Vengeance is the itinerary of a woman obsessed by her past. Vanessa Servais utilizes a myriad of chemical compounds with the most unique of delivery systems, as she quenches her thirst for blood.
Riverside Detective Kelli Jordan discovers the discarded body of a Jane Doe, who appears to lack one essential element regarding her death. This leads Detective Jordan to consult quirky but brilliant medical examiner: Martin Dankes, who verifies the cause of the woman’s death, are both intriguing and terrifying.
As the body count rises, Detective Jordan uncovers the evidence to unravel the killer’s deadly web, but Vanessa Servais has other plans and soon she will be gone…forever.
Will Detective Jordan arrive in time to bring the sadistic woman to justice or is this just the beginning to a new brand of serial killer?
Out of the catacombs, a story of bloody proportions awaits my loyal fans! I have prepared a short tale for all who dare to proceed. A quick synopsis to titillate the taste buds. A calling card written in blood is the signature for a killer roaming the hills of Cutter’s Pass. Detective Steve Creighton and his team have been assigned the grisly task to stop the madman at all cost. What they discover sends them on a manhunt, leading to one of their own. Will they be able to stop the one who calls himself Forsaken, before he quenches his taste for an inhumane delicacy? Only time will tell… Without further ado, the first installment… (Remember, death is only a click away.)
The man placed the blade against his muscled chest; with one quick motion, a cascade of crimson stained the steel intruder. Pain never really meant much to him. It was an act of realization if anything. The new scar would join the others, in celebration of his next conquest. His upper torso was riddled with the reminders of all his wonderful victims. Today, while he was involved in his daily dose of fitness at Hensen’s Gym, he had acquired an unlikely target. Her name was Shanna Wilks. A tall toned redhead; who instructed the early bird yoga class. He was amazed by her blemish—free pearl skin. She reminded him of a ceramic doll, sitting on the shelf of an exquisite antique shop, more so, than something living. Shanna wouldn’t be that too much longer. He reached into his pocket and removed a metallic holder. Running his fingers along the ridges comforted him. This was his ritual. The monogrammed letters stared back at him, beckoning him to withdraw the contents. The man removed a blank business card, careful not to drip blood on it prematurely. The smooth texture of the paper was just perfect to capture each stroke, as he positioned the knife at such an angle; none of the precious fluid was wasted. He glanced in the rearview mirror and smiled. Almost time. The sound of chimes filled the car’s interior. He flipped open the console, and stared at the screen. “Shit, what now?” Taking a deep breath, he answered the annoyance. “Detective Creighton speaking.” “Sir, sorry… I know it’s your day off, but we have something you need to see,” a soft voice apologized. “Lydia, what’s going on?” “It’s him again sir. He left us another calling card.” Must be talking about Jessica. Ah, her blood was so sweet. “Where?” He playfully used his finger as a pen, as he scribbled in mid-air. He knew the location. Lydia’s voice cracked. “2131 Providence Ave. Officer Davis and Beltz have the scene secured.” I’m sure. “10-4, tell them I will be there in twenty. Clear on the other side of town,” he lied. “Sure thing, sir.” He slammed the phone shut. Why does everyone fuck with my time off? Glaring at the digital display of his watch, a crooked smile passed his lips. No worries, this won’t take long. He ran his thumb along the blade, and closed his eyes, as he devoured the sweet life juice. Ah, better than the last. Detective Creighton once again repositioned the blade against the thin cardboard, this time finishing his signature free from interruption. Perfect, simply perfect! Creighton gently blew on the card, not wanting his creativity to be ruined by the natural way blood has the tendency to flow. Satisfied, he stepped from the dark unmarked cruiser. He weaved throughout a cluster of bushes and foliage, until he was at the scene of his “work”. Strapped between two saplings, was the torn body of a young woman. The fresh carcass had already begun to attract the creatures of nature, as they clawed through the flesh, taking prize possessions from their latest meal. Creighton smelled the air and relished the moment. Pamela Abens had been way too easy. The twenty-something brunette simpleton, was a local whore, the town of Cutter’s Pass would not miss. Creighton had taken advantage of that fact; watching her get wasted in these woods on several occasions, and barely making it back to town. She had done it again tonight, but this time she was his. There would be no more apologies to her distraught parents for the gross error of judgment. Now, the earth would swallow her with welcome arms, and be a part of her for eternity. Creighton knelt down and placed the card just below where her feet. Always the same place, always… Creighton glared at his watch. Shit, gotta go! It was ironic to say the least, patrolmen waiting for him at the Providence location had no idea; a murderer was coming to take over their crime scene. Quite ironic indeed…
The morning had a slight chill to it, as Conservation Officer Alicia Strand checked the ridge for accidents. Satisfied the topography wasn’t responsible for another fatality; she reached into a paper bag and plucked out a cold cinnamon roll. Alicia also brought along a bridal magazine, which she glanced at when time afforded the opportunity. Not like Ethan will ever pop the damn question anyway. Alicia popped the gate lock and entered the deserted Dunlap County Conservation Center. She turned the jeep onto the dusty road and followed until she was along the highest peak. The park consisted of one hundred and eighty acres; many recreational activities were available to the large number of tourists. It was known for its dangerously tall bluffs. Many climbers had attempted to ascend the mountainous terrain, but most were unsuccessful. That meant Alicia and the other patrol officers would spend a lot of time to conduct rescue attempts for the misguided. She passed one of the bluffs and was careful to maneuver the tan patrol jeep up through a series of turns on fresh paved road. One turn too many and that could be it. The overused vehicle bounced along the path; she felt every deformity the road had to offer.
“Damn Jeep! I told Renni to fix these shocks,” Alicia said. She remembered the report she had given to the park’s mechanic about the needed repairs. Alicia drove for a few minutes longer and then decided it was time for a break. This will work. Alicia had driven to the most secluded part of the park known as Parma Point. Not too many campers knew it even existed; most of the time the park’s maintenance employees were the only people ever to spend time here. She turned into the gravel lot and noticed unwanted weeds had grown wild between various parts of the broken pavement. She would make a note of it and have the park engineer come out and throw some weed killer on the nuisance.
She turned into a haphazard parking spot, made of green treated two by fours. As she grabbed her magazine, the police radio came to life.
“Dispatch, to four-ten.” The sound of a male voice filled the interior. Great! “Four-ten, go ahead, dispatch.”
“I need you to respond to a high angle rescue at Sutterman’s Bluff ASAP!”
“Affirmative, dispatch, I’m about ten minutes from there now,” Alicia said.
“I will show you en route to the location. Be advised I have already called fire rescue as well.”
“I will let you know when I’m on scene.” Alicia shifted the vehicle into drive and activated the emergency equipment. She turned the vehicle around to leave, but instinct directed her to look right. The conservation officer did a quick double take. That’s sort of weird. She stopped the jeep and stared out at three picnic tables. The middle appeared to be covered in a dark mass.
She squinted to see what was on top but couldn’t tell from the distance. She decided this may be just as important as the rescue and figured it wouldn’t hurt to investigate. Alicia would need to call dispatch back and let them know. The fire department will be expecting me, She pushed the transmit button. “Four-ten, to dispatch.”
“Dispatch to four-ten, are you at Sutterman’s Bluff already?”
“Negative, I think I have discovered something else here at Parma Point.”
“I already informed fire rescue you were on your way to their location. You’re the only one on duty. You copy that?”
“I need to check this out. I will advise.”
“Ten-four,” the dispatcher said; the radio went silent.
Alicia exited her vehicle, and flipped on her portable radio. She walked toward the picnic area. When she was about twenty feet away, she noticed the massive dark object were a swarm of crows. They weren’t the usual loud, obnoxious birds she was used to; these creatures appeared to be content. Very eerie. Alicia edged closer to see what they were drawn to, but couldn’t tell what lay beneath the flock. She figured some careless campers might have left out their trash or spoiled food and forgot to throw it away when they departed.
When she got within eyeshot, Alicia looked down, and almost tripped over a folded pile of clothes. The garments were within arm’s distance of the picnic table; she bent in closer. Why would someone leave these here? She took a few more steps in effort to scare them. They appeared to be oblivious to her presence; only a few made any noise at all. Most of them continued to shove another aside, as they flapped their wings in violence to include themselves in the feast.
Alicia waved her arms to shoo them off; they were deliberate to fly away but with her persistence they left and exposed what was underneath. Prone on the tabletop was a mutilated figure of what appeared to be a young female. She was naked; spread eagle and was tied to the underside of the bench by thin ropes. They were secured to what remained of both her swollen hands and ankles. Alicia approached, and choked on her saliva. The repulsive odor of defecation and torn flesh made her eyes water. She gasped at the sight of the woman’s face. The skin around her cheeks was ripped away from the bone. Her eyes were now empty sockets that held a gateway to her brain tissue. The sight was so mesmeric; she was unable to look away. Alicia glanced down; the woman’s fleshy mid section appeared to have a carving engraved into it.
Not him…not here. Those words, and that monster were enough to scare anyone in law enforcement the last several days, and she was no exception. Alicia out-of-breath yelled into the radio. “Four-ten, to dispatch. I need assistance from a county supervisor and a detective ASAP!”
Independence Day in Marcona has just turned deadly. A crazed bomber has decided to terrorize all in his path, and he won’t stop until his revenge is complete.
Chief of Police Mark Blankenship and his daughter are unexpected targets of the attack, and they find themselves in a struggle for survival. He soon discovers if he doesn’t find the location of the devices or the man himself, all will be lost.
Will Blankenship be able to save the people of the city and disable the weapons of mass destruction…or will the trail of bloodshed include him and everything he loves?
One in particular is a plague to the detectives of the Marcona Police Department. A monster has returned, and he won’t rest until his vengeance is complete. Armed with a paralyzing concoction and the tools of his trade, he targets a select few to add to his collection.
Chief Mark Blankenship, along with detectives Brian Jeffers and Kelli Jordan, face off against the madman, hoping to end his bloody path of destruction.
Unfortunately, they haven’t anticipated the killer will sacrifice at all costs, making one of them his prized token…
Welcome to my demented Utopia, fans and friends! The final touches on the latest work are complete and soon the next few novels will be unveiled. (I know…too many years since the last.) The marketing and advertising campaign is underway, so your patience is appreciated. Here is the back cover blurb…remember, death is only a click away.
Vengeance is the itinerary of a man obsessed by his past. Homicide Detective, Kelli Jordan is called to investigate a grisly murder at a local gentleman’s club, where the woman’s death is only the beginning. Detective Jordan discovers a truth so revealing, it leads her to seek out someone who is familiar with how the killer operates. Will her newfound friend be able to help her end the madman’s reign of terror, or does Lucifer once again, slip away into the night?
Ah, sequel time, boys and girls…(Everybody enjoys a good sequel…hehe!)
Today is the day, future author! The initial query letter you sent in to publisher X resulted in a request for sample pages and synopsis. A few months later, (please pretend time lapse for effect) the acquisitions editor asked for the full manuscript of your sparkling novel, Sacred Skin, and within a time frame not to exceed six months, you receive a phone call from Mr. Redpencil (hehe) saying, “Welcome to the family. We at publisher X would love to add you to our family of authors. We want you to review the contract we have prepared, where our author royalty percentages are above the normal industry standards!” (I always wonder how many people were polled to determine the industry standards?)
Now, my author friend, excitement fills you to the brim, and your fingers tremble , as you barely keep your sanity. I know you want to sign the contract right this minute…but take a deep breath, and S- L- O- W- down. Before you do anything, read the damn thing!
A few things to look at…
1. What format/formats is your work going to be published in? Mass market paperback, trade paperback, hardcover, audiobook, e-book, or some form of publication not developed yet? (Yep, many contracts have this phrase in it.) Find some other titles the publisher has released, and see if they are in the same format as yours.
2. Distribution of your work. Will the novel be listed with all the large book store/libraries/chain merchandise retail stores? You need to scrutinize this portion of your contract very carefully and ask questions of Mr. Redpencil if you don’t understand. The more distribution you have, the more likely your book will be seen! If Sacred Skin is only listed on publisher X’s website, this may not be the most effective way for your work to be seen.
3. Royalty payments. The contract will list a schedule of royalty payments. Sometimes it’s quarterly/semi-annually. Understand the payment schedule and don’t be afraid to inquire if you feel something doesn’t sound Kosher. It’s important the contract addresses the term royalty statements. The statements determine your sales figures for a designated time frame. Example, if your sales for six months is 5,000 copies, the statement should reflect this amount.
4. Synergy with publisher. Hmm, I hope…no let me rephrase that…I pray you have done research in the initial querying process to determine if publisher X is the right one for you. This can be as simple, as recognizing the kind of novels they publish. If Sacred Skin is a suspense/thriller, and publisher X has only released children’s stories, this may not be a match made in Heaven. Publishing a novel takes team work, and you want the publisher who chooses your work to love it and embrace it as you do. Does that mean you and publisher X should dance under the moonlight together making kissy-face…no, of course not (not unless you want to). BUT IT DOES mean to have an open and honest communication of what the partnership needs to be successful and how you work as a team to achieve that success.
Finding the right publisher takes a determined effort and committment. There may be times when a publisher has offered a contract, and you review it to find they have great distribution, outstanding royalty payments, and will release your work in all formats…but the synergy is off, and working with them is painstaking, to say the least. What do you do? Hmm, Now that’s a question YOU have to answer.
Hmm, let’s ponder that question. Some would say that anyone willing to publish your work is the right one. Not so much, aspiring writers. I know you slaved away on the manuscript and spent countless hours editing it to within an inch of its’ life, and then…yousent out dozens upon dozens of query letters, where the only correspondence was in the form of a cookie cutter rejection letter. It can be disappointing to say the least.
So, your next course of action, is to scour the internet and writing forums for publishers who accept query letters. You take a deep breath…(make sure you exhale, or you will pass out) and fire off a few queries to a publisher who you think will make your writing dreams become a reality. A few weeks/months later, the golden ticket arrives in email/mailbox, and the excitement grows to a level so intense, sleep is barely on the agenda. Hmm, it would appear the hard work has paid off, and you are well on your way to seeing your novel on display as an end cap at the brick-and-mortar stores.
Unfortunately, the publisher you have been so lucky to have been chosen by has no clue how to successfully market you or the novel you possess. When the book finally comes out, it’s so riddled with errors, you wonder if the editorial team (if they even have one) was high on some illegal substances. Now, to top if off…your 300-page trade paperback has been priced at the reasonable price of $19.95. (Hehe!) But have no fear…because you the author of the work will get a reduced price for future purchases (after your one free author copy) at the fair rate of $13.95…what a freaking deal, my author friend!
Wow, you may think the example above is far-fetched…but let me tell you, I’m fortunate to travel across the region doing author events, some with authors in the situation above. Their novel is priced at such an inflated amount, the only people who buy it either are family or friends. It pains me to see this, and I urge all the aspiring writers out there, if you decide to forego the literary agent route and tread into the waters of publishers, be mindful of who you are dealing with. In the above example, the research for finding a publisher was half-ass. A quick check on valuable writers websites tells you many things, but it’s your job as the author to be very thorough. Example, if the publisher has a list of authors, find out if those books are carried at the local book stores and libraries. The individual authors of publishers will have websites, active usage of social networking will also be important. Scour their sales numbers, and reviews through a multiple of networks. Your goal is to determine if this publisher can do the following: honest feedback when you ask pertinent questions, distribute your work to the masses, assist in author appearances, market your novel in all media formats, and the most important, (to me at least) love your novel as much as you do.
Next week, I will continue this conversation and talk a little more about the following:
books.apple.com/us/audiobook/deaths-prescription-unabridged/id1545015411
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Jeffrey Martin's Novels 