Hello Everyone,
Just thought I would interrupt your chain of thought and throw these teasers your way. It is almost like fishing…throw out the line with a baited hook on the end and hope for the best…well in my case I am throwing out teasers with the links as bait and hoping for the best…now I’m not calling you fish…that could be termed a “school” of thought but not by a long shot…I’m trying my best to hook readers…people who appreciate a good cup of coffee along with a great book, so without any further to do…allow me to introduce you to my debut novel.
Blood Moon over Africa.
The full moon is high in the sky, the howl of the creature echo’s across the water as it catches the scent of the hated “she thing.” It follows the scent, and slowly enters the camp area, moving from shadow to shadow, stealthily it advances on the villa, the urge to howl out its defiance at the world is strong, but all that is issued from that mighty throat is a low growl. It moves across the veranda towards the front of the villa, the scent getting stronger. There it finds the sliding door open; it slips inside, the pad of its footsteps hardly breaking the silence.
It sees the hated “she thing”, the one who has stood up to it, the one who has shown no fear in the face of death. Now it will pay for the creature will rip out her throat. It springs onto the sleeping form that is Adele.
Adele screams, her arms flailing the air, fighting the demon in her dream. David jerks awake at the sound of the scream, and grabbing her shoulder he shakes her awake. “Baby, you were having a nightmare, wake up, it’s okay.”
He feels her body shudder against him, as her sobs fill the room. Piet rushes in, rifle at the ready, followed by Peggy and Veronica, pity mirrored in their eyes as they take in the scene before them.
Adele’s put on a brave face, but at night the creature invades her dreams.
***
Well if that took your breath away…great. Now allow me to introduce book two in The Blood Trilogy,
Blood Spoor in the Dark
The night descends on the warm earth, with a soft breeze teasing the leaves in the trees, and playing with the grass, the night is dark, as the moon plays hide and seek among the clouds, and the animals of the forest move in and out of shadows as Piet and Roger take up their positions in the blind. Both men are armed with 458 Lott rifles, as well as side arms, and a strong spotlight.
A quick inspection of the area around the bait reveals that nothing has paid a visit to it, but the breeze suggests that the scent of the rotten meat will carry to the one they are waiting for. Hopefully it’s just a question of time as to when the guest of honor would arrive and the party could start, hopefully with a bang, but only one.
The time drags on as the two men sit in the blind, the sound of crickets filling the night, the rustle of animals moving around them in the dark, and no show from the spotted killer. The silence descends down on them so quickly that it takes a few minutes for both to realize that the bait has a visitor; Piet slowly raises the rifle in the general direction of the bait, eases back the safety, and waits for Roger to fill the darkness with light.
The beam cuts through the night, towards the bait, and both men breathe a sigh of relief, for in the beam stands one of the biggest spotted hyenas either man has ever seen. The hyena, caught in the glare of the light, stares straight at them, its eyes glowing for a moment and then it’s gone, its laugh of fear carrying to them as it bolts through the darkness.
Both men strain their eyes into the darkness, trying to adjust their night vision, talking in hushed tones. “Something scared that bloody hyena, but what?” “I’m not sure Roger, but it feels like something’s about to happen, just you be ready with that torch.”
Time seems to stand still for them, and as the minutes turn to hours, they both start to feel that this is a waste of time, when they hear movement in the direction of the bait. The crickets are silent and the low growl of a big cat carries to them, full of menace and a warning that this cat will not tolerate any interference with its free meal.
Roger shines the torch in the direction of the bait to reveal a large male leopard crouching over the remains of the rotten carcass that has been used to lure him, he snarls into the light, and as Piet fires, the leopard moves with lightning speed towards the blind. Piet’s first shot is not a killing shot, due to the sudden charge of the big cat, but catches it in the right shoulder. The bullet breaking bone on its way into the leopard, the force of the bullet knocks the cat over, but like a steel spring, he regains his feet, and launches his attack. The second shot hits the big cat directly into its heart, its body crashes into the blind, sending the men sprawling, as if having the last laugh as it dies at their feet.
The sound of the two shots carry over the forest, and reaches the ears of Orando as he makes his way along the jungle path in the direction of his home, after a meeting with the village chief of the area. The darkness does not worry him as the trail is familiar and he is armed with a spear.
He is looking forward to seeing his young wife, and is busy congratulating himself on his good fortune when without warning, he is seized from behind, and he feels sharp talons sink into his flesh. With a scream of pain and terror, he fights to dislodge his attacker, and in his efforts he manages to break the hold, turns to confront the silent attacker with his spear and looks into a hideous face covered by the head of a leopard.
The steel claws descend, cutting into his flesh, his life blood staining the ground and his last thought is that he recognized his assailant, and he abandons all hope for his killer is a member of the feared secret sect of Leopard Men.
The killer turns in the direction from where the shots came from, looks down at the body of his victim, and silently moves off into the undergrowth of the forest.
***
Okay, now if I have got your attention…that is my intention…let’s move on to book three, that is if you are brave enough…lets no hang around…its getting dark.
Blood Demon-Revenge
The interior of the warehouse is gloomy, with only the lunar light from the moon breaking through the skylight windows and the scattering of black candles that burn at intervals along the path leading up towards the front of the building where a crude altar has been erected.
Around the warehouse are people huddled together waiting for the arrival of the Lion Man, and to worship the demons of the dark in an orgy of blood.
The frightened whimpers of a young boy carry across the silence as they wait for their master to arrive. The parents of the child have bound his hands and feet, for has not great glory been bestowed upon them by his being chosen by the great master as the one to feel the power of the claws. His innocent blood is to be spilt to enable the master to speak to the ones from the dark side.
Movement from the front of the warehouse brings silence down on all that are gathered, and then before them, held by a chain appears a lioness. The chain is padlocked to a steel bolt in the floor and the handlers move off to join those already waiting.
The low growls from the big cat fill the area, and then she lies down to wait, for she has been here before, and knows that before tonight is over, she will feed.
A figure appears before the assembled crowd, and a murmur ripples through them. The Lion Man now stands before them.
Amos, now naked except for the skin of a lion, draped over his body, the head of the beast placed over his head looks out at the people below him. The steel claws attached to his hands glint in the light from the candles.
His voice reverberates across the silent warehouse.
“Who brings the chosen sacrifice; stand so that I may see you.”
The couple stands with their bound son between them.
“Bring the boy forward so that we may please the elders, and they will open the doorway to the underworld.”
The couple drag their petrified son forward, and throw him at Amos’ feet.
“The elders will smile down on you for your gift. Go in peace and know that riches will find you.”
Two men appear from the shadows and together, lift the struggling boy, and tie him spread eagled to the altar. The lioness’s interest peaks at the activity around the altar, and she strains on the chain, low growls coming from deep in her throat.
Amos approaches the altar, and in one quick movement of the steel claws slits the small boy’s body open, his blood running down the side as the people rush forward to drink the blood. They smear their bodies with it, shouting for the forces of darkness to come forth and accept this sacrifice.
A chill settles over the crowd, as Amos intones the spirits to hear him and to come forth. He starts to shake and suddenly falls on the small body on the altar imitating the feeding of a lion, he steps back and issues a command.
From the shadows once more the two men appear. They untie the body of the child, and stand before the robed Lion Man. With the body held above their heads.
“The forces of darkness are here my people. They have inhabited the body of the lioness and will feed. I ask you as one, may they feed?”
The chant of “feed, feed” echo’s within the warehouse.
At a nod from Amos, the two men approach the lioness, and throw the body down. She springs onto the corpse, and the sound of the feeding lioness fills the night air.
That my friends and hopefully future readers is the climax of The Blood Trilogy, and I would like to share a couple of reviews with you regarding the three books.
Review for Blood Moon over Africa…5 Star rating
“As I lay in bed, totally freaked out, I’m trying to think of how to best convey the awe that I’m feeling towards this book. I don’t like being freaked out and normally I would chicken out on a read like this but I kept reading, even though I lost sleep. I’m not sure how it happened but I finished this book… Zunckel doesn’t sugarcoat anything and the result is a terrifyingly authentic experience. The writing is clean and straightforward, unlike any style I’ve read to date.”
Review for Blood Spoor in the Dark…5 Star rating
“My review for blood spoor in the dark. This writer truly has a wonderful voice, as I read it, was like a movie in my mind. I felt like I was there. Scary thought. Wow. I’m anxiously waiting for his next novel.”
Review for Blood Demon-Revenge…5 Star rating
“What a fantastic finish to a Trilogy. No gaps, nothing left to chance. The three books left me wanting more. His characters are so believable and you find yourself rooting for them. I finished this book, feeling like I had been taken on a wild ride. In one word to sum up his writing, GREAT!”
***
Now that I’ve got that off my chest, let me love and leave you with your thoughts…and if they are moving in the direction that I hope they are moving let me help you out a bit. All three books are available in all e-book formats as well as in the print version. For those of you who would rather read them in the Afrikaans version…
they are there, just waiting for you.
The link to my Authors Page on Amazon is…http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00Q8L4NZ8
The books are also available at Barnes & Noble, Kobo Books, Apple & Smashwords
For those of you in South Africa who would like the Printed version…you have two choices.
- Book Depository has free shipping anywhere in the world and is a faster service than most places. Here are the links. Blood Moon Over Africa
Blood Spoor in the Dark
Blood Demon
- loot.co.za or www.takealot.co.za
Thank you for getting this far down in my blog…I truly hope that I captured your attention.
Take Care and Stay Safe…You never know what is watching from the shadows.
…thanked Johan and allowed Pooch to lead me off once again on the drag.
but it is great to hear all the same as it is encouraging, and really nice to know that they are behind you 100% of the way.
sitting staring at me, but the minute he realized I was awake..I had a dog on the bed telling me to get up…there is work to do.
…having my work published in print just blows me away, and getting a letter from my publisher telling me that I “friggin ROCK”, just makes my day.
strip the bark from various trees in order to live and are therefore responsible for killing the trees…once again an example of how cruel nature can be.
hunts seal…the seal hunts fish…the fish hunt smaller fish…etc etc…Nature is cruel in order for the survival of a species.
…man who poaches the wild life, fishes the seas, kills the dolphin and whale, trophy hunts and encroaches on the habitat of the wilds…now that is killing animals.
and not action thrillers.
…after all these reviews for Blood Spoor in the Dark need to be shared. I mean what type of guy would I be if I just kept them to myself. At the end of the day as an Author, I have been gifted by the readers who have take the time and trouble to go on line and have bothered to do a review…at least now if you find yourself tempted to step into the dark, you have a better idea of what you are letting yourself in for.
.so sit back and enjoy a good book.
Indie Author Paul Zunckel 