The Page 69 Test: *Riftsiders: Unlawful Possession* by Paul DeStefano #page69

 

 

 

They say if you want to really find a good book, go to page 69 (the middle and meat of the book) and you like what's there, it's definitely worth reading the whole book. For today's feature, I'm zooming in on page 69 of Paul DeStefano's new paranormal/romance/urban fantasy, Unlawful Possession.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

The lead couple meets at a support group for the possessed.

Enrique Marin wants a quiet life after the death of his wife. Just one problem stands in the way—he’s possessed by the misanthropic English demon, Tzazin. A violent night under demonic influence accidentally leads Enrique to love, and it’s anything but quiet.

Shy, autistic yoga instructor Elle thought allowing herself to be possessed by the very-not-shy sex demon Key would help her find love. She finds Enrique, but she didn’t count on coping with the anti-demon bigotry of society.

Fate—and AA meetings for the possessed—brings them together, but hostile forces, demonic and human, fight to keep them apart. It might cost them everything to keep their love alive.

Here’s what reviewers are saying about Unlawful Possession!

“Riftsiders:Unlawful Possession is a book involving our two MC’s Enrique and Elle. They share a similar bond as both of them have demon possessing them. Enrique has a demon named Taz or Tzazin who is a bit of a big deal as a demon. Elle is possessed by Key who is a sex demon who Elle thought would help her find love, since Elle is shy and autistic. Enrique a few years back lost his wife one night in a car accident and has since then been possessed  by Taz. I liked the possession aspect of the story, as the demons were considered a part of the human beings. I really liked the original-ness of this story with the dual pov from the demons and the humans at the same time. I found that interesting as a reader. I also loved the author incorporating a support group for the passengers with the humans. That made me laugh and I really liked this read overall as the characters are somewhat fun and easy to read about. I look forward to reading more of Riftsiders in the future!”

— Country Mamas with Kids

“Overall, this was a great read that I enjoyed and would recommend to any reader who likes paranormal…” – Unlawful Possession

–redbookreview

Unlawful Possession is available at Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09QRYQRJR.

“Elkie.”
She patted the top of his head playfully. “So glad you’re trainable.”
“Half-lap joint,” he said.
“Never heard of it, but we can lock the door.”
He laughed. “It’s woodworking. I’m going to teach you a half-lap joint.”
After getting their safety goggles on, Elkie held her ears, and Enrique used a band saw on a scrap piece of
lumber. After a few cuts, he had formed pieces into a corner.
“Now you,” he said.
“Um,” she stammered, taking a step back from the machinery. “Yeah, that saw.”
“Just do what I tell you, and I promise, you will be safe.”
“Yeah, well, okay, this is where it’s clear which one of us is doing what. Key is terrified of losing her
fingers, and Elle doesn’t like the frighteningly loud sound. Let’s do something a little less big-loud-spinny-
blade scary.”
Enrique looked quickly around the room. He spotted bright orange safety earmuffs on a wall hook
and grabbed them.
“If you wear this for Elle,” Enrique said, “can Key let her drive for a bit and watch?”
Elkie swallowed and nodded. Enrique put the gear over her ears and then kissed her fingertips. He marked another piece of wood with a pencil, started the band saw, and stood behind her, wrapping his arms around to guide her carefully. She pressed back into him with a smile.

 

What do you think? Would you keep reading?

 

 

Paul DeStefano has been writing professionally for tabletop gaming companies for decades and now brings his unique worldbuilding skills to his own novels. As a writing teacher and supervisor of a Recreation Therapy team at a rehabilitation center, he has unique views on classically disadvantaged populations and their need for representation and expression. After the release of the smash hit game Oathsworn: Into The Deepwood, his novels and lectures went on to explore the quirkiest aspects of human nature.

Website & Social Media:

Website ➜ www.PaulADestefano.com 

Book’s Website ➜ www.TaintedDragonInn.com

Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/tainteddragoninn

 

🏰 Author Interview Featuring Nancy Golden, Author of 'Ring of Rosin'

Nancy Golden wears a lot of different hats – She is a wife and mom, author, engineer, professor, horsewoman, and small business owner. She is also the founder of a writing group – the Carrollton League of Writers. Nancy lives in a suburb of Dallas, Texas and she loves to ride bicycles and horses. She is a member of the National Space Society, and she has been a Trekkie for as long as she can remember. Nancy Golden Books provides a great reader experience with well-crafted writing that will brighten your day.

Website ➜ nancygoldenbooks.com

Twitter ➜ https://www.twitter.com/ncgolden1  

Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564426002283 

Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/ncgolden1 

Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216235312-ring-of-rosin 

 

 

🏰Can you tell us what your book, Ring of Rosin, is about?

Ring of Rosin is the second book in the Dynamis Novels and continues the story of young King Rugal. 

From an ancient Tolan legend: 

Many, many years ago, a wondrous bird flew into the mountains of Tolan. In its claws, it bore a giant stone, a stone of fire. The bird dropped the stone somewhere in the mountains, where it shattered. The one who finds its fragments shall have power beyond belief.

The Ring of Rosin has unexpectedly disappeared. Join King Rugal on his quest to recover the ring symbolizing his right to rule, forged from the stone of fire. A mysterious companion joins the young monarch on a perilous journey. Rugal’s shadowy ally leads him to the nomadic Kargoliths, who are locked in an ongoing dispute with the neighboring kingdom of Tolan. As destinies intertwine amidst the clashing cultures, the fates of Elayas, Tolan, and the Kargoliths hang in the balance.

Will the Ring of Rosin’s power on the Day of Questioning help Rugal defeat the foreign threat to Elayas, or will it be used to destroy him?

🏰Can you tell us a little about your main character and supporting characters?

Rugal is the main character of Ring of Rosin and the reigning king of Elayas. Rugal has the ability (the supernatural power called dynamis) to change into more than one animal form. He is the son of Jackal and Mura and he is also betrothed to Lissa, the daughter of Ethiod Stargazer. Tonar is an artist residing in Cargoa and he is Rugal’s closest friend.  Johan of Sharvindar is a mysterious emissary of King Handerbin of Tolan. Hamideh, King Handerbin’s son, is next in line to become king of Tolan. Rugal, Tonar, and Johan embark on a journey together to regain the Ring of Rosin. 

🏰Your book is set in several neighboring countries. Can you tell us why you chose this location in particular?

Ring of Rosin is set in the kingdom of Elayas, the kingdom of Tolan, and the unsettled territory in-between the two kingdoms, covering a variety of geographical regions. I didn’t choose the locations – I followed the story as it unfolded. 

🏰How long did it take you to write your book?

The first draft of the first book in the Dynamis Novels was written in 1986. Last year I took the draft from so long ago, and worked it into what became the final manuscript of Sword of Fate. Interestingly, I had also written the first three chapter of Ring of Rosin back then. While it has evolved into a very different book from what I envisioned so long ago, the inspiration from those first three chapters is intact and drives the plot line. Once I started work on Ring of Rosin, it moved rapidly and I completed the final version six months after I returned to those three chapters. Ring of Rosin officially launched on September 2, 2024.

🏰What has been the most pivotal point of your writing life?

I am not sure if I can pinpoint a pivotal point in my writing life, but rather, being faithful to my calling to write, even when seasons of life caused long interruptions. I have been blessed with many exciting moments. For those familiar with Kirkus reviews – Getting a positive review and recommendation to “Get It” for my science fiction novel, Alien Neighbors, from Kirkus was an important milestone for me. Most recently, our local Barnes & Noble is carrying Sword of Fate (Book 1 of the Dynamis Novels) and Ring of Rosin (Book 2 of the Dynamis Novels) and their invitation to do an in-store author signing event has been very affirming - truly a dream come true.

🏰What kind of advice would you give to up-and-coming authors?

My advice to up-and-coming authors is simple. Keep writing. You will need to spend an inordinate amount of time on administrative stuff, marketing, and researching. It is easy to let those things take over. Make sure you are still making writing a priority.

Ring of Rosin is available at Amazon.

The Page 69 Test: *Dragged Down Deep* by Michael Okon #page69

 

 

 

They say if you want to really find a good book, go to page 69 (the middle and meat of the book) and you like what's there, it's definitely worth reading the whole book. For today's feature, I'm zooming in on page 69 of Michael Okon's new scifi fantasy, Dragged Down Deep.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Logan Osborne has spent his life chasing the shadows of the past.

As a child, he watched helplessly as his father was snatched from a fishing boat by what he swore was a mermaid. No one believed him then. No one believes him now.

Determined to prove that mythical creatures exist, Logan is drawn back to the small coastal town where his nightmares began after another mysterious disappearance stirs the waters.

Teaming up with his pragmatic colleague Elliot Sheppard and his fiercely loyal friend Penny Swanson, Logan dives headfirst into an adventure packed with danger and deception. As they dig deeper, the trio faces resistance at every turn—a secretive agency with its own agenda, a suspiciously unhelpful police force, and Logan’s old flame, who may know more than she’s letting on.

What they uncover is far darker and more terrifying than Logan ever imagined: the truth about his father, the secrets of Minatuck, and the horrifying reality of the Mermaid of the Hamptons.

Will Logan and his friends expose the lies that have haunted him for years, or will they be Dragged Down Deep into the swampy, secretive underbelly of a town that guards its mysteries with deadly intent?

Dragged Down Deep is available at Amazon.

LOGAN FELL HEAVILY onto the mattress, inhaling the fragrance of the sheets. She must air-dry them, he thought absentmindedly.
He was so tired. He and Uncle Jack worked on his car. He helped with some chores around the farm. Then they went to Sully’s Bar and had a few rounds while they watched the game.
Logan groaned with pleasure stretching on the bed, not missing the lumpy one he slept on in his apartment in Long Island. He wondered what drove him to live the way he did when he had a comfortable home if he chose. He could quit his teaching job and take over most of the responsibility of running the farm. He had an open slate. Uncle Jack and Aunt Minnie would be only too happy to hand over the reins to him. e farm was profitable. He knew they longed to move south to a warmer climate, but his dreams of finding new creatures called to him, not that he was able to do it full time.
He lived in the small town of Farmingdale, a mile from the campus where he taught classes on animal sciences. He was between semesters for the summer and had promised his uncle he’d stay for the season on the farm.
Logan closed his eyes dreamily, thinking about Aunt Minnie’s Sunday roast and late-afternoon naps with the window open, letting in the upstate breeze. It felt like he had slept for hours when the persistent buzzing of his phone punctured his dreams. He fumbled as he tried to swipe its surface. He rolled
over, looking at the illuminated display, perplexed at the caller. He finally got it to open and answered groggily.
“Penny?” He smiled at her voice, thinking of her pale blond pigtails. He rubbed his eyes. No, wait, the pigtails were gone. She wore her hair hidden, stuffed under her hat. She was a police officer now.

 

What do you think? Would you keep reading?

 

Michael Okon is an award-winning and best-selling author of multiple genres, including paranormal, thriller, horror, action/adventure, and self-help. He graduated from Long Island University with a degree in English and then later received his MBA in business and finance. Coming from a family of writers, he has storytelling in his DNA. Michael has been writing from as far back as he can remember, his inspiration being his love for films and their impact on his life. From the time he saw The Goonies, he was hooked on the idea of entertaining people through unforgettable characters.

Michael is a lifelong movie buff, a music playlist aficionado, and a sucker for self-help books. He lives on the North Shore of Long Island with his wife and children.

Website & Social Media:

Website ➜ www.michaelokon.com

Twitter ➜ https://www.x.com/IAmMichaelOkon

Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/IAmMichaelOkon