(Actual book cover forthcoming)

The Case of the Missing Monarch

If you haven’t walked the old golf cart trails at the Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge (CVNWR), you need to get out to a safe environment to enjoy some fresh air and natural beauty. As the name implies, it’s also a haven for local animals and plants. With the imminent arrival of spring migrating birds, the place will soon be filled with bird song, and is already croaking with the clamor of spring peepers and bull frogs. 

Support the Refuge and admire an array of Pocono wildlife by purchasing a copy of an e-book, The Case of the Missing Monarch by Pocono Liar M. A. Moore and Friends, a Fundraiser for the Friends of CVNWR. Not only will you get a detective story set in the Pocono Mountains, the tale weaves around the seventy images donated by seven local nature photographers. All proceeds from the sales stay local, and will enable this citizen-based group in their efforts to support activities at the refuge. Just go to amazon.com and put in the title of the book! A free sample is available for download, and Kindle offers a free reader for any device. The pictures are so engaging, that you’ll want to see them on a devise larger than a cell phone. 

Here’s the direct link: www.amzn.com/dp/B091D882QH

Shelter Me

Life is hectic for new co-directors Camille and Willa and they must balance their home and work lives – which isn’t always easy. Camille struggles with marriage and teenager issues while Willa battles bad work colleagues and juggles her love and family life.

JC tries to work well with his bullheaded business partner and struggles to navigate the slow-moving foster care and adoption system. Sammi pushes to move her and Trevor’s relationship forward but hits some major roadblocks in her pursuit.

The dogs and cats at Ocean Pals are put in jeopardy when a new leader infiltrates the shelter’s board of directors. Adoption, surrender, protection, sickness, and sadness weave their way through the story and squeezes at our hearts.

Join in on the journey and get ready to fall in love with all the adoptable animals who come through Ocean Pals’ doors.

SHELTER ME is the second book in Pocono Liar Jamie Mitchell’s “Ocean Pals” series and is available through her web page and from Amazon.

Let’s Go Out!

Being dumped is oddly freeing.

It wasn’t as though Robin could have met Dan in the real world, anyway. To do that, Robin would have to leave his house. But uploading his picture to the dating app Let’s Connect, only to have Dan let him down, is still disappointing. Now Robin has run out of excuses not to look outward, and for the first time in three years, he’s seeing many of the things he’s been hiding from—including his next-door neighbor, Sean.

The very same obstacle remains, however. Sean lives in the real world too. And if Robin wants to get to know him better, to move beyond friendship to something more, he’s going to have to step outside his front door.

Robin will have to go out.

LET’S GO OUT is the latest novel from Pocono Liar Kelly Jensen and is available now at Amazon and through Kindle Unlimited.

Arch Enemies and The War of the Words

The prophecy said that The Chosen One would save the duchy from the evil gryphons that were about to escape from behind the magical arch.

Too bad they got the wrong guy.

When cowardly young bard Terin Ostler is called before the Duke and told that he fits the description of the hero of the prophecy, he is certain there has been a grave mistake. When the Duke’s own men later try to kill him and he is forced to go into hiding, he realizes that it may be his own grave that is in question.

Our young hero struggles to overcome his inexperience and limitations to figure out the meaning of the mysterious prophecy, accompanied by two squires who are torn between obeying the orders of the knight they have sworn to follow and doing what they believe is right.

Pocono Liars Club founder Michael A. Ventrella‘s first fantasy novel has now been reissued from Fantastic Books, and split into two smaller, more manageable books for the young adult reader. He blogs about the experience here.

Both books are available in paperback, kindle, and nook versions.

Unexpected Friends

Saying goodbye is never easy.

During their long friendship, Cornelia Parish had been the bane of Irwin Abernathy’s existence. Forever minding his business and trying to run his life. But even in death, Cornelia seems determined to make sure her best friend – former librarian, current bookshop owner, and interminable grumpy curmudgeon – doesn’t spend the rest of his insufferable days alone.

Irwin is heartbroken. He loved Cornelia, and her death has left him shattered. But nothing – nothing – could have ever prepared him for the estate attorney’s phone call on the day of her passing.

A road trip?

To deliver letters to four strangers?

Across the entire country!

What’s Cornelia up to now?

Despite the heartache, Irwin and the rest of Cornelia’s friends at the Abernathy & Crane Bookshop must pull it together –– if they expect to fulfill this last, unforeseen dying wish.

UNEXPECTED FRIENDS is a touching story that speaks to the power of friendship, the agony of loss, and the potential for healing when one, overcome with grief, bravely face their fears to embrace and welcome into their life true love again.

Written by Pocono Liar Sahar Abdulaziz, it’s now available on Amazon in softcover and kindle.

Using social media to promote your books

Social media guru Tee Morris will be our zoom chat guest on January 13th at 7 pm.

Tee is the author of Podcasting for Dummies, Twitch for Dummies, Discord for Dummies, and Social Media for Writers, so he’ll be able to answer all your questions! His debut novel, MOREVI: The Chronicles of Rafe & Askana, became the first novel to be podcast in its entirety, making Tee one of the original vanguard of podcasting. His most famous series is the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences, penned with his wife, Pip Ballantine. The series and its short fiction podcast, Tales from the Archives, inspired the Y.A. spin-off series, Verity Fitzroy and the Ministry Seven.  His web page is TeeMorris.com.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85293632546?pwd=ZG0yMDlhVmV2SHNkRThVc3NBQ2lzUT09

Meeting ID: 852 9363 2546
Passcode: pocono

Eating Authors!

Writer Lawrence Schoen has gathered 100 science fiction authors and asked them to write a short essay about their most memorable meal, which makes for a fascinating collection! EATING AUTHORS is now available as an e-book or a paperback.

And better yet, all the proceeds go to charity (fighting cancer).

The collection includes famous writers like Steven Barnes, Gregory Benford, David Brin, Myke Cole, Gregory Frost, Chuck Gannon, Laura Anne Gilman, Sally Wiener Grotta, Joe Haldeman, Sharon Lee, Jonathan Maberry, Jack McDevitt, L. E. Modesitt, Jr., James Morrow, Robert J. Sawyer, Alan Smale, Bud Sparhawk, Allen Steele, Michael Swanwick, Harry Turtledove, and many more, including our own Pocono Liar Michael A. Ventrella.

Order your copy here!