Release Day Enter Book Giveaways, Author & Character Interviews & More

Finally, February 28, 2014 has arrived and On the Pineapple Express, an inspirational thriller written 3 1/2 years ago, is fully released in all formats, digital and printed. Want to win a free, signed copy? There are several  giveaways running today through March 3. See the links below.

On release day only, the publisher, Pelican Book Group, is offering the ebook at $3, half price. Click here and scroll down to see the offer.

There are interviews with the author, the heroine, further information about, and excerpts from, the book in the smorgasboard of links listed below. 

Leave a comment on this blog and you'll also be entered into a giveaway of e-books for both books 1&2 in
the Pure Genius Series, 

Hide and Seek and On the Pineapple Express.

Win a free copy of On the Pineapple Express at any one of these 4 blogs hosting giveaways:
Barn Door Book Loft
Inner Source (Fay Lamb)
Kimberly's Musings
The Weather Scribe - leave a comment at the bottom of this post by March 3 and a contact email address (in case you win)

Book Info, Reviews, Author & Character Interviews:
Book Trailer
Early Amazon Book Reviews
Heroine interview, Jennifer Akihara
H. L. Wegley Q&A About the Book
Author Interview with H. L. Wegley
Devotional (based on the Story) about Faith Fear & Foolishness

Buy the Book:

Pelican Book Group: On the Pineapple Express (ebooks ½ price on release day)

Amazon: On the Pineapple Express

Stay tuned for more books in this series. Book 3, Moon over Maalaea Bay, a thriller with some romance, set entirely in Maui, releases June 13. Book 4, Triple Threat, also a thriller with romance, should release late fall of 2014.

Outtakes - Human-Trafficking thriller, On the Pineapple Express

Since On the Pineapple Express, an inspirational thriller about human trafficking, is out on the Kindle and the full release is only a few weeks away, I'm letting my readers see parts of the story that were cut for various reasons. I'm trying to avoid any spoilers. The prologue was cut because we cut the point-of-view for Katie Lloyd, a beautiful, bright, athletic 15-year-old. Without further ado, here is Katie in the deleted prologue to On the Pineapple Express, sequel to Hide and Seek:

Prologue
Friday, October 25, 3:50 PM

Katie Lloyd sighed with relief as she stepped from the sidewalk, across the rock border, and onto the lawn in front of her home—her new foster home. By taking back streets on her way home from school, she managed to avoid the harassment which had plagued her for the past two years. Many of the boys tormented her with crude remarks, wolf whistles, and constant leering. Her appearance had attracted this unwanted kind of attention since she turned thirteen.
When a shrill whistle pierced her ears, she stopped. Dustin, the obnoxious freshmen from next door, was ogling her with his head propped up on the cedar fence between the two houses. More than once he had tried to peep through her bedroom window. That wasn’t going to happen again.
Katie jumped back to the rock border, stooped, and grabbed an egg-sized rock. Putting her whole body into the throw, her well-trained, throwing arm cracked like a whip.
Dustin ducked behind the fence when an eighty-mile-per-hour fastball parted his hair. The rock flew across the neighbor’s yard. A loud crack sounded when it broke a board loose from the fence at the far side of the yard.
Katie pursed her lips and shook her head. Too bad his nose wasn't there when the rock arrived.
As she walked toward the front door, she stared at it for a few seconds. Her stomach knotted and her smile morphed to a frown. She wasn’t safe even behind that door. Everybody needed somewhere they could feel safe.
But nobody gets everything they need.
She had almost made it home without any—
Tires grated on pavement as a vehicle braked hard. Katie turned toward the street, where a minivan with dark windows came to a stop in front of her house. The passenger-side window slid down, and she recognized Anya, a new girl at school. More than just a new girl, Anya was the only person who had tried to befriend Katie since she started school in September.
"Hey, Katie, I heard something at school today I thought you should know."
Katie took a step toward the van. "What's that?"
"You don’t want this broadcast to the whole neighborhood. Come here and I'll tell you."
Was this about another stalker? She walked across the lawn toward the van, wishing she was ugly and obese.
Well, at least ugly. That wouldn't keep me from making the varsity softball team.
"Come on, Katie. This is good news." Anya motioned for Katie to step closer.
She stopped near Anya's open window. "OK. What's so important you needed someone to drive you over here to tell me?"
Anya waved her closer. "This is for your ears only. You'll understand when you hear it."
Katie rested her forearms on the base of the open window. "Here I am. So—"
With a quick, deft movement, Anya hooked both hands inside Katie's collar and pulled her against the vehicle. Katie gasped. The side door slid open. "What are you—"
Two large arms shot out of the door and vice-like hands clamped the front and back of her head. The hand on the front sealed Katie's mouth.
Her heart pounded out the tempo of panic. The hand smothered her. She ripped at it using all her strength, but powerful arms yanked her into the back of the van.
The back seats had been removed. Realizing that, her panic deepened. The door slammed shut.
Katie tried to roll, wiggle free, kick, pound on the vehicle, scream—anything to attract attention. The large, meaty hand still covered her mouth, clamping it so tightly she couldn’t bite. Something restrained her arms, pulling them behind her, cutting into her wrists. A knee pushed into her back, forcing the air from her lungs. Another set of hands shoved her head into the floor of the van.
The van took off and a gravelly voice spoke. "Go to sleep my blond-haired, blue-eyed princess."
Katie tried to keep her wits about her. She tried to think of a way to escape, but the second set of hands clamped like giant pliers on both sides of her neck. When someone squeezed the pliers, her vision and her thoughts became fuzzy. Katie’s mind screamed a silent plea for help...

------------------------------------

If you don't want to read the e-book, the full release, including printed copies, is scheduled for February 28.
The subject of human trafficking is treated carefully without being overly graphic. I would even recommend this book to my 14-year-old granddaughter. It's a sad commentary on our society that we have to warn our kids about these very real dangers they could encounter at the mall, on a street corner by their school, anywhere kids gather ... but we do. We must!

You can read more about my writing on The Barn Door Book Loft:

http://www.barndoorbookloft.net/2014/01/a-warm-welcome-to-thriller-author-harry.html

http://www.barndoorbookloft.net/2014/01/hide-and-seek-by-harry-g-wegley.html

On the Pineapple Express - Kindle Sale & 5-Book Giveaway

To celebrate the early Kindle release of my inspirational, human-trafficking thriller, On the Pineapple Express, I am giving away 5 Kindle copies. If you wish to participate, you can view my VLOG entry below and leave a comment on my blog to let me know you would like to be entered into the drawing for one of the 5 Kindle copies. Winners will be selected in the evening on Sunday, December 15.  Sorry, but printed copies won't be available until the general release on February 28, when all formats will go online.
If you wish to purchase a Kindle copy of On the Pineapple Express, it's on sale for $0.99 on December 15, increasing a dollar a day up to $5.99 on December 20.
I had intended to put up a real VLOG (video blog)  entry today, but the fan on my laptop is making so much noise that it's interfering with the audio. In lieu of a VLOG, I've made a video slide show that introduces me, the story behind the book, and the novel, On the Pineapple Express. It's a bit like a book trailer, but my real trailer will be a lot more professionally done.
On the Pineapple Express is book 2 in my 4-book Pure Genius Series. It reads well as a stand-alone novel, but if you want to hear about the cyber-terrorist incident that brought my hero and heroine together, you can check out book 1, Hide and Seek.
Enjoy the video and be sure to leave a comment and an e-mail address if you want to win a Kindle copy of On the Pineapple Express. Remember, the contest ends Sunday afternoon, December 15. For you print-only readers, there will be more opportunities to win a copy in early March.

Video of the story behind the book and a blurb about the story.

Merry Christmas!
H. L. Wegley

Release Dates for Books 2 & 3 Pure Genius Series

All four books of the Pure Genius Series are now contracted, and I recently received release dates for books 2 & 3. On the Pineapple Express , a thriller (with romance) about human trafficking releases Feb 28, 2014 and Moon over Maalaea Bay , a romantic thriller set entirely on Maui, releases June 13. You can read more about the upcoming releases here on The Weatherscribe. Triple Threat , the final book in the series is in final editing and, hopefully, will release in the fall of 2014.

There are pictures from the setting of Triple Threat on my facebook profile.Check out the gondolas hanging over Whistler Valley. Maybe I should post one of them here --

Don't forget, book 1, Hide and Seek, a cyber-espionage thriller with romance, is available now.

CrossReads Book Blast: Keeper of Reign by Emma Right

Keeper of Reign By Emma Right

About the Book

Books written in blood. Most are lost, their Keepers with them. A curse that befell a people. A Kingdom with no King. Life couldn’t get more harrowing for the Elfies, a blend of Elves and Fairies. Or for sixteen-year-old Jules Blaze. Or could it? For Jules, the heir of a Keeper, no less, suspects his family hides a forgotten secret. It was bad enough that his people, the Elfies of Reign, triggered a curse which reduced the entire inhabitants to a mere inch centuries ago. All because of one Keeper who failed his purpose. Even the King’s Ancient Books, did not help ward off that anathema. Now, Gehzurolle, the evil lord, and his armies of Scorpents, seem bent on destroying Jules and his family. Why? Gehzurolle’s agents hunt for Jules as he journeys into enemy land to find the truth. Truth that could save him and his family, and possibly even reverse the age-long curse. Provided Jules doesn't get himself killed first.

Keeper of Reign (Reign Fantasy) On Kindle Keeper of Reign in Paperback

*~*

Emma Right is a happy wife and homeschool mother of five living in the Pacific West Coast of the USA. Besides running a busy home, and looking after their five pets, which includes two cats, two bunnies and a Long-haired dachshund, she also writes stories for her children. She loves the Lord and His Word deeply, and when she doesn't have her nose in a book, she is telling her kids to get theirs in one. Right worked as a copywriter for two major advertising agencies and won several awards, including the prestigious Clio Award for her ads, before she settled down to have children.

Follow Emma Right Website | Facebook | Twitter

Enter to Win a $50 Amazon Gift Card!

Enter below to enter a $50 amazon gift card, sponsored by author Emma Right!

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This book blast is hosted by Crossreads. We would like to send out a special THANK YOU to all of the CrossReads book blast bloggers!

Book 4, Pure Genius Series Submitted to Publisher

I recently submitted to my publisher the final book in the Pure Genius Series , Triple Threat, a thriller with romance. It's not yet contracted , but I'm fairly certain we'll come to an agreement on this story.

Brilliant, beautiful, 21-year-old Katie Brandt, PhD candidate and woman of faith, detects a deadly conspiracy. Suspecting it's only the tip of an iceberg, she dives in, pulling fellow grad student, Joshua West, with her into a high-risk investigation of a cyber-terrorist plot. Damaged by the foster-care system, Katie often takes huge risks to win acceptance and love. But when she risks the life of Josh, an agnostic who isn't prepared to die, she fears her mistake might have eternal consequences. That's a mistake that would break Katie's heart, a heart rapidly falling for Josh. If Katie and Josh survive the investigation, can they ever span the chasm of divergent worldviews that separates them? How can they awaken a dozing nation to a three-pronged danger that threatens its very existence? 

Triple Threat, a conspiracy you might read in tomorrow's paper, but pray you never will. An adventure that spans the Pacific Northwest, from the shores of the Olympic Peninsula to the mountains of Whistler, BC.

Keywords/Topics in this story: Thriller, Romance, Faith, Cyber-warfare, Christian Apologetics, Coming of Age 

Please let me know if this sounds like a story you would want to read. 

Coming Soon - On the Pineapple Express - Book 2 Pure Genius Series

On the Pineapple Express - a romantic thriller set on the Olympic Peninsula

Hidden somewhere in the vast 3,600 square miles of the rugged Olympic Peninsula, human traffickers are holding girls to sell to international clients. When brilliant, NSA researcher Jennifer Akihara intercepts a mysterious cell call and hears the desperate cries of a girl calling for help, she is obsessed with finding the holding location. Lacking enough evidence to engage the FBI, she enlists the help of her fiancé, Lee Brandt, a meteorologist. With a deadly storm and international criminals bearing down on them while the clock ticks toward the sale of the captives, can Jennifer and Lee survive the bullets and the elements to find the girls? Will the beautiful Jennifer survive to see her wedding day…or it’s antithesis?