Sandra Brown - Buy One, Get One Free?

Although this deal has been working for a couple of days, there is no mention of it on the Amazon page, so it may stop at any time. Be sure to check your book list on the Manage My Kindle page after your purchase -- you can always return the purchased book if the deal doesn't work and you didn't really want only the one for $10.

That said, if you buy a copy of Smash Cut ($9.99) by Sandra Brown, you also get a copy of her earlier novel, Hello, Darkness ($6.39), as a free download. If you are a Sandra Brown fan, just consider it a great bonus, essentially dropping the price of each books to $5, each.

Book Description
THE PRINCIPALS
Paul Wheeler. CEO of the Wheeler Enterprises empire. At age fifty-two, he's a pillar of Atlanta society and a brilliant businessman. But Paul is out of the picture even before the opening credits -- shot dead during an armed robbery. Julie Rutledge. A savvy, cultured, and attractive Southern woman, seasoned by a stint of study and romance in Paris. She owns the city's most successful and sophisticated art gallery on Peachtree Street. She was also Paul Wheeler's weekly companion at the hotel where he was murdered and was hand in hand with him at the time of his death. Derek Mitchell. A defense lawyer of renown. Successful, handsome, and despised by the Atlanta PD for his courtroom victories, he goes to the mat to make a case for every client - and headlines for himself. A guilty verdict is not an option. Yet he's not entirely without a conscience, as proven when his life takes a terrible turn toward the cinematic. Creighton Wheeler. The prodigal nephew of Paul. With movie-star looks and guileless blue eyes, the twenty-eight-year-old playboy has a penchant for call girls, fast cars, and designer clothes. But his passion is movies. He studies them, quotes them ... and lives them. Even those closest to Creighton can't be sure when he exits reality and enters the fantasy world of films.

STORYBOARD
The murder of Paul Wheeler has all the elements of a blockbuster: family rivalries, incalculable wealth, and a prominent man dying in the arms of his beautiful mistress. It's a case that could earn Derek Mitchell even greater star power. When the Wheeler family approaches him about defending Creighton for his uncle's murder -- even before he's charged -- he jumps at the chance. But Derek soon discovers that Julie will stop at nothing to secure justice for Paul -- and that includes preventing Derek from defending Creighton. Infuriated, Derek realizes that his hands have been tied in a way that could not only cost him the case, but ruin his entire career. Although Creighton has a rock-solid alibi, Julie is convinced that he is responsible for Paul's murder. But the homicide detectives have another theory. Caught in several lies, and keeping secrets from Derek and the police, Julie is suspected of casting blame on Creighton to cover her own crime. Meanwhile, Derek fears he's once again being duped ... yet he burns with jealousy when he thinks of Julie with her late lover. But the more Derek learns about Creighton and his darker side, the more he doubts the young man's innocence. And hiding in a squalid motel under an assumed name is the one man, a career criminal, a killer, who knows the truth. The clock ticks down toward a shocking ending as Derek and Julie seek to learn whether Creighton's fascination with movie murders is merely a bizarre hobby or depravity. Has he begun reenacting cinema's goriest scenes ... and, if so, who will be his unwitting costars? They won't know until the final SMASH CUT.

Soul Intent by Dennis Batchelder

Soul Intent ($0.99), by Dennis Batchelder, is the sequel to Soul Identity($0.01), a book of which I have three copies (two are ebooks -- it's a long story -- and one of which is a signed trade paperback). This one hit Kindle first, with the paperback to follow next month, so you get to read it before those who don't have Kindle access.

Book Description

A VILLAIN’S REQUEST
In 1946, soon-to-be-executed Nazi General Hermann Goering asks young Soul Identity overseer Archibald Morgan to take his looted gold and deposit it in a soul line collection, there to await his soul’s rebirth.

A GRIM RESISTANCE
Flora, a seventeen-year-old Gypsy girl whose father died in the Dachau concentration camp, is sure that Goering stole the gold. She struggles to persuade Morgan to reject the Nazi’s deposit, but Morgan prevails.

A MYSTERIOUS THEFT
Sixty-four years have passed. A repentant Morgan opens Goering’s collection and discovers the gold is gone. In its place lies a cryptic journal. Morgan asks security expert Scott Waverly to find the thief and recover the gold.

A THRILLING ADVENTURE
Scott must race through Europe to uncover the elusive secrets of what really happened in Nuremberg… secrets that threaten to reopen old wounds, settle old scores, and lead to the gold’s—and his own soul’s—recovery.

Offspring by Steven Harper released on Kindle

Offspring, by Steven Harper, the fourth and final book of his Silent Empire series, is now available on Kindle and is bargain priced at $1.79. The first three books in the series are Dreamer, Nightmare, and Trickster, all of which I've bought (and I've already grabbed this one).

Book Description
The lush and beautiful forest planet of Bellerophon is home to a cacophony of noises, but its resident psychics are known as the Silent. Previously they could travel to the Dream, a telepathic plane of existence where they could twist the laws of reality. But that time is over...

One madman's lust for power tore the Dream asunder. Now only a handful of the Silent can enter it. Kendi Weaver is one of them.

As an election for the governorship of Bellerophon begins, Kendi is caught in the crossfire. Attempts on his life—and a rash of Silent kidnappings—point to a political enemy...or a personal one. Either way, the future of the Dream is at stake. And Kendi fears it may become a nightmare.

Edited to add: The above order is by publishing date. However, if you'd like to read them in chronological sequence, it's Nightmare, Dreamer, Trickster then Offspring although the author says both of the first two can be read in either order and all of them stand alone (the last two are more intertwined, though). I've chosen to read them in this order and it works well.

One Day Dollar Sale: The Legend of Oescienne - The Finding (Kindle)

The Legend of Oescienne - The Finding, by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson, is on sale today for $1.00. This is the first book in a fantasy series aimed at adolescent and young adult readers (or those who enjoy young adult fiction). This book was first released at $10 and there is no guarantee it won't return to that level after the sale, so grab a sample and, if you enjoy it, be sure not to miss this sale price. The sale has been advertised as a 24 hour one, although it may last a bit longer than that, I would not count on it.

Book Description
When the dragon Jaax receives word that a human infant has been found in the province of Oescienne, he doesn’t dare believe it. Humans have been extinct for centuries, trapped by a terrible curse and left to live out their existence in the form of dragons. Despite his doubts, however, Jaax assumes responsibility for the baby girl only to discover that what he has been seeking for so many years has finally been found . . .

Jahrra knows all about the legends and sagas of Oescienne, but never in her wildest dreams would she believe that she played a part in one of them. She’s far too busy dodging the bullies at school and seeking out new adventures with her friends to worry about what secrets her dragon mentor might be keeping from her, or that her every move is being watched by something living in the forest surrounding her home.
But the secrets run deep, and as Jahrra fights to earn her place in this extraordinary world, she will begin to unravel the truth of it all: that she isn’t as safe as she thought she was, that danger lurks around every corner, and that her role in this unfurling tale is far more significant than she could possibly imagine.

Free Ebook Roundup

The heat of summer is settling in and it looks like Amazon is taking a short break from introducing new free titles. Perhaps they just want to give us time to get caught up in our reading? Currently, I count 40 full books, a tv script, one graphic novel, 10 business book chapters and 4 rather odd entries marked "Test: Please do not purchase" (from their bestselling ratings, though, some of them have been making more sales than some of the free business chapters, on and off), all currently free in the Kindle store.

Just because they are taking a break, however, doesn't mean that there are not free reads to be found. This one isn't for Kindle, as it has DRM, but Books on Board has Lessons in Love by Kate Davies for free in several formats (Adobe Epub is the only one they are charging for) and the DRM free version Mobipocket works just fine in Calibre or on your Kindle. This one is a Samhain title and their previous freebies have been Kindle exclusives, but this one doesn't appear to be available in the Kindle store (at least, not yet).

St. Bride's College, Cambridge, England, 1905. When Jonty Stewart takes up a teaching post at the college where he studied, the handsome and outgoing young man acts as a catalyst for change within the archaic institution. He also has a catalytic effect on

Ruth Ann Nordin recently made available two new novels, Meant To Be, a time travel romantic comedy, and Eye of the Beholder, a historical romance. These join the other free novels on her web site, bringing the total to five (plus a link to another free book on the same page).

Meant To Be
While on a train heading west, Ted Jacob and Megan Crane are thrown back into the past, with no idea of why or how they got there. They get off the train at Fargo, North Dakota. To their dismay, they are in April 1898.

To their horror, the people insist that Ted and Megan marry at once! But Ted and Megan don't even know each other, and despite their protests, the preacher declares them man and wife.

Eye of the Beholder
Mary Peters despairs that she will never get married. At nineteen, she has no prospects of finding a husband, so she takes matters into her own hands and becomes a mail-order bride. When she arrives in Omaha, Nebraska to meet the man she's due to marry, he takes one look at her homely appearance and rejects her.

But fate has other plans for Mary.

At the bottom of the page, there is a link to a free novel from Melanie Nilles, A Turn of Curses ($0.99 Kindle). You can download it there, or follow the link to Melanie's web site - there you'll find not only the free book, but a description of another novel she has out on Kindle, Starfire Angels ($3.99), as well as a serialized novel Legend of the White Dragon, currently up to chapter 43.

Nineteen year old Selina has a life many would love–praised, served, and spoiled. The only problem is she didn't choose that life, because it comes with a heavy price. She will soon die, like all Healers, when the mark of Y'dom completes its pattern around her neck, and hers is nearly complete. Her gift of healing powers are sought after by all, including the ruling prince of a neighboring kingdom to heal his ailing father. Seeing this as her last chance for adventure, she makes the journey to Vastorn.

En route she encounters Faldon, the fallen leader of the feyquin, and his band of rogues. Cursed by a demon and swearing vengeance on the human who shares his curse, Faldon does all he can to stop Selina from completing her journey. But he also knows how to save Selina, if she survives the night mares.

Wesley Allison is offering a free download of his book on Smashwords, Princess of Amathar. You have to use a coupon code after adding the book to your cart, RE32Y, which is valid until August 30. One nice thing about Smashwords - once you purchase a book, almost all of them are downloadable in multiple formats and none have DRM, making it easy to get a version for your e-reader.

Transported to the artificial world of Ecos, Earth man Alexander Ashton struggles to understand the society of his new friends the Amatharians. As he does so, he finds himself falling in love with their princess and being thrust into a millennium-long war with their mortal foes the reptilian Zoasians. Princess of Amathar is a sword-swinging novel of high adventure.

Another one free on Smashwords is The Life & Times of a Boomer Baby, by L.K. Campbell, who recently had her book A Soldier's Love as a free download to celebrate her birthday (it's now $1.99).

Personal anecdotes about growing up on a farm in the rural south during the 1960s. These sometimes humorous and sometimes poignant stories give a picture of life before cell phones, home computers, satellite T.V. and all those other things we think we can't live without.

Closing out today's roundup is Raising Atlantis ($6.39 Kindle) by Thomas Greanias. The publisher is having a sweepstakes to promote his newest novel, Atlantis Revelation ($9.99), giving you a chance on a special issue Ipod Touch in addition to the book in PDF form.

" BURIED UNDER TWO MILES OF ICE. In Antarctica, a glacial earthquake swallows up a team of scientists...and exposes a mysterious monument older than the Earth itself. In Peru, archaeologist Dr. Conrad Yeats is apprehended by U.S. Special Forces...to unlock the final key to the origins of the human race. In Rome, the pope summons environmental activist Dr. Serena Serghetti to the Vatican...and reveals a terrifying vision of apocalyptic disaster. In space, a weather satellite reveals four massive storms forming around the South Pole...and three U.S. spy satellites disappear from orbit. These are the end times, when the legends of a lost civilization and the prophecies of the world's great religions lead a man and a woman to a shattering discovery that will change the fate of humankind. This is the ultimate voyage, a journey to the center of time, as awe-inspiring as the dawn of man--and as inevitable as doomsday. This is RAISING ATLANTIS.... "

Click HERE for the sweepstakes and PDF download. The link for the book is on the right part of the sweepstakes page, so be sure to grab it first, then enter the contest.